How Food Insecurity and Financial Difficulty Relate to Emotional Well-Being and Social Functioning.

OBJECTIVES: Medically uninsured individuals living in poverty experience poor health and face social barriers that negatively affect their health. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between social barriers, particularly healthy food availability and financial difficulty, and well-being among uninsured free clinic patients in the United States. METHODS: Data were collected using a self-administered paper survey at a free clinic from adult patients who spoke and read English or Spanish (N = 666) from January to April 2019. RESULTS: Better neighborhood healthy food availability is associated with better self-reported general health. Food security is related to better emotional well-being and social functioning. Having difficulty paying rent or a mortgage is linked to worse emotional well-being and social functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Providing health education programs may not be sufficient to promote healthy eating among underserved populations because of the social barriers that they experience, such as food insecurity and financial difficulty. Future research could be performed to determine how these social factors influence those of different social and cultural backgrounds than the participants in this study.

Centrin 2 is required for mouse olfactory ciliary trafficking and development of ependymal cilia planar polarity.

Centrins are ancient calmodulin-related Ca(2+)-binding proteins associated with basal bodies. In lower eukaryotes, Centrin2 (CETN2) is required for basal body replication and positioning, although its function in mammals is undefined. We generated a germline CETN2 knock-out (KO) mouse presenting with syndromic ciliopathy including dysosmia and hydrocephalus. Absence of CETN2 leads to olfactory cilia loss, impaired ciliary trafficking of olfactory signaling proteins, adenylate cyclase III (ACIII), and cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel, as well as disrupted basal body apical migration in postnatal olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). In mutant OSNs, cilia base-anchoring of intraflagellar transport components IFT88, the kinesin-II subunit KIF3A, and cytoplasmic dynein 2 appeared compromised. Although the densities of mutant ependymal and respiratory cilia were largely normal, the planar polarity of mutant ependymal cilia was disrupted, resulting in uncoordinated flow of CSF. Transgenic expression of GFP-CETN2 rescued the Cetn2-deficiency phenotype. These results indicate that mammalian basal body replication and ciliogenesis occur independently of CETN2; however, mouse CETN2 regulates protein trafficking of olfactory cilia and participates in specifying planar polarity of ependymal cilia.

Peripheral modulation of smell: fact or fiction?

Despite studies dating back 30 or more years showing modulation of odorant responses at the level of the olfactory epithelium, most descriptions of the olfactory system infer that odorant signals make their way from detection by cilia on olfactory sensory neurons to the olfactory bulb unaltered. Recent identification of multiple subtypes of microvillar cells and identification of neuropeptide and neurotransmitter expression in the olfactory mucosa add to the growing body of literature for peripheral modulation in the sense of smell. Complex mechanisms including perireceptor events, modulation of sniff rates, and changes in the properties of sensory neurons match the sensitivity of olfactory sensory neurons to the external odorant environment, internal nutritional status, reproductive status, and levels of arousal or stress. By furthering our understanding of the players mediating peripheral olfaction, we may open the door to novel approaches for modulating the sense of smell in both health and disease.

PACAP modulation of calcium ion activity in developing granule cells of the neonatal mouse olfactory bulb.

