Use of sonic tomography to detect and quantify wood decay in living trees.

Premise of the studyField methodology and image analysis protocols using acoustic tomography were developed and evaluated as a tool to estimate the amount of internal decay and damage of living trees, with special attention to tropical rainforest trees with irregular trunk shapes.Methods and resultsLiving trunks of a diversity of tree species in tropical rainforests in the Republic of Panama were scanned using an Argus Electronic PiCUS 3 Sonic Tomograph and evaluated for the amount and patterns of internal decay. A protocol using ImageJ analysis software was used to quantify the proportions of intact and compromised wood. The protocols provide replicable estimates of internal decay and cavities for trees of varying shapes, wood density, and bark thickness.ConclusionsSonic tomography, coupled with image analysis, provides an efficient, noninvasive approach to evaluate decay patterns and structural integrity of even irregularly shaped living trees

Influence of mercury exposure on blood pressure, resting heart rate and heart rate variability in French Polynesians: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Populations which diet is rich in seafood are highly exposed to contaminants such as mercury, which could affect cardiovascular risk factors</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To assess the associations between mercury and blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) among French Polynesians</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were collected among 180 adults (≥ 18 years) and 101 teenagers (12-17 years). HRV was measured using a two-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (Holter) and BP was measured using a standardized protocol. The association between mercury and HRV and BP parameters was studied using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among teenagers, the high frequency (HF) decreased between the 2^ndand 3^rdtertile (380 vs. 204 ms², p = 0.03) and a similar pattern was observed for the square root of the mean squared differences of successive R-R intervals (rMSSD) (43 vs. 30 ms, p = 0.005) after adjusting for confounders. In addition, the ratio low/high frequency (LF/HF) increased between the 2^ndand 3^rdtertile (2.3 vs. 3.0, p = 0.04). Among adults, the standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN) tended to decrease between the 1^stand 2^ndtertile (84 vs. 75 ms, p = 0.069) after adjusting for confounders. Furthermore, diastolic BP tended to increase between the 2^ndand 3^rdtertile (86 vs. 91 mm Hg, p = 0.09). No significant difference was observed in resting HR or pulse pressure (PP)</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Mercury was associated with decreased HRV among French Polynesian teenagers while no significant association was observed with resting HR, BP, or PP among teenagers or adults</p

Telehealth-Based Music Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Cancer Survivors: Rationale and Protocol for a Comparative Effectiveness Trial

Background: Cancer survivors represent one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. Unfortunately, nearly 1 in 3 survivors experience anxiety symptoms as a long-term consequence of cancer and its treatment. Characterized by restlessness, muscle tension, and worry, anxiety worsens the quality of life; impairs daily functioning; and is associated with poor sleep, depressed mood, and fatigue. Although pharmacological treatment options are available, polypharmacy has become a growing concern for cancer survivors. Music therapy (MT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are evidence-based, nonpharmacological treatments that have demonstrated effectiveness in treating anxiety symptoms in cancer populations and can be adapted for remote delivery to increase access to mental health treatments. However, the comparative effectiveness of these 2 interventions delivered via telehealth is unknown. Objective: The aims of the Music Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cancer-related Anxiety (MELODY) study are to determine the comparative effectiveness of telehealth-based MT versus telehealth-based CBT for anxiety and comorbid symptoms in cancer survivors and to identify patient-level factors associated with greater anxiety symptom reduction for MT and CBT. Methods: The MELODY study is a 2-arm, parallel-group randomized clinical trial that aims to compare the effectiveness of MT versus CBT for anxiety and comorbid symptoms. The trial will enroll 300 English- or Spanish-speaking survivors of any cancer type or stage who have experienced anxiety symptoms for at least 1 month. Participants will receive 7 weekly sessions of MT or CBT delivered remotely via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc) over 7 weeks. Validated instruments to assess anxiety (primary outcome), comorbid symptoms (fatigue, depression, insomnia, pain, and cognitive dysfunction), and health-related quality of life will be administered at baseline and at weeks 4, 8 (end of treatment), 16, and 26. Semistructured interviews will be conducted at week 8 with a subsample of 60 participants (30 per treatment arm) to understand individual experiences with the treatment sessions and their impact. Results: The first study participant was enrolled in February 2022. As of January 2023, 151 participants have been enrolled. The trial is expected to be completed by September 2024. Conclusions: This study is the first and largest randomized clinical trial to compare the short- and long-term effectiveness of remotely delivered MT and CBT for anxiety in cancer survivors. Limitations include the lack of usual care or placebo control groups and the lack of formal diagnostic assessments for psychiatric disorders among trial participants. The study findings will help guide treatment decisions for 2 evidence-based, scalable, and accessible interventions to promote mental well-being during cancer survivorship. International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/46281

Highly Anomalous Energetics of Protein Cold Denaturation Linked to Folding-Unfolding Kinetics

Despite several careful experimental analyses, it is not yet clear whether protein cold-denaturation is just a “mirror image” of heat denaturation or whether it shows unique structural and energetic features. Here we report that, for a well-characterized small protein, heat denaturation and cold denaturation show dramatically different experimental energetic patterns. Specifically, while heat denaturation is endothermic, the cold transition (studied in the folding direction) occurs with negligible heat effect, in a manner seemingly akin to a gradual, second-order-like transition. We show that this highly anomalous energetics is actually an apparent effect associated to a large folding/unfolding free energy barrier and that it ultimately reflects kinetic stability, a naturally-selected trait in many protein systems. Kinetics thus emerges as an important factor linked to differential features of cold denaturation. We speculate that kinetic stabilization against cold denaturation may play a role in cold adaptation of psychrophilic organisms. Furthermore, we suggest that folding-unfolding kinetics should be taken into account when analyzing in vitro cold-denaturation experiments, in particular those carried out in the absence of destabilizing conditions

HIF2alpha cooperates with RAS to promote lung tumorigenesis in mice.

Members of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) family of transcription factors regulate the cellular response to hypoxia. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), high HIF2alpha levels correlate with decreased overall survival, and inhibition of either the protein encoded by the canonical HIF target gene VEGF or VEGFR2 improves clinical outcomes. However, whether HIF2alpha is causal in imparting this poor prognosis is unknown. Here, we generated mice that conditionally express both a nondegradable variant of HIF2alpha and a mutant form of Kras (KrasG12D) that induces lung tumors. Mice expressing both Hif2a and KrasG12D in the lungs developed larger tumors and had an increased tumor burden and decreased survival compared with mice expressing only KrasG12D. Additionally, tumors expressing both KrasG12D and Hif2a were more invasive, demonstrated features of epithelial- mesenchymal transition (EMT), and exhibited increased angiogenesis associated with mobilization of circulating endothelial progenitor cells. These results implicate HIF2alpha causally in the pathogenesis of lung cancer in mice, demonstrate in vivo that HIF2alpha can promote expression of markers of EMT, and define HIF2alpha as a promoter of tumor growth and progression in a solid tumor other than renal cell carcinoma. They further suggest a possible causal relationship between HIF2alpha and prognosis in patients with NSCLC

Guidelines for autopsy investigation of sudden cardiac death: 2017 update from the Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology.

Although sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the most important modes of death in Western countries, pathologists and public health physicians have not given this problem the attention it deserves. New methods of preventing potentially fatal arrhythmias have been developed and the accurate diagnosis of the causes of SCD is now of particular importance. Pathologists are responsible for determining the precise cause and mechanism of sudden death but there is still considerable variation in the way in which they approach this increasingly complex task. The Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology has developed these guidelines, which represent the minimum standard that is required in the routine autopsy practice for the adequate investigation of SCD. The present version is an update of our original article, published 10 years ago. This is necessary because of our increased understanding of the genetics of cardiovascular diseases, the availability of new diagnostic methods, and the experience we have gained from the routine use of the original guidelines. The updated guidelines include a detailed protocol for the examination of the heart and recommendations for the selection of histological blocks and appropriate material for toxicology, microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular investigation. Our recommendations apply to university medical centers, regionals hospitals, and all healthcare professionals practicing pathology and forensic medicine. We believe that their adoption throughout Europe will improve the standards of autopsy practice, allow meaningful comparisons between different communities and regions, and permit the identification of emerging patterns of diseases causing SCD. Finally, we recommend the development of regional multidisciplinary networks of cardiologists, geneticists, and pathologists. Their role will be to facilitate the identification of index cases with a genetic basis, to screen appropriate family members, and ensure that appropriate preventive strategies are implemented

The gut microbiota of Colombians differs from that of Americans, Europeans and Asians

ABSTRACT: The composition of the gut microbiota has recently been associated with health and disease, particularly with obesity. Some studies suggested a higher proportion of Firmicutes and a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes in obese compared to lean people; others found discordant patterns. Most studies, however, focused on Americans or Europeans, giving a limited picture of the gut microbiome. To determine the generality of previous observations and expand our knowledge of the human gut microbiota, it is important to replicate studies in overlooked populations. Thus, we describe here, for the first time, the gut microbiota of Colombian adults via the pyrosequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), comparing it with results obtained in Americans, Europeans, Japanese and South Koreans, and testing the generality of previous observations concerning changes in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes with increasing body mass index (BMI). Results: We found that the composition of the gut microbiota of Colombians was significantly different from that of Americans, Europeans and Asians. The geographic origin of the population explained more variance in the composition of this bacterial community than BMI or gender. Concerning changes in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes with obesity, in Colombians we found a tendency in Firmicutes to diminish with increasing BMI, whereas no change was observed in Bacteroidetes. A similar result was found in Americans. A more detailed inspection of the Colombian dataset revealed that five fiber-degrading bacteria, including Akkermansia, Dialister, Oscillospira, Ruminococcaceae and Clostridiales, became less abundant in obese subjects. Conclusion: We contributed data from unstudied Colombians that showed that the geographic origin of the studied population had a greater impact on the composition of the gut microbiota than BMI or gender. Any strategy aiming to modulate or control obesity via manipulation of this bacterial community should consider this effect

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic