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Most individuals with Parkinson's disease experience cognitive decline. Mounting evidence suggests this is partially caused by cholinergic denervation due to α-synuclein pathology in the cholinergic basal forebrain. Alpha-synuclein deposition causes inflammation, which can be measured with free water fraction, a diffusion MRI-derived metric of extracellular water. Prior studies have shown an association between basal forebrain integrity and cognition, cholinergic levels and cognition, and basal forebrain volume and acetylcholine, but no study has directly investigated whether basal forebrain physiology mediates the relationship between acetylcholine and cognition in Parkinson's disease. We investigated the relationship between these variables in a cross-sectional analysis of 101 individuals with Parkinson's disease. Cholinergic levels were measured using fluorine-18 fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol (18F-FEOBV) PET imaging. Cholinergic innervation regions of interest included the medial, lateral capsular and lateral perisylvian regions and the hippocampus. Brain volume and free water fraction were quantified using T1 and diffusion MRI, respectively. Cognitive measures included composites of attention/working memory, executive function, immediate memory and delayed memory. Data were entered into parallel mediation analyses with the cholinergic projection areas as predictors, cholinergic basal forebrain volume and free water fraction as mediators and each cognitive domain as outcomes. All mediation analyses controlled for age, years of education, levodopa equivalency dose and systolic blood pressure. The basal forebrain integrity metrics fully mediated the relationship between lateral capsular and lateral perisylvian acetylcholine and attention/working memory, and partially mediated the relationship between medial acetylcholine and attention/working memory. Basal forebrain integrity metrics fully mediated the relationship between medial, lateral capsular and lateral perisylvian acetylcholine and free water fraction. For all mediations in attention/working memory and executive function, the free water mediation was significant, while the volume mediation was not. The basal forebrain integrity metrics fully mediated the relationship between hippocampal acetylcholine and delayed memory and partially mediated the relationship between lateral capsular and lateral perisylvian acetylcholine and delayed memory. The volume mediation was significant for the hippocampal and lateral perisylvian models, while free water fraction was not. Free water fraction in the cholinergic basal forebrain mediated the relationship between acetylcholine and attention/working memory and executive function, while cholinergic basal forebrain volume mediated the relationship between acetylcholine in temporal regions in memory. These findings suggest that these two metrics reflect different stages of neurodegenerative processes and add additional evidence for a relationship between pathology in the basal forebrain, acetylcholine denervation and cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how the early stages of sexual signal diversification proceed is critically important because these microevolutionary dynamics directly shape species trajectories and impact macroevolutionary patterns. Unfortunately, studying this is challenging because signals involve complex interactions between behavior, morphology, and physiology, much of which can only be measured in real-time. In Hawaii, male Pacific field cricket song attracts both females and a deadly parasitoid fly. Over the past two decades, there has been a marked increase in signal variation in Hawaiian populations of these crickets, including novel male morphs with distinct mating songs. We capitalize on this rare opportunity to track changes in morph composition over time in a population with three novel morphs, investigating how mate and parasitoid attraction (components of sexual and natural selection) may shape signal evolution. We find dramatic fluctuation in morph proportions over the three years of the study, including the arrival and rapid increase of one novel morph. Natural and sexual selection pressures act differently among morphs, with some more attractive to mates and others more protected from parasitism. Collectively, our results suggest that differential protection from parasitism among morphs, rather than mate attraction, aligns with recent patterns of phenotypic change in the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding wound healing is imperative for the dermatological physician to optimize surgical outcomes. Poor healing may result in negative functional, cosmetic and psychological sequelae. This review briefly outlines the physiology of wound healing, with a view to improving the management of wounds and scars, and minimizing the long-term scarring complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Taxodium hybrid 'Zhongshanshan' 406 (Taxodium mucronatum Tenore ×  Taxodium distichum ; Taxodium 406) is an extremely flooding-tolerant woody plant, the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying acclimation of its roots to long-term flooding remain largely unknown. Thus, we exposed saplings of Taxodium 406 to either non-flooding (control) or flooding for 2 months. Flooding resulted in reduced root biomass, which is in line with lower concentrations of citrate, α-ketoglutaric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in Taxodium 406 roots. Flooding led to elevated activities of pyruvate decarboxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase, which is consistent with higher lactate concentration in the roots of Taxodium 406. Flooding brought about stimulated activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase and elevated reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration and GSH/oxidized glutathione, which is in agreement with reduced concentrations of O2− and H2O2 in Taxodium 406 roots. The levels of starch, soluble protein, indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellin A4 and jasmonate were decreased, whereas the concentrations of glucose, total non-structural carbohydrates, most amino acids and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) were improved in the roots of flooding-treated Taxodium 406. Underlying these changes in growth and physiological characteristics, 12,420 mRNAs and 42 miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed, and 886 miRNA–mRNA pairs were identified in the roots of flooding-exposed Taxodium 406. For instance, 1- aminocyclopropane- 1 -carboxylate synthase 8 (ACS8) was a target of Th-miR162-3p and 1 -aminocyclopropane- 1 -carboxylate oxidase 4 (ACO4) was a target of Th-miR166i, and the downregulation of Th-miR162-3p and Th-miR166i results in the upregulation of ACS8 and ACO4 , probably bringing about higher ACC content in flooding-treated roots. Overall, these results indicate that differentially expressed mRNA and miRNAs are involved in regulating tricarboxylic acid cycle, ATP production, fermentation, and metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and phytohormones, as well as reactive oxygen species detoxification of Taxodium 406 roots. These processes play pivotal roles in acclimation to flooding stress. These results will improve our understanding of the molecular and physiological bases underlying woody plant flooding acclimation and provide valuable insights into breeding-flooding tolerant trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female advertisement of reproductive state and receptivity has the potential to play a large role in the mating systems of many taxa, but investigations of this phenomenon are underrepresented in the literature. North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are highly territorial and engage in scramble competition mating, with males converging from spatially disparate territories to engage in mating chases. Given the narrow estrus window exhibited in this species, the ubiquitous use of vocalizations to advertise territory ownership, and the high synchronicity of males arriving from distant territories, we hypothesized that female vocalizations contain cues relating to their estrous state. To test this hypothesis, we examined the spectral and temporal properties of female territorial rattle vocalizations collected from females of known reproductive condition over 3 years. While we found no distinct changes associated with estrus specifically, we did identify significant changes in the spectral characteristics of rattles relating to both female body mass and reproductive state relative to parturition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence of changes in vocal characteristics associated with late pregnancy in a nonhuman mammal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within a spike of wheat, the central spikelets usually generate three to four fertile florets, while the basal spikelets generate zero to one fertile floret. The physiological and transcriptional mechanism behind the difference in fertility between the basal and central spikelets is unclear. This study reports a high temporal resolution investigation of transcriptomes, number and morphology of floret primordia, and physiological traits. The W6.5–W7.5 stage was regarded as the boundary to distinguish between fertile and abortive floret primordia; those floret primordia reaching the W6.5–W7.5 stage during the differentiation phase (3–9 d after terminal spikelet stage) usually developed into fertile florets in the next dimorphism phase (12–27 d after terminal spikelet stage), whereas the others aborted. The central spikelets had a greater number of fertile florets than the basal spikelets, which was associated with more floret primordia reaching the W6.5–W7.5 stage. Physiological and transcriptional results demonstrated that the central spikelets had a higher sucrose content and lower abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation than the basal spikelets due to down-regulation of genes involved in ABA and JA synthesis. Collectively, we propose a model in which ABA and JA accumulation is induced under limiting sucrose availability (basal spikelet) through the up-regulation of genes involved in ABA and JA synthesis; this leads to floret primordia in the basal spikelets failing to reach their fertile potential (W6.5–W7.5 