Search

Dominance is a primary determinant of social dynamics and resource access in social animals. Recent studies show that dominance is also reflected in the gene regulatory profiles of peripheral immune cells. However, the strength and direction of this relationship differs across the species and sex combinations investigated, potentially due to variation in the predictors and energetic consequences of dominance status. Here, we investigated the association between social status and gene expression in the blood of wild meerkats (Suricata suricatta; n = 113 individuals), including in response to lipopolysaccharide, Gardiquimod (an agonist of TLR7, which detects single‐stranded RNA in vivo) and glucocorticoid stimulation. Meerkats are cooperatively breeding social carnivores in which breeding females physically outcompete other females to suppress reproduction, resulting in high reproductive skew. They therefore present an opportunity to disentangle the effects of social dominance from those of sex per se. We identify a sex‐specific signature of dominance, including 1045 differentially expressed genes in females but none in males. Dominant females exhibit elevated activity in innate immune pathways and a larger fold‐change response to LPS challenge. Based on these results and a preliminary comparison to other mammals, we speculate that the gene regulatory signature of social status in the immune system depends on the determinants and energetic costs of social dominance, such that it is most pronounced in hierarchies where physical competition is important and reproductive skew is large. Such a pattern has the potential to mediate life history trade‐offs between investment in reproduction versus somatic maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co‐occurrence between species may be mediated by ecological differences or competitive interactions, but the nature of these interactions can vary across spatial scales. At coarse scales, species may appear to broadly co‐occur, but at fine scales, particularly for species with small home ranges, species may utilize different aspects of the microhabitat such that co‐occurrence is limited and competitive interactions are reduced or eliminated. We investigated the microhabitat use of two morphologically and ecologically similar woodland salamanders (the Red‐backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, and the Northern Ravine Salamander, P. electromorphus) that are distributed throughout the Alleghany Plateau in eastern North America to determine whether they partition habitat at finer scales. We also tested if P. electromorphus is a specialist on habitat types that allow it to exclude P. cinereus, or if P. electromorphus uses lower quality habitat as a refuge to avoid P. cinereus. At a site of microsympatry, we repeatedly sampled plots during two seasons, each within a different area of the landscape, and used occupancy and abundance modeling to assess the extent of co‐occurrence and test whether the species use different microhabitat conditions. Plethodon cinereus greatly outnumbered P. electromorphus and occupied a greater proportion of plots, most plots where we detected P. electromorphus we also detected P. cinereus. In contrast to patterns documented in some montane species pairs, in which a high‐elevation habitat specialist excludes a low‐elevation generalist, we found that P. electromorphus primarily used microhabitat conditions favorable for both species, such as north‐facing slopes, yet did not have a negative effect on the abundances of P. cinereus. In the presence of an abundant competitor, microhabitat use of the less abundant species may narrow toward optimal conditions with sufficient resources to facilitate co‐occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of industrial‐scale wind‐energy facilities has not only increased the production of low‐carbon emission energy but has also resulted in mortality of wildlife, including migratory bats. Management decisions can be limited by a lack of understanding of the geographic impact of bats killed at wind‐energy facilities. Several studies have leveraged stable hydrogen isotope ratios (δ2H) of bat fur to illuminate this issue but are limited in the precision of conclusion because δ2H values vary primarily across latitudinal and elevational bands. One approach to increase the precision of geographic assignment is to combine independent inferences about spatial location from additional biomarkers and other related information. To test this possibility, we assigned known‐origin individuals of three bat species (Lasiurus borealis, L. cinereus, and Lasionycteris noctivagans) commonly killed at on‐shore wind‐energy facilities in North America to a probable origin using δ2H values, trace element concentrations, and species distribution models. We used cross‐validated calibrated combined model tuning to determine the degree to which assignment probabilities improved when combining datasets. We found that combining markers typically performed better than single approaches. For Lasiurus borealis and L. cinereus, combining all three data sources outperformed any single or other combined approach. With an accuracy set at 80%, an average of 39.7% and 36.0% of each species' total geographic range was considered a potential origin, respectively; stable hydrogen alone included 51.8% and 50.6% of the total geographic area. In contrast, for Lasionycteris noctivagans, including trace elements did not increase precision and adding distribution data to δ2H values only improved precision by 0.6%. Thus, we found that a combination of multiple biomarkers typically, but not always, outperforms single‐marker approaches and optimized combinations of different markers outperform equal weighting of each marker. From a practical perspective, δ2H values performed better than trace elements alone; in cases where cost is a limiting factor, the stable hydrogen should be the single biomarker used in conjunction with species distribution models. Overall, these results highlight the importance of validating methods for each species they are applied to and show that combining information from intrinsic biomarker approaches is a useful tool to document bat movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of subduction zones that facilitated the northward translation of the Anatolide‐Tauride continental terrane derived from Gondwana to the southern margin of Eurasia at the longitude of western Turkey is debated. We hypothesized that if two north dipping subduction zones facilitated incipient collision in western Turkey, a late Cretaceous arc would have formed within the Neotethys and along the southern margin of Eurasia. To determine if an island arc formed within the Neotethys we investigated the sedimentary record of the Central Sakarya basin, which was deposited along the southern margin of Eurasia from 85 to 45 million years ago. Detrital zircon deposited within the lower levels of the Central Sakarya basin (the Değirmenözü Formation) are associated with south to north‐directed paleocurrents and exhibit a unimodal late Cretaceous age peak sourced from isotopically juvenile mantle melts. Zircon maximum depositional ages from the Değirmenözü Formation cluster between 95 and 90 Ma and are 5–10 Myr older than biostratigraphic depositional ages. Between 95 and 80 Ma, a 12‐unit shift from mantle to crustal derived εHf values occurs in the overlying Yenipazar Formation. We explain the absence of Paleozoic, Eurasian‐sourced detrital zircon, the rapid shift from mantle to crustal derived εHf values, and lag time in terms of passive margin subduction within an isolated intra‐oceanic subduction zone, whose island arc was reworked from south to north into the Central Sakarya basin during incipient collision. Thus, widely outcropping late Cretaceous plutonic rocks within Eurasia must have belonged to an additional convergent margin. Key Points: We leveraged the isotopic signature of subducted passive margin to test incipient collision models in northwest TurkeyPassive margin subduction resulted in the development of an isolated intra‐oceanic basinTwo north dipping subduction zones facilitated incipient collision in the region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the potential role of clouds in moderating the nighttime temperature within Gale crater, as observed by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument suite aboard the Curiosity rover. Just prior to aphelion, the decreasing trend in minimum daily temperature within Gale slows down. We investigate if this is due to increased formation of twilight and nighttime clouds, re‐radiating heat and reducing atmospheric and surface cooling. While diurnal analysis of REMS temperatures shows brief atmospheric warmings of 3–5 K post‐sunset during the occurrence of these clouds, an absence of similar warmings in the ground temperature measurements make it unlikely that