Subsequent Generations Research Articles

Mechanisms of N2 molecule adsorption and accumulation on surfactant-modified substrates: A molecular dynamics simulation

In flotation processes, gas molecules adhere to and accumulate on the target mineral surface, forming micro-nanobubbles, which can significantly enhance the efficiency of particle-bubble adhesion. Surfactants are commonly employed as auxiliary agents and play pivotal roles in flotation. However, the effect of surfactant pre-adsorption at the solid–liquid interface on the microscopic process of gas molecule adsorption and accumulation remains unclear. In this study, varying degrees of roughness surface in carbon substrates, the fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (C12EO15), nitrogen molecules (N2), and water molecules (H2O) were employed to construct a gas–liquid–solid model for molecular dynamics simulations aimed at elucidating the underlying mechanisms of N2 molecule adsorption and accumulation on surfactant-modified substrates at the molecular level. The research findings revealed that N2 molecules preferred adsorption in close proximity to carbon atoms along the alkyl chain of the C12EO15 molecule. C12EO15 molecules exhibit a bending and intertwining behaviour on the hydrophobic carbon substrate surface, thereby forming a “network” adsorption layer. An increase in the quantity of surfactants provides abundant adsorption sites for N2 molecules at the solid–liquid interface, consequently augmenting the adsorption capacity of N2 molecules. Nonetheless, the presence of interstitial gaps between the surfactant-formed adsorption sites impedes the diffusion of the N2 molecules at each adsorption locus. This hindrance may obstruct the subsequent generation of micro-nano bubbles at the solid–liquid interface.

Repeat length in spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4) predicts age at onset and disease severity

BackgroundRecently, an exonic GGC repeat expansion (RE) was identified by long-read genome sequencing in the ZFHX3 gen, causing spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4), a dominant form of ataxia with sensory neuropathy. However, the analysis of larger cohorts of patients remained demanding, resulting in a challenge to diagnose patients and leaving the question of anticipation in SCA4 unanswered.ObjectivesWe aimed to develop a GGC repeat test for clinical SCA4 screening and to apply this test to screen two large German SCA pedigrees and samples of unrelated patients collected over the last 25 years.MethodsWe modulated a commercial GGC-RE kit (Bio-Techne AmplideX® Asuragen® PCR/CE FMR1 Reagents) with ZFHX3-specific primers and adapted PCR conditions. The test was applied to patients and 50 healthy controls to determine the exact repeat number. Clinical data were revised and correlated with the expanded allele sizes and an exploratory analysis of structural MRI was performed.ResultsRepeat size, determined by our protocol for (GGC)n RE analysis shows a strong inverse correlation between repeat length and age at onset and anticipation in subsequent generations. The phenotype also appears to be more strongly expressed in carriers of longer RE. Clinical red flags were slowed saccades, sensory neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction.ConclusionOur protocol enables cost-effective and robust screening for the causative SCA4 RE within ZFHX3. Furthermore, detailed clinical data of our patients gives a more precise view on SCA4, which seems to be more common among patients with ataxia than expected.

R-based neural networks decision model for water air cooler system

Water air cooler is a process that uses an evaporative system. In its first generation, there was no temperature sensor, and its fan was turned by an electric motor in an open loop system with a fixed speed. As well, the water’s flow and level in the tank are governed by a mechanical system, which is generally a floating ball attached to a shaft. In order to ameliorate this classical system with more advantages and performances, many ideas are included in subsequent generations such the integration of embedded systems, intelligent control and components of manufacturing materials. In this paper, the current study aims to integrate an intelligent system, which is the neural networks by using R language to give a smart decision model to command relays switching dedicated to control the electric motors, where the first one is tied up with a fan and the other to an electro-pump. The HC-SR04 ultrasonic and DHT11 sensors supervise the two desired parameters control, water level in the tank and the outside temperature successively.

