Restoration age affects microbial-herbaceous plant interactions in an oak woodland.

In degraded ecosystems, soil microbial communities (SMCs) may influence the outcomes of ecological restoration. Restoration practices can affect SMCs, though it is unclear how variation in the onset of restoration activities in woodlands affects SMCs, how those SMCs influence the performance of hard-to-establish woodland forbs, and how different woodland forbs shape SMCs. In this study, we quantified soil properties and species abundances in an oak woodland restoration chronosequence (young, intermediate, and old restorations). We measured the growth of three woodland forb species when inoculated with live whole-soil from young, intermediate, or old restorations. We used DNA metabarcoding to characterize SMCs of each inoculum treatment and the soil after conditioning by each plant species. Our goals were to (1) understand how time since the onset of restoration affected soil abiotic properties, plant communities, and SMCs in a restoration chronosequence, (2) test growth responses of three forb species to whole-soil inoculum from restoration sites, and (3) characterize changes in SMCs before and after conditioning by each forb species. Younger restored woodlands had greater fire-sensitive tree species and lower concentrations of soil phosphorous than intermediate or older restored woodlands. Bacterial and fungal soil communities varied significantly among sites. Forbs exhibited the greatest growth in soil from the young restoration. Each forb species developed a unique soil microbial community. Our results highlight how restoration practices affect SMCs, which can in turn affect the growth of hard-to-establish forb species. Our results also highlight that the choice of forb species can alter SMCs, which could have long-term potential consequences for restoration success.

You belong.

The author describes how she has earnestly struggled to find her fit in providing mental health services to Hispanic/Latino clients and the Latino communities that she belongs to. She wonders, if no one belongs, then who stands up for historically marginalized Latino communities? Personal and systemic biases and arbitrary criteria for being enough to serve Latino patients hurt providers and clients alike. Her work reminds her of the need to charge against stereotyping and racism to meet patients' needs regardless of skin color or linguistic abilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Collective Efficacy and Perceived COVID-19 Severity Predict Preparedness and Response Behaviors: A Longitudinal Study of Intersectionally Vulnerable University Students.

OBJECTIVE: To promote equity for intersectionally disaster-vulnerable individuals and address three literature gaps: (1) incremental effects of collective and self-efficacy as preparedness predictors, (2) differentiation of fear and perceived severity of a disaster, and (3) clarification of the relationship between fear and preparedness. METHODS: Due to infection risks associated with communal housing, early in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many universities permitted students to remain in campus housing only if they were housing insecure, including many international students. We surveyed intersectionally-vulnerable students and their partners at a southeast US university, N = 54, who were international (77.8%), Asian (55.6%), and/or housing insecure at baseline (79.6%). In 14 waves from May-October 2020, we assessed pandemic preparedness/response behaviors (PPRBs) and potential PPRB predictors. RESULTS: We examined within- and between-person effects of fear, perceived severity, collective efficacy, and self-efficacy on PPRBs. Within-person perceived severity and collective efficacy both significantly, positively predicted greater PPRBs. All effects of fear and self-efficacy were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived severity and confidence that one's actions positively impact one's community fluctuated throughout the pandemic and are linked to greater PPRB engagement. Public health messages and interventions to improve PPRB may benefit from emphasizing collective efficacy and accuracy over fear.

Perceived meaning, pandemic self-efficacy, social support, and discrimination predict trajectories of peri-pandemic growth and distress for international students.

OBJECTIVE: International students face unique COVID-19-related stressors, such as financial aid loss, limited social support, and discrimination (e.g., verbal harassment, physical assault). Additionally, pandemic and chronic stress research is largely cross-sectional, and trajectories over time remain unclear for psychological and environmental factors predicting distress and peri-pandemic growth. Accordingly, the current study examined trajectories of psychological distress and growth, as well as weekly psychological and environmental predictors of psychological distress and growth, in international students during the early stages of the pandemic. METHOD: International students (N = 42) at a U.S. university were surveyed weekly for 14 weeks. RESULTS: Latent growth mixture modeling resulted in three trajectories over time of distress (Minimal Impact, Emergent Resilience, and Increasing Distress) and peri-pandemic growth (Limited PrTG, Decreasing PrTG, and Increasing PrTG). For multilevel models, within-person increases in meaning and self-efficacy as well as between-person changes in discrimination and emotional social support predicted distress. Within-person changes in meaning and self-efficacy and between-person changes in self-efficacy and discrimination predicted peri-pandemic growth. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the stressors they face, many international students demonstrated a trajectory of resilience. Positive coping factors and environmental factors predicted distress or peri-pandemic growth, which can inform interventions and studies examining trajectories of distress during prolonged adversity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Entrenamiento intervalado de alta-intensidad en el adulto mayor sano. Una revisión sistemática / High-intensity interval training in the healthy elderly. A systematic review

