Trait-based approaches to global change ecology: moving from description to prediction.

Trait-based approaches are increasingly recognized as a tool for understanding ecosystem re-assembly and function under intensifying global change. Here we synthesize trait-based research globally (n = 865 studies) to examine the contexts in which traits may be used for global change prediction. We find that exponential growth in the field over the last decade remains dominated by descriptive studies of terrestrial plant morphology, highlighting significant opportunities to expand trait-based thinking across systems and taxa. Very few studies (less than 3%) focus on predicting ecological effects of global change, mostly in the past 5 years and via singular traits that mediate abiotic limits on species distribution. Beyond organism size (the most examined trait), we identify over 2500 other morphological, physiological, behavioural and life-history traits known to mediate environmental filters of species' range and abundance as candidates for future predictive global change work. Though uncommon, spatially explicit process models-which mechanistically link traits to changes in organism distributions and abundance-are among the most promising frameworks for holistic global change prediction at scales relevant for conservation decision-making. Further progress towards trait-based forecasting requires addressing persistent barriers including (1) matching scales of multivariate trait and environment data to focal processes disrupted by global change, and (2) propagating variation in trait and environmental parameters throughout process model functions using simulation.

A novel approach to studying early knee osteoarthritis illustrates that bilateral medial tibiofemoral osteoarthritis is a heritable phenotype: an offspring study.

To assess the potential of studying offspring of people with and without knee osteoarthritis to understand the risk factors and heritability for knee osteoarthritis. We selected two groups of Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants from one clinical site: (1) participants with bilateral radiographic medial tibiofemoral osteoarthritis and (2) those without tibiofemoral osteoarthritis. We then invited biological offspring ≥ 18 years old to complete an online survey that inquired about osteoarthritis risk factors and symptoms. Among the survey respondents, we recruited ten offspring of members from each group for a clinic visit with bilateral knee posterior-anterior radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging of the right knee. We established contact with 269/413 (65%) eligible OAI participants. Most (227/269, 84%) had ≥ 1 eligible biological offspring, and 213 (94%) were willing to share information about the new family study with their offspring. Our survey was completed by 188 offspring from 110 OAI participants: mean age of 43.0 (10.4) years, mean body mass index of 23.7 (5.9) kg/m2, 65% female. Offspring obesity (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.0-7.3), hypertension (OR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.2-11.3), and Heberden's nodes (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.0-13.2) were associated with parental osteoarthritis status; however, adjusted models were not statistically significant. Radiographic tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (16/18 knees vs. 2/20 knees) and meniscal abnormalities (7/9 vs. 2/10 index knees) were more common among offspring with parental osteoarthritis status than not. We established the potential of a novel offspring study design within the OAI, and our results are consistent with bilateral radiographic medial tibiofemoral osteoarthritis being a heritable phenotype of osteoarthritis.

Trait-based vulnerability reveals hotspots of potential impact for a global marine invader.

Predation from the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish is likely to amplify declines in marine fishes observed in multiple ocean basins. As the invasion intensifies and expands, there is an urgent need to identify species that are most at risk for extirpation-and possible extinction-from this added threat. To address this gap and inform conservation plans, we develop and apply a quantitative framework for classifying the relative vulnerability of fishes based on morphological and behavioural traits known to influence susceptibility to lionfish predation (e.g. body shape, water column position and aggregation behaviour), habitat overlap with lionfish, and degree of geographic range restriction. Applying the framework to fishes across the invaded Caribbean Sea and ahead of the invasion front in the southwestern Atlantic revealed the identity of at least 77 fishes with relatively small ranges that are likely to be most affected by lionfish predation. Trait-based vulnerability scores significantly predict the probability of fishes appearing within the diets of lionfish across the invaded region. Spatial richness analyses reveal hotspots of vulnerable species in the Bahamas, Belize and Curaçao. Crucially, our framework identifies 29 vulnerable fishes endemic to Brazil, which has not yet been colonized by lionfish. Of these, we suggest reefs around offshore island groups occupied by a dozen highly vulnerable and range-restricted species as priorities for intervention should lionfish spread to the region. Observations of the rate of lionfish spread across the invaded range suggest that an average of 5 years (with a median of nearly 2 years) elapses from first sighting to maximum observed densities. This lag may allow managers to mobilize plans to suppress lionfish ahead of an invasion front in priority locations. Our framework also provides a method for assessing the relative vulnerability of cryptobenthic and/or deep-reef fishes, for which population-monitoring data are limited.

New insights into patterns and rates of tooth replacement in serrasalmid and characid fishes, with implications for the subsistence fishery of Peru's remote ribereños villages.

We explored patterns, rates and unexpected socio-ecological consequences of tooth replacement in serrasalmids and characids of the Peruvian Amazon using microcomputed tomography. Of 24 specimens collected in February 2019, representing a mix of red-bellied piranha Pygocentrus nattereri, redeye piranha Serrasalmus rhombeus, silver dollar fish Ctenobrycon hauxwellianus and mojara Astyanax abramis, six individuals possessed edentulous jaw quadrants. On average, 22.9% of fish collected per day from these species featured incomplete dentition, a value three to five times higher than anticipated based on replacement rates estimated from captive fish, differences that may be driven by ontogeny, seasonality or environmental quality.

Changes in working memory performance in youth following concussion.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the working memory (WM) performance pre- and post-concussion, and investigate the relationships between performance changes and characteristics such as self-reported symptom scores, number of days post-injury and age at injury in 10-14-year-old youth. METHODS: Twenty-one youth (17 males) aged 10-14 years recruited from the community completed verbal and non-verbal WM tasks pre- and post-concussion. Performance was measured using accuracy and performance errors (false alarms and misses). Pre- and post-tests were compared using a Wilcoxon signed rank test, and effect size was determined using matched-pairs rank biserial correlation. RESULTS: Comparisons showed lower verbal WM accuracy at post-test, greater verbal and non-verbal WM false alarm errors at post-test, and greater verbal WM miss errors at post-test (all r ≥ 0.30). Correlations between performance and characteristics revealed associations between younger youth and lower non-verbal WM accuracy and more false alarms at post-test, as well as an association among non-verbal WM miss errors, higher PCS scores and fewer days since injury at post-test. CONCLUSIONS: The current study found lower WM performance in youth following concussion. Furthermore, the findings suggest that false alarm errors may be a useful screening measure acutely post-concussion when assessing WM performance in youth.

Linking removal targets to the ecological effects of invaders: a predictive model and field test.

Species invasions have a range of negative effects on recipient ecosystems, and many occur at a scale and magnitude that preclude complete eradication. When complete extirpation is unlikely with available management resources, an effective strategy may be to suppress invasive populations below levels predicted to cause undesirable ecological change. We illustrated this approach by developing and testing targets for the control of invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) on Western Atlantic coral reefs. We first developed a size-structured simulation model of predation by lionfish on native fish communities, which we used to predict threshold densities of lionfish beyond which native fish biomass should decline. We then tested our predictions by experimentally manipulating lionfish densities above or below reef-specific thresholds, and monitoring the consequences for native fish populations on 24 Bahamian patch reefs over 18 months. We found that reducing lionfish below predicted threshold densities effectively protected native fish community biomass from predation-induced declines. Reductions in density of 25­92%, depending on the reef, were required to suppress lionfish below levels predicted to overconsume prey. On reefs where lionfish were kept below threshold densities, native prey fish biomass increased by 50­70%. Gains in small (<6 cm) size classes of native fishes translated into lagged increases in larger size classes over time. The biomass of larger individuals (>15 cm total length), including ecologically important grazers and economically important fisheries species, had increased by 10­65% by the end of the experiment. Crucially, similar gains in prey fish biomass were realized on reefs subjected to partial and full removal of lionfish, but partial removals took 30% less time to implement. By contrast, the biomass of small native fishes declined by >50% on all reefs with lionfish densities exceeding reef-specific thresholds. Large inter-reef variation in the biomass of prey fishes at the outset of the study, which influences the threshold density of lionfish, means that we could not identify a single rule of thumb for guiding control efforts. However, our model provides a method for setting reef-specific targets for population control using local monitoring data. Our work is the first to demonstrate that for ongoing invasions, suppressing invaders below densities that cause environmental harm can have a similar effect, in terms of protecting the native ecosystem on a local scale, to achieving complete eradication.

Trait-based diet selection: prey behaviour and morphology predict vulnerability to predation in reef fish communities.

Understanding how predators select their prey can provide important insights into community structure and dynamics. However, the suite of prey species available to a predator is often spatially and temporally variable. As a result, species-specific selectivity data are of limited use for predicting novel predator-prey interactions because they are assemblage specific. We present a method for predicting diet selection that is applicable across prey assemblages, based on identifying general morphological and behavioural traits of prey that confer vulnerability to predation independent of species identity. We apply this trait-based approach to examining prey selection by Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles), invasive predators that prey upon species-rich reef fish communities and are rapidly spreading across the western Atlantic. We first generate hypotheses about morphological and behavioural traits recurring across fish species that could facilitate or deter predation by lionfish. Constructing generalized linear mixed-effects models that account for relatedness among prey taxa, we test whether these traits predict patterns of diet selection by lionfish within two independent data sets collected at different spatial scales: (i) in situ visual observations of prey consumption and availability for individual lionfish and (ii) comparisons of prey abundance in lionfish stomach contents to availability on invaded reefs at large. Both analyses reveal that a number of traits predicted to affect vulnerability to predation, including body size, body shape, position in the water column and aggregation behaviour, are important determinants of diet selection by lionfish. Small, shallow-bodied, solitary fishes found resting on or just above reefs are the most vulnerable. Fishes that exhibit parasite cleaning behaviour experience a significantly lower risk of predation than non-cleaning fishes, and fishes that are nocturnally active are at significantly greater risk. Together, vulnerable traits heighten the risk of predation by a factor of nearly 200. Our study reveals that a trait-based approach yields insights into predator-prey interactions that are robust across prey assemblages. Importantly, in situ observations of selection yield similar results to broadscale comparisons of prey use and availability, which are more typically gathered for predator species. A trait-based approach could therefore be of use across predator species and ecosystems to predict the outcomes of changing predator-prey interactions on community dynamics.

Glaucoma Agreement in New Zealand (GAINZ).

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: With an ageing population, ophthalmologists are becoming burdened with glaucoma management, and patient care can be delayed. Therefore, the use of optometrists in glaucoma management can help alleviate the burden. BACKGROUND: The ageing population and subsequent rise of glaucoma prevalence are putting a strain on the public health system in New Zealand. Glaucoma collaborative care between optometrists and ophthalmologists has been gaining support with the aim to reduce this burden on ophthalmologists. There has been little investigation of the agreement in care and management of mild-to-moderate severity glaucoma patients by optometrists and ophthalmologists. METHODS: One hundred and three glaucomatous eyes were used in a survey where clinical history and examination, intraocular pressures (IOPs), visual field testing and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging were evaluated for glaucoma progression and decision-making regarding subsequent management by four participants. Two participants were glaucoma-credentialled optometrists (Group 1), and the other two were glaucoma specialists (Group 2). RESULTS: With respect to glaucoma progression, Spearman coefficients identified strong agreement between the two groups for IOP, visual fields and overall status and moderate agreement for OCT imaging. A confusion matrix was used to analyse management and found 80% ± 10% agreement between the two groups. Review periods gave an agreement of 55% ± 20% between the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was strong agreement in the assessment of glaucoma progression between the two groups. The 80% level of agreement for subsequent management between the two groups is comparable to other published reports. These results provide some reassurance that a collaborative care system can perform safely and as intended.

The Pelagic Species Trait Database, an open data resource to support trait-based ocean research.

Trait-based frameworks are increasingly used for predicting how ecological communities respond to ongoing global change. As species range shifts result in novel encounters between predators and prey, identifying prey 'guilds', based on a suite of shared traits, can distill complex species interactions, and aid in predicting food web dynamics. To support advances in trait-based research in open-ocean systems, we present the Pelagic Species Trait Database, an extensive resource documenting functional traits of 529 pelagic fish and invertebrate species in a single, open-source repository. We synthesized literature sources and online resources, conducted morphometric analysis of species images, as well as laboratory analyses of trawl-captured specimens to collate traits describing 1) habitat use and behavior, 2) morphology, 3) nutritional quality, and 4) population status information. Species in the dataset primarily inhabit the California Current system and broader NE Pacific Ocean, but also includes pelagic species known to be consumed by top ocean predators from other ocean basins. The aim of this dataset is to enhance the use of trait-based approaches in marine ecosystems and for predator populations worldwide.

Risk factors for magnetic resonance imaging-detected patellofemoral and tibiofemoral cartilage loss during a six-month period: the joints on glucosamine study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess several baseline risk factors that may predict patellofemoral and tibiofemoral cartilage loss during a 6-month period. METHODS: For 177 subjects with chronic knee pain, 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of both knees was performed at baseline and followup. Knees were semiquantitatively assessed, evaluating cartilage morphology, subchondral bone marrow lesions, meniscal morphology/extrusion, synovitis, and effusion. Age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), bone marrow lesions, meniscal damage/extrusion, synovitis, effusion, and prevalent cartilage damage in the same subregion were evaluated as possible risk factors for cartilage loss. Logistic regression models were applied to predict cartilage loss. Models were adjusted for age, sex, treatment, and BMI. RESULTS: Seventy-nine subregions (1.6%) showed incident or worsening cartilage damage at followup. None of the demographic risk factors was predictive of future cartilage loss. Predictors of patellofemoral cartilage loss were effusion, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 3.5 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.3-9.4), and prevalent cartilage damage in the same subregion with an adjusted OR of 4.3 (95% CI 1.3-14.1). Risk factors for tibiofemoral cartilage loss were baseline meniscal extrusion (adjusted OR 3.6 [95% CI 1.3-10.1]), prevalent bone marrow lesions (adjusted OR 4.7 [95% CI 1.1-19.5]), and prevalent cartilage damage (adjusted OR 15.3 [95% CI 4.9-47.4]). CONCLUSION: Cartilage loss over 6 months is rare, but may be detected semiquantitatively by 3T MRI and is most commonly observed in knees with Kellgren/Lawrence grade 3. Predictors of patellofemoral cartilage loss were effusion and prevalent cartilage damage in the same subregion. Predictors of tibiofemoral cartilage loss were prevalent cartilage damage, bone marrow lesions, and meniscal extrusion.

Prevalence of MRI-detected mediopatellar plica in subjects with knee pain and the association with MRI-detected patellofemoral cartilage damage and bone marrow lesions: data from the Joints On Glucosamine study.

BACKGROUND: The mediopatellar plica is a synovial fold representing an embryonic remnant from the developmental process of the synovial cavity formation in the knee. We aimed to examine the frequency of MRI-detected mediopatellar plica and its cross-sectional association with MRI-detected cartilage damage and bone marrow lesions (BMLs) in the patellofemoral joint (PFJ) in a cohort of subjects with knee pain. METHODS: 342 knees with chronic frequent knee pain were evaluated for MRI-detected mediopatellar plica (type A, B or C according to the modified Sakakibara classification). Cartilage damage (scored 0 to 6) and BMLs (scored 0 to 3) were semiquantitatively assessed in four subregions of the PFJ on MRI. Hoffa-synovitis and effusion-synovitis were graded 0 to 3. Patellar length ratio (PLR), lateral patellar tilt angle (LPTA), bisect offset (BO), and sulcus angle (SA) were measured on MRI. The presence of mediopatellar plica and its association with cartilage damage and BMLs in the PFJ was assessed using logistic regression after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, PLR, LPTA, BO, SA, and Hoffa- and effusion-synovitis. RESULTS: 163 (47.7%) knees exhibited mediopatellar plica (76 (22.2%) type A, 69 (20.2%) type B, and 18 (5.3%) type C) on MRI. Significant cross-sectional associations of MRI-detected mediopatellar plica and cartilage damage were observed for the medial patella (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.12, 95% CI 1.23-3.64 for all types combined, and aOR 4.20, 95% CI 1.92-9.19 for type B lesion), but not for the anterior medial femur or the lateral PFJ. No associations were found between the presence of MRI-detected mediopatellar plica and BMLs in any patellofemoral subregion. CONCLUSION: On MRI, types A and B mediopatellar plicae were commonly observed in this cohort of subjects with knee pain. MRI-detected mediopatellar plica was cross-sectionally associated with higher likelihood of the presence of MRI-detected medial patellar cartilage damage after adjustment for confounders.

Correlates of sleep abnormalities in systemic lupus: a cross-sectional survey in an urban, academic center.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease that is associated with poor health-related quality-of-life outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to identify correlates of the domains of the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Sleep Scale in SLE and to determine the factors most associated with overall sleep quality. METHODS: Sleep in 118 SLE patients was assessed using the self-administered MOS Sleep Scale. Bivariate correlations were determined between each of 6 MOS Sleep subscale scores and each sociodemographic, clinical, or psychological predictor variable. Serial hierarchical multiple regression analyses were computed to identify the variables associated with the individual sleep domains and the overall Sleep Problems Index. RESULTS: The MOS Sleep Scale scores of patients with SLE were poorer than the US general population. Depression moderately correlated with 5 (all P < 0.01) and anxiety with 4 subscale scores (all P < 0.05). The SLE Disease Activity Index did not significantly correlate with any of the subscale scores. Results of a multivariate regression model showed that sleep adequacy and sleep disturbance were independently associated with depression (ß = -0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.37 to -0.32; and ß = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.15-1.45; respectively). Daytime somnolence was significantly associated with daily prednisone dosage (ß = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.29-0.80) and anxiety trait (ß = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.41-1.21). Snoring independently correlated with anxiety (ß = 1.64; 95% CI, 0.80-2.29). When demographic, clinical, and psychological variables were simultaneously regressed on the Sleep Problems Index, pain trended toward association with overall sleep problems (ß = 0.17; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SLE have greater sleep problems relative to the general population. Psychosocial factors, particularly depression and anxiety, are important determinants that are significantly associated with sleep abnormalities in SLE.

Treatment of ocular-involving monkeypox virus with topical trifluridine and oral tecovirimat in the 2022 monkeypox virus outbreak.

Purpose: To report a case of ocular involving monkeypox infection in the United States during the 2022 outbreak, and to review the literature regarding its clinical manifestations and management known to date. Observations: A 36-year-old man with well controlled HIV presented to the emergency department with anal pain, diffuse rash, right eye pain, and right eye redness after he tested positive for monkeypox one week prior. Ocular examination showed bilateral periorbital vesicular lesions, right eye conjunctival injection, and a single white plaque on his right medial bulbar conjunctiva. Macular, vesicular, and pustular lesions were noted throughout his body, including the genital and perianal region. His ocular and systemic symptoms completely resolved after treatment with a ten-day course of 1% trifluridine and moxifloxacin drops in both eyes, as well as two weeks of oral tecovirimat. Conclusion and Importance: In July of 2022, monkeypox virus was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization; however, there are no standard guidelines for monkeypox treatment. Data on its clinical presentation and course, especially pertaining to ocular manifestations, is limited. We highlight the importance of recognizing ophthalmic manifestations of monkeypox virus and a possible therapeutic approach to help guide the management of these patients.

A study of racial/ethnic differences in treatment preferences among lupus patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether there are racial/ethnic differences in the willingness of SLE patients to receive CYC or participate in clinical trials, and whether demographic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics contribute to these differences. METHODS: Data from 120 African-American and 62 white lupus patients were evaluated. Structured telephone interviews were conducted to determine treatment preferences, as well as to study characteristics and beliefs that may affect these preferences. Data were analysed using serial hierarchical multivariate logistic regression and deviances were calculated from a saturated model. RESULTS: Compared with their white counterparts, African-American SLE patients expressed less willingness to receive CYC (67.0% vs 84.9%, P = 0.02) if their lupus worsened. This racial/ethnic difference remained significant after adjusting for socioeconomic and psychosocial variables. Logistic regression analysis showed that African-American race [odds ratio (OR) 0.29, 95% CI 0.10, 0.80], physician trust (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.00, 1.12) and perception of treatment effectiveness (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.22, 1.61) were the most significant determinants of willingness to receive CYC. A trend in difference by race/ethnicity was also observed in willingness to participate in a clinical trial, but this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated reduced likelihood of accepting CYC in African-American lupus patients compared with white lupus patients. This racial/ethnic variation was associated with belief in medication effectiveness and trust in the medical provider, suggesting that education about therapy and improved trust can influence decision-making among SLE patients.

Network analysis of associations between serum interferon-α activity, autoantibodies, and clinical features in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: Interferon-α (IFNα) is a primary pathogenic factor in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and high IFNα levels may be associated with particular clinical manifestations. The prevalence of individual clinical and serologic features differs significantly by ancestry. This study was undertaken to detect associations between clinical and serologic disease manifestations and serum IFNα activity in a large diverse SLE cohort, using multivariate and network analyses. METHODS: We studied 1,089 SLE patients (387 African American, 186 Hispanic American, and 516 European American patients). The presence or absence of individual American College of Rheumatology (ACR) clinical criteria for SLE, autoantibodies, and serum IFNα activity data were analyzed in univariate and multivariate models. Iterative multivariate logistic regression was performed in each ancestral background group separately to establish the network of associations between variables that were independently significant following Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: In all ancestral backgrounds, high IFNα activity was associated with anti-Ro and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies (P = 4.6 × 10(-18) and P = 2.9 × 10(-16) , respectively). Younger age, non-European ancestry, and anti-RNP were also independently associated with increased serum IFNα activity (P ≤ 6.7 × 10(-4) ). We found 14 unique associations between variables in network analysis, and only 7 of these associations were shared among >1 ancestral background. Associations between clinical criteria were different for different ancestral backgrounds, while autoantibody-IFNα relationships were similar across backgrounds. IFNα activity and autoantibodies were not associated with ACR clinical features in multivariate models. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that serum IFNα activity is strongly and consistently associated with autoantibodies, and not independently associated with clinical features in SLE. IFNα may be more relevant to humoral tolerance and initial pathogenesis than later clinical disease manifestations.

Aag-initiated base excision repair drives alkylation-induced retinal degeneration in mice.

Vision loss affects >3 million Americans and many more people worldwide. Although predisposing genes have been identified their link to known environmental factors is unclear. In wild-type animals DNA alkylating agents induce photoreceptor apoptosis and severe retinal degeneration. Alkylation-induced retinal degeneration is totally suppressed in the absence of the DNA repair protein alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (Aag) in both differentiating and postmitotic retinas. Moreover, transgenic expression of Aag activity restores the alkylation sensitivity of photoreceptors in Aag null animals. Aag heterozygotes display an intermediate level of retinal degeneration, demonstrating haploinsufficiency and underscoring that Aag expression confers a dominant retinal degeneration phenotype.

The energetic costs of sub-lethal helminth parasites in mammals: a meta-analysis.

Parasites, by definition, have a negative effect on their host. However, in wild mammal health and conservation research, sub-lethal infections are commonly assumed to have negligible health effects unless parasites are present in overwhelming numbers. Here, we propose a definition for host health in mammals that includes sub-lethal effects of parasites on the host's capacity to adapt to the environment and maintain homeostasis. We synthesized the growing number of studies on helminth parasites in mammals to assess evidence for the relative magnitude of sub-lethal effects of infection across mammal taxa based on this expanded definition. Specifically, we develop and apply a framework for organizing disparate metrics of parasite effects on host health and body condition according to their impact on an animal's energetic condition, defined as the energetic burden of pathogens on host physiological and behavioural functions that relate directly to fitness. Applying this framework within a global meta-analysis of helminth parasites in wild, laboratory and domestic mammal hosts produced 142 peer-reviewed studies documenting 599 infection-condition effects. Analysing these data within a multiple working hypotheses framework allowed us to evaluate the relative weighted contribution of methodological (study design, sampling protocol, parasite quantification methods) and biological (phylogenetic relationships and host/parasite life history) moderators to variation in the magnitude of health effects. We found consistently strong negative effects of infection on host energetic condition across taxonomic groups, with unusually low heterogeneity in effect sizes when compared with other ecological meta-analyses. Observed effect size was significantly lower within cross-sectional studies (i.e. observational studies that investigated a sub-set of a population at a single point in time), the most prevalent methodology. Furthermore, opportunistic sampling led to a weaker negative effect compared to proactive sampling. In the model of host taxonomic group, the effect of infection on energetic condition in carnivores was not significant. However, when sampling method was included, it explained substantial inter-study variance; proactive sampling showing a strongly significant negative effect while opportunistic sampling detected only a weak, non-significant effect. This may partly underlie previous assumptions that sub-lethal parasites do not have significant effects on host health. We recommend future studies adopt energetic condition as the framework for assessing parasite effects on wildlife health and provide guidelines for the selection of research protocols, health proxies, and relating infection to fitness.

A scoping review of the literature on professional learning for MTSS.

This article provides a scoping review of the nascent empirical literature on professional learning for MTSS. We used a systematic search strategy to find studies on the impact of professional learning on educator and implementation outcomes. Seventy-nine studies utilizing a variety of designs were included. We found that research most frequently evaluated training and professional learning community focused interventions in elementary schools. We also observed strong alignment between professional learning interventions and the MTSS model studied, research design used, outcomes evaluated, and methodological rigor (e.g., Professional Learning Communities tended to be evaluated using qualitative methods that varied in rigor). Studies evaluated educator knowledge, skills, and dispositions, as well as implementation of the practices that comprise MTSS; however, educator aspirations were rarely evaluated. Moreover, few studies comprehensively evaluated the relations among professional learning and educator knowledge, skills, and dispositions and how those variables interacted to impact implementation. We call for more rigorous research on the impact of professional learning for MTSS and on factors that facilitate and hinder effectiveness.

DNA damage induced by chronic inflammation contributes to colon carcinogenesis in mice.

Chronic inflammation increases cancer risk. While it is clear that cell signaling elicited by inflammatory cytokines promotes tumor development, the impact of DNA damage production resulting from inflammation-associated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) on tumor development has not been directly tested. RONS induce DNA damage that can be recognized by alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (Aag) to initiate base excision repair. Using a mouse model of episodic inflammatory bowel disease by repeated administration of dextran sulfate sodium in the drinking water, we show that Aag-mediated DNA repair prevents colonic epithelial damage and reduces the severity of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colon tumorigenesis. Importantly, DNA base lesions expected to be induced by RONS and recognized by Aag accumulated to higher levels in Aag-deficient animals following stimulation of colonic inflammation. Finally, as a test of the generality of this effect we show that Aag-deficient animals display more severe gastric lesions that are precursors of gastric cancer after chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori. These data demonstrate that the repair of DNA lesions formed by RONS during chronic inflammation is important for protection against colon carcinogenesis.

Osteopontin alleles are associated with clinical characteristics in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Variants of the osteopontin (OPN) gene have been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility and cytokine profiles in SLE patients. It is not known whether these alleles are associated with specific clinical phenotypes in SLE. We studied 252 well-characterized SLE patients from a multiethnic cohort, genotyping the rs11730582, rs28357094, rs6532040, and rs9138 SNPs in the OPN gene. Ancestry informative markers were used to control for genetic ancestry. The SLE-risk allele rs9138C in the 3' UTR region was associated with photosensitivity in lupus patients across all ancestral backgrounds (meta-analysis OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.6-6.5, P = 1.0 × 10⁻³). Additionally, the promoter variant rs11730582C demonstrated suggestive evidence for association with two hematologic traits: thrombocytopenia (OR = 2.1, P = 0.023) and hemolytic anemia (OR = 2.6, P = 0.036). These clinical associations with SNPs in the promoter and 3' UTR regions align with previously reported SLE-susceptibility SNPs in OPN and suggest potential roles for these variants in antibody-mediated cytopenias and skin inflammation in SLE.