Ca(2+) activity in the CNS is critical for the establishment of developing neuronal circuitry prior to and during early sensory input. In developing olfactory bulb (OB), the neuromodulators that enhance network activity are largely unknown. Here we provide evidence that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP)-specific PAC1 receptors (PAC1Rs) expressed in postnatal day (P)2-P5 mouse OB are functional and enhance network activity as measured by increases in calcium in genetically identified granule cells (GCs). We used confocal Ca(2+) imaging of OB slices from Dlx2-tdTomato mice to visualize GABAergic GCs. To address whether the PACAP-induced Ca(2+) oscillations were direct or indirect effects of PAC1R activation, we used antagonists for the GABA receptors (GABARs) and/or glutamate receptors (GluRs) in the presence and absence of PACAP. Combined block of GABARs and GluRs yielded a 66% decrease in the numbers of PACAP-responsive cells, suggesting that 34% of OB neurons are directly activated by PACAP. Similarly, immunocytochemistry using anti-PAC1 antibody showed that 34% of OB neurons express PAC1R. Blocking either GluRs or GABARs alone indirectly showed that PACAP stimulates release of both glutamate and GABA, which activate GCs. The appearance of PACAP-induced Ca(2+) activity in immature GCs suggests a role for PACAP in GC maturation. To conclude, we find that PACAP has both direct and indirect effects on neonatal OB GABAergic cells and may enhance network activity by promoting glutamate and GABA release. Furthermore, the numbers of PACAP-responsive GCs significantly increased between P2 and P5, suggesting that PACAP-induced Ca(2+) activity contributes to neonatal OB development.

Gut endoderm is involved in the transfer of left-right asymmetry from the node to the lateral plate mesoderm in the mouse embryo.

In the mouse, the initial signals that establish left-right (LR) asymmetry are determined in the node by nodal flow. These signals are then transferred to the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) through cellular and molecular mechanisms that are not well characterized. We hypothesized that endoderm might play a role in this process because it is tightly apposed to the node and covers the outer surface of the embryo, and, just after nodal flow is established, higher Ca(2+) flux has been reported on the left side near the node, most likely in the endoderm cells. Here we studied the role of endoderm cells in the transfer of the LR asymmetry signal by analyzing mouse Sox17 null mutant embryos, which possess endoderm-specific defects. Sox17(-/-) embryos showed no expression or significantly reduced expression of LR asymmetric genes in the left LPM. In Sox17 mutant endoderm, the localization of connexin proteins on the cell membrane was greatly reduced, resulting in defective gap junction formation, which appeared to be caused by incomplete development of organized epithelial structures. Our findings suggest an essential role of endoderm cells in the signal transfer step from the node to the LPM, possibly using gap junction communication to establish the LR axis of the mouse.

Polyploidy enhances the occupation of heterogeneous environments through hydraulic related trade-offs in Atriplex canescens (Chenopodiaceae).

Plant hydraulic characteristics were studied in diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid cytotypes of Atriplex canescens (Chenopodiaceae) to investigate the potential physiological basis underlying the intraspecific habitat differentiation among plants of different ploidy levels. Populations of A. canescens from different habitats of the Chihuahuan Desert (New Mexico, USA) were analyzed using flow cytometry to determine ploidy levels. Traits related to xylem water transport efficiency and safety against drought-induced hydraulic failure were measured in both stems and leaves. At the stem level, cytotypes of higher ploidy showed consistently lower leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity but greater resistance to drought-induced loss of hydraulic conductivity. At the leaf level, comparisons in hydraulics between cytotypes did not show a consistent pattern, but exhibited high plasticity to proximal environmental conditions related to soil water availability. The results suggest that a trade-off between stem hydraulic efficiency and safety across ploidy levels underlies niche differentiation among different cytotypes of A. canescens. Polyploidization may have been facilitated by environmental heterogeneity related to water availability, and variation in water-related physiology found in the present study suggests an important functional basis for the niche differentiation and coexistence of A. canescens cytotypes in desert environments.

Patient Adherence to Health Care Provider Recommendations and Medication among Free Clinic Patients.

Patient adherence is vital for the quality of health care outcomes and treatment efficacy, and reduces the economic burden on the healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with levels of general adherence among uninsured free clinic patients. This was a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of free clinic patients aged 18 years and older who spoke English and/or Spanish. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were performed to understand sociodemographic characteristics and factors associated with higher levels of general adherence. A higher level of general adherence were significantly associated with younger age (P < .01), levels of adherence to lifestyle recommendations (P < .01), and medication (P < .01). Having attended health education classes and having a primary care provider were not associated with levels of general adherence.This study suggested that a lower level of general adherence exists among elderly patients of the free clinic. In this light, providers need to consider unique strategies to enhance the provider-patient relationship by understanding patient's characteristics and providing sufficient information and explanation for treatment and medication.