stage) during the differentiation phase and then aborting. This fertility repression model may also regulate spikelet fertility in other cereal crops and potentially provides genetic resources to improve spikelet fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translational bioinformatics and data science play a crucial role in biomarker discovery as it enables translational research and helps to bridge the gap between the bench research and the bedside clinical applications. Thanks to newer and faster molecular profiling technologies and reducing costs, there are many opportunities for researchers to explore the molecular and physiological mechanisms of diseases. Biomarker discovery enables researchers to better characterize patients, enables early detection and intervention/prevention and predicts treatment responses. Due to increasing prevalence and rising treatment costs, mental health (MH) disorders have become an important venue for biomarker discovery with the goal of improved patient diagnostics, treatment and care. Exploration of underlying biological mechanisms is the key to the understanding of pathogenesis and pathophysiology of MH disorders. In an effort to better understand the underlying mechanisms of MH disorders, we reviewed the major accomplishments in the MH space from a bioinformatics and data science perspective, summarized existing knowledge derived from molecular and cellular data and described challenges and areas of opportunities in this space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As climate change exacerbates drought stress in many parts of the world, understanding plant physiological mechanisms for drought survival is critical to predicting ecosystem responses. Stem net photosynthesis, which is common in arid environments, may be a drought survival trait, but whether the additional carbon fixed by stems contributes to plant hydraulic function and drought survival in arid land plants is untested. We conducted a stem light-exclusion experiment on saplings of a widespread North American desert tree species, Parkinsonia florida L. and after shading acclimation, we then subjected half of the plants to a drought treatment to test the interaction between light exclusion and water limitation on growth, leaf and stem photosynthetic gas exchange, xylem embolism assessed with micro-computed tomography and gravimetric techniques, and survival. Growth, stem photosynthetic gas exchange, hydraulic function and survival all showed expected reductions in response to light exclusion. However, stem photosynthesis mitigated the drought-induced reductions in gas exchange, xylem embolism (percent loss of conductivity, PLC) and mortality. The highest mortality was in the combined light exclusion and drought treatment, and was related to stem PLC and native sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity. This research highlights the integration of carbon economy and water transport. Our results show that additional carbon income by photosynthetic stems has an important role in the growth and survival of a widespread desert tree species during drought. This shift in function under conditions of increasing stress underscores the importance of considering stem photosynthesis for predicting drought-induced mortality not only for the additional supply of carbon, but also for its extended benefits for hydraulic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physiology underlying reduced cardiac pumping capacity in women compared with men and its interaction with aging remains unresolved. Herein, the pressure gradient (PG) driving venous return was manipulated to evidence whether cardiac structure and/or function explain sex differences in cardiac capacity. Healthy women/men matched by age and physical activity were included within young (n  = 40, age = 25 ± 4 years) and older (n  = 55, age = 60 ± 8 years) groups. Cardiac volumes/output (Q) were assessed up-to-peak exercise under 2 hemodynamic conditions ("low"/"high" PG between lower/upper body). Main outcomes included sex differences in delta ("high" − "low" PG) left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (∆LVEDV), stroke volume (∆SV), and Q (∆Q). In young individuals, "high"-PG increased exercise LVEDV and SV in men (p  ≤ .002), but not in women (p  ≥ .562), relative to "low"-PG (control condition). Accordingly, peak ∆LVEDV, ∆SV, and ∆Q were enhanced in young men versus young women (p  ≤ .019). Notwithstanding, right/left atrial volumes during exercise were similarly increased by "high"-PG in both young sexes (p  ≤ .007). "High"-PG exclusively prolonged moderate exercise LV filling time in young men (p  ≤ .036). In older individuals, "high"-PG did not modify exercise cardiac volumes and reduced LV diastolic function (p  ≤ .049). In conclusion, the female young heart is unrestrained by venous return or structural factors external to the myocardium. As determined during moderate exercise, impaired LV filling time lengthening limits female-specific cardiac capacity. With older age, cardiac chambers are not distended and LV relaxation is impaired with increased PG in both sexes. During early but not late adulthood, a functional LV limitation may explain sex differences in cardiac capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified atmosphere is effective in controlling Tribolium castaneum Herbst, but it has adaptations. Comprehending the potential mechanism of resistance to T. castaneum in a modified atmosphere will help advance related management methods. This study conducted a comparative transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis to understand the physiological mechanism of T. castaneum in adapting to CO2 stress. Results showed that there were a large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in T. castaneum treated with different concentrations of CO2. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed significant enrichment of DEGs mainly in binding, catalytic activity, cell, membrane, membrane part, protein-containing complex, biological regulation, and cellular and metabolic process. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that different treatments had different effects on the metabolic pathways of T. castaneum. DEGs induced by 25% CO2 were involved in arginine and proline metabolism, and 50% air + 50% CO2 treatment affected most kinds of metabolic pathways, mainly the signal transduction pathway, including PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, neurotrophin signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, and thyroid hormone signaling. Ribosome and DNA replication were enriched under high CO2 stress (75% and 95%). The metabolomics revealed that different concentrations of CO2 treatments might inhibit the growth of T. castaneum through acidosis, or they may adapt to anoxic conditions through histamine and N-acetylhistamine. Multiple analyses have shown significant changes in histamine and N-acetylhistamine levels, as well as their associated genes, with increasing CO2 concentration. In conclusion, this study comprehensively revealed the molecular mechanism of T. castaneum responding to CO2 stress and provided the basis for an effectively modified atmosphere in the T. castaneum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyrtopleura costata is a pholadid bivalve that inhabits tidal flats inside burrows c. 40 cm deep, and its visceral mass outgrows its shell significantly. Thus, unlike other bivalves, it cannot isolate its soft tissues from the external environment through complete valve closure. One can thus hypothesize that this bivalve would be inevitably more exposed and susceptible to the tidal changes in salinity. No information regarding its osmoregulatory physiology has been found in the literature. We thus investigated how its fluids would respond to seawater dilution and seawater concentration, and how its tissues would be able to keep their moisture content. Individuals of C. costata were acclimated to 30‰ and then independently exposed stepwise (1 h for each 5‰ change) to 25, 20, 15 and 10‰ or to 35, 40, 45 and 50‰. Isolated tissue slices obtained from control animals (30‰) of siphon, mantle and muscle were exposed in vitro to salines corresponding to salinities of 10, 30 and 50‰. Cyrtopleura costata responded as a typical euryhaline osmoconformer between 25 and 40‰, with haemolymph and mantle cavity water being isosmotic to the external medium. However, some 'buffering' of haemolymph osmolality was displayed in the most extreme salinities, 10–20‰ and 45–50‰. This could result from muscle contraction and other cellular responses, reducing 'apparent permeability' and diffusive fluxes; the muscle was the tissue with the highest capacity to maintain constant hydration despite significant osmotic challenge. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments indicated a higher tolerance of salinity increases than decreases. Thus, if global and local changes in climate and precipitation rates result in more frequent seawater dilution in its habitat, the area occupied by its realized niche may be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective There are well-described impacts of biological rhythms on human physiology. With the increasing push for routine blood tests for preventative medical care and clinical and physiological research, optimizing effectiveness is paramount. This study aimed to determine whether it is feasible to assess diurnal variations of peripheral lymphocyte prevalence using finger prick blood in a small sample size. Methods Using polychromatic flow cytometry, the prevalence of lymphocytes was assessed using 25 µL fingertip blood samples at 8 AM and 5 PM from 8 participants. Results TH cells and B cells showed significantly higher percentages in the 5 PM samples, whereas NK cells demonstrated a significantly higher morning percentage. T cells, leukocytes, and cytotoxic T cells showed no significant changes. Conclusion The detection of diurnal variations demonstrates that small blood volumes can be used to detect lymphocyte variations. The lower blood volume required provides a new testing method for clinical and research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neritid snail Theodoxus fluviatilis is found across habitats differing in salinity, from shallow waters along the coast of the Baltic Sea to lakes throughout Europe. Living close to the water surface makes this species vulnerable to changes in