Family Level Research Articles

Area deprivation index, a marker of socioeconomic disadvantage, may predict severity of COVID-19 in patients and which families may experience worse symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression post-ICU

BackgroundCOVID-19 disproportionately impacted marginalized populations early in the pandemic. Families of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) experienced significant psychological effects. Little is known about whether individual and patient psychological outcomes after a loved ones stay in the ICU differs by socioeconomic status, as measured by the area deprivation index (ADI).MethodsFamily members of patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure admitted to the ICU at twelve hospitals in five US states were enrolled in a larger study looking at rates of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression in the months following their loved one's ICU stay. This secondary data analysis includes eight of the twelve hospitals in four of the five states. Each participant was assigned a number indicating a level of neighborhood disadvantage based on the patient’s zip code. Patient and family level characteristics as well as symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were assessed among each neighborhood.ResultsPatients from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods had the highest proportion of patients that needed to be intubated (p = 0.005). All the patients in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods were a race other than white (p = 0.17). At 12 months post-hospitalization, there was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of family members who experienced symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression between the ADI groups.ConclusionsADI may be a predictor of COVID-19 disease severity for patients on presentation to the ICU. Patients and family members experience psychological effects after a loved one’s admission to the ICU, and these outcomes vary among individuals of different socioeconomic status’, as measured by the ADI. A larger study of family members’ incidence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder is needed to understand the extent to which these symptoms are impacted by neighborhood level factors as measured by the ADI.

Behind the Scenes: Metagenomic Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Sustainable Depilation of Sheepskin.

The leather industry is embracing eco-friendly technologies for both regulatory compliance and sustainable growth. While enzymatic depilation provides a greener alternative to traditional beamhouse methods, its complexity often leads to higher costs. To address this, we examined the performance of sheepskins' native bacterial flora in acetic acid conditions with low environmental impact. Utilizing metagenomic techniques, we analyzed the bacterial community dynamics during the depilation process. This investigation revealed a notable increase in microbial diversity and richness in acetic acid treatments compared to water treatments. At the class level, a post-processing decrease in Gammaproteobacteria dominance was observed, while Actinomycetia numbers surged in the acetic acid group. In contrast, the water group showed an increase in Bacteroidia. Order-level analysis indicated reductions in Pseudomonadales and increases in Actinomycetales with acetic acid treatment, whereas Flavobacteriales was more prevalent in water-treated liquors. At the family level, Moraxellaceae decreased and Micrococcaceae increased in the acetic acid group, in contrast to the marked rise of Weeksellaceae in the water group. Temporal analyses further highlighted the evolving bacterial landscapes under different treatments. Moreover, acetic acid treatment fostered a stable microbial community, beneficial for sustainable leather processing. Functional pathways were predicted using PICRUSt2. It showed that significantly enriched degradation pathways in the water group were less abundant in the acetic acid group, potentially preventing substrate matrix damage during depilation. The study underscores the transformative potential of acetic acid for the leather industry, offering a pathway to reduce pollution while maintaining economic viability. By enhancing our understanding of microbial interactions during depilation, this study opens avenues for refining these eco-friendly techniques. Our findings advocate for a shift towards greener depilation methods and contribute to the broader dialogue on sustainable manufacturing practices, emphasizing the importance of leveraging indigenous microbial communities for environmental and economic gains.

Exploring the Influence of Internet Usage Attitudes on Educational Equity among Chinese Migrant Workers: A Regional Analysis

As urban builders, migrant workers (rural residents working in cities) should fairly enjoy urban educational resources. However, due to their social status, they face numerous educational challenges. This study explores how Chinese migrant workers' attitudes towards Internet usage influence educational equity, particularly in an environment where the Internet has become indispensable for learning, work, and daily life among Chinese residents. Using ANOVA and correlation analysis, the study investigates the relationship and influencing factors between migrant workers' attitudes towards Internet usage and educational equity. The research data were obtained from a 2020 survey conducted by the Peking University Chinese Social Sciences Survey Center, focusing primarily on Chinese migrant workers. The findings reveal that migrant workers' attitudes towards Internet usage significantly impact educational equity; groups that place greater emphasis on Internet usage exhibit better educational equity than others. Although the statistical differences in Internet usage attitudes among different regions are not significant, educational equity disparities among regions remain statistically significant. Based on these findings, recommendations are provided at the family, school, and government levels, aiming to address the digital divide, establish remote open education platforms, and improve the household registration system to enhance educational equity for migrant workers.