clouds are the primary source. Seasonally, however, clouds that persist overnight could cause a warming of daily minimum surface temperatures in the Ls∼20°–50° season. This period can serve as a baseline and allow the potential effects of clouds to be more clearly discerned in the REMS temperature measurements. For this season, and in the peak of the aphelion cloud belt season, our modeled atmospheric energy budget shows a nocturnal decay signature of downward IR reflected and re‐emitted flux consistent with the presence and impact of clouds. The expected approximate exponential decay of this flux post‐sunset is damped more heavily in cloudier seasons than less cloudy or dusty seasons, suggesting formation and thickening of ice clouds as atmospheric nighttime temperatures cool. Plain Language Summary: At Gale crater on Mars, we expect temperatures to be coldest at aphelion, the time when Mars is furthest from the Sun. Interestingly, we find that in some years, the lowest nighttime surface temperatures do not steadily decline during the period approaching aphelion but, rather, show a short‐lived reversal of this trend, becoming slightly warmer for a few weeks prior to aphelion. Analysis of surface and air temperature data from the Curiosity rover during this period, along with twilight imagery from the surface, and infrared measurements from orbit, points to the possibility of nighttime clouds acting as a means of warming the surface. These clouds only form around aphelion, perhaps explaining the unusual seasonal temperatures during this period. Key Points: Nighttime warmings of the atmosphere and surface are detected and hypothesized as thermal signatures of cloudsThe range of areocentric longitudes where the warmings are observed coincides with the visual observation of cloudsAn energy balance model shows consistency with nocturnal evolution of reflected and re‐emitted radiation from clouds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine phytoplankton contribute about one half of global primary production and play a key role in global biogeochemical cycles. High cell densities in extensive phytoplankton blooms are expected to be modified by global changes in ocean circulation and stratification, acidification and carbonation, solar radiation, temperature, and eutrophication. Although photochemical gas production from chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) has been widely studied, ultraviolet (UV) effects on emissions from phytoplankton cells themselves have not been fully explored. We therefore investigated UV‐driven emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ethene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6), and nitrous oxide (N2O) from cell suspensions of 16 phytoplankton species and their filtrates under controlled experimental conditions. These gases make direct or indirect contributions to radiative forcing of the atmosphere or contribute to atmospheric chemistry including stratospheric ozone (O3) depletion. We observed production of CH4, CO, CO2, C2H4, and N2O from cell suspensions and CO, CO2, and N2O after 0.45 μm‐filtration to remove phytoplankton cells. CH4 production was only observed with cells present, whereas N2O was still produced after filtration. Production of CO from filtrates was 30%–90% of that from cell suspensions in all but two species with a CO2:CO mole ratio from filtrates always below one. Our results clearly demonstrate a need to quantify the production potentials of these climate‐relevant gases in situ under natural sunlight using key phytoplankton species, especially those forming blooms which are predicted to change in prevalence and distribution with future global change scenarios. Plain Language Summary: The oceans play an important role in the global exchange of gases with the atmosphere including the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane that contribute to global warming. Several recent studies have shown that phytoplankton metabolism can produce methane during growth. Other studies also demonstrated that sunlight can degrade dissolved organic matter and plastic particles in seawater to produce methane and other gases. However, few studies have examined whether the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can drive production of methane and other climate‐relevant gases from the cells of phytoplankton. In this study, we exposed cell suspensions of 16 phytoplankton species to controlled levels of ultraviolet radiation in the laboratory. We observed production of methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ethene and also the important greenhouse gas nitrous oxide from cell suspensions. Nitrous oxide was still produced after phytoplankton cells were removed by filtration, whereas methane was only produced with cells present. These gases make direct or indirect contributions to global warming and atmospheric chemistry. Blooms of phytoplankton cells may cover extensive areas of the ocean. Consequently, it is important to evaluate the role of the ultraviolet component of sunlight to emissions of these gases under future global change scenarios. Key Points: Ultraviolet radiation drives emission of climate‐relevant gases, including methane and nitrous oxide, from marine phytoplankton cellsMethane was only produced with cells present, whereas nitrous oxide was also produced after phytoplankton cells were removed by filtrationGlobal change impacts on phytoplankton blooms may result in increased UV‐driven emissions of these climate‐relevant gases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedes aegypti is the major vector of a number of arboviruses that cause disease in humans. Without vaccines or pharmaceuticals, pyrethroid insecticides remain the major tool for public health protection. Pyrethroid resistance is now widespread. Replacement substitutions in the voltage‐gated sodium channel (vgsc) that reduce the stability of pyrethroid binding account for most of the resistance, but metabolic mechanisms also inactivate pyrethroids. High‐throughput sequencing and the A. aegypti L5 annotated physical map has allowed interrogation of the exome for genes and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms associated with pyrethroid resistance. We exposed females of A. aegypti from Mexico to a deltamethrin discriminating dose to designate them as resistant (active after 1 h) or susceptible (knocked down with no recovery after 4 h). The vgsc on chromosome 3 had the highest association, followed by genes proximal to vgsc. We identified potential detoxification genes located singly (eg HPX8C) or within clusters in chromosome 2 [three esterase clusters, two of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP)] and chromosome 3 (one cluster of 16 CYP325 and seven CYP9 genes). Deltamethrin resistance in A. aegypti is associated with mutations in the vgsc gene and a large assortment of genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debate persists concerning the timing and geodynamics of intercontinental collision, style of syncollisional deformation, and development of topography and fold‐and‐thrust belts along the >1,700‐km‐long İzmir‐Ankara‐Erzincan suture zone (İAESZ) in Turkey. Resolving this debate is a necessary precursor to evaluating the integrity of convergent margin models and kinematic, topographic, and biogeographic reconstructions of the Mediterranean domain. Geodynamic models argue either for a synchronous or diachronous collision during either the Late Cretaceous and/or Eocene, followed by Eocene slab breakoff and postcollisional magmatism. We investigate the collision chronology in western Anatolia as recorded in the sedimentary archives of the 90‐km‐long Sarıcakaya Basin perched at shallow structural levels along the İAESZ. Based on new zircon U‐Pb geochronology and depositional environment and sedimentary provenance results, we demonstrate that the Sarıcakaya Basin is an Eocene sedimentary basin with sediment sourced from both the İAESZ and Söğüt Thrust fault to the south and north, respectively, and formed primarily by flexural loading from north‐south shortening along the syncollisional Söğüt Thrust. Our results refine the timing of collision between the Anatolides and Pontide terranes in western Anatolia to Maastrichtian‐Middle Paleocene and Early Eocene crustal shortening and basin formation. Furthermore, we demonstrate contemporaneous collision, deformation, and magmatism across the İAESZ, supporting synchronous collision models. We show that regional postcollisional magmatism can be explained by renewed underthrusting instead of slab breakoff. This new İAESZ chronology provides additional constraints for kinematic, geodynamic, and biogeographic reconstructions of the Mediterranean domain. Plain Language Summary: The timeline of continent‐continent collisions and the creation of topography, volcanic activity, and thrust faults in Anatolia (Turkey) are highly debated. Continent‐continent