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Alternaria alternata is an opportunistic phytopathogen that negatively impact the growth and production of a wide variety of host plants. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal potential of biogenic ZnO, and bimetallic silver and zinc oxide (Ag/ZnO) nanoparticles synthesized using seed extract of Abrus precatorious and characterized using different analytical tools. In vitro antifungal potentials of ZnO and Ag/ZnO nanoparticles were carried out using the food poison technique. Morphological and ultrastructure of the A. alternata treated with the nanoparticles were carried out using high resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy (HRSEM and HRTEM). In addition, changes in polysaccharide production, chitin content and enzymatic (cellulase and lipase) activities of A. alternata were assayed. Double peak signifying a UVmax of 353.88 and 417.25 nm representing Ag and ZnO respectively was formed in the bimetallic nanoparticles. HRSEM and HRTEM results shows agglomerated nanoparticles with particle and crystallite size of 23.94 and 16.84 nm for ZnO nanoparticles, 35.12 and 28.99 nm for Ag/ZnO nanoparticles respectively. In vitro antifungal assay shows a significant concentration-dependent inhibition (p

Plant immobility renders plants constantly susceptible to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Abiotic and biotic stresses are known to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause comparable cellular secondary reactions (osmotic or oxidative stress), leading to agricultural productivity constraints worldwide. To mitigate the challenges caused by these stresses, plants have evolved a variety of adaptive strategies. Phenolic acids form a key component of these strategies, as they are predominantly known to be secreted by plants in response to abiotic or biotic stresses. Phenolic acids can be divided into different subclasses based on their chemical structures, such as hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids. This review analyzes hydroxycinnamic acids and their derivatives as they increase under stressful conditions, so to withstand environmental stresses they regulate physiological processes through acting as signaling molecules that regulate gene expression and biochemical pathways. The mechanism of action used by hydroxycinnamic acid involves minimization of oxidative damage to maintain cellular homeostasis and protect vital cellular components from harm. The purpose of this review is to highlight the potential of hydroxycinnamic acid metabolites/derivatives as potential antioxidants. We review the uses of different secondary metabolites associated with hydroxycinnamic acid and their contributions to plant growth and development.

Alternaria alternata is a global fungal pathogen that causes symptoms such as leaf blight and seed rot resulting in economically significant yield losses in different varieties of crops. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is preferred over other methods of synthesis due to their safety, eco-friendly approach, and cost-effectiveness. Phyto-synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) using seed extract of Abrus precatorious was optimized and characterized using the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Ag-NPs with a UVmax of 409.01 nm and a crystallite and particle size of 23.75 and 34.36 nm, respectively, were synthesized. In vitro anti-alternaria activity of Ag-NPs showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of the mycelia with a maximum inhibition of 54.61% at 200 ppm which was significantly different (p < 0.05) from propiconazole (1 ppm) with 100% inhibition. A scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of mycelia treated with 200 ppm of Ag-NPs showed a shrunken and shriveled mycelia while the ultrastructure of the mycelia under a transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed the alteration of the fungus cell wall and disappearance of cellular organelles compared to the control sample, while energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis of the mycelia showed the localization of elemental Ag (0.95%) within the cell of the fungus compared to the control. The results of this study highlighted the antifungal potential of Ag-NPs against fungicide-resistant Alternaria alternata to reduce the environmental impact of synthetic fungicides.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the leading causes of cancer mortality. The lifetime risk of developing CRC is about 5% in adult males and females. CRC is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, and at this point therapy has a limited impact on cure rates and long-term survival. Novel and/or improved CRC therapeutic options are needed. The involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer development has been reported, and their regulation in many oncogenic pathways suggests their potent tumor suppressor action. Although miRNAs provide a promising therapeutic approach for cancer, challenges such as biodegradation, specificity, stability and toxicity, impede their progression into clinical trials. Nanotechnology strategies offer diverse advantages for the use of miRNAs for CRC-targeted delivery and therapy. The merits of using nanocarriers for targeted delivery of miRNA-formulations are presented herein to highlight the role they can play in miRNA-based CRC therapy by targeting different stages of the disease.

Abstract Raphanus sativus also known as radish is a member of the Brassicaceae family which is mainly cultivated for human and animal consumption. R. sativus growth and development is negatively affected by heavy metal stress. The metal zirconium (Zr) have toxic effects on plants and tolerance to the metal could be regulated by known signaling molecules such as methylglyoxal (MG). Therefore, in this study we investigated whether the application of the signaling molecule MG could improve the Zr tolerance of R. sativus at the seedling stage. We measured the following: seed germination, dry weight, cotyledon abscission (%), cell viability, chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, conjugated diene (CD) content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, superoxide (O2 •− ) content, MG content, hydroxyl radical (·OH) concentration, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glyoxalase I (Gly I) activity, Zr content and translocation factor. Under Zr stress, exogenous MG increased the seed germination percentage, shoot dry weight, cotyledon abscission, cell viability and chlorophyll content. Exogenous MG also led to a decrease in MDA, CD, H2O2, O2 •− , MG and ·OH, under Zr stress in the shoots. Furthermore, MG application led to an increase in the enzymatic activities of APX, SOD and Gly I as well as in the complete blocking of cotyledon abscission under Zr stress. MG treatment decreased the uptake of Zr in the roots and shoots. Zr treatment decreased the translocation factor of the Zr from roots to shoots and MG treatment decreased the translocation factor of Zr even more significantly compared to the Zr only treatment. Our results indicate that MG treatment can improve R. sativus seedling growth under Zr stress through the activation of antioxidant enzymes and Gly I through reactive oxygen species and MG signaling, inhibiting cotyledon abscission through H2O2 signaling and immobilizing Zr translocation.

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that affects the body’s ability to produce or use insulin. There is a continuous rise of this disease particularly in developing countries due to changes in life style and poverty among the people. In this study, antidiabetic activities of aqueous extract of Nelsonia canescens and its partitioned fractions in alloxan-induced diabetic rats were evaluated. Male albino rats were divided into 9 groups (diabetic and non-diabetic) of 5 rats each. Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal administration of alloxan (90 mg/kgbwt). The experimental design consists of a diabetic control group (untreated), a normal control group (1 mL saline), a standard diabetic drug (Glibenclamide; 5 mg/kgbwt), two doses (50 and 300 mg/kgbwt) of aqueous extract, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions of Nelsonia canescens were orally administered for a period 21 days. Blood glucose of the rats was monitored at 3-days intervals while biochemical and in vivo antioxidant assays of serum and liver were determined after 21 days. Results The hypoglycemic effect of the extract observed was in a dose dependent manner with a significant reduction (p aqueous extract > methanol fraction compared with the diabetic control group. A significant difference (p

