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21 papers

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment of Human H5N1 Infection From Consumption of Fluid Cow's Milk.

Koebel KJ et al. · Jul 1, 2026

The spillover of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b into dairy cattle has raised concerns over the safety of fluid milk. While no foodborne infection has been reported in humans, this strain has infected at least 70 people, and milk from infected cows is known to be infected by ingestion of multiple other species. Investigation into the public health threat of this outbreak is warranted. This farm-to-table quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) uses stochastic models to assess the risk of human infection from consumption of raw and pasteurized fluid cow's milk from the United States supply chains. These models were parameterized with literature emerging from this outbreak and then employed to estimate the H5N1 infection risk and evaluate multiple potential interventions aimed at reducing this risk. The median (5th and 95th percentiles) probabilities of infection per 240-mL serving of pasteurized, farmstore-purchased raw, or retail-purchased raw milk were 7.66E-19 (2.39E-20, 4.02E-17), 1.56E-7 (6.67E-10, 1.28E-5), and 1.40E-7 (6.65E-10, 1.13E-05), respectively. Our results confirm that pasteurization is highly effective at reducing H5N1 infection risk. Scenario analysis revealed quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qrRT-PCR) testing of bulk tank milk to be an effective method for numerically reducing risk from raw milk. In addition, we identify knowledge gaps related to the human H5N1 dose‒response by ingestion and raw milk consumption patterns. These findings emphasize the importance of mechanistic epidemiologic models for informing public health responses amidst outbreaks with foodborne potential and highlight the need for additional research into raw milk consumption patterns to better understand this exposure pathway.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Status of On-Farm Artificial Insemination Services and Effectiveness of Oestrus Synchronization in Dairy Cattle Under Small-Scale Dairy Farming System.

Milkias T et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Background Hormonal synchronization of oestrous has been an available technology to improve the efficiency of field artificial insemination (AI) in the dairy sector. Objective This study was aimed at investigating the breeding practices, status of AI and effectiveness of oestrus synchronization (ES) on small-scale dairy farming in selected districts of the Wolaita Zone. Methods Cross-sectional survey and retrospective data on the oestrus synchronization were collected and analysed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and indexed ranking procedures were applied to summarize the study data. Results The predominant mating system practiced by dairy farmers was AI (55.6%), and 73.5% of farmers apply controlled mating. The highest response rate to PGF 2 α administration was obtained for cattle of Sodo town (89.5%), followed by Boloso Sore (78.8%). A 30%-45.2% pregnancy rate was obtained across the study districts. Crossbred cattle have shown significantly (p > 0.001) higher response (87.1%) and pregnancy rates (47.9%) than the local animals. Likewise, 9.6%-18.5% of the birth rate was obtained from this study. Farmers' overall perceptions and desire to continue using oestrus synchronization were improving as a result of their application experiences over time. Moreover, shortage of AI inputs and AI technicians, heat detection skills, and inconsistency of the AI service during festivals, holidays, and weekends were reported as the major challenges prevailing in the study districts. Conclusions The study provided insights on improving input supply, accurate heat detection and intensified cattle management are necessities to enhance field AI services and increase pregnancy rates in synchronized animals.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Traditional Fermented Dairy Products as Reservoirs of Bifidobacterium With Probiotic Potential: From Microbial Diversity to Functional Characterization.

