The role of citizen science in addressing grand challenges in food and agriculture research

The power of citizen science to contribute to both science and society is gaining increased recognition, particularly in physics and biology. Although there is a long history of public engagement in agriculture and food science, the term 'citizen science' has rarely been applied to these efforts. Similarly, in the emerging field of citizen science, most new citizen science projects do not focus on food or agriculture. Here, we convened thought leaders from a broad range of fields related to citizen science, agriculture, and food science to highlight key opportunities for bridging these overlapping yet disconnected communities/fields and identify ways to leverage their respective strengths. Specifically, we show that (i) citizen science projects are addressing many grand challenges facing our food systems, as outlined by the United States National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as well as broader Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations Development Programme, (ii) there exist emerging opportunities and unique challenges for citizen science in agriculture/food research, and (iii) the greatest opportunities for the development of citizen science projects in agriculture and food science will be gained by using the existing infrastructure and tools of Extension programmes and through the engagement of urban communities. Further, we argue there is no better time to foster greater collaboration between these fields given the trend of shrinking Extension programmes, the increasing need to apply innovative solutions to address rising demands on agricultural systems, and the exponential growth of the field of citizen science.

A population-based study of the incidence of delusional infestation in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1976-2010

BACKGROUND

Delusional infestation (DI) is a well-recognized clinical entity but there is a paucity of reliable data concerning its epidemiology. Knowledge of the epidemiology is fundamental to an understanding of any disease and its implications. Epidemiology is most accurately assessed using population-based studies, which are most generalizable to the wider population in the U.S. and worldwide. To our knowledge, no population-based study of the epidemiology (particularly incidence) of DI has been reported to date.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence of delusional infestation (DI) using a population-based study.

METHODS

Medical records of Olmsted County residents were reviewed using the resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project to confirm the patient's status as a true incident case of DI and to gather demographic information. Patients with a first-time diagnosis of DI or synonymous conditions between 1 January 1976 and 31 December 2010 were considered incident cases.

RESULTS

Of 470 identified possible diagnoses, 64 were true incident cases of DI in this population-based study. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence was 1·9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·5-2·4] per 100 000 person-years. Mean age at diagnosis was 61·4 years (range 9-92 years). The incidence of DI increased over the four decades from 1·6 (95% CI 0·6-2·6) per 100 000 person-years in 1976-1985 to 2·6 (95% CI 1·4-3·8) per 100 000 person-years in 2006-2010.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that DI is a rare disease, with incidence increasing across the life span, especially after the age of 40 years.

Spatial and temporal changes in the morphology of preosteoblastic cells seeded on microstructured tantalum surfaces

It has been widely reported that surface morphology on the micrometer scale affects cell function as well as cell shape. In this study, we have systematically compared the influence of 13 topographically micropatterned tantalum surfaces on the temporal development of morphology, including spreading, and length of preosteoblastic cells (MC3T3-E1). Cells were examined after 0.5, 1, 4, and 24 h on different Ta microstructures with vertical dimensions (heights) of 0.25 and 1.6 mum. Cell morphologies depended upon the underlying surface topography, and the length and spreading of cells varied as a function of time with regard to the two-dimensional pattern and vertical dimension of the structure. Microstructures of parallel grooves/ridges caused elongated cell growth after 1 and 4 h in comparison to a flat, nonstructured, reference surface. For microstructures consisting of pillars, cell spreading was found to depend on the distance between the pillars with one specific pillar structure exhibiting a decreased spreading combined with a radical change in morphology of the cells. Interestingly, this morphology on the particular pillar structure was associated with a markedly different distribution of the actin cytoskeleton. Our results provide a basis for further work toward topographical guiding of cell function.

Time-resolved detection of singlet oxygen in a transmission microscope

The time-resolved absorption spectrum of singlet oxygen [O2(a1 delta g)-->O2(b1 sigma g+)] has been recorded in the region approximately 5100-5300 cm-1 from air-saturated polystyrene samples using a microscope attached to a step-scan Fourier transform IR spectrometer. Singlet oxygen signals were observed with a time resolution of approximately 160 ns from sample volumes of approximately 20 nL using moderate data-acquisition times. These data indicate that it is reasonable and worthwhile to consider the further development of a transmission microscope as a viable tool to create singlet oxygen images of inhomogeneous samples including samples of biological importance.

Resonance in periodic chemotherapy: a case study of acute myelogenous leukemia

The effects of periodic chemotherapy administration are evaluated within the context of a G(0)model of the cell cycle. Parameters are estimated for normal bone marrow cells and malignant cells in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). This model explicitly includes the resting G(0)phase and the feedback mechanism that recruits the cells back into the cell cycle. Periodic chemotherapy administration can induce resonance within our model under high cell kill rate where the average cell cycle times may change during the course of treatment, and therapeutic benefits from these resonances cannot be solely based on cell cycle times in untreated tissue. The depletion rate under chemotherapy and the regrowth rate may differ between the cell populations, and our analysis suggests that this favors the tumour cells. We were able to distinguish between the effects of cycle-non-specific, S -phase-specific and M -phase-specific drugs, and found that these can show differences in sharpness and location of the resonance phenomenon. We conclude that resonance chemotherapy (chronotherapy) is unlikely to be efficacious in the treatment of AML.

[Attitude of patients toward detection of hereditary disease. Heterozygote familial hypercholesterolemia]

Molecular biology has enabled us to identify apparently healthy persons at high risk of genetic disease. The purpose of the present study was to examine attitudes to detection of disease and the present well-being in persons at risk of disease with a modifiable outcome-heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (heFH). A questionnaire collecting information on impact on well-being and on attitudes to screening family members for heFH was mailed to heFH index patients and hypercholesterolaemic relatives. Anxiety was expressed by 44%, fear of ischaemic heart disease by 37% and diminished well-being by 13% of respondents. Six percent regretted that they were aware of their diagnosis, and 84% were in favour of screening their family. We conclude that a substantial proportion of persons with heFH experience anxiety due to heFH. A small minority regret being informed of the diagnosis of heFH, however, and a majority are in favour of family screening.

Patients' attitudes toward detection of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

BACKGROUND

Molecular biology has improved the diagnostic abilities of physicians and enabled them to identify apparently healthy persons with a high risk of genetic disease.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the attitudes toward detection of disease and the present well-being in persons at risk of disease with a modifiable outcome, in this case heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and their hypercholesterolemic relatives.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire was developed that collected information on the impact on well-being at present and at the time of diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia and on attitudes toward screening family members for heterozygous FH. It was mailed to 62 index patients with heterozygous FH, which was defined by using clinical criteria, and 108 hypercholesterolemic relatives. The response rate was 88%. Results were related to demographic data, experience of psychological or physiologic reactions in relation to awareness of hypercholesterolemia, cardiovascular symptoms, lipid-lowering drug treatment, and information on the DNA-based diagnosis.

RESULTS

Of the respondents, anxiety was expressed by 44%, fear of coronary heart disease by 37%, and diminished well-being by 13%. These findings were most pronounced in persons who had experienced physiologic or psychological reactions at the time of diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia or who already had heart disease. Six percent regretted that they were aware of their disease diagnosis, and 84% were in favor of screening for affected individuals in families with a history of heterozygous FH.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that a substantial proportion of persons with heterozygous FH had some degree of anxiety. A small minority regretted that they were informed of the diagnosis of heterozygous FH, however, and a majority were in favor of family screening for heterozygous FH.