Effect of methionine and trace minerals (zinc, copper and manganese) supplementation on growth performance of broilers subjected to Eimeria challenge.

Coccidiosis is a major intestinal challenge that causes economic loss to the broiler industry. Two battery cage studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of trace minerals, source and dose of methionine on growth performance and gut health of broilers subjected to Eimeria challenge. Experiment #1 consisted of 9 treatments of 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design + 1 arrangement with main factors of methionine (Met) sources (DL-Met vs. 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMTBa)), total sulfur amino acid (TSAA) levels (high vs. low; ±5% of recommended level), and sources of trace minerals (TM) Zn:Cu:Mn in the form Inorganic trace minerals (ITM) in sulfates (80:20:100ppm) vs. mineral methionine hydroxy-analogue bis-chelate (MMHAC, 40:10:50ppm), each with 8 pens of 10 birds. Experiment #2 consisted of 2 treatments--ITM [ZnSO4:tribasic copper chloride (TBCC):MnSO4 110:125:120ppm] and MMHAC (Zn:Cu:Mn, 40:30:40ppm), each with 36 pens of 10 birds. All birds except for treatment 9 in experiment #1 were orally gavaged with 1x, 4x and 16x recommended dose of coccidiosis vaccine on d0, d7 and d14, respectively. Data were subjected to one-way and/or three-way ANOVA, and means were separated by Fisher's protected LSD test with significance at p ≤ 0.05. In experiment #1, factorial analysis revealed the main effects of TSAA level and TM, but not Met source. High TSAA level improved body weight and cumulative feed intake at 14, 20, and 27d. MMHAC improved body weight at 14, and 27d; feed intake at 14, 20, and 27d; and cumulative FCR at 27d vs. sulfates. One-way ANOVA analysis showed that birds fed MMHAC and high levels of TSAA regardless of Met source had similar body weight as unchallenged birds on d27. In experiment #2, MMHAC improved body weight and cumulative FCR, and reduced jejunal IL-17A gene expression on d28. In summary, in broilers subjected to Eimeria challenge, supplementation of the reduced levels of bis-chelated trace minerals MMHAC improved growth performance compared to high levels of ITM (sulfates or TBCC), which might partially result from better immune response, high levels of TSAA improved growth performance, Met source had no effect. Supplementation of both bis-chelated trace minerals MMHAC and high levels of TSAA could overcome the growth performance challenge issue due to coccidiosis.

Two new species of Platensina Enderlein (Diptera, Tephritidae, Tephritinae, Dithrycini) from India.

Two new species of Platensina Enderlein, P.rabbanii David & Hancock, sp. nov., and P.flavistigma David & Hancock, sp. nov., are described from Meghalaya and southern India, respectively. Platensinarabbanii can be differentiated from P.alboapicalis Hering by the presence of a single hyaline indentation in cell r1 and the apical hyaline band in cell r2+3 restricted to the apex; P.flavistigma differs from P.quadrula Hardy by the presence of a yellow/fulvous pterostigma and shape of the epandrium. DNA barcode sequences of P.acrostacta (Wiedemann), P.flavistigma and P.platyptera Hendel were obtained and reported. Postabdominal descriptions and illustrations of P.acrostacta, P.platyptera and P.zodiacalis (Bezzi) are also provided along with keys to all 23 species and the 7 known from India.

A new genus of fruit fly in subfamily Dacinae (Diptera: Tephritidae) from India.

A new genus and species of fruit fly, Dacimita curvifasciatus David & Hancock, gen. et sp. n. is described from Meghalaya, India. It morphologically resembles Ichneumonopsis Hardy and Monacrostichus Bezzi, the former of uncertain tribal placement and the latter included in tribe Dacini. Phylogenetic analysis based on morphological and molecular characters revealed Dacimita curvifasciatus to be best placed in tribe Gastrozonini in subfamily Dacinae.

Biogeography, Speciation and Taxonomy within the genus Bactrocera Macquart with application to the Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) complex of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae).