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that affects the body's ability to produce or use insulin. This study evaluated the hypoglycaemic activity of biosynthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO‐NPs) in alloxan‐induced diabetic Wister rats. Methods CuO‐NPs were synthesized via the green route and characterized using different analytical tools. Diabetes was induced intraperitoneally using 90 mg/kg body weight of alloxan monohydrate in albino rats. Thirty (30) rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each and orally treated for 21 days. Groups I and II were treated with 300 mg/kg bwt Cereus hildmannianus extract and CuO‐NPs, respectively. Groups III and IV received 5 mg/kg bwt of Glibenclamide and 2 mL of normal saline, respectively, while Group V was left untreated as the diabetic control. Blood glucose (BG) levels and body weight changes were monitored at 3‐ and 7‐day intervals, respectively, throughout 21‐day treatment period. Lipid profiles, enzyme assays and histopathological studies of the liver were also carried out. Results Spheroidal tenorite phase of CuO‐NPs with a crystallite size of 62.57 nm, surface area (20.64 m2/g) and a UV‐maximum absorption at 214.27 nm was formed. The diabetic rats treated with 300 mg/kg bwt CuO‐NPs had the highest BG lowering ability (from 482.75 ± 27.70 to 124.50 ± 2.50 mg/dL). A significant difference (p

Abstract The seriousness and menace of the worldwide weight of ‘Alzheimer’s disease have been related to a few factors, which incorporate antioxidant system depletion, mutation of proteins, and high expression of cholinesterases due to aging, environmental influence, diet, infectious agents, and hormonal imbalance. Overexpression of cholinesterases has been emphatically connected to ‘Alzheimer’s disease because of the unreasonable hydrolysis of acetylcholine and butyrylcholine. Certain plant phytochemicals, for example, beta-carotenoids, lutein, neoxanthin, and viola-xanthine from Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Var. esculentum (ESC) and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Var. cerasiforme (CER) has been utilized altogether as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of ‘Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, this research sought to investigate the drug-likeness of the individual carotenoids as detailed for cholinesterase inhibition in the treatment of ‘Alzheimer’s disease. Four potential cholinesterase inhibitors from ESC and CER were retrieved from the PubChem database. Investigation of their drug-likeness, toxicity prediction, molecular docking, and dynamic simulations were carried out using Molinspiration, PreADMET V.2.0, Patchdock server, and Schrodinger Maestro software respectively. Neoxanthin was ranked the safest with a greater tendency to inhibit the cholinesterases with high binding affinity. In addition, its stability after simulation in a mimicked biological environment suggests its relevance as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of ‘Alzheimer’s disease through the inhibition of cholinesterases.

Abstract Pneumonia is the main reason for mortality among children under five years, causing 1.6 million deaths every year; late research has exhibited that mortality is increasing in the elderly. A few biomarkers used for its diagnosis need specificity and precision, as they are related to different infections, for example, pulmonary tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. There is a quest for new biomarkers worldwide to diagnose the disease to defeat these previously mentioned constraints. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising indicative specialists against infection. This research work used AMPs as biomarkers to detect viral pneumonia pathogens, for example, Respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza A and B viruses utilizing in silico technologies, such as Hidden Markov Model (HMMER). HMMER was used to distinguish putative anti-viral pneumonia AMPs against the recognized receptor proteins of Respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza A, and B viruses. The physicochemical parameters of these putative AMPs were analyzed, and their 3-D structures were determined utilizing I-TASSER. Molecular docking interaction of these AMPs against the recognized viral pneumonia proteins was carried out using the PATCHDOCK and HDock servers. The results demonstrated 27 anti-viral AMPs ranked based on their E values with significant physicochemical parameters in similarity with known experimentally approved AMPs. The AMPs additionally had a high anticipated binding potential to the pneumonia receptors of these microorganisms sensitively. The tendency of the putative anti-viral AMPs to bind pneumonia proteins showed that they would be promising applicant biomarkers to identify these viral microorganisms in the point-of-care (POC) pneumonia diagnostics. The high precision observed for the AMPs legitimizes HMM’s utilization in the disease diagnostics’ discovery process.

The number and diversity of drugs in the tuberculosis (TB) drug development process has increased over the years, yet the attrition rate remains very high, signaling the need for continued research in drug discovery. In this study, crude secondary metabolites from marine fungi associated with ascidians collected from Saldanha and False Bays (South Africa) were investigated for antimycobacterial activity. Isolation of fungi was performed by sectioning thin inner-tissues of ascidians and spreading them over potato dextrose agar (PDA). Solid state fermentation of fungal isolates on PDA was then performed for 28 days to allow production of secondary metabolites. Afterwards, PDA cultures were dried and solid-liquid extraction using methanol was performed to extract fungal metabolites. Profiling of metabolites was performed using untargeted liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS/MS). The broth microdilution method was used to determine antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, while in silico flexible docking was performed on selected target proteins from M. tuberculosis. A total of 16 ascidians were sampled and 46 fungi were isolated. Only 32 fungal isolates were sequenced, and their sequences submitted to GenBank to obtain accession numbers. Metabolite profiling of 6 selected fungal extracts resulted in the identification of 65 metabolites. The most interesting extract was that of Clonostachys rogersoniana MGK33 which inhibited Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv growth with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.125 and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively. These results were in accordance with those from in silico molecular docking studies which showed that bionectin F produced by C. rogersoniana MGK33 is a potential inhibitor of M. tuberculosis β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (MabA, PDB ID = 1UZN), with the docking score observed as −11.17 kcal/mol. These findings provided evidence to conclude that metabolites from marine-derived fungi are potential sources of bioactive metabolites with antimycobacterial activity. Even though in silico studies showed that bionectin F is a potent inhibitor of an essential enzyme, MabA, the results should be validated by performing purification of bionectin F from C. rogersoniana MGK33 and in vitro assays against MabA and whole cells (M. tuberculosis).

Fusarium solani is worrisome because it severely threatens the agricultural productivity of certain crops such as tomatoes and peas, causing the general decline, wilting, and root necrosis. It has also been implicated in the infection of the human eye cornea. It is believed that early detection of the fungus could save these crops from the destructive activities of the fungus through early biocontrol measures. Therefore, the present work aimed to build a sensitive model of novel anti-Fusarium solani antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against the fungal cutinase 1 (CUT1) protein for early, sensitive and accurate detection. Fusarium solani CUT1 receptor protein 2D secondary structure, model validation, and functional motifs were predicted. Subsequently, anti-Fusarium solani AMPs were retrieved, and the HMMER in silico algorithm was used to construct a model of the AMPs. After their structure predictions, the interaction analysis was analyzed for the Fusarium solani CUT1 protein and the generated AMPs. The putative anti-Fusarium solani AMPs bound the CUT1 protein very tightly, with OOB4 having the highest binding energy potential for HDock. The pyDockWeb generated high electrostatic, desolvation, and low van der Waals energies for all the AMPs against CUT1 protein, with OOB1 having the most significant interaction. The results suggested the utilization of AMPs for the timely intervention, control, and management of these crops, as mentioned earlier, to improve their agricultural productivity and reduce their economic loss and the use of HMMER for constructing models for disease detection.

