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Background: Prenatally transmitted viruses can cause severe damage to the developing brain. There is unexplained variability in prenatal brain injury and postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes, suggesting disease modifiers. Of note, prenatal Zika infection can cause a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, including congenital Zika syndrome. Currently, there is no preventative treatment or cure. The Prenatal Infection and Neurodevelopmental Genetics (PING) Consortium aims to identify modulators of brain injury and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes for Zika and other prenatal viral infections., Methods: The Consortium pools information from eight multi-site studies conducted at 23 research centers in six countries to build a growing clinical and genomic repository, which is being mined for modifiers of virally induced brain injury. Partners include Children's National Hospital (USA), Instituto Nacional de Salud (Colombia), the Natural History of Zika Virus Infection in Gestation program (Brazil), Zika Instituto Fernandes Figueira (Brazil), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health., Results: We have enrolled 4102 mothers and 3877 infants with 3063 biological samples and clinical data covering over 80 phenotypic fields and 5000 variables. Thus far, we have performed whole exome sequencing on 1226 participants., Conclusion: Here, we present the Consortium's formation and overarching study design., Impact: The PING Consortium brings together investigators and institutions to determine the causes of virally induced brain injury and neurological deficits. The clinical and genomic repository, with data from over 8000 patients, will serve as a foundation for a variety of basic and clinical studies., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent statement: Samples and associated data collected through the Prenatal Infection and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Consortium were IRB approved by participating institutions and by Children’s National Hospital (IRB reference number 8259). Any changes to the protocol or materials are submitted for approval by the IRB/CEP before being implemented, through amendments to the project. The research team notifies the IRB/CEP of deviations from the protocol or any adverse events that might be related to the present study. Brazilian studies were also approved by CONEP (approval numbers of the original related projects: CAAEs: 61936216.9.0000.5404; 56673616.3.2002.5440; 61936216.9.0000.5404). The researchers ensured that this study was conducted in full compliance with the principles set out in the Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research by the US National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical and Behavioral Research (18 April 1979) and encoded in 45 CFR Section 46 or the ICH E6; 62 Federal Regulations 25691 (1997). The Investigators’ institution must maintain an up-to-date, federal-level policy (FWA) issued by the Office of Human Protection in Research for US government-funded research. Both multi-center and site-specific IRB approvals were obtained in one of in two ways. A majority of the studies obtained informed consent for genetic testing prospectively. In some cases, informed consent was obtained retrospectively., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

In agricultural and waste management systems, dairy manure wastewater is often recycled for irrigation. However, a key challenge lies in handling suspended solids (SS) and effectively dewatering sludge. To address this, an innovative polycationic soybean protein-based flocculant (SPI+) was developed and applied to enhance flocculation and sludge dewatering efficiency. The polycationic protein chains of SPI+ were synthesized by grafting 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride (META) monomers onto soybean protein isolate (SPI) chains using an energy-efficient thiol-ene photografting method. This approach achieved a grafting ratio of 85%, endowing the SPI+ with a stable and strong positive zeta-potential (+30 mV) across a range of pH conditions. The SPI+ exhibited exceptional flocculation performance, achieving a 96% flocculation efficiency, reducing sludge filtration resistance by 55%, and lowering filter cake moisture content by 10%. The SPI+ flocculation and dewatering performance is comparable with synthetic-based commercial flocculant. This remarkable performance of SPI+ is attributed to its ability to effectively neutralize charges, form robust inter-particle bridges, and interact strongly with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), particularly their protein components, within the sludge matrix. These properties significantly enhance both sludge aggregation and dewaterability. The underlying mechanisms of flocculation and dewatering were further elucidated using confocal imaging, surface morphology analysis of flocs, and quantification of EPS protein and polysaccharide content, providing valuable insights into its functional efficacy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest ☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

We present data on life history parameters from a long-term study of vervet monkeys in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Estimates are presented of age at first conception for females and age at natal dispersal for males, along with the probability of survival to adulthood for infants born during the study, female reproductive life-span, reproductive output (including lifetime reproductive success for a subset of females), and inter-birth interval (IBI) duration. We also assess the effect of maternal age and infant survival on length of IBI. We then go on to compare life history parameters for our population with those from two East African populations in Kenya (Amboseli and Laikipia). We find there is broad consensus across the three populations, although mean infant survival was considerably lower for the two East African sites. Such comparisons must be made cautiously, however, as local ecology across the duration of the studies obviously has an impact on the estimates obtained. With this caveat in place, we consider that the concordance between values is sufficient to enable the values reported here to be used in comparative studies of primate life history, although data from habitats with higher rainfall and lower levels of seasonality are needed, and the results presented here should not be seen as canonical., (© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Primatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The traditional gold standard for detection of Salmonella in meat products is bacterial culture with enrichment. While this method is highly sensitive, it is slow and provides an incomplete assessment of isolate taxonomy in positive samples. This study presents a novel PCR-based detection assay which amplifies the 16s-ITS-23s region which is an approximately 2,500 base pair region of the larger ribosomal rrn operon. Intra-assay variation was assessed by splitting each biological sample into 3 technical replicates. Limits of detection (LOD) were assessed by utilizing a serial dilution of a pure culture of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Heidelberg spiked into either sterile 1 × PBS or 1 × PBS rinsate of a Salmonella culture-negative chicken meat sample. Results indicate the 16s metabarcoding assay evaluated here could not be reliably used for the detection of Salmonella in adulterated retail meat samples as the LOD observed, 4.70 log colony forming units (CFU)/ml, is above the expected concentration of Salmonella in retail poultry meat samples which previous studies have shown range from under 1 to 2 log CFU/ml. However, due to greater taxonomic resolution afforded by using 16s long reads, the assay allowed alpha diversity assessment of the microbiome of raw poultry meat with the ability to assign taxonomy to the species and strain level for some amplicon sequence variants (ASV). This indicates this process may have value characterizing biodiversity and pathogen contamination of poultry samples in earlier steps of the poultry meat production process where bacterial contamination concentrations are likely to be higher., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: “Maurice Pitesky reports financial support was provided by USDA-Center for Food Animal Health. Maurice Pitesky reports were provided by USDA-Center for Food Animal Health. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper”., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Genomic prediction of daughter pregnancy rate (GDPR) and cow conception rate (GCCR) are fertility traits developed to help improve selection for reproductive performance. Although these traits overlap, their denominator can vary, and programs with different strategies combining estrus detection (ED) and timed AI might experience different associations with these traits (e.g., shorter interval for 1st service for high GDPR quartiles, but not for GCCR). The objectives were to assess days from calving to first service (TP1), AI at estrus detection (AIE), pregnancy at the first service (P1), pregnancy loss for the first service (PL), and number of services to conception (NSFC) in 2 reproductive programs (RepP) combining variable ED length and timed AI (TAI) and their relationship with GDPR and GCCR. Holstein cows from a single farm were randomly allocated to 2 different programs, the Short RepP (n = 982) or Long RepP (n = 942). In the Short RepP, cows were enrolled in a Presynch-Ovsynch (PGF 2α :36 ± 3 and 50 ± 3 DIM) followed by ED and AI from 50 ± 3 to 62 ± 3; Cows not detected in estrus underwent in the Ovsynch (GnRH:62 ± 3, PGF 2α :69 ± 3, GnRH:71 ± 3 and TAI:72 ± 3 DIM). In the Long RepP, cows received a PGF 2α at 50 ± 3 followed by AI at ED up to 81 ± 3. Cows with no ED were enrolled in an Ovsynch (GnRH:82 ± 3, PGF 2α :89 ± 3, GnRH:91 ± 3 and TAI:92 ± 3 DIM). Cows were categorized into quartiles (Q1 to Q4) considering their GDPR (qGDPR) and GCCR (qGCCR). Statistical analyses included logistic regression used for AIE, P1, and PL; Poisson regression for the NSFC; and linear regression for TP1. Models included AIE, P1, PL, NSFC, and TP1 as dependent variables, with RepP and qGDPR for GDPR and RepP and qGCCR for GCCR as independent variables. Time to pregnancy was analyzed using Cox's proportional hazard model. The Short RepP had a shorter TP1 (Short = 64.3 vs. Long = 72.1) and fewer NSFC than the Long RepP (Short = 2.9 vs. Long = 3.1). The Long RepP had a higher AIE (Short = 45.2% vs. Long = 73.2%). The P1 tended (P = 0.09) to be greater in the Short than the Long RepP (Short = 33.7% vs. Long = 30.0%). Cows in Q4 (GDPR and GCCR) had lower TP1 and NSFC, greater AIE and P1 compared with the lowest quartiles (Q1). Interactions between RepP and GDPR were present for TP1, AIE, and P1, but no interactions were observed between RepP and GCCR. The short program had a shorter interval from calving to pregnancy than the Long program. Cows in the highest quartiles for GDPR and GCCR had shorter intervals from calving to pregnancy and higher pregnancy hazards than the lowest quartiles. The current study revealed that cows enrolled in Long RepP that relied on longer ED intervals had lower reproductive outcomes than Short RepP, and cows ranked in the highest GDPR and GCCR quartile for most responses had better outcomes independent of the RepP used., (© 2025, The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The goal of this study was to calculate the cost of purulent vaginal discharge (PVD) in dairy cows. The data set included 11,051 cows from 16 dairy herds located in 4 regions of the US. Purulent vaginal discharge was characterized as a mucopurulent, purulent, or reddish-brownish vaginal discharge collected at 28 ± 7 d in milk. Gross profit was calculated as the difference between incomes and expenses, and the cost of PVD was calculated by subtracting the gross profit of cows with PVD from the gross profit of cows without PVD. Continuous outcomes such as milk production (kg/cow), milk sales ($/cow), cow sales ($/cow), feed costs ($/cow), reproductive management cost ($/cow), replacement costs ($/cow), and gross profit ($/cow) were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Pregnancy and culling by 305 DIM were analyzed by generalized linear mixed-effects models using logistic regression. Models included the fixed effects of PVD, metritis, parity, region, season of calving, and morbidity in the first 60 DIM, as well as the interactions between PVD and metritis, PVD and parity group, and PVD and morbidity. Farm and the interaction between PVD and farm were considered random effects in all the statistical models. A stochastic analysis was conducted using 10,000 iterations with varying relevant inputs. Cows with PVD produced less milk (9,753.2 ± 333.6 vs. 9,994.6 ± 330.9 kg/cow), were less likely to be pregnant (70.7 ± 1.7 vs. 78.9 ± 1.2%), and were more likely to be culled by 305 DIM (34.6 ± 1.7 vs. 27.2 ± 1.3%) compared with cows without PVD. Consequently, milk sales (4,744.7 ± 162.3 vs. 4,862.1 ± 161.0 $/cow) and residual cow value (1,079.6 ± 23.0 vs. 1,179.3 ± 20.3 $/cow) were lesser for cows with PVD. Replacement (639.4 ± 26.4 vs. 526.0 ± 23.4 $/cow) and reproductive management costs (76.3 ± 2.5 vs. 69.0 ± 2.4 $/cow) were greater for cows with PVD. The mean cost of PVD was $202. The stochastic analysis also showed a mean cost of $202, ranging from $152 to $265. The robust data set and the stochastic analysis strengthen both the external and internal validity of our findings, offering a deeper understanding of the economic consequences of PVD. In conclusion, PVD resulted in large economic losses to dairy herds by being associated with decreased milk yield, impaired reproduction, and greater culling., (© 2025, The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Inorganic sources of Mg are commonly used in dairy cow diets, but their availability varies significantly. This study assessed the relative availability of 4 commonly used inorganic Mg sources and a novel alkalinizing proprietary mineral blend (PMB; Multesium; GLC Minerals LLC, Green Bay, WI). The study was a duplicated 6 × 6 Latin square, with 12 nonlactating, nonpregnant Holstein dairy cows assigned to a square based on BW and parity. Cows were fed 90% of their voluntary DMI (diet contained 0.21% Mg). Each experimental period lasted 7 d. On d 2 of each period, urinary catheters were fitted. Total urine collection started on d 3 for 48 h with samples collected and measured every 12 h. On d 4, 30 g of Mg were administered as boluses with gelatin capsules: negative control (one empty capsule), magnesium oxide (MgO), magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ), calcium magnesium hydroxide [CaMg(OH) 4 ], calcium magnesium carbonate [CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 ], and PMB [a blend of Ca and Mg sources that includes CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 , CaMg(OH) 4 , and MgO]. Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, 12, and 24 h after treatment administration on d 4 of each treatment period. Urine and blood samples were analyzed for Mg and Ca concentration. Statistical analyses were conducted with PROC GLIMMIX including treatment, time, period, square, treatment × time, treatment × period, and time × period as fixed effects, and cow nested within square as a random effect in the model. Urinary Mg excretion for 4 of the Mg sources studied [PMB, MgO, CaMg(OH) 4 , and MgSO 4 ] increased significantly, representing an increase of at least 40.8% relative to control. The supplementation of CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 did not significantly increase relative to control. There were no significant changes in blood Mg concentration with treatment, but a significant treatment × time effect was observed. Calcium-rich sources [PMB, CaMg(OH) 4 , CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 ] had lower blood Mg concentrations at 12 or 24 h after treatment than control and CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 . Based on urinary Mg excretion 24 h after treatment, 4 of the Mg sources evaluated (including PMB) showed a similar availability, however, the availability of the commercial CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 source included in our study was similar to the negative control (nonsupplemented cows)., (© 2024, The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Aim: To assess whether the fluoride concentration in the humeri of first-lactation, 2-year-old dairy cows with a spontaneous humeral fracture is significantly different from that of first-lactation, 2-year-old dairy cows without a humeral fracture., Methods: Two studies were conducted, the first with nine bone samples from 2-year-old, first-calving dairy cows with a humeral fracture (all from the Waikato region) age-matched with seven control bone samples from the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Manawatū-Whanganui regions. The second study used 26 bone samples from 2-year-old, first-lactation dairy cows with a humeral fracture (from the Otago, Canterbury, Southland, West Coast, Waikato and Manawatū-Whanganui regions) age-matched with 14 control bone samples (all from the Manawatū-Whanganui region or unknown). Control bone samples were from first-lactation, 2-year-old dairy cows that did not have humeral fractures. Bone fluoride concentration was quantified for all samples., Results: The median fluoride concentration of humeri from first-lactation, 2-year-old dairy cows with a humeral fracture was significantly higher than humeri from unaffected control cows in both studies. In Study 1, the median bone fluoride concentration was 599 (IQR 562.7-763.5) mg/kg from case cows and 296.6 (IQR: 191.2-391.7) mg/kg from control cows (p < 0.001), and in Study 2 the median bone fluoride concentration from case and control cows was 415 (IQR: 312.5-515) mg/kg and 290 (IQR: 262.5-410) mg/kg (p = 0.04) respectively., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Although there are limitations to this study due to the unbalanced regional distribution of cases and controls, the results indicate that sub-clinical fluoride toxicosis may be linked to spontaneous humeral fractures in first-lactation dairy cows in New Zealand. Further research is required to determine if bone fluoride concentrations play a role in the pathogenesis of these fractures.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate in a randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled trial, outcomes for kittens with ocular manifestations of infectious upper respiratory disease (IURD) treated with an ophthalmic and oral antibiotic only vs those also treated with famciclovir., Methods: Kittens were stratified into three age (1 to <4, 4 to <8 or 8-12 weeks) and two disease severity ('mild' [total disease score 1-11] or 'severe' [total disease score 12-23]) groups and randomized to receive approximately 5 mg/kg doxycycline either with placebo (group D) or with approximately 90 mg/kg famciclovir (group DF) PO q12h. Caregivers scored clinical signs once daily for 21 days. Ophthalmic examinations and scoring by veterinarians were completed on days 1 and 21. Ophthalmic and clinical resolution were defined as scores of zero for all ocular signs and all ocular and respiratory signs, respectively. Ophthalmic and clinical recovery were defined by absence of active inflammation., Results: For kittens with mild disease, those in group D were slower than those in group DF to achieve clinical recovery ( P  = 0.049) and clinical resolution ( P  = 0.030), but not ophthalmic recovery ( P  = 0.064) or ophthalmic resolution ( P  = 0.089). Kittens with mild disease and receiving famciclovir achieved predicted 75% clinical resolution 4-5 days earlier than kittens with mild disease and receiving doxycycline alone, and kittens with severe disease (regardless of treatment group). Significantly fewer kittens in group DF developed corneal disease than in group D ( P  = 0.016). All five kittens whose clinical signs worsened sufficiently to be removed from the study were in group D., Conclusions and Relevance: The addition of famciclovir to standard antibiotic treatment may reduce corneal disease, length of stay and time to adoption for shelters and rescue groups, thereby increasing capacity for care. Early administration of famciclovir in kittens exhibiting mild ocular manifestations of IURD may be preferable to delaying this treatment until the disease progresses to a severe stage., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Dairy herds have adopted sexed semen (SS) and beef semen (BS) to control heifer inventory and increase calf sales revenue. Beef in vitro-produced embryo transfer (beef IVP-ET) may be an alternative to increase calf sales revenue. Additionally, raising those Jersey-beef crossbred or pure beef animals in a dairy system may be a new source of revenue. We aimed to evaluate the effects of breed strategies combining dairy conventional semen (CS), SS, BS, and beef IVP-ET on herd dynamics and profitability with strategies of marketing those animals at 1 d old or raising them to a weight of 180 kg. A Markov chain model was developed to maximize the profitability of Jersey herds by changing the number of dairy heifers sold at birth and the culling rate of cows in their third parity or greater. The model presents inputs on the reproductive and productive performance of heifers and cows over time. The last year's data (year 10, steady state) was used to calculate accrual operational cost and revenue per cow per year. We varied the breeding strategy by breeding order and parities, the embryo transfer cost ($85 or $170), the pure beef calf market price ($200 or $300), and the marketing strategy. A total of 8 scenarios plus a default scenario were simulated. Overall, the proportion of SS use was 47.3 ± 0.6% (mean ± SD). For the scenarios replacing all CS breedings with BS breedings, the percentage of BS used was 52.3 ± 0.6%. When beef IVP-ET was used, the percentages of BS and beef IVP-ET used were 22.4 ± 0.1% and 31.0 ± 0.1%, respectively. We observed that when we compared the combination of BS and dairy