Specific Association Research Articles

A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis: causal association between chemokines and pan-carcinoma

Objective: According to the 2020 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), cancers stand as one of the foremost contributors to global mortality. Revealing novel cancer risk factors and protective factors is of paramount importance in the prevention of disease occurrence. Studies on the relationship between chemokines and cancer are ongoing; however, due to the coordination of multiple potential mechanisms, the specific causal association remains unclear.Methods: We performed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis to explore the causal association between serum chemokines and pan-carcinoma. All data is from the GWAS catalog and IEU Open GWAS database. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method is primarily employed for assessing the statistical significance of the findings. In addition, the significance threshold after the multiple hypothesis test (Bonferroni) was 0.0013, and the evidence of a potential association was considered if the p-value < 0.05, but remained greater than Bonferroni’s threshold.Results: The results indicate that CCL1 (odds ratio, OR = 1.18), CCL2 (OR = 1.04), CCL8 (OR = 1.36), CCL14 (Colorectal, OR = 1.08, Small intestine, OR = 0.77, Lung, OR = 1.11), CCL15 (OR = 0.85), CCL18 (Breast, OR = 0.95, Prostate, OR = 0.96), CCL19 (Lung, OR = 0.66, Prostate, OR = 0.92), CCL20 (Lung, OR = 0.53, Thyroid, OR = 0.76), CCL21 (OR = 0.62), CCL22 (OR = 2.05), CCL23 (OR = 1.31), CCL24 (OR = 1.06), CCL27 (OR = 1.49), CCL28 (OR = 0.74), CXCL5 (OR = 0.95), CXCL9 (OR = 3.60), CXCL12 (Breast, OR = 0.87, Small intestine, OR = 0.58), CXCL13 (Breast, OR = 0.93, Lung, OR = 1.29), CXCL14 (Colon, OR = 1.40) and CXCL17 (OR = 1.07) are potential risk factors for cancers. In addition, there was a reverse causal association between CCL1 (OR = 0.94) and CCL18 (OR = 0.94) and breast cancer. Sensitivity analysis results were similar. The results of the other four MR Methods were consistent with the main results, and the leave-one-out method showed that the results were not driven by a Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Moreover, there was no heterogeneity and pleiotropy in our analysis.Conclusion: Based on the two-sample MR Analysis method, we found that chemokines might be upstream factors of cancer pathogenesis. These results might provide new insights into the future use of chemokines as potential targets for cancer prevention and treatment. Our results also provide important clues for tumor prevention, and changes of serum chemokine concentration may be recognized as one of the features of precancerous lesions in future clinical trials.

Why Do University Students Smoke Tobacco? French Validity of Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives Among (non-) Daily Smokers and Associations With Psychological Variables

This study investigates the validity of the Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (B-WISDM) among French daily and non-daily university student smokers. Measurement models, measurement invariances, and concurrent and convergent validity with psychosocial and psychopathological variables were tested. Results (1) confirmed the B-WISDM dimensionality in 11 first-order intercorrelated factors; (2) showed its measurement invariance for the types of smokers; (3) showed that tobacco dependence is only and positively predicted by primary dependence motives, which confirm that they are core components of tobacco dependence; and (4) highlighted specific associations between smoking motives and psychological variables, such as smoking identity and perceived behavioral control with some primary dependence motives, social goads with social norms, and weight control with eating disorders. Thus, external validity of the B-WISDM is extended to non-daily smokers. Specific associations of B-WISDM with smoking-related psychological potentially make it a very useful diagnostic tool to support smokers toward quitting.