The genus Bactrocera Macquart comprises a large group of some 750 species distributed across the Asia-Pacific and Afrotropical regions. Most of these have been described and revised by Drew (1989), Drew & Hancock (1994) and Drew & Romig (2013, 2022). A taxonomic study of such a large and diverse group of species provides valuable information that can be used in the elucidation of concepts on biogeography and evolution that are presented in this paper. While a wider discussion of this genus and its many complexes of sibling species awaits a future publication, in this paper we discuss the Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) complex in light of current knowledge of biogeography and evolution in the Asia-Pacific region. Within the dorsalis complex, 70 species were recognized in South-East Asia by Drew & Romig (2013) and eight listed for Papua New Guinea and Australia by Drew (1989). Seventy-nine species are now included in this paper. Within this complex, two major groups occur, one with species responding to methyl eugenol and the other to cue lure. The 34 non-cue lure responding group of species are discussed, most of which respond to methyl eugenol and seven of which are recognized as having pest status, namely, B. carambolae Drew & Hancock, B. caryeae (Kapoor), B. dorsalis (Hendel), B. kandiensis Drew & Hancock, B. occipitalis (Bezzi), B. ochroma Drew & Romig and B. papayae Drew & Hancock. An eighth species, Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White is included in this discussion on the basis of its molecular similarity to B. dorsalis. The remaining group of 45 species, mostly cue lure-responding and including the pest species B. pyrifoliae Drew & Hancock and B. syzygii White & Tsuruta, are also discussed. Morphological and ecological data are presented for each pest species and their biosecurity risks assessed. In addition, new data based on further research on the male aedeagus have demonstrated that B. carambolae, B. occipitalis, B. papayae and B. invadens are markedly different from B. dorsalis in the dimensions and shape of the glans and preglans appendix. Based on this evidence, and that presented by Drew & Romig (2016), the withdrawal of B. papayae and B. invadens from synonymy with B. dorsalis by Drew & Romig (2016) remains valid, while the similarity in aedeagus characters between B. papayae and B. philippinensis further supports the synonymisation of these two species. The remainder of the 34 non-cue lure responding species are distributed from the Indian subcontinent, across South-East Asia, Papua New Guinea and north-eastern Australia, some with restricted geographic distributions and specific host plant species. Comments on the reliability of molecular phylogenies in the Dacini are included, with the published mitogenome of 'Dacus longicornis' regarded, on morphological evidence, as data based on a misidentification of Dacus (Mellesis) polistiformis (Senior-White), and the recent synonymy of B. albistrigata (de Meijere) with B. frauenfeldi (Schiner) considered to be based on insufficient evidence.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Elaphromyia Bigot (Diptera: Tephritidae: Tephritinae: Pliomelaenini) in India, with description of a new species.

A new species of Elaphromyia, E. juncta David, Hancock Sachin, sp. n. is described from India. It can be differentiated from the morphologically similar E. siva Frey and E. pterocallaeformis (Bezzi) by the wing pattern, epandrial characters, morphology of spicules on the eversible membrane and spermathecal shape. Elaphromyia siva Frey and E. yunnanensis Wang are recorded for the first time from India. Records of E. pterocallaeformis (Bezzi) from southern India are regarded as misidentifications. A key to the 7 known non-African species is included.

A new species, new postabdominal descriptions and a new synonymy in Euphranta Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetinae: Adramini).

A new species of Euphranta, E. flavothoracica David, Hancock Sachin, sp. n. is described from India and placed in the zeylanica group of species. Postabdominal structures of E. cassiae (Munro), E. crux (Fabricius) and E. klugii (Wiedemann) are described. A revised key to the 16 species of Euphranta known from India is provided. A new generic and specific synonymy is established: Euphranta Loew, 1862 = Ichneumonomacula Chen, 2020, syn. n. and Dacus figuratus Walker, 1856 (=Euphranta figurata (Walker, 1856))= Ichneumonomacula wangyongi Chen, 2020, syn. n.

A new species of Euphranta Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetinae: Adramini) from India.

A new species of Euphranta Loew, E. siruvani David, Hancock Sankararaman, sp. n. is described from India. Postabdominal structures of E. hyalipennis David Freidberg and E. haldwanica Hancock Goodger are illustrated and described. A revised key to Euphranta from India is also provided.

A new species of Acrotaeniostola Hendel and new records of Gastrozonini and Ceratitidini (Diptera: Tephritidae) from India.

A new species of Acrotaeniostola Hendel, A. connexa sp. n. of tribe Gastrozonini, is described from India. Acroceratitis incompleta Hardy of tribe Gastrozonini and Ceratitella sobrina (Zia) of tribe Ceratitidini have been recorded for the first time from India. The genus Ceratitella Malloch and tribe Ceratitidini are recorded for the first time from India.

TWO NEW SPECIES AND A NEW RECORD OF DACUS FABRICIUS (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) FROM INDIA.

Two new species of the genus Dacus Fabricius, namely D. (Mellesis) jacobi David Sachin and D. (Mellesis) viraktamathi David Hancock of tribe Dacini are described from India. Dacus (Mellesis) maculipterus White is recorded for the first time from India. An updated key to species of genus Dacus from India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka is also provided.

A new species of Hemilea Loew and two new records of Trypetini (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetinae) from India.