Snake Venom : A Bioactive Cocktail and its Therapautic use

From ancient time whenever we face any problem, we came to nature for the solution. Our nature is self renewable, she has solution for every problem, but we have to find the right path to respond more quickly. This review is regarding chemical nature of snake venom and about different life saving drugs extracted from snake venom. Venoms were originated from non poisonous proteins, and with subsequent generations under evolution these proteins become mutated and modified multiple times to develop deadly poison. With every modification venom becomes enriched with new diverse group of compounds. Main constituents of venom is hydrolyses, PLA2, phosphodiesterases, serine proteases and metalloproteases. Snakes use their venom to paralyzed their prey and to digest food, but these components can be used to treat various life threatening disease. Cobra, krait and rattle snakes are most poisionous snakes and their venom contains different enzymes, are classified as neurotoxic, haemotoxic and cytotoxic in nature and these have different impact upon exposure to animal. Neurotoxic venom destroy nervous system, haemotoxic venom leads to the destruction of red blood cells and also interfere with blood clotting factors, whereas cytotoxic venom can cause necrosis and apoptosis. With the discovary of modern techniques, isolation of different proteins and peptides and analysis of their nature are become easier. Most widely used drugs extracted from snake venom are Tirofiban, Eptifibatide, Captopril, enalapril, cobratide and batroxobin ete. The source of tirofiban, captopril, enalapril batroxobin is the venom of different viper species. On the other hand, eptifibatide is extracted from rattle snake and cobratide is from Chinese cobra .

Breastfeeding may reduce the effects of maternal smoking on lung cancer mortality in adult offspring: a prospective cohort study.

Although previous research has indicated a correlation between smoking and the mortality rate in patients with lung cancer, the impact of early life factors on this relationship remains unclear and requires further investigation. This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that breastfeeding reduces the risk of lung cancer-related death. The authors conducted a prospective cohort study involving 501859 participants recruited from the United Kingdom Biobank to explore the potential association between breastfeeding and the risk of lung cancer mortality using a Cox proportional hazards model. Subsequently, the polygenic risk score for lung cancer was calculated to detect interactions between genes and the environment. Over a median follow-up duration of 11.8 years, encompassing a total of 501859 participants, breastfeeding was found to reduce the risk of lung cancer-related death and the impact of maternal smoking on lung cancer mortality in adult offspring. This association remained consistent after stratification. Furthermore, the influence of maternal smoking and breastfeeding on the risk of lung cancer mortality was significant at a high genetic risk level. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of lung cancer-related death and the impact of maternal smoking on lung cancer mortality in adult offspring. This correlation has the potential to reduce the probability of lung-cancer-related deaths in subsequent generations.

Research on the rapid tissue breeding technology of the endangered plant Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.

Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm., a fern, holds significant value in traditional Chinese medicine. This research aimed to establish a rapid tissue breeding technology for Cibotium barometz (L.) and provide a theoretical basis for its artificial breeding and industrial planting. The optimum conditions for spores germination were selected, including both the best sterilization time and the ideal spore germination medium. Subsequently, the optimal medium for proliferation and differentiation were chosen, and the optimal concentration of plant hormones was screened to determine the optimal medium. The rooting experiment was performed in two single-factor experiments by using differentiated sporophytes as materials. These experiments showed that the optimal sterilization time was 11 min and the best medium for germination was 1/8MS + 0.02 mg/L IAA. MS medium was suitable for proliferation, while WPM medium was suitable for sporophyte differentiation. The best medium for growth was MS + 1.0 mg/L IAA + 0.5 mg/L 6-BA. In the absence of sucrose, the seedlings barely grew and failed to differentiate into sporophytes. They showed optimal growth and differentiation at a sucrose concentration of 20 g/L. The plant growth regulators plant growth regulators used, including IAA, NAA, 6-BA, and GA3, showed more effective differentiation, wherease KT had a slightly weaker effect. The rooting rate reached the maximum when the concentrations of ABT and IBA were at 1.5 mg•L− 1 and IAA was at 1.0 mg•L− 1. The IBA had a significant effect on the average and the longest root length, while the three PGRs had no obvious effect on the average or maximum diameter. Plant tissue culture seedlings still have good genetic stability after subsequent generation. In this study, the optimal cultivation conditions for rapid breeding technology in tissue culture, covering stages from germination and growth to differentiation and rooting, were obtained. Moreover, sporophytes were successfully transplanted to the external environment. This study provided a theoretical reference for the industrial planting of C. barometz.