Juvenile dermatomyositis: association between nail fold capillary end row loop- area under the curve- and disease damage indicators.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by skin and muscle inflammation. The loss of nail fold capillary end row loops (ERL) is evidence of small vessel involvement in JDM. This study aimed to examine the specific association of ERL over the disease course with evidence of JDM disease damage. We analyzed data from 68 initially treatment-naïve JDM children who had been observed for at least five years with multiple ERL density assessments. The JDM disease course were categorized into monocyclic short, monocyclic long, polycyclic, and chronic. The ERL capillary count was cumulatively evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) method. The mean ERL density for the treatment-naive JDM was significantly lower than that of their healthy age-matched controls (4.8 ± 1.6 /mm vs. 7.9 ± 0.9 /mm; p < 0.0001). The ERL AUC was significantly lower in children with a chronic disease course compared to those with a monocyclic short (p = 0.001) or monocyclic long disease course (p = 0.013). JDM patients with lipodystrophy had lower ERL AUC than those without lipodystrophy (p = 0.04). There was no association between ERL AUC and calcifications or fractures. Persistently decreased ERL capillary density, reflected by low ERL AUC, is associated with a chronic disease course and lipodystrophy in JDM. Despite medical therapy, the mean ERL count remained below normal even after five years, particularly in polycyclic and chronic cases. It is not clear that restoring normal capillary density is currently feasible in children with JDM.

Hormonal Content and Gene Expression during Olive Fruit Growth and Ripening.

The cultivated olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. europaea) is one of the most valuable fruit trees worldwide. However, the hormonal mechanisms underlying the fruit growth and ripening in olives remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, we investigated the physiological and hormonal changes, by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS), as well as the expression patterns of hormone-related genes, using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, during fruit growth and ripening in two olive cultivars, 'Arbequina' and 'Picual', with contrasting fruit size and shape as well as fruit ripening duration. Hormonal profiling revealed that olive fruit growth involves a lowering of auxin (IAA), cytokinin (CKs), and jasmonic acid (JA) levels as well as a rise in salicylic acid (SA) levels from the endocarp lignification to the onset of fruit ripening in both cultivars. During olive fruit ripening, both abscisic acid (ABA) and anthocyanin levels rose, while JA levels fell, and SA levels showed no significant changes in either cultivar. By contrast, differential accumulation patterns of gibberellins (GAs) were found between the two cultivars during olive fruit growth and ripening. GA1 was not detected at either stage of fruit development in 'Arbequina', revealing a specific association between the GA1 and 'Picual', the cultivar with large sized, elongated, and fast-ripening fruit. Moreover, ABA may play a central role in regulating olive fruit ripening through transcriptional regulation of key ABA metabolism genes, whereas the IAA, CK, and GA levels and/or responsiveness differ between olive cultivars during olive fruit ripening. Taken together, the results indicate that the relative absence or presence of endogenous GA1 is associated with differences in fruit morphology and size as well as in the ripening duration in olives. Such detailed knowledge may be of help to design new strategies for effective manipulation of olive fruit size as well as ripening duration.

Sex specific associations between serum uric acid levels and risk of hypertension for different reference values of high blood pressure

