Impaired thermoregulatory function during dynamic exercise in multiple sclerosis

INTRODUCTION: Impairments in sudomotor function during passive whole-body heating have been reported in multiple sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating disease of the CNS that disrupts autonomic function. However, the capability of the thermoregulatory system to control body temperature during exercise has never been assessed in MS. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that thermoregulatory function is impaired in MS patients compared to healthy controls (CON) exercising at similar rates of metabolic heat production. METHODS: Sweating and skin blood flow responses were compared between 12 individuals diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS (9 females, 3 males) and 12 sex-, age-, mass- and BSA-matched healthy controls during a single bout of cycling exercise (rate of metabolic heat production: ~4.5 W/kg) for 60 min in a climate-controlled room (25 °C, 30% RH). RESULTS: Individuals with MS exhibited an attenuated increase in cumulative whole-body sweat loss after 30 min (MS: 72 ± 51; CON: 104 ± 37 g, p=0.04) and 60 min (MS: 209 ± 94; CON: 285 ± 62 g, p=0.02), as well as lower sweating thermosensitivity (MS: 0.49 ± 0.26; CON: 0.86 ± 0.30 mg/cm2/min/°C, p=0.049). Despite evidence for thermoregulatory dysfunction, there were no differences between MS and CON in esophageal or rectal temperatures at 30 or 60 min time points (p>0.05). Cutaneous vasculature responses were also not different in MS compared to CON (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Taken together, MS blunts sweating responses during exercise while cutaneous vasculature responses are preserved. Altered mechanisms of body temperature regulation in persons with MS may lead to temporary worsening of disease symptoms and limit exercise tolerance under more thermally challenging conditions.Accepted manuscrip

Identifying Lepidopteran resistance within hcf mutants

Abstract only availableSouthwestern corn borer (SWCB) and fall armyworm (FAW) feeding on maize causes extensive crop damage in the United States. Previous proteomic analysis comparing resistant and susceptible lines of maize indicates genes found in the photosystem II pathway are highly expressed in the resistant line. The high chlorophyll fluorescence (hcf) mutants have defects in photosystem I or photosystem II genes. A preference test was performed comparing hcf mutants to their wild-type siblings. Oy, pg, and g mutants were also compared to their wild-type siblings to ensure that color was not a factor in feeding differences. SWCB preferred the wild-type over hcf11-N1205A and hcf49-N1480 mutants, indicating these genes may be resistance factors. Oy1-Andrew and hcf13-N1097B mutants were preferred by SWCB compared to their wild-type siblings, indicating these genes increase susceptibility to feeding damage. hcf49-N1480, hcf7-N1029D, and pg15-N340B had reduced FAW damage compared to wild-type siblings, indicating they may increase resistance to feeding damage. hcf44-N1278B showed increased susceptibility to FAW feeding compared to its wild-type sibling. An antibiosis test was performed using hcf mutants. Photographs and larval weights were taken at the end of the four days. Tissue damage areas were analyzed using AlphaEaseFC software. From the data, hcf7-N1029D and hcf50-N1481 had reduced larval weights for both FAW and SWCB indicating these genes have antibiotic properties and can reduce larval feeding damage. The mutants evaluated for effects of pigmentation displayed varying results indicating color differences associated with some hcf mutants are unlikely to be responsible for the differences in feeding behavior observed. These genes identified here may be useful in increasing resistance to FAW and SWCB in commercial hybrids.MU Monsanto Undergraduate Research Fellowshi

