Evaluation of FOXC2 as a candidate gene for chronic progressive lymphedema in draft horses

Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) is a debilitating condition identified in Clydesdales, Shires and Belgian draft horses and results in progressive swelling of the lower legs associated with the development of thick skin folds, ulcerations, fibrosis and marked hyperkeratosis. The result is severe discomfort and recurrent secondary infection, often requiring euthanasia. Due to the delayed onset, many horses are bred prior to diagnosis. CPL has only been documented in three related draft horse breeds, suggesting a genetic cause. Determining the molecular basis would enable owners to test horses prior to breeding and facilitate the elimination of CPL. Mutations in the FOXC2 gene cause a comparable condition in humans, lymphedema-distichiasis. This gene was sequenced in affected and unaffected draft horses and a control horse. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in unaffected draft horses and the control horse, indicating that they were not associated with CPL. A fifth SNP was seen in a single affected draft horse and the control horse. Since it was not seen in all affected draft horses, this SNP is not associated with the CPL phenotype.     

A bacterium against the tiger: further evidence of the potential of noninundative releases of males with manipulated Wolbachia infection in reducing fertility of Aedes albopictus field populations in Italy

BACKGROUND

Incompatible insect technique (IIT) is a population suppression approach based on the release of males with manipulated Wolbachia infection inducing egg inviability in wild females. We here present results of multiple field releases of incompatible ARwP males carried out in 2019 in a 2.7-ha green area within urban Rome (Italy) to assess the effect on Aedes albopictus egg viability. Data are compared with results obtained in 2018, when the approach was tested for the first time in Europe.

RESULTS

An average of 4674 ARwP males were released weekly for 7 weeks, resulting in a mean ARwP:wild male ratio of 1.1:1 (versus 0.7:1 in 2018). Egg-viability dynamics in ovitraps significantly varied between treated and control sites, with an estimated overall reduction of 35% (versus 15% in 2018). The estimated proportion of females classified as mated with ARwP males was 41.8% and the viability rate of eggs laid by these females (9.5%) was on average significantly lower than that of females only mated with wild males (87.8%); however, high variability in fertility was observed. Values of ARwP male competitiveness were 0.36 and 0.73 based on the overall viability rate of eggs in ovitraps and on female fertility, respectively; thus, well above the conventional 0.2 threshold for an effective suppressive impact in the field.

CONCLUSIONS

Results further support the potential of IIT as a tool to contribute to Ae. albopictus control in the urban context, stressing the need for larger field trials to evaluate the cost-efficacy of the approach in temperate regions. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Colonisation, the New World Order, and the eradication of traditional food habits in East Africa: historical perspective on the nutrition transition

OBJECTIVE: To discuss factors which have underpinned the nutrition transition in the countries of East Africa, including Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, from early colonisation to the current, oppressive political-economic structure. RESULTS: Colonisation and neocolonisation in accordance with the desires of the New World Order have ensured the systematic extirpation of indigenous and traditional food habits in East Africa. These indigenous and traditional food habits, associated with myriad health benefits, have been progressively replaced by the globalised food system of the multinational corporations, a system inherently associated with the creation of non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemics throughout this region and globally. While the simplification of the East African food culture may be most apparent today, the nutrition transition has actually occurred over the past 400 years, since the onset of colonial occupation. CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative that greater efforts be directed towards exposing the colonial and neocolonial forces which have undermined food security and health status in East Africa. Heightened awareness of these forces is essential for proposing genuine solutions to the nutrition transition and related NCD epidemics throughout this region and, indeed, worldwide.     

Economic analysis of aquaponics and hydroponics production in the U.S. Midwest

This article examined the profitability of aquaponics in the U.S. Midwest. Three sources of data were considered for the study: (1) three active aquaponics farms, (2) a university greenhouse experiment, and (3) published research. The first analysis compares the economics of aquaponics and hydroponics systems under similar operations. Results suggest that the aquaponics system requires higher investment and operating cost but has lower production of vegetables compared with the hydroponics system. However, if aquaponics vegetable production is managed as an organic production, and the produce is sold at 20% premium price, aquaponics becomes profitable. The second analysis constructed three different representative farm sizes of aquaponics production of basil and tilapia—small, medium, and large. The production of basil provides better economic returns than the fish. All farm sizes are feasible when the basil price is above $10.00 per kg. The larger farm has the best results because of lower cost of production.     

