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Global demand for vegetable oil and high oil palm yield have driven the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations in tropical countries. The research literature widely recognizes the effects of forest cover conversion into oil palm on biodiversity, deforestation, and carbon dynamics. However, research on the ecohydrological impacts of oil palm plantations is sparse, despite studies indicating that oil palm development may reshape land-water interactions and the availability and movement of water at different spatial and temporal scales. We address this gap by conducting a systematic literature review on oil palm development and its relation to ecohydrological processes. We found 139 relevant papers up to the year 2021, addressing different ecohydrological processes related to oil palm. We reviewed their spatiotemporal scales, geographic distribution, oil palm species and age, and the effects of land conversion from forest, cropland, and pastures. We also incorporated societal aspects regarding community perceptions of water. Our review highlights the effects of oil palm plantations on three main components of the water cycle: (i) land-atmosphere, (ii) fluvial systems, and (iii) soils and groundwater. Most studies include analyses of the Indo-Malayan and Australasian biogeographical regions (113), followed by the Neotropics (49) and the Afrotropics (15). Compared to rainforests, oil palm monocultures are warmer and drier. They have higher evapotranspiration (ET) rates, lower runoff regulation and infiltration capacity, and lower soil organic carbon (SOC). Although less often implemented, alternative oil palm management practices, including oil palm agroforestry, can help to mitigate some of these effects. Forest to oil palm conversion is the most studied land transition, while conversions from croplands, pastures, and grasslands are less studied. Overall, we identify gaps in understanding the long-term effects of management on ecohydrological processes under different land conversions, especially in the Neotropics and the Afrotropics, precluding research-informed policy to manage impacts of this expanding crop.

In the tropics, global demands for food and services accelerate land cover changes that impact water availability, modify energy and water balances, and intensify the consequences of extreme climate (e.g., droughts and flooding). Among the tools to understand the effects of these changes are regional earth system models. These models required ground data for model verification, which is often limited in tropical regions. This dissertation addresses this need by exploring avenues to improve our understanding of hydrological and energy processes in tropical regions. This work is focused on the North Colombia lowlands, where land has faced long-term disturbances due to agriculture intensification. I start by exploring how the combined use of depth to groundwater measurements collected by the community and their descriptive observations can inform depth to groundwater mapping. I show that incorporating depth to groundwater qualitative descriptions to a Bayesian Maximum Entropy geostatistical model improves model performance and spatiotemporal representation of depth to groundwater. Then, I focus on understanding the global dynamics of oil palm plantations in the context of vegetation and water interactions. Oil palm is the most important vegetable oil globally and an essential economic driver in some tropical countries. I start by identifying the state of knowledge in oil palm-hydrologic interactions across the tropics by developing a systematic literature review. Through this process, I identify major gaps, including a lack of studies in the Neotropics and Africa, a lack of understanding of microclimatic conditions over longer timescales, and a lack of studies in alternative oil palm species that has potential for expansion. To address one of the gaps identified in the systematic literature review, I installed three microclimatic stations in Northern Colombia at three sites, where OxG interspecific hybrid is planted. I collected hourly data for a year. The data show that seasonal variability in vapor pressure deficit impacts the atmospheric water balance and potentially oil palm greenness. The energy balance partition shows the important role of evapotranspiration in these plantations. The resulting dataset, the first in oil palm OxG hybrid plantations, provide data on key variables for modeling water and energy processes in tropical regions.

Youth bullying is a significant concern in the USA, particularly for youth with disabilities. This pilot study explores outcome data related to the DIsability Anti-BuLlying (DIAL) training program for general and special education teachers to prevent bullying generally with a particular focus on youth with disabilities. Six schools were randomly assigned to receive the DIAL intervention or delayed (control) intervention. All teachers ( n  = 65) responded to a self-report survey before and after module completion. Teachers completed measures on their teaching efficacy, interactions with students, and attitudes toward bullying and completed reports of social cognition, anxiety, and bullying for their K-5 students ( n  = 472). Teachers ( n  = 36) enrolled in the three intervention schools completed four online modules focused on improving attitudes, efficacy, and skills to prevent bullying/victimization for K-5 students with and without disabilities. Results indicated teachers who received the DIAL program reported higher levels of self-efficacy and lower levels of maladaptive attitudes toward bullying.