The future of pesticide usage in agriculture is uncertain due to its unsustainability, adverse environmental impacts, and its association in enhanced phytopathogen resistance. Hence, this situation urges the development of new sustainable practices in agriculture. A promising approach involves endophytes, which are non-pathogenic microorganisms inhabiting the interior parts of plants. However, due to the vast diversity and complexity of plant microbiomes, a major gap has formed with regards to endophytic research and its application in phytopathogen biocontrol. The gap has mainly been increasing due to the difficulty of isolating underrepresented endophytes and due to limitation of previous genetic tools availability to further research and understand plant-microbe interaction, endophytic biocontrol capabilities and their biocontrol compounds. This review highlights the current challenges being encountered in this research field. Additionally, the research advances through utilization of specialized techniques (CRISPR/Cas9 system, nanoparticles and multi-omics) are highlighted to assist in elucidating the mechanism revolving around plant-microbe interactions and to generate model systems demonstrating improved biocontrol capabilities of endophytes. The ultimate goal of this review is to provide improved approaches that could be implement in an array of microorganism that will enhance the phytopathogen biocontrol field in order to create a sustainable agricultural sector.

Abstract Background Pneumonia ranks as one of the main infectious sources of mortality among kids under 5 years of age, killing 2500 a day; late research has additionally demonstrated that mortality is higher in the elderly. A few biomarkers, which up to this point have been distinguished for its determination lack specificity, as these biomarkers fail to build up a differentiation between pneumonia and other related diseases, for example, pulmonary tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Infection (HIV). There is an inclusive global consensus of an improved comprehension of the utilization of new biomarkers, which are delivered in light of pneumonia infection for precision identification to defeat these previously mentioned constraints. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been demonstrated to be promising remedial specialists against numerous illnesses. This research work sought to identify AMPs as biomarkers for three bacterial pneumonia pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii using in silico technology. Hidden Markov Models (HMMER) was used to identify putative anti-bacterial pneumonia AMPs against the identified receptor proteins of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The physicochemical parameters of these putative AMPs were computed and their 3-D structures were predicted using I-TASSER. These AMPs were subsequently subjected to docking interaction analysis against the identified bacterial pneumonia pathogen proteins using PATCHDOCK. Results The in silico results showed 18 antibacterial AMPs which were ranked based on their E values with significant physicochemical parameters in conformity with known experimentally validated AMPs. The AMPs also bound the pneumonia receptors of their respective pathogens sensitively at the extracellular regions. Conclusions The propensity of these AMPs to bind pneumonia pathogens proteins justifies that they would be potential applicant biomarkers for the recognizable detection of these bacterial pathogens in a point-of-care POC pneumonia diagnostics. The high sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity of the AMPs likewise justify the utilization of HMMER in the design and discovery of AMPs for disease diagnostics and therapeutics.

The use of biological control agents as opposed to synthetic agrochemicals to control plant pathogens has gained momentum, considering their numerous advantages. The aim of this study is to investigate the biocontrol potential of plant bacterial isolates against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium verticillioides. Isolation, identification, characterization, and in vitro biocontrol antagonistic assays of these isolates against Fusarium species were carried out following standard protocols. The bacterial endophytes were isolated from Glycine max. L leaves (B1), Brassica napus. L seeds (B2), Vigna unguiculata seeds (B3), and Glycine max. L seeds (B4). The bacterial isolates were identified using 16S rRNA PCR sequencing. A phylogenetic analysis shows that the bacterial isolates are closely related to Bacillus subtilis (B1) and Bacillus tequilensis (B2–B4), with an identity score above 98%. All the bacterial isolates produced a significant amount (p < 0.05) of indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophores, and protease activity. In vitro antagonistic assays of these isolates show a significant (p < 0.05) growth inhibition of the fungal mycelia in the following order: F. proliferatum > F. culmorum > F. verticillioides > F. oxysporum, compared to the control. The results suggest that these bacterial isolates are good biocontrol candidates against the selected Fusarium species.

Studying the mechanisms through which endophytic fungi confer protection to host plants against parasites will contribute toward elucidating the endophytic fungi–plant–pathogen relationship. In this study, we evaluated the effects of endophytic Beauveria bassiana on the antioxidant activity, oxidative stress, and growth of tomatoes infected with the fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). Tomato seedlings were inoculated with B. bassiana conidia and then contaminated with FOL experimentally. Four treatments (Control [T1], FOL only [T2], B. bassiana only [T3], and B. bassiana and FOL [T4]) were assessed. The plants from the B. bassiana and FOL treatment (T4) were significantly taller (DF = 3, 56; p < 0.001) and produced more leaves and aerial part biomass than those treated with only FOL (T2). Remarkably, plants in the two treatments with FOL (T2 and T4) had the lowest antioxidant activities; meanwhile, plants from the FOL treatment (T2) had the lowest ROS (superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) contents. Broadly, strong positive correlations between ROS and all the plant growth parameters were recorded in this study. While the current results revealed that the endophytic entomopathogen B. bassiana enhanced antioxidant capacity in plants, it did not improve the antioxidant capacity of F. oxysporum-infected plants. It is possible that the pathogenic FOL employed a hiding strategy to evade the host immune response and the antagonistic actions of endophytic B. bassiana. In conclusion, B. bassiana inoculum enhanced the growth of tomatoes infected with FOL, induced higher oxidative stress in both F. oxysporum-infected and -uninfected tomatoes, and improved antioxidant activities in plants inoculated with B. bassiana only.

Abiotic and biotic stress factors negatively influence the growth, yield, and nutritional value of economically important food and feed crops. These climate-change-induced stress factors, together with the ever-growing human population, compromise sustainable food security for all consumers across the world. Agrochemicals are widely used to increase crop yield by improving plant growth and enhancing their tolerance to stress factors; however, there has been a shift towards natural compounds in recent years due to the detrimental effect associated with these agrochemicals on crops and the ecosystem. In view of these, the use of phenolic biostimulants as opposed to artificial fertilizers has gained significant momentum in crop production. Seaweeds are marine organisms and excellent sources of natural phenolic compounds that are useful for downstream agricultural applications such as promoting plant growth and improving resilience against various stress conditions. In this review, we highlight the different phenolic compounds present in seaweed, compare their extraction methods, and describe their downstream applications in agriculture.

Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of infectious mortality and significant economic losses among our growing population. The lack of specific biomarkers for correct and timely diagnosis to detect patients’ status is a bane towards initiating a proper treatment plan for the disease; thus, current biomarkers cannot distinguish between pneumonia and other associated conditions such as atherosclerotic plaques and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potential candidates for detecting numerous illnesses due to their compensatory roles as theranostic molecules. This research sought to generate specific data for parental AMPs to identify viral and bacterial pneumonia pathogens using in silico technology. The parental antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) used in this work were AMPs discovered in our previous in silico analyses using the HMMER algorithm, which were used to generate derivative (mutated) AMPs that would bind with greater affinity, in order to detect the bacterial and viral receptors using an in silico site-directed mutagenesis approach. These AMPs’ 3D structures were subsequently predicted and docked against receptor proteins. The result shows putative AMPs with the potential capacity to detect pneumonia caused by these pathogens through their binding precision with high sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity for possible use in point-of-care diagnosis. These peptides’ tendency to detect receptor proteins of viral and bacterial pneumonia with precision justifies their use for differential diagnostics, in an attempt to reduce the problems of indiscriminate overuse, toxicity due to the wrong prescription, bacterial resistance, and the scarcity and high cost of existing pneumonia antibiotics.

