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The state-threatened Neogale vison evergladensis (Everglades Mink) is a small, semi-aquatic mustelid endemic to extreme south Florida. To monitor the Everglades Mink, we used a scat-detection dog to survey 24 transects in Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve and Picayune Strand State Forest. When the detection dog alerted on a hollowed-out cypress root structure and no scat was located, we placed a game camera at the location. Eight days after camera placement, we observed an increase in mink detections and the appearance of multiple scats on a log, indicating a latrine. Our study documents the initiation and the termination of an Everglades Mink latrine site on a camera trap for what we believe is the first time. Following the initiation of the latrine, we also detected Procyon lotor (Raccoon; n = 22), Didelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum; n = 4), Lynx rufus (Bobcat; n = 2), and Corvus ossifragus (Fish Crow; n = 4). Detections of other species ceased almost entirely after the latrine was no longer active. The increase in visitation of nontarget species indicates that latrines may serve as an attractant to other animals. Observations of latrine use and cross-species visitation and marking should be investigated further to better understand the potential for indirect disease transmission and the possible impacts to the threatened Everglades Mink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perimyotis subflavus (Tricolored Bat) was once common across the eastern United States, but in recent years, populations have declined drastically across the species' range, mainly because of mortality caused by white-nose syndrome. The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome has not been detected in Florida, and therefore the state may represent an important stronghold for the Tricolored Bat. We counted Tricolored Bats in Florida caves in January and February from 2014 to 2022 to better determine population size and document trends in abundance before the potential arrival of white-nose syndrome. We modeled trends in counts over time on the entire count dataset and on subsets based on karst region and cave size. In addition, we fit mixed-effects Poisson regression models to understand the influence of cave characteristics and investigator disturban ce on Tricolored Bat counts. Models of statewide bat counts exhibited a strongly decreasing trend (mean = -17% per year) with a 67% decrease overall across the study period. Warmer temperatures on the day of survey were associated with lower counts, and longer caves were associated with higher counts. We did not find an impact of investigator disturbance on bat counts. Although ambient temperatures influenced observed numbers, we cannot exclude the possibility that these long-term declines are the result of undetected or indirect losses from white-nose syndrome. It is unknown if Tricolored Bats roosting in other locations that are not routinely monitored (e.g., trees) are experiencing similar declines; thus, incorporating other monitoring methods would improve the understanding of Tricolored Bat population trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several social modifications have been made in the United States to reduce the infection rate that resulted in changes to the workforce, education system, and general community interactions. This evolving new normal has caused distress in many individuals. The purpose of this article was to conceptualize these changes from a loss perspective and determine if any traumatic symptomology might emerge from the loss, thus producing traumatic loss due to the changing normal. Clinical recommendations are given to mental health professionals when working with individuals who report distress due to the changing normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human and simian immunodeficiency virus (HIV and SIV) infections establish lifelong reservoirs of cells harboring an integrated proviral genome. Genome editing CRISPR-associated Cas9 nucleases, combined with SIV-specific guiding RNA (gRNA) molecules, inactivate integrated provirus DNA in vitro and in animal models. We generated RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases (RGNu) and nickases (RGNi) targeting conserved SIV regions with no homology in the human or rhesus macaque genome. Assays in cells cotransfected with SIV provirus and plasmids coding for RGNus identified SIV long terminal repeat (LTR), trans-activation response (TAR) element, and ribosome slip site (RSS) regions as the most effective at virus suppression; RGNi targeting these regions inhibited virus production significantly. Multiplex plasmids that coexpressed these three RGNu (Nu3), or six (three pairs) RGNi (Ni6), were more efficient at virus suppression than any combination of individual RGNu and RGNi plasmids. Both Nu3 and Ni6 plasmids were tested in lymphoid cells chronically infected with SIVmac239, and whole-genome sequencing was used to determine on- and off-target mutations. Treatment with these all-in-one plasmids resulted in similar levels of mutations of viral sequences from the cellular genome; Nu3 induced indels at the 3 SIV-specific sites, whereas for Ni6 indels were present at the LTR and TAR sites. Levels of off-target effects detected by two different algorithms were indistinguishable from background mutations. In summary, we demonstrate that Cas9 nickase in association with gRNA pairs can specifically eliminate parts of the integrated provirus DNA; also, we show that careful design of an all-in-one plasmid coding for 3 gRNAs and Cas9 nuclease inhibits SIV production with undetectable off-target mutations, making these tools a desirable prospect for moving into animal studies. IMPORTANCE Our approach to HIV cure, utilizing the translatable SIV/rhesus macaque model system, aims at provirus inactivation and its removal with the least possible off-target side effects. We developed single molecules that delivered either three truncated SIV-specific gRNAs along with Cas9 nuclease or three pairs of SIV-specific gRNAs (six individual gRNAs) along with Cas9 nickase to enhance efficacy of on-target mutagenesis. Whole-genome sequencing demonstrated effective SIV sequence mutation and inactivation and the absence of demonstrable off-target mutations. These results open the possibility to employ Cas9 variants that introduce single-strand DNA breaks to