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Item Grinding as a slaughter method for farmed black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae: Empirically-supported recommendations for more instantaneous and humane practice(Animal Welfare, 2024) Barrett, Meghan; Miranda, Chelsea; Veloso , I. Theresse; Flint , Casey; Perl , Craig D.; Martinez , Austin; Fischer , Bob; Tomberlin , Jeffery K.At least 200 billion black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) are reared each year as food and feed, and the insect farming industry is projected to grow rapidly. Despite interest by consumers, producers, and legislators, no empirical evidence exists to guide producers in practicing humane – or instantaneous – slaughter for these novel mini-livestock. BSFL may be slaughtered via freezing, boiling, grinding, or other methods; however standard operating procedures (SOPs) and equipment design may affect the likelihood of instantaneous death using these methods. We tested how larval body size and particle size plate hole diameter affect the likelihood of instantaneous death for black soldier fly larvae that are slaughtered using a standard meat grinder. Larval body size did not affect the likelihood of instantaneous death for larvae that are 106–175 mg in mass. However, particle size plate hole diameter had a significant effect on the likelihood of instantaneous death, with only 54% of larvae experiencing an instant death when using the largest particle size plate (12-mm hole diameter) compared to 84% using the smallest particle size plate (2.55 mm). However, a higher percentage of instantaneous death (up to 99%) could be achieved by reducing the proportion of larvae that become stuck in the machine. We conclude by outlining specific recommendations to support producers in achieving a 99% instantaneous death rate through specific SOPs to be used with similarly designed machines. We also develop a protocol for producers that wish to test their own grinding SOPs.Item New Frontiers in Animal Welfare Science: An Introduction to (Farmed) Insects(Vet Record, 2024) Barrett , MeghanItem The case for open research in entomology: reducing harm, refining reproducibility and advancing insect science(Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 2024) Cuff , Jordan P.; Barrett , Meghan; Gray , Helen; Fox , Charles; Watt , Allan; Aimé , Emilie1. Open research is an increasingly developed and crucial framework for the advancement of science and has seen successful adoption across a broad range of disciplines. Entomology has, however, been slow to adopt these practices compared to many adjacent fields despite ethical and practical imperatives to do so. 2. The grand challenges facing entomology in the 21st century require the synthesis of evidence at global scales, necessitating open sharing of data and research at a pace and scale incompatible with the slow adoption of open research practices. Open science also plays a vital role in fostering trust in research and maximizing use of research outputs, which is ethically crucial for reducing harms to insects. 3. We outline these imperatives and how open research practices can enhance entomological research across a range of contexts. We also highlight the holistic nature of open science across the full research lifecycle through several specific examples of open research practices, which can be adopted easily by individual entomologists. 4. We do, however, argue that the responsibility of promoting, integrating and encouraging open research is most crucially held by publishers, including scholarly societies, which have leveraged widespread adoption in adjacent fields. Entomology must advance quickly to become a leading discipline in the open research transition.Item Farmed Cricket (Acheta domesticus, Gryllus assimilis, and Gryllodes sigillatus; Orthoptera) Welfare Considerations: Recommendations for Improving Global Practice(Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 2024) Rowe , E.; Robles López, K.Y.; Robinson , K.M.; Baudier , K.M.; Barrett , MeghanOrthoptera, such as crickets, is currently the most reared group of hemimetabolous insects in the insects as food and feed industry, with over 370 billion individuals slaughtered and/or sold live annually. The most-farmed cricket species is Acheta domesticus, however there is growing interest in farming at least two additional species, Gryllus assimilis and Gryllodes sigillatus. Crickets are largely being explored for use as human protein, and exotic animal or pet feed – as well as, to a lesser extent, livestock and fish feed. Insect welfare is of growing interest to consumers who are considering incorporating insect protein into their diets, as well as to many producers. However, no studies have considered the welfare concerns of farmed crickets under current industry conditions. Using an established model for assessing farmed insect welfare, we assess potential welfare concerns for the three most-farmed cricket species, including: interspecific interactions (including parasites and