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Frontiers in Plant Science 2022Root hairs are tubular outgrowths of epidermal cells that increase the root surface area and thereby make the root more efficient at absorbing water and nutrients. Their...
Root hairs are tubular outgrowths of epidermal cells that increase the root surface area and thereby make the root more efficient at absorbing water and nutrients. Their expansion is limited to the root hair apex, where growth is reported to take place in a pulsating manner. These growth pulses coincide with oscillations of the apoplastic and cytosolic pH in a similar way as has been reported for pollen tubes. Likewise, the concentrations of apoplastic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cytoplasmic Ca oscillate with the same periodicity as growth. Whereas ROS appear to control cell wall extensibility and opening of Ca channels, the role of protons as a growth signal in root hairs is less clear and may differ from that in pollen tubes where plasma membrane H-ATPases have been shown to sustain growth. In this review, we outline our current understanding of how pH contributes to root hair development.
PubMed: 35968128
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.949672 -
Acta Ophthalmologica Feb 2023To determine the prevalence of allergic sensitization in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and to provide an overview of published studies on this topic.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
To determine the prevalence of allergic sensitization in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and to provide an overview of published studies on this topic. We systematically searched 11 literature databases on 24 May 2021, for studies with cross-sectional data on the prevalence of positive allergy tests in patients with VKC. Our main outcome of interest was the prevalence of allergic sensitization and the allergens involved. Prevalence meta-analyses were made to provide summary estimates. We identified 33 eligible studies for qualitative review with 2122 patients with VKC. Studies were predominantly based on patients seen in ophthalmology clinics. Overall, studies reported that the most prevalent positive allergen tests were the inhaled allergens house dust mites and pollen. Twenty-nine studies were eligible for the quantitative analysis. Here, we calculated the prevalence of allergen-positive patients to 57.7% (95% confidence interval: 52.5%-62.8%). Subgroup analyses of pooled estimates on sensitization based on specific testing methods found prevalence estimates of 51.4% for conjunctival provocation test, 68.7% for total tear IgE, 58.9% for specific tear IgE, and 58.2% for skin prick test. The prevalence of allergic sensitization in patients with VKC is 57.7%, and mostly towards inhaled allergens. The most frequent positive allergens are house dust mites and pollen. Identifying possible clinically relevant allergens provide information that may aid in managing VKC, such as environmental allergy-avoidance or allergy-specific treatment.
Topics: Humans; Conjunctivitis, Allergic; Prevalence; Cross-Sectional Studies; Allergens; Immunoglobulin E
PubMed: 35848379
DOI: 10.1111/aos.15212 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2022Vegetables are a distinct collection of plant-based foods that vary in nutritional diversity and form an important part of the healthy diet of the human being. Besides...
Vegetables are a distinct collection of plant-based foods that vary in nutritional diversity and form an important part of the healthy diet of the human being. Besides providing basic nutrition, they have great potential for boosting human health. The balanced consumption of vegetables is highly recommended for supplementing the human body with better nutrition density, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. However, the production and quality of fresh vegetables are influenced directly or indirectly by exposure to high temperatures or heat stress (HS). A decline in quality traits and harvestable yield are the most common effects of HS among vegetable crops. Heat-induced morphological damage, such as poor vegetative growth, leaf tip burning, and rib discoloration in leafy vegetables and sunburn, decreased fruit size, fruit/pod abortion, and unfilled fruit/pods in beans, are common, often rendering vegetable cultivation unprofitable. Further studies to trace down the possible physiological and biochemical effects associated with crop failure reveal that the key factors include membrane damage, photosynthetic inhibition, oxidative stress, and damage to reproductive tissues, which may be the key factors governing heat-induced crop failure. The reproductive stage of plants has extensively been studied for HS-induced abnormalities. Plant reproduction is more sensitive to HS than the vegetative stages, and affects various reproductive processes like pollen germination, pollen load, pollen tube growth, stigma receptivity, ovule fertility and, seed filling, resulting in poorer yields. Hence, sound and robust adaptation and mitigation strategies are needed to overcome the adverse impacts of HS at the morphological, physiological, and biochemical levels to ensure the productivity and quality of vegetable crops. Physiological traits such as the stay-green trait, canopy temperature depression, cell membrane thermostability, chlorophyll fluorescence, relative water content, increased reproductive fertility, fruit numbers, and fruit size are important for developing better yielding heat-tolerant varieties/cultivars. Moreover, various molecular approaches such as omics, molecular breeding, and transgenics, have been proved to be useful in enhancing/incorporating tolerance and can be potential tools for developing heat-tolerant varieties/cultivars. Further, these approaches will provide insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms that govern thermotolerance and pave the way for engineering "designer" vegetable crops for better health and nutritional security. Besides these approaches, agronomic methods are also important for adaptation, escape and mitigation of HS protect and improve yields.
PubMed: 35837452
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.878498 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2022The burden of asthma readmission for children and adolescents is approximately 10% worldwide. Research has been synthesised for behavioural and indoor impacts; however,... (Review)
Review
The burden of asthma readmission for children and adolescents is approximately 10% worldwide. Research has been synthesised for behavioural and indoor impacts; however, no such synthesis has been conducted for outdoor environmental exposures. This systematic review aims to evaluate and synthesise the impact the outdoor environment has on readmission rates for children or adolescents with asthma. We conducted a systematic search of seven databases and hand searched reference lists of articles published up until 18 January 2021. There were 12 out of 392 studies eligible for inclusion. Overall, most studies showed that outdoor environments impact on readmission; however, the strength of association is seen to be stronger in a particular subpopulation of each study depending on the exposure investigated. The evidence for the association between outdoor environmental exposure and readmission rates for children or adolescents with asthma is increasing; however, it is complicated by potential confounders such as socioeconomic factors, ethnicity, indoor air pollutants, and other behavioural factors. Further research is required to differentiate between them. Additionally, further studies need to be undertaken in further countries other than the United States of America to understand the full relationship.
Topics: Adolescent; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor; Asthma; Child; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Patient Readmission; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 35742711
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127457 -
Sustainable Cities and Society Jun 2022COVID-19 is deemed as the most critical world health calamity of the 21st century, leading to dramatic life loss. There is a pressing need to understand the multi-stage... (Review)
Review
COVID-19 is deemed as the most critical world health calamity of the 21st century, leading to dramatic life loss. There is a pressing need to understand the multi-stage dynamics, including transmission routes of the virus and environmental conditions due to the possibility of multiple waves of COVID-19 in the future. In this paper, a systematic examination of the literature is conducted associating the virus-laden-aerosol and transmission of these microparticles into the multimedia environment, including built environments. Particularly, this paper provides a critical review of state-of-the-art modelling tools apt for COVID-19 spread and transmission pathways. GIS-based, risk-based, and artificial intelligence-based tools are discussed for their application in the surveillance and forecasting of COVID-19. Primary environmental factors that act as simulators for the spread of the virus include meteorological variation, low air quality, pollen abundance, and spatial-temporal variation. However, the influence of these environmental factors on COVID-19 spread is still equivocal because of other non-pharmaceutical factors. The limitations of different modelling methods suggest the need for a multidisciplinary approach, including the 'One-Health' concept. Extended One-Health-based decision tools would assist policymakers in making informed decisions such as social gatherings, indoor environment improvement, and COVID-19 risk mitigation by adapting the control measurements.
PubMed: 35317188
DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2022.103840 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jul 2022Urban greenspace may have a beneficial or adverse effect on respiratory health. Our objective was to perform an exploratory systematic review to synthesise the evidence...
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE
Urban greenspace may have a beneficial or adverse effect on respiratory health. Our objective was to perform an exploratory systematic review to synthesise the evidence and identify the potential causal pathways relating urban greenspace and respiratory health.
METHODS
We followed PRISMA guidelines on systematic reviews and searched five databases for eligible studies during 2000-2021. We incorporated a broad range of urban greenspace and respiratory health search terms, including both observational and experimental studies. Screening, data extraction, and risk of bias, assessed using the Navigation Guide criteria, were performed independently by two authors. We performed a narrative synthesis and discuss suggested pathways to respiratory health.
RESULTS
We identified 108 eligible papers (n = 104 observational, n = 4 experimental). The most common greenspace indicators were the overall greenery or vegetation (also known as greenness), green land use/land cover of physical area classes (e.g., parks, forests), and tree canopy cover. A wide range of respiratory health indicators were studied, with asthma prevalence being the most common. Two thirds (n = 195) of the associations in these studies were positive (i.e., beneficial) with health, with 31% (n = 91) statistically significant; only 9% (n = 25) of reported associations were negative (i.e., adverse) with health and statistically significant. The most consistent positive evidence was apparent for respiratory mortality. There were n = 35 (32%) 'probably low' and n = 73 (68%) 'probably high' overall ratings of bias. Hypothesised causal pathways for health benefits included lower air pollution, more physically active populations, and exposure to microbial diversity; suggested mechanisms with poorer health included exposure to pollen and other aeroallergens.
CONCLUSION
Many studies showed positive association between urban greenspace and respiratory health, especially lower respiratory mortality; this is suggestive, but not conclusive, of causal effects. Results underscore the importance of contextual factors, greenspace metric employed, and the potential bias of subtle selection factors, which should be explored further.
Topics: Air Pollution; Allergens; City Planning; Humans; Parks, Recreational; Respiration; Trees
PubMed: 35283125
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154447 -
Journal of Family & Reproductive Health Jun 2021Male infertility is involved in about half of the casess of infertility and the only sole reason for infertility in 20%-30% of the cases. Following the recent interest... (Review)
Review
Male infertility is involved in about half of the casess of infertility and the only sole reason for infertility in 20%-30% of the cases. Following the recent interest in the use of medicinal plants, scientists have sought to clarify their effects on male fertility. This review aimed to summarize the results of studies available to determine the effectiveness, safety and mechanism of herbal treatments in the improvement of male fertility. Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central) databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published during 2000-2020. Studies were only included if they adhered to the CONSORT checklist. The methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Finally, 20 studies recruiting a total of 1519 individuals were reviewed. These studies compared the effects of eleven different medicinal plants, i.e. ginseng, saffron, , palm pollen, ADOFON, TOPALAF, sesame, and , on male fertility with those of placebo. All studies (except one) confirmed the beneficial effects of medicinal plants on the improvement of sperm and reproductive parameters and thus male infertility. The existing RCTs indicated the positive effects of medicinal plants on male fertility. Therefore, in order to develop a novel approach to the treatment of male infertility, further clinical trials are warranted to determine the maximum dosage and duration of treatment with herbal medicines and evaluate any potential side effects of such interventions.
PubMed: 34721595
DOI: 10.18502/jfrh.v15i2.6447 -
Laryngoscope Investigative... Oct 2021Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is an exaggerated immunological reaction to allergens (pollen) in the air. In a small subgroup of patients, SAR can be difficult to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is an exaggerated immunological reaction to allergens (pollen) in the air. In a small subgroup of patients, SAR can be difficult to control with first-line therapy. Intramuscular corticosteroid injections (IMCIs) are an additional treatment in this subgroup of SAR patients. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the efficacy and safety of IMCIs in SAR.
METHODS
Titles and abstracts were independently screened, followed by full-text screening based on predefined criteria. Included articles were critically appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. The primary outcome is reported as the final conclusion about efficacy that was stated in the included studies. The secondary outcome is the safety of IMCIs with regard to long lasting side-effects.
RESULTS
The search yielded 2139 records, of which 10 were relevant and valid for our clinical question. Critical appraisal showed high risk of bias, which was due to unclear description of methods. Four out of four placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trials reported a significant and relevant difference in efficacy in favor of IMCIs compared with placebo. The occurrence of side-effects was not different between IMCIs and placebo or oral corticosteroids (OCs).
CONCLUSION
The outcome of this systematic review on trials concerning intramuscular steroid injections, despite being based on individual studies claiming favorable outcome with their use, is "inconclusive." This is because of the epidemiological high risk of bias in these studies that were mostly executed more than 30 years ago. The "inconclusive" rating allows for a description as an "optional therapy" for severe cases in guideline formation.
PubMed: 34667833
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.645 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2021Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) is a mammalian neurohormone, antioxidant and signaling molecule that was first discovered in plants in 1995. The first studies... (Review)
Review
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) is a mammalian neurohormone, antioxidant and signaling molecule that was first discovered in plants in 1995. The first studies investigated plant melatonin from a human perspective quantifying melatonin in foods and medicinal plants and questioning whether its presence could explain the activity of some plants as medicines. Starting with these first handful of studies in the late 1990s, plant melatonin research has blossomed into a vibrant and active area of investigation and melatonin has been found to play critical roles in mediating plant responses and development at every stage of the plant life cycle from pollen and embryo development through seed germination, vegetative growth and stress response. Here we have utilized a systematic approach in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) protocols to reduce bias in our assessment of the literature and provide an overview of the current state of melatonin research in plants, covering 1995-2021. This review provides an overview of the biosynthesis and metabolism of melatonin as well as identifying key themes including: abiotic stress responses, root development, light responses, interkingdom communication, phytohormone and plant signaling. Additionally, potential biases in the literature are investigated and a birefringence in the literature between researchers from plant and medical based which has helped to shape the current state of melatonin research. Several exciting new opportunities for future areas of melatonin research are also identified including investigation of non-crop and non-medicinal species as well as characterization of melatonin signaling networks in plants.
PubMed: 34249052
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.683047 -
International Journal of Biometeorology Oct 2021Climate and weather directly impact plant phenology, affecting airborne pollen. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the impacts of meteorological... (Review)
Review
Climate and weather directly impact plant phenology, affecting airborne pollen. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the impacts of meteorological variables on airborne pollen concentrations and pollen season timing. Using PRISMA methodology, we reviewed literature that assessed whether there was a relationship between local temperature and precipitation and measured airborne pollen. The search strategy included terms related to pollen, trends or measurements, and season timing. For inclusion, studies must have conducted a correlation analysis of at least 5 years of airborne pollen data to local meteorological data and report quantitative results. Data from peer-reviewed articles were extracted on the correlations between seven pollen indicators (main pollen season start date, end date, peak date, and length, annual pollen integral, average daily pollen concentration, and peak pollen concentration), and two meteorological variables (temperature and precipitation). Ninety-three articles were included in the analysis out of 9,679 articles screened. Overall, warmer temperatures correlated with earlier and longer pollen seasons and higher pollen concentrations. Precipitation had varying effects on pollen concentration and pollen season timing indicators. Increased precipitation may have a short-term effect causing low pollen concentrations potentially due to "wash out" effect. Long-term effects of precipitation varied for trees and weeds and had a positive correlation with grass pollen levels. With increases in temperature due to climate change, pollen seasons for some taxa in some regions may start earlier, last longer, and be more intense, which may be associated with adverse health impacts, as pollen exposure has well-known health effects in sensitized individuals.
Topics: Allergens; Climate Change; Humans; Pollen; Seasons; Temperature; Weather
PubMed: 33877430
DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02128-7