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Accessions of one plant species may show significantly different levels of susceptibility to stresses. The Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Col-0 and C24 differ significantly in their resistance to the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). To help unravel the underlying mechanisms contributing to this naturally occurring variance in resistance to Pst, we analyzed changes in transcripts and compounds from primary and secondary metabolism of Col-0 and C24 at different time points after infection with Pst. Our results show that the differences in the resistance of Col-0 and C24 mainly involve mechanisms of salicylic-acid-dependent systemic acquired resistance, while responses of jasmonic-acid-dependent mechanisms are shared between the two accessions. In addition, arginine metabolism and differential activity of the biosynthesis pathways of aliphatic glucosinolates and indole glucosinolates may also contribute to the resistance. Thus, this study highlights the difference in the defense response strategies utilized by different genotypes.
Background: Fasting is beneficial in many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with lasting effects for up to 1 year. However, existing data dates back several decades before the introduction of modern therapeutic modalities. Objective: This exploratory RCT compares the effects of a 7-day fast followed by a plant-based diet (PBD) to the effects of the dietary recommendations of the German society for nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung, DGE) on RA disease activity, cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, and well-being. Methods: In this RCT we randomly assigned 53 RA patients to either a 7-day fast followed by an 11-week PBD or a 12-week standard DGE diet. The primary endpoint was the group change from baseline to 12 weeks on the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI). Further outcomes included other disease activity scores, body composition, and quality of life. Results: Of 53 RA patients enrolled, 50 participants (25 per group) completed the trial and were included into the per-protocol analysis. The primary endpoint was not statistically significant. However, HAQ-DI improved rapidly in the fasting group by day 7 and remained stable over 12 weeks (Δ-0.29, p = 0.001), while the DGE group improved later at 6 and 12 weeks (Δ-0.23, p = 0.032). DAS28 ameliorated in both groups by week 12 (Δ-0.97, p < 0.001 and Δ-1.14, p < 0.001; respectively), with 9 patients in the fasting but only 3 in the DGE group achieving ACR50 or higher. CV risk factors including weight improved stronger in the fasting group than in the DGE group (Δ-3.9 kg, p < 0.001 and Δ-0.7 kg, p = 0.146). Conclusions: Compared with a guideline-based anti-inflammatory diet, fasting followed by a plant-based diet showed no benefit in terms of function and disability after 12 weeks. Both dietary approaches had a positive effect on RA disease activity and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with RA. Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03856190, identifier: NCT03856190.
Plant-based diets are associated with numerous health benefits but also bear risks of micronutrient deficiencies if inadequately planned.
The risk of nutrient deficiencies can be reliably reduced by supplementation but requires risk-awareness.
We distributed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire to n = 902 healthcare professionals attending a congress on plant-based nutrition (VegMed 2018, Berlin).
On the day of the survey (21 April 2018), n = 475 questionnaires were returned and analyzed descriptively. Of the n = 213 strict vegan participants, 2% (n = 5) took no supplements at all. All supplementing vegans reported taking vitamin B12. Almost three-quarters of vegans (73%, n = 152) took vitamin D, and 22% (n = 45) reported taking omega-3 fatty acids. Iron was supplemented by 13% (n = 28), iodine by 12% (n = 25), calcium by 11% (n = 22), zinc by 7% (n = 14), magnesium by 5% (n = 11), and selenium by 4% (n = 9). For 11%, a supplement other than vitamin B12 was subjectively most important. Nearly 50% had their vitamin B12 levels laboratory tested at least once a year; nearly one-quarter reported testing every two years, and another one-quarter rarely or never. Participants following a vegan diet were better informed about institutional recommendations of the German Nutrition Society and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for vegan diets than participants following vegetarian or omnivorous diets. Vegan nutrition in pregnancy/lactation period and childhood was considered most appropriate by vegans. Despite a high awareness of potential health risks associated with vitamin B12 deficiency on a strict vegan diet and a comprehensive understanding of the official dietary recommendations of nutrition societies, use of supplements and performance of regular laboratory tests were only moderate among vegan healthcare professionals.