collision occurs when oceanic crust between two continental plates has been entirely consumed back into the Earth's interior along a subduction zone. Previous work in western Anatolia suggests that 66–60 million years ago continent‐continent collision was followed by catastrophic rupturing of the sinking oceanic crust, a process known as slab breakoff. Numerical models and field observations demonstrate that slab breakoff is followed by rebound and surface uplift of the overriding plate producing local extension and interrupting sedimentation. By studying a syncollisional sedimentary basin, we determined the sedimentary infill is 52–48 million years old and sourced from both continents, indicating collision must have occurred prior to 52 million years ago. This timing validates previous predictions of synchronous collision across western and central Turkey. Furthermore, the timing of basin infill directly overlaps with the timing of proposed slab breakoff. Our observations and data contradict predictions of the slab breakoff model making breakoff an unlikely candidate. Instead, we propose continued shortening and collision as the cause for the co‐occurrence of sedimentary basin formation, deformation, and volcanism observed throughout western Turkey. Key Points: The Sarıcakaya Basin is an Eocene sedimentary basin formed by flexural loading from the syncollisional Sogut Thrust faultSarıcakaya Basin magmatism and deformation chronology are similar to central Anatolia, supporting synchronous collision across AnatoliaEocene thrust loading, sedimentation, and convergence in the Sarıcakaya Basin contradict previous interpretations of Eocene slab breakoff [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover observations of the 2018/Mars year 34 global/planet‐encircling dust storm represent the first in situ measurements of a global dust storm with dedicated meteorological sensors since the Viking Landers. The Mars Science Laboratory team planned and executed a science campaign lasting approximately 100 Martian sols to study the storm involving an enhanced cadence of environmental monitoring using the rover's meteorological sensors, cameras, and spectrometers. Mast Camera 880‐nm optical depth reached 8.5, and Rover Environmental Monitoring Station measurements indicated a 97% reduction in incident total ultraviolet solar radiation at the surface, 30K reduction in diurnal range of air temperature, and an increase in the semidiurnal pressure tide amplitude to 40 Pa. No active dust‐lifting sites were detected within Gale Crater, and global and local atmospheric dynamics were drastically altered during the storm. This work presents an overview of the mission's storm observations and initial results. Plain Language Summary: The 2018 Mars global dust storm was observed by six spacecraft in orbit and two rovers on the surface. This paper provides an overview and description of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover's observations during the storm. For approximately 100 Martian days (sols), the rover conducted an enhanced cadence of environmental observations to study the storm. These are the first observations of a Martian global dust storm with meteorological sensors near the equator. Atmospheric opacity reached a peak of 8.5, attenuating ~97% of the total solar ultraviolet radiation at the surface. Most of the dust was sourced from outside Gale Crater, with no indications of dust lifting within the crater during the height of the storm. Meteorological conditions were substantially altered, with changes to the pressure, temperature, and humidity patterns. Dust devil activity ceased for several weeks due to the reduction in temperature contrast between the surface and atmosphere. There was no indication of unusual aeolian transport, suggesting Martian global dust storms are not a major cause of sand dune movement. Key Points: The Curiosity rover conducted a dedicated science campaign to study the 2018 Mars global dust stormAtmospheric opacity reached a peak of 8.5, and horizontal visibility dropped to 2.7 kmMeteorological conditions in Gale Crater were substantially altered, with changes to the pressure, temperature, and humidity cycles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We describe a soil water content monitoring data set and auxiliary data collected at a 37 ha experimental no‐till farm in the Northwestern United States. Water content measurements have been compiled hourly since 2007 by ECH2O‐TE and 5TE sensors installed at 42 locations and five depths (0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, and 1.5 m, 210 sensors total) across the R.J. Cook Agronomy Farm, a Long‐Term Agro‐Ecosystem Research Site stationed on complex terrain in a Mediterranean climate. In addition to soil water content readings, the data set includes hourly and daily soil temperature readings, annual crop histories, a digital elevation model, Bt horizon maps, seasonal apparent electrical conductivity, soil texture, and soil bulk density. Meteorological records are also available for this location. We discuss the unique challenges of maintaining the network on an operating farm and demonstrate the nature and complexity of the soil water content data. This data set is accessible online through the National Agriculture Library, has been assigned a DOI, and will be maintained for the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Lewis-acid catalyzed degradation of poly(isobutylene- co-isoprene) (butyl rubber) in the presence of an alkoxybenzene compound was studied as a new route toward low molecular weight multifunctional polyisobutylenes. Simultaneous cleavage and functionalization of butyl rubber was conducted at −70 °C and −40 °C under TiCl4 or AlCl3 catalysis in 60/40 hexane/methylene chloride cosolvents in the presence of (3-bromopropoxy)benzene (BPB) for various times up to 24 h. The butyl rubber (EXXON™ Butyl 365) possessed Mn = 1.91 × 105 g/mol, PDI = 1.66 (GPC/MALLS), and 2.30 mol % isoprene units (nearly exclusively trans−1,4). At −70 °C with TiCl4, molecular weight was reduced to various values within the range 7 to 11 × 103 g/mol depending on conditions; lower BPB concentration produced lower molecular weight. However, the ratio of isobutylene repeat units to BPB units (IB/ Q) remained constant at about 43:1, which is approximately the same as the ratio of isobutylene to isoprene repeat units (IB/IP) in the starting butyl rubber (42.5:1). At −40 °C with TiCl4, molecular weight was reduced to about 5 × 103 g/mol, and IB/ Q was reduced below IB/IP, indicating nearly a difunctional telechelic structure. AlCl3 was a more active catalyst and produced results similar to TiCl4 at −40 °C, even when used at seven times lower concentration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 1991-1997 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective Adiponectin is produced by adipose cells and is considered an anti-inflammatory molecule. In contrast, C-reactive protein (CRP) has been identified as a hallmark of systemic inflammation and used as a risk marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Of interest was the relationship of these two biomarkers to oral health and CVD risk. Material and Methods This investigation examined these two molecules in serum and unstimulated whole saliva of patients within 48 h of an acute myocardial infarction ( AMI) compared to control subjects. We hypothesized a differential response in these biomolecules resulting from the heart attack that would be affected by both the body mass index and oral health characteristics of the individuals. Results Significantly lower adiponectin levels were observed in the serum of patients with AMI. Serum adiponectin in both groups and salivary adiponectin in patients with AMI decreased with increasing body mass index. Oral health was significantly worse in patients with AMI, and both serum and salivary adiponectin were elevated with better oral health in control subjects. Serum CRP levels were increased in patients with AMI regardless of their oral health, and both serum and salivary CRP were significantly elevated in S-T wave elevated patients with MI. Conclusions These initial data provide evidence relating obesity and oral health to salivary and serum analyte levels that occur in association with cardiac events. Relationships have been described between CVD risk and periodontal disease. Additionally, various systemic inflammatory biomarkers appear to reflect both the CVD risk and the extent/severity of periodontitis. Our findings indicated that oral health and obesity contribute to altering levels of these salivary and serum analytes in association with cardiac events. The potential that serum and/or salivary biomarkers could aid in evaluating CVD risk requires knowledge regarding how the oral health of the individual would impact the effectiveness of these biological measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial biomass is a small part of the total soil organic carbon ( SOC) pool, but plays a major role in its turnover. A field experiment in Sweden, amended with different mineral and organic materials since 1956, was changed from continuous C3 plants to C4 vegetation (silage maize) in 2000. In 2012, soil samples from three fertilizer treatments (calcium nitrate, calcium nitrate plus straw and sewage sludge) and two controls (bare fallow and cropped unfertilized) were taken on three occasions (before, during and after cropping). Phospholipid fatty acids ( PLFAs) were extracted from all soil samples and analysed for 12C and 13C contents in individual PLFAs. Seasonal variation in total PLFAs was small except for the most SOC-rich treatment (sewage sludge). Weighted means of δ13C in PLFAs showed that the plots fertilized with calcium nitrate only had the largest δ13C values in PLFAs before (−20.24‰) and after the vegetation period (−20.37‰). However, during the vegetation period the values were much smaller (−21.85‰). This coincided with a strong increase in the PLFA 18:2ω6,9, indicating the use of old organic matter by fungi. Monounsaturated PLFAs indicative of Gram-negative bacteria were more frequent before and after the growing season. This observed 'rebound' effect of the δ13C PLFA values during the vegetation period indicates that seasonal turnover of the microbial biomass can be substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA quantity can be a hindrance in ecological and evolutionary research programmes due to a range of factors including endangered status of target organisms, available tissue type, and the impact of field conditions on preservation methods. A potential solution to low-quantity DNA lies in whole genome amplification ( WGA) techniques that can substantially increase DNA yield. To date, few studies have rigorously examined sequence bias that might result from WGA and next-generation sequencing of nonmodel taxa. To address this knowledge deficit, we use multiple displacement amplification ( MDA) and double-digest RAD sequencing on the grey mouse lemur ( Microcebus murinus) to quantify bias in genome coverage and SNP calls when compared to raw genomic DNA ( gDNA). We focus our efforts in providing baseline estimates of potential bias by following manufacturer's recommendations for starting DNA quantities (>100 ng). Our results are strongly suggestive that MDA enrichment does not introduce systematic bias to genome characterization. SNP calling between samples when genotyping both de-novo and with a reference genome are highly congruent (>98%) when specifying a minimum threshold of 20X stack depth to call genotypes. Relative genome coverage is also similar between MDA and gDNA, and allelic dropout is not observed. SNP concordance varies based on coverage threshold, with 95% concordance reached at ~12X coverage genotyping de-novo and ~7X coverage genotyping with the reference genome. These results suggest that MDA may be a suitable solution for next-generation molecular ecological studies when DNA quantity would otherwise be a limiting factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural management practices which promote soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration can contribute to the long-term productivity of soils, thus research must quantify and predict SOC dynamics in response to crop management. Using long-term (1967-2009) data from 10 cropping systems on a Brown Chernozem (Aridic Haploboroll) in the Canadian semiarid prairies at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, we assessed the effect of fertilizer, cropping frequency, and crop type on SOC dynamics in the 0- to 15-cm depth. Three models: Campbell, introductory carbon balance model (ICBM), and DayCent were evaluated, all of which produced fairly accurate predictions of SOC content and sequestration rates (R² of 0.64-0.82); however, DayCent had the highest correlation and lowest errors of prediction and was deemed superior. Residue inputs of 0.87 to 1.13 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 maintained the SOC level, and SOC content was directly related to factors which increased C inputs. The SOC content and sequestration rates were lowest for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-based rotations which were frequently fallowed and included flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), but highest for systems which were frequently cropped, well-fertilized, and included rye (Secale cereale L.) or pulse crops in rotation. For systems with high C input, DayCent projected SOC gains of 12 Mg C ha-1 from 2009 to 2100, indicating that the soil at Swift Current had not reached maximum C capacity. This study was the first to rigorously test and demonstrate the strength of the DayCent for simulating SOC under different cropping systems on the Canadian prairies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured Abstract Objectives To determine minimal dose levels required for local inhibition of orthodontic relapse by recombinant OPG protein ( OPG-Fc), while also determining effects of injected OPG-Fc on alveolar bone and long bone. Setting and Sample Population The Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Michigan. Eighteen male Sprague Dawley rats. Materials & Methods Maxillary molars were moved with nickel-titanium springs and then allowed to relapse in Sprague Dawley rats. Upon appliance removal, animals were injected with a single dose of 1.0 mg/kg OPG-Fc, 0.1 mg/kg OPG-Fc, or phosphate-buffered saline (vehicle) just distal to the molar teeth. Tooth movement measurements were made from stone casts, which were scanned and digitally measured. Alveolar tissues were examined by histology. Micro-computed tomography was used to quantify changes in alveolar and femur bone. Results Local injection of OPG-Fc inhibited molar but not incisor relapse, when compared to vehicle-injected animals. No significant differences in alveolar or femur bone were seen between the three treatment groups after 24 days of relapse. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that a single local injection of OPG-Fc effectively inhibits orthodontic relapse, with minimal systemic bone metabolic effects. Our results also show that a single injection of OPG-Fc will influence tooth movement only in teeth close to the injection site. These findings indicate that OPG-Fc has potential as a safe and effective pharmacological means to locally control osteoclasts, for uses such as maintaining anchorage during orthodontic tooth movement and preventing orthodontic relapse in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-throughput sequencing platforms are generating massive amounts of genomic data from nonmodel species, and these data sets are valuable resources that can be mined to advance a number of research areas. An example is the growing amount of transcriptome data that allow for examination of gene expression in nonmodel species. Here, we show how publicly available transcriptome data from nonmodel primates can be used to design novel research focused on immunogenomics. We mined transcriptome data from the world's most endangered group of primates, the lemurs of Madagascar, for sequences corresponding to immunoglobulins. Our results confirmed homology between strepsirrhine and haplorrhine primate immunoglobulins and allowed for high-throughput sequencing of expressed antibodies (Ig-seq) in Coquerel's sifaka ( Propithecus coquereli). Using both Pacific Biosciences RS and Ion Torrent PGM sequencing, we performed Ig-seq on two individuals of Coquerel's sifaka. We generated over 150 000 sequences of expressed antibodies, allowing for molecular characterization of the antigen-binding region. Our analyses suggest that similar VDJ expression patterns exist across all primates, with sequences closely related to the human VH3 immunoglobulin family being heavily represented in sifaka antibodies. Moreover, the antigen-binding region of sifaka antibodies exhibited similar amino acid variation with respect to haplorrhine primates. Our study represents the first attempt to characterize sequence diversity of the expressed antibody repertoire in a species of lemur. We anticipate that methods similar to ours will provide the framework for investigating the adaptive immune response in wild populations of other nonmodel organisms and can be used to advance the burgeoning field of eco-immunology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the effectiveness of using plant species, genera, family or water plant functional group (WPFG) classifications for demonstrating differences in vegetation communities associated with inundation history., Vegetation surveys were undertaken annually for 5 years from 2007-2008 to 2011-2012 at 18 floodplain wetlands. These wetlands are from two geographically separate locations situated along the lower Murray River. Wetlands have different inundation histories and have received varied amounts of environmental water since 2004. All plant species recorded were classified into WPFGs. An inundation classification was determined for each wetland at each survey time based on inundation history and inundation status at the time of survey (wet or dry)., This study found that plant species composition at individual wetlands is often unique with few species recorded across multiple wetlands. The use of WPFGs reduced the variability of plant communities between individual wetlands, between the two geographic locations and within inundation classifications. By reducing the variability between samples, broad trends in vegetation responses to different watering histories can be identified., Individual wetlands can develop completely different suites of plant species in response to the same watering regime, particularly when separated over large distances. This variability can reduce the confidence managers have in predicting the plant communities likely to develop in response to prescribed watering regimes. Adaptively applying knowledge gained from monitoring to different wetlands or wetlands in different geographical regions is also difficult if responses are highly variable., This study demonstrates that by classifying wetland vegetation into WPFGs the variability observed between samples can be reduced and the influence of floristic differences between individual wetlands and geographic locations can be negated or lessened. We discuss how the use of WPFGs can assist scientists and managers in demonstrating, predicting and communicating trends in vegetation community responses as a result of different watering regimes. The adoption and application of a consistent approach to the classification of plant species into WPFGs has the potential to enable responses and predictions to watering events to be made across broad spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To define microRNA ( miRNA) involvement during arbovirus infection of Aedes aegypti, we mined deep sequencing libraries of Dengue type 2 ( DENV2)-exposed mosquitoes. Three biological replicates for each timepoint [2, 4 and 9 days post-exposure (dpe)] and treatment group allowed us to remove the outliers associated with sample-to-sample variability. Using edgeR ( R Bioconductor), designed for use with replicate deep sequencing data, we determined the log fold-change ( logFC) of miRNA levels [18-23 nucleotides (nt)]. The number of significantly modulated miRNAs increased from ≤5 at 2 and 4 dpe to 23 unique miRNAs by 9 dpe. Putative miRNA targets were predicted by aligning miRNAs to the transcriptome, and the list was reduced to include the intersection of hits found using the Miranda, PITA, and TargetScan algorithms. To further reduce false-positives, putative targets were validated by cross-checking them with mRNAs reported in recent DENV2 host response transcriptome reports; 4076 targets were identified. Of these, 464 gene targets have predicted miRNA-binding sites in 3′ untranslated regions. Context-specific target functional groups include proteins involved in transport, transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial function, chromatin modification and signal transduction processes known to be required for viral replication and dissemination. The miRNA response is placed in context with other vector host response studies by comparing the predicted targets with those of transcriptome studies. Together, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that profound and persistent changes to gene expression occur in DENV2-exposed mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The change in soil carbon ( C) stock over a 19-31-year period (mean 25 years) has been measured at 179 sites on a 20-km grid across Scotland. Sampling was by horizon from a profile pit. Although soil bulk density determinations were absent at the first sampling time, we used bulk density values from the second sampling time calibrated against NIR spectra to predict the missing values. There was no detectable change in overall total soil C stock (mean ± standard error, to a depth of 100 cm), which was 266 ± 15 and 270 ± 15 t C ha−1 for the first and second sampling times, respectively, or generally in C stock within specific vegetation or soil types. The exception was for soils under woodland, excluding those on deep peat, which exhibited a significant ( P = 0.05) gain of 1.0 t C ha−1 year−1. Soils under woodland (mainly coniferous plantation) also showed a significant ( P = 0.04) increase in C content (g kg−1), a significant decrease in bulk density ( P = 0.006) and an increase in the thickness of the Litter- Fermentation- Humus ( LFH) layer ( P = 0.06). Recalculating the C stock to a depth of 15 cm showed a significant increase in overall C stock (when deep peat sites were excluded) as well as specifically in moorland and woodland soils, suggesting that had we sampled only to 15 cm, we would have reached a different conclusion. Both improved grassland soils and those initially under arable cultivation showed a significant decrease in C content. However, the mean thickness of Ap horizons increased from 29 to 32 cm, with a concomitant decrease in C content and a slight increase in bulk density; this we ascribe to deeper ploughing between the sample periods. In the context of possible soil C losses, we can be 95% confident that the mean loss does not exceed 0.2% year−1 and 99% confident that it does not exceed 0.4% year−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We use children's drawings to investigate social stigmatization of AIDS-affected and poverty-affected children by their peers, in the light of suggestions that the stigmatization of AIDS-affected children might derive more from the poverty experienced by these children than from their association with AIDS. Methods A qualitative study, in rural Zimbabwe, used draw-and-write techniques to elicit children's (10-12 years) representations of AIDS-affected children ( n= 30) and poverty-affected children ( n= 33) in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Results Representations of children affected by AIDS and by poverty differed significantly. The main problems facing AIDS-affected children were said to be the psychosocial humiliations of AIDS stigma and children's distress about sick relatives. Contrastingly, poverty-affected children were depicted as suffering from physical and material neglect and deprivation. Children affected by AIDS were described as caregivers of parents whom illness prevented from working. This translated into admiration and respect for children's active contribution to household survival. Poverty-affected children were often portrayed as more passive victims of their guardians' inability or unwillingness to work or to prioritize their children's needs, with these children having fewer opportunities to exercise agency in response to their plight. Conclusions The nature of children's stigmatization of their AIDS-affected peers may often be quite distinct from poverty stigma, in relation to the nature of suffering (primarily psychosocial and material respectively), the opportunities for agency offered by each affliction, and the opportunities each condition offers for affected children to earn the respect of their peers and community. We conclude that the particular nature of AIDS stigma offers greater opportunities for stigma reduction than poverty stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a highly prevalent condition associated with several diseases. Physical exercise has been considered as a non-pharmacological tool in the treatment of obesity. However, several aspects underlying exercise evaluation and prescription in obesity and associated pathologies are still under investigation. Although many research involving exercise have been performed in animal models, there is a lack of protocols for aerobic capacity assessment in obese animals, such as the ob/ob mice. This study aimed the following: (i) to verify the possibility of determining the lactate threshold (LT) on swimming exercise in ob/ob mice and in non-obese heterozygote mice (ob/OB), through visual inspection (vLT) and polynomial adjustment (pLT); and (ii) to verify if the LT determined through these protocols corresponds to the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). Eight ob/ob and ten ob/OB mice performed an incremental exercise test to determine vLT and pLT as well as constant-load exercise bouts to determine MLSS. There were no within-group differences between vLT, pLT and MLSS [ob/ob: ~5.3% body weight (BW); ob/OB: ~3·6%BW] with a high agreement among protocols. In conclusion, the identification of the LT and MLSS intensities was possible for both groups. These data suggest that the proposed protocols may be used in new research on the effects of different exercise intensities on some aspects of