Proteomic analysis of Arabidopsis glutathione S-transferases from benoxacor- and copper-treated seedlings

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are involved in many stress responses in plants, for example, participating in the detoxification of xenobiotics and limiting oxidative damage. Studies examining the regulation of this gene family in diverse plant species have focused primarily on RNA expression. A proteomics method was developed to identify GSTs expressed in Arabidopsis seedlings and to determine how the abundance of these proteins changed in response to copper, a promoter of oxidative stress, and benoxacor, a herbicide safener. Eight GSTs were identified in seedlings grown under control conditions, and only one, AtGSTU19, was induced by benoxacor. In contrast, four GSTs, AtGSTF2, AtGSTF6, AtGSTF7, and AtGSTU19, were significantly more abundant in copper-treated seedlings. The different responses to these treatments may reflect the potential for copper to affect many more aspects of plant growth and physiology compared with a herbicide safener. Differences between RNA and protein expression of GSTs indicate that both transcriptional and translational mechanisms are involved in regulation of GSTs under these conditions

Efficacy and safety of bilateral continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) for the treatment of chronic tinnitus: design of a three-armed randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tinnitus, the perception of sound and noise in absence of an auditory stimulus, has been shown to be associated with maladaptive neuronal reorganization and increased activity of the temporoparietal cortex. Transient modulation of tinnitus by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) indicated that these areas are critically involved in the pathophysiology of tinnitus and suggested new treatment strategies. However, the therapeutic efficacy of rTMS in tinnitus is still unclear, individual response is variable, and the optimal stimulation area disputable. Recently, continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) has been put forward as an effective rTMS protocol for the reduction of pathologically enhanced cortical excitability.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>48 patients with chronic subjective tinnitus will be included in this randomized, placebo controlled, three-arm trial. The treatment consists of two trains of cTBS applied bilaterally to the secondary auditory cortex, the temporoparietal associaction cortex, or to the lower occiput (sham condition) every working day for four weeks. Primary outcome measure is the change of tinnitus distress as quantified by the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ). Secondary outcome measures are tinnitus loudness and annoyance as well as tinnitus change during and after treatment. Audiologic and speech audiometric measurements will be performed to assess potential side effects. The aim of the present trail is to investigate effectiveness and safety of a four weeks cTBS treatment on chronic tinnitus and to compare two areas of stimulation. The results will contribute to clarify the therapeutic capacity of rTMS in tinnitus.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The trial was registered with the clinical trials register of <url>http://www.clinicaltrials.gov</url> (NCT00518024).</p

Care planning for consumers on community treatment orders: an integrative literature review

Background Case management is the established model for care provision in mental health and is delivered within current care philosophies of person-centred and recovery-oriented care. The fact that people with a mental illness may be forced to receive care and treatment in the community poses challenges for clinicians aiming to engage in approaches that promote shared decision-making and self-determination. This review sought to gain an in-depth understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives and experiences of care planning for consumers’ on CTOs. Methods An integrative review method allowed for inclusion of a broad range of studies from diverse empirical sources. Systematic searches were conducted across six databases. Following appraisal, findings from included papers were coded into groups and presented against a framework of case management. Results Forty-eight papers were included in the review. Empirical studies came from seven countries, with the majority reporting on qualitative methods. Many similarities were reported across studies. Positive gains from CTOs were usually associated with the nature of support received, highlighting the importance of the therapeutic relationship in care planning. Key gaps in care planning included a lack of connection between CTO, treatment and consumer goals and lack of implementation of focussed interventions. Conclusions Current case management processes could be better utilised for consumers on CTOs, with exploration of how this could be achieved warranted. Workers need to be sensitive to the ‘control and care’ dynamic in the care planning relationship, with person-centred approaches requiring core and advanced practitioner and communication skills, including empathy and trust

Children's and adolescents' rising animal-source food intakes in 1990-2018 were impacted by age, region, parental education and urbanicity