Introducción: Debido a los cambios demográficos de fecundidad y mortalidad se predice que en el año 2050 la proporciónde la población mundial de 60 años y más, aumentará del 11% al 22%.Objetivo: Analizar los efectos del entrenamiento intervalado de alta-intensidad en el adulto mayor sano. Material y método: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las siguientes bases de datos Pubmed, Scielo y ScienceDirect,con la utilización de los términos boleanos High-intensity Interval excercise OR High-intensity interval training OR high intensityinterval activity AND aged OR older adult OR elderly. Se utilizó la estrategia PICoR para definir criterios de elegibilidad (P) Adultosmayores sanos, (I) Utilizar Entrenamiento intervalado de alta intensidad (HIIT), (C) ser sometidos a evaluación mediante la escalade PEDRO y obtener en esta un puntaje igual o superior a 6 puntos, (O) efecto del entrenamiento intervalado de alta intensi-dad en el Adulto Mayor sano (S) estudios con grupos control u otras intervenciones, publicados entre los años 2016 a 2021.Resultados: Se identificaron 1.516 artículos, pero solo se incluyeron los que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión (7estudios). Se obtuvieron mejoras significativas en la calidad de sueño, fatiga y composición corporal combinando un entre-namiento HIIT con apoyo nutricional. Otras mejoras se obtuvieron en fuerza, hormonas anabólicas, lípidos en sangre, Vo2máx,tolerancia al ejercicio y PA sistólica solo utilizando entrenamiento HIIT.Conclusión: El entrenamiento HIIT adaptado, es aplicable a adultos mayores sanos y provoca mejoras significativas en estegrupo etario.(AU)

Introduction: Due to demographic changes in fertility and mortality, it is predicted that in 2050 the proportion of the worldpopulation aged 60 and over will increase from 11% to 22%.Objective: To analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training in healthy older adults. Material and method: A bibliographic search was carried out in the following Pubmed, Scielo and ScienceDirect databases,using the Boolean terms High-intensity interval excercise OR High-intensity interval training OR high intensity interval activityAND aged OR older adult OR elderly. The PICoR strategy was used to define eligibility criteria (P) Healthy Older Adults, (I) UseHigh Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), (C) be subjected to evaluation using the PEDRO scale and obtain a score equal to orgreater than 6 points, (O) effect of high-intensity interval training in Adults Healthy elderly (S) studies with control groups orother interventions, published between the years 2016 to 2021.Results: 1.516 articles were identified, but only those that met the inclusion criteria (7 studies) were included. Significantimprovements in sleep quality, fatigue, and body composition were obtained by combining HIIT training with nutritionalsupport. Other improvements were obtained in strength, anabolic hormones, blood lipids, VO2max, exercise tolerance, andsystolic BP using only HIIT training.Conclusion: The adapted HIIT training is applicable to healthy older adults and causes significant improvements in this agegroup.(AU)

The impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on cognitive outcomes following radiotherapy for pediatric brain tumors: a prospective, longitudinal trial.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of cognitive and academic functioning among healthy and ill children; however, few pediatric oncology studies examine SES and long-term cognitive functioning. The current study systematically investigated SES as a predictor of cognitive outcomes among children treated for localized brain tumors (BT) with photon radiation therapy (RT). METHODS: 248 children treated on a prospective, longitudinal, phase II trial of conformal RT (54-59.4 Gy) for ependymoma, low-grade glioma, or craniopharyngioma were monitored serially with cognitive assessments (intelligence quotient [IQ], reading, math, attention, adaptive function) for 10 years (2209 observations, median age at RT = 6.6 years, 48% male, 80% Caucasian). SES was derived from the Barratt Simplified Measure of Social Status, which incorporates parental occupation, education, and marital status. RESULTS: Overall, SES scores fell in the low range (Barratt median = 37). At pre-RT baseline, linear mixed models revealed significant associations between SES and IQ, reading, math, attention, and adaptive function, with higher SES associated with better performance (P < .005). SES predicted change over time in IQ, reading, and math; higher SES was associated with less decline (P < .001). Accounting for sex and age at RT, SES remained predictive of IQ, reading, and math. Analysis of variance revealed a greater relative contribution of SES than sex or age at RT to reading and math. CONCLUSIONS: SES represents a novel predictor of cognitive performance before and after RT for pediatric BT. These findings have broad implications as high SES represents a protective factor. Developing interventions to mitigate the effects of low SES is warranted.

Identifying Frequency of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Firefighters.

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a nationwide problem; yet, no firefighter mTBI data are available. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed retrospective head injuries using WHO guidelines. We captured mTBI frequency and examined firefighters' symptoms (e.g., using Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification method, Brief Traumatic Brain Injury Screen, Warrior Administered Retrospective Causality Assessment Tool). Findings: Of 1,112 firefighters contacted, 60 responses were included. Most participants were White (80%), male (90%), former athletes (75%). 62% met mTBI symptom criteria. 75% reported at least one lifetime head injury. Number of head injuries and depression symptoms were associated (r = .36, p < .05). Conclusion/application to practice: Overall, it appears most firefighters have sustained at least one lifetime mTBI. Those with multiple head injuries may be at increased risk of depression. Occupational health professionals should be aware of firefighters' mTBI risk. Further research is warranted given findings.

Pituitary dysfunction in granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis of small vessels that affect the pituitary gland in less than 1% of cases being exceptionally rare. To describe the clinical, biochemical, radiological findings, treatment, and outcomes of 4 patients with GPA-related hypophysitis. A systematic review of published cases with the same diagnosis is presented as well. A cross-sectional case series of patients with hypophysitis due to GPA from 1981 to 2018 at a third level specialty center. Literature review was performed searching in seven different digital databases for terms "granulomatosis with polyangiitis" and "pituitary gland" or "hypophysitis," including in the analysis all published cases between 1950 and 2019 with a minimum follow-up of 6 months. We found 197 patients with GPA in our institution of whom 4 patients (2.0%) had pituitary involvement. Clinical characteristics and outcomes are described. We also reviewed 7 case series, and 36 case reports describing pituitary dysfunction related to GPA from 1953 to 2019, including the clinical picture of an additional 74 patients. Pituitary dysfunction due to GPA is rare. Treatment is targeted to control systemic manifestations; nevertheless, the outcome of the pituitary function is poor. Central diabetes insipidus, particularly in younger women with other systemic features, should raise suspicion of GPA.Key Points• Involvement of the pituitary gland is an uncommon manifestation in GPA patients. The presence of central diabetes insipidus in the setting of systemic symptoms should prompt its suspicion.• In patients with pituitary involvement due to GPA, affection of other endocrine glands is rare, neither concomitant nor in different times during the disease course. This may arise the hypothesis of a local or regional pathogenesis affection of the gland.• There is no consensus on the best therapy strategy for GPA hypophysitis. Although the use of glucocorticoids with CYC is the most common drug combination, no differences in the outcome of the pituitary function and GPA disease course are seen with other immunosuppressants.• Poor prognosis regarding pituitary function is expected due to possible permanent pituitary tissue damage that results in the need of permanent hormonal replacement.

Cytochrome P450 and Glutathione-S-Transferase Activity are Altered Following Environmentally Relevant Atrazine Exposures in Crayfish (Faxoniusvirilis).

The herbicide atrazine is heavily applied in the U.S. Midwest to control broadleaf weeds. It enters local streams and rivers through runoff and seepage, and exposure can affect non-target aquatic organisms, like crayfish. We examined sublethal effects of atrazine on the expression and activity of the detoxification enzymes cytochrome P450 (CYP450) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in crayfish. Crayfish were exposed to 0, 10, 40, 80, 100 and 300 ppb atrazine for 1, 2, 4, 7 and 10 days. Their hepatopancreas was collected and CYP450 expression and GST activity was analyzed. Atrazine exposure caused differential expression and activity of CYP450 and GST. CYP450 expression varied over exposure concentrations and time. Further, GST activity significantly increased following a 2 day, 10 ppb exposure to atrazine and a 300 ppb atrazine exposure for all days tested. We found that atrazine detoxification is a dynamic process that changes with the length and intensity of atrazine exposure.

The Potential of Remedial Techniques for Hazard Reduction of Steel Process by Products: Impact on Steel Processing, Waste Management, the Environment and Risk to Human Health.

The negative impact from industrial pollution of the environment is still a global occurrence, and as a consequence legislation and subsequent regulation is becoming increasingly stringent in response, in particular, to minimising potential impact on human health. These changes have generated growing pressures for the steel industry to innovate to meet new regulations driving a change to the approach to waste management across the industrial landscape, with increasing focus on the principles of a circular economy. With a knowledge of the compositional profiles of process by-products, we have assessed chemical cleaning to improve environmental performance and minimise disruption to manufacturing processes, demonstrating re-use and recycling capacity. We show that with a knowledge of phase composition, we are able to apply stabilisation methods that can either utilise waste streams directly or allow manipulation, making them suitable for re-use and/or inert disposal. We studied blast furnace slags and Portland cement mixes (50%/50% and 30%/70%) with a variety of other plant wastes (electrostatic precipitator dusts (ESP), blast furnace (BF) sludge and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) sludge) which resulted in up to 90% immobilisation of hazardous constituents. The addition of organic additives i.e., citric acid can liberate or immobilise problematic constituents; in the case of K, both outcomes occurred depending on the waste type; ESP dust BF sludge and BOF fine sludge. Pb and Zn however were liberated with a 50-80% and 50-60% residue reduction respectively, which generates possibilities for alternative uses of materials to reduce environmental and human health impact.

Behavioral health programs in fire service: Surveying access and preferences.

Due to the stressful nature of the job, firefighters are likely to be at increased risk for behavioral health problems. This study examined the access, attitudes, and preferences of a large sample of professional firefighters (N = 2,156) toward behavioral health services using an online survey. Overall, 81% of participants reported that they had access to behavioral health services through their fire service department, although smaller departments were less likely to offer such services. Despite available programs within fire service, firefighters most commonly reported that they would seek outside help from their spouse/family (67%) or private professional services (60%). Firefighters with fewer years in service were more likely to go to a spouse/family member, coworker, or officer for help, whereas those with more years were more likely to seek private professional services. Few firefighters directly stated that stigma would prevent them from using behavioral health services, yet a large percentage of firefighters (68%) reported that they would not recommend these services to colleagues, and stigma-related barriers were still among the most significant reported. "Clinicians who understand firefighter work culture" was rated as one of the most important components to a successful behavioral health program; a lack thereof rated as one of the most significant barriers. Offered together, these findings suggest that greater exploration of stigma in fire service is warranted, and attention toward training culturally competent clinicians to work with firefighters is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Quality of life is significantly impaired in both secretory and non-functioning pituitary adenomas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in patients with pituitary adenomas in comparison with healthy Mexican population QoL scores. DESIGN & MEASUREMENTS: Cross-sectional study using the short form 36 questionnaire (SF-36) in 175 patients with pituitary adenomas grouped by adenoma subtype and disease activity, and compared them with the healthy Mexican population normative QoL scores. PATIENTS: A total of 44 patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA), 48 with acromegaly, 53 with prolactinomas and 30 with Cushing disease (CD) were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: Mental and physical components scores (MCS & PCS) of SF-36 questionnaire were lower in patients with active disease in all adenoma subtypes (P < 0.03). A significant negative relationship between prolactin levels and MCS (r = -0.30, P < 0.01) and PCS (r = -0.41, P < 0.01) were found in prolactinomas. Patients with CD showed 24 hours urine-free cortisol levels negatively correlated with MCS (r = -0.43, P < 0.01) but not with PCS. No significant correlation was found between IGF-1 ULN and QoL scores in acromegaly. NFPA patients had lower QoL scores than patients with controlled CD, acromegaly or prolactinoma (P < 0.02). Active CD and prolactinoma have lower QoL scores in comparison of NFPA (P < 0.05). Having an adenoma, secretory or non-functioning, decrease QoL scores in comparison of results in the healthy Mexican population register. Using an adjusted-multivariate model, we confirmed that disease activity in all secretory adenomas is an independent risk factor, reducing SF-36 scores significantly. CONCLUSION: Activity in all secretory pituitary adenomas' patients decrease mental and physical QoL. However, independently of disease activity, secretory and NFPA significantly decrease QoL in comparison with healthy Mexican population QoL register.

