The past decade of research has potentiated a revolution in our understanding of mammalian health and evolution by revealing that the gut microbiome plays a central role in mammalian physiology. Our ability to unlock this potential hinges upon the identification of specific groups of gut microbes that elicit effects on...
Agricultural and companion animals are integral to our way of life as they provide us with nourishment, financial resources, transportation, and companionship. However, pets, managed animals in the agricultural industry, as well as wild populations of food animals are all subject to health and mortality risks. The gut microbiome is...
Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a common environmental pollutant produced from the incomplete combustion of organic matter, such as fossil fuel emissions. In vertebrates, B[a]P exposure is associated with hyperactivity, though the underlying mechanisms driving this effect are undescribed. Mounting evidence indicates that the gut microbiome, which is the diverse community of...
Microscopic organisms inhabit virtually every niche on this planet, where they perform functions vital to all life on earth. Accordingly, humans host a complex community of microorganisms (i.e. the gut microbiome) that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract and modulate host physiology. Insight into the specific mechanisms through which gut microbes influence...
Investigations of 16S rRNA gene sequences hallmark modern microbiology. These sequences provide culture-independent insight into the abundance and distribution of microbiota and serve as a principle resource through which microbial community diversity is measured. Consequently, researchers rely on 16S gene sequences to test hypotheses rooted in ecology, evolution, and disease....
The fungal pathogen Cochliobolus victoriae, the causal agent of Victoria blight, produces a host-selective pathogenicity factor called victorin. In Arabidopsis thaliana, a dominant gene called "supersense" (SSN) confers constitutive victorin sensitivity at very low concentrations. SSN encodes a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich-repeat (NB-LRR) protein. In the SSN-carrying Heiligkreuztal 2 ecotype (TAIR Germplasm...
The fungus Cochliobolus victoriae causes Victoria blight of oats and Arabidopsis and is pathogenic due to its production of a compound called victorin, which induces programmed cell death in sensitive plants. Victorin sensitivity in Arabidopsis is conferred by the dominant gene LOCUS ORCHESTRATING VICTORIN EFFECTS1 (LOV1), which encodes a coiled-coil-nucleotide...
Previous attempts to understand the factors affecting the energetic cost of locomotion have found a direct link between the energetic cost and the mechanical work done during periods when the limb is in contact with the ground. However, when the limb is not in contact with the ground during the...
Victoria blight of oats (Avena sativa) is caused by the fungus, Cochliobolus victoriae, which produces the toxin, victorin. Victorin production is required for pathogenicity of the fungus. In oats, sensitivity to the toxin and susceptibility to the pathogen is conditioned by a dominant allele at the 1'b locus, while oats...
Engineering analysis of heavy timber structures under dynamic loads
is generally lacking. Some literature suggests that heavy timber structures
are stiffer than expected, but popular engineering opinion is to the contrary.
In addition, prior research has shown that passive friction dampers can be
used in timber structures for the intended...