Identifying Lepidopteran resistance within hcf mutants

Abstract only availableSouthwestern corn borer (SWBC) and fall armyworm (FAW) feeding on maize causes extensive crop damage in the United States. Total crop loss is valued at approximately 300 million dollars annually. Previous proteomic analysis comparing resistant and susceptible lines of maize has shown genes found in the photosystem II pathway are highly expressed in the resistant line. The high chlorophyll fluorescence mutants have defects in photosystem I or photosystem II genes. Preliminary feeding trials indicate hcf mutants have resistance to Lepidopteran feeding. A preference test was performed comparing hcf mutants to their wild-type siblings. Oy , pg , and g mutants were also compared to their wild-type siblings to ensure that the pigmentation was not a factor in insect resistance. Leaf tissue from both the hcf mutant and the wild-type plant were pinned to a piece of moist filter paper within a petri dish. A single SWCB or FAW was placed in between the two samples and allowed to choose which tissue sample it preferred. There were five replicates per genotype. Pictures were taken after four days and tissue damage area was assessed using AlphaEaseFC software. A few hcf mutants showed increased resistance to feeding than their wild-type siblings, while most hcf mutants did not. SWCB preferred the wild-type over hcf11-N1205A and hcf49-N1480 mutants, indicating these genes may be resistance factors. Some hcf mutants were preferred by SWCB, indicating they may represent susceptibility genes. These genotypes were Oyl-Andrew and hcf13-N1097B . hcf49-N1480 , hcf7-N1029D , and pg15-N340B had reduced FAW damage compared to wild-type siblings, indicating they may confer resistance. The genotype hcf44-N1278B showed increased susceptibility to FAW feeding compared to its wild-type sibling. Further analysis will be needed to examine the resistance capabilities of the hcf11-N1205A , hcf7-1029D , pg15-N340B , and hcf49-N1480 genotypes. The mutants evaluated for effects of pigmentation displayed varying results indicating color differences associated with some hcf mutants are unlikely to be responsible for the differences observed. This experiment has provided data showing that some hcf mutants confer resistance to insect feeding. These genes may be useful in increasing resistance to FAW and SWCB in commercial hybrids.Life Sciences Mission Enhancement Progra

Lepidopteran preference test of Glossy mutants and Glossy15 allels for maize resistance [abstract]

Abstract only availableFaculty Mentor: Georgia Davis, AgronomyEvery year fall armyworm and Southwestern corn borer cause severe yield loss in maize. Both fall armyworm and the Southwestern corn borer are known to specifically attack the whorl leaf tissue resulting in major crop losses. Over the past few years maize resistant lines have been developed. In our study we have compared the larval feeding habits of both insects on resistant and susceptible genotypes, and on maize mutants that affect epicuticular wax formation. A previous study has shown that the Glossy15 and Glossy8 genes have Lepidopteran resistance in maize during the whorl stage. Our objectives in this study are to analyze both fall armyworm and Southwestern corn borer feeding preferences on various glossy mutants, and to further examine thier feeding habits on different alleles of the Glossy15 gene. In both studies we compared feeding preferences on three inbreds ( Mp705, Oh28, and Va35 ) to the glossy mutants. Mp705 has resistance to whorl stage Lepidopteran feeding while Oh28 and Va35 are susceptible. An inbred adult leaf was placed directly next to a glossy mutant adult leaf in a Petri dish. We then placed a single larva between the two adult leaves. We evaluated the larvae preference by using the AlphaEaseFC software. With this software we measured the areas of damaged leaf tissue. In the first study we have concluded that the adult leaves of bm1 , Gl1 , gl2-PF , Gl3 , Gl7 , Gl14 , and gl15-Sprague are very susceptible to insect feeding. There was no preference for adult leaves of bm4 , Gl4 , Gl11 , gl3-N531 , gl13-U440B , Gl18 , gl18-N166A , and Gl21 . However, we have found that Gl8 , gl15-KEW , and gl15-LAM exhibit some resistance. We also examined insect preference on different allels of Glossy15 gene. We observed allelic differences; gl15-63 and gl15-L are susceptible to insect feeding, while gl15-S , gl15-H , gl15-956 , and gl15-94317 have no preference. The goal of this study is to determine which mutants and alleles are more resistant than the others. The resistant alleles can then be inserted into different maize lines to improve resistance to Lepidopteran insects

Quantitative trait loci for seminal root angle and number in the maize IBM population

