A physiological and biophysical model of coppice willow (Salix spp.) production yields for the contiguous USA in current and future climate scenarios.

High-performance computing has facilitated development of biomass production models that capture the key mechanisms underlying production at high spatial and temporal resolution. Direct responses to increasing [CO2 ] and temperature are important to long-lived emerging woody bioenergy crops. Fast-growing willow (Salix spp.) within short rotation coppice (SRC) has considerable potential as a renewable biomass source, but performance over wider environmental conditions and under climate change is uncertain. We extended the bioenergy crop modeling platform, BioCro, to SRC willow by adding coppicing and C3 photosynthesis subroutines, and modifying subroutines for perennation, allocation, morphology, phenology and development. Parameterization with measurements of leaf photosynthesis, allocation and phenology gave agreement of modeled with measured yield across 23 sites in Europe and North America. Predictions for the continental USA suggest yields of ≥17 Mg ha(-1) year(-1) in a 4 year rotation. Rising temperature decreased predicted yields, an effect partially ameliorated by rising [CO2 ]. This model, based on over 100 equations describing the physiological and biophysical mechanisms underlying production, provides a new framework for utilizing mechanism of plant responses to the environment, including future climates. As an open-source tool, it is made available here as a community resource for further application, improvement and adaptation.

Metabolic and nutritional profile differences among Mexican, Mexican-American and Non-Hispanic White children.

OBJECTIVE: To compare somatometric variables, lipid profile, diet, and physical activity between Mexican children living in México (MEX), and Mexican-American (MXA) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) children from the United States (US) to examine the possible influence of ethnicity and residency on these factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six to twelve years old children data from a study from central México and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was compared. Data were categorized to examine the effect of residency (MEX vs. MXA and NHW) and ethnicity (MEX vs. MXA and NHW) on the variables of interest. RESULTS: Living in the US was associated with higher cholesterol levels in younger boys and older girls (p < 0.05), and high saturated fat intake in all groups (p < 0.0001). Living in México increased the likelihood of abnormal HDL (p < 0.001), systolic (p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001). Caucasian young girls were more likely to have high cholesterol intake (p < 0.02) than their Mexican counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that residency is linked to impaired lipid profile and blood pressure in children, whereas ethnicity seems to have an impact on dietary choices.

Bivariate genome-wide association analysis of the growth and intake components of feed efficiency.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with average daily gain (ADG) and dry matter intake (DMI), two major components of feed efficiency in cattle, were identified in a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Uni- and multi-SNP models were used to describe feed efficiency in a training data set and the results were confirmed in a validation data set. Results from the univariate and bivariate analyses of ADG and DMI, adjusted by the feedlot beef steer maintenance requirements, were compared. The bivariate uni-SNP analysis identified (P-value <0.0001) 11 SNPs, meanwhile the univariate analyses of ADG and DMI identified 8 and 9 SNPs, respectively. Among the six SNPs confirmed in the validation data set, five SNPs were mapped to KDELC2, PHOX2A, and TMEM40. Findings from the uni-SNP models were used to develop highly accurate predictive multi-SNP models in the training data set. Despite the substantially smaller size of the validation data set, the training multi-SNP models had slightly lower predictive ability when applied to the validation data set. Six Gene Ontology molecular functions related to ion transport activity were enriched (P-value <0.001) among the genes associated with the detected SNPs. The findings from this study demonstrate the complementary value of the uni- and multi-SNP models, and univariate and bivariate GWAS analyses. The identified SNPs can be used for genome-enabled improvement of feed efficiency in feedlot beef cattle, and can aid in the design of empirical studies to further confirm the associations.

Improved sensitivity of DNA microarrays using photonic crystal enhanced fluorescence.

