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Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crop world-wide and grown in high tunnels in many regions. This study investigates the use of two fertilizer sources, chemical and integrated (composted poultry manure plus urea) fertilizers, and grafting on growth, nitrate-N content, yield, and fruit quality of tomato grown in high tunnels in northwestern Washington. Grafting treatments consisted of ‘Panzer’ tomato grafted on one of three tomato rootstocks ‘Estamino’, Maxifort’, ‘DRO138TX’, or non-grafted (control). Application of chemical fertilizer increased number of leaves per plant, plant height, and cumulative fresh biomass of pruned suckers relative to tomato plants grown with the integrated fertilizer treatment. Grafted tomato plants had greater plant growth than non-grafted plants throughout the growing season. There was no significant difference between fertilizer treatments on nitrate-N concentration in plant tissue or fresh petiole sap; however, grafted plants contained higher levels of nitrate-N than non-grafted plants. Total and marketable fruit weight and number did not differ due to fertilizer source, but total and marketable fruit weight was higher for grafted plants than for non-grafted plants in 2016. There was no significant effect due to fertilizer source on fruit firmness, water content, pH, titratable acidity, and β-carotene; however, total soluble solids (TSS) and lycopene content were higher for fruit grown with integrated fertilizer in 2016. Grafting enhanced water content of tomato fruit in 2015, and TSS (°Brix) in 2016.

Carpenter, James M., Brown, Graham R. (2021): A Key to the Australian Genera of Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Records of the Australian Museum (Rec. Aust. Mus.) 73 (3): 87-101, DOI: 10.3853/j.2201-4349.73.2021.1777, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.73.2021.1777

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease where upper and lower motor neurons die, and it is often associated with mutations of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). We have used mouse models to compare physiologic and morphologic characteristics of cervical motor neurons in wild-type and mutant animals. Slices of the cervical spinal cord were prepared from old wild-type and mutant G93A and G85R mice, and intracellular recordings of membrane potential, resistance and responses to application of excitatory neurotransmitters were studied. Some motor neurons were injected with Lucifer Yellow for morphological analysis. There were no significant differences between membrane potential in the SOD1 mutants and aged wild-type mice, but membrane resistance was somewhat higher in the mutant motor neurons. Dendrites of the mutant motor neurons were not responsive to ionophoretic application of excitatory amino acids, although the cell body responded strongly. In Lucifer-filled cells, the dendrites were found to disappear. Mutant motor neurons were sometimes spontaneously active. Responses of mutant motor neurons to perfused glutamate with varying calcium concentrations in the Ringer’s solution were different from those of the wild-type cells.

Within a single organism, numerous parasites often compete for space and resources. This competition, together with a parasite’s ability to locate and successfully establish in a host, can contribute to the distribution and prevalence of parasites. Coinfection with trematodes in snail intermediate hosts is rarely observed in nature, partly due to varying competitive abilities among parasite taxa. Using a freshwater snail host (Biomphalaria glabrata), we studied the ability of a competitively dominant trematode, Echinostoma caproni, to establish and reproduce in a host previously infected with a less competitive trematode species, Schistosoma mansoni. Snails were exposed to S. mansoni and co-exposed to E. caproni either simultaneously or 1 week, 4 weeks, or 6 weeks post S. mansoni exposure. Over the course of infection, we monitored the competitive success of the dominant trematode through infection prevalence, parasite development time, and parasite reproductive output. Infection prevalence of E. caproni did not differ among co-exposed groups or between co-exposed and single exposed groups. However, E. caproni infections in co-exposed hosts took longer to reach maturity when the timing between co-exposures increased. All co-exposed groups had higher E. caproni reproductive output than single exposures. We show that although timing of co-exposure affects the development time of parasite transmission stages, it is not important for successful establishment. Additionally, co-exposure, but not priority effects, increases the reproductive output of the dominant parasite.

