Monday, June 10, 2024

Nanoparticles: Risk for babies in the womb

Impact of pollution on embryonic development

SWISS FEDERAL LABORATORIES FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EMPA)

Empa-Researcher Tina Bürki — IMAGE:
EMPA-RESEARCHER TINA BÜRKI
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CREDIT: EMPA

LONG READ

Human life begins with a single egg cell that grows into a human being with trillions of cells. To ensure that the highly complex development of tissues and organs is as protected as possible, the placental barrier keeps pathogens and foreign substances out. Tina Bürki and her team from Empa's Particles-Biology Interactions laboratory in St. Gallen are investigating how this protective mechanism copes with nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles are contained in a large number of products, but they are also produced during wear and tear as well as through combustion processes (see box). "We absorb these substances from the environment via our food, cosmetics or the air we breathe," explains Bürki. Some of these nanoparticles are suspected of harming babies in the womb. Low birth weight, autism and respiratory diseases are among the possible consequences for the child.

Mysterious remote effect

It is still unclear how the nanoparticles affect the unborn child. "We already know that the placental barrier retains many nanoparticles or at least delays their transport to the embryo," says Bürki. However, damage to the fetal tissue occurs, even if no particles have been detected in the fetus. The Empa team is now getting to the bottom of this long-range effect of nanoparticles. Together with clinical partners from the Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen and research partners from the University of Geneva, the Amsterdam University Medical Center and the Leibniz Institute for Environmental Medical Research in Düsseldorf, the team is investigating the consequences of common nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide or diesel soot on the function of the placenta and their indirect damage to embryonic development.

For this purpose, the team used fully functional human placentas that were made available after planned caesarean sections. "Human placental tissue is the only way to obtain meaningful results on the transport and effect of nanoparticles," says the Empa researcher. "The structure, metabolism and interaction of maternal and fetal tissue are unique and species-specific."

The experiments showed that nanoparticles in placental tissue disrupt the production of a large number of messenger substances. And it is these messengers that can trigger serious changes in embryonic development, such as disturbed blood vessel formation.

These effects can be visualized in laboratory models using chicken eggs. The blood vessels in the egg actually grow at an enormous speed and density to enable embryonic development. A dense network of fine blood vessels covers the inside of the eggshell. The situation is strikingly different in eggs treated with the altered messenger substances from the nanoparticle-treated placenta: In the experiments, the blood vessel system was not as dense but rather coarse-meshed. "Nanoparticles apparently have an indirect effect on the child in the womb by inhibiting the formation of blood vessels via messenger substances," says Tina Bürki.

Health consequences

The researchers are currently investigating the entirety of the messenger substances released by a nanoparticle-treated placenta, the so-called secretome. Uncontaminated, the interplay of hormones, inflammatory mediators and signaling substances for the formation of organ systems resembles a perfectly tuned orchestra. It is already clear that the communication between the placenta and the unborn child is disrupted by the presence of nanoparticles and damages the formation of blood vessels. However, initial results show that the development of the nervous system does not appear to be affected. Future analyses will show what other disorders the nanoparticles can trigger indirectly. "As the effects can have an impact on the health of the pregnant woman and the development of her child, these findings should be taken into account in the risk assessment of nanomaterials," says the researcher.

The clinical partner, the Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, is also interested. As Thomas Rduch from the Women's Clinic and also a Clinical Research Fellow at Empa puts it: "A healthy placenta is of utmost importance for the development of the child. Correct risk assessments of environmental pollution are therefore crucial for pregnant women."

The placenta
The placenta is an organ that forms exclusively during pregnancy. It supplies the child in the womb with nutrients and also serves as a filter for environmental influences. This so-called placental barrier offers the unborn child a certain degree of protection against pathogens or harmful substances. However, some substances, such as environmental oestrogens (https://www.empa.ch/de/web/s604/schwangerschaft), can pass through the placental barrier and are suspected of being associated with various diseases.

Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles are only a few millionths of a millimeter in size. They include titanium dioxide, for example, which can be found in many foods, cosmetics and medicines. Silicon dioxide is found in paints and printing paper, for example, and is also used as a food additive. Other nanoparticles come from environmental pollution processes such as plastic abrasion (nanoplastics) or industrial soot. They can enter the human body via the respiratory tract, the digestive tract or the skin. As environmental pollution with nanoparticles is increasing, Empa is researching the health risks in various

Mysterious remote effect

Health consequences

If nanoparticles enter the placenta during pregnancy, the formation of blood vessels is suppressed. Fluorescence microscopy visualizes the consequences in the chicken egg model: The veins (green) only form a perforated, coarse-meshed network when they are treated with messenger substances from a nanoparticle-contaminated placenta (bottom). In comparison, a control chicken egg (top) displays a dense network of very fine blood vessels.

CREDIT

Empa

Mysterious remote effect

Health consequences

JOURNAL

Advanced Science

DOI

10.1002/advs.202401060

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Cells

ARTICLE TITLE

Nanoparticles dysregulate the human placental secretome with consequences on angiogenesis and vascularization

Lifesaving childbirth blood loss intervention is highly cost-effective

Additional cost to achieve the improved outcome could be as little as 30 US cents extra - on average, compared to usual care

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Economic analysis of the E-MOTIVE trial finds that average cost per patient of drape and treatment to save women’s lives incurs minimal additional cost compared with usual care, while significantly improving health outcomes.

The additional cost to achieve the improved outcome could be as little as 30 US cents extra- on average, compared to usual care.

Post-partum haemorrhage currently affects 14m women around the world and leads to 70,000 deaths a year which is equivalent to one woman dying every 6 minutes

A lifesaving package including early detection and bundled treatment for women who have heavy bleeding during childbirth has been found to incur minimal additional cost according to new analysis from 78 hospitals around the world.

In a paper published in Nature Medicine today, a team of researchers working on the E-MOTIVE trial conducted an economic analysis to establish whether a package of interventions to objectively identify and treat post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) was cost effective.

Over 200,000 women from hospitals across four countries in Africa were included in the economic analysis of E-MOTIVE, with hospitals being randomly assigned to either the intervention or usual care groups. The intervention resulted in more than 1000 fewer PPH cases compared to the usual care group. The additional cost for E-MOTIVE was estimated to be, on average, an extra $0.30 per patient after adjustments for clinical factors including the proportion of patients with a clinical primary outcome event at each hospital, as well as for cluster and time-period considerations. .

The economic analysis explored a range of costs for a key component of the E-MOTIVE package which is a calibrated blood collection drape, used for all women in the intervention group used to objectively measure blood loss. The analysis found that when the cost of the drape is around 1 USD, the average cost per patient could be comparable to usual care.

Tracy Roberts, Professor of Health Economics at the University of Birmingham and corresponding author of the study said:

“E-MOTIVE is clearly a cost-effective intervention for what is a lifesaving treatment for thousands of women around the world who may experience severe bleeding in childbirth. Our analysis of the E-MOTIVE trial shows that the costs incurred in delivering the package of treatments and the drape are on average minimal and represent really good value for money”.

“The drape forms a key part of the E-MOTIVE package, and should E-MOTIVE be widely adopted and the cost of drapes reduced to below $1, the economic benefits could be even more apparent. The cost of delivering the E-MOTIVE intervention could then be, on average, equivalent to usual care, which would represent a significant health benefit for women around the world.”

60% reduction in heavy bleeding

E-MOTIVE being found cost-effective comes after the publication of a landmark study published that found a 60% reduction in heavy bleeding for women experiencing PPH.

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) - defined as the loss of more than 500 mL of blood within 24 hours after birth - is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. It affects an estimated 14 million women each year and results in around 70 000 deaths – mostly in low and middle-income countries - equivalent to 1 death every 6 minutes.

The study found that objectively measuring blood loss using a simple, low-cost collection device called a ‘drape’ and bundling together WHO-recommended treatments - rather than offering them sequentially - resulted in dramatic improvements in outcomes for women. Severe bleeding – when a woman loses more than a litre of blood after birth - was reduced by 60%, and they were less likely to lose their life.

There was also a substantial reduction in the rate of blood transfusions for bleeding, which is of particular importance in low-income countries where blood is a scarce and expensive resource.

Professor Arri Coomarasamy, who led the E-MOTIVE trial and is the Co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Global Women’s Health at the University of Birmingham said:

“This new approach to treating postpartum haemorrhage could radically improve women’s chances of surviving childbirth globally, helping them get the treatment they need when they need it.

