Rhinitis associated with asthma is distinct from rhinitis alone: TARIA‐MeDALL hypothesis

Asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis (AD) are interrelated clinical phenotypes that partly overlap in the human interactome. The concept of “one-airway-one-disease,” coined over 20 years ago, is a simplistic approach of the links between upper- and lower-airway allergic diseases. With new data, it is time to reassess the concept. This article reviews (i) the clinical observations that led to Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), (ii) new insights into polysensitization and multimorbidity, (iii) advances in mHealth for novel phenotype definitions, (iv) confirmation in canonical epidemiologic studies, (v) genomic findings, (vi) treatment approaches, and (vii) novel concepts on the onset of rhinitis and multimorbidity. One recent concept, bringing together upper- and lower-airway allergic diseases with skin, gut, and neuropsychiatric multimorbidities, is the “Epithelial Barrier Hypothesis.” This review determined that the “one-airway-one-disease” concept does not always hold true and that several phenotypes of disease can be defined. These phenotypes include an extreme “allergic” (asthma) phenotype combining asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation

Peletização com inoculante, molibdênio e hiperfosfato combinados com adubação fosfatada, no estabelecimento da centrosema em solo de cerrado

Em casa de vegetação estudaram-se, no período de setembro de 1979 a janeiro de 1980. num ensaio fatorial 24, os efeitos da inoculação e da aplicação de molibdênio e hiperfosfato na peletização de semente: de Centrosema pubescens Benth. e o emprego de dois níveis de adubação fosfatada no solo. O solo utilizado é uma Areia Quartzosa (63% de areia grossa, 25% de areia fina e 12% de argila) coletada no município de Brotas (SP). A fonte de fósforo aplicada no solo foi o hiperfosfato simples nas dosagens de 20 e 100kg/ha de P2O5. No revestimento das sementes. utilizaram-se o molibdato de sódio, o hiperfosfato e a inoculação com a estirpe SMS 163, específica para a centrosema. Expressivos aumentos na produção de matéria seca, na nodulação, porcentagem de nitrogênio e no nitrogênio total da leguminosa foram obtidos quando as sementes foram inoculadas. A adição de molibdênio no pélete proporcionou aumentos significativos na nodulação, no teor de nitrogênio e na quantidade de nitrogênio total da centrosema, apresentando interação positiva e significativa com a inoculação para porcentagem de nitrogênio e nitrogênio total da planta. A aplicação da dose maior de superfosfato simples no solo resultou em aumentos significativos para nodulação, ao tempo do se indo corte, e para a porcentagem de nitrogênio e nitrogênio total da parte aérea da centrosema no primeiro corte. Observaram-se efeitos significativos da interação fósforo x inoculante para a produção de matéria seca, teor de nitrogênio, nitrogênio total e nodulação da centrosema, no primeiro corte. O desdobramento dessa interação revelou ser o eleito da inoculação muito mais acentuado na presença do nível maior de superfosfato simples aplicado no solo

Peletização com inoculante, molibdênio e hiperfosfato combinados com adubação fosfatada, no estabelecimento da centrosema em solo de cerrado

Em casa de vegetação estudaram-se, no período de setembro de 1979 a janeiro de 1980. num ensaio fatorial 24, os efeitos da inoculação e da aplicação de molibdênio e hiperfosfato na peletização de semente: de Centrosema pubescens Benth. e o emprego de dois níveis de adubação fosfatada no solo. O solo utilizado é uma Areia Quartzosa (63% de areia grossa, 25% de areia fina e 12% de argila) coletada no município de Brotas (SP). A fonte de fósforo aplicada no solo foi o hiperfosfato simples nas dosagens de 20 e 100kg/ha de P2O5. No revestimento das sementes. utilizaram-se o molibdato de sódio, o hiperfosfato e a inoculação com a estirpe SMS 163, específica para a centrosema. Expressivos aumentos na produção de matéria seca, na nodulação, porcentagem de nitrogênio e no nitrogênio total da leguminosa foram obtidos quando as sementes foram inoculadas. A adição de molibdênio no pélete proporcionou aumentos significativos na nodulação, no teor de nitrogênio e na quantidade de nitrogênio total da centrosema, apresentando interação positiva e significativa com a inoculação para porcentagem de nitrogênio e nitrogênio total da planta. A aplicação da dose maior de superfosfato simples no solo resultou em aumentos significativos para nodulação, ao tempo do se indo corte, e para a porcentagem de nitrogênio e nitrogênio total da parte aérea da centrosema no primeiro corte. Observaram-se efeitos significativos da interação fósforo x inoculante para a produção de matéria seca, teor de nitrogênio, nitrogênio total e nodulação da centrosema, no primeiro corte. O desdobramento dessa interação revelou ser o eleito da inoculação muito mais acentuado na presença do nível maior de superfosfato simples aplicado no solo