bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular species delimitation reveals hidden endemism in Faxonius placidus (Hagen 1870) (Decapoda: Astacidea: Cambaridae) in southeastern USA
Authors: Hildreth Parker L , Hurt Carla R , Simmons Jeffrey W , Williams Carl E , Leckie Brian
Published: July 2023

Molecular surveys are critical for understanding species boundaries and evolutionary relationships of North American crayfishes, as traditional morphological characters used for taxonomy frequently misrepresent crayfish diversity. The bigclaw crayfish, Faxonius placidus (Hagen, 1870), is currently described as a widely distributed crayfish that is common throughout the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Lower Ohio river drainages. The geographic distribution of F. placidus is based on identifications using traditional morphological characters including the first-form male gonopod, chelae, and rostrum. Within F. placidus, color pattern variation is specific to populations separated by hydrogeographic barriers. We used DNA barcoding data (mtDNA-COI) and genome-wide molecular markers (nuclear SNPs) to examine geographic patterns of genetic variation in F. placidus within the Cumberland and Tennessee river drainages. The federally endangered Nashville crayfish, F. shoupi (Hobbs, 1948), was included in our analyses, as previous phylogenetic reconstructions suggest F. placidus is paraphyletic with respect to F. shoupi. Phylogenetic reconstructions and molecular species delimitation identified four genetically distinct lineages within F. placidus that are paraphyletic with respect to F. shoupi. Our results add to numerous studies demonstrating the utility of robust molecular analyses for understanding the biodiversity of North American crayfishes.
Estimating the information content of genetic sequence data
Authors: Thorvaldsen Steinar , Hössjer Ola
Published: July 2023

A prominent problem in analysing genetic information has been a lack of mathematical frameworks for doing so. This article offers some new statistical methods to model and analyse information content in proteins, protein families, and their sequences. We discuss how to understand the qualitative aspects of genetic information, how to estimate the quantitative aspects of it, and implement a statistical model where the qualitative genetic function is represented jointly with its probabilistic metric of self-information. The functional information of protein families in the Cath and Pfam databases are estimated using a method inspired by rejection sampling. Scientific work may place these components of information as one of the fundamental aspects of molecular biology.
Physical Health and Well-being: Updates and the Way Ahead
Authors: Phillips Angela K , Keller Margaux F , McClung James P , Steele Nancy , Witkop Catherine T , Wu T John
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The Women in Combat Summit 2021 “Forging the Future: How Women Enhance the Fighting Force” took place during February 9-11, 2021, via a virtual conference platform. The third and final day of the Summit regarded the physical health and well-being of military women and included the topics of urogenital health, nutrition and iron-deficiency anemia, unintended pregnancy and contraception, and traumatic brain injury.

Materials and methods

After presentations on the topics earlier, interested conference attendees were invited to participate in focus groups to discuss and review policy recommendations for physical health and well-being in military women. Discussions centered around the topics discussed during the presentations, and suggestions for future Women in Combat Summits were noted. Specifics of the methods of the Summit are presented elsewhere in this supplement.

Results

We formulated research and policy recommendations for urogenital health, nutrition and iron-deficiency anemia, contraception and unintended pregnancy, and traumatic brain injury.

Conclusions

In order to continue to develop the future health of military women, health care providers, researchers, and policymakers should consider the recommendations made in this supplement as they continue to build on the state of the science and forge the future.
Effect of Fusion and Arthroplasty for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease in Active Duty Service Members Performed at an Overseas Military Treatment Facility: A 2-Year Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Dewar Callum , Ravindra Vijay M , Woodle Samuel , Scanlon Michaela , Shields Margaret , Yokoi Hana , Meister Melissa , Porensky Paul , Bossert Sharon , Ikeda Daniel S
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Among U.S. military active duty service members, cervicalgia, cervical radiculopathy, and myelopathy are common causes of disability, effecting job performance and readiness, often leading to medical separation from the military. Among surgical therapies, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) are options in select cases; however, elective surgeries performed while serving overseas (OCONUS) have not been studied.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected surgical database from an OCONUS military treatment facility over a 2-year period (2019–2021) was queried. Patient and procedural data were collected to include ACDF or CDA surgery, military rank, age, tobacco use, pre- and post-operative visual analogue scales for pain, and presence of radiographic fusion after surgery for ACDF patients or heterotopic ossification for CDA patients. Chi-square and Student t-test analyses were performed to identify variables associated with return to full duty.

Results

A total of 47 patients (25 ACDF and 22 CDA) underwent surgery with an average follow-up of 192.1 days (range 7–819 days). Forty-one (87.2%) patients were able to return to duty without restrictions; 10.6% of patients remained on partial or limited duty at latest follow-up and one patient was medically separated from the surgical cohort. There was one complication and one patient required tour curtailment from overseas duty for ongoing symptoms.

Conclusions

Both ACDF and CDA are effective and safe surgical procedures for active duty patients with cervicalgia, cervical radiculopathy, and cervical myelopathy. They can be performed OCONUS with minimal interruption to the patient, their family, and the military unit, while helping to maintain surgical readiness for the surgeon and the military treatment facility.
Pott’s Puffy Tumor: A Rare, Life-Threatening Presentation of Periorbital Edema
Authors: Kuhar Benjamin G , Dunn Travis M , Liming Bryan J , Yakopson Vladimir S
Published: July 2023

Pott’s puffy tumor (PPT) describes forehead swelling with associated frontal bone osteomyelitis and a subperiosteal abscess (SPA) requiring a high suspicion index for optimal outcomes. PPT is a life-threatening complication of frontal sinusitis typically found in adolescents. Our case is one of the youngest in the literature. This report describes a 3-year-old patient who developed multifocal abscesses in the epidural space with frontal and orbital SPA, requiring surgical intervention. Additionally, her course was complicated by a superior sagittal venous thrombosis, a complication commonly associated with PPT. We present an unusual case of orbital SPA and aim to highlight a life-threatening pediatric condition that is often underrecognized.
Intervertebral fusion sites in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: A computed tomography study
Authors: Kishimoto Kenji , Asai Shuji , Suzuki Mochihito , Kihira Daisuke , Sato Ryo , Terabe Kenya , Ohashi Yoshifumi , Maeda Masataka , Imagama Shiro
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To examine intervertebral fusion sites along the whole spine of patients with ankylosing spondylitis using computed tomography.

Methods

This retrospective study examined intervertebral fusion of five sites (anterior/posterior vertebrae, left/right zygapophyseal joints, and spinous process) on 23 vertebrae in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the spine in 40 patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at our institute between January 2004 and December 2022.

Results

Mean age [± standard deviation (SD)] was 40.5 (± 17) years, and mean disease duration (± SD) was 11.4 (± 10.5) years at computed tomography evaluation; 55.9% were human leukocyte antigen B-27–positive. Fifteen (37.5%) patients showed intervertebral fusion in the thoracic and/or cervical regions, but not in the lumbar region. Fusion of posterior vertebrae was observed most frequently in the thoracic region, compared to the cervical and lumbar regions. In particular, more than half of the patients showed fusion of posterior vertebrae Th4–Th5 to Th7–Th8.

Conclusions

In 37.5% of patients, intervertebral fusion was evident in the thoracic and/or cervical regions but not in the lumbar region. The most common site and region of intervertebral fusion were the posterior vertebrae of the middle thoracic region.
Exclusion by design: a case study of an Indian urban housing subsidy scheme
Authors: Khaire Manav
Published: July 2023

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)—Housing for All mission (PMAY-U), a flagship mission of the Government of India, aims to address the need for affordable housing in urban areas through five different schemes. One of these schemes is a housing subsidy scheme, the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), which has significantly contributed to the success of PMAY-U. However, the design of the CLSS scheme favors households considered creditworthy, with stable and secure income streams. This article examines the gap between the policy design and practice of the CLSS scheme to explore how biases get embedded into the policy, resulting in the exclusion of economically vulnerable households. Schneider and Ingram’s Social Construction of Target Population (SCTP) framework is used to identify the target groups involved in the CLSS policy chain. These target groups and policymakers were interviewed to understand their interpretations of the concept of affordable housing. Using a relational lens, these interpretations are compared to know how the meanings of affordable housing get represented within CLSS policy documents. The analysis presents two key insights. First, the power and interests of the target groups predict their representation in policy design and policymaking. Second, privatized implementation design of the subsidy scheme embeds negative selectivism creating exclusionary tendencies in the CLSS design. Lastly, given the shrinking of the welfare state across the globe, this study raises the critical question of “who benefits and who loses?” while challenging the normative aspects of the policy goal of affordable housing.
The Politics of Ælfric’s Maccabees
Authors: Rubinstein S I
Published: July 2023

Ælfric of Eynsham’s Old English homily on the biblical books of Maccabees is a crucial text in the intellectual history of later Anglo-Saxon England, containing the only discussion of ‘just war’ in the surviving corpus of Anglo-Saxon literature, and the earliest attestation to the ‘Three Orders of Society’. It is now generally understood that Ælfric was writing for a predominantly lay audience, exhorting them to take up arms against the Vikings. This becomes particularly apparent from a close examination of Ælfric’s deviations from, and emendations to, the Vulgate, not all of which have hitherto been noticed. After supplementing this literary analysis with new observations, this article attempts to delineate the historical implications of this interpretation of the text. Once placed within its historical context, Ælfric’s Maccabees appears as a sharp critique of the direction of royal policy under Æthelred the Unready during the 990s, especially the payment of tribute to the Vikings and their conscription as mercenaries. This invites us to reconsider both Ælfric’s own intellectual trajectory and the court politics of Anglo-Saxon England in the final years of the first millennium.
Convergent alteration of the mesenchymal stem cell heterogeneity in adipose tissue during aging
Authors: Liu Qiwei , Zhao Yu , Wang Qian , Yan Li , Fu Xin , Xiao Ran
Published: July 2023

Adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs) from distinct age groups possess different characteristics; however, the age‐associated changes in ASCs heterogenicity remain largely unknown. In this study, several publicly available single‐cell RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) data cohorts of inguinal adipose tissues, including young (2 weeks), adult (8 weeks), and old (18 months) C57BL/6 mice, were analyzed. Transcriptomic clustering of integrated single‐cell RNA‐seq data from different age groups revealed the existence of five ASCs subtypes. Interestingly, ASCs showed a loss of heterogeneity with aging, and ASCs subtype 4 (ASC‐4) was the dominant subpopulation accounting for more than 98% of aged ASCs converging to the terminal differentiation state. The multidirectional differentiation potentials of different ASCs subtypes were largely distinct while the adipogenic ability of ASC‐4 increased with age persistently. Regulon analysis of ASC subtypes further identified Cebpb as the ASC‐4‐specific transcription factor, which was known as one of the major adipogenic regulators. Analysis of ligand–receptor pairs between ASCs and other cell types in adipose tissue identified age‐associated upregulation of inflammatory responses‐associated factors including CCL2 and CCL7. Treatment with 100 ng/mL CCL2 in vitro could significantly promote the adipogenesis of ASCs through enhanced phosphorylation of AKT and decreased expression of β‐catenin. In addition, supplementation of 100 ng/mL CCL7 could significantly increase the expression of inflammatory genes and ASC‐4‐specific transcriptional factors in 2‐week‐old ASCs, potentially acting as a driver of ASCs convergence. Our findings help to delineate the complex biological processes of ASCs aging and shed light on better regenerative and therapeutic applications of ASCs.
Ocular surface itch and pain: key differences and similarities between the two sensations
Authors: Raolji Shyamal , Kumar Preet , Galor Anat
Published: July 2023

Purpose of review

To review the pathophysiology and treatment of ocular itch and pain, encompassing nociceptive and neuropathic categories.

Recent findings

Ocular itch and pain are sensations that arise from activation of ocular surface polymodal nerves. Nociceptive itch, commonly comorbid with ocular pain complaints, is mainly driven by a histamine-mediated type 1 hypersensitivity reaction. Beyond topical therapy, novel drug delivery systems are being explored to improve ocular residence time of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antihistamines. Nociceptive ocular pain can be driven by a variety of factors. Treatment focuses on addressing the causative sources of pain. Neuropathic ocular itch and pain are driven by nerve damage and dysfunction and as such, topical and oral neuromodulation have been explored as treatments. Oral neuromodulators include alpha 2 delta ligands, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and low dose naltrexone. Novel therapies are being evaluated for both modalities such as difelikefalin (κ-opioid receptor agonist) for neuropathic itch and libvatrep (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 antagonist) for neuropathic pain.

Both ocular itch and pain can be driven by nociceptive and/or neuropathic mechanisms. Identifying contributors to abnormal ocular sensations is vital for precise medical care. Novel therapeutics for these conditions aim to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
New arrivals in anaphylaxis to foods
Authors: Olivieri Bianca , Skypala Isabel J.
Published: July 2023

Purpose of review

More people are excluding wheat from their diet, or turning to a more sustainable diet in which includes meat substitutes or is mainly or wholly plant-based. This increases the availability of new foods and with it the increasing likelihood of novel allergens.

Recent findings

There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that allergies to seeds and legumes are increasing potentially due to their use in concentrated form in vegan or health foods. Insects can be a sustainable source of protein, but mealworm could provoke symptoms in individuals sensitized or allergic to shellfish or house dust mite. Novel plant food allergens such as gibberellin-regulated proteins and thaumatin-like proteins are increasingly being reported as significant causes of severe reactions to fruits.

these findings make it even more imperative to take a full dietary history to ensure apparent idiopathic anaphylaxis is not in reality due to a novel food, especially in cases where other forms of the food are tolerated. Given the lack of diagnostic tests for these novel foods, a prick-to-prick skin prick test should be performed with the suspected food. There is currently more work needed to define and sequence many of the allergens involved.
Arthrex Mini Tightrope Fixation for Chronic Distal Radioulnar Joint Instability
Authors: Hayward Dan , Kastner Tyler , Harder Justin , Baum Gracie , Cox Cameron , MacKay Brendan J.
Published: July 2023

