bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-assembly of bioinspired peptides for biomimetic synthesis of advanced peptide-based nanomaterials: a mini-review
Authors: Kong Hao , Yang Guozheng , He Peng , Zhu Danzhu , Luan Xin , Xu Youyin , Mu Rongqiu , Wei Gang
Published: January 2023

The design and motif-tailoring of peptide sequences are crucial for mediating the self-assembly of peptide molecules and the biomimetic synthesis of functional peptide-based nanomaterials. It is well known that nature provides guidance and inspiration for the design and molecular tailoring of functional peptide sequences, which can further self-assemble into complex peptide nanomaterials with adjustable dimensions. In this mini-review, we summarize recent advances in the bioinspired design and regulation of functional peptide sequences by natural things, such as mussels, milk protein, silkworm silk, frogs and Alzheimer’s disease. The self-assembly of bioinspired peptides in vitro and in vivo for controlled synthesis of various peptide-based nanomaterials is introduced and analyzed. In addition, various applications of biomimetic peptide nanomaterials for biosensors, bioimaging, cancer therapy, antibacterial materials, tissue engineering, as well as energy storage and environmental science are demonstrated in detail. Finally, we give perspectives on the future development of this promising research topic. With these efforts, we hope to promote the understanding of the optimization of bioinspired peptides and the design of novel peptide nanomaterials for advanced applications.
Morphology exploration of pollen using deep learning latent space
Authors: Grant-Jacob James A , Zervas Michalis N , Mills Ben
Published: January 2023

The structure of pollen has evolved depending on its local environment, competition, and ecology. As pollen grains are generally of size 10–100 microns with nanometre-scale substructure, scanning electron microscopy is an important microscopy technique for imaging and analysis. Here, we use style transfer deep learning to allow exploration of latent w-space of scanning electron microscope images of pollen grains and show the potential for using this technique to understand evolutionary pathways and characteristic structural traits of pollen grains.
Antennal Sensilla in Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Authors: Haddad Stephanie , Clarke Dave J , Jeong Soo-Hyun , Mitchell Robert F , McKenna Duane D
Published: January 2023

Insect antennae are crucial sensory organs that house numerous sensilla with receptors for perceiving a wide variety of cues dominating their world. Historically, inconsistent terminology and criteria have been used to classify antennal sensilla, which has greatly impeded the comparison of data even across closely related species. Longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are no exception to this quandary, and despite their prominent antennae, few studies have investigated their antennal morphology and ultrastructure, and none have compared sensillar diversity and variation among cerambycids. Existing studies of longhorn beetle antennal sensilla include only 29 species in five of the eight cerambycid subfamilies and include misidentified sensilla types and conflicting terminology. As such, it is very difficult to conduct comparative morphological studies of antennal sensilla in longhorn beetles and challenging to understand inter- and intra-specific variation in the sensory systems of these beetles. To facilitate future comparative studies, we reviewed all accessible published papers that have used scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) to investigate antennal sensilla in cerambycids, and present a first attempt at standardizing the classification of their documented sensilla types and subtypes. Specifically, we discuss seven major types of antennal sensilla (Böhm bristles, sensilla chaetica, chemosensory hairs, sensilla basiconica, dome shaped organs, sensilla coeloconica, and sensilla auricillica). We also imaged the antennae of relevant species of longhorn beetles using SEM and included images exemplifying as many of the sensilla types and subtypes as possible.
Evaluation of Stoffenmanager® and ART for Estimating Occupational Inhalation Exposures to Volatile Liquids
Authors: Lee Eun Gyung
Published: January 2023

In practice, workers often handle the same chemical(s) of interest under different control measures (e.g. local ventilation, enclosed system) during a full shift. Stoffenmanager® allows users to predict either task-based or full-shift exposures. However, most previous studies evaluated the tool by comparing task-based exposures with measured exposures. Also, limited evaluation studies of the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) with the Bayesian approach (ART+B) are available, requiring additional evaluation studies. The performance of Stoffenmanager® and ART with and without the Bayesian approach was evaluated with measured full-shift exposures to volatile liquids in terms of accuracy, precision, and conservatism. Forty-two exposure situation scenarios (including 251 exposures), developed based on job tasks and chemicals handled during tasks from workplaces, were used to generate full-shift estimates. The estimates were then compared with measured exposures using various comparison methods. Overall, Stoffenmanager® appeared to be the most accurate among the testing tools, while ART+B was the most precise. The percentage of measured exposures exceeding the tools’ 90th percentile estimates (%M>T) demonstrated that Stoffenmanager® (16%M>T) and ART+B (13%M>T) were more conservative than ART (41%M>T). When the 90% upper confidence limit of the 90th percentile estimate was considered, the level of conservatism changed from low (41%M>T) to medium (17%M>T) for ART and from medium (13%M>T) to high (0.8%M>T) for ART+B. The findings of this study indicate that no single tool would work for all ESs. Thus, it is recommended that users select a tool based on the performance results of three components (i.e. accuracy, precision, and conservatism), not depending on one or two components. The strength of this study is that the required tools’ input parameters were obtained during the sample collection to minimize assumptions for many input parameters. In addition, unlike other previous studies, multiple subtasks, which happen often in workplaces, were incorporated in this study. Nevertheless, the present study did not cover all activities listed in the tools and was limited to volatile liquids, suggesting further studies cover other exposure categories (e.g. solid, metal) and diverse activities.
Time-calibrated phylogenies reveal mediterranean and pre-mediterranean origin of the thermophilous vegetation of the Canary Islands
Authors: Martín-Hernanz Sara , Nogales Manuel , Valente Luis , Fernández-Mazuecos Mario , Pomeda-Gutiérrez Fernando , Cano Emilio , Marrero Patricia , Olesen Jens M , Heleno Ruben , Vargas Pablo
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims

The Canary Islands have strong floristic affinities with the Mediterranean Basin. One of the most characteristic and diverse vegetation belts of the archipelago is the thermophilous woodland (between 200 and 900 m.a.s.l.). This thermophilous plant community consists of many non-endemic species shared with the Mediterranean Floristic Region together with Canarian endemic species. Consequently, phytogeographic studies have historically proposed the hypothesis of an origin of the Canarian thermophilous species following the establishment of the summer-dry mediterranean climate in the Mediterranean Basin around 2.8 million years ago.

Methods

Time-calibrated phylogenies for 39 plant groups including Canarian thermophilous species were primarily analysed to infer colonization times. In particular, we used 26 previously published phylogenies together with 13 new time-calibrated phylogenies (including newly generated plastid and nuclear DNA sequence data) to assess whether the time interval between stem and crown ages of Canarian thermophilous lineages postdates 2.8 Ma. For lineages postdating this time threshold, we additionally conducted ancestral area reconstructions to infer the potential source area for colonization.

Key Results

A total of 43 Canarian thermophilous lineages were identified from 39 plant groups. Both mediterranean (16) and pre-mediterranean (9) plant lineages were found. However, we failed to determine the temporal origin for 18 lineages because a stem–crown time interval overlaps with the 2.8-Ma threshold. The spatial origin of thermophilous lineages was also heterogeneous, including ancestral areas from the Mediterranean Basin (nine) and other regions (six).

Conclusions

Our findings reveal an unexpectedly heterogeneous origin of the Canarian thermophilous species in terms of colonization times and mainland source areas. A substantial proportion of the lineages arrived in the Canaries before the summer-dry climate was established in the Mediterranean Basin. The complex temporal and geographic origin of Canarian thermophilous species challenges the view of the Canary Islands (and Madeira) as a subregion within the Mediterranean Floristic Region.
Isolation and characterization of blackish-brown BY2-melanin accumulated in cultured tobacco BY-2 cells
Authors: Islam Abul Taher Mohammed Rafiqul , Shinzato Keita , Miyaoka Hiroki , Komaguchi Kenji , Koike Kanae , Arakawa Kenji , Kitamura Kenji , Tanaka Nobukazu
Published: January 2023

The tobacco BY-2 cell line is one of the most utilized plant cell lines. After long-term culture, the cells turn brown to black, but the causal pigment is unknown. We successfully isolated a blackish-brown pigment from BY-2 cells cultured for 3 weeks. Morphological and spectroscopic analyses indicated that the pigment had similar features to a melanin-like substance reported previously. Furthermore, physicochemical analyses revealed that this pigment possessed most of the properties of melanin-like pigments. In addition, the high nitrogen content suggested that it differed from common plant melanins classified as allomelanins, suggesting a novel eumelanin-like pigment: “BY2-melanin”. This is the first example showing that eumelanin-like pigments are produced in the cultures of plant cells for which the accumulation of melanin has not been reported. This tobacco BY-2 cell culture technique may represent a customizable and sustainable alternative to conventional melanin production platforms, with significant potential for industrial and pharmacological applications.
Evaluation of Social Work Student Placements in General Practice
Authors: Zuchowski Ines , McLennan Simoane , Sen Gupta Tarun
Published: January 2023

Social work and social work student placements in general practice [GP] can contribute to wholistic healthcare. The overall aims of this research were to develop, implement and evaluate a field education placement curriculum for social work student placements in GP clinics. Between December 2021 and June 2022, six students completed their social work placements in four GP practices in North Queensland. Data collection included student records and an online survey that invited students, field educators, task supervisors, mentors, allied health professionals and GPs to provide feedback about the usefulness of the developed materials, the benefits and challenges of the placements, the services provided by the students, patient outcomes and feedback, social work learning, service delivery overall and the value of, and satisfaction with, the social work GP placements. Social work student placements in GP practices offer a valuable broadening of field education learning opportunities for social work and can benefit GP settings. Such placements need to be particularly carefully scaffolded and supported through a comprehensive curriculum, supervision, and a welcoming GP setting. Students interested in embarking in such a learning journey need to be highly confident and competent in social work practice.
Oesophagectomy following noncurative endoscopic resection for oesophageal carcinoma: does interval matter?
Authors: Huang Binhao , Deng Yangqing , Liu Zhichao , Zhu Xiuzhi , Su Yuceng , Gu Dantong , Li Zhigang , Fang Wentao , Pennathur Arjun , Luketich James D , Xiang Jiaqing , Chen Hezhong , Wu Qingquan , Xu Wei , Zhang Jie
Published: January 2023

OBJECTIVES

Oesophagectomy was always recommended after noncurative endoscopic resection (ER). And the optimal time interval from ER to oesophagectomy remains unclear. This study was to explore the effect of interval on pathologic stage and prognosis.

METHODS

We included 155 patients who underwent ER for cT1N0M0 oesophageal cancer and then received subsequent oesophagectomy from 2009 to 2019. Overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) were analysed to find an optimal cut-off of interval from ER to oesophagectomy. In addition, pathologic stage after ER was compared to that of oesophagectomy. Logistic regression model was built to identify risk factors for pathological upstage.

RESULTS

The greatest difference of DFS was found in the groups who underwent oesophagectomy before and after 30 days (P = 0.016). Among total 155 patients, 106 (68.39%) received oesophagectomy within 30 days, while 49 (31.61%) had interval over 30 days. Comparing the pathologic stage between ER and oesophagectomy, 26 patients had upstage and thus had worse DFS (hazard ratio = 3.780, P = 0.042). T1b invasion, lymphovascular invasion and interval >30-day group had a higher upstage rate (P = 0.014, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). And they were independent risk factors for pathologic upstage (odds ratio = 3.782, 4.522 and 2.844, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

It was the first study exploring the relationship between time interval and prognosis in oesophageal cancer. The longer interval between noncurative ER and additional oesophagectomy was associated with a worse DFS, so oesophagectomy was recommended performed within 1 month after ER. Older age, T1b stage, lymphovascular invasion and interval >30 days were significantly associated with pathologic upstage, which is related to the worse outcome too.
Amiodarone-induced phlebitis: incidence and adherence to a clinical practice guideline
Authors: Brørs Gunhild , Gjeilo Kari Hanne , Lund Tonje , Skevik Karin , Aa Elizabeth , Høvik Lise Husby , Skarsvaag Torhild , Mjølstad Ole Christian
Published: January 2023

Aims

Intravenous amiodarone is an irritant of peripheral blood vessels with phlebitis as an adverse effect. The aims were to determine the incidence of intravenous amiodarone-induced phlebitis, to describe adherence to a clinical practice guideline, and to determine how characteristics were distributed between those with and without phlebitis.

Methods and results

A prospective observational study was conducted. Adult patients treated with amiodarone through a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) or a central venous catheter were included. PIVC characteristics were measured using the PIVC mini questionnaire. Patients with ≥two signs of phlebitis were categorized as having phlebitis. Adherence to the clinical practice guideline was registered on a standard abstract sheet. Data were collected from the amiodarone start-up to 2 days after the amiodarone was discontinued. In total, 124 patients with amiodarone infusions were observed, of which 69% were administered via a PIVC. The phlebitis rate was 44%. Fifty-three per cent developed amiodarone-induced phlebitis during the infusion phase, while 47% presented phlebitis during the post-infusion phase. The three most observed signs or symptoms of phlebitis were redness (87%), pain (81%), and swelling (71%). The most commonly used PIVC site was the elbow, and 35% of the PIVCs were large (18 gauge), which was the last preferred site and size according to the clinical practice guideline.

Conclusion

A large proportion of the patients developed amiodarone-induced phlebitis. The adherence to the clinical practice guideline was not optimal according to the PIVC recommendations. Prevention of amiodarone-induced phlebitis should have high priority to reduce patient harm.
Impact of a public open-access community-based physical activity and fall prevention program on physical performance in older adults
Authors: Sanchez Manuel , Vidal Jean-Sébastien , Bichon Astrid , Mairesse Camille , Flouquet Christiane , Hanon Olivier , Raynaud-Simon Agathe
Published: January 2023

Background

In older adults, physical activity (PA) is important in maintaining physical performance. Data on the effectiveness of public open-access community-based programs on physical performance and fall prevention are scarce.

Methods

Prospective observational controlled study in community centers providing an open-access public prevention program. Retirees aged ≥60 years who chose to participate in weekly PA workshops for 3 months were compared to those who chose the cognitive stimulation (CS) workshops. Collected data: handgrip strength, five times sit-to-stand, single-leg stance, Timed Up and Go tests, gait speed, short physical performance battery (SPPB) and frailty status at baseline (M0) and at 3 months (M3). The proportion of participants reporting a history of falls was assessed at baseline and using follow-up telephone interviews (F-Up).

Results

Two hundred eighty-eight participants (age 73.8 years, 87% women) were included. The sit-to-stand test, single-leg stance and SPPB scores improved significantly between M0 and M3 in both groups. A greater SPPB increase was observed in the PA than in the CS group (+0.39 vs. +0.32 points, P = 0.02) after adjustment for age, sex, number of sessions attended, fall history and SPPB at baseline. During F-Up (median 22 months), the proportion of participants reporting at least one fall decreased from 55% to 31% (P = 0.01) in the PA group and from 27% to 19% (P = 0.12) in the CS group.

Conclusion

In a public open-access community-based program participants improved physical performance and reduced fall incidence when participating in the PA or the CS workshops. Older adults may benefit most from multifaceted prevention programs.
Do prescription stimulants increase risk of Parkinson’s disease among adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder? A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kindt Hailey M , Tuan Wen-Jan , Bone Curtis W
Published: January 2023

Background

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder in older adults that is associated with neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and characterized by loss of dopaminergic cells. Illicit stimulants increase oxidative stress and are associated with increased risk of PD. Prescription stimulants are similar in mechanism to illicit stimulants, yet their influence on PD is not well described. This study aims to determine if prescription stimulants influence risk of PD among older adults with attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

We implemented a retrospective observational cohort design utilizing the TriNetX database which sources from the electronic health records of 57 healthcare organizations. Inclusion criteria were ADHD diagnosis and age ≥50. Those exposed to stimulants and the unexposed controls were matched based on demographics and known risk factors for PD. The outcome of interest was the incidence of PD over a 30-year follow-up period. We utilized TriNetX software for hazard ratio (HR) analysis.

Results

Among the 59,471 individuals treated with prescription stimulants 131 of them developed PD, and there were 272 individuals who developed PD that were not prescribed stimulants. This analysis yielded a HR of 0.419 (HR = 0.419 [95% CI 0.34, 0.516], P = 0.0013).

Conclusion

Illicit stimulants are associated with increased risk of PD, but this study suggests prescribed stimulants may not impart that same risk. The reduced risk in this cohort may be due to protection from illicit substance use and oxidative stress, however additional study exploring the relationship between prescription stimulants and PD is warranted.
Grape-associated fungal community patterns persist from berry to wine on a fine geographical scale
Authors: Martiniuk Jonathan T , Hamilton Jonah , Dodsworth Thomas , Measday Vivien
Published: January 2023

Wine grape fungal community composition is influenced by abiotic factors including geography and vintage. Compositional differences may correlate with different wine metabolite composition and sensory profiles, suggesting a microbial role in the shaping of a wine's terroir, or regional character. While grape and wine-associated fungal community composition has been studied extensively at a regional and sub-regional scale, it has not been explored in detail on fine geographical scales over multiple harvests. Over two years, we examined the fungal communities on Vitis Vinifera cv. Pinot noir grape berry surfaces, in crushed grapes, and in lab spontaneous fermentations from three vineyards within a < 1 km radius in Canada's Okanagan Valley wine region. We also evaluated the effect of winery environment exposure on fungal community composition by sampling grapes crushed and fermented in the winery at commercial scale. Spatiotemporal community structure was evident among grape berry surface, crushed grape and fermentation samples, with each vineyard exhibiting a distinct fungal community signature. Crushed grape fungal populations were richer in fermentative yeast species compared to grape berry surface fungal populations. Our study suggests that, as on a regional level, fungal populations may contribute to fine-scale -terroir,’ with significant implications for single-vineyard wines.
Basin-scale terrestrial water storage changes inferred from GRACE-based geopotential differences: a case study of the Yangtze River Basin, China
Authors: Zhong Bo , Li Qiong , Li Xianpao , Chen Jianli
Published: January 2023

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mass concentration (mascon) solutions provide enhanced signal and spatial resolution of surface mass changes by using regularization techniques to reduce striping errors. To further improve the computational efficiency and capture the same benefits as GRACE mascon solutions, we presented an estimation of regional mascon solutions from GRACE-based geopotential differences by using spatio-temporal constraints with the unconstrained spherical harmonic solutions as a priori information. As a case study, the changes in the basin-scale terrestrial water storage (TWS) over the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) on 2° × 2° grids at monthly intervals were estimated using GRACE-based geopotential differences, for the period of 2003 January—2013 December. The estimates were validated through official GRACE mascon solutions and in situ observations (i.e. time derivative of TWS change derived from precipitation, evapotranspiration and river run-off based on the water mass balance equation). The results demonstrate that the spatial and temporal patterns of TWS changes in the YRB inferred from geopotential differences adequately agree with the official mascon solutions; however, differences in amplitudes can be observed at the subbasin scale because of different regularizations applied in different solutions. In situ validations demonstrate that seasonal changes of mascon solutions and in situ observations agree well in the YRB; however, there are evident discrepancies in amplitudes over the subbasins owing to leakage biases in mascon solutions. For the entire YRB, the statistical evaluation and cross-wavelet transform demonstrate that our regional mascon solutions appear more consistent with in situ observations than the official mascon solutions. In addition, compared with the results estimated by spatial constraints, regional mascon solutions estimated by spatio-temporal constraints using observations from three consecutive months adjacent to the given month were improved. Our method provides an alternative option to use different regularization constraints, which is helpful for fine-tuning analysis of basin-scale TWS changes.
Irrational use of medicine in Arab countries: findings from a systematic review of literature (2000–2019)
Authors: Mhadi Ashraf Abdulrahim , Ong Siew Chin , Abed Yehia , Abu Ali Khaled Ali
Published: January 2023

Objective

This study aimed to analyse the patterns of the irrational use of medicines in Arab countries and to determine the factors contributing to these patterns.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted using two major databases: PubMed and Scopus. The systematic search targeted original studies conducted in Arab countries from 2000 to 2019. A conceptual framework was adopted from a previous study and was utilized to assess the irrational use of medicines and its influencing factors.

Results

A total of 136 studies from 16 Arab countries were included. Almost all were cross-sectional studies. Most focused on evaluating the irrational use of medicines rather than investigating the cause. The number of medications per encounter was 2.3 which is within the limits of developed countries (2.7). The percentage of antibiotics per 100 encounter was 50.1% and the percentage of injections prescribed per 100 encounter was 15.2%. The consumption of antibiotic and injections was much higher than that recommended by WHO. At the same time, the review identified that one fourth of all medications were unnecessarily prescribed.

The literature review revealed that the irrational use of medicine is prevalent in most Arab countries. Excessive use of antibiotics was the most commonly observed pattern. Therefore, there is a need to conduct further research to identify the factors that drive the irrational use of medicines in Arab countries and then to make recommendations to mitigate this issue.
Effect of supplementation with ruminal probiotics on growth performance, carcass characteristics, plasma metabolites, methane emissions, and the associated rumen microbiome changes in beef cattle
Authors: Pittaluga Alejandro M , Yang Fan , Gaffney James R , Embree Mallory , Relling Alejandro E
Published: January 2023

To evaluate the effect of supplementing beef cattle with a ruminal probiotic consisting of native rumen microbes (NRM; Chordicoccus furentiruminis, Prevotella albensis, and Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens) on methane (CH4) emissions, growth performance, carcass characteristics, and plasma metabolites, Angus × SimAngus-crossbred steers (n = 32; 8 per pen) and heifers (n = 48; 12 per pen) with an initial body weight (BW) of 353 ± 64 kg were used in randomized complete block design. Cattle were blocked by sex and BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments (2 pens per treatment). Treatments consisted of diets offered for ad libitum intake with (NRM) or without (CON) the inclusion of the ruminal probiotic. Cattle were fed a growing diet for 49 d followed by a ground corn-based diet for 124 ± 27 d until reaching the targeted final BW (635 kg for steers and 590 kg for heifers). Methane emissions were estimated using the GreenFeed system (n = 12 per treatment) prior to trial commencement (baseline; period 1), and on three (2, 3, and 4), and two (5 and 6) different sampling periods throughout the growing and finishing stage, respectively. All data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS. For CH4 production (g/d), there was a tendency for an NRM supplementation × period interaction (P = 0.07) where cattle-fed diets with NRM had lower production of methane in periods 3 and 4. Including NRM in the diet decreased CH4 yield (g/kg of dry matter intake (DMI)) by 20%. For CH4 emission intensity (g/kg of average daily gain (ADG)), an interaction (P < 0.01) of NRM supplementation × period occurred. In periods 2 and 3, cattle-fed diets with NRM inclusion had lower CH4 emission intensity than CON cattle. During the 84-d period when all cattle were still on the finishing diet, feeding NRM increased (P = 0.02) ADG and tended to increase (P = 0.10) DMI. At the end of the 84-d period, cattle-fed NRM tended to be heavier (P = 0.06) than CON cattle. Cattle supplemented with NRM required less (P = 0.04) days on feed to reach the targeted final BW. No differences (P ≤ 0.11) were detected for gain-to-feed ratio and carcass characteristics. Cattle-fed NRM had greater abundance of uncultured rumen bacteria that may improve rumen digestion when fed a high grain diet and potentially promote the reduction of enteric CH4 production. Results from this study suggest that daily administration of NRM may be a strategy to mitigate methanogenesis and improve the growth performance of beef cattle.
Limited effects of inbreeding on breeding coloration
Authors: Bererhi Badreddine , Lindsay Willow R , Schwartz Tonia S , Wapstra Erik , Olsson Mats
Published: January 2023

Animal color signals may function as indicators of fighting ability when males compete for access to females. This allows opponents to settle aggressive interactions before they escalate into physical combat and injury. Thus, there may be strong directional selection on these traits, towards enhanced signal quality. This renders sexually selected traits particularly susceptible to inbreeding depression, due to relatively low ratios of additive genetic variance to dominance variance. We measured the effects of inbreeding on an intrasexually selected color signal (“the badge”) in a population of Swedish sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) using the Rhh software based on 17-21 microsatellites. Males of this sexually dichromatic species use the badge during aggressive interactions to display, and assess, fighting ability. We found negative effects of homozygosity on badge size, saturation, and brightness. However, no such effects were observed on color hue. Pair-wise correlations between badge size, hue, and saturation were all statistically significant. Thus, the sand lizard ‘badge’ is a multicomponent signal with variation explained by covariation in badge size, saturation and color hue. Body mass corrected for skeletal size (“body condition”) positively predicted badge size and saturation, encouraging future research on the extent that sexual signals may convey information on multigene targets (i.e., ‘genic capture’).
Evaluation of a Live-Attenuated Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 2 Vaccine in Adults and Children
Authors: Karron Ruth A , Herbert Kristi , Wanionek Kimberli , Schmidt Alexander C , Schaap-Nutt Anne , Collins Peter L , Buchholz Ursula J
Published: January 2023

We conducted a phase I clinical trial of the live-attenuated recombinant human parainfluenza virus type 2 (HPIV2) vaccine candidate rHPIV2-15C/948L/∆1724 sequentially in adults, HPIV2-seropositive children, and HPIV2-seronegative children, the target population for vaccination. rHPIV2-15C/948L/∆1724 was appropriately restricted in replication in adults and HPIV2-seropositive children but was overattenuated for HPIV2-seronegative children.
ZNF212 promotes genomic integrity through direct interaction with TRAIP
Authors: Chung Hee Jin , Lee Joo Rak , Kim Tae Moon , Kim Soomi , Park Kibeom , Kim Myung-Jin , Jung Eunyoung , Kim Subin , Lee Eun A , Ra Jae Sun , Hwang Sunyoung , Lee Ja Yil , Schärer Orlando D , Kim Yonghwan , Myung Kyungjae , Kim Hongtae
Published: January 2023

TRAIP is a key factor involved in the DNA damage response (DDR), homologous recombination (HR) and DNA interstrand crosslink (ICL) repair. However, the exact functions of TRAIP in these processes in mammalian cells are not fully understood. Here we identify the zinc finger protein 212, ZNF212, as a novel binding partner for TRAIP and find that ZNF212 colocalizes with sites of DNA damage. The recruitment of TRAIP or ZNF212 to sites of DNA damage is mutually interdependent. We show that depletion of ZNF212 causes defects in the DDR and HR-mediated repair in a manner epistatic to TRAIP. In addition, an epistatic analysis of Zfp212, the mouse homolog of human ZNF212, in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), shows that it appears to act upstream of both the Neil3 and Fanconi anemia (FA) pathways of ICLs repair. We find that human ZNF212 interacted directly with NEIL3 and promotes its recruitment to ICL lesions. Collectively, our findings identify ZNF212 as a new factor involved in the DDR, HR-mediated repair and ICL repair though direct interaction with TRAIP.
The Distribution of Effort: Physical Activity, Gender Roles, and Bargaining Power in an Agrarian Setting
Authors: Friedman Jed , Gaddis Isis , Kilic Talip , Martuscelli Antonio , Palacios-Lopez Amparo , Zezza Alberto
Published: January 2023

Physical effort is a primary component in models of economic behavior. However, applications that measure effort are historically scarce. This paper assesses the differences in physical activity between men and women through wearable accelerometers and uses these activity measures as a proxy for physical effort. Crucially, the accelerometer-generated data measures the level of physical activity associated with each activity or task recorded in the data. In this rural setting, women exert marginally higher levels of physical effort. However, differences in effort between men and women among married partners are strongly associated with differences in bargaining power, with larger husband-wife effort gaps alongside differences in age, individual land ownership, and an overall empowerment index. Physical activity can exhibit an unequal distribution between men and women suggesting that gender disadvantage, at least within couples, extends to the domain of physical effort.
Characteristics of Prognostic Statements During Family Conferences of Critically Ill Children
Authors: Gupta Divya , October Tessie W. , Wolfe Amy H. J.
Published: January 2023

OBJECTIVES:

Discussion of prognosis is an essential component of decision-making family conferences in critical care. We do not know how clinicians convey prognosis to families of critically ill children. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the frequency of prognostic statements and the message and meaning conveyed through each statement during PICU family conferences.

DESIGN:

Retrospective, mixed-methods study.

SETTING:

PICU of a single quaternary medical center.

PATIENTS:

Critically ill children and their families participating in PICU family conferences of critical medical decision-making.

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

We analyzed 72 transcripts from audio-recorded PICU family conferences to identify prognostic statements. Descriptive, thematic content analysis was used to elucidate the message and meaning of each prognostic statement. Prognosis was not discussed in 26% (19/72) of family conferences. Of the other (53/72) conferences where prognostic statements were made, 60% (67/112) of statements conveyed a message (i.e., prognostic medical information) and a meaning (i.e., anticipated impact on patient/family). “Messages” of prognostic statements fell within eight themes: uncertain recovery, delayed recovery, progressive decline, escalation of support, attributable complications, no progress, irreversible, and probability of death. “Meanings” of prognostic statements fell within six themes: restoration of health, activities of daily living, additional equipment, prolonged care needs, brain dysfunction, and death. Broadly, clinicians discussed prognostic information in three categories: loss of Time (i.e., prolonged care needs), Function (i.e., additional medical equipment), or Cure (i.e., death).

CONCLUSIONS:

Nearly in half of discussions (32/72, 44%) where families were asked to make critical medical decisions, clinicians did not provide a prognostic statement including a message and meaning. When discussed, prognostic information was conveyed in three categories: loss of time, function, or cure. Providing families context in this framework, particularly in times of uncertainty, may improve the family’s ability to make informed, value-driven medical decisions for their child.
Prognostic nutrition index, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio combined detection, superior to single detection correlates with prognosis of patients with chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM
Authors: Wu Dong , Wang Xiaowu , Ding Yunyun , Liu Yan , Li Tuantuan , Zhu Yi lang , Gao Yong , Wang Xiaojuan
Published: January 2023

Background

Prognostic nutrition index (PNI), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) have been studied widely in cancer diseases. However, their correlation with chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM mellitus is unknown.

Aim

To investigate the correlation of PNI, NLR and PLR with chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM.They were associated with the prognosis of patients.

Methods

We investigated 226 patients. Of the patients, 56 cases were with chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM mellitus patients (group A), 85 cases were with chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis patients (group B), and 85 cases were with T2DM patients (group C). According to the prognosis of chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM after 6 months of treatment, patients were divided into poor prognosis (23 cases) and good prognosis (33 cases). The baseline data and of all patients were analyzed. All data were collected from the database of the hospital patient electronic medical record system.

Results

A comparison of baseline data among the three groups showed significant differences in age (Pvalue=0.008). The levels of PNI were obvious difference in three groups (Pvalue < 0.01). The level of NLR in the group A was significantly lower than in the group C. The level of NLR in the group B was significantly lower than in the group C and the group A. The level of PNI in the group A was significantly lower than in the group C. The level of PNI in the group A was significantly lower than in the group B. The level of PLR in the group A was significantly lower than in the group C. The level of PLR in the group B was significantly higher than in the group C. NLR, PNI, PLR were significantly different in the good prognosis group and the poor prognosis group (Pvalue < 0.05). We calculated AUC for combined determination of PNI, NLR and PLR, and it showed excellent diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.911,95% CI 0.741-0.985, Sensitivity = 80.00 %, and Specificity = 88.89%).

Conclusions

PNI, NLR and PLR were closely related to the prognosis of chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM, and their combined detection had the highest specificity and sensitivity for early prediction of the poor prognosis of chronic hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis complicated by T2DM, which had important clinical value.
The search behavior of terrestrial mammals
Authors: Noonan Michael J. , Martinez-Garcia Ricardo , Fleming Christen H. , De Figueiredo Benjamin Garcia , Ali Abdullahi H. , Attias Nina , Belant Jerrold L. , Beyer Dean E. , Berteaux Dominique , Bidner Laura R. , Boone Randall , Boutin Stan , Brito Jorge , Brown Michael , Carter Andrew , Castellanos Armando , Castellanos Francisco X. , Chitwood Colter , Darlington Siobhan , de la Torre J. Antonio , Dekker Jasja , DePerno Chris , Droghini Amanda , Farhadinia Mohammad , Fennessy Julian , Fichtel Claudia , Ford Adam , Gill Ryan , Goheen Jacob R. , Oliveira-Santos Luiz Gustavo R. , Hebblewhite Mark , Hodges Karen E. , Isbell Lynne A. , Janssen René , Kappeler Peter , Kays Roland , Kaczensky Petra , Kauffman Matthew , LaPoint Scott , Lashley Marcus Alan , Leimgruber Peter , Little Andrew , Macdonald David W. , Masiaine Symon , McBride Roy T , Medici E. Patricia , Mertes Katherine , Moorman Chris , Morato Ronaldo G. , Mourão Guilherme , Mueller Thomas , Neilson Eric W. , Pastorini Jennifer , Patterson Bruce D. , Pereira Javier , Petroelje Tyler R. , Piecora Katie , Power R. John , Rachlow Janet , Ranglack Dustin H. , Roshier David , Safford Kirk , Scott Dawn M , Serrouya Robert , Songer Melissa , Songsasen Nucharin , Stabach Jared , Stacy-Dawes Jenna , Swingen Morgan B. , Thompson Jeffrey , Tucker Marlee A. , Velilla Marianella , Yarnell Richard W. , Young Julie , Fagan William F. , Calabrese Justin M.
Published: January 2023

Animals moving through landscapes need to strike a balance between finding sufficient resources to grow and reproduce while minimizing encounters with predators1,2. Because encounter rates are determined by the average distance over which directed motion persists1,3–5, this trade-off should be apparent in individuals’ movement. Using GPS data from 1,396 individuals across 62 species of terrestrial mammals, we show how predators maintained directed motion ~7 times longer than for similarly-sized prey, revealing how prey species must trade off search efficiency against predator encounter rates. Individual search strategies were also modulated by resource abundance, with prey species forced to risk higher predator encounter rates when resources were scarce. These findings highlight the interplay between encounter rates and resource availability in shaping broad patterns mammalian movement strategies.
Both GEF domains of the autism and epilepsy-associated Trio protein are required for proper tangential migration of GABAergic interneurons
Authors: Eid Lara , Lokmane Ludmilla , Raju Praveen K. , Tadoum Samuel Boris Tene , Jiang Xiao , Toulouse Karolanne , Lupien-Meilleur Alexis , Charron-Ligez François , Toumi Asmaa , Backer Stéphanie , Lachance Mathieu , Lavertu-Jolin Marisol , Montseny Marie , Lacaille Jean-Claude , Bloch-Gallego Evelyne , Rossignol Elsa
Published: January 2023

Recessive mutations in theTRIOgene are associated with intellectual deficiency (ID), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental epileptic encephalopathies (DEE). TRIO is a dual guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that activates Rac1, Cdc42 and RhoA. Trio has been extensively studied in excitatory neurons, and has recently been found to regulate the switch from tangential to radial migration in GABAergic interneurons (INs), through GEFD1-Rac1-dependent SDF1α/CXCR4 signalling. Given the central role of Rho-GTPases during neuronal migration and the implication of IN pathologies in ASD and DEE, we investigated the relative roles of both Trio’s GEF domains in regulating the dynamics of INs tangential migration. InTrio-/-mice, we observed reduced numbers of tangentially migrating INs, with intact progenitor proliferation. Further, we noted increased growth cone collapse in developing INs, suggesting altered cytoskeleton dynamics. To bypass the embryonic mortality ofTrio-/-mice, we generatedDlx5/6Cre;Trioc/cconditional mutant mice, which develop spontaneous seizures and behavioral deficits reminiscent of ASD and ID. These phenotypes are associated with reduced cortical IN density and functional cortical inhibition. Mechanistically, this reduction of cortical IN numbers reflects a premature switch to radial migration, with an aberrant early entry in the cortical plate, as well as major deficits in cytoskeletal dynamics, including enhanced leading neurite branching and slower nucleokinesis reflecting reduced actin filament condensation and turnover. Further, we show that both Trio GEFD1 and GEFD2 domains are required for proper IN migration, with a dominant role of the RhoA-activating GEFD2 domain. Altogether, our data show a critical role of the DEE/ASD-associatedTriogene in the establishment of cortical inhibition and the requirement of both GEF domains in regulating IN migration dynamics.
Prophylaxis and Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection by an ACE2 Receptor Decoy
Authors: Tada Takuya , Dcosta Belinda M. , Zhou Hao , Landau Nathaniel R.
Published: January 2023

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with highly mutated spike proteins has presented an obstacle to the use of monoclonal antibodies for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We show that a high affinity receptor decoy protein in which a modified ACE2 ectodomain is fused to a single domain of an immunoglobulin heavy chain Fc region dramatically suppressed virus loads in mice upon challenge with a high dose of parental SARS-CoV-2 or Omicron variants. The decoy also potently suppressed virus replication when administered shortly post-infection. The decoy approach offers protection against the current viral variants and, potentially, against SARS-CoV-2 variants that may emerge with the continued evolution of the spike protein or novel viruses that use ACE2 for virus entry.
RNAP promoter search and transcription kinetics in liveE. colicells
Authors: Bettridge Kelsey , Harris Frances E. , Yehya Nicolás , Xiao Jie
Published: January 2023

Bacterial transcription has been studied extensivelyin vitro, which has provided indepth insight regarding transcription mechanisms. However, the live cell environment may impose different rules on transcription than the homogenous and simplifiedin vitroenvironment. How an RNA polymerase (RNAP) molecule searches rapidly through the vast nonspecific chromosomal DNA in the three-dimensional nucleoid space and binds a specific promoter sequence remains elusive. The kinetics of transcriptionin vivocould also be impacted by specific cellular environments including nucleoid organization and nutrient availability. In this work, we investigated the promoter search dynamics and transcription kinetics of RNAP in liveE. colicells. Using single-molecule tracking (SMT) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and combining with different genetic, drug inhibition, and growth conditions, we observed that RNAP’s promoter search is facilitated by nonspecific DNA interactions and largely independent of nucleoid organization, growth condition, transcription activity, or promoter classes. RNAP’s transcription kinetics, however, is sensitive to these conditions and mainly modulated at the levels of actively engaged RNAP and the promoter escape rate. Our work establishes a foundation for further mechanistic studies of bacterial transcription in live cells.
The illusion of personal health decisions for infectious disease management: disease spread in social contact networks
Authors: Michalska-Smith Matthew , Enns Eva A , White Lauren A , Gilbertson Marie L J , Craft Meggan E
Published: January 2023

Close contacts between individuals provide opportunities for the transmission of diseases, including COVID-19. Individuals take part in many different types of interactions, including those with classmates, co-workers, and household members; the conglomeration of all of these interactions produces a complex social contact network interconnecting individuals across the population. Thus, while an individual might decide their own risk tolerance in response to a threat of infection, the consequences of such decisions are rarely so confined, propagating far beyond any one person. We asses the effect of different population-level risk-tolerance regimes, population structure in the form of age and household-size distributions, and different types of interactions on epidemic spread in plausible human contact networks to gain insight into how contact network structure affects pathogen spread through a population. In particular, we find that changes in behaviour of vulnerable individuals in isolation is insufficient to reduce those individuals’ infection risk, that population structure can have varied and counter-acting effects on epidemic outcomes, and that, in general, interactions among co-workers have a greater contribution to disease spread than do interactions among children at school. Taken together, these results promote a nuanced understanding of disease spread on contact networks, with implications for public health strategies.