There is a direct correlation between population growth and food demand. As the global population continues to rise, there is a need to scale up food production to meet the food demand of the population. In addition, the arable land over time has lost its naturally endowed nutrients. Hence, alternative measures such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides are used to fortify the soil and scale up the production rate. As efforts are being made to meet this food demand and ensure food security, it is equally important to ensure food safety for consumption. Food safety measures need to be put in place throughout the food production chain lines. One of the fundamental measures is the use of biofertilizers or plant growth promoters instead of chemical or synthesized fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides that poise several dangers to human and animal health. Biofertilizers competitively colonize plant root systems, which, in turn, enhance nutrient uptake, increase productivity and crop yield, improve plants’ tolerance to stress and their resistance to pathogens, and improve plant growth through mechanisms such as the mobilization of essential elements, nutrients, and plant growth hormones. Biofertilizers are cost-effective and ecofriendly in nature, and their continuous usage enhances soil fertility. They also increase crop yield by up to about 10–40% by increasing protein contents, essential amino acids, and vitamins, and by nitrogen fixation. This review therefore highlighted different types of biofertilizers and the mechanisms by which they elicit their function to enhance crop yield to meet food demand. In addition, the review also addressed the role of microorganisms in promoting plant growth and the various organisms that are beneficial for enhancing plant growth.

The quest for an extraordinary array of defense strategies is imperative to reduce the challenges of microbial attacks on plants and animals. Plant antimicrobial peptides (PAMPs) are a subset of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). PAMPs elicit defense against microbial attacks and prevent drug resistance of pathogens given their wide spectrum activity, excellent structural stability, and diverse mechanism of action. This review aimed to identify the applications, features, production, expression, and challenges of PAMPs using its structure–activity relationship. The discovery techniques used to identify these peptides were also explored to provide insight into their significance in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and their expression against disease-causing pathogens. This review creates awareness for PAMPs as potential therapeutic agents in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, such as the sensitive treatment of bacterial and fungal diseases and others and their utilization in preserving crops using available transgenic methods in the agronomical field. PAMPs are also safe to handle and are easy to recycle with the use of proteases to convert them into more potent antimicrobial agents for sustainable development.

Objective Ideal cardiovascular health (ICH) is associated with greater longevity and reduced morbidity, but no research on ICH has been conducted in Jamaica. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of ICH in urban Jamaica and to evaluate associations between ICH and community, household, and individual socioeconomic status (SES).Design Cross-sectional study.Setting Urban communities in Jamaica.Participants 360 men and 665 women who were urban residents aged ≥20 years from a national survey, the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2016–2017.Exposures Community SES, using median land values (MLV); household SES, using number of household assets; and individual SES, using education level.Primary outcome The main outcome variable was ICH, defined as having five or more of seven ICH characteristics (ICH-5): current non-smoking, healthy diet, moderate physical activity, normal body mass index, normal blood pressure, normal glucose and normal cholesterol. Prevalence was estimated using weighted survey design and logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations.Results The prevalence of overall ICH (seven characteristics) was 0.51%, while the prevalence of ICH-5 was 22.9% (male 24.5%, female 21.5%, p=0.447). In sex-specific multivariable models adjusted for age, education, and household assets, men in the lower tertiles of community MLV had lower odds of ICH-5 compared with men in the upper tertile (lowest tertile: OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.91, p=0.032; middle tertile: OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.04, p=0.062). Women from communities in the lower and middle tertiles of MLV also had lower odds of ICH-5, but the association was not statistically significant. Educational attainment was inversely associated with ICH-5 among men and positively associated among women.Conclusion Living in poorer communities was associated with lower odds of ICH-5 among men in Jamaica. The association between education level and ICH-5 differed in men and women.

The global increase in cancer mortality and economic losses necessitates the cautious quest for therapeutic agents with compensatory advantages over conventional therapies. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are a subset of host defense peptides, also known as antimicrobial peptides, which have emerged as therapeutic and diagnostic candidates due to several compensatory advantages over the non-specificity of the current treatment regimens. This review aimed to highlight the ravaging incidence of cancer, the use of ACPs in cancer treatment with their mechanisms, ACP discovery and delivery methods, and the limitations for their use. This would create awareness for identifying more ACPs with better specificity, accuracy and sensitivity towards the disease. It would also promote their efficacious utilization in biotechnology, medical sciences and molecular biology to ease the severity of the disease and enable the patients living with these conditions to develop an accommodating lifestyle.

Fusarium oxysporum remains one of the leading causes of economic losses and poor crop yields; its detection is strained due to its presentation in various morphological and physiological forms. This research work sought to identify novel biomarkers for the detection of Fusarium oxysporum using in silico approaches. Experimentally validated anti-Fusarium oxysporum antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were used to construct a profile against Fusarium oxysporum. The performance and physicochemical parameters of these peptides were predicted. The gene for the Fusarium oxysporum receptor protein PR-1-like Protein, Fpr1, was identified and translated. The resulting protein model from the translation was then validated. The anti-Fusarium oxysporum AMPs and Fusarium oxysporum receptor protein 3-D structures were characterized, and their docking interaction analyses were carried out. The HMMER in silico tool identified novel anti-Fusarium oxysporum antimicrobial peptides with good performance in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. These AMPs also displayed good physicochemical properties and bound with greater affinity to Fusarium oxysporum protein receptor PR-1-like Protein. The tendency of these AMPs to precisely detect Fusarium oxysporum PR-1-like Protein, Fpr1, would justify their use for the identification of the fungus. This study would enhance and facilitate the identification of Fusarium oxysporum to reduce problems associated with poor crop yield, economic losses, and decreased nutritional values of plants to keep up with the growing population.

3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) belongs to a family of indole glucosinolate compounds that have been shown to improve Brassica napus growth through the modulation of reactive oxygen species when applied exogenously. The B. napus cultivar AV Garnet was previously identified as a vanadium-sensitive cultivar. Therefore, in this study we investigated whether exogenous DIM could improve the vanadium tolerance of AV Garnet. We performed the following experiments: seed germination assessment, dry weight assessment, cell viability assay, chlorophyll content assay, malondialdehyde (MDA) assay, conjugated diene (CD) content assay, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content assay, superoxide (O2−) content determination, methylglyoxal (MG) content determination, hydroxyl radical (·OH) concentration determination, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity assay, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity assay, glyoxalase I (Gly I) activity assay, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity assay and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis for vanadium content determination. Under vanadium stress, exogenous DIM increased the seed germination percentage, shoot dry weight, cell viability and chlorophyll content. Exogenous DIM also led to a decrease in MDA, CD, H2O2, O2−, MG and ·OH, under vanadium stress in the shoots. Furthermore, DIM application led to an increase in the enzymatic activities of APX, SOD, Gly I and GST under vanadium stress. Interestingly, under vanadium stress, DIM treatment did not alter vanadium content in B. napus shoots. Our results indicate that exogenous application of DIM can improve B. napus seedling shoot growth and biomass under vanadium stress by priming the antioxidant enzymes via reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling.