Previous studies have demonstrated nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug treatment in early lactation had a positive impact on whole-lactation milk production in older cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate proliferative, transcriptional, and epigenetic changes in the mammary gland that could explain increased production responses due to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug treatment. Sodium salicylate (SAL; 125 g/d) or water (CON) were administered via oral drench to multiparous Holstein cows (n = 8/treatment) once daily for 3 d beginning approximately 24 h after parturition, and mammary tissue was collected on d 1, 4, and 45 postpartum. Day 1 tissue was collected immediately preceding the initial drench, and d 4 tissue was collected 24 h following the final drench. Blood was collected twice weekly and analyzed for plasma glucose, insulin, β-hydroxybutyrate, free fatty acids, and prolactin. Cows were milked twice daily until d 7 of lactation, and thrice daily for the remainder of the study. Total RNA extracted from tissue was deep-sequenced and analyzed for differential gene expression using DESeq2. We detected no treatment effect on milk yield or plasma metabolites through 45 d of lactation; additionally, no change in mammary epithelial cell proliferation was detected when assessed by Ki67 labeling. Comparison of SAL versus CON revealed that only 16 of 18,286 genes were differentially expressed (false discovery rate

The bronze statues of the Tyrannicides, Harmodios and Aristogeiton, by the sculptors Kritios and Nesiotes, set up in the Athenian Agora in 477 bc, were well known to Athenians throughout the classical and Hellenistic periods. In Thucydides’ account of the deed of the Tyrannicides, he defines the two as lovers (erastes and eromenos), which has led to the assumption that the depictions are in some way likenesses of the two men. I argue that Thucydides’ account has been the source of a misreading of the sculptures. Rather, the models for the figures are contemporary representations of the Gigantomachy – Aristogeiton being based on Apollo – and thus, through the allusion to myth, the sculptors created multivalent figures that were emblematic of something that transcended their deed.

Parasites are important players in ecological communities that can shape community structure and influence ecosystem energy flow. Yet beyond their effects on hosts, parasites can also function as an important prey resource for predators. Predators that consume infectious stages in the environment can benefit from a nutrient-rich prey item while concurrently reducing transmission to downstream hosts, highlighting the broad importance of this interaction. Less clear, however, are the specific characteristics of parasites and predators that increase the likelihood of consumption. Here, we determine what combination(s) of predator and parasite morphological traits lead to high parasite consumption. We exposed the infectious stages (cercariae) of five trematode (fluke) taxa to aquatic insect predators with varying foraging strategies and morphologies. Across the 19 predator-parasite combinations tested, damselfly predators in the family Coenagrionidae were, on average, the most effective predators of cercariae, consuming between 13 and 55% of administered cercariae. Large-bodied cercariae of Ribeiroia ondatrae had the highest average vulnerability to predation, with 37-48% of cercariae consumed. The interaction between predator head width and cercariae tail size strongly influenced the probability of consumption: small-bodied predators were the most effective consumers, particularly for larger tailed parasites. Thus, the likelihood of parasite consumption depended strongly on the relative size between predator and parasite. Our study helps establish that predation on free-living parasites largely follows a broader predator-prey framework. This will help to identify which predator and parasite combinations will likely have high consumptive interactions, potentially reducing parasite transmission in natural populations.

Business location research often focuses on evaluating specific policies or explaining outcomes for a particular region. Further, the micro-foundations of random profit maximization supporting manufacturing location analysis often lack the intuitive nature of demand thresholds. While this article maintains these micro-foundations, it introduces a unifying concept of profit pools and examines how proximate supply/cost factors determine potential local manufacturing size. The approach avoids a number of limitations associated with other locational choice models. Restricted-access establishment-level data from the Longitudinal Business Database along with secondary data sources produce a model to estimate county-level contributors to outcomes of manufacturing establishment growth and consolidation. The analysis offers improved methods and accuracy for modeling establishment location outcomes, including accuracy in measuring industry size and methods for choosing among various count data distributions. The locational factors associated with county-level potential for manufacturing vary in magnitude and significance depending on the type of manufacturing, while affirming the importance of agglomeration across manufacturing types.