Abstract Background Uric acid (UA) has been linked to the development of hypertension. However the sex specific associations between UA levels and different diagnostic blood pressure (BP) references is unknown. Purpose We aimed to ascertain the association between serum UA quartiles, hyperuricemia, and 5-year hypertension incidence and weather lower BP diagnostic references may alter these associations in men and women without cardiometabolic diseases. Methods This 5-year study used the check-up data from a hospital. We excluded participants with hypertension (defined as BP ≥140/90 mmHg in cohort 1 and BP ≥130/80 mmHg in cohort 2), diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) &amp;lt;60 ml/min/1.73m², metabolic syndrome, history of gout, and UA lowering medication. We categorized UA into quartiles as follows: men: 1st quartile UA≤4.8 mg/dL, 2nd quartile 4.9-5.6 mg/dL, 3rd quartile 5.7-6.4 mg/dL, and 4th quartile UA≥6.5 mg/dL; women: 1st quartile UA≤3.4 mg/dL, 2nd quartile 3.5-4.0 mg/dL, 3rd quartile 4.1-4.7 mg/dL, and 4th quartile UA≥4.8 mg/dL. Hyperuricemia was defined as UA&amp;gt;7 mg/dL in men and UA&amp;gt;6 mg/dL in women. To analyze the effects of UA on development of hypertension, we adjusted for age, body mass index, systolic BP, diastolic BP, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise habit, serum triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and eGFR by sex in both cohorts. The outcome was 5-year hypertension incidence defined as BP ≥140/90 mmHg in cohort 1 and BP ≥130/80 mmHg in cohort 2. Results In total, 21,514 participants (age, 52.9±10.9 years; men, 39.8%), were enrolled in cohort 1, and 15,316 participants (age, 51.3±10.9 years; men, 36.5%), in cohort 2. The incidence of hypertension in cohort 1 and cohort 2 over a 5-year period was 16.3% and 29.7% in men and 10.9% and 21.4% in women, respectively. Using multivariable logistic regression, we found that when comparing the fourth to first UA quartile, there was an increased risk of hypertension in men in cohort 1, OR 1.36 (95% CI, 1.13-1.63, P&amp;lt;0.01) and cohort 2, OR 1.31 (95% CI, 1.09-1.57, P&amp;lt;0.01) but not in women, cohort 1, OR 1.14 (95% CI, 0.95-1.36, P=0.16) and cohort 2, OR 1.14 (95% CI, 0.98-1.34, P=0.10) respectively. In contrast, for hyperuricemia, we observed increased hypertension risk only in men in cohort 1, OR 1.23 (95% CI, 1.07-1.42, P=0.02) and women were associated with increased risk of hypertension in cohort 2, OR 1.57 (95% CI, 1.14-2.16, P&amp;lt;0.01) but not in men OR 1.15 (95% CI 0.95-1.40, P=0.15). Conclusion Uric acid effect on development of hypertension is affected by sex and incidence differs with the BP reference used. We emphasize on early UA screening to enhance hypertension prevention among cardiometabolic free population.Hypertension 5-Year Incidence Proportion

The impact of duration and control of type 1 diabetes mellitus on microvascular function is strongly modified by the gene for connexin 37

Abstract Introduction Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is almost inevitably accompanied by microvascular dysfunction. This could be responsible for cardiovascular events and is supposed to be caused mainly by long-term exposure to hyperglycemia. Nevertheless, relationship between duration and control of T1DM with microvascular complications can be modified by genetic factors; one of frequently discussed candidate genes is connexin37 (cx37), namely its rs1764391 (C1019&amp;gt;T (Pro319&amp;gt;Ser) polymorphism. We already observed sex specific association between cx37 polymorphism with macrovascular changes but also with retinopathy, neuropathy and diabetic foot. In the recent study, we analyzed if the impact of duration and control of T1DM on directly measured microvascular function is modified by cx37 gene polymorphism. Methods In 235 men and 227 women with T1DM (mean age 43.6 ± 13.6 years; mean duration of diabetes 22.1 ± 11.3 years) wide spectrum of clinical, laboratory and hemodynamic parameters was measured. Establishment of microvascular function measured by photoplethysmography (detection of blood volume changes in the microvasculature in lower extremities) and calculated as Oliva/Roztocil index (ORI), was analyzed. Cx37 gene polymorphism was measured by PCR-RFLP. The correlation (Pearson’s correlation coefficient) between duration of T1DM and ORI was calculated including analysis of potential modification by control of diabetes (HbA1c) and by cx37 gene polymorphism and standardized for potential confounders (sex, age, smoking, presence of hypertension, central obesity …) by multiple regression. The analysis was conducted separately for duration of T1DM below (n=256) and above (n=206) 20 years as the linear relationship between ORI and T1DM duration tends to change accordingly. Results In patients with T1DM, distribution of Cx37 genotypes did not differ from the already described populations (TT/CT/CC: 9.7/44.4/45.9%). In patients with satisfactory control of diabetes (HbA1c&amp;lt;53 mmol/mol; n=105) we detected worsening (increase) of ORI with duration of diabetes only in TT homozygotes and CT heterozygotes for duration of at least 20 years (r=0.6, p=0.006), while in patients with unsatisfactory control (HbA1c&amp;gt;60 mmol/mol;n=270), we detected worsening of ORI with duration of diabetes only in CC homozygotes, both for duration 0-20 years (r=0.35, p=0.03) and for duration of at least 20 years (r=0.47, p=0.03). Conclusion Microvascular function in satisfactory controlled T1DM was worsening with diabetes duration only in T allele carriers of Cx37 gene, the worsening was detected only for patients with duration longer than 20 years. However, if T1DM control was insufficient, microcirculation was worsening only in CC homozygotes.

