Separate offering of forages and concentrates to lactating dairy cows: Effects on lactational performance, enteric methane emission, and efficiency of nutrient utilization.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of separate offering of feed ingredients (SF) and frequency of concentrate feeding versus offering a TMR, on lactational performance, ruminal fermentation, enteric CH4 emissions, nutrient digestibility, N use efficiency, milk fatty acid profile, and blood variables in mid-lactation dairy cows. Twenty-four Holstein cows (12 primi- and 12 multiparous) averaging (±SD) 141 ± 35 DIM and 43 ± 6 kg/d of milk yield (MY) at the beginning of the study were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment with 3 periods of 28 d each, composed of 7 d for adaptation to the diets, 11 d for estimation of net energy and metabolizable protein requirements, and 10 d for data and samples collection. Cows were grouped based on parity, DIM, and MY into 4 Latin squares. Treatment allocation was balanced for carryover effects, and cows within square were assigned to (1) basal diet fed ad libitum as TMR; (2) basal diet fed as SF with forages fed ad libitum and concentrates fed 3×/d (SF×3); or (3) basal diet fed as SF with forages fed ad libitum and concentrates fed 6×/d (SF×6). Compared with TMR, SF decreased total DMI by 1.2 kg/d. Treatments did not affect MY, milk components, or ECM yield, except for a decrease in milk fat concentration and an increase in milk urea N by SF×3, compared with TMR. Feed efficiency (kg of MY/kg of DMI) was increased by 7% in SF, compared with TMR. Ruminal molar proportion of acetate and acetate-to-propionate ratio were decreased, whereas molar proportion of propionate was increased by SF×3, compared with TMR and SF×6. There was a 9% decrease in daily CH4 production by SF, compared with TMR. Enteric CH4 yield (per kg of DMI) was not affected by treatments in the current study. Methane intensity per kilogram of MY tended to be decreased by 10% in SF, compared with TMR. The sums of odd- and branched-chain, odd-chain, and anteiso milk fatty acids tended to be or were increased by SF, compared with TMR. Intake of nutrients tended to be or were decreased by SF, compared with TMR. The digestibility of amylase-treated NDF tended to be decreased and ADF digestibility was decreased by 3% in SF, compared with TMR. Urinary and fecal N excretions were not affected by treatments. As a percentage of total N intake, separate offering of feed ingredients increased milk N secretion, indicating an increased N use efficiency by SF, compared with TMR. Blood total fatty acid concentration was decreased by SF relative to TMR. Compared with both TMR and SF×6, SF×3 increased blood urea N concentration. Overall, feed and N use efficiencies were increased by separate offering of feed ingredients, and increasing the frequency of concentrate feeding promoted ruminal fermentation effects similar to those obtained by feeding a TMR.

Mitochondrial One-Carbon Metabolism and Alzheimer's Disease.

Mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism provides carbon units to several pathways, including nucleic acid synthesis, mitochondrial metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and methylation reactions. Late-onset Alzheimer's disease is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disease, characterised by impaired energy metabolism, and is potentially linked to mitochondrial bioenergetics. Here, we discuss the intersection between the molecular pathways linked to both mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. We propose that enhancing one-carbon metabolism could promote the metabolic processes that help brain cells cope with Alzheimer's disease-related injuries. We also highlight potential therapeutic avenues to leverage one-carbon metabolism to delay Alzheimer's disease pathology.

Lactational performance, ruminal fermentation, and enteric gas emission of dairy cows fed an amylase-enabled corn silage in diets with different starch concentrations.

This study investigated the effects of feeding an amylase-enabled corn silage (ACS) on the performance and enteric gas emissions in lactating dairy cows. Following a 2-wk covariate period, 48 mid-lactation Holstein cows were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments in a 10-wk randomized complete block design experiment. Treatments were diets containing the same proportion of corn silage (40% of dietary DM) as follows: (1) a conventional hybrid corn silage control (CON), (2) ACS replacing the control silage (ADR), and (3) the ADR diet replacing soybean hulls with ground corn grain to achieve the same dietary starch concentration as CON (ASR). Control corn silage and ACS were harvested on the same day and contained 40.3% and 37.1% DM and (% of DM): 37.2% and 41.0% NDF and 37.1% and 30.0% starch, respectively. Enteric gas emissions were measured using the GreenFeed system. Two cows were culled due to health-related issues during the covariate period. Ruminal fluid was collected from 24 cows (8 per treatment) using the orogastric ruminal sampling technique. When compared with CON, cows fed ADR had increased DMI during experimental wk 3, 4, and 9, but treatment did not affect milk or ECM milk yields (39.0 kg/d on average; SEM = 0.89). Compared with CON, feed efficiency (per unit of milk, but not ECM) tended to be lower for ADR, whereas milk true protein concentration (a tendency) and yield were lower for ASR. Milk urea N was decreased by both ADR and ASR diets relative to CON. Compared with CON, daily CH4 emission and emission intensity were increased by ADR but not ASR. Total protozoal count tended to be increased by both diets formulated with ACS when compared with control corn silage. Total-tract digestibility of dietary NDF was greater for ASR, and that of ADF was greater for both ADR and ASR versus CON. The molar proportion of acetate (a tendency) and acetate-to-propionate ratio were increased by ADR, but not ASR, when compared with CON. Replacement of CON with ACS (having lower starch concentration) in the diet of dairy cows increased DMI during the initial weeks of the experiment, maintained ECM, tended to decrease feed efficiency, and increased enteric CH4 emissions, likely due to increased intake of digestible fiber, compared with CON.

Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen shows that loss of GET4 increases mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites and is neuroprotective.

Organelles form membrane contact sites between each other, allowing for the transfer of molecules and signals. Mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites (MERCS) are cellular subdomains characterized by close apposition of mitochondria and ER membranes. They have been implicated in many diseases, including neurodegenerative, metabolic, and cardiac diseases. Although MERCS have been extensively studied, much remains to be explored. To uncover novel regulators of MERCS, we conducted a genome-wide, flow cytometry-based screen using an engineered MERCS reporter cell line. We found 410 genes whose downregulation promotes MERCS and 230 genes whose downregulation decreases MERCS. From these, 29 genes were selected from each population for arrayed screening and 25 were validated from the high population and 13 from the low population. GET4 and BAG6 were highlighted as the top 2 genes that upon suppression increased MERCS from both the pooled and arrayed screens, and these were subjected to further investigation. Multiple microscopy analyses confirmed that loss of GET4 or BAG6 increased MERCS. GET4 and BAG6 were also observed to interact with the known MERCS proteins, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3R) and glucose-regulated protein 75 (GRP75). In addition, we found that loss of GET4 increased mitochondrial calcium uptake upon ER-Ca2+ release and mitochondrial respiration. Finally, we show that loss of GET4 rescues motor ability, improves lifespan and prevents neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease (Aß42Arc). Together, these results suggest that GET4 is involved in decreasing MERCS and that its loss is neuroprotective.

A meta-analysis of methane-mitigation potential of feed additives evaluated in vitro.

A systematic literature review of in vitro studies was performed to identify methane (CH4) mitigation interventions with a potential to reduce CH4 emission in vivo. Data from 277 peer-reviewed studies published between 1979 and 2018 were reviewed. Individual CH4 mitigation interventions were classified into 14 categories of feed additives based on their type, chemical composition, and mode of action. Response variables evaluated were absolute CH4 emission (number of treatment means comparisons = 1,325); total volatile fatty acids (n = 1,007), acetate (n = 783), propionate (n = 792), and butyrate (n = 776) concentrations; acetate to propionate ratio (n = 675); digestibility of dry matter (n = 489), organic matter (n = 277), and neutral detergent fiber (n = 177). Total gas production was used as an explanatory variable in the model for CH4 production. Relative mean difference between treatment and control means reported in the studies was calculated and used for statistical analysis. The robust variance estimation method was used to analyze the effects of CH4 mitigation interventions. In vitro CH4 production was decreased by antibodies (-38.9%), chemical inhibitors (-29.2%), electron sinks (-18.9%), essential oils (-18.2%), plant extracts (-14.5%), plant inclusion (-11.7%), saponins (-14.8%), and tannins (-14.5%). Overall effects of direct-fed microbials, enzymes, macroalgae, and organic acids supplementation did not affect CH4 production in the current meta-analysis. When considering the effects of individual mitigation interventions containing a minimum number of 4 degrees of freedom within feed additives categories, Enterococcus spp. (i.e., direct-fed microbial), nitrophenol (i.e., electron sink), and Leucaena spp. (i.e., tannins) decreased CH4 production by 20.3%, 27.1%, and 23.5%, respectively, without extensively, or only slightly, affecting ruminal fermentation and digestibility of nutrients. It should be noted, however, that although the total number of publications (n = 277) and treatment means comparisons (n = 1,325 for CH4 production) in the current analysis were high, data for most mitigation interventions were obtained from less than 5 observations (e.g., maximum number of observations was 4, 7, and 22 for nitrophenol, Enterococcus spp., and Leucaena spp., respectively), because of limited data available in the literature. These should be further evaluated in vitro and in vivo to determine their true potential to decrease enteric CH4 production, yield, and intensity. Some mitigation interventions (e.g., magnesium, Heracleum spp., nitroglycerin, ß-cyclodextrin, Leptospermum pattersoni, Fructulus Ligustri, Salix caprea, and Sesbania grandiflora) decreased in vitro CH4 production by over 50% but did not have enough observations in the database. These should be more extensively investigated in vitro, and the dose effect must be considered before adoption of mitigation interventions in vivo.

