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At least 60% of individuals with anxiety disorders report sleep disturbances. Shared physiological mechanisms might explain their co-occurrence. Scientific literature related to medical cannabis, a promising therapeutical candidate for these conditions, increased about 15 times in the last 10 years. However, assessments of cannabinoid exposure, anxiety, and sleep are inconsistent across studies, and the quality of the evidence is not often evaluated. We developed a Scoping Review to examine the current knowledge on these gaps related to cannabinoid use for anxiety and sleep disturbances.This protocol provides detailed information on how the scoping review will be conducted. It shows the inclusion criteria for studies on the topic of interest as well as the search strategies for the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, LILACS, and PsycINFO. We present the methodological aspects for screening, data extraction, and data charting. In addition, we proposed to evaluate the quality of the evidence by applying critical appraisal tools according to the study designs.Adherence to this protocol will allow the research team to effectively and reliably synthesize research evidence on the effect of cannabinoids on anxiety symptoms and sleep disturbances.

Glyphosate is the most used herbicide worldwide, with no historical comparison. It is used for genetically modified crops, and particularly in Florida, it is used as a sugar cane ripener. An aquatic formulation (Rodeo(®)) is used to treat aquatic weeds in waterbodies and drainage canals. Because of its extended use, glyphosate can run off or be sprayed directly into waterbodies, and chronically expose aquatic wildlife. Exposure in animal models has been associated with kidney and liver damage and glyphosate has been suggested as an endocrine disruptor. We exposed adult male largemouth bass for 21 days to two doses of glyphosate and Rodeo(®) (chemically equivalent concentration of glyphosate) at 0.5 mg L(−1) and 10 mg L(−1) and to a clean water control (n=4 fish/tank in quadruplicate). Concentrations during the experiment were corroborated with UHPLC-MS/MS. Total RNA was isolated from the trunk kidney and head kidney. RNA-seq was performed for the high doses compared to controls. Transcripts were analyzed with fish and mammalian pathway analyses software. Transcripts mapped to Zebrafish metabolic pathways using PaintOmics showed steroid hormone biosynthesis in the trunk kidney as the most significantly enriched pathway. Steroid hormones were measured in plasma by UHPLC-MS/MS. Total androgens were significantly reduced at 0.5 mg L(−1) of glyphosate and at equivalent concentrations in Rodeo(®) compared to controls. 11-ketotestosterone and estrone concentrations were significantly reduced in all doses. A gene involved in the conversion of testosterone to 11-ketotestosterone was down-regulated by glyphosate. Using the mammalian pathway analysis algorithm, cellular processes associated with T-cell activation/development and intracellular pH were significantly enriched in the trunk kidney by glyphosate and Rodeo(®) exposure. Endocrine disruption was corroborated at the hormone and gene expression levels. Rodeo(®) and glyphosate share gene expression pathways, however, Rodeo(®) had more pronounced effects in largemouth bass.

Toxic concentrations of aluminium cations and low phosphorus availability are the main yield-limiting factors in acidic soils, which represent half of the potentially available arable land. Brachiaria grasses, which are commonly sown as forage in the tropics because of their resilience and low demand for nutrients, show greater tolerance to high concentrations of aluminium cations (Al3+) than most other grass crops. In this work, we explored the natural variation in tolerance to Al3+ between high and low tolerant Brachiaria species and characterized their transcriptional differences during stress. We identified three QTLs (quantitative trait loci) associated with root vigour during Al3+ stress in their hybrid progeny. By integrating these results with a new Brachiaria reference genome, we identified 30 genes putatively responsible for Al3+ tolerance in Brachiaria. We observed differential expression during stress of genes involved in RNA translation, response signalling, cell wall composition, and vesicle location homologous to aluminium-induced proteins involved in limiting uptake or localizing the toxin. However, there was limited regulation of malate transporters in Brachiaria, which suggests that exudation of organic acids and other external tolerance mechanisms, common in other grasses, might not be relevant in Brachiaria. The contrasting regulation of RNA translation and response signalling suggests that response timing is critical in high Al3+-tolerant Brachiaria., We identified QTLs, genes, and molecular responses in high and low tolerant Brachiaria grasses associated with aspects of the response to aluminium stress, such as regulation, cell wall composition, and active transport.

Toxic concentrations of aluminium cations and low phosphorus availability are the main yield-limiting factors in acidic soils, which represent half of the potentially available arable land. Brachiaria grasses, which are commonly sown as a forage in the tropics because of their resilience and low demand for nutrients, have a greater tolerance to high concentrations of aluminium cations than most other grass crops. In this work, we explored the natural variation in tolerance to aluminium cations (Al3+) between high and low tolerant Brachiaria species and characterised their transcriptional differences during stress. We also identified three QTLs associated with root vigour during Al3+ stress in their hybrid progeny. By integrating these results with a new Brachiaria reference genome, we have identified 30 genes responsible for Al3+ tolerance in Brachiaria. We also observed differential expression during stress of genes involved in RNA translation, response signalling, cell wall composition and vesicle location genes homologous to aluminium-induced proteins involved in limiting uptake or localizing the toxin. However, there was limited regulation of malate transporters in Brachiaria, which are associated with external tolerance mechanisms to Al3+ stress in other grasses. The contrasting regulation of RNA translation and response signalling suggests response phasing is critical to Al3+ tolerance.HIGHLIGHTWe identified QTLs, genes and molecular responses in high and low tolerant Brachiaria grasses associated with aspects of response to aluminium stress, such as regulation, cell-wall composition and active transport.

