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Background: Adolescent depression is a major public health concern. Although stress has been linked to more severe depression, its association with mild depression among adolescents is not understood. This study assesses the relationship between perceived stress and cortisol (a physiologic measure of stress) and examines the relationships between these stress measures and depressive symptoms among adolescents 13-19 years of age., Methods: Stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-10 and through salivary sampling for cortisol four times throughout the day. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to measure depressive symptoms (range 0-27), where ≥5 indicated the threshold for experiencing at least mild depressive symptoms. Spearman coefficients and multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between our variables of interest., Results: The mean age of the 73 participants in our study was 15.82 years. 49 % of the participants reported depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥ 5). Both higher perceived stress (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, p = 0.022) and lower cortisol (area-under-the curve; AUC G ) (OR = 0.99, p = 0.009) were associated with increased odds of having depressive symptoms., Limitations: Few participants had moderate to severe PHQ-9 depression, therefore our study reported findings on mild depression or greater., Conclusions: Perceived stress and cortisol appear to reflect distinct, independent components of the stress experience. However, both greater perceived stress and less circulating cortisol may indicate difficulties in regulating stress as potential factors underlying depressive symptoms. Future research should focus on the different types of adolescent stressors and the importance of routine screening of stress and depression, including mild depression., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Osteoclasts are terminally differentiated multinucleated giant cells that mediate bone resorption and regulate skeletal homeostasis under physiological and pathological states. Excessive osteoclast activity will give rise to enhanced bone resorption, being responsible for a wide range of metabolic skeletal diseases, ranging from osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis to tumor-induced osteolysis. Therefore, the construction of in vitro models of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption is helpful to better understand the functional status of osteoclasts under (patho)physiological conditions. Notably, it is essential to provide an in vivo-relevant bone substrate that induces osteoclasts to generate authentic resorption lacunae and excavate bone. Here, we summarize the experimental design of a reproducible and cost-effective method, which is suitable for evaluating the regulatory mechanisms and influence of molecular agonists and antagonists as well as therapeutics on osteoclast-mediated bone-resorbing activity. Key features • Experiments are performed using bovine cortical bone slices to simulate bone substrate resorption by murine osteoclasts in vivo. • The method allows for quantification of bone resorption in vitro. • The method is suitable for evaluating the regulatory mechanisms that control osteoclast-mediated bone-resorbing activity., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no conflict of interest., (©Copyright : © 2024 The Authors; This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.)

Adolescent health research with biomarker data collection is limited due to difficulties in recruiting and engaging this age group. Thus, successful recruitment, engagement, and retention of adolescents in translational research are necessary to elucidate factors influencing mental and physical health conditions, uncover novel biomarkers, and expand prevention and treatment options. This paper describes strategies for effective recruitment and retention of adolescents in a research study, using a project examining depressive symptoms and the microbiome to illustrate these approaches. This cross-sectional study collected electronic self-reported survey data and self-collected biospecimens (stool and salivary samples) from adolescents 13-19 years old. All but two participants completed the questionnaires, with few missing responses. 94% provided at least one salivary sample and 89% supplied a stool sample. Participants were able to adhere to the study instructions. Using a participant-centered approach, our study successfully recruited and engaged the targeted 90 participants in self-collection of electronic survey data and biospecimens. Successful strategies of recruitment and retention included: 1) on-site clinic recruitment by research team, 2) active involvement of parents as appropriate, 3) use of electronic surveys and self-collection of biospecimens to foster control and ease of participation while addressing privacy concerns, 4) noninvasive collection of data on biospecimen, 5) frequent texting to communicate with participants, 6) flexibility in the pickup and transferring of biospecimens to accommodate adolescent schedules, 7) developmentally appropriate research, 8) participant reimbursement, and 9) sensitivity toward discussing stool sample materials. As a result of these strategies, adolescent participation in the research proved feasible., (© 2024 The Author(s). Research in Nursing & Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Dermal fibroblasts deposit type I collagen, the dominant extracellular matrix molecule found in skin, during early postnatal development. Coincident with this biosynthetic program, fibroblasts proteolytically remodel pericellular collagen fibrils by mobilizing the membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinase, Mmp14. Unexpectedly, dermal fibroblasts in Mmp14-/- mice commit to a large-scale apoptotic program that leaves skin tissues replete with dying cells. A requirement for Mmp14 in dermal fibroblast survival is recapitulated in vitro when cells are embedded within, but not cultured atop, three-dimensional hydrogels of crosslinked type I collagen. In the absence of Mmp14-dependent pericellular proteolysis, dermal fibroblasts fail to trigger β1 integrin activation and instead actuate a TGF-β1/phospho-JNK stress response that leads to apoptotic cell death in vitro as well as in vivo. Taken together, these studies identify Mmp14 as a requisite cell survival factor that maintains dermal fibroblast viability in postnatal dermal tissues., (© 2024 Sabeh et al.)

Stressful events are inherently emotional. As a result, the ability to regulate emotions is critical in responding effectively to stressors. Differential abilities in the management of stress appear very early in life, compelling a need to better understand factors that may shape the capacity for emotion regulation (ER). Variations in both biologic and behavioural characteristics are thought to influence individual differences in ER development. We sought to determine the differential contributions of temperament and heart rate variability (HRV; an indicator of autonomic nervous system function) to infant resting state emotionality and emotional reactivity in response to a stressor at 6 months of age. Participants included 108 mother-infant dyads. Mothers completed a measure of infant temperament at 6 months postnatal. Mother and infant also participated in a standardized stressor (the Repeated Still Face Paradigm) at that time. Electrocardiographic data were acquired from the infant during a baseline resting state and throughout the stressor. Fast Fourier Transformation was used to analyse the high frequency (HF) domain of HRV, a measure of parasympathetic nervous system activity. Infant ER was measured via standardized coding of emotional distress behaviours from video-records at baseline and throughout the stressor. Severity of mothers' depressive symptoms was included as a covariate in analyses. Results of linear regression indicate that neither temperament nor HRV were associated significantly with an infant's emotional resting state, although a small effect size was found for the relationship between infant negative affectivity and greater emotional distress (β = 0.23, p = 0.08) prior to the stressor. Higher HF-HRV (suggesting parasympathetic dominance) was related to greater emotional distress in response to the stressor (β = 0.34, p = 0.009). This greater emotional reactivity may reflect a more robust capacity to mount an emotional response to the stressor when infants encounter it from a bedrock of parasympathetic activation. Findings may inform eventual markers for assessment of ER in infancy and areas for intervention to enhance infant management of emotions, especially during stressful events., (© 2024 The Authors. Stress and Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Women are at high risk of stress, anxiety, and depression during the postpartum but the ways in which these different types of psychological distress are related to cortisol regulation is not clear. We examined the distinct association of each type of distress with women's average cortisol level, cortisol awakening response (CAR), cortisol decline across the day (diurnal slope), and overall amount of cortisol secretion across the day (AUC G )., Methods: At 6 months postpartum, a diverse group of 58 women completed measures of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and life stressors. Each woman provided 4 salivary samples for cortisol assay from waking to bedtime on each of 2 consecutive days. Linear regressions were used to examine associations of stress, anxiety and depression to each of the 4 cortisol measures, controlling for number of stressful life events., Results: Depressive symptoms were associated with less of a rise in the CAR (β = -.46, p = 0.01), steeper diurnal slope (β = .51, p = 0.006), and higher average cortisol level (β = .42, p = .01). Women who met the clinical cutoff for an anxiety disorder had lower overall cortisol output (β = -.29, p = 0.03). Stress was not related to any cortisol metric., Conclusions: Findings suggest that stress is less associated with cortisol alterations in the postpartum than are more severe types of psychological distress. Anxiety and depression may have distinct and opposite profiles of cortisol dysregulation. Results indicate that mental health assessment is critical even in the later postpartum so that interventions can be initiated to reduce emotional suffering and the risk of impaired cortisol regulation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Exposure to social adversity has been associated with cortisol dysregulation during pregnancy and in later childhood; less is known about how prenatal exposure to social stressors affects postnatal cortisol of infants. In a secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal study, we tested whether a pregnant woman's reports of social adversity during the third trimester were associated with their infant's resting cortisol at 1, 6, and 12 months postnatal. Our hypothesis was that prenatal exposure to social adversity would be associated with elevation of infants' cortisol. Measures included prenatal survey reports of social stressors and economic hardship, and resting cortisol levels determined from infant saliva samples acquired at each postnatal timepoint. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. The final sample included 189 women and their infants (46.56% assigned female sex at birth). Prenatal economic hardship was significantly associated with infant cortisol at 6 months postnatal; reports of social stressors were not significantly associated with cortisol at any time point. Factors associated with hardship, such as psychological distress or nutritional deficiencies, may alter fetal HPA axis development, resulting in elevated infant cortisol levels. Developmental changes unique to 6 months of age may explain effects at this timepoint. More work is needed to better comprehend the complex pre- and post-natal physiologic and behavioral factors that affect infant HPA axis development and function, and the modifying role of environmental exposures.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fetal exposure to maternal prenatal stressors and infant parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic (SNS) nervous function at 3 timepoints across the first year of life., Background: Autonomic nervous system impairments may mediate associations between gestational exposure to stressors and later infant health problems. Heart rate variability (HRV) provides a sensitive index of PNS and SNS function. However, no studies have assessed longitudinal associations between prenatal stressors and infant HRV measures of both PNS and SNS over the first year of life., Methods: During the third trimester of pregnancy, 233 women completed measures of life stressors and depression. At 1, 6 and 12 months of age, a stressor protocol was administered while infant electrocardiographic (ECG) data were collected from a baseline through a post-stressor period. HRV measures of PNS and SNS activity (HF, LF, LF/HF ratio) were generated from ECG data. We used multilevel regression to examine the aims, adjusting for maternal depression and neonatal morbidity., Results: There were no associations between prenatal stressors and any baseline or reactivity HRV metric over the infant's first year of life. However, exposure to more stressors was associated with lower post-stressor LF HRV at both 6 (β = -.44, p = .001) and 12 (β = -.37, p = .005) months of age., Conclusions: Findings suggest potential alterations in development of the vagally mediated baroreflex function as a result of exposure to prenatal stressors, with implications for the infants' ability to generate a resilient recovery in response to stressors.

The aim of this narrative review is to consolidate knowledge on the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in depression pathophysiology at different reproductive stages across the female lifespan. Despite growing evidence about the impact of gonadal hormones on mood disorders, no previous review has examined the interaction between such hormonal changes and the HPA axis within the context of depressive disorders in women. We will focus on HPA axis function in depressive disorders at different reproductive stages including the menstrual cycle (e.g., premenstrual dysphoric disorder [PMDD]), perinatally (e.g., postpartum depression), and in perimenopausal depression. Each of these reproductive stages is characterized by vast physiological changes and presents major neuroendocrine reorganization. The HPA axis is one of the main targets of such functional alterations, and with its key role in stress response, it is an etiological factor in vulnerable windows for depression across the female lifespan. We begin with an overview of the HPA axis and a brief summary of techniques for measuring HPA axis parameters. We then describe the hormonal milieu of each of these key reproductive stages, and integrate information about HPA axis function in depression across these reproductive stages, describing similarities and differences. The role of a history of stress and trauma exposure as a contributor to female depression in the context of HPA axis involvement across the reproductive stages is also presented. This review advances the pursuit of understanding common biological mechanisms across depressive disorders among women. Our overarching goal is to identify unmet needs in characterizing stress-related markers of depression in women in the context of hormonal changes across the lifespan, and to support future research in women's mental health as it pertains to pathophysiology, early diagnosis, and treatment targets., Competing Interests: LH has consulted to PureTech Health, Flo Health. TL is owner of psychiatry private practice Women’s Psychiatry and Well-Being, PLLC. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Hantsoo, Jagodnik, Novick, Baweja, di Scalea, Ozerdem, McGlade, Simeonova, Dekel, Kornfield, Nazareth and Weiss.)

Background: Suicidal thoughts occur in up to one third of pregnant women. Suicidal ideation (SI) has been linked to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation in other populations and could underlie SI during pregnancy when the HPA axis undergoes gestational transformation. However, no studies have evaluated the HPA axis in prenatal suicide risk, including regulation of cortisol. We examined whether SI is associated with distinct features of cortisol regulation among women during the 3 rd trimester of pregnancy., Methods: Sixty-four women completed measures of SI and provided 8 saliva samples across 2 consecutive days for cortisol assay. Three cortisol metrics were assessed in separate linear regression models (awakening response, diurnal slope, and area under the curve), along with selected covariates., Results: Women with SI ( n =10) had a dampened diurnal cortisol slope in contrast to other women (β = -.32, p =.005; η p 2 =.094). Cortisol levels decreased from waking to 45 minutes after waking (.33ug/dL to .27ug/dL) rather than increasing as found for women without SI (.38ug/dL to .51ug/dL). Their cortisol also rose from 4pm to sleep (.09ug/dL to .31ug/dL) in contrast to a decrease among women without SI (.12ug/dL to .09ug/dL; F = 6.26 (4,59), p=.015)., Limitations: The small number of women with SI may have reduced the power to detect significant effects., Conclusions: Findings for women with SI differ from the expected pattern of cortisol secretion across the day and indicate circadian rhythm dysfunction. Further research can build on these results to clarify mechanisms underlying perinatal suicidality, with improved assessment and intervention targets as the goal., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objectives: Preliminary research suggests that maternal prenatal stress may alter the development of the fetal microbiome and resulting microbial composition after birth. However, the findings of existing studies are mixed and inconclusive. The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess whether maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with the overall number and diversity of various microbial species in the infant gut microbiome or the abundance of specific bacterial taxa., Methods: Fifty-one women were recruited during their third trimester of pregnancy. The women completed a demographic questionnaire and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale at recruitment. A stool sample was collected from their neonate at one month of age. Data on potential confounders, such as gestational age and mode of delivery, were extracted from medical records to control for their effects. 16s rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify the diversity and abundance of microbial species, along with multiple linear regression models to examine the effects of prenatal stress on microbial diversity. We employed negative binomial generalized linear models to test for differential expression of various microbial taxa among infants exposed to prenatal stress and those not exposed to prenatal stress., Results: More severe symptoms of prenatal stress were associated with a greater diversity of microbial species in the gut microbiome of neonates (β = .30, p = .025). Certain microbial taxa, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, were enriched among infants exposed to greater maternal stress in utero, while others, such as Bacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae , were depleted in contrast to infants exposed to less stress., Conclusions: Findings suggest that mild to moderate stress exposure in utero could be associated with a microbial environment in early life that is more optimally prepared to thrive in a stressful postnatal environment. Adaptation of gut microbiota under conditions of stress may involve upregulation of bacterial species, including certain protective microorganisms (e.g. Bifidobacterium ), as well as downregulation of potential pathogens (e.g. Bacteroides ) via epigenetic or other processes within the fetal/neonatal gut-brain axis. However, further research is needed to understand the trajectory of microbial diversity and composition as infant development proceeds and the ways in which both the structure and function of the neonatal microbiome may mediate the relationship between prenatal stress and health outcomes over time. These studies may eventually yield microbial markers and gene pathways that are biosignatures of risk or resilience and inform targets for probiotics or other therapies in utero or during the postnatal period.

Evaluating intraspecific genetic structure and diversity is fundamental to assessing a species' conservation status, but direct incorporation of such information into legal frameworks such as the EU's Habitats Directive is surprisingly rare. How genetic structure aligns with EU member state boundaries or biogeographic regions may be very important in designing management plans or achieving legislative goals. The Eurasian fish otter experienced a sharp population decline during the 20th century but is currently re-expanding in several countries. The species is listed under Annex II and IV of the European Habitats Directive, and member states are obliged to assess the species separately across different biogeographic regions. We genotyped 2492 otter spraints across four provinces in Austria, collected between 2017 and 2021. A total of 384 different genotypes were identified, supporting densities along river habitats from 0.1 to 0.47 otters per river km (mean: 0.306), with a resampling-based simulation supporting limited density overestimation at survey lengths of 20 km or more. Three distinct genetic clusters were revealed, two of them presumably reflecting two relict populations whereas the source of the third cluster is unknown. The geographic extent of the three clusters does not coincide with provincial or biogeographic boundaries, both relevant for assessment and management within existing national or European legislative frameworks. We advocate more consideration of genetic structure in the assessment and conservation management planning of species listed in the European Habitats Directive., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Evolutionary Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Gender minority (GM; individuals whose gender is not aligned with that traditionally associated with the sex that was assigned to them at birth) people have widely reported mistreatment in healthcare settings. Mistreatment is enacted by individuals within society who hold stigmatizing beliefs. However, the relationship between healthcare mistreatment and societal stigma (i.e., the degree to which society disapproves of GM people) is unclear and not measured consistently., Methods: We analyzed data from 2,031 GM participants in The Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality (PRIDE) Study's 2019 Annual Questionnaire to determine whether societal stigma was associated with participants' past-year reports of mistreatment (defined as denial of healthcare services and/or lower quality care) in medical or mental healthcare settings. We created a proxy measure of societal stigma by incorporating variables validated in existing literature. Participants reported whether they had experienced mistreatment in medical and mental health settings independently., Results: Healthcare denial and/or lower quality care during the past year was reported by 18.8% of our sample for medical settings and 12.5% for mental health settings. We found no associations between the societal stigma variables and past-year reports of healthcare denial and/or lower quality care in medical or mental healthcare settings., Conclusions: Although a high proportion of GM people reported past-year healthcare mistreatment in both medical and mental health settings, mistreatment had no relationship with societal stigma. Factors other than societal stigma may be more important predictors of healthcare mistreatment, such as healthcare workers' knowledge of and attitudes toward GM people. However, other measures of societal stigma, or different types of mistreatment, may show stronger associations. Identifying key factors that contribute to mistreatment can serve as targets for intervention in communities and healthcare settings., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Research has shown mixed results regarding the association between women's postpartum depression and mother-infant interactions, suggesting that a woman's unique experience and context may moderate how depression shapes these interactions. We examined the extent to which a woman's comorbid anxiety, her exposure to adversity, and infant characteristics moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms of women and interactions with their infants at 6 ( n = 647) and 12 months ( n = 346) postpartum. The methods included standardized coding of mother-infant interactions and structural regression modeling. The results at 6 months of infant age indicated that infant male sex and infant negative affectivity were risk factors for mothers' depression being associated with less optimal interactions. At 12 months of infant age, two moderators appeared to buffer the influence of depression: a woman's history of trauma and infant preterm birth (≤37 weeks gestation). The results reinforce the salience of infant characteristics in the relationship between maternal depression and mother-infant interactions. The findings also suggest that experiences of trauma may offer opportunities for psychological growth that foster constructive management of depression's potential effect on mother-infant interactions. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying processes and mechanisms that explain the influence of these moderators. The ultimate goals are to reduce the risk of suboptimal interactions and reinforce healthy dyadic relations.