The Impact of Competitive Sports on Oral Health: Exploring Their Relationship with Salivary Oxidative Stress in Children.

This article explores the correlation between salivary biomarkers, such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and their association with oral health for children in competitive sports. Saliva has emerged as a valuable resource for evaluating physiological and pathological conditions due to its non-invasive collection method and easy storage. This study examines the potential of GPX, TAC, and SOD as salivary biomarkers for assessing the impact of competitive sports on children's oral health. It discusses the potential implications of increased oxidative stress due to intense physical activity and the role of antioxidant defense mechanisms in maintaining oral health. In total, 173 children aged between 6 and 17 were divided into three groups, 58 hockey players, 55 football players, and 60 in the control group, and examined to assess their oral hygiene and dental and periodontal health. Saliva was collected, centrifuged, and the supernatant was analyzed for the relevant biomarkers. The findings seem to suggest that salivary biomarkers, like GPX, TAC, and SOD, might serve as indicators of the physiological response to competitive sports in children, as well as indicators of oral health, especially dental cavities, and periodontal disease. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the groups, with better values for athletes, regardless of age, sex, or activity type. Understanding the relationship between salivary biomarkers and competitive sports in children can have significant implications for monitoring and optimizing the health and performance of young athletes. Further research is needed to establish the specific associations between these biomarkers and the effects of several types and intensities of sports activities on oral health in children.

Bullying and cyberbullying: Do personality profiles matter in adolescence?

Bullying and cyberbullying represent pervasive issues in adolescence because they are very common situations with significant implications for concurrent and later adjustment. It is crucial to investigate the extent to which youths’ personality characteristics may represent a vulnerability to becoming (cyber)bullies or (cyber)victims. However, research mostly has focused on associations with single personality dimensions rather than overall functioning patterns, studies on personality profiles in relation to bullying are limited and under-examined, and no evidence for cyberbullying is available. Within Latent Profile Analysis (i.e., LPA), the present study aimed to identify personality profiles in a sample of 426 Italian early adolescents (Mage = 12; 51 % female), according to the Big Five Model (i.e., Extraversion-E, Agreeableness-A, Conscientiousness-C, Emotional Stability-ES, Openness-O), in connection with traditional bullying and cyberbullying roles (i.e., uninvolved, victims, bullies, bullies/victims). Three profiles emerged with specific associations with (cyber)bullying roles: (1) Resilient (with high scores in all traits) which tended to be uninvolved; (2) Undercontrolled (with low C, average-to-high E, and average-to-low ES, and O), which was more likely to be both bullies and victims, both offline and online; and (3) Overcontrolled (with very low E, average C, and average-to-low ES and O), which was more likely to be associated with traditional (but not online) victimization. The results fill a research gap, demonstrating that specific youths’ personality configurations may be associated with different roles in traditional and online bullying.

Vegan Diets for Children: A Narrative Review of Position Papers Published by Relevant Associations.

The scientific discourse on vegan diets for children and adolescents primarily involves referencing position statement papers from different scientific and professional organizations, including paediatric associations. Over the past two decades, specialized associations have issued official statements and published position papers about adopting well-designed vegan diets during crucial life stages, including pregnancy and lactation, infancy, and childhood. A subset of these associations firmly supports the notion that a well-designed vegan diet can indeed be healthy and support normal growth and development during particularly delicate life stages, emphasizing careful planning, vitamin B12 supplementation, and regular supervised medical and dietetics oversight. In contrast, specific paediatric associations caution against vegan diets for children and adolescents, citing potential harm and the lack of adequate substantiation. These criticisms in position papers frequently point to lower-quality studies and/or outdated studies. Additionally, concerns extend to comparing vegan and omnivorous diets, considering public health issues such as obesity and early stages of cardiovascular disease as well as the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Notably, some scepticism stems from studies where children's adherence to a well-designed vegan diet is incomplete. Scientific rigor suggests performing a comparable assessment of omnivorous and vegan diets. This narrative review highlights the need for a comprehensive, up-to-date literature review to inform balanced perspectives on vegan diets for children and adolescents. Researchers and decision-makers should aim to actively improve the design and consistent implementation of both diet types.

Abstract 11565: Clinical Implications of Left Atrial Size and Its Changes After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure

Background: Little evidence is available regarding the impact of left atrial (LA) diameter, especially its changes after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), on the prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF). Objective: To investigate the association of LA diameter and its changes with all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization in HF patients with CRT. Methods: This cohort study retrospectively included 488 HF patients with CRT, who were assessed with echocardiography at baseline and 6 months after CRT. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the specific association of LA diameter and its changes with all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization. Results: Non-linear associations were found for LA diameter with all-cause mortality ( P = 0.006 for nonlinearity) and HF hospitalization ( P = 0.02 for nonlinearity). The positive association of LA diameter with all-cause mortality (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.42-2.49) and HF hospitalization (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.32-2.22) only in the range of LA diameter &lt;45 mm. There was a positive association of LA diameter changes with all-cause mortality (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.12-1.48) and HF hospitalization (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.13-1.45). LA adverse remodeling (LAAR) was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.46-3.79) and HF hospitalization (HR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.40-3.41). Conclusions: LA enlargement and LAAR were associated with an unfavorable outcome in HF patients with CRT. These findings suggest that monitoring LA diameter and its changes has potential clinical implications for HF treatment.

A multidimensional approach to the study of school climate and student engagement

Student engagement has been acknowledged as a crucial factor for promoting successful learning. In this study we adopted a multidimensional approach to study the associations between school climate and student engagement. We aimed to test the direct and indirect associations of five concrete (Rules, Student Support, Student Involvement, Positive Teaching and Encouragement) and two abstract dimensions of school climate (Sense of Belonging and Interpersonal Justice) with four dimensions of student engagement (emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and agentic). 1058 Italian middle school students participated in this study (48% female students, 92% born in Italy, Mage = 11.77). Direct and indirect associations were tested with a structural equation model (SEM). Results allowed us to pinpoint specific associations between distinct school climate and student engagement dimensions, offering insights beyond their general association. The findings are discussed for their relevance for research and practice in fostering student participation.

Simultaneous recording of ultrasonic vocalizations and sniffing from socially interacting individual rats using a miniature microphone

Vocalizations are pivotal in mammalian communication, especially in humans. Rodents accordingly rely on ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) that reflect their internal state as a primary channel during social interactions. However, attributing vocalizations to specific individuals remains challenging, impeding internal state assessment. Rats emit 50-kHz USVs to indicate positive states and intensify sniffing during alertness and social interactions. Here, we present a method involving a miniature microphone attached to the rat nasal cavity that allows to capture both male and female individual rat vocalizations and sniffing patterns during social interactions. We found that while the emission of 50-kHz USVs increases during close interactions, these signals lack specific behavioral associations. Moreover, a previously unreported low-frequency vocalization type marking rat social interactions was uncovered. Finally, different dynamics of sniffing and vocalization activities point to distinct underlying internal states. Thus, our method facilitates the exploration of internal states concurrent with social behaviors.