Lactational performance, enteric methane emission, and nutrient utilization of dairy cows supplemented with botanicals.

The objective of this study was to evaluate lactational performance, enteric gas emissions, ruminal fermentation, nutrient use efficiency, milk fatty acid profile, and energy and inflammatory markers in blood of peak-lactation dairy cows fed diets supplemented with Capsicum oleoresin or a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove oil. A 10-wk randomized complete block design experiment was conducted with 18 primiparous and 30 multiparous Holstein cows. Cows were blocked based on parity, days in milk, and milk yield (MY), and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (16 cows/treatment): (1) basal diet (CON); (2) basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/cow per day of Capsicum oleoresin (CAP); and (3) basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/cow per day of a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove oil (CAPCO). Premixes containing ground corn (CON), CAP, or CAPCO were mixed daily with the basal diet at 0.8% of dry matter intake (DMI). Supplementation of the diet with CAP or CAPCO did not affect DMI, MY, milk components, and feed efficiency of the cows. Body weight (BW) was increased during the last 2 wk of the experiment by CAP and CAPCO, compared with CON. The botanicals improved BW gain (0.85 and 0.66 kg/d for CAP and CAPCO, respectively, compared with -0.01 kg/d for CON) and CAP enhanced the efficiency of energy utilization, compared with CON (94.5% vs. 78.4%, respectively). Daily CH4 emission was not affected by treatments, but CH4 emission yield (per kg of DMI) and intensity (per kg of MY) were decreased by up to 11% by CAPCO supplementation, compared with CON and CAP. A treatment × parity interaction indicated that the CH4 mitigation effect was pronounced in primiparous but not in multiparous cows. Ruminal molar proportion of propionate was decreased by botanicals, compared with CON. Concentrations of trans-10 C18:1 and total trans fatty acids in milk fat were decreased by CAP and tended to be decreased by CAPCO, compared with CON. Total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients was not affected by treatments, except for a tendency for decreased starch digestibility in cows supplemented with botanicals. Blood concentrations of ß-hydroxybutyrate, total fatty acids, and insulin were not affected by botanicals. Blood haptoglobin concentration was increased by CAP in multiparous but not in primiparous cows. Lactational performance of peak-lactation dairy cows was not affected by the botanicals in this study, but they appeared to improve efficiency of energy utilization and partitioned energy toward BW gain. In addition, CH4 yield and intensity were decreased in primiparous cows fed CAPCO, suggesting a potential positive environmental effect of the combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove oil supplementation.

Nuchal Translucency and Congenital Heart Defects.

Nuchal translucency comprises a temporary accumulation of fluid in the subcutaneous tissue on the back of a fetus's neck, which accompanies the crown-rump length and is observed through an ultrasound performed between 11 and 13 weeks + 6 days gestation. Nuchal translucency is considered to be above normal when values are higher than the 95th/99th percentile or equal to or higher than 2.5/3.5 mm. The first connection between increased nuchal translucency and the presence of congenital heart defects is described in the study of Hyett et al., who observed that they are directly proportional. Since that time, several studies have been conducted to understand if nuchal translucency measurements can be used for congenital heart defect screening in euploid fetuses. However, there is great variability in the estimated nuchal translucency cutoff values for congenital heart defect detection. The purpose of this review was to understand how increased nuchal translucency values and congenital heart defects are related and to identify which of these defects are more frequently associated with an increase in these values.

Cardiac Axis in Early Gestation and Congenital Heart Disease.

