Co-existence of malnutrition and sarcopenia and its related factors in a long-term nursing care facility: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Malnutrition and sarcopenia often co-exist in older patients. This condition, called co-MS, shows a worse prognosis than either condition alone but is often overlooked and undertreated. We aimed to clarify the prevalence of co-MS and its associated factors with a focus on prescription in a long-term nursing care facility in Japan. Methods: Patients aged >65 years who resided in a long-term nursing care facility in Hyogo, Japan, were recruited for this cross-sectional study, which was conducted from July 1 to July 30, 2022. Sarcopenia and malnutrition were diagnosed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria, respectively. Patients who met both criteria were classified as having co-MS. Potentially associated factors, including age, sex, length of stay, activities of daily living, comorbidity, oral function and hygiene, swallowing ability, and the number and type of prescriptions, were assessed. Results: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 92 % (72/78). All malnourished patients were sarcopenic (40.3 %) and were classified as having co-MS. Oral function and hygiene, swallowing ability, comorbidity, and the presence of potentially inappropriate medications showed significant associations in univariate analyses. Of particular note, potentially inappropriate medication was an independent factor in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Co-MS is prevalent in long-term nursing care facilities; thus, healthcare workers should pay attention to relevant factors to identify patients at risk of co-MS and to provide appropriate care and intervention.

Synthetic developmental biology: molecular tools to re-design plant shoots and roots.

Plant morphology and anatomy strongly influence agricultural yield. Crop domestication has strived for desirable growth and developmental traits, such as larger and more fruits and semi-dwarf architecture. Genetic engineering has accelerated rational, purpose-driven engineering of plant development, but it can be unpredictable. Developmental pathways are complex and riddled with environmental and hormonal inputs, as well as feedback and feedforward interactions, which occur at specific times and places in a growing multicellular organism. Rational modification of plant development would probably benefit from precision engineering based on synthetic biology approaches. This review outlines recently developed synthetic biology technologies for plant systems and highlights their potential for engineering plant growth and development. Streamlined and high-capacity genetic construction methods (Golden Gate DNA Assembly frameworks and toolkits) allow fast and variation-series cloning of multigene transgene constructs. This, together with a suite of gene regulation tools (e.g. cell type-specific promoters, logic gates, and multiplex regulation systems), is starting to enable developmental pathway engineering with predictable outcomes in model plant and crop species.

Engineering Themes in Plant Forms and Functions.

Living structures constantly interact with the biotic and abiotic environment by sensing and responding via specialized functional parts. In other words, biological bodies embody highly functional machines and actuators. What are the signatures of engineering mechanisms in biology? In this review, we connect the dots in the literature to seek engineering principles in plant structures. We identify three thematic motifs-bilayer actuator, slender-bodied functional surface, and self-similarity-and provide an overview of their structure-function relationships. Unlike human-engineered machines and actuators, biological counterparts may appear suboptimal in design, loosely complying with physical theories or engineering principles. We postulate what factors may influence the evolution of functional morphology and anatomy to dissect and comprehend better the why behind the biological forms.

Environmental morphing enables informed dispersal of the dandelion diaspore.

Animal migration is highly sensitised to environmental cues, but plant dispersal is considered largely passive. The common dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, bears an intricate haired pappus facilitating flight. The pappus enables the formation of a separated vortex ring during flight; however, the pappus structure is not static but reversibly changes shape by closing in response to moisture. We hypothesised that this leads to changed dispersal properties in response to environmental conditions. Using wind tunnel experiments for flow visualisation, particle image velocimetry, and flight tests, we characterised the fluid mechanics effects of the pappus morphing. We also modelled dispersal to understand the impact of pappus morphing on diaspore distribution. Pappus morphing dramatically alters the fluid mechanics of diaspore flight. We found that when the pappus closes in moist conditions, the drag coefficient decreases and thus the falling velocity is greatly increased. Detachment of diaspores from the parent plant also substantially decreases. The change in detachment when the pappus closes increases dispersal distances by reducing diaspore release when wind speeds are low. We propose that moisture-dependent pappus-morphing is a form of informed dispersal allowing rapid responses to changing conditions.

Effect of Muscle Loss but Not Fat Loss during Primary Debulking Surgery and Chemotherapy on Prognosis of Patients with Ovarian Cancer.