The Role of Genetics, Neurobiology, and Psychosocial Factors in the Development and Treatment of Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review

Eating disorders are severe complications affecting peoples’ eating patterns, with erratic practices like purging behaviors, binge eating, and avoidance of food. These disorders result from different causes, including neurotransmitter imbalance, psychological factors like body-shaming, and genetic inheritance. The present review focuses on genetic, neurobiology and psychological factors to provide an understanding of the development of eating disorders and subsequent treatment. The present review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist that guided the evidence collection in the review to ascertain high quality. The Participant, Interventions, Comparison, Outcomes, and Studies (PICOS) protocol guided the establishment of potential studies' inclusion criteria. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessments, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence from the individual studies. Two independent reviewers were tasked with study selection, data collection, and study risk of bias assessed. The reviewers used the Cochrane risk of bias tool to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Fifteen studies met the eligibility tests and were included in the review. A review of the evidence obtained from the included studies revealed that neurobiology, genetics and psychological factors influence the development of eating disorders like binge eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. In genetics, familial integration and heredity revealed the passing of the genes responsible for the development of anorexia nervosa in subsequent generations. Psychological factors and neurobiology affect self-esteem or body shaming and affect the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, respectively. The treatment interventions aim to restore neurotransmitter levels and confidence after losing confidence and self-body hate due to bad shape. Genetics, neurobiological factors and psychological status are responsible for the development of eating disorders. Bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and purging behaviors result from unregulated 5-HT depletion, can be inherited or can result from body shaming. The evidence shows that eating disorders can be treated based on the aetiologies and pathophysiology. Keywords: Eating disorders, treatment, neurobiological factors, genetics, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa.

Neurological Disorders Induced by Drug Use: Effects of Adolescent and Embryonic Drug Exposure on Behavioral Neurodevelopment.

Clinical studies demonstrate that the risk of developing neurological disorders is increased by overconsumption of the commonly used drugs, alcohol, nicotine and cannabis. These drug-induced neurological disorders, which include substance use disorder (SUD) and its co-occurring emotional conditions such as anxiety and depression, are observed not only in adults but also with drug use during adolescence and after prenatal exposure to these drugs, and they are accompanied by long-lasting disturbances in brain development. This report provides overviews of clinical and preclinical studies, which confirm these adverse effects in adolescents and the offspring prenatally exposed to the drugs and include a more in-depth description of specific neuronal systems, their neurocircuitry and molecular mechanisms, affected by drug exposure and of specific techniques used to determine if these effects in the brain are causally related to the behavioral disturbances. With analysis of further studies, this review then addresses four specific questions that are important for fully understanding the impact that drug use in young individuals can have on future pregnancies and their offspring. Evidence demonstrates that the adverse effects on their brain and behavior can occur: (1) at low doses with short periods of drug exposure during pregnancy; (2) after pre-conception drug use by both females and males; (3) in subsequent generations following the initial drug exposure; and (4) in a sex-dependent manner, with drug use producing a greater risk in females than males of developing SUDs with emotional conditions and female offspring after prenatal drug exposure responding more adversely than male offspring. With the recent rise in drug use by adolescents and pregnant women that has occurred in association with the legalization of cannabis and increased availability of vaping tools, these conclusions from the clinical and preclinical literature are particularly alarming and underscore the urgent need to educate young women and men about the possible harmful effects of early drug use and to seek novel therapeutic strategies that might help to limit drug use in young individuals.

Transgenerational reproductive toxicity induced by carboxyl and amino charged microplastics at environmental concentrations in Caenorhabditis elegans: Involvement of histone methylation

Microplastics, recognized as emerging contaminants, are commonly observed to be charged in the environment, potentially exerting toxic effects on various organisms. However, the transgenerational reproductive toxicity and underlying mechanisms of polystyrene (PS), particularly carboxyl-modified PS (PS-COOH) and amino-modified PS (PS-NH2), remain largely unexplored. In this study, the parental generation (P0) of Caenorhabditis elegans was subjected to environmental concentrations (0.1–100 μg/L) of PS, PS-COOH, and PS-NH2, with subsequent generations (F1–F4) cultured under normal conditions. Exposure to PS-NH2 at concentrations of 10–100 μg/L exhibited more pronounced reproductive toxicity compared to PS or PS-COOH, resulting in decreased brood size, egg ejection rate, number of fertilized eggs, and cell corpses per gonad. Similarly, maternal exposure to 100 μg/L of PS-NH2 induced more severe transgenerational reproductive effects in C. elegans. Significant increases in H3 on lysine 4 dimethylation (H3K4me2) and H3 on lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) levels were observed in the subsequent generation, concurrent with the transgenerational upregulation of set-30 and met-2 following parental exposure to PS, PS-COOH, and PS-NH2. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between the expression of these genes with the reproductive ability. Molecular docking studies suggested that PS-NH2 exhibited higher affinity for SET-30 and MET-2. Further analysis demonstrated that transgenerational effects on reproduction were absent in set-30(gk315) and met-2(n4256) mutants, highlighting the pivotal role of set-30 and met-2 in mediating the transgenerational effect. This study provides novel insights into the environmental risks associated with negatively and positively charged microplastics.