Congenital heart defects represent the most common structural anomalies observed in the fetal population, and they are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The fetal cardiac axis, which indicates the orientation of the heart in relation to the chest wall, is formed by the angle between the anteroposterior axis of the chest and the interventricular septum of the heart. Studies conducted during the first trimester have demonstrated promising outcomes with respect to the applicability of cardiac axis measurement in fetuses with congenital heart defects as well as fetuses with extracardiac and chromosomal anomalies, which may result in improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. The main aim of this review article was to highlight the cardiac axis as a reliable and powerful marker for the detection of congenital heart defects during early gestation, including defects that would otherwise remain undetectable through the conventional four-chamber view.

Effects of previous infestation with Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 on the resistance to Chrysodeixis includens in Bt and non-Bt soybean plants.

Transgenic Bt soybean plants have been developed to control insect pests, such as Anticarsia gemmatalis and Chrysodeixis includens. This objective has been achieved successfully; however, recently, some authors claimed that Bt soybean plants have been more susceptible than non-Bt soybean to Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. In addition, it is unknown whether Bt soybean plants infested by B. tabaci become less resistant to target pests. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate: (i) whether the previous infestation with B. tabaci can compromise Bt and non-Bt soybean resistance to C. includens; (ii) the effects of B. tabaci infestations on Bt and non-Bt soybean plant growth; and (iii) whether B. tabaci feeding reduces contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids of soybean plants. Bt and non-Bt soybean plants pre-infested with B. tabaci showed no changes in resistance to C. includens. Bt soybean plants infested with B. tabaci showed a lower plant height than uninfested plants. Differently, non-Bt soybean plants exhibited no reduction in plant growth due to B. tabaci feeding. Bt soybean plants suffered a reduction in dry matter only under double infestation (B. tabaci and C. includens), while non-Bt soybean plants experienced reduction in dry matter when infested with B. tabaci and C. includens or by C. includens only. B. tabaci feeding did not alter contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids, and perhaps the reduction in plant growth was related to salivary toxins. Concluding, both Bt and non-Bt soybean plants were susceptible to B. tabaci feeding, evidencing necessity of developing soybean cultivars resistant to B. tabaci.

Evidence for involvement of the alcohol consumption WDPCP gene in lipid metabolism, and liver cirrhosis.

Biological pathways between alcohol consumption and alcohol liver disease (ALD) are not fully understood. We selected genes with known effect on (1) alcohol consumption, (2) liver function, and (3) gene expression. Expression of the orthologs of these genes in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster was suppressed using mutations and/or RNA interference (RNAi). In humans, association analysis, pathway analysis, and Mendelian randomization analysis were performed to identify metabolic changes due to alcohol consumption. In C. elegans, we found a reduction in locomotion rate after exposure to ethanol for RNAi knockdown of ACTR1B and MAPT. In Drosophila, we observed (1) a change in sedative effect of ethanol for RNAi knockdown of WDPCP, TENM2, GPN1, ARPC1B, and SCN8A, (2) a reduction in ethanol consumption for RNAi knockdown of TENM2, (3) a reduction in triradylglycerols (TAG) levels for RNAi knockdown of WDPCP, TENM2, and GPN1. In human, we observed (1) a link between alcohol consumption and several metabolites including TAG, (2) an enrichment of the candidate (alcohol-associated) metabolites within the linoleic acid (LNA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism pathways, (3) a causal link between gene expression of WDPCP to liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. Our results imply that WDPCP might be involved in ALD.

A meta-analysis of methane mitigation potential of feed additives evaluated in vitro.

