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By identifying multiple pathways through which visual impairment diminishes quality of life among older adults, this study highlights the importance of multipronged intervention efforts.

The deleterious mental health effects associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic are increasingly apparent, however, questions remain about the extent to which pandemic‐related stressor exposure has contributed to increased psychological distress among an already disadvantaged group, individuals with disabilities. The first aim of the study was to examine the distribution of pandemic‐related stressors across multiple dimensions—employment, personal and family finances, personal relationships, and quality of social life—among individuals with and without disabilities. The second aim of the study was to examine the association between a composite COVID‐19 stressor score and two mental health outcomes—depressive and anxiety symptoms—among the two subsamples. The study used quota‐based online survey data ( N = 2043) collected in the summer of 2020 from adults (18 and older) residing in the Intermountain West, half of whom had a self‐reported disability. Study results demonstrated that individuals with disabilities experienced pandemic‐related stressors at significantly higher rates relative to their non‐disabled counterparts. Further, pandemic stressor exposure was associated with greater negative effects on their psychological well‐being. We argue that the COVID‐19 pandemic is generating a secondary mental illness pandemic, and that individuals with disabilities are affected by it at significantly higher proportions.

Cyclones cause profound immediate impacts on tropical rainforest trees, including defoliation, limb loss, snapping of stems and uprooting. Some studies have shown that plant functional traits such as tree size, buttress roots and wood density are correlated with these forms of cyclone damage. On 20 March 2006, Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry crossed the north Queensland coast and proceeded inland across the Atherton Tablelands, impacting the critically endangered Mabi Type 5b rainforest. We investigated the effects of Cyclone Larry on common tree species by categorizing damage to trees as uprooted, snapped, limbs damaged (light, moderate, severe) or upright and estimating levels of defoliation. Damage was then related to functional traits including tree size, presence of buttress roots, wood density, and leaf size and strength. Levels of damage differed between species. Tree size (diameter at breast height) and the presence of buttress roots were not related to damage levels. Wood density was significantly negatively correlated to proportion of trees with snapped stems and significantly positively correlated with the proportion of trees upright with no or light limb damage. Levels of defoliation were significantly related to leaf strength (specific leaf area -SLA) and to leaf width, but not other components of leaf size (area or length) or petiole length. Species with high wood density and low SLA (e.g. Argyrodendron spp.) were found to have high cyclone resistance, the ability to resist damage, while species with low wood density and high SLA (e.g. Dendrocnide photinophylla) exhibited low resistance. However, traits related to low resistance are also those linked to rapid growth and high cyclone resilience, the ability to recover from damage, so it is unlikely that the Mabi forest will experience long-term changes in floristic composition following Cyclone Larry.

This study evaluates the bi-directional association between depressive symptoms and bodily pain, and examines the role of physical disability and perceived social stress in the depression-pain relationship. Data are employed from a two-wave panel study of Miami-Dade county residents (n = 1459) that includes a substantial over-sampling of individuals who identify as physically-disabled. Findings indicate that the bi-directional relationship between depression and pain is similar for those with and without a physical disability. Results also demonstrate that stress exposure, specifi cally recent life events and daily discrimination, partially mediated the relationship between prior levels of depression and changes in pain. Directions for future research and the need for a more comprehensive model of health incorporating physical, psychological, and social factors are discussed.

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) binding proteins (GAGBPs), including growth factors, cytokines, morphogens, and extracellular matrix proteins, interact with both free GAGs and those covalently linked to proteoglycans. Such interactions modulate a variety of cellular and extracellular events, such as cell growth, metastasis, morphogenesis, neural development, and inflammation. GAGBPs are structurally and evolutionarily unrelated proteins that typically recognize internal sequences of sulfated GAGs. GAGBPs are distinct from the other major group of glycan binding proteins, lectins. The multifunctional human galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a β-galactoside binding lectin that preferentially binds to N-acetyllactosamine moieties on glycoconjugates. Here, we demonstrate through microcalorimetric and spectroscopic data that Gal-3 possesses the characteristics of a GAGBP. Gal-3 interacts with unmodified heparin, chondroitin sulfate-A (CSA), -B (CSB), and -C (CSC) as well as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). While heparin, CSA, and CSC bind with micromolar affinity, the affinity of CSPGs is nanomolar. Significantly, CSA, CSC, and a bovine CSPG were engaged in multivalent binding with Gal-3 and formed noncovalent cross-linked complexes with the lectin. Binding of sulfated GAGs was completely abolished when Gal-3 was preincubated with β-lactose. Cross-linking of Gal-3 by CSA, CSC, and the bovine CSPG was reversed by β-lactose. Both observations strongly suggest that GAGs primarily occupy the lactose/LacNAc binding site of Gal-3. Hill plot analysis of calorimetric data reveals that the binding of CSA, CSC, and a bovine CSPG to Gal-3 is associated with progressive negative cooperativity effects. Identification of Gal-3 as a GAGBP should help to reveal new functions of Gal-3 mediated by GAGs and proteoglycans.

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