SS with the default scenario, the production of purebred Jersey male calves was reduced by 83.5%, and profit per cow per year was increased from $113.50 to $203.30. When a beef IVP-ET cost of $85 per transfer was used (scenarios 2 and 3), profit per cow per year was $145.50 and $176.20 for pure beef calf prices of $200 and $300, respectively. In scenario 4, with a beef IVP-ET cost of $170, the lowest profit ($52.90 per cow per year) was found when marketing 1-d-old pure beef calves at $200. The highest profit was achieved for the scenario of raising the Jersey-beef crossbred animals to 180 kg ($232.90, scenario 6), followed by scenario 7 ($222.90, using the combination of BS, dairy SS, and beef IVP-ET) with an embryo transfer cost of $85. Under the current market conditions, combining SS and BS in the reproductive program was a feasible economic opportunity for Jersey herds, yielding the highest net return. The adoption of beef IVP-ET in a reproductive program can potentially increase profit per cow per year, but its profitability will depend on the beef IVP-ET pregnancy cost, the pure beef market price, calf performance, and herd reproductive performance. In conclusion, raising the Jersey-beef crossbred calves may be a profitable strategy, and dairy producers need to evaluate the best option to invest in, as it will take extra risk to produce high-quality animals., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The proper function of the placenta is essential for the health and growth of the fetus and the mother. The placenta relies on dynamic gene expression for its correct and timely development and function. Although numerous studies have identified genes vital for placental functions, equine placental molecular research has primarily focused on single placental locations, in sharp contrast with the broader approach in human studies. Here, we hypothesized that the molecular differences across different regions of the equine placenta are negligible because of its diffuse placental type with a macroscopic homogenous distribution of villi across the placental surface. We compared the transcriptome and stereological findings of the body, pregnant horn, and non-pregnant horn within the equine chorioallantois. Our transcriptomic analysis indicates that the variation between regions of the placenta within individuals is less than the variation observed between individuals. A low number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (n = 8) was identified when comparing pregnant and non-pregnant horns within the same placenta, suggesting a remarkable molecular uniformity. A higher number of DEGs was identified when comparing each horn to the body (193 DEGs comparing pregnant horn with body and 207 DEGs comparing non-pregnant horn with body). Genes with a higher expression in the body were associated with processes such as extracellular matrix synthesis and remodeling, which is relevant for placental maturation and placenta-endometrial separation at term and implies asynchrony of these processes across locations. The stereological analysis showed no differences in microcotyledonary density, and width between the locations. However, we observed a greater chorioallantoic thickness in the body and pregnant horn compared to the non-pregnant horn. Overall, our findings reveal a uniform transcriptomic profile across the placental horns, alongside a more distinct gene expression pattern between the uterine body and horns. These regional differences in gene expression suggest a different pace in the placental maturation and detachment among the placental locations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In dairy manure, a wide array of microorganisms, including many pathogens, survive and grow under suitable conditions. This microbial community offers a tremendous opportunity for studying animal health, the transport of microbes into the soil, air, and water, and consequential impacts on public health. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of manure management practices on the microbial community of manure. The key novelty of this work is to identify the impacts of various stages of manure management on microbes living in dairy manure. In general, the majority of dairy farms in California use a flush system to manage dairy manure, which involves liquid-solid separations. To separate liquid and solid in manure, Multi-stage Alternate Dairy Effluent Management Systems (ADEMS) that use mechanical separation systems (MSS) or weeping wall separation systems (WWSS) are used. Thus, this study was conducted to understand how these manure management systems affect the microbial community. We studied the microbial communities in the WWSS and MSS separation systems, as well as in the four stages of the ADEMS. The 16S rRNA gene from the extracted genomic DNA of dairy manure was amplified using the NovoSeq Illumina next-generation sequencing platform. The sequencing data were used to perform the analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and multi-response permutation procedure (MRRP) statistical tests, and the results showed that microbial communities among WWSS and MSS were significantly different ( p  < 0.05). These findings have significant practical implications for the design and implementation of manure management practices in dairy farms.

Ruminants have the ability to digest human-inedible plant materials, due to the symbiotic relationship with the rumen microbiota. Rumen microbes supply short chain fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins to dairy cows that are used for maintenance, growth, and lactation functions. The main goal of this study was to investigate gene-microbiome networks underlying feed efficiency traits by integrating genotypic, microbial, and phenotypic data from lactating dairy cows. Data consisted of dry matter intake (DMI), net energy secreted in milk, and residual feed intake (RFI) records, SNP genotype, and 16S rRNA rumen microbial abundances from 448 mid-lactation Holstein cows. We first assessed marginal associations between genotypes and phenotypic and microbial traits through genomic scans, and then, in regions with multiple significant hits, we assessed gene-microbiome-phenotype networks using causal structural learning algorithms. We found significant regions co-localizing the rumen microbiome and feed efficiency traits. Interestingly, we found three types of network relationships: (1) the cow genome directly affects both rumen microbial abundances and feed efficiency traits; (2) the cow genome (Chr3: 116.5 Mb) indirectly affects RFI, mediated by the abundance of Syntrophococcus, Prevotella, and an unknown genus of Class Bacilli; and (3) the cow genome (Chr7: 52.8 Mb and Chr11: 6.1-6.2 Mb) affects the abundance of Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group mediated by DMI. Our findings shed light on how the host genome acts directly and indirectly on the rumen microbiome and feed efficiency traits and the potential benefits of the inclusion of specific microbes in selection indexes or as correlated traits in breeding programs. Overall, the multistep approach described here, combining whole-genome scans and causal network reconstruction, allows us to reveal the relationship between genome and microbiome underlying dairy cow feed efficiency., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) is a challenging disease because of the significant impact of delayed diagnosis on