Abstract only availableIn maize, seminal roots develop and the primary root system deteriorates as the plant matures. The seminal roots comprise the majority of the root system of the adult plant and give the plant stability against lodging. Because seminal roots are the primary means of water uptake in the adult plant, their development under drought conditions is vital. Previous research has suggested that seminal root angle and abscisic acid (ABA) level are correlated in maize. Additional research has shown that ABA levels are related to drought tolerance. This study focuses on identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) that affect seminal root angle and the number of seminal roots entering the soil from each node. The QTL generated for seminal root angle and number per node can then be used to evaluate the relationship with drought tolerance. A set of 94 mapping lines from the intermated B73 x Mo17 (IBM) mapping population was used to measure the angle between the seminal root and the stalk. The number of seminal roots entering the soil from the first two nodes was measured as well. Molecular markers evenly distributed throughout the genome were used to run the QTL analysis using QTL Cartographer Version 1.16. The following QTL analyses were run: seminal root angle, number of roots entering soil from the first node above ground, and number of roots entering soil from the second node. Three QTL were found for seminal root angle, two QTL for the number of roots at the first node above ground, and three QTL for the number of roots at the second node above ground. These QTL positions were then compared to previously known QTL for drought tolerance and root traits.Plant Genomics Internship @ M

The ramosa1 gene plays a role in shoot-borne root patterning in Zea mays L.

Abstract only availableMaize brace roots are the aerial portion of the shoot-borne root system that facilitates physical anchorage and water and nutrient acquisition. Shoot-borne roots develop from axillary meristems. Axillary meristems can also give rise to leaves and tillers and are important in inflorescence development. Evidence is accumulating that similar genes are involved in at least the early stages of axillary meristems development regardless of meristems fate. According to a previous quantitative loci mapping study on brace roots architecture the ramosa1 gene is a positional candidate for controlling brace root variation. ramosa1 (ra1) affects the development of maize tassels by suppressing tassel branching and promoting spikelet pair formation. Mutations in the ra1 results in a greater number of tassel branches that grow increasingly shorter near the apex of the tassel. A correlation analysis between tassel traits and root traits was performed using 25 diverse maize lines. The results show a significant and positive correlation between various brace roots traits and tassel branch length, a trait controlled by ra1. Further more, a comparison of ramosa1 mutant to wild-type plants revealed statistically significant differences in root phenotypes with the ra1 mutants producing fewer brace roots at a node and fewer nodes with brace roots. This suggest that ra1 is part of both the inflorescence and shoot-borne root development programs Mutations in ra1 appear to have opposite effects on maize brace roots relative to tassels indicating that the role of ra1 may differ depending developmental phase. This research was supported by the NSF UMEB Program, Life Science Mission Enhancement, and USDA ARS.NSF Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biolog

Influence of miRNA on brace root patterning in Zea mays L.

Abstract only availableBrace roots reduce lodging by providing support and represent the majority of the root system in adult plants. Previous quantitative trait locus mapping results showed that Teopod1 (Tp1), Teopod2 (Tp2), and Corngrass1 (Cg1), all mapped in chromosome regions which influence brace root patterning. Tp1 and Tp2 are semi-dominant mutants and Cg1 is a dominant mutant that result in delayed-phase-change and overlap between the juvenile and reproductive phases. Gibberellic acid (GA) promotes phase change and exogenous GA alters Tp1 and Tp2 phenotype . Prior analysis of GA mutants in our laboratory and others indicates that GA affects brace root patterning. We performed a means comparison between Tp1 and Tp2 and their wild-type siblings and identified significant differences in brace roots traits, specifically, mutants exhibited more nodes with brace roots and more brace roots at a node than their wild-type counterparts. Cg1 encode a member of the miR156 family which is known to target squamosa promoter-binding (SPB)-like proteins. Tp1 and Tp2 have also been suggested to encode members of the miR156 family. To further validate the role of miRNA156 in brace root patterning, we performed association analysis with available sequence from the parents of the nested association mapping (NAM) population and brace root trait data. Preliminary analysis supports the involvement of miRNA156 family members in brace root patterning. Additional sequencing of miRNA156 in a larger group of maize lines is underway to provide a more robust dataset for association analysis.Missouri Academy at Northwest Missouri State Universit