Chronic distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability is a complex clinical condition that is difficult to treat. Currently, there is no gold standard treatment. We present a novel technique using Arthrex Mini Tightrope for DRUJ stabilization. In this case series, a 1.6 mm K-wire was passed transversely through the distal ulna and radius. The Mini Tightrope was inserted into the end of the K-wire and pulled through the bone tunnels. Appropriate tension was achieved to stabilize the joint according to individual laxity comparable to the contralateral side. Five patients (3 males and 2 females) comprised this pilot series, with a mean age of 27.1 years. All sustained a traumatic injury at an average of 12.4 months before surgery (range: 5 to 32 mo). In addition, 3 patients had central triangular fibrocartilage complex tears treated with arthroscopy at the time of Mini Tightrope placement. While one patient was lost to follow-up after 7 weeks postoperative due to incarceration, 4 patients demonstrated coronal and sagittal stability in the context of DRUJ motion and a satisfactory range of motion. The mean time for the return to work for the two patients who were laborers or normal activity postoperatively was 5.2 weeks (range: 1 to 16.4 wk). Unrestricted activity was generally allowed 8 weeks postoperatively but varied by patient. The same 4 patients underwent hardware removal at an average of 31 weeks (range: 15 to 44 wk). Although this is only a pilot series, this suggests that temporary Mini Tightrope stabilization of the DRUJ may be a viable solution while upholding the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.
B7-H3 confers stemness characteristics to gastric cancer cells by promoting glutathione metabolism through AKT/pAKT/Nrf2 pathway
Authors: Xia Lu , Chen Yuqi , Li Juntao , Wang Jiayu , Shen Kanger , Zhao Anjing , Jin Haiyan , Zhang Guangbo , Xi Qinhua , Xia Suhua , Shi Tongguo , Li Rui
Published: July 2023

Background:

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are a small subset of cells in tumors that exhibit self-renewal and differentiation properties. CSCs play a vital role in tumor formation, progression, relapse, and therapeutic resistance. B7-H3, an immunoregulatory protein, has many protumor functions. However, little is known about the mechanism underlying the role of B7-H3 in regulating gastric cancer (GC) stemness. Our study aimed to explore the impacts of B7-H3 on GC stemness and its underlying mechanism.

Methods:

GC stemness influenced by B7-H3 was detected both in vitro and in vivo. The expression of stemness-related markers was examined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. Sphere formation assay was used to detect the sphere-forming ability. The underlying regulatory mechanism of B7-H3 on the stemness of GC was investigated by mass spectrometry and subsequent validation experiments. The signaling pathway (Protein kinase B [Akt]/Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 [Nrf2] pathway) of B7-H3 on the regulation of glutathione (GSH) metabolism was examined by Western blotting assay. Multi-color immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was used to detect the expression of B7-H3, cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), and Nrf2 on human GC tissues. Student's t-test was used to compare the difference between two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between two molecules. The Kaplan–Meier method was used for survival analysis.

Results:

B7-H3 knockdown suppressed the stemness of GC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mass spectrometric analysis showed the downregulation of GSH metabolism in short hairpin B7-H3 GC cells, which was further confirmed by the experimental results. Meanwhile, stemness characteristics in B7-H3 overexpressing cells were suppressed after the inhibition of GSH metabolism. Furthermore, Western blotting suggested that B7-H3-induced activation of GSH metabolism occurred through the AKT/Nrf2 pathway, and inhibition of AKT signaling pathway could suppress not only GSH metabolism but also GC stemness. mIHC showed that B7-H3 was highly expressed in GC tissues and was positively correlated with the expression of CD44 and Nrf2. Importantly, GC patients with high expression of B7-H3, CD44, and Nrf2 had worse prognosis (P = 0.02).

Conclusions:

B7-H3 has a regulatory effect on GC stemness and the regulatory effect is achieved through the AKT/Nrf2/GSH pathway. Inhibiting B7-H3 expression may be a new therapeutic strategy against GC.
Family Presence at the PICU Bedside: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study*
Authors: Smith Mallory B. , Dervan Leslie A. , Watson R. Scott , Ohman Robert T. , Albert J. Elaine-Marie , Rhee Eileen J. , Vavilala Monica S. , Rivara Frederick P. , Killien Elizabeth Y.
Published: July 2023

OBJECTIVES:

To determine factors associated with bedside family presence in the PICU and to understand how individual factors interact as barriers to family presence.

DESIGN:

Mixed methods study.

SETTING:

Tertiary children’s hospital PICU.

SUBJECTS:

Five hundred twenty-three children of less than 18 years enrolled in the Seattle Children’s Hospital Outcomes Assessment Program from 2011 to 2017.

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Quantitative: Family was documented every 2 hours. Exposures included patient and illness characteristics and family demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with presence of less than 80% and stratified results by self-reported race. Longer PICU length of stay (LOS), public insurance, and complex chronic conditions (C-CD) were associated with family presence of less than 80%. Self-reported race modified these associations; no factors were associated with lower bedside presence for White families, in contrast with multiple associations for non-White families including public insurance, C-CD, and longer LOS. Qualitative: Thematic analysis of social work notes for the 48 patients with family presence of less than 80% matched on age, LOS, and diagnosis to 48 patients with greater than or equal to 95% family presence. Three themes emerged: the primary caregiver’s prior experiences with the hospital, relationships outside of the hospital, and additional stressors during the hospitalization affected bedside presence.

CONCLUSIONS:

We identified sociodemographic and illness factors associated with family bedside presence in the PICU. Self-reported race modified these associations, representing racism within healthcare. Family presence at the bedside may help identify families facing greater disparities in healthcare access.
The Role of Radiation Therapy in Adult and Pediatric Keloid Management
Authors: Laspro Matteo , Onuh Ogechukwu C. , Cohen Richard F. , Cooper Benjamin T. , Chiu Ernest S.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Radiation therapy is a promising modality for treating keloids after surgical excision. However, it is currently not standard practice among physicians because of concern surrounding the risk of radiation-induced secondary cancers, especially among pediatric patients. There is minimal research assessing the complications for radiation therapy in keloid management.