Effects of parental diet on Mormon cricket egg diapause, embryonic development rate, and periodic outbreaks

Transgenerational phenotypic modification can alter organismal fitness, population demographics, and community interactions. For ectotherms, both dietary composition and temperature have important effects on organismal fitness, but they are rarely investigated together. Mormon crickets Anabrus simplex are capable of diapausing as eggs in the soil for multiple years with duration largely dependent on cumulative heat units or degree days. Because Mormon crickets can be abundant in the landscape in one year and disappear suddenly the next, I asked: does parental nutrition affect the duration of egg diapause? Beginning in the ultimate nymphal instar, Mormon crickets were fed a diet high in protein, one equal in protein to carbohydrate, or a diet high in carbohydrates and the time for eggs to develop after they were laid was measured. If parental nutrition affects temperature-sensitive egg diapause, then that change in sensitivity to temperature might also alter the relationship between embryonic development rate and temperature. I asked: does parental nutrition affect embryonic development rate as a function of temperature? To this end, I manipulated densities of Mormon cricket nymphs and protein-rich prey (grasshoppers) in field cages, collected eggs from the adult Mormon crickets, and measured the optimal temperature, maximum development rate, and thermal breadth for embryonic development of the offspring. I found that Mormon crickets fed a high protein diet laid eggs with shorter diapause. Consistent with this long-term result, those housed with the most grasshoppers to eat laid eggs that had the fastest maximum development rate, whereas those without grasshoppers laid eggs with slower maximum developmental rates but the broadest thermal breadth. Eggs from Mormon crickets housed with intermediate levels of grasshopper densities had a decline in peak development rate with an increase in density. In addition, Mormon crickets housed with more conspecifics laid eggs with faster development rates, whereas thermal breadth and the temperature optima were not affected by cricket density. As predicted, Mormon cricket diets significantly affected egg diapause and development rates. Contrary to expectations based on observed changes in diet preferences during a Mormon cricket outbreak, Mormon crickets fed high protein diets laid eggs with significantly shorter egg diapause and significantly faster egg development rates. Interestingly, doubling of Mormon cricket density caused eggs to develop in nearly half the time. This latter result indicates that Mormon cricket aggregations promote rapid development of progeny. Moreover, the tight, linear structure of migratory bands in which females intermittently stop to lay eggs assures that the progeny hatch and develop in dense cohorts. In this manner, the banding behavior might carry-over into subsequent generations as long as cohorts are dense and protein is available. With band thinning or protein restriction, females spread their bet-hedging and progeny remain longer as eggs in the soil.

Stress response in tomato as influenced by repeated waterlogging.

Plants respond to water stress with a variety of physiological and biochemical changes, but their response varies among species, varieties and cultivars. Waterlogging in tomato reduces plant growth, degrade chlorophyll and increase concentration of oxidative parameters. Priming can alleviate stress in plants caused by waterlogging enabling plants to be more tolerant to an additional stress in the current or even subsequent generation. The aim of this study was to evaluate tomato genotypes for their sensitivity to waterlogging stress applied during early vegetative growth and at full flowering stage. The study included two local genotypes, Trebinjski sitni (GB1126) and Žuti (GB1129), and the reference variety Novosadski jabučar (NJ), which is the variety most commonly used in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The activity of class III peroxidase (POX), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were measured spectrophotometrically, and for quantification of individual phenolic compounds, targeted approach was adopted, using UHPLC/DAD/(-)HESI-MS2 instrument (Dionex UltiMate 3000 UHPLC system with a DAD detector, configured with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer TSQ Quantum Access Max (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany)). Oxidative parameters (H2O2 and MDA) exhibited an increase in content in leaves of tomato plants that underwent waterlogging stress compared to control plants. Moreover, oxidative parameters showed positive correlation with proteins and phenolics content. The obtained correlations can indicate that one of the response strategies of tomato plants to waterlogging is the increased synthesis of proteins and phenolic compounds. The POX activity was not correlated with other parameters except with the polyphenols. A positive correlation was shown between POX activity and the content of phenolic compounds, indicating their independent roles in the removal of ROS. Changes in the phenolic profiles after the exposure of plants to waterlogging stress are recorded, and these changes were more severe in leaves and fruits of GB1129 and NJ genotypes than in GB1126. Thus, genotype GB1126 is the most efficient in maintaining the phenolic profiles of leaves and fruits, and therefore of the nutritive and organoleptic qualities of fruits following the exposure to waterlogging. Also, genotype GB1126 exhibited the ability to maintain the content of oxidative parameters during waterlogging at certain growth stages, implying certain waterlogging tolerance. Waterlogging triggered stress memory but not at all growth stages. The most pronounced stress memory was obtained in fruit samples in the phase of full fruit maturity on the 1st truss. This study shed light on the defense mechanisms of tomato plants to repeated waterlogging stress from the perspectives of the changes in the composition of major phenolics, and pointed to the 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid and rutin as the chemical markers of the waterlogging stress tolerance in tomato. However, it remains to be determined whether this modulation has a positive or negative effect on the overall plant metabolism. Further investigations are needed to fully elucidate the benefits of waterlogging pretreatment in this context.