Sexual competition is increasingly recognized as an important selective pressure driving species distributions. However, few studies have investigated the relative importance of interpopulation versus intrapopulation competition in relation to habitat availability and selection. To explain spatial segregation between sexes that often occurs in non-territorial and central place foragers, such as seabirds, two hypotheses are commonly used. The ‘competitive exclusion’ hypothesis states that dominant individuals should exclude subordinate individuals through direct competition, whereas the ‘niche divergence’ hypothesis states that segregation occurs due to past competition and habitat specialization. We tested these hypotheses in two populations of an extreme wide-ranging and sexually dimorphic seabird, investigating the relative role of intrapopulation and interpopulation competition in influencing sex-specific distribution and habitat preferences. Using GPS loggers, we tracked 192 wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans during four consecutive years (2016–2019), from two neighbouring populations in the Southern Ocean (Prince Edward and Crozet archipelagos). We simulated pseudo-tracks to create a null spatial distribution and used Kernel Density Estimates (KDE) and Resource Selection Functions (RSF) to distinguish the relative importance of within- versus between-population competition. Kernel Density Estimates showed that only intrapopulation sexual segregation was significant for each monitoring year, and that tracks between the two colonies resulted in greater overlap than expected from the null distribution, especially for the females. RSF confirmed these results and highlighted key at-sea foraging areas, even if the estimated of at-sea densities were extremely low. These differences in selected areas between sites and sexes were, however, associated with high interannual variability in habitat preferences, with no clear specific preferences per site and sex. Our results suggest that even with low at-sea population densities, historic intrapopulation competition in wide-ranging seabirds may have led to sexual dimorphism and niche specialization, favouring the ‘niche divergence’ hypothesis. In this study, we provide a protocol to study competition within as well as between populations of central place foragers. This is relevant for understanding their distribution patterns and population regulation, which could potentially improve management of threatened populations.

Anthropogenic changes to river flows can alter hydrological connectivity and cues necessary for the movement of fish to complete their life cycles. Quantifying flow-related movement ecology of fish and understanding how this varies between species and river systems is important for effective environmental flow management. This study aimed to determine hydroecological factors that influence fish movements in an unregulated, perennial river and to compare these findings to fish from regulated river systems. Broad-scale movements of the endangered Maccullochella ikei and Tandanus tandanus were recorded over 3 years in the unregulated, perennial Nymboida River, Australia. The limited movements both species exhibited were infrequent and over short distances. Although M. ikei movements appeared mostly unrelated to environmental changes, T. tandanus moved on flow pulse peaks and were more likely to move during the breeding season. These findings contrast with previous studies of the same or similar species in differing flow regimes, suggesting that fish in perennial, highly connected rivers may not need to move as frequently as those in more regulated or intermittent systems. Should these disparate behaviours be present in other species occurring among contrasting flow regimes, it will be challenging to define generalisable environmental flow rules to inform river management.

Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are essential building blocks for the synthesis of ceramides and sphingolipids. The first step in the fatty acid elongation cycle is catalyzed by the 3-keto acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthases (in mammals, ELOVL elongases). Although ELOVLs are implicated in common diseases, including insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis and Parkinson’s, their underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. Here we report the structure of the human ELOVL7 elongase, which comprises an inverted transmembrane barrel surrounding a 35-Å long tunnel containing a covalently attached product analogue. The structure reveals the substrate-binding sites in the narrow tunnel and an active site deep in the membrane. We demonstrate that chain elongation proceeds via an acyl-enzyme intermediate involving the second histidine in the canonical HxxHH motif. The unusual substrate-binding arrangement and chemistry suggest mechanisms for selective ELOVL inhibition, relevant for diseases where VLCFAs accumulate, such as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.

The central dogma of biology does not allow for the study of glycans using DNA sequencing. We report a liquid glycan array (LiGA) platform comprising a library of DNA 'barcoded' M13 virions that display 30-1,500 copies of glycans per phage. A LiGA is synthesized by acylation of the phage pVIII protein with a dibenzocyclooctyne, followed by ligation of azido-modified glycans. Pulldown of the LiGA with lectins followed by deep sequencing of the barcodes in the bound phage decodes the optimal structure and density of the recognized glycans. The LiGA is target agnostic and can measure the glycan-binding profile of lectins, such as CD22, on cells in vitro and immune cells in a live mouse. From a mixture of multivalent glycan probes, LiGAs identify the glycoconjugates with optimal avidity necessary for binding to lectins on living cells in vitro and in vivo.

Among non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with therapeutically targetable tumor mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), not all patients respond to targeted therapy. Combining circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA), clinical variables, and radiomic phenotypes may improve prediction of EGFR-targeted therapy outcomes for NSCLC. This single-center retrospective study included 40 EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC patients treated with EGFR-targeted therapy. ctDNA data included number of mutations and detection of EGFR T790M. Clinical data included age, smoking status, and ECOG performance status. Baseline chest CT scans were analyzed to extract 429 radiomic features from each primary tumor. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was used to group tumors into phenotypes. Kaplan–Meier (K–M) curves and Cox proportional hazards regression were modeled for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Likelihood ratio test (LRT) was used to compare fit between models. Among 40 patients (73% women, median age 62 years), consensus clustering identified two radiomic phenotypes. For PFS, the model combining radiomic phenotypes with ctDNA and clinical variables had c-statistic of 0.77 and a better fit (LRT p = 0.01) than the model with clinical and ctDNA variables alone with a c-statistic of 0.73. For OS, adding radiomic phenotypes resulted in c-statistic of 0.83 versus 0.80 when using clinical and ctDNA variables (LRT p = 0.08). Both models showed separation of K–M curves dichotomized by median prognostic score (p EGFR mutations.

Soil fertility is tightly linked with herbivore pressure because it affects the nutritional status of host plants as well as the production of anti-herbivore defenses. This in turn can influence whether herbivores in different feeding guilds render plants more or less susceptible to one another. Thus, growers’ fertility management choices may impact herbivores through a variety of indirect channels. We examined relationships between soil fertility and interactions between phloem-feeding and leaf-chewing herbivores on broccoli (Brassica oleracea) plants in the greenhouse, taking advantage of natural variation in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in soils from 20 working organic vegetable farms. Next, we experimentally fertilized soil in a field trial with N and/or P to examine the consequences of these nutrients for growth of and interactions between specialist and generalist herbivores. Soils on our cooperating farms varied widely in P and N concentrations, with 40% exceeding recommended pre-plant N concentrations and 90% exceeding P recommendations. In single-herbivore infestations, augmenting N in the soil increased caterpillar (Pieris rapae) growth, augmented N and P additively enhanced generalist green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) colonization, and augmented P (but not N) increased specialist cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) growth. In dual-guild herbivore infestations, caterpillars facilitated specialist cabbage aphid growth in the absence of fertilizer, but this pattern disappeared under augmented N, and reversed under augmented P. We found that a complex web of indirect effects linked soil fertility to herbivore performance, depending on the identity of the nutrients being altered, the ecological roles of responding herbivore species (i.e., specialist versus generalist), and indirect interactions between chewing and sucking herbivores. More generally, we highlight that successful use of fertility management to improve pest resistance requires careful consideration of herbivore feeding niches and herbivore-herbivore interactions.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T15:03:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-04-29 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Zethus is the largest genus in Vespidae with over 270 species. It is currently divided into four subgenera: Z. (Zethus), Z. (Zethoides), Z. (Zethusculus) and Z. (Madecazethus). While the last three are restricted to certain biogeographic areas, the first is spread through western and eastern hemispheres. Studies have shown possible phylogenetic incongruence regarding this current division and even raised the possibility of paraphyly in the genus. To evaluate this classification, morphological pasimony analyses under implied weights was carried out, examining external morphology and male genitalia. Analyses showed paraphyly of the genus under various k values and paraphyly of two subgenera. Ischnocoelia and Ctenochilus are lowered to subgenera of Zethus. Zethus (Madecazethus) is no longer restricted to Malagasy species and now includes those of the African continent as well. Zethus (Zethastrum) subg. nov. is defined for Oriental representatives. Z. (Zethus) is subdivided into three subgenera: Z. (Zethus), Z. (Didymogastra) and Z. (WettsteinM). Zethus (Zethusculus) and Z. (Zethoides) are monophyletic and hold their status as subgenera. Three species-groups are Incertae sedis: Z. albopictus, Z. pallidus and Z. spinosus. Univ Estadual Paulista, Lab Aculeata, Dept Zool & Bot, Inst Biociencias Letras & Ciencias Exatas, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, Brazil Amer Museum Nat Hist, Div Invertebrate Zool, New York, NY 10024 USA Univ Estadual Paulista, Lab Aculeata, Dept Zool & Bot, Inst Biociencias Letras & Ciencias Exatas, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, Brazil