A systematic literature review of in vitro studies was performed to identify methane (CH4) mitigation interventions with a potential to reduce CH4 emission in vivo. Data from 277 peer-reviewed studies published between 1979 and 2018 were reviewed. Individual CH4 mitigation interventions were classified into 14 categories of feed additives based on their type, chemical composition, and mode of action. Response variables evaluated were absolute CH4 emission (number of treatment means comparisons = 1,325); total volatile fatty acids (VFA; n = 1,007), acetate (n = 783), propionate (n = 792), and butyrate (n = 776) concentrations; acetate to propionate ratio (A:P; n = 675); digestibility of dry matter (DM; n = 489), organic matter (OM; n = 277), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF; n = 177). Total gas production was used as an explanatory variable in the model for CH4 production. Relative mean difference between treatment and control means reported in the studies were calculated and used for statistical analysis. Robust variance estimation method was used to analyze the effects of CH4 mitigation interventions. In vitro CH4 production was decreased by antibodies (-38.9%), chemical inhibitors (-29.2%), electron sinks (-18.9%), essential oils (-18.2%), plant extracts (-14.5%), plants inclusion (-11.7%), saponins (-14.8%), and tannins (-14.5%). Overall effects of direct fed microbials, enzymes, macroalgae, and organic acids supplementation did not affect CH4 production in the current meta-analysis. When considering the effects of individual mitigation interventions containing a minimum number of 4 degrees of freedom within feed additives categories, Enterococcus spp. (i.e., direct fed microbial), nitrophenol (i.e., electron sink), and Leucaena spp. (i.e., tannins) decreased CH4 production by 20.3, 27.1, and 23.5%, respectively, without extensively, or only slightly, affecting ruminal fermentation and digestibility of nutrients. It should be noted, however, that although the total number of publications (n = 277) and treatment means comparisons (n = 1,325 for CH4 production) in the current analysis were high, data for most mitigation interventions were obtained from less than 5 observations (e.g., maximum number of observations was 4, 7, and 22 for nitrophenol, Enterococcus spp., and Leucaena spp., respectively), because of limited data available in the literature. These should be further evaluated in vitro and in vivo to determine their true potential to decrease enteric CH4 production, yield, and intensity. Some mitigation interventions (e.g., magnesium, Heracleum spp., nitroglycerin, ß-cyclodextrin, Leptospermum pattersoni, Fructulus Ligustri, Salix caprea, and Sesbania grandiflora) decreased in vitro CH4 production by over 50% but did not have enough observations in the database. These should be more extensively investigated in vitro, and the dose effect must be considered before adoption of mitigation interventions in vivo.

User-friendly one-step disposable signal-on bioassay for glyphosate detection in water samples.

The onsite detection of glyphosate requires an easy-to-handle, low-cost and disposable assay for untrained users as requested by the ASSURED guidelines. A new strategy based on the expression of fusion proteins is proposed here. A glyphosate oxidase derived from Bacillus subtilis and the 6E10 variant of the dye peroxidase from Pseudomonas putida, both fused with the carbohydrate binding module (CBM) 3a from Clostridium thermocellum, were designed and expressed, leading to GlyphOx-CBM and 6E10-CBM. Cell lysates were used to immobilise both enzymes on cotton buds' heads without any purification. The cotton buds exhibit glyphosate oxidase activity when dipped into a glyphosate-contaminated water sample containing the 6E10-CBM chromogenic substrates. The chromophore could be quantified both in the solution and on the cotton buds' heads. Photography followed by image analysis allows to detect glyphosate with a linear range of 0.25-2.5 mM and a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.12 mM. When the chromogenic substrates are replaced by luminol, the chemiluminescence reaction allows the detection of glyphosate with a linear range of 2-500 µM and a LoD of 0.45 µM. No interference was observed using glyphosate analogues (glycine, sarcosine, aminomethylphosphonic acid) or other herbicides used in a mixture. Only cysteine was found to inhibit 6E10-CBM. Two river waters spiked with glyphosate lead to recoveries of 64-131%. This work describes a very easy-to-handle and inexpensive signal-on bioassay for glyphosate detection in real surface water samples.

Lactational performance, rumen fermentation, nutrient use efficiency, enteric methane emissions, and manure greenhouse gas-emitting potential in dairy cows fed a blend of essential oils.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of an essential oil (EO) blend on lactational performance, rumen fermentation, nutrient utilization, blood variables, enteric methane emissions and manure greenhouse gas-emitting potential in dairy cows. A randomized complete block design experiment was conducted with 26 primiparous and 22 multiparous Holstein cows. A 2-wk covariate and a 2-wk adaptation periods preceded a 10-wk experimental period used for data and sample collection. Treatments were: (1) basal diet supplemented with placebo (CON); and (2) basal diet supplemented with a blend of EO containing eugenol and geranyl acetate as main compounds. Supplementation with EO did not affect dry matter intake, milk and energy-corrected milk yields, and feed efficiency of cows, compared with CON. Milk fat and lactose concentrations were increased, and milk total solids (TS) concentration and milk fat yield tended to be increased by EO. Multiparous cows supplemented with EO tended to have slightly decreased dry matter and crude protein digestibility compared with CON multiparous cows. There was a tendency for increased ruminal pH by EO, whereas other rumen fermentation variables did not differ between treatments. Daily methane emission was not affected by EO supplementation, but methane emission intensity per kg of milk fat was decreased by 8.5% by EO. Methane emission intensity per kg of milk lactose and milk TS were decreased and methane emission intensity per kg of milk yield tended to be decreased by up to 10% in EO multiparous cows, but not in primiparous cows. The greenhouse gas-emitting potential of manure was not affected by EO supplementation. Compared with CON, fecal nitrogen excretion was increased by EO supplementation in multiparous, but not in primiparous cows, and milk nitrogen secretion (as a % of nitrogen intake) tended to be increased in EO supplemented cows. Blood variables were not affected by EO supplementation in the current study. Overall, dietary supplementation of EO did not affect lactational performance of the cows, although milk fat and lactose concentrations were increased. Most enteric methane emission metrics were not affected, but EO decreased methane intensity per kg of milk fat by 8.5%, compared with the control.

