Plant Biotechnology Journal , March 2020
Preamble:
Spontaneous mutations in fruit‐specific carotenoid biosynthetic genes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) have led to improved understanding of ripening‐associated carotenogenesis. Here we confirm that ZDS is encoded by a single gene in tomato transcriptionally regulated by ripening transcription factors RIN, NOR, and ethylene. Manipulation of ZDS was achieved through transgenic repression and heterologous over‐expression in tomato. CaMV 35S driven RNAi repression inhibited carotenoid biosynthesis in all aerial tissues examined resulting in elevated levels of ζ‐carotene isomers and upstream carotenoids, while downstream all trans‐lycopene and subsequent photoprotective carotenes and xanthophylls were diminished. Consequently, immature fruit displayed photobleaching consistent with reduced levels of the photoprotective carotenes and developmental phenotypes related to a reduction in the carotenoid‐derived phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). ZDS repressed ripe fruit were devoid of the characteristic red carotenoid, all trans‐lycopene, and displayed brilliant yellow pigmentation due to elevated 9,9’ di‐cis‐ζ‐carotene. Over‐expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana ZDS (AtZDS) gene bypassed endogenous co‐suppression and revealed ZDS as an additional bottleneck in ripening‐associated carotenogenesis of tomato. Quantitation of carotenoids in addition to multiple ripening parameters in ZDS altered lines and ABA‐deficient fruit‐specific carotenoid mutants was used to separate phenotypic consequences of ABA from other effects of ZDS manipulation and reveal a unique and dynamic ζ‐carotene isomer profile in ripe fruit.
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Poli-Technical University of Valencia Press, 2019
Poli-Technical University of Valencia Press, 2019
Preamble:
Clinical practical training is a common practice and a requirement for many medical professions in the U.S.A. This training often lacks in managerial and leadership training, leaving many future practitioners poorly prepared for the challenges and requirements of leadership roles. The complexity of the healthcare system brings about new challenges in terms of leadership, with the development of leadership skills for practicing physicians becoming even more crucial. This study analyzed a sample of students and resident doctors in a psychiatric setting during their clinical rotation. The particularities of the observed emergence of leadership within the scope of multiple theoretical frameworks in the field of leadership were analyzed by calculating the median values of each set of survey responses. The study found that biological sex did not play a significant role in Leader emergence (p=0.74). Followers scored Leaders highly overall, and Leaders showed that they had a solid insight into their own capacities and limitations. Overall, strong leadership qualities were identified across all theoretical frameworks with valuable implications for the development of future leadership training. More research is needed to test this methodology in different medical settings and to identify the most effective type of leadership training for clinical education.
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ProQuest Dissertations Publishing , 2015
Preamble:
The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) once played an integral part in forests within Eastern North America, providing many ecological and economic benefits. The majority of these trees were eradicated by an introduced pathogenic fungus, leaving the American chestnut functionally extinct. Disease-resistant transgenic trees containing the transgene oxalate oxidase were developed to re-establish the American chestnut to its native range. In order to introduce transgenic American chestnut trees into forests, federal policies from USDA APHIS, FDA and EPA require that the ecological functions of the transgenic trees be equivalent to those of wildtype American chestnut trees. This study is aimed at determining if the rates of decomposition, elemental concentrations and contents, and diversity of colonizing fungi are significantly different among transgenic and wild-type American chestnut leaf litter in situ. Taken together, these studies suggest that the process of genetic engineering using the transgene oxalate oxidase does not have any measureable effect on the mineralization of plant material. Upon future approval of federal deregulation, the American chestnut will be the first genetically modified non-orchard tree to be deregulated and environmentally released, which will make the process easier for the genetic engineering of other threatened native tree species in the future.
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Publication date: 2015
Preamble:
American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral component in northeastern US forests, providing many ecological and economic benefits; an introduced fungus rendered the species functionally extinct. Federal (USDA APHIS, FDA and EPA) policies require demonstration that transgenic tree functions are equivalent to native American chestnut. We compared foliar mass loss and elemental concentrations among two transgenic (GM1, GM2), a hybrid (American-Chinese) and wild-type (Zoar) incubated in situusing litterbags retrieved 12, 18, and 24 months. At 24 months, wild-type and GM 2 had less mass remaining (0.06 g, 0.08 g) than GM 1 (0.13 g) (p = 0.004). (p = 0.30). There was a greater range in mass remaining between the two transgenic types (GM 1 and GM 2) than between the transgenic types and wild-type or hybrid type. There was no interaction between litter type and time. After 24 months, wild-type leaf litter had a slightly higher C/N ratio (21) than GM 1, GM 2, and hybrid (19, 18, and 19 respectively; p = 0.006). These studies suggest that the process of genetic engineering does not have a large influence of foliar decomposition.
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Publication Date: August 2017
The Humane Herald Research Publications
Preamble:
The document is meant to highlight the findings of the Humane Party in its analysis of the number of animals kept by state, the amount of manure generated by them and the implications of such manure. The report analyses the data to understand which species are being most exploited and the concentrations by state. The report also analyses the amount of manure generated by state and its ratio to land mass of each state in relation to the annual recommended application (RA) for fertilization of crops.
Publication date: May 2017
The Humane Herald Research Publications
Preamble:
The document is meant to highlight the findings by the Humane Party in its analysis of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports and censuses. The report presents a comparison between the economic profitability of the animal-based agricultural industries and that of the plant-based agricultural industries. In order to properly encompass these industries, their main products and commodities are analyzed and a comparison is made between the animals being farmed and the plants being grown in equal circumstances, that is, pertaining to pounds created, number of acres used, sales, expenses, and profits generated.
Published: May 2017
The Humane Herald Research Publications
Preamble:
The document highlights the findings of the Humane Party in its analysis of the historic Key Business Ratios presented by dun & bradstreet Library solutions. No assumptions were been made in the preparation of the report. The report presents a comparison between animal-based agriculture industries and plant-based agriculture industries. Key Business Ratios provide an overview of the efficiency, solvency and profitability of publicly owned companies within an industry. The industries used to obtain the data are all publicly owned and encompass a relevant market share within their industry.
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Published: July 2017
The Humane Herald Research Publications
Preamble:
The document highlights the findings of the Humane Party in its analysis of the USDA report of animal usage by research facility. The USDA report is broken down by Pain and Distress category. In the Humane Party's report, each category is analyzed, as well as the clinical signs of pain and distress used to assign categories. A statistical analysis is also carried out to visualize the number of animals per state and per category being subjected to research testing.
Link to the publication here.