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Knowledge of the population genetic structure and diversity of at-risk species is essential to accurately evaluate population viability and define units for conservation and management. The southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis) is a fossorial rodent native to the imperiled longleaf pine savannas of the southeastern United States. Its recent decline has made it a species of 'high conservation concern' by state agencies. Previous phylogenetic analyses suggested two distinct lineages within the species occurring east (G. p. pinetis) and west (G. p. mobilensis) of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River (ACF) Basin, a phylogeographic break for many species. However, little is known about the genetic substructure within each region. We examined neutral and putatively adaptive variation in 9373 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess the extent of genetic structure across the species' geographic range. We confirmed significant genetic divergence of populations east–west of the ACF Basin, predating the Last Glacial Maximum, supporting the presence of two evolutionary independent lineages. Our results indicate additional strong genetic substructuring within each lineage and possible non-neutral variation across latitudes. Given the high degree of genetic differentiation and lack of evidence for secondary contact among populations within the ACF Basin, we recommend that G. pinetis be managed as two conservation units corresponding to distinct lineages representing G. pinetis and G. mobiliensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) among wild pigs (Sus scrofa) will aid in preventing the introduction or containment of TADs among wild populations. Given the challenges associated with studying TADs in free-ranging populations, a surrogate pathogen system may predict how pathogens may circulate and be maintained within wild free-ranging swine populations, how they may spill over into domestic populations, and how management actions may impact transmission. We assessed the suitability of Torque teno sus virus 1 (TTSuV1) to serve as a surrogate pathogen for molecular epidemiological studies in wild pigs by investigating the prevalence, persistence, correlation with host health status and genetic variability at two study areas: Archbold's Buck Island Ranch in Florida and Savannah River Site in South Carolina. We then conducted a molecular epidemiological case study within Archbold's Buck Island Ranch site to determine how analysis of this pathogen could inform transmission dynamics of a directly transmitted virus. Prevalence was high in both study areas (40%, n = 190), and phylogenetic analyses revealed high levels of genetic variability within and between study areas. Our case study showed that pairwise host relatedness and geographic distance were highly correlated to pairwise viral genetic similarity. Molecular epidemiological analyses revealed a distinct pattern of direct transmission from pig to pig occurring within and between family groups. Our results suggest that TTSuV1 is highly suitable for molecular epidemiological analyses and will be useful for future studies of transmission dynamics in wild free-ranging pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental gradients have the potential to influence genetic differentiation among populations ultimately leading to allopatric speciation. However, environmental gradients can also facilitate hybridization between closely related taxa. We investigated a putative hybrid zone in western Ecuador, involving two polytypic wren species (Aves: Troglodytidae), Campylorhynchus zonatus and C. fasciatus. Our study addressed two primary questions: (1) Is there evidence of population structure and genetic admixture between these taxa in western Ecuador? and (2) What are the relative contributions of isolation by distance and isolation by the environment to the observed genetic differentiation along the environmental gradient in this region? We analyzed 4409 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 112 blood samples sequenced using ddRadSeq and a de novo assembly. The optimum number of genetic clusters ranged from 2 to 4, aligning with geographic origins, known phylogenetics, and physical or ecological constraints. We observed notable transitions in admixture proportions along the environmental gradient in western Ecuador between C. z. brevirostris and the northern and southern genetic clusters of C. f. pallescens. Genetic differentiation between the two C. f. pallescens populations could be attributed to an unreported potential physical barrier in central western Ecuador, where the proximity of the Andes to the coastline restricts lowland habitats, limiting dispersal and gene flow, especially among dry‐habitat specialists. The observed admixture in C. f. pallescens suggests that this subspecies may be a hybrid between C. z. brevirostris and C. fasciatus, with varying degrees of admixture in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. We found evidence of isolation by distance, while isolation by the environment was less pronounced but still significant for annual mean precipitation and precipitation seasonality. This study enhances our understanding of avian population genomics in tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Loop Current is a key component of global circulation via the northward transport of warm, salty water, and an important influence on Gulf of Mexico hydrography. Understanding how the Loop Current will respond to ongoing anthropogenic warming is critically important, but the history of the Loop Current is poorly known. Here, we present the results of a high resolution (3–8 m) multichannel seismic survey of pelagic carbonate sediment drifts on the eastern Campeche Bank associated with the Loop Current. We identify three seismic megasequences: Megasequence A is a Lower Cretaceous carbonate platform, Megasequence B comprises Cretaceous to lower Cenozoic pelagic carbonates with weak/no contour current flow, and Megasequence C comprises a series of large (100s of m thick) contourite drifts representing the inception and history of the Loop Current. The base of the contourites is marked by a regionally mappable unconformity eroding underling strata, sometimes incising hundreds of meters. The drifts contain a succession of sequence sets separated from each other by regional unconformities and comprising plastered drifts and massive mounded drifts, which characterize modern deposition with active moats on the seafloor. A lack of sediment cores in the study area precludes age determination of these drifts, except for the youngest (Late Pleistocene). Comparison to legacy seismic lines across Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 95, outside our study area, implies that the base of Megasequence C is Oligocene in age, and that the Loop Current developed during the global reorganization of ocean circulation around the Eocene‐Oligocene Transition. Plain Language Summary: The Loop Current flows into the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean through the Yucatán Strait and exits to the Atlantic Ocean through the Straits of Florida. It is part of a series of currents that carry warm, salty water to the far North