Although the negative effect of muscle loss during invasive treatment has been widely reported in patients with cancer, its value in patients with ovarian cancer is not clear. Therefore, this study was conducted to clarify whether muscle loss during cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy affects prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer. We retrospectively recruited 58 patients with ovarian cancer who underwent site reductive surgery and chemotherapy at Shimane University Hospital from March 2006 to November 2013 and for whom pre- and postoperative computed tomography were available. Skeletal muscle changes and fat mass volume during primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy were subsequently investigated at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. Muscle and fat mass loss occurred independently in half of the patients. Muscle loss, but not fat loss, was associated with disease-free survival (p = 0.041 and p = 0.794, respectively) and poor overall survival (p = 0.033 and p = 0.61, respectively). Cancer therapy is invasive and causes compositional changes in the body, such as muscle and fat loss. During cancer therapy, muscle loss, but not fat loss, may be associated with worse prognosis in ovarian cancer.

Dandelion pappus morphing is actuated by radially patterned material swelling.

Plants generate motion by absorbing and releasing water. Many Asteraceae plants, such as the dandelion, have a hairy pappus that can close depending on moisture levels to modify dispersal. Here we demonstrate the relationship between structure and function of the underlying hygroscopic actuator. By investigating the structure and properties of the actuator cell walls, we identify the mechanism by which the dandelion pappus closes. We developed a structural computational model that can capture observed pappus closing and used it to explore the critical design features. We find that the actuator relies on the radial arrangement of vascular bundles and surrounding tissues around a central cavity. This allows heterogeneous swelling in a radially symmetric manner to co-ordinate movements of the hairs attached at the upper flank. This actuator is a derivative of bilayer structures, which is radial and can synchronise the movement of a planar or lateral attachment. The simple, material-based mechanism presents a promising biomimetic potential in robotics and functional materials.

Mechanisms and Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Gynecologic Cancer.

The number of patients with gynecological cancers, such as ovarian and endometrial cancer, has been increasing worldwide [...].

Flying seeds.

Viola and Nakayama introduce flying seeds.

Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Its Association with Quality of Life, Postural Stability, and Past Incidence of Falls in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In this cross-sectional analysis of 61 postmenopausal osteoporosis patients who regularly visited an osteoporosis outpatient clinic, we aimed to clarify the prevalence of sarcopenia and its related clinical factors. Of 61 patients (mean age 77.6 ± 8.1 years), 24 (39.3%) had osteosarcopenia and 37 (60.7%) had osteoporosis alone. Age, nutritional status, and the number of prescribed drugs were associated with the presence of sarcopenia (p = 0.002, <0.001, and 0.001, respectively), while bone mineral density (BMD) and % young adult mean BMD were not (p = 0.119 and 0.119, respectively). Moreover, patients with osteosarcopenia had lower quality of life (QOL) scores, greater postural instability, and a higher incidence of falls in the past year than patients with osteoporosis alone. In contrast, BMD status showed no correlation with the nutritional status, QOL score, postural instability, or incidence of falls in the past year. In conclusion, the incidence of sarcopenia was relatively high among postmenopausal osteoporosis female patients in an osteoporosis outpatient clinic. Our results suggest that in addition to routine BMD evaluation, assessment and management of sarcopenia may be promoted at osteoporosis outpatient clinics to limit the risk of falls and prevent consequent fragility fractures in osteoporosis patients.

Vision, challenges and opportunities for a Plant Cell Atlas.

With growing populations and pressing environmental problems, future economies will be increasingly plant-based. Now is the time to reimagine plant science as a critical component of fundamental science, agriculture, environmental stewardship, energy, technology and healthcare. This effort requires a conceptual and technological framework to identify and map all cell types, and to comprehensively annotate the localization and organization of molecules at cellular and tissue levels. This framework, called the Plant Cell Atlas (PCA), will be critical for understanding and engineering plant development, physiology and environmental responses. A workshop was convened to discuss the purpose and utility of such an initiative, resulting in a roadmap that acknowledges the current knowledge gaps and technical challenges, and underscores how the PCA initiative can help to overcome them.

What is quantitative plant biology?

Quantitative plant biology is an interdisciplinary field that builds on a long history of biomathematics and biophysics. Today, thanks to high spatiotemporal resolution tools and computational modelling, it sets a new standard in plant science. Acquired data, whether molecular, geometric or mechanical, are quantified, statistically assessed and integrated at multiple scales and across fields. They feed testable predictions that, in turn, guide further experimental tests. Quantitative features such as variability, noise, robustness, delays or feedback loops are included to account for the inner dynamics of plants and their interactions with the environment. Here, we present the main features of this ongoing revolution, through new questions around signalling networks, tissue topology, shape plasticity, biomechanics, bioenergetics, ecology and engineering. In the end, quantitative plant biology allows us to question and better understand our interactions with plants. In turn, this field opens the door to transdisciplinary projects with the society, notably through citizen science.

Nucleus Accumbens-Associated Protein 1 Binds DNA Directly through the BEN Domain in a Sequence-Specific Manner.