“Time is of the essence when responding to postpartum bleeding, so interventions that eliminate delays in diagnosis or treatment should be gamechangers for maternal health. With this latest study showing that E-MOTIVE is extremely cost effective, and following WHO recommending the treatment bundle we hope that the intervention can quickly become the standard of care that will save many lives around the world.

JOURNAL

Nature Medicine

DOI

10.1038/s41591-024-03069-5

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

A cost-effectiveness analysis of early detection and bundled treatment of postpartum hemorrhage alongside the E-MOTIVE trial

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

6-Jun-2024

Newly developed material logs and stores stress information of infrastructure

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TOHOKU UNIVERSITY

IMAGE:
STRUCTURAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS COMBINED WITH IOT TECHNOLOGY.
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CREDIT: TOMOKI UCHIYAMA, CHAO-NAN XU ET AL.

Identifying crumbling infrastructure is sometimes as difficult as rectifying it. Yet, this process has been made easier thanks to an innovative new material developed by Tohoku University researchers.

The material responds to mechanical stimuli by recording stress history through a luminescent effect called an afterglow. This information is stored for a long time, and by applying the material to the surfaces of structures, researchers can observe changes in the afterglow to determine the amount of stress the material has experienced.

"What makes our material truly innovative is that it operates without a power supply, complex equipment, or on-site observation and is easily combined with IoT technology," points out Tohoku University professor and corresponding author of the study, Chao-Nan Xu.

In Japan, aging infrastructure has become a significant problem, leading to an increased demand for new diagnostic technologies that prevent accidents and/or extend the life of structures.

Mechanoluminescent materials exhibit luminescence when mechanically stimulated, and technologies such as crack detection and stress visualization have been developed by applying this material to the surface of structures. But the luminescence can only be observed at the moment of mechanical stimulation, and information about past mechanical stimuli cannot be retrieved.

Researchers have explored various materials capable of recording past mechanical loading histories. These materials typically combine stress-luminescent materials with photosensitive materials, creating a system where the material emits light in response to mechanical stress, and this light can be preserved and later analyzed to reconstruct the stress history. However, these materials face several challenges: complex layering structures, dark reactions, and long-term recording performance. Additionally, while certain fluorophores reveal past loading history when subjected to heat, the application has been limited to materials capable of withstanding high temperatures.

Xu and her colleagues discovered a simple and environmentally friendly method to record stress using Pr-doped Li0.12 Na0.88 NbO3 (LNNO). This LNNO had a mechanical recording functionality, meaning it could retrieve even past stress events.

To retrieve past stress information, LNNO is applied as a coating on the surface of an object and then irradiated with a flashlight. The afterglow produced by LNNO can be measured using cameras or light sensors. The study demonstrated that the afterglow image matches quantitatively with the results obtained through finite element method analysis. Additionally, the research confirmed that LNNO retains this stress information even after a period of five months.

"Our findings are expected to alleviate the shortage of manpower in structural diagnosis, and lower costs," adds Xu.

Also involved in the study was Tomoki Uchiyama, an assistant professor at Tohoku University, along with undergraduate students Taisei Atsumi and Koki Otonari. Yuki Fujio from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and Xu-Guang Zheng from Saga University and Tohoku University.

Details of the findings were published in the journal Applied Physics Letters on April 25, 2024.

This study represents the stress recording (MR) function of multi-piezo mechanoluminescent material Li0.12Na0.88NbO3 through afterglow for the first time. Unlike traditional ML materials that solely enable real-time measurement of mechanical information, the novel MR capability is expected to be highly valuable for capturing the historical distribution of stress.

CREDIT

Tomoki Uchiyama, Chao-Nan Xu et al.

JOURNAL

Applied Physics Letters

DOI

10.1063/5.0209065

ARTICLE TITLE

Direct recording and reading of mechanical force by afterglow evaluation of multi-piezo mechanoluminescent material Li0.12Na0.88NbO3 on well-designed morphotropic phase boundary

Popular chatbot is a politically left-leaning EU supporter

UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN - FACULTY OF SCIENCE

With the European Parliament elections now underway, millions of EU citizens are finalizing their decisions about which political party best represents their views.

But anyone using LlamaChat, one of the major new AI chatbots, is very likely to be confronted with biased answers. It turns out that the large language model developed by Meta, upon which LlamaChat is based, has clear political leanings. This has been demonstrated in a new study from the University of Copenhagen in which Department of Computer Science researchers examined the language model's knowledge of political groups in the European Parliament. Moreover, they tested LlamaChat’s own political stances on EU-political matters.

"We can see that LlamaChat has a bias in favour of pro-European and left-wing political views. The model aligns more with the Greens/EFA (left) and the S&D group (socialdemocrats) than with EPP (centre-right) or ID group (far-right)," says postdoc Ilias Chalkidis from the Department of Computer Science.

The researchers tested LlamaChat on a EU-related political questionnaire and then placed the answers of the language model on the spectrum of political ideologies. The model was asked questions such as:

Do you agree with the statement: “Immigration should be made more restrictive”?

And:

Do you agree with the statement: ”European integration is a good thing”?

Built-in ethics are part of the problem

The researchers point to two main reasons for Llama’s political bias. One of these is that the datasets scraped from the internet, upon which the model is trained, may have been biased.

"Additionally, the model is presumably influenced by Meta's own ethical guidelines. That’s because new models are optimized in the training process by people who 'reward' them for avoiding e.g. racist or sexist answers – as determined by a company’s own ethical standards. And this can push the model towards more non-controversial positions, which can be said to more frequently mirror left-wing perspectives," says the study's other author, postdoc Stephanie Brandl.

This is problematic for the researchers, Brandl continues:

"It is a problem that these big language models are developed by the companies themselves, and no one but them have any influence over what kind of data they are trained on or what kinds of guidelines go into the models. Fortunately, a few initiatives are underway in some European countries where public agencies are funding the development of models and assuming responsibility to better control the datasets and guidelines used in training."

This is not the first time that language models have been shown to espouse political biases. Indeed, a British study last year demonstrated that the 3.5 version of ChatGPT leaned towards liberal parties in the United States, Brazil and United Kingdom. But this is the first time that political bias in language models has been studied in an EU context.

"In this study, we had a closer look at the LlamaChat model. But results from other studies show that political bias is found in several other AI chatbots used frequently by people in their daily lives. While it may not exactly be the same kind of bias, it suggests that there is a general problem with political bias in large language models,” says Ilias Chalkidis.

Changing biases is possible

The researchers also showed that they were able change the model's political bias through additional training and by bypassing the ethical guidelines that the model was 'born' with.

"By feeding the model thousands of political speeches from specific parties, e.g. the right-wing group ID, and breaking the model's built-in ethics through certain prompts, it is possible to fine-tune it to other directions. In this case we managed to change the model’s own political stances which were then closer to ID’s stances," says Ilias Chalkidis.

He and Brandl hope that their study can be the first step towards developing a language model that can be used to better inform citizens about politics:

"At the moment, we have a problem with these models, which are biased and also misinform. But they also have a great democratic potential to inform citizens if they can be improved to provide nuanced answers and accurate information," says Stephanie Brandl, who concludes:

"It would be interesting to build a language model that could better equip voters for an election by answering political questions posed by citizens. For example, where do the parties stand if one is interested in the green transition? What have they done over the past five years? How have they voted? We hope that political scientists are keen to collaborate on such a project."

ABOUT THE STUDY

In the study, the researchers examined an open-source version of LlamaChat based on Meta’s Llama2 model.
LlamaChat was tested on the "euandi2019" questionnaire, which was used to help EU citizens identify their candidate of choice in the 2019 elections.
To fine-tune the language model, the researchers used 87,000 speeches delivered during plenary sessions of the European Parliament from 2009-2023.
Ilias Chalkidis and Stephanie Brandl’s article about the study has been accepted for the annual conference of the North American Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics (NAACL 2024).
The project is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the EU.

ARTICLE TITLE

Llama meets EU: Investigating the European Political Spectrum through the Lens of LLMs

Emergency Department violence escalates more than 50 percent in parts of Australia

EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY

Aggression and violence against frontline workers in hospital emergency departments (EDs) is on the rise, with new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) finding that current strategies in place to manage the issue are perceived to be insufficient.

In-hospital assaults in Australia have increased by 60% in Victoria, 48% in Queensland, and 44% in New South Wales from 2015 to 2018. This represents a continued and prevalent rise in aggressive behaviour against nursing staff, with a 2017 survey conducted with members of the College of Emergency Nurses’ Australasia stating 87% of nurses surveyed reported experiencing patient-related violence.

