Environment sensing in spring-dispersed seeds of a winter annual Arabidopsis influences the regulation of dormancy to align germination potential with seasonal changes

Seed dormancy cycling plays a crucial role in the lifecycle timing of many plants. Little is known of how the seeds respond to the soil seed bank environment following dispersal in spring into the short-term seed bank before seedling emergence in autumn. Seeds of the winter annual Arabidopsis ecotype Cvi were buried in field soils in spring and recovered monthly until autumn and their molecular eco-physiological responses were recorded. DOG1 expression is initially low and then increases as dormancy increases. MFT expression is negatively correlated with germination potential. Abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) signalling responds rapidly following burial and adjusts to the seasonal change in soil temperature. Collectively these changes align germination potential with the optimum climate space for seedling emergence. Seeds naturally dispersed to the soil in spring enter a shallow dormancy cycle dominated by spatial sensing that adjusts germination potential to the maximum when soil environment is most favourable for germination and seedling emergence upon soil disturbance. This behaviour differs subtly from that of seeds overwintered in the soil seed bank to spread the period of potential germination in the seed population (existing seed bank and newly dispersed). As soil temperature declines in autumn, deep dormancy is re-imposed as seeds become part of the persistent seed bank

Neurogenic Fever after Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence, pathogenesis, and clinical outcomes related to neurogenic fevers following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed on thermodysregulation secondary to acute traumatic SCI in adult patients. A literature search was performed using PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus. Using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven relevant articles were obtained. RESULTS: The incidence of fever of all origins (both known and unknown) after SCI ranged from 22.5 to 71.7% with a mean incidence of 50.6% and a median incidence of 50.0%. The incidence of fever of unknown origin (neurogenic fever) ranged from 2.6 to 27.8% with a mean incidence of 8.0% and a median incidence of 4.7%. Cervical and thoracic spinal injuries were more commonly associated with fever than lumbar injuries. In addition, complete injuries had a higher incidence of fever than incomplete injuries. The pathogenesis of neurogenic fever after acute SCI is not thoroughly understood. CONCLUSION: Neurogenic fevers are relatively common following an acute SCI; however, there is little in the scientific literature to help physicians prevent or treat this condition. The paucity of research underscored by this review demonstrates the need for further studies with larger sample sizes, focusing on incidence rate, clinical outcomes, and pathogenesis of neurogenic fever following acute traumatic SCI

More Rapid Increase in BMI from Age 5–15 is Associated with Elevated Weight Status at Age 24 among Non-Hispanic White Females

Background: A rapidly increasing BMI trajectory throughout childhood is associated with negative health outcomes in adulthood such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether BMI trajectories from age 5–15 predicted changes in weight and BMI from adolescence to adulthood, and dieting-related behaviors in young adulthood. Methods: Non-Hispanic White female participants from Early Dieting in Girls (n=182), a longitudinal cohort study, were followed from age 5 to 15 and completed a follow-up survey at age 24. Participants were classified by age 5–15 BMI trajectory groups: UPC, accelerated weight gain from age 5–9; DDPC, accelerated weight gain from 5 to 9 followed by a decrease; 60PT, weight tracked along 60th percentile; 50PT, weight tracked along 50th percentile. Data at age 24 included self-reported weight, height, dietary restraint, disinhibition, and dieting. Results: Majority of participants (80.8%) completed the follow-up survey; of these participants, 60% in UPC group had obesity at age 24, compared to\u3c10% in the other 3 groups. Participants in the UPC group had greater increases in BMI since age 15, compared to the 50PT group, and trend-level greater weight increases than those in the DDPC and 60PT groups. Dietary restraint, but not disinhibition, differed across the groups. Conclusions: Children with accelerated weight gain continued to have the greatest weight gain from adolescence to adulthood and the highest prevalence of obesity in adulthood

User perspectives on long-term remote active electronic self-monitoring of mood symptoms in bipolar spectrum disorders

Background User feedback is crucial in the development of electronic self-monitoring tools for bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD). Previous studies have examined user experiences in small samples self-monitoring over relatively short time periods. We aimed to explore the experiences of a large sample of individuals with BSD engaged in long-term remote active electronic self-monitoring. Methods An online survey, containing closed and open questions, was sent to participants with BSD enrolled on the Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN) True Colours mood-monitoring system. Questions related to experiences of using True Colours, including viewing mood graphs, and sharing data with healthcare professionals (HCPs) and/or family/friends. Results Response rate was 62.7 % (n = 362). 88.4 % reported finding using True Colours helpful. Commonly reported benefits were having a visual record of mood changes, patterns/triggers and identifying early warning signs. Limitations included questions not being comprehensive or revealing anything new. One third had shared their graphs, with 89.9 % finding it helpful to share with HCPs and 78.7 % helpful to share with family/friends. Perceived benefits included aiding communication and limitations included lack of interest/understanding from others. Limitations Responder bias may be present. Findings may not be generalisable to all research cohorts. Conclusions The majority of participants valued long-term self-monitoring. Personalisation and ease of use were important. A potential challenge is continued use when mood is long-term stable, highlighting the need for measures to be sensitive to small changes. Sharing self-monitoring data with HCPs may enhance communication of the lived experience of those with BSD. Future research should examine HCPs' perspectives