A new species of Hemilea Loew, H. totu David, Hancock Sachin, sp. n., is described from India. Paratrypeta appendiculata (Hendel) and Vidalia thailandica Hancock Drew are recorded for the first time from India and a key to species of Hemilea from India and Myanmar is provided.

Erratum: K. J. DAVID amp; D. L. HANCOCK (2019) TAXONOMIC NOTES ON GENUS COELOTRYPES BEZZI (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE: TRYPETINAE) WITH DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES ZOOTAXA, 4563: 584-594.

N/A.

Taxonomic notes on genus Coelotrypes Bezzi (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetinae) with description of two new species.

Two new species of Coelotrypes Bezzi, C. meremmiae sp. n. and C. paralatilimbatus sp. n. are described from India. Postabdominal structures and the third instar larva of C. luteifasciatus (Senior-White) are also illustrated and described. A key to Oriental species of Coelotrypes is provided.

Genome-wide association study across European and African American ancestries identifies a SNP in DNMT3B contributing to nicotine dependence.

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality worldwide. Nicotine dependence, which reduces the likelihood of quitting smoking, is a heritable trait with firmly established associations with sequence variants in nicotine acetylcholine receptor genes and at other loci. To search for additional loci, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of nicotine dependence, totaling 38,602 smokers (28,677 Europeans/European Americans and 9925 African Americans) across 15 studies. In this largest-ever GWAS meta-analysis for nicotine dependence and the largest-ever cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis for any smoking phenotype, we reconfirmed the well-known CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 genes and further yielded a novel association in the DNA methyltransferase gene DNMT3B. The intronic DNMT3B rs910083-C allele (frequency=44-77%) was associated with increased risk of nicotine dependence at P=3.7 × 10-8 (odds ratio (OR)=1.06 and 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.04-1.07 for severe vs mild dependence). The association was independently confirmed in the UK Biobank (N=48,931) using heavy vs never smoking as a proxy phenotype (P=3.6 × 10-4, OR=1.05, and 95% CI=1.02-1.08). Rs910083-C is also associated with increased risk of squamous cell lung carcinoma in the International Lung Cancer Consortium (N=60,586, meta-analysis P=0.0095, OR=1.05, and 95% CI=1.01-1.09). Moreover, rs910083-C was implicated as a cis-methylation quantitative trait locus (QTL) variant associated with higher DNMT3B methylation in fetal brain (N=166, P=2.3 × 10-26) and a cis-expression QTL variant associated with higher DNMT3B expression in adult cerebellum from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (N=103, P=3.0 × 10-6) and the independent Brain eQTL Almanac (N=134, P=0.028). This novel DNMT3B cis-acting QTL variant highlights the importance of genetically influenced regulation in brain on the risks of nicotine dependence, heavy smoking and consequent lung cancer.

New species, new records and updated subgeneric key of Bactrocera Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae: Dacini) from India.

Two new species of genus Bactrocera Macquart, namely B. (Sinodacus) brevipunctata David and Hancock, sp. nov. and B. (Bactrocera) furcata David and Hancock, sp. nov., are described from India. B. (B.) aethriobasis Hardy, B. (B.) rubigina Wang & Zhao, B. (B.) syzygii Tsuruta & White and B. (B.) tuberculata (Bezzi) are recorded for the first time from India. Updated keys to twelve subgenera of Bactrocera and Indian species of Bactrocera (Bactrocera) are also provided.

A new species of Gastrozona Bezzi (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae: Gastrozonini) with an updated key to species from India.

Gastrozona nigrifemur sp. nov., is described from India. Postabdominal structures of G. fasciventris (both male and female), G. soror (female) and G. montana (male) are described and illustrated. An updated key to Indian species of Gastrozona is provided.

Associations between CD36 gene polymorphisms, fat tolerance and oral fat preference in a young-adult population.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: CD36 is known to be an orosensory receptor for dietary long-chain fatty acids, as well as being involved in the chemosensory mechanisms within the human gut. Recent data have demonstrated an association between CD36 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and lipid consumption behaviours in humans. This study aimed to test for associations between CD36 SNPs and response to a high-fat meal in a young healthy Australian cohort. Secondary associations were tested between CD36 gene variants and fasting lipid parameters, body composition, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and measures of oral fat preference. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Two SNPs (rs1527479 and rs1984112) were assessed for associations with response to a 75 g saturated fat oral fat tolerance test (OFTT), whole-body substrate oxidation, fasting plasma lipids, CVD risk factors and self-reported habitual diet questionnaires. Genotyping was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Cross-sectional data were collected on 56 individuals (28 m, 28 f; 24.9±3.3 years), with 42 completing participation in a high-fat OFTT. No genotypic associations were evident in anthropometric data or self-reported fat preference measures. AA SNP carriers at rs1984112 exhibited significantly elevated fasting triglyceride when compared with non-carriers (P=0.024). This group also tended to have an elevated response to a high-fat meal (P=0.078). CONCLUSIONS: Although these data show the potential pleiotropic influence of CD36 SNP rs1984112 on lipoprotein accumulation in a young healthy cohort, further assessment in a larger cohort is warranted.

