A Mouse-Based Method to Monitor Wheat Allergens in Novel Wheat Lines and Varieties Created by Crossbreeding: Proof-of-Concept Using Durum and A. tauschii Wheats

Wheat allergies are potentially life-threatening because of the high risk of anaphylaxis. Wheats belong to four genotypes represented in thousands of lines and varieties. Monitoring changes to wheat allergens is critical to prevent inadvertent ntroduction of hyper-allergenic varieties via breeding. However, validated methods for this purpose are unavailable at present. As a proof-of-concept study, we tested the hypothesis that salt-soluble wheat allergens in our mouse model will be identical to those reported for humans. Groups of Balb/cJ mice were rendered allergic to durum wheat salt-soluble protein extract (SSPE). Using blood from allergic mice, a mini hyper-IgE plasma bank was created and used in optimizing an IgE Western blotting (IEWB) to identify IgE binding allergens. The LC-MS/MS was used to sequence the allergenic bands. An ancient Aegilops tauschii wheat was grown in our greenhouse and extracted SSPE. Using the optimized IEWB method followed by sequencing, the cross-reacting allergens in A. tauschii wheat were identified. Database analysis showed all but 2 of the durum wheat allergens and all A. tauschii wheat allergens identified in this model had been reported as human allergens. Thus, this model may be used to identify and monitor potential changes to salt-soluble wheat allergens caused by breeding.     

Potential for identification of wild night-flying moths by remote infrared microscopy

There are hundreds of thousands of moth species with crucial ecological roles that are often obscured by their nocturnal lifestyles. The pigmentation and appearance of moths are dominated by cryptic diffuse shades of brown. In this study, 82 specimens representing 26 moth species were analysed using infrared polarimetric hyperspectral imaging in the range of 0.95–2.5 µm. Contrary to previous studies, we demonstrate that since infrared light does not resolve the surface roughness, wings appear glossy and specular at longer wavelengths. Such properties provide unique reflectance spectra between species. The reflectance of the majority of our species could be explained by comprehensive models, and a complete parametrization of the spectral, polarimetric and angular optical properties was reduced to just 11 parameters with physical units. These parameters are complementary and, compared with the within-species variation, were significantly distinct between species. Counterintuitively to the aperture-limited resolution criterion, we could deduce microscopic features along the surface from their infrared properties. These features were confirmed by electron microscopy. Finally, we show how our findings could greatly enhance opportunities for remote identification of free-flying moth species, and we hypothesize that such flat specular wing targets could be expected to be sensed over considerable distances.     

The Impact of Plant Phytochemicals on the Gut Microbiota of Humans for a Balanced Life

The gastrointestinal tract of humans is a complex microbial ecosystem known as gut microbiota. The microbiota is involved in several critical physiological processes such as digestion, absorption, and related physiological functions and plays a crucial role in determining the host’s health. The habitual consumption of specific dietary components can impact beyond their nutritional benefits, altering gut microbiota diversity and function and could manipulate health. Phytochemicals are non-nutrient biologically active plant components that can modify the composition of gut microflora through selective stimulation of proliferation or inhibition of certain microbial communities in the intestine. Plants secrete these components, and they accumulate in the cell wall and cell sap compartments (body) for their development and survival. These compounds have low bioavailability and long time-retention in the intestine due to their poor absorption, resulting in beneficial impacts on gut microbiota population. Feeding diets containing phytochemicals to humans and animals may offer a path to improve the gut microbiome resulting in improved performance and/or health and wellbeing. This review discusses the effects of phytochemicals on the modulation of the gut microbiota environment and the resultant benefits to humans; however, the effect of phytochemicals on the gut microbiota of animals is also covered, in brief.     

Application of the Resources Model to the Supervision of an Automated Process

The present study was designed to ascertain how far flagging up potential errors can improve the automatic interpretation of technical documents. We used the resources model to analyze the supervised retro-conversion of architectural floor plans from the perspective of distributed cognition. Results showed that automated assistance helps users to correct errors spotted by the system and saves time. Surprisingly, they also showed that flagging up possible errors may make users less effective in identifying and correcting errors that go unnoticed by the system. Responses to a questionnaire probing the participants’ confidence in the system suggested that they were so trusting that they lowered their vigilance in those areas that had not been signaled by the system, leading to the identification of fewer errors there. Thus, although the participants’ confidence in the automated assistance system led to improved performances in those areas it highlighted, it also meant that areas to which the system did not draw attention were less thoroughly checked.     

Integration of Low-Impact Development into the International Stormwater BMP Database

Low impact development (LID) strategies are being encouraged in many communities as an approach to reduce potential adverse impacts of development on receiving streams. Many questions exist regarding how well various LID strategies perform in different settings, just as similar questions have been raised regarding performance of traditional stormwater best management practices (BMPs). Whereas historical focus on BMP performance has been water quality concentrations or loads, characterization of volume reduction benefits for both conventional and LID practices is increasingly an objective of researchers and stormwater managers. More than a decade ago, Urban Water Resources Research Council (UWRRC) members worked to develop a set of standardized monitoring and reporting protocols for traditional BMPs and to establish a master database for the purpose of evaluating BMP performance and the factors affecting performance. This effort culminated in the International Stormwater BMP Database (www.bmpdatabase.org), which contains data for more than 360 BMPs and continues to operate as a clearinghouse for stormwater BMP data and performance analyses. During 2008–2009, the International Stormwater BMP Database project expanded to better integrate LID into the database and develop a set of metrics that can be used to characterize BMP performance with regard to surface runoff volume reduction. This paper provides a condensed overview and progress report on the LID-focused effort, including the following topics: (1)?monitoring guidance for LID at the overall site development level, (2)?an overview of recent changes to the International Stormwater BMP Database to better accommodate LID studies, (3)?a summary of LID studies currently included in the database, and (4)?a proposed approach for evaluating performance of LID studies with regard to reducing surface runoff volumes.     

Microstructure Evolution as an Effect of Strain Reversal During the Hot Deformation of Microalloyed Steels

Susceptibility of the steel for further cold processing strongly depends on the whole prior history of deformation in the hot working regime.In the industrial hot working processes,e.g.at the roughing stage of hot rolling,or forging,material undergoes complex deformation modes that leads to gradients of both microstructure and properties across the deformed cross-section.Torsion and multiaxial compression tests with different amounts of strain reversals were conducted at elevated temperatures to study the effect of applied strain path on the phenomena occurring during microstructure evolution of Nb-microalloyed steels.Gathered results will provide data for the modification of existing constitutive equations that mostly do not account for the strain path changes.Better through-process modelling will then enable to achieve better properties and quality of the products for further cold processing.