salinity in their natural habitat, and the lack of a free-swimming larval stage limits this species' dispersal. Together, these factors have resulted in a patchy distribution of quite isolated populations differing in their salinity tolerances. In preparation for investigating the mechanisms underlying the physiological differences in osmoregulation between populations that cannot be explained solely by phenotypic plasticity, we present here an annotated draft genome assembly for T. fluviatilis , generated using PacBio long reads, Illumina short reads, and transcriptomic data. While the total assembly size (1045 kb) is similar to those of related species, it remains highly fragmented (N scaffolds = 35,695; N50 = 74 kb) though moderately high in complete gene content (BUSCO single copy complete: 74.3%, duplicate: 2.6%, fragmented: 10.6%, missing: 12.5% using metazoa n = 954). Nevertheless, we were able to generate gene annotations of 21,220 protein-coding genes (BUSCO single copy complete: 65.1%, duplicate: 16.7%, fragmented: 9.1%, missing: 9.1% using metazoa n = 954). Not only will this genome facilitate comparative evolutionary studies across Gastropoda, as this is the first genome assembly for the basal snail family Neritidae, it will also greatly facilitate the study of salinity tolerance in this species. Additionally, we discuss the challenges of working with a species where high molecular weight DNA isolation is very difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES In this study, we aimed to compare infants with univentricular hearts who underwent an initial ductus stenting to those receiving a surgical systemic-to-pulmonary shunt (SPS). METHODS All infants with univentricular heart and ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow who underwent initial palliation with either a ductus stenting or a surgical SPS between 2009 and 2022 were reviewed. Outcomes were compared after ductus stenting or SPS including survival, probability of re-interventions and the probability to reach stage II palliations. RESULTS A total of 130 patients were evaluated, including 49 ductus stenting and 81 SPSs. The most frequent primary diagnosis was tricuspid atresia in 27, followed by pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum in 19 patients. There was comparable hospital mortality (2.0% stent vs 3.7% surgery, P  = 0.91) between the groups, but shorter intensive care unit stay (median 1 vs 7 days, P  < 0.01) and shorter hospital stay (median 7 vs 17 days, P  < 0.01) were observed in patients with initial ductus stenting, compared to those with SPS. However, acute procedure-related complications were more frequently observed in patients with ductus stenting, compared with those with SPS (20.4 vs 6.2%, P  = 0.01), and 10 patients needed a shunt procedure after the initial ductus stent. The cumulative incidence of reaching stage II was similar between ductus stenting and SPS (88.0 vs 90.6% at 12 months, P  = 0.735). Pulmonary artery (PA) index (median 194 vs 219 mm2/m2, P  = 0.93) at stage II was similar between patients with ductus stenting and SPS. However, the ratio of the left to the right PA index [0.69 (0.45–0.95) vs 0.86 (0.51–0.84), P  = 0.015] was higher in patients who reached stage II with surgical shunt physiology, compared with patients with ductus stent physiology. CONCLUSIONS After initial ductus stenting in infants with univentricular heart, survival is comparable and post-procedural recovery shorter, but more acute stent dysfunctions and lower development of left PA are observed, compared to acute shunt dysfunctions. The less invasive procedure and shorter hospital stay are at the expense of more stent reinterventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence supports a major role for abiotic stress response in the success of plant polyploids, which usually thrive in harsh environments. However, understanding the ecophysiology of polyploids is challenging due to interactions between genome doubling and natural selection. Here, we investigated physiological responses, gene expression, and the epiphenotype of two related Dianthus broteri cytotypes—with different genome duplications (4× and 12×) and evolutionary trajectories—to short extreme temperature events (42/28 °C and 9/5 °C). The 12× cytotype showed higher expression of stress-responsive genes (SWEET1 , PP2C16 , AI5L3 , and ATHB7) and enhanced gas exchange compared with 4×. Under heat stress, both ploidies had greatly impaired physiological performance and altered gene expression, with reduced cytosine methylation. However, the 12× cytotype exhibited remarkable physiological tolerance (maintaining gas exchange and water status via greater photochemical integrity and probably enhanced water storage) while down-regulating PP2C16 expression. Conversely, 4× D. broteri was susceptible to thermal stress despite prioritizing water conservation, showing signs of non-stomatal photosynthetic limitations and irreversible photochemical damage. This cytotype also presented gene-specific expression patterns under heat, up-regulating ATHB7. These findings provide insights into divergent stress response strategies and physiological resistance resulting from polyploidy, highlighting its widespread influence on plant function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisms are experiencing higher average temperatures and greater temperature variability because of anthropogenic climate change. Some populations respond to changes in temperature by shifting their ranges or adjusting their phenotypes via plasticity and/or evolution, while others go extinct. Predicting how populations will respond to temperature changes is challenging because extreme and unpredictable climate changes will exert novel selective pressures. For this reason, there is a need to understand the physiological mechanisms that regulate organismal responses to temperature changes. In vertebrates, glucocorticoid hormones mediate physiological and behavioral responses to environmental stressors and thus are likely to play an important role in how vertebrates respond to global temperature changes. Glucocorticoids have cascading effects that influence the phenotype and fitness of individuals, and some of these effects can be transmitted to offspring via trans- or intergenerational effects. Consequently, glucocorticoid-mediated responses could affect populations and could even be a powerful driver of rapid evolutionary change. Here, we present a conceptual framework that outlines how temperature changes due to global climate change could affect population persistence via glucocorticoid responses within and across generations (via epigenetic modifications). We briefly review glucocorticoid physiology, the interactions between environmental temperatures and glucocorticoid responses, and the phenotypic consequences of glucocorticoid responses within and across generations. We then discuss possible hypotheses for how glucocorticoid-mediated phenotypic effects might impact fitness and population persistence via evolutionary change. Finally, we pose pressing questions to guide future research. Understanding the physiological mechanisms that underpin the responses of vertebrates to elevated temperatures will help predict population-level responses to the changing climates we are experiencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress poses a serious threat to grain formation in wheat. Nitrogen (N) plays crucial roles in plant organ development; however, the physiological mechanisms by which drought stress affects plant N availability and mediates the formation of grains in spikes of winter wheat are still unclear. In this study, we determined that pre-reproductive drought stress significantly reduced the number of fertile florets and the number of grains formed. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that this was related to N metabolism, and in particular, the metabolism pathways of arginine (the main precursor for synthesis of polyamine) and proline. Continuous drought stress restricted plant N accumulation and reallocation rates, and plants preferentially allocated more N to spike development. As the activities of amino acid biosynthesis enzymes and catabolic enzymes were inhibited, more free amino acids accumulated in young spikes. The expression of polyamine synthase genes was down-regulated under drought stress, whilst expression of genes encoding catabolic enzymes was enhanced, resulting in reductions in endogenous spermidine and putrescine. Treatment with exogenous spermidine optimized N allocation in young spikes and leaves, which greatly alleviated the drought-induced reduction in the number of grains per spike. Overall, our results show that pre-reproductive drought stress affects wheat grain numbers by regulating N redistribution and polyamine metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbiome-based solutions are regarded key for sustainable agroecosystems. However, it is unclear how agricultural practices affect the rhizosphere microbiome, plant–microorganism interactions and crop performance under field conditions. Therefore, we installed root observation windows in a winter wheat field cultivated either under long-term mouldboard plough (MP) or cultivator tillage (CT). Each tillage practice was also compared at two nitrogen (N) fertilization intensities, intensive (recommended N-supply with pesticides/growth regulators) or extensive (reduced N-supply, no fungicides/growth regulators). Shoot biomass, root exudates and rhizosphere metabolites, physiological stress indicators, and gene expression were analyzed together with the rhizosphere microbiome (bacterial/archaeal 16S rRNA gene, fungal ITS amplicon, and shotgun metagenome sequencing) shortly before flowering. Compared to MP, the rhizosphere of CT winter wheat contained more primary and secondary metabolites, especially benzoxazinoid derivatives. Potential copiotrophic and plant-beneficial taxa (e.g. Bacillus, Devosia , and Trichoderma) as well as functional genes (e.g. siderophore production, trehalose synthase, and ACC deaminase) were enriched in the CT rhizosphere, suggesting that tillage affected belowground plant–microorganism interactions. In addition, physiological stress markers were suppressed in CT winter wheat compared to MP. In summary, tillage practice was a major driver of crop performance, root deposits, and rhizosphere microbiome interactions, while the N-fertilization intensity was