obesity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlic ( Allium sativum) and its essential oil have long been used for their distinct flavour, therapeutic effects and as a topical and systemic insect repellent. We tested the hypothesis that the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae), responds electrophysiologically and behaviourally to specific components of the steam-distilled essential oil of garlic. In coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection analyses of garlic oil, antennae of female Ae. aegypti responded to 14 compounds. Seven of them [diallyl disulphide, diallyl trisulphide, diallyl tetrasulphide, 2-(2,3-dithia-5-hexenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-thiopyran, 3-(2,3-dithia-5-hexenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-thiopyran, 6-methyl-4,5,8,9-tetrathiadodeca-1,11-diene and 4,5,9,10-tetrathiatrideca-1,12-diene] were isolated or synthesized and tested for their ability to repel host-seeking female Ae. aegypti. A solution of diallyl trisulphide and diallyl tetrasulphide applied to a human forearm provided protection from female mosquitoes significantly longer than the paraffin oil control. All compounds had mean protection times significantly shorter than an equivalent dose of the 'gold standard' N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide. Understanding the common moiety in organosulfur compounds that causes repellence could lead to the design of analogues that are more effective than their natural counterparts in repelling mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A recessively transmitted fatal hypertonic infantile muscular dystrophy has been described in Canadian aboriginals. The affected infants present with progressive limb and axial muscle stiffness and develop severe respiratory insufficiency, and most die in the first year of life. We sought to determine the genetic basis of this disease.Methods: We performed histochemical, immunocytochemical, electron microscopy, and molecular genetic studies in a cohort of 12 patients affected by this disease.Results: Conventional histochemical and electron microscopy studies suggested myofibrillar myopathy (MFM). Therefore, we searched for ectopic expression of multiple proteins typical of MFM. Alpha B-crystallin (αBC) expression was absent from all fibers using a monoclonal antibody raised against the entire protein. However, a monoclonal antibody directed against the first 10 residues of αBC immunostained portions of abnormal fibers. Pursuing this clue, we searched for mutations in the gene for αBC (CRYAB) in available DNA samples of 8 patients. All harbored a homozygous deletion, c.60C, predicting a Ser to Ala change at codon 21 and a stop codon after 23 missense residues (p.Ser21AlafsX24). Clinically unaffected parents were heterozygous for this mutation.Interpretation: The homozygous c.60delC in CRYAB pinpoints the genetic basis of the fatal infantile hypertonic muscular dystrophy of Canadian aboriginals. MFMs are typically transmitted by dominant inheritance, but in this disease the parental phenotype is rescued by limited expression of the highly truncated nonfunctional mutant gene product. The severe patient phenotype is due to homozygosity for the markedly hypomorphic allele. Ann Neurol, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cite this as: C. P. Campbell and D. H. Yates, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 1467–1472. The products of the flowering plant, lupin, are increasingly used as a human food product, particularly in baking. Occupational sensitization to lupin with occupational rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma was first described in 2001, and confirmed in a larger cross-sectional study in a food processing company in 2006. Sensitization by inhalation may result in occupational asthma, work-exacerbated asthma, occupational rhinitis and conjunctivitis. The incidence of occupational sensitization may be as high as 29%. The relationship with exposure intensity is as yet unclear, and requires further clarification. Although there is little information from long-term studies, these diseases are likely to improve after cessation of exposure. Cross-sensitization to other legumes, particularly peanuts, has been shown by skin prick testing, with potential for serious anaphylactic reactions. This review summarizes the available literature on occupational sensitization to lupin products. It is one of two reviews, one covering the problem of lupin allergy in the home, while the present article deals with lupin sensitization in the workplace. Increased awareness is needed of this occupational hazard to avoid future cases of occupational disease and their accompanying morbidity and potential mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two contrasting phases of work are described that help inform the development and requirements of a soil monitoring system: firstly, the development and application of a multi-criterion analysis of soil quality indicators grounded in the basic natural sciences; and secondly, scrutiny of the outcome of that process by a wide range of non-specialist but key stakeholders at a workshop. This process ensures that the final monitoring design meets both the scientific rigour expected from a monitoring system and as far as possible meets the aspirations of policy and regulatory stakeholders. Individual indicators of soil quality were evaluated in terms of their applicability against a number of important environmental and logistical parameters and therefore their overall fitness for purpose. These included relevance to different soil types, functions, habitats and threats to soil, the inherent variability of soil, and a range of technical aspects such as analytical complexity, precision and reproducibility of analytical results and whether a standard operating procedure (SOP) existed for the technique. A tiered approach to soil monitoring was supported by workshop delegates. This will require indicators that are suitable and effective at national, site-specific and process-level scales. In addition, the opportunities for synchronizing soil monitoring with air and water quality monitoring should be considered and the potential for integrating on-site measurements with remote methods should be researched further. It was considered by workshop attendees that soil monitoring should be rooted in pedological principles (i.e. recognizing defined soil horizons) to ensure that results can be extrapolated from individual sites and to retain flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond 12 weeks or that lasts beyond the expected duration of healing. The chronic pain sufferer also often experiences associated anxiety, depression and stress. An exploratory qualitative approach was adopted by the authors to explore what it is like to live with chronic pain from a sample of people who had not accessed secondary or tertiary health services. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken utilizing a 'snowball' sample of 12 participants. The complex issues presented by living with chronic pain that face sufferers in their personal and social worlds emerged from participant narratives. Three main themes which reflected individual variation in the ways that participants' had adapted to their pain were extracted from the data: dependence and social withdrawal; being 'normal' in comparison to others; and striving for self-management. Issues of coping and control were related to the theme of self-management. By capturing the voices of a previously unheard group our findings support and extend previous research by detailing the difficulties that need to be overcome by sufferers to finally accept the persistence of their pain. Moreover, it is this acceptance of, and adaptation to their pain, that may distinguish the participants in our sample from the majority of pain sufferers who engage and re-engage with secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental issues regarding soil trace metals often center on mobility and bioavailability. Transport of metals through the soil system could be affected by physical or chemical nonequilibrium processes. In this study, the physiochemical factors involved in Pb and Cd transport and sorption in soils were examined to determine the fate of metal pollutants. A series of metal miscible displacement experiments were executed following a full factorial statistical design including five sources of variability: soil (S1 and S2), metal (Pb and Cd), metal initial concentration (C0), water flux rate (Jw), and depth (0-4 and 4-8 cm). Temporal moment analysis of the measured breakthrough curves (BTCs) revealed that Cd transport is characterized by larger mass recovery values and lower estimated values of the transport timing-mean travel time (μ) and vertical solute spreading (σ2)-than Pb. This indicates the high affinity and retention of Pb in the soil and the high