Search Results (23)

Innovation in science and technology arises from balanced supports for basic research, applied research, and societal implementation. However, changes in Japanese science policy that shifts toward top–down, evaluation-based, and competitive funding practices appear to have undermined Japan’s long-term research sustainability and innovation potential. The “selection and concentration” strategy (prioritization of specific research areas) and “competition principle”, combined with persistent reduction in Management Expenses Grants, have significantly altered Japan’s research environment for the worse. Together with these policy changes, the introduction of fixed-term contracts in academia has increased instability at both the institutional and the individual levels and has diminished the time and resources available for long-term basic research. Academic careers in science have become less attractive, as evidenced by declining doctoral student enrollment. These changes threaten the potential for scientific discoveries that lead to innovation. Although initiatives such as the introduction of University Research Administrators (URAs) have been implemented to support researchers, such efforts remain insufficient to counterbalance the systemic challenges faced by Japan’s research ecosystem. To re-establish a stable research environment, rethinking the strategy may be necessary, including restoration of stable institutional funding, sustainable career pathways, and balanced funding allocation to basic science that foster seeds for future innovation. Full article

Used in higher education for many decades, seed grants are now beginning to be applied as a strategy to advance diversity, equity and inclusion goals, including rebuilding community post-pandemic. There is little research on the effectiveness of seed grants for such communal goals. This work is innovative in two key ways. First, these seed grants focus on promoting a strong sense of community at the institution rather than promoting individual investigators and research projects. Second, engaging students and staff as principal investigators (PIs) disrupts power structures in the academy. We present a systematic analysis of seed grant project reports (n = 45) and survey data (n = 56) from two seed grant programs implemented at the same institution. A diverse set of projects was proposed and funded. Projects had a positive impact on awardees and their departments and colleges. Seed grant program activities were successful at building community among awardees and recognizing individual efforts. Most noteworthy are the career development opportunities for graduate students, postdocs and staff, which are afforded by changes to PI eligibility. We conclude that seed grant programs have the potential for organizational learning and change around community building in higher education. Full article

Lavandula angustifolia Mill., lavender, is an aromatic plant in the Lamiaceae family. Lavender is an important economic plant that is cultivated throughout the world. Previous studies have shown that the primary pollinators of lavender in Europe and North Africa are bee species, specifically Bombus spp. However, similar studies have not been previously performed in North America. The current study, on cultivated population lavender (grown from seed) in Utah (USA), found a diverse community of bees visiting lavender over a 4-week sequential and successive blooming period. The observed and identified bees were distinguished across 8 genera and 12 species, of which 3 were species not native to North America. The most observed bees were Apis mellifera (88.3%), Bombus fervidus (4.2%), and B. huntii (3.7%). To investigate seed production and viability, lavender plants were either caged off and their access withheld from pollinators, or selectively granted access to various pollinators, to determine (1) if lavender is capable of self-pollination, (2) if pollination increases both the seed production rates and seed viability of lavender, and (3) which bee species are the most efficient pollinators of lavender. The findings from this study demonstrate the ecological interactions between pollinators both native and non-native to North America on lavender, a plant native to the Mediterranean region. Full article

Canary seed flour is a new food ingredient that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada recently granted Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) status. Stability in nutritional composition and functional properties is an essential characteristic of food ingredients for consistency in nutritional quality and performance in processing. This work assessed the effect of genotypic and environmental variation on the nutritional (protein, starch, amylose, oil, dietary fiber, minerals and fat-soluble vitamins) and pasting (as measured in viscosity (peak, trough, breakdown, final, and setback), peak time, and pasting temperatures) properties of Canary seed. The samples included four Canary seed varieties grown in randomized complete block design experiments at one location for two growing seasons. In general, the nutritional composition of Canary seed flour was not affected by genotype, growing year, and their interaction except for starch content, which was significantly affected by the growing year (p < 0.0001), and iron content, which was affected by genotypic variation (p < 0.0001). The pasting properties of Canary seed flour were significantly (p < 0.001) affected by both genotypic and growing year variation but not their interaction. Our results suggest that the food industry should measure starch and iron content prior to processing to ensure consistency in nutritional labeling. Also, for those applications where starch pasting properties are essential, the manufacturer should consider measuring the RVA pasting viscosities for every batch of raw material. The results have provided the baseline knowledge of which nutritional or functional properties of Canary seed flour can be improved through breeding and agronomy programs to ensure the reliability of Canary seed as an ingredient. Full article