Promoting breastfeeding in women with gestational diabetes mellitus in high-income settings:an integrative review

Background: Breastfeeding provides many short- and long-term health benefits for mothers and their infants and is a particularly relevant strategy for women who experience Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy. However, breastfeeding rates are generally lower amongst this group of women than the general population. This review’s objective is to identify the factors that influence breastfeeding by exploring the experiences and outcomes of women in in high-income health care contexts when there is a history of GDM in the corresponding pregnancy. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy explored the electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus for primary studies exploring breastfeeding practices for papers published between January 2011 and June 2023. All papers were screened independently by two researchers with included papers assessed using the Crowe Critical Appraisal tool. Findings were analysed using a narrative synthesis framework. Results: From an initial search result of 1037 papers, 16 papers representing five high-income nations were included in this review for analysis – the United States of America (n = 10), Australia (n = 3), Finland (n = 1), Norway (n = 1), and Israel (n = 1). Fifteen papers used a quantitative design, and one used a qualitative design. The total number of participants represented in the papers is 963,718 of which 812,052 had GDM and 151,666 did not. Women with an immediate history of GDM were as likely to initiate breastfeeding as those without it. However, they were more likely to have the first feed delayed, be offered supplementation, experience delayed lactogenesis II and or a perception of low supply. Women were less likely to exclusively breastfeed and more likely to completely wean earlier than the general population. Maternity care practices, maternal factors, family influences, and determinants of health were contextual and acted as either a facilitator or barrier for this group. Conclusion: Breastfeeding education and support need to be tailored to recognise the individual needs and challenges of women with a history of GDM. Interventions, including the introduction of commercial milk formula (CMF) may have an even greater impact and needs to be very carefully considered. Supportive strategies should encompass the immediate and extended family who are major sources of influence.</p

ParticleStats: open source software for the analysis of particle motility and cytoskeletal polarity

The study of dynamic cellular processes in living cells is central to biology and is particularly powerful when the motility characteristics of individual objects within cells can be determined and analysed statistically. However, commercial programs only offer a limited range of inflexible analysis modules and there are currently no open source programs for extensive analysis of particle motility. Here, we describe ParticleStats (http://www.ParticleStats.com), a web server and open source programs, which input the X,Y coordinate positions of objects in time, and output novel analyses, graphical plots and statistics for motile objects. ParticleStats comprises three separate analysis programs. First, ParticleStats:Directionality for the global analysis of polarity, for example microtubule plus end growth in Drosophila oocytes. Second, ParticleStats:Compare for the analysis of saltatory movement in terms of runs and pauses. This can be applied to chromosome segregation and molecular motor-based movements. Thirdly ParticleStats:Kymographs for the analysis of kymograph images, for example as applied to separation of chromosomes in mitosis. These analyses have provided key insights into molecular mechanisms that are not possible from qualitative analysis alone and are widely applicable to many other cell biology problems

Modeling the relationship between light perception traits and brace root development in Zea mays L. [abstract]

Abstract only availableMaize (Zea mays L.) brace roots are responsible for physical stability in the soil and for water and nutrient acquisition in maize. The objective of this project is to investigate how traits related to light perception affect brace root development. Previous work has shown that light perception affects total root development and that reduced lighting conditions cause a decline in all root growth, even more drastically than in the rest of the plant (Y. Hébert, E. Guingo, and O. Loudet, 2001). Trait data for 98 diverse lines were collected primarily from 2004 to 2005 for traits related to light perception and maturity. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to produce models that identify traits significantly affecting brace root development and their interactions. Our model shows that in 2005, light perception traits were not as significant as in 2004 indicating that the effect of light perception on brace root number may be environmentally dependent. This could be because the much hotter temperatures in 2005 caused the light perception mechanism to be saturated masking the interaction, whereas in 2004, the temperate environment caused the expression of the light perception and brace root interaction. The experimental model will then be validated using data collected on the identified traits from 25 diverse lines grown in the field