also relevant, but less important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Heart transplantation (HT) is the only life-extending therapy in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) and end-stage heart failure. HT is considered at high risk in complex CHD given the anatomical complexity and past medical history. Little is known about long-term outcomes after HT in these patients. We aimed to evaluate early and long-term outcomes after HT in adult patients with univentricular versus biventricular CHD. METHODS This multicentre retrospective cohort study included all adult CHD patients who underwent HT between 1988 and 2021 in 3 tertiary centres. Factors associated with early (<30 days) and conditional long-term survival were assessed in the entire cohort. RESULTS Over a mean follow-up of 10.1 ± 7.8 years, 149 patients were included, of whom 55 (36.9%) had univentricular CHD. Sixty-four patients died during follow-up including 47 deaths before discharge from hospital. In multivariable analysis, univentricular physiology and female recipient gender were independently associated with a higher risk of early mortality (odds ratio 2.99; 95% confidence interval [1.33–6.74] and odds ratio 2.76; 95% confidence interval [1.23–6.20], respectively). For patients who survived the early period, conditional long-term survival was excellent for both groups and was not different between 2 groups (P  = 0.764). CONCLUSIONS Adult CHD patients have a high incidence of overall mortality due to a high rate of early mortality. Univentricular physiology was associated with a significant increased risk of early death compared to biventricular physiology. However, late mortality was excellent and no longer different between the 2 physiologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining body condition is an important life history challenge that directly impacts individual fitness and is particularly important for hibernating animals, whose maintenance of adequate body fat and mass is essential for survival. It is well-documented that host-associated microorganisms play a vital role in animal physiology and behavior. Recent work demonstrates that gut microbes are associated with fat accumulation and obesity, particularly the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The focus of most microbiome studies has been on human health or involved lab-reared animals used as a model system. However, these microbes likely are important for individual fitness in wild populations and provide potential mechanistic insights into the adaptability and survival of wildlife. Here we tested whether symbiotic microorganisms within the phyla of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were associated with summer mass gain in an exceptionally well-studied wild population of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) by analyzing 207 fecal samples collected over 5 summer active seasons. Results showed that marmots with higher mass gain rates had a greater relative abundance of Firmicutes. In contrast, a higher relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was associated with lower mass gain rates, but only for marmots living in harsher environments. Similar patterns were found at the family level where Ruminococcaceae, a member of Firmicutes, was associated with higher mass gain rates, and Muribaculaceae, a member of Bacteroidetes, was associated with lower mass gain rates in harsher environments. Although correlative, these results highlight the potential importance of symbiotic gut microbiota to mass gain in the wild—a trait associated with survival and fitness in many taxonomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomere length (TL) is known to covary with a suite of physiological traits involved in energy balances that may influence breeding success. Thus, TL may be an indicator of individual quality, influencing mate choice and breeding strategies. In the Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster), a long-lived seabird, we investigated in a total of 72 pairs whether TL may indicate the individual physiological phenotype by examining how it relates to mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and corticosterone (CORT) levels. Then, we tested if TL is associated with mating patterns by looking for covariation with skin coloration (a condition-dependent sexual trait), whether there is assortative mating by TL, and if the degree of TL similarity between partners influences an individual’s likelihood of changing mates between reproductive seasons. Because environmental conditions can have important effects on the condition and reproductive strategies of individuals, the study was performed in 2 colonies with contrasting breeding conditions. We found that TL was positively related to mtDNAcn (but not CORT levels), suggesting that individuals with shorter telomeres may have a reduced mitochondrial density. TL was reflected in sexual coloration, but only in the colony with good breeding conditions. There was positive assortative mating by TL; however, the degree of assortative mating was unrelated to the probability of mate change, which greatly varied between the 2 colonies. Our results suggest that TL is associated with the physiological phenotype of individuals and their breeding patterns. Importantly, contrasting environmental conditions influenced the link between TL and sexual coloration and the propensity of individuals to change mate, highlighting the importance of environmental variation on mating patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) provides an opportunity to rapidly and non-destructively investigate how plants respond to stress. Here, we explored the potential of SIF to detect the effects of elevated O3 on soybean in the field where soybean was subjected to ambient and elevated O3 throughout the growing season in 2021. Exposure to elevated O3 resulted in a significant decrease in canopy SIF at 760 nm (SIF760), with a larger decrease in the late growing season (36%) compared with the middle growing season (13%). Elevated O3 significantly decreased the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation by 8–15% in the middle growing season and by 35% in the late growing stage. SIF760 escape ratio (f esc) was significantly increased under elevated O3 by 5–12% in the late growth stage due to a decrease of leaf chlorophyll content and leaf area index. Fluorescence yield of the canopy was reduced by 5–11% in the late growing season depending on the f esc estimation method, during which leaf maximum carboxylation rate and maximum electron transport were significantly reduced by 29% and 20% under elevated O3. These results demonstrated that SIF could capture the elevated O3 effect on canopy structure and acceleration of senescence in soybean and provide empirical support for using SIF for soybean stress detection and phenotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has universally affected the whole ecosystem in a unified manner and is known to have improbable effects on agricultural productivity and food security. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature are the major environmental factors that have been shown to increase sharply during the last century and are directly responsible for affecting plant growth and development. A number of previous investigations have deliberated the positive effects of elevated CO2 on plant growth and development of various C3 crops, while detrimental effects of enhanced temperature on different crop plants like rice, wheat, maize and legumes are generally observed. A combined effect of elevated CO2 and temperature has yet to be studied in great detail; therefore, this review attempts to delineate the interactive effects of enhanced CO2 and temperature on plant growth, development, physiological and molecular responses. Elevated CO2 maintains leaf photosynthesis rate, respiration, transpiration and stomatal conductance in the presence of elevated temperature and sustains plant growth and productivity in the presence of both these environmental factors. Concomitantly, their interaction also affects the nutritional quality of seeds and leads to alterations in the composition of secondary metabolites. Elevated CO2 and temperature modulate phytohormone concentration in plants, and due to this fact, both environmental factors have substantial effects on abiotic and biotic stresses. Elevated CO2 and temperature have been shown to have mitigating effects on plants in the presence of other abiotic stress agents like drought and salinity, while no such pattern has been observed in the presence of biotic stress agents. This review focuses on the interactive effects of enhanced CO2 and temperature on different plants and is the first of its kind to deliver their combined responses in such detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased soil nutrient availability can promote tree growth while drought impairs metabolic functioning and induces tree mortality. However, limited information is available about the role of nutrients in the drought responses of trees. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings, which were subjected to three fertilization treatments in the first year and two water regimes in the second year. Old and newly fixed carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) allocation were traced by dual labeling with 13C and 15N tracers, respectively, at two time points. Leaf gas exchange, biomass, as well as N and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations of all organs were measured. Fertilization predisposed sessile oak to drought-induced mortality, mainly by prioritizing aboveground growth, C and N allocation, reducing root NSC concentrations and decreasing old C contribution to new growth of leaves. In contrast, fertilization did not additionally predispose Scots pine to drought, with minor effects of fertilization and drought on newly fixed and old C allocation, tissues N and NSC concentrations. The role of nutrients for drought responses of trees seems to be species-specific. Therefore, we suggest nutrient availability and species identity to be considered in the framework of physiological mechanisms affecting drought-induced mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nineteenth-century Britain, the antivivisection movement attracted a striking number of authors, poets, and playwrights, who attended meetings, signed petitions, contributed funds, and lent their pens to the cause. However, the language of vivisection extended far beyond literature with a purpose, seeping into the heart of late-Victorian literary debates. This article explores analogies of writing as vivisection in literary-critical discourse. Surveying the newspapers and periodicals of the period demonstrates that such terminology was remarkably sprawling in terms of the genres and authors it was applied to and the meanings it conveyed. Essayists and reviewers also used metaphors relating to experimental physiology's modus operandi to shape and articulate key methodological and ideological principles that were emerging in late-Victorian literary-critical theory and practice. These included discussions of how to analyse living authors and contemporary works, conceptualizations of whether critical operations should produce social benefits, and considerations of the aesthetic and technical opportunities that literary or critical vivisection offered or, indeed, prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane protein TMEM120A (also known as TACAN) was presumed to be both a mechanically activated molecule and a lipid-modifying enzyme. TMEM120A has been identified as a negative regulator of the essential excitatory mechanosensitive protein PIEZO2. However, the extent to which TMEM120A mediates PIEZO2's activity during physiological processes remains largely unknown. In this study, we used the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive tract to explore the functional contribution of tmem-120 , the sole TMEM120A/B ortholog, and its genetic interaction with pezo-1 in vivo. tmem-120 was expressed throughout the C. elegans development, particularly in the germline, embryos, and spermatheca. A tmem-120 mutant with a full-length deletion (tmem-120 Δ) displayed deformed germline, maternal sterility, and a reduced brood size. In vivo live imaging revealed that pinched zygotes were frequently observed in the uterus of tmem-120 Δ mutant animals, suggesting damage during spermathecal contraction. We then employed the auxin-inducible degradation system to degrade TMEM-120 protein in all somatic tissues or the germline, both of which resulted in reduced brood sizes. These findings suggested that multiple inputs of tmem-120 from different tissues regulate reproduction. Lastly, the loss of tmem-120 alleviated the brood size reduction and defective sperm navigation behavior in the pezo-1 Δ mutant. Overall, our findings reveal a role for tmem-120 in regulating reproductive physiology in C. elegans , and suggest an epistatic interaction between pezo-1 and tmem-120 when governing proper reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The sugar kelp Saccharina latissima is a Laminariales species widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. Its physiology and ecology have been studied since the 1960s, given its ecological relevance on western temperate coasts. However, research interest has been rising recently, driven mainly by reports of negative impacts of anthropogenically induced environmental change and by the increased commercial interest in cultivating the species, with several industrial applications for the resulting biomass. Scope We used a variety of sources published between 2009 to May 2023 (but including some earlier literature where required), to provide a comprehensive review of the ecology, physiology, biochemical and molecular biology of S. latissima. In so doing we aimed to better understand the species' response to stressors in natural communities, but also inform the sustainable cultivation of the species. Conclusion Due to its wide distribution, S. latissima has developed a variety of physiological and biochemical mechanisms to adjust to environmental changes, including adjustments in photosynthetic parameters, modulation of osmolytes and antioxidants, reprogramming of gene expression and epigenetic modifications, among others summarized in this review. This is particularly important because massive changes in the abundance and distribution of S. latissima have already been observed. Namely, presence and abundance of S. latissima has significantly decreased at the rear edges on both sides of the Atlantic, and increased in abundance at the polar regions. These changes were mainly caused by climate change and will therefore be increasingly evident in the future. Recent developments in genomics, transcriptomics and epigenomics have clarified the existence of genetic differentiation along its distributional range with implications in the fitness at some locations. The complex biotic and abiotic interactions unraveled here demonstrated the cascading effects the disappearance of a kelp forest can have in a marine ecosystem. We show how S. latissima is an excellent model to study acclimation and adaptation to environmental variability and how to predict future distribution and persistence under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In animals, epithelial tissues are barriers against the external environment, providing protection against biological, chemical, and physical damage. Depending on the organism's physiology and behavior, these tissues encounter different types of mechanical forces and need to provide a suitable adaptive response to ensure success. Therefore, understanding tissue mechanics in different contexts is an important research area. Here, we review recent tissue mechanics discoveries in three early divergent non-bilaterian systems— Trichoplax adhaerens, Hydra vulgaris , and Aurelia aurita. We highlight each animal's simple body plan and biology and unique, rapid tissue remodeling phenomena that play a crucial role in its physiology. We also discuss the emergent large-scale mechanics in these systems that arise from small-scale phenomena. Finally, we emphasize the potential of these non-bilaterian animals to be model systems in a bottom-up approach for further investigation in tissue mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human society is aging, and the percentage of the population of older adults is increasing at an unprecedented rate. It is increasingly appreciated that social behaviors change with aging. One such example is the possible aging-related reduction in dominance status. This change has been thought to underlie older adults' peculiar vulnerability to fraud, which has become a major challenge in the present aging society. However, whether this change is an inherent physiological process, and, if so, its underlying microscopic physiological mechanism, is not known. This study used groups of mice in a design that minimized effects that could confound any inherent process of dominance and verified that social dominance does inherently reduce with aging. This study further identified an aging-related microscopic functional alteration, that is, a reduction in the activity of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex; and established that this reduction in neuronal activity serves as an intrinsic physiological mechanism underlying the macroscopic aging-related reduction in dominance. This study, by exploiting modern neurobiological techniques, sheds light on our understanding of human social behaviors during aging and may help develop strategies to counter related social challenges among the older adults population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancing age and many disease states are associated with declines in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels. Preclinical studies suggest that boosting NAD+ abundance with precursor compounds, such as nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide, has profound effects on physiological function in models of aging and disease. Translation of these compounds for oral supplementation in humans has been increasingly studied within the last 10 years; however, the clinical evidence that raising NAD+ concentrations can improve physiological function is unclear. The goal of this review was to synthesize the published literature on the effects of chronic oral supplementation with NAD+ precursors on healthy aging and age-related chronic diseases. We identified nicotinamide riboside, nicotinamide riboside co-administered with pterostilbene, and nicotinamide mononucleotide as the most common candidates in investigations of NAD+-boosting compounds for improving physiological function in humans. Studies have been performed in generally healthy midlife and older adults, adults with cardiometabolic disease risk factors such as overweight and obesity, and numerous patient populations. Supplementation with these compounds is safe, tolerable, and can increase the abundance of NAD+ and related metabolites in multiple tissues. Dosing regimens and study durations vary greatly across interventions, and small sample sizes limit data interpretation of physiological outcomes. Limitations are identified and future research directions are suggested to further our understanding of the potential efficacy of NAD+-boosting compounds for improving physiological function and extending human health span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotenoids are diet-based micronutrients important in health and coloration signaling. Related species with similar diets can differ in the kinds and levels of circulating carotenoids, which suggests specific physiological mechanisms to efficiently utilize these micronutrients, regardless of their availability. We explored whether diet and parental provisioning of unusual sources of carotenoids (fresh vegetal matter and vertebrate feces) can explain the occurrence and concentrations of carotenoids in the cinereous vulture Aegypius monachus , griffon vulture Gyps fulvus , and Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus nestlings, even when these pigments appear to not be deposited in their integumentary system. A greater diversity of wild prey in diet could be behind the profile of higher concentrations of carotenoids in the Egyptian vulture, the species with carotenoid-dependent coloration during adulthood, while differences in diet composition between cinereous and griffon vultures do not translate to different carotenoid profiles. The carotenoid profile appears to not be related to the ingestion of unusual matter rich in these compounds, although the infrequent occurrence of lycopene and unidentified γ-carotene-like compounds suggest that these vultures may be exploiting vegetal matter