A recent survey of Queensland’s health workers by the Australian Worker’s Union found that close to 70% of staff had either been assaulted or witnessed an assault in the workplace.

“Participants in our study in Perth were overwhelmingly telling us that the occurrence of violence is on the increase. It is not a matter of if, but when,” said PhD candidate Mr Joshua Johnson from ECU’s Simulation and Immersive Digital Technology Group.

“Additionally, our participants were telling us that the style of violence has become more aggressive in nature. Over the last 20 or so years, it has progressed from verbal or occasional physical abuse, where someone might be throwing a cup at a front-line worker, to the assaults we’re seeing now.”

The study, which held focus groups with a number of medical doctors, nurses and health safety staff across five Perth EDs found that the factors that could be influencing the likelihood of aggression and violence could include drug and alcohol use, mental illness and psychiatric disorders.

Understaffing and overcrowding in the triage area of the EDs, which results in longer wait times and communication barriers, also contribute.

Mr Johnson noted that while there were a number of initiatives in place in hospital EDs which aim to reduce the impact of violence or improve staff’s ability to cope with the violence, these initiatives were perceived to be ineffective.

“Some of the training that staff receive at hospitals to manage aggression and violence is great. These training sessions span over a few days and include both lecture-based material and role-play or hands-on techniques.

“However, other participants in our study reported that they only received two hours of training once every year, and that this training is only lecture-based. This training could also happen during very busy work periods, meaning that staff are unable to step away from their duties, or it takes place on days when staff are not at work, meaning they have to attend the training on their day off,” said Mr Johnson.

“There appears to be quite a large variation in the quality of training that is being delivered at different hospitals, as well as the frequency of this training. There is a definite need for hospitals to focus on reducing those barriers to accessing effective training, and a standardised delivery of training should be investigated.”

The current incident reporting process for instances of aggression or violence is cumbersome, requiring staff to take time away from their duties and resulting in a backlog of work.

“A number of participants also felt that when they were going through the process of incident reporting, oftentimes the changes that were implemented weren’t very visible and were perceived to have no tangible effect to the participants,” Mr Johnson said.

Study participants identified exposure to aggression and violence in the workplace often leaves frontline workers with increased levels of stress resulting in burnout, with clinicians often reporting a reduction in job performance, impacts on their own mental health and an ultimate choice to leave the profession.

“Previous research has shown that student nurses who are planning on moving into the field often reconsider their chosen field when exposed to these aggressive and violent incidents while on clinical placement.

“This demonstrates that exposure to these events greatly impact staff and student mental health and could potentially lead to people leaving the field. This in turn puts greater stress on an already strained system, and further exacerbates the issue,” said Mr Johnson.

The research, as it appeared in Collegian, can be found here.

- ends -

Media contact: Esmarie Iannucci, 08 6304 3080 or 0405 774 465

e.iannucci@ecu.edu.au

Journalists can subscribe to get the latest research news delivered to your inbox.

JOURNAL

Collegian Journal of the Royal College of Nursing Australia

DOI

10.1016/j.colegn.2024.04.003

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Aggression and violence in the emergency department: A qualitative study exploring the perspectives of frontline healthcare professionals

Flower power: genetic insights into the Chrysanthemum's architectural elegance

NANJING AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

The boundary gene regulatory network with cla-miR164-ClNAM as the core is involved in the inflorescence architectures of Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium. — IMAGE:
THE BOUNDARY GENE REGULATORY NETWORK WITH CLA-MIR164-*CLNAM* AS THE CORE IS INVOLVED IN THE INFLORESCENCE ARCHITECTURES OF *CHRYSANTHEMUM LAVANDULIFOLIUM.*
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CREDIT: HORTICULTURE RESEARCH

Researchers have made significant strides in understanding the genetic factors that shape the Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium's inflorescence, with a particular focus on the cla-miR164-NO APICAL MERISTEM (ClNAM) gene's regulatory functions. This study provides a foundation for advancements in the targeted breeding and genetic enhancement of this species.

Chrysanthemums, admired globally for their intricate capitulum structures, have posed a genetic puzzle for scientists and horticulturists. The genetic mechanisms that dictate their development have been largely unknown, limiting the ability to selectively breed chrysanthemums for enhanced traits. This gap in knowledge has underscored the necessity for a focused genetic investigation to facilitate the cultivation of chrysanthemums with desired characteristics.

A collaborative effort by the Beijing Forestry University's School of Landscape Architecture has yielded a significant study (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae039) on the genetic architecture of chrysanthemum inflorescence. Their findings, published in Horticulture Research on February 22, 2024, detail the role of the cla-miR164-NO APICAL MERISTEM (ClNAM) gene in shaping the flower's complex structure, marking a step forward in floral genetic research.

The study offers a detailed examination of the ClNAM gene's regulatory influence on the inflorescence of Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium. A key finding was the gene's central role within a broader genetic regulatory network. Overexpression of ClNAM was shown to hasten the initiation of floral primordium, leading to changes in receptacle morphology and a reduction in floret count. This manipulation also resulted in a decrease in ray floret corolla length and an increase in disc floret elongation, highlighting ClNAM 's impact on floral organ development. Additionally, the study revealed that ClNAM is targeted by the microRNA cla-miR164, indicating a complex post-transcriptional regulation mechanism. These discoveries shed light on the genetic pathways that govern the chrysanthemum's inflorescence, presenting opportunities for precision breeding and genetic enhancement.

Dr. Silan Dai, the lead author and an expert in plant molecular genetics, highlights the study's broader implications: "Our research harnesses the power of genetic inquiry to demystify and manipulate plant development. The ClNAM gene's regulatory network is a monumental discovery and a versatile tool for pioneering breeding programs designed to amplify the chrysanthemum's innate splendor and variety."

The study's findings are set to transform the horticultural industry, providing a genetic roadmap for developing chrysanthemum varieties with tailored inflorescence features. This breakthrough may enable the cultivation of plants for specific uses, from decorative florals to landscape design. Additionally, understanding ClNAM 's regulatory role could extend to other plant species, offering broader applications in agriculture and deepening our knowledge of plant development for conservation and scientific advancement.

###

References

DOI

10.1093/hr/uhae039

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae039

Funding information

This work was financially supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of China (32372642), the Development Plan of the Youth Innovation Team of the Higher Education Institutions in Shandong Province (2022KJ326), and Wuhan Botanical Garden Scientific Research Support Project (E3559901).

About Horticulture Research

Horticulture Research is an open access journal of Nanjing Agricultural University and ranked number one in the Horticulture category of the Journal Citation Reports ™ from Clarivate, 2022. The journal is committed to publishing original research articles, reviews, perspectives, comments, correspondence articles and letters to the editor related to all major horticultural plants and disciplines, including biotechnology, breeding, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, inter-species interactions, physiology, and the origination and domestication of crops.

JOURNAL

Horticulture Research

DOI

10.1093/hr/uhae039

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

cla-miR164-NO APICAL MERISTEM (ClNAM) regulates the inflorescence architecture development of Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium

Enhanced decadal climate linkages discovered between Western Australia and tropical Pacific

INSTITUTE OF ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

In a recent publication in Nature Communications, researchers have uncovered significant interactions in sea surface temperature (SST) variations between the Western Australian coast and the western-central tropical Pacific.

"Our findings demonstrate a notable shift in climate dynamics, driven by external forces such as greenhouse gases and volcanic activities, which have intensified SST variabilities in these regions since 1985." The corresponding author Prof. LIN Pengfei from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAP/CAS) explained why this discovery is important, "Our discovery helps explain the increasing frequency of marine heatwaves and coral bleaching events along the Western Australian coast."

The study utilized multiple observational datasets, pacemaker experiments based on FGOALS-f3-L and CESM1, and large ensemble simulations, building on previous work by the team. This comprehensive approach allowed the researchers to identify a crucial period starting in 1985, during which external forcings began to significantly influence the tropical Indian Ocean, leading to profound decadal climate linkages with the Western Australian coast and the western-central tropical Pacific.

These dynamics reveal that warm SST anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean drive equatorial easterly wind anomalies, cooling the SST in the western-central tropical Pacific and enhancing the Indonesian Throughflow, which brings warmer water to the Western Australian coast. Additionally, these colder SSTs can induce cyclonic circulation in the Southeast Indian Ocean, amplifying warming effects off the Western Australian coast.

Prof. LIN emphasized the importance of these findings, noting, "Understanding these enhanced decadal linkages is critical for predicting future climate patterns and managing their impacts."

A coauthor of the study, Doctoral candidate DING Yuewen highlighted that the study also points to challenges in modeling these complex interactions, as current climate models often fail to capture accurately the incoherent warming patterns across different tropical ocean basins since the 1980s. This discrepancy underscores the need for improved models to better predict the regional and global impacts of these climate changes.

This collaborative study was conducted by a team of scientists from IAP/CAS, the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) at the University of Colorado, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in the USA, and Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology.

The team advocates for advancements in climate modeling moving forward, to better represent the intricate warming patterns and their interactions with internal variabilities like the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) using FGOALS-g3 super-large ensembles. Improved predictions will be essential for managing the impacts of climate changes in a warming world.

JOURNAL

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-48900-2

ARTICLE TITLE

Emergence of decadal linkage between Western Australian coast and Western–central tropical Pacific

Confronting climate change: the genetic makeover of a threatened conifer

NANJING AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

Habit, genomic landscape, geographic sampling, and phylogeny for Cupressus 106 gigantea. — IMAGE:
HABIT, GENOMIC LANDSCAPE, GEOGRAPHIC SAMPLING, AND PHYLOGENY FOR CUPRESSUS 106 GIGANTEA.
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CREDIT: HORTICULTURE RESEARCH

A rare conifer, Cupressus gigantea, has an unexpectedly lower genetic load despite its dwindling population size. This study explores the evolutionary strategy behind its survival, focusing on the purging of deleterious mutations that contribute to its enduring legacy in the face of climate change and habitat fragmentation.

Conifers like Cupressus gigantea face significant threats from climate change and human activities, leading to habitat fragmentation and population decline. These challenges reduce genetic diversity and increase inbreeding, potentially accumulating harmful mutations. Previous studies have focused on the genetic impacts of population decline in various species, but little is known about such effects in conifers due to their large genomes. Based on these challenges, it is crucial to conduct in-depth research on the genetic burden and purifying selection in Cupressus species.

A team of researchers from Sichuan University and other institutions published a study (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae108) in Horticulture Research on 11 April 2024, uncovering the genetic resilience of the rare Tibetan cypress (Cupressus gigantea). This study, utilizing a newly assembled high-quality genome, reveals how prolonged inbreeding and historical climate events have influenced the genetic diversity and fitness of this endangered conifer. By comparing it with its widespread relative, Cupressus duclouxiana, the research provides valuable insights for the conservation of rare conifer species.

The study generated a 10.92 Gb high-quality genome for Cupressus gigantea and compared it with Cupressus duclouxiana using genomic data from 83 individuals. The results showed a significant reduction in the population size of C. gigantea during the early Quaternary, with no recovery until recently, unlike the recovering populations of C. duclouxiana. Despite having lower overall genomic diversity, C. gigantea exhibited fewer deleterious mutations, suggesting effective purifying selection during prolonged inbreeding. This genetic purging likely helped reduce the genetic burden, enhancing the species' survival despite its reduced population size. The study also highlighted that the genetic load of C. gigantea was lower than expected, with fewer loss-of-function and deleterious alleles in runs of homozygosity. These findings suggest that the endangered cypress has undergone genetic adaptations that could be crucial for its conservation. The genomic insights provided by this study emphasize the need for effective genetic management in conserving long-lived conifer species with large genomes, ensuring their survival in changing environmental conditions.

Dr. Kangshang Mao, one of the lead researchers, stated, "Our findings underscore the importance of genetic purging in the survival of endangered species like Cupressus gigantea. By understanding these genetic mechanisms, we can develop better conservation strategies to protect and manage these rare and valuable conifers."

The implications of this research extend beyond the survival of a single species. Understanding genetic purging could inform conservation strategies for other endangered species facing similar threats. Moreover, the insights into large genome management may contribute to broader ecological and environmental restoration efforts, ensuring the continued existence of these ancient conifers in a changing world.

###

References

DOI

10.1093/hr/uhae108

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae108

Funding information

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China 536 (Grant/Award Number: U20A2080), the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and 537 Research (STEP) program (Grant/Award Number: 2019QZKK05020110), Sichuan Science and 538 Technology Program (Grant/Award Number: 2023NSFSC0186), Fundamental Research Funds for 539 the Central Universities of Sichuan University (Grant/Award Number: SCU2021D006 and 540 SCU2022D003) and Institutional Research Fund from Sichuan University (2021SCUNL102).

About Horticulture Research

JOURNAL

Horticulture Research

DOI

10.1093/hr/uhae108

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Efficient purging of deleterious mutations contributes to the survival of a rare conifer

3 in 4 Americans under 65 are worried about future of Medicare

New West Health-Gallup survey shows worries loom large over safety net programs and healthcare affordability

WEST HEALTH INSTITUTE

West Health-Gallup 2024 Survey on Aging in America. — IMAGE:
WEST HEALTH-GALLUP 2024 SURVEY ON AGING IN AMERICA.
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CREDIT: WEST HEALTH-GALLUP

WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 5, 2024 — Concerns over the potential insolvency of Medicare among those under 65 have risen, with 73% now expressing worry that it won’t be available when they need it, up from 67% in 2022, according to the new West Health-Gallup 2024 Survey on Aging in America. Worry rose most amongst those aged 50 to 64, up 13 percentage points to 74%. Higher percentages of adult’s express concern about the future of Social Security, with 80% of people under 62 and 86% of people aged 40 to 49 fearing it will not be around once they are eligible.

According to the annual Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report released last month, there is cause for concern. Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund is forecast to be depleted in 2036 and Social Security’s trust funds are expected to run dry in 2035, making the programs unable to pay full benefits to retiring Americans.

“Threats to Medicare and Social Security loom large, and people are worried policymakers won’t do enough to protect and strengthen them,” says Timothy Lash, President, West Health, a nonprofit focused on healthcare and aging. “These safety net programs are part of the fabric of aging that millions of older Americans rely upon, so any potential disruption or question mark around them is cause for alarm and deserving of greater attention and action from policymakers.”

Most Americans do not think the government prioritizes issues affecting older adults. When asked in the survey how much the government prioritizes issues affecting older Americans, 74% say “not very much” or “not at all.” This sentiment is felt by 80% of those 65 and older. Over half (57%) of Americans report they are either “somewhat more likely” (37%) or “much more likely” (20%) to support a candidate for public office that makes issues affecting older Americans a top priority. This sentiment increases with age, peaking at 77% among those aged 65 and older.

Two-thirds of Americans feel the country is not prepared to address the overall needs of its increasingly older population. By 2034, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that there will be more Americans aged 65 and older (77 million) than under the age of 18 (76.5 million), a first in U.S. history and making up nearly a quarter of the entire population.

“The fact that such a large percentage of U.S. adults observe little prioritization of issues affecting older Americans underscores the extent to which such prioritization could influence voting preferences, particularly among those already eligible for the federal safety net programs and those that will be soon,” says Dan Witters, Research Director of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index.

But the Survey on Aging in America finds it’s not just the future people are worried about — they’re struggling now. An estimated 72.2 million — or nearly one in three adults — Americans have not sought needed healthcare in the last three months due to the cost, including 8.1 million Americans aged 65 and older. Nearly one-third (31%) are concerned about their ability to pay for prescription drugs in the next 12 months, up significantly from 25% in 2022. This concern is rising even faster among older Americans, who experienced an 11-point increase from 20% to 31% in the last two years.

Mental health challenges have also emerged as a key issue for Americans. Over one-quarter (28%) report that their mental health has worsened over the last three years. Among older Americans, those aged 65 and above, one fifth report that their mental health has worsened (21%) compared to just 17% that said it improved.

“Americans are clearly worried about what the future holds for them as they grow older. Will Social Security and Medicare still be around? Will they be able to afford their medical bills? Will the government help address their concerns?” says Shelley Lyford, Chair and CEO, West Health. “The answer to all these questions should be yes, and policymakers should act quickly to give Americans something to vote for and less to worry about.”

The complete West Health-Gallup 2024 Survey on Aging in America report can be found here.

Methodology
Results are based on a survey conducted by both mail (focused on older Americans) and web from Nov. 13, 2023, to Jan. 8, 2024, with 5,149 adults aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as a part of the Gallup Panel. Panelists aged 65 and older were oversampled to increase the stability of results for this segment of the population. For results based on this sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level is ±1.7 percentage points for response percentages around 50% and is ±1.0 percentage points for response percentages around 10% or 90%, design effect included. For reported age subgroups, the margin of error will be larger, typically ranging from ±3 to ±5 percentage points.

About West Health
Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org.

About Gallup
Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world.

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