Atlantic, where it cools and sinks, and becomes a critical part of global ocean circulation. The Loop Current is also important for Gulf of Mexico climate, as it sometimes spins off warm eddies which drift west, disrupting fisheries and providing a warm water fuel source for hurricanes. Because of its role in global and regional climate, it is important to understand how the Loop Current will respond to ongoing climate change, and an essential part of that effort is seeing how it has responded to past climate changes. Here, we report the results of a seismic survey of sediment drifts on the eastern Campeche Bank which we believe records the initiation and history of the Loop Current. A lack of sediment cores in this area makes it hard to put age constraints on our observations, so we evaluate several plausible hypotheses about when the Loop Current first formed and what that means for the current's future. Key Points: High resolution multichannel seismic data reveal the evolution of contourite drifts associated with the Loop CurrentContourite deposition began in the Cenozoic, and overlies Cenozoic and Cretaceous pelagic sediments with little evidence of bottom currentsComparison of seismic facies with those present at nearby DSDP Site 95 suggest the Loop Current began in the early Oligocene [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have seen an exponential rise in the application of machine learning in geoscience. Fundamental differences distinguish geoscience data from most other data types. Geoscience datasets are typically multi-dimensional, and contain 1-D (drillholes), 2-D (maps or cross-sections), and 3-D volumetric and point data (models/voxels). Geoscience data quality is a product of its resolution and the precision of the methods used to acquire it. The dimensionality, resolution, and precision of each layer within a geoscience dataset translates to limitations in spatiality, scale and uncertainty of resulting interpretations. Historically, geoscience datasets were overlaid cartographically, to incorporate subjective, experience-driven knowledge, and variances in scale, and resolution. The nuances and limitations that underpin the reliability of automated interpretation are well understood by geoscientists, but are rarely appropriately transferred to data science. However, for true integration of geoscience data, such issues cannot be overlooked without consequence. To apply data analytics to complex geoscience data (e.g., hydrothermal mineral systems) effectively, methodologies must be used that characterise the system quantitatively, using collocated analyses, at a common scale. This paper provides research and exploration insights from an innovative district-wide, scale-integrated, geoscience data project, which analysed 1,590 samples from 23 mineral deposits and prospects across the Cloncurry District, Queensland, Australia. Ten different analytical techniques, including density, magnetic susceptibility, remanent magnetisation, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, radiometrics, conductivity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-based automated mineralogy, geochemistry, and short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral data with 561 columns of scale-integrated data (+2151 columns of SWIR). All data were collected on 2 cm x 2.5 cm sample cylinders; a scale at which the confidence in coupling of data from techniques can be high. These data are integrated by design, to eliminate the need to downscale coarser measurements via assumptions, inferences, inversions, and interpolations. This scale-consistent approach is critical to the quantitative characterisation of mineral systems and has numerous applications to mineral exploration, such as linking alteration paragenesis with structural controls and petrophysical zonation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyrethroid resistance in the key malaria vectors threatens the success of pyrethroid-treated nets. To overcome pyrethroid resistance, Interceptor® G2 (IG2), a 'first-in-class' dual insecticidal net that combines alpha-cypermethrin with chlorfenapyr, was developed. Chlorfenapyr is a pro-insecticide, requiring bio-activation by oxidative metabolism within the insect's mitochondria, constituting a mode of action preventing cross-resistance to pyrethroids. Recent epidemiological trials conducted in Benin and Tanzania confirm IG2's public health value in areas with pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes. As chlorfenapyr might also interfere with the metabolic mechanism of the Plasmodium parasite, we hypothesised that chlorfenapyr may provide additional transmission-reducing effects even if a mosquito survives a sub-lethal dose. Methods: We tested the effect of chlorfenapyr netting to reduce Plasmodium falciparum transmission using a modified WHO tunnel test with a dose yielding sub-lethal effects. Pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles gambiae s.s. with L1014F and L1014S knockdown resistance alleles and expression levels of pyrethroid metabolisers CYP6P3, CYP6M2, CYP4G16 and CYP6P1 confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) prior to conducting experiments were exposed to untreated netting and netting treated with 200 mg/m3 chlorfenapyr for 8 h overnight and then fed on gametocytemic blood meals from naturally infected individuals. Prevalence and intensity of oocysts and sporozoites were determined on day 8 and day 16 after feeding. Results: Both prevalence and intensity of P. falciparum infection in the surviving mosquitoes were substantially reduced in the chlorfenapyr-exposed mosquitoes compared to untreated nets. The odds ratios in the prevalence of oocysts and sporozoites were 0.33 (95% confidence interval; 95% CI 0.23–0.46) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.25–0.73), respectively, while only the incidence rate ratio for oocysts was 0.30 (95% CI 0.22–0.41). Conclusion: We demonstrated that sub-lethal exposure of pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes to chlorfenapyr substantially reduces the proportion of infected mosquitoes and the intensity of the P. falciparum infection. This will likely also contribute to the reduction of malaria in communities beyond the direct killing of mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyrethroid resistance in the key malaria vectors threatens the success of pyrethroid-treated nets. To overcome pyrethroid resistance, Interceptor® G2 (IG2), a 'first-in-class' dual insecticidal net that combines alpha-cypermethrin with chlorfenapyr, was developed. Chlorfenapyr is a pro-insecticide, requiring bio-activation by oxidative metabolism within the insect's mitochondria, constituting a mode of action preventing cross-resistance to pyrethroids. Recent epidemiological trials conducted in Benin and Tanzania confirm IG2's public health value in areas with pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes. As chlorfenapyr might also interfere with the metabolic mechanism of the Plasmodium parasite, we hypothesised that chlorfenapyr may provide additional transmission-reducing effects even if a mosquito survives a sub-lethal dose. Methods: We tested the effect of chlorfenapyr netting to reduce Plasmodium falciparum transmission using a modified WHO tunnel test with a dose yielding sub-lethal effects. Pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles gambiae s.s. with L1014F and L1014S knockdown resistance alleles and expression levels of pyrethroid metabolisers CYP6P3, CYP6M2, CYP4G16 and CYP6P1 confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) prior to conducting experiments were exposed to untreated netting and netting treated with 200 mg/m3 chlorfenapyr for 8 h overnight and then fed on gametocytemic blood meals from naturally infected individuals. Prevalence and intensity of oocysts and sporozoites were determined on day 8 and day 16 after feeding. Results: Both prevalence and intensity of P. falciparum infection in the surviving mosquitoes were substantially reduced in the chlorfenapyr-exposed mosquitoes compared to untreated nets. The odds ratios in the prevalence of oocysts and sporozoites were 0.33 (95% confidence interval; 95% CI 0.23–0.46) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.25–0.73), respectively, while only the incidence rate ratio for oocysts was 0.30 (95% CI 0.22–0.41). Conclusion: We demonstrated that sub-lethal exposure of pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes to chlorfenapyr substantially reduces the proportion of infected mosquitoes and the intensity of the P. falciparum infection. This will likely also contribute to the reduction of malaria in communities beyond the direct killing of mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) savanna ecosystem in North America has declined by 97% from its historic range and its restoration is a conservation priority. The southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis), an ecosystem engineer in longleaf pine savannas, is absent from most of its historic range. Translocation of pocket gophers may be needed to reestablish ecosystem services of restored longleaf savannas. To determine translocation feasibility, we quantified survival, site fidelity, and homing of pocket gophers translocated using soft releases (with a starter burrow system; n = 13), hard releases (without a starter burrow system; n = 17), or released into their own burrows (control; n = 10). Naïve survival was 46 and 35% for soft‐ and hard‐released individuals, respectively, and 80% for controls. Most mortalities of translocated individuals (75.0%) occurred within 12 days. Including all radiotagged pocket gophers, daily survival of soft‐released animals (Ŝ = 0.990) was intermediate between hard‐released (Ŝ = 0.986) and controls (Ŝ = 0.993), and only hard‐released was lower than controls. Using only individuals that survived greater than 14 days, we found no difference in daily survival. Site fidelity was low, with 70% of translocated pocket gophers making aboveground movements away from release point. However, soft‐released individuals stayed at the release point three times longer than hard‐released animals. No pocket gopher exhibited homing. Our results suggest translocation has potential for establishing pocket gopher populations into restored longleaf pine savannas and that mitigating mortality during establishment will increase the likelihood of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we examined the insecticidal effect of Carifend® (BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany; 163.2 mg m−2), an alpha-cypermethrin-coated polyester net, as well as Carifend-like nets containing different rates of alpha-cypermethrin, specifically 10, 30, 80, and 325 mg m−2, against two major stored tobacco insect pests, i.e., Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) and Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The nets were glued at the bottom of plastic Petri dishes, and adults of L. serricorne and E. elutella were exposed to the nets for different exposure times (e.g., 1, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min, as well as 12 and 24 h). After each exposure interval, insect mortality was recorded, whereas after the final evaluation, alive individuals were transferred to untreated dishes, and delayed mortality was recorded after an additional period of 1, 3, 5, and 7 d. Based on our results, efficient control of both insect species was achieved with all nets, even the one containing a lower concentration of alpha-cypermethrin (10 mg m−2). High mortality rates were recorded for all treatments, indicating that even short exposure of adults of both tested species to the alpha-cypermethrin-coated nets tested can lead to mortality. For instance, at 30 mg m−2, mortality of E. elutella reached 40% 1 d after exposure for 30 min. Moreover, at the highest concentration (325 mg m−2), mortality reached 70% and 99% 7 d post exposure for 24 h of L. serricorne and E. elutella, respectively. Based on these data, Carifend®, as well as the rest of the Carifend-like nets tested, can be used as an alternative insecticide method for the control of two major stored tobacco insect species, i.e., L. serricorne and E. elutella. Insecticide treated nets can be used in areas in which fumigants and contact insecticides are not accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal waters of Cuba are home to a small, endangered population of West Indian manatee, which would benefit from a comprehensive characterization of the population's genetic variation. We conducted the first genetic assessment of Cuban manatees to determine the extent of the population's genetic structure and characterize the neutral genetic diversity among regions within the archipelago. We genotyped 49 manatees at 18 microsatellite loci, a subset of 27 samples on 1703 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and sequenced 59 manatees at the mitochondrial control region. The Cuba manatee population had low nuclear (microsatellites HE = 0.44, and SNP HE = 0.29) and mitochondrial genetic diversity (h = 0.068 and π = 0.00025), and displayed moderate departures from random mating (microsatellite FIS = 0.12, SNP FIS = 0.10). Our results suggest that the western portion of the archipelago undergoes periodic exchange of alleles based on the evidence of shared ancestry and low but significant differentiation. The southeast Guantanamo Bay region and the western portion of the archipelago were more differentiated than southwest and northwest manatees. The genetic distinctiveness observed in the southeast supports its recognition as a demographically independent unit for natural resource management regardless of whether it is due to historical isolation or isolation by distance. Estimates of the regional effective population sizes, with the microsatellite and SNP datasets, were small (all Ne < 60). Subsequent analyses using additional samples could better examine how the observed structure is masking simple isolation by distance patterns or whether ecological or biogeographic forces shape genetic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic connectivity lies at the heart of evolutionary theory, and landscape genetics has rapidly advanced to understand how gene flow can be impacted by the environment. Isolation by landscape resistance, often inferred through the use of circuit theory, is increasingly identified as being critical for predicting genetic connectivity across complex landscapes. Yet landscape impediments to migration can arise from fundamentally different processes, such as landscape gradients causing directional migration and mortality during migration, which can be challenging to address. Spatial absorbing Markov chains (SAMC) have been introduced to understand and predict these (and other) processes affecting connectivity in ecological settings, but the relationship of this framework to landscape genetics remains unclear.Here, we relate the SAMC to population genetics theory, provide simulations to interpret the extent to which the SAMC can predict genetic metrics and demonstrate how the SAMC can be applied to genomic data using an example with an endangered species, the Panama City crayfish Procambarus econfinae, where directional migration is hypothesized to occur.The use of the SAMC for landscape genetics can be justified based on similar grounds to using circuit theory, as we show how circuit theory is a special case of this framework. The SAMC can extend circuit‐theoretic connectivity modelling by quantifying both directional resistance to migration and acknowledging the difference between migration mortality and resistance to migration. Our empirical example highlights that the SAMC better predicts population structure than circuit theory and least‐cost analysis by acknowledging asymmetric environmental gradients (i.e. slope) and migration mortality in this species.These results provide a foundation for applying the SAMC to landscape genetics. This framework extends isolation‐by‐resistance modelling to account for some common processes that can impact gene flow, which can improve predicting genetic connectivity across complex landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Through routine respiratory samples surveillance among COVID-19 patients in the intensive care, three patients with aspergillus were identified in a newly opened general intensive care unit during the second wave of the pandemic. Methodology: As no previous cases of aspergillus had occurred since the unit had opened. An urgent multidisciplinary outbreak meeting was held. The possible sources of aspergillus infection were explored. The multidisciplinary approach enabled stakeholders from different skills to discuss possible sources and management strategies. Environmental precipitants like air handling units were considered and the overall clinical practice was reviewed. Settle plates were placed around the unit to identify the source. Reports of recent water leaks were also investigated. Results: Growth of aspergillus on a settle plate was identified the potential source above a nurse's station. This was the site of a historic water leak from the ceiling above, that resolved promptly and was not investigated further. Subsequent investigation above the ceiling tiles found pooling of water and mould due to a slow water leak from a pipe. Conclusion: Water leaks in patient areas should be promptly notified to infection prevention. Detailed investigation to ascertain the actual cause of the leak and ensure any remedial work could be carried out swiftly. Outbreak meetings that include diverse people with various expertises (clinical and non-clinical) can enable prompt identification and resolution of contaminated areas to minimise risk to patients and staff. During challenging pandemic periods hospitals must not lose focus on other clusters and outbreaks occurring simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article follows the academic literacy learning trajectory of Farah, an undergraduate anthropology major at the American University in Cairo. In charting her path from the Egyptian public schooling system to a Western-based transnational university, this study offers a perspective in which a writer created and navigated a challenging trajectory and adapted Western-based literacies to aid in the development of an academic and professional agenda based in personal and national interests. This article draws on frameworks in composition studies and transnational literacy studies to suggest that theorizing such trajectories may require new concepts that can account for literacy learning trajectories for writers like Farah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal partitioning of life history traits among syntopic reptiles can facilitate co-occurrence, but may be influenced by environmental factors and evolutionary history. We used 24 years of continuous capture data in the Florida sandhills to evaluate the timing and duration of hatching, maturation and/or surface activity for ten reptile species, spanning multiple clutch strategies, taxonomic relationships, and habits. We hypothesised: i) species would differ in seasonal timing of hatching and maturation; ii) hatching and maturation periods would be more seasonally-synchronised in fossorial than terrestrial or semi-aquatic reptiles; iii) monthly and annual temperature anomalies would be positively related to hatching, maturation, and surface activity anomalies, and iv) groupings of reptiles by clutch strategy, taxonomic relationship, and habit, would explain more variation in the timing and duration of hatching and maturation than species alone. Seasonal timing of response variables varied widely among species. Hatching peaked for > 1 species during most calendar months. Maturation and surface activity periods ranged from aseasonal to highly-seasonal among species. Hatching began 1.5 months earlier and was more prolonged for terrestrial than fossorial species overall. Hatching peaked in early to mid-summer for terrestrial and fossorial species, and winter for the semi-aquatic Kinosternon subrubrum. Terrestrial and fossorial species did not differ in average timing, duration, or overlap of maturation periods; semi-aquatic Liodytes pygaea matured more consistently across all seasons than other species. Monthly temperature anomalies were negatively correlated with monthly maturation for Plestiodon egregius. Annual temperature and precipitation anomalies were related to annual hatching, maturation, and surface activity trends for several species. Taxonomic relationship, habit, and species explained some variation in hatching and maturation timing and duration. Our results illustrate the influence of environment and evolutionary relationships on the timing of important life history traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretrial risk assessment instruments are used in many jurisdictions to inform decisions regarding pretrial release and conditions. Many are concerned that the use of pretrial risk assessment instruments may be contributing to worsened, not improved, pretrial outcomes, including increased rates of pretrial detention and exacerbated racial disparities in pretrial decisions. These concerns have led prominent organizations to reverse their position on the role of pretrial risk assessment instruments in pretrial system change. Reforms that centered on their use have been rolled back or have failed to be implemented in the first place. However, the scientific evidence behind these concerns is lacking. Instead, the findings of rigorous research show that the results of pretrial risk assessment instruments demonstrate good accuracy in predicting new criminal activity, including violent crime, during the pretrial period, even when there are differences between groups defined by race and ethnicity. Furthermore, the scientific evidence suggests they can be an effective strategy to help achieve pretrial system change, including reducing pretrial detention for people of color and white people, alike, when their results are actually used to inform decision-making. In this article, we review the scientific evidence in relation to three primary critiques of pretrial risk assessment instruments, namely, that their results have poor accuracy and are racially biased and that their use increases pretrial detention rates. We also provide recommendations for addressing these critiques to ensure that their use supports, rather than detracts from, the goals of pretrial reform and articulates an agenda for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the genetic structure and cryptic diversity is essential for the conservation of endangered species. We conducted a genetic survey of the federally endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) sampled from its USA range in southern Florida. Florida bonneted bats are primarily found in four regions separated by approximately 100 to 250 km, including three western natural areas: Babcock Webb WMA (BW), Polk County (PC), and Collier County (CC) and one urban population on the east coast, Miami-Dade County (MD). We used 22 microsatellite loci and cytochrome b sequences to assess the extent of connectivity and levels of genetic diversity. Populations were highly differentiated at microsatellite loci (overall FST = 0.178) and model-based and ordination analyses showed that MD was the most distinct among pairwise comparisons. Regional populations were small (Ne < 100) with no evidence of inbreeding. Contemporary migration and historic gene flow suggested that regional populations have not frequently exchanged migrants, and thus the divergence among western regions was likely a result of genetic drift. Significantly, mitochondrial DNA revealed that haplotypes from MD were similar or shared with those recognized as Eumops ferox from Cuba and Jamaica, and divergent (1.5%) from the remainder of bonneted bats in Florida. Our data support the management of each of the four populations as distinct population segments, and that BW, PC and CC combined are on an independent evolutionary trajectory from bats in MD. Bonneted bats in Florida appear to harbor cryptic diversity that will require a reassessment of their taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pocket gophers provide vital ecosystem services; however, species like the southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis), endemic to the southeastern United States, are declining. Long-term conservation of this species requires greater understanding of its habitat characteristics. Our objective here was to determine habitat features associated with southeastern pocket gopher occurrence at the local (100 ha) and home-range (0.09 ha) scales. We assessed occurrence and carried out vegetation surveys at 177 sites across the species’ range during the growing season (March–September) 2016–2017. At the local scale, we found a negative relationship between occurrence and groundcover height and a quadratic relationship with canopy closure. At the home-range scale, occurrence was positively related to grass groundcover and had a quadratic relationship with canopy closure. Restoration of southeastern pocket gopher habitat should focus on creating or maintaining areas with intermediate canopy (~45–55%) and an understory dominated by grasses and forbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insecticide-treated net (ITN) durability is evaluated using longitudinal bioefficacy and fabric integrity sampling post-distribution. Interceptor® G2 was developed for resistance management and contains two adulticides: alpha-cypermethrin and chlorfenapyr; it is a pro-insecticide that is metabolized into its active form by mosquito-detoxifying enzymes and may be enhanced when the mosquito is physiologically active. To elucidate the impact of bioassay modality, mosquito exposures of the alphacypermethrin ITN Interceptor® and dual adulticide Interceptor® G2 were investigated. Methods: This study evaluated the performance of Interceptor® G2 compared to Interceptor® against local strains of mosquitoes in Tanzania. Unwashed and 20× times washed nets were tested. Efficacy of ITNs was measured by four bioassay types: (1) World Health Organisation (WHO) cone test (cone), (2) WHO tunnel test (tunnel), (3) Ifakara ambient chamber test (I-ACT) and (4) the WHO gold standard experimental hut test (hut). Hut tests were conducted against free-flying wild pyrethroid metabolically resistant Anopheles arabiensis and Culex quinquefasciatus. Cone, tunnel and I-ACT bioassays used laboratory-reared metabolically resistant An. arabiensis and Cx. quinquefasciatus and pyrethroid susceptible Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and Aedes aegypti. Results: Against resistant strains, superiority of Interceptor® G2 over Interceptor® was observed in all "free-flying bioassays". In cone tests (which restrict mosquito flight), superiority of Interceptor® over Interceptor® G2 was recorded. Mortality of unwashed Interceptor® G2 among An. arabiensis was lowest in hut tests at 42.9% (95% CI: 37.3–48.5), although this increased to 66.7% (95% CI: 47.1–86.3) by blocking hut exit traps so mosquitoes presumably increased frequencies of contact with ITNs. Higher odds of mortality were consistently observed in Interceptor® G2 compared to Interceptor® in "free-flying" bioassays using An. arabiensis: tunnel (OR = 1.42 [95% CI:1.19–1.70], p < 0.001), I-ACT (OR = 1.61 [95% CI: 1.05–2.49], p = 0.031) and hut (OR = 2.53 [95% CI: 1.96–3.26], p < 0.001). Interceptor® and Interceptor® G2 showed high blood-feeding inhibition against all strains. Conclusion: Both free-flying laboratory bioassays (WHO Tunnel and I-ACT) consistently measured similarly, and both predicted the results of the experimental hut test. For bioefficacy monitoring and upstream product evaluation of ITNs in situ, the I-ACT may provide an alternative bioassay modality with improved statistical power. Interceptor G2® outperformed Interceptor ® against pyrethroid-resistant strains, demonstrating the usefulness of chlorfenapyr in mitigation of malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) supports lucrative aquaculture industries in the USA. In the southeastern USA, aquacultured M. mercenaria faces increasing risks of summer die-offs from prolonged heat waves. We used a comparative transcriptomic approach to investigate the molecular responses of M. mercenaria and its southern congener, Mercenaria campechiensis, to controlled incremental heat stress over a 4-week period. Mercenaria were exposed to temperatures from 24 to 34 °C with 2.5 °C/week, after which, gill transcriptomes were de novo assembled and annotated. During the 4 weeks of chronic heat exposure, both species had the same survival rate (96%); M. mercenaria experienced body weight gain/loss depending on the originated hatcheries while M. campechiensis experienced an average net weight loss. The upregulated genes in both species included those in chaperone-mediated protein folding and regulation of cell death pathways, while the downregulated genes in both species involved in mRNA processing and splicing pathways. Compared to M. mercenaria, M. campechiensis appears to be more sensitive to prolonged heat stress as indicated by upregulating significantly more genes in coping with oxidative stress and in the protein degradation pathways, while downregulating some inhibitors of apoptosis. We discussed this finding within their ecological and evolutionary context. Our findings highlighted the potential vulnerability of the two quahogs, especially the southern quahog, to continued ocean warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professors Cohen and Farrington make four points: I Intangible costs of crime (COC) exist and can be measured in dollars i . ABC WORKS IN POLICYMAKING In practice, COC estimates that include intangible costs allow a policy or program to become cost-effective when they are not. Criminal justice budgets do not behave the way a "cost" of crime should behave. [Extracted from the article]

We argue that the conventional way social scientists calculate the costs of crime (COC) in order to evaluate correctional policy is conceptually flawed, misrepresents the complex nature of the costs of crime, and opens the door to misleading conclusions about the relative value of policy choices regarding crime. In 2015, the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council (SPAC) reported that "...the average cost of one recidivism event is $118,746..." (SPAC, 2015, p. 1) and that, "[j]ust one year of recidivism in Illinois costs the State $1.5 billion" (SPAC, 2015, p. 6). Taken together, the murder and sexual assault intangible costs are mostly responsible for producing the entire average recidivism cost to victims, although they represent less than 1 percent of the total recidivism events (Steinfeld, Powers, & Saltmarsh, 2018, Table 3a, p. 6). 9 It is worth noting, as an aside, that when cost-benefits are calculated this way - with victim's costs as small as they are - it may be smart to simply reimburse all crime victims for the costs of the crimes they experienced. [Extracted from the article]

My hope is that music teacher education remains vital because the work of music teacher educators is seen as being both responsive to calls for change and respectful of established practices where appropriate. During these past months, I also have realized just how dependent the music teacher education enterprise is on partnerships with K-12 music educators and higher education leaders who value teacher preparation as part of their mission. The responses of music teachers and music teacher education faculty to various policy shifts reflected divergent philosophies and conceptions of music learning. [Extracted from the article]

Are the negative trends related to teacher education program enrollment and completion also evident for I music i teacher education programs? Pondering Recent Enrollment and Completion Trends for Teacher Education Programs Moreover, during the past decade, there has been a 35% decline in the number of people completing traditional teacher preparation programs - programs that still supply the vast majority of teachers for American schools. [Extracted from the article]

In the late 1990s, one of my University of Colorado music education colleagues and I began conversing about the lack of racial/ethnic diversity within our student body and the music education profession writ large. Depending on the nature of their school music program and personal economic circumstances, our outreach program attendees may not have experienced music education in a way that motivated them to consider a music career. The situation appears no better within music teacher education, with an estimated 80% of prospective music education majors ([12]) and 86% of music teacher licensure candidates identifying as White ([6]). [Extracted from the article]

ABC WORKS IN POLICYMAKING In practice, COC estimates that include intangible costs allow a policy or program to become cost-effective when they are not. Criminal justice budgets do not behave the way a "cost" of crime should behave. Professors Cohen and Farrington make four points: I Intangible costs of crime (COC) exist and can be measured in dollars i . [Extracted from the article]

We argue that the conventional way social scientists calculate the costs of crime (COC) in order to evaluate correctional policy is conceptually flawed, misrepresents the complex nature of the costs of crime, and opens the door to misleading conclusions about the relative value of policy choices regarding crime. 9 It is worth noting, as an aside, that when cost-benefits are calculated this way - with victim's costs as small as they are - it may be smart to simply reimburse all crime victims for the costs of the crimes they experienced. Taken together, the murder and sexual assault intangible costs are mostly responsible for producing the entire average recidivism cost to victims, although they represent less than 1 percent of the total recidivism events (Steinfeld, Powers, & Saltmarsh, 2018, Table 3a, p. 6). In 2015, the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council (SPAC) reported that "...the average cost of one recidivism event is $118,746..." (SPAC, 2015, p. 1) and that, "[j]ust one year of recidivism in Illinois costs the State $1.5 billion" (SPAC, 2015, p. 6). [Extracted from the article]

We investigated the landscape epidemiology of a globally distributed mammal, the wild pig (Sus scrofa), in Florida (U.S.), where it is considered an invasive species and reservoir to pathogens that impact the health of people, domestic animals, and wildlife. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that two commonly cited factors in disease transmission, connectivity among populations and abundant resources, would increase the likelihood of exposure to both pseudorabies virus (PrV) and Brucella spp. (bacterial agent of brucellosis) in wild pigs across the Kissimmee Valley of Florida. Using DNA from 348 wild pigs and sera from 320 individuals at 24 sites, we employed population genetic techniques to infer individual dispersal, and an Akaike information criterion framework to compare candidate logistic regression models that incorporated both dispersal and land cover composition. Our findings suggested that recent dispersal conferred higher odds of exposure to PrV, but not Brucella spp., among wild pigs throughout the Kissimmee Valley region. Odds of exposure also increased in association with agriculture and open canopy pine, prairie, and scrub habitats, likely because of highly localized resources within those land cover types. Because the effect of open canopy on PrV exposure reversed when agricultural cover was available, we suggest that small-scale resource distribution may be more important than overall resource abundance. Our results underscore the importance of studying and managing disease dynamics through multiple processes and spatial scales, particularly for non-native pathogens that threaten wildlife conservation, economy, and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathological roles of bacterial DNA have been documented many decades ago. Bacterial DNAs are different from mammalian DNAs; the latter are heavily methylated. Mammalian cells have sensors such as TLR-9 to sense the DNAs with nonmethylated CpGs and distinguish them from host DNAs with methylated CpGs. Further investigation has identified many other types of DNA sensors distributed in a variety of cellular compartments. These sensors not only sense foreign DNAs, including bacterial and viral DNAs, but also sense damaged DNAs from the host cells. The major downstream signalling pathways includeTLR-9-MyD88-IKKa-IRF-7/NF-κB pathways to increase IFN/proinflammatory cytokine production, STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway to increase IFN-beta, and AIM2-ASC-caspas-1 pathway to release IL-1beta. The major outcome is to activate host immune response by inducing cytokine production. In this review, we focus on the roles and potential mechanisms of DNA sensors and downstream pathways in sepsis. Although bacterial DNAs play important roles in sepsis development, bacterial DNAs alone are unable to cause severe disease nor lead to death. Priming animals with bacterial DNAs facilitate other pathological factors, such as LPS and other virulent factors, to induce severe disease and lethality. We also discuss compartmental distribution of DNA sensors and pathological significance as well as the transport of extracellular DNAs into cells. Understanding the roles of DNA sensors and signal pathways will pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies in many diseases, particularly in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For species with geographically restricted distributions, the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on long-term persistence may be particularly pronounced. We examined the genetic structure of Panama City crayfish (PCC), Procambarus econfinae , whose historical distribution is limited to an area approximately 145 km2, largely within the limits of Panama City and eastern Bay County, FL. Currently, PCC occupy approximately 28% of its historical range, with suitable habitat composed of fragmented patches in the highly urbanized western portion of the range and managed plantations in the more contiguous eastern portion of the range. We used 1640 anonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms to evaluate the effects of anthropogenic habitat modification on the genetic diversity and population structure of 161 PCC sampled from across its known distribution. First, we examined urban habitat patches in the west compared with less-developed habitat patches in the east. Second, we used approximate Bayesian computation to model inferences on the demographic history of eastern and western populations. We found anthropogenic habitat modifications explain the genetic structure of PCC range-wide. Clustering analyses revealed significant genetic structure between and within eastern and western regions. Estimates of divergence between east and west were consistent with urban growth in the mid-20th century. PCC have low genetic diversity and high levels of inbreeding and relatedness, indicating populations are small and isolated. Our results suggest that PCC have been strongly affected by habitat loss and fragmentation and management strategies, including legal protection, translocations, or reintroductions, may be necessary to ensure long-term persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses three small, iconic, and socially progressive companies which were bought out by large multinational companies (MNCs). In-depth analysis is given to Unilever's purchase of Ben & Jerry's, Colgate's purchase of Tom's of Maine, and Groupe Danone's purchase of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt. Topics include how and why the MNCs would make the purchases, how MNCs can manage such acquisitions, the business value of social icons, and the social value of big business. Also discussed are interviews with the founders and managers in each of the companies.

The article focuses on the passage of time and the inevitable effects of aging, portraying a conversation between Time and Age where Age reflects on the temporary nature of various attributes like energy, eyesight, and strength, emphasizing the importance of using them wisely for meaningful connections with loved ones.

In the former, scientists/researchers serve science or the advancement of knowledge, while in the latter they serve other individuals or other ends. Is it possible for researcher reflection to echo through time and place vis-à-vis published articles in ways that motivate other researchers to be reflective and demonstrate both awe and responsibility?. [Extracted from the article]

Abrogated antibody responses in chronic infection: Despite the presence of abundant and persistent antigen, chronic infections such as HIV often do not induce protective antibody responses. Memory B cells from people chronically infected with HIV have previously been reported to express the transcription factor T-bet. Austin et al. observed that T-bethi memory B cells were in the lymph nodes but not localized to germinal centers, where high-affinity antibody responses develop. Although clonally related to germinal center B cells, these T-bethi memory B cells had a lower frequency of somatic hypermutation and reduced capacity to neutralize HIV in vitro. Exclusion of T-bethi memory cells from germinal centers may be one mechanism contributing to the lack of a protective antibody response in most HIV infections. Nearly all chronic human infections are associated with alterations in the memory B cell (MBC) compartment, including a large expansion of CD19hiT-bethi MBC in the peripheral blood of HIV-infected individuals with chronic viremia. Despite their prevalence, it is unclear how these B cells arise and whether they contribute to the inefficiency of antibody-mediated immunity in chronic infectious diseases. We addressed these questions by characterizing T-bet–expressing B cells in lymph nodes (LN) and identifying a strong T-bet signature among HIV-specific MBC associated with poor immunologic outcome. Confocal microscopy and quantitative imaging revealed that T-bethi B cells in LN of HIV-infected chronically viremic individuals distinctly accumulated outside germinal centers (GC), which are critical for optimal antibody responses. In single-cell analyses, LN T-bethi B cells of HIV-infected individuals were almost exclusively found among CD19hi MBC and expressed reduced GC-homing receptors. Furthermore, HIV-specific B cells of infected individuals were enriched among LN CD19hiT-bethi MBC and displayed a distinct transcriptome, with features similar to CD19hiT-bethi MBC in blood and LN GC B cells (GCBC). LN CD19hiT-bethi MBC were also related to GCBC by B cell receptor (BCR)–based phylogenetic linkage but had lower BCR mutation frequencies and reduced HIV-neutralizing capacity, consistent with diminished participation in GC-mediated affinity selection. Thus, in the setting of chronic immune activation associated with HIV viremia, failure of HIV-specific B cells to enter or remain in GC may help explain the rarity of high-affinity protective antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the editor discusses that Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE) and how many graduate students and younger faculty planning to be in Greensboro are aware of the interwoven history underlying SMTE. It mentions need to discuss the formation of a new society, operating under the umbrella of the MENC but devoted to music teacher education. It also mentions society devoted to music teacher education that could enjoin music teacher educators of all specializations.

Occupancy modeling may be the most effective tool for studying the occurrence of secretive fossorial squamates. Our objective was to use occupancy models to test whether Florida Crowned Snakes (Tantilla relicta) are a suitable model species for other, more-secretive fossorial squamates. Tantilla relicta are easier to study than other fossorial squamates and likely respond to habitat management (e.g., fire frequency) similarly to these harder-to-study species of concern. We sampled T. relicta using 24 groups of drift fences in longleaf pine–wiregrass sandhills, Ocala National Forest, Florida, USA to assess how habitat characteristics and weather influenced their occupancy, detection, colonization, and extinction rates. We predicted that temperature, rainfall, substrate composition, and prescribed burn history would influence T. relicta occupancy, detection, and movement in variable directions. The best-supported multiseason occupancy model included 1) initial occupancy influenced by time since last burn, 2) extinction and colonization as random processes, and 3) detection influenced by percent leaf litter and rainfall. Tantilla relicta were most likely to occupy recently burned sites and were most easily detected during dry periods and at sites with low leaf litter cover. Our results are consistent with research suggesting that short-return prescribed fires benefit many reptile species in central Florida's xeric longleaf pine–wiregrass forests. Further, our results provide modest evidence that T. relicta are suitable model organisms for studying fossorial squamate assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) is an adverse biomarker across many malignancies. Using K562 cells engineered to have high or low CIP2A expression, we show that high CIP2A levels significantly bias cellular energy production towards oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) rather than glycolysis. Mass spectrometric analysis of CIP2A interactors and isobaric tagging for relative and absolute protein quantitation (ITRAQ) experiments identified many associated proteins, several of which co-vary with CIP2A level. Many of these CIP2A associating and co-varying proteins are involved in energy metabolism including OXPHOS, or in 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling, and manipulating AMPK activity mimics the effects of low/high CIP2A on OXPHOS. These effects are dependent on the availability of nutrients, driven by metabolic changes caused by CIP2A. CIP2A level did not affect starvation-induced AMPK phosphorylation of Unc-51 autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK-1) at Ser555, but autophagy activity correlated with an increase in AMPK activity, to suggest that some AMPK processes are uncoupled by CIP2A, likely via its inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). The data demonstrate that AMPK mediates this novel CIP2A effect on energy generation in malignant cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Connectivity is central to ecology and evolution as it focuses on the movement of individuals or genes across landscapes. Genetic connectivity approaches aim to understand gene flow but often estimate it indirectly based on metrics of genetic differentiation, which can also be affected by other evolutionary forces such as genetic drift. Gene flow and genetic drift are driven by separate ecological mechanisms with potentially differing effects on genetic differentiation and interpretations of genetic connectivity. The ecological mechanisms contributing to gene flow and genetic drift are primarily effective dispersal, or movement followed by successful reproduction, and the number of breeders in a local population, Nb, respectively. Yet, rarely are these ecological mechanisms and genetic connectivity measured simultaneously across landscapes. We examine the roles of effective dispersal and Nb on genetic connectivity across the entire range of the endangered snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus), between 2006–2015. We find that both Nb and effective dispersal are important predictors of genetic connectivity across this landscape, but that Nb has a 3 × stronger effect on genetic connectivity. Furthermore, Nb is positively correlated with heterozygosity and allelic richness within patches, suggesting a potentially important role of genetic drift, in addition to gene flow, on genetic connectivity. These results emphasize that conservation efforts should focus on not only between‐patch processes of movement but also within‐patch processes regarding habitat quality and local population size for increasing genetic connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the importance of research in music education. Topics discussed include reflecting on teaching or supervisory experiences to stimulate thinking about research projects by music teacher educators; reflective narratives, diagrams, and doodles as sources or representations of research ideas; and grant funding to conduct research with large data sets.

The widespread introduction of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) and Florida Bass (M. floridanus) to establish sport fisheries represents a significant conservation concern given their role as apex predators and their ability to alter community diversity and species abundance. In regions like southern Africa, which has both high levels of aquatic endemism and imperilment, limiting the spread of invasive predators is a primary goal of current alien species legislation. Here, we applied two panels of species-diagnostic SNPs for a total of 60 markers to map the distribution of Largemouth Bass, Florida Bass, and their hybrids in 13 southern African water bodies. Using Bayesian clustering algorithms we documented the introgression of Florida Bass alleles across a broad geographic range, from the Cape Floristic region of South Africa to Mozambique. Several populations previously considered pure Largemouth Bass based on mitochondrial DNA sequences were found to consist exclusively of hybrids. Samples collected from Lake Chicamba, which was initially established with pure Largemouth Bass, are now almost exclusively comprised of Florida Bass alleles (89.3 % Florida Bass). The estimated hybrid class of sampled fish (e.g., F1 hybrid, pure Largemouth Bass, pure Florida Bass) showed that with few exceptions, populations were dominated by a single hybrid class. The present work provides enhanced resolution of the distribution and dynamics of Florida Bass, Largemouth Bass, and their hybrids in southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real revolutions, those that transform the lived structure of everyday existence, create their own time. New Wave and Rive Gauche films first invent a new kind of non-linear, disruptive temporality that then allowed a revolution, May '68 in France. Evidence of this new time and new kind of future can be found in films from the era, notably in Godard's À bout de souffle, and Resnais' L'Année dernière à Marienbad. The 1968-era ciné-tracts, anonymous productions to which Marker and Godard greatly contributed, are examined as evidence of influence of the New Wave on May '68, and as encouraging the spread of a collective and unconventional model of filmmaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the author discusses the need to promote research collaboration between music teachers and music education researchers to effectively resolve issues in the U.S. music education ecosystem. Also cited are the need to enhance the systematic methods for improving music education policy and practice, the recommendations of the Committee on Graduate Study in Music Education, and various suggestions on teacher development.