Fetal Pulmonary Venous Return: From Basic Research to the Clinical Value of Doppler Assessment.

The fetal pulmonary circulation represents less than 25% of the fetal cardiac output. In comparison with the pulmonary arteries, studies on pulmonary veins are few and limited, and many questions remain to be answered. The literature reports that pulmonary veins play an important role in regulating vascular flow, forming an active segment of the pulmonary circulation. The development of more sophisticated ultrasonography technology has allowed the investigation of the extraparenchymal pulmonary veins and their waveform. The recognition of the pulmonary vein anatomy in echocardiography is important for the diagnosis of anomalous pulmonary venous connections, with a significant impact on prognosis. On the other hand, the identification of the normal pulmonary vein waveform seems to be a reliable way to study left heart function, with potential applicability in fetal and maternal pathology. Thus, the goal of this narrative review was to provide a clinically oriented perspective of the available literature on this topic.

Upregulation of Tribbles decreases body weight and increases sleep duration.

Eukaryotic Tribbles proteins are pseudoenzymes that regulate multiple aspects of intracellular signalling. Both Drosophila melanogaster and mammalian members of this family of pseudokinases act as negative regulators of insulin signalling. Mammalian tribbles pseudokinase (TRIB) genes have also been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with increased body weight, sleep problems and increased long-term mortality. Here, we investigated how manipulating the expression of Tribbles impacts body weight, sleep and mortality. We showed that the overexpression of Drosophila tribbles (trbl) in the fly fat body reduces both body weight and lifespan in adult flies without affecting food intake. Furthermore, it decreases the levels of Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2 (DILP2; ILP2) and increases night-time sleep. The three genes encoding TRIBs of mammals, TRIB1, TRIB2 and TRIB3, show both common and unique features. As the three human TRIB genes share features with Drosophila trbl, we further explored the links between TRIB genetic variants and both body weight and sleep in the human population. We identified associations between the polymorphisms and expression levels of the pseudokinases and markers of body weight and sleep duration. We conclude that Tribbles pseudokinases are involved in the control of body weight, lifespan and sleep.

SARS-CoV-2 mutations on diagnostic gene targets in the second wave in Zimbabwe: A retrospective genomic analysis.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 continues to be a major issue in resource-limited settings, particularly owing to the limited supply of vaccinescaused by inequitable distribution. OBJECTIVE: To monitor diagnostic gene targets to identify potential test failures caused by mutations, which is important for public health. METHODS: Here we analysed the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 from the second wave in Zimbabwe. A total of 377 samples weresequenced at Quadram Institute Bioscience. After quality control, 192 sequences passed and were analysed. RESULTS: The Beta variant was dominant during this period, contributing 77.6% (149) of the genomes sequenced and having a total of 2994mutations in diagnostic polymerase chain reaction target genes. Many single nucleotide polymorphism mutations resulted in amino acidsubstitution that had the potential to impact viral fitness by increasing the rate of transmission or evading the immune response to previousinfection or vaccination. CONCLUSION: There were nine lineages circulating in Zimbabwe during the second wave. The B.1.351 was dominant, accounting for >75%.There were over 3 000 mutations on the diagnostic genes and lineage B.1.351, contributing almost two-thirds of the mutations. The S-genehad the most mutations and the E-gene was the least mutated.