The mining of heavy metals from the environment leads to an increase in soil pollution, leading to the uptake of heavy metals into plant tissue. The build-up of toxic metals in plant cells often leads to cellular damage and senescence. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to produce plants with improved tolerance to heavy metals for food security, as well as to limit heavy metal uptake for improved food safety purposes. To achieve this goal, our understanding of the signaling mechanisms which regulate toxic heavy metal uptake and tolerance in plants requires extensive improvement. In this review, we summarize recent literature and data on heavy metal toxicity (oral reference doses) and the impact of the metals on food safety and food security. Furthermore, we discuss some of the key events (reception, transduction, and response) in the heavy metal signaling cascades in the cell wall, plasma membrane, and cytoplasm. Our future perspectives provide an outlook of the exciting advances that will shape the plant heavy metal signaling field in the near future.

The 13-year-old female patient presented for correction of a severe Class III malocclusion with a Class III skeletal pattern. This was considered an appropriate age for treatment as earlier treatment may have been subject to relapse because significant facial growth may have occurred after treatment, and because treatment at a later age may have required orthognathic surgery. Initially, maxillary expansion was provided to widen the maxilla and to free the circummaxillary sutures. Maxillary protraction headgear was worn to perform sagittal skeletal improvement. Fixed orthodontic appliances were placed to align the dentition and Class III elastics were used to improve intercuspation and stability.

Ground beef is a common source of US Salmonella illnesses and outbreaks. However, the demographic and socioeconomic factors that are related to risk in ground beef-associated outbreaks of Salmonella infections are poorly understood. We describe the individual-level demographic characteristics and county-level indicators of social vulnerability for people infected with Salmonella linked to outbreaks associated with ground beef in the United States during 2012-2018. Non-Hispanic (NH) White and NH American Indian/Alaska Native persons, and people living in nonmetropolitan areas, were overrepresented among people in salmonellosis outbreaks linked to ground beef. Case patients disproportionately resided in counties with high social vulnerability, suggesting that one or more community social risk factors may contribute to or be associated with some food safety risks. Collecting and analyzing socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of people in outbreaks can help identify disparities in foodborne disease, which can be further characterized and inform equity-focused interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Foodborne illness continues to be a substantial public health concern in the United States with contaminated ground beef, chicken, and leafy greens identified as important sources of illnesses and outbreaks. These foods also have been identified by consumers as foods that are likely to carry germs that can make people sick. Food irradiation is a promising tool to enhance food safety. Despite this, there has been limited application of food irradiation in the U.S. During October 7-9, 2022, we licensed data from a Porter Novelli Public Services survey (N = 1,008) to examine consumer risk perception of contamination of ground beef, chicken, and leafy greens with pathogens, and the potential influence risk perception has on purchasing irradiated versions of these foods. Among respondents familiar with food irradiation, a higher proportion of those who believed ground beef and leafy greens were likely contaminated also indicated they were likely to consider purchasing irradiated ground beef (55.6% vs 35.4%; p = 0.0061) and leafy greens (60.8% vs 36.1%; p ≤ 0.0001) compared with those who did not; chicken was not significant (58.6% vs 45.4%; p = 0.0727). This survey demonstrated the importance of risk perception as an influencer on a consumer's decision to purchase irradiated foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: “Michael Ablan reports were provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Michael Ablan reports a relationship with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that includes: employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper”., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Since April 2024, sporadic infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses have been detected among dairy farm workers in the United States. To date, infections have mostly been detected through worker monitoring, and have been mild despite the possibility of more severe illness. During June-August 2024, CDC collaborated with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to implement cross-sectional serologic surveys to ascertain the prevalence of recent infection with HPAI A(H5) virus among dairy workers. In both states, a convenience sample of persons who work in dairies was interviewed, and blood specimens were collected. Among 115 persons, eight (7%; 95% CI = 3.6%-13.1%) had serologic evidence of recent infection with A(H5) virus; all reported milking cows or cleaning the milking parlor. Among persons with serologic evidence of infection, four recalled being ill around the time cows were ill; symptoms began before or within a few days of A(H5) virus detections among cows. This finding supports the need to identify and implement strategies to prevent transmission among dairy cattle to reduce worker exposures and for education and outreach to dairy workers concerning prevention, symptoms, and where to seek medical care if the workers develop symptoms. Timely identification of infected herds can support rapid initiation of monitoring, testing, and treatment for human illness, including mild illness, among exposed dairy workers., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

The risk for transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus from dairy cows to humans is currently low; however, personal protective equipment (PPE) use during work activities on dairy farms has not been well described. PPE use can protect farmworkers when they are working with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1)-infected cows. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) offered PPE to all Colorado farms before or during an A(H5N1) outbreak in cows in 2024. CDPHE surveyed 83 dairy workers from three farms with a confirmed bovine A(H5N1) outbreak. Frequently reported farm worker activities included milking cows or working in the milking parlor (51%), cleaning cow manure (49%), and transporting cows (46%). Frequently reported PPE items available to workers before A(H5N1) outbreaks included gloves (88%), eye protection (e.g., safety glasses or goggles) (76%), rubber boots or boot covers (71%), and head covers (69%). N95 respirator use was low among workers who were exposed to ill cows after detection of A(H5N1) virus (26%). PPE use while working with ill cows increased a mean of 28% after detection of A(H5N1) virus on surveyed farms; use of eye protection while milking cows increased the most (40%). Public health PPE distribution, education, and collaboration with CDA might have increased PPE use on dairy farms with A(H5N1) virus-infected cows and mitigated risk for farmworkers acquiring A(H5N1) virus., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. Rachel Herlihy reports travel support from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the Association of Public Health Laboratories. No other potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are important for rapidly compiling information to determine disease characteristics (eg, symptoms) and risk factors (eg, underlying comorbidities, medications) for disease-related outcomes. To assess EMR data accuracy, agreement between EMR abstractions and patient interviews was evaluated. Symptoms, medical history, and medication use among patients with COVID-19 collected from EMRs and patient interviews were compared using overall agreement (ie, same answer in EMR and interview), reported agreement (yes answer in both EMR and interview among those who reported yes in either), and κ statistics. Overall, patients reported more symptoms in interviews than in EMR abstractions. Overall agreement was high (≥50% for 20 of 23 symptoms), but only subjective fever and dyspnea had reported agreement of ≥50%. The κ statistics for symptoms were generally low. Reported medical conditions had greater agreement with all condition categories (n = 10 of 10) having ≥50% overall agreement and half (n = 5 of 10) having ≥50% reported agreement. More nonprescription medications were reported in interviews than in EMR abstractions, leading to low reported agreement (28%). Discordance was observed for symptoms, medical history, and medication use between EMR abstractions and patient interviews. Investigations using EMRs to describe clinical characteristics and identify risk factors should consider the potential for incomplete data, particularly for symptoms and medications., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2024.)

Over 40% of all U.S. Salmonella illnesses are attributed to consumption of contaminated meat and poultry products each year. Determining which serotypes cause the most outbreak illnesses associated with specific meat and poultry types can inform prevention measures. We developed an approach to categorize serotypes using outbreak illness burden (high, moderate, low) and trajectory (increased, stable, decreased). We used data from 192 foodborne Salmonella outbreaks resulting in 7,077 illnesses, 1,330 hospitalizations, and 9 deaths associated with chicken, turkey, beef, or pork during 2012-2021. We linked each meat and poultry type to 1-3 serotypes that we categorized as high outbreak illness burden and increased trajectory during 2021. Calculation and public display of outbreak illness burden and trajectory annually could facilitate the prioritization of serotypes for prevention by federal and state health and regulatory agencies and by the meat and poultry industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Many intertidal invertebrates are freeze tolerant, meaning that they can survive ice formation within their body cavity. Freeze tolerance is a fascinating trait, and understanding its mechanisms is important for predicting the survival of intertidal animals during extreme cold weather events. In this Review, we bring together current research on the ecology, biochemistry and physiology of this group of freeze-tolerant organisms. We first introduce the ecology of the intertidal zone, then highlight the strong geographic and taxonomic biases within the current body of literature on this topic. Next, we detail current knowledge on the mechanisms of freeze tolerance used by intertidal invertebrates. Although the mechanisms of freeze tolerance in terrestrial arthropods have been well-explored, marine invertebrate freeze tolerance is less well understood and does not appear to work similarly because of the osmotic differences that come with living in seawater. Freeze tolerance mechanisms thought to be utilized by intertidal invertebrates include: (1) low molecular weight cryoprotectants, such as compatible osmolytes and anaerobic by-products; (2) high molecular weight cryoprotectants, such as ice-binding proteins; as well as (3) other molecular mechanisms involving heat shock proteins and aquaporins. Lastly, we describe untested hypotheses, methods and approaches that researchers can use to fill current knowledge gaps. Understanding the mechanisms and consequences of freeze tolerance in the intertidal zone has many important ecological implications, but also provides an opportunity to broaden our understanding of the mechanisms of freeze tolerance more generally., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2024. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Salmonella is estimated to be the leading bacterial cause of U.S. domestically acquired foodborne illness. Large outbreaks of Salmonella attributed to ground beef have been reported in recent years. The demographic and sociodemographic characteristics of infected individuals linked to these outbreaks are poorly understood. We employed a retrospective case-control design; case-patients were people with laboratory-confirmed Salmonella infections linked to ground beef-associated outbreaks between 2012 and 2019, and controls were respondents to the 2018-2019 FoodNet Population Survey who reported eating ground beef and denied recent gastrointestinal illness. We used county-level CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to compare case-patient and controls. Case-patient status was regressed on county-level social vulnerability and individual-level demographic characteristics. We identified 376 case-patients and 1,321 controls in the FoodNet sites. Being a case-patient was associated with increased overall county-level social vulnerability (OR: 1.21 [95% CI: 1.07-1.36]) and socioeconomic vulnerability (OR: 1.24 [1.05-1.47]) when adjusted for individual-level demographics. Case-patient status was not strongly associated with the other SVI themes of household composition and disability, minority status and language, and housing type and transportation. Data on individual-level factors such as income, poverty, unemployment, and education could facilitate further analyses to understand this relationship., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Food irradiation can reduce foodborne illnesses but is rarely used in the United States. We determined whether outbreaks related to Campylobacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes were linked to irradiation-eligible foods. Of 482 outbreaks, 155 (32.2%) were linked to an irradiation-eligible food, none of which were known to be irradiated.

Protein misfolding is common to neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) including Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is partly characterized by the self-assembly and accumulation of amyloid-beta in the brain. Lysosomes are a critical component of the proteostasis network required to degrade and recycle material from outside and within the cell and impaired proteostatic mechanisms have been implicated in NDs. We have previously established that toxic amyloid-beta oligomers are endocytosed, accumulate in lysosomes, and disrupt the endo-lysosomal system in neurons. Here, we use pioneering correlative cryo-structured illumination microscopy and cryo-soft X-ray tomography imaging techniques to reconstruct 3D cellular architecture in the native state revealing reduced X-ray density in lysosomes and increased carbon dense vesicles in oligomer treated neurons compared with untreated cells. This work provides unprecedented visual information on the changes to neuronal lysosomes inflicted by amyloid beta oligomers using advanced methods in structural cell biology., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Climate change is driving the global redistribution of species. A common assumption is that rapid range shifts occur in tandem with overall stable or positive abundance trends throughout the range and thus these species may be considered as climate change 'winners'. However, although establishing the link between range shift velocities and population trends is crucial for predicting climate change impacts it has not been empirically tested. Using 2,572 estimates of changes in marine fish abundance spread across the world's oceans, we show that poleward range shifts are not necessarily associated with positive population trends. Species experiencing high-velocity range shifts seem to experience local population declines irrespective of the position throughout the species range. High range shift velocities of 17 km yr -1 are associated with a 50% decrease in population sizes over a period of 10 yr, which is dramatic compared to the overall stable population trends in non-shifting species. This pattern, however, mostly occurs in populations located in the poleward, colder, portion of the species range. The lack of a positive association between poleward range shift velocities and population trends at the coldest portion of the range contrasts with the view that rapid range shifts safeguard against local population declines. Instead, our work suggests that marine fishes experiencing rapid range shifts could be more vulnerable to climatic change and therefore should be carefully assessed for conservation status., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Nonnative species are a key agent of global change. However, nonnative invertebrates remain understudied at the community scales where they are most likely to drive local extirpations. We use the North American NEON pitfall trapping network to document the number of nonnative species from 51 invertebrate communities, testing four classes of drivers. We sequenced samples using the eDNA from the sample's storage ethanol. We used AICc informed regression to evaluate how native species richness, productivity, habitat, temperature, and human population density and vehicular traffic account for continent-wide variation in the number of nonnative species in a local community. The percentage of nonnatives varied 3-fold among habitat types and over 10-fold (0%-14%) overall. We found evidence for two types of constraints on nonnative diversity. Consistent with Capacity rules (i.e., how the number of niches and individuals reflect the number of species an ecosystem can support) nonnatives increased with existing native species richness and ecosystem productivity. Consistent with Establishment Rules (i.e., how the dispersal rate of nonnative propagules and the number of open sites limits nonnative species richness) nonnatives increased with automobile traffic-a measure of human-generated propagule pressure-and were twice as common in pastures than native grasslands. After accounting for drivers associated with a community's ability to support native species (native species richness and productivity), nonnatives are more common in communities that are regularly seasonally disturbed (pastures and, potentially deciduous forests) and those experiencing more vehicular traffic. These baseline values across the US North America will allow NEON's monitoring mission to document how anthropogenic change-from disturbance to propagule transport, from temperature to trends in local extinction-further shape biotic homogenization., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Temperature varies on multiple timescales and ectotherms must adjust to these changes to survive. These adjustments may lead to energetic trade-offs between self-maintenance and reproductive investment. However, we know little about how diurnal and seasonal temperature changes impact energy allocation. Here we used a combination of empirical data and modeling of both thermoregulatory behaviors and body temperature to examine potential energetic trade-offs in the dung beetle Onthophagus taurus. Beginning in March 2020, universities and laboratories were officially closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We thus performed experiments at a private residence near Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, leveraging the heating, ventilation and air conditioning of the home to manipulate temperature and compare beetle responses to stable indoor temperatures versus variable outdoor temperatures. We collected O. taurus beetles in the early-, mid-, and late-breeding seasons to examine energetics and reproductive output in relation to diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations. We recorded the mass of field fresh beetles before and after a 24-h fast and used the resulting change in mass as a proxy for energetic costs of self-maintenance across seasons. To understand the impacts of diurnal fluctuations on energy allocation, we held beetles either indoors or outdoors for 14-day acclimation trials, fed them cow dung, and recorded mass change and reproductive output. Utilizing biophysical models, we integrated individual-level biophysical characteristics, microhabitat-specific performance, respirometry data, and thermoregulatory behaviors to predict temperature-induced changes to the allocation of energy toward survival and reproduction. During 24 h of outdoor fasting, we found that beetles experiencing reduced temperature variation lost more mass than those experiencing greater temperature variation, and this was not affected by season. By contrast, during the 14-day acclimation trials, we found that beetles experiencing reduced temperature variation (i.e., indoors) gained more mass than those experiencing greater temperature variation (i.e., outdoors). This effect may have been driven by shifts in the metabolism of the beetles during acclimation to increased temperature variation. Despite the negative relationship between temperature variation and energetic reserves, the only significant predictor of reproductive output was mean temperature. Taken together, we find that diurnal temperature fluctuations are important for driving energetics, but not reproductive output., (© 2024 The Ecological Society of America.)