Rare plant species occurrence patterns are associated not with soil properties, but with frequent fire in a southeast Australian dry sclerophyll forest

AbstractQuestionSoil properties can play a crucial role in influencing the abundance and distribution of plant species. Fire regimes can also have substantial impacts on plant community composition. However, few studies have examined the effects of both fire regimes and soil properties on the occurrence of rare plant species. Here, we asked if rare species have specific soil and fire regime associations relative to common species, and if soil properties may explain potential fire effects.LocationBooderee National Park, southeastern Australia.MethodsWe collected soil cores and completed vegetation surveys on 42 sites in Sydney Coastal Dry Sclerophyll Forest vegetation. We tested for associations between the number of rare species and common species present in relation to three soil chemical properties (available phosphorus, ammonium and organic carbon), fire frequency, and time since fire.ResultsWe found that rare and common species were not associated with any of the examined soil properties. However, rare species were associated with sites with a high fire frequency, while common species were negatively associated with time since fire.ConclusionsOur results indicate that rare species’ occurrence patterns may be influenced by the direct effects of fire or mediated by multiple factors, rather than shaped solely by soil properties in our study area. Future work to understand the factors that underpin rare species’ occurrence patterns in response to fire is critical to develop fire management protocols that effectively conserve rare species in dry sclerophyll forests.

Notable changes in geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of different phases of episyenitization: insights on the radioactive and shielding of the late phase

Kab Amiri granites are submitted to post-magmatic hydrothermal solutions through fracture and faults, causing several alteration processes. The most common processes are episyenitization, saussuritization, hematitization, sericitization, kaolinization, albitization, chloritization, silicification, and muscovitization. Kab Amiri granites are vuggy, with the vugs partially to completely refilled with new constituents. The least episyenitized granites have elevated amounts of Fe, P, Zr, Ni, U, Th, Ba, Y, Hf, Nb, and As, which are correlated with their mobilization from biotite, k-feldspar, plagioclase and metamict zircon. These elemental changes are related the partial albitization, muscovitization, desilicification and chloritizatiom, which lead to the mobilization of these elements and forming of specific mineral association in the least altered granites such as autonite, tripiolite, columbite, Zircon and galena. On the second stage, granites were subjected to intense alteration processes by mineralizing fluids, causing wholly muscovitization of biotite and feldspar, albitization of plagioclase, carbonitization and apatitization. Many elements were mobilized from these altered minerals, including Ti, Al, Mn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Co, Sr, V, Cr, Sn, Rb, Ta, Li, Sc, W, S, In, and Tl, leading to definite mineralization as kaslite, monazite, xenotime, polycrase and apatite. The mineralizing fluids in the least and highly episyenitized granites are incorporated in some ore minerals like uranophane, fergusonite, bazzite and garnet. Notably, the presence of elements such as U, Th, and other heavy metals in Kab Amiri granites highlights the potential for these rocks in radiation shielding applications. The unique combination of elements and minerals resulting from the alteration processes can be leveraged for developing new materials or enhancing existing materials used in radiation shielding.

An in vitro model and the underlying pathways of sinonasal inverted papilloma development

Recently, the specific association between Sinonasal inverted papilloma (SIP) and EGFR exon 20 mutations has been reported. To investigate the link between specific EGFR mutations and SIP development, we established organotypic raft culture system using nasal polyp-derived immortalized NP2 (iNP2) cells expressing EGFR exon 20 mutants or an exon 19 mutant, and SIP-derived iIP4 cells harboring P772_H773insPYNP mutation. In the raft culture, iIP4 cells showed the inverted growth pattern characteristic to SIP. Interestingly, iNP2 cells expressing EGFR exon 20 duplication mutants, S768_D770dup and N771_H773dup, but not of EGFR exon 19 mutant, E746_A750del, showed the inverted growth pattern. Enhanced activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was observed in iNP2_S768_D770dup and iIP4 cells, while increased MAPK signaling was found in iNP2_N771_H773dup. Increased cell migration and invasion were found in all cells carrying EGFR mutations when compared to iNP2 cells, and this effect was inhibited by either PI3K or MEK inhibitor. Notably, iNP2 cells expressing the N771_H773dup mutant showed the highest migration and invasion abilities. These results suggest that specific mutations in EGFR exon 20 play a crucial role in SIP development, partially though hyper-activation of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. This study presents the first in vitro model for SIP development, which could facilitate further investigations into SIP pathogenesis and preclinical studies for new therapeutic agents.

