Adult telomere length is positively correlated with survival and lifetime reproductive success in a wild passerine.

Explaining variation in individual fitness is a key goal in evolutionary biology. Recently, telomeres, repeating DNA sequences capping chromosome ends, have gained attention as a biomarker for body state, physiological costs, and senescence. Existing research has provided mixed evidence for whether telomere length correlates with fitness, including survival and reproductive output. Moreover, few studies have examined how the rate of change in telomere length correlates with fitness in wild populations. Here, we intensively monitored an insular population of house sparrows, and collected longitudinal telomere and life history data (16 years, 1225 individuals). We tested whether telomere length and its rate of change predict fitness measures, namely survival, lifespan and annual and lifetime reproductive effort and success. Telomere length positively predicted short-term survival, independent of age, but did not predict lifespan, suggesting either a diminishing telomere length-survival correlation with age or other extrinsic factors of mortality. The positive association of telomere length with survival translated into reproductive benefits, as birds with longer telomeres produced more genetic recruits, hatchlings and reared more fledglings over their lifetime. In contrast, there was no association between telomere dynamics and annual reproductive output, suggesting telomere dynamics might not reflect the costs of reproduction in this population, potentially masked by variation in individual quality. The rate of change of telomere length did not correlate with neither lifespan nor lifetime reproductive success. Our results provide further evidence that telomere length correlates with fitness, and contribute to our understanding of the selection on, and evolution of, telomere dynamics.

Differential Changes in End Organ Immune Cells and Inflammation in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension: Effects of Lowering Blood Pressure.

We reported that salt-sensitive hypertension (SSHTN) is associated with increased pro-inflammatory immune cells, inflammation, and inflammation-associated lymphangiogenesis in the kidneys and gonads of male and female mice.  However, it is unknown whether these adverse end organ effects result from increased blood pressure (BP), elevated levels of salt, or both.  We hypothesized that pharmaceutically lowering BP would not fully alleviate the renal and gonadal immune cell accumulation, inflammation, and lymphangiogenesis associated with SSHTN.  SSHTN was induced in male and female C57BL6/J mice by administering nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; 0.5 mg/mL) in their drinking water for 2 weeks, followed by a 2-week washout period.  Subsequently, the mice received a 3-week 4% high salt diet (SSHTN).  The treatment group underwent the same SSHTN induction protocol but received hydralazine (HYD; 250 mg/L) in their drinking water during the diet phase (SSHTN+HYD). Control mice received tap water and a standard diet for 7 weeks.  In addition to decreasing systolic BP, HYD treatment generally decreased pro-inflammatory immune cells and inflammation in the kidneys and gonads of SSHTN mice.  Furthermore, the decrease in BP partially alleviated elevated renal and gonadal lymphatics and improved renal and gonadal function in mice with SSHTN.  These data demonstrate that high systemic pressure and salt differentially act on end organ immune cells, contributing to the broader understanding of how BP and salt intake collectively shape immune responses and highlight implications for targeted therapeutic interventions.

Differential Changes in End Organ Immune Cells and Inflammation in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension: Effects of Increasing M2 Macrophages.

Salt-sensitive hypertension (SSHTN) is associated with M1 macrophage polarization and inflammatory responses, leading to inflammation-associated lymphangiogenesis and functional impairment across multiple organs, including kidneys and gonads.  However, it remains unclear whether promoting M2 macrophage polarization can alleviate the hypertension, inflammation, and end organ damage in mice with salt sensitive hypertension (SSHTN).  Male and female mice were made hypertensive by administering nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; 0.5 mg/mL) for 2 weeks in the drinking water, followed by a 2-week interval without any treatments, and a subsequent high salt diet for 3 weeks (SSHTN).  AVE0991 (AVE) was intraperitoneally administered concurrently with the high salt diet.  Control mice were provided standard diet and tap water.  AVE treatment significantly attenuated BP and inflammation in mice with SSHTN.  Notably, AVE promoted M2 macrophage polarization, decreased pro-inflammatory immune cell populations, and improved function in renal and gonadal tissues of mice with SSHTN.  Additionally, AVE decreased lymphangiogenesis in the kidneys and testes of male SSHTN mice and the ovaries of female SSHTN mice.  These findings highlight the effectiveness of AVE in mitigating SSHTN-induced elevated BP, inflammation, and end organ damage by promoting M2 macrophage polarization and suppressing pro-inflammatory immune responses.  Targeting macrophage polarization emerges as a promising therapeutic approach for alleviating inflammation and organ damage in SSHTN.  Further studies are warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying AVE-mediated effects and to assess its clinical potential in managing SSHTN.

