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A pot experiment was conducted to determine the impact of foliar spraying of salicylic acid (SA) on dry matter (DM), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C), nitrogen uptake (NY) and N2-fixation (using 15N) by chickpea plants subjected to three soil moisture regimes (high stress FC1, mild stress FC2 and wellwatered FC3). Water stress drastically affected nodulation, DM, NY, N2-fixation. However, plants responded positively to SA as a means of enhancing growth and overcoming the stress conditions, particularly under FC2 where the measured growth criteria (DM and NY) were relatively similar to those of the FC3. Salicylic acid significantly enhanced amounts of fixed N2 by 32, 30 and 19% in FC1, FC2 and FC3, respectively. Water stress caused a decrease in Δ13C values. However, SA increased Δ13C in water stress treatments, implying that a maximization of DM may occur via an enhancement of CO2 uptake due to stomatal opening and carboxylation activity. In conclusion, the beneficial effect of SA in enhancing plant performance (growth, N-uptake and N2-fixation) was affected by soil water content. SA application may be considered an important agricultural practice for the better symbiotic performance in water stressed as well as in well watered chickpeas plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at investigating the effects of silicon (Si) on dry matter yield (DM), N uptake and N2-fixation in Sesbania aculeata grown under water stress and/or salt stress using 15N. Irrigation regime had two levels, well watered (I1) and water stress (I2), and was made either with saline (Salt+) or with non saline water (Salt-). Silicon had positive impacts on DM of sesbania grown under water stress. Only root DM increased as a result of Si addition in well watered plants grown under salt stress or under both stress conditions. Moreover, root/shoot ratio was higher in Si-fed plants, under stresses, than those of non-fertilized plants. N yield significantly increased in salt stressed sesbania plant grown under well watering regime. However, the positive effect of Si in plants subjected to both stresses was only occurred in roots. In addition, Si application enhanced soil (Ndfs), fertilizer (Ndff) and N2-fixation (Ndfa) under salt and/or water stress conditions. The beneficial effect of Si on the amount of Ndfa was more pronounced under stress conditions. In the whole plant, significant effects of Si were obtained in water-stressed, salt-stressed and both water and salt-stressed treatments, where amounts of Ndfa increased by 8, 39 and 39%, respectively, as compared to their controls. Overall, response to Si was expressed more clearly when sesbania plants were subjected to stresses. Silicon may be considered as an important element for the symbiotic performance in legumes by mitigating the adverse effects of abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of adding different phosphorus (P) fertilizer levels [0, 40, and 80 kg phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) ha−1(abbreviated as P0, P1, and P2, respectively)] and rates of sheep manure (M) [0, 20, and 40 ton ha−1(abbreviated as M0, M1, and M2, respectively)] on growth and nitrogen (N2) fixation of soybean (Glycine maxL.).Sorghum bicolorL. was employed as a reference crop to evaluate N2fixation using the15N-isotpic dilution technique. Results showed that addition of P fertilizer or sheep manure had positive effects on dry-matter production, N accumulation, and seed yield. Such effects were more pronounced when adding sheep manure and P together than adding separately. Solely P fertilizer had a small impact on N2fixation. A tangible increase in the amounts of N2fixed due to manure addition occurred. The efficient use of N fertilizer (%NUE) increased significantly as the result of adding a high level of P fertilizer. However, a drastic decrease in %NUE was observed when sheep manure was added solely or in combination with P fertilizer. From productivity and ecological standpoints, P2M1 and P2M2 surpassed the other treatments in showing greater grain yield and greater N2fixation. However, considering the high cost of sheep manure, P2M1 was the optimal treatment for improving growth and N2fixation in soybean plants with minimal manure consumption. In conclusion, the integrated use of manure and P fertilizer could be considered a useful agricultural practice for improving the performance of soybean plants grown in an Aridisol. Their beneficial effects were mainly attributed to the enhancement of N2fixation through root growth and soil property improvements besides being a source of P and other nutrients that are essential for N2-fixation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Trauma exposure-a contributor to psychological risk for refugee youth-is typically assessed using cumulative indices; however, recent findings indicate that trauma type may better predict psychological outcomes. This study investigated the utility of two methods of classifying trauma exposure-cumulative trauma and exposure to specific types of trauma (i.e., trauma subtypes)-in predicting the severity of symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety for refugee youth., Method: 96 Syrian and Iraqi youth resettled as refugees in the United States self-reported trauma exposure and psychological symptoms. Multiple regression was used to assess the variance in symptom severity explained by specific trauma subtypes (i.e., victimization, death threat, and accidental/injury) as compared to cumulative trauma scores., Results: Multiple regression models predicting PTSD revealed cumulative trauma ( b = 0.07; p = .004) and death threat trauma ( b = 0.16; p = .001) as significant predictors of PTSD symptom severity; notably, death threat trauma was the only subtype associated with PTSD and explained more variance than cumulative trauma scores (10.3% and 8.4%, respectively). Cumulative trauma, but no specific trauma subtype, was associated with anxiety ( b = .03; p = .043); however, this relation did not survive correction for multiple comparisons., Conclusion: Focused trauma assessment-particularly consideration of death threat trauma and cumulative trauma exposures-may be useful in evaluating the risk of PTSD symptoms in refugee youth, whereas symptoms related to anxiety may be driven by other factors. These findings can be leveraged toward focused identification of youth at highest risk for PTSD symptoms, to improve prevention and early intervention efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Medical students may be in an ideal position to identify patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) and provide them with information about harm reduction and treatment options. Specific education regarding opioid use disorder (OUD) and naloxone during undergraduate medical training may help students identify these patients and decrease their own negative attitudes toward patients with OUD. To plan for curriculum development, this study aimed to understand baseline knowledge and attitudes among students entering medical school. Methods : During orientation, all first-year medical students (Class of 2023) were asked to complete a survey that explored their previous experiences in healthcare and with SUDs as well as their attitudes toward opioid overdose and patients with SUDs. We administered the Opioid Overdose Knowledge Scale (OOKS), Opioid Overdose Attitudes Scale (OOAS), Medical Conditions Regard Scale (MCRS), and Naloxone Related Risk Compensation Beliefs (NaRRC-B). Results : 266 students (89.6% of the class) completed the survey. Generally, these students were relatively proficient in opioid overdose knowledge, but did not feel they were competent enough to respond to an overdose. Attitudes toward patients with SUDs were mixed. Approximately half of the students thought naloxone distribution should be unrestricted, but many were uncertain whether naloxone receipt would deter individuals from seeking treatment or increase opioid use. Students' previous experiences in healthcare (e.g., employment) results in significantly different knowledge and attitudes toward opioid overdose response. Conclusions : These incoming medical students have greater healthcare experience and level of opioid overdose knowledge than the general population, but still harbor significant misinformation and stigma toward patients with SUDs. These findings provide a foundation upon which to tailor didactic efforts, starting early in medical school, so that graduating physicians can be adequately prepared for clinical care.