Coral endosymbiont growth is enhanced by metabolic interactions with bacteria

Bacteria are key contributors to microalgae resource acquisition, competitive performance, and functional diversity, but their potential metabolic interactions with coral microalgal endosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae) have been largely overlooked. Here, we show that altering the bacterial composition of two widespread Symbiodiniaceae species, during their free-living stage, results in a significant shift in their cellular metabolism. Indeed, the abundance of monosaccharides and the key phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were correlated with the presence of specific bacteria, including members of the Labrenzia (Roseibium) and Marinobacter genera. Single-cell stable isotope tracking revealed that these two bacterial genera are involved in reciprocal exchanges of carbon and nitrogen with Symbiodiniaceae. We identified the provision of IAA by Labrenzia and Marinobacter, and this metabolite caused a significant growth enhancement of Symbiodiniaceae. By unravelling these interkingdom interactions, our work demonstrates how specific bacterial associates fundamentally govern Symbiodiniaceae fitness.

The diversity of macromycetes in peatlands: nine years of plot-based monitoring and barcoding in the raised bog "Mukhrino", West Siberia.

Peatland ecosystems are defined by soils with sufficient under-decomposed organic layer, called peat, formed under anoxic conditions. Peatlands are widespread around the world, with several highly paludified regions, one of which is the Western Siberian Plain. Peatlands store large amounts of carbon and are important in their intact state to counteract climate change, as well as for a variety of other ecosystem functions. From the practical aspect, these ecosystems are used as a source of peat for fuel, peat-based fertilisers and growing media, berries and Sphagnum plantations. Fungi are the key part of the decomposer community of peatlands, playing a critical role in the aerobic decomposition in the upper peat layer. The community of peatland fungi is adapted to decomposition of peat and dead parts of Sphagnum in wet acidic conditions; they form specific mycorrhizal associations with a variety of plants. Thus, the research of fungal diversity of peatlands is important for several reasons: 1) adding knowledge of peatland fungal diversity to local or global biodiversity databases; 2) studying carbon cycling in peatlands; 3) using peat and peatlands for different applications, such as cultivation of Sphagnum with regards to some parasitic species of fungi and 4) peatland restoration and conservation, to mention a few. The community of macromycetes of the raised bog "Mukhrino" in Western Siberia was studied using plot-based monitoring throughout a 9-year observation period. The revealed species diversity is represented by approximately 500 specimens in the Fungarium of Yugra State University collection. Selected specimens were used for barcoding of the ITS region to reveal a total of 95 species from 33 genera and three classes. The barcoding effort confirmed morphological identifications for most specimens and identified a number of cryptic species and several potentially new taxa. Based on regular all-season observations, we describe the phenology of the community sporophore production. The quantitative community structure, based on sporophores, revealed a difference in abundance between species by four orders of magnitude, with rare species representing nearly half of the species list. The inter-annual fruiting abundance varied several times by the total number of sporophores per year. To make the comparisons with global studies, we created an open access database of literature-based observations of fungi in peatlands, based on about 120 published papers (comprising about 1300 species) and compared our species list with this database.As a result, the study created an accurate representation of taxonomic and quantitative structure of the community of macromycetes in raised bogs in the region. The raw data of plot-based counts was published as a sampling-event dataset and the sequenced specimens with the sequence information as an DNA-derived extension dataset in GBIF.

Exploring lexical associations in English as a Lingua Franca interactions

Abstract The current research draws on the pragmatic approach to ELF initiated by Kecskes (2019), who proposes that temporary norms and routines are created during intercultural encounters and interactions. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of collocate tokens that are strongly associated with the verb phrases of see, look, hear, listen, watch, and feel, retrieved from Asian and European ELF corpora, this study demonstrates the tendency to use similar lexical associative patterns among ELF interlocutors despite their distinct linguacultural backgrounds. An analysis of the lexical associations of the verb phrases in ELF and English Native Language (ENL) corpora further confirms that ELF speakers do not conform to ENL conventions; instead, they start to develop their own norms that are characterized by specific lexical associations and formulaic expressions.