eliminate integrated proviral DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lontra canadensis (North American River Otter; hereinafter "River Otter") is a widespread, semi-aquatic mustelid. Despite considerable research and management of the species, there is limited information on the initiation of natal denning and characteristics of natal den habitat, especially in the southeastern United States. In February 2020, during a survey for bats in a cave in Jackson County, FL, we encountered a River Otter natal den containing 3 pups and an adult. The den was located in a small side chamber within the cave, 9.6 m from the nearest entrance and in an area with little available light. The nearest cave entrance was 492 m from the closest permanent body of water. We estimate that the pups were born in late January. Caves may make ideal natal dens because of reduced disturbance by predators, a stable temperature and humidity, and protection from harsh weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One approach for a functional HIV cure is to prevent transcription from integrated proviral DNA. A critical step in HIV transcription is the Tat protein interaction with the TAR element viral RNA. We tested the strategy of blocking this Tat‐TAR interaction in the SIVmac model. Methods: We designed five CRISPR short guiding RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting the SIVmac TAR element, along with inactive versions of Cas9 (dCas9). These sgRNA constructs were delivered as ribonucleoproteins or plasmid DNA, along with SIV DNA. The constructs were also tested in integrated viral DNA in a cell line chronically infected by SIV. Results: The sgRNAs targeting the coding strand of the TAR element inhibited SIV RNA transcription in association with dCas9‐KRAB, but not with dCas9. Conclusions: Induction of epigenetic modifications may be more effective in inactivating provirus than transcriptional interference and thus may be a better strategy to achieve a functional cure in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corynorhinus rafinesquii (Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat) is uncommon and unevenly distributed throughout its range, and its populations are believed to be declining. The distribution in Florida, the southernmost extent of the range, is unclear, and recently published maps show records in only 16 counties scattered across the state. We compiled published and unpublished records of Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat in Florida and found 59 total records, including records from 13 counties where the species had not been previously reported. These new records expand the known distribution in Florida to 29 counties, including Miami-Dade County in extreme southeastern Florida. Our compilation of records clarifies the species' distribution in Florida, but several broad geographic areas still lack records despite the presence of forested wetland habitat potentially suitable for Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat. We recommend further survey efforts for Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat in 4 areas we identified where the species may be present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease is caused by complex interactions between environmental factors and a genetic predisposition. Environmental factors include exposure to pesticides and toxins, heavy metals and accumulation of iron and/or manganese in the brain. However, accumulating evidence indicates that gut–brain health and function are impaired in Parkinson's disease, often a decade before motor symptoms are diagnosed. We present the gut–brain theory of Parkinson's disease and summarise the peripheral and central nervous system pathology, gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by many Parkinson's patients, the route by which gut–brain dysfunction may occur and changes in gut microbiota that are associated with disease expression. Finally, we consider future gut‐based treatments to prevent or slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease and explore whether this knowledge may highlight biomarkers to be included in complex algorithms in the future to assess a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Gut–brain dysfunction often occurs a decade before the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed. α‐Synuclein accumulates in peripheral and central nervous systems in patients and is associated with changes in gut microbiota and function. This knowledge maybe used in the future as part of a complex risk assessment for Parkinson's disease and vagus nerve transections and faecal transplants could be used to reduce risk or treat the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease is caused by complex interactions between environmental factors and a genetic predisposition. Environmental factors include exposure to pesticides and toxins, heavy metals and accumulation of iron and/or manganese in the brain. However, accumulating evidence indicates that gut–brain health and function are impaired in Parkinson's disease, often a decade before motor symptoms are diagnosed. We present the gut–brain theory of Parkinson's disease and summarise the peripheral and central nervous system pathology, gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by many Parkinson's patients, the route by which gut–brain dysfunction may occur and changes in gut microbiota that are associated with disease expression. Finally, we consider future gut‐based treatments to prevent or slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease and explore whether this knowledge may highlight biomarkers to be included in complex algorithms in the future to assess a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Gut–brain dysfunction often occurs a decade before the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed. α‐Synuclein accumulates in peripheral and central nervous systems in patients and is associated with changes in gut microbiota and function. This knowledge maybe used in the future as part of a complex risk assessment for Parkinson's disease and vagus nerve transections and faecal transplants could be used to reduce risk or treat the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ecological suitability methodologies for estuarine habitats are presented. • Habitats for ecologically and socially important species are characterized. • Ecological and social weighting factors are developed