A primary care, multi-disciplinary disease management program for opioid-treated patients with chronic non-cancer pain and a high burden of psychiatric comorbidity

BACKGROUND: Chronic non-cancer pain is a common problem that is often accompanied by psychiatric comorbidity and disability. The effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary pain management program was tested in a 3 month before and after trial. METHODS: Providers in an academic general medicine clinic referred patients with chronic non-cancer pain for participation in a program that combined the skills of internists, clinical pharmacists, and a psychiatrist. Patients were either receiving opioids or being considered for opioid therapy. The intervention consisted of structured clinical assessments, monthly follow-up, pain contracts, medication titration, and psychiatric consultation. Pain, mood, and function were assessed at baseline and 3 months using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale scale (CESD) and the Pain Disability Index (PDI). Patients were monitored for substance misuse. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients were enrolled. Mean age was 51 years, 60% were male, 78% were Caucasian, and 93% were receiving opioids. Baseline average pain was 6.5 on an 11 point scale. The average CESD score was 24.0, and the mean PDI score was 47.0. Sixty-three patients (73%) completed 3 month follow-up. Fifteen withdrew from the program after identification of substance misuse. Among those completing 3 month follow-up, the average pain score improved to 5.5 (p = 0.003). The mean PDI score improved to 39.3 (p < 0.001). Mean CESD score was reduced to 18.0 (p < 0.001), and the proportion of depressed patients fell from 79% to 54% (p = 0.003). Substance misuse was identified in 27 patients (32%). CONCLUSIONS: A primary care disease management program improved pain, depression, and disability scores over three months in a cohort of opioid-treated patients with chronic non-cancer pain. Substance misuse and depression were common, and many patients who had substance misuse identified left the program when they were no longer prescribed opioids. Effective care of patients with chronic pain should include rigorous assessment and treatment of these comorbid disorders and intensive efforts to insure follow up

Rock alteration in alkaline cement waters over 15 years and its relevance to the geological disposal of nuclear waste

The interaction of groundwater with cement in a geological disposal facility (GDF) for intermediate level radioactive waste will produce a high pH leachate plume. Such a plume may alter the physical and chemical properties of the GDF host rock. However, the geochemical and mineralogical processes which may occur in such systems over timescales relevant for geological disposal remain unclear. This study has extended the timescale for laboratory experiments and shown that, after 15 years two distinct phases of reaction may occur during alteration of a dolomite-rich rock at high pH. In these experiments the dissolution of primary silicate minerals and the formation of secondary calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) phases containing varying amounts of aluminium and potassium (C-(A)-(K)-S-H) during the early stages of reaction (up to 15 months) have been superseded as the systems have evolved. After 15 years significant dedolomitisation (MgCa(CO3)2+2OH-→Mg(OH)2+CaCO3+CO3 2- (aq)) has led to the formation of magnesium silicates, such as saponite and talc, containing variable amounts of aluminium and potassium (Mg-(Al)-(K)-silicates), and calcite at the expense of the early-formed C-(A)-(K)-S-H phases. This occured in high pH solutions representative of two different periods of cement leachate evolution with little difference in the alteration processes in either a KOH and NaOH or a Ca(OH)2 dominated solution but a greater extent of alteration in the higher pH KOH/NaOH leachate. The high pH alteration of the rock over 15 years also increased the rock's sorption capacity for U(VI). The results of this study provide a detailed insight into the longer term reactions occurring during the interaction of cement leachate and dolomite-rich rock in the geosphere. These processes have the potential to impact on radionuclide transport from a geodisposal facility and are therefore important in underpinning any safety case for geological disposal

Citizen science monitoring reveals links between honeybee health, pesticide exposure and seasonal availability of floral resources

We use a national citizen science monitoring scheme to quantify how agricultural intensifcation afects honeybee diet breadth (number of plant species). To do this we used DNA metabarcoding to identify the plants present in 527 honey samples collected in 2019 across Great Britain. The species richness of forage plants was negatively correlated with arable cropping area, although this was only found early in the year when the abundance of fowering plants was more limited. Within intensively farmed areas, honeybee diets were dominated by Brassica crops (including oilseed rape). We demonstrate how the structure and complexity of honeybee foraging relationships with plants is negatively afected by the area of arable crops surrounding hives. Using information collected from the beekeepers on the incidence of an economically damaging bee disease (Deformed Wing Virus) we found that the occurrence of this disease increased where bees foraged in agricultural land where there was a high use of foliar insecticides. Understanding impacts of land use on resource availability is fundamental to assessing long-term viability of pollinator populations. These fndings highlight the importance of supporting temporally timed resources as mitigation strategies to support wider pollinator population viability

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-Ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS)

No abstract availabl