Seasonal Alternation of Putative Camouflage Wing Morphs of the American Snout Butterfly (Libytheana carinenta).

AbstractIntraspecific variation in camouflage is common in animals. Sexual dimorphism in camouflage is less common and, where observed, attributed to trade-offs between natural selection for predator avoidance and sexual selection for conspicuous mating signals. Here we report on variation in putatively cryptic ventral hindwing patterns in the American snout butterfly, Libytheana carinenta. We use field surveys and crowdsourced data to characterize three morphs. One is found in both sexes, one is male specific, and one is female specific. The sex-specific morphs constitute a sexually dimorphic set whose frequencies change together in time. Field surveys indicate that butterflies in southern Arizona transition from midsummer dominance of the sexually monomorphic pattern to early-fall dominance of the sexually dimorphic set. Crowdsourced data indicate that the sexually dimorphic set dominates in early spring, transitioning later into a mixture of morphs dominated by the monomorphic pattern, with the dimorphic set rising in frequency again in late fall. We discuss this unique pattern of camouflage variation with respect to contemporary theory on animal coloration.

Precision Medicine to Redefine Insulin Secretion and Monogenic Diabetes-Randomized Controlled Trial (PRISM-RCT) in Chinese patients with young-onset diabetes: design, methods and baseline characteristics.

INTRODUCTION: We designed and implemented a patient-centered, data-driven, holistic care model with evaluation of its impacts on clinical outcomes in patients with young-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) for which there is a lack of evidence-based practice guidelines. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this 3-year Precision Medicine to Redefine Insulin Secretion and Monogenic Diabetes-Randomized Controlled Trial, we evaluate the effects of a multicomponent care model integrating use of information and communication technology (Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) platform), biogenetic markers and patient-reported outcome measures in patients with T2D diagnosed at ≤40 years of age and aged ≤50 years. The JADE-PRISM group received 1 year of specialist-led team-based management using treatment algorithms guided by biogenetic markers (genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays, exome-sequencing of 34 monogenic diabetes genes, C-peptide, autoantibodies) to achieve multiple treatment goals (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.2%, blood pressure <120/75 mm Hg, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol <1.2 mmol/L, waist circumference <80 cm (women) or <85 cm (men)) in a diabetes center setting versus usual care (JADE-only). The primary outcome is incidence of all diabetes-related complications. RESULTS: In 2020-2021, 884 patients (56.6% men, median (IQR) diabetes duration: 7 (3-12) years, current/ex-smokers: 32.5%, body mass index: 28.40±5.77 kg/m2, HbA1c: 7.52%±1.66%, insulin-treated: 27.7%) were assigned to JADE-only (n=443) or JADE-PRISM group (n=441). The profiles of the whole group included positive family history (74.7%), general obesity (51.4%), central obesity (79.2%), hypertension (66.7%), dyslipidemia (76.4%), albuminuria (35.4%), estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (4.0%), retinopathy (13.8%), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (5.2%), cancer (3.1%), emotional distress (26%-38%) and suboptimal adherence (54%) with 5-item EuroQol for Quality of Life index of 0.88 (0.87-0.96). Overall, 13.7% attained ≥3 metabolic targets defined in secondary outcomes. In the JADE-PRISM group, 4.5% had pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants of monogenic diabetes genes; 5% had autoantibodies and 8.4% had fasting C-peptide <0.2 nmol/L. Other significant events included low/large birth weight (33.4%), childhood obesity (50.7%), mental illness (10.3%) and previous suicide attempts (3.6%). Among the women, 17.3% had polycystic ovary syndrome, 44.8% required insulin treatment during pregnancy and 17.3% experienced adverse pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Young-onset diabetes is characterized by complex etiologies with comorbidities including mental illness and lifecourse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04049149.

Hospitality students at the online classes during COVID-19 - How personality affects experience?

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has forced all teaching and learning activities to shift to online platforms. Hospitality students are not exempted from this transition even though they are used to offline learning environment and often take a blended learning of theoretical and practical components. This sudden change has caused disruptions in their learning process and created all kinds of anxieties. Thus, this study aimed to explore how the personality traits of hospitality students are associated with their level of anxieties and how their learning experience is affected. A survey was conducted in Hong Kong shortly after the affected semester ended. Results showed that students with high levels of agreeableness and openness to experience perceive a high degree of learning, technical, and financial anxiety. By contrast, students with high levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism partially sense a low degree of these anxieties. Results also revealed that a low degree of learning and financial anxiety can enhance students' perceived online learning and consequently improve student satisfaction. Theoretical development and managerial implications are further discussed.

p85ß regulates autophagic degradation of AXL to activate oncogenic signaling.

PIK3R2 encodes the p85ß regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and is frequently amplified in cancers. The signaling mechanism and therapeutic implication of p85ß are poorly understood. Here we report that p85ß upregulates the protein level of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL to induce oncogenic signaling in ovarian cancer. p85ß activates p110 activity and AKT-independent PDK1/SGK3 signaling to promote tumorigenic phenotypes, which are all abolished upon inhibition of AXL. At the molecular level, p85ß alters the phosphorylation of TRIM2 (an E3 ligase) and optineurin (an autophagy receptor), which mediate the selective regulation of AXL by p85ß, thereby disrupting the autophagic degradation of the AXL protein. Therapeutically, p85ß expression renders ovarian cancer cells vulnerable to inhibitors of AXL, p110, or PDK1. Conversely, p85ß-depleted cells are less sensitive to these inhibitors. Together, our findings provide a rationale for pharmacological blockade of the AXL signaling axis in PIK3R2-amplified ovarian cancer.

Long-term clinical outcomes after fatty liver screening in patients undergoing coronary angiogram: A prospective cohort study.

UNLABELLED: There is ongoing debate on whether screening for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is worthwhile in high-risk groups. Because of shared risk factors, NAFLD is highly prevalent in patients with coronary artery disease. We aimed to test the hypothesis that NAFLD screening in patients requiring coronary angiogram would identify high-risk patients and predict long-term clinical outcomes. This was a prospective cohort study. NAFLD screening was performed by abdominal ultrasonography before coronary angiogram in 612 consecutive patients. At baseline, 356 (58.2%) patients had NAFLD. NAFLD patients, compared with those without, were more likely to have >50% stenosis in one or more coronary arteries (84.6% vs. 64.1%; P < 0.001) and therefore require percutaneous coronary intervention (68.3% vs. 43.4%; P < 0.001). During 3,679 patient-years of follow-up, 47 (13.2%) NAFLD patients and 59 (23.0%) patients without NAFLD died (age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18-0.70; P = 0.003). Composite cardiovascular outcomes (cardiovascular deaths, nonfatal myocardial infarction, heart failure, or secondary interventions) were similar between groups (36.5% vs. 37.1%; aHR, 0.90; 95% CI: 0.69-1.18). Older age and diabetes were the only independent factors associated with cardiovascular events. Only 2 patients, both in the NAFLD group, died of primary liver cancer. No other patients developed liver-related complications. CONCLUSION: In patients with clinical indications for coronary angiogram, the presence of NAFLD is associated with coronary artery stenosis and need for coronary intervention, but not increased mortality or cardiovascular complications. Liver cancer and cirrhotic complications are rare. Our data do not support NAFLD screening in this patient group at present, but studies with a longer duration of follow-up are needed.