Role of turbulence in Dinophysis spp. growth, feeding, and toxin leakage in culture.

Dinophysis, a mixotrophic dinoflagellate that is known to prey on the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum, and retain its chloroplasts, is responsible for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in humans and has been identified on all U.S. coasts. Monocultures of Dinophysis have been used to investigate the growth of Dinophysis species in response to variations in environmental conditions, however, little is known about the roles of system stability (turbulence) and mixotrophy in the growth and toxicity of Dinophysis species in the U.S.. To begin to address this gap in knowledge, culturing experiments were conducted with three species (four strains) of Dinophysis, that included predator-prey co-incubation (Dinophysis spp.+ M. rubrum) and prey-only (M. rubrum) flasks. Cultures were investigated for effects of low or high turbulence on Dinophysis spp. growth, feeding, and amounts of intra- and extracellular toxins: okadaic acid and derivatives (diarrhetic shellfish toxins, DSTs) and pectenotoxins (PTXs). Turbulence did not have a measurable effect on the rates of ingestion of M. rubrum prey by Dinophysis spp. for any of the four strains, however, effects on growth and particulate and dissolved toxins were observed. High turbulence (ε = 10-2 m2s-3) significantly slowed growth of both D. acuminata and D. ovum relative to still controls, but significantly stimulated growth of the D. caudata strain. Increasing turbulence also resulted in significantly higher intracellular toxin content in D. acuminata cultures (DSTs and PTXs), but significantly reduced intracellular toxin content (PTXs) in those of D. caudata. An increase in turbulence appeared to promote toxin leakage, as D. ovum had significantly more extracellular DSTs found in the medium under high turbulence when compared to the still control. Overall, significant responses to turbulence were observed, whereby the three strains from the "Dinophysis acuminata complex" displayed a stress response to turbulence, i.e., decreasing growth, increasing intracellular toxin content and/or increasing toxin leakage, while the D. caudata strain had an opposite response, appearing stimulated by, or more tolerant of, high turbulence.

Brief Self-Compassion Intervention for Women of Higher Weight and Internalized Weight Bias: A Randomized Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Internalized weight bias (IWB) negatively impacts mental and physical health, and disproportionately affects women of higher weight. Although self-compassion training may be advantageous for reducing IWB and associated sequalae, further examination of its clinical significance and cultural acceptability is warranted. METHOD: A randomized pilot study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility, including cultural acceptability, and clinical significance of a 3-session self-compassion intervention (SCI) for women with IWB. Women with BMIs of > 25 and IWB (N = 34) were randomly assigned to the SCI or a waitlist control group. Participants completed pre, post, and 1-month follow-up surveys on IWB, self-compassion, body image, eating behaviors, physical activity, and affect. Analyses of covariance were employed and percentages of change were calculated to examine post-intervention between-group differences in outcomes. Cultural acceptability was evaluated through participants' ratings of the perceived inclusivity and relevancy of the SCI. RESULTS: There were 59% (n = 10) and 47% (n = 8) completion rates in the SCI and waitlist control groups, respectively. Compared to the waitlist control group, SCI participants reported greater pre-post improvements in self-compassion, IWB, body shame and surveillance, uncontrolled eating, and physical activity with medium to large effect sizes, and emotional eating with small effects. The SCI was perceived to be beneficial overall, and cultural acceptability ratings were mostly favorable despite individual differences. CONCLUSION: This brief SCI may be beneficial for women impacted by weight stigma and IWB. Attention to increased diversity and cultural acceptability is warranted in future trials.

Photoacclimation and photophysiology of four species of toxigenic Dinophysis.

This study aimed to explore the effects of different light intensities on the ecophysiology of eight new Dinophysis isolates comprising four species (D. acuminata, D. ovum, D. fortii, and D. caudata) collected from different geographical regions in the US. After six months of acclimation, the growth rates, photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm ratio), toxin content, and net toxin production rates of the Dinophysis strains were examined. The growth rates of D. acuminata and D. ovum isolates were comparable across light intensities, with the exception of one D. acuminata strain (DANY1) that was unable to grow at the lowest light intensity. However, D. fortii and D. caudata strains were photoinhibited and grew at a slower rate at the highest light intensity, indicating a lower degree of adaptability and tolerance to such conditions. Photosynthetic efficiency was similar for all Dinophysis isolates and negatively correlated with exposure to high light intensities. Multiple toxin metrics, including cellular toxin content and net production rates of DSTs and PTXs, were variable among species and even among isolates of the same species in response to light intensity. A pattern was detected, however, whereby the net production rates of PTXs were significantly lower across all Dinophysis isolates when exposed to the lowest light intensity. These findings provide a basis for understanding the effects of light intensity on the eco-physiological characteristics of Dinophysis species in the US and could be employed to develop integrated physical-biological models for species and strains of interest to predict their population dynamics and mitigate their negative effects.

A full-length 18S ribosomal DNA metabarcoding approach for determining protist community diversity using Nanopore sequencing.

Protist diversity studies are frequently conducted using DNA metabarcoding methods. Currently, most studies have utilized short read sequences to assess protist diversity. One limitation of using short read sequences is the low resolution of the markers. For better taxonomic resolution longer sequences of the 18S rDNA are required because the full-length has both conserved and hypervariable regions. In this study, a new primer pair combination was used to amplify the full-length 18S rDNA and its efficacy was validated with a test community and then validated with field samples. Full-length sequences obtained with the Nanopore MinION for protist diversity from field samples were compared with Illumina MiSeq V4 and V8-V9 short reads. Sequences generated from the high-throughput sequencers are Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs). Metabarcoding results show high congruency among the long reads and short reads in taxonomic annotation at the major taxonomic group level; however, not all taxa could be successfully detected from sequences. Based on the criteria of ≥95% similarity and ≥1000 bp query length, 298 genera were identified by all markers in the field samples, 250 (84%) were detected by 18S, while only 226 (76%) by V4 and 213 (71%) by V8-V9. Of the total 85 dinoflagellate genera observed, 19 genera were not defined by 18S dinoflagellate ASVs compared to only three among the total 52 diatom genera. The discrepancy in this resolution is due to the lack of taxonomically available 18S reference sequences in particular for dinoflagellates. Overall, this preliminary investigation demonstrates that application of the full-length 18S rDNA approach can be successful in field studies.

Addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion: A response of professional nursing organizations to the future of nursing: 2020-2030 recommendations.

One way in which professional nursing organizations have chosen to address the social determinants of health (SDoH) is through policy work focused on diversity, health equity and anti-racism activities. The recent report, Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity (FON 2020-2030), calls on professional nursing organizations and/or nursing coalitions to focus on addressing the SDoH to mitigate health inequities, including a focus on addressing racism and promoting practices to ensure the diversity of the nursing workforce. While these recommendations highlight issues of high importance to nursing and the broader society, they assume that professional nursing organizations or coalitions have not been sufficiently engaged in this work to date. Our goal was to better understand the current and/or ongoing activities of professional nursing organizations around their anti-racism work of diversity, health equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities recommended in the FON 2020-2030 report. To address this goal, we conducted a needs assessment of professional nursing organizations to document their DEI activities and the timing of these activities relevant to the recommendations in the report. The 26 responding organizations indicated they had been engaged in work addressing DEI issues for periods ranging from 4 months to 51 years. Minimal funding was the major barrier to advancing this work. Creating a vigorous shared DEI agenda across the profession, as suggested in the FON 2020-2030 report, will require input from nurses across the profession, as well as identification of resources to support this critical endeavor.

The SPATA5-SPATA5L1 ATPase complex directs replisome proteostasis to ensure genome integrity.

Ubiquitin-dependent unfolding of the CMG helicase by VCP/p97 is required to terminate DNA replication. Other replisome components are not processed in the same fashion, suggesting that additional mechanisms underlie replication protein turnover. Here, we identify replisome factor interactions with a protein complex composed of AAA+ ATPases SPATA5-SPATA5L1 together with heterodimeric partners C1orf109-CINP (55LCC). An integrative structural biology approach revealed a molecular architecture of SPATA5-SPATA5L1 N-terminal domains interacting with C1orf109-CINP to form a funnel-like structure above a cylindrically shaped ATPase motor. Deficiency in the 55LCC complex elicited ubiquitin-independent proteotoxicity, replication stress, and severe chromosome instability. 55LCC showed ATPase activity that was specifically enhanced by replication fork DNA and was coupled to cysteine protease-dependent cleavage of replisome substrates in response to replication fork damage. These findings define 55LCC-mediated proteostasis as critical for replication fork progression and genome stability and provide a rationale for pathogenic variants seen in associated human neurodevelopmental disorders.

BRCA1-BARD1 combines multiple chromatin recognition modules to bridge nascent nucleosomes.

Chromatin association of the BRCA1-BARD1 heterodimer is critical to promote homologous recombination repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in S/G2. How the BRCA1-BARD1 complex interacts with chromatin that contains both damage induced histone H2A ubiquitin and inhibitory H4K20 methylation is not fully understood. We characterised BRCA1-BARD1 binding and enzymatic activity to an array of mono- and di-nucleosome substrates using biochemical, structural and single molecule imaging approaches. We found that the BRCA1-BARD1 complex preferentially interacts and modifies di-nucleosomes over mono-nucleosomes, allowing integration of H2A Lys-15 ubiquitylation signals with other chromatin modifications and features. Using high speed- atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) to monitor how the BRCA1-BARD1 complex recognises chromatin in real time, we saw a highly dynamic complex that bridges two nucleosomes and associates with the DNA linker region. Bridging is aided by multivalent cross-nucleosome interactions that enhance BRCA1-BARD1 E3 ubiquitin ligase catalytic activity. Multivalent interactions across nucleosomes explain how BRCA1-BARD1 can recognise chromatin that retains partial di-methylation at H4 Lys-20 (H4K20me2), a parental histone mark that blocks BRCA1-BARD1 interaction with nucleosomes, to promote its enzymatic and DNA repair activities.

De novo transcriptome assembly and gene annotation for the toxic dinoflagellate Dinophysis.

Species within the dinoflagellate genus Dinophysis can produce okadiac acid and dinophysistoxins leading to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. Since the first report of D. ovum from the Gulf of Mexico in 2008, reports of other Dinophysis species across US have increased. Members of the D. cf. acuminata complex (D. acuminata, D. acuta, D. ovum, D. sacculus) are difficult to differentiate due to their morphological similarities. Dinophysis feeds on and steals the chloroplasts from the ciliate, Mesodinium rubrum, which in turn has fed on and captured the chloroplasts of its prey, the cryptophyte Teleaulax amphioxeia. The objective of this study was to generate de novo transcriptomes for new isolates of these mixotrophic organisms. The transcriptomes obtained will serve as a reference for future experiments to assess the effect of different abiotic and biotic conditions and will also provide a useful resource for screening potential marker genes to differentiate among the closely related species within the D. cf. acuminata-complex. The complete comprehensive detailed workflow and links to obtain the transcriptome data are provided.

Church Matters: Education About Advance Care Planning and End-of-Life Care in Black Churches.

For many African American adults, the church has the potential to be a place to receive education about advance care planning (ACP). The current study was conducted to (1) identify the frequency of ACP conversations and caregiving and (2) evaluate interest in church-placed end-of-life (EOL) care education. Data were collected from parishioners in 2 African American churches in an urban city in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Individuals older than 50 years reported a higher frequency of caregiving ( P < .001) and were more likely to have talked to someone about EOL care ( P < .001) than individuals younger than 50 years. Nearly all respondents considered EOL conversations "important" or "very important" (99.1%) and wanted more information about EOL conversations available via the church (95.8%). Our findings suggest EOL conversations are happening within families and with health care providers, but they are not documented in ways (eg, in writing) that research has focused on previously. Future EOL education will focus more on the importance of documenting and sharing EOL care wishes with family and health care professionals.

Racism exposure and trauma accumulation perpetuate pain inequities-advocating for change (RESTORATIVE): A conceptual model.

Experiences of racism occur across a continuum from denial of services to more subtle forms of discrimination and exact a significant toll. These multilevel systems of oppression accumulate as chronic stressors that cause psychological injury conceptualized as racism-based traumatic stress (RBTS). RBTS has overlapping symptoms with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the added burden that threats are constantly present. Chronic pain is a public health crisis that is exacerbated by the intersection of racism and health inequities. However, the relationship between RBTS and pain has not yet been explored. To highlight how these phenomena are interlinked, we present Racism ExpoSure and Trauma AccumulatiOn PeRpetuate PAin InequiTIes-AdVocating for ChangE (RESTORATIVE); a novel conceptual model that integrates the models of racism and pain and demonstrates how the shared contribution of trauma symptoms (e.g., RBTS and PTSD) maintains and perpetuates chronic pain for racialized groups in the United States. Visualizing racism and pain as "two halves of the same coin," in which the accumulative effects of numerous events may moderate the severity of RBTS and pain, we emphasize the importance of within-group distinctiveness and intersectionality (overlapping identities). We call on psychologists to lead efforts in applying the RESTORATIVE model, acting as facilitators and advocates for the patient's lived experience with RBTS in clinical pain care teams. To assist with this goal, we offer suggestions for provider and researcher antiracism education, assessment of RBTS in pain populations, and discuss how cultural humility is a central component in implementing the RESTORATIVE model. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

End-of-Life Care for Transgender Older Adults.

As the number of transgender older adults increases, the need for respectful and inclusive end-of-life (EOL) care for this population is becoming more apparent. Aging transgender adults often face discrimination, inadequate access to care, and poor quality of care. In response, we organized a think tank that invited participation from 19 transgender older adults, scholars in EOL care, and palliative care providers in the United States to generate recommendations for EOL care for transgender older adults. Subsequently, we conducted a qualitative descriptive exploration of the written record of think tank discussions for the purpose of identifying key EOL care considerations for transgender older adults. We identified four themes that highlight the importance of understanding the experiences of transgender older adults for the advancement of future research, policy, and education initiatives aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable provision of EOL care by nurses and other clinicians for this population.

A survey of Dinophysis spp. and their potential to cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning in coastal waters of the United States.

Multiple species of the genus Dinophysis produce diarrhetic shellfish toxins (okadaic acid and Dinophysis toxins, OA/DTXs analogs) and/or pectenotoxins (PTXs). Only since 2008 have DSP events (illnesses and/or shellfish harvesting closures) become recognized as a threat to human health in the United States. This study characterized 20 strains representing five species of Dinophysis spp. isolated from three US coastal regions that have experienced DSP events: the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest. Using a combination of morphometric and DNA-based evidence, seven Northeast/Mid-Atlantic isolates and four Pacific Northwest isolates were classified as D. acuminata, a total of four isolates from two coasts were classified as D. norvegica, two isolates from the Pacific Northwest coast were identified as D. fortii, and three isolates from the Gulf of Mexico were identified as D. ovum and D. caudata. Toxin profiles of D. acuminata and D. norvegica varied by their geographical origin within the United States. Cross-regional comparison of toxin profiles was not possible with the other three species; however, within each region, distinct species-conserved profiles for isolates of D. fortii, D. ovum, and D. caudata were observed. Historical and recent data from various State and Tribal monitoring programs were compiled and compared, including maximum recorded cell abundances of Dinophysis spp., maximum concentrations of OA/DTXs recorded in commercial shellfish species, and durations of harvesting closures, to provide perspective regarding potential for DSP impacts to regional public health and shellfish industry.

Tropical cyclones: what are their impacts on phytoplankton ecology?

Following the passage of a tropical cyclone (TC) the changes in temperature, salinity, nutrient concentration, water clarity, pigments and phytoplankton taxa were assessed at 42 stations from eight sites ranging from the open ocean, through the coastal zone and into estuaries. The impacts of the TC were estimated relative to the long-term average (LTA) conditions as well as before and after the TC. Over all sites the most consistent environmental impacts associated with TCs were an average 41% increase in turbidity, a 13% decline in salinity and a 2% decline in temperature relative to the LTA. In the open ocean, the nutrient concentrations, cyanobacteria and picoeukaryote abundances increased at depths between 100 and 150 m for up to 3 months following a TC. While at the riverine end of coastal estuaries, the predominate short-term response was a strong decline in salinity and phytoplankton suggesting these impacts were initially dominated by advection. The more intermediate coastal water-bodies generally experienced declines in salinity, significant reductions in water clarity, plus significant increases in nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton abundance. These intermediate waters typically developed dinoflagellate, diatom or cryptophyte blooms that elevated phytoplankton biomass for 1-3 months following a TC.

Metabarcoding reveals high genetic diversity of harmful algae in the coastal waters of Texas, Gulf of Mexico.

Environmental-DNA (eDNA) for metabarcoding is a rapid and effective means to investigate microplankton community composition and species diversity. The objective of this study was to examine the genetic diversity of the phytoplankton community in the Gulf of Mexico, with particular emphasis on harmful algal bloom species. Samples were collected at stations along the coast of Texas in September-October 2017 that were inundated by low salinity waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Metabarcodes were generated from the eDNA targeting both the V4 and V8-V9 regions of the 18S rDNA gene. Evaluation of the metabarcodes revealed an unexpectedly high number of harmful algal species during this short period, including five that had not been documented in this region previously. A total of 36 harmful algal species could be differentiated based on V4 and V8-V9 metabarcode markers. Using a phylogenetic approach, the taxonomic resolution of each marker differed and not all species could be differentiated using solely one marker. The V4 region resolved species within some genera (e.g., Heterocapsa), while the V8-V9 marker was necessary to resolve species within other genera (e.g., Chattonella). In other cases, species differentiation within a genus required a combination of both markers (e.g., Prorocentrum, Karenia), or another marker will be needed to resolve all species (e.g., Alexandrium, Dinophysis). We conclude that no single marker can delineate all species, so it is recommended HAB monitoring programs use more than one marker. Overall, the observed diversity of HAB species along the Texas coast using metabarcoding exceeded reports from other parts of the world.

Measuring Bachelor of Science in Nursing competencies in public/population health.

Nurses have a long history of practice in public health. More recently basic population health knowledge and skills are being required across all nursing practice settings. To prepare nurses for this practice nursing education has long included public or community health nursing (PHN) content and skills as part of prelicensure education at the baccalaureate level and above. However, little work has been done to document student competency in these areas. Competency-based education is a process whereby students are held accountable for the mastery of knowledge and skills deemed critical for an area of study. The AACN Public/Population Health Workgroup addressed the challenge of measuring baccalaureate student nursing competencies in population health by developing an unfolding case study, with embedded questions assessing selected competencies. Lacking established population health competencies in nursing curriculum at the time of this work but wanting to assess students' basic competencies across the care continuum, the Workgroup selected relevant competencies from the Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations (formerly called the Quad Council) Competencies for Public Health Nurses. Utilizing these selected competencies, the Workgroup devised the unfolding case study and piloted it with 275 baccalaureate nursing education programs across the country. The findings from the Pilot demonstrated nursing student competency achievement and how this achievement changed as students progressed through the curriculum. The authors report implications and recommendations for competency measurement in population health based on the results of the pilot.

Experienced weight stigma, internalized weight bias, and maladaptive eating patterns among heterosexual and sexual minority individuals.

PURPOSE: The current study examined experienced weight stigma (EWS), internalized weight bias (IWB), and maladaptive eating patterns (ME) among sexual minority (SM) and heterosexual individuals. METHODS: The sample consisted of cisgender heterosexual and SM men and women. Participants were drawn from introductory psychology classes and a variety of supplemental recruitment methods (Facebook, Instagram, MTURK, etc.). RESULTS: SM individuals reported higher levels of EWS, IWB, and maladaptive eating patterns than heterosexual individuals. Heterosexual men reported the lowest levels of EWS, IWB, and ME compared to all other groups. Additionally, there was a significant association between greater EWS and IWB and greater ME. Gender identity and sexual orientation impacted the strength of the relationship between IWB and ME and, to a lesser extent, EWS and ME. CONCLUSION: This investigation contributes to knowledge of the impact of gender identity and sexual orientation on EWS and IWB, and demonstrates that IWB and EWS are significant concerns for the SM community, especially in relation to ME. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, cross-sectional study.