Association of epicardial adipose tissue volume with heart weight in post-mortem cases.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) deposition has been long associated with heart weight. However, recent research has failed to replicate this association. We aimed to determine the association of EAT volume with heart weight in post-mortem cases and identify potential confounding variables. EAT volume derived from post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and heart weight were measured in post-mortem cases (N = 87, age: 56 ± 16 years, 28% female). Cases with hypertrophied heart weights (N = 44) were determined from reference tables. Univariable associations were tested using Spearman correlation and simple linear regression. Independence was determined with stepwise regression. In the total cohort, EAT volume (median 66 ± 45 cm3) was positively associated with heart weight (median 435 ± 132 g) at the univariable level (r = 0.6, P < 0.0001) and after adjustment for age, female sex, and various body size metrics (R2 adjusted = 0.41-0.57). Median EAT volume was 1.9-fold greater in cases with hypertrophic hearts (P < 0.0001) but with considerably greater variability, especially in cases with extreme EAT volume or heart weight. As such, EAT volume was not associated with heart weight in hypertrophic cases, while a robust independent association was found in non-hypertrophic cases (R2 adjusted = 0.62-0.86). EAT mass estimated from EAT volume found that EAT comprised approximately 13% of overall heart mass in the total cases. This was significantly greater in cases with hypertrophy (median 15.5%; range, 3.6-36.6%) relative to non-hypertrophied cases (12.5%, 3.3-24.3%) (P = 0.04). EAT volume is independently and positively associated with heart weight in post-mortem cases. Excessive heart weight significantly confounded this association.

Mean Arterial Pressure and Neonatal Outcomes in Pregnancies Complicated by Mild Chronic Hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the association between mean arterial pressure during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in participants with chronic hypertension using data from the CHAP (Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy) trial. METHODS: A secondary analysis of the CHAP trial, an open-label, multicenter randomized trial of antihypertensive treatment in pregnancy, was conducted. The CHAP trial enrolled participants with mild chronic hypertension (blood pressure [BP] 140-159/90-104 mm Hg) and singleton pregnancies less than 23 weeks of gestation, randomizing them to active treatment (maintained on antihypertensive therapy with a goal BP below 140/90 mm Hg) or standard treatment (control; antihypertensives withheld unless BP reached 160 mm Hg systolic BP or higher or 105 mm Hg diastolic BP or higher). We used logistic regression to measure the strength of association between mean arterial pressure (average and highest across study visits) and to select neonatal outcomes. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (per 1-unit increase in millimeters of mercury) of the primary neonatal composite outcome (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, or intraventricular hemorrhage grade 3 or 4) and individual secondary outcomes (neonatal intensive care unit admission [NICU], low birth weight [LBW] below 2,500 g, and small for gestational age [SGA]) were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 2,284 participants were included: 1,155 active and 1,129 control. Adjusted models controlling for randomization group demonstrated that increasing average mean arterial pressure per millimeter of mercury was associated with an increase in each neonatal outcome examined except NEC, specifically neonatal composite (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.12, 95% CI, 1.09-1.16), NICU admission (aOR 1.07, 95% CI, 1.06-1.08), LBW (aOR 1.12, 95% CI, 1.11-1.14), SGA below the fifth percentile (aOR 1.03, 95% CI, 1.01-1.06), and SGA below the 10th percentile (aOR 1.02, 95% CI, 1.01-1.04). Models using the highest mean arterial pressure as opposed to average mean arterial pressure also demonstrated consistent associations. CONCLUSION: Increasing mean arterial pressure was positively associated with most adverse neonatal outcomes except NEC. Given that the relationship between mean arterial pressure and adverse pregnancy outcomes may not be consistent at all mean arterial pressure levels, future work should attempt to further elucidate whether there is an absolute threshold or relative change in mean arterial pressure at which fetal benefits are optimized along with maternal benefits. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02299414.

The LTAR cropland common experiment in the Lower Mississippi River Basin.

The Lower Mississippi River Basin-Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Site (LMRB-LTAR) encompasses six states from Missouri to the Gulf of Mexico and is coordinated by the USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, MS. The overarching goal of LTAR is to assess regionally diverse and geographically scalable farming practices for enhanced sustainability of agroecosystem goods and services under changing environment and resource-use conditions. The LMRB-LTAR overall goal is to assess sustainable row crop agricultural production systems that integrate regional environmental and socioeconomic needs. Primary row crops in the region include soybeans, corn, cotton, rice, and sugarcane with crop rotations influenced by commodity crop price and other factors. The field-scale common experiment (CE) includes four row crop farms (26-101 ha) established in 2021 and 2023. Three fields are managed with alternative practices, including reduced tillage, cover crops, and automated prescription irrigation, and three fields are managed with prevailing farming practices, consisting of conventional tillage, no cover crop, and nonprescription irrigation. Treatment effects on crop productivity, soil quality, water use efficiency, water quality, and carbon storage are assessed. Research from the LMRB CE will deliver outcomes linked to overarching LTAR network goals, including innovative agricultural systems, strengthened partnerships, data management technologies, and precision environmental tools.

Association between lipoprotein(a), LPA genetic risk score, aortic valve disease, and subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events.

AIMS: Cohort studies have demonstrated associations between calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and Lp(a). As Lp(a) is almost entirely genetically determined, in this study, we aim to determine whether Lp(a), when predicted from genetic data, is associated with CAVD and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing coronary angiography between January 2012 and May 2013 were invited to participate in the study. Of 752 analysable participants, 446 had their Lp(a) measured and 703 had a calculable LPA genetic risk score (GRS). The primary outcomes were the presence of CAVD at baseline and MACE over a 7-year follow-up. The GRS explained 45% of variation in Lp(a). After adjustment for cardiac risk factors and coronary artery disease (CAD), the odds of CAVD increased with increasing Lp(a) [odds ratio (OR) 1.039 per 10-unit increase, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.022-1.057, P < 0.001] and GRS (OR 1.054 per 10-unit increase, 95% CI 1.024-1.086; P < 0.001). Lipoprotein(a) and the GRS as continuous variables were not associated with subsequent MACEs. A dichotomized GRS (>54) was associated with MACE, but this relationship became non-significant when CAD classification was added into the model (OR 1.333, 95% CI 0.927-1.912; P = 0.12). CONCLUSION: An LPA GRS can explain 45% of variation in Lp(a) levels, and both Lp(a) and the GRS are associated with CAVD. An elevated GRS is associated with future cardiac events in a secondary risk setting, but, if the CAD status is known, it does not provide additional prognostic information.

Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is a type of cholesterol that is determined almost entirely by genetics. It is associated with heart disease and also stiffening of the heart valves. Recent advancements have made it possible to predict Lp(a) levels by analysing a person's DNA. This study examines the association between genetically predicted Lp(a) and adverse outcomes. Genetically predicted Lp(a) accounts for 45% of the variability in the actual Lp(a) level.Both actual and genetically predicted Lp(a) are associated with heart valve disease and adverse heart outcomes. If the degree of narrowing of the arteries in the heart is already known, genetically predicted Lp(a) does not help further predict risk.

KmerAperture: Retaining k-mer synteny for alignment-free extraction of core and accessory differences between bacterial genomes.

By decomposing genome sequences into k-mers, it is possible to estimate genome differences without alignment. Techniques such as k-mer minimisers, for example MinHash, have been developed and are often accurate approximations of distances based on full k-mer sets. These and other alignment-free methods avoid the large temporal and computational expense of alignment. However, these k-mer set comparisons are not entirely accurate within-species and can be completely inaccurate within-lineage. This is due, in part, to their inability to distinguish core polymorphism from accessory differences. Here we present a new approach, KmerAperture, which uses information on the k-mer relative genomic positions to determine the type of polymorphism causing differences in k-mer presence and absence between pairs of genomes. Single SNPs are expected to result in k unique contiguous k-mers per genome. On the other hand, contiguous series > k may be caused by accessory differences of length S-k+1; when the start and end of the sequence are contiguous with homologous sequence. Alternatively, they may be caused by multiple SNPs within k bp from each other and KmerAperture can determine whether that is the case. To demonstrate use cases KmerAperture was benchmarked using datasets including a very low diversity simulated population with accessory content independent from the number of SNPs, a simulated population where SNPs are spatially dense, a moderately diverse real cluster of genomes (Escherichia coli ST1193) with a large accessory genome and a low diversity real genome cluster (Salmonella Typhimurium ST34). We show that KmerAperture can accurately distinguish both core and accessory sequence diversity without alignment, outperforming other k-mer based tools.

Southern blight of water lily: The first host record of Agroathelia rolfsii on Nelumbo nucifera discovered in Florida, USA.

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nelumbonaceae, Eudicots), also known as water lily or sacred lotus, is a nonnative and invasive plant commonly found in artificial ponds and natural lakes throughout Florida (UF-IFAS 2023; Wunderlin et al. 2023). In August 2020, a single sample of water lily plants showing large leaf spots were collected at a residence in Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida (80% disease prevalence with 40% leaf coverage). Symptoms and signs of the disease were necrotized adaxial leaf spots only, bordered by whitish mycelia and hyphae with clamp connections, and whitish to light brown sclerotia formed in the center (<0.7 mm diameter). Symptomatic tissue was plated on acid potato dextrose agar (APDA) amended with chloramphenicol (100 mg/L) and ampicillin (30mg/L), and incubated at 20 °C for one week. Data supporting the molecular identification of this putative pathogen were gathered by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and a fragment of the large subunit (LSU) of the rRNA gene (~1.5 kb) using primers ITS1F and LR5 (FDACS-DPI PPST 2020-105211, GenBank OR492009) (White et al. 1990). The identification of the host was confirmed by Sanger sequencing of three plant barcode fragments: ITS2 (ITS2-S2F/ITS4, OR492008), ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) (rbcLa-F/rbcLa-R, GenBank OR502388), and Maturase K (matK) (matK-KIM1R/matK-KIM3F, GenBank OR502389) (Fazekas et al. 2012). MegaBLAST queries of the ITS/LSU sequence obtained here recovered a 99.61% match to the fungal pathogen Agroathelia (=Athelia) rolfsii (Sacc.) Redhead & Mullineux. (Redhead and Mullineux 2023) (Amylocorticiaceae, Agaricomycotina) strain GP3 (GenBank JABRWF010000005) (Yan et al. 2021). MegaBLAST queries of three host plant DNA barcodes recovered matches of greater than 99.62% similarity to N. nucifera sequences. After diagnosis, symptomatic dried leaf samples were deposited at Plant Industry Herbarium Gainesville (PIHG 17807) and an axenic culture was deposited at the Agricultural Research Services Culture Collection (NRRL 66964). Koch's postulates were fulfilled by the inoculation of sclerotia (as in Terrones-Salgado et al. 2022) on adaxial leaf surface of four-week- old water lily transplants obtained from an artificial pond on campus (two plants with five leaves each). One additional transplant was not inoculated and served as a control; this plant remained asymptomatic during the experimentation period. Each transplant was kept in a 27-gallon plastic container (21W × 30L × 14H in) filled with tap water containing one tablespoon of 20-20-20 all-purpose-water-soluble plant fertilizer (VPG, TX, USA) in a plant biosafety level 2 greenhouse (23 °C, >50% relative humidity, and a 12-h/12-h photoperiod). All inoculated leaves showed necrotized areas after one week and new sclerotia were observed floating on the water surface after three weeks. Fungal pathogen was reisolated and reidentified subsequently. Agroathelia rolfsii is the causal agent of southern blight, also known as grey rot, and is reported from at least in 260 plant genera, including specialty crops such as citrus, cucumber, pepper, peanuts, pumpkin, and strawberry (Farr and Rossman 2018). Agroathelia rolfsii usually causes lower stem, crown, and root rots; consequently, leaf spots are a noteworthy presentation of symptoms for this fungus.

WSV2023 - The second meeting of the world society for virology: One health - One world - One virology.

The Second International Conference of the World Society for Virology (WSV), hosted by Riga Stradins University, was held in Riga, Latvia, on June 15-17th, 2023. It prominently highlighted the recent advancements in different disciplines of virology. The conference had fourteen keynote speakers covering diverse topics, including emerging virus pseudotypes, Zika virus vaccine development, herpesvirus capsid mobility, parvovirus invasion strategies, influenza in animals and birds, West Nile virus and Marburg virus ecology, as well as the latest update in animal vaccines. Discussions further explored SARS-CoV-2 RNA replicons as vaccine candidates, SARS-CoV-2 in humans and animals, and the significance of plant viruses in the 'One Health' paradigm. The presence of the presidents from three virology societies, namely the American, Indian, and Korean Societies for Virology, highlighted the event's significance. Additionally, past president of the American Society for Virology (ASV), formally declared the partnership between ASV and WSV during the conference.

Machine learning identifies cell-free DNA 5-hydroxymethylation biomarkers that detect occult colorectal cancer in PLCO Screening Trial subjects.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and CRC detection through screening improves survival rates. A promising avenue to improve patient screening compliance is the development of minimally-invasive liquid biopsy assays that target CRC biomarkers on circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in peripheral plasma. In this report, we identify cfDNA biomarker candidate genes bearing the epigenetic mark 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) that diagnose occult CRC up to 36 months prior to clinical diagnosis using the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial samples. Methods: Archived PLCO Trial plasma samples containing cfDNA were obtained from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) biorepositories. Study subjects included those who were diagnosed with CRC within 36 months of blood collection (i.e., case, n = 201) and those who were not diagnosed with any cancer during an average of 16.3 years of follow-up (i.e., controls, n = 402). Following the extraction of 3 - 8 ng cfDNA from less than 300 microliters plasma, we employed the sensitive 5hmC-Seal chemical labeling approach, followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). We then conducted association studies and machine-learning modeling to analyze the genome-wide 5hmC profiles within training and validation groups that were randomly selected at a 2:1 ratio. Results: Despite the technical challenges associated with the PLCO samples (e.g., limited plasma volumes, low cfDNA amounts, and long archival times), robust genome-wide 5hmC profiles were successfully obtained from these samples. Association analyses using the Cox proportional hazards models suggested several epigenetic pathways relevant to CRC development distinguishing cases from controls. A weighted Cox model, comprised of 32-associated gene bodies, showed predictive detection value for CRC as early as 24-36 months prior to overt tumor presentation, and a trend for increased predictive power was observed for blood samples collected closer to CRC diagnosis. Notably, the 5hmC-based predictive model showed comparable performance regardless of sex and self-reported race/ethnicity, and significantly outperformed risk factors such as age and obesity according to BMI (body mass index). Additionally, further improvement of predictive performance was achieved by combining the 5hmC-based model and risk factors for CRC. Conclusions: An assay of 5hmC epigenetic signals on cfDNA revealed candidate biomarkers with the potential to predict CRC occurrence despite the absence of clinical symptoms or the availability of effective predictors. Developing a minimally-invasive clinical assay that detects 5hmC-modified biomarkers holds promise for improving early CRC detection and ultimately patient survival through higher compliance screening and earlier intervention. Future investigation to expand this strategy to prospectively collected samples is warranted.

Use of an ultrasound picture archiving and communication system to answer research questions: Description of data cleaning methods.

Introduction/Purpose: Ultrasound picture archiving and communication system (PACS) databases are useful for quality improvement and clinical research but frequently contain free text that is not easily readable. Here, we present a method to extract and clean a semi-structured echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) PACS database. Methods: Echocardiography studies between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2018 were extracted using a data mining tool. Numeric variables were recoded with extreme values excluded. Analysis of free text, including descriptions of the heart valves and right and left ventricular size and function, was performed using a rule-based system. Different levels of free text variables were initially identified using commonly used phrases and then iteratively developed. Randomly selected sets of 100 studies were compared to the electronic health record to validate the data cleaning process. Results: The data validation step was performed three times in total, with Cohen's kappa ranging between 0.88 and 1.00 for the final set of data validation across all measures. Conclusion: Free text cleaning of semi-structured PACS databases is possible using freely available open-source software. The accuracy of this method is high, and the resulting dataset can be linked to administrative data to answer research questions. We present a method that could be used to answer clinical questions or to develop quality improvement initiatives.

Associations between the intraoperative fraction of inspired intraoperative oxygen administration and days alive and out of hospital after surgery.

Background: There is limited knowledge about the effect of liberal intraoperative oxygen on non-infectious complications and overall recovery from surgery. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated associations between mean intraoperative fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), and outcome in adults undergoing elective surgery lasting more than 2 h at a large metropolitan New Zealand hospital from 2012 to 2020. Patients were divided into low, medium, and high oxygen groups (FiO2 ≤ 0.4, 0.41-0.59, ≥0.6). The primary outcome was days alive and out of hospital at 90 days (DAOH90). The secondary outcomes were post-operative complications and admission to the ICU. Results: We identified 15,449 patients who met the inclusion criteria. There was no association between FiO2 and DAOH90 when high FiO2 was analysed according to three groups. Using high FiO2 as the reference group there was an adjusted mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) difference of 0.09 (-0.06 to 0.25) days (P = 0.25) and 0.28 (-0.05 to 0.62) days (P = 0.2) in the intermediate and low oxygen groups, respectively. Low FiO2 was associated with increased surgical site infection: the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for low compared with high FiO2 was 1.53 (95% CI 1.12-2.10). Increasing FiO2 was associated with respiratory complications: the adjusted OR associated with each 10% point increase in FiO2 was 1.17 (95% CI 1.08-1.26) and the incidence of being admitted to an ICU had an adjusted OR of 1.1 (95% CI 1.03-1.18). Conclusions: We found potential benefits, and risks, associated with liberal intraoperative oxygen administration indicating that randomised controlled trials are warranted.

Sample Processing and Concentration Methods for Viruses from Foods and the Environment Prior to Detection.

Viruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness globally. Concentration of viruses from samples is important for detection because viral contamination of foods often occurs at low levels. In general, virus concentration methods can be classified as either nonspecific, exploiting the relatively homogeneous physicochemical properties of the virus to separate/concentrate it from the sample matrix, or specific, relying on recognition elements such as antibodies to specifically capture and separate viruses from foods. Numerous nonspecific and specific techniques for virus concentration have been reported, each with its own advantages and limitations. Factors to consider can include reagent and equipment costs, time-to-result, ease of use, and potential to eliminate matrix-associated inhibitors. The purpose of this review is to survey the different foodborne virus concentration techniques and their efficacy in various food and environmental matrices as well as discuss some emerging techniques for purification and concentration of viral pathogens from food samples. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, Volume 15 is April 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Outcomes of patients with early calcific aortic valve disease detected by clinically indicated echocardiography.

AIMS: Previous studies have demonstrated relatively slow rates of progression of early calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD), which encompasses aortic sclerosis (ASc) and mild aortic stenosis (AS). The potential evolution to clinically significant AS is unclear, and we therefore examined the long-term outcomes of patients with ASc and mild AS detected at the time of clinically indicated echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from initial clinically indicated echocardiograms performed between 2010 and 2018 in patients aged ≥18 years were extracted and linked to nationally collected outcome data. Those with impaired right or left systolic ventricular function or other significant left-sided valve disease were excluded. A time to first event analysis was performed with a composite primary outcome of cardiovascular death and aortic valve intervention (AVI). Of the 13 313 patients, 8973 had no CAVD, 3436 had ASc, and 455 had mild AS. The remainder had moderate or worse stenosis. Over a median follow-up period of 4.2 (interquartile range 1.8-6.7) years (and after adjustment for age and sex), those with ASc were at greater risk of the primary outcome [hazard ratio (HR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-4.0] and need for AVI (HR 26.8, 95% CI 9.1-79.1) compared with those with no CAVD. Clinical event rates accelerated after ∼5 years in those with mild AS. CONCLUSION: Patients with ASc are >25 times more likely to require AVI than those with no CAVD, and follow-up echocardiography should be considered within 3-4 years in those with mild AS.

Detection of human enteric viruses in fresh produce of markets, farms and surface water used for irrigation in the Tehran, Iran.

Considering the major role of vegetables in the transmission of gastrointestinal diseases, investigation of the presence of gastrointestinal viruses is particularly important for public health. Additionally, monitoring and investigating potential points of contamination at various stages of cultivation, harvesting, and distribution can be important in identifying the sources of transmission. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying norovirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus, rotaviruses, and astroviruses in vegetable samples from the fields and fruit and vegetable centers of Tehran City, and to investigate their presence in irrigation water by RT-qPCR. This study was carried out in two phases: initial and supplementary. During phase I, a total of 3 farms and 5 fruit and vegetable centers and a total of 35 samples from farms, 102 samples from fruit and vegetable centers and 8 agricultural water samples were collected. Zero, 16 and 1 samples were positive for at least one of the viruses from each of the sources, respectively. During phase II, 88 samples from 23 farms, 226 samples from 50 fruit and vegetable centers and 16 irrigation water samples were collected, with 23, 57 and 4 samples were positive for at least one virus, respectively. Rotavirus was the most frequently identified virus among the samples, followed by NoV GII, NoV GI, AstV, and AdV. HAV and HEV were not detected in any of the tested samples. The results of this study suggest that there may be a wide presence of viruses in vegetables, farms, and fruit and vegetable centers in Tehran City, which could have significant consequences considering the fact that many of these foods are consumed raw. Additionally, the detection of some of these viruses in irrigation water suggests that this may be a potential route for viral contamination of produce.

Telenomuscristatus Johnson (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae): new diagnostic data, distribution records and host associations.

Specimens of an egg parasitoid wasp, Telenomuscristatus Johnson (Platygastroidea, Scelionidae), were reared from stink bug egg masses collected in the wild, in Maryland, United States. The egg masses were identified morphologically as Halyomorphahalys (Stål), Banasa Stål and Euschistus Dallas (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae). Molecular tools were used to further identify the Euschistus egg masses as E.servus (Say) and E.tristigmus (Say). All of these are new host associations for Te.cristatus. We also provide data to contribute to future identification of Te.cristatus: images of the holotype specimen and COI sequences from two disparate localities.

Toxic Tire Wear Compounds (6PPD-Q and 4-ADPA) Detected in Airborne Particulate Matter Along a Highway in Mississippi, USA.

Tire wear particles (TWPs) are a major category of microplastic pollution produced by friction between tires and road surfaces. This non-exhaust particulate matter (PM) containing leachable toxic compounds is transported through the air and with stormwater runoff, leading to environmental pollution and human health concerns. In the present study, we collected airborne PM at varying distances (5, 15 and 30 m) along US Highway 278 in Oxford, Mississippi, USA, for ten consecutive days using Sigma-2 passive samplers. Particles (~ 1-80 µm) were passively collected directly into small (60 mL) wide-mouth separatory funnels placed inside the samplers. Particles were subsequently subjected to solvent extraction, and extracts were analyzed for TWP compounds by high resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry. This pilot study was focused solely on qualitative analyses to determine whether TWP compounds were present in this fraction of airborne PM. The abundance of airborne TWPs increased with proximity to the road with deposition rates (TWPs cm-2 day-1) of 23, 47, and 63 at 30 m, 15 m, and 5 m from the highway, respectively. Two common TWP compounds (6PPD-Q and 4-ADPA) were detected in all samples, except the field blank, at levels above their limits of detection, estimated at 2.90 and 1.14 ng L-1, respectively. Overall, this work suggests airborne TWPs may be a potential inhalation hazard, particularly for individuals and wildlife who spend extended periods outdoors along busy roadways. Research on the bioavailability of TWP compounds from inhaled TWPs is needed to address exposure risk.

Selective Immunosuppression Targeting the NLRP3 Inflammasome Mitigates the Foreign Body Response to Implanted Biomaterials While Preserving Angiogenesis.

Medical devices are a mainstay of the healthcare industry, providing clinicians with innovative tools to diagnose, monitor, and treat a range of medical conditions. For implantable devices, it is widely regarded that chronic inflammation during the foreign body response (FBR) is detrimental to device performance, but also required for tissue regeneration and host integration. Current strategies to mitigate the FBR rely on broad acting anti-inflammatory drugs, most commonly, dexamethasone (DEX), which can inhibit angiogenesis and compromise long-term device function. This study challenges prevailing assumptions by suggesting that FBR inflammation is multifaceted, and selectively targeting its individual pathways can stop implant fibrosis while preserving beneficial repair pathways linked to improved device performance. MCC950, an anti-inflammatory drug that selectively inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome, targets pathological inflammation without compromising global immune function. The effects of MCC950 and DEX on the FBR are compared using implanted polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. The results demonstrate that both DEX and MCC950 halt immune cell recruitment and cytokine release, leading to reduced FBR. However, MCC950 achieves this while supporting capillary growth and enhancing tissue angiogenesis. These findings support selective immunosuppression approaches as a potential future direction for treating the FBR and enhancing the longevity and safety of implantable devices.

Turicibacter fermentation enhances the inhibitory effects of Antrodia camphorata supplementation on tumorigenic serotonin and Wnt pathways and promotes ROS-mediated apoptosis of Caco-2 cells.

Introduction: Diet-induced obesity has been shown to decrease the abundance of Turicibacter, a genus known to play a role in the serotonin signaling system, which is associated with colorectal tumorigenesis, making the presence of Turicibacter potentially influential in the protection of intestinal tumorigenesis. Recently, Antrodia camphorata (AC), a medicinal fungus native to Taiwan, has emerged as a promising candidate for complementary and alternative cancer therapy. Small molecules and polysaccharides derived from AC have been reported to possess health-promoting effects, including anti-cancer properties. Methods: Bacterial culture followed with cell culture were used in this study to determine the role of Turicibacter in colorectal tumorigenesis and to explore the anti-cancer mechanism of AC with Turicibacter fermentation. Results: Turicibacter fermentation and the addition of AC polysaccharide led to a significant increase in the production of nutrients and metabolites, including α-ketoglutaric acid and lactic acid (p < 0.05). Treatment of Turicibacter fermented AC polysaccharide was more effective in inhibiting serotonin signaling-related genes, including Tph1, Htr1d, Htr2a, Htr2b, and Htr2c (p < 0.05), and Wnt-signaling related protein and downstream gene expressions, such as phospho-GSK-3ß, active ß-catenin, c-Myc, Ccnd1, and Axin2 (p < 0.05). Additionally, it triggered the highest generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which activated PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling and resulted in cleaved caspase-3 expression. In comparison, the treatment of AC polysaccharide without Turicibacter fermentation displayed a lesser effect. Discussion: Our findings suggest that AC polysaccharide effectively suppresses the tumorigenic serotonin and Wnt-signaling pathways, and promotes ROS-mediated apoptosis in Caco-2 cells. These processes are further enhanced by Turicibacter fermentation.

Susceptibility of centipede tongavine (Epipremnum pinnatum) commercially grown in nurseries in Florida to aroid leaf rust (Pseudocerradoa paullula).

Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl., (Araceae, Monocots) known as dragon-tail plant or centipede tongavine, is the most cultivated aroid species worldwide (Boyce 2004). In 2022, symptomatic dragon-tail plants, collected from plant nurseries in south Florida (e-Xtra Fig.1). Symptoms included round leaf spots often with a yellow halo and erupting pustules mainly distributed in the underside of the leaves. Visits to the nurseries revealed a 60% incidence of approximability 50 mature plants, with some leaves showing up to 30% of tissue damage. The putative pathogen was identified morphologically as Pseudocerradoa paullula (Syd. & P. Syd.) M. Ebinghaus & Dianese (Pucciniaceae, Basidiomycota) (Ebinghaus et al. 2022), characterized by the production of pseudosuprastomatal uredinia with globose to subglobose urediniospores, light-brown, echinulate (1 µm height), 24-31 µm diam with thick walls, 1.5-2.5 µm in height (n=30). Identical morphological features reported by Urbina et al. (2023) (e-Xtra Fig. 1). PCR amplification followed by Sanger sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of the ribosomal RNA genes (Aime 2006) together with LSU internal species specific primer (Urbina et al. 2023) were used to confirm the identification of the pathogen (GenBank ON887194-ON887196). MegaBlast (Chen et al. 2015) searches resulted in a >99% sequence similarity to a P. paullula specimen collected in Florida (2019-101665, GenBank ON887197). Host identification was made by using the Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (rbcL. GenBank ON887186, ON887187) and Maturase K (matK) loci (GenBank ON887190, ON887191) (Fazekas et al. 2012). Both barcodes resulted in >99.13% sequence similarity to voucher J.R. Abbott 24912 FLAS (GenBank GU135198 and GU135036, respectively). Symptomatic dried specimens were deposited in the Plant Industry Herbarium (PIHG 16229 - 16232). Koch's postulates were fulfilled using urediniospores collected from an infected E. pinnatum sample that was kept in darkness at 4°C for seven days until inoculation. Eight potted dragon-tail plants were inoculated by hand rubbing urediniospores against upper and lower leaf surfaces and three plants were used as controls. All plants were misted with sterile water and covered with plastic bags (23 °C, >90% RH, 12/12 h daylight). Bags were removed 48 h after inoculation, plants were set in a climate-controlled greenhouse (~30 °C, ~65% RH, 12/12 h light cycle) and monitored daily for symptoms. Chlorotic spots appeared after 10 days, and pustules after 25 days while the non-inoculated controls remained symptomless. Aroid leaf rust is known to infect several aroid species, including dragon-tail (Shaw 1995), which some varieties capable to outdoors in USDA 9a hardiness zones (Wunderlin et al. 2023), but the rust fungus has not been observed on any species of Epipremnum in the landscape yet, suggesting that its susceptibility could be driven by plant growth conditions that favor pathogen infection (e.g., excess of humidity and nutrients, dense planting, overhead irrigation, etc.). Here we encourage dragon-tail plant growers to be aware of its susceptibility to P. paullula and to stay vigilant of the culture conditions to avoid plants from getting infected with this airborne pathogen.

Social Expectations are Primarily Rooted in Reciprocity: An Investigation of Fairness, Cooperation, and Trustworthiness.

Social expectations guide people's evaluations of others' behaviors, but the origins of these expectations remain unclear. It is traditionally thought that people's expectations depend on their past observations of others' behavior, and people harshly judge atypical behavior. Here, we considered that social expectations are also influenced by a drive for reciprocity, and people evaluate others' actions by reflecting on their own decisions. To compare these views, we performed four studies. Study 1 used an Ultimatum Game task where participants alternated Responder and Proposer roles. Modeling participants' expectations suggested they evaluated the fairness of received offers via comparisons to their own offers. Study 2 replicated these findings and showed that observing selfish behavior (lowball offers) only promoted acceptance of selfishness if observers started acting selfishly themselves. Study 3 generalized the findings, demonstrating that they also arise in the Public Goods Game, emerge cross-culturally, and apply to antisocial punishment whereby selfish players punish generosity. Finally, Study 4 introduced the Trust Game and showed that participants trusted players who reciprocated their behavior, even if it was selfish, as much as they trusted generous players. Overall, this research shows that social expectations and evaluations are rooted in drives for reciprocity. This carries theoretical implications, speaking to a parallel in the mechanisms driving both decision-making and social evaluations, along with practical importance for understanding and promoting cooperation.

Highly reproducible rat arterial injury model of neointimal hyperplasia.

Models of arterial injury in rodents have been invaluable to our current understanding of vessel restenosis and play a continuing role in the development of endovascular interventions for cardiovascular disease. Mechanical distention of the vessel wall and denudation of the vessel endothelium are the two major modes of vessel injury observed in most clinical pathologies and are critical to the reproducible modelling of progressive neointimal hyperplasia. The current models which have dominated this research area are the mouse wire carotid or femoral injury and the rat carotid balloon injury. While these elicit simultaneous distension of the vessel wall and denudation of the luminal endothelium, each model carries limitations that need to be addressed using a complementary injury model. Wire injuries in mice are highly technical and procedurally challenging due to small vessel diameters, while rat balloon injuries require permanent blood vessel ligation and disruption of native blood flow. Complementary models of vascular injury with reproducibility, convenience, and increased physiological relevance to the pathophysiology of endovascular injury would allow for improved studies of neointimal hyperplasia in both basic and translational research. In this study, we developed a new surgical model that elicits vessel distention and endothelial denudation injury using sequential steps using microforceps and a standard needle catheter inserted via arteriotomy into a rat common carotid artery, without requiring permanent ligation of branching arteries. After 2 weeks post-injury this model elicits highly reproducible neointimal hyperplasia and rates of re-endothelialisation similar to current wire and balloon injury models. Furthermore, evaluation of the smooth muscle cell phenotype profile, inflammatory response and extracellular matrix within the developing neointima, showed that our model replicated the vessel remodelling outcomes critical to restenosis and those becoming increasingly focused upon in the development of new anti-restenosis therapies.