Nucleus accumbens-associated protein 1 (NAC1) is a nuclear protein that harbors an amino-terminal BTB domain and a carboxyl-terminal BEN domain. NAC1 appears to play significant and diverse functions in cancer and stem cell biology. Here we demonstrated that the BEN domain of NAC1 is a sequence-specific DNA-binding domain. We selected the palindromic 6 bp motif ACATGT as a target sequence by using a PCR-assisted random oligonucleotide selection approach. The interaction between NAC1 and target DNA was characterized by gel shift assays, pull-down assays, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), chromatin-immunoprecipitation assays, and NMR chemical shifts perturbation (CSP). The solution NMR structure revealed that the BEN domain of human NAC-1 is composed of five conserved α helices and two short ß sheets, with an additional hitherto unknown N-terminal α helix. In particular, ITC clarified that there are two sequential events in the titration of the BEN domain of NAC1 into the target DNA. The ITC results were further supported by CSP data and structure analyses. Furthermore, live cell photobleaching analyses revealed that the BEN domain of NAC1 alone was unable to interact with chromatin/other proteins in cells.

Velocity of the falling dispersal units in Zelkova abelicea: remarkable evolutionary conservation within the relict tree genus.

PREMISE: Seed dispersal is extremely important for the recovery and restoration of forest communities. Relict tree genus Zelkova possesses a unique dispersal mechanism: mature fruits fall with the entire twig, and the dried leaves that are still attached function as a drag-enhancing appendage, carrying the fruits away from the parent tree. This singular adaptation has never been investigated in Z. abelicea. METHODS: Drop tests with dispersal units and individual fruits of Z. abelicea were performed in controlled conditions to measure their dispersal velocity and to define their flight mode. RESULTS: Zelkova abelicea uses both slowly falling dispersal units with chaotic motion, as well as fast falling individual fruits using a straight path. The falling velocity of Z. abelicea dispersal units is 1.53 m s-1 , which is virtually identical to that of the East Asiatic Z. serrata (1.51 m s-1 ). In contrast, the falling velocity of individual fruits was 2.74 m s-1 (Z. serrata: 5.36 m s-1 ). CONCLUSIONS: Members of the genus Zelkova, growing today in distant regions, show remarkable evolutionary conservation of the velocity and flight mechanics of their dispersal units. This is surprising because the Mediterranean and East Asiatic Zelkova species have been separated at least 15-20 mya. Zelkova abelicea, although growing in the Mediterranean with completely different forest structure and composition, still uses the same dispersal mechanism. The dispersal capacity of the genus Zelkova is less efficient than that of other wind dispersed trees, and it presumably evolved for short-distance ecological spread and not for long-distance biogeographical dispersal.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in a Daycare Facility: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Malnutrition and sarcopenia are prevalent and growing health issues in older populations. Early detection is important to implement proper interventions. However, little is known about malnutrition and sarcopenia in daycare facilities, the most dominant long-term care service. In this study, the prevalence of and factors associated with malnutrition and sarcopenia in older individuals who commute to community daycare facilities were evaluated. The cross-sectional study included 62 older individuals screened for malnutrition and sarcopenia on their first day in a daycare facility in Japan. Daily physical activity and basal diseases were also evaluated. According to Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, 40.3% (25/62) of patients were malnourished and 59.7% (37/62) were well nourished. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 evaluation found that 12.9% (8/62) of patients showed no sarcopenia, whereas 87.1% (54/62) had sarcopenia. The prevalence of well-nourished sarcopenic individuals was the highest (45.2% (28/62)), followed by malnourished sarcopenia individuals (40.3% (25/62)). All malnourished individuals were sarcopenic and 14.5% (9/62) were well nourished and nonsarcopenic. Daily physical activity was significantly lower among sarcopenic individuals. Subgroups showed no significant difference in comorbidities. The prevalence of malnutrition and sarcopenia was relatively high. Activity-related sarcopenia seemed to precede malnutrition. Early detection of malnutrition and sarcopenia in daycare facilities should be encouraged for early intervention.

Generating and characterizing single- and multigene mutants of the Rubisco small subunit family in Arabidopsis.

The primary CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco limits the productivity of plants. The small subunit of Rubisco (SSU) can influence overall Rubisco levels and catalytic efficiency, and is now receiving increasing attention as a potential engineering target to improve the performance of Rubisco. However, SSUs are encoded by a family of nuclear rbcS genes in plants, which makes them challenging to engineer and study. Here we have used CRISPR/Cas9 [clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9] and T-DNA insertion lines to generate a suite of single and multiple gene knockout mutants for the four members of the rbcS family in Arabidopsis, including two novel mutants 2b3b and 1a2b3b. 1a2b3b contained very low levels of Rubisco (~3% relative to the wild-type) and is the first example of a mutant with a homogenous Rubisco pool consisting of a single SSU isoform (1B). Growth under near-outdoor levels of light demonstrated Rubisco-limited growth phenotypes for several SSU mutants and the importance of the 1A and 3B isoforms. We also identified 1a1b as a likely lethal mutation, suggesting a key contributory role for the least expressed 1B isoform during early development. The successful use of CRISPR/Cas here suggests that this is a viable approach for exploring the functional roles of SSU isoforms in plants.

Mobius Assembly.

Mobius Assembly is a versatile and user-friendly DNA Assembly method, which facilitates rapid and simple generation of DNA constructs. Mobius Assembly combines high cloning capacity and vector toolkit simplicity to streamline combinatorial assemblies. It is a two-level hierarchical modular cloning system that enables quadruple assembly augmentation. It adopts the 4 bp standard overhangs defined by Phytobricks to promote standard part sharing, and it can be made compatible with different chassis. Furthermore, Mobius Assembly reduces domestication requirements and uses chromogenic proteins to facilitate the identification of positive assemblies.

Multicentric prospective study of effect of dietary intake on quality of life for patients with end-stage cancers.

OBJECTIVE: Impaired dietary intake (DI) contributes to deterioration of quality of life (QOL) in patients with end-stage diseases, including cancer, but the effects of DI on QOL specifically in terminal cancer has not been widely studied. Here, we evaluated the relationship between DI and QOL in patients with end-stage cancers. METHODS: We evaluated the energy amount of DI, performance status (PS) and QLQ-C15-PAL score of cancer patients with short prognoses in multicentre survey and analysed the parameters that influence QOL. RESULTS: We recruited 33 patients in this study. In univariate analysis, DI was significantly associated with PS (P=0.002, r=-0.531), physical functioning (P=0.003, r=-0.503), fatigue (P=0.038, r=-0.362), and appetite loss (P=0.004, r=-0.490). CONCLUSIONS: Improved DI could contribute to QOL of patients with end-stage cancers.

Interleukin-8 and clinical symptoms can be prognostic indicators for advanced cancer patients with cachexia.

OBJECTIVES: Prognostic prediction is a significant tool for selecting appropriate treatment in advanced cancer patients with cachexia, at a time when it is important to offer high-quality palliative care and improve quality of life until death. In this retrospective study, we investigated the prognostic potential of serum cytokine level and various clinical symptoms by analyzing the pathological conditions and metabolic dynamics of cachexia in advanced cancer patients. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-three advanced cancer patients who underwent palliative care and died at the Department of Surgery and Palliative Medicine, Fujita Health University Nanakuri Memorial Hospital between 1 January 2004 and 30 June 2007 were eligible for the study. We simultaneously assessed their blood factors and clinical symptoms at admission. All patients were divided into two groups according to median survival time to analyze the risk factors for prognosis. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed the following independent prognostic factors: interleukin (IL)-8 (odds ratio [OR]=4.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.52-11.41, p=0.002), general fatigue (OR=1.22, 95%CI=1.03-1.45, p=0.019), anorexia (OR=1.19, 95%CI=1.04-1.37, p=0.008), dyspnea (OR=1.19, 95%CI=1.02-1.38, p=0.024), depression (OR=1.28, 95%CI=1.11-1.47, p<0.001), nausea (OR=1.25, 95%CI=1.05-1.48, p=0.007), dry mouth (OR=1.19, 95%CI=1.01-1.40, p=0.032), and overall assessment score (OR=1.05, 95%CI=1.02-1.09, p<0.001). Patients with low IL-8 (<1.347 pg/ml) and low overall assessment score (<26) had significantly better prognosis (both p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: High IL-8 level and clinical symptoms can be prognostic indicators for advanced cancer patients with cachexia.

From passive to informed: mechanical mechanisms of seed dispersal.

Plant dispersal mechanisms rely on anatomical and morphological adaptations for the use of physical or biological dispersal vectors. Recently, studies of interactions between the dispersal unit and physical environment have uncovered fluid dynamic mechanisms of seed flight, protective measures against fire, and release mechanisms of explosive dispersers. Although environmental conditions generally dictate dispersal distances, plants are not purely passive players in these processes. Evidence suggests that some plants may enact informed dispersal, where dispersal-related traits are modified according to the environment. This can occur via developmental regulation, but also on shorter timescales via structural remodelling in relation to water availability and temperature. Linking interactions between dispersal mechanisms and environmental conditions will be essential to fully understand population dynamics and distributions.