The Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) system was provided with baby feed for one week to stabilise the microbial community, followed by a 10-day period with baby feed and another 10-day period with adult feed. The study was conducted using sterilised and standardised feed formulations, which model dietary conditions in vitro. Following the transition from baby to adult feed, a significant reduction in the proportion of butyrate in comparison to total SCFA was found after transitioning to adult feed in both the transverse colon and distal colon bioreactors. Our findings suggest that abrupt early-life dietary changes from simple to complex carbohydrates as well as the exclusion of bovine milk proteins can transiently lower the ability of the microbiota to produce butyrate. The lack of additional microbial input leads to a delay or impairment of the adaptation to the modified feed composition. However, given the short treatment duration and sterilised feed composition, these findings should be interpreted within the limitations of this in vitro model. A reduction in butyrate concentration following the transition to adult feed may reflect a temporary shift in microbial metabolic activity rather than a long-term impact on energy extraction efficiency in vivo.

This study evaluated the impact of four cover crop species and their termination timings on cover crop biomass, weed control, and corn yield. A field experiment was arranged in a split-plot design in which cover crop species (wheat, cereal rye, hairy vetch, and rapeseed) were the main plot factor, and termination timings [4, 2, 1, and 0 wk before planting corn (WBP)] was the subplot factor. In both years (2021 and 2022), hairy vetch produced the most biomass (5,021 kg ha–1) among cover crop species, followed by cereal rye (4,387 kg ha–1), wheat (3,876 kg ha–1), and rapeseed (2,575 kg ha–1). Regression analysis of cover crop biomass with accumulated growing degree days (AGDDs) indicated that for every 100 AGDD increase, the biomass of cereal rye, wheat, hairy vetch, and rapeseed increased by 880, 670, 780, and 620 kg ha–1, respectively. The density of grass and small-seeded broadleaf (SSB) weeds at 4 wk after preemergence herbicide (WAPR) application varied significantly across termination timings. The grass and SSB weed densities were 56% and 36% less at 0 WBP compared with 2 WBP, and 67% and 61% less compared with 4 WBP. The sole use of a roller-crimper did not affect the termination of rapeseed at 0 WBP and resulted in the least corn yield (3,046 kg ha–1), whereas several different combinations of cover crops and termination timings resulted in greater corn yield. In conclusion, allowing cover crops to grow longer in the spring offers more biomass for weed suppression and impacts corn yield.

During the 2019 growing season, seeds of Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp were collected from 141 and 133 agricultural sites, respectively, from across the southeastern and midwestern United States. These accessions were screened with a new protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitor, epyrifenacil, using a whole-plant bioassay at 20 g ai ha−1 in controlled environmental conditions to estimate its efficacy on these two agronomically important weeds. In addition, the coding sequence of the PPX2 gene was determined for plants from each accession through short-read sequencing of cDNA fragments amplified via polymerase chain reaction. Results showed that nearly all accessions were completely controlled by epyrifenacil, with average survival rates of less than 2% for both species. Target site resistance mutations toward PPO inhibitors were lower in Palmer amaranth (<20%) compared to waterhemp, with nearly half of all waterhemp samples (42%) possessing the ΔG210 allele, which is shown to cause high-level resistance to other commercially available PPO-inhibiting herbicides. Follow-up testing of accessions with high frequency (≥50%) of the ΔG210 allele of PPX2 compared the efficacy of epyrifenacil, saflufenacil, and saflufenacil + trifludimoxazin and showed that of the herbicides tested, epyrifenacil at 20 g ha−1 provided the best control, averaging 85% mortality across these accessions. Same-plant association study of molecular data and whole-plant assay correlated all detected variants of PPX2 with visual injury following epyrifenacil treatment and found that the ΔG210 mutation was associated with a reduction in relative efficacy of epyrifenacil in some accessions. All other known target site resistance mutations appeared to have no significant effect on epyrifenacil efficacy.

Ecosystems are increasingly being represented as marketplaces that produce goods for humanity, and because of this, economic metaphors for increasing efficiency have been introduced into conservation. A powerful model for economic growth is the globalised free market, and some are implicitly deploying it to suggest changes in conservation practice. Ecological globalisation is the position that we should not control the free movement of species and rewilding occurs most efficiently through non-intervention. When species can move and interact with new ecological systems, they create novel ecosystems. These novel arrangements create experimental markets in nature’s economy, providing opportunities for the efficient production of goods for humans, also known as ecosystem services. When invasive species supersede local populations, it indicates previous biotic systems were inefficient, which is why they were replaced, and therefore, it is wrong to protect indigenous “losers” from extinction. Those who defend indigenous species are accused of being xenophobic against recent biotic migrants. This position is flawed both empirically and morally as there is a disconnect between these economic and political arguments when applied to human economies and nature’s economy.

Low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) are primary factors contributing to morbidity and mortality among children aged under 5, resulting in a range of short- and long-term health consequences worldwide. Among the various risk factors, ambient air pollution poses a significant environmental risk and is a key determinant of child health. The prevalence of LBW and PTB among under 5 children sampled from the NFHS-5, 2019–2021, was combined with monthly PM2.5 data (2013–2021) obtained from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group at Washington University. Multivariable logistic regression models were used, and a stratified analysis was applied to understand the potential effect modifiers in LBW and PTB. Further, the geographical variation of LBW and PTB spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I) was used. Geographically weighted regression and ordinary least square spatial regression were used to identify the spatial heterogeneity associated with selected variables. The study comprises a total of 208,181 under 5 children. Out of these children, the LBW rate was 17.41%, and the rate of PTB was 12.42%. The in-utero exposure to the mean concentration of PM2.5 was 56.01 μg/m3. The odds of suffering from LBW showed a non-linear shift when PM2.5 levels rose from the first octile (<28.02 μg/m3) to the last octile (>93.84 μg/m3) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.12). While comparing the first octile of exposure to PM2.5 (>93.84 μg/m3) to the last octile, there was a 52% more likelihood of having PTB (AOR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.43–1.61) after accounting for all relevant factors. These findings highlight the urgent need for a thorough strategy to control the air quality in India. Further, to reduce adverse birth outcomes, longitudinal studies and other co-pollutants can consider assessing the possible mechanisms mediating the relationship between maternal exposure and ambient air pollution.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a highly destructive polyvorous pest with a wide host range and the ability to feed continuously with seasonal changes. This destructive pest significantly damages crops and can also utilize non-agricultural plants, such as weeds, as alternative hosts. However, the adaptation mechanisms of S. frugiperda when switching between crop and non-crop hosts remain poorly understood, posing challenges for effective monitoring and integrated pest management strategies. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the adaptability of S. frugiperda to different host plants. Results showed that corn (Zea mays L.) was more suitable for the growth and development of S. frugiperda than wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and goosegrass (Eleusine indica). Transcriptome analysis identified 699 genes differentially expressed when fed on corn, wheat, and goosegrass. The analysis indicated that the detoxification metabolic pathway may be related to host adaptability. We identified only one SfGSTs2 gene within the GST family and investigated its functional role across different developmental stages and tissues by analysing its spatial and temporal expression patterns. The SfGSTs2 gene expression in the midgut of larvae significantly decreased following RNA interference. Further, the dsRNA-fed larvae exhibited a decreased detoxification ability, higher mortality, and reduced larval weight. The findings highlight the crucial role of SfGSTs2 in host plant adaptation. Evaluating the feeding preferences of S. frugiperda is significant for controlling important agricultural pests.

Vegetable consumption in many countries is less than recommended and even lower in low-income households. This study explored the determinants of current vegetable food choice in households with limited food budgets to inform the implementation of a national vegetable promotion programme. Five focus groups and one individual interview were conducted with twenty-nine parents who self-identified as ‘shopping on a budget’ in an area of multiple deprivation in the southeast of England. Transcripts of audio recordings were coded in NVivo and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Four main themes which shaped the range of vegetables brought into the home were identified: (1) attributes of vegetables, (2) attributes of parents including their vegetable norms, knowledge and skills (veg-literacy), and interest and opportunity to invest time and effort in vegetables, (3) family food dynamics, and (4) influence of retailers. Overarching this was parents’ capacity to absorb the risk of wasting food, money, time, and effort on vegetables and damaging trust in the parent–child food relationship. The data suggest there is a common set of ‘core vegetables’, which are routinely bought. When money is tight, parents only buy vegetables they know their children will eat and are generally not persuaded to buy ‘off-list’ in response to price discounts or promotions. Cost is not always the main barrier to increased vegetable purchase. To avoid unintentionally widening dietary inequalities, supply-side interventions to promote vegetable consumption need to be designed alongside targeted actions that enhance the capacity of low-income households to respond.

This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various physical environmental enrichment items such as brushes, ropes, teats, chains, balls, cowhides/blocks, at improving the welfare of indoor-housed calves, heifers, and cattle. This review of 33 peer-reviewed papers and one industry report evaluated different welfare-related outcomes following physical environmental enrichment, including feed intake, lying time, play and exploratory behaviour, aggression, stereotypic behaviour and cross-sucking behaviour. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that calves and heifers enrolled in experimental studies using enrichment items had significantly improved growth rates, and increased locomotor play, but the overall reduction in cross-sucking behaviour was small and non-significant. The effect of enrichment on feed intake, aggression/stereotypic behaviour, play behaviour, cleanliness score contrasted between studies, with some reporting improvements while others showed no effect of environmental enrichment in these parameters. The risk of bias assessment revealed limitations in researcher blinding, sequence generation, and allocation concealment across the literature assessing the effectiveness of environmental enrichment on animal welfare. Overall, this review underscores the significant positive impact of physical enrichment on the welfare and behaviour of indoor-housed cattle, while highlighting the need for further research to optimise enrichment strategies across different cattle age groups and housing conditions.

Studying deep-water shark species presents inherent challenges stemming from the difficulty in accessing their habitats, coupled with factors such as low population densities, intricate behaviours, and complex biological attributes. The integration of citizen scientists, particularly fishers, offers a valuable avenue to make use of their life-long insights and expertise, thus facilitating the acquisition of crucial data that can effectively enhance the realm of shark research. Our collaborative engagement with fishers since 2017 has yielded an extensive documentation concerning elasmobranchs in the Caribbean region of Puerto Rico providing a unique opportunity to formally record species hitherto unreported. This is exemplified by the first documentation of the smalltooth sandtiger shark (Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810)). Despite its broad geographic range and widespread distribution in temperate and tropical marine environments, there is a lack of comprehensive scientific understanding and limited available knowledge regarding this species. A noteworthy finding on December 30, 2020, near Rincón (northwest coast) in Puerto Rico, disclosed a large shark that an experienced fisher had captured as an unidentified by-catch at a depth of 325 m. Through an interdisciplinary approach using molecular (355 bp, Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1) and morphological techniques, we successfully confirmed the identity of the specimen as a female smalltooth sandtiger shark. Given the limited information available (e.g., diversity, abundance, behaviour, reproduction, distribution) on shark species in the coastal and deep waters of Puerto Rico, this report provides valuable new data that can significantly contribute to the conservation efforts to protect these enigmatic yet ecologically vital predators.