ATR, CHK1 and WEE1 inhibitors cause homologous recombination repair deficiency to induce synthetic lethality with PARP inhibitors.

PURPOSE: PARP inhibitors (PARPi) are effective in homologous recombination repair (HRR) defective (HRD) cancers. To (re)sensitise HRR proficient (HRP) tumours to PARPi combinations with other drugs are being explored. Our aim was to determine the mechanism underpinning the sensitisation to PARPi by inhibitors of cell cycle checkpoint kinases ATR, CHK1 and WEE1. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A panel of HRD and HRP cells (including matched BRCA1 or 2 mutant and corrected pairs) and ovarian cancer ascites cells were used. Rucaparib (PARPi) induced replication stress (RS) and HRR (immunofluorescence microscopy for γH2AX and RAD51 foci, respectively), cell cycle changes (flow cytometry), activation of ATR, CHK1 and WEE1 (Western Blot for pCHK1S345, pCHK1S296 and pCDK1Y15, respectively) and cytotoxicity (colony formation assay) was determined, followed by investigations of the impact on all of these parameters by inhibitors of ATR (VE-821, 1 µM), CHK1 (PF-477736, 50 nM) and WEE1 (MK-1775, 100 nM). RESULTS: Rucaparib induced RS (3 to10-fold), S-phase accumulation (2-fold) and ATR, CHK1 and WEE1 activation (up to 3-fold), and VE-821, PF-477736 and MK-1775 inhibited their targets and abrogated these rucaparib-induced cell cycle changes in HRP and HRD cells. Rucaparib activated HRR in HRP cells only and was (60-1,000x) more cytotoxic to HRD cells. VE-821, PF-477736 and MK-1775 blocked HRR and sensitised HRP but not HRD cells and primary ovarian ascites to rucaparib. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that, rather than acting via abrogation of cell cycle checkpoints, ATR, CHK1 and WEE1 inhibitors cause an HRD phenotype and hence "induced synthetic lethality" with PARPi.

Statistical Coupling Analysis Predicts Correlated Motions in Dihydrofolate Reductase.

The role of dynamics in enzymatic function is a highly debated topic. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), due to its universality and the depth with which it has been studied, is a model system in this debate. Myriad previous works have identified networks of residues in positions near to and remote from the active site that are involved in dynamics and others that are important for catalysis. For example, specific mutations on the Met20 loop in E. coli DHFR (N23PP/S148A) are known to disrupt millisecond-timescale motions and reduce catalytic activity. However, how and if networks of dynamically coupled residues influence the evolution of DHFR is still an unanswered question. In this study, we first identify, by statistical coupling analysis and molecular dynamic simulations, a network of coevolving residues, which possess increased correlated motions. We then go on to show that allosteric communication in this network is selectively knocked down in N23PP/S148A mutant E. coli DHFR. Finally, we identify two sites in the human DHFR sector which may accommodate the Met20 loop double proline mutation while preserving dynamics. These findings strongly implicate protein dynamics as a driving force for evolution.

The plastisphere can protect Salmonella Typhimurium from UV stress under simulated environmental conditions.

Plastic waste is found with increasing frequency in the environment, in low- and middle-income countries. Plastic pollution has increased concurrently with both economic development and rapid urbanisation, amplifying the effects of inadequate waste management. Distinct microbial communities can quickly colonise plastic surfaces in what is collectively known as the 'plastisphere'. The plastisphere can act as a reservoir for human pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella enterica sp. (such as S. Typhimurium), which can persist for long periods, retain pathogenicity, and pose an increased public health risk. Through employing a novel mesocosm setup, we have shown here that the plastisphere provides enhanced protection against environmental pressures such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation and allows S. Typhimurium to persist at concentrations (>1 × 103 CFU/ml) capable of causing human infection, for up to 28 days. Additionally, using a Galleria Mellonella model of infection, S. Typhimurium exhibits greater pathogenicity following recovery from the UV-exposed plastisphere, suggesting that the plastisphere may select for more virulent variants. This study demonstrates the protection afforded by the plastisphere and provides further evidence of environmental plastic waste acting as a reservoir for dangerous clinical pathogens. Quantifying the role of plastic pollution in facilitating the survival, persistence, and dissemination of human pathogens is critical for a more holistic understanding of the potential public health risks associated with plastic waste.

Revealing elusive conformations of sucrose from hydrogen bond J-coupling in H2O: A combined NMR and quantum mechanics study.

Hydrogen bonding is a crucial feature of biomolecules, but its characterization in glycans dissolved in aqueous solutions is challenging due to rapid hydrogen exchange between hydroxyl groups and H2O. In principle, the scalar (J) coupling constant can reveal the relative orientation of the atoms in the molecule. In contrast to J-coupling through H-bonds reported in proteins and nucleic acids, research on J-coupling through H-bonds in glycans dissolved in water is lacking. Here, we use sucrose as a model system for H-bonding studies; its structure, which consists of glucose (Glc) and fructose (Frc), is well-studied, and it is readily available. We apply the in-phase, antiphase-HSQC-TOCSY and quantify previously unreported through H-bond J-values for Frc-OH1-Glc-OH2 in H2O. While earlier reports of Brown and Levy indicate this H-bond as having only a single direction, our reported findings indicate the potential presence of two involving these same atoms, namely, G2OH âž” F1O and F1OH âž” G2O (where F and G stand for Frc and Glc, respectively). The calculated density functional theory J-values for the G2OH âž” F1O agree with the experimental values. Additionally, we detected four other possible H-bonds in sucrose, which require different phi, psi (ϕ, ψ) torsion angles. The ϕ, ψ values are consistent with previous predictions of du Penhoat et al. and Venable et al. Our results will provide new insights into the molecular structure of sucrose and its interactions with proteins.

Pathways to Neuropalliative Care Practice.

As neuropalliative care is better recognized and more widely utilized, there is as great a need for clinicians trained in the field as there is for disease-specific symptom management, advance care planning, and end-of-life care. In this manuscript, we describe potential career trajectories in neuropalliative care. For clinicians, this includes educational and training opportunities within primary neuropalliative care (integrating palliative care principles into usual neurology practice), specialty neuropalliative care (completing a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship), and hospice. We also describe considerations for establishing new clinical neuropalliative practices and highlight neuropalliative education and research as key areas for advancing the field.

The promise of an identity-based self-affirmation intervention in protecting against self-esteem declines at the high school transition.

Given the importance of self-esteem for promoting adolescents' social, psychological, and academic adjustment and the growing importance of social identities during adolescence, this five-wave study examined whether an identity-based self-affirmation intervention attenuated declines in adolescent self-esteem following the high school transition. A sample of ninth graders in the United States (N = 388; Mage = 14.05; 60.6% female; 35.8% male; 3.6% nonbinary, trans, or identifying with another gender; 46% White, 19% Black, 17% Asian, 6% Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, 6% Biracial/Multiethnic, 3% Latinx/Hispanic, and 3% another race/ethnicity) was recruited for the study. Following completion of a baseline online survey assessing self-esteem, participants were assigned to one of three conditions and corresponding writing exercises: identity-based self-affirmation, values-based self-affirmation, or control. Participants completed the same writing exercise during the first three waves of the study, and they completed measures of self-esteem at all five waves. Results indicated that participants in the self-affirmation conditions, but not the control condition, were protected from declining self-esteem across 1 year. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Neuronal DNA repair reveals strategies to influence CRISPR editing outcomes.

Genome editing is poised to revolutionize treatment of genetic diseases, but poor understanding and control of DNA repair outcomes hinders its therapeutic potential. DNA repair is especially understudied in nondividing cells like neurons, which must withstand decades of DNA damage without replicating. This lack of knowledge limits the efficiency and precision of genome editing in clinically relevant cells. To address this, we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived neurons to examine how postmitotic human neurons repair Cas9-induced DNA damage. We discovered that neurons can take weeks to fully resolve this damage, compared to just days in isogenic iPSCs. Furthermore, Cas9-treated neurons upregulated unexpected DNA repair genes, including factors canonically associated with replication. Manipulating this response with chemical or genetic perturbations allowed us to direct neuronal repair toward desired editing outcomes. By studying DNA repair in postmitotic human cells, we uncovered unforeseen challenges and opportunities for precise therapeutic editing.

Harnessing high-throughput OMICS in emerging zoonotic virus preparedness and response activities.

Emerging and re-emerging viruses pose unpredictable and significant challenges to global health. Emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, which are transmitted between humans and non-human animals, have been estimated to be responsible for nearly two-thirds of emerging infectious disease events and emergence events attributed to these pathogens have been increasing in frequency with the potential for high global health and economic burdens. In this review we will focus on the application of highthroughput OMICS approaches to emerging zoonotic virus investigtations. We highlight the key contributions of transcriptome and proteome investigations to emerging zoonotic virus preparedness and response activities with a focus on SARS-CoV-2, avian influenza virus subtype H5N1, and Orthoebolavirus investigations.

The impact of hematology electronic consultations on the management of iron deficiency.

OBJECTIVES: Delays in the evaluation and treatment of iron deficiency can lead to increased disease-related morbidity and mortality. Electronic consultation (e-consult) is a referral modality that allows providers quicker access to recommendations from a specialist based on electronic chart review. While the use of e-consult is expanding in classical hematology, gaps exist in the understanding of patient outcomes related to its use for iron deficiency. METHODS: We randomly selected 200 e-consults and 200 traditional referrals from 3,336 hematology referrals for iron deficiency at a single center. The primary outcomes of the retrospective analysis were: time to completion of the referral, and time to treatment with intravenous iron. Secondary outcomes included recurrence of iron deficiency, need for repeat e-consult, conversion to in-person evaluation, and assessment of whether the etiology of iron deficiency was addressed. RESULTS: E-consults significantly reduced the time from referral to intravenous iron repletion (e-consult, 33 days; traditional referral, 68 days; p < .05). Assessment of the underlying etiology occurred in 70.7% of the e-consult encounters compared to 92.5% of traditional referrals (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight advantages of e-consults in improving care delivery in iron deficiency, and identifying gaps that can be improved through practice standardization to ensure equitable, high-value care.

Exploring freshwater stream bacterial communities as indicators of land use intensity.

BACKGROUND: Stream ecosystems comprise complex interactions among biological communities and their physicochemical surroundings, contributing to their overall ecological health. Despite this, many monitoring programs ignore changes in the bacterial communities that are the base of food webs in streams, often focusing on stream physicochemical assessments or macroinvertebrate community diversity instead. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess bacterial community compositions within 600 New Zealand stream biofilm samples from 204 sites within a 6-week period (February-March 2010). Sites were either dominated by indigenous forests, exotic plantation forests, horticulture, or pastoral grasslands in the upstream catchment. We sought to predict each site's catchment land use and environmental conditions based on the composition of the stream bacterial communities. RESULTS: Random forest modelling allowed us to use bacterial community composition to predict upstream catchment land use with 65% accuracy; urban sites were correctly assigned 90% of the time. Despite the variation inherent when sampling across a ~ 1000-km distance, bacterial community data could correctly differentiate undisturbed sites, grouped by their dominant environmental properties, with 75% accuracy. The positive correlations between actual values and those predicted by the models built using the stream biofilm bacterial data ranged from weak (average log N concentration in the stream water, R2 = 0.02) to strong (annual mean air temperature, R2 = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Freshwater bacterial community data provide useful insights into land use impacts on stream ecosystems; they may be used as an additional measure to screen stream catchment attributes.

Diet specialization mediates drivers of Cucurbita herbivory in a semi-arid agroecosystem.

Herbivory is a major fitness pressure for plants and a key driver of crop losses in agroecosystems. Dense monocultures are expected to favor specialist herbivorous insects, particularly those who primarily consume crop species; yet, levels and types of herbivory are not uniform within regional cropping systems. It is essential to determine which local and regional ecological factors drive variation in herbivory in order to support functional agroecosystems that rely less on chemical inputs. Crops in the genus Cucurbita host a suite of both generalist and specialist herbivores that inflict significant damage, yet little is known about the relative contribution of these herbivores to variation in herbivory and how local- and landscape-scale Cucurbita resource concentrations, management practices, and natural enemies mediate this relationship. In this study, we tested whether three foundational ecological hypotheses influenced Cucurbita herbivory across 20 pumpkin fields in the semi-arid Southern High Plains Region of Texas. We used generalized linear mixed models and confirmatory path analysis to assess whether the Density-dependent Herbivory Hypothesis, Resource Concentration Hypothesis, or the Natural Enemies Hypothesis, could explain variation in Cucurbita herbivory and insect dynamics in the context of conventional agronomic practices. We found that herbivory increased over time, indicating that herbivores were causing sustained damage throughout the growing season. We also found that fields with higher local Cucurbita resources had lower herbivory, suggesting a resource dilution effect. Natural enemy communities were more abundant and taxonomically rich in sites with greater generalist herbivore abundance, though predator abundance declined over time, indicating that late-season crop fields are most at risk given high herbivory and low natural enemy-based control. Our findings also suggest that while local resource availability may drive the abundance and richness of arthropod communities, additional agronomic and phenological information is needed to anticipate herbivory risk in an agriculturally dominated landscape.

Establishing Expectancy Values for Fibrin Monomer in Uncomplicated Pregnancy.

Background During pregnancy, a physiological increase of molecular activation markers (MAM) of hemostasis such as prothrombin fragments 1 + 2, thrombin-antithrombin complex, and D-dimers (DD) occurs. Therefore, monitoring MAM levels during pregnancy to evaluate the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) may be unreliable; nevertheless, DD analysis in pregnancy is widely performed. In contrast to DD, fibrin monomer (FM) levels have been reported to remain stable during pregnancy. Objectives The main aim of this study was to define the expected range for FM levels in pregnant outpatients. In addition, we examined the impact of the individual VTE risk, as calculated by the pregnancy risk score of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), as well as that of antithrombotic treatment on FM levels. Methods A total of 342 pregnant women seen at our hemostasis unit were included throughout 350 pregnancies in 899 samples. Results Low-risk thrombophilia, but not the RCOG score itself, was found to influence all MAM levels, whereas antithrombotic treatment had only an impact on DD. For FM, a reference range could be calculated irrespective of the pregnancy term, in contrast to other MAMs, which fluctuated throughout pregnancy. Conclusions Our findings suggest a stronger impact of inherited thrombophilia on hemostasis activity during pregnancy as compared with acquired or other predisposing thrombophilic risk factors. FM levels showed a marginal increase during pregnancy in contrast to other MAM and remain a potential candidate to improve the laboratory assessment of VTE risk during pregnancy. Further prospective studies in pregnant patients with suspicion of VTE are needed.

Cardiomyocyte PANX1 Controls Glycolysis and Neutrophil Recruitment in Hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: PANX1 (pannexin 1), a ubiquitously expressed ATP release membrane channel, has been shown to play a role in inflammation, blood pressure regulation, and myocardial infarction. However, the possible role of PANX1 in cardiomyocytes in the progression of heart failure has not yet been investigated. METHOD: We generated a novel mouse line with constitutive deletion of PANX1 in cardiomyocytes (Panx1MyHC6). RESULTS: PANX1 deletion in cardiomyocytes had no effect on unstressed heart function but increased the glycolytic metabolism and resulting glycolytic ATP production, with a concurrent decrease in oxidative phosphorylation, both in vivo and in vitro. In vitro, treatment of H9c2 cardiomyocytes with isoproterenol led to PANX1-dependent release of ATP and Yo-Pro-1 uptake, as assessed by pharmacological blockade with spironolactone and siRNA-mediated knockdown of PANX1. To investigate nonischemic heart failure and the preceding cardiac hypertrophy, we administered isoproterenol, and we demonstrated that Panx1MyHC6 mice were protected from systolic and diastolic left ventricle volume increases as a result of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Moreover, we found that Panx1MyHC6 mice showed decreased isoproterenol-induced recruitment of immune cells (CD45+), particularly neutrophils (CD11b+, Ly6g+), to the myocardium. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data demonstrate that PANX1 deficiency in cardiomyocytes increases glycolytic metabolism and protects against cardiac hypertrophy in nonischemic heart failure at least in part by reducing immune cell recruitment. Our study implies PANX1 channel inhibition as a therapeutic approach to ameliorate cardiac dysfunction in patients with heart failure.

Anticipating in vitro gametogenesis: Hopes and concerns for IVG among diverse stakeholders.

In vitro gametogenesis (IVG), the reconstitution of germ cell development in vitro, is an emerging stem cell-based technology with profound implications for reproductive science. Despite researchers' long-term goals for future clinical applications, little is currently known about the views of IVG held by the stakeholders potentially most affected by its introduction in humans. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 80 individuals with lived experience of infertility and/or LGBTQ+ family formation in the US, two intersecting groups of potential IVG users. Respondents expressed hope that IVG would lead to higher reproductive success than current assisted reproductive technology (ART), alleviate suffering associated with ART use, and promote greater social inclusion, while expressing concerns predominantly framed in terms of equity and safety. These findings underscore the importance of sustained engagement with stakeholders with relevant experience to anticipate the implications of IVG for research and clinical translation.

Cumulative lifetime stressor exposure and health in elite athletes: the moderating role of perfectionism.

Although greater lifetime stressor exposure has been associated with physical and mental health issues in the general population, relatively little is known about how lifetime stressors impact the physical and mental health of elite athletes or the factors moderating this association. Given that many elite athletes show signs of perfectionism, and that this trait has been linked with ill-health, it is possible that perfectionism may moderate the lifetime stressor-health relationship. To test this possibility, we examined how cumulative lifetime stressor exposure was associated with general mental and physical health complaints in elite athletes, and the extent to which these associations were moderated by perfectionism. Participants were 110 elite athletes (64 female; M age = 29.98 years, SD = 10.54) who completed assessments of lifetime stressor exposure, physical health, psychological distress, and perfectionism. As hypothesised, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that experiencing more severe lifetime stressors was related to poorer physical and mental health. Furthermore, self-oriented perfectionism moderated the association between lifetime stressor count and severity and physical health, but not mental health. Overall, these data demonstrate stressor-specific effects among elite athletes and highlight the potential importance of assessing lifetime stressor exposure and perfectionistic tendencies in order to improve athlete health and well-being.

Education for Integration: Dental hygiene student and family medicine residents.

Purpose The integration of oral health and primary care offers promising solutions to overcome barriers hindering patient access to oral health care. However, primary care providers require training in basic preventive oral health care and information regarding interprofessional practice opportunities. The purpose of this feasibility study was to examine the perspective of families, learners, faculty, and administrators who engaged in an interprofessional training experience for family medicine residents and dental hygiene students.Methods Family medicine residents and dental hygiene students participated in an interprofessional oral health integration training experience, which included didactic, preclinical, and clinical components. The clinical experience was conducted during a Medicaid Managed Care clinic session, which included the participation of children who had not undergone a well-child visit within the past year. The care teams were comprised of a family medicine resident and dental hygiene student, who collaborated on the provision of preventive oral health care services, including oral examinations, preventive interventions, patient education, and care coordination. Qualitative data gathered using field notes, focus groups, and key informant interviews were analyzed to identify themes from care team, patient/family, and administrative perspectives.Results The care teams provided preventive health oral health care services to 10 pediatric patients during their well child visit. Patients and family members reported appreciating the convenience and value of the care provided. The experience was well received by family medicine residents, dental hygiene students, and clinical faculty members, who highlighted the value of the experience in expanding access to care. The family medicine residents reported the training and interprofessional practice opportunity to be highly valuable, reporting better preparation for the identification, evaluation, and treatment of oral conditions that they may have otherwise overlooked or misdiagnosed.Conclusions This interprofessional educational experience demonstrates the potential value of integrating preventive oral health in primary care visits for children. This care integration may be especially helpful for populations that experience barriers to oral health care. Results of this study suggest that expanding interprofessional education between dental hygiene programs and family medicine residencies may be beneficial for preparing the future workforce for integrated care. Additional research is needed to formalize training models that support integration and promote interprofessional collaboration and practice.

Risks and benefits of social media trends: The influence of "fitspiration", "body positivity", and text-based "body neutrality" on body dissatisfaction and affect in women with and without eating disorders.

This online experimental study investigates the effects of the social media trends "fitspiration" (images of thin-muscular women promoting health and fitness), "body positivity" (images of larger female bodies motivating women to love their bodies), and "body neutrality" (illustrations encouraging women to appreciate the body's functions) on body dissatisfaction and affect in women with and without eating disorders (ED). Women with (n = 172) and women without ED (n = 210) were randomly assigned to the conditions "fitspiration", "body positivity", and text-based "body neutrality", each comprising the presentation of 30 Instagram posts. Before and after viewing the posts, participants answered state questionnaires on body dissatisfaction and affect. The results revealed that body dissatisfaction increased after viewing "fitspiration" images and decreased after viewing "body positivity" and text-based "body neutrality" posts. Positive affect decreased following exposure to "fitspiration" and text-based "body neutrality" but remained unchanged following "body positivity". Negative affect decreased following "body positivity" and text-based "body neutrality" content but did not change following exposure to "fitspiration". There was no differential effect on women with versus without ED. This study demonstrates harmful effects of "fitspiration" on body image and affect, indicating the need for prevention programs for both women with and without ED.