The evolutionarily-conserved Notch signaling pathway plays critical roles in cell communication, function and homeostasis equilibrium. The pathway serves as a cell-to-cell juxtaposed molecular transducer and is crucial in a number of cell processes including cell fate specification, asymmetric cell division and lateral inhibition. Notch also plays critical roles in organismal development, homeostasis, and regeneration, including somitogenesis, left-right asymmetry, neurogenesis, tissue repair, self-renewal and stemness, and its dysregulation has causative roles in a number of congenital and acquired pathologies, including cancer. In the lung, Notch activity is necessary for cell fate specification and expansion, and its aberrant activity is markedly linked to various defects in club cell formation, alveologenesis, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development. In this review, we focus on the role this intercellular signaling device plays during lung development and on its functional relevance in proximo-distal cell fate specification, branching morphogenesis, and alveolar cell determination and maturation, then revise its involvement in NSCLC formation, progression and treatment refractoriness, particularly in the context of various mutational statuses associated with NSCLC, and, lastly, conclude by providing a succinct outlook of the therapeutic perspectives of Notch targeting in NSCLC therapy, including an overview on prospective synthetic lethality approaches.

Background: The recent discovery of neural stem cells in the sacrococcygeal end of the filum terminale, the presence of remnants of the most powerful toti-potent stem cell generators and inductors, the primitive streak and node, the existence of the unique non-mutator sacrococcygeal teratomas, and the recent disclosing of neuroimmunomodulatory and hematopoietic roles of Luschka's body, indicate that the sacrococcygeal region is a distinctive anatomic environment rich in stem cells and instructive signals, and that the coccygeal body may constitute a more complex entity than a mere caudal, vascularly-derived glomic anastomosis. Ascribed as an arterial-venous shunt located at the tip of the coccyx and analog to the glomera caudalia in other vertebrates, the glomus coccygeum has recently revealed a complex organ with peculiar 3D topology, broad innervation, catecholamine-synthesizing activity, and neutrophil-formation and lymphopoietic-regulating properties., Methods: In the present research work, we sought to start exploring the potential cell-functional roles of the glomus coccygeum by conducting a methodical assessment of the expression of Notch pathway receptors and ligands in the human Luschka's body., Results: Our data indicates that Notch receptors are dynamically and distinctively expressed in the coccygeal body and that Notch ligands are markedly differentially expressed in newborn and adult coccygeal glomi., Conclusions: Our observations suggest that Notch signaling may have relevant roles in glomus coccygeum function and biology.

Recent comprehensive next-generation genome and transcriptome analyses in lung cancer patients, several clinical observations, and compelling evidence from mouse models of lung cancer have uncovered a critical role for Notch signaling in the initiation and progression of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Notably, Rumi is a "protein O-glucosyltransferase" that regulates Notch signaling through O-glucosylation of Notch receptors, and is the only enzymatic regulator whose activity is required for both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent activation of Notch. We have conducted a detailed study on RUMI's involvement in NSCLC development and progression, and have further explored the therapeutic potential of its targeting in NSCLC. We have determined that Rumi is highly expressed in the alveolar and bronchiolar epithelia, including club cells and alveolar type II cells. Remarkably, RUMI maps to the region of chromosome 3q that corresponds to the major signature of neoplastic transformation in NSCLC, and is markedly amplified and overexpressed in NSCLC tumors. Notably, RUMI expression levels are predictive of poor prognosis and survival in NSCLC patients. Our data indicates that RUMI modulates Notch activity in NSCLC cells, and that its silencing dramatically decreases cell proliferation, migration, and survival. RUMI downregulation causes severe cell cycle S-phase arrest, increases genome instability, and induces late apoptotic-nonapoptotic cell death. Our studies demonstrate that RUMI is a novel negative prognostic factor with significant therapeutic potential in NSCLC, which embodies particular relevance especially when considering that, while current Notch inhibitory strategies target only ligand-dependent Notch activation, a large number of NSCLCs are driven by ligand-independent Notch activity., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)