Genome-wide meta-analysis reveals common splice site acceptor variant in CHRNA4 associated with nicotine dependence.

We conducted a 1000 Genomes-imputed genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis for nicotine dependence, defined by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence in 17 074 ever smokers from five European-ancestry samples. We followed up novel variants in 7469 ever smokers from five independent European-ancestry samples. We identified genome-wide significant association in the alpha-4 nicotinic receptor subunit (CHRNA4) gene on chromosome 20q13: lowest P=8.0 × 10(-9) across all the samples for rs2273500-C (frequency=0.15; odds ratio=1.12 and 95% confidence interval=1.08-1.17 for severe vs mild dependence). rs2273500-C, a splice site acceptor variant resulting in an alternate CHRNA4 transcript predicted to be targeted for nonsense-mediated decay, was associated with decreased CHRNA4 expression in physiologically normal human brains (lowest P=7.3 × 10(-4)). Importantly, rs2273500-C was associated with increased lung cancer risk (N=28 998, odds ratio=1.06 and 95% confidence interval=1.00-1.12), likely through its effect on smoking, as rs2273500-C was no longer associated with lung cancer after adjustment for smoking. Using criteria for smoking behavior that encompass more than the single 'cigarettes per day' item, we identified a common CHRNA4 variant with important regulatory properties that contributes to nicotine dependence and smoking-related consequences.

Replication of ZNF804A gene variant associations with risk of heroin addiction.

Heroin addiction is heritable, but few specific genetic variants have been reproducibly associated with this disease. The zinc finger protein 804A (ZNF804A) gene is a biologically plausible susceptibility gene for heroin addiction, given its function as a transcription factor in human brain. Novel associations of two common ZNF804A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs7597593 and rs1344706, with heroin addiction have been reported in Han Chinese. Both SNPs have also been implicated for regulating ZNF804A expression in human brain, including the addiction-relevant dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In this independent replication study, we tested the rs7597593 and rs1344706 SNP genotypes and their corresponding haplotypes for association with heroin addiction using cases drawn from the Urban Health Study and population controls: total N = 10 757 [7095 European Americans (EAs) and 3662 African Americans (AAs)]. We independently replicated both ZNF804A SNP associations in EAs: the rs7597593-T (P = 0.016) and rs1344706-A (P = 0.029) alleles both being associated with increased risk of heroin addiction, consistent with the prior report. Neither SNP was associated in AAs alone, but meta-analysis across both ancestry groups resulted in significant associations for rs1344706-A [P = 0.016, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.13 (1.02-1.25)] and its haplotype with rs7597593-T [P = 0.0067, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.16 (1.04-1.29)]. By showing consistent associations across independent studies and diverse ancestry groups, our study provides evidence that these two ZNF804A SNPs and their risk haplotype are among the few replicable genetic associations with heroin addiction.

Two new species of Acroceratitis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) and an updated key for the species from India.

Two new species of genus Acroceratitis Hendel, namely A. parastriata David & Hancock , sp. nov. and A. breviscapa David, Ramani & Hancock, sp. nov., are described from India. A. histrionica (de Meijere) is recorded for the first time from India. An updated key to Indian species of Acroceratitis is also provided.

A candidate gene approach for identifying differential iron responses in young overweight women to an energy-restricted haem iron-rich diet.

Although iron deficiency is common in women especially during dieting, weight management trials rarely examine the longitudinal impact of genetics on iron. This study examined the associations between the TMPRSS6 rs855791 polymorphism and iron indices at baseline and after a 12-month trial comparing two weight loss diets (higher-protein, higher-haem iron (HPHI) vs lower-protein, lower-haem iron (LPLI)). A total of 76 young overweight women (18-25y; BMI⩾27.5 kg/m(2)) were included at baseline, with 27 (HPHI: n=15; LPLI: n=12) completing the 12-month trial. At baseline, C allele homozygotes exhibited higher serum iron (P=0.047) and lower hepcidin (P=0.023) compared with T allele carriers. After 12 months, no genotypic differences were observed for ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor, although C homozygotes on HPHI showed higher serum iron and transferrin saturation (P<0.05). Results indicate that rs855791 can influence iron metabolism to some extent, but its impact on storage and functional iron status is small relative to dietary protein/iron manipulation.