Pesticide exposure triggers sex-specific inter- and transgenerational effects conditioned by past sexual selection.

Environmental variation often induces plastic responses in organisms that can trigger changes in subsequent generations through non-genetic inheritance mechanisms. Such transgenerational plasticity thus consists of environmentally induced non-random phenotypic modifications that are transmitted through generations. Transgenerational effects may vary according to the sex of the organism experiencing the environmental perturbation, the sex of their descendants or both, but whether they are affected by past sexual selection is unknown. Here, we use experimental evolution on an insect model system to conduct a first test of the involvement of sexual selection history in shaping transgenerational plasticity in the face of rapid environmental change (exposure to pesticide). We manipulated evolutionary history in terms of the intensity of sexual selection for over 80 generations before exposing individuals to the toxicant. We found that sexual selection history constrained adaptation under rapid environmental change. We also detected inter- and transgenerational effects of pesticide exposure in the form of increased fitness and longevity. These cross-generational influences of toxicants were sex dependent (they affected only male descendants), and intergenerational, but not transgenerational, plasticity was modulated by sexual selection history. Our results highlight the complexity of intra-, inter- and transgenerational influences of past selection and environmental stress on phenotypic expression.

Tracking direct and indirect impact on technology and policy of transformative research via ego citation network

Abstract Purpose The disseminating of academic knowledge to nonacademic audiences partly relies on the transition of subsequent citing papers. This study aims to investigate direct and indirect impact on technology and policy originating from transformative research based on ego citation network. Design/methodology/approach Key Nobel Prize-winning publications (NPs) in fields of gene engineering and astrophysics are regarded as a proxy for transformative research. In this contribution, we introduce a network-structural indicator of citing patents to measure technological impact of a target article and use policy citations as a preliminary tool for policy impact. Findings The results show that the impact on technology and policy of NPs are higher than that of their subsequent citation generations in gene engineering but not in astrophysics. Research limitations The selection of Nobel Prizes is not balanced and the database used in this study, Dimensions, suffers from incompleteness and inaccuracy of citation links. Practical implications Our findings provide useful clues to better understand the characteristics of transformative research in technological and policy impact. Originality/value This study proposes a new framework to explore the direct and indirect impact on technology and policy originating from transformative research.

A Radical Activation Strategy for Versatile and Stereoselective N‐Glycosylation

AbstractPrevious N‐glycosylation approaches have predominately involved acidic conditions, facing challenges of low stereoselectivity and limited scope. Herein, we introduce a radical activation strategy that enables versatile and stereoselective N‐glycosylation using readily accessible glycosyl sulfinate donors under basic conditions and exhibits exceptional tolerance towards various N‐aglycones containing alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and nucleobase functionalities. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate a pivotal role of iodide, which orchestrates the formation of a glycosyl radical from the glycosyl sulfinate and subsequent generation of the key intermediate, a configurationally well‐defined glycosyl iodide, which is subsequently attacked by an N‐aglycone in a stereospecific SN2 manner to give the desired N‐glycosides. An alternative route involving the coupling of a glycosyl radical and a nitrogen‐centered radical is also proposed, affording the exclusive 1,2‐trans product. This novel approach promises to broaden the synthetic landscape of N‐glycosides, offering a powerful tool for the construction of complex glycosidic structures under mild conditions.