PACAP protects against TNFα-induced cell death in olfactory epithelium and olfactory placodal cell lines.

In mouse olfactory epithelium (OE), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) protects against axotomy-induced apoptosis. We used mouse OE to determine whether PACAP protects neurons during exposure to the inflammatory cytokine TNFα. Live slices of neonatal mouse OE were treated with 40 ng/ml TNFα ± 40nM PACAP for 6h and dying cells were live-labeled with 0.5% propidium iodide. TNFα significantly increased the percentage of dying cells while co-incubation with PACAP prevented cell death. PACAP also prevented TNFα-mediated cell death in the olfactory placodal (OP) cell lines, OP6 and OP27. Although OP cell lines express all three PACAP receptors (PAC1, VPAC1,VPAC2), PACAP's protection of these cells from TNFα was mimicked by the specific PAC1 receptor agonist maxadilan and abolished by the PAC1 antagonist PACAP6-38. Treatment of OP cell lines with blockers or activators of the PLC and AC/MAPKK pathways revealed that PACAP-mediated protection from TNFα involved both pathways. PACAP may therefore function through PAC1 receptors to protect neurons from cell death during inflammatory cytokine release in vivo as would occur upon viral infection or allergic rhinitis-associated injury.

Patient Satisfaction With Telehealth and Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Uninsured Free Clinic Patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant public health issue especially for underserved populations. Little is known about patient satisfaction with telehealth among free clinic patients or other underserved populations. The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with patient satisfaction with in-person services and telehealth during the pandemic and describe the experiences during the pandemic among free clinic patients. Data were collected from 628 uninsured English- and Spanish-speaking patients of a free clinic using an online survey from June to August in 2020. Free clinic patients are satisfied both with in-person services and telehealth. Factors associated with satisfaction were slightly different for in-person services and telehealth. The major experiences during the pandemic were related to food/diet and physical inactivity. This study examined a new trend in patient satisfaction and is important because telehealth may be a stepping-stone on how to handle future doctor visits for underserved populations. Furthermore, as the pandemic rapidly develops and changes daily life experiences, the uninsured population faces imminent impacts in various aspects of their life experiences.

Calcium store-mediated signaling in sustentacular cells of the mouse olfactory epithelium.

Sustentacular cells have structural features that allude to functions of secretion, absorption, phagocytosis, maintenance of extracellular ionic gradients, metabolism of noxious chemicals, and regulation of cell turnover. We present data detailing their dynamic activity. We show, using a mouse olfactory epithelium slice model, that sustentacular cells are capable of generating two types of calcium signals: intercellular calcium waves where elevations in intracellular calcium propagate between neighboring cells, and intracellular calcium oscillations consisting of repetitive elevations in intracellular calcium confined to single cells. Sustentacular cells exhibited rapid, robust increases in intracellular calcium in response to G-protein coupled muscarinic and purinergic receptor stimulation. In a subpopulation of sustentacular cells, oscillatory calcium transients were evoked. We pharmacologically characterized the properties of purinergic-evoked increases in intracellular calcium. Calcium transients were elicited by release from intracellular stores and were not dependent on extracellular calcium. BAPTA-AM, a cytosolic calcium chelator, and cyclopiazonic acid, an endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor irreversibly blocked the purinergic-induced calcium transient. Phospholipase C antagonist U73122 inhibited the purinergic-evoked calcium transient. 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) receptor antagonist, and the ryanodine receptor (RyR) antagonists tetracaine and ryanodine, inhibited the UTP-induced calcium transients. Collectively, these data suggest that activation of the phospholipase C pathway, IP(3)-mediated calcium release, and subsequent calcium-induced-calcium release is involved in ATP-elicited increases in intracellular calcium. Our findings indicate that sustentacular cells are not static support cells, and, like glia in the central nervous system, have complex calcium signaling.

A retention index calculator simplifies identification of plant volatile organic compounds.

INTRODUCTION: Plant volatiles (PVOCs) are important targets for studies in natural products, chemotaxonomy and biochemical ecology. The complexity of PVOC profiles often limits research to studies targeting only easily identified compounds. With the availability of mass spectral libraries and recent growth of retention index (RI) libraries, PVOC identification can be achieved using only gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GCMS). However, RI library searching is not typically automated, and until recently, RI libraries were both limited in scope and costly to obtain. OBJECTIVE: To automate RI calculation and lookup functions commonly utilised in PVOC analysis. METHODOLOGY: Formulae required for calculating retention indices from retention time data were placed in a spreadsheet along with lookup functions and a retention index library. Retention times obtained from GCMS analysis of alkane standards and Koeberlinia spinosa essential oil were entered into the spreadsheet to determine retention indices. Indices were used in combination with mass spectral analysis to identify compounds contained in Koeberlinia spinosa essential oil. RESULTS: Eighteen compounds were positively identified. Total oil yield was low, with only 5 ppm in purple berries. The most abundant compounds were octen-3-ol and methyl salicylate. The spreadsheet accurately calculated RIs of the detected compounds. CONCLUSION: The downloadable spreadsheet tool developed for this study provides a calculator and RI library that works in conjuction with GCMS or other analytical techniques to identify PVOCs in plant extracts.

Evidence for multiple signaling pathways in single squid olfactory receptor neurons.

At least two different G-protein-mediated transduction cascades, the adenylate cyclase and phospholipase C (PLC) pathway, process chemosensory stimuli for various species. In squid olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), physiological studies indicate that both pathways may be present; however, confirmation of the transduction molecules at the protein level is absent. Here we provide evidence that the G-proteins involved in both adenylate cyclase and PLC pathways are present in squid ORNs (Lolliguncula brevis). We used immunoblotting to show that Galpha(olf), Galpha(q), and a downstream effector, enzyme PLC140, are present in the squid olfactory epithelium (OE). To localize these proteins to one or more of the five morphological cell types described for squid OE, paraformaldehyde-fixed olfactory organs were cryosectioned (10 microm), double-labeled for Galpha(olf), Galpha(q), or PLC140, and imaged. Analysis of serial sections from entire olfactory organs for epithelial area and patterns of immunofluorescence revealed a region of highest immunoreactivity at the anterior half of the organ. At the cellular level, type 1 cells could not be distinguished morphologically and were not included in the analysis. The three labeling patterns observed in type 2 cells were Galpha(q) alone, PLC140 alone, and colocalization of Galpha(q) and PLC140. Subsets of cell types 3, 4, and 5 showed colocalization of Galpha(olf) with Galpha(q) but not with PLC140. These data suggest that the PLC pathway predominates in type 2 cells; however, coexpression of Galpha(olf) with Galpha(q) in cell types 3, 4, and 5 suggests that both pathways may participate in olfactory transduction in non-type 2 squid ORNs.

Activation of purinergic receptor subtypes modulates odor sensitivity.