Considering the paramount importance of adequate supplementation of critical nutrients to avoid nutrient deficiencies, scientific and public discourse should be further facilitated. Further investigation of the supplementation behavior of vegan health professionals could be of particular interest, as a possible correlation with the quality of their own nutrition counseling is not inconceivable.
Limb regeneration is a fascinating and medically interesting trait that has been well preserved in arthropod lineages, particularly in crustaceans.
However, the molecular mechanisms underlying arthropod limb regeneration remain largely elusive. The Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis shows strong regenerative capacity, a trait that has likely allowed it to become a worldwide invasive species.
Here, we report a chromosome-level genome of E. sinensis as well as large-scale transcriptome data during the limb regeneration process.
Our results reveal that arthropod -specific genes involved in signal transduction, immune response, histone methylation, and cuticle development all play fundamental roles during the regeneration process. Particularly, Innexin2-mediated signal transduction likely facilitates the early stage of the regeneration process, while an effective crustacean-specific prophenoloxidase system (ProPo-AS) plays crucial roles in the initial immune response.
Collectively, our findings uncover novel genetic pathways pertaining to arthropod limb regeneration and provide valuable resources for studies on regeneration from a comparative perspective.
Earthquake models can produce aftershock forecasts, which have recently been released to lay audiences. While visualization literature suggests that displaying forecast uncertainty can improve how forecast maps are used, research on uncertainty visualization is missing from earthquake science.
We designed a pre-registered online experiment to test the effectiveness of three visualization techniques for displaying aftershock forecast maps and their uncertainty. These maps showed the forecasted number of aftershocks at each location for a week following a hypothetical mainshock, along with the uncertainty around each location's forecast.
Three different uncertainty visualizations were produced:
(1) forecast and uncertainty maps adjacent to one another;
(2) the forecast map depicted in a color scheme, with the uncertainty shown by the transparency of the color; and
(3) two maps that showed the lower and upper bounds of the forecast distribution at each location.
We compared the three uncertainty visualizations using tasks that were specifically designed to address broadly applicable and user-generated communication goals.
We compared task responses between participants using uncertainty visualizations and using the forecast map shown without its uncertainty (the current practice).
Participants completed two map-reading tasks that targeted several dimensions of the readability of uncertainty visualizations. Participants then performed a Comparative Judgment task, which demonstrated whether a visualization was successful in reaching two key communication goals: indicating where many aftershocks and no aftershocks are likely (sure bets) and where the forecast is low but the uncertainty is high enough to imply potential risk (surprises).
All visualizations performed equally well in the goal of communicating sure bet situations. But the visualization with lower and upper bounds was substantially better than the other designs at communicating surprises.
These results have implications for the visual communication of forecast uncertainty both within and beyond earthquake science.
Background
Previous studies report vast mental health problems in sexual minority people. Representative national proportion estimates on self-identifying LGB+ persons are missing in Belgium. Lacking data collection regarding sexual orientation in either census or governmental survey data limits our understanding of the true population sizes of different sexual orientation groups and their respective health outcomes.
This study assessed the proportion of LGB+ and heterosexual persons in Belgium, LGB+ persons' self-identification as sexual minority, mental health, and experienced minority stress.
Method
A representative sample of 4632 individuals drawn from the Belgian National Register completed measures of sexual orientation, subjective minority status, and its importance for their identity as well as a range of mental-health measures.
Results
LGB+ participants made up 10.02% of the total sample and 52.59% of LGB+ participants self-identified as sexual minority. Most sexual minority participants considered sexual minority characteristics important for their identity. LGB+ persons reported significantly worse mental health than heterosexual persons. Sexual minority participants did not report high levels of minority stress, but those who considered minority characteristics key for their identity reported higher levels of minority stress. LGB+ participants who did not identify as minority reported fewer persons they trust.
Conclusions
The proportion of persons who identified as LGB+ was twice as large as the proportion of persons who identified as a minority based on their sexual orientation. LGB+ persons show poorer mental health compared to heterosexual persons. This difference was unrelated to minority stress, sociodemographic differences, minority identification, or the importance attached to minority characteristics.
To make research responsible and research outcomes meaningful, it is necessary to communicate our research and to involve as many relevant stakeholders as possible, especially in application-oriented-including information and communications technology (ICT)-research. Nowadays, stakeholder engagement is of fundamental importance to project success and achieving the expected impact and is often mandatory in a third-party funding context. Ultimately, research and development can only be successful if people react positively to the results and benefits generated by a project. For the wider acceptance of research outcomes, it is therefore essential that the public is made aware of and has an opportunity to discuss the results of research undertaken through two-way communication (interpersonal communication) with researchers. Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), an approach that anticipates and assesses potential implications and societal expectations regarding research and innovation, aims to foster inclusive and sustainable research and innovation. Research and innovation processes need to become more responsive and adaptive to these grand challenges. This implies, among other things, the introduction of broader foresight and impact assessments for new technologies beyond their anticipated market benefits and risks. Therefore, this article provides a structured workflow that explains "how to develop a stakeholder engagement plan" step by step.
The integration of imaging spectroscopy and aeromagnetics provides a cost-effective and promising way to extend the initial analysis of a mineral deposit. While imaging spectroscopy retrieves surface spectral information, magnetic responses are used to determine magnetization at both shallower and greater depths using 2D and 3D modeling. Integration of imaging spectroscopy and magnetics improves upon knowledge concerning lithology with magnetic properties, enhances understanding of the geological origin of magnetic anomalies, and is a promising approach for analyzing a prospective area for minerals having a high iron-bearing content. To combine iron diagnostic information from airborne hyperspectral and magnetic data, we (a) used an iron absorption feature ratio to model pseudo-magnetic responses and compare them with the measured magnetic data and (b) estimated the apparent susceptibility along the surface by some equivalent source modeling, and compared them with iron ratios along the surface. For this analysis, a Modified Iron Feature Depth index was developed and compared to the surface geochemistry of the rock samples in order to validate the spectral information of iron. The comparison revealed a linear increase in iron absorption feature depths with iron content. The analysis was performed by empirically modeling the statistical relationship between the diagnostic absorption features of hyperspectral (HS) image spectra of selected rock samples and their corresponding geochemistry. Our results clearly show a link between the spectral absorption features and the magnetic response from iron-bearing ultra/-mafic rocks. The iron absorption feature ratio of Fe3+/Fe2+ integrated with aeromagnetic data (residual magnetic anomaly) allowed us to distinguish main rock types based on physical properties. This separation matches the lithology of the Niaqornarssuit complex, our study area in West Greenland.
Bacterial-fungal interactions under agricultural settings: from physical to chemical interactions
(2022)
Bacteria and fungi are dominant members of environmental microbiomes. Various bacterial-fungal interactions (BFIs) and their mutual regulation are important factors for ecosystem functioning and health.
Such interactions can be highly dynamic, and often require spatiotemporally resolved assessments to understand the interplay which ranges from antagonism to mutualism. Many of these interactions are still poorly understood, especially in terms of the underlying chemical and molecular interplay, which is crucial for inter-kingdom communication and interference. BFIs are highly relevant under agricultural settings; they can be determinative for crop health.
Advancing our knowledge related to mechanisms underpinning the interactions between bacteria and fungi will provide an extended basis for biological control of pests and pathogens in agriculture.
Moreover, it will facilitate a better understanding of complex microbial community networks that commonly occur in nature. This will allow us to determine factors that are crucial for community assembly under different environmental conditions and pave the way for constructing synthetic communities for various biotechnological applications. Here, we summarize the current advances in the field of BFIs with an emphasis on agriculture.