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How a diagnostic tool used on cows might unlock a key to COVID-19 testing

What do cows and COVID-19 have in common?  Unless you’re Mohit Verma, assistant professor in Purdue University’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, the answer is probably not much.
 
Verma’s research focuses on developing biosensors to monitor infectious diseases in bovines. Specifically, he studies how to diagnose Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), the most common bovine disease in beef cattle in the world. Detection of the disease can be difficult and costly. Verma’s lab develops methods for testing that are accurate, safe and less expensive for farmers and veterinarians.
 
“The technique we use is based on the identification of nucleic acids specific to that virus,” Verma said. “The test will show us what pathogen is causing the infection. This helps determine which antibiotic to prescribe.” The tests are small sensors, cheap and easy to produce that provide test results in a matter of minutes.
 
“That’s exactly what is needed right now for COVID-19 testing,” Verma said. “So, back in February, we began looking at ways to adapt the biosensor used for BRD to a cheap, reliable test for COVID-19 and other SARS diseases.”
 
The tests have performed well in the lab setting, and Verma said he is working with external partners (Raytheon BBN, PortaScience, Laduca RCA) to fast-track the approval of the device when the time is appropriate. Several challenges remain.
 
The main hurdle: logistics.
 
The project is being accelerated, attempting to accomplish a goal in months that would typically take years. There are technical challenges in the lab. And Verma faces challenges with purchasing, personnel, and facilities.  He is working with administrative leaders to overcome these challenges and minimize delays. His target is for the device to be submitted to the FDA for emergency use within three months.
 
Verma knows many other researchers are working on COVID-19 testing devices around the world, and even some at Purdue. That’s an entirely positive thing, he explains. A likely and ideal scenario, he continued, is that many of these tests are approved for usage and flood the market, addressing the severe shortage of diagnostic equipment currently stymieing efforts to eradicate COVID-19 globally.
 
Long-term, Verma hopes this same kind of technology can be used for other kinds of viruses, including influenza. Ideally, one device could detect multiple targets, which would improve diagnostic accuracy, cut down on healthcare cost and save time for healthcare professionals.
 
“This is a great example of how the technology developed in agriculture can have implications far beyond that sphere,” Verma said.
Source : ag.purdue.edu

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US Soy: Pig growth is impaired by soybean meal displacement in the diet

Video: US Soy: Pig growth is impaired by soybean meal displacement in the diet

Eric van Heugten, PhD, professor and swine extension specialist at North Carolina State University, recently spoke at the Iowa Swine Day Pre-Conference Symposium, titled Soybean Meal 360°: Expanding our horizons through discoveries and field-proven feeding strategies for improving pork production. The event was sponsored by Iowa State University and U.S. Soy.

Soybean meal offers pig producers a high-value proposition. It’s a high-quality protein source, providing essential and non-essential amino acids to the pig that are highly digestible and palatable. Studies now show that soybean meal provides higher net energy than current National Research Council (NRC) requirements. Plus, soybean meal offers health benefits such as isoflavones and antioxidants as well as benefits with respiratory diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

One of several ingredients that compete with the inclusion of soybean meal in pig diets is dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS).

“With DDGS, we typically see more variable responses because of the quality differences depending on which plant it comes from,” said Dr. van Heugten. “At very high levels, we often see a reduction in performance especially with feed intake which can have negative consequences on pig performance, especially in the summer months when feed intake is already low and gaining weight is at a premium to get them to market.”

Over the last few decades, the industry has also seen the increased inclusion of crystalline amino acids in pig diets.

“We started with lysine at about 3 lbs. per ton in the diet, and then we added methionine and threonine to go to 6 to 8 lbs. per ton,” he said. “Now we have tryptophan, isoleucine and valine and can go to 12 to 15 lbs. per ton. All of these, when price competitive, are formulated into the diet and are displacing soybean meal which also removes the potential health benefits that soybean meal provides.”