Habiba MU et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Traditional fermented dairy products (TFDPs) are complex microbial ecosystems that may serve as reservoirs of many microorganisms, including those with probiotic potential such as Bifidobacterium species and lactobacilli. Although bifidobacteria are widely used as probiotic microorganisms in defined formulations, their occurrence, persistence, and functional relevance within TFDPs remain incompletely understood. This review critically synthesizes current evidence on the diversity, ecological roles, and traits associated with probiotic potential of Bifidobacterium spp. detected in TFDPs, including raw-milk fermentations, artisanal dairy products, and selected controlled dairy systems. Species such as Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium breve have been reported across yogurt, kefir, airag (traditional Mongolian fermented dairy beverage from mare milk), and raw milk cheeses, often at low abundance or as transient microbial community members. Many isolates from fermented dairy products exhibit traits commonly associated with probiotic functionality, including acid/bile tolerance, adhesion capacity, exopolysaccharide production, and antimicrobial activity. However, most reports remain limited to presence/absence or in vitro assays, with limited in vivo or clinical validation. Advances in molecular and omics-based approaches have improved detection, characterization, and safety evaluation; however, translation into validated applications remains constrained by challenges in isolation, viability, and strain-level confirmation. Importantly, detection of bifidobacteria in TFDPs does not confer probiotic status, which requires strain-level identification, demonstrated safety, adequate viable counts at consumption, and clinical evidence of health benefit. Collectively, TFDPs, as culturally embedded microbial reservoirs, may support the discovery of novel bifidobacterial strains for future development of functional foods or probiotic products following rigorous validation.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Age- and Sex-Dependent Dynamics in Pituitary Thyrotroph and Thyroid Hormones in Dromedary Camels (Camelus dromedarius): A Histochemical Approach.

Jaspal SAS et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Background The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism and reproduction, yet its age- and sex-related dynamics in dromedary camels remain poorly understood. Objective This study aimed to investigate age- and sex-dependent variations in pituitary thyrotroph morphometry and thyroid hormone profiles in dromedary camels. Methods A total of 90 clinically healthy Brela breed camels of both sexes (aged 2 to ≥11 years) were grouped based on age and physiological status (lactating and non-lactating). Pituitary tissues (n = 60) were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)-producing thyrotrophs. Morphometric parameters, including cell count, size, and nuclear dimensions, were measured. Plasma concentrations of TSH, triiodothyronine (T 3 ), and thyroxine (T 4 ) were determined using ELISA. Results Thyrotroph cell counts did not differ significantly among groups. However, older camels (≥11 years) showed significantly increased cell and nuclear dimensions (p 3 concentrations varied significantly with age and sex, with higher levels in younger males. T 4 levels declined with age but were not significantly influenced by sex (p > 0.05). Conclusion Thyrotroph morphology and thyroid hormone dynamics in dromedary camels are significantly influenced by age and sex, indicating adaptive modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in response to metabolic and reproductive demands.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Efficacy of Vitex pseudo-negundo in a Bovine Mastitis Model Experimentally Induced by Staphylococcus aureus in Rats.

Koç H et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Background Mastitis is one of the most prevalent and economically significant diseases in dairy cattle, causing to inflammation of the mammary gland and reduced milk yield. Objectives This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of Vitex pseudo-negundo (VPN) extracts in an experimentally induced rat mastitis model. Methods Sixty female Wistar rats were randomly assigned into six groups of 10. Group I served as the control group. Mastitis was induced by intramammary injection of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) (1.5 × 10 8 cfu/mL; 10 µL per gland) into the L4, L5, R4 and R5 mammary glands. Group III received intramammary gentamicin (0.25 mg/10 µL/day) for 5 days. Groups IV-VI received VPN extracts-water (0.2603 µg/kg/day), ethanol (0.0803 µg/kg/day) and petroleum ether (0.1042 µg/kg/day), administered at 10 µL per gland for the same duration. Rats were clinically monitored three times daily from the onset of clinical signs until euthanasia. Result SA infection significantly increased mammary gland weight, total oxidative status (TOS) and bacterial load and induced tissue pathology, while decreasing total antioxidant status (TAS). C-reactive protein levels remained unchanged. VPN significantly improved mammary gland weight, TOS, TAS, bacterial load and histological parameters (p Conclusion Preparations of VPN, particularly the water extract, demonstrated strong potential for restoring altered microbiological, biochemical and histological parameters in this rat mastitis model.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Serotype Characterization and Transmission Modelling of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Dairy Farms, Bishoftu, Ethiopia.