A Radical Activation Strategy for Versatile and Stereoselective N-Glycosylation.

Previous N-glycosylation approaches have predominately involved acidic conditions, facing challenges of low stereoselectivity and limited scope. Herein, we introduce a radical activation strategy that enables versatile and stereoselective N-glycosylation using readily accessible glycosyl sulfinate donors under basic conditions and exhibits exceptional tolerance towards various N-aglycones containing alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and nucleobase functionalities. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate a pivotal role of iodide, which orchestrates the formation of a glycosyl radical from the glycosyl sulfinate and subsequent generation of the key intermediate, a configurationally well-defined glycosyl iodide, which is subsequently attacked by an N-aglycone in a stereospecific SN2 manner to give the desired N-glycosides. An alternative route involving the coupling of a glycosyl radical and a nitrogen-centered radical is also proposed, affording the exclusive 1,2-trans product. This novel approach promises to broaden the synthetic landscape of N-glycosides, offering a powerful tool for the construction of complex glycosidic structures under mild conditions.

Transgenerational effects of sublethal deltamethrin exposure on development and repellency behaviour in Callosobruchuschinensis

Callosobruchus chinensis, belongs to the Chrysomelidae family, is a major pest of pulse grains. It causes 60% weight loss of the pulses, making them inappropriate for planting or human consumption. C. chinensis is commonly controlled with insecticides; however, these insecticides have negative effects on the environment and non-target organisms. Moreover, repeated exposure to the insecticide causes the resistance in the C. chinensis. Initially the lethal concentration of deltamethrin (LC50) was obtained by the probit analysis. Later the study aimed to examine the impact of a sublethal concentration of deltamethrin on various developmental characteristics and repellency behaviour throughout six successive generations of the C. chinensis. For that, two concentration were selected viz sublethal low concentration (1/20th) and sublethal high concentration (1/5th) of the LC50 compared to control. Both concentrations significantly reduce the life table parameters like egg count, total hatching, total development duration, total emergence and adult longevity in the first generation but an increasing trend in all the parameters was observed in subsequent generations (progeny). Additionally, the repellency was maximum in 1st generation but it decreases with the exposure time and successive generations which shows that it was time and generation dependent. The findings indicate that although there are predominantly adverse effects within the generation, exposure to deltamethrin at sublethal levels over the generations can lead to beneficial effects in the offspring, enhancing their ability to withstand insecticides.

Pedigree analysis of Korean native chickens: unraveling inbreeding and genetic diversity

This study assessed the trends in inbreeding, effective population size, and genetic diversity across six Korean native chicken lines using pedigree records from 54,383 chickens. Understanding these genetic parameters is significantly important for maintaining healthy and viable chicken populations. The primary objective was to analyze the pedigree data to assess the levels of inbreeding and genetic diversity and to evaluate the effective population size across the different lines. Pedigree analysis revealed that pedigree completeness peaked in the first generation and declined in subsequent generations for all lines. Line A exhibited a mean inbreeding coefficient of 0.0201, whereas the other lines displayed lower mean values ranging from 0.0009 to 0.0098, indicating that inbreeding levels were within an acceptable range and considered safe from extinction. Average relatedness consistently increased with time. Individual increases in inbreeding were the highest in Line A (0.62%), with smaller increases in the other lines ranging from 0.02 to 0.23%. Effective population sizes varied from 81 to 2500, with average coancestry within parental populations ranging from 0.0032 to 0.0290. The fe/fa ratio between 1.00 and 1.69 in the 6 lines suggested a moderate impact during bottleneck events, with subsequent populations recovering well. The genetic diversity loss due to genetic drift and unequal founder contributions ranged from 0.66-3.15%, indicating that considerable genetic variability remains within the populations. The results of this study have practical applications in the management and conservation of genetic resources in poultry breeding programs. By highlighting the importance of monitoring inbreeding and maintaining genetic diversity, the findings can help develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of these chicken lines. This study provides valuable insights into the genetic management of Korean native chicken lines, emphasizing the need for strategic breeding practices to preserve genetic health and diversity.