Characterization of the vaginal microbiota ininfertile women with repeated implantation failure.

Although the relationship between vaginal microorganisms and fertility has been well established, only few studies have investigated vaginal microorganisms in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Our aim was to study the differences in vaginal microbiota between infertile women with repeated implantation failure (RIF) and those who achieved clinical pregnancy in their first frozen embryo transfer cycle. We compared the vaginal microbiota of patients with a history of RIF (n = 37) with that of the control group (n = 43). Following DNA extraction, metagenomic sequencing was employed for the analysis of alpha and beta diversities, distinctions in bacterial species, and the functional annotation of microbial genes. Furthermore, disparities between the two groups were revealed. Alpha diversity analysis revealed that the Shannon index was higher in the RIF group (P < 0.05). There were differences in the beta diversity between groups (P = 0.16). At the bacterial family level, the relative abundance of Actinomycetaceae (P = 0.013) and Ruminococcaceae (P = 0.013) were significantly higher in the RIF group. At the genus level, the abundances of Actinomyces (P = 0.028) and Subdoligranulum (P = 0.013) weresignificantly higher in the RIF group. At the species level, the abundances of Prevotella timonensis (P = 0.028), Lactobacillus jensenii (P = 0.049), and Subdoligranulum (P = 0.013) were significantly higher in the RIF group. Significant differences in family, genus, species, alpha and beta diversity were observed in the vaginal microbiota between groups. Notably, among these findings, the Subdoligranulum genus emerged as the most prominent correlating factor.

Analyzing the performance of short-read classification tools on metagenomic samples toward proper diagnosis of diseases.

Accurate knowledge of the genome, virus and bacteria that have invaded our bodies is crucial for diagnosing many human diseases. The field of bioinformatics encompasses the complex computational methods required for this purpose. Metagenomics employs next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to study and identify microbial communities in environmental samples. This technique allows for the measurement of the relative abundance of different microbes. Various tools are available for detecting bacterial species in sequenced metagenomic samples. In this study, we focus on well-known taxonomic classification tools such as MetaPhlAn4, Centrifuge, Kraken2, and Bracken, and evaluate their performance at the species level using synthetic and real datasets. The results indicate that MetaPhlAn4 exhibited high precision in identifying species in the simulated dataset, while Kraken2 had the best area under the precision-recall curve (AUPR) performance. Centrifuge, Kraken2, and Bracken showed accurate estimation of species abundances, unlike MetaPhlAn4, which had a higher L2 distance. In the real dataset analysis with samples from an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research, MetaPhlAn4, and Kraken2 had faster execution times, with differences in performance at family and species levels among the tools. Enterobacteriaceae and Pasteurellaceae were highlighted as the most abundant families by Centrifuge, Kraken2, and MetaPhlAn4, with variations in abundance among ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), and control non-IBD (CN) groups. Escherichia coli (E. coli) has the highest abundance among Enterobacteriaceae species in the CD and UC groups in comparison with the CN group. Bracken overestimated E. coli abundance, emphasizing result interpretation caution. The findings of this research can assist in selecting the appropriate short-read classifier, thereby aiding in the diagnosis of target diseases.

Uncovering new Firmicutes species in vertebrate hosts through metagenome-assembled genomes with potential for sporulation.

Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) have contributed to identifying non-culturable microorganisms and understanding their ecological functions. MAGs offer an advantage in investigating sporulation-associated genes, especially given the difficulty of isolating many species residing in the gut microbiota of multiple hosts. Bacterial sporulation is a key survival mechanism with implications for pathogenicity and biotechnology. Here, we investigate MAGs from vertebrate hosts, emphasizing taxonomic identification and identifying sporulation-associated genes in potential novel species within the Firmicutes phylum. We identified potential new species in the classes Clostridia (Borkfalkiaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Monoglobaceae, and Oscillospiraceae families) and Bacilli (Bacillaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae families) through phylogenetic and functional pathway analyses, highlighting their sporulation potential. Our study covers 146 MAGs, 124 of them without refined taxonomic assignments at the family level. We found that Clostridia and Bacilli have unique sporulation gene profiles in the refined family MAGs for cattle, swine, poultry, and human hosts. The presence of genes related to Spo0A regulon, engulfment, and spore cortex in MAGs underscores fundamental mechanisms in sporulation processes in currently uncharacterized species with sporulation potential from metagenomic dark matter. Furthermore, genomic analyses predict sporulation potential based on gene presence, genome size, and metabolic pathways involved in spore formation. We emphasize MAGs covering families not yet characterized through the phylogenetic analysis, and with extensive potential for spore-forming bacteria within Clostridia, Bacilli, UBA4882, and UBA994 classes. These findings contribute to exploring spore-forming bacteria, which provides evidence for novel species diversity in multiple hosts, their adaptive strategies, and potential applications in biotechnology and host health.IMPORTANCESpores are essential for bacterial survival in harsh environments, facilitating their persistence and adaptation. Exploring sporulation-associated genes in metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from different hosts contributes to clinical and biotechnological domains. Our study investigated the extent of genes associated with bacterial sporulation in MAGs from poultry, swine, cattle, and humans, revealing these genes in uncultivated bacteria. We identified potential novel Firmicutes species with sporulation capabilities through phylogenetic and functional analyses. Notably, MAGs belonging to Clostridia, Bacilli, and unknown classes, namely UBA4882 and UBA994, remained uncharacterized at the family level, which raises the hypothesis that sporulation would also be present in these genomes. These findings contribute to our understanding of microbial adaptation and have implications for microbial ecology, underlining the importance of sporulation in Firmicutes across different hosts. Further studies into novel species and their sporulation capability can contribute to bacterial maintenance mechanisms in various organisms and their applications in biotechnology studies.

Abstract C007: Quemliclustat (CD73 Inhibitor) reduces adenosine-regulated NR4A gene expression and increases mPDAC inflammation in patients from the ARC-8 trial

Abstract Background: Metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (mPDACs) express high levels of the adenosine-generating enzyme CD73 and therapeutically represent a significant unmet medical need, with median patient overall survival (OS) of &amp;lt;1 year. The small-molecule quemliclustat (quemli; AB680) was designed to inhibit soluble and cell-bound CD73 enzymatic activity, thereby providing the capability of reversing adenosine-mediated anti-tumor immune suppression. Quemli, in combination with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (G/nP) ± anti-PD-1 antibody zimberelimab (zim), demonstrated encouraging clinical activity in the first line (1L) mPDAC study ARC-8 (NCT04104672), with median OS ranging from 14.6-19.4 months. Methods and Results: We began by identifying surrogates for tumor adenosine levels, given that it is not possible to measure adenosine levels directly in clinical samples. Cell culture experiments indicated that the stable adenosine analogue NECA can drive upregulation of the NR4A family of transcription factors (NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3) in cancer cells as well as cancer-associated stromal cells (fibroblasts). Treatment with quemli reversed NR4A gene family upregulation, supporting a model in which high baseline levels of NR4A expression in tumors may be reflective of tumors with higher levels of adenosine. Next, we investigated quemli’s mechanism of action (MoA) by transcriptomic assessment of 37 matched pairs of pre- compared to post-treated mPDACs from ARC-8 patients dosed with 100mg of quemli. Treatment with quemli-containing regimens led to a significant reduction in tumor expression levels of the NR4A gene family. Decreased NR4A family tumor expression after treatment was accompanied by a significant increase in tumor inflammation, as measured by a T-cell activation gene signature. Analysis of a published transcriptional dataset from the nivolumab + G/nP control arm of the PRINCE trial in front-line mPDAC (NCT03214250) indicated that high levels of tumor NR4A1, 2, and 3 expression portend significantly worse clinical outcomes in patients treated with this IO/chemotherapy regimen, highlighting a potential opportunity for quemli to provide clinical benefit by reversing adenosine-mediated immunosuppression in mPDAC. Conclusion:Quemli + G/nP treatment was associated with a reduction in tumor expression levels of adenosine-regulated NR4A gene family and was accompanied by an increase in tumor inflammation. Given the adenosine-modulating MoA, patients with mPDACs expressing high levels of NR4A in baseline tumor tissue, which portended poor prognosis in 1L mPDACs treated with G/np-containing regimen from the PRINCE study, may benefit from treatment with quemli. A phase 3 trial (PRISM-1) of G/nP +/- quemli in the 1L mPDAC setting is being planned. Citation Format: Ji Yun Kim, Ning Wang, Ben Weeder, Enzo Stagnaro, Karim Mrouj, Jose Aquino, Xian He, Eileen M O’Reilly, Shubham Pant, Gulam A Manji, Zev A Wainberg, Joon Rhee, Brandon Beagle, Daniel DiRenzo, Matthew J Walters, Angelo Kaplan, Sean Cho, Omar Kabbarah. Quemliclustat (CD73 Inhibitor) reduces adenosine-regulated NR4A gene expression and increases mPDAC inflammation in patients from the ARC-8 trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr C007.

