A multiple technology-based and individually-tailored Sit Less program for people with cardiovascular disease: A randomized controlled trial study protocol.

Sedentary behavior, a key modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is prevalent among cardiovascular disease patients. However, few interventions target sedentary behavior in this group. This paper describes the protocol of a parallel two-group randomized controlled trial for a novel multi-technology sedentary behavior reduction intervention for cardiovascular disease patients (registered at Clinicaltrial.gov, NCT05534256). The pilot trial (n = 70) will test a 12-week "Sit Less" program, based on Habit Formation theory. The 35 participants in the intervention group will receive an instructional goal-setting session, a Fitbit for movement prompts, a smart water bottle (HidrateSpark) to promote hydration and encourage restroom breaks, and weekly personalized text messages. A control group of 35 will receive the American Heart Association's "Answers by Heart" fact sheets. This trial will assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the "Sit Less" program with cardiovascular disease patients and the program's primary efficacy in changing sedentary behavior, measured by the activPAL activity tracker. Secondary outcomes include physical activity levels, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and patient-centered outcomes (i.e. sedentary behavior self-efficacy, habit strength, and fear of movement). This study leverages commonly used mobile and wearable technologies to address sedentary behavior in cardiovascular disease patients, a high-risk group. Its findings on the feasibility, acceptability and primary efficacy of the intervention hold promise for broad dissemination.

Rhamnogalacturonan lyase 1 (RGL1), as a suppressor of E3 ubiquitin ligase Arabidopsis thaliana ring zinc finger 1 (AtRZF1), is involved in dehydration response to mediate proline synthesis and pectin rhamnogalacturonan-I composition.

Proline metabolism plays a crucial role in both environmental stress responses and plant growth. However, the specific mechanism by which proline contributes to abiotic stress processes remains to be elucidated. In this study, we utilized atrzf1 (Arabidopsis thaliana ring zinc finger 1) as a parental line for T-DNA tagging mutagenesis and identified a suppressor mutant of atrzf1, designated proline content alterative 31 (pca31). The pca31 mutant suppressed the insensitivity of atrzf1 to dehydration stress during early seedling growth. Using Thermal Asymmetric Interlaced-PCR, we found that the T-DNA of pca31 was inserted into the promoter region of the At2g22620 gene, which encodes the cell wall enzyme rhamnogalacturonan lyase 1 (RGL1). Enzymatic assays indicated that RGL1 exhibited rhamnogalacturonan lyase activity, influencing cell wall pectin composition. The decrease in RGL1 gene expression suppressed the transcriptomic perturbation of the atrzf1 mutant. Silencing of the RGL1 gene in atrzf1 resulted in a sensitive phenotype similar to pca31 under osmotic stress conditions. Treatment with mannitol, salt, hydrogen peroxide, and abscisic acid induced RGL1 expression. Furthermore, we uncovered that RGL1 plays a role in modulating root growth and vascular tissue development. Molecular, physiological, and genetic experiments revealed that the positive modulation of RGL1 during abiotic stress was linked to the AtRZF1 pathway. Taken together, these findings establish that pca31 acts as a suppressor of atrzf1 in abiotic stress responses through proline and cell wall metabolisms.

Molecular basis for the host range function of the poxvirus PKR inhibitor E3.

The antiviral protein kinase R (PKR) is activated by viral double-stranded RNA and phosphorylates translation initiation factor eIF2α, thereby inhibiting translation and virus replication. Most poxviruses contain two PKR inhibitors, called E3 and K3 in vaccinia virus (VACV), which are determinants of viral host range. The prevailing model for E3 function is that it inhibits PKR through the non-specific sequestration of double-stranded (ds) RNA. Our data revealed that Syrian hamster PKR was resistant to E3, which is at odds with the sequestration model. However, Syrian hamster PKR was still sensitive to K3 inhibition. In contrast, Armenian hamster PKR showed opposite sensitivities, being sensitive to E3 and resistant to K3 inhibition. Mutational analyses of hamster PKRs showed that sensitivity to E3 inhibition was largely determined by the region linking the dsRNA-binding domains and the kinase domain of PKR, whereas two amino acid residues in the kinase domain (helix αG) determined sensitivity to K3. Expression of PKRs in congenic cells showed that Syrian hamster PKR containing the two Armenian hamster PKR residues in helix-αG was resistant to wild type VACV infection, and that cells expressing either hamster PKR recapitulated the phenotypes observed in species-derived cell lines. The observed resistance of Syrian hamster PKR to E3 explains its host range function and challenges the paradigm that dsRNA-binding PKR inhibitors mainly act by the sequestration of dsRNA. Significance: The molecular mechanisms that govern the host range of viruses are incompletely understood. A small number of poxvirus genes have been identified that influence the host range of poxviruses. We show that the host range functions of E3 and K3, two host range factors from vaccinia virus, are a result of species-specific interactions with the antiviral protein kinase R (PKR) and that PKR from closely related species displayed dramatic differences in their sensitivities to these viral inhibitors. While there is a substantial body of work demonstrating host-specific interactions with K3, the current model for E3-mediated PKR inhibition is that E3 non-specifically sequesters dsRNA to prevent PKR activation. This model does not predict species-specific sensitivity to E3; therefore, our data suggest that the current model is incomplete, and that dsRNA sequestration is not the primary mechanism for E3 activity.

Twenty-Four-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Parameters During Pregnancy: A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Maternal blood pressure (BP) is a critical cardiovascular marker with profound implications for maternal and fetal well-being, particularly in the detection of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. Although conventional clinic-based BP (CBP) measurements have traditionvally been used, monitoring 24-hour ambulatory BP (ABP) has emerged as a more reliable method for assessing BP levels and diagnosing conditions such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia/eclampsia. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of 24-hour ABP monitoring in pregnant women and report on various ABP parameters, including ambulatory blood pressure variability (ABPV). Method: A prospective cross-sectional study design was employed, involving 55 multipara pregnant women with and without prior adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). The participants underwent baseline assessments, including anthropometrics, resting CBP measurements, and the placement of ABP and actigraphy devices. Following a 24-hour period with these devices, participants shared their experiences to gauge device acceptability. Pregnancy outcomes were collected postpartum. Results: Twenty-four-hour ABP monitoring before 20 weeks of gestation is feasible for women with and without prior APOs. Although some inconvenience was noted, the majority of participants wore the ABP monitoring device for the entire 24-hour period. Pregnant women who later experienced APOs exhibited higher 24-hour ABP and ABPV values in the early stages of pregnancy. Conclusion: The study highlights the potential benefits of 24-hour ABP monitoring as a valuable tool in prenatal care, emphasizing the need for further research in this area.

Arabidopsis thaliana ubiquitin-associated protein 2 (AtUAP2) functions as an E4 ubiquitin factor and negatively modulates dehydration stress response.

E4, a ubiquitin (Ub) chain assembly factor and post-translational modification protein, plays a key role in the regulation of multiple cellular functions in plants during biotic or abiotic stress. We have more recently reported that E4 factor AtUAP1 is a negative regulator of the osmotic stress response and enhances the multi-Ub chain assembly of E3 ligase Arabidopsis thaliana RING Zinc Finger 1 (AtRZF1). To further investigate the function of other E4 Ub factors in osmotic stress, we isolated AtUAP2, an AtUAP1 homolog, which interacted with AtRZF1, using pull-down assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis. AtUAP2, a Ub-associated motif-containing protein, interacts with oligo-Ub5, -Ub6, and -Ub7 chains. The yeast functional complementation experiment revealed that AtUAP2 functions as an E4 Ub factor. In addition, AtUAP2 is localized in the cytoplasm, different from AtUAP1. The activity of AtUAP2 was relatively strongly induced in the leaf tissue of AtUAP2 promoter-ß-glucuronidase transgenic plants by abscisic acid, dehydration, and oxidative stress. atuap2 RNAi lines were more insensitive to osmotic stress condition than wild-type during the early growth of seedlings, whereas the AtUAP2-overexpressing line exhibited relatively more sensitive responses. Analyses of molecular and physiological experiments showed that AtUAP2 could negatively mediate the osmotic stress-induced signaling. Genetic studies showed that AtRZF1 mutation could suppress the dehydration-induced sensitive phenotype of the AtUAP2-overexpressing line, suggesting that AtRZF1 acts genetically downstream of AtUAP2 during osmotic stress. Taken together, our findings show that the AtRZF1-AtUAP2 complex may play important roles in the ubiquitination pathway, which controls the osmotic stress response in Arabidopsis.

Reallocating time between device-measured 24-hour activities and cardiovascular risk in Asian American immigrant women: An isotemporal substitution model.

The 24-hour day consists of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep, and changing the time spent on one activity affects the others. Little is known about the impact of such changes on cardiovascular risk, particularly in Asian American immigrant (AAI) women, who not only have a higher cardiovascular risk but also place greater cultural value on family and domestic responsibilities compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of reallocating 30 minutes of each 24-hour activity component for another on BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure in AAI women. Seventy-five AAI women completed 7 days of hip and wrist actigraphy monitoring and were included in the analysis (age = 61.5±8.0 years, BMI = 25.5±3.6 kg/m2, waist circumference = 85.9±10.2 cm). Sleep was identified from wrist actigraphy data, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA, and sedentary behavior identified from hip actigraphy data. On average, the women spent 0.5 hours in MVPA, 6.2 hours in light PA, 10 hours in sedentary activities, and 5.3 hours sleeping within a 24-hour day. According to the isotemporal substitution models, replacing 30 minutes of sedentary behavior with MVPA reduced BMI by 1.4 kg/m2 and waist circumference by 4.0 cm. Replacing that same sedentary time with sleep reduced BMI by 0.5 kg/m2 and waist circumference by 1.4 cm. Replacing 30 minutes of light PA with MVPA decreased BMI by 1.6 kg/m2 and waist circumference by 4.3 cm. Replacing 30 minutes of light PA with sleep also reduced BMI by 0.8 kg/m2 and waist circumference by 1.7 cm. However, none of the behavioral substitutions affected blood pressure. Considering AAI women's short sleep duration, replacing their sedentary time with sleep might be a feasible strategy to reduce their BMI and waist circumference.

Age-Stratified Sex Differences in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction Among Adult Hospitalizations.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)-related hospitalizations are increasing in the United States. However, there is a lack of knowledge about HFpEF-related hospitalizations among younger adults. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to perform a retrospective analysis using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample and to examine age-stratified sex differences in the prevalence, correlates, and outcomes of HFpEF-related hospitalization across the adult life span. METHOD: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002-2014), patient and hospital characteristics were determined. Joinpoint regression was used to describe age-stratified sex differences in the annual average percent change of hospitalizations with HFpEF. Survey logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios representing the association of sex with HFpEF-related hospitalization and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: There were 8 599 717 HFpEF-related hospitalizations (2.43% of all hospitalizations). Women represented the majority (5 459 422 [63.48%]) of HFpEF-related adult hospitalizations, compared with men (3 140 295 [36.52%]). Compared with men younger than 50 years, women within the same age group were 6% to 28% less likely to experience HFpEF-related hospitalization. Comorbidities such as hypertensive heart disease, renal disease, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, obesity, anemia, and pulmonary edema explained a greater proportion of the risk of HFpEF-related hospitalization in adults younger than 50 years than in adults 50 years or older. CONCLUSION: Before the age of 50 years, women exhibit lower HFpEF-related hospitalization than men, a pattern that reverses with advancing age. Understanding and addressing the factors contributing to these sex-specific differences can have several potential implications for improving women's cardiovascular health.

The poxvirus F17 protein counteracts mitochondrially orchestrated antiviral responses.

Poxviruses are unusual DNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm. To do so, they encode approximately 100 immunomodulatory proteins that counteract cytosolic nucleic acid sensors such as cGAMP synthase (cGAS) along with several other antiviral response pathways. Yet most of these immunomodulators are expressed very early in infection while many are variable host range determinants, and significant gaps remain in our understanding of poxvirus sensing and evasion strategies. Here, we show that after infection is established, subsequent progression of the viral lifecycle is sensed through specific changes to mitochondria that coordinate distinct aspects of the antiviral response. Unlike other viruses that cause extensive mitochondrial damage, poxviruses sustain key mitochondrial functions including membrane potential and respiration while reducing reactive oxygen species that drive inflammation. However, poxvirus replication induces mitochondrial hyperfusion that independently controls the release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to prime nucleic acid sensors and enables an increase in glycolysis that is necessary to support interferon stimulated gene (ISG) production. To counter this, the poxvirus F17 protein localizes to mitochondria and dysregulates mTOR to simultaneously destabilize cGAS and block increases in glycolysis. Our findings reveal how the poxvirus F17 protein disarms specific mitochondrially orchestrated responses to later stages of poxvirus replication.

Research Note: The influence of different isoleucine: lysine ratios on the growth performance of broiler chickens fed low-protein diets.

Two trials were carried out to assess the effects of different ratios of standardized ileal digestible isoleucine:lysine (SID Ile:Lys) on the growth performance of broiler chickens fed low-protein diets. A total of 1,320 male chickens were distributed in each trial into 6 treatments, with 10 replicates with 22 birds each. A control diet was formulated that satisfied the nutritional requirements of the broilers, and a low-protein diet was formulated with reduced protein content, meeting broiler nutritional requirements, except for the SID Ile levels. Five SID Ile:Lys ratios (56%, 61%, 66%, 71%, and 76%) were obtained by adding l-isoleucine to the low-protein diet. The body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated from day 1 to day 21 in trial 1, and from day 22 to day 44 in trial 2. ANOVA was performed on the data, and the treatments were compared to the control group using Dunnett's test (P ≤ 0.05). Regression analyses were performed for modeling the variables assessed and the ratios of SID Ile:Lys. There was no significant difference between the treatments on ADFI of birds (P > 0.05). The BW, BWG, and FCR showed a quadratic effect as the SID Ile:Lys ratio increased in low-protein diets in trials 1 and 2 (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the recommended ratio of SID Ile:Lys in low-protein diets for growth performance is around 66% for broiler chickens from 1 to 21 d old and is around 65% for broiler chickens from 22 to 44 d old.

Molecular Mechanisms of Poxvirus Evolution.

Poxviruses are often thought to evolve relatively slowly because they are double-stranded DNA pathogens with proofreading polymerases. However, poxviruses have highly adaptable genomes and can undergo relatively rapid genotypic and phenotypic change, as illustrated by the recent increase in human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus. Advances in deep sequencing technologies have demonstrated standing nucleotide variation in poxvirus populations, which has been underappreciated. There is also an emerging understanding of the role genomic architectural changes play in shaping poxvirus evolution. These mechanisms include homologous and nonhomologous recombination, gene duplications, gene loss, and the acquisition of new genes through horizontal gene transfer. In this review, we discuss these evolutionary mechanisms and their potential roles for adaption to novel host species and modulating virulence.

Adaptive duplication and genetic diversification of protein kinase R contribute to the specificity of bat-virus interactions.

Several bat species act as asymptomatic reservoirs for many viruses that are highly pathogenic in other mammals. Here, we have characterized the functional diversification of the protein kinase R (PKR), a major antiviral innate defense system. Our data indicate that PKR has evolved under positive selection and has undergone repeated genomic duplications in bats in contrast to all studied mammals that have a single copy of the gene. Functional testing of the relationship between PKR and poxvirus antagonists revealed how an evolutionary conflict with ancient pathogenic poxviruses has shaped a specific bat host-virus interface. We determined that duplicated PKRs of the Myotis species have undergone genetic diversification, allowing them to collectively escape from and enhance the control of DNA and RNA viruses. These findings suggest that viral-driven adaptations in PKR contribute to modern virus-bat interactions and may account for bat-specific immunity.

Ribosomes in poxvirus infection.

Poxviruses are large double-stranded DNA viruses that encode their own DNA replication, transcription, and mRNA biogenesis machinery, which underlies their ability to replicate entirely in the cytoplasm. However, like all other viruses, poxviruses remain dependent on host ribosomes to translate their mRNAs into the viral proteins needed to complete their replication cycle. While earlier studies established a fundamental understanding of how poxviruses wrestle with their hosts for control of translation initiation and elongation factors that guide ribosome recruitment and mRNA decoding, recent work has begun to reveal the extent to which poxviruses directly target the ribosome itself. This review summarizes our current understanding of the regulation of ribosomes and translation in poxvirus infection.

Isolation and Functional Characterization of Soybean BES1/BZR1 Homolog 3-Like 1 (GmBEH3L1) Associated with Dehydration Sensitivity and Brassinosteroid Signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana

Brassinosteroid (BR) is an important steroid hormone that regulates plant development, abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, and responses to abiotic stress. We previously demonstrated that BEH3 (BES1/BZR1 Homolog 3) of Arabidopsis thaliana regulates dehydration and ABA responses by mediating proline metabolism. Furthermore, BEH3 negatively regulates BR-mediated hypocotyl elongation in dark-grown seedlings. However, the roles of BEH3 ortholog genes in the osmotic stress response of plants have remained largely unknown. Here, GmBEH3L1 (Glycine max BEH3-Like 1), a soybean (G. max) ortholog of the BEH3 gene of A. thaliana, was isolated and functionally characterized. GmBEH3L1 is induced by ABA, dehydration, and drought conditions. The GmBEH3L1-overexpressing transgenic lines (GmBEH3L1-OE/beh3) with the beh3 mutant background have ABA- and dehydration-sensitive phenotypes during early seedling growth, implying that GmBEH3L1 is involved in both osmotic stress and ABA sensitivity as a negative regulator in A. thaliana. Consistent with these results, GmBEH3L1-OE/beh3 complemental lines exhibit decreased expression levels of ABA- or dehydration-inducible genes. Under darkness, GmBEH3L1-OE/beh3 complemental lines display a short hypocotyl length compared to the beh3 mutant, indicating that GmBEH3L1 is linked to BR signaling. Together, our data suggest that GmBEH3L1 participates negatively in ABA and dehydration responses through BR signaling.

RACK1 Regulates Poxvirus Protein Synthesis Independently of Its Role in Ribosome-Based Stress Signaling.

Receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is a small ribosomal subunit protein that is phosphorylated by vaccinia virus (VacV) to maximize translation of postreplicative (PR) mRNAs that harbor 5' polyA leaders. However, RACK1 is a multifunctional protein that both controls translation directly and acts as a scaffold for signaling to and from the ribosome. This includes stress signaling that is activated by ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) and ribotoxic stress response (RSR) pathways. As VacV infection activates RQC and stress signaling, whether RACK1 influences viral protein synthesis through its effects on translation, signaling, or both remains unclear. Examining the effects of genetic knockout of RACK1 on the phosphorylation of key mitogenic and stress-related kinases, we reveal that loss of RACK1 specifically blunts the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) at late stages of infection. However, RACK1 was not required for JNK recruitment to ribosomes, and unlike RACK1 knockout, JNK inhibitors had no effect on viral protein synthesis. Moreover, reduced JNK activity during infection in RACK1 knockout cells contrasted with the absolute requirement for RACK1 in RSR-induced JNK phosphorylation. Comparing the effects of RACK1 knockout alongside inhibitors of late stage replication, our data suggest that JNK activation is only indirectly affected by the absence of RACK1 due to reduced viral protein accumulation. Cumulatively, our findings in the context of infection add further support for a model whereby RACK1 plays a specific and direct role in controlling translation of PR viral mRNAs that is independent of its role in ribosome-based stress signaling. IMPORTANCE Receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is a multifunctional ribosomal protein that regulates translation directly and mediates signaling to and from the ribosome. While recent work has shown that RACK1 is phosphorylated by vaccinia virus (VacV) to stimulate translation of postreplicative viral mRNAs, whether RACK1 also contributes to VacV replication through its roles in ribosome-based stress signaling remains unclear. Here, we characterize the role of RACK1 in infected cells. In doing so, we find that RACK1 is essential for stress signal activation by ribotoxic stress responses but not by VacV infection. Moreover, although the loss of RACK1 reduces the level of stress-associated JNK activation in infected cells, this is an indirect consequence of RACK1's specific requirement for the synthesis of postreplicative viral proteins, the accumulation of which determines the level of cellular stress. Our findings reveal both the specific role of RACK1 and the complex downstream effects of its control of viral protein synthesis in the context of infection.

A Mother-Child Dyadic Approach to Evaluating Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Young Children: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors can be transmitted from mothers to their children. However, it is challenging to measure and identify subclinical CV risk in young children using traditional CV risk methods and metrics. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of recruiting mother-child dyads and measuring arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index/pressure), blood pressure (BP), BP circadian pattern, specifically nocturnal BP dipping, and CV health metrics in mothers and in children aged 1 to 5 years. METHODS: All BP and arterial stiffness measures were obtained using the noninvasive automated oscillometric Mobil-O-Graph device. Also measured were blood cholesterol level; glucose level; body mass index (BMI); and smoking, diet, and physical activity history. Descriptive statistics were used for assessing recruitment feasibility and Pearson correlations for mother-child associations. RESULTS: Thirty-five mother-child dyads completed the protocol. Recruitment reach was 89% and retention rate was 80%. Mothers were 34.3 ± 5.4 years old with a mean systolic BP (SBP) of 114.6 ± 9.5 mm Hg and BMI of 26.0 ± 6.5. Children were 3 ± 1.4 years old with a mean SBP of 103.3 ± 9.4 mm Hg and BMI z-scores of -0.3 ± 1.5. Arterial stiffness parameters were within normal ranges for mothers and children. Twenty-three percent of mothers did not exhibit nocturnal dipping (<10% decrease between day and nighttime SBP). Maternal SBP was positively correlated with child BMI z-scores (r = 0.42, P = .022) as well as mother-child augmentation pressure (r = 0.51, P = .010). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support using a mother-child approach and novel noninvasive approaches to assess and target CV risk in mothers and their young children.

Acculturation, Discrimination and 24-h Activity in Asian American Immigrant Women.

Asian American immigrant (AAI) women may have suboptimal 24-h activity patterns due to traditional gender role and caregiving responsibilities. However, little is known about their objectively-measured activity. We measured AAI women's 24-h activity patterns using accelerometry and examined cultural correlates of time in sedentary behavior (SB), light intensity physical activity (LIPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sleep. Seventy-five AAI women completed surveys on acculturation (years of U.S. residency and English proficiency), discrimination, and sleep quality, and 7 days of wrist- and hip-accelerometer monitoring. Linear regression was conducted controlling for age, BMI, and education. We also compared activity patterns across Asian subgroups (East, Southeast, South Asians). On average, AAI women had 33 min of MVPA, 6.1 h of LIPA, 10 h of SB, and 5.3 h of sleep per day. South Asian women had the longest SB and the shortest sleep and MVPA hours. English proficiency was negatively related to MVPA (p = 0.03) and LIPA (p < 0.01). Years of U.S. residency was positively related to SB (p = 0.07). Discrimination was related to shorter (p = 0.03) and poorer quality sleep (p = 0.06). Culturally-tailored programs targeting SB and sleep and integrating coping strategies against discrimination could help optimize AAI women's 24-h activity patterns.

The effects of acculturation and environment on lifestyle behaviors in Korean immigrants: the mediating role of acculturative stress and body image discrepancy.

OBJECTIVES: Despite high rates of cardiometabolic diseases in Korean immigrants (KIs), little is known about cultural and environmental factors contributing to lifestyle behaviors. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships among acculturation, environment, and lifestyle behaviors (dietary behavior, physical activity, and sedentary behavior) through culturally sensitive psychological mediators, body image discrepancy and acculturative stress in middle-aged KIs. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted. KIs aged 30-65 years were recruited online and at Korean community centers and churches in the Northeastern US Participants completed validated measures of dietary behavior (the Nutrition Subscale of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) II), physical activity (the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) - short form), and sedentary behavior (the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire). Acculturative stress was measured by the Acculturative Stress Index and body image discrepancy was measured by the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale. Acculturation was defined as a latent variable measured by Korean and American orientation (Vancouver Index of Acculturation), age of immigration to the US, length of residency in the US, and English proficiency. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS: The sample included 361 KIs (mean age = 41.77 ± 10.28 years, 48.1% female, and 46.4% overweight or obese). In the SEM model, acculturation had significant indirect effects on dietary behavior, physical activity, and sedentary behavior through body image discrepancy. Acculturative stress mediated the relationship between acculturation and sedentary behavior. Greater environmental support for physical activity and better healthy food accessibility were related to higher levels of physical activity and healthier dietary behavior, respectively. CONCLUSION: In our study, acculturation and environmental support for physical activity and healthy food simultaneously influenced KIs' lifestyle behaviors. Addressing an unhealthy body image and acculturative stress may be additional strategies for lifestyle intervention programs to prevent cardiometabolic diseases in KIs.

Arabidopsis thaliana Ubiquitin-Associated Protein 1 (AtUAP1) Interacts with redundant RING Zinc Finger 1 (AtRZF1) to Negatively Regulate Dehydration Response.

Ubiquitination, one of the most frequently occurring post-translational modifications, is essential for regulating diverse cellular processes in plants during abiotic stress. The E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase Arabidopsis thaliana really interesting new gene (RING) zinc finger 1 (AtRZF1) mutation is known to enhance drought tolerance in A. thaliana seedlings. To further investigate the function of AtRZF1 in osmotic stress, we isolated Ub-associated protein 1 (AtUAP1) which interacts with AtRZF1 using a yeast two-hybrid system. AtUAP1, a Ub-associated motif containing protein, increased the amount of Ub-conjugated AtRZF1. Moreover, AtUAP1 RNA interference lines were more tolerant to osmotic stress than wild type, whereas AtUAP1-overexpressing (OX) transgenic lines showed sensitive responses, including cotyledon greening, water loss, proline accumulation and changes in stress-related genes expression, indicating that AtUAP1 could negatively regulate dehydration-mediated signaling. In addition, AtUAP1-green fluorescent protein fusion protein was observed in the nuclei of root cells of transgenic seedlings. Genetic studies showed that the AtRZF1 mutation could rescue the sensitive phenotype of AtUAP1-OX lines in response to osmotic stress, suggesting that AtRZF1 was epistatic to AtUAP1 in dehydration signaling. Taken together, our findings describe a new component in the AtRZF1 ubiquitination pathway which controls the dehydration response in A. thaliana.

BES1/BZR1 Homolog 3 cooperates with E3 ligase AtRZF1 to regulate osmotic stress and brassinosteroid responses in Arabidopsis.

Proline (Pro) metabolism plays important roles in protein synthesis, redox balance, and abiotic stress response. However, it is not known if cross-talk occurs between proline and brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathways. Here, an Arabidopsis intergenic enhancer double mutant, namely proline content alterative 41 (pca41), was generated by inserting a T-DNA tag in the Arabidopsis thaliana ring zinc finger 1 (atrzf1 ) mutant background. pca41 had a T-DNA inserted at the site of the gene encoding BES1/BZR1 Homolog 3 (BEH3). pca41 has a drought-insensitive phenotype that is stronger than atrzf1 under osmotic stress, including high Pro accumulation and decreased amounts of reactive oxygen species. Analysis of physiological, genetic, and molecular networks revealed that negative regulation of BEH3 during abiotic stress was linked to the BR signaling pathway. Our data also suggest that AtRZF1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, might control osmotic stress, abscisic acid, and BR responses in a BEH3-dependent manner. Under darkness, pca41 displays a long hypocotyl phenotype, which is similar to atrzf1 and beh3, suggesting that BEH3 acts in the same pathway as AtRZF1. Overexpression of BEH3 results in an osmotic stress-sensitive phenotype, which is reversed by exogenous BR application. Taken together, our results indicate that AtRZF1 and BEH3 may play important roles in the osmotic stress response via ubiquitination and BR signaling.

Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network: Summary of Findings and Network Outcomes.

The Go Red for Women movement was initiated by the American Heart Association (AHA) in the early 2000s to raise awareness concerning cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women. In 2016, the AHA funded 5 research centers across the United States to advance our knowledge of the risks and presentation of CVD that are specific to women. This report highlights the findings of the centers, showing how insufficient sleep, sedentariness, and pregnancy-related complications may increase CVD risk in women, as well as presentation and factors associated with myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in women. These projects were augmented by collaborative ancillary studies assessing the relationships between various lifestyle behaviors, including nightly fasting duration, mindfulness, and behavioral and anthropometric risk factors and CVD risk, as well as metabolomic profiling of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in women. The Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network enhanced the evidence base related to heart disease in women, promoting awareness of the female-specific factors that influence CVD.