Diagnostic methods for identifying different Aeromonas species and examining their pathogenicity factors,their correlation to cytotoxicity and adherence to fish mucus

Aeromonas spp. are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, acting as facultative or obligate pathogens for fish. Identifying Aeromonas spp. is important for pathogenesis and prognosis in diagnostic cases but can be difficult because of their close relationship. Forty‐four already characterized isolates of Aeromonas spp. were analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, by gyrase B sequencing, by analysing their fatty acid profiles, by biochemical reactions and by MALDI‐TOF MS. To determine their pathogenicity, cytotoxicity, adhesion to mucus and the expression of 12 virulence factors were tested. The susceptibility of the isolates towards 13 different antibiotics was determined. MALDI‐TOF MS was found to be an acceptable identification method for Aeromonas spp. Although the method does not detect all species correctly, it is time‐effective and entails relatively low costs and no other methods achieved better results. A high prevalence of virulence‐related gene fragments was detected in almost all examined Aeromonas spp., especially in A. hydrophila and A. salmonicida, and most isolates exhibited a cytotoxic effect. Single isolates of A. hydrophila and A. salmonicida showed multiple resistance to antibiotics. These results might indicate the potentially pathogenic capacity of Aeromonas spp., suggesting a risk for aquatic animals and even humans, given their ubiquitous nature.     

基于仿真果园试验台的植保无人机施药雾滴飘移测试方法与试验

植保无人机(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle,UAV)果树飞防植保作业中飞行高度较高并且采用低容量细小雾滴喷雾,飘移风险极高。但是,无人机果园施药雾滴飘移特性研究尚处于初步开展阶段,缺乏全方位综合测试方法以及对不同无人机机型和喷头类型的评价。该研究在前期研究基础上,提出一种基于仿真果园试验台的植保无人机果园施药雾滴飘移测试方法,设计并制作仿真葡萄园试验台和空中飘移收集装置,结合地面飘移收集装置和冠层沉积收集带,首次通过雾滴空间飘移指数ADX定量分析评价不同机型的喷雾过程中农药雾滴空间飘移特性,并采用田间近地飘移测试平台进行无人机喷雾飘移试验,使用荧光示踪法探究4种典型植保无人机(油动单旋翼、电动6旋翼及2种电动8旋翼无人机)分别搭载IDK 120-015空气射流喷头和TR 80-0067空心圆锥喷头喷雾作业的雾滴冠层沉积分布、地面飘移、近地飘移及空中飘移特性,进而对不同喷雾飘移测试收集装置进行评估。结果表明:在侧风速2.2～3.6 m/s,温度29.8～34.3℃,相对湿度10.7%～30.6%的环境条件下,IDK空气射流喷头在作业高度1.5 m、速度2.0 m/s参数下可显著降低无人机喷雾下风向飘移水平,优化沉积分布均匀性,提高农药雾滴利用率;4种机型飘移特性无显著差异,旋翼下洗气流产生的卷扬涡流是影响无人机喷雾飘移的重要因素;葡萄园喷雾作业缓冲区至少应设置为15 m;冠层沉积率越小(P0.05,r0)、沉积分布变异系数越高(P0.01,r0)、田间飘移平台平均均值飘移率和90%累积飘移距离越大(P0.01,r0)以及ADX值越大(P0.01,r0)均表明雾滴飘移风险越高,3种收集装置及其评价指标均可有效评估下风向飘移特性;植保无人机喷雾飘移率与下风向距离满足指数函数关系。研究结果以期为新型果树专用植保无人机研发、植保无人机果园作业喷雾飘移测试方法的标准制定和田间作业参数选择提供参考和数据支持。