The Ovary Structure in Terrestrial Parasitengona Mites: The Case of Trombidiidae (Acariformes: Parasitengona).

Species of mites (Chelicerata: Arachnida) show a great variety of structures of the female gonads. In both evolutionary lines, Acariformes and Parasitiformes, the panoistic ovary, in which all germline cysts differentiate into oocytes, and the meroistic ovary, in which the oocytes grow supported by the nurse cells, have been documented. A less pronounced variation in the gonad structure could be expected at lower systematic levels, hence, we ask about the degree of differences within the family that is subordinate to Acariformes and represents the cohort Parasitengona. Based on the members of Trombidiidae (Acariformes: Trombidiformes, Parasitengona, Trombidioidea), we test the hypothesis that the general ovary type is constant at the family level. Our previous research on the female gonad in Allothrombium fuliginosum revealed that the meroistic ovary occurs in these mites. Here, we proceed with a detailed insight into the ovary structure in A. fuliginosum and examine the structure of the female gonad in other members of Trombidiidae, focusing on the following representatives of its nominotypical genus Trombidium: Trombidium brevimanum, Trombidium holosericeum, Trombidium heterotrichum, and Trombidium latum. For all species, studied with light, fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy, we could confirm the presence of the meroistic ovary that is highly similar with respect to general architecture. The germline cysts show similarities in general morphology and the mode of germline cell differentiation; they consist of a few nurse cells and one oocyte. The connection between the nurse cells and oocytes is maintained by trophic cords that serve for the transport of organelles and macromolecules. Our results confirm the constancy of the structure of the female gonad at the intrageneric level and provide further support for the hypothesis on the lack of differences at the intrafamily level.

PSLBI-30 SARS-CoV-2 Screening and Detection: Assessment of surrogate virus neutralization test (svNT) diagnostic appropriateness in multispecies SARS-CoV-2 virus screening and detection

Abstract The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) have been testing animal samples since the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. The current “gold standard” for serodetection of SARS-CoV-2 is the virus neutralization (VN) test. This method requires specialized training, more time to complete, and specialized facilities (BSL 3). Therefore, the SARS-CoV-2 VN test is not widely run outside of NVSL. To facilitate increased testing capacity during the outbreak, the surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) was selected mid-2020. This commercially available kit uses an ELISA format, giving a percent inhibition (%I) cut-off value to indicate “negative” or “positive,” allowing for faster testing turnaround. Despite its widespread use in many species, an in-depth, multispecies analysis of the data comparing sVNT to VN results has not been reported. Such an analysis is useful to assess the diagnostic appropriateness of the sVNT test for SARS-CoV-2 virus screening and detection across multiple species. Results were considered from all serological samples submitted to NVSL from March 2020 to May 2023 for routine SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing. Of these, samples with results for both VN and sVNT testing were considered for further analysis (n = 942). Samples were sorted by the species and family levels, and were assessed for rates of “true positive,” “false positive,” “true negative,” and “false negative” by sVNT, using paired VN results as the indicator of the true status of the sample. Additionally, the increased sVNT cut-off threshold for %I (20%I to 30%I for “positive”) was assessed for appropriateness by species using mean %I values for VN-positive samples. Increasing sVNT %I cut-off threshold for “positive” results from 20%I to 30%I resulted in 58 samples being correctly re-classified as “negative” by sVNT, rather than “positive” at the 20%I cut-off threshold. The mean %I values for most species fell between 40 to 80%I, except for Felidae, which had a mean %I of 93%I, and a minimum %I of 40.6%I for VN-positive samples. The true negative (sVNT/VN-NEG) rates for most species fell between 97to 100%, with 0 to 3% being false negatives (svNT-NEG, VN-POS), with very few exceptions. However, the least false positive (sVNT-POS;VN-NEG) rate was 8.8%, ranging up to 100% false positives for Equidae and one species of Cervidae. While the mean %I for most species indicates the cut-off value is appropriate (for those species where sVNT is an appropriate diagnostic), overall, the results highlight a lack of precision and specificity of the sVNT for many animal species. This indicates a lack of diagnostic appropriateness of the sVNT as a SARS-CoV-2 screening tool for certain species and a need for refinement in cut-off values for other species. The sVNT as a screening tool varies considerably by species for serodetection of SARS-CoV-2, results should be interpreted with caution, and use of other confirmatory tests is recommended.