mobility of Cd. On the other hand, the sorption parameters for both Pb and Cd were estimated from a sequential chemical extraction of the metal retained in the soil column. The effect of the sources of variability on both transport and sorption parameters were determined. The functional relationship between sorption and transport parameters was also estimated through a linear regression and canonical correlation analysis. Physical and chemical nonequilibrium in transport processes were demonstrated by BTC tailing, changing BTC characteristics (μ and σ2) with Jw and C0, and semi-irreversible sorption identified by sequential extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that polymorphisms in IL1 are correlated with severe and/or erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the implicated alleles have differed among studies. The aim of this study was to perform a broad and well-powered search for association between allelic polymorphism in IL1A and IL1B and the susceptibility to or severity of RA. METHODS: Key coding and regulatory regions in IL1A and IL1B were sequenced in 24 patients with RA, revealing 4 novel single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL1B. These and a comprehensive set of 24 SNPs tagging most of the underlying genetic diversity were genotyped in 3 independent RA case-control sample sets and 1 longitudinal RA cohort, totaling 3,561 patients and 3,062 control subjects. RESULTS: No fully significant associations were observed. Analysis of the discovery case-control sample sets indicated a potential association of IL1B promoter region SNPs with susceptibility to RA (for RA3/A, odds ratio [OR] 1.27, P = 0.0021) or with the incidence of radiographic erosions (for RA4/C, OR 1.56, P = 0.036), but these findings were not replicated in independent case-control samples. No association with rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, or the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints was found. None of the associations previously observed in other studies were replicated here. CONCLUSION: In spite of a broad and highly powered study, we observed no robust, reproducible association between IL1A/B variants and the susceptibility to or severity of RA in white individuals of European descent. Our results provide evidence that, in the majority of cases, polymorphism in IL1A and IL1B is not a major contributor to genetic susceptibility to RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Receptive language impairment (RLI) is one of the most significant indicators of negative sequelae for children with speech and language disorders. Despite this, relatively little is known about the most effective treatments for these children in the primary school period. Aims: To explore the relationship between the reported practice of speech and language practitioners and the underlying rationales for the therapy that they provide. Methods & Procedures: A phenomenological approach was adopted, drawing on the experiences of speech and language practitioners. Practitioners completed a questionnaire relating to their practice for a single child with receptive language impairment within the 5-11 age range, providing details and rationales for three recent therapy activities. The responses of 56 participants were coded. All the children described experienced marked receptive language impairments, in the main associated with expressive language difficulties and/or social communication problems. Outcome & Results: The relative homogeneity of the presenting symptoms in terms of test performance was not reflected in the highly differentiated descriptions of intervention. One of the key determinants of how therapists described their practice was the child's age. As the child develops the therapists appeared to shift from a 'skills acquisition' orientation to a 'meta-cognitive' orientation, that is they move away from teaching specific linguistic behaviours towards teaching children strategies for thinking and using their language. A third of rationales refer to explicit theories but only half of these refer to the work of specific authors. Many of these were theories of practice rather than theories of deficit, and of those that do cite specific theories, no less than 29 different authors were cited many of whom might best be described as translators of existing theories rather than generators of novel theories. Conclusions: While theories of the deficit dominate the literature they appear to play a relatively small part in the eclectic practice of speech and language therapists. Theories of therapy may develop relatively independent of theories of deficit. While this may not present a problem for the practitioner, whose principal focus is remediation, it may present a problem for the researcher developing intervention efficacy studies, where the theory of the deficit will need to be well-defined in order to describe both the subgroup of children under investigation and the parameters of the deficit to be targeted in intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Gene flow from transgenic crops to feral populations and naturalized compatible relatives has been raised as one of the main issues for the deregulation of transgenic events. Creeping bentgrass, Agrostis stolonifera L., is a perennial, outcrossing grass that propagates by seeds and stolons. Transgenic Roundup Ready® glyphosate-resistant creeping bentgrass (GRCB), which is currently under USDA-APHIS regulated status, was planted in 2002 on 162 ha within a production control area in Oregon, USA. 2. We conducted a study to assess transgene flow from the GRCB fields. A survey within and around the production control area was performed during the year when the GRCB fields produced seed and for 3 years after the fields were taken out of production. Transgene flow was determined by testing creeping bentgrass and its relatives for expression of the glyphosate resistance transgene. 3. While GRCB seed-production practices were strictly regulated, evidence of transgene flow was found in all years. In 2006, 3 years after the transgene source fields were taken out of production and a mitigation programme was initiated, 62% of the 585 creeping bentgrass plants tested in situ were glyphosate-resistant (GR). Our results document not only the movement of the glyphosate resistance transgene from the fields, but also the establishment and persistence of high frequencies of GR plants in the area, confirming that it was unrealistic to think that containment or eradication of GRCB could be accomplished. 4. Synthesis and applications: These findings highlight the potential for transgene escape and gene flow at a landscape level. The survey provides empirical frequencies that can be used to design monitoring and management methods for genetically engineered (GE) varieties of outcrossing, wind-pollinated, perennial grasses and to evaluate the potential for coexistence of GE and non-GE grass seed crops. Such information should also be used in the decision-making process for authorization of field trials and deregulation of genetic engineering events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Half of the biological activity in forest soils is supported by recent tree photosynthate, but no study has traced in detail this flux of carbon from the canopy to soil microorganisms in the field. • Using 13CO2, we pulse-labelled over 1.5 h a 50-m2 patch of 4-m-tall boreal Pinus sylvestris forest in a 200-m3 chamber. • Tracer levels peaked after 24 h in soluble carbohydrates in the phloem at a height of 0.3 m, after 2–4 d in soil respiratory efflux, after 4–7 d in ectomycorrhizal roots, and after 2–4 d in soil microbial cytoplasm. Carbon in the active pool in needles, in soluble carbohydrates in phloem and in soil respiratory efflux had half-lives of 22, 17 and 35 h, respectively. Carbon in soil microbial cytoplasm had a half-life of 280 h, while the carbon in ectomycorrhizal root tips turned over much more slowly. Simultaneous labelling of the soil with showed that the ectomycorrhizal roots, which were the strongest sinks for photosynthate, were also the most active sinks for soil nitrogen. • These observations highlight the close temporal coupling between tree canopy photosynthesis and a significant fraction of soil activity in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Many organisms are able to change their behaviour and/or morphology in response to the threat of predation. In some species, the ability to respond to predation cues may be limited to certain developmental time windows. 2. Here we examined the ability of rough-skinned newt ( Taricha granulosa) embryos to respond to chemical cues from predatory caddisfly larvae when the timing of exposure varied. 