USDA Stakeholder Workshop on Animal Bioinformatics: Summary and Recommendations

An electronic workshop was conducted on 4 November-13 December 2002 to discuss current issues and needs in animal bioinformatics. The electronic (e-mail listserver) format was chosen to provide a relatively speedy process that is broad in scope, cost-efficient and easily accessible to all participants. Approximately 40 panelists with diverse species and discipline expertise communicated through the panel e-mail listserver. The panel included scientists from academia, industry and government, in the USA, Australia and the UK. A second 'stakeholder' e-mail listserver was used to obtain input from a broad audience with general interests in animal genomics. The objectives of the electronic workshop were: (a) to define priorities for animal genome database development; and (b) to recommend ways in which the USDA could provide leadership in the area of animal genome database development. E-mail messages from panelists and stakeholders are archived at http://genome.cvm.umn.edu/bioinfo/. Priorities defined for animal genome database development included: (a) data repository; (b) tools for genome analysis; (c) annotation; (d) practical application of genomic data; and (e) a biological framework for DNA sequence. A stable source of funding, such as the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), was recommended to support maintenance of data repositories and data curation. Continued support for competitive grants programs within the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) was recommended for tool development and hypothesis-driven research projects in genome analysis. Additional stakeholder input will be required to continuously refine priorities and maximize the use of limited resources for animal bioinformatics within the USDA.     

A centenary of academic and less learned Food Microbiology Pitfalls of the past and promises for the future

A review is presented of the development of Food Microbiology from its roots in different disciplines — including human and animal medicine, general microbiology, agricultural science and food chemistry — to an autonomous science with the main vocation to provide the knowledge allowing providing food that is wholesome, of high quality and acceptable in the microbiological sense. This evolution entailed a change in approach from mere, and often rather primitive inspection of end-products to intervention by (i) identification of hazard points (“critical points” or CPs) by ecological studies; (ii) elimination of CPs by elaboration of Good Manufacturing and Distribution Practices (GMPs); (iii) validation of GMPs by monitoring production lines and final products at point of sale and gauging the results by Risk Analysis. It is emphasized, that although advanced and ecologically sound techniques have become available, it will still require extensive education and training at all levels before the scientific advances outlined in this review will have been fully integrated in day-to-day food production and catering in developed as well developing areas of the world. Interdisciplinary instruction and co-operation cannot be missed in attempts to reach this goal.     

A Survey of Bioenergy Research in Forest Service Research and Development

Forest biomass represents 25–30 % of the annual biomass available in the USA for conversion into bio-based fuels, bio-based chemicals, and bioproducts in general. The USDA Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) has been focused on producing products from forest biomass since its inception in 1905, with direct combustion, solid sawn lumber, pulp and paper, ethanol as fuel, and silvichemicals all among the mission areas of product research and development. The renewed national interest in biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals is supportive of the most critical need of USDA Forest Service R&D, uses for small-diameter trees and other forest biomass that needs to be removed in the fuel mitigation–fire suppression and forest restoration work of the USDA Forest Service. This paper will summarize the recent USDA Forest Service research on direct combustion, fuel pellets, and conversion of forest biomass to ethanol, both as stand-alone biorefinery processes and as an addition to the traditional wood pulping process.     

Regulatory issues for commercialization of tomatoes with an antisense polygalacturonase gene

Summary Significant progress has been made in development of transgenic plants containing agriculturally useful genes. Concurrent with scientific advances has been development of a regulatory infrastructure within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for assessing safety of controlled release of genetically engineered plants into the environment, as well as creation of a food policy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Field trials and safety assessments of tomato containing an antisense polygalacturonase gene (FLAVR SAVR™ tomato) have been conducted. A detailed safety analysis of thekan ^r selectable marker was also done. Based on these data plus nutritional measurements, lack of changes in levels of natural toxins, and lack of any unintended changes, we have requested that the USDA and FDA determine that this genetically engineered tomato is safe for release into the environment and human consumption. Presented in the Session-in-Depth “Field Test Requirements and Performance of Transgenic Plants” at the 1991 World Congress on Cell and Tissue Culture, Anaheim, California, June 16–20, 1991.     