Sequential mediation model of social support, care burden, and internalized stigma among family function and depression in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia: evidence from a cross-sectional study in southwest China.

There is a lack of comprehensive measurements and systematic evaluations of the depression in caregivers of patients with psychiatric disorders and the factors influencing them in China. This study aims to explore the relationship between family function and depression in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at the individual, family, and social levels according to the ecological system theory and attachment theory. In this study, multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling was adopted to sample caregivers of patients with schizophrenia as subjects from one to three counties of four counties in Yunnan, from September 2022 to March 2023. Collecting the current caregiver's demographic data, family functions, social support, care burden, depression and internalized stigma. The results of single-factor analysis show that age, education level, relationship with patients, and the degree of self-care of patients are the influencing factors of depression of people living with schizophrenia (p < 0.05). The scores of self-rating depression scale are higher for caregivers who have not received formal education, caregivers who cannot take care of themselves and the parents, spouses and children of patients. The results of Pearson correlation analysis show that depression is positively associated with internalized stigma and care burden, and negatively associated with social support and family function (p < 0.05). The results of multiple linear regression show that after controlling age, education level, the patient's self-care capacity, and relationship with patient, the internalized stigma (β = 0.184, p = 0.01) is positively correlated with depression. The mediation effect route of family function → social support → care burden → internalized stigma → depression was significant with 95% confidence interval [-0.150, -0.01], and the chained mediation effect was 5.904%. To reduce the depression level in family caregivers of schizophrenia, apart from taking measures to improve the caregiver's family function, enhancing social support, decreasing care burden, and reducing internalized stigma are suggested.

512 Divergence of the sow vaginal microbiome based on fertility status

Abstract The need for alternative biomarkers of reproductive potential in the pork industry is apparent as the current selection approach for sow fertility is not keeping up with the improvement of other production-related traits. To date, the vaginal microbiome has been overlooked as a source of potential biomarkers of sow fertility status. We aimed to elucidate a possible divergence of the vaginal microbiome between sows of differing fertility status and identify possible microbial biomarkers that classify the fertility potential of a sow. Microbial DNA was extracted from vaginal microbiome samples originating from highly reproductive sows (HRP, n = 41) with the number of piglets born alive ≥ 13 or infertile sows (INF, n = 22), that failed to become pregnant after two rounds of consecutive artificial insemination. Our 16S rRNA sequencing results revealed significant (P &amp;lt; 0.05) beta diversity divergence at the family and genus taxonomic levels between HRP and INF vaginal communities. INF vaginal communities displayed significantly greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) alpha diversity at both the family and genus levels and had a significantly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) greater number of unique OTUs identified at the genus level. The composition of the vaginal microbiome diverges between HRP and INF sows, with INF sows experiencing a disruption of their communities via the colonization of opportunistic pathogens reducing the abundance of normal microbiota seen in HRP. The genera Streptococcus, Lachnospiraceae XPB1014 group, Staphylococcus and Treponema were selected to test as potential biomarkers due to their univariate significance, contribution to partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and selection in a recursive feature elimination model (RFE). The resultant support-vector machine model was diagnostic (achieving an ROC-AUC = 0.86), supporting the selected biomarkers as diagnostic markers for sow fertility status. Overall, there was an apparent shift from a normal vaginal microbiota in HRP sows to a dysbiotic vaginal microbiota in INF sows dominated by potentially pathogenic, more anaerobic and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing microbiota that may play damaging and pro-inflammatory roles in the vaginal canal. Lactobacillus, known to be the dominant genus in a majority of healthy human vaginal microbiomes, was not the dominating genus in either INF or HRP vaginal microbiomes, suggesting the uniqueness of pig vaginal microbiomes. This also emphasizes the need for pig-specific vaginal microbiome research. Investigations regarding the application of the potential vaginal microbial biomarkers identified in this study to a large, novel population of sow and gilt vaginal microbiome samples to test their on-farm accuracy are underway. In addition, the mechanistic and physiologic role of SCFAs and the bacteria that produce them in the sow vaginal microbiome should be further investigated to understand how they may influence or be a product of fertility status.