Over 20% of E. coli O157 illnesses and over 5% of Salmonella illnesses are estimated to be attributable to beef consumption in the United States. Irradiating ground beef is one possible method to reduce disease burden. We simulated the effect of ground beef irradiation on illnesses, hospitalizations, deaths, and direct healthcare costs from ground beef-associated E. coli O157 and Salmonella illnesses in the United States. To estimate the fraction of illnesses, hospitalizations, deaths, and direct healthcare costs preventable by ground beef irradiation, we multiplied the disease burden attributable to ground beef; the estimated percentage of ground beef sold that is not currently irradiated; the percentage of unirradiated ground beef that would be irradiated; and the percentage reduction in risk of illness after irradiation. We multiplied this fraction by estimates of burden and direct healthcare costs to calculate the numbers or amounts averted. Model inputs were obtained from the literature and expert opinion. We used Monte Carlo simulation to incorporate uncertainty in inputs into model estimates. Simulation outcomes were summarized with means and 95% uncertainty intervals (UI). Irradiating 50% of the currently unirradiated ground beef supply would avert 3,285 (95% UI: 624-9,977) E. coli O157 illnesses, 135 (95% UI: 24-397) hospitalizations, 197 (95% UI: 34-631) hemolytic uremic syndrome cases, 2 (95% UI: 0-16) deaths, and $2,972,656 (95% UI: $254,708-$14,496,916) in direct healthcare costs annually. For Salmonella, irradiation would avert 20,308 (95% UI: 9,858-38,903) illnesses, 400 (95% UI: 158-834) hospitalizations, 6 (95% UI: 0-18) deaths, and $7,318,632 (95% UI: $1,436,141-$26,439,493) in direct healthcare costs. Increasing ground beef irradiation could reduce E. coli O157 and Salmonella burden in the United States. Additional studies should assess whether targeted irradiation of higher-risk ground beef products could prevent similar numbers of illnesses with less total product irradiated., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Sex differences exist in the risk of developing type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and in the risk of developing diabetes-associated complications. Sex differences in glucose homeostasis, islet and β cell biology, and peripheral insulin sensitivity have also been reported. Yet, we lack detailed information on the mechanisms underlying these differences, preventing the development of sex-informed therapeutic strategies for persons living with diabetes. To chart a path toward greater inclusion of biological sex as a variable in diabetes research, we first need a detailed assessment of common practices in the field., Methods: We developed a scoring system to evaluate the inclusion of biological sex in manuscripts published in Diabetes, a journal published by the American Diabetes Association. We chose Diabetes as this journal focuses solely on diabetes and diabetes-related research, and includes manuscripts that use both clinical and biomedical approaches. We scored papers published across 3 years within a 20-year period (1999, 2009, 2019), a timeframe that spans the introduction of funding agency and journal policies designed to improve the consideration of biological sex as a variable., Results: Our analysis showed fewer than 15% of papers used sex-based analysis in even one figure across all study years, a trend that was reproduced across journal-defined categories of diabetes research (e.g., islet studies, signal transduction). Single-sex studies accounted for approximately 40% of all manuscripts, of which > 87% used male subjects only. While we observed a modest increase in the overall inclusion of sex as a biological variable during our study period, our data highlight significant opportunities for improvement in diabetes research practices. We also present data supporting a positive role for journal policies in promoting better consideration of biological sex in diabetes research., Conclusions: Our analysis provides significant insight into common practices in diabetes research related to the consideration of biological sex as a variable. Based on our analysis we recommend ways that diabetes researchers can improve inclusion of biological sex as a variable. In the long term, improved practices will reveal sex-specific mechanisms underlying diabetes risk and complications, generating knowledge to enable the development of sex-informed prevention and treatment strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Classifying specimens is a critical component of ecological research, biodiversity monitoring and conservation. However, manual classification can be prohibitively time-consuming and expensive, limiting how much data a project can afford to process. Computer vision, a form of machine learning, can help overcome these problems by rapidly, automatically and accurately classifying images of specimens. Given the diversity of animal species and contexts in which images are captured, there is no universal classifier for all species and use cases. As such, ecologists often need to train their own models. While numerous software programs exist to support this process, ecologists need a fundamental understanding of how computer vision works to select appropriate model workflows based on their specific use case, data types, computing resources and desired performance capabilities. Ecologists may also face characteristic quirks of ecological datasets, such as long-tail distributions, 'unknown' species, similarity between species and polymorphism within species, which impact the efficacy of computer vision. Despite growing interest in computer vision for ecology, there are few resources available to help ecologists face the challenges they are likely to encounter. Here, we present a gentle introduction for species classification using computer vision. In this manuscript and associated GitHub repository, we demonstrate how to prepare training data, basic model training procedures, and methods for model evaluation and selection. Throughout, we explore specific considerations ecologists should make when training classification models, such as data domains, feature extractors and class imbalances. With these basics, ecologists can adjust their workflows to achieve research goals and/or account for uncertainty in downstream analysis. Our goal is to provide guidance for ecologists for getting started in or improving their use of machine learning for visual classification tasks., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.)