and applied. • Results can be reported for defined spatial units and at the estuarine scale. • Ecological suitability measures can inform cumulative restoration assessments. Ecosystem management requires a systematic, holistic approach that considers ecological and social outcomes. Effective restoration practices promote a balance of ecological and social goals by addressing ecological integrity, efficiently maximizing benefits while minimizing investment, and encompassing collaborative stakeholder engagement. Socio-ecological assessments can inform adaptive management and be utilized to prioritize restoration activities and monitor restoration effectiveness. In estuarine systems, socio-ecological assessments should evaluate the ability of habitats to support both ecologically and locally important species. The composite measure presented utilizes a combination of ecological and social measures to characterize ecological suitability for individual and multiple Gulf of Mexico estuarine species. The ecological suitability value (ES) for a given spatial unit is based on a suite of biophysical measures of the quality and extent of suitable habitat for each species, the species' trophic importance in a food web context, and the importance of each species in relation to stakeholder values and benefits. ES values for individual spatial units can be aggregated to estimate the distribution of ecological suitability at the estuarine scale. The ES values are calculated using examples for each step in the process. The information provided by ecological suitability characterizations can support restoration prioritization decisions for Gulf of Mexico estuaries and can provide a baseline measure to gauge restoration effectiveness over time to inform cumulative restoration assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions have particularly poor records of stable employment, but stable employment is a key to recovery. Employment specialists have a key role in supported employment services in assisting them with employment. This article describes the thoughts and concerns of employment specialists about finding and supporting employment for youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions. Method: The authors undertook 12 intensive interviews with supported employment specialists in two states. These interviews were transcribed and coded by the authors. A number of themes were identified and prototypical examples identified and included in the findings. Results: Although the employment specialists varied in their enthusiasm and optimism about the job, they agreed on key problems that they face in supporting employment for young adults that include employer resistance to hiring people with mental illness, increasing use of online applications, larger organizations not making hiring decisions locally and thus the decisions are not responsive to the employment specialist, resistance from family and mental health professionals and the young adults themselves to full-time employment and putting benefits at risk, and resistance from young adults to disclosing their disability to coworkers and thus being unwilling to take supported employment positions. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: These interviews suggest that some of the features of supported employment practice might need to be modified if young adults with serious mental health issues are to gain employment that over time could lead to significant careers and recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Bog Turtle) is a small, federally threatened, aquatic turtle found only within a fragmented range in the eastern US. From 2005-2009, we studied the movements and home ranges of 9 adult turtles during the active season in an isolated population located in the Southern Appalachians. We used radio telemetry to locate turtles once a day for 1 week of every month, and then once a week for the rest of the month. We calculated average distance moved between locations for consecutive days. Movements of Bog Turtles averaged 13.00 m/d for females and 14.51 m/d for males with no significant difference between sexes. Movement distances were significantly shorter during the period following emergence from and the one preceding entrance into hibernation. We used 95% minimum convex polygon, 50% fixed-kernel density, and 95% fixed-kernel density to calculate home-range size. Home-range size was highly variable: the 95% kernel density estimation ranged from 0.21-2.43 ha and we detected no significant difference between sexes. Over the entirety of our study, more than 80% of home ranges were smaller than 1.55 ha. There was no significant difference between turtle home-range size during the breeding and post-breeding season for either sex. Our determinations of the average home-range overlap for individual turtles tracked in multiple consecutive years indicated that turtles remained in similar locations from year to year. Our population experienced 1 emigration- a turtle moved out of the bog into a nearby wetland-which suggested the importance of suitable corridors for movement and protection of additional habitat. Our results indicated that Bog Turtles have small home-ranges and are capable of existing in small wetlands; thus, management plans should incorporate surveys and protection of smaller wetlands that may be easily overlooked. Suitable buffer areas surrounding wetland habitat and stream corridors should be maintained and protected to promote connectivity to other Bog Turtle populations and allow for successful emigration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ecological suitability approach builds upon previous restoration frameworks. • The conceptual approach is applicable to multiple ecosystem types. • A balance of ecological and social outcomes for targeted restoration is promoted. • Ecological suitability is a novel way to communicate potential restoration outcomes to ecosystem managers and stakeholders. A combination of ecological and socio-economic outcome indicators is essential for understanding and assessing the effectiveness of the remediation and restoration of degraded ecosystems and revitalizing communities that could benefit from these ecosystem management activities. In this paper, we propose and develop a conceptual approach to characterize ecological suitability that incorporates ecological attributes that support ecosystem structural diversity and functionality, stakeholder values and