NLRP3 targets HMGB1 to exacerbate the pyroptosis of canine corneal epithelial cells infected with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

PurposeThis study focused on the mechanisms of pyroptosis and oxidative damage exacerbation by NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) during the infection of canine corneal epithelial cells (CCECs) with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. MethodsThe CCECs treated with dimethyl fumarate (DMF), recombinant high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1), or N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The gasdermin (GSDM) family and HMGB1 mRNA expression levels were detected using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Lactate dehydrogenase activity, bacterial counts, the pyroptosis rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and antioxidant enzyme activity were used to reflect pyroptosis and oxidation level. ResultsRegulation of NLRP3 significantly affected the pyroptosis rate and GSDMD-N expression levels during S. pseudintermedius infection. Inhibition of GSDMD-N protein activation by DMF reversed the exacerbation of pyroptosis induced by NLRP3 overexpression and reduced the levels of cleaved interleukin-1β (IL-1β), cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-1, and NLRP3. In addition, NLRP3 was found to target the HMGB1 promoter and regulate its protein expression, to increase ROS accumulation and GSDMD-N expression levels, and activate the NLRP3-HMGB1-ROS-GSDMD signaling axis to aggravate pyroptosis during infection. ConclusionsNLRP3 aggravates pyroptosis and oxidative damage associated with the activation of NLRP3-GSDMD and NLRP3-HMGB1-ROS-GSDMD signaling pathways during the infection of CCECs with S. pseudintermedius.

Assessing the efficiency and heritability of blocked tree breeding trials

Progeny trials in tree breeding are often laid out using blocked experimental designs, in which families are randomly assigned to plots and several trees are planted per plot. Such designs are optimized for the assessment of family effects. However, tree breeders are primarily interested in assessing breeding values of individual trees. This paper considers the assessment of heritability at both the family and tree levels. We assess heritability based on pairwise comparisons among individual trees. The approach shows that there is considerable heterogeneity in pairwise heritabilities, primarily due to the differences in both genetic as well as error variances among within- and between-family comparisons. Our results further show that efficient blocking positively affects all types of comparison except those among trees within the same plot.

School readiness profiles: Does the quality of preschool education matter?

Studies evaluating school readiness profiles and quality of early education are scarce and have produced inconsistent results. This study aimed to identify school readiness profiles, correlating them with the quality of education, in an epidemiological sample of 722 children (4 and 5 years old; 48.9% female). A four-class latent class analysis model best describes school readiness profiles. Fifty-eight percent of children were considered ready for school. The remaining children presented isolated or combined risks for academic underachievement and social maladjustment. High-quality preschools seem to be a protective factor only for at risk for poor academic achievement (OR = 1.22). The prioritization of high-quality preschools could mitigate risk factors at the family and socioeconomic levels, increasing the chances for academic success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Baseline gut microbiota diversity and composition and albendazole efficacy in hookworm-infected individuals

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections account for a significant global health burden, necessitating mass drug administration with benzimidazole-class anthelmintics, such as albendazole (ALB), for morbidity control. However, ALB efficacy shows substantial variability, presenting challenges for achieving consistent treatment outcomes. We have explored the potential impact of the baseline gut microbiota on ALB efficacy in hookworm-infected individuals through microbiota profiling and machine learning (ML) techniques. Our investigation included 89 stool samples collected from hookworm-infected individuals that were analyzed by microscopy and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Of these, 44 were negative by microscopy for STH infection using the Kato-Katz method and qPCR 21 days after treatment, which entails a cure rate of 49.4%. Microbiota characterization was based on amplicon sequencing of the V3–V4 16S ribosomal RNA gene region. Alpha and beta diversity analyses revealed no significant differences between participants who were cured and those who were not cured, suggesting that baseline microbiota diversity does not influence ALB treatment outcomes. Furthermore, differential abundance analysis at the phylum, family and genus levels yielded no statistically significant associations between bacterial communities and ALB efficacy. Utilizing supervised ML models failed to predict treatment response accurately. Our investigation did not provide conclusive insights into the relationship between gut microbiota and ALB efficacy. However, the results highlight the need for future research to incorporate longitudinal studies that monitor changes in the gut microbiota related to the infection and the cure with ALB, as well as functional metagenomics to better understand the interaction of the microbiome with the drug, and its role, if there is any, in modulating anthelmintic treatment outcomes in STH infections. Interdisciplinary approaches integrating microbiology, pharmacology, genetics and data science will be pivotal in advancing our understanding of STH infections and optimizing treatment strategies globally.Graphical

Effectiveness of a home-based, post-discharge early intervention program for very preterm infants in reducing parental stress: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThis study aims to evaluate the impact of a home-based, post-discharge early intervention (EI) program on reducing parental stress levels in families with preterm infants born between 28+ 0 and 31+ 6 weeks gestational age.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted, with families randomly allocated to either the EI or standard care (SC) group. A term reference group was also recruited for comparison. The Parental Stress Index-Short Form was used to assess parental stress levels, yielding a total stress score and three subdomain scores. Assessment was performed at baseline, at the 60-day mark of the study, and when the infants reached six corrected months of age. Parents in the reference group were assessed only at six months of corrected age for infants. The intervention comprised three sections: intellectual, physical, and social training, which was administered to the infants in the EI group immediately after discharge and to those in the SC group after 60 days of enrollment.ResultsSeventy-three families were enrolled in this study, with 37 allocated to the EI group, and 36 to the SC group. Prior to intervention, higher stress levels were reported by mothers in both groups than fathers, with no difference observed between the EI and SC groups. Re-assessment performed at 60 days of the study showed that mothers and fathers in the EI group had significantly lower total stress score than those in the SC group (82.00 ± 5.64 vs. 94.26 ± 7.99, p < 0.001; 80.74 ± 7.14 vs. 89.94 ± 9.17, p < 0.001, respectively), which was predominantly due to the lower scores in parental distress and parental-child dysfunction interaction subdomains in the EI group (both had p < 0.001). Mothers in the EI group exhibited a more pronounced reduction in total stress score after intervention when compared to fathers (13.15 ± 4.68 vs. 8.26 ± 4.03, p < 0.001). At six months of infant age, the total stress score and subdomain scores of parents in the EI and SC groups were similar, but significantly higher than those of the reference group.ConclusionThe home-based, post-discharge EI program demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing parental stress levels among the parents of very preterm infants.Trial registrationThis study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: CTR1900028330). Registration date: December 19, 2019.

Adolescent depressive symptoms and memory performance in young adulthood: Testing critical period, accumulation, and pathway models using a sibling comparison design

RationaleDespite the existing literature connecting depressive symptoms with cognitive function in adulthood, there is limited knowledge about the longitudinal association between depressive symptoms in adolescence and memory function in adulthood, as well as the mechanisms underlying this relationship. ObjectivesThis study aims to determine whether depressive symptoms in adolescence are associated with memory function in young adulthood. To explore the underlying mechanisms of this association, it employs a life course approach, testing the critical period, accumulation, and pathway models. MethodsUtilizing data from the sibling sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), this study employed sibling fixed effects models to control for unobserved heterogeneity at the family level. To test various life course models, the analysis incorporated adult depressive symptoms, as well as an array of behavioral, psychosocial, and educational mechanism variables. ResultsSibling fixed effects estimates indicated a longitudinal association between depressive symptoms in adolescence and memory function in young adulthood (b = −0.084, p < 0.01). Depressive symptoms in adulthood neither explained nor intensified this association. Mediation analysis revealed that educational attainment modestly accounted for about 11% of the relationship between adolescent depressive symptoms and adult memory function. Combined, these findings lend support to the life course approach, with a specific focus on the critical period model. ConclusionsThis study's findings suggest that depressive symptoms in adolescence are an independent risk factor for memory function in adulthood. The empirical support for the critical period model underscores the importance of implementing early intervention programs and targeted strategies to support adolescents experiencing depressive symptoms.