Investigations into the importance of the nuclear integrity of the donor cell prior to nuclear transfer (NT) are limited. In Experiment 1, the proliferative characteristics, chromosomal stability and level of histone phosphorylation in cell lines established by explants and enzymatic dissociation at different population doublings (PDs) were investigated. The cells divided at a constant rate and cell cycle length increased only at the end of the proliferative stage. The level of aneuploidies was high and remained elevated throughout the study independent of the technique used to establish the primary culture. High levels of multinucleated cells and abnormal spindle configurations were observed after prolonged time in culture. An increase in the level of phosphorylated histones occurred after extended time in culture. In Experiment 2, gene expression patterns of chromatin remodeling proteins and levels of DNA methylation and histone acetylation of cells were analyzed. Dnmt-1, MeCP-2 and HDAC-1 expression decreased shortly after establishment of the primary culture. Methylated DNA patterns changed with time in culture, while acetylated histone levels remained constant. Embryo production, developmental potential and gene expression patterns of pre- and post-hatched embryos generated using donor cells with different levels of Dnmt-1 were examined in Experiment 3. A higher proportion of 8-16 cell embryos developed to the blastocyst stage when cells with low levels of Dnmt-1 were used as donor nuclei. Day 13 NT embryos generated using donor cells with decreased levels of Dnmt-1 and able to reach the 8-16 cell stage produced a larger number of apparently normal developing embryos, larger conceptuses and higher expression of Dnmt-3a than NT embryos reconstructed using cells with elevated levels of Dnmt-1. However, abnormal gene expression of Dnmts, INFτ and MHC-1 were noted in the majority of cloned embryos indicating inefficient nuclear reprogramming and retarded embryo development. In conclusion, it is likely that the chromosomal abnormalities observed in donor cells at late PDs impair early development of cloned embryos; however, a lower Dnmt-1 content at the time of NT may facilitate the demethylation process during the first divisions resulting in higher development rates in those surviving the 8-16 cell stage.

Dissemination of tumour cells to the bone marrow is an early event in breast cancer, however cells may lie dormant for many years before bone metastases develop. Treatment for bone metastases is not curative, therefore new adjuvant therapies which prevent the colonisation of disseminated cells into metastatic lesions are required. There is evidence that cancer stem cells (CSCs) within breast tumours are capable of metastasis, but the mechanism by which these colonise bone is unknown. Here, we establish that bone marrow-derived IL1β stimulates breast cancer cell colonisation in the bone by inducing intracellular NFkB and CREB signalling in breast cancer cells, leading to autocrine Wnt signalling and CSC colony formation. Importantly, we show that inhibition of this pathway prevents both CSC colony formation in the bone environment, and bone metastasis. These findings establish that targeting IL1β-NFKB/CREB-Wnt signalling should be considered for adjuvant therapy to prevent breast cancer bone metastasis. In breast cancer, dormant cancer cells may develop into bone metastases. Here, the authors demonstrate that microenvironmental IL1β stimulates metastatic breast cancer cell colonisation in the bone via IL1β-NFKB/CREB-Wnt pathway activation and cancer stem cell colony formation

Obesity has become a global epidemic affecting diverse populations and leading to metabolic syndrome across different sexes and age groups. A significant aspect of obesity is the development of leptin resistance, primarily due to the inefficient transport of leptin across the blood-brain barrier and other mechanisms such as protein folding and dysregulation of leptin signaling in brain areas related to energy and adipose tissue metabolism. This hindrance in leptin delivery poses a challenge to using this adipokine as a potential therapy for obesity. Current research focuses on understanding the complex molecular pathways that link diet-induced obesity, characterized by increased levels of leptin, to the onset of metabolic syndrome. This syndrome encompasses various health issues, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, and involves intricate mechanisms primarily affecting pancreatic β-cells. This bioinformatics-assisted review describes key biological elements of known pathways, such as the forkhead box protein O1/leptin receptor and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and discusses future directions that might contribute to understanding the relationship between obesity, leptin resistance, and metabolic complications (e.g., Rac1/cell division control protein 42 homolog), paving the way for future research on targeted therapeutic interventions.

Background Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are widely consumed by humans due to their apparent innocuity, especially sucralose. However, several studies link sucralose consumption to weight gain and metabolic derangements, although data are still contradictory. Objective To determine the effect of acute and chronic consumption of sucralose on insulin and glucose profiles in young healthy adults. Material and methods This was a randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in healthy young adults from 18 to 35 years old, without insulin resistance. A hundred thirty seven participants were randomized into three groups: a) volunteers receiving 48 mg sucralose, b) volunteers receiving 96 mg sucralose, and c) controls receiving water as placebo. All participants underwent a 3-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) preceded by consuming sucralose or placebo 15 min before glucose load, at two time points: week zero (Wk0) and week ten (Wk10). Serum insulin and glucose were measured every 15 min during both OGTTs. Results Compared to Wk0, consumption of sucralose for 10 weeks provoked 1) increased insulin concentrations at 0 min (7.5 ± 3.4 vs 8.8 ± 4.1 μIU/mL; p  = 0.01), 30 min (91.3 ± 56.2 vs 110.1 ± 49.4 μIU/mL; p  = 0.05), 105 min (47.7 ± 24.4 vs 64.3 ± 48.2 μIU/mL; p  = 0.04) and 120 min (44.8 ± 22.1 vs 63.1 ± 47.8 μIU/mL; p = 0.01) in the 48 mg sucralose group; 2) increased blood glucose at − 15 min (87.9 ± 4.6 vs 91.4 ± 5.4 mg/dL; p  = 0.003), 0 min (88.7 ± 4 vs 91.3 ± 6 mg/dL; p  = 0.04) and 120 min (95.2 ± 23.7 vs 106.9 ± 19.5 mg/dL; p  = 0.009) in the 48 mg sucralose group; 3) increased area under the curve (AUC) of insulin in both 48 and 96 mg sucralose groups (9262 vs 11,398; p  = 0.02 and 6962 vs 8394; p  = 0.12, respectively); and 4) reduced Matsuda index in the 48 mg sucralose group (6.04 ± 3.19 vs 4.86 ± 2.13; p  = 0.01). Conclusions These data show that chronic consumption of sucralose can affect insulin and glucose responses in non-insulin resistant healthy young adults with normal body mass index (between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m 2 ), however, the effects are not consistent with dose; further research is required. Clinical trial registry NCT03703141 .

Flowering plants predominantly conduct water in tubes known as vessels, with vessel diameter playing a crucial role in plant adaptation to climate and reactions to climate change. The importance of vessels makes it essential to understand how and why vessel diameter, plant height, and other ecological factors are interrelated. Although shoot length is by far the main driver of variation in mean vessel diameter across angiosperms, much remains to be understood regarding the factors accounting for the abundant variation around the y-axis in plots of mean species vessel diameter against shoot length. Here, we explore the potential role of porosity types, wood density, leaf phenology, background imperforate tracheary element type, vasicentric tracheids, vascular tracheids, perforation plate type, and successive cambia in causing variation in the y-intercept or slope of the mean species vessel-diameter– and vessel-density–shoot-length associations at the shoot tip and base. We detected numerous cases of ecologically significant variation. For example, latewood vessels of ring porous species scale with a lower slope than earlywood, i.e., latewood vessels are relatively narrow in taller plants. This pattern is likely the result of selection favoring freezing-induced embolism resistance via narrow vessels. Wood density was negatively associated with vessel diameter, with low wood density plants having wider vessels for a given height. Species with scalariform perforation plates scale with a lower shoot base vessel-diameter–shoot-length slope, likely reflecting selection against scalariform plates in wide vessels. In other cases, functional groups scaled similarly. For example, species with successive cambia did not differ from those with conventional single cambia in their mean vessel-diameter–shoot-length scaling, rejecting our prediction that species with successive cambia should have narrower vessels for a given shoot length. They did, however, have fewer vessels per unit shoot cross-sectional area than plants of similar heights, likely because vessels have longer functional lifespans (and therefore are fewer) in species with successive cambia. Our methods illustrate how vessel diameter can be studied taking shoot length into account to detect ecologically important variation and construct theory regarding plant adaptation via the hydraulic system that includes plant size as a vital element.

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome is a genetic condition that increases the risk of breast cancer by 80% and that of ovarian cancer by 40%. The most common pathogenic variants (PVs) causing HBOC occur in the BRCA1 gene, with more than 3850 reported mutations in the gene sequence. The prevalence of specific PVs in BRCA1 has increased across populations due to the effect of founder mutations. Therefore, when a founder mutation is identified, it becomes key to improving cancer risk characterization and effective screening protocols. The only founder mutation described in the Mexican population is the deletion of exons 9 to 12 of BRCA1 (BRCA1Δ9–12), and its description focuses on the gene sequence, but no transcription profiles have been generated for individuals who carry this gene. In this study, we describe the transcription profiles of cancer patients and healthy individuals who were heterozygous for PV BRCA1Δ9–12 by analyzing the differential expression of both alleles compared with the homozygous BRCA1 control group using RT–qPCR, and we describe the isoforms produced by the BRCA1 wild-type and BRCA1Δ9–12 alleles using nanopore long-sequencing. Using the Kruskal–Wallis test, our results showed a similar transcript expression of the wild-type allele between the healthy heterozygous group and the homozygous BRCA1 control group. An association between the recurrence and increased expression of both alleles in HBOC patients was also observed. An analysis of the sequences indicated four wild-type isoforms with diagnostic potential for discerning individuals who carry the PV BRCA1Δ9–12 and identifying which of them has developed cancer.

Cycads are among the few plants that have developed specialized roots to host nitrogen-fixing bacteria. We describe the bacterial diversity of the coralloid roots from seven Dioon species and their surrounding rhizosphere and soil. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we found that all coralloid roots are inhabited by a broad diversity of bacterial groups, including cyanobacteria and Rhizobiales among the most abundant groups. The diversity and composition of the endophytes are similar in the six Mexican species of Dioon that we evaluated, suggesting a recent divergence of Dioon populations and/or similar plant-driven restrictions in maintaining the coralloid root microbiome. Botanical garden samples and natural populations have a similar taxonomic composition, although the beta diversity differed between these populations. The rhizosphere surrounding the coralloid root serves as a reservoir and source of mostly diazotroph and plant growth-promoting groups that colonize the coralloid endosphere. In the case of cyanobacteria, the endosphere is enriched with Nostoc spp and Calothrix spp that are closely related to previously reported symbiont genera in cycads and other early divergent plants. The data reported here provide an in-depth taxonomic characterization of the bacterial community associated with coralloid root microbiome. The functional aspects of the endophytes, their biological interactions, and their evolutionary history are the next research step in this recently discovered diversity within the cycad coralloid root microbiome.