Physiological characteristics and competitive ability of plasmid-cured derivatives of Rhizobium fredii USDA 206

Rhizobium fredii USDA 206 carries four plasmids which total more than 1200 MDa of DNA. A series of plasmid-cured mutants of strain USDA 206 were derived and compared to determine possible functions of the plasmids, as well as the effect of the plasmids on growth and competitiveness of their host strains. No functions of plasmid pRj206a or pRj206c were found. Plasmid pRj206b was found to have a higher copy number in the non-mucoid (Muc^–) derivative strain 206CANS. Transfer of pRj206b conferred on two recipient strains a Muc^– phenotype indicating control of exopolysaccharide synthesis by this plasmid. The same plasmid appeared to encode repression of melanin synthesis. Strain 206CANS was also shown to have a shorter generation time than USDA 206 and to out-compete USDA 206 in batch and chemostat culture. Competition for nodulation indicated little difference between USDA 206 and 206CANS, while USDA 206 appeared to be more competitive than two of the other cured derivatives.Paper no. 11886 of the Journal Series of North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC 27695-7643. Cooperative investigations of the U.S. Department of Agricultural, Agricultural Research Service and the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service Raleigh, NC 27695-7601, USA     

A centrifugation technique for separating ascospores from soil

Summary A centrifugation technique employing sucrose density gradient columns has been developed for separating fungus spores from soil mineral particles. Four pyrenomycetes plus a number of sterile isolates have been obtained by the use of this technique. The technique may be applicable to other types of fungi producing large, readily identifiable spores.Contribution from the Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, in cooperation with the Washington Agricultural Experiment Station. Scientific Paper 2830, Washington State University, College of Agriculture.     

Drug resistant coagulase-positive staphylococci strains in food

From the 1572 food samples, examined in Microbiology Department of Frozen Food Industry Research Laboratory in Lód?, 79 (5.0%) coagulase-positive staphylococci strains were isolated. All the strains were sensitive to vancomycin, gentamycin and chloramphenicol. Only individual staphylococci strains were resistant to erythromycin (1.3%), lincomycin (2.5%) and ciprofloxacin (2.5%). 20.3% strains, isolated mainly from raw meat, were resistant to doxycycline and 6.3% to oxacillin. 38.0% of coagulase-positive staphylococci strains had positive results of cefinase test. One strain isolated from minced meat was resistant to methicillin and at the same time it was producing beta-lactamases.     

The 21st SEM National Congress (Seville, 17-20 September, 2007).

Almost 700 scientists met in the historic city of Seville, September 17-20, 2007, to attend the 21st National Congress of the Spanish Society for Microbiology (SEM). The attendees--from Spain and other European and American countries--had an opportunity to share the newest discoveries in their fields of research and to learn of the progress being made in numerous areas of microbiology through 64 symposia lectures, 1 workshop, 50 oral communications, and more than 400 posters.     

The renaissance of microbiology.

Microbiology is finally occupying its true position as the pre-eminent field in life sciences. This is due to advances in molecular techniques that confirm the evolutionary significance of the biology of microbes. It is anticipated that the use of comparative genomics will provide information that will advance the understanding of mechanisms of pathogenesis and the importance of secondary metabolism in social microbiology. More emphasis on studies of microbial diversity will increase its value in both fundamental microbiology and its industrial applications.     

Wood Bioenergy and Soil Productivity Research

Timber harvesting can cause both short- and long-term changes in forest ecosystem functions, and scientists from USDA Forest Service (USDA FS) have been studying these processes for many years. Biomass and bioenergy markets alter the amount, type, and frequency at which material is harvested, which in turn has similar yet specific impacts on sustainable productivity. The nature of some biomass energy operations provides opportunities to ameliorate or amend forest soils to sustain or improve their productive capacity, and USDA FS scientists are leading the research into these applications. Research efforts to sustain productive soils need to be verified at regional, national, and international scope, and USDA FS scientists work to advance methods for soil quality monitoring and to inform international criteria and indicators. Current and future USDA FS research ranges from detailed soil process studies to regionally important applied research and to broad scale indicator monitoring and trend analysis, all of which will enable the USA to lead in the sustainable production of woody biomass for bioenergy.     

德融课程盐溶于汤：微生物学课程思政的思考与实践

课程思政是以“课程”作为“思政”的载体,探索知识传授、能力培养与价值塑造三位融合的有效途径,当前高等教育已步入全面建设课程思政的新时期。微生物学专业面与应用范围均非常广泛,而且与人类社会发展、生产实践、日常生活都息息相关,蕴含着极为丰富的思政元素,是开展课程思政的优秀载体。我们微生物学教学团队一直以来秉承教书育人的教育理念,致力于微生物学创新教学改革,近年来又以此为基础进行了课程思政思考与实践。本文总结了“微生物学”开展课程思政的必要性、融入路径、教学评价、反思与持续改进等,以期为高等院校课程思政教学改革提供参考。     

Imagining Kant’s theory of scientific knowledge: philosophy and education in microbiology

International Microbiology - In the field of observational and experimental natural sciences (as is the case for microbiology), recent decades have been overinfluenced by overwhelming technological...     

