Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicity of Analogs of Wasp Venom EMP Peptides. Potential Influence of Oxidized Methionine.

The antibiotic and toxic properties for four synthetic analogs of eumenine mastoparan peptides (EMP) have been tested. These properties were compared to two natural peptides found in the venom of solitary wasps (natural peptide EMP-AF) and (natural peptide EMP-ER), respectively. Only EMP-AF-OR showed concentration-dependent growth inhibition against all bacterial species tested.

Self-defining memories-Narrative features in relation to adaptive and maladaptive personality traits (replication and extension of Blagov & Singer, 2004).

Objective: Self-defining memories (SDMs) are units of life-story analysis, whose features resemble elements from narrative identity's factorial structure. To bridge narrative-identity and personality-trait domains, we conducted a replication and extension of prior research.

Method: We linked four SDM features - affect, specificity, meaning making, and content - to the Big Three trait domains of personality and psychopathology in a small sample that was well-powered for multilevel modeling (133 participants, 1330 SDMs).

Synthetic essentiality between PTEN and core dependency factor PAX7 dictates rhabdomyosarcoma identity.

PTEN promoter hypermethylation is nearly universal and PTEN copy number loss occurs in ~25% of fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma (FN-RMS). Here we show Pten deletion in a mouse model of FN-RMS results in less differentiated tumors more closely resembling human embryonal RMS. PTEN loss activated the PI3K pathway but did not increase mTOR activity.

The Regulatory Network of Sturgeon Chondroitin Sulfate on Colorectal Cancer Inhibition by Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis.

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a food-derived bioactive substance with multiple biological functions, which exists in animal cartilage and/or bone. Sturgeon, a type of cartilaginous fish, is rich in CS. Our recent study demonstrated the effect of sturgeon chondroitin sulfate (SCS) on reducing colorectal cancer cell proliferation and tumor formation.

Identifying structural connectivity priorities in eastern Paraguay's fragmented Atlantic Forest.

The Atlantic Forest of eastern Paraguay has experienced extensive recent deforestation. Less than one-third of the region is forested, and the remaining forest largely consists of isolated remnants with potentially disrupted connectivity for forest fauna. We used a graph theory approach to identify those forest remnants that are important in maintaining landscape structural connectivity for mammals in this fragmented forest.

Communication around palliative care principles and advance care planning between oncologists, children with advancing cancer and families.

Background: In medical oncology, palliative care principles and advance care planning are often discussed later in illness, limiting time for conversations to guide goal-concordant care. In pediatric oncology, the frequency, timing and content of communication about palliative care principles and advance care planning remains understudied.

Methods: We audio-recorded serial disease re-evaluation conversations between oncologists, children with advancing cancer and their families across the illness trajectory until death or 24 months from last disease progression.

L-DOPA Dioxygenase Activity on 6-Substituted Dopamine Analogues.

Dioxygenase enzymes are essential protein catalysts for the breakdown of catecholic rings, structural components of plant woody tissue. This powerful chemistry is used in nature to make antibiotics and other bioactive materials or degrade plant material, but we have a limited understanding of the breadth and depth of substrate space for these potent catalysts. Here we report steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetic analysis of dopamine derivatives substituted at the 6-position as substrates of L-DOPA dioxygenase, and an analysis of that activity as a function of the electron-withdrawing nature of the substituent.

Stable isotope analyses identify trophic niche partitioning between sympatric terrestrial vertebrates in coastal saltmarshes with differing oiling histories.

Bioindicator species are commonly used as proxies to help identify the ecological effects of oil spills and other stressors. However, the utility of taxa as bioindicators is dependent on understanding their trophic niche and life history characteristics, as these factors mediate their ecological responses. Seaside sparrows ( and marsh rice rats () are two ubiquitous terrestrial vertebrates that are thought to be bioindicators of oil spills in saltmarsh ecosystems.

Cross-domain associations between mathematical and narrative abilities in preschool-aged children.

Both mathematical and narrative abilities are considered critical dimensions of children's kindergarten readiness skills and are emphasized in developmental standards and readiness assessments during the prekindergarten period. Yet, despite considerable opportunities available to educators to leverage potential cross-domain associations in their instruction, little is known about how component math skills are associated with narrative skills. The current study extends prior theoretical and empirical work on cross-domain associations by examining the extent to which component math skills, constituting a kindergarten readiness assessment battery, are associated with narrative comprehension skills in children aged 4-6 years.

Assessing the effects of calculated inaction on national responses to the COVID-19 crisis.

How does calculated inaction affect subsequent responses to the COVID-19 crisis? We argue that when governments employ calculated inaction during crises, they are more likely to manipulate the technical (scientific) aspects of national responses and highlight symbolic politics, each in the name of projecting power and strengthening the regime's governing authority. Using theoretical insight from McConnell and 't Hart's policy inaction typology, we investigate sense-making and crisis response narratives in China and Greece. We conclude with implications for policymaking and the crisis management literature.

Social boldness correlates with brain gene expression in male green anoles.

Within populations, some individuals tend to exhibit a bold or shy social behavior phenotype relative to the mean. The neural underpinnings of these differing phenotypes - also described as syndromes, personalities, and coping styles - is an area of ongoing investigation. Although a social decision-making network has been described across vertebrate taxa, most studies examining activity within this network do so in relation to exhibited differences in behavioral expression.

Recalled and momentary virtual portions created of snacks predict actual intake under laboratory stress condition.

Virtual portion tasks have been used to predict food intake in healthy individuals, severity of illness in individuals with anorexia nervosa, and weight loss in bariatric surgery patients. Whether portion creation in response to a recalled interpersonal stress ("recalled stress portions") could be used as a proxy for ad lib intake, after a stressor, remains untested, and the mechanism supporting this relationship is unclear. The present study's goals were: 1) to validate virtual portion tasks as proxies for actual food intake in a stressful context and 2) to test a causal pathway in which these virtual stress portions predict ad lib intake after stress.

An analytical method reduces noise bias in motor adaptation analysis.

When a person makes a movement, a motor error is typically observed that then drives motor planning corrections on subsequent movements. This error correction, quantified as a trial-by-trial adaptation rate, provides insight into how the nervous system is operating, particularly regarding how much confidence a person places in different sources of information such as sensory feedback or motor command reproducibility. Traditional analysis has required carefully controlled laboratory conditions such as the application of perturbations or error clamping, limiting the usefulness of motor analysis in clinical and everyday environments.

Contextualizing social class and leadership in fraternity and sorority communities.

This chapter examines leadership and social class in the context of fraternities and sororities. With no extensive research in this area, recommendations provided may help educators create a plan to address the intersection of social class, leadership education, and membership in a fraternity or sorority.

The Association of Mitochondrial Copy Number With Sarcopenia in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer.

Background: Adult childhood cancer survivors are at risk for frailty, including low muscle mass and weakness (sarcopenia). Using peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) as a proxy for functional mitochondria, this study describes cross-sectional associations between mtDNAcn and sarcopenia among survivors.

Methods: Among 1762 adult childhood cancer survivors (51.

The Congregational Structure of Homonegativity: Why Place of Worship May Matter More than Frequency of Worship.

Using 239 congregants from 14 randomly selected places of worship in the Southern United States-and a mega-analysis of 577 congregants from 34 similarly-located places of worship-we examined the relationship between religiousness and homonegativity. Multilevel models examining the effects of religiousness on homonegativity indicated that service attendance was more strongly related to homonegativity as a congregation-level variable than as an individual-level variable. Interaction effects between service attendance and the affirmativeness of a congregation were not significant, suggesting that the frequency of participation with a homonegative congregation is not related to homonegativity.

The relationship between religiousness and health among sexual minorities: A meta-analysis.

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 147(7) of (see record 2022-08521-004). In the article, there was an error in the calculation of the effect sizes from one study. The three effect sizes for Wolff et al.

Fermented food consumption in wild nonhuman primates and its ecological drivers.

Objectives: Although fermented food use is ubiquitous in humans, the ecological and evolutionary factors contributing to its emergence are unclear. Here we investigated the ecological contexts surrounding the consumption of fruits in the late stages of fermentation by wild primates to provide insight into its adaptive function. We hypothesized that climate, socioecological traits, and habitat patch size would influence the occurrence of this behavior due to effects on the environmental prevalence of late-stage fermented foods, the ability of primates to detect them, and potential nutritional benefits.

Pollinator assemblage and pollen load differences on sympatric diploid and tetraploid cytotypes of the desert-dominant Larrea tridentata.

Premise: Whole-genome duplication (polyploidy) is an important force shaping flowering-plant evolution. Ploidy-specific plant-pollinator interactions represent important community-level biotic interactions that can lead to nonrandom mating and the persistence of mixed-ploidy populations.

Methods: At a naturally occurring diploid-tetraploid contact zone of the autopolyploid desert shrub Larrea tridentata, we combined flower phenology analyses, collections of bees on plants of known cytotype, and flow cytometry analyses of bee-collected pollen loads to investigate whether (1) diploid and tetraploid plants have unique bee pollinator assemblages, (2) bee taxa exhibit ploidy-specific visitation and pollen collection biases, and (3) specialist and generalist bee taxa have ploidy-specific visitation and pollen collection biases.

Effect of Graft Size on Air-bone Gap Closure in Cartilage Button Tympanoplasty.

Objective: To study the effect of graft size on postoperative air-bone gap in children undergoing butterfly inlay cartilage tympanoplasty using circular punch grafts.

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary, academic children's hospital.

Small mammal glucocorticoid concentrations vary with forest fragment size, trap type, and mammal taxa in the Interior Atlantic Forest.

Species that live in degraded habitats often show signs of physiological stress. Glucocorticoid hormones (e.g.

Food availability, plant diversity, and vegetation structure drive behavioral and ecological variation in Endangered Coimbra-Filho's titi monkeys.

There is wide variability in primate behavior and ecology. Understanding how frugivorous primates behave under different habitat fragmentation levels is key for effective conservation and management of species and their habitats. We evaluated the seasonality in activity budget, diet, and ranging behavior of two groups of Endangered Coimbra-Filho's titi monkeys (Callicebus coimbrai).

Disordered eating among college students: The effects of parental attachment and the mediating role of emotion dysregulation.

The current study explored the relationship between parental attachment and disordered eating among college students. This study also explored the potential mediating role of factors associated with emotion regulation. : One hundred sixty-seven undergraduates ( = 18.

Examining the effects of training on young and older adult implementation of spaced retrieval strategies.

Although the benefits of spaced retrieval are well established, research suggests that young and older adults often fail to optimally implement this strategy. The present study examined how task experience with feedback influenced participant-implemented spaced retrieval and its effect on short and long-term memory retention. Young and older adults were instructed to either equally space or expand their retrieval of face-name associations throughout an ongoing reading task.

Widespread Behavioral Responses by Mammals and Fish to Zoo Visitors Highlight Differences between Individual Animals.

The impact that humans have on zoo animals can vary based on the species of animal, exhibit design, and individual differences in behavioral responses. We independently analyzed data from 10 never-published studies that examined the impact of zoo visitors on zoo animal behavior. Of the 16 species studied, 90.