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Impact of an Integrative Clinical Pharmacy Model on the Occurrence of Complications i...
Alix Marie POUGET
Michael MOUNIE

Alix Marie POUGET

and 6 more

March 23, 2023
Background Clinical pharmacy is an effective pharmaceutical discipline in drug therapy management and in preventing iatrogenic events. Clinical pharmacy studies in the medical device context are, however, rare in the current literature. Purpose The purpose of this study is to prove that clinical pharmacy is effective in the medical device context by reducing PICC line complications post-implantation. Methods CLIPICC is a prospective before-and-after single-centre study conducted in a University Hospital. The study comprised two successive phases: an initial observational phase (OP), where no clinical pharmacy activities were carried out, followed by an interventional phase (IP), where clinical pharmacy activities were implemented along the patient’s hospital and primary care pathway. The key outcome of the study was the number of complications per month and per patient in each phase. Comparisons were made using negative binomial regression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with R software. Results A total of 138 patients were enrolled in the study. In the OP, 40 patients (59.7%) presented at least one complication with 80 complications being recorded overall in 67 patients. In the IP, 30 patients (45.5%) had at least one complication with a total of 39 complications documented in 66 patients. The number of complications per patient and per month was halved in the interventional phase. Conclusion Clinical pharmacy interventions along the entire care pathway are effective in preventing complications following implantation of PICC lines. Trial registration: NCT04359056.
Dissociations between spontaneous EEG features and the Perturbational Complexity Inde...
Silvia Casarotto
Gabriel Hassan

Silvia Casarotto

and 12 more

March 23, 2023
The analysis of spontaneous EEG is a cornerstone in the assessment of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Alterations in specific frequency bands have been reported, including a predominance of delta power in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) patients in contrast with a predominance of alpha activity in minimally conscious state patients (MCS). Although preserved EEG patterns are highly suggestive of consciousness even in unresponsive patients, moderately or severely abnormal patterns are difficult to interpret. Indeed, growing evidence shows that consciousness can be present despite either large delta or reduced alpha activity in spontaneous EEG. Quantifying the complexity of EEG responses to direct cortical perturbations (Perturbational Complexity Index; PCI) may complement the observational approach and provide a reliable assessment of consciousness even when spontaneous EEG features are inconclusive. To systematically test this hypothesis, we compared PCI to EEG spectral measures in the same population of MCS patients (n=40) hospitalized in rehabilitation facilities. We found a remarkable EEG background variability across MCS patients as compared to healthy controls and a non-negligible number of patients with predominant delta and highly reduced alpha power in spontaneous EEG. Conversely, PCI values invariably suggested a capacity for consciousness in all MCS patients, consistent with the presence of clearly discernible, albeit fleeting, behavioral signs of awareness. These results confirm that spontaneous EEG rhythms may dissociate from the actual capacity for consciousness and suggest that a perturbational approach can effectively compensate for this pitfall with practical implications for the individual patient’s stratification and tailored rehabilitation.
Long Short-Term Memory Network based HVDC systems Fault Diagnosis under Knowledge Gra...
Qian Chen
Jiyang Wu

Qian Chen

and 6 more

March 23, 2023
To effectively extract various types of fault characteristics of HVDC systems and significantly improve the accuracy of fault diagnosis of HVDC systems, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method for HVDC systems based on long short-term memory network (LSTM) relying on the knowledge graph platform. The LSTM model is developed using the measured data of four types of faults in an HVDC substation in southwest China. Primarily, the knowledge graph for the HVDC system is constructed. Then the fault waveforms data for the four types of faults are preprocessed and divided into the training set and test set. Furthermore, different optimizers are used to train and test the LSTM. Finally, the accuracy of fault diagnosis for the proposed strategy is calculated and compared with the commonly used fault diagnosis methods, i.e., recurrent neural network (RNN), support vector machine (SVM), and Naive Bayes classifier. The results show that the proposed method can achieve an accuracy of more than 87% for fault diagnosis of HVDC systems, which fully proves the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed method.
A RARE CASE OF PEDIATRIC MN1 ALTERED ASTROBLASTOMA WITH CONCOMITANT ATM GERMLINE MUTA...
Stephanie Chou
Ali Nael

Stephanie Chou

and 3 more

March 23, 2023
Astroblastoma is a rare brain tumor that has recently emerged as a new entity in the 2021 WHO classification of tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), based on its peculiar histopathologic feature and association with MN1 alteration. We report an unique case of MN1- altered astroblastoma with concomitant ATM germline mutation. A 10-year-old girl presented with nausea and vomiting due to a large temporal parietal tumor. Gross total resection was achieved and the integrated molecular diagnosis of MN1-altered astroblastoma was made based on DNA methylation profiling. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) confirmed a MN1-BEND2 fusion and germline sequencing revealed an ATM gene heterozygous pathogenic variant. Radiation therapy was deferred given the possible association of heterozygous ATM mutation with increased risk of breast cancer and radiosensitivity. This case highlights the therapeutic implications of germline molecular findings in the treatment of astroblastoma and the need for further investigations to define a more standardized approach for treating this rare pediatric tumor.
Smegma Pearl: A Benign Penile Lesion in Infants
Kushal Baral
Susmita Poudel

Kushal Baral

and 1 more

March 23, 2023
Benign penile nodules in infants can cause distress to mothers and diagnostic challenges for physicians. Smegma pearls, characterized by desquamated epithelial cells, are a common type of benign nodule that can be managed with reassurance. We present similar case which presented to the rural primary care centre in Nepal.
A rare case of death in a patient with Guillain-Barrè syndrome after COVID-19 vaccina...
Antonio Coviello
Maria Vargas

Antonio Coviello

and 8 more

March 23, 2023
The “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2) causes potentially fatal disease.The Covid-19 vaccine is the most effective weapon to reduce the virus spread. We describe a rare post-vaccine effect like Guillian Barré Syndrome. We reported a 66-years-old female patient with acute manifestations four weeks after vaccine administration.
Cartan equivalence method on fifth-order differential operator
Rohollah Bakhshandeh Chamazkoti
Morteza Bakhshandeh

Rohollah Bakhshandeh Chamazkoti

and 2 more

March 23, 2023
In this paper, we carry out the equivalence problem for fifth-order differential operators on the line under general fiber-preserving transformation using the Cartan method of equivalence. Two versions of equivalence problems have been solved. We consider the direct equivalence problem and an equivalence problem to determine the sufficient and necessary conditions on fifth-order differential operators such that there exists a fiber--preserving transformation mapping one to the other according to gauge equivalence.
Atypical Scheuermann’s Disease with Severe Kyphosis and Negative Sagittal Balance in...
Seyed Reza Mousavi
Majid Reza Farrokhi

Seyed Reza Mousavi

and 5 more

March 23, 2023
INTRODUCTIONScheuermann’s kyphosis is a structural deformity of the spine that affects roughly 2.2% of the global population ranging from 0.4 to 10% [1, 2]. Scheuermann’s kyphosis results in progressive thoracic and/or thoracolumbar hyperkyphosis in the spinal structure; consequently, ends in severe back pain in the afflicted population [3]. The structural deformity root in osteonecrosis of vertebral apophyses resulting in wedging of at least three adjacent vertebrae [1]. Another theory for the pathophysiology of this disease is alterations in endochondral ossification [4].Patients with Scheuermann’s kyphosis are classified into typical and atypical. Typical cases have thoracic spine involvement, while atypical Scheuermann’s kyphosis cases have wedging in lumbar or thoracolumbar regions [5, 6]. The management of atypical cases initiate with conservative treatments such as bracing and analgesics, but for thoracolumbar curves greater than 25 to 30 degrees, surgical interventions are indicated, whereas the cutoff value for surgical interventions in thoracic Scheuermann’s kyphosis is curvatures greater than 70 to 75 degrees [7]. However, surgical treatment of atypical Scheuermann’s kyphosis is associated with multiple adverse effects, most importantly, junctional kyphosis [8]. It has been shown that spinal sagittal balance does not change significantly after surgical interventions, and is not correlated with preoperative thoracolumbar kyphosis [9, 10]. In this article, we present a case of atypical Scheuermann’s kyphosis who underwent surgical intervention with anterior release and posterior fusion with a 2-year follow-up and excellent outcome without any complications or adjacent segment disease.
Development of quantitative detection method for mass spectrometry coupled to an infr...
Seny KEITA
Sonia Noirez

Seny KEITA

and 7 more

March 23, 2023
Within the framework of radioactive waste management, the evolution of the gaseous composition inside the underground repository structures must be understood. Indeed, chemical and microbial reactions and exchanges occur between the rock, the structures and the air. These processes are studied in the Andra’s Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground Research Laboratory’s (URL). Recently, a gas monitoring station “Flair soil™” has been designed to monitor the gaseous composition inside this URL. This station is composed by two analyzers: a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) which allows to follow the evolution of several gases and an infrared laser spectroscope (Picarro) providing simultaneous measurements of CH4, CO2 and CO. Thus, a multivariate calibration method for the quantitative detection of interfering and non-interfering gases in a nitrogen matrix has been developed for the QMS. The MS was calibrated from pure gases in a nitrogen matrix, with known concentrations and ion currents obtained from the measurement of each species of gas. This method uses matrix calculations to calculate the relative concentrations of an unknown gas mixture from the ion currents measured directly in the MS. The test gases T1 and T2 were used to assess the accuracy of the method. Daily ion currents are corrected from theoretical ion currents obtained from calibration coefficients and test gas concentrations. Some gases are less well quantified due to their low concentration in the test gases and interferences on the measured masses. One of the motivations of this study lay in developing an advanced measurement tool allowing to be low in sensitivity, and thus to improve the detection and quantification of gases at low concentrations. The objective of this paper is to propose an analytical method to measure the gaseous composition with several molecules. This method was able to detect hydrocarbons, noble gases, sulfides, greenhouse gases, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen in the same mixture.
The First Integral and Analytical Solution of Chazy Equation with Movable Singular Li...
Binbin Zhang
Guoliang Xu

Binbin Zhang

and 2 more

March 23, 2023
The basic object of investigation is classical Chazy - a nonlinear third-order autonomous differential equation with movable singular line. In this paper, the first integral of Chazy equation is obtained with the help of Backlund transformation, which is a transcendental dependence on the function and its derivatives . The general solution of equation is represented by Laurent series in the punctured neighborhood of point at infinity, and in the domain is represented by Taylor series. It is proved that the obtained Laurent and Taylor series all converge absolutely in their defined domains. Under the situation that the analytic continuation of solutions of differential equation with movable singular line cannot be realized, a necessary and sufficient condition is presented for obtaining the two-parameter rational solution of Chazy equation from its general solution constructed by Taylor series. And the research results can be applied in the analytic theory of ordinary differential equations.
Traditional Grazing Management Practices Affect Vegetation Dynamics in the Somali Pas...
Haftay Gebremedhn
Sintayehu   Dejene

Haftay Gebremedhn

and 4 more

March 23, 2023
Pastoralist grazing management practices play a vital role in maintaining rangeland productivity and biodiversity. However, the degradation of rangelands and loss of ecosystem services have raised concerns about the future of pastoralism as a form of land use. Despite their importance, we have limited knowledge about the effect of traditional grazing management practices on vegetation attributes, such as species composition, richness, diversity, herbage biomass, and density, and canopy cover. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the changes in vegetation attributes under three traditional grazing management practices in the Somali pastoral ecosystem of Ethiopia. We found a significant difference in herbaceous and woody vegetation attributes among the grazing management practices (p < 0.001). Enclosures supported higher herbaceous species diversity and abundance of desirable species, such as Chloris gayana, Chrysopogon aucheri, Cynodon dactylon, and Themeda triandera, compared to open grazing and browsing management sites. The herbage biomass was three times higher in enclosures than in open grazing and twice higher than in browsing management practices. However, browsing management practices supported significantly higher levels of wood biomass, density, and canopy cover than the other management practices. Our results suggest that transitioning from open grazing to the enclosure and browsing management practices can lead to higher plant productivity, which supports the local pastoral economy in the Somali rangeland of Ethiopia. Thus, dryland restoration programs should consider traditional indigenous knowledge for ensuring the sustainability of future rangeland productivity and biodiversity conservation.
TLR4 exhibits a Pivotal Role in Immuno-Oncology through Systematic Pan-Cancer Analysi...
Yuan Wang
Lehui Du

Yuan Wang

and 13 more

March 23, 2023
The role of TLR4 (toll like receptor 4), a key molecule of the classical innate immune pathway, in individual tumors requires further exploration. In this study, numerous databases and tools, such as TCGA, GTEx, cBioportal, GSCALite, and GDSC, were utilized to systematically analyze the prognostic and immunological potential of TLR4 in tumors. The expression levels and mutational dynamics of TLR4 in pan-cancer were investigated. The prognostic potential of TLR4 was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis. Results showed the levels of TLR4 in tumor tissues were significantly lower as compared to those in normal tissues in most cancers and were strongly correlated with the patient’s outcomes. The mutant genes associated with TLR4 were mainly enriched in the PI3K-AKT pathway. This could be a potential pathway for radiotherapy to activate the tumor immune microenvironment via TLR4/MAP. In tumors, the TLR4 mutations were closely associated with the M1/M2 polarization of macrophages. TLR4 and its ligand CD14 were significantly negatively associated with immunosuppressed MDSCs and TAM M2. The intervention of TLR4-dependent signaling pathways might be a promising strategy to reduce tolerance to ICB treatment in the post-immune era. In conclusion, this study expands the potential of TLR4 as an immune target in tumor therapy.
Severe burn-induced mitochondria recruitment of calpain causes aberrant of mitochondr...
Jing-Jun Zhou
Zhang Ran-Ran

Jing-Jun Zhou

and 7 more

March 23, 2023
Mitochondria damage is an important cause of heart dysfunction after severe burn. However, the pathophysiological process remains unclear. This study aims to examine the mitochondrial dynamics in the heart after severe burn, and the role of μ-calpain, a cysteine protease, in this scenario. Rats were subjected to thermal injury treatment, and calpain inhibitor MDL28170 was given intravenously 1 h before burn injury. Compared with the sham group, the rats in the burn group displayed weakened heart performance and decreased mean arterial pressure, which was accompanied by a diminishment of mitochondria function. Furthermore, severe burn increased the level of calpain in mitochondria, reflected by immunofluorescence staining and activity test. In contrast, treatment with MDL28170 diminished these responses to a severe burn. Severe burn induced morphological defects of mitochondria, and decreased the abundance of mitochondria. Of note, severe burn increased the percentage of the mitochondria with bigger size, but decreased the smaller ones. Analysis of dynamic proteins revealed that severe burn caused an increase of fission protein DRP1 in the mitochondria and a decrease of inner membrane fusion protein OPA1. Similarly, these alterations were also blocked by MDL28170. Last but not the least, inhibition of calpain yielded the emergence of more elongated mitochondria along with membrane invagination in the middle of the longitude, an indicator of the fission process. Overall, these results for the first time provide evidence that mitochondria recruitment of calpain confers heart dysfunction after severe burn, which involves mitochondrial dynamics damage.
Effect of overweight/obesity on the degree of asthma control in children:A propensity...
Peizhen Wang
Donghong Peng

Peizhen Wang

and 1 more

March 23, 2023
OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics of overweight/obese children with asthma and their influence on the degree of asthma control in outpatient clinics of Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. METHODS: Outpatient medical records of children with bronchial asthma attending the outpatient clinic of the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2021 to October 2022 were collected, and the clinical characteristics of overweight/obese children with asthma and their influence on the degree of asthma control were analyzed by the propensity score method. Results: A total of 496 children with bronchial asthma were included. 130 of the 496 children were overweight/obese, 302 of the total population were male (60.9%), and the ratio of male to female children was approximately 1.5:1. All children were from the southwest region of China. The mean age of the children in the total population was 6.10±0.20 years. The risk of poor asthma control was 1.30 times higher in the overweight/obese population compared to the non-obese/overweight population using traditional logistic regression, with a 95% CI of 0.82-2.05. Logistic regression models were constructed using propensity score methods to balance confounding factors, i.e. propensity score weighting and propensity score matching methods, all of which consistently concluded that overweight/obesity was positively associated with asthma control. Obesity was positively associated with asthma control, with the propensity score weighting method yielding an OR=1.2, 95% CI=0.92-1.57 and the propensity score matching method yielding an OR of 1.09, 95% CI=0.61-1.97. Conclusion: Being overweight/obese has an impact on the degree of control in children with asthma, and overweight/obese children are at higher risk of poor asthma control.
Extracellular vesicles of the probiotic E. coli O83 activate innate immunity and prev...
Irma Schabussova
Anna Marlene Schmid

Irma Schabussova

and 19 more

March 23, 2023
Background: E. coli O83 (Colinfant Newborn) is a Gram-negative (G-) probiotic bacterium used in the clinic. When administered orally, it reduces allergic sensitisation but not allergic asthma. Intranasal administration may be more effective as it reaches the lungs directly. G- bacteria release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) to communicate with the environment. Here we investigate whether intranasally administered E. coli O83 OMVs (EcO83-OMVs) can reduce allergy in mice. Methods: EcO83-OMVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterised with respect to their number, morphology (shape and size), composition (proteins and lipopolysaccharide; LPS), recognition by innate receptors (using transfected HEK293 cells) and immunomodulatory potential (in naïve splenocytes and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells; BMDCs). Their allergy-preventive effect was investigated in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. Results: EcO83-OMVs are spherical nanoparticles with a size of about 110 nm. They contain LPS and protein cargo. We identified a total of 1120 proteins, 136 of which were enriched in OMVs compared to parent bacteria. Proteins from the flagellum dominated. OMVs activated the pattern recognition receptors TLR2/4/5 as well as NOD1 and NOD2. EcO83-OMVs were internalised by epithelial cells and induced the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in splenocytes and BMDCs. Intranasal administration of EcO83-OMVs inhibited airway hyperresponsiveness, decreased airway eosinophilia, Th2 cytokine production and mucus secretion. Conclusion: We demonstrate for the first time that intranasally administered OMVs from probiotic G- bacteria have an anti-allergic effect. Our study highlights the advantages of OMVs as a safe platform for prophylactic treatment of allergy.
A REVIEW OF THE EPIGENETIC CLOCK: EMERGING BIOMARKERS FOR ASTHMA AND ALLERGIC DISEASE
Denise Daley
Denitsa Vasileva

Denise Daley

and 2 more

March 23, 2023
DNA methylation (DNAm) is a dynamic, age-dependent, epigenetic modification that can be used to study interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Environmental exposures during critical periods of growth and development may alter DNAm patterns, leading to increased susceptibility to diseases such as asthma and allergy. One method to study the role of DNAm is the epigenetic clock – an algorithm that uses DNAm levels at select age informative Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) dinucleotides to predict epigenetic age (EA). The difference between EA and calendar age (CA) is termed epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and reveals information about the biological capacity of an individual. Associations between EAA and disease susceptibility have been demonstrated for a variety of age-related conditions and, more recently, phenotypes such asthma and allergic diseases which often begin in childhood and progress throughout the lifespan. In this review, we explore different epigenetic clocks and how they have been applied, particularly as related to childhood asthma and in utero and early life exposures (e.g., smoking, diet, and drugs) that result in methylation changes.
From heteronormative to homonormative: A new perspective on the evolution of sexual b...
Jordan Marino

Jordan Marino

March 23, 2023
This scientific paper discusses the origins and evolution of same-sex behavior (SSB) in non-human animals. The article offers an alternative perspective to Darwin’s theory of evolution and explains that SSB is a ‘Darwinian paradox’ since it does not lead to reproduction. The paper argues that SSB and different-sex behavior (DSB) evolved together and that heteronormativity, the understanding that male-female relationships are the norm, harms research on these animals and queer individuals. The paper discusses the various definitions of SSB and its relationship to biological sex and sexual behavior. It offers examples of animals that differ from the perceived norm of two distinct sexes. The article emphasizes the need to shift our perspective to view same-sex behavior as normal to prevent bias in future research.  
Aggregation and Oligomerization Characterization of ß-lactoglobulin Protein by a Soli...
Mitu Acharjee
Brad  Ledden

Mitu Acharjee

and 7 more

March 23, 2023
This work demonstrates protein aggregation and oligomerization can be evaluated by solid-state nanopore method. A silicon nitride nanopore sensor is used to characterize a model protein ß-lactoglobulin variant A (βLGa) amyloid formation and native-state oligomerization in close to biological solution condition at single molecule level. To verify the results obtained from nanopore measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques are used to measure and calibrate the same βLGa protein samples incubated at different stages. Using the parameters measured by DLS, AFM, and by measuring linear and circular dsDNA molecules in the same nanopore, we estimate the length and diameter of amyloid fibrils, and the number of βLGa aggregation and the distribution of these species. Furthermore, as a demonstration of the nanopore technique, βLGa self-association and aggregation at pH 4.6 as a function of temperature are measured in 2M and 0.1M salt. Protein aggregation has been linked to many chronic and devastating neurodegenerative human diseases and is also strongly associated with aging. This study shows the advantages and limitations of evaluating protein aggregation by solid-state nanopore technology.
Measuring Burnout in Zoo & Aquarium Professionals: A Case for Equity and Justice
Jordan Marino

Jordan Marino

April 25, 2023
This study analyzed the rates of burnout in zoo and aquarium employees to determine who experiences burnout. Previous research has examined which demographic groups experience harassment and discrimination, but not much research has shown which demographic groups experience burnout. This study looked at who is experiencing burnout at zoos and aquariums and the factors that may lead to higher levels of burnout. Researchers distributed a survey to recruit individuals working or who have previously worked at a zoo or aquarium. Of 616 respondents, 91% reported they experienced burnout while working at a zoo or aquarium, and 60% stated they left a position because of burnout. Survey participants who identified as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color were significantly more likely than those identified as White to leave their positions because of burnout. Participants who experienced harassment and discrimination in their workplace were significantly more likely to experience burnout and leave their positions because of it. There was a strong positive correlation between how often people experienced negative things at work and the percentage of people who experienced burnout. On the other hand, there was a strong negative correlation between people experiencing positive things and the percentage of burnout. The results of this survey indicate that clear and transparent communication between staff, leaders, stakeholders, and decision-makers is critical to better understanding employees’ needs and preventing burnout.Marino. (2023). Measuring Burnout in Zoo and Aquarium Professionals: A Case for Equity and Justice. Animal Keepers' Forum, 50(4), 103-108.
Effects of acute stress on pilots' working memory
Xing Peng
Yueying Liu

Xing Peng

and 7 more

March 22, 2023
Stress has been shown to influence working memory (WM). However, little is known about the effects of acute stress on pilots’ WM with varying WM loads. The current study aims to shed more light on this issue. Forty-two pilots were randomly assigned to the stress or the control group. The stress group experienced acute stress induced by the modified Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and the control group did not receive any stress induction. Then, all participants performed N-back tasks under varying levels of WM load (0-back, 1-back, and 2-back) to examine their WM. We measured their State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores and salivary cortisol concentrations repeatedly throughout the experiment to determine the effects of induced stress. The results showed that (1) the modified TSST effectively induced acute stress in the stress group; (2) as the WM load level increased, the reaction time increased, and the accuracy decreased; and (3) there were no significant differences in reaction time between the two groups at different WM load conditions. However, there was an interaction effect for accuracy, which showed that the accuracy of the stress group was higher than that of the control group at the medium WM load (1-back). These findings suggest that acute stress improves pilots’ WM accuracy during moderately difficult tasks. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for improving stress management and training pilots’ WM abilities.
Efficacy Evaluation of Estradiol on Hot Flushes in Postmenopausal Women: a Model-base...
Lingxiao Zhang
Ling Xu

凌霄 张

and 5 more

March 22, 2023
Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of estradiol in the treatment of menopausal hot flushes in women, quantify its efficacy characteristics as well as the placebo effect, and explore the influencing factors to establish an efficacy scale for the development of drugs for the treatment of menopausal hot flushes. Data and methods: A literature search was conducted to include clinical studies on estradiol for the treatment of menopausal hot flushes. Data of demographics, dose, administration route and efficacy were extracted and used to construct an efficacy model. Model simulations were used to obtain the efficacy in different populations with different doses and administration routes. Results: Seventeen studies, including 17 groups of placebo (1698 subjects) and 29 groups of estradiol (3013 subjects) with daily doses of estradiol ranging from 0.01 to 2 mg, were included. There were significant effects of administration route (oral or transdermal), ethnicity (Caucasian or Asian) and duration of menopause on model parameters. The efficacy was higher in non-Asians than in Asians, and weaker in menopausal women with > 60 weeks of menopause than < 60 weeks. The placebo effect was higher for shorter menopause duration, with a time to ED50 of 3.15 weeks for Asian and 1.96 weeks for non-Asians. Conclusion: The standard longitudinal efficacy scales of estradiol on menopausal hot flushes were constructed, and no difference was found in the efficacy of estradiol in Asians and non-Asians. The standard efficacy of estradiol in this study could inform the efficacy evaluation in new drug development.
Genome wide association analysis reveals candidate genes controlling an antagonistic...
Pingping Huang
Mohamed El-Soda

Pingping Huang

and 7 more

March 22, 2023
While the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to either drought, herbivory or fungal infection has been well-examined, the consequences of exposure to a series of such (a)biotic stresses are not well studied. This work reports on the genetic mechanisms underlying Arabidopsis response to single osmotic stress, and to combinatorial stress, either fungal infection using Botrytis cinerea or herbivory using Pieris rapae caterpillars followed by an osmotic stress treatment. Several small effect genetic loci associated with rosette dry weight (DW), rosette water content (WC), and the projected rosette leaf area (PLA) in response to combinatorial stress were mapped using univariate and multi-environment genome wide association approaches. A SNP associated with DROUGHT INDUCED 19 (DI19) was identified by both approaches, supporting its potential involvement in the response to combinatorial stress. Several SNPs were found to be in linkage disequilibrium with known stress-responsive genes such as PEROXIDASE 34 ( PRX34), BASIC LEUCINE ZIPPER 25 ( bZIP25), RESISTANCE METHYLATED GENE 1 ( RMG1), and WHITE RUST RESISTANCE 4 (WRR4). An antagonistic effect between biotic and osmotic stress was found for the prx34 and arf4 mutants, which suggests PRX34 and ARF4 to play an important role in the response to the combinatorial stress.
A conceptual framework linking pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness
Laura Leal
Matthew Koski

Laura Leal

and 1 more

April 11, 2023
Seed production and dispersal are crucial ecological processes impacting plant demography, species distributions, and community assembly. Plant-animal interactions commonly mediate both seed production and seed dispersal, but current research often examines pollination and seed dispersal separately, which hinders our understanding of how pollination services affect downstream dispersal services. To fill this gap, we propose a conceptual framework exploring how pollen limitation can impact the effectiveness of seed dispersal for endozoochorous and myrmecochorous plant species. We summarize the quantitative and qualitative effects of pollen limitation on plant reproduction and use Optimal Foraging Theory to predict its impact on the foraging behavior of seed dispersers. In doing so, we offer a new framework that poses numerous hypotheses and empirical tests to investigate downstream effects of pollen limitation on seed dispersal effectiveness and, consequently, post-dispersal ecological processes occurring at different levels of biological organization. Finally, considering the importance of pollination and seed dispersal outcomes to plant eco-evolutionary dynamics, we discussed the implications of our framework for future studies exploring the demographic and evolutionary impacts of pollen limitation for animal-dispersed plants.
Deciphering the broccoli plants response to salinity and boron stress on with a focus...
Micaela Carvajal
Juan Nicolas-Espinosa

Micaela Carvajal

and 4 more

March 22, 2023
Abiotic stresses as salinity, and boron toxicity, and deficiency are commonly found in arid and semi-arid areas were broccoli is abundantly grown. In this work, the physiological response of broccoli leaves (including growth, relative water content, stomatal conductance, and mineral concentration) was studied under salinity and boron stresses (deficiency and toxicity), individually or in combination. Also, the molecular study of PIP aquaporins were studied in relation to their presence in plasma membrane PIP presence and their membrane lipid environment. The results showed that only the combination of salinity and boron deficiency decreased plant biomass, suggesting good adaptation to the other treatments. Changes in stomatal conductance and mineral nutrients suggest that the adaptation was related to water and boron transport through leaves, involving aquaporins since avoidance strategy was observed. Furthermore, changes in aquaporins PIP expression revealed that each individual aquaporin is involved in each treatment, either alone or in combination. However, the discrepancy between the presence of aquaporins in the plasma membrane and microsomal fraction pointed towards the regulation of trafficking and membrane composition (lipids and proteins) should be highly present in this plant under stress.
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