Purinergic nucleotides, including ATP and adenosine, are important neuromodulators of peripheral auditory and visual sensory systems (Thorne and Housley, 1996). ATP released by the olfactory epithelium (OE) after noxious stimuli provides a physiological source for a neuromodulatory substance independent of efferent innervation. Here we show that multiple subtypes of purinergic receptors are differentially expressed in olfactory receptor neurons and sustentacular support cells. Activation of purinergic receptors evoked inward currents and increases in intracellular calcium in cultured mouse olfactory receptor neurons. A mouse olfactory epithelial slice preparation and confocal imaging were used to measure changes in intracellular calcium in response to odors, purinergic receptor (P2R) agonists, or combined odor + P2R agonists. Pharmacological studies show that both P2Y and P2X receptor activation by exogenous and endogenous ATP significantly reduces odor responsiveness. Moreover, purinergic receptor antagonists increase the odor-evoked calcium transient, providing direct evidence that endogenous ATP modulates odor sensitivity via activation of multiple purinergic receptor subtypes in olfactory receptor neurons. Odor activation of G-protein-coupled receptors results in increased cAMP production, opening of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, influx of Ca2+ and Na+, depolarization of the membrane, and activation of voltage- and Ca2+-gated ion channels. On-cell current-clamp recordings of olfactory receptor neurons from neonatal mouse slices revealed that ATP reduced cyclic nucleotide-induced electrical responses. These data also support the idea that ATP modulates odor sensitivity in mammalian olfactory neurons. Peripheral ATP-mediated odor suppression is a novel mechanism for reduced olfactory sensitivity during exposure to olfactotoxins and may be a novel neuroprotective mechanism.

Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Anemopsis californica leaf oil.

Isolation and characterization of leaf volatiles in Anemopsis californica (Nutt.) Hook. and Arn. (A. californica) was performed using steam distillation, solid-phase microextraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. Thirty-eight compounds were detected and identified by gas chromatography; elemicin was the major component of the leaf volatiles. While the composition of the leaf volatiles varied with method of extraction, alpha-pinene, sabinene, beta-phellandrene, 1,8-cineole, piperitone, methyl eugenol, (E)-caryophyllene, and elemicin were usually present in readily detectable amounts. Greenhouse-reared clones of a wild population of A. californica had an identical leaf volatile composition with the parent plants. Steam-distilled oil had antimicrobial properties against 3 (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Geotrichim candidum) of 11 microbial species tested. Some of this bioactivity could be accounted for by the alpha-pinene in the oil.

Intervention strategies for exit-seeking wandering behavior in dementia residents.

Long-term care facilities need effective intervention strategies to assist residents who, out of confusion, frustration, or anger, seek to exit the facility, which can result in their becoming lost or injured. This article describes some of the factors that lead to exit-seeking behavior and offers proven methods for educating staff to intervene during these episodes, enabling them to deal with the exit-seeker in a calm, compassionate, and dignified manner.

Endophyte microbiome diversity in micropropagated Atriplex canescens and Atriplex torreyi var griffithsii.

Microbial diversity associated with micropropagated Atriplex species was assessed using microscopy, isolate culturing, and sequencing. Light, electron, and confocal microscopy revealed microbial cells in aseptically regenerated leaves and roots. Clone libraries and tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing (TEFAP) analysis amplified sequences from callus homologous to diverse fungal and bacterial taxa. Culturing isolated some seed borne endophyte taxa which could be readily propagated apart from the host. Microbial cells were observed within biofilm-like residues associated with plant cell surfaces and intercellular spaces. Various universal primers amplified both plant and microbial sequences, with different primers revealing different patterns of fungal diversity. Bacterial and fungal TEFAP followed by alignment with sequences from curated databases revealed 7 bacterial and 17 ascomycete taxa in A. canescens, and 5 bacterial taxa in A. torreyi. Additional diversity was observed among isolates and clone libraries. Micropropagated Atriplex retains a complex, intimately associated microbiome which includes diverse strains well poised to interact in manners that influence host physiology. Microbiome analysis was facilitated by high throughput sequencing methods, but primer biases continue to limit recovery of diverse sequences from even moderately complex communities.

Associative cortex features in the first olfactory brain relay station.

Synchronized firing of mitral cells (MCs) in the olfactory bulb (OB) has been hypothesized to help bind information together in olfactory cortex (OC). In this survey of synchronized firing by suspected MCs in awake, behaving vertebrates, we find the surprising result that synchronized firing conveys information on odor value ("Is it rewarded?") rather than odor identity ("What is the odor?"). We observed that as mice learned to discriminate between odors, synchronous firing responses to the rewarded and unrewarded odors became divergent. Furthermore, adrenergic blockage decreases the magnitude of odor divergence of synchronous trains, suggesting that MCs contribute to decision-making through adrenergic-modulated synchronized firing. Thus, in the olfactory system information on stimulus reward is found in MCs one synapse away from the sensory neuron.