A sharp rise in circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreaks in the years following the cessation of routine use of poliovirus type 2-containing oral polio vaccine and the trend of seeding new emergences with suboptimal vaccination response during the same time-period led to the accelerated development of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), a vaccine with enhanced genetic stability and lower likelihood of reversion to neuroparalytic variants compared to its Sabin counterpart. In November 2020, nOPV2 became the first vaccine to be granted an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the World Health Organization (WHO) Prequalification Team (PQT), allowing close to a billion doses to be used by countries within three years after its first rollout and leading to full licensure and WHO prequalification (PQ) in December 2023. The nOPV2 development process exemplifies how scientific advances and innovative tools can be applied to combat global health emergencies in an urgent and adaptive way, building on a collaborative effort among scientific, regulatory and implementation partners and policymakers across the globe. Full article

Euphorbiaceae is a highly diverse family of plants ranging from trees to ground-dwelling minute plants. Many of these have multi-faceted attributes like ornamental, medicinal, industrial, and food-relevant values. In addition, they have been regarded as keystone resources for investigating plant-specific resilience mechanisms that grant them the dexterity to withstand harsh climates. In the present study, we isolated two co-culturable bacterial endophytes, EP1-AS and EP1-BM, from the stem internodal segments of the prostate spurge, Euphorbia prostrata, a plant member of the succulent family Euphorbiaceae. We characterized them using morphological, biochemical, and molecular techniques which revealed them as novel strains of Enterobacteriaceae, Lelliotia amnigena. Both the isolates significantly were qualified during the assaying of their plant growth promotion potentials. BM formed fast-growing swarms while AS showed growth as rounded colonies over nutrient agar. We validated the PGP effects of AS and BM isolates through in vitro and ex vitro seed-priming treatments with wheat and tomato, both of which resulted in significantly enhanced seed germination and morphometric and physiological plant growth profiles. In extended field trials, both AS and BM could remarkably also exhibit productive yields in wheat grain and tomato fruit harvests. This is probably the first-ever study in the context of PGPB endophytes in Euphorbia prostrata. We discuss our results in the context of promising agribiotechnology translations of the endophyte community associated with the otherwise neglected ground-dwelling spurges of Euphorbiaceae. Full article

Abelmoschus esculentus Linn. (okra, F. Malvaceae) is a fruit widely consumed all over the world. In our study, the anti-Alzheimer’s potential of A. esculentus was evaluated. An in vitro DPPH free radical assay on A. esculentus seed’s total extract and AChE inhibition potential screening indicated a significant anti-Alzheimer’s activity of the extract, which was confirmed through an in vivo study in an aluminum-intoxicated rat model. Additionally, in vivo results demonstrated significant improvement in Alzheimer’s rats, which was confirmed by improving T-maze, beam balance tests, lower serum levels of AChE, norepinephrine, glycated end products, IL-6, and MDA. The levels of dopamine, BDNF, GSH, and TAC returned to normal values during the study. Moreover, histological investigations of brain tissue revealed that the destruction in collagen fiber nearly returns back to the normal pattern. Metabolomic analysis of the ethanolic extract of A. esculentus seeds via LC–HR-ESI-MS dereplicated ten compounds. A network pharmacology study displayed the relation between identified compounds and 136 genes, among which 84 genes related to Alzheimer’s disorders, and focused on AChE, APP, BACE1, MAPT and TNF genes with interactions to all Alzheimer’s disorders. Consequently, the results revealed in our study grant potential dietary elements for the management of Alzheimer’s disorders. Full article

The classical two-step sol-gel hydrothermal method enables the growth of nanoarrays on various substrates via a seed layer. The morphology of the nanoarrays is often tuned by changing the composition ratio of the seed solution. It is taken for granted that the number density and size of seeds will increase with the proportion of precursors. However, in this work, we found novel two-stage dependencies between the concentration of the precursor (ZnAC) and the geometric parameters (number density and diameter) of ZnO seed particles. The completely opposite dependencies illustrate the existence of two different mechanisms. Especially when the proportion of precursors is low (${\varphi }_{ZnAC}:{\varphi }_{PVA}<0.22$), the seed number density and diameter decrease with the increasing precursor concentration. This counterintuitive phenomenon should be caused by the destabilization and dewetting process of the thin film layers during annealing. Based on this new mechanism, we demonstrate the tuning growth of the ZnO seed layer and the nanowire array by annealing time. The number density of the nanorod array can be changed by 10 times, and the diameter of the nanorods can be changed by more than 8 times. The new mechanism we proposed can not only help people deepen their understanding of the formation and evolution of the seed layer but also provide a new way for the controllable growth of nanomaterials. Full article