that left no identifiable unconsumed remains in the nest of Egyptian vultures. The consumption of green plant material by griffon vultures does not result in especially high levels of carotenoids when compared to the carotenoids found in cinereous vultures, which do not consume green plant material. Ungulate feces were not provisioned to Egyptian vulture nestlings, despite the fact they contain carotenoids that adults need for appropriate coloration. Overall, this study indicates that diet differences alone appear insufficient to explain contrasting interspecific carotenoid profiles, especially since all types of food consumed are considered to be poor in carotenoids, except vegetable matter. We suggest that nestling Egyptian vultures are comparatively efficient in uptaking carotenoids present in low concentrations in food when these compounds are not deposited in their integument, which suggests allocation to other functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this scoping review was to characterize and identify knowledge gaps about the changes in skeletal muscle fiber type proportion and cross-sectional area (CSA) after stroke. Methods This scoping review followed previously proposed frameworks. A systematic search was conducted for articles examining muscle fiber type proportion and CSA in individuals with stroke in EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases from inception to December 20, 2022. Two independent authors screened and extracted the data. Results were discussed using theories proposed by the authors of the included studies. Results Of 13 studies (115 participants), 6 (46%) were case studies or case series, 6 (46%) were cross-sectional studies, and 1 (8%) was an experimental study. Studies had small sample sizes (1–23 participants) and various muscle sampling sites (6 different muscles). All 13 studies examined muscle fiber type distributions, and 6 (46%) examined CSA. Ten (77%) studies examined differences between paretic and nonparetic muscles, and 5 (38%) compared people with stroke to people without stroke. Results from 9 of 13 studies (69%) supported a greater proportion of type II muscle fibers in the paretic limb. Of those, 4 studies (42 participants), 3 studies (17 participants), and 1 study (1 participant) saw no differences, preferential type II and type I CSA loss between limbs, respectively. Conclusion Of the limited available evidence, stroke appears to result in a shift to a higher proportion of type II muscle fibers in the paretic muscles. There are mixed results for effects on muscle fiber CSA, but there is some evidence of specific atrophy of type II muscle fibers. Impact Changes in paretic skeletal muscle fibers of individuals with stroke may explain, in part, the substantial losses in strength and power in this population. Interventions to restore type II muscle fiber size may benefit people with stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants often face simultaneous abiotic and biotic stress conditions; however, physiological and transcriptional responses under such combined stress conditions are still not fully understood. Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) is susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB), which is strongly affected by weather conditions. We therefore studied the potential influence of drought on FHB severity and plant responses in three varieties of different susceptibility. We found strongly reduced FHB severity in susceptible varieties under drought. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and strength of transcriptomic regulation reflected the concentrations of physiological stress markers such as abscisic acid or fungal DNA contents. Infection-related gene expression was associated with susceptibility rather than resistance. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed 18 modules of co-expressed genes that reflected the pathogen- or drought-response in the three varieties. A generally infection-related module contained co-expressed genes for defence, programmed cell death, and mycotoxin detoxification, indicating that the diverse genotypes used a similar defence strategy towards FHB, albeit with different degrees of success. Further, DEGs showed co-expression in drought- or genotype-associated modules that correlated with measured phytohormones or the osmolyte proline. The combination of drought stress with infection led to the highest numbers of DEGs and resulted in a modular composition of the single-stress responses rather than a specific transcriptional output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural network (DNN) techniques, as an advanced machine learning framework, have allowed various image diagnoses in plants, which often achieve better prediction performance than human experts in each specific field. Notwithstanding, in plant biology, the application of DNNs is still mostly limited to rapid and effective phenotyping. The recent development of explainable CNN frameworks has allowed visualization of the features in the prediction by a convolutional neural network (CNN), which potentially contributes to the understanding of physiological mechanisms in objective phenotypes. In this study, we propose an integration of explainable CNN and transcriptomic approach to make a physiological interpretation of a fruit internal disorder in persimmon, rapid over-softening. We constructed CNN models to accurately predict the fate to be rapid softening in persimmon cv. Soshu, only with photo images. The explainable CNNs, such as Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-Class Activation Mapping (CAM)) and guided Grad-CAM, visualized specific featured regions relevant to the prediction of rapid softening, which would correspond to the premonitory symptoms in a fruit. Transcriptomic analyses to compare the featured regions of the predicted rapid-softening and control fruits suggested that rapid softening is triggered by precocious ethylene signal–dependent cell wall modification, despite exhibiting no direct phenotypic changes. Further transcriptomic comparison between the featured and non-featured regions in the predicted rapid-softening fruit suggested that premonitory symptoms reflected hypoxia and the related stress signals finally to induce ethylene signals. These results would provide a good example for the collaboration of image analysis and omics approaches in plant physiology, which uncovered a novel aspect of fruit premonitory reactions in the rapid-softening fate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean-type ecosystems provide a unique opportunity to study parasitic plant–host interactions, such as the relationship between the dominant shrub Cistus albidus L. and the root holoparasitic plant Cytinus hypocistis L. We examined this interaction (i) locally, by measuring the hormonal profiling of the interaction zone between the holoparasitic plant and the host, and (ii) systemically, by examining the hormonal profiling and physiological status of leaves from infested and uninfested plants. Furthermore, we explored how temporal variation (seasonal effects) and geographical location influenced the systemic hormonal and physiological response of leaves. Results shed light on tissue-related variations in hormones, suggesting the parasite exerted a sink effect, mainly influenced by cytokinins. Jasmonates triggered a defense response in leaves, far from the infestation point, and both jasmonates and abscisic acid (ABA) appeared to be involved in the tolerance to holoparasitism when plants were simultaneously challenged with summer drought. Parasitism did not have any major negative impact on the host, as indicated by physiological stress markers in leaves, thus indicating a high tolerance of the shrub C. albidus to the root holoparasitic plant C. hypocistis. Rather, parasitism seemed to exert a priming-like effect and some compensatory effects were observed (increased chlorophyll contents) in the host under mild climatic conditions. We conclude that (i) cytokinins, jasmonates and ABA play a role at the local and systemic levels in the response of C. albidus to the biotic stress caused by C. hypocistis , and that (ii) seasonal changes in environmental conditions and geographical location may impact holoparasitic plant-host interactions in the field, modulating the physiological response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-latitude copepod Neocalanus flemingeri exploits the spring phytoplankton bloom to accumulate lipids for survival during food-limited periods and to fuel reproduction. At some point during development, lipid-accumulation ends and pre-adults molt into adults, descend to depth and enter a state of dormancy termed "diapause." How and when they determine to make this transition is still unresolved. According to one hypothesis, the trigger is their attaining a threshold amount of "lipid fullness." Alternatively, they might follow a genetic program, entering diapause within a narrow developmental window. To better understand the decision, a 5-week laboratory experiment was conducted to assess the effect of food quantity and type on lipid accumulation, biomass and gene expression in N. flemingeri copepodite stage CV. In fed individuals, the initial rate of lipid accumulation slowed by week 5, as a portion of CVs began to molt into adults. While changes in gene expression common to all fed individuals between weeks 1 and 3 were consistent with a developmental program, the duration of the CV stage was variable. Unfed individuals maintained lipid stores initially, suggesting physiological acclimatization to conserve energy. A comparison with gene expression profiles of field-collected individuals suggests similar responses to resources in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The compensatory reserve measurement (CRM) is a continuous non-invasive monitoring technology that measures the summation of all physiological mechanisms involved in the compensatory response to central hypovolemia. The CRM is displayed on a 0% to 100% scale. The objective of this study is to characterize the use of CRM in the operative setting and determine its ability to predict hypovolemic events compared to standard vital signs. Orthotopic liver transplant was used as the reference procedure because of the predictable occurrence of significant hemodynamic shifts. Methods A prospective observational cohort study was conducted on 22 consecutive patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant. The subjects were monitored in accordance with the standard of care. The CRM data were collected concurrently with intraoperative staff blinded to the outputs. The data were stored on secure devices on encrypted files. Based on prior literature, subgroup analysis was performed for high-tolerance (good compensators) and low-tolerance (poor compensators) groups, which was based on a shock index threshold of 0.9. Threshold events were defined as follows: CRM below 60% (CRM60), systolic blood pressure (SBP) below 90 mmHg (SBP90), and heart rate (HR) above 100 beats per minute (HR100). Results Complete data were captured in 22 subjects as a result of device malfunction or procedure cancellation. Sensitivity analysis was performed for the detection of hypovolemia at the time of the event. CRM60 was the most sensitive (62.6%) when compared to other threshold measures such as SBP90 (30.6%), HR100 (23.1%), elevated lactate (54.6%), and a drop in hemoglobin (41.7%). The number of patients meeting the CRM60 threshold at the time of the first transfusion (TFX) was higher when compared to SBP90 and HR100 in the overall group (P  = .001 and P  < .001, respectively) and both the high-tolerance (P  = .002 and P  = .001, respectively) and low-tolerance groups (P  = .016 and P  = .001, respectively). Similar results supporting the higher sensitivity of CRM were observed when comparing the number of patients below the threshold at the time of the first vasopressor administration. Start time was standardized so that the time-to-threshold signals for hemodynamic and laboratory parameters could be compared. The median time-to-CRM signal detection before the TFX event was −15.0 minutes (i.e. 15 minutes before TFX). There was no difference when compared to the SBP threshold (median time −5.0 minutes, P  = .64) but was significantly sooner when compared to HR (P  = .006), lactate (P  = .002), and hemoglobin (P <.001). Conclusions At the time of the first TFX, the CRM had a higher rate of detection of a hypovolemic event compared to SBP and HR, indicating a higher sensitivity for the detection of the first hypovolemic event. When combined with all hypovolemic events, sensitivity analysis showed that CRM60 provides the earlier predictive capability. Given that SBP is the clinical standard of care for the initiation of TFX, the finding that median time to event detection was statistically similar between CRM60 and SBP90 was not unexpected. When compared to other measures of hypovolemia, the CRM consistently showed earlier detection of hypovolemic events. Although this study had a small sample size, it produced significant results and can serve as a proof of concept for future large-scale studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live birth is a key innovation that has evolved from egg-laying ancestors over 100 times in reptiles. However, egg-laying lizards and snakes can have preferred body temperatures that are lethal to developing embryos, which should select against prolonged egg retention. Here, we demonstrate that thermal mismatches between mothers and offspring are widespread across the squamate phylogeny. This mismatch is resolved by gravid females adjusting their body temperature towards the thermal optimum of their embryos. We find that the same response occurs in both live-bearing and egg-laying species, despite the latter only retaining embryos during the early stages of development. Importantly, phylogenetic reconstructions suggest this thermoregulatory behavior in gravid females evolved in egg-laying species prior to the evolution of live birth. Maternal thermoregulatory behavior, therefore, bypasses the constraints imposed by a slowly evolving thermal physiology and has likely been a key facilitator in the repeated transition to live birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain and mechanical stimulation are thought to be alarm systems that alert the brain to physical abnormalities. When we experience unpleasant feelings in infected or traumatized tissues, our awareness is directed to the afflicted region, prompting activities such as resting or licking the tissue. Despite extensive research into the molecular biology of nociceptors, it was unclear whether their role was limited to the generation and transmission of unpleasant feelings or whether they actively modulate the pathogenesis of infected or traumatized tissues. Recently, it has become clear how the sensory and immune systems interact with one another and share similar receptors and ligands to modify the pathogenesis of various diseases. In this paper, we summarize the mechanisms of crosstalk between the sensory and immune systems and the impact of this new interdisciplinary field, which should be dubbed 'senso-immunology,' on medical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galen's reception in Renaissance literature is usually studied as the reception of Galenic anatomy or humoral physiology, rather than the reception of actual texts that Galen wrote. Revising that orthodoxy, this article analyses fragmentary vernacular translations from Galen's works by Thomas Elyot, many of which are filtered through intermediary Latin translations by Thomas Linacre. This approach foregrounds the often highly literary nature of Galen's treatises, as well as the extent to which Elyot responds to Galen with a concern for style as well as content. The results contribute to scholarship on Greek translation in sixteenth-century England, which to date has neglected scientific works. New conclusions are also reached about the scale and nature of Linacre's early Tudor reception. Ultimately, Elyot's Galen translations shed new light on the burgeoning status of English as a classically validated language in the sixteenth century, and offer a case study in the value of linking medical humanities with scholarship in translation studies and classical reception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiological mechanisms underlying variation in aggression in fish remain poorly understood. One possibly confounding variable is the lack of standardization in the type of stimuli used to elicit aggression. The presentation of controlled stimuli in videos, a.k.a. video playback, can provide better control of the fight components. However, this technique has produced conflicting results in animal behavior studies and needs to be carefully validated. For this, a similar response to the video and an equivalent live stimulus needs to be demonstrated. Further, different physiological responses may be triggered by live and video stimuli, and it is important to demonstrate that video images elicit appropriate physiological reactions. Here, the behavioral and endocrine responses of male Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens to a matched-for-size conspecific fighting behind a one-way mirror, presented live or through video playback, were compared. The video playback and live stimulus elicited a strong and similar aggressive response by the focal fish, with a fight structure that started with stereotypical threat displays and progressed to overt attacks. Postfight plasma levels of the androgen 11-ketotestosterone were elevated as compared to controls, regardless of the type of stimuli. Cortisol also increased in response to the video images, as previously described for live fights in this species. These results show that the interactive component of a fight and its resolution are not needed to trigger an endocrine response to aggression in this species. The study also demonstrates for the first time in a fish a robust endocrine response to video stimuli and supports the use of this technique for researching aggressive behavior in B. splendens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the determinants of reproductive success is critical but often complicated because of complex interactions between parental traits and environmental conditions occurring during several stages of a reproductive event. Here, we used a simplified ecological situation—an amphibian species lacking post-oviposition parental care—and a laboratory approach to investigate the relationships between parental (both maternal and paternal) phenotypes (body size and condition) and reproductive success (fecundity, egg size, embryonic and larval duration, larval and metamorphic morphology). We found significant effects of maternal phenotype on fecundity, hatching success, and tadpole size, as well as on the duration of larval development. Interestingly, and more surprisingly, we also found a potential contribution of the paternal phenotype occurring during early (embryonic development duration) offspring development. Although our study focused on life-history traits such as body size and development duration, additional mechanisms involving physiological costs of development may well mediate the relationships between parental phenotypes and offspring development. Future studies are required to decipher the mechanisms underlying our findings in order to clarify the mechanistic basis of the links between parental phenotypes and offspring development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to identify the practical applications of intravenous cell therapy for single-ventricle physiology (SVP) by establishing experimental SVP models. METHODS An SVP with a three-stage palliation was constructed in an acute swine model without cardiopulmonary bypass. A modified Blalock–Taussig (MBT) shunt was created using an aortopulmonary shunt with the superior and inferior venae cavae (SVC and IVC, respectively) connected to the left atrium (n  =   10). A bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS) was constructed using a graft between the IVC and the left atrium with an SVC cavopulmonary connection (n  =   10). The SVC and the IVC were connected to the pulmonary artery to establish a total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC, n  =   10). The survival times of half of the animal models were studied. The other half and the biventricular sham control (n = 5) were injected intravenously with cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs), and the cardiac retention of CDCs was assessed after 2 h. RESULTS All SVP models died within 20 h. Perioperative mortality was higher in the BCPS group because of lower oxygen saturation (P  <   0.001). Cardiac retention of intravenously delivered CDCs, as detected by magnetic resonance imaging and histologic analysis, was significantly higher in the modified Blalock-Taussig and BCPS groups than in the TCPC group (P  <   0.01). CONCLUSIONS Without the total right heart exclusion, stage-specific SVP models can be functionally constructed in pigs with stable outcomes. Intravenous CDC injections may be applicable in patients with SVP before TCPC completion, given that the initial lung trafficking is efficiently bypassed and sufficient systemic blood flow is supplied from the single ventricle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Physick to Physiology: Tales from an Oxford Life in Medicine" by Keith Dorrington is a historical book that explores various topics in medicine and physiology. The author, a medical tutor at University College in Oxford, provides insights into medical practice, the history of medical sciences, evidence-based medicine, and the future of clinical practice. The book covers a range of subjects, including altitude acclimatization, autonomic learning in exercise, the central nervous system and hypertension, congenital absence of pain, pharmacology of anesthesia, awareness during surgery, cognitive decline from anesthesia, and knowledge acquisition at university. It uses historical examples to provide context to modern-day clinical practice and presents diverse perspectives on medical controversies. The book is accessible to general readers and offers thought-provoking insights into the field of medicine. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the dual effects of miR-222 in cardiac hypertrophy, specifically examining the differences between physiological and pathological hypertrophy. The study highlights the role of miR-222 in regulating pathways in both forms of hypertrophy and its potential as a therapeutic target. The article also emphasizes the context-dependent nature of miRNA function in cardiac growth and the need for precision in targeting miRNAs for therapeutic purposes. Overall, the study enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying heart disease and provides new avenues for therapeutic exploration. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction The modern female soldier has yet to be fully characterized as she steps up to fill new combat roles that have only recently been opened to women. Both U.S. and U.K. military operational research efforts are supporting a science-based evolution of physical training and standards for female warfighters. The increasing representation of women in all military occupations makes it possible to discover and document the limits of female physiological performance. Method An informal Delphi process was used to synthesize an integrated concept of current military female physiological research priorities and emerging findings using a panel of subject matter experts who presented their research and perspectives during the second Women in Combat Summit hosted by the TriService Nursing Research Program in February 2021. Results The physical characteristics of the modern soldier are changing as women train for nontraditional military roles, and they are emerging as stronger and leaner. Capabilities and physique will likely continue to evolve in response to new Army standards and training programs designed around science-based sex-neutral requirements. Strong bones may be a feature of the female pioneers who successfully complete training and secure roles traditionally reserved for men. Injury risk can be reduced by smarter, targeted training and with attention directed to female-specific hormonal status, biomechanics, and musculoskeletal architecture. An "estrogen advantage" appears to metabolically support enhanced mental endurance in physically demanding high-stress field conditions; a healthy estrogen environment is also essential for musculoskeletal health. The performance of female soldiers can be further enhanced by attention to equipment that serves their needs with seemingly simple solutions such as a suitable sports bra and personal protective equipment that accommodates the female anatomy. Conclusions Female physiological limits and performance have yet to be adequately defined as women move into new roles that were previously developed and reserved for men. Emerging evidence indicates much greater physical capacity and physiological resilience than previously postulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard tissue formation patterns and rates reveal details of animal physiology, life history, and environment, but are understudied in reptiles. Here, we use fluorescence labels delivered in vivo and laser confocal scanning microscopy to study tooth and bone formation in a managed group of green iguanas (Iguana iguana , Linné 1758) kept for 1.5 years under experimentally controlled conditions and undergoing several dietary switches. We constrain rates of tooth elongation, which we observe to be slow when enamel is initially deposited (c. 9 µm/day), but then increases exponentially in the dentin root, reaching c. 55 µm/day or more after crown completion. We further constrain the total timing of tooth formation to ∼40–60 days, and observe highly variable timings of tooth resorption onset and replacement. Fluorescent labels clearly indicate cohorts of teeth recruited within Zahnreihen replacement waves, with faster sequential tooth recruitment and greater wave sizes posteriorly, where each wave initiates. Fluorescence further reveals enamel maturation after initial deposition. Rates of hard tissue formation in long bones range from 0.4 to 3.4 µm/day, correlating with animal weight gain and cortical bone recording the entire history of the experiment. We suggest additional labeling experiments to study hard tissue formation patterns in other reptiles, and propose strategies for chemical analyses of hard tissues in order to extract temporal information about past environments, behaviors, and diets from reptilian fossils throughout the Phanerozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water deficit experienced by crops is a function of atmospheric water demand (vapor pressure deficit) and soil water supply over the whole crop cycle. We summarize typical transpiration response patterns to soil and atmospheric drying and the sensitivity to plant hydraulic traits. We explain the transpiration response patterns using a soil–plant hydraulic framework. In both cases of drying, stomatal closure is triggered by limitations in soil–plant hydraulic conductance. However, traits impacting the transpiration response differ between the two drying processes and act at different time scales. A low plant hydraulic conductance triggers an earlier restriction in transpiration during increasing vapor pressure deficit. During soil drying, the impact of the plant hydraulic conductance is less obvious. It is rather a decrease in the belowground hydraulic conductance (related to soil hydraulic properties and root length density) that is involved in transpiration down-regulation. The transpiration response to increasing vapor pressure deficit has a daily time scale. In the case of soil drying, it acts on a seasonal scale. Varieties that are conservative in water use on a daily scale may not be conservative over longer time scales (e.g. during soil drying). This potential independence of strategies needs to be considered in environment-specific breeding for yield-based drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foot inflation and protrusion in bivalve molluscs is part of a sequence of events necessary for burrowing into the substrate. Although this process been observed after exogenous exposure to the neurotransmitter serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] and by some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) type antidepressants, no study has shown that foot inflation and protrusion as a precursor to burrowing is under serotonergic control. In order to elucidate the physiological mechanism mediating this response, we tested over 2,000 freshwater bivalves in three species by exposing them to 5-HT, two 5-HT receptor agonists, two receptor antagonists and five antidepressants. Fingernail clams (Sphaerium striatinum), Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) and unionid mussels (Elliptio complanata) all showed significant foot inflation or foot protrusion when exposed to 5-HT and the serotonergic agonists 8-OH-DPAT and alpha-methyl 5-HT. Some SSRI-type antidepressants (fluoxetine and fluvoxamine) also significantly induced these responses in all three species but were not as potent at the concentrations tested. In S. striatinum and C. fluminea , a 2-h exposure to the 5-HT2 receptor antagonists mianserin and cyproheptadine effectively blocked foot inflation induced by 5-HT and 8-OH-DPAT. The 5-HT receptor mediating this response is thus sensitive to mammalian 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptor ligands, supporting the hypothesis that serotonin mediates the initial step in burrowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature constitutes one of the main barriers to plant distributions, confining many clades to their ancestrally tropical biome. However, recent evidence suggests that transitions from tropical to temperate biomes may be more frequent than previously thought. Here, we study the evolution of cold and frost tolerance in the globally distributed and highly stress-tolerant Salicornieae (Salicornioideae, Amaranthaceae s.l.). We first generate a phylogenetic tree comprising almost all known species (85-90%), using newly generated (n  = 106) and published nuclear-ribosomal and plastid sequences. Next, we use geographical occurrence data to document in which clades and geographical regions cold-tolerant species occur and reconstruct how cold tolerance evolved. Finally, we test for correlated evolution between frost tolerance and the annual life form. We find that frost tolerance has evolved independently in up to four Northern Hemisphere lineages but that annuals are no more likely to evolve frost tolerance than perennials, indicating the presence of different strategies for adapting to cold environments. Our findings add to mounting evidence for multiple independent out-of-the-tropics transitions among close relatives of flowering plants and raise new questions about the ecological and physiological mechanism(s) of adaptation to low temperatures in Salicornieae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]