Early detection of cancer is vital for the best chance of successful treatment, but half of all cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A simple and reliable blood screening test applied routinely would therefore address a major unmet medical need. To gain insight into the value of protein biomarkers in early detection and stratification of cancer we determined the time course of changes in the plasma proteome of mice carrying transplanted human lung, breast, colon, or ovarian tumors. For protein measurements we used an aptamer-based assay which simultaneously measures ~ 5000 proteins. Along with tumor lineage-specific biomarkers, we also found 15 markers shared among all cancer types that included the energy metabolism enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phophate isomerase and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase as well as several important biomarkers for maintaining protein, lipid, nucleotide, or carbohydrate balance such as tryptophanyl t-RNA synthetase and nucleoside diphosphate kinase. Using significantly altered proteins in the tumor bearing mice, we developed models to stratify tumor types and to estimate the minimum detectable tumor volume. Finally, we identified significantly enriched common and unique biological pathways among the eight tumor cell lines tested., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Multiple myeloma bone disease is characterized by the development of osteolytic bone lesions. Recent work identified matrix metalloproteinase 13 as a myeloma-derived fusogen that induces osteoclast activation independent of its proteolytic activity. We now identify programmed death-1 homolog, PD-1H, as the bona fide MMP-13 receptor on osteoclasts. Silencing PD-1H or using Pd-1h -/- bone marrow cells abrogates the MMP-13-enhanced osteoclast fusion and bone-resorptive activity. Further, PD-1H interacts with the actin cytoskeleton and plays a necessary role in supporting c-Src activation and sealing zone formation. The critical role of PD-1H in myeloma lytic bone lesions was confirmed using a Pd-1h -/- myeloma bone disease mouse model wherein myeloma cells injected into Pd-1h -/- Rag2 -/- results in attenuated bone destruction. Our findings identify a role of PD-1H in bone biology independent of its known immunoregulatory functions and suggest that targeting the MMP-13/PD-1H axis may represent a potential approach for the treatment of myeloma associated osteolysis., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing polykaryons responsible for skeletal remodeling during health and disease. Coincident with their differentiation from myeloid precursors, osteoclasts undergo extensive transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming in order to acquire the cellular machinery necessary to demineralize bone and digest its interwoven extracellular matrix. While attempting to identify new regulatory molecules critical to bone resorption, we discovered that murine and human osteoclast differentiation is accompanied by the expression of Zeb1, a zinc-finger transcriptional repressor whose role in normal development is most frequently linked to the control of epithelial-mesenchymal programs. However, following targeting, we find that Zeb1 serves as an unexpected regulator of osteoclast energy metabolism. In vivo, Zeb1-null osteoclasts assume a hyperactivated state, markedly decreasing bone density due to excessive resorptive activity. Mechanistically, Zeb1 acts in a rheostat-like fashion to modulate murine and human osteoclast activity by transcriptionally repressing an ATP-buffering enzyme, mitochondrial creatine kinase 1 (MtCK1), thereby controlling the phosphocreatine energy shuttle and mitochondrial respiration. Together, these studies identify a novel Zeb1/MtCK1 axis that exerts metabolic control over bone resorption in vitro and in vivo., (© 2023 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.)

Bone-resorbing osteoclasts mobilize proteolytic enzymes belonging to the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family to directly degrade type I collagen, the dominant extracellular matrix component of skeletal tissues. While searching for additional MMP substrates critical to bone resorption, Mmp9/Mmp14 double-knockout (DKO) osteoclasts-as well as MMP-inhibited human osteoclasts-unexpectedly display major changes in transcriptional programs in tandem with compromised RhoA activation, sealing zone formation and bone resorption. Further study revealed that osteoclast function is dependent on the ability of Mmp9 and Mmp14 to cooperatively proteolyze the β-galactoside-binding lectin, galectin-3, on the cell surface. Mass spectrometry identified the galectin-3 receptor as low-density lipoprotein-related protein-1 (Lrp1), whose targeting in DKO osteoclasts fully rescues RhoA activation, sealing zone formation and bone resorption. Together, these findings identify a previously unrecognized galectin-3/Lrp1 axis whose proteolytic regulation controls both the transcriptional programs and the intracellular signaling cascades critical to mouse as well as human osteoclast function., (© 2023 Zhu et al.)

Objectives: Many individuals whose gender does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth (gender diverse [GD] people) report stressful health care encounters. We examined the relationship of these stressors to symptoms of emotional distress and impaired physical functioning among GD people., Study Design: This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design with data from the 2015 United States Transgender Survey., Methods: Composite metrics of health care stressors and physical impairments were developed, and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-6) provided a measure of emotional distress. Linear and logistic regression were used to analyze the aims., Results: A total of 22,705 participants from diverse gender identity subgroups were included. Participants who experienced at least one stressor in health care during the past 12 months had more symptoms of emotional distress (β = 0.14, P < .001) and 85% greater odds of having a physical impairment (odds ratio = 1.85, P < .001). Transgender men exposed to stressors were more likely than transgender women to experience emotional distress and have a physical impairment, with other gender identity subgroups reporting less distress. Black participants exposed to stressful encounters reported more symptoms of emotional distress than White participants., Conclusions: The results suggest that stressful encounters in health care are associated with symptoms of emotional distress and greater odds of physical impairment for GD people, with transgender men and Black individuals being at greatest risk of emotional distress. The findings indicate the need for assessment of factors that contribute to discriminatory or biased health care for GD people, education of health care workers, and support for GD people to reduce their risk of stressor-related symptoms., (Copyright © 2023 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To characterise and classify the morphological, clinical and tomographic characteristics of focal choroidal excavation (FCE) lesions to determine their prognostic implications., Methods: 36 eyes with FCE (32 patients) underwent multimodal imaging, including spectral domain optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence. FCE lesions were classified into three subtypes: (1) type 1: myopic (central choroidal thickness: <100 µm), (2) type 2: suspected congenital (central choroidal thickness: 100-200 µm, without associated chorioretinal pathology) and (3) type 3: secondary or acquired (central choroidal thickness: >200 µm, with associated chorioretinal pathology)., Results: 80.6% of eyes were followed longitudinally (26.8±18.8 months). There were 9 type 1 FCEs (myopic), 8 type 2 FCEs (U-shaped, congenital) and 19 type 3 FCEs (V-shaped, secondary). Type 2 FCEs trended towards larger maximum widths (p=0.0563). Type 3 FCEs were associated with central serous chorioretinopathy or pachyvessels (47.4%), but were also seen in pattern dystrophy, geographic atrophy, inactive choroiditis, torpedo maculopathy and adult-onset vitelliform dystrophy. Choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVMs) were more prevalent in type 3 FCE (41.2% compared with 11.1% for type 1 FCE, p=0.251, and 0% for type 2 FCE, p=0.043)., Conclusions: The FCE types, stratified by central choroidal thickness, demonstrated distinct morphological characteristics and associated findings. The classification scheme held prognostic implications as type 3 FCE with V shapes were associated with other chorioretinal conditions and were more likely to develop CNVM., Competing Interests: Competing interests: KK: consultant for Regenxbio. DD’A: consultant—Alcon, IVERIC bio and Aufbau Holdings; equity—IVERIC bio and Aufbau Holdings; intellectual property—Aufbau Holdings. Szilárd Kiss: consultant—Adverum, Alcon, Novartis, Optos and Genentech/Roche; research funding—Allergan, Novartis, Optos, Genentech/Roche and Regeneron; equity—Adverum, Regenxbio and Fortress Bio; intellectual property—gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration and T cells for CMV retinitis, assigned to Cornell University., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Administration of antenatal corticosteroids (AC) is the standard of care during pregnancy for women who are at risk of early delivery. Evidence indicates that AC improve survival and reduce morbidity for preterm infants. However, research suggests that infants whose mothers receive AC have an altered hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA) response to stressors in early life. Results are mixed regarding the nature of these effects, with studies showing both suppressed and augmented HPA activity. In addition, research is very limited beyond the 4th month of life. The purpose of this study was to determine if AC exposure was associated with infant cortisol levels in a resting state or in response to a stressor at 1, 6 and 12 months postnatal. We also evaluated the moderating role of preterm birth in this association. 181 women and their infants participated in the study. Women were recruited during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy; at this time, they completed the Perceived Stress Scale and provided 8 salivary samples over a 2-day period for cortisol assay. They provided these data again at 6 and 12 months postnatal. At 1, 6, and 12 months postnatal, salivary samples were collected from infants to examine their cortisol levels before and after participation in a 'stressor protocol'. Data were extracted from the medical record on AC exposure, gestational age, maternal obstetric risk, and neonatal morbidity. Mixed effects multilevel regression modeling was used to examine the aims. Infants whose mothers received AC had significantly lower resting state (B = -2.47, CI: -3.691, -0.0484) and post-stressor (B = -2.51, CI: -4.283, -0.4276) cortisol levels across the first year of life than infants whose mothers did not receive AC. There was no moderating effect of preterm birth on the relationship between AC exposure and cortisol. Results indicate a state of dampened HPA activation and cortisol hypo-arousal that persists across the first year of life among infants who were exposed to corticosteroids in utero. Further research is needed to examine mechanisms responsible for any alterations that occur during development of the fetal HPA axis, including epigenetic and biochemical factors that control hormonal secretion, negative feedback, and glucocorticoid receptor function throughout the HPA axis. Findings warrant careful consideration by obstetric clinicians of the benefits and risks of prescribing AC., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Hybridization and introgression are very common among freshwater fishes due to the dynamic nature of hydrological landscapes. Cyclic patterns of allopatry and secondary contact provide numerous opportunities for interspecific gene flow, which can lead to discordant paths of evolution for mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Here, we used double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to obtain a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset comprehensive for allThymallus (Salmonidae)species to infer phylogenetic relationships and evaluate potential recent and historical gene flow among species. The newly obtained nuclear phylogeny was largely concordant with a previously published mitogenome-based topology but revealed a few cyto-nuclear discordances. These incongruencies primarily involved the placement of internal nodes rather than the resolution of species, except for one European species where anthropogenic stock transfers are thought to be responsible for the observed pattern. The analysis of four contact zones where multiple species are found revealed a few cases of mitochondrial capture and limited signals of nuclear introgression. Interestingly, the mechanisms restricting interspecific gene flow might be distinct; while in zones of secondary contact, small-scale physical habitat separation appeared as a limiting factor, biologically based reinforcement mechanisms are presumed to be operative in areas where species presumably evolved in sympatry. Signals of historical introgression were largely congruent with the routes of species dispersal previously inferred from mitogenome data. Overall, the ddRADseq dataset provided a robust phylogenetic reconstruction of the genus Thymallus including new insights into historical hybridization and introgression, opening up new questions concerning their evolutionary history., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions regulate both the cell transcriptome and proteome, thereby determining cell fate. Traumatic heterotopic ossification (HO) is a disorder characterized by aberrant mesenchymal lineage (MLin) cell differentiation, forming bone within soft tissues of the musculoskeletal system following traumatic injury. Recent work has shown that HO is influenced by ECM-MLin cell receptor signaling, but how ECM binding affects cellular outcomes remains unclear. Using time course transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, we identified discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2), a cell surface receptor for fibrillar collagen, as a key MLin cell regulator in HO formation. Inhibition of DDR2 signaling, through either constitutive or conditional Ddr2 deletion or pharmaceutical inhibition, reduced HO formation in mice. Mechanistically, DDR2 perturbation alters focal adhesion orientation and subsequent matrix organization, modulating Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) and Yes1 Associated Transcriptional Regulator and WW Domain Containing Transcription Regulator 1 (YAP/TAZ)-mediated MLin cell signaling. Hence, ECM-DDR2 interactions are critical in driving HO and could serve as a previously unknown therapeutic target for treating this disease process.

Background: Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may be as high as 13-18%, but it remains under-recognized and is associated with increased suicidal ideation (SI), plans, and attempts in epidemiological studies. The present study reports on women endorsing premenstrual SI (PMSI) and characterizes this at-risk group and its clinical correlates., Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed demographics, anxiety and depression severity, psychiatric diagnoses, menstrual symptoms, SI, and trauma in adult women at a major medical center over 11 months., Results: Three hundred two women were assessed. Of 153 participants endorsing premenstrual symptoms, 41 (27%) reported new or worsening concurrent premenstrual passive or active SI. Women who reported PMSI were significantly more likely to be single, unemployed, and childless as well as significantly more likely to report interference from premenstrual symptoms, histories of psychiatric hospitalization, adverse childhood events, suicide attempts, and current and past depression and anxiety compared to women without PMSI. The final regression model indicated the most significant predictors of PMSI were history of a depression diagnosis, severity of current depressive symptoms, and having experienced 3 or more childhood adverse events., Conclusion: Nearly one-third of women reporting premenstrual symptoms endorsed concurrent SI, a clinically valuable demonstration of the importance of this predictable cyclic risk factor., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Although men are more likely to die by suicide, women experience a greater and more rapidly increasing rate of suicidal ideation (SI) and are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than men. Despite this increased risk, little is known about factors that contribute to SI or suicide attempts (SA) among women. We examined factors associated with SI and SA among women and identified mood-related symptoms that differentiate women who reported attempting suicide from those who did not. Women at elevated risk for depression from across the U.S. (N = 3372; age 18 to 90) completed a survey regarding depression, anxiety, sociodemographic and reproductive status, behavioral/mental health history, and exposure to adversity. Structural equation modeling and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Variables with the most significant relationships to SI were severity of depression (OR = 5.2, p = 0.000) and perceived stress (OR = 1.18, p = 0.000) while frequency of suicidal thoughts (OR = 3.3, p = 0.000), family history of a depression diagnosis (OR = 1.6, p = 0.000) and exposure to violence (OR = 1.9, p = 0.000) had the strongest association with SA. Childhood abuse/trauma was associated with SA (OR = 1.13, p = 0.000) but not SI. 'Feeling bad about themselves, a failure, or having let themselves or their family down' was the symptom that most clearly differentiated women who attempted suicide from women who reported suicidal ideation but no SA. The salience of childhood abuse and domestic/community violence to women's risk for a suicide attempt reinforces previous findings that these adversities may differentiate suicide risk for women versus men. Continued research is essential to understand varied paths that may lead to suicidal behavior among women, some which appear unrelated to the frequency or intensity of their suicidal thoughts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest associated with this study or the manuscript we have submitted., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Macrophages and cancer cells populations are posited to navigate basement membrane barriers by either mobilizing proteolytic enzymes or deploying mechanical forces. Nevertheless, the relative roles, or identity, of the proteinase -dependent or -independent mechanisms used by macrophages versus cancer cells to transmigrate basement membrane barriers harboring physiologically-relevant covalent crosslinks remains ill-defined. Herein, both macrophages and cancer cells are shown to mobilize membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinases to proteolytically remodel native basement membranes isolated from murine tissues while infiltrating the underlying interstitial matrix ex vivo. In the absence of proteolytic activity, however, only macrophages deploy actomyosin-generated forces to transmigrate basement membrane pores, thereby providing the cells with proteinase-independent access to the interstitial matrix while simultaneously exerting global effects on the macrophage transcriptome. By contrast, cancer cell invasive activity is reliant on metalloproteinase activity and neither mechanical force nor changes in nuclear rigidity rescue basement membrane transmigration. These studies identify membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinases as key proteolytic effectors of basement membrane remodeling by macrophages and cancer cells while also defining the divergent invasive strategies used by normal and neoplastic cells to traverse native tissue barriers., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The exploration of inter- and intra-individual variability in suicidal ideation (SI) is vital to suicide research. However, this research relies on the identification and measurement of standardized SI characteristics., Objective: This review aimed to identify characteristics of SI examined in research, describe how these characteristics are measured, and assess how they are aligned with those included in the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)., Methods: Four databases were systematically searched, and relevant data was extracted. The C-SSRS provided a framework for comparing SI names, measures and operational definitions., Results: After comparing operational definitions of identified characteristics, five core domains emerged: (1) severity, (2) temporality, (3) variability, (4) controllability, and (5) deterrents/reasons for ideating. Except for variability, all SI characteristics in the literature were congruent with those measured in the C-SSRS., Conclusions: This review highlighted conceptual and methodologic inconsistencies in the study of SI, specifically the nomenclature, measurement and definitions of SI characteristics. Standardized approaches to the study of SI characteristics are needed. These approaches will enhance accurate and reliable measurement of SI, allow for findings to be synthesized across studies and propel the exploration of inter and intra-individual SI variability leading to more individualized and effective SI treatment.

Background: The relationship between low oxygen delivery (DO 2 ) on cardiopulmonary bypass and morbidity and mortality following cardiac surgery remains unexamined., Methods: We reviewed patients undergoing Society of Thoracic Surgeons index procedures from March 2019 to July 2020, coincident with implementation of a new electronic perfusion record that provides for continuous recording of DO 2 and flow parameters. Continuous perfusion variables were analyzed using area-over-the-curve (AOC) calculations below predefined thresholds (DO 2 <280 mL O 2 /min/m 2 , cardiac index <2.2 L/min, hemoglobin < baseline, and mean arterial pressure <65 mm Hg) to quantify depth and duration of potentially harmful exposures. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted by Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted-risk scores were used to assess for relationship of perfusion variables with the primary composite outcome of any Society of Thoracic Surgeons index procedure, as well as individual Society of Thoracic Surgeons secondary outcomes (eg, mortality, renal failure, prolonged ventilation >24 hours, stroke, sternal wound infection, and reoperation)., Results: Eight hundred thirty-four patients were included; 42.7% (356) underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), whereas 57.3% underwent nonisolated CABG (eg, valvular or combined CABG/valvular operations). DO 2 <280-AOC trended toward association with the primary outcome across all cases (P = .07), and was significantly associated for all nonisolated CABG cases (P = .02)-more strongly than for cardiac index <2.2-AOC (P = .04), hemoglobin <7-AOC (P = .51), or mean arterial pressure <65-AOC (P = .11). Considering all procedures, DO 2 <280-AOC was independently associated prolonged ventilation >24 hours (P = .04), an effect again most pronounced in nonisolated-CABG cases (P = .002), as well as acute kidney injury <72 hours (P = .04). Patients with glomerular filtration rate <65 mL/min and baseline hemoglobin <12.5 g/dL appeared especially vulnerable., Conclusions: Low DO 2 on bypass may be associated with morbidity/mortality following cardiac surgery, particularly in patients undergoing nonisolated CABG. These results underscore the importance of goal-directed perfusion strategies., (Copyright © 2020 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Maternal psychological stress has been linked to preterm birth. However, the differential contribution of psychological stress versus stress hormones is not clear. Studies focus primarily on perceived stress and cortisol, with few assessing its inter-convertible hormone cortisone. Furthermore, little is known about the potential moderating roles of obstetric risk and fetal sex in the relationship between maternal stress and gestational length. This gap in knowledge is particularly evident for rural women who typically experience chronic multiple stressors during pregnancy. We explored the relationship of hormonal and psychological stress to gestational length and the effects of obstetric risks and fetal sex on this relationship among Kenyan pregnant women., Methods: The sample included 130 women recruited between 22 to 28 weeks gestation. They completed a clinical and sociodemographic questionnaire together with the Perceived Stress Scale and provided a hair sample for cortisol and cortisone assay. Women underwent an ultrasound to assess weeks of gestation. At delivery, their pregnancy-related health problems were identified using information extracted from medical records to compile each woman's number of pregnancy risks on the Obstetric Medical Risk Index (OMRI)., Results: Perceived stress and hair cortisol were not significant predictors of gestational length. However, a greater number of obstetric risks on the OMRI was associated with shorter gestational length. This effect was further explained by the interaction between obstetric risk and hair cortisone ( B = 0.709, p = 0.02). Hair cortisone levels of mothers who had a shorter gestation were significantly higher in mothers with 2 or more risks on the OMRI but not among mothers with only one or no risks ( t = 2.39, p = 0.02). Fetal sex had no relationship to gestational length and also had no moderating effect on the relationship between any stress-related metric and gestational length., Conclusion: Cortisone levels may increase in anticipation of shorter gestation as a compensatory response to increased obstetric risk. Elevated cortisone may be a more sensitive marker of risk for early delivery than cortisol or psychological stress, with salience for both the male and female fetus., (Copyright © 2022 Musana, Cohen, Kuppermann, Gerona, Wanyoro, Aguilar, Santos, Temmerman and Weiss.)