Age-Stratified Prevalence and Relative Prognostic Significance of Traditional Atherosclerotic Risk Factors: A Report from the Nationwide Registry of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in Japan.

Background The prevalence of traditional atherosclerotic risk factors (TARFs) and their association with clinical profiles or mortality in percutaneous coronary intervention remain unclear. Methods and Results The study analyzed 559 452 patients who underwent initial percutaneous coronary intervention between 2012 and 2019 in Japan. TARFs were defined as male sex, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking, and chronic kidney disease. We calculated the relative importance according to R2 and machine learning models to assess the impact of TARFs on clinical profile and in-hospital mortality. The relative contribution (RC) of each TARF was defined as the average percentage of the relative importance calculated from these models. The age-specific prevalence of TARFs, except for chronic kidney disease, formed an inverted U-shape with significantly different peaks and percentages. In the logistic regression model and relative risk model, smoking was most strongly associated with acute myocardial infarction (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.62 [95% CI, 1.60-1.64]; RC, 47.1%) and premature coronary artery disease (adjusted unstandardized beta coefficient, 2.68 [95% CI, 2.65-2.71], RC, 42.2%). Diabetes was most strongly associated with multivessel disease (adjusted unstandardized beta coefficient, 0.068 [95% CI, 0.066-0.070], RC, 59.4%). The absence of dyslipidemia was most strongly associated with presentation of cardiogenic shock (adjusted OR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.61-0.64], RC, 34.2%) and in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.41-0.46], RC, 39.8%). These specific associations were consistently observed regardless of adjustment or stratification by age. Conclusions Our analysis showed a significant variation in the age-specific prevalence of TARFs. Further, their contribution to clinical profiles and mortality also varied widely.

Specific associations of passively sensed smartphone data with future symptoms of avoidance, fear, and physiological distress in social anxiety

BackgroundPrior literature links passively sensed information about a person's location, movement, and communication with social anxiety. These findings hold promise for identifying novel treatment targets, informing clinical care, and personalizing digital mental health interventions. However, social anxiety symptoms are heterogeneous; to identify more precise targets and tailor treatments, there is a need for personal sensing studies aimed at understanding differential predictors of the distinct subdomains of social anxiety. Our objective was to conduct a large-scale smartphone-based sensing study of fear, avoidance, and physiological symptoms in the context of trait social anxiety over time. MethodsParticipants (n = 1013; 74.6 % female; M age = 40.9) downloaded the LifeSense app, which collected continuous passive data (e.g., GPS, communication, app and device use) over 16 weeks. We tested a series of multilevel linear regression models to understand within- and between-person associations of 2-week windows of passively sensed smartphone data with fear, avoidance, and physiological distress on the self-reported Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). A shifting sensor lag was applied to examine how smartphone features related to SPIN subdomains 2 weeks in the future (distal prediction), 1 week in the future (medial prediction), and 0 weeks in the future (proximal prediction). ResultsA decrease in time visiting novel places was a strong between-person predictor of social avoidance over time (distal β = −0.886, p = .002; medial β = −0.647, p = .029; proximal β = −0.818, p = .007). Reductions in call- and text-based communications were associated with social avoidance at both the between- (distal β = −0.882, p = .002; medial β = −0.932, p = .001; proximal β = −0.918, p = .001) and within- (distal β = −0.191, p = .046; medial β = −0.213, p = .028) person levels, as well as between-person fear of social situations (distal β = −0.860, p < .001; medial β = −0.892, p < .001; proximal β = −0.886, p < .001) over time. There were fewer significant associations of sensed data with physiological distress. Across the three subscales, smartphone data explained 9–12 % of the variance in social anxiety. ConclusionFindings have implications for understanding how social anxiety manifests in daily life, and for personalizing treatments. For example, a signal that someone is likely to begin avoiding social situations may suggest a need for alternative types of exposure-based interventions compared to a signal that someone is likely to begin experiencing increased physiological distress. Our results suggest that as a prophylactic means of targeting social avoidance, it may be helpful to deploy interventions involving social exposures in response to decreases in time spent visiting novel places.