The Influence of Exposure to Natural Disasters on Depression and PTSD Symptoms among Firefighters.

Introduction Firefighters represent an important population for understanding the consequences of exposure to potentially traumatic stressors. Hypothesis/Problem The researchers were interested in the effects of pre-employment disaster exposure on firefighter recruits' depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during the first three years of fire service and hypothesized that: (1) disaster-exposed firefighters would have greater depression and PTSD symptoms than non-exposed overall; and (2) depression and PTSD symptoms would worsen over years in fire service in exposed firefighters, but not in their unexposed counterparts. METHODS: In a baseline interview, 35 male firefighter recruits from seven US cities reported lifetime exposure to natural disaster. These disaster-exposed male firefighter recruits were matched on age, city, and education with non-exposed recruits. RESULTS: A generalized linear mixed model revealed a significant exposure×time interaction (e coef =1.04; P<.001), such that depression symptoms increased with time for those with pre-employment disaster exposure only. This pattern persisted after controlling for social support from colleagues (e coefficient=1.05; P<.001), social support from families (e coefficient=1.04; P=.001), and on-the-job trauma exposure (coefficient=0.06; e coefficient=1.11; P<.001). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms did not vary significantly between exposure groups at baseline (P=.61). CONCLUSION: Depression symptoms increased with time for those with pre-employment disaster exposure only, even after controlling for social support. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms did not vary between exposure groups. Pennington ML , Carpenter TP , Synett SJ , Torres VA , Teague J , Morissette SB , Knight J , Kamholz BW , Keane TM , Zimering RT , Gulliver SB . The influence of exposure to natural disasters on depression and PTSD symptoms among firefighters. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(1):102-108.

Complete Genome Sequences of Cluster A Mycobacteriophages BobSwaget, Fred313, KADY, Lokk, MyraDee, Stagni, and StepMih.

Seven mycobacteriophages from distinct geographical locations were isolated, using Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 as the host, and then purified and sequenced. All of the genomes are related to cluster A mycobacteriophages, BobSwaget and Lokk in subcluster A2; Fred313, KADY, Stagni, and StepMih in subcluster A3; and MyraDee in subcluster A18, the first phage to be assigned to that subcluster.

Prognostic significance of active and modified forms of endothelin 1 in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

OBJECTIVES: Concentrations of endothelin I (ET1) are elevated in CHF patients and, like other biomarkers that reflect hemodynamic status and cardiac pathophysiology, are prognostic. The Singulex assay (Sgx-ET1) measures the active form of ET1, with a short in vivo half-life and the Brahms assay measures C-terminal endothelin-1 (CT-ET1), a modified (degraded) product with longer half-life. We aimed to determine the prognostic importance of active and modified forms of endothelin 1 (Singulex and Brahms assays) in comparison with other commonly measured biomarkers of inflammation, hemodynamic status and cardiac physiology in CHF. DESIGN AND METHODS: Plasma biomarkers (Sgx-ET1, CT-ET1, NTproBNP, IL-6, TNFα, cTnI, VEGF, hs-CRP, Galectin-3, ST2) were measured in 134 NYHA class II and III CHF patients with systolic dysfunction. Prognostic importance of biomarkers for hospitalization or death were calculated by both logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. RESULTS: CT-ET1 (OR=5.2, 95% CI=1.7-15.7) and Sgx-ET1 (OR=2.9, CI=1.1-7.7) were independent predictors of hospitalization and death and additively predicted events after adjusting for age, sex, and other significant biomarkers. Other biomarkers did not improve the model. Similarly, in Cox regression analysis, only CT-ET1 (HR 3.4, 95% CI=1.4-8.4), VEGF (2.7, 95% CI=1.3-5.4), and Sgx-ET1 (HR 2.6, 95% CI=1.2-5.6) were independently prognostic. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated concentrations of endothelin 1 predict mortality and hospitalizations in HF patients. Endothelin 1 was more prognostic than commonly obtained hemodynamic, inflammatory, and fibrotic biomarkers. Two different assays of endothelin 1 independently and synergistically were prognostic, suggesting either complementary information or extreme prognostic importance.