During skeletal myogenesis, the zinc-finger transcription factors SNAI1 and SNAI2, are expressed in proliferating myoblasts and regulate the transition to terminally differentiated myotubes while repressing pro-differentiation genes. Here, we demonstrate that SNAI1 is upregulated in vivo during the early phase of muscle regeneration induced by bupivacaine injury. Using shRNA-mediated gene silencing in C2C12 myoblasts and whole-transcriptome microarray analysis, we identified a collection of genes belonging to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway whose expression, induced by myogenic differentiation, was upregulated in absence of SNAI1. Among these, key ER stress genes, such as Atf3, Ddit3/Chop, Hspa5/Bip, and Fgf21, a myokine involved in muscle differentiation, were strongly upregulated. Furthermore, by promoter mutant analysis and Chromatin immune precipitation assay, we demonstrated that SNAI1 represses Fgf21 and Atf3 in proliferating myoblasts by directly binding to multiple E boxes in their respective promoter regions. Together, these data describe a new regulatory mechanism of myogenic differentiation involving the direct repressive action of SNAI1 on ER stress and Fgf21 expression, ultimately contributing to maintaining the proliferative and undifferentiated state of myoblasts., (© 2022 The Authors. The FASEB Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

Austria is inhabited by more than 80 species of native and non-native freshwater fishes. Despite considerable knowledge about Austrian fish species, the latest Red List of threatened species dates back 15 years and a systematic genetic inventory of Austria's fish species does not exist. To fulfill this deficit, we employed DNA barcoding to generate an up-to-date and comprehensive genetic reference database for Austrian fish species. In total, 639 newly generated cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences were added to the 377 existing records from the BOLD data base, to compile a near complete reference dataset. Standard sequence similarity analyses resulted in 83 distinct clusters almost perfectly reflecting the expected number of species in Austria. Mean intraspecific distances of 0.22% were significantly lower than distances to closest relatives, resulting in a pronounced barcoding gap and unique Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) for most of the species. Four cases of BIN sharing were detected, pointing to hybridization and/or recent divergence, whereas in Phoxinus spp., Gobio spp. and Barbatula barbatula intraspecific splits, multiple BINs and consequently cryptic diversity were observed. The overall high identification success and clear genetic separation of most of the species confirms the applicability and accuracy of genetic methods for bio-surveillance. Furthermore, the new DNA barcoding data pinpoints cases of taxonomic uncertainty, which need to be addressed in further detail, to more precisely assort genetic lineages and their local distribution ranges in a new National Red-List., Competing Interests: DD is employed by a commercial company: Consultants in Aquatic Ecology and Engineering, Austria. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Objectives: Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy has been associated with preterm birth. However, little is known about the relationship of a woman's psychological symptoms during pregnancy to the infant's morbidity at birth or any differential effects of these symptoms on female vs. male fetuses. Our research aims addressed these gaps., Methods: A total of 186 women were enrolled between 24 and 34 weeks gestation when demographic information was acquired and they completed the Brief Symptom Inventory to measure psychological distress. Data on gestational age at birth, fetal sex, and neonatal morbidity was extracted from the medical record. To control for their effects, obstetric complications were also identified. Multiple linear regressions were computed to examine the aims, including interaction terms to measure moderating effects of fetal sex., Results: Symptoms of maternal psychological distress were a significant predictor of neonatal morbidity but were not associated with gestational age. The interaction between symptom distress and fetal/infant sex was also significant for neonatal morbidity but not for gestational age. For boys, high levels of maternal symptom distress during pregnancy were associated with neonatal resuscitation, ventilatory assistance, and infection. Maternal distress was not associated with neonatal morbidity for girls., Conclusions: The male fetus may be more sensitive to effects of mothers' psychological symptoms than the female fetus. Further research is needed to confirm our findings and identify potential biological mechanisms that may be responsible for these sex differences. Findings suggest the importance of symptom screening and early intervention to reduce maternal distress and risk of neonatal morbidity., (© 2022 Sandra J. Weiss and Joseph W. Musana, published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.)

Ample research links mothers' postpartum depression (PPD) to adverse interactions with their infants. However, most studies relied on general population samples, whereas a substantial number of women are at elevated depression risk. The purpose of this study was to describe mothers' interactions with their 6- and 12-month-old infants among women at elevated risk, although with a range of symptom severity. We also identified higher-order factors that best characterized the interactions and tested longitudinal consistency of these factors from 6 to 12 months of infant age. We leveraged data from eight projects across the United States ( n  = 647), using standardized depression measures and an adaptation of the NICHD Mother-Infant Interaction Scales. Overall, these depression-vulnerable mothers showed high levels of sensitivity and positive regard and low levels of intrusiveness, detachment, and negative regard with their infants. Factor analyses of maternal behaviors identified two overarching factors-"positive engagement" and "negative intrusiveness" that were comparable at 6 and 12 months of infant age. Mothers' ability to regulate depressed mood was a key behavior that defined "positive engagement" in factor loadings. An exceptionally strong loading of intrusiveness on the second factor suggested its central importance for women at elevated depression risk. Mothers with severe depressive symptoms had significantly more "negative intrusiveness" and less "positive engagement" with their 6-month-old infants than women with moderate or fewer depressive symptoms, suggesting a potential tipping point at which symptoms may interfere with the quality of care. Results provide the foundation for further research into predictors and moderators of women's interactions with their infant among women at elevated risk for PPD. They also indicate a need for evidence-based interventions that can support more severely depressed women in providing optimal care., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Goodman, Muzik, Simeonova, Kidd, Owen, Cooper, Kim, Rosenblum and Weiss.)

