Research

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From pets to pests: Researchers explore new tool to fight disease-carrying insects

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By Jenifer Fouch
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas researchers are testing a product commonly used to treat ticks and fleas on pets to target fly and mosquito larvae with the goal of helping reduce the spread of diseases carried by these insects.

FROM PETS TO PESTS — Fly plates in the lab being tested as part of a research project investigating the efficacy of fluralaner as a larvacide. (U of A Division of Agriculture photo by Emily McDermott.)

After switching to fluralaner as a veterinary medication for her dog, Emily McDermott, assistant professor of medical and veterinary entomology and a researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, was curious about exploring other possible applications for it.

“The reason I put my dog on this fluralaner drug is because the spot-on treatments were not working very well,” she said. “Fluralaner is exciting because it has a different mode of action than current insecticides.”

The drug prevents insects’ nerve cells from working properly, disrupting their nervous systems.

McDermott says previous studies had shown promising results when fluralaner was applied as a spray but that it’s much more effective if ingested orally.

McDermott and Ph.D. student Blythe Lawson conducted research to find out if fluralaner would be effective as a larvicide and the best method to feed it to the larvae.

By treating larvae directly, they were able to use less chemicals and target specific areas where larvae are concentrated, reducing the need for widespread spraying and minimizing the risk of contaminating waterways and the environment.

The study “Successful yeast microencapsulation of fluralaner and its potential as a larvicide for vector control,” was published in the Acta Tropica journal in August.

TROJAN HORSE — Blythe Lawson, Ph.D. student in the entomology and plant pathology department, performs tests in the lab as part of research investigating how fluralaner could potentially be used as a larvicide. (U of A Division of Agriculture photo by Emily McDermott.)

“Fluralaner is an up-and-coming synthetic chemical, and there’s a lot of interest in expanding its use,” Lawson said. “There’s a big need for larvicides in the market; there are only a few for mosquitoes.” 

Flies and mosquitoes can carry diseases such as malaria, dengue and Zika virus. McDermott says disease vectors such as mosquitoes and flies have developed resistance to commonly used drugs and traditional methods often target adult insects. But Lawson and McDermott investigated ways to use fluralaner to target these insect’s larvae before they develop into adults, which is when they are most likely to spread diseases or become pests.

“You can knock those populations down before they start causing problems,” McDermott said.

Fluralaner is sold in chewable form for pets under the brand name Bravecto, currently the only labeled form of fluralaner in the United States.

The Trojan horse method  

McDermott and Lawson used a yeast microencapsulation technique to investigate if fluralaner would work. They encapsulated yeast cells with the insecticide and then tested it on larvae of three species:

  • Common house fly— Musca domestica

  • Asian tiger mosquito — Aedes albopictus

  • Biting midge — Culicoides sonorensis, the most common midge in much of eastern U.S.

McDermott and Lawson said the larvae of these species naturally consume microorganisms such as yeast, making the microencapsulation an ideal delivery method.

“It acts like a Trojan horse,” Lawson said.

Their research showed fluralaner is effective and long-lasting as a larvicide. The study found that a single application of microencapsulated fluralaner could control mosquito larvae for five weeks and midge larvae for eight weeks.

BUG OFF — Emily McDermott, assistant professor in the department of entomology and plant pathology, started researching expanded uses for fluralaner after treating her dog with the drug. (UA System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)

“We compared our product to a couple of commercially available mosquito larvicides, and we found that it was as effective or more effective than the products that are currently on the market,” McDermott said.

The study also found that a higher concentration is needed to kill off housefly larvae compared to mosquitoes or biting midges, which McDermott says was not surprising given that houseflies are larger.

However, McDermott said the midges seemed to be less sensitive to the larvicide than mosquitoes, which was not expected because the midge larvae are much smaller than the mosquito larvae.

“So, we do think there’s a size component to this, but it’s not just size — there’s something about the physiology of the insects as well,” she said.

Future use

McDermott envisions this research will lead to the development of a product that could be used around households and trash collection sites, for example.

“The way our product is formulated is that after we encapsulate the active ingredient in the yeast, we freeze-dry it and get it back down to a powdered yeast form,” she said. “We envision this product could be in a backpack sprayer, and you would spray it like any other kind of insecticide.”

McDermott says her team is engaging with industry partners to move forward with this patent-pending technology.

‘We’re still several steps away from a commercial application,” she said. “With further testing and development, this yeast-based larvicide could provide a new tool for vector-control efforts and public health.”

This study was supported by Deployed Warfighter Protection Program Award No. W911QY2210003. The DWFP is a research program tasked with developing and testing management tools for pest and vector species that transmit diseases to deployed war-fighters. It’s administered by the Armed Forces Pest Management Board and sponsored by the Department of Defense.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

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TRI-Supported Researcher Megha Sharma, M.D., Published in Pediatrics

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By David Robinson

A successful effort at UAMS to reduce the amount of blood taken for lab tests from premature infants has been published in the journal Pediatrics.

The project was led by Megha Sharma, M.D., a neonatologist and associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. Her work was conducted in the UAMS Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) over two years as part of the UAMS Translational Research Institute’s Implementation Science Scholars Program. Her paper, “Reducing Iatrogenic Blood Losses in Premature Infants,” was published in September.

Research has shown that blood loss from repetitive lab testing is a significant contributor to anemia in very low birth weight infants (less than 3.3 pounds). The blood lost from lab tests in the first few weeks of life often equals or exceeds the amount of an infant’s total blood volume, which is only 2-3 ounces. It can lead to a range of poor health outcomes.

TRI-Supported Researcher Megha Sharma, M.D., Published in Pediatrics

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Survey assesses Mexican consumers’ opinions on GMO corn import ban

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By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A fully implemented ban on genetically modified corn in Mexico could disproportionately affect the nation’s lower-income consumers, according to a recently published study by agricultural economists with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

It would also have a negative impact on American farmers. Over 90 percent of corn grown in the United States is genetically modified, and Mexico is the second-largest importer of U.S. corn after China. Eggs and poultry meat account for about half of protein intake, and tortillas provide 13 to 20 percent of caloric intake for Mexicans, according to articles and studies cited in the Division of Agriculture study titled “Potential response of Mexican consumers to a ban on genetically modified maize imports.”

CORN SURVEY — Agricultural economists with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station conducted a survey of Mexican consumers on their nation's ban of genetically modified corn. (U of A System Division of Agriculture)

“More than half of the people we surveyed in Mexico were not even aware of the ban, and of those who did know about it and supported it, many of them changed their opinion when they saw how much prices could go up and how many jobs could be lost,” said Brandon McFadden, a lead author of the study and a professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

The study, published in the journal Food Security, was co-authored by Lawton Lanier Nalley, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Katie Loethen, and Wei Yang. Nalley is head of the agricultural economics and agribusiness department. Durand-Morat is an associate professor and the L.C. Carter Endowed Chair in the department. Loethen is an agricultural economics graduate student at the University of Arkansas, and Yang is an agricultural economics graduate student at Texas A&M University.

“While this study primarily focused on the impacts to Mexican maize consumers, there are tangible impacts to the U.S. maize industry from the ban,” Nalley said. “Mexico relies heavily on U.S. maize imports, mainly yellow maize, for livestock production. Since over 90 percent of U.S. maize is genetically modified, the decree would drastically impact bilateral trade should the GM ban be implemented.”

Maize is the Spanish word for what is called corn in the U.S. The industry uses “GM” and “GMO” interchangeably for genetically modified, or genetically modified organism.

McFadden said the study was conducted to fill gaps in understanding what Mexican consumers would be willing to pay for the impacts of Mexican bans on genetically modified corn and the herbicide glyphosate. The research also helps estimate the burden on low-income consumers who could likely not afford the premiums for products made from non-genetically modified corn, he added.

Presidential decrees

On Dec. 31, 2020, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s administration published a decree calling for the nation to phase out the herbicide glyphosate and genetically modified maize, or corn, for animal and human consumption by Jan. 31, 2024. In a follow-up decree on Feb. 13, 2023, the Mexican government exempted genetically modified corn for animal feed.

President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office Oct. 1, has indicated her administration will continue enforcing the decree.

The consumer perception study, led by McFadden as the Tyson Endowed Chair in Food Policy Economics, was conducted in April 2023 and surveyed 1,301 Mexicans who were age 18 or over. About 5 percent of the sample did not consume all the food products, so 1,238 respondents completed the survey. Durand-Morat, whose native language is Spanish, translated the questions and the results.

What is GM corn?

Most genetically modified corn is created to resist insect pests or tolerate herbicides. Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, corn is a genetically modified corn that produces proteins that are toxic to certain insects but not to humans, pets, livestock, or other animals, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“These are the same types of proteins that organic farmers use to control insect pests, and they do not harm beneficial insects, such as ladybugs,” the FDA noted. “GMO Bt corn reduces the need for spraying insecticides while still preventing insect damage. While a lot of GMO corn goes into processed foods and drinks, most of it is used to feed livestock, like cows, and poultry, like chickens.”

Most crops fed to animals are genetically modified, but not those directly eaten by humans, according to Michael Kidd, professor of poultry nutrition in the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science for the Division of Agriculture.

Willing to pay?

On average, those surveyed were willing to pay a premium of 73 percent for chicken, 50 percent for eggs, and 50 percent for tortillas produced with non-genetically modified corn. These premium estimates are more significant than the potential price increases of 67 percent for chicken and 30 percent for tortillas, as estimated by a 2022 World Perspectives study that provided estimates on price increases.

Breaking the results down by groups, however, is more of a mixed bag, McFadden said. Out of the entire group of respondents, less than half — 46 percent — were aware of the decrees. The people who were aware of and supported the ban were willing to pay higher than average for non-genetically modified products and animal products that had eaten GM feed. Respondents who supported it were willing to pay 91 percent more for chicken, 71 percent more for eggs, and 66 percent more for tortillas.

In the lowest-income category with an annual income of less than 7,000 pesos — or about $350 — those unaware of the ban were only willing to pay premiums of 46 percent for chicken, 21 percent for eggs, and 25 percent for tortillas.

Human health was the largest reason given by respondents supportive of the GMO ban, representing 85 percent of that group. Other less significant reasons included protecting Mexican heritage, environmental concern and protecting cultural heritage.

Public opinion at odds with FDA

The weighted average of responses indicated that consumers did not feel that genetically modified products of corn were safe to eat in tortillas. However, they felt it was safer than consuming poultry fed genetically modified corn feed. Those surveyed also considered genetically modified corn grown in Mexico as safer than that grown in the U.S.

The consumer perception results clash with the FDA’s position on genetically modified corn for chicken feed and the Mexican government’s exemption on genetically modified corn for animal feed.

The safety perception rankings from survey respondents for tortillas and tamale husks were significantly higher than eggs or chicken. And consumers felt it was safer for eggs than chicken meat. The results for the safety rankings of products align with research in the U.S., McFadden noted, concluding that consumers are generally more averse to fresh products like meat from animals fed with genetically modified corn than processed products using genetically modified corn.

The FDA, basing its statement on independent studies, says there is “no difference in how GMO and non-GMO foods affect the health and safety of animals.” More than 95 percent of animals used for meat and dairy in the United States eat genetically modified crops.

“The DNA in the GMO food does not transfer to the animal that eats it,” the FDA states. “This means that animals that eat GMO food do not turn into GMOs. Similarly, the DNA from GMO animal food does not make it into the meat, eggs, or milk from the animal. Research shows that foods like eggs, dairy products, and meat that come from animals that eat GMO food are equal in nutritional value, safety, and quality to foods made from animals that eat only non-GMO food.”

The FDA also notes that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label.” The International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that glyphosate may be a carcinogen, while several others, including the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Meeting on Pesticide Residues, have determined that it is unlikely to be a carcinogen, the FDA added.

Food security and jobs

About 45 percent of Mexicans live in poverty, and 23 percent are food insecure, the consumer perception study noted. If the estimated price changes reported by World Perspectives in 2022 are correct, the ban will likely exacerbate food insecurity, McFadden said, because lower-income Mexican consumers spend a larger proportion of their relative and absolute income on tortillas than the wealthiest people.

In addition to the increases in corn prices, the World Perspectives study estimated the original decree would result in 56,958 jobs lost in Mexico. Supporters of the ban were asked if they would still support the decree given a potential loss of jobs for 55,000 Mexicans.

The proportion of respondents who were aware and supported the decree decreased from 77 to 46 percent when provided information about the potential jobs lost due to the decree. The decree support dropped to 56 percent when provided information about increases in corn prices.

McFadden said employment reductions could come from a cascading effect of increased food prices, which decreases spending on other goods and in turn a decreased gross domestic product, the measure of a country's economic health.

Previous bans in other countries

Food security risks associated with genetically modified food bans have taken place in other countries, the consumer perception study noted. In 2020, Zimbabwe lifted an import ban on genetically modified foods that had been in place for 12 years after the worst drought in decades resulted in more than half of the population needing food aid. Kenya had also banned genetically modified crops in 2012, then lifted the ban in 2022 after soaring food prices amid the African nation’s worst drought in four decades.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

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Grapes, blackberries, poultry immune system enhancement methods among patents recognized at annual Ag Awards

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By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New fruit varieties and a means to enhance poultry immune systems developed by University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture scientists were among 10 patents recognized Friday during the annual Agriculture Awards.

PATENTS — Jason Norsworthy, Distinguished Professor and Elms Farming Chair of Weed Science in the crop, soil and environmental sciences department, center, accepts a patent award from Parker Cole, left, associate director of technology commercialization, and Jean-François Meullenet, director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and senior associate vice president for agriculture-research for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

All of the patents arose from discoveries made by scientists within the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Cooperative Extension Service and some with the help of graduate students within the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

“I’m always excited about what our innovative researchers are doing,” said Lisa Childs, assistant vice president for technology commercialization for the Division of Agriculture. She is also a patent attorney.

“Once again this year, we have patents that reflect some of the broad range of commercially interesting research in the division,” she said. “We’ve had patents issue from horticulture, the rice research and extension center, entomology and plant pathology, poultry science, and crop soil and environmental science, and they all have in common the desire to make our world a better place to live in.”

Recognized this year were:

  • Burkholderia Cenocepacia and Pseudomonas Fluorescens Compositions and Methods of Using the Same: Alejandro Rojas – department of entomology and plant pathology; and Ruben Morawicki – department of food science

  • Table Grape Named A-1400 ‘Southern Sensation’: John Clark – department of horticulture

  • Herbicide-Resistant Grain Sorghum: Jason Norsworthy and Muthukumar Bagavathiannan – department of crop, soil, and environmental sciences

  • Robust Water Trading and Irrigation Performance Meter Measurement System: Christopher Henry – Rice Research and Extension Center

  • Pseudomonas Protegens and Products Thereof to Control Bacterial Panicle Blight of Rice: Alejandro Rojas – department of entomology and plant pathology

  • Blackberry Plant Named ‘APF-404T’: John Clark – department of horticulture

  • Blackberry Plant Named APF-409T: John Clark – department of horticulture

  • Table Grape Named ‘Compassion’: John Clark – department of horticulture

  • Novel Mucosal Adjuvants and Delivery Systems: Amanda Wolfenden-Bray, Billy Hargis, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias, Marion Morgan, Neil Pumford, and Srichaitanya Shivaramaiah – department of poultry science

  • Compositions and Methods of Enhancing Immune Responses to Eimeria or Limiting Eimeria: Billy Hargis, Lisa Bielke, Olivia Faulkner, and Srichaitanya Shivaramaiah – department of poultry science

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

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UA professor to study bias with $3.4 million federal grant

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by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Anastasia Makhanova, a psychology professor at the University of Arkansas, has been awarded a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. She will use the money to lead a five-year study on how stress and illness may cause bias in healthcare workers.

“Most people tend to focus on individual differences when it comes to looking at bias,” Makhanova said. “There’s been a lot less attention to the fact that the same people can make more biased decisions in particular situations.”

Research shows that, on average, patients from racial and ethnic minority groups receive worse care than white patients. By identifying situations that could cause a medical provider to act with increased bias, Makhanova’s research can show health care workers the more effective times to use existing anti-bias strategies. The results could also lead to systematic changes that reduce burnout and encourage health care providers to not work when they are sick.

UA professor to study bias with $3.4 million federal grant

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Study offers improvements to food quality computer predictions

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By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Have you ever stood in front of apples on display at the grocery store trying to pick out the best ones and wondered, “Is there an app for this?”

FOOD QUALITY PREDICTION — Dongyi Wang's study showed computer prediction of food quality improved when based on human perceptions under various lighting situations. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson)

Current machine-learning based computer models used for predicting food quality are not as consistent as a human’s ability to adapt to environmental conditions. Still, information compiled in an Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station study may be used someday to develop that app, as well as provide grocery stores with insights on presenting foods in a more appealing manner and optimize software designs for machine vision systems used in processing facilities.

The study led by Dongyi Wang, assistant professor of smart agriculture and food manufacturing in the biological and agricultural engineering department and the food science department, was recently published in the Journal of Food Engineering.

Even though human perception of food quality can be manipulated with illumination, the study showed that computers trained with data from human perceptions of food quality made more consistent food quality predictions under different lighting conditions.

“When studying the reliability of machine-learning models, the first thing you need to do is evaluate the human’s reliability,” Wang said. “But there are differences in human perception. What we are trying to do is train our machine-learning models to be more reliable and consistent.”

The study, supported by the National Science Foundation, showed that computer prediction errors can be decreased by about 20 percent using data from human perceptions of photos under different lighting conditions. It outperforms an established model that trains a computer using pictures without human perception variability taken into consideration.

Even though machine vision techniques have been widely studied and applied in the food engineering field, the study noted that most current algorithms are trained based on “human-labeled ground truths or simple color information.” No studies have considered the effects of illumination variations on human perception, and how the biases can affect the training of machine vision models for food quality evaluations, the authors stated.

The researchers used lettuce to evaluate human perceptions under different lighting conditions, which were in turn used to train the computer model. Sensory evaluations were done at the experiment station’s Sensory Science Center. Han-Seok Seo, professor in the food science department and director of the Sensory Science Center, was a co-author of the study.

Out of 109 participants in a broad age range, 89 completed all nine sensory sessions of the human perceptional reliability phase of the study. None of the participants were color blind or had vision problems. In five consecutive days, the panelists evaluated 75 images of Romaine lettuce each day. They graded freshness of the lettuce on a scale of zero to 100.

The images of lettuce the sensory panel graded were of samples photographed over the course of eight days to provide different levels of browning. They were taken under different lighting brightness and color temperatures, ranging from a blueish “cool” tone to an orangey “warm” tone, to obtain a dataset of 675 images.

Several well-established machine learning models were applied to evaluate the same images as the sensory panel, the study noted. Different neural network models used the sample images as inputs and were trained to predict the corresponding average human grading to better mimic human perception.

As seen in other experiments at the Sensory Science Center, human perception of food quality can be manipulated with illumination. For example, warmer environmental colors can disguise lettuce browning, Wang explained.

Wang said the method to train machine vision-based computers using human perceptions under different lighting conditions could be applied to many things, from foods to jewelry.

Other co-authors of the study from the University of Arkansas included Shengfan Zhang, associate professor of industrial engineering in the College of Engineering; Swarna Sethu, former post-doctoral researcher in biological and agricultural engineering department, and now assistant professor of Computer Information Sciences at Missouri Southern State University; and Victoria J. Hogan, program assistant in the food science department.

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation, grant numbers OIA-1946391 and No. 2300281. The authors also recognized graduate and senior undergraduate students Olivia Torres, Robert Blindauer and Yihong Feng for helping collect, analyze and grade samples.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

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UAMS Researcher to Develop Supervision Strategy for Addiction Treatment Programs

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By Kev' Moye

Jure Baloh, Ph.D., MHA, assistant professor in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health’s Department of Health Policy and Management, is leading a study designed to develop and pilot a supervision strategy to support management and staff of addiction treatment programs.

The three-year project launched in August. It’s funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse for nearly $700,000. The study will provide the foundation for a large-scale test of the strategy in the future.

“We’re trying to develop a system for addiction treatment facility supervisors to help support their counselors,” Baloh said. “That way, supervisors and staff can feel empowered and have the tools to help them do their jobs well. We think this approach can also help reduce the rates of burnout. We want to solve those issues.”

UAMS Researcher to Develop Supervision Strategy for Addiction Treatment Programs

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UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease

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By Benjamin Waldrum

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a five-year, nearly $2.2 million federal grant to study how modulating the body’s immune response may potentially benefit patients with certain eye diseases.

The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded the grant to a laboratory led by Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine. Fouda specializes in studying retinal ischemic diseases, which are common causes of vision impairment caused by a lack of blood flow to the retina. His lab focuses on developing new therapies for ischemic and trauma-induced retinopathy.

The grant allows Fouda’s lab to study the role of a certain type of immune cells, called myeloid cells, in retinopathy. In a process called efferocytosis, myeloid cells engulf, or eat, and remove dead cells as part of the body’s natural immune response. Although efferocytosis is well-documented for various diseases, its impact on retinopathy is largely unknown. Fouda’s initial data shows that efferocytosis could play a beneficial role in treating retinopathy. The project will explore methods of treatment to enhance myeloid cell-mediated efferocytosis, potentially leading to improved injury recovery and better patient outcomes.

UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease

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Graduate School Program Gives Undergraduates a Chance to Explore Research

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By Nathan Tidwell

For many undergraduate students, research isn’t an area they often get to experience. The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at the University of Arkansas of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) offers that opportunity.

SURP is a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded effort sponsored by the UAMS Graduate School.

Program co-directors are:

  • Robert E. McGehee Jr., Ph.D., dean emeritus of the Graduate School, distinguished professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and executive director of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute

  • Billy Thomas, M.D., professor and neonatologist in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics

Eleven students from six different colleges and universities were chosen for this year’s program, which ran from May 20-July 19.

Graduate School Program Gives Undergraduates a Chance to Explore Research

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UAMS Researchers Discover Cholesterol Drug’s Potential as Treatment for Alzheimer’s, Other Dementia

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By Chris Carmody

Researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have discovered that an FDA-approved cholesterol drug holds the potential to disrupt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

The research team published its findings in the journal Aging Biology. Akshatha Ganne, a postdoctoral fellow in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Geriatrics, is the lead author. Srinivas Ayyadevara, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine, and Robert J. Shmookler Reis, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine, are the corresponding/senior authors of the paper.

Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002, ezetimibe is a prescription medication that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the intestines.

UAMS Researchers Discover Cholesterol Drug’s Potential as Treatment for Alzheimer’s, Other Dementia

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Arkansas Children’s Research Institute receives $3 million to study deadly fungus

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by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

A pair of infectious disease experts are establishing an emerging research program at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) to address a germ considered to be the leading cause of death for patients with weakened immune systems.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have awarded grants worth more than $3 million to ACRI principal investigators Praveen Juvvadi and William Steinbach, who also serves as chief pediatrician at Arkansas Children’s and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine. Juvvadi is also an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at UAMS.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a relatively common fungus found in the environment in places like decaying leaf litter. It is a leading cause of death among people with compromised immune systems, a population that includes children with chronic illnesses. The fungus’ mortality rate exceeds 40%. Health care teams have trouble fighting Aspergillus fumigatus because the germ adapts and becomes stronger against currently available treatments.

Arkansas Children’s Research Institute receives $3 million to study deadly fungus

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National Institutes of Health Awards $31.7 Million to UAMS Translational Research Institute

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By David Robinson

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Translational Research Institute announced today that it will receive $31.7 million to continue its role in a national effort to accelerate discoveries for the toughest health challenges facing Arkansans and people across the United States.

The funding by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) puts UAMS among an elite group of research centers. The highly competitive Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) goes to only about 60 research institutions nationwide.

“This award attests to the unique capabilities of UAMS researchers in advancing discoveries and treatments,” U.S. Sen. John Boozman said in a statement provided by his office. “The institute has helped put UAMS in position to conduct exceptional, innovative science that’s on par with the best research institutions in the country. We can be proud this outstanding work is occurring right here in our state to improve the lives of Arkansans and all Americans.”

National Institutes of Health Awards $31.7 Million to UAMS Translational Research Institute

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Corn College offers tours, training for Arkansas corn producers

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By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

MARIANNA, Ark. — Corn producers will have the opportunity to learn about the latest research and get hands-on training in weed control, insect and disease management, nutrient deficiency identification and more at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s inaugural Corn College on Aug. 7.

CORN COLLEGE — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s first Corn College will be on Aug. 7, 2024, in Marianna, Arkansas. (UADA graphic)

The training will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station at 3121 Highway 1 South, Marianna. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. and tours and training start at 8:30 a.m.

“Unlike a regular field day, this is an opportunity for crop consultants, producers and industry professionals to see first-hand corn production programs and have in-depth discussions and hands-on training on issues facing Arkansas growers,” said Jason Kelley, extension corn agronomist for the Division of Agriculture.

Continuing education units will be available and lunch will be provided.

Registration is $100, and the deadline to register is Aug. 2.

Register Now

No on-site registration will be offered. 

Attendees will tour the research station and receive hands-on training in:

  • weed control programs

  • insect and disease identification and management

  • irrigation management

  • nutrient deficient identification and management

  • agronomic considerations

Tour stops and topics covered include:

Weed Control — Discussion and showcase of weed control programs with a focus on yellow nutsedge and morning glory control.
Instructor: Tom Barber, extension weed specialist

Disease Management — Common corn disease identification, hybrid susceptibility to foliar diseases, disease management options, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Instructors: Terry Spurlock and Camila Nicolli, extension plant pathologists

Insect Management — Corn borer identification and management, corn earworm (Bt resistance and damage), stored grain insect management, late-season defoliation impacts.Instructors: Glenn Studebaker, Ben Thrash and Nick Bateman, extension entomologists

Irrigation Practices — Irrigation scheduling with Watermark sensors and the mobile app, telemetry for sensors, feel method, types of sensors for irrigation, sap flow, and irrigation initiation and termination for corn.Instructor: Chris Henry, irrigation specialist

Agronomics — Growth and development, corn DD50 program, short stature corn, pollination issues, use of drones for plant stand evaluation. 
Instructors: Jason Kelley, extension agronomist; Chuck Capps, corn verification coordinator; Jason Davis, remote sensing extension specialist

Fertility Programs — Corn response to potassium; identifying common nutrient deficiencies in corn including potassium and zinc; comprehensive corn nutrient management for optimal yields and profitability. Pre-tassel crop nitrogen status and fertilizer need assessment using drones.

Instructors: Gerson Drescher, Trent Roberts and Aurelie Poncet, soil and precision ag specialists

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

 

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Study shows the more you know about GMOs, the more you accept them as safe

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By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The more that people know about gene editing, the more likely they are to feel it is safe to use in agriculture and medicine, according to a survey of more than 4,500 people across the United States.

While there is a technical difference between “gene editing” and “genetic modification,” also known as transgenics, people often lump the two biotechnologies together as genetic engineering. Gene editing does not introduce new biology to a genotype like gene modification.

PERCEPTIONS — Brandon McFadden, professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, researched consumer perceptions of the use of gene editing in agriculture and medicine for a study that was published this year. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Brandon McFadden, Tyson Endowed Chair in Food Policy Economics for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, was the lead author of a peer-reviewed study to find out more about the opinions of consumers in the United States on the safety of gene editing in agricultural and medical fields. The research, which analyzed surveys taken in 2021 and 2022, was published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology this year.

“People who have heard or read a lot about gene editing generally have a favorable opinion about using it for agricultural or medical purposes,” McFadden said. “So, people who are less familiar with gene editing are likelier to think it is unsafe.”

The study, McFadden noted, showed that people who are not as familiar with gene editing are more likely to think it is unsafe, and they require more evidence to change their minds. That evidence could come from either more studies or time without a negative outcome. The surveys showed that, on average, people with a negative opinion of gene editing’s safety need around 100 studies, or 20 years, to improve their opinion about the safety of gene editing.

However, McFadden noted that many people may never change their minds about the safety of gene editing. More than 10 percent of respondents stated that no amount of research or time without an adverse outcome would improve their opinion about the safety of gene editing for agriculture and medical products.

McFadden and his co-authors began the study at the University of Florida, and it was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through its Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants program.

Co-authors included Kathryn A. Stofer and Kevin M. Folta with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and Joy N. Rumble, now with The Ohio State University.

Stofer, research associate professor in the agricultural education and communication department for UF/IFAS, said the results were enlightening on multiple levels and opens more avenues of research.

“The study sets us up to test explicit messages about the number of studies or years of research on this technology that might help alleviate concerns about safety and support the benefits,” Stofer said.

Folta, UF/IFAS professor in the horticultural sciences department, said better perceptions of gene editing are associated with awareness of biotechnology.

“That means scientists need to be engaging in conversations about the successes, like how sickle cell disease may be curable in the next few years,” Folta said. “We used to think that providing more evidence didn’t change opinions, but this work shows maybe we can change public perception if we effectively share the good things we can do with gene editing.”

Difference in gene editing and genetic modification

Gene editing is “the process of precisely changing or deleting a few ‘letters’ of DNA,” the researchers explained in the study. This is different from genetic modification, also known as transgenics, which introduces new biology to a genome.

Both gene editing and gene modification are used in agriculture to develop plant varieties that are more drought tolerant and disease resistant in less time than traditional breeding techniques. The study notes that a lack of proactive public dialogue surrounding the primary introduction of genetically modified organisms “did irreparable damage to the emerging scientific field of genetic engineering,” and that the continued expansion of gene editing in the agricultural and medical fields has led many to call for “broad public dialogue” about the technology.

Gene editing in the medical field is also known as “gene therapy” and aims to treat and cure disease or make the body better able to fight disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, gene therapy “holds promise as a treatment for a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS.” Research cited in the McFadden study showed that public opinion on gene editing in the medical field was more supportive for therapeutic uses than aversion for non-disease uses that are cosmetic.

Public opinion varies

Data were collected during two time periods using surveys distributed online by Qualtrics to samples of U.S. adults. The Institutional Review Board at the University of Delaware approved both surveys. Collecting data from two samples allowed researchers to examine the stability of results across groups of respondents and time.

Recent research on public opinion toward the use of biotechnology in agriculture has focused on differences in opinions between the use of gene editing and genetic modification. McFadden noted that studies published in 2019 and 2020 concluded that the public generally supports gene editing in agriculture more than genetic modification. However, the objective of the new study was to explore U.S. public opinion about gene editing in the agricultural and medical fields. Another goal of the study was to provide more insight into the relationship between opinions about the safety of gene editing and the potential impact to improve opinions about safety.

Public acceptance seems to be associated with whether the gene editing is done for medical or agricultural purposes. The study noted that when participants in U.S. focus groups were asked what they thought about when hearing the words “gene editing,” the medical field was discussed more frequently and extensively than agriculture.

Researchers pointed out that in 2018 there was an announcement of gene-edited twins in China that increased public awareness of medical applications. Public aversion to the use of related biotechnology in agriculture has also been well-documented, McFadden added, despite support from the scientific community. For example, he pointed to a 2014 Pew Research survey of U.S. adults and researchers affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science estimating that 88 percent of its members agreed that genetically modified foods were safe to consume compared to only 37 percent of adults.

Results from the study indicate that people in the U.S. who are familiar with gene editing, or do not hold a negative opinion about safety, required less evidence to improve opinions about the safety of gene editing. On average, respondents in both samples were more familiar with gene editing in agriculture and more likely to have a positive opinion about its use in agriculture than for medical purposes.

“When we have a negative opinion about something, we should maybe ask ourselves what would cause us to change our minds,” McFadden said.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.

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NIH Awards Additional $3.7 Million to UAMS to Continue Groundbreaking Research into High Blood Pressure

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By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — In a major boost to cardiovascular research, the National Institutes of Health has awarded an additional $3.7 million to Shengyu Mu, Ph.D., and his team of researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to continue their groundbreaking study on the role of immune cells in hypertension.

Mu, an associate professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, was awarded an initial $1.89 million grant in 2019 to fund his laboratory’s exploration of the link between immune cells and hypertension, a widespread and serious health condition.

During that time, the team made substantial discoveries indicating that immune disorders contribute to high blood pressure, paving the way for the next phase of research.

NIH Awards Additional $3.7 Million to UAMS to Continue Groundbreaking Research into High Blood Pressure

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Experts Share New Treatments, Solutions for Parkinson’s Patients, Caregivers

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By Linda Satter

New treatments for Parkinson’s disease, including drugs that researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have been working on for years, will finally become available in pharmacies this year, Rohit Dhall, M.D., predicted at the recent Ninth Annual Parkinson’s Symposium at UAMS.

Dhall, who is also the medical director of the UAMS Clinical Trials Innovation Unit, said most of the novel therapies are designed to help patients control motor symptoms although UAMS neurologists are continuing research trials to slow the progression of the disease.

Addressing live and virtual audiences from a stage at the UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, he provided an update on a randomized clinical trial for which UAMS was a site, designed to test the effectiveness of the diabetes drug exenatide as a potential disease-modifying drug in Parkinson’s patients. Despite some initially positive signs, the trial did not show improved course of Parkinson’s disease after 48 weeks of receiving drug compared to those who received a placebo.

Experts Share New Treatments, Solutions for Parkinson’s Patients, Caregivers

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Poultry nutritionist joins Arkansas poultry science faculty

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By Jessica Wesson
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Poultry science nutritionist Benjamin Parsons plans to bring his passion to the poultry science department and Center of Excellence for Poultry Science through research.

NUTRITION — Poultry nutrition researcher Benjamin Parsons joined the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science in January. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Jessica Wesson)

Parsons joined the University of Arkansas System’s Center of Excellence for Poultry Science and the poultry science department as an assistant professor in January. In his new role, Parsons carries out research through the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Parsons will also teach through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. The Division of Agriculture, with the Bumpers College, provides the traditional land-grant triad of teaching, outreach and research.

“We are very excited to have Ben join the department as a tenure-track assistant professor working in the research focus area of poultry nutrition,” said David Caldwell, poultry science department head and director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science. “Our department has made very impactful advances in this field, and we are thrilled to have Ben join us and develop a program that I am certain will be of tremendous value to our industry stakeholders.”

Parsons’ research program will focus on the evaluation of nutrient availability in feedstuffs by determining its digestibility, retention and bioavailability. Bioavailability is the amount of a nutrient that is absorbed in the intestine, transported and used for metabolic functions within the body. He also plans to investigate the ability of feed additives to improve nutrient digestibility and study the effect of dietary components on intestinal secretions and nutrient losses. Parsons said that poultry nutrition research is vital for producers to be able to address industry challenges.

“This research is important for improving the precision by which we feed poultry, to ensure that their nutrient requirements are met and that optimal performance is achieved, while also minimizing the amount of inputs needed per unit of product produced,” Parsons said. “I also want to identify ways in which we can improve the quality of feedstuffs that we need for poultry and increase the availability of nutrients within the diet, while also minimizing wastage of nutrients.”

Parsons received a Ph.D. in poultry science from the University of Arkansas. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“I’m excited and honored to join the department as a faculty member and do my part to ensure the success of our students and the poultry industry as a whole,” Parsons said. “We have a truly great group of faculty, staff and students, as well as a rich history.”

Caldwell noted that Parsons will also assume responsibility for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in poultry nutrition that are fundamental to the department’s academic program.

“Ben’s background and training make him a perfect fit for this position, and we couldn’t be happier about having him join our faculty,” Caldwell said.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

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UAMS Research Team Discovers Potential Alzheimer’s Drug

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By David Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — A potential new drug to prevent Alzheimer’s disease in people with the so-called Alzheimer’s gene has been discovered by a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) research team led by Sue Griffin, Ph.D.

UAMS’ Sue Griffin, Ph.D., and Meenakshisundaram, Balasubramaniam, Ph.D., led the discovery of the potential Alzheimer’s drug for people with the inherited Alzheimer’s gene.

The findings were published Jan. 8 in Communications Biology and include discoveries of a druggable target and a drug candidate, made by Meenakshisundaram Balasubramaniam, Ph.D., the paper’s first author.

An estimated 50-65% of people with Alzheimer’s disease have inherited the Alzheimer’s gene, Apolipoprotein E4 (APOEε4), from one or both parents. About 25% of people have one copy of APOEε4 and are three times as likely to develop the disease. Those with two copies (one from each parent) make up 2-3% of the population and are 12-15 times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

UAMS Research Team Discovers Potential Alzheimer’s Drug

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Teenage Researcher Leads UAMS Parkinson’s Study Published in Scientific Reports

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By David Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — Eighteen-year-old Anu LArkyer, the recent Little Rock Central High School graduate and machine-learning sensation collaborating with a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) research team, is the lead author on a publication in Scientific Reports, part of the Nature portfolio journals.

She was joined as co-first author by UAMS’ Aaron Kemp, MBA, a Ph.D. student in the College of Medicine Department of Biomedical Informatics.

The publication stems from Iyer’s work with Kemp and other UAMS researchers using machine learning to detect Parkinson’s disease on a project supported by a UAMS Translational Research Institute (TRI) Team Science Champion Award.

Teenage Researcher Leads UAMS Parkinson’s Study Published in Scientific Reports

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New organization ‘AIMs’ to improve maternal health outcomes

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by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Driven by research that shows Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation, Arkansans for Improving Maternal Health (AIM) has formed to advance policies to raise the state’s standing. The group said it defines maternal healthcare to include prenatal care, safe delivery and postpartum support like mental healthcare.

AIM said it will amplify stories from parents to improve public awareness and to spur action for better maternal healthcare access, affordability and quality. A website, AIMforArkansas.org, has launched to share stories, connect with other parents and learn more about the challenges facing Arkansas.

“Statistics are compelling, but thousands of families have stories about how poor maternal healthcare, including care after birth, set them on the wrong path at a moment when their family’s future should have felt so full of possibility. Our goal is to share the stories behind the numbers,” said AIM Executive Director Ashley Bearden Campbell. “These moms and dads, and their children, deserve to be heard.”

New organization ‘AIMs’ to improve maternal health outcomes