perceptions, and the benefits derived from ecosystem goods and services. A structured literature review was used to identify existing restoration frameworks and indicators to inform the conceptual foundation for characterizing ecological suitability. The structure of the conceptual approach primarily builds from ecological and social attributes in the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration (Gann et al., 2019). We provide a conceptual example of the ecological suitability approach in estuaries. This example is based on habitat suitability and food web characterizations in combination with the provisioning of ecosystem services and desired social benefits to prioritize and evaluate restoration effectiveness. This foundational work sets the stage for developing a composite measure of ecological suitability. The holistic conceptual approach presented complements existing information regarding restoration effectiveness evaluations. Characterizing ecological suitability is a novel way to incorporate ecological and social information and communicate potential restoration outcomes to ecosystem managers and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activity has growing impacts on the natural capital humans depend on for existence. While many of these impacts are regional, national, or international in scope, it is increasingly evident that decisions made at the local community level are also important. Yet, understanding the impacts of local decisions, as well as how to correct or mitigate these impacts, can be problematic, as communities differ in resources, priorities, dependencies on natural capital, and even opinions about whether these impacts actually affect quality of life. Every community has unique characteristics, however effective decision support at the community level requires common reference points in measures of human well-being upon which to base decision support. We have developed a community classification system that is intended to find such common ground in community characteristics and tie these common elements to measures of human well-being. This community classification system was developed in the USA with publically available data on resource dependence, socio-economic composition, and existence of natural capital. The resulting classification was applied to coastal communities at the county level and then used to predict human well-being based on an existing human well-being index. Coastal communities were separated into eight characteristics groups based on Bayesian cluster analysis. Classification groups were found to be associated with significant differences in human well-being. More importantly, significant differences in specific elements of well-being were associated with key community characteristics, such as population density and economic dependence on local natural resources. In particular, social cohesion and the leisure time were strong elements of well-being in low density communities with high natural resource dependence but this association weakened as population densities and economically diversity increased. These sorts of commonalities in community type that can be tied to differences in human well-being are important because they provide clear ties to environmental service flows, as well as a meaningful reference point from which to measure the local impacts of decisions as changes in community-specific human well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro RNAs (mi RNAs) are short RNAs involved in gene regulation through translational inhibition and transcript cleavage. After processing from imperfect fold-back structures, mi RNAs are incorporated into RNA-induced silencing complexes ( RISCs) before targeting transcripts with varying degrees of complementarity. Some mi RNAs are evolutionarily deep-rooted, and sequence complementarity with their targets is maintained through purifying selection. Both Arabidopsis and Capsella belong to the tribe Camelineae in the Brassicaceae, with Capsella rubella serving as an outgroup to the genus Arabidopsis. The genome sequence of C. rubella has recently been released, which allows characterization of its mi RNA complement in comparison with Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis lyrata. Through next-generation sequencing, we identify high-confidence mi RNA candidates specific to the C. rubella lineage. Only a few lineage-specific mi RNAs have been studied for evolutionary constraints, and there have been no systematic studies of mi RNA target diversity within or divergence between closely related plant species. Therefore we contrast sequence variation in mi RNAs and their targets within A. thaliana, and between A. thaliana, A. lyrata and C. rubella. We document a surprising amount of small-scale variation in mi RNA-target pairs, where many mi RNAs are predicted to have species-specific targets in addition to ones that are shared between species. Our results emphasize that the transitive nature of many mi RNA-target pairs can be observed even on a relatively short evolutionary time-scale, with non-random occurrences of differences in mi RNAs and their complements in the mi RNA precursors, the mi RNA* sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-natural grasslands are a crucial habitat for many butterfly species and the structure and extent of that grassland often dictates the composition of butterfly communities on the landscape. To understand effects on butterfly communities, we studied the impacts of different management schemes used to maintain semi-natural grasslands, including mowing every 3 y, mowing annually, and continuous summertime grazing. Transect count data were gathered over the 3 summers (2007-2009) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia and North Carolina. Eleven thousand two hundred and four butterfly individuals of 42 different species were documented over the course of the study. Fields with minimal management, being mowed only once every 3 y, had the largest benefit to butterfly communities. Species richness, abundance, and Shannon diversity was significantly higher in these fields. While abundance was not significantly different between annually mowed fields and grazed fields, mowed fields were significantly higher in richness and diversity. The analysis of habitat specialist species revealed minimally managed and mowed fields were higher in abundance and richness than grazed fields. The response of individual butterfly species also showed negative effects of grazing on habitat specialists. Overall, the results suggest a varying response by different groups of species as well as individual species, indicating multiple management techniques are necessary for conserving a wide range of species. Specific techniques can be used in conservation to target specialist groups of butterflies and rare species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Humans are dependent upon the services provided by nature, and unless we effectively account for the range of values from ecosystems in our efforts to protect the environment, we cannot sustain human well-being. In light of this dependence, a national measure of well-being is needed which is responsive to changes in the provisioning of ecosystem services as well as service flows from economic and social sectors. To conceptualize the eco-human linkages we must identify the measurable components of well-being that can be related to ecosystem service provisioning. The indicators and metrics used in existing well-being indices provide a basis for developing a core set of domains to develop such a composite measure of well-being; however these indices lack the ability to link well-being endpoints specifically to service flows from different types of capital. This paper suggests a core set of well-being domains that can be linked to ecosystem services via their relationship to economic, environmental and societal well-being. The well-being domains identified will serve as the foundation for developing an index of well-being for the U.S. which will be used to evaluate the provisioning of ecosystem, economic and social services in a predictive modeling framework. We present an overview of selected well-being measures and discuss the potential relationships between ecosystem services and the domains selected to develop the index structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Non-additive interactions between genomes have important implications, not only for practical applications such as breeding, but also for understanding evolution. In extreme cases, genes from different genomic backgrounds may be incompatible and compromise normal development or physiology. Of particular interest are non-additive interactions of alleles at the same locus. For example, overdominant behavior of alleles, with respect to plant fitness, has been proposed as an important component of hybrid vigor, while underdominance may lead to reproductive isolation. Despite their importance, only a few cases of genetic over- or underdominance affecting plant growth or fitness are understood at the level of individual genes. Moreover, the relationship between biochemical and fitness effects may be complex: genetic overdominance, that is, increased or novel activity of a gene may lead to evolutionary underdominance expressed as hybrid weakness. Here, we describe a non-additive interaction between alleles at the Arabidopsis thaliana OAK (OUTGROWTH-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN KINASE) gene. OAK alleles from two different accessions interact in F1 hybrids to cause a variety of aberrant growth phenotypes that depend on a recently acquired promoter with a novel expression pattern. The OAK gene, which is located in a highly variable tandem array encoding closely related receptor-like kinases, is found in one third of A. thaliana accessions, but not in the reference accession Col-0. Besides recruitment of exons from nearby genes as promoter sequences, key events in OAK evolution include gene duplication and divergence of a potential ligand-binding domain. OAK kinase activity is required for the aberrant phenotypes, indicating it is not recognition of an aberrant protein, but rather a true gain of function, or overdominance for gene activity, that leads to this underdominance for fitness. Our work provides insights into how tandem arrays, which are particularly prone to frequent, complex rearrangements, can produce genetic novelty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transposable elements (TEs) are often the primary determinant of genome size differences among eukaryotes. In plants, the proliferation of TEs is countered through epigenetic silencing mechanisms that prevent mobility. Recent studies using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have revealed that methylated TE insertions are often associated with reduced expression of nearby genes, and these insertions may be subject to purifying selection due to this effect. Less is known about the genome-wide patterns of epigenetic silencing of TEs in other plant species. Here, we compare the 24-nt siRNA complement from A. thaliana and a closely related congener with a two- to threefold higher TE copy number, Arabidopsis lyrata. We show that TEs-particularly siRNA-targeted TEs-are associated with reduced gene expression within both species and also with gene expression differences between orthologs. In addition, A. lyrata TEs are targeted by a lower fraction of uniquely matching siRNAs, which are associated with more effective silencing of TE expression. Our results suggest that the efficacy of RNA-directed DNA methylation silencing is lower in A. lyrata, a finding that may shed light on the causes of differential TE proliferation among species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA silencing in plants and some animals has a non-cell-autonomous effect due to an RNA signal that moves between cells or organs. To identify unique factors involved in this process, we analyzed a group of Arabidopsis mutants with defective spread of RNA Silencing from a transgene expressed specifically in the phloem. These mutants accumulated reduced amounts of small interfering (si)RNA from the transgene locus and from endogenous loci TAS1. TAS2, and an inverted repeat locus 1R71. The defect in TAS1 and TAS2 5iRNA biogenesis is in the processing of a long siRNA precursor. We mapped the mutations to a gene encoding the Arabidopsis homolog of a protein. TEX1, which is involved in intracellular transport of RNA in animals. TEX1 is a component of the THO/TREX complex, and we show that the Arabidopsis TEX1 interacts with other predicted components of a THO/TREX complex. Correspondingly, we found at least two other components of the Arabidopsis THO core complex that are involved in RNA silencing. To reconcile the effect of these mutations on transgene and endogenous gene 5iRNA, we propose a mechanism in which THO/TREX processes or transports a long RNA molecule so that it can be a template for secondary 5iRNA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the present study represent a synoptic analysis of sediment quality in coastal waters of Lake Pontchartrain and Mississippi Sound two months after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. Posthurricane conditions were compared to prehurricane (2000–2004) conditions, for sediment quality data. There were no exceedances of effects range median (ERM) sediment quality guideline values for chemical contaminants in any of the sediment samples collected from the Lake Pontchartrain or the Mississippi Sound study areas following the hurricane. Lower threshold effects range low (ERL) values were exceeded for As, Cd, and Ni at several stations in both survey areas, similar to levels of contamination observed prior to the hurricane. The comparison of sediment quality indicators before and after the hurricane suggests considerable stability of these systems with respect to short-term ecological impacts. Although other studies have shown storm-related changes could be detected (e.g., effects on benthic communities associated with shifts in salinity), there were no indications of widespread sediment contamination. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:1403–1408. © 2010 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal habitat alterations such as the loss of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) and hardening of shorelines could have cumulative effects on valuable fishery resources. To investigate this effect, we developed a multiscale modeling framework for blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Areal coverage of shoreline land cover and SAV for Mobile Bay, Alabama, were combined with information from small-scale biological studies and long-term, large-scale commercial fishery data to model the potential effects of marginal habitat losses on the blue crab fishery. We applied stochastic variation in annual recruitment to the fishery to estimate probabilities for sustainable harvests under scenarios of habitat loss. The simulations suggested that, accumulated over large areas, relatively small local losses of estuarine marsh edge and SAV habitats could have long-term negative effects on the sustainability of the fishery. Spatially extensive models are required to investigate the cumulative ecological effects of many local environmental changes. The requisite scaling adds uncertainty and reduces precision, but if model parameters are accurate at each scale, accurate predictions of long-term outcomes and probabilities are possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been linked to an inflammatory process detected through various biomarkers, including C-Reactive Protein (CRP). Early recurrence of AF within the first 3 months after curative AF ablation is not felt to reflect success or failure of the procedure. We hypothesized that this early recurrence is due to an inflammatory response to the ablation itself. We therefore sought to evaluate levels of CRP after AF ablation. Methods: We prospectively enrolled subjects undergoing AF ablation. A control group of patients undergoing ablation for supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) was also enrolled. Each patient had CRP drawn on the day of the procedure (prior to ablation) and during their first follow-up (median 49 days, interquartile range [IQR] 37–93) and second follow-up (median 147 days, IQR 141–257) clinic visits. Patient interviews were performed and medical histories reviewed for evidence of recurrent AF prior to the first follow-up. Results: CRP levels significantly increased from baseline to first follow-up in the AF ablation group (P = 0.0017). CRP did not significantly change after SVT ablation (P = 0.92). Seventeen (45%) of the AF subjects exhibited recurrence of AF prior to first follow-up. After adjusting for multiple potential confounders, AF ablation patients with recurrent AF prior to their first follow-up had a statistically significant greater odds of having an increase in CRP (OR 21, 95% CI 1.1–417, P = 0.045). Conclusions: AF ablation generates an inflammatory response that persists for several weeks. This inflammation may explain early recurrence of AF after curative ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although evidence suggests that alcohol is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), the association between alcohol and atrial flutter (AFL) has not been examined. The mechanism connecting alcohol and atrial arrhythmias is unknown. Methods: Alcohol intake was determined in 195 consecutive patients with AF and AFL. Control subjects included patients with other supraventricular arrhythmias (n = 132) and healthy subjects (n = 54). Because of important competing risk factors for atrial arrhythmias in the elderly, stratification by age was performed. In a subset, atrial effective refractory periods (AERPs) were obtained from the high right atrium and proximal and distal coronary sinus. Results: AF and AFL patients were significantly more likely to be daily alcohol drinkers (27% vs 14% of controls, P = 0.001). In multivariable analysis, AFL patients ≤ 60 years of age were significantly more likely to be daily drinkers than to drink no alcohol compared to controls (odds ratio 17, 95% confidence interval 1.6–192.0, P = 0.019). Progressively more frequent alcohol intake was significantly associated with a progressively greater odds of AFL in patients ≤ 60 years of age (P = 0.045). Neither AF subjects of any age nor AFL subjects > 60 years of age exhibited significant associations with alcohol after multivariable adjustment. Right AERPs shortened significantly with increasing amounts of alcohol intake (P = 0.025), whereas left AERPs were not associated with alcohol intake. Conclusions: Alcohol intake is positively associated with AFL in younger patients. The mechanism may be related to a shortening of the right AERP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silencing phenotype in Arabidopsis thaliana lines with an inverted repeat transgene under the control of a phloem-specific promoter was manifested in regions around veins due to a mobile signal of silencing. Genetic analysis implicates RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE2 (RDR2) and an RNA polymerese IVa subunit gene (NRPD1a) in the signaling mechanism. We also identified an SNF2 domain-containing protein (CLASSY1) that acts together with RDR2 and NRPD1a in the spread of transgene silencing and in the production of endogenous 24-nucleotide short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Cytochemical analysis indicates that CLASSY1 may act in the nucleus with NRPD1a and RDR2 in the upstream part of RNA silencing pathways that generate a double-stranded RNA substrate for Dicer-like (DCL) nucleases. DCL3 and ARGONAUTE4 act in a downstream part of the pathway, leading to endogenous 24-nucleotide siRNA production, but are not required for intercellular signaling. From genetic analysis, we conclude that another downstream part of the pathway associated with intercellular signaling requires DCL4 and at least one other protein required for 21-nucleotide trans-acting siRNAs. We interpret the effect of polymerase IVa and trans-acting siRNA pathway mutations in terms of a modular property of RNA silencing pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigated the effectiveness of 2 interventions in reducing eating disorder risk factors under naturalistic conditions in sororities. On the basis of previous research, the campus sororities chose to implement a semimandatory, 2-session eating disorder prevention program to all new sorority members (N = 90) during sorority orientation. To facilitate evaluation, sororities agreed to random assignment of new members to either a cognitive dissonance or a media advocacy intervention. Undergraduate peer facilitators ran the groups. Although both interventions had an effect, cognitive dissonance generally was superior at 8-month follow-up. Results further support the utility of cognitive dissonance in reducing eating disorder risk factors and suggest that nondoctoral-level leaders can deliver the program. Results also indicate that a semimandatory format does not reduce effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sororities are often perceived as contributing to eating-disordered behavior, limited research has investigated eating disorders in sorority members. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of a highly interactive cognitive dissonance prevention program in reducing empirically supported risk factors in sorority members. Members (N = 149) were randomized to the highly interactive intervention, a more passive intervention, or wait-list. Results indicated that both interventions reduced dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder pathology. Only the highly interactive group reduced thin-ideal internalization as compared to wait-list. Exploratory analyses also indicated that interventions were beneficial to both lower- and higher-risk members. Taken together, results suggest that sororities are a viable population to target in the prevention of eating disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geology of New York City (USA) consists primarily of metasedimentary rocks that were deformed during the series of orogenies between ca. 470 Ma and ca. 300 Ma that culminated in the amalgamation of Pangea. The rocks in New York City play a key role in understanding the tectonic history of these orogenies because they lie at a critical location at the boundary between the Northern and Southern Appalachian Mountains. The primary question addressed here is where these metasedimentary rocks originated prior to the assembly of Pangea. Through detrital zircon and whole-rock Nd isotope analyses, we show that all the metasedimentary rocks of New York City, mapped as the Manhattan Schist and the Hartland Group, are primarily derived from Laurentia as indicated by detrital zircon populations dominated by 1200-900 Ma grains and εNd values between -7 and -13. The results presented here do not necessitate an exclusively Laurentian source for the detrital material found in New York City, but the data strongly suggests protoliths represent sedimentary units that are primarily derived from the Laurentian margin. Another important result from this study is the limited contributions from any rift volcanics and/or Gondwanan material(s). There is some subtle variability across our zircon sample suite, but there is no convincing evidence for major changes in bulk provenance signal that would be consistent with derivation from vastly different continental sources for these rocks. The shared provenance signal observed here is counter to the previous suggestions that a major terrane boundary, often called Cameron's Line, exists in New York City, separating Laurentian rocks from those of a Gondwanan affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding plant reproduction offers potential routes both to impact on seed crop agriculture and to reveal key principles of plant cell signalling. Cell–cell signalling during plant reproduction revolves around the interactions between a small family of receptor-like kinases, their coreceptors, and ligands. Several specific peptides and carbohydrates have recently been confirmed as ligands in reproductive signalling, opening new avenues to investigate their interactions and potentially distinct downstream effects. Known downstream signalling responses include the production of reactive oxygen species, the generation of specific calcium signatures, and changes to the cell wall. Plant reproduction is a complex, highly-coordinated process in which a single, male germ cell grows through the maternal reproductive tissues to reach and fertilise the egg cell. Focussing on Arabidopsis thaliana , we review signalling between male and female partners which is important throughout the pollen tube journey, especially during pollen tube reception at the ovule. Numerous receptor kinases and their coreceptors are implicated in signal perception in both the pollen tube and synergid cells at the ovule entrance, and several specific peptide and carbohydrate ligands for these receptors have recently been identified. Clarifying the interplay between these signals and the downstream responses they instigate presents a challenge for future research and may help to illuminate broader principles of plant cell–cell communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated cognition in depersonalization-spectrum dissociative disorders without comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder to explore evidence for emotionally avoidant information processing. Forty-eight participants with DSM-IV dissociative disorder (DD) (Depersonalization Disorder – 37, Dissociative Disorder NOS −11), 36 participants with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and 56 healthy controls (HC) were administered the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS); the Weschler Memory Scale-III (WMS); and three Stroop tasks: the Standard Stroop, a selective-attention Emotional Stroop using neutral, dissociation, and trauma-related word categories, and a divided-attention Emotional Stroop using comparable words. Participants were also administered a paired-associates explicit and implicit memory test using emotionally neutral and negative words, before and after the Trier Social Stress Test. The DD and HC groups had comparable general intelligence and memory scores, though dissociation severity was inversely related to verbal comprehension and working memory. In the selective-attention condition, DD participants showed greater incidental recall across word categories with comparable interference. However in the divided-attention condition, DD participants significantly favored lesser attentional interference at the expense of remembering words. Across attentional conditions, DD participants had better recall for disorder-related than neutral words. Pre-stress, the DD group demonstrated better explicit memory for neutral versus negative words with reversal after stress, whereas the HC group demonstrated the opposite pattern; implicit memory did not differ. Cognition in the PTSD control group was generally dissimilar to the DD group. The findings in toto provide substantial evidence for emotionally avoidant information processing in DD, vulnerable to the impact of stress, at the level of both attention and memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every community decision incorporates a “forecasting” strategy (whether formal or implicit) to help visualize expected results and evaluate the potential “feelings/responses” that people living in that community may have about those results. With more communities seeking to make decisions based on sustainable alternatives, forecasting efforts that examine potential impacts of decisions on overall community well-being may prove to be valuable for not only gauging future benefits and trade-offs, but also for recognizing a community's affective response to the outcomes of those decisions. This paper describes a forecasting approach based on concepts introduced in the development of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA) Human Well-Being Index (HWBI) ( Smith et al., 2014; Summers et al., 2014 ). The approach examines the relationships among selected economic, environmental and social services that can be directly impacted by community decisions and eight domains of human well-being. Using models developed from constructed- or fixed-effect step-wise and multiple regressions and 11 years of data (2000–2010), these relationship functions may be used to characterize likely direct impacts of decisions on future well-being, as well as the possible intended and unintended secondary and tertiary effects relative to any main decision effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrids between Arabidopsis thaliana accessions are important in revealing the consequences of epistatic interactions in plants. F1 hybrids between the A. thaliana accessions displaying either defense or developmental phenotypes have been revealing the roles of the underlying epistatic genes. The interaction of two naturally occurring alleles of the OUTGROWTH - ASSOCIATED KINASE (OAK) gene in Sha and Lag2-2, previously shown to cause a similar phenotype in a different allelic combination in A. thaliana , was required for the hybrid phenotype. Outgrowth formation in the hybrids was associated with reduced levels of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and abscisic acid in petioles and the application of these hormones mitigated the formation of the outgrowths. Moreover, different abiotic stresses were found to mitigate the outgrowth phenotype. The involvement of stress and hormone signaling in outgrowth formation was supported by a global transcriptome analysis, which additionally revealed that TCP1 , a transcription factor known to regulate leaf growth and symmetry, was downregulated in the outgrowth tissue. These results demonstrate that a combination of natural alleles of OAK regulates growth and development through the integration of hormone and stress signals and highlight the importance of natural variation as a resource to discover the function of gene variants that are not present in the most studied accessions of A. thaliana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Salmon fishing impacts population density in the prehistoric Middle Fraser Canyon. [•] Malthusian ceilings adversely affect foraging success in constrained environments. [•] Emergent inter-household wealth-based ranking appears to be manifested in dog husbandry. [•] Pit storage capacity is more linked to household demographic packing than status differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transposable elements (TEs) make up the majority of many plant genomes. Their transcription and transposition is controlled through siRNAs and epigenetic marks including DNA methylation. To dissect the interplay of siRNA--mediated regulation and TE evolution, and to examine how TE differences affect nearby gene expression, we investigated genome- wide differences in TEs, siRNAs, and gene expression among three Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. Both TE sequence polymorphisms and presence of linked TEs are positively correlated with intraspecific variation in gene expression. The expression of genes within 2 kb of conserved TEs is more stable than that of genes next to variant TEs harboring sequence polymorphisms. Polymorphism levels of TEs and closely linked adjacent genes are positively correlated as well. We also investigated the distribution of 24-nt-long siRNAs, which mediate TE repression. TEs targeted by uniquely mapping siRNAs are on average farther from coding genes, apparently because they more strongly suppress expression of adjacent genes. Furthermore, siRNAs, and especially uniquely mapping siRNAs, are enriched in TE regions missing in other accessions. Thus, targeting by uniquely mapping siRNAs appears to promote sequence deletions in TEs. Overall, our work indicates that siRNA-targeting of TEs may influence removal of sequences from the genome and hence evolution of gene expression in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]