Fetene E et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Background Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is among the most important transboundary animal diseases, causing widespread economic losses due to decreased productivity, trade restrictions, and costly disease management efforts. Objectives This study aimed to characterize circulating FMDV serotypes and quantify within-farm transmission dynamics during active outbreaks in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. Methods Five epithelial tissue and 39 oral swab samples were collected from 11 dairy farms experiencing active FMD outbreaks. Samples were tested using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and antigen-capturing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for FMDV detection and serotyping. A susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model was fitted to outbreak data to quantify transmission dynamics. Results Out of 44 samples, 37 (84.1%) were positive for FMDV using RT-qPCR, and 23 (52.3%) were positive by ELISA. Serotypes O, SAT-1, and SAT-2 were identified, with SAT-2 being predominant. Transmission modelling indicated an average transmission rate (λ) of 0.82 and a recovery rate (γ) of 0.32 per day, corresponding to a mean basic reproductive number (R 0 ) of 3.7. The trivalent vaccine demonstrated low effectiveness (31% against single serotypes; 26% when adjusted for mixed infections), which was insufficient to achieve herd immunity given the high transmission intensity. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that vaccination alone cannot control FMD in these systems. Control requires improved vaccine matching and the combination of vaccination with enhanced biosecurity measures, such as animal isolation and movement control.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Antioxidants in Plant-Based Food Matrices: From Structure-Activity and Degradation Kinetics to Formulation Design.

Vargas-Ramella M et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Plant-based antioxidants are widely incorporated into foods to retard oxidative deterioration and to deliver health-related benefits. Yet, their in-product and in vivo performance frequently diverges from predictions based on solution-phase chemical assays, because matrix interactions, processing history, and host metabolism reshape both stability and bioactivity. This review integrates molecular mechanisms, structure-activity relationships (SARs), and degradation kinetics with food-matrix and human-relevance considerations to explain when, where, and how plant-based antioxidants act. Evidence is collated across polyphenols, carotenoids, tocopherols and tocotrienols, and selected alkaloids, linking hydrogen-atom, single-electron, and proton-coupled transfer pathways. Together, with those evidences, transition-metal chelation, interactions with proteins and polysaccharides, interfacial partitioning in emulsions, and metal-catalyzed oxidation are discussed. The influence of conventional and emerging processing, storage, and delivery systems (Pickering and double emulsions, spray drying/chilling, complex coacervation, ionic gelation) on antioxidant stability, localization, and bioaccessibility is also examined. Across systems, efficacy is governed less by intrinsic reactivity or nominal polarity than by effective interfacial concentration, partitioning behavior, and metal management. Encapsulation, when matched to matrix and process, improves antioxidant retention. Combinations of antioxidants may act cooperatively under one set of conditions and become antagonistic, or even pro-oxidant, under high oxygen availability or at suboptimal molar ratios. In this review, solution-phase rankings (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, ORAC) are interpreted as descriptors of intrinsic reactivity. They cannot, on their own, predict performance in real food matrices or the post-digestion metabolite pool reaching systemic circulation. Effective use of plant antioxidants in foods therefore requires that formulation choices be informed by interfacial kinetics, food-component interactions during digestion, gut-microbiota metabotypes, and biomarker-validated estimates of dietary intake.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Natural Mineral Water (Hora) Supplementation Improves Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Sheep in Ethiopia.