The continued circulation of SARS-CoV-2 virus in different parts of the world opens up the possibility for more virulent variants to evolve even as the coronavirus disease 2019 transitions from pandemic to endemic. Highly transmissible and virulent variants may seed new disruptive epidemic waves that can easily put the healthcare system under tremendous pressure. Despite various nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests that are now commercially available, the wide applications of these tests are largely hampered by specialized equipment requirements that may not be readily available, accessible and affordable in less developed countries or in low resource settings. Hence, the availability of lateral flow immunoassays (LFIs), which can serve as a diagnostic tool by detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigen or as a serological tool by measuring host immune response, is highly appealing. LFI is rapid, low cost, equipment-free, scalable for mass production and ideal for point-of-care settings. In this review, we first summarize the principle and assay format of these LFIs with emphasis on those that were granted emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration followed by discussion on the specimen type, marker selection and assay performance. We conclude with an overview of challenges and future perspective of LFI applications. Full article

As the topic of gender and forests gains international attention through programs related to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals, we focus on a case study of the African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) in the savannah landscape of northern Ghana. Although this tree holds high cultural significance for Dagomba women, it is unfortunately becoming scarcer in our study area near Tamale. We investigate the reasons for this decline in relation to the agricultural, ecological, and cultural landscape and discuss the gendered impacts of these changes. Research in these communities was conducted between 2018 and 2021 as part of a transdisciplinary action research approach to process underutilized species with women’s groups. The research started with a survey that included 27 women’s groups in 13 communities with 524 women participants. Out of a selected number of groups, our research team has worked more intensively with three women’s groups near Nyankpala, which selected for their processing focus the African Locust Bean, locally known as dawadawa. More than 45 group sessions were organized with seven groups in a collaborative learning process in 2019. Additionally, the three groups in Kpachi who chose to process the African Locust Bean sustained facilitation of group activities until the end of 2021. Specifically, on the topic of the decline of this tree, 19 semistructured interviews were conducted in August 2020 with 8 female farmers, 7 male farmers and 4 chiefs in the local governance system. Our results show the cultural significance of the African Locust Bean for women in the Dagomba culture as well as practical uses of all parts of the tree. Specifically, the seeds are used for making a fermented condiment and tea. Although seeds of the African Locust Bean are considered a women’s crop, their access to this tree is mediated by the local chiefs and often male land-users. Most farmers interviewed reported a reduction in trees in their fields. The reasons for the decrease can be summarized in six different categories, (1) aging tree populations, (2) challenge caring for saplings until maturity, (3) agricultural changes with increased mechanization and pesticide use, (4) over-use as a firewood resource, (5) usufruct rights between traditional chiefs, male land-owners, and women who should be granted access to the trees according to Dagomba cultural values, and (6) reduced water availability inhibits seed yield. In conclusion, there is an urgent need for action to protect and restore the African Locust Bean within northern Ghana’s savannah landscape to ensure continued access and benefits of the tree to women in the region. Full article

The chrysanthemum is one of the most economically important ornamental plants in the Asteraceae family. Unfortunately, the efficacy of breeding through the traditional crossing in this species is highly limited due to inefficient seed setting. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of parental components and crossing frequency on the set and germination of chrysanthemum seeds. For this purpose, seven chrysanthemum cultivars were used as parental components in 10 crossing combinations. The crossing was performed either once or twice a week, for three successive weeks, starting from November. Next, the obtained chrysanthemum seeds were collected, sown in pots in a greenhouse, and seedling growth was observed. The efficacy of the seed set, germination rate, and plant development was evaluated. The plants of the F₁ generation were brought to flowering and evaluated phenotypically in the three successive vegetative propagation cycles. Both the arrangement of parental components and pollination frequency affected the production of seeds. More seeds were obtained if pollination was performed twice a week and if the ‘Wda’ cultivar was used as the maternal component. Approximately 50–100% of the seeds were able to germinate in the greenhouse, depending on the parental components, which also affected the developmental pace of the seedlings. Nearly all of the seedlings (80–100%) developed into properly growing plants. Out of 10 parental combinations tested, 7 produced the F₁ offspring. The obtained plants varied in the shape, size, and color of their flowers. A total of eight new phenotypes were found, among which six new cultivars granted plant breeders’ rights, so far. The present research expands knowledge on how effective crossing should be performed. Full article

According to the conditions of seeding operations in hilly areas of Northeast China, a bidirectional profiling press device (BPPD) was designed. The BPPD mainly consists of a press roller and strength adjusting mechanism which could grant the BPPD horizontal and vertical profile ability. The orthogonal tests L₉ (3⁴) in the field were conducted to investigate the press roller types and operating parameters effects of the BPPD working performance. In the field tests, three kinds of press rollers—rubber press roller (RPR), planar press roller (PPR) and squirrel cage-type press roller (SPR)—were tested under the condition of three spring deformations (10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm) and three forward speeds (3 km/h, 5 km/h and 7 km/h). The soil moisture content, average emergence time, emergence ratio, and plant height uniformity were tested as test indexes. Using statistical analysis software, the results of the orthogonal test are press roller type, spring deformation and forward speed have significant influence on the test indexes of soil moisture content, average emergence time, emergence ratio, and plant height uniformity which press roller type have highly significant influence on the average emergence time and emergence ratio index. Using a comprehensive weighted algorithm, the sequence of factors affecting the BPPD performance was determined: spring deformation, forward speed, and press roller type; optimal combination: press roller type PPR, a spring deformation of 20 mm, and a forward speed of 5 km/h. Full article

PEARLS (Perspectives on Equity Advancement: Research and Learning Symposium) was a student-led, faculty-mentored, year-long initiative culminating in a symposium with three components: (1) “Change Agents”, where faculty leaders presented their research and advances in DEI and the impact on the community; (2) The “15% Better” initiative, which promoted individual commitments to improving DEI in the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University through reflection on a monthly prompt and review of selected educational resources; and (3) “Grand Rounds Pitches’’ where student-designed scholarly DEI initiatives received competitive seed grants alongside a mentorship team that help support their project to completion. The 2022 post-event survey (RR 58%) showed that 100% of respondents felt inspired to engage more deeply in DEI after seeing the faculty’s work, felt committed to at least one action that furthers their learning or promotes DEI broadly, and were better able to describe student-led DEI projects. In total, 94% of respondents felt more connected to faculty and students advancing DEI in the school of medicine community and 91% felt a greater sense of belonging. The 15% Better initiative strengthened the belief that small individual DEI commitments can result in substantial positive changes for 73%, while 27% already believed this. In total, 61% were more likely to engage in DEI efforts this year and 36% already planned to engage. Qualitative data highlighted themes of inspiration, positive impact, and actionable change. PEARLS stands as an easily reproducible way for higher education institutions to engage their community in DEI strategies through its foundational elements of promoting belonging, fostering inspiration, and encouraging commitment to action. Full article

The United States Department of Agriculture/Agriculture Research Service/National Germplasm System (USDA/ARS/NGS) plant germplasm collections contain more than 600,000 different accessions of 16,289 species, including virtually all the ethnic and specialty crops of interest to United States (U.S.) agriculture. These and additional collections of plant seeds and asexual propagules are maintained at various laboratories and facilities geographically dispersed in the U.S. including NGS and many public land grant university institutions. The majority of these species fall under the definition of “specialty” crops since their utility is either narrow in scope or has not been fully developed. This paper summarizes the status of “specialty” and ethnic crop species germplasm in the U.S. including where the collections are maintained and how they are being used. Full article

Breeders persistently supply farmers with the best varieties in order to exceed consumer demand through plant-breeding processes that are resource-intensive. In order to motivate continuous innovation in variety development, a system needs to provide incentives for plant breeders to develop superior varieties, for example, exclusive ownership to produce and market those varieties. The most common system is the acquisition of intellectual property protection through plant variety protection, also known as the breeder’s right. Most countries have adopted the system established by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). To be granted plant variety protection, the variety should prove to be unique by meeting three requirements: distinctness, uniformity, and stability. This review summarizes (1) the plant variety protection via UPOV convention, (2) technical methods for distinctness, uniformity, and stability testing via phenotype, molecular markers, and sequencing as well as their challenges and potentiality, and (3) additional discussions in essentially derived variety, value for cultivation and use testing, and open source seed initiative. Full article