Developmental and heritable genetic defects induced in mice by municipal landfill leachate

Environmental pollution by solid waste leachate is a serious environmental and public health concern. Leachate contamination and pollution of environmental matrices have been reported, but no report of embryotoxic and developmental defects, and heritable transfer of leachate-induced toxicity in mice. We investigated the ability of Aba-Eku landfill leachate to induce embryonic malformations, developmental toxicity, and germline and somatic DNA damage in the F1 of exposed pregnant mice. Pregnant mice (n = 100) were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups of 20 animals/group and exposed to 0.2 mL of 5–75% concentrations of the leachate (v/v; Aba-Eku landfill leachate: distilled water) by daily gavage from gestational day (GD) zero to postnatal day (PND) 21. A similar treatment was given to pregnant female mice administered with distilled water (negative control). At GD 18, ten dams from the treatment and control groups were sacrificed by cervical dislocation after which the embryos were collected from the uterus for analyses of fetal morphometric and skeletal metamers respectively. We then monitored the developmental conditions of F1 mice from the remaining ten dams until they were weaned at PND 21 and sacrificed at PND 56 and PND 98 for bone marrow micronucleus and spermiogram analyses respectively. We also analyzed the leachate for inorganic and organic pollutants and calculated the Leachate Pollution Index (LPI). The leachate reduced maternal and fetal birth weight and increased fetal mortality and postnatal appearance of physiological markers in the F1 mice. There was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the frequency of fetal skeletal malformations, micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, and apparent decline of epididymal sperm parameters. The concentrations of the inorganic and organic pollutants, and the LPI exceeded standard limits. Exposure of pregnant female mice to Aba-Eku landfill leachate caused embryonic defects and heritable DNA damage in subsequent generations.

Impact of polystyrene nanoplastics on apoptosis and inflammation in zebrafish larvae: Insights from reactive oxygen species perspective

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on the toxicity and mortality induced by nanoplastics (NPs) in aquatic organisms. However, studies investigating mechanisms underlying oxidative stress (OS), apoptosis, and inflammation induced by NPs in fish remain limited. This study observed that polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) were accumulated into zebrafish larvae and zebrafish embryonic fibroblast (ZF4 cells), accompanied by the occurrence of pathological damage both at the cellular and tissue–organ level. Additionally, the transcriptional up-regulation of NADPH oxidases (NOXs) and subsequent excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulted in notable changes in the relative mRNA and protein expression levels associated with antioxidant oxidase systems in larvae. Furthermore, the study identified the impact of NPs on mitochondrial ultrastructural, resulting in mitochondrial depolarization and downregulation of mRNA expression related to the electron transport chain due to excessive ROS generation. Short-term exposure to NPs also triggered apoptosis and inflammation in zebrafish larvae, evident from significant up-regulation in mRNA expressions of proapoptotic factors and NF-κB proinflammatory signaling pathway, as well as increased transcription and protein levels of pro-inflammatory factors in larvae. Inhibition of intracellular excessive ROS effectively reduced the induction of apoptosis, NF-κB P65 nuclear migration levels, and cytokine secretion, underscoring OS as a pivotal factor throughout the process of apoptosis and inflammatory responses induced by NPs. This research significantly advances our comprehension of biological effects and underlying mechanisms of NPs in freshwater fish.

Genetic constitution and variability in synthetic populations of intermediate wheatgrass, an outcrossing perennial grain crop.

Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) is a perennial grass that produces nutritious grain while offering substantial ecosystem services. Commercial varieties of this crop are mostly synthetic panmictic populations that are developed by intermating a few selected individuals. As development and generation advancement of these synthetic populations is a multiyear process, earlier synthetic generations are tested by the breeders and subsequent generations are released to the growers. A comparison of generations within IWG synthetic cultivars is currently lacking. In this study, we used simulation models and genomic prediction to analyze population differences and trends of genetic variance in 4 synthetic generations of MN-Clearwater, a commercial cultivar released by the University of Minnesota. Little to no differences were observed among the 4 generations for population genetic, genetic kinship, and genome-wide marker relationships measured via linkage disequilibrium. A reduction in genetic variance was observed when 7 parents were used to generate synthetic populations while using 20 led to the best possible outcome in determining population variance. Genomic prediction of plant height, free threshing ability, seed mass, and grain yield among the 4 synthetic generations showed a few significant differences among the generations, yet the differences in values were negligible. Based on these observations, we make 2 major conclusions: (1) the earlier and latter synthetic generations of IWG are mostly similar to each other with minimal differences and (2) using 20 genotypes to create synthetic populations is recommended to sustain ample genetic variance and trait expression among all synthetic generations.