Aim

The goal of this study was to determine radiation oncologists' perspectives about the utility and appropriateness of radiation therapy for keloid management in both adult and pediatric patients. This study also aimed to characterize radiation modality, dose, fractionation, and secondary complications observed by providers.

Methods

An electronic survey was delivered to 3102 members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology. The survey subjects were radiation oncologists who are currently practicing in the United States. Rates of responses were analyzed.

Results

A total of 114 responses from practicing radiation oncologists were received. Of these, 113 providers (99.1%) supported radiation therapy for keloid management in adults, whereas only 54.9% supported radiation therapy for pediatric patients. Of 101 providers that treated adults in the past year, the majority used external beam: electrons (84.2%), applied 3 fraction regimens (54.4%), and delivered radiation within 24 hours postexcision (45.5%). In pediatric patients, only 42 providers reported treating at least 1 patient. The majority used electron beam radiation (76.2%), applied 3 faction regimens (65%), and delivered radiation on the same day of keloid excision (50.0%) The main concern when treating pediatric patients were risk of secondary malignancy (92.1%).

Conclusion

Although radiation therapy appears to be a widely accepted adjuvant treatment option for adults with keloids, the use of radiation therapy for pediatric patients is less widely accepted because of concerns regarding secondary malignancy. The findings suggest additional studies need to be carried out to assess the risk of those complications.
Demographic Study and Description of the Surgical Demand in Aesthetic Surgery
Authors: Mendes Vanessa Marron , Diluiso Giuseppe , Kamdem Catherine Jidjouc , Goulliart Stephen , Schettino Michela , Dziubek Melvin , Miszewska Claudia , Di Fiore Christella , Carrillo Socorro Ortiz , Delhaye Marie
Published: July 2023

Background

The demand for aesthetic surgery presents a continuously growing trend over the years. The population wishing to undergo this type of surgery presents unique characteristics that are profoundly different in motivational, demographic, and clinical features from patients in other specialties.

Objectives

The aim of our multicenter study is to objectively define the surgical demand and the demographic characteristics of our patients comparing them with general population. We try to better define who are our patients.

Methods

We conducted an observational, multicenter, retrospective study analyzing 3329 consultations involving a total of 2092 patients between January 2019 and June 2019. Based on the inclusion criteria, we selected 524 patients whose demographic characteristics, body mass index, addictions, comorbidities, and aesthetic surgery demand were analyzed.

Results

The mean age of our population is 38.58 years (female-to-male ratio, 9:1). The mean body mass index is 27.50 (5.23). A total of 22.90% of the sample have smoking habits, 3.63% have alcohol addiction, 1.53% have drugs addiction, and 53.63% of the population have relevant comorbidities.

The 56.68% of the patients have already undergone surgery. The conversion rate of our first consultations to surgery is 49.05%. The most requested operation is abdominoplasty (36.45%), followed by liposuction (22.90%), breast reduction (17.56%), mastopexy (14.79%), and rhinoplasty (7.63%).

Conclusions

This topic is downplayed and seldom studied in the literature; our effort is to make patient profiling crucial and evidence-based in aesthetic surgery.
Toileting Behaviors and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Among Female Physicians and Medical Students
Authors: Perlow Aaron , Joyce Cara J. , Bennis Stacey , Mueller Elizabeth R. , Fitzgerald Colleen M.
Published: July 2023

Importance

A greater understanding of the relationship between toileting behaviors and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has the potential to generate awareness and improvement of overall bladder health in specific populations.

Objective

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and correlation between maladaptive toileting behaviors and LUTS among female medical trainees and attending physicians.

Study Design

We surveyed female medical students, residents, fellows, and attending physicians at an academic hospital, capturing demographics, voiding behaviors, LUTS, and fluid intake using the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Short Form, the Toileting Behavior-Women’s Elimination Behaviors, and the Beverage Intake Questionnaire.

Results

A total of 146 medical students and physicians participated in the study. Eighty-three percent reported at least 1 LUTS, most commonly storage symptoms, particularly incontinence (30%, stress urinary incontinence > urgency urinary incontinence). Altered toileting behaviors included “worrying about public toilet cleanliness” (82%), “emptying the bladder before leaving home” (81%), “delaying emptying their bladder when busy” (87%), and “waiting until they could not hold urine any longer” (57%). Total Toileting Behavior-Women’s Elimination Behaviors scores were significantly associated with total Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms scores (β = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.12–0.42; P<0.01). This remained true after adjusting for total fluid intake in medical students (β = 0.41, P<0.01) and resident physicians (β = 0.28, P = 0.03) but was not correlated among attending physicians (β = −0.07, P = 0.77).

Conclusions

Female physicians and medical students experience a high prevalence of LUTS. Many engage in maladaptive toileting behaviors, which highly correlate with LUTS (especially among medical students and residents) and may lead to impaired bladder health.
Repeated parallel differentiation of social learning differences in benthic and limnetic threespine stickleback fish
Authors: Keagy Jason , Lehto Whitley , Minter Ross , Machniak Sarah , Baird Oynx , Boughman Janette W.
Published: July 2023

Individuals can reduce sampling costs and increase foraging efficiency by using information provided by others. One simple form of social information use is delayed local enhancement or increased interest in a location because of the past presence of others. We tested for delayed local enhancement in two ecomorphs of stickleback fish, benthic and limnetic, from three different lakes with putative independent evolutionary origins. Two of these lakes have reproductively isolated ecomorphs (species-pairs), whereas in the third, a previously intact species-pair recently collapsed into a hybrid swarm. Benthic fish in both intact species-pair lakes were more likely to exhibit delayed local enhancement despite being more solitary than limnetic fish. Their behaviour and morphology suggest their current perceived risk and past evolutionary pressure from predation did not drive this difference. In the hybrid swarm lake, we found a reversal in patterns of social information use, with limnetic-looking fish showing delayed local enhancement rather than benthic-looking fish. Together, our results strongly support parallel differentiation of social learning differences in recently evolved fish species, although hybridization can apparently erode and possibly even reverse these differences.
Paracholeplasma manati sp. nov. isolated from Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
Authors: Volokhov Dmitriy V. , Furtak Vyacheslav A. , Zagorodnyaya Tatiana A. , Gao Yamei , Davidson Maureen K.
Published: July 2023

Four novel strains of a member of the genus

Paracholeplasma

(OakleyT, Holly, Lorelei and Ariel) were isolated from skin of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris). These strains were phenotypically and genetically characterized and compared with the known species of the genera

Acholeplasma

(A.), Alteracholeplasma (Al.),

Haploplasma

(H.), Paracholeplasma (P.) and

Mariniplasma

(M.). All the strains produced acid from glucose but did not hydrolyze arginine or urea. All were propagated in ambient air supplemented with 5±1 % CO2 at 35–37 °C using SP4-Z, Columbia and brain–heart infusion medium. Colonies on solid medium showed a typical fried-egg appearance and transmission electron microscopy revealed a typical mycoplasma-like cellular morphology. The results of phylogenetic analyses based on partial 16S rRNA, rpoB, gyrB and parE gene sequences and the whole proteome data indicated that the novel species is a unique species but phylogenetically closely related to

Paracholeplasma vituli

,

Paracholeplasma morum

and '

Paracholeplasma brassicae

'. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain OakleyT and the closely related species were significantly lower than the accepted thresholds for describing novel prokaryotic species at the genomic level. On the basis of the genomic, phenotypic and phylogenetic properties, the novel strains represent a novel species of the genus

Paracholeplasma

, for which the name Paracholeplasma manati sp. nov. with the type strain OakleyT (=NCTC 14352T =DSM 110686T) is proposed. The genomic DNA G+C content and complete draft genome size for the type strain are 38.35 % and 1 873 856 bp, respectively.
Chryseobacterium edaphi sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium gilvum sp. nov., isolated from soil
Authors: Jung Yonghee , Chhetri Geeta , Kim Inhyup , So Yoonseop , Park Sunho , Woo Haejin , Lee Ki-Ho , Seo Taegun
Published: July 2023

Two Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, yellow and rod-shaped bacteria, designated as strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T, were isolated from soil samples collected in Goyang-si and Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T were both positive for catalase and oxidase. Strain PBS4-4T grew at 15–37 °C and pH 5.0–12.0. Strain GMJ5T grew at 15–37 °C and pH 5.0–11.0. Neither strain required NaCl for growth. 16S rRNA sequence analysis revealed that strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T form a closely related cluster with the genus

Chryseobacterium

. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain PBS4-4T and its closely related strains were 79.4–84.5% and 23.2–28.7 %, respectively. For GMJ5T, the values were 78.3–79.3% and 22.0–22.6 %, respectively. The major fatty acids shared by both novel strains were iso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1
ω7c/C16 : 1
ω6c). Strain GMJ5T had one other major fatty acid: iso-C17 : 0 3OH. Based on phenotypic, genomic and phylogenetic results, strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T represent novel species within the genus

Chryseobacterium

, and the names Chryseobacterium edaphi sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium gilvum sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The type strain of C. edaphi is PBS4-4T (=KACC 22882T=TBRC 17052T) and the type strain of C. gilvum is GMJ5T (=KACC 22883T=TBRC 17053T).
A low-cost molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 detection suitable for variant discrimination and community testing using saliva
Authors: da Silva Sofia M. , Amaral Catarina , Luís Cláudia , Grilo Diana , Duarte Américo , Morais Inês , Afonso Gonçalo , Faria Nuno , Antunes Wilson , Gomes Inês , Sá-Leão Raquel , Miragaia Maria , Serrano Mónica , Pimentel Catarina
Published: July 2023

The gold standard for COVID-19 diagnostic testing relies on RNA extraction from naso/oropharyngeal swab followed by amplification through RT-PCR with fluorogenic probes. While the test is extremely sensitive and specific, its high cost and the potential discomfort associated with specimen collection make it suboptimal for public health screening purposes.

In this study, we developed an equally reliable, but cheaper and less invasive alternative test based on a one-step RT-PCR with the DNA-intercalating dye SYBR Green, which enables the detection of SARS-CoV-2 directly from saliva samples or RNA isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs. Importantly, we found that this type of testing can be fine-tuned to discriminate SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

The saliva RT-PCR SYBR Green test was successfully used in a mass-screening initiative targeting nearly 4500 asymptomatic children under the age of 12. Testing was performed at a reasonable cost of less than € 0.8 per child, and in some cases, the saliva test outperformed nasopharyngeal rapid antigen tests in identifying infected children. Whole genome sequencing revealed that the antigen testing failure could not be attributed to a specific lineage of SARS-CoV-2.

To further reduce testing costs, we produced all the necessary enzymes and established a new RT-PCR protocol based on the EvaGreen dye. Overall, this work strongly supports the view that RT-PCR saliva tests based on DNA-intercalating dyes represent a powerful strategy for community screening of SARS-CoV-2. The tests can be easily applied to other infectious agents and, therefore, constitute a powerful resource for an effective response to future pandemics.
Functional Connectivity Development along the Sensorimotor-Association Axis Enhances the Cortical Hierarchy
Authors: Luo Audrey , Sydnor Valerie J. , Pines Adam , Larsen Bart , Alexander-Bloch Aaron F. , Cieslak Matthew , Covitz Sydney , Chen Andrew , Esper Nathalia Bianchini , Feczko Eric , Franco Alexandre R. , Gur Raquel E. , Gur Ruben C. , Houghton Audrey , Hu Fengling , Keller Arielle S. , Kiar Gregory , Mehta Kahini , Salum Giovanni A. , Tapera Tinashe , Xu Ting , Zhao Chenying , Fair Damien A. , Salo Taylor , Shinohara Russell T. , Milham Michael P. , Satterthwaite Theodore D.
Published: July 2023

Human cortical maturation has been posited to be organized along the sensorimotor-association (S-A) axis, a hierarchical axis of brain organization that spans from unimodal sensorimotor cortices to transmodal association cortices. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that the development of functional connectivity during childhood through adolescence conforms to the cortical hierarchy defined by the S-A axis. We tested this pre-registered hypothesis in four large-scale, independent datasets (total n = 3,355; ages 5-23 years): the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (n = 1,207), Nathan Kline Institute-Rockland Sample (n = 397), Human Connectome Project: Development (n = 625), and Healthy Brain Network (n = 1,126). In each dataset, the development of functional connectivity systematically varied along the S-A axis. Connectivity in sensorimotor regions increased, whereas connectivity in association cortices declined, refining and reinforcing the cortical hierarchy. These robust and generalizable results establish that the sensorimotor-association axis of cortical organization encodes the dominant pattern of functional connectivity development.
Visuomotor prediction during action planning in the human frontoparietal cortex and cerebellum
Authors: Quirmbach Felix , Limanowski Jakub
Published: July 2023

The concept of forward models in the brain, classically applied to describing on-line motor control, can in principle be extended to action planning; i.e., assuming forward sensory predictions are issued during the mere preparation of movements. To test this idea, we combined a delayed movement task with a virtual reality based manipulation of visuomotor congruence during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants executed simple hand movements after a delay. During the delay, two aspects of the upcoming movement could be cued: the movement type and the visuomotor mapping (i.e., (in)congruence of executed hand movements and visual movement feedback by a glove- controlled virtual hand). Frontoparietal areas showed increased delay period activity when preparing pre-specified movements (cued > uncued). The cerebellum showed increased activity during the preparation for incongruent > congruent visuomotor mappings. The left anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) showed an interaction effect, responding most strongly when a pre-specified (cued) movement was prepared under expected visuomotor incongruence. These results suggest that motor planning entails a forward prediction of visual body movement feedback, which can be adjusted in anticipation of nonstandard visuomotor mappings, and which is likely computed by the cerebellum and integrated with state estimates for (planned) control in the aIPS.
Sugar co-ordinates plant defence signalling
Authors: Yamada Kohji , Mine Akira
Published: July 2023

Recognition of microbial molecules triggers energy-intensive defence systems. Although successful defence should therefore depend on energy availability, whether and, if so, how cellular metabolic information is molecularly input into defence remains unclear. We show that sugar, especially glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), plays a key role in regulating the types and amplitudes of defence outputs inArabidopsis thaliana. Under sugar-sufficient conditions, protein and phosphorylation levels of calcium-dependent protein kinase 5 (CPK5) are elevated by induced expression and G6P-mediated suppression of protein phosphatases, priming defence responses. Furthermore, recognition of bacterial flagellin activates sugar transporters, leading to increased cellular G6P, which elicits CPK5-independent signalling promoting synthesis of the phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) involved in anti-bacterial defence. In contrast, while perception of fungal chitin does not promote sugar influx or SA accumulation, chitin-induced synthesis of the anti-fungal compound camalexin requires basal sugar influx activity. These results suggest that, by monitoring G6P levels, plants determine defence priming levels and execute appropriate outputs against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Together, our findings provide a comprehensive view of the roles of sugar in plant defence.
Copy number variations shape genomic structural diversity underpinning ecological adaptation in the wild tomatoSolanum chilense
Authors: Wei Kai , Stam Remco , Tellier Aurélien , Silva-Arias Gustavo A
Published: July 2023

Copy Number Variations (CNVs) are genomic structural variations constituting genetic diversity and underpinning rapid ecological adaptation. The timing and target genes of adaptation by means of CNVs are yet to be explored at the population level in the tomato clade. Therefore, we characterize the CNV landscape ofSolanum chilense, a wild tomato species, using whole-genome data of 35 individuals from seven populations. We identify 212,207 CNVs, including 160,926 deletions and 51,281 duplications. We find CNVs for both intergenic and coding regions, and a higher number of CNVs in recently diverged populations occupying more recently colonized habitats. Population structure analyses based on CNVs and single nucleotide polymorphisms are in agreement, highlighting that the distribution of CNVs is shaped by past demographic and colonization events. Furthermore, we identify 3,539 candidate genes with highly divergent copy number profiles across populations. These genes are functionally associated with response to abiotic stimuli and stress and linked to multiple pathways of flowering time regulation. Gene copy number variation exhibits two evolutionary trends: a contraction with gene loss in central and southern coast populations, and an expansion with gene gain in the southern highland group. Genome-environments association ultimately links the dynamics of gene copy number to six climatic variables and suggests that natural selection has likely shaped patterns of CNV in response to the climatic changes during the southward range expansion ofS. chilense. Our findings provide insights into the role of CNVs underlying ecological adaptation to recently colonized habitats.
Synthetic Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics in Simple Molecular Environment
Authors: Casiraghi Luca , Mambretti Francesco , Tovo Anna , Paraboschi Elvezia Maria , Suweis Samir , Bellini Tommaso
Published: July 2023

The understanding of eco-evolutionary dynamics, and in particular the mechanism of coexistence of species, is still fragmentary and in need of test bench model systems. To this aim we developed a variant of SELEX in-vitro selection to study the evolution of a population of ∼ 1015single-strand DNA oligonucleotide ‘individuals’. We begin with a seed of random sequences which we select via affinity capture from ∼ 1012DNA oligomers of fixed sequence (‘resources’) over which they compete. At each cycle (‘generation’), the ecosystem is replenished via PCR amplification of survivors. Massive parallel sequencing indicates that across generations the variety of sequences (‘species’) drastically decreases, while some of them become populous and dominate the ecosystem. The simplicity of our approach, in which survival is granted by hybridization, enables a quantitative investigation of fitness through a statistical analysis of binding energies. We find that the strength of individual-resource binding dominates the selection in the first generations, while inter and intra-individual interactions become important in later stages, in parallel with the emergence of prototypical forms of mutualism and parasitism.
Increased thermal tolerance under anoxic conditions in an extremophile fish from hot sulfur springs in Mexico
Authors: Pacher Korbinian , Hernández-Román Natalia , Juarez-Lopez Alejandro , Jiménez-Jiménez Jesús Emmanuel , Lukas Juliane , Sevinchan Yunus , Krause Jens , Arias-Rodríguez Lenin , Bierbach David
Published: July 2023

The thermal ecology of ectotherm animals has gained considerable attention in the face of human induced climate change. Particularly in aquatic species the experimental assessment of critical thermal limits (CTminand CTmax) may help to predict possible effects of global warming on habitat suitability and ultimately species survival. Here we present data on the thermal limits of two endemic and endangered extremophile fish species, inhabiting a geothermally-heated and sulfur-rich spring system in Southern Mexico: The sulfur molly (Poecilia sulphuraria) and the widemouth gambusia (Gambusia eurystoma). Besides physiological challenges induced by toxic hydrogen sulfide and related severe hypoxia during the day, water temperatures have been previously reported to exceed those of nearby clearwater streams. We now present temperature data for various locations and years in the sulphur spring complex and conducted laboratory thermal tolerance tests (CTminand CTmax) both under normoxic as well as sever hypoxic conditions in both species. Average CTmaxlimits did not differ between species under normoxic conditions. SurprisinglyP. sulphurariawas found to reach a higher critical temperature (CTmax= 43.2°C) when tested under hypoxic conditions, whileG. eurystomaon average had a lower CTmaxwhen oxygen was absent. Based on this data we calculated both species’ thermal safety margins and used a TDT (thermal death time) model framework to relate our experimental data to observed temperatures in the natural habitat. Our findings suggest, that both species live near their thermal limits during the annual dry season and are locally already exposed to temperatures above their critical thermal limits. We discuss these findings in the light of possible physiological adaptions of the sulfur-adapted fish species and the anthropogenic threats for this unique system.