This paper describes the development and application of two cumulative impact scores – a neighbourhood deficit and an asset score – in Phoenix, Arizona. The deficit score was designed and used as a...

Microscopy images are rich in information about the dynamic relationships among biological structures. However, extracting this complex information can be challenging, especially when biological structures are closely packed, distinguished by texture rather than intensity, and/or low intensity relative to the background. By learning from large amounts of annotated data, deep learning can accomplish several previously intractable bioimage analysis tasks. Until the past few years, however, most deep-learning workflows required significant computational expertise to be applied. Here, we survey several new open-source software tools that aim to make deep-learning–based image segmentation accessible to biologists with limited computational experience. These tools take many different forms, such as web apps, plug-ins for existing imaging analysis software, and preconfigured interactive notebooks and pipelines. In addition to surveying these tools, we overview several challenges that remain in the field. We hope to expand awareness of the powerful deep-learning tools available to biologists for image analysis.

The global prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has increased the risk of dangerous infections, requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment. The standard method for diagnosis of bacterial infections remains dependent on slow culture-based methods, carried out in central laboratories, not easily extensible to rapid identification of organisms, and thus not optimal for timely treatments at the point-of-care (POC). Here, we demonstrate rapid detection of bacteria by combining electrochemical immunoassays (EC-IA) for pathogen identification with confirmatory quantitative mass spectral immunoassays (MS-IA) based on signal ion emission reactive release amplification (SIERRA) nanoparticles with unique mass labels. This diagnostic method uses compatible reagents for all involved assays and standard fluidics for automatic sample preparation at POC. EC-IA, based on alkaline phosphatase-conjugated pathogen-specific antibodies, quantified down to 10(4) bacteria per sample when testing Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa lysates. EC-IA quantitation was also obtained for wound samples. The MS-IA using nanoparticles against S. aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa allowed selective quantitation of ~10(5) bacteria per sample. This method preserves bacterial cells allowing extraction and amplification of 16S ribosomal RNA genes and antibiotic resistance genes, as was demonstrated through identification and quantitation of two strains of E. coli, resistant and nonresistant due to β-lactamase cefotaximase genes. Finally, the combined immunoassays were compared against culture using remnant deidentified patient urine samples. The sensitivities for these immunoassays were 83, 95, and 92% for the prediction of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli or K. pneumoniae positive culture, respectively, while specificities were 85, 92, and 97%. The diagnostic platform presented here with fluidics and combined immunoassays allows for pathogen isolation within 5 min and identification in as little as 15 min to 1 h, to help guide the decision for additional testing, optimally only on positive samples, such as multiplexed or resistance gene assays (6 h).