Cross-species comparison of metabolite profiles in chemosensory epithelia: an indication of metabolite roles in chemosensory cells.

Comparative studies of chemosensory systems in vertebrates and invertebrates have greatly enhanced our understanding of anatomical and physiological constraints of chemical detection. Immunohistochemical comparisons of chemosensory systems are difficult to make across species due to limited cross-reactivity of mammalian-based antibodies. Immunostaining chemosensory tissues with glutaraldehyde-based antibodies generated against small metabolites in combination with hierarchical cluster analyses provide a novel approach for identifying and classifying cell types regardless of species. We used this "metabolite profiling" technique to determine whether metabolite profiles can be used to identify cell classes within and across different species including mouse, zebrafish, lobster and squid. Within a species, metabolite profiles for distinct cell classes were generally consistent. We found several metabolite-based cell classifications that mirrored function or receptor protein-based classifications. Although profiles of all six metabolites differed across species, we found that specific metabolites were associated with certain cell types. For example, elevated levels of glutathione were characteristic of nonsensory cells from vertebrates, suggesting an antioxidative role in non-neuronal cells in sensory tissues. Collectively, we found significantly different metabolite profiles for distinct cell populations in chemosensory tissue within all of the species studied. Based on their roles in other systems or cells, we discuss the roles of L-arginine, L-aspartate, L-glutamate, glycine, glutathione, and taurine within chemosensory epithelia.

Odorant responsiveness of squid olfactory receptor neurons.

In the olfactory organ of the squid, Lolliguncula brevis there are five morphological types of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Previous work to characterize odor sensitivity of squid ORNs was performed on only two of the five types in dissociated primary cell cultures. Here, we sought to establish the odorant responsiveness of all five types. We exposed live squid or intact olfactory organs to excitatory odors plus the activity marker, agmatine (AGB), an arginine derivative that enters cells through nonselective cation channels. An antibody against AGB was used to identify odorant-activated neurons. We were able to determine the ORN types of AGB-labeled cells based on their location in the epithelium, morphology and immunolabeling by a set of metabolites: arginine, aspartate, glutamate, glycine, and glutathione. Of 389 neurons identified from metabolite-labeled tissue, 3% were type 1, 32% type 2, 33% type 3, 15% type 4, and 17% type 5. Each ORN type had different odorant specificity with type 3 cells showing the highest percentages of odorant-stimulated AGB labeling. Type 1 cells were rare and none of the identified type 1 cells responded to the tested odorants, which included glutamate, alanine and AGB. Glutamate is a behaviorally attractive odorant and elicited AGB labeling in types 2 and 3. Glutamate-activated AGB labeling was significantly reduced in the presence of the adenylate cyclase inhibitor, SQ22536 (80 microM). These data suggest that the five ORN types differ in their relative abundance and odor responsiveness and that the adenylate cyclase pathway is involved in squid olfactory transduction.

Do symbiotic microbes have a role in plant evolution, performance and response to stress?

Vascular plants have been considered as autonomous organisms especially when their performance has been interpreted at the genome and cellular level. In reality, vascular plants provide a unique ecological niche for diverse communities of cryptic symbiotic microbes which often contribute multiple benefits, such as enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient and water use and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress. These benefits are similar to improvements sought by plant scientists working to develop ecologically sustainable crops for food, fiber and biofuels.Native desert plants include a community of indigenous endosymbiotic fungi that are structural components with cells, tissues, cell cultures and regenerated plants. These fungi regulate plant growth and development and contribute genes and natural products that enable plants to adapt to changing environments. A method developed for transferring these endophytes from cell cultures to non-host plants promises to be a revolutionary approach for the development of novel plant germplasm and has application in the field of plant biotechnology.