Consuming transgenic goats' milk containing the antimicrobial protein lysozyme helps resolve diarrhea in young pigs.

Childhood diarrhea is a significant problem in many developing countries and E. coli is a main causative agent of diarrhea in young children. Lysozyme is an antimicrobial protein highly expressed in human milk, but not ruminant milk, and is thought to help protect breastfeeding children against diarrheal diseases. We hypothesized that consumption of milk from transgenic goats which produce human lysozyme (hLZ-milk) in their milk would accelerate recovery from bacterial-induced diarrhea. Young pigs were used as a model for children and infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli. Once clinical signs of diarrhea developed, pigs were fed hLZ-milk or non-transgenic control goat milk three times a day for two days. Clinical observations and complete blood counts (CBC) were performed. Animals were euthanized and samples collected to assess differences in histology, cytokine expression and bacterial translocation into the mesenteric lymph node. Pigs consuming hLZ-milk recovered from clinical signs of infection faster than pigs consuming control milk, with significantly improved fecal consistency (p = 0.0190) and activity level (p = 0.0350). The CBC analysis showed circulating monocytes (p = 0.0413), neutrophils (p = 0.0219), and lymphocytes (p = 0.0222) returned faster to pre-infection proportions in hLZ-milk fed pigs, while control-fed pigs had significantly higher hematocrit (p = 0.027), indicating continuing dehydration. In the ileum, pigs fed hLZ-milk had significantly lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 (p = 0.0271), longer intestinal villi (p<0.0001), deeper crypts (p = 0.0053), and a thinner lamina propria (p = 0.0004). These data demonstrate that consumption of hLZ-milk helped pigs recover from infection faster, making hLZ-milk an effective treatment of E. coli-induced diarrhea

Searching Far and Long I: Pilot ALMA 2mm Follow-up of Bright Dusty Galaxies as a Redshift Filter

A complete census of dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at early epochs is necessary to constrain the obscured contribution to the cosmic star formation rate density (CSFRD), however DSFGs beyond $z \sim 4$ are both rare and hard to identify from photometric data alone due to degeneracies in submillimeter photometry with redshift. Here, we present a pilot study obtaining follow-up Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) $2\,$mm observations of a complete sample of 39 $850\,\rm\mu m$-bright dusty galaxies in the SSA22 field. Empirical modeling suggests $2\,$mm imaging of existing samples of DSFGs selected at $850\,\rm\mu m - 1\,$mm can quickly and easily isolate the "needle in a haystack" DSFGs that sit at $z>4$ or beyond. Combining archival submillimeter imaging with our measured ALMA $2\,$mm photometry ($1\sigma \sim 0.08\,$mJy$\,$beam$^{-1}$ rms), we characterize the galaxies' IR SEDs and use them to constrain redshifts. With available redshift constraints fit via the combination of six submillimeter bands, we identify 6/39 high-$z$ candidates each with $>50\%$ likelihood to sit at $z > 4$, and find a positive correlation between redshift and $2\,$mm flux density. Specifically, our models suggest the addition of $2\,$mm to a moderately constrained IR SED will improve the accuracy of a millimeter-derived redshift from $\Delta z/(1+z) = 0.3$ to $\Delta z/(1+z) = 0.2$. Our IR SED characterizations provide evidence for relatively high emissivity spectral indices ($\langle \beta \rangle = 2.4\pm0.3$) in the sample. We measure that especially bright ($S_{850\rm\mu m}>5.55\,$mJy) DSFGs contribute $\sim10$% to the cosmic-averaged CSFRD from $2<z<5$, confirming findings from previous work with similar samples.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Missing Giants: Predictions on Dust-Obscured Galaxy Stellar Mass Assembly Throughout Cosmic Time

Due to their extremely dust-obscured nature, much uncertainty still exists surrounding the stellar mass growth and content in dusty, star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at $z>1$. In this work, we present a numerical model built using empirical data on DSFGs to estimate their stellar mass contributions across the first $\sim$10 Gyr of cosmic time. We generate a dust-obscured stellar mass function that extends beyond the mass limit of star-forming stellar mass functions in the literature, and predict that massive DSFGs constitute as much as $50-100\%$ of all star-forming galaxies with M $\ge10^{11}$M$_\odot$ at $z>1$. We predict the number density of massive DSFGs and find general agreement with observations, although more data is needed to narrow wide observational uncertainties. We forward model mock massive DSFGs to their quiescent descendants and find remarkable agreement with observations from the literature demonstrating that, to first order, massive DSFGs are a sufficient ancestral population to describe the prevalence of massive quiescent galaxies at $z>1$. We predict that massive DSFGs and their descendants contribute as much as $25-60\%$ to the cosmic stellar mass density during the peak of cosmic star formation, and predict an intense epoch of population growth during the $\sim1$ Gyr from $z=6$ to 3 during which the majority of the most massive galaxies at high-$z$ grow and then quench. Future studies seeking to understand massive galaxy growth and evolution in the early Universe should strategize synergies with data from the latest observatories (e.g. JWST and ALMA) to better include the heavily dust-obscured galaxy population.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Ap

Evidence for Pleistocene gene flow through the ice-free corridor from extinct horses and camels from Natural Trap Cave, Wyoming

Natural Trap Cave (Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming) preserves an abundance of fossil remains from extinct Late Pleistocene fauna and is situated near a past migration route that likely connected populations in Eastern Beringia and the contiguous US—the ice-free corridor between the Cordilleran and Laurentide icesheets. Some palaeontological evidence supports a correspondingly high affinity between fauna recorded in Natural Trap Cave and Eastern Beringia versus elsewhere in the contiguous US, but this hypothesis has not yet been extensively tested using genetic data. In the present study, we analysed 16 horse specimens and one camel specimen from Natural Trap Cave. Of the horse specimens we analysed, we obtained 10 unique and previously unreported mitochondrial haplotypes belonging to two distinct (extinct) genetic clades—two haplotypes corresponded to a caballine horse (Equus sp.) and eight corresponded to the stilt-legged horse (Haringtonhippus francisci). With only one exception, it appears these newly sequenced individuals all shared a common ancestor more recently with Eastern Beringian individuals than with others from the contiguous US. In addition, mitochondrial data from a specimen assigned to Camelops sp. revealed that it shares a closer affinity with specimens from the Yukon Territory than those from Idaho or Nevada, though all appear to belong to a single species (“yesterday''s camel”; Camelops cf. hesternus). Together, these results are consistent with a high level of genetic connectivity between horse and camel populations in the Bighorn Mountains and Eastern Beringia during the Pleistocene. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd and INQU

Eff ect of Revalor- XH, Revalor- 200, and Combination Revalor- IH/Revalor- 200 on Yearling Heifer Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics

A commercial feedlot trial tested three implant strategies (Revalor- 200 on day 0, Revalor- IH on d 0 and re- implanted with Revalor- 200 on d 56, or Revalor- XH on d 0) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of heifers fed for 138 d. Th ere were no differences observed for final body weight, dry matter intake, or average daily gain on a live basis among implant strategies. Heifers implanted with Revalor- IH/200 combination had greater carcass- adjusted final body weight and improved feed conversion compared to Revalor- 200 and Revalor- XH. Hot carcass weights, dressing percent, and LM area were improved for Revalor- IH/200 implanted heifers relative to Revalor- 200 and Revalor- XH implanted heifers. Marbling score and 12th- rib fat thickness were not different among implant treatments. Heifers implanted with Revalor- IH/200 had a shift to a lower USDA yield grade distribution compared to 200 and XH implanted heifers. Th e greater concentration of trenbolone acetate and estradiol provided by Revalor- IH/200 combination slightly improved growth and carcass performance compared to the non- coated Revalor- 200 implant and partially coated Revalor- XH implant

Experimental Confirmation of a Predicted Porous Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Framework

AbstractHydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) with low densities and high porosities are rare and challenging to design because most molecules have a strong energetic preference for close packing. Crystal structure prediction (CSP) can rank the crystal packings available to an organic molecule based on their relative lattice energies. This has become a powerful tool for the a priori design of porous molecular crystals. Previously, we combined CSP with structure‐property predictions to generate energy‐structure‐function (ESF) maps for a series of triptycene‐based molecules with quinoxaline groups. From these ESF maps, triptycene trisquinoxalinedione (TH5) was predicted to form a previously unknown low‐energy HOF (TH5‐A) with a remarkably low density of 0.374 g cm−3 and three‐dimensional (3D) pores. Here, we demonstrate the reliability of those ESF maps by discovering this TH5‐A polymorph experimentally. This material has a high accessible surface area of 3,284 m2 g−1, as measured by nitrogen adsorption, making it one of the most porous HOFs reported to date.</jats:p

Diagnostic Characteristics of Lactate Dehydrogenase on a Multiplex Assay for Malaria Detection Including the Zoonotic Parasite Plasmodium knowlesi.

Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) is a common target in malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). These commercial antibody capture assays target either Plasmodium falciparum-specific pLDH (PfLDH), P. vivax-specific pLDH (PvLDH), or a conserved epitope in all human malaria pLDH (PanLDH). However, there are no assays specifically targeting P. ovale, P. malariae or zoonotic parasites such as P. knowlesi and P. cynomolgi. A malaria multiplex array, carrying the specific antibody spots for PfLDH, PvLDH, and PanLDH has been previously developed. This study aimed to assess potential cross-reactivity between pLDH from various Plasmodium species and this array. We tested recombinant pLDH proteins, clinical samples for P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. ovale curtisi, and P. malariae; and in vitro cultured P. knowlesi and P. cynomolgi. P. ovale-specific pLDH (PoLDH) and P. malariae-specific pLDH (PmLDH) cross-reacted with the PfLDH and PanLDH spots. Plasmodium Knowlesi-specific pLDH (PkLDH) and P. cynomolgi-specific pLDH (PcLDH) cross-reacted with the PvLDH spot, but only PkLDH was recognized by the PanLDH spot. Plasmodium ovale and P. malariae can be differentiated from P. falciparum by the concentration ratios of PanLDH/PfLDH, which had mean (range) values of 4.56 (4.07-5.16) and 4.56 (3.43-6.54), respectively, whereas P. falciparum had a lower ratio of 1.12 (0.56-2.61). Plasmodium knowlesi had a similar PanLDH/PvLDH ratio value, with P. vivax having a mean value of 2.24 (1.37-2.79). The cross-reactivity pattern of pLDH can be a useful predictor to differentiate certain Plasmodium species. Cross-reactivity of the pLDH bands in RDTs requires further investigation