Blocking dPerk in the intestine suppresses neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterised by selective death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain and motor function impairment. Gastrointestinal issues often precede motor deficits in PD, indicating that the gut-brain axis is involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. The features of PD include both mitochondrial dysfunction and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). PINK1 is a mitochondrial kinase involved in the recycling of defective mitochondria, and PINK1 mutations cause early-onset PD. Like PD patients, pink1 mutant Drosophila show degeneration of DA neurons and intestinal dysfunction. These mutant flies also lack vital proteins due to sustained activation of the kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (dPerk), a kinase that induces the UPR. Here, we investigated the role of dPerk in intestinal dysfunction. We showed that intestinal expression of dPerk impairs mitochondrial function, induces cell death, and decreases lifespan. We found that suppressing dPerk in the intestine of pink1-mutant flies rescues intestinal cell death and is neuroprotective. We conclude that in a fly model of PD, blocking gut-brain transmission of UPR-mediated toxicity, is neuroprotective.

The Effect of Ethanol Associated with Universal Adhesive on Resin Composite Adhesion to Different Dentin Depths: A Long-Term In Vitro Study.

To evaluate the ethanol wet-bonding protocol with a universal adhesive in etch-andrinse and self-etch modes on microleakage and microtensile bond strength (µTBS) of resin composite to different dentin depth. Molars were distributed into groups according to protocol and dentin depth: universal adhesive (C - control), ethanol + universal adhesive (E), and phosphoric acid etch + ethanol + universal adhesive (PA+E). All protocols were applied to dentin at superficial, middle and deep depths. The specimens (n = 10) were submitted to microleakage and µTBS tests. Half of specimens were submitted to thermocycling (10,000 cycles; 5∘C/55∘C). Data were submitted to Spearman correlation (µTBS x microleakage) and three-way ANOVA (protocol, aging and depth), followed by Bonferroni post hoc test (α=0.05). PA+E group showed highest µTBS and lowest microleakage mean values in 24h. All groups presented similar µTBS mean values after thermocycling. The deep dentin showed less stable µTBS results. PA+E group presented highest microleakage mean values after thermocycling. Spearman's correlation showed a strong correlation between microleakage and µTBS. The PA+E group improved immediate adhesion and E group promoted a more stable µTBS in the long-term adhesion of universal adhesive. The aging for all protocols jeopardized the stability of the hybrid layer. The ethanol wet bonding technique associated with universal adhesive has enhanced the immediate result of the resin composite adhesion.

Evaluating TROPOMI and MODIS performance to capture the dynamic of air pollution in São Paulo state: A case study during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Atmospheric pollutant data retrieved through satellite sensors are continually used to assess changes in air quality in the lower atmosphere. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies started to use satellite measurements to evaluate changes in air quality in many different regions worldwide. However, although satellite data is continuously validated, it is known that its accuracy may vary between monitored areas, requiring regionalized quality assessments. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate whether satellites could measure changes in the air quality of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, during the COVID-19 outbreak; and to verify the relationship between satellite-based data [Tropospheric NO2 column density and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD)] and ground-based concentrations [NO2 and particulate material (PM; coarse: PM10 and fine: PM2.5)]. For this purpose, tropospheric NO2 obtained from the TROPOMI sensor and AOD retrieved from MODIS sensor data by using the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm were compared with concentrations obtained from 50 automatic ground monitoring stations. The results showed low correlations between PM and AOD. For PM10, most stations showed correlations lower than 0.2, which were not significant. The results for PM2.5 were similar, but some stations showed good correlations for specific periods (before or during the COVID-19 outbreak). Satellite-based Tropospheric NO2 proved to be a good predictor for NO2 concentrations at ground level. Considering all stations with NO2 measurements, correlations >0.6 were observed, reaching 0.8 for specific stations and periods. In general, it was observed that regions with a more industrialized profile had the best correlations, in contrast with rural areas. In addition, it was observed about 57% reductions in tropospheric NO2 throughout the state of São Paulo during the COVID-19 outbreak. Variations in air pollutants were linked to the region economic vocation, since there were reductions in industrialized areas (at least 50% of the industrialized areas showed >20% decrease in NO2) and increases in areas with farming and livestock characteristics (about 70% of those areas showed increase in NO2). Our results demonstrate that Tropospheric NO2 column densities can serve as good predictors of NO2 concentrations at ground level. For MAIAC-AOD, a weak relationship was observed, requiring the evaluation of other possible predictors to describe the relationship with PM. Thus, it is concluded that regionalized assessment of satellite data accuracy is essential for assertive estimates on a regional/local level. Good quality information retrieved at specific polluted areas does not assure a worldwide use of remote sensor data.