Moss functional trait ecology: Trends, gaps, and biases in the current literature.

Functional traits are critical tools in plant ecology for capturing organism-environment interactions based on trade-offs and making links between organismal and ecosystem processes. While broad frameworks for functional traits have been developed for vascular plants, we lack the same for bryophytes, despite an escalation in the number of studies on bryophyte functional trait in the last 45 years and an increased recognition of the ecological roles bryophytes play across ecosystems. In this review, we compiled data from 282 published articles (10,005 records) that focused on functional traits measured in mosses and sought to examine trends in types of traits measured, capture taxonomic and geographic breadth of trait coverage, reveal biases in coverage in the current literature, and develop a bryophyte-function index (BFI) to describe the completeness of current trait coverage and identify global gaps to focus research efforts. The most commonly measured response traits (those related to growth/reproduction in individual organisms) and effect traits (those that directly affect community/ecosystem scale processes) fell into the categories of morphology (e.g., leaf area, shoot height) and nutrient storage/cycling, and our BFI revealed that these data were most commonly collected from temperate and boreal regions of Europe, North America, and East Asia. However, fewer than 10% of known moss species have available functional trait information. Our synthesis revealed a need for research on traits related to ontogeny, sex, and intraspecific plasticity and on co-measurement of traits related to water relations and bryophyte-mediated soil processes.

Examining Medicaid Waivers-An Opportunity to Promote Equity in Cancer Care.

This Viewpoint discusses the impact of Medicaid Section 1115 waivers on the equity of cancer care delivery in the US.

A pipeline for the rapid collection of color data from photographs.

Premise: There are relatively few studies of flower color at landscape scales that can address the relative importance of competing mechanisms (e.g., biotic: pollinators; abiotic: ultraviolet radiation, drought stress) at landscape scales. Methods: We developed an R shiny pipeline to sample color from images that were automatically downloaded using query results from a search using iNaturalist or the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The pipeline was used to sample ca. 4800 North American wallflower (Erysimum, Brassicaceae) images from iNaturalist. We tested whether flower color was distributed non-randomly across the landscape and whether spatial patterns were correlated with climate. We also used images including ColorCheckers to compare analyses of raw images to color-calibrated images. Results: Flower color was strongly non-randomly distributed spatially, but did not correlate strongly with climate, with most of the variation explained instead by spatial autocorrelation. However, finer-scale patterns including local correlations between elevation and color were observed. Analyses using color-calibrated and raw images revealed similar results. Discussion: This pipeline provides users the ability to rapidly capture color data from iNaturalist images and can be a useful tool in detecting spatial or temporal changes in color using citizen science data.

Residential Redlining, Neighborhood Trajectory, and Equity of Breast and Colorectal Cancer Care.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the influence of structural racism, vis-à-vis neighborhood socioeconomic trajectory, on colorectal and breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Inequities in cancer care are well documented in the United States but less is understood about how historical policies like residential redlining and evolving neighborhood characteristics influence current gaps in care. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included adult patients diagnosed with colorectal or breast cancer between 2010 and 2015 in 7 Indiana cities with available historic redlining data. Current neighborhood socioeconomic status was determined by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Based on historic redlining maps and current ADI, we created four "Neighborhood Trajectory" categories: Advantage Stable, Advantage Reduced, Disadvantage Stable, Disadvantage Reduced. Modified Poisson regression models estimated the relative risks (RR) of Neighborhood Trajectory on cancer stage at diagnosis and receipt of cancer-directed surgery (CDS). RESULTS: A final cohort derivation identified 4,862 cancer patients with colorectal or breast cancer. Compared to Advantage Stable neighborhoods, Disadvantage Stable neighborhood was associated with late-stage diagnosis for both colorectal and breast cancer (RR=1.30 [95% CI=1.05 - 1.59]; RR=1.41 [1.09 - 1.83], respectively). Black patients had lower likelihood of receiving CDS in Disadvantage Reduced neighborhoods (RR=0.92 [0.86 - 0.99]) than White patients. CONCLUSIONS: Disadvantage Stable neighborhoods were associated with late-stage diagnosis for breast and colorectal cancer. Disadvantage Reduced (gentrified) neighborhoods were associated with racial-inequity in CDS. Improved neighborhood socioeconomic conditions may improve timely diagnosis but could contribute to racial inequities in surgical treatment.

Outcomes in necrotizing soft tissue infections are worse in rural versus urban Montana: a 10-year single center retrospective review.

Time to definitive surgical debridement has been recognized as a predictor for morbidity and mortality in necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI). Rural patients are at particular risk due to limited local resources, decreased access to care, and prolonged transport times. The aim of the current study was to examine the outcomes of NSTI requiring surgical treatment in a previously non-described setting. This retrospective study (2010-2020) from a single tertiary care center in Montana reviewed patients ≥18 years old with a NSTI via ICD9/10 codes. Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC; characterizing counties by population size) were used to distinguish urban versus rural counties. Race (White and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN)) was self-described. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons between groups were determined using the appropriate two-tailed statistical tests. An aggregate of 177 patients was identified. Mean age in AI/AN was significantly lower (P<0.0001) compared to White patients with no preexisting condition delineation. NSTI demonstrated an elevated incidence in both rural areas and AI/AN patients. Diabetes was also significantly higher (P=0.0073) in rural versus urban patients. Both rural and AI/AN patients faced extended travel distance for treatment. AI/AN patients had a significantly different infection location than White. Furthermore, polymicrobial species were significantly more prevalent in AI/AN patients. Morbidities (defined as septic shock and/or amputation) were significantly higher in AI/AN patients and rural environments (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between respective groups. The state of Montana presents unique challenges to optimizing NSTI treatment due to excessive distances to regional tertiary care facilities. This delay in treatment can lead to increased morbidity.

A retrospective comparison of the emergent use of fixed-dose four-factor prothrombin complex versus weight-based dosing for intracranial hemorrhage assessing medication delivery time and cost.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to evaluate a low fixed-dose versus weight-based dosing strategy for four-factor prothrombin complex (4F-PCC) time to administration in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted at a single rural Tertiary referral center in patients ≥18 years old on warfarin with ICH who received 4F-PCC. Continuous variables were summarized using mean (±95% CI) and compared using two-tailed tests; p values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 46 ICH patients were reversed using 4F-PCC (Fixed, n = 27 and Weight, n = 19). Baseline characteristics were equivalent. Total units of 4F-PCC (mean dose units 2525.1 versus 1623.3) and dose per kg were significantly reduced in the fixed-dose group. Total time from order to delivery was significantly reduced with the fixed-dose strategy (mean time 43.0 versus 29.0 minutes). Hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit LOS, and mortality were equivalent with a similar mechanism. International Normalized Ratio (INR) reversal success (≤1.5) and total INR change was comparable with no difference in adverse thromboses between groups. CONCLUSIONS: A fixed-dosed strategy reduced time to 4F-PCC administration for warfarin reversal in ICH, as compared to a weight-based strategy; with no increase in LOS, mortality, or need for additional dosing. This also resulted in significant cost savings.

SMYD3 represses tumor-intrinsic interferon response in HPV-negative squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Cancers often display immune escape, but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. Herein, we identify SMYD3 as a mediator of immune escape in human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), an aggressive disease with poor response to immunotherapy with pembrolizumab. SMYD3 depletion induces upregulation of multiple type I interferon (IFN) response and antigen presentation machinery genes in HNSCC cells. Mechanistically, SMYD3 binds to and regulates the transcription of UHRF1, encoding for a reader of H3K9me3, which binds to H3K9me3-enriched promoters of key immune-related genes, recruits DNMT1, and silences their expression. SMYD3 further maintains the repression of immune-related genes through intragenic deposition of H4K20me3. In vivo, Smyd3 depletion induces influx of CD8+ T cells and increases sensitivity to anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) therapy. SMYD3 overexpression is associated with decreased CD8 T cell infiltration and poor response to neoadjuvant pembrolizumab. These data support combining SMYD3 depletion strategies with checkpoint blockade to overcome anti-PD-1 resistance in HPV-negative HNSCC.

Signaling mechanisms in renal compensatory hypertrophy revealed by multi-omics.

Loss of a kidney results in compensatory growth of the remaining kidney, a phenomenon of considerable clinical importance. However, the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Here, we use a multi-omic approach in a unilateral nephrectomy model in male mice to identify signaling processes associated with renal compensatory hypertrophy, demonstrating that the lipid-activated transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) is an important determinant of proximal tubule cell size and is a likely mediator of compensatory proximal tubule hypertrophy.

Multiple transcriptome comparisons reveal the essential roles of FLOWERING LOCUS T in floral initiation and SOC1 and SVP in floral activation in blueberry.

The flowering mechanisms, especially chilling requirement-regulated flowering, in deciduous woody crops remain to be elucidated. Flower buds of northern highbush blueberry cultivar Aurora require approximately 1,000 chilling hours to bloom. Overexpression of a blueberry FLOWERING LOCUS T (VcFT) enabled precocious flowering of transgenic "Aurora" mainly in non-terminated apical buds during flower bud formation, meanwhile, most of the mature flower buds could not break until they received enough chilling hours. In this study, we highlighted two groups of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in flower buds caused by VcFT overexpression (VcFT-OX) and full chilling. We compared the two groups of DEGs with a focus on flowering pathway genes. We found: 1) In non-chilled flower buds, VcFT-OX drove a high VcFT expression and repressed expression of a major MADS-box gene, blueberry SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (VcSOC1) resulting an increased VcFT/VcSOC1 expression ratio; 2) In fully chilled flower buds that are ready to break, the chilling upregulated VcSOC1 expression in non-transgenic "Aurora" and repressed VcFT expression in VcFT-OX "Aurora", and each resulted in a decreased ratio of VcFT to VcSOC1; additionally, expression of a blueberry SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (VcSVP) was upregulated in chilled flower buds of both transgenic and non-transgenic' "Aurora". Together with additional analysis of VcFT and VcSOC1 in the transcriptome data of other genotypes and tissues, we provide evidence to support that VcFT expression plays a significant role in promoting floral initiation and that VcSOC1 expression is a key floral activator. We thus propose a new hypothesis on blueberry flowering mechanism, of which the ratios of VcFT-to-VcSOC1 at transcript levels in the flowering pathways determine flower bud formation and bud breaking. Generally, an increased VcFT/VcSOC1 ratio or increased VcSOC1 in leaf promotes precocious flowering and flower bud formation, and a decreased VcFT/VcSOC1 ratio with increased VcSOC1 in fully chilled flower buds contributes to flower bud breaking.

A retrospective study of helmet use and head injury in severe equestrian trauma.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine helmet use, incidence of injury, and patient outcomes in a rural cohort of equestrian accidents. Material and Methods: EHR records of patients admitted to a Level II ACS trauma center in the North-west United States were reviewed for helmet use. Injuries were categorized according to International Classification of Diseases-9/10 code. Results: Of 53 identified cases, helmets only reduced superficial injury (χ2 (1) = 4.837, P = 0.028). Intracranial injury rates were not different between those with and without helmets (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In equine related injury, helmets protect against superficial injury but not intracranial injury in Western riders. More investigation is needed to assess why this is the case and determine ways to decrease intracranial injury.

Parallel evolution and cryptic diversification in a common and widespread Amazonian tree, Protium subserratum.

The lowland Amazon rainforest houses some of the greatest tree diversity on Earth. While the vast majority of these species are rare, a small number are common and widespread and thus considered to play a disproportionate role in many of the global ecosystem services provided by the Amazon. However, the extent to which dominant Amazonian tree species actually include multiple clades, each on their own unique evolutionary trajectory, is unknown. Here we investigate the extent to which lineage divergence may be occurring within Protium subserratum (Burseraceae), a common and widespread tree species that is monophyletic with populations exhibiting genotypic and phenotypic differences associated with soil and geography. Utilizing a combination of phylogenomic and population genomic methods with sampling from across the range, we found that P. subserratum contains at least eight distinct clades. Specialization onto white-sand soils has evolved independently at least twice within the species; however, phenotype is not correlated with soil type. Finally, cryptic diversity at the base of the Andes is associated with elevational shifts. Together these results lend support to the hypothesis that common and widespread Amazon tree species may not represent evolutionary cohesive units. Instead, these dominant species may more commonly represent species complexes, undergoing evolutionary transitions on a trajectory to become multiple range-restricted, specialist species.

Transition Into Practice: Outcomes of a Nurse Residency Program.

Background Nurse residency programs (NRPs) have been proposed to meet the educational needs of new graduate nurses and facilitate the transition into practice. Although most studies indicate the benefits of NRPs to assist nurses during transition into practice, only one study compared an NRP with a control group. This study examined whether nurses in an NRP transitioned into practice more successfully than nurses in a traditional orientation program. Method This study enrolled 106 newly employed graduate nurses into study arms by unit: a nurse residency intervention group or a control group of standard nursing orientation. Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice, Nurse Retention, and Nurse Job Satisfaction surveys measured group outcomes. Results Readiness for practice improved significantly for nurse residents, as did nurse retention perceptions, indicating that nurse residents were more likely to be retained at the organization. The 1- and 2-year nurse retention rates during the 3 years of the study showed marked improvement. Conclusion The NRP resulted in improved readiness for practice, improved nurse retention, and higher job satisfaction compared with standard orientation. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(1):32-39.].

Implementation of an interprofessional education program in a community teaching hospital and its impact on student perceptions of other healthcare professions.

In this single-center, prospective study we evaluated the impact of an interprofessional education program (IPE) on healthcare students' perceptions of other healthcare professions. The program consisted of four one-hour, roundtable, case-based sessions with students and several facilitators from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and physician assistant programs. Included students were 18 years of age or older and currently enrolled in a healthcare program during the study time frame. The primary outcome of student perceptions of other healthcare professions was measured by baseline and follow-up surveys using the Adapted Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Health Care Teams scale. Perceptions of students who participated in the IPEP (intervention group) were compared to similar healthcare program students who did not participate in the program (control group). Overall, the intervention group had significantly higher perceptions of other healthcare professions comparing pre-intervention to post -intervention data (pre-intervention mean ± SD of 57.2 ± 5.24; post-intervention mean 60.7 ± 5.63; p = .02). This improvement in perceptions was also seen when comparing the post-intervention group to the control group (control mean 56.7 ± 5.1; post-intervention mean 60.7 ± 5.63; p = .008).

Contribution of the histone variant H2A.Z to expression of responsive genes in plants.

The histone variant H2A.Z plays a critical role in chromatin-based processes such as transcription, replication, and repair in eukaryotes. Although many H2A.Z-associated processes and features are conserved in plants and animals, a distinguishing feature of plant chromatin is the enrichment of H2A.Z in the bodies of genes that exhibit dynamic expression, particularly in response to differentiation and the environment. Recent work sheds new light on the plant machinery that enables dynamic changes in H2A.Z enrichment and identifies additional chromatin-based pathways that contribute to transcriptional properties of H2A.Z-enriched chromatin. In particular, analysis of a variety of responsive loci reveals a repressive role for H2A.Z in expression of responsive genes and identifies roles for SWR1 and INO80 chromatin remodelers in enabling dynamic regulation of H2A.Z levels and transcription. These studies lay the groundwork for understanding how this ancient histone variant is harnessed by plants to enable responsive and dynamic gene expression (Graphical Abstract).

Development of Neighborhood Trajectories employing Historic Redlining and the Area Deprivation Index.

The role of historic residential redlining on health disparities is intertwined with policy changes made before and after the 1930s that influence current neighborhood characteristics and shape ongoing structural racism in the United States. We developed Neighborhood Trajectories which combine historic redlining data and the current neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics as a novel approach to studying structural racism. Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) neighborhoods for the entire U.S. were used to map the HOLC grades to the 2020 U.S. Census block group polygons based on the percentage of HOLC areas in each block group. Each block group was also assigned an Area Deprivation Index (ADI) from the Neighborhood Atlas®. To evaluate changes in neighborhoods from historic HOLC grades to present degree of deprivation, we aggregated block groups into "Neighborhood Trajectories" using historic HOLC grades and current ADI. The Neighborhood Trajectories are "Advantage Stable"; "Advantage Reduced"; "Disadvantage Reduced"; and "Disadvantage Stable." Neighborhood Trajectories were established for 13.3% (32,152) of the block groups in the U.S., encompassing 38,005,799 people. Overall, the Disadvantage-Reduced trajectory had the largest population (16,307,217 people). However, the largest percentage of Non-Hispanic/Latino Black residents (34%) fell in the Advantage-Reduced trajectory, while the largest percentage of Non-Hispanic/Latino White residents (60%) fell in the Advantage-Stable trajectory. The development of the Neighborhood Trajectories affords a more nuanced mechanism to investigate dynamic processes from historic policy, socioeconomic development, and ongoing marginalization. This adaptable methodology may enable investigation of ongoing sociopolitical processes including gentrification of neighborhoods (Disadvantage-Reduced trajectory) and "White flight" (Advantage Reduced trajectory).

Integrating web applications into popular survey platforms for online experiments.

Research using custom-made web applications is burgeoning as scholars increasingly conduct their experiments online. We show how researchers can integrate their web applications into popular survey software such as Qualtrics in five simple steps and provide the full JavaScript code and screenshots. This procedure allows participants to seamlessly switch from Qualtrics to their web applications without leaving the survey platform. This integration has two benefits: (1) it eliminates the risk that participants inadvertently drop out of the survey while switching from the survey software to the web application and vice versa; and (2) it saves researchers the fees charged by survey companies to host an external link on the survey platform. Hence, we make it easier to conduct research on targeted (e.g., national) samples using web applications.

Impact of Medicaid Expansion Status and Race on Metastatic Disease at Diagnosis in Patients with Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Black patients are diagnosed with melanoma at a later stage, as compared with their white counterparts. It is unknown if Medicaid expansion might ameliorate this disparity. METHODS: Using data from the 2016 National Cancer Database, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. The primary objective was to evaluate whether being diagnosed with melanoma at a Medicaid Expansion State (MES) and black race are associated with a late diagnosis of melanoma.  Main exposure: Being diagnosed in a MES. Secondary exposure: Race. Main outcome: Odds of Stage IV vs Stages 0-III at diagnosis. Univariate, multivariate logistic regression, and propensity score analyses were conducted to evaluate the potential associations. Sub-group analysis was conducted according to age < 65 or ≥ 65 years. RESULTS: A total of 216,604 patients were included, 40-90 years of age, [Formula: see text] 64 years [SD 12.47]. In univariate analysis, patients diagnosed in MES were 15% less likely (95% CI, 0.81-0.88) to be diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma. Black race (vs white) had 3.04 increased odds (95% CI, 2.56-3.60) of late diagnosis. In multivariate analysis, adjusting for socio-economic confounders, patients < 65 years of age were 13% less likely (95% CI, 0.82-0.92) to be diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma. By propensity score analysis, the strength of the associations remained. Black race (vs white) was associated with higher odds (95% CI, 1.91-3.08) of being diagnosed with Stage IV disease. For black patients < 65 years, being diagnosed in a state without Medicaid expansion had 2.55 higher odds (95% CI, 1.93-3.38) of being diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma, which decreased to 2.11 odds (95% CI, 1.34-3.33) in MES. The interaction between race and MES was statistically significant (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that patients are less likely to be diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in MES. This beneficial effect is more pronounced among Black minorities.

Concurrent mapping of multiple epigenetic marks and co-occupancy using ACT2-seq.

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide profiling of epigenetic marks is a core technology in molecular genetics. Co-occupancy of different epigenetic marks or protein factors at the same genomic locations must often be inferred from multiple independently collected data sets. However, this strategy does not provide direct evidence of co-enrichment in the same cells due to the existence of cellular heterogeneity. To address this issue, we have developed a technique termed ACT2-seq that is capable of concurrently profiling multiple epigenetic marks in a single biological sample. In addition to reducing the numbers of samples required for experiments, ACT2-seq is capable of mapping co-occupancy of epigenetic factors on chromatin. This strategy provides direct evidence of co-enrichment without requiring complex single-molecule, single-cell, or magnetic bead-based approaches. RESULTS: We concurrently profiled pairs of two epigenetic marks using ACT2-seq as well as three marks in individual samples. Data obtained using ACT2-seq were found to be reproducible and robust. ACT2-seq was capable of cleanly partitioning concurrently mapped data sets that exhibited distinct enrichment patterns. Using ACT2-seq, we identified distinct relationships between co-occupancy of specific histone modifications and gene expression patterns. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ACT2-seq presents an attractive option for epigenomic profiling due to its ease of use, potential for reducing sample and sequencing costs, and ability to simultaneously profile co-occupancy of multiple histone marks and/or chromatin-associated proteins.

Bird nests as botanical time capsules: DNA barcoding identifies the contents of contemporary and historical nests.

Bird nests in natural history collections are an abundant yet vastly underutilized source of genetic information. We sequenced the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer to identify plant species used as nest material in two contemporary (2003 and 2018) and two historical (both 1915) nest specimens constructed by Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis). A total of 13 (22%) samples yielded single, strong bands that could be identified using GenBank resources: six plants (Angiospermae), six green algae (Chlorophyta), and one ciliate (Ciliophora). Two native plant species identified in the nests included Festuca microstachys, which was introduced to the nest collection site by restoration practitioners, and Rosa californica, identified in a nest collected from a lost habitat that existed about 100 years ago. Successful sequencing was correlated with higher sample mass and DNA quality, suggesting future studies should select larger pieces of contiguous material from nests and materials that appear to have been fresh when incorporated into the nest. This molecular approach was used to distinguish plant species that were not visually identifiable, and did not require disassembling the nest specimens as is a traditional practice with nest material studies. The many thousands of nest specimens in natural history collections hold great promise as sources of genetic information to address myriad ecological questions.

Isomorphs in nanoconfined liquids.

We study in this paper the possible existence of Roskilde-simple liquids and their isomorphs in a rough-wall nanoconfinement. Isomorphs are curves in the thermodynamic phase diagram along which structure and dynamics are invariant in suitable nondimensionalized units. Two model liquids using molecular dynamics computer simulations are considered: the single-component Lennard-Jones (LJ) liquid and the Kob-Andersen binary LJ mixture, both of which in the bulk phases are known to have good isomorphs. Nanoconfinement is implemented by adopting a slit-pore geometry with fcc crystalline walls; this implies inhomogenous density profiles both parallel and perpendicular to the confining walls. Despite this fact and consistent with an earlier study [Ingebrigtsen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2013, 111, 235901] we find that these two nanoconfined liquids have isomorphs to a good approximation. More specifically, we show good invariance along the isomorphs of inhomogenous density profiles, mean-square displacements, and higher-order structures probed using the topological cluster classification algorithm. Our study thus provides an alternative framework for understanding nanoconfined liquids.