The famous Rhaetian bone bed (Late Triassic, 205 Ma) is well known because it marks a major switch in depositional environment from terrestrial red beds to fully marine conditions throughout the UK and much of Europe. The bone bed is generally cemented and less than 10 cm thick. However, we report here an unusual case from Saltford, near Bath, S.W. England where the bone bed is unconsolidated and up to nearly 1 m thick. The exposure of the basal beds of the Westbury Formation, Penarth Group includes a bone bed containing a diverse Rhaetian marine microvertebrate fauna dominated by sharks, actinopterygian fishes and reptiles. Despite the unusual sedimentary character of the bone bed, we find similar proportions of taxa as in other basal Rhaetian bone beds (55–59 % Lissodus teeth, 13–16 % Rhomphaiodon teeth, 12–14 % Severnichthys teeth, 6–9% Gyrolepis teeth, 3–4% undetermined sharks’ teeth, 1–3% undetermined bony fish teeth, and

Background Land-use is a major driver of changes in biodiversity worldwide, but studies have overwhelmingly focused on above-ground taxa: the effects on soil biodiversity are less well known, despite the importance of soil organisms in ecosystem functioning. We modelled data from a global biodiversity database to compare how the abundance of soil-dwelling and above-ground organisms responded to land use and soil properties. Results We found that land use affects overall abundance differently in soil and above-ground assemblages. The abundance of soil organisms was markedly lower in cropland and plantation habitats than in primary vegetation and pasture. Soil properties influenced the abundance of soil biota in ways that differed among land uses, suggesting they shape both abundance and its response to land use. Conclusions Our results caution against assuming models or indicators derived from above-ground data can apply to soil assemblages and highlight the potential value of incorporating soil properties into biodiversity models.

Vanadium, a potentially toxic metal, is enriched in the environment from anthropogenic releases, particularly during fossil fuel production and use and steel manufacturing. Metal stable isotopes are sophisticated tools to trace pollution; however, only recent analytical advances have allowed for the accurate and precise measurement of vanadium isotope ratios (δ51V). To examine its potential as a tracer in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, δ51V was measured in soil, plant, lichen, marten, and lake sediment from sites near vanadium emissions at oil sands mines (Alberta, Canada) and in the sediment and biota (algae, zooplankton, fish) from a remote subarctic lake (Northwest Territories, Canada). Samples from Alberta had distinct δ51V values with marten liver the lowest (-1.7 ± 0.3‰), followed by lichen (-0.9 ± 0.1‰), soil (-0.7 ± 0.1‰), sediment (-0.5 ± 0.2‰), and plant root (-0.3 ± 0.2‰). Average values were lower than Alberta bitumen and petroleum coke (-0.1 ± 0.1‰). Plant roots had systematically higher δ51V than the soil from which they grew (Δ51Vplant-soil = 0.4 ± 0.1‰), while δ51V of lichen and aquatic biota were lower (0.1-0.3‰) than likely crustal sources. These δ51V measurements in terrestrial and aquatic biota demonstrate promise for tracer applications, although further study of its biological fractionation is needed.

Invasive ants shape assemblages and interactions of native species, but their effect on fundamental ecological processes is poorly understood. In East Africa, Pheidole megacephala ants have invaded monodominant stands of the ant-tree Acacia drepanolobium, extirpating native ant defenders and rendering trees vulnerable to canopy damage by vertebrate herbivores. We used experiments and observations to quantify direct and interactive effects of invasive ants and large herbivores on A. drepanolobium photosynthesis over a 2-year period. Trees that had been invaded for ≥ 5 years exhibited 69% lower whole-tree photosynthesis during key growing seasons, resulting from interaction between invasive ants and vertebrate herbivores that caused leaf- and canopy-level photosynthesis declines. We also surveyed trees shortly before and after invasion, finding that recent invasion induced only minor changes in leaf physiology. Our results from individual trees likely scale up, highlighting the potential of invasive species to alter ecosystem-level carbon fixation and other biogeochemical cycles.

In malaria, chemical genetics is a powerful method for assigning function to uncharacterized genes. MMV085203 and GNF-Pf-3600 are two structurally related napthoquinone phenotypic screening hits th...

Plant spacing and density are important metrics in crop production because they impact the plant’s ability to utilize resources and attain full yield potential. Planting sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L...

Almost nothing has been reported on the natural history of any of the world’s 92 species of cave cirolanids, including those from saltwater caves (anchialine). Over 1400 specimens ofBahalana geraceiCarpenter, 1981 were collected in two caves from 1978–2018; size-frequency data provided insight into population structure. Some specimens were maintained alive over multiple years to study rarely reported activities for cave cirolanids: feeding, molting, growth, longevity, and reproduction. Photographs document these phenomena. Mating occurred after gravid females shed both halves of reproductive molts. Females can have multiple broods (iteroparous) with ~2.0–3.5 years per reproductive cycle: egg production (~9–24 months), mating, brooding (5–6 months), release of 6–55 mancas (2.3–3.3 mm long), and oostegite molt (~2–13 months after manca release). Estimated lifetime fecundity is 58 mancas per female; probable range is 20–120. In Lighthouse Cave, females outnumbered males (~4:1), grew larger (16.8 vs. 9.5 mm), and lived longer. Growth rates were slow: ~1–2 years for three instars of post-marsupial manca development (from ~2.3–4.0 mm); estimated adult growth rate was 0.8 mm/year (1.6 molts/year) for males, and 0.5 mm/year (1.5 molts/year) for females. Longevity estimates for females are 25–28 years with 23–30 instars, vs. 6–8 years for males with 13–15 instars. Males from Major’s Cave were nearly as numerous and as large (14.8 mm) as females; estimated longevity for males is >20 years. Longevity estimates of >20 years appear to be the longest for any isopod species. Female longevity probably increased by being starvation resistant, surviving multiple broods, cannibalizing smallerB. geracei, and living in a low-stress environment. Populations appear to be stable, relatively large, and not currently threatened.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is becoming an increasingly important food crop. Understanding the microbiome of quinoa and its relationships with soil microorganisms may improve crop yield potential or nutrient use efficiency. Whether quinoa is a host or non-host of a key soil symbiont, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), is suddenly up for debate with recent field studies reporting root colonization and presence of arbuscules. This research seeks to add evidence to the mycorrhizal classification of quinoa as we investigated additional conditions not previously explored in quinoa that may affect root colonization. A greenhouse study used six AMF species, two AMF commercial inoculant products, and a diverse set of 10 quinoa genotypes. Results showed 0 to 3% quinoa root colonization by AMF when grown under greenhouse conditions. Across quinoa genotypes, AMF inoculant affected shoot dry weight (p = 0.066) and height (p = 0.031). Mykos Gold produced greater dry biomass than Claroideoglomus eutunicatum (27% increase), Rhizophagus clarus (26% increase), and within genotype CQ119, the control (21% increase). No treatment increased plant height compared to control, but Funneliformis mosseae increased height compared to C. eutunicatum (25% increase) and Rhizophagus intraradices (25% increase). Although quinoa plants were minimally colonized by AMF, plant growth responses fell along the mutualism-parasitism continuum. Individual AMF treatments increased leaf greenness in quinoa genotypes 49ALC and QQ87, while R. clarus decreased greenness in CQ119 compared to the control. Our research findings support the recommendation to classify quinoa as non-mycorrhizal when no companion plant is present and inconsistently mycorrhizal when conditional colonization occurs.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), a severe atherosclerotic condition primarily of the elderly, afflicts 200 million individuals, worldwide, and is associated with lower-extremity myopathy. Circulating markers of inflammation have been linked to risk and severity of PAD but the contribution of local inflammation to myopathy remains unknown. We evaluated, by ELISA, calf muscle of PAD patients (N=23) and control subjects (N=18) for local expression of inflammatory cytokines including Granulocyte/Monocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF), Interleukin 17A (IL-17A), Interferon ϒ (IFN-ϒ), Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), and Interleukin 6 (IL-6). One or more of these cytokines were expressed in nineteen patients and two controls and coordinated expression of GM-CSF, IL-17A, IFN-ϒ and TNF-α, a signature of activated, MHC Class II dependent autoreactive Th-cells, was unique to eleven patients. GM-CSF is the central driver of tissue-damaging myeloid macrophages. Patients with this cytokine signature had a shorter (p=0.017) Claudication Onset Distance (17 meters) compared with patients lacking the signature (102 meters). Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGFβ1) and Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5) were expressed coordinately in all PAD and control muscles, independently of GM-CSF, IL-17A, IFN-ϒ, TNF-α or IL-6. TGFβ1 and CCL5 and their gene transcripts were increased in PAD muscle, consistent with increased age-associated inflammation in these patients. Serum cytokines were not informative of muscle cytokine expression. We have identified a cytokine profile of autoimmune inflammation in calf muscles of a significant proportion of claudicating PAD patients, in association with decreased limb function, and a second independent profile consistent with increased “inflammaging” in all PAD patients.

Aims/hypothesis Levels of the microRNA (miRNA) miR-126-3p are programmed cell-autonomously in visceral adipose tissue of adult offspring born to obese female C57BL/6J mice. The spectrum of miR-126-3p targets and thus the consequences of its dysregulation for adipocyte metabolism are unknown. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to identify novel targets of miR-126-3p in vitro and then establish the outcomes of their dysregulation on adipocyte metabolism in vivo using a well-established maternal obesity mouse model. Methods miR-126-3p overexpression in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes followed by pulsed stable isotope labelling by amino acids in culture (pSILAC) was performed to identify novel targets of the miRNA. Well-established bioinformatics algorithms and luciferase assays were then employed to confirm those that were direct targets of miR-126-3p. Selected knockdown experiments were performed in vitro to define the consequences of target dysregulation. Quantitative real-time PCR, immunoblotting, histology, euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamps and glucose tolerance tests were performed to determine the phenotypic and functional outcomes of maternal programmed miR-126-3p levels in offspring adipose tissue. Results The proteomic approach confirmed the identity of known targets of miR-126-3p (including IRS-1) and identified Lunapark, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein, as a novel one. We confirmed by luciferase assay that Lunapark was a direct target of miR-126-3p. Overexpression of miR-126-3p in vitro led to a reduction in Lunapark protein levels and increased Perk (also known as Eif2ak3) mRNA levels and small interference-RNA mediated knockdown of Lunapark led to increased Xbp1, spliced Xbp1, Chop (also known as Ddit3) and Perk mRNA levels and an ER stress transcriptional response in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Consistent with the results found in vitro, increased miR-126-3p expression in adipose tissue from adult mouse offspring born to obese dams was accompanied by decreased Lunapark and IRS-1 protein levels and increased markers of ER stress. At the whole-body level the animals displayed glucose intolerance. Conclusions/interpretation Concurrently targeting IRS-1 and Lunapark, a nutritionally programmed increase in miR-126-3p causes adipose tissue insulin resistance and an ER stress response, both of which may contribute to impaired glucose tolerance. These findings provide a novel mechanism by which obesity during pregnancy leads to increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the offspring and therefore identify miR-126-3p as a potential therapeutic target. Graphical abstract

Humans have domesticated hundreds of animal and plant species for thousands of years. Artwork, archeological finds, recorded accounts, and other primary sources can provide glimpses into the historic management practices used over the course of a given species’ domestication history. Pairing historic data with newly available genomic data can allow us to identify where and how species were moved out of their native ranges, how gene flow may have occurred between distantly related populations, and quantify how selection and drift each contributed to levels of genetic diversity. Intersecting these approaches has greatly improved our understanding of many managed species; however, there has yet to be a thorough review in a managed insect. Here, we review the archival and genetic history of honey bees introduced to the mainland United States to reconstruct a comprehensive importation history. We find that since 1622, at least nine honey bee subspecies were imported from four of the five honey bee lineages and distributed en masse across the country. Many imported genotypes have genetic evidence of persisting today and may segregate non-randomly across the country. However, honey bee population genetic comparisons on the nationwide scale are not yet feasible because of gaps in genetic and archival records. We conclude by suggesting future avenues of research in both fields.