Skeletal stem cells (SSCs) reside within a three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) compartment and differentiate into multiple cell lineages, thereby controlling tissue maintenance and regeneration. Within this environment, SSCs can proteolytically remodel the surrounding ECM in response to growth factors that direct lineage commitment via undefined mechanisms. Here, we report that Mmp14-dependent ECM remodeling coordinates canonical Wnt signaling and guides stem cell fate by triggering an integrin-activated reorganization of the SCC cytoskeleton that controls nuclear lamin A/C levels via the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes. In turn, SSC lamin A/C levels dictate the localization of emerin, an inner nuclear membrane protein whose ability to regulate β-catenin activity modulates Wnt signaling while directing lineage commitment in vitro and in vivo. These findings define a previously undescribed axis wherein SSCs use Mmp14-dependent ECM remodeling to control cytoskeletal and nucleoskeletal organization, thereby governing Wnt-dependent stem cell fate decisions., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Nymphs of all 29 described Prosopistoma species share a conspicuous synapomorphy: a round mesonotal shield, the carapace. They occur in the Palaearctic (nine species), the Oriental (12 species) and the Afrotropic as well as Australian regions (six and two species, respectively). Relatively little is known about their ecology, but past and extant distribution patterns indicate an association with undisturbed conditions. Prosopistoma pennigerum is a rare European mayfly with conspicuous nymphs. Formerly common in large rivers, it has been extirpated from central Europe over the last century.This study evaluated general habitat characteristics and human pressures for historical and current records of this rare species. Prosopistoma pennigerum is currently known from only three European rivers, all with gravel substrates, naturally dynamic discharge regimes, summer-warm water temperatures, and little human pressure.This study showed that nymphs from the Vjosa and upper Volga rivers, two relatively natural watercourses 2,000 km apart, are morphologically indistinguishable, and show no variation across a ca. 600-bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene.Flagship species were first designated in the 1980s, when charismatic species with high habitat requirements such as the Bengal tiger or the giant panda, but also invertebrates are used to communicate conservation and protection needs. We propose that Europe's rarest mayfly P. pennigerum , with its unusual nymphs and remaining populations in naturally dynamic river courses, can serve as a flagship species promoting the preservation of ecological integrity in European rivers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Authors. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Depression is the leading cause of disease burden among women worldwide. However, an understanding of symptom profiles among women at risk of mood disorders is limited. We determined distinct profiles of affective symptoms among high risk women, along with their distinguishing characteristics., Methods: Women were recruited from 17 clinical sites affiliated with the National Network of Depression Centers. They completed measures of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire - 9) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7) as well as questions regarding demographics, reproductive status, behavioral/mental health history, and life stress/adversity. Latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify and characterize symptom profiles., Results: 5792 women participated, ages 18 to 90 (M = 38). Three latent classes were identified: generally asymptomatic (48%), elevated symptoms of comorbid anxiety and depression (16%), and somatic symptoms (36%). Financial security and greater social support were protective factors that distinguished asymptomatic women. The profile of the class with elevated anxiety/depressive symptoms constituted a complex mix of adverse social determinants and potentially heritable clinical features, including a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Women in the 3rd latent class were characterized by menstrual irregularity and a stronger expression of neurovegetative symptoms, especially sleep disturbance and fatigue., Limitations: Limitations included less than optimal racial diversity of our sample and reliance on self-report., Conclusions: Different symptom profiles may reflect distinct subtypes of women at risk of mood disorders. Understanding the etiology and mechanisms underlying clinical and psychosocial features of these profiles can inform more precisely targeted interventions to address women's diverse needs., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Aortic root evaluation is conventionally based on 2-dimensional measurements at a single phase of the cardiac cycle. This work presents an image analysis method for assessing dynamic 3-dimensional changes in the aortic root of minimally calcified bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) with and without moderate to severe aortic regurgitation., Methods: The aortic root was segmented over the full cardiac cycle in 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic images acquired from 19 patients with minimally calcified BAVs and from 16 patients with physiologically normal tricuspid aortic valves (TAVs). The size and dynamics of the aortic root were assessed using the following image-derived measurements: absolute mean root volume and mean area at the level of the ventriculoaortic junction, sinuses of Valsalva, and sinotubular junction, as well as normalized root volume change and normalized area change of the ventriculoaortic junction, sinuses of Valsalva, and sinotubular junction over the cardiac cycle., Results: Normalized volume change over the cardiac cycle was significantly greater in BAV roots with moderate to severe regurgitation than in normal TAV roots and in BAV roots with no or mild regurgitation. Aortic root dynamics were most significantly different at the mid-level of the sinuses of Valsalva in BAVs with moderate to severe regurgitation than in competent TAVs and BAVs., Conclusions: Echocardiographic reconstruction of the aortic root demonstrates significant differences in dynamics of BAV roots with moderate to severe regurgitation relative to physiologically normal TAVs and competent BAVs. This finding may have implications for risk of future dilatation, dissection, or rupture, which warrant further investigation., (Copyright © 2021 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Children born preterm, compared to term, are at risk for behavioral problems. However, the prevalence and predictors of internalizing disorders among children born preterm are unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders at 2 years of age among children born preterm and determine the extent to which poverty, maternal depressive symptoms, or young motherhood increase the likelihood of these disorders. Mothers and their infants (N = 105) were recruited from two neonatal intensive care units affiliated with a major U.S. university. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition scale scores from the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist were used to measure primary variables. We examined mothers' family satisfaction and quality of caregiving as well as children's degree of prematurity, morbidity, gender, cognitive functioning, and motor function as covariates. Fifteen percent of children met criteria for an anxiety disorder and another 15% for depression. Maternal depressive symptoms increased the odds of children developing both anxiety and depression, whereas young motherhood was associated with child anxiety and poverty with child depression. Results indicate the need for mental health assessment of children born preterm during their first 2 years of life and the importance of early therapeutic and tangible support to vulnerable mothers and children., (© 2021 The Authors. Infant Mental Health Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.)