食品工程类专业微生物学教学改革与实践

《微生物学》是食品科学类专业重要的专业基础课,课程组结合学校粮油食品学科传统特色专业,对食品微生物学教学内容、多媒体课件运用及实验教学等进行了改革。结果显示,改革后的课程教学组织方式有利于加强学生对理论知识的理解和应用,有利于提高学生的动手能力、创新能力和科学思维能力。     

食品科学与工程类专业“微生物学”课程教学改革与实践

微生物与食品的生产加工、储存运输、安全检测和控制等各个环节密切相关,微生物学是绝大多数高校食品类专业重要的必修课程。依据食品类专业的人才培养方案和学院往届毕业生的就业去向,我们从教学内容、教学方法、研究性教学等方面对“微生物学”课程教学进行了改革尝试,探索构建符合食品科学与工程专业的“微生物学”课程教学模式。     

A simple method for isolation of high-molecular-weight DNA from Rhodotorula gracilis

Unsheared DNA has been isolated from Rhodotorula and Rhodosporidium yeasts using a cell-wall-digesting enzyme preparation from Paecilomyces lilacinus. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis indicated that at least 11 chromosomes were present in Rhodot. gracilis ATCC 90950. The DNA was amenable to digestion with restriction enzymes.The authors are with the Department of Microbiology, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore-570 013, India.     

真菌地衣系统学开放研究实验室 学术委员会第二次会议 简讯

一九八五年四月二十一日至二十二日,我们从事真菌和地衣学研究和教学的十位同志参加了中国科学院召开的《真菌地衣系统学开放研究实验室》可行性论证会的评议.我们认真听取了微生物所申请建立该实验室的建设方案和有关课题的论证发言,并参观了微生物所真菌研究室、技术室、标本室及图书资料室.     

Concept and Classification of Coarse Woody Debris in Forest Ecosystems

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is generally considered as dead woody materials in various stages of decomposition,including sound and rotting logs,snags,and large branches.CWD is an important functional and structural component of forested ecosystems and plays an important role in nutrient cycling,long-term carbon storage,tree regeneration,and maintenance of heterogeneous environmental and biological diversity.However,the definition and classification of CWD have been the subject of a long debate in forest ecology.CWD has not been precisely defined.Recently,with the rapid development of landscape ecology in CWD,the USDA Forest Service and the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER)have provided a standardized definition and classification for CWD,which makes data comparison in landscape scale possible.Important characteristics of their definition include:(1) a minimum diameter (or an equivalent crosssection) of CWD≥10 cm at the widest point (the woody debris with a diameter from 1 to 10 cm should be defined as fine woody debris,and the rest is litterfall);and (2) sound and rotting logs,snags,stumps,and large branches (located above the soil),and coarse root debris (larger than 1 cm in diameter).This classification has greatly facilitated CWD studies.Therefore,it has been widely applied in some countries (particularly in North America).However,this classification has long been a source of confusion for forest ecologists in China.Furthermore,different definitions and criteria are still adopted in individual studies,which makes the interpretation and generalization of their work difficult.This article reviewed recent progress in classifying CWD,with an emphasis on introducing the classification system of the USDA Forest Service and the LTER.It is expected that this review will help facilitate the development of standardized definition and classification suitable to forest ecosystems in China.     

Outcomes of the second workshop of the Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table Working Group 1: deriving scientifically sound rules for a sector-specific environmental assessment methodology

Purpose  

This paper illustrates the consensus achieved by the members of the European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table Working Group 1 in their second scientific workshop held in the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre site in Ispra, Italy on July 5–7, 2011. This workshop came after having run a detailed analysis, of data gaps and of methodologies, for the environmental assessment of food and drink products. In particular, the aim of this workshop was to reach consensus amongst key stakeholders on those approaches found diverging across methodologies and on which the forthcoming protocol for the ENVIronmental assessment of FOOds and Drinks (ENVIFOOD Protocol) is expected to provide guidance to the sector.     

The accelerating convergence of genomics and microbiology

A report from Microbial Genomes, a joint conference of the American Society for Microbiology and the Institute for Genomic Research, Monterey, California, USA, 28-31 January, 2001.