Plant G × Microbial E: Plant Genotype Interaction with Soil Bacterial Community Shapes Rhizosphere Composition During Invasion

It is increasingly recognized that different genetic variants of hosts can uniquely shape their microbiomes. Invasive species often evolve in their introduced ranges, but little is known about the potential for their microbial associations to change during invasion as a result. We asked whether host genotype (G), microbial environment (E), or their interaction (G × E) affected the composition and diversity of host-associated microbiomes in Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle), a Eurasian plant that is known to have evolved novel genotypes and phenotypes and to have altered microbial interactions, in its severe invasion of CA, USA. We conducted an experiment in which native and invading plant genotypes were inoculated with native and invaded range soil microbial communities. We used amplicon sequencing to characterize rhizosphere bacteria in both the experiment and the field soils from which they were derived. We found that native and invading plant genotypes accumulated different microbial associations at the family level in each soil community, often counter to differences in family abundance between soil communities. Root associations with potentially beneficial Streptomycetaceae were particularly interesting, as these were more abundant in the invaded range field soil and accumulated on invading genotypes. We also found that bacterial diversity is higher in invaded soils, but that invading genotypes accumulated a lower diversity of bacteria and unique microbial composition in experimental inoculations, relative to native genotypes. Thus variation in microbial associations of invaders was driven by the interaction of plant G and microbial E, and rhizosphere microbial communities appear to change in composition in response to host evolution during invasion.

Peculiarities of Arctic Ichthyofauna

An audit of the marine and freshwater ichthyofauna of the Arctic has been carried out. According to new data, the ichthyofauna of the Arctic is represented by 4 classes, 33 orders, 103 families, 251 genera and 479 species of cyclostomes and fish (or about 1% of the world fauna), of which 214 species or 45% of the number of species in the Arctic are true Arctic species. Arctic fish are characterized by polymorphism and euryphagy, which are associated with the variable and low food supply of northern water bodies. The ichthyofauna of the Arctic is well represented by taxa with a wide adaptive radiation (genera Coregonus, Salvelinus, Lycodes, etc.) and species with a complex intraspecific structure such as superspecies or species-complex. Another characteristic feature of the Arctic is low endemism of ichthyofauna at the level of families (5%), genera (2%) and species (10%). Possible routes of distribution of whitefish and pike in the water bodies of the North have been discussed.

Discovery and Heterologous Expression of Functional 4-O-Dimethylallyl-l-tyrosine Synthases from Lichen-Forming Fungi.

Fungal aromatic prenyltransferases are a family of biosynthetic enzymes that catalyze the prenylation of a range of aromatic substrates during the biosynthesis of bioactive indole alkaloids, diketopiperazines, and meroterpenoids. Their broad substrate scope and soluble nature make these enzymes particularly adept for applications in biocatalysis; for example, the enzymatic derivatization of aromatic drugs improves their bioactivity. Here, we investigated four putative aromatic prenyltransferases from lichen-forming fungi, an underexplored group of organisms that produce more than 1,000 unique metabolites. We successfully expressed two enzymes, annotated as dimethylallyltryptophan synthases, from two lichen species in the heterologous host A. oryzae. Based on their in vivo activity, we hypothesize that these enzymes are in fact 4-O-dimethylallyl-l-tyrosine synthases. Our extensive bioinformatic analysis further confirmed that these and related lichen aromatic prenyltransferases are likely not active on indoles but rather on aromatic polyketides and phenylpropanoids, major metabolites in lichens. Overall, our work provides new insights into fungal aromatic prenyltransferases at the family level and enables future efforts aimed at identifying new candidates for biocatalytic transformations of aromatic compounds.