pathogens), temperature and humidity, light cycles, electrical shocks, atmospheric gas levels, nutrition and hydration, environmental pollutants, injury and crowding, density, handling-associated stress, genetics and selection, enrichments, transport-related challenges, and stunning, anesthesia, and slaughter/depopulation methods. From our assessment of these factors, we make recommendations for improving cricket welfare now and as the industry continues to grow; in addition, we identify research directions that will improve our understanding of cricket welfare. We conclude by broadly discussing the importance of addressing the welfare challenges presented by the insects as food and feed industry for the animals and for the growth and health of the industry itself.Item To CRISPR or not to CRISPR? Ethical considerations in gene-editing insects(American Entomologist, 2024) Parent , Brendan; Barrett , MeghanGenetically modified corn has helped feed the world (Hernandes-Lopes et al. 2023). Genetically modified mosquitoes could help eliminate devastating diseases like malaria (Hammond and Galizi 2017). Plainly, gene editing can serve some important human interests. Still, many people object to it. While some concerns have little scientific validity, there are valid ethical concerns that should be addressed.A concern many people share is the potential impact of genetically edited insects on the environment. Gene drives are “selfish” genetic elements that are transmitted to progeny at unusually high rates and thus spread rapidly through populations. As a result, they are capable of modifying an entire population or species. The most widely discussed use of gene drives is in the prevention of malaria, the leading cause of human illness and death in many parts of the world (CDC 2021), where gene drives could be used to control mosquito populations.Item Limited Approaches for Genomic Studies in Rapid Postmortem Tissue Collection(IntechOpen, 2023) Sandusky, George; Yard, Michael; Szymanski, Megan; Emmert , Lydia; Valadares, Vivian; Biology, School of ScienceRapid postmortem tissue collection has been shown to have increasing use for molecular and genetic profiling. Although research on human tissue has been conducted for many years, modern molecular assays have significantly higher sensitivity and specificity than those used in the past. Higher grade tissue specimens are now required for the extraction of macromolecules as a result of this. In fact, these studies have paved the way for multiple postmortem tissue collection studies such as COVID-19, brain, skin, and small cell lung cancer. Best practices for tissue collection have also been developed by a number of professional organizations, including the National Institutes of Health Office of Biorepositories and the International Society of Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER). These guidelines can be used to establish procedures for tissue collection.Item A long-read draft assembly of the Chinese mantis (Mantodea: Mantidae: Tenodera sinensis) genome reveals patterns of ion channel gain and loss across Arthropoda(G3, 2024) Goldberg, Jay; Godfrey, R. Keating; Barrett, MeghanPraying mantids (Mantodea: Mantidae) are iconic insects that have captivated biologists for decades, especially the species with cannibalistic copulatory behavior. This behavior has been cited as evidence that insects lack nociceptive capacities and cannot feel pain; however, this behaviorally driven hypothesis has never been rigorously tested at the genetic or functional level. To enable future studies of nociceptive capabilities in mantids, we sequenced and assembled a draft genome of the Chinese praying mantis (Tenodera sinensis) and identified multiple classes of nociceptive ion channels by comparison to orthologous gene families in Arthropoda. Our assembly—produced using PacBio HiFi reads—is fragmented (total size = 3.03 Gb; N50 = 1.8 Mb; 4,966 contigs), but is highly complete with respect to gene content (BUSCO complete = 98.7% [odb10_insecta]). The size of our assembly is substantially larger than that of most other insects, but is consistent with the size of other mantid genomes. We found that most families of nociceptive ion channels are present in the T. sinensis genome; that they are most closely related to those found in the damp-wood termite (Zootermopsis nevadensis); and that some families have expanded in T. sinensis while others have contracted relative to nearby lineages. Our findings suggest that mantids are likely to possess nociceptive capabilities and provide a foundation for future experimentation regarding ion channel functions and their consequences for insect behavior.Item A Translational Regulatory Mechanism Mediated by Hypusinated Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 5A Facilitates β-Cell Identity and Function(American Diabetes Association, 2024) Connors, Craig T.; Villaca, Catharina B. P.; Anderson-Baucum, Emily K.; Rosario, Spencer R.; Rutan, Caleb D.; Childress, Paul J.; Padgett, Leah R.; Robertson, Morgan A.; Mastracci, Teresa L.; Biology, School of ScienceAs professional secretory cells, β-cells require adaptable mRNA translation to facilitate a rapid synthesis of proteins, including insulin, in response to changing metabolic cues. Specialized mRNA translation programs are essential drivers of cellular development and differentiation. However, in the pancreatic β-cell, the majority of factors identified to promote growth and development function primarily at the level of transcription. Therefore, despite its importance, the regulatory role of mRNA translation in the formation and maintenance of functional β-cells is not well defined. In this study, we have identified a translational regulatory mechanism mediated by the specialized mRNA translation factor eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A), which facilitates the maintenance of β-cell identity and function. The mRNA translation function of eIF5A is only active when it is posttranslationally modified ("hypusinated") by the enzyme deoxyhypusine synthase (DHPS). We have discovered that the absence of β-cell DHPS in mice reduces the synthesis of proteins critical to β-cell identity and function at the stage of β-cell maturation, leading to a rapid and reproducible onset of diabetes. Therefore, our work has revealed a gatekeeper of specialized mRNA translation that permits the β-cell, a metabolically responsive secretory cell, to maintain the integrity of protein synthesis necessary during times of induced or increased demand.Item Behavioral Effects of the Mixture and the Single Compounds Carbendazim, Fipronil, and Sulfentrazone on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae(MDPI, 2024-05-25) Gomes, Samara da Silva; da Silva, Jadson Freitas; Padilha, Renata Meireles Oliveira; de Vasconcelos, João Victor Alves; Neto, Luís Gomes de Negreiros; Marrs, James A.; Cadena, Pabyton Gonçalves; Biology, School of SciencePesticides are often detected in freshwater, but their impact on the aquatic environment is commonly studied based on single compounds, underestimating the potential additive effects of these mixtures. Even at low concentrations, pesticides can negatively affect organisms, altering important behaviors that can have repercussions at the population level. This study used a multi-behavioral approach to evaluate the effects of zebrafish larvae exposure to carbendazim (C), fipronil (F), and sulfentrazone (S), individually and mixed. Five behavioral tests, thigmotaxis, touch sensitivity, optomotor response, bouncing ball test, and larval exploratory behavior, were performed to assess potential effects on anxiety, fear, and spatial and social interaction. Significant changes were observed in the performance of larvae exposed to all compounds and their mixtures. Among the single pesticides, exposure to S produced the most behavioral alterations, followed by F and C, respectively. A synergistic effect between the compounds was observed in the C + F group, which showed more behavioral effects than the groups exposed to pesticides individually. The use of behavioral tests to evaluate pesticide mixtures is important to standardize methods and associate behavioral changes with ecologically relevant events, thus creating a more realistic scenario for investigating the potential environmental impacts of these compounds.Item A long-read draft assembly of the Chinese mantis (Mantodea: Mantidae: Tenodera sinensis) genome reveals patterns of ion channel gain and loss across Arthropoda(Oxford University Press, 2024) Goldberg, Jay K.; Godfrey, R. Keating; Barrett, Meghan; Biology, School of SciencePraying mantids (Mantodea: Mantidae) are iconic insects that have captivated biologists for decades, especially the species with cannibalistic copulatory behavior. This behavior has been cited as evidence that insects lack nociceptive capacities and cannot feel pain; however, this behaviorally driven hypothesis has never been rigorously tested at the genetic or functional level. To enable future studies of nociceptive capabilities in mantids, we sequenced and assembled a draft genome of the Chinese praying mantis (Tenodera sinensis) and identified multiple classes of nociceptive ion channels by comparison to orthologous gene families in Arthropoda. Our assembly—produced using PacBio HiFi reads—is fragmented (total size = 3.03 Gb; N50 = 1.8 Mb; 4,966 contigs), but is highly complete with respect to gene content (BUSCO complete = 98.7% [odb10_insecta]). The size of our assembly is substantially larger than that of most other insects, but is consistent with the size of other mantid genomes. We found that most families of nociceptive ion channels are present in the T. sinensis genome; that they are most closely related to those found in the damp-wood termite (Zootermopsis nevadensis); and that some families have expanded in T. sinensis while others have contracted relative to nearby lineages. Our findings suggest that mantids are likely to possess nociceptive capabilities and provide a foundation for future experimentation regarding ion channel functions and their consequences for insect behavior.