patients. In this study, excised heart valves and blood serum samples were collected from 50 BCNE patients in two central hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Sera were tested by IFA for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against Bartonella quintana and B. henselae. Genomic DNA extracted from the heart valves was examined for Bartonella-specific ssrA gene in a probe-based method real-time PCR assay. Any positive sample was Sanger sequenced. IgG titer higher than 1024 was observed in only one patient and all 50 patients tested negative for Bartonella IgM. By real-time PCR, the ssrA gene was detected in the valve of one patient which was further confirmed to be B. quintana. Bartonella-like structures were observed in transmission electron microscopy images of that patient. We present for the first time the involvement of Bartonella in BCNE in Iran. Future research on at-risk populations, as well as domestic and wild mammals as potential reservoirs, is recommended., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The dog, Canis lupus familiaris, is an important model for studying human diseases. Unlike many model organisms, the dog genome has a comparatively poor functional annotation, which hampers gene discovery for development, morphology, disease, and behavior. To fill this gap, we established a comprehensive tissue biobank for both the dog and wolf samples. The biobank consists of 5485 samples representing 132 tissues from 13 dogs, 12 dog embryos, and 24 wolves. In a subset of 100 tissues from nine dogs and 12 embryos, we characterized gene expression activity for each promoter, including alternative and novel, i.e., previously not annotated, promoter regions, using the 5' targeting RNA sequencing technology STRT2-seq. We identified over 100,000 promoter region candidates in the recent canine genome assembly, CanFam4, including over 45,000 highly reproducible sites with gene expression and respective tissue enrichment levels. We provide a promoter and gene expression atlas with interactive, open data resources, including a data coordination center and genome browser track hubs. We demonstrated the applicability of Dog Genome Annotation (DoGA) data and resources using multiple examples spanning canine embryonic development, morphology and behavior, and diseases across species., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Adequate transfer of passive immunity (TPI) is a cornerstone for a proper health status of calves. In the literature, there is limited information on the prevalence of failure of TPI in dairy-beef crossbred calves and its effect on morbidity, mortality, and ADG during the preweaning period. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between TPI with morbidity, mortality, and ADG in preweaning dairy-beef crossbred calves. A total of 1,055 newborn dairy-beef crossbred calves were enrolled upon arrival at a calf-raising facility in California from January to August 2021. Farm of origin, genetic breed group, sex, and BW were recorded upon arrival. Blood was collected at 24 ± 1 h after arrival to evaluate serum IgG concentration, serum total protein (TP), and packed cell volume. Morbidity (diarrhea and respiratory treatment records) and mortality were recorded daily until 60 d of life. Calves were grouped into 2 genetic breed groups: Holstein × Beef (Ho × Be, 49.6%) and Jersey × Beef crossbred calves (Je × Be, 50.4%). Descriptive statistics and Cox proportional hazard models were created to evaluate the association of TPI categories for serum IgG (TPI-IgG: poor: <10.0 g/L, fair: 10.0-17.9 g/L, good: 18.0-24.9 g/L, and excellent: ≥25.0 g/L) and TP (TPI-TP: poor: <5.1 g/dL, fair: 5.1-5.7 g/dL, good: 5.8-6.1 g/dL, and excellent: ≥6.2 g/dL), sex, and genetic breed group with morbidity and mortality. Additionally, a mixed linear regression was performed to evaluate the association of sex, genetic breed group, and TPI categories with ADG. Overall morbidity and mortality were 84.8% (n = 895) and 2.5% (n = 26). Calves classified as TPI-IgG excellent were associated with the lowest (43.2% less) hazard of being treated compared with TPI-IgG poor calves. For mortality, dairy-beef crossbred calves with TPI-IgG excellent were associated with a reduction of 82.0% in the hazard of dying compared with TPI-IgG poor. The TPI-IgG poor and TPI-IgG fair calves were associated with a decreased ADG of 101.0 and 98.8 g/d, respectively, in comparison with TPI-IgG good calves. Average daily gain of TPI-IgG good and TPI-IgG excellent calves were not different. In our study, dairy-beef crossbred calves enrolled may have endured challenging conditions that increased morbidity. This reinforces the importance of high IgG levels to decrease morbidity and mortality and maximize ADG in dairy-beef crossbred calves raising systems. Further research should evaluate the long-term effects of TPI categories on the health and performance of dairy-beef crossbred calves., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The rumen microbiome is crucial for converting feed into absorbable nutrients used for milk synthesis, and the efficiency of this process directly affects the profitability and sustainability of the dairy industry. Recent studies have found that the rumen microbial composition explains part of the variation in feed efficiency traits, including dry matter intake, milk energy, and residual feed intake. The main goal of this study was to reveal relationships between the host genome, the rumen microbiome, and dairy cow feed efficiency using structural equation models. Our specific objectives were to (1) infer the mediation effects of the rumen microbiome on feed efficiency traits, (2) estimate the direct and total heritability of feed efficiency traits, and (3) calculate the direct and total breeding values of feed efficiency traits. Data consisted of dry matter intake, milk energy, and residual feed intake records, SNP genotype data, and 16S rRNA rumen microbial abundances from 448 mid-lactation Holstein cows from 2 research farms. We implemented structural equation models such that the host genome directly affects the phenotype (G P → P) and the rumen microbiome (G M → P), and the microbiome affects the phenotype (M → P), partially mediating the effect of the host genome on the phenotype (G → M → P). We found that 7% to 30% of microbes within the rumen microbial community had structural coefficients different from zero. We classified these microbes into 3 groups that could have different uses in dairy farming. Microbes with heritability <0.10 but significant causal effects on feed efficiency are attractive for external interventions. On the other hand, 2 groups of microbes with heritability ≥0.10, significant causal effects, and genetic covariances and causal effects with the same or opposite sign to feed efficiency are attractive for selective breeding, improving or decreasing the trait heritability and response to selection, respectively. In general, the inclusion of the different microbes in genomic models tends to decrease the trait heritability rather than increase it, ranging from -15% to +5% depending on the microbial group and phenotypic trait. Our findings provide more understanding to target rumen microbes that can be manipulated, either through selection or management interventions, in order to improve feed efficiency traits., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of amino resin-treated soybean meal (SBM) on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion, and N partitioning. The treatments were (1) untreated solvent-extracted SBM, (2) amino resin-treated SBM (AR-SBM), and (3) heat-treated SBM (HT-SBM). The experimental design was arranged as a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 6 fermentors in a dual-flow continuous culture system. Treatments were randomly assigned to fermentors within a Latin square for each period. Each fermentor was fed 106 g/d of diet DM equally distributed in 2 feeding times daily at 0800 and 1800 h. Diets were formulated to contain 16% CP, 30% NDF, and 30% starch across treatments. The experiment consisted of 3 experimental periods, each lasting for 10 d. The first 7 d of each period were considered adaptation, and the last 3 d were used for sampling and data collection. On d 8 and 9, samples were collected for analysis of diurnal variation in concentrations of NH 3 -N, pH, and VFA during the first 8 h after feeding. On d 8, 9, and 10, samples were collected from the liquid and solid effluents accumulated over 24 h for analysis of daily averages of NH 3 -N and VFA pools, and true ruminal digestibility estimates. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, and significance was declared when P ≤ 0.05. The model included the fixed effect of treatment and random effects of square, period, and fermentor within square, whereas time and interaction treatment × time were included for analyses of diurnal variation, with time as repeated measures. Compared with SBM, the cultured ruminal contents of AR-SBM and HT-SBM had lower NH 3 -N concentrations, indicating lower microbial fermentation of protein. Molar proportions of isovalerate and isobutyrate were greater in SBM than AR-SBM and HT-SBM, with greater molar proportion of isobutyrate for SBM, particularly during the first 2 h after feeding. The flow of NH 3 -N was greater for SBM compared with AR-SBM and HT-SBM, whereas NAN flow, bacterial N flow, and N efficiency were greater for AR-SBM and HT-SBM compared with SBM. Our results indicate that both the amino resin and heat treatments of SBM allow for similar decreases in microbial degradation of CP without limiting microbial protein synthesis in diets with 16% CP. Amino resin treatment may be effective in reducing microbial fermentation of protein in the rumen without adverse effects on digestibility or fermentation parameters as compared with SBM., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Introduction: Morphine is an effective analgesic in horses, however, IV administration at therapeutic doses has been shown to produce dose-dependent neuroexcitation and unwanted gastrointestinal effects. The analgesic effects of morphine have, at least in part, been attributed to the morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) metabolite. Oral administration to horses results in comparable M6G concentrations to that achieved following IV administration of a therapeutic dose without the adverse effects. The anti-nociceptive effects have not yet been reported. In the current study the thermal anti-nociceptive effects of single and multiple oral doses of morphine were assessed., Methods: Six horses received a single 0.2 mg/kg IV dose of morphine and multiple oral doses of 0.8 mg/kg morphine every 12 h for 4.5 days. Blood samples were collected throughout administration, morphine, and metabolite concentrations determined and pharmacokinetic analysis performed. Drug related behavior and physiologic responses were recorded. Response to noxious stimuli was evaluated by determining thermal threshold latency in response to the application of heat., Results: The maximum concentrations of M6G were higher following oral administration compared to IV and the combined morphine and M6G concentrations exceeded that of IV administration starting at 2 h. Oral administration of 0.8 mg/kg morphine provided and maintained comparable anti-nociception effects to IV morphine with less adverse effects, following single and multiple doses. Morphine was well tolerated following oral administration with less excitation and minimal effects on gastrointestinal borborygmi scores compared to IV administration., Discussion: Results of the current study warrant further investigation of the anti-nociceptive effects of oral morphine administration to horses., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared HS was an editorial member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Knych, Steinmetz, Traynham, McKemie and Kass.)

Ethanol, a central nervous system depressant and banned substance in horseracing, has reportedly been administered to horses prior to competition to "calm a horse's nerves." In this study, the pharmacokinetics of two metabolites of ethanol were studied to better understand the behavior of this compound in the horse and provide a scientific basis for regulation of its administration. Six horses received a single intravenous (30 mL; 1200 mg) and oral (90 mL; 3600 mg) administration of ethanol (vodka, 40% ABV) in a balanced cross-over design. Blood and urine samples were collected at various times post administration for up to 24 h. Concentrations of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and pharmacokinetic analysis performed. Behavioral, locomotor activity and effects on heart rate were assessed. The maximum concentration (mean ± SD) of ethyl glucuronide was 71.5 ± 42.7 and 105.0 ± 47.5 ng/mL at 0.88 h following IV and oral administration, respectively. The maximum concentrations for the ethyl sulfate metabolite following IV and oral administration were 1.61 ± 0.60 and 3.46 ± 1.68 ng/mL, respectively. Urine concentrations of both metabolites were non-detectable by 24 h post ethyl alcohol administration. No observable behavioral responses were noted following IV or oral administration. Significant decreases in heart rate were noted at various times starting at 10 min until 4 h post administration in the oral dose group. Both ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate could be useful markers for detection of illicit administration of ethanol to horses., (© 2024 The Author(s). Drug Testing and Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A few iconic examples have proven the value of facilitated gene flow for counteracting inbreeding depression and staving off extinction; yet, the practice is often not implemented for fear of causing outbreeding depression. Using genomic sequencing, climatic niche modeling, and demographic reconstruction, we sought to assess the risks and benefits of using translocations as a tool for recovery of endangered montane red fox (Vulpes vulpes) populations in the western United States. We demonstrated elevated inbreeding and homozygosity of deleterious alleles across all populations, but especially those isolated in the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges. Consequently, translocations would be expected to increase population growth by masking deleterious recessive alleles. Demographic reconstructions further indicated shallow divergences of less than a few thousand years among montane populations, suggesting low risk of outbreeding depression. These genomic-guided findings set the stage for future management, the documentation of which will provide a roadmap for recovery of other data-deficient taxa., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest All authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution 2024.)

Food-producing animals such as dairy cattle are potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms such as Escherichia coli observed in higher frequency in young calves compared to older cattle. In this study, we characterized the genomes of enteric MDR E. coli from pre-weaned dairy calves with and without diarrhea and evaluated the influence of host-level factors on genomic composition. Whole genome sequence comparative analysis of E. coli ( n  = 43) revealed substantial genomic diversity that primarily clustered by sequence type and was minimally driven by calf diarrheal disease status (healthy, diarrheic, or recovered), antimicrobial exposure, and dietary zinc supplementation. Diverse AMR genes (ARGs)-including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase genes and quinolone resistance determinants-were identified ( n  = 40), with unique sets of ARGs co-occurring in gene clusters with large AMR plasmids IncA/C2 and IncFIB(AP001918). Zinc supplementation was not significantly associated with the selection of individual ARGs in E. coli , however analysis of ARG and metal resistance gene pairs identified positive associations between certain aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, sulfonamide, and trimethoprim ARGs with acid, tellurium and mercury resistance genes. Although E. coli in this study lacked the typical virulence factors of diarrheagenic strains, virulence genes overlapping with those in major pathotypes were identified. Among the 103 virulence genes detected, the highest abundance and diversity of genes corresponded to iron acquisition (siderophores and heme uptake). Our findings indicate that the host-level factors evaluated in this study were not key drivers of genomic variability, but that certain accessory genes in enteric MDR E. coli may be enriched. Collectively, this work provides insight into the genomic diversity and host-microbe interface of MDR E. coli from pre-weaned dairy calves., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Lee, Schlesener, Aly, Huang, Li, Atwill and Weimer.)

Objective: This study describes the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, including antinociceptive effects, of a transdermal buprenorphine solution in horses. It was hypothesized that transdermal application would lead to sustained blood concentrations and antinociceptive effects with fewer adverse effects compared with intravenous (IV) injection., Study Design: Prospective nonrandomized four-part parallel experimental study., Animals: A group of eight horses (three mares and five geldings) aged 6-12 years., Methods: Horses were administered incremental doses of 15, 30 and 45 μg kg -1 of buprenorphine transdermal solution and a single IV dose of 5 μg kg -1 of buprenorphine with a 2 week washout period between treatments. Concentrations of buprenorphine were determined in plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and modeled using a nonlinear mixed effects population pharmacokinetic model to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. Pharmacodynamic effects, including changes in locomotor activity, heart rate, body temperature, gastrointestinal borborygmi, thermal and mechanical nociceptive thresholds were recorded. Mixed effects analysis of variance and post hoc comparisons were performed using a Bonferroni multiple comparison adjustment to assess differences in pharmacodynamic parameters between baseline and each time point within each dose group and between dose groups at the same time point., Results: Transdermal application of buprenorphine resulted in low systemic concentrations relative to IV injection. Bioavailability after transdermal application was 11%. Thermal nociceptive thresholds were significantly (p < 0.05) increased (4.3-10.7% relative to baseline) for up to 72 hours in the IV dose group, but only sporadically in the transdermal dose groups (2.5-9.9% relative to baseline). Changes in locomotor activity, heart rate and borborygmi varied over time and with dose., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Limited thermal antinociceptive effects were observed at the transdermal doses studied likely owing to limited absorption relative to IV dosing. Future studies may be directed toward investigating antinociceptive effects of higher transdermal doses and different application sites., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Nocardioform placentitis is a poorly understood disease of equine late gestation. The presence of nocardioform, filamentous branching gram-positive bacteria, has been linked to the disease, with Crossiella equi, Amycolatopsis spp., and Streptomyces spp. being the most frequently identified bacteria. However, these bacteria are not found in all clinical cases in addition to being isolated from healthy, normal postpartum placentas. To better understand this form of placentitis, we analyzed the microbial composition in the equine placenta (chorioallantois) of both healthy postpartum (control; n = 11) and nocardioform-affected samples (n = 22) using 16S rDNA sequencing. We found a lower Shannon index in nocardioform samples, a higher Chao1 index in nocardioform samples, and a difference in beta diversity between control and nocardioform samples (p < 0.05), suggesting the presence of dysbiosis during the disease. In the majority of the NP samples (77 %), one of the following genera-Amycolatopsis, Crossiella, Lentzea, an unidentified member of the Pseudonocardiaceae family, Mycobacterium, or Enterococcus -represented over 70 % of the relative abundance. Overall, the data suggest that a broader spectrum of potential opportunistic pathogens could be involved in nocardioform placentitis, extending beyond the traditionally recognized bacteria, resulting in a similar histomorphological profile., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Determination of horse breeds predisposed to congenital and juvenile cataracts will enable investigations into potential genetic mechanisms for cataracts in horses., Objective: To investigate horse breed predispositions to congenital and juvenile cataracts in two academic referral populations., Study Design: Retrospective case series., Methods: Medical record identification of horses diagnosed with congenital or juvenile cataracts at the Cornell University Equine Hospital (2000-2022) and the University of California-Davis (UCD) Large Animal Clinic (1990-2021). Signalment, examination findings and treatments were recorded. Descriptive statistics were performed, and breed over-representations were determined using Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests., Results: Thirty-one (Cornell) and 70 (UCD) horses with congenital or juvenile cataracts were identified, for a total of 101 affected horses. Seventy-eight horses were affected bilaterally and 23 were affected unilaterally, for a total of 179 affected eyes. Standardbreds were significantly over-represented at both institutions, comprising 32.5% of congenital/juvenile cataract cases and 10% of the equine hospital population at Cornell (p < 0.001) and 4.3% of cataract cases and 1.3% of the equine hospital population at UCD (p = 0.03). Thoroughbreds were under-represented for congenital and juvenile cataracts at both institutions (p = 0.03 Cornell, p = 0.01 UCD)., Main Limitations: Retrospective study, potential for selection bias., Conclusions: The over-representation of the Standardbred breed for congenital and juvenile cataracts at two institutions suggests an underlying genetic basis in the breed. Future genetic and genomic studies are warranted to investigate heritable cataracts in Standardbred horses., (© 2023 EVJ Ltd.)

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ceftiofur on metritis cure, milk yield, reproductive performance, and culling up to 300 DIM. The secondary objective was to evaluate the effect of metritis cure at 5 (early cure [ECURE]) and 14 (late cure [LCURE]) days after diagnosis on milk production, reproduction, and culling. A total of 422 Holstein cows diagnosed with metritis from 4 herds located in Texas, California, and Florida were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial. Cows diagnosed with metritis (fetid, watery, reddish or brownish uterine discharge) were blocked by herd and parity and were randomly allocated to receive systemic administration of ceftiofur (CEF) or to remain untreated (CON). In addition, 399 nonmetritic cows (NMET) were included for comparison purposes. Metritis cure was evaluated at 5 and 14 d after diagnosis and was defined as the absence of metritis clinical signs. Logistic regression models were fitted to the data to assess the effect of treatment on metritis cure. Milk yield was analyzed using a mixed linear model, while logistic regression, Cox proportional hazard, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis models were fitted to culling and reproduction data. Cows treated with CEF had 1.86 (95% CI: 1.22-2.81) and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.02-2.75) greater odds of being cured than CON cows at 5 and 14 d after diagnosis, respectively. No effect of CEF was observed for milk yield; however, NMET cows had greater milk yield compared with metritic cows (CEF = 36.0, 95% CI = 33.8-38.1; CON = 36.1, 95% CI = 33.9-38.2; NMET = 36.9 kg/d, 95% CI = 34.8-39.4). Likewise, no effect of CEF was observed on reproductive performance and culling. Nonetheless, the likelihood of conceiving for NMET cows was 1.72 (95% CI = 1.41-2.12) and 1.64 (95% CI = 1.33-2.00) times greater than for CEF and CON cows, respectively. Ceftiofur-treated and CON cows had 2.93 (95% CI = 1.90-4.51) and 2.37 (95% CI = 1.51-3.71) greater hazard of culling compared with NMET, respectively. Regardless of treatment, no differences between ECURE and LCURE were observed on milk yield, reproduction, and culling throughout the entire lactation, but cows that cured at 5 or 14 d after diagnosis had greater milk production in the first 60 DIM compared with cows that did not cure (NCURE). Cows in ECURE and LCURE also had a 1.59 (95% CI = 1.16-2.16) and 1.49 (95% CI = 1.08-2.05) greater hazard of pregnancy and 0.43 (95% CI = 0.26-0.71) and 0.56 (95% CI = 0.34-0.92) hazard of culling compared with NCURE. Ceftiofur therapy increased metritis cure, but benefits to productivity and longevity were not observed. Also, cows that fail to cure have impaired lactation performance, but no differences regarding timing of cure were observed., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The equine uterus is highly interrogated during estrus prior to breeding and establishing pregnancy. Many studies in mares have been performed during estrus under the influence of high estrogen concentrations, including the equine estrual microbiome. To date, it is unknown how the uterine microbiome of the mare is influenced by cyclicity; while, the equine vaginal microbiome is stable throughout the estrous cycle. We hypothesized that differences would exist between the equine endometrial microbiome of mares in estrus and anestrus. The aim of this study was two-fold: to characterize the resident endometrial microbiome of healthy mares during anestrus and to compare this with estrus. Double-guarded endometrial swabs were taken from healthy mares during estrus (n = 16) and in the following non-breeding season during anestrus (n = 8). Microbial population was identified using 16S rRNA sequencing. Our results suggest that the equine uterine microbiome in estrus has a low diversity and low richness, while during anestrus, a higher diversity and higher richness were seen compared to estrus. Despite this difference, both the estrus and anestrus endometrial microbiome were dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota. The composition of the microbial community between anestrus and estrus was significantly different. This may be explained by the difference in the composition of the endometrial immune milieu based on the stage of the cycle. Further research investigating the function of the equine endometrial microbiome and dynamics changes within the uterine environment is required., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Greying with age phenotype in horses involves loss of hair pigmentation whereas skin pigmentation is not reduced, and a predisposition to melanoma. The causal mutation was initially reported as a duplication of a 4.6 kb intronic sequence in Syntaxin 17. The speed of greying varies considerably among Grey horses. Here we demonstrate the presence of two different Grey alleles, G2 carrying two tandem copies of the duplicated sequence and G3 carrying three. The latter is by far the most common allele, probably due to strong selection for the striking white phenotype. Our results reveal a remarkable dosage effect where the G3 allele is associated with fast greying and high incidence of melanoma whereas G2 is associated with slow greying and low incidence of melanoma. The copy number expansion transforms a weak enhancer to a strong melanocyte-specific enhancer that underlies hair greying (G2 and G3) and a drastically elevated risk of melanoma (G3 only). Our direct pedigree-based observation of the origin of a G2 allele from a G3 allele by copy number contraction demonstrates the dynamic evolution of this locus and provides the ultimate evidence for causality of the copy number variation of the 4.6 kb intronic sequence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global emerging problem for food safety and public health. Retail meat is one of the vehicles that may transmit antimicrobial resistant bacteria to humans. Here we assessed the phenotypic and genotypic resistance of non-typhoidal Salmonella from retail meat collected in California in 2019 by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) Retail Food Surveillance program. A total of 849 fresh meat samples were collected from randomly selected grocery stores in Northern and Southern California from January to December 2019. The overall prevalence of Salmonella was 15.31 %, with a significantly higher occurrence in Southern (28.38%) than in Northern (5.22 %) California. The prevalence of Salmonella in chicken (24.01 %) was higher (p < 0.001) compared to ground turkey (5.42 %) and pork (3.08 %) samples. No Salmonella were recovered from ground beef samples. The prevalence of Salmonella in meat with reduced antibiotic claim (20.35 %) was higher (p < 0.001) than that with conventional production (11.96 %). Salmonella isolates were classified into 25 serotypes with S. Kentucky (47.73 %), S. typhimurium (11.36 %), and S. Alachua (7.58 %) as predominant serotypes. Thirty-two out of 132 (24.24 %) Salmonella isolates were susceptible to all tested antimicrobial drugs, while 75.76 % were resistant to one or more drugs, 62.88 % to two or more drugs, and 9.85 % to three or more drugs. Antimicrobials that Salmonella exhibited high resistance to were tetracycline (82/132, 62.12 %) and streptomycin (79/132, 59.85 %). No significant difference was observed between reduced antibiotic claim and conventional production in the occurrence of single and multidrug resistance. A total of 23 resistant genes, a D87Y mutation of gyrA, and 23 plasmid replicons were identified from resistant Salmonella isolates. Genotypic and phenotypic results were well correlated with an overall sensitivity of 96.85 %. S. infantis was the most resistant serotype which also harbored the IncFIB (pN55391) plasmid replicon and gyrA (87) mutation. Data from Northern and Southern California in this study helps us to understand the AMR trends in Salmonella from retail meat sold in the highly populous and demographically diverse state of California., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)