Animal-source foods (ASF) provide nutrition for children and adolescents physical and cognitive development. Here, we use data from the Global Dietary Database and Bayesian hierarchical models to quantify global, regional and national ASF intakes between 1990 and 2018 by age group across 185 countries, representing 93% of the worlds child population. Mean ASF intake was 1.9 servings per day, representing 16% of children consuming at least three daily servings. Intake was similar between boys and girls, but higher among urban children with educated parents. Consumption varied by age from 0.6 at <1 year to 2.5 servings per day at 1519 years. Between 1990 and 2018, mean ASF intake increased by 0.5 servings per week, with increases in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, total ASF consumption was highest in Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, and lowest in Uganda, India, Kenya and Bangladesh. These findings can inform policy to address malnutrition through targeted ASF consumption programmes. (c) 2023, The Author(s)

Incident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries

The global burden of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes (T2D) is not well established. This risk assessment model estimated T2D incidence among adults attributable to direct and body weight-mediated effects of 11 dietary factors in 184 countries in 1990 and 2018. In 2018, suboptimal intake of these dietary factors was estimated to be attributable to 14.1 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 13.814.4 million) incident T2D cases, representing 70.3% (68.871.8%) of new cases globally. Largest T2D burdens were attributable to insufficient whole-grain intake (26.1% (25.027.1%)), excess refined rice and wheat intake (24.6% (22.327.2%)) and excess processed meat intake (20.3% (18.323.5%)). Across regions, highest proportional burdens were in central and eastern Europe and central Asia (85.6% (83.487.7%)) and Latin America and the Caribbean (81.8% (80.183.4%)); and lowest proportional burdens were in South Asia (55.4% (52.160.7%)). Proportions of diet-attributable T2D were generally larger in men than in women and were inversely correlated with age. Diet-attributable T2D was generally larger among urban versus rural residents and higher versus lower educated individuals, except in high-income countries, central and eastern Europe and central Asia, where burdens were larger in rural residents and in lower educated individuals. Compared with 1990, global diet-attributable T2D increased by 2.6 absolute percentage points (8.6 million more cases) in 2018, with variation in these trends by world region and dietary factor. These findings inform nutritional priorities and clinical and public health planning to improve dietary quality and reduce T2D globally. (c) 2023, The Author(s)

Organ-Specific Expression of Glutathione S-Transferases and the Efficacy of Herbicide Safeners in Arabidopsis

The functions of plant glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) under normal growth conditions are poorly understood, but their activity as detoxification enzymes has been harnessed in agriculture for selective weed control. Herbicide safeners protect monocot crops from herbicide injury but have little effect on weedy monocot or dicot species. Protection by safeners is associated with expression of herbicide-metabolizing enzymes including GSTs, but the basis for selective action of safeners between monocots and dicots is not known. To address this question we have studied the response of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to various safeners. Benoxacor, fenclorim, and fluxofenim did not protect Arabidopsis from herbicide injury but did induce RNA expression of the glutathione-conjugate transporters encoded by AtMRP1, AtMRP2, AtMRP3, and AtMRP4. These safeners also induced the organ-specific expression of AtGSTU19 and AtGSTF2, two previously characterized Arabidopsis GSTs from different classes of this enzyme family. RNA hybridization, immunoblot, and reporter gene analyses indicated expression of AtGSTU19 induced by safeners predominated in roots. To test the hypothesis that increased expression of AtGSTU19 would be sufficient to provide tolerance to chloroacetamide herbicides, a chimeric gene was produced containing the open reading frame for this GST driven by a constitutive promoter. Plants containing this transgene had a modest increase in AtGSTU19 protein, predominantly in roots, but this had no effect on tolerance to chloroacetamide herbicides. The localized induction of GSTs by safeners in roots of Arabidopsis may explain why these compounds are unable to provide herbicide tolerance to dicot plant species