Apomixis, asexual reproduction through seed, enables breeders to identify and faithfully propagate superior heterozygous genotypes by seed without the disadvantages of vegetative propagation or the expense and complexity of hybrid seed production. The availability of new tools such as genotyping by sequencing and bioinformatics pipelines for species lacking reference genomes now makes the construction of dense maps possible in apomictic species, despite complications including polyploidy, multisomic inheritance, self-incompatibility, and high levels of heterozygosity. In this study, we developed saturated linkage maps for the maternal and paternal genomes of an interspecific Brachiaria ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C. M. Evrard) × B. decumbens Stapf. F1 mapping population in order to identify markers linked to apomixis. High-resolution molecular karyotyping and comparative genomics with Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv provided conclusive evidence for segmental allopolyploidy in B. decumbens, with strong preferential pairing of homologs across the genome and multisomic segregation relatively more common in chromosome 8. The apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR) was mapped to a region of reduced recombination on B. decumbens chromosome 5. The Pennisetum squamulatum (L.) R.Br. PsASGR-BABY BOOM-like (psASGR–BBML)-specific primer pair p779/p780 was in perfect linkage with the ASGR in the F1 mapping population and diagnostic for reproductive mode in a diversity panel of known sexual and apomict Brachiaria (Trin.) Griseb. and P. maximum Jacq. germplasm accessions and cultivars. These findings indicate that ASGR–BBML gene sequences are highly conserved across the Paniceae and add further support for the postulation of the ASGR–BBML as candidate genes for the apomictic function of parthenogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) by treating infected populations with trypanocidal therapy (TT) remains a challenge. Despite a renewed enthusiasm for TT, uncertainty regarding its efficacy, concerns about its safety and limited availability remain barriers for a wider use of conventional drugs. We have updated a previous version of this review. OBJECTIVES: To systematically search, appraise, identify and extract data from eligible studies comparing the outcome of cohorts of seropositive individuals to Trypanosoma cruzi exposed to TT versus placebo or no treatment. SEARCH METHODS: We sought eligible studies in electronic databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Issue 1, 2014); MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 to January week 5 2014); EMBASE (Ovid, 1980 to 2014 week 6) and LILACS (up to 6 May 2010)) by combining terms related with the disease and the treatment. The search also included a Google search, handsearch for references in review or selected articles, and search of expert files. We applied no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Review authors screened the retrieved references for eligibility (those dealing with human participants treated with TT) and then assessed the pre‐selected studies in full for inclusion. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that provided data on either mortality or clinical progression of CCC after at least four years of follow‐up. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Teams of two review authors independently carried out the study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment, with a referee resolving disagreement within the pairs. Data collection included study design, characteristics of the population and interventions or exposures and outcome measures. We defined categories of outcome data as parasite‐related (positive serology, xenodiagnosis or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after TT) and participant‐related (including efficacy outcomes such as progression towards CCC, all‐cause mortality and side effects of TT). We reported pooled outcome data as Mantel‐Haenszel odds ratios (OR) or standardised mean differences (SMD) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI), using a random‐effects model. I(2) statistics provided an estimate of heterogeneity across studies. We conducted an exploratory meta‐regression analysis of the relationship between positive‐serology and progression of CCC or mortality. MAIN RESULTS: We included 13 studies involving 4229 participants (six RCTs, n = 1096, five RCTs of intermediate risk of bias, one RCT of high risk of bias; four non‐randomised experiments, n = 1639 and three observational studies, n = 1494). Ten studies tested nitroderivative drugs nifurtimox or benznidazole (three exposed participants to allopurinol, one to itraconazole). Five studies were conducted in Brazil, five in Argentina, one in Bolivia, one in Chile and one in Venezuela. TT was associated with substantial, but heterogeneous reductions on parasite‐related outcomes such as positive serology (9 studies, OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.44, I(2) = 76%), positive PCR (2 studies, OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.92, I(2) = 0%), positive xenodiagnosis after treatment (6 studies, OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.86, I(2) = 79%), or reduction on antibody titres (3 studies, SMD ‐0.56, 95% CI ‐0.89 to ‐0.23, I(2) = 28%). Efficacy data on patient‐related outcomes was largely from non‐RCTs. TT with nitroderivatives was associated with potentially important, but imprecise and inconsistent reductions in progression of CCC (4 studies, 106 events, OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.32 to 1.73, I(2) = 66%) and mortality after TT (6 studies, 99 events, OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.14, I(2) = 48%). The overall median incidence of any severe side effects among 1475 individuals from five studies exposed to TT was 2.7%, and the overall discontinuation of this two‐month therapy in RCTs (5 studies, 134 events) was 20.5% (versus 4.3% among controls) and 10.4% in other five studies (125 events). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Despite the evidence that TT reduced parasite‐related outcomes, the low quality and inconsistency of the data for patient‐important outcomes must be treated with caution. More geographically diverse RCTs testing newer forms of TT are warranted in order to 1. estimate efficacy more precisely, 2. explore factors potentially responsible for the heterogeneity of results and 3. increase knowledge on the efficacy/tolerance balance of conventional TT.