The Web Epoch of Reionization Lyman-α\alpha Survey (WERLS) I. MOSFIRE Spectroscopy of z∼7−8\mathbf{z \sim 7-8} Lyman-α\alpha Emitters

We present the first results from the Web Epoch of Reionization Lyman-$\alpha$ Survey (WERLS), a spectroscopic survey of Lyman-$\alpha$ emission using Keck I/MOSFIRE and LRIS. WERLS targets bright ($J<26$) galaxy candidates with photometric redshifts of $5.5\lesssim z \lesssim 8$ selected from pre-JWST imaging embedded in the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) within three JWST deep fields: CEERS, PRIMER, and COSMOS-Web. Here, we report 11 $z\sim7-8$ Lyman-$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs; 3 secure and 8 tentative candidates) detected in the first five nights of WERLS MOSFIRE data. We estimate our observed LAE yield is $\sim13$%, broadly consistent with expectations assuming some loss from redshift uncertainty, contamination from sky OH lines, and that the Universe is approximately half-ionized at this epoch, whereby observable Lyman-$\alpha$ emission is unlikely for galaxies embedded in a neutral intergalactic medium. Our targets are selected to be UV-bright, and span a range of absolute UV magnitudes with $-23.1 < M_{\text{UV}} < -19.8$. With two LAEs detected at $z=7.68$, we also consider the possibility of an ionized bubble at this redshift. Future synergistic Keck+JWST efforts will provide a powerful tool for pinpointing beacons of reionization and mapping the large scale distribution of mass relative to the ionization state of the Universe.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures; ApJ submitte

Engaging rural Australian communities in National Science Week helps increase visibility for women researchers

During a week-long celebration of science, run under the federally-supported National Science Week umbrella, the Catch a Rising Star: women in Queensland research (CaRS) program flew scientists who identify as women to regional and remote communities in the Australian State of Queensland. The aim of the project was twofold: first, to bring science to remote and regional communities in a large, economically diverse state; and second, to determine whether media and public engagement provide career advancement opportunities for women scientists. This paper focuses on the latter goal. The data show: 1) a substantial majority (> 80%) of researchers thought the training and experience provided by the program would help develop her career as a research scientist in the future; 2) the majority (65%) thought the program would help relate her research to end users, industry partners, or stakeholders in the future; and, 3) analytics can help create a compelling narrative around engagement metrics and help to quantify influence. During the weeklong project, scientists reached 600,000 impressions on one social media platform (Twitter) using a program hashtag. The breadth and depth of the project outcomes indicate funding bodies and employers could use similar data as an informative source of metrics to support hiring and promotion decisions. Although this project focused on researchers who identify as women, the lessons learned are applicable to researchers representing a diverse range of backgrounds. Future surveys will help determine whether the CaRS program provided long-term career advantages to participating scientists and communities

CEERS: Diversity of Lyman-Alpha Emitters during the Epoch of Reionization

We analyze rest-frame ultraviolet to optical spectra of three $z\simeq7.47$ - $7.75$ galaxies whose Ly$\alpha$-emission lines were previously detected with Keck/MOSFIRE observations, using the JWST/NIRSpec observations from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey. From NIRSpec data, we confirm the systemic redshifts of these Ly$\alpha$ emitters, and emission-line ratio diagnostics indicate these galaxies were highly ionized and metal poor. We investigate Ly$\alpha$ line properties, including the line flux, velocity offset, and spatial extension. For the one galaxy where we have both NIRSpec and MOSFIRE measurements, we find a significant offset in their flux measurements ($\sim5\times$ greater in MOSFIRE) and a marginal difference in the velocity shifts. The simplest interpretation is that the Ly$\alpha$ emission is extended and not entirely encompassed by the NIRSpec slit. The cross-dispersion profiles in NIRSpec reveal that Ly$\alpha$ in one galaxy is significantly more extended than the non-resonant emission lines. We also compute the expected sizes of ionized bubbles that can be generated by the Ly$\alpha$ sources, discussing viable scenarios for the creation of sizable ionized bubbles ($>$1 physical Mpc). The source with the highest-ionization condition is possibly capable of ionizing its own bubble, while the other two do not appear to be capable of ionizing such a large region, requiring additional sources of ionizing photons. Therefore, the fact that we detect Ly$\alpha$ from these galaxies suggests diverse scenarios on escape of Ly$\alpha$ during the epoch of reionization. High spectral resolution spectra with JWST/NIRSpec will be extremely useful for constraining the physics of patchy reionization.Comment: Submitted to ApJ (18 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables