Search

Understanding the genetic structure of harvested fishery species is crucial for accurate stock assessments and effective management strategies. There have been several rangewide population genetic analyses of Pacific Hake Merluccius productus; however, a thorough focus on the heavily harvested coastal stock off the west coast of North America is missing. Recent observations of spatial–temporal variability in life history and migratory patterns of the coastal population have brought into question whether this variation may be related to genetic differentiation. Here, we used restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing markers to thoroughly assess the potential for spatial–temporal genetic differentiation in the coastal stock of Pacific Hake. We sampled during different seasons from British Columbia down to the U.S.–Mexico border over multiple years on what traditionally have been thought to constitute spawning and feeding grounds, resulting in the most comprehensive assessment of coastal Pacific Hake population structure to date. Generally, our results suggest very weak to no structure among coastal spatial–temporal sites and corroborate previous findings of strong differentiation between coastal and Salish Sea populations. The lack of structure among coastal sites is likely due to significant amounts of gene flow in this highly migratory population. These findings align with the ongoing management strategy for coastal Pacific Hake, which is based on an annual stock assessment that considers the coastal stock homogenous and distinct from the Salish Sea population. The understanding that management units indeed match genetic populations provides managers with additional confidence in existing management strategy. Impact statementThis research demonstrated that coastal Pacific Hake generally show little to no genetic differentiation throughout their range but were clearly distinct from the Salish Sea population. Understanding that genetic populations match management units provides managers with additional confidence in the management strategy for this important fishery. This research demonstrated that coastal Pacific Hake generally show little to no genetic differentiation throughout their range but were clearly distinct from the Salish Sea population. Understanding that genetic populations match management units provides managers with additional confidence in the management strategy for this important fishery.

RAD52 is important for the repair of DNA double-stranded breaks1,2, mitotic DNA synthesis3–5and alternative telomere length maintenance6,7. Central to these functions, RAD52 promotes the annealing of complementary single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)8,9and provides an alternative to BRCA2/RAD51-dependent homologous recombination repair10. Inactivation of RAD52 in homologous-recombination-deficient BRCA1- or BRCA2-defective cells is synthetically lethal11,12, and aberrant expression of RAD52 is associated with poor cancer prognosis13,14. As a consequence, RAD52 is an attractive therapeutic target against homologous-recombination-deficient breast, ovarian and prostate cancers15–17. Here we describe the structure of RAD52 and define the mechanism of annealing. As reported previously18–20, RAD52 forms undecameric (11-subunit) ring structures, but these rings do not represent the active form of the enzyme. Instead, cryo-electron microscopy and biochemical analyses revealed that ssDNA annealing is driven by RAD52 open rings in association with replication protein-A (RPA). Atomic models of the RAD52–ssDNA complex show that ssDNA sits in a positively charged channel around the ring. Annealing is driven by the RAD52 N-terminal domains, whereas the C-terminal regions modulate the open-ring conformation and RPA interaction. RPA associates with RAD52 at the site of ring opening with critical interactions occurring between the RPA-interacting domain of RAD52 and the winged helix domain of RPA2. Our studies provide structural snapshots throughout the annealing process and define the molecular mechanism of ssDNA annealing by the RAD52–RPA complex.

China's relationship with Angola – which is both the region's top oil exporter to China and recipient of the highest amount of Chinese loans – represents a critical case when it comes to studying Sino–African relations. The Sino–Angolan relationship, forged for purely pragmatic reasons at an opportune moment of mutual need in the early 2000s, has been labelled a ‘marriage of convenience’. A variety of factors have, however, altered the environment in which China first made inroads into Angola; most notably a decline in oil prices, and the 2017 political transition. These have provided fresh impetus to the Angolan political economy and relations with China. Based on interviews we show that although oil remains a central ingredient, China's role has substantially evolved. The marriage of convenience is experiencing a period of rocky introspection, one in which the notion of China having sway in Angola can finally be laid to rest.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and facing the challenges and opportunities of a post-Brexit world, the UK government must deliver on the vision of its innovation strategy with increased funding for scientific research. The success of the life sciences sector will be key to the delivery of the government’s scientific superpower ambitions. Boosting public funding will depend on continued political, and therefore public, support. With reference to his career in politics and industry, Ian Taylor shows how effective communication with the public, providing reassurance and dispelling myths, is central to the sector sustaining success in the long term.

ABSTRACTMounting overaccumulation of capital and material has compelled the Chinese government to seek solutions overseas. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with its transregional infrastructure projects connecting Eurasia and Africa, is the hallmark venture in this effort. Chinese road, railway, port and energy projects, implemented under the BRI banner, have become widespread in Africa. This article traces drivers of the BRI in the post-reform evolution of the Chinese economy and conceptualises the BRI as a multi-vector “spatial fix” aimed at addressing chronic overaccumulation. Focusing on Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia, the paper documents how loan financing related to BRI projects reveals contradictions that arise from China’s spatial fix in Africa. Concerns about a looming debt crisis on the continent and the questionable economic sustainability of some BRI projects have become more pressing amidst the COVID-19-induced economic contraction. Hopes for Africa’s economic transformation based on increasing connectivity under the BRI are unlikely to materialise.

AbstractThe critical period for weed control (CPWC) adds value to integrated weed management by identifying the period during which weeds need to be controlled to avoid yield losses exceeding a defined threshold. However, the traditional application of the CPWC does not identify the timing of control needed for weeds that emerge late in the critical period. In this study, CPWC models were developed from field data in high-yielding cotton crops during three summer seasons from 2005 to 2008, using the mimic weed, common sunflower, at densities of two to 20 plants per square meter. Common sunflower plants were introduced at up to 450 growing degree days (GDD) after crop planting and removed at successive 200 GDD intervals after introduction. The CPWC models were described using extended Gompertz and logistic functions that included weed density, time of weed introduction, and time of weed removal (logistic function only) in the relationships. The resulting models defined the CPWC for late-emerging weeds, identifying a period after weed emergence before weed control was required to prevent yield loss exceeding the yield-loss threshold. When weeds emerged in sufficient numbers toward the end of the critical period, the model predicted that crop yield loss resulting from competition by these weeds would not exceed the yield-loss threshold until well after the end of the CPWC. These findings support the traditional practice of ensuring weeds are controlled before crop canopy closure, with later weed control inputs used as required.

ABSTRACTEducation-based interventions traditionally focus on the teacher to better support pupils’ motivation. Grounded in self-determination theory, the study investigates the feasibility of a pupil-focused intervention to help pupils become more active in their search for basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS). Focus groups and a 2-week pupil completed diary-log were administered with 22 UK secondary school pupils from Years 7 and 8 (aged 11–13 years; 45% male, 55% female) and 12 teachers (42% male, 58% female). Despite perceived value from teachers, a written diary-log appeared to be ineffective in engaging pupils. Pupil-focused initiatives may benefit from support sessions to provide guidance on pupils’ reflections, should be incorporated into normal school practices with a showcase event, and be designed in an interactive electronic format. The study offers theoretical considerations regarding pupils’ intrapsychic experience of motivation, and provides teacher and pupil insights into the practicalities of conducting pupil-focused interventions based upon BPNS.

Magnetic fields dating back to the big bang would transform cosmology – now astronomers think they are on the brink of such a discovery, finds Ian Taylor

SAMHD1 is a fundamental regulator of cellular dNTPs that catalyzes their hydrolysis into 2′-deoxynucleoside and triphosphate, restricting the replication of viruses, including HIV-1, in CD4+myeloid lineage and resting T-cells. SAMHD1 mutations are associated with the autoimmune disease Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) and certain cancers. More recently, SAMHD1 has been linked to anticancer drug resistance and the suppression of the interferon response to cytosolic nucleic acids after DNA damage. Here, we probe dNTP hydrolysis and inhibition of SAMHD1 using the Rpand Spdiastereomers of dNTPαS nucleotides. Our biochemical and enzymological data show that the α-phosphorothioate substitution in Sp-dNTPαS but not Rp-dNTPαS diastereomers prevents Mg2+ion coordination at both the allosteric and catalytic sites, rendering SAMHD1 unable to form stable, catalytically active homotetramers or hydrolyze substrate dNTPs at the catalytic site. Furthermore, we find that Sp-dNTPαS diastereomers competitively inhibit dNTP hydrolysis, while Rp-dNTPαS nucleotides stabilize tetramerization and are hydrolyzed with similar kinetic parameters to cognate dNTPs. For the first time, we present a cocrystal structure of SAMHD1 with a substrate, Rp-dGTPαS, in which an Fe–Mg-bridging water species is poised for nucleophilic attack on the Pα. We conclude that it is the incompatibility of Mg2+, a hard Lewis acid, and the α-phosphorothioate thiol, a soft Lewis base, that prevents the Sp-dNTPαS nucleotides coordinating in a catalytically productive conformation. On the basis of these data, we present a model for SAMHD1 stereospecific hydrolysis of Rp-dNTPαS nucleotides and for a mode of competitive inhibition by Sp-dNTPαS nucleotides that competes with formation of the enzyme–substrate complex.

The final assembly of an aircraft or a spacecraft is a rigorous task that requires full traceability of the parts installed, their fabrication processes, and the assembly work. This is also the case for each of its sub-assemblies. Safety and security go hand in hand in the production of these flying machines, and even more so for satellites and space-shuttles. The many parts and sub-assemblies that compose the final spacecraft, make full traceability a challenging fit, that is almost unsurmountable. Such traceability is not existent today and must be based on documentation of most assembled parts, assembly tasks, and inspection tasks that compose the full spacecraft. In addition, security measures are needed to prevent hostile hacking and unauthorized approach to the space-craft assembly documentation. This paper describes a framework that harnesses smart-contract and blockchain technology to offer traceable and secure documentation of the assembly process. The concept of a Bill-Of-Assembly (BOA) is introduced which incorporates data from the bill of materials, the bill of operations and processes, and the bill of resources (machines and/or operators). The paper describes the use of the BOA with smart-contract and blockchain technology for getting full traceability, safety, and security for the spacecraft. Finally, we show that this BOA data structure could be the backbone of a digital twin of the spacecraft. Future research could extend the proposed approach to other assembly processes such as automotive assembly lines.

Species distribution models (SDMs) use presence records to determine the relationship between species occurrence and various environmental variables to create predictive maps describing the species’ distribution. The Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus oscuraensis) occurs in central New Mexico and is of conservation concern due to its relict distribution and threats to habitat. We previously created an occupancy model for this taxon, but were concerned that the model may not have adequately captured the ecological factors influencing the chipmunk’s distribution because of the data hungry nature of occupancy modeling. MaxEnt is another SDM method that is particularly effective at testing large numbers of variables and handling small sample sizes. Our goal was to create a MaxEnt model for the Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk and to compare it with our previous occupancy model for this taxon, either to strengthen our original assessment of the relevant ecological factors or identify additional factors that were not captured by our occupancy model. We created MaxEnt models using occurrence records from baited camera traps and opportunistic surveys. We adjusted model complexity using a novel method for tuning both the regularization multiplier and feature class parameters while also performing variable selection. We compared the distribution maps and variables selected by MaxEnt to the results of our occupancy model for this taxon. The MaxEnt and occupancy models selected similar environmental variables and the overall spatial pattern of occurrence was similar for each model. Likelihood of occurrence was positively related to elevation, piñon woodland vegetation type, and topographic variables associated with escarpments. The overall similarities between the MaxEnt and occupancy models increased our confidence of the ecological factors influencing the distribution of the chipmunk. We conclude that MaxEnt offers advantages for predicting the distribution of rare species, which can help inform conservation actions.

•SOX11 directly binds, via its HMG domain, to SAMHD1, reducing its tetramerization and inhibiting its ara-CTPase activity in MCL.•The noncompetitive inhibitor of SAMHD1, hydroxyurea, sensitizes SOX11−MCL to ara-C.

Much has been written of the implications for government policy on ‘responsible business’ but a comprehensive review of the subject is needed. This literature review will offer an assessment of varied insights to inform academics and practitioners on an important topic in need of scrutiny. The post-war consensus and strength of collective bargaining is waning in the Western world, and an inflection point may be nearing with a new way of working. Governments leveraging responsible business is among the options, but an understanding of the risks inherent in this option available to society is crucial. The world of business is in a new epoch of accepting social responsibility and, at the same time, a crisis of inequality means there is a need for every element of society to put their shoulder to the wheel. Businesses are an extremely powerful element in society, so how should governments harness that productivity for a social purpose? Should governments be encouraging responsible business to improve living standards and rebalance the inequity of incomes, or should political leaders be wary of engaging well-resourced businesses in areas that should be controlled from a democratic mandate? This article examines responsible business by providing comprehensive coverage of the literature in this deceptively mature subject area. Insights from secondary sources are analysed in relation to four key questions to reach an understanding of the risks inherent in crafting policy that expects more from business. The literature review concludes with a focus on the policy area of education, discussing how responsible business has been put into practice to resolve a market failure identified by J. K. Galbraith in the 1940s. Identifying areas such as this will maximise the opportunity of responsible business.

Dopamine (DA) is a monoamine neurotransmitter responsible for the maintenance of a variety of vital life functions. In vivo DA signaling occurs over multiple time scales, from subsecond phasic release due to dopamine neuron firing to tonic release responsible for long-term DA concentration changes over minutes to hours. Due to the complex, multifaceted nature of DA signaling, analytical sensing technology must be capable of recording DA from multiple locations and over multiple time scales. Decades of research has focused on improving in vivo detection capabilities for subsecond phasic DA, but the accurate detection of absolute resting DA levels in real time has proven challenging. We have developed a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-based nanocomposite coating that exhibits excellent DA sensing capabilities for resting DA. PEDOT/functionalized carbon nanotube (PEDOT/CNT)-coated carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFEs) are capable of directly measuring resting DA using square wave voltammetry (SWV) with high sensitivity and selectivity. Incorporation of a PEDOT/CNT coating significantly increases the sensitivity for the detection of resting DA by a factor of 422. SWV measurements performed at PEDOT/CNT-functionalized CFEs implanted in the rat dorsal striatum reveal the absolute basal DA concentration to be 82 ± 6 nM. Systemic administration of the dopamine transporter inhibitor nomifensine increases resting DA to a maximum 207 ± 16 nM at 28 ± 2 min following injection. PEDOT/CNT was also functionalized onto individual gold electrode sites along silicon microelectrode arrays (MEAs) to produce a multisite DA sensing electrode. MEA implantation allows for the quantification of basal DA from different brain regions with excellent spatial resolution. SWV detection paired with PEDOT/CNT functionalization is highly adaptable and shows great promise for tonic DA detection with high spatial and temporal resolution.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the preliminary outcomes of a research which takes gradual exposure in virtual reality (VR) outside the laboratory to empower people with “hidden disabilities” breaking down their barriers towards independent living. It explores the use of VR through smartphones to practically apply gradual exposure to environment stressors that are typically found in busy spaces from one’s own safe environment. Design/methodology/approach: Aberdeen International Airport has kindly accepted to take part to this research as a case study. Following a participatory design and usability testing, a semi-controlled seven-day study was conducted among seven individuals with hidden disabilities to assess user acceptance. Findings: Results showed undeniable participants’ engagement and enthusiasm for the proposed approach, although further research is needed to increase the presence and improve the overall user experience. Research limitations/implications: The proposed research has been conducted on small cohort of participants outside of a clinical setting. Further engagement with individuals with hidden disabilities is required in order to determine the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Originality/value: This research presents a methodological and technological framework which contributes effectively to the practicality of VR exposure therapy outside of the laboratory setting, from one’s own safe place.

The Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus oscuraensis) is a rare subspecies of the Colorado chipmunk that is listed as threatened by the state of New Mexico, primarily because it is an endemic subspecies with a small, isolated habitat and the potential for continuing habitat loss. Knowledge about its ecology is limited, which has hindered the development of scientifically defensible management plans. Our goal was to better understand the ecological factors related to the distribution and habitat selection of this chipmunk. We deployed baited camera traps in the Oscura Mountains, New Mexico, USA, using an occupancy modeling framework to determine which ecological factors are associated with occupancy and detection probability. We collected microhabitat and landscape‐level data for use as covariates in the occupancy models. We detected the Oscura Mountains chipmunk at 26 of the 137 survey sites. Occupancy probability was not influenced by the microhabitat characteristics measured and the final model contained only landscape‐level covariates on occupancy. Probability of occupancy was positively associated with proximity to an escarpment, two‐needle pinyon (Pinus edulis) woodland vegetation community type, and elevation. Detection probability was positively associated with the presence of mature two‐needle pinyons at the site. Habitat loss is a major concern for this taxon, especially because climate change is expected to exacerbate threats to pinyon woodlands. Drought, wildfire, bark beetle (Ips confusus) outbreaks, and other diseases pose a large risk to conifer woodlands throughout the southwestern United States. Conserving the pinyon woodlands on the Oscura Mountains, particularly in areas near escarpments, will help maintain habitat that is important for the Oscura Mountains chipmunk. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. Site occupancy of the Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk was positively associated with proximity to an escarpment, two‐needle pinyon vegetation community type, and elevation. Conserving the pinyon woodlands on the Oscura Mountains, particularly in areas near escarpments, will help maintain habitat that is essential for this chipmunk.

Understanding how the RNA-binding domains of a protein regulator are used to recognize its RNA targets is a key problem in RNA biology, but RNA-binding domains with very low affinity do not perform well in the methods currently available to characterize protein-RNA interactions. Here, we propose to use conservative mutations that enhance the affinity of RNA-binding domains to overcome this limitation. As a proof of principle, we have designed and validated an affinity-enhanced K-homology (KH) domain mutant of the fragile X syndrome protein FMRP, a key regulator of neuronal development, and used this mutant to determine the domain’s sequence preference and to explain FMRP recognition of specific RNA motifs in the cell. Our results validate our concept and our nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based workflow. While effective mutant design requires an understanding of the underlying principles of RNA recognition by the relevant domain type, we expect the method will be used effectively in many RNA-binding domains.