DNA microarrays are used to profile changes in gene expression between samples in a high-throughput manner, but measurements of genes with low expression levels can be problematic with standard microarray substrates. In this work, we expand the detection capabilities of a standard microarray experiment using a photonic crystal (PC) surface that enhances fluorescence observed from microarray spots. This PC is inexpensively and uniformly fabricated using a nanoreplica molding technique, with very little variation in its optical properties within- and between-devices. By using standard protocols to process glass microarray substrates in parallel with PCs, we evaluated the impact of this substrate on a one-color microarray experiment comparing gene expression in two developmental stages of Glycine max. The PCs enhanced the signal-to-noise ratio observed from microarray spots by 1 order of magnitude, significantly increasing the number of genes detected above substrate fluorescence noise. PC substrates more than double the number of genes classified as differentially expressed, detecting changes in expression even for low expression genes. This approach increases the dynamic range of a surface-bound fluorescence-based assay to reliably quantify small quantities of DNA that would be impossible with standard substrates.

Season-long elevation of ozone concentration to projected 2050 levels under fully open-air conditions substantially decreases the growth and production of soybean.

Mean surface ozone concentration is predicted to increase 23% by 2050. Previous chamber studies of crops report large yield losses caused by elevation of tropospheric ozone, and have been the basis for projecting economic loss. This is the first study with a food crop (soybean, Glycine max) using free-air gas concentration enrichment (FACE) technology for ozone fumigation. A 23% increase in ozone concentration from an average daytime ambient 56 p.p.b. to a treatment 69 p.p.b. over two growing seasons decreased seed yield by 20%. Total above-ground net primary production decreased by 17% without altering dry mass allocation among shoot organs, except seed. Fewer live leaves and decreased photosynthesis in late grain filling appear to drive the ozone-induced losses in production and yield. These results validate previous chamber studies suggesting that soybean yields will decrease under increasing ozone exposure. In fact, these results suggest that when treated under open-air conditions yield losses may be even greater than the large losses already reported in earlier chamber studies. Yield losses with elevated ozone were greater in the second year following a severe hailstorm, suggesting that losses caused by ozone might be exacerbated by extreme climatic events.

Detection of occult urinary tract infections in dogs with diabetes mellitus.

Dogs with diabetes mellitus may develop occult urinary tract infections. In this study, diabetic dogs with negative and positive bacterial urine cultures were compared. Records from 51 dogs with diabetes mellitus were reviewed at the University of Illinois. No difference was identified between the groups in urine specific gravity, pH, glucose, ketones, protein, red blood cells, white blood cells, or epithelial cells. Dogs with occult urinary tract infection did have an increased incidence of bacteriuria, but this was not a consistent finding. Therefore, the urine on all diabetic dogs should be cultured to accurately identify the presence or absence of bacterial urinary tract infections.

Assessment of parasitism of house fly and stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) pupae by pteromalid (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) parasitoids using a polymerase chain reaction assay.

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the ribosomal DNA of house flies, Musca domestica L., the stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), and four parasitoid species in the genus Muscidifurax (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were characterized to develop a method based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to better define the role of pteromalid parasitism of pupae of the house fly and stable fly. Two parasitoid-specific primers were designed to anneal to the 5' end of the 5.8S rRNA gene in the parasitoid species. When paired with a universal primer at the 3' end of the 18S rRNA, the primers amplified the target ITS1 region in 10 pteromalid species. PCR allowed detection of parasitoid DNA within 24 h after females of Spalangia endius Walker oviposited into house fly puparia. PCR failed to amplify parasitoid DNA or detect parasitism in puparia that were exposed to parasitoid oviposition, allowed to develop 7 d, then killed by freezing and held at 20-24 degrees C for 4 d to allow DNA degradation. Digestion of the PCR products with restriction enzymes produced restriction fragment length polymorphisms that allowed identification of individual parasitoid species. Significantly greater levels of parasitism (P < 0.05) were detected by PCR for two of the five field collection dates in 1997. On the dates when PCR detected higher levels of parasitism than estimates provided by emergence of adult insects from samples taken at Feedlot M in 1997, more than 65% of all puparia in the emergence samples failed to produce an adult insect. Three puparia collected in 1997 produced double PCR bands that corresponded to PCR band sizes of Muscidifurax spp. and Spalangia sp., possibly indicating multiple parasitism or hyperparasitism.