Kenea AM et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Background Natural mineral water (hora) is a mineral source widely available in Ethiopia. However, its specific impacts on sheep growth performance and carcass characteristics remain understudied. Objective To evaluate the effect of hora supplementation on nutrient intake, growth performance and carcass characteristics of sheep. Methods Twenty Horro breed sheep with an initial body weight (IBW) of 17.27 ± 0.71 kg were assigned to five treatment groups in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), blocked on the basis of their IBW. The treatments included control group (CON) fed basal diet only, and four treatment groups (H-200, H-300, H-400, and H-500) receiving 200, 300, 400, and 500 mL, of hora per day respectively. All sheep were fed grass hay and water ad libitum. Throughout the feeding trial data on dry matter (DM) and nutrient intake, body weight changes and various carcass traits were measured. Results Hora supplementation significantly improved (p 0.05). Total edible offal components showed a significant quadratic pattern (p = 0.001), whereas total non-edible offal showed a significant linear trend (p = 0.002). Conclusions Supplementation with 400 mL/day of hora is the optimal dose for significantly improving sheep growth performance, nutrient intake, and carcass characteristics. Overall, although hora provides clear benefits, its effects are dose-dependent, with potential diminishing returns beyond the 400 mL/day level.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Epoxy Clerodane Diterpene Attenuates the Differentiated Adipocyte Hypertrophy and Enhances Mitochondrial Metabolism.

AlSedairy SA et al. · Jul 1, 2026

Adipocyte hypertrophy is an obesity-related metabolic dysfunction, which is frequently associated with decreased mitochondrial activity during adipocyte development. The current study aimed to assess the potential of epoxy clerodane diterpene (ECD) (IUPAC: 5R, 10R)-4R, 8R-dihydroxy-2S, 3R:15, 16-diepoxycleroda-13(16), 17, 12S:18,1S-dilactone) extracted from Cassia tora on adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, mitochondrial function, and inflammation. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were stimulated into adipocytes using the standard differentiation medium. The methodological design included the evaluation of ECD cytotoxicity, lipid accumulation, mitochondrial membrane potential, qRT-PCR, and ELISA. ECD didn't significantly reduce the cellular viability; however, it decreased lipid accumulation by 65%, 87%, and 87.5% at doses of 2, 4, and 8 μM, respectively. Also, at 4 µM of ECD, it decreased adipocyte hypertrophy, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, raised the expression of thermogenesis-related genes (UCP-1, PPARγC1α, SREBP1c), decreased the expression of adipogenic proteins (C/EBPα, PPARγ), increased adiponectin levels, and reduced inflammatory markers (IL-4, TNF-α) compared to untreated controls. Thus, ECD may hold tremendous promise as a natural agent for controlling adipogenesis, and its impacts on lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory responses demonstrate its potential for therapeutic use in the treatment of obesity and associated metabolic diseases.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

A Comprehensive Analysis of Dietary Fishmeal Replaced by Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens L.) in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides).

Chen Y et al. · Jun 25, 2026

Black soldier fly larvae meal (BFLM) is characterized by high yield and a well-balanced nutritional profile, making it a promising alternative protein source for aquafeeds in the near further. Previous studies have demonstrated its potential to partially replace fishmeal (FM) in aquatic diets. Therefore, a 56-day feeding trial was conducted in largemouth bass (LMB) to evaluate the effects of graded level of BFLM (0%, 17%, 34%, 51%, and 68%) as a substitute for FM on growth performance, antioxidant, immune responses, and muscle quality. The results showed that dietary BFLM replacement levels above 17% significantly reduced SGR, FER, and whole-body crude lipid content, thereby impairing growth performance. In addition, higher substitution levels disrupted the antioxidant system, promoted the expression of inflammatory cytokines through activation of the nrf2-keap1 pathway, and consequently induced inflammatory responses. Furthermore, BFLM replacement exceeding 17% decreased muscle hardness and chewiness, reduced the content of aroma-, umami-, and sweet-related compounds, and increased the levels of off-flavor substances and SFAs, ultimately leading to deterioration in muscle quality. Based on the present results, the optimal replacement level of BFLM in diets for LMB should not exceed 17%. A comprehensive analysis of the adverse effects associated with high levels of BFLM substitution indicated that the high content of saturated fatty acids (FAs) and the low content of long-chain polyunsaturated FAs in BFLM were the key factors limiting growth performance, inducing oxidative stress, and reducing muscle quality. To improve the efficiency of BFLM as a substitute for FM, it is necessary to optimize FA composition while comprehensively considering growth performance, antioxidant and immune status, and muscle quality.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences