Can transgenerational plasticity contribute to the invasion success of annual plant species?

Adaptive transgenerational plasticity (TGP), i.e., significantly higher fitness when maternal and offspring conditions match, might contribute to the population growth of non-native species in highly variable environments. However, comparative studies that directly test this hypothesis are lacking. Therefore, we performed a reciprocal split-brood experiment to compare TGP in response to N and water availability in single populations of two invasive (Amaranthus retroflexus, Galinsoga parviflora) and two congeneric non-invasive introduced species (Amaranthus albus, Galinsoga ciliata). We hypothesized that the transgenerational effect is adaptive: (1) in invasive species compared with non-invasive adventives, and (2) in stressful conditions compared with resource-rich environments. The phenotypic variation among offspring was generated, in large part, by our experimental treatments in the maternal generation; therefore, we demonstrated a direct TGP effect on the offspring's adult fitness. We found evidence, for the first time, that invasive and non-invasive adventive species differ regarding the expression of TGP in the adult stage, as adaptive responses were found exclusively in the invasive species. The manifestation of TGP was more explicit under resource-rich conditions; therefore, it might contribute to the population dynamics of non-native species in resource-rich sites rather than to their ecological tolerance spectra.

Common values in assessing health outcomes from disease and injury: disability weights measurement study for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of the global burden of disease with disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) requires disability weights that quantify health losses for all non-fatal consequences of disease and injury. There has been extensive debate about a range of conceptual and methodological issues concerning the definition and measurement of these weights. Our primary objective was a comprehensive re-estimation of disability weights for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 through a large-scale empirical investigation in which judgments about health losses associated with many causes of disease and injury were elicited from the general public in diverse communities through a new, standardised approach. METHODS: We surveyed respondents in two ways: household surveys of adults aged 18 years or older (face-to-face interviews in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Peru, and Tanzania; telephone interviews in the USA) between Oct 28, 2009, and June 23, 2010; and an open-access web-based survey between July 26, 2010, and May 16, 2011. The surveys used paired comparison questions, in which respondents considered two hypothetical individuals with different, randomly selected health states and indicated which person they regarded as healthier. The web survey added questions about population health equivalence, which compared the overall health benefits of different life-saving or disease-prevention programmes. We analysed paired comparison responses with probit regression analysis on all 220 unique states in the study. We used results from the population health equivalence responses to anchor the results from the paired comparisons on the disability weight scale from 0 (implying no loss of health) to 1 (implying a health loss equivalent to death). Additionally, we compared new disability weights with those used in WHO's most recent update of the Global Burden of Disease Study for 2004. FINDINGS: 13,902 individuals participated in household surveys and 16,328 in the web survey. Analysis of paired comparison responses indicated a high degree of consistency across surveys: correlations between individual survey results and results from analysis of the pooled dataset were 0·9 or higher in all surveys except in Bangladesh (r=0·75). Most of the 220 disability weights were located on the mild end of the severity scale, with 58 (26%) having weights below 0·05. Five (11%) states had weights below 0·01, such as mild anaemia, mild hearing or vision loss, and secondary infertility. The health states with the highest disability weights were acute schizophrenia (0·76) and severe multiple sclerosis (0·71). We identified a broad pattern of agreement between the old and new weights (r=0·70), particularly in the moderate-to-severe range. However, in the mild range below 0·2, many states had significantly lower weights in our study than previously. INTERPRETATION: This study represents the most extensive empirical effort as yet to measure disability weights. By contrast with the popular hypothesis that disability assessments vary widely across samples with different cultural environments, we have reported strong evidence of highly consistent results. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

A systematic review of quality of life and health-related quality of life as outcomes in substance and behavioural addictions.

ISSUES: Consideration of an individual's quality of life (QoL) can benefit assessment and treatment of addictive disorders, however, uncertainty remains over operationalisation of the construct as an outcome and the appropriateness of existing measures for these populations. This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate QoL and health-related QoL outcome instruments used in addiction-related risk and harm research and map their conceptualised domains. APPROACH: Three electronic databases and a specialised assessment library were searched on 1 February 2022 for QoL or health-related QoL outcome instruments used with addiction-related risk and harm populations. PRISMA reporting guidance was followed and included outcome instruments were appraised using mixed methods. Psychometric evidence supporting their use was summarised. The COSMIN risk of bias tool was used to assess validation studies. KEY FINDINGS: A total of 298 articles (330 studies) used 53 outcome instruments and 41 unique domains of QoL. Eleven instruments' psychometric properties were evaluated. No instrument was assessed for any parameter in at least five studies for meta-analytic pooling. Cronbach's alpha (α) internal consistency was the most widely assessed parameter with the AQoLS, WHOQOL-BREF, ALQoL-9, Q-LES-Q-SF, SF-12, DUQoL, QLI and SF-36 displaying promising statistics (α > 0.70). IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION: Many instruments have been utilised. However, a significant proportion of studies applied a small number of instruments with minimal high-quality validation evidence supporting their use within addiction-related risk and harm. Promising instruments are recommended, however, the paucity of supporting evidence limits confidence in the reliability and validity of QoL measurement in these populations.

A pilot study of ex-vivo MRI-PDFF of donor livers for assessment of steatosis and predicting early graft dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The utility of ex vivo Magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) in donor liver fat quantification is unknown. PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and utility in predicting early allograft dysfunction (EAD) of ex vivo MRI-PDFF measurement of fat in deceased donor livers using histology as the gold standard. METHODS: We performed Ex vivo, 1.5 Tesla MRI-PDFF on 33 human deceased donor livers before implantation, enroute to the operating room. After the exclusion of 4 images (technical errors), 29 MRI images were evaluable. Histology was evaluable in 27 of 29 patients. EAD was defined as a peak value of aminotransferase >2000 IU/mL during the first week or an INR of ≥1.6 or bilirubin ≥10 mg/dL at day 7. RESULTS: MRI-PDFF values showed a strong positive correlation (Pearson's correlation coefficient) when histology (macro-steatosis) was included (r = 0.78, 95% confidence interval 0.57-0.89, p<0.0001). The correlation appeared much stronger when macro plus micro-steatosis were included (r = 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.72-0.94, p<0.0001). EAD was noted in 7(25%) subjects. AUC (Area Under the Curve) for macro steatosis (histology) predicted EAD in 73% (95% CI: 48-99), micro plus macro steatosis in 76% (95% CI: 49-100). AUC for PDFF values predicted EAD in 67(35-98). Comparison of the ROC curves in a multivariate model revealed, adding MRI PDFF values to macro steatosis increased the ability of the model in predicting EAD (AUC: 79%, 95% CI: 59-99), and addition of macro plus micro steatosis based on histology predicted EAD even better (AUC: 90%: 79-100, P = 0.054). CONCLUSION: In this pilot study, MRI-PDFF imaging showed potential utility in quantifying hepatic steatosis ex-vivo donor liver evaluation and the ability to predict EAD related to severe allograft steatosis in the recipient.

Annular Pancreas in an Adult Presenting with Acute Pancreatitis.

Annular pancreas is a rare congenital condition in which tissue from the head of the pancreas partially or completely surrounds the second part of the duodenum. This condition has a variable clinical presentation in adults and children. Radiologists should be aware of the imaging findings in adults as an annular pancreas can be overlooked or misdiagnosed in this patient population. In this case report we describe an adult patient with pancreatitis associated with the computed tomography findings of a complete annular pancreas and discuss additional imaging techniques and findings for differential diagnoses of this condition.

Embolization of prostatic brachytherapy seeds to pulmonary arteries: a case study.

Pulmonary seed embolization is a complication of prostatic brachytherapy with varying incidence rates. Key factors that reportedly influence the incidence of seed embolization include planning volume, quantity of seeds, seed placement, and type of seeds (stranded vs free). The clinical implications of seed migration are unclear because sequelae were not demonstrated in multiple short-term studies yet there have been several reports of long-term complications. We report a case of a 56-year-old patient who presented with dyspnea approximately 6 years after brachytherapy treatment for a very low-risk prostate cancer. Chest radiograph showed multiple linear densities overlying the right suprahilar lung. Computed tomography confirmed the location of the densities within the pulmonary arteries in the right upper lobe.

Quantitative partitioning of regional and local processes shaping regional diversity patterns.

Much recent research explaining plant community diversity has focused on comparing the relative impacts of regional and local processes. We employed a novel analysis to quantify the effects of multiple regional and local processes on species richness, and to make quantitative comparisons of those effects across two sites that differ in plot-level species richness, productivity and environmental conditions. While abiotic stress and competition limited richness within the communities at both sites, only differences in the overall pool of species at the site, likely resulting from long-distance dispersal and climate fluctuations, explained the differences in plot-level richness between sites. Patterns in local richness may be driven by a temporal storage effect, with greater richness in the site with greater climatic variability. By identifying both the factors that impact diversity within communities and those that vary systematically across communities, our integrated approach provides a better understanding of regional diversity patterns.

A Rayleigh Scatter-Based Ocular Flare Analysis Meter for Flare Photometry of the Anterior Chamber.

PURPOSE: Existing flare photometers are based on the Tyndall effect, which requires sophisticated laser photometry. The ocular flare analysis meter (OFAM) is a nonlaser photometer that uses quantitative Rayleigh scatter and absorption from visible light to compute a flare value. This study is designed to correlate OFAM measurements with qualitative measurements of flare in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Following validation of the device on artificial anterior chambers containing known protein concentrations, flare readings were obtained from 90 subjects (46 with and 44 without uveitis) in one eye. Subjects were graded by the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) working group flare scoring system and received the OFAM flare measurements. RESULTS: The OFAM showed linear response in vitro to protein concentrations ranging from 0 to 0.5 mg/ml. In clinical use in subjects ranging from SUN flare scores of 0+ to 2+, OFAM showed statistically significant measurement accuracy (P = 0.0008 of flare 0 versus flare 2; P = 0.031 of flare 0 versus flare 1). Distinction of SUN scores 1 and 2 was borderline significant (P = 0.057). CONCLUSION: The OFAM photometry correlates with the standard SUN scoring system. This method may provide an objective method to diagnosis and monitor uveitis. Further longitudinal studies are warranted. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Currently, ocular flare is assessed qualitatively in most clinical settings. The existing methodology uses only Tyndall effect to measure flare. The OFAM uses an alternate, nonlaser means for measurement of anterior chamber flare by measure of Raleigh scatter. This pilot clinical study suggests that the OFAM device may be useful in measurement of uveitis activity.

Evidence of spatial genetic structure in a California bunchgrass population.

We investigated the scale of genetic variation of purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra), a species commonly used in California for grassland restoration. Common garden and field data revealed evidence of genetic differentiation between two intermixed microhabitats characterized by differences in soil depth and community composition. We assessed the genetic variation within a single population using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data collected from clusters of five individuals in 40 locations. We found no evidence for genetic structure at the whole population level. At smaller spatial scales, however, we found strong evidence that genetic subdivision of the population occurs at the level of the maternal neighborhood. We suggest that the interaction between widespread pollen dispersal and restricted seed dispersal may be the primary factor generating these results; panmictic pollen dispersal will make detection of genetic patterning difficult at larger spatial scales while limited seed dispersal will generate local genetic structure. As a result, the detection of population genetic structure will depend on the spatial scale of analysis. Local selection gradients related to topography and soil depth are also likely to play a role in structuring local genetic variation. Since N. pulchra is widely used in California in grassland and woodland habitat restoration, we suggest that, as a general rule, care should be exercised in transferring germplasm for the purposes of conservation when little is known about the within-population genetic subdivision of a plant species.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (cocoon bowel) presenting after laparotomy for splenic abscess.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, previously referred to as cocoon bowel, is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction that often results in obstruction due to the development of a fibrous enhancing membrane that encases multiple small bowel loops. We present a case of a patient who presented to our institution with abdominal distension and guarding. Computed tomography was obtained which revealed findings concerning for sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis. Sonographic imaging was also obtained and provides correlative imaging.

The role of adaptive trans-generational plasticity in biological invasions of plants.

High-impact biological invasions often involve establishment and spread in disturbed, high-resource patches followed by establishment and spread in biotically or abiotically stressful areas. Evolutionary change may be required for the second phase of invasion (establishment and spread in stressful areas) to occur. When species have low genetic diversity and short selection history, within-generation phenotypic plasticity is often cited as the mechanism through which spread across multiple habitat types can occur. We show that trans-generational plasticity (TGP) can result in pre-adapted progeny that exhibit traits associated with increased fitness both in high-resource patches and in stressful conditions. In the invasive sedge, Cyperus esculentus, maternal plants growing in nutrient-poor patches can place disproportional number of propagules into nutrient-rich patches. Using the invasive annual grass, Aegilops triuncialis, we show that maternal response to soil conditions can confer greater stress tolerance in seedlings in the form of greater photosynthetic efficiency. We also show TGP for a phenological shift in a low resource environment that results in greater stress tolerance in progeny. These lines of evidence suggest that the maternal environment can have profound effects on offspring success and that TGP may play a significant role in some plant invasions.

Loss of epigenetic silencing in tumors preferentially affects primate-specific retroelements.

Close to 50% of the human genome harbors repetitive sequences originally derived from mobile DNA elements, and in normal cells, this sequence compartment is tightly regulated by epigenetic silencing mechanisms involving chromatin-mediated repression. In cancer cells, repetitive DNA elements suffer abnormal demethylation, with potential loss of silencing. We used a genome-wide microarray approach to measure DNA methylation changes in cancers of the head and neck and to compare these changes to alterations found in adjacent non-tumor tissues. We observed specific alterations at thousands of small clusters of CpG dinucleotides associated with DNA repeats. Among the 257,599 repetitive elements probed, 5% to 8% showed disease-related DNA methylation alterations. In dysplasia, a large number of local events of loss of methylation appear in apparently stochastic fashion. Loss of DNA methylation is most pronounced for certain members of the SVA, HERV, LINE-1P, AluY, and MaLR families. The methylation levels of retrotransposons are discretely stratified, with younger elements being highly methylated in healthy tissues, while in tumors, these young elements suffer the most dramatic loss of methylation. Wilcoxon test statistics reveals that a subset of primate LINE-1 elements is demethylated preferentially in tumors, as compared to non-tumoral adjacent tissue. Sequence analysis of these strongly demethylated elements reveals genomic loci harboring full length, as opposed to truncated elements, while possible enrichment for functional LINE-1 ORFs is weaker. Our analysis suggests that, in non-tumor adjacent tissues, there is generalized and highly variable disruption of epigenetic control across the repetitive DNA compartment, while in tumor cells, a specific subset of LINE-1 retrotransposons that arose during primate evolution suffers the most dramatic DNA methylation alterations.