Diapause is a form of internally-controlled dormancy that allows insects to avoid stressful conditions and periods of low food availability. Eastern spruce budworm ( Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens), like many cold-adapted insects, enter diapause well in advance of winter conditions, thus exposing them to elevated temperatures during fall that can deplete energy stores and impact post-diapause survival. We explored the impact of fall conditions on C. fumiferana by manipulating the length of the fall period and exposure temperatures during the diapause initiation phase of second instar larvae in a factorial design. We exposed second instar larvae to four fall temperatures (10, 15, 20, and 25°C) and five exposure times (1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 weeks) prior to standardized diapause conditions. We measured metabolites (glycogen, glycerol, and protein) prior to and during diapause for a subset of individuals. We also measured post-diapause survival by quantifying emergence following diapause conditions for a subset of individuals. We found that long, warm fall conditions depleted glycogen content and lowered post-diapause survival. We also found that short, cool conditions impacted post-diapause survival, although glycogen content remained high. Our results showed that fall conditions have substantial fitness consequences to overwintering insects. Optimal fall conditions struck a balance between exposure time and temperature. Our findings point to a potentially adaptive reason for early diapause onset: that an undescribed, but temperature-sensitive process is occurring in C. fumiferana larvae during the diapause initiation period that is essential for overwintering survival and successful post-diapause emergence., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Amanda D. Roe and Katie E. Marshall are Editorial Board members of the journal., (Crown Copyright © 2024 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Populations wax and wane over time in response to an organism's interactions with abiotic and biotic forces. Numerous studies demonstrate that fluctuations in local populations can lead to shifts in relative population densities across the geographic range of a species over time. Fewer studies attempt to disentangle the causes of such shifts. Over four decades (1983-2022), we monitored populations of hibernating Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) in two areas separated by ~110 km. The number of bats hibernating in the northern area increased from 1983 to 2011, while populations in the southern area remained relatively constant. We used simulation models and long-term weather data to demonstrate the duration of time bats must rely on stored fat during hibernation has decreased in both areas over that period, but at a faster rate in the northern area. Likewise, increasing autumn and spring temperatures shortened the periods of sporadic prey (flying insect) availability at the beginning and end of hibernation. Climate change thus increased the viability of northern hibernacula for an increasing number of bats by decreasing energetic costs of hibernation. Then in 2011, white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease of hibernating bats that increases energetic costs of hibernation, was detected in the area. From 2011 to 2022, the population rapidly decreased in the northern area and increased in the southern area, completely reversing the northerly shift in population densities associated with climate change. Energy balance during hibernation is the singular link explaining the northerly shift under a changing climate and the southerly shift in response to a novel disease. Continued population persistence suggests that bats may mitigate many impacts of WNS by hibernating farther south, where insects are available longer each year., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Foodborne illness affects approximately 48 million Americans annually. Food irradiation is a safe and effective way to kill bacteria and extend a product's shelf-life. However, challenges to wider implementation of this technology include consumer hesitancy stemming from misconceptions about safety and lack of knowledge of irradiation's benefits. Research has shown that consumers are more willing to accept irradiation if informed about its safety. Due to increases in multistate foodborne outbreaks and consumers' growing concern and expectation of food safety, it is an opportune time to reconsider irradiation as a food safety tool. Consumer attitudes toward food safety differ by demographic characteristics; however, research on the association of demographic factors with attitudes on food irradiation are limited. Data collected from a survey (N=1,009) conducted in August 2022 were analyzed to describe the relationship between age and food irradiation knowledge as influential factors to purchase irradiated foods. More than half (56%) of respondents reported that learning more about irradiation would likely influence purchasing decisions; older adults were more knowledgeable about food irradiation. These findings suggest that age could be an important factor to consider when tailoring messaging as a prevention strategy around the benefits of food irradiation.

Discovering novel ice-binding proteins (IBPs) is important for understanding the evolution of IBPs but it is difficult to determine where resources should be directed in the search for novel IBPs. For this reason, we developed a simple bioinformatic approach for aiding in the determination of where to direct efforts in the search for IBPs. First, BLAST is used to obtain a candidate list of putative IBPs. Next, phylogenetic trees are constructed to map the candidate list of putative IBPs to determine if any patterns are forming. These candidate putative IBPs and their patterns are then assessed through the production of ancestral sequences and reverse BLAST searches, in addition to the use of IBP calculators, to determine which sequences should be cut to produce the final putative IBP list. Finally, we explain an avenue to investigate these putative IBPs further for the development of hypotheses on their evolution., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In the United States, there is currently no system to track donated human tissue products to individual recipients. This posed a challenge during an investigation of a nationwide tuberculosis outbreak that occurred when bone allograft contaminated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Lot A) was implanted into 113 patients in 18 US states, including 2 patients at 1 health care facility in Colorado. A third patient at the same facility developed spinal tuberculosis with an isolate genetically identical to the Lot A outbreak strain. However, health care records indicated this patient had received bone allograft from a different donor (Lot B). We investigated the source of this newly identified infection, including the possibilities of Lot B donor infection, product switch or contamination during manufacturing, product switch at the health care facility, person-to-person transmission, and laboratory error. The findings included gaps in tissue traceability at the health care facility, creating the possibility for a product switch at the point of care despite detailed tissue-tracking policies. Nationally, 6 (3.9%) of 155 Lot B units could not be traced to final disposition. This investigation highlights the critical need to improve tissue-tracking systems to ensure unbroken traceability, facilitating investigations of recipient adverse events and enabling timely public health responses to prevent morbidity and mortality., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Food irradiation has been studied comprehensively and has been determined to be a safe and effective process for improving food safety. Despite this potential public health impact and current use in developed countries, the technology is not commonly used in the United States, with consumer acceptance often cited as a barrier. Given changes in consumer food-purchasing trends, advancements in irradiation technology, and an increase in multistate foodborne outbreaks, it is an opportune time to revisit consumer acceptance and factors that influence the purchase of irradiated food. We conducted seven focus groups to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding irradiation as a food safety intervention. Meetings were virtual, lasted 90 min, and were held March 15-18, 2021. Participants were stratified into three groups using quota sampling: adults aged 18-64 years, parents of children aged 0-4 years, and adults aged 65 years and older. Consistent with past research, consumers were unaware of what food irradiation is. Facilitators for purchasing irradiated foods included protection from foodborne illness, reduced risk from certain foods, and support from public health agencies. Barriers included lack of knowledge, safety concerns, price, packaging, and a distrust of food technology. The results from these focus groups can inform public messaging and foodborne illness prevention strategies.

Phenotypic plasticity enables rapid responses to environmental change, and could facilitate range shifts in response to climate change. What drives the evolution of plasticity at range edges, and the capacity of range-edge individuals to be plastic, remain unclear. Here, we propose that accurately predicting when plasticity itself evolves or mediates adaptive evolution at expanding range edges requires integrating knowledge on the demography and evolution of edge populations. Our synthesis shows that: (i) the demography of edge populations can amplify or attenuate responses to selection for plasticity through diverse pathways, and (ii) demographic effects on plasticity are modified by the stability of range edges. Our spatially explicit synthesis for plasticity has the potential to improve predictions for range shifts with climate change., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests No interests are declared., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)