3. We found that newt embryos hatch significantly earlier and at a significantly smaller size when exposed to chemical cues from caddisfly larvae. Further, newt embryos only responded when embryos were exposed to chemical cues from the first day of development. This developmental window of responsiveness corresponds with the phenology of caddisfly larvae and eggs in their natural habitat, where the presence or absence of caddisfly larvae when eggs are laid it indicates whether or not eggs are at risk of caddisfly predation. 4. Differences in response among newt embryos from different families and populations were also detected, although the factors responsible for these differences are unclear. 5. Newt response to predator exposure was not correlated with the amount of the potent neurotoxin tetrodotoxin in eggs, indicating that tetrodotoxin is not the only defence mechanism available to embryos. Further, the observed population and family differences in responses to cues are not likely to be related to differences in toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Single species can have a disproportionate effect on ecosystem function and diversity, yet our understanding of the importance of single species in driving terrestrial ecosystems during succession remains poor. 2 Utilizing a long-term experiment, where birch was planted on heather moorland 20 years ago, the cascading effects of a single tree species ( Betula pubescens) on ecosystem characteristics (plant species richness, soil chemistry, soil fauna and decomposition rates) were tested. 3 Under the birch, plant species richness decreased and the vegetation composition changed, with lower cover of grasses and Vaccinium myrtillus. The depth of the soil organic horizon, its moisture content and percentage carbon were all smaller under the birch than under the heather. Concentrations of available phosphorus and mineralizable-N were significantly greater in the soil under birch than under the heather plots. Decomposition was faster in the birch than in the heather plots. The abundance and species richness of collembola and oribatid, mesostigmatid and prostigmatid mites were all significantly greater under the birch than under the heather. 4 The durability of the engineering effects of the birch was studied in a second experiment. Plots were established in first generation birch woodland that had developed on Calluna-dominanted moorland. The plots were cleared of birch and planted with heather. After 20 years soil chemical properties, microarthropod communities and decomposition rates were not significantly different between plots with and without the birch. However, the mass of the soil O-horizon was significantly greater in the felled birch plots than in the control birch plots, providing the first indication of a change towards soil properties more typical of a Calluna moorland. Thus for most of the birch engineering effects measured here their durability in the absence of the engineering species is at least 20 years. 5 This work has provided experimental evidence that birch acts as a top-down engineer, driving cascading effects on both above- and below-ground communities, soil chemical and physical properties and ecosystem processes. The work also shows that the role of birch in driving changes in the ecosystem is durable 20 years after the removal of the birch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After an absence of 50 years, the currant pug moth, Eupithecia assimilata Doubleday (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), has reappeared as an important pest of hops, Humulus lupulus L. (Cannabaceae), in the UK. Pheromone gland extracts from virgin female E. assimilata moths were shown to contain (3 Z,6 Z)- cis-9,10-epoxyheneicosadiene (3 Z,6 Z- cis-9,10-epoxy-21:H) by gas chromatography linked to mass spectrometry. (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-heneicosatriene (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z-21:H) was also found as a minor component in one of two extracts. In field experiments, significant numbers of male E. assimilata moths were caught in traps baited with the (9 S,10 R)-enantiomer of 3 Z,6 Z- cis-9,10-epoxy-21:H but not in those baited with the (9 R,10 S)-enantiomer or racemic mixture. Addition of 3 Z,6 Z,9 Z-21:H at the ratio present in gland extracts greatly reduced the attractiveness of the epoxydiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To develop and psychometrically assess the feasibility, reliability and validity of an assessment tool in which both doctor and patient perceptions of the communication that occurred in a single office visit are captured. Methods Two 19-item (5-point scale) questionnaires, with parallel content, were developed for doctor and patient completion following a visit. Both process and content were queried. Family doctors and specialists across Canada were recruited to provide data from 25 visits. We assessed feasibility by examining recruitment and percentages of people 'unable to assess' each item. Evidence for validity was examined through exploratory factor analysis, the correlations between doctor and patient data and linear regression. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency reliability and generalisability coefficient analyses. Results Data from 1845 doctor-patient dyads (91 doctors) showed similarly high ratings (> 4/5) for both doctors and patients, with few unable-to-assess items. There were low correlations between items and questionnaires. The principle components analysis indicated 2 factors, process and content, accounting for 52% and 7% of the doctor variance and 60% and 6% of the patient variance, respectively. The linear regression showed that only gender accounted for any of the variance in ratings. Cronbach's alphas for both doctor and patient questionnaires were >/= 0.96. The G analysis provided a G = 0.98 and 0.40 (standard errors of 0.003 and 0.02) for doctors and patients, respectively. Conclusions The data suggest this is a feasible tool with which to assess communication skills and that there is evidence for its validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When acid soil has been contaminated by metals as a result of industrial discharges, accidental spills, or acid mine drainage it may be desirable to retain the metals in the soil rather than allow them to leach away. We have investigated the potential of phosphogypsum (PG), sugar foam (SF), and phosphoric rock (PR) to regulate the availability and mobility of Pb, Cd and Cu. We have also identified changes in attenuation during incubation for 1 year and the effect of aging on metal speciation in amended soils. We studied miscible displacement in columns of undisturbed soil previously treated with solutions of the amendments and soluble metals and, subsequently, single and sequential chemical metal extractions. All amendments increased the soil's metal retention capacity. This, in turn, increased the amount of metal extractable by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). However, over time the amounts of DTPA-extractable metal decreased, particularly for Cu and Pb. Both Cu and Cd were held preferentially within the acetic acid-extractable fraction (operationally defined exchangeable fraction – EX fraction), whereas Pb was associated mainly with the hydroxylammonium-extractable fraction (operationally defined bound to Fe and Al hydroxides – OX fraction). Both Pb and Cu in the oxide and organic fractions increased in the PG- and SF-treated soils. In general, the distribution of metal did not change in the PR-treated columns after the incubation. Finally, scanning electron microscopy in back-scattered electron mode (SEM–BSE) showed the formation of Al-hydroxy polymers which provides the soils with additional cation sorption capacity. In the PG- and PR-treated columns, P and S were associated with these formations. The three metals were associated with the Al polymers, probably through direct coordination or the formation of ternary complexes with the inorganic ligands phosphate and sulphate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a long-term study of the effects on soil fertility and microbial activity of heavy metals contained in sewage sludges, metal-rich sludge cakes each with high Zn, Cu or Cd concentrations were applied annually for 4 years (1994–1997) to nine sites throughout Britain. These sites were selected to represent agricultural soils with a range of physical and chemical properties, typical of those likely to be amended with sewage sludge. The aim was to establish individual total Zn (approx. 60–450 mg kg−1), total Cu (approx. 15–200 mg kg−1) and total Cd (approx. 0.2–4 mg kg−1) metal dose–response treatments at each site. Sludges with low metal concentrations were added to all treatments to achieve as constant an addition of organic matter as possible. Across the nine sites, soil pH was the single most important factor controlling Zn ( P < 0.001; r2 = 92%) and Cd extracted with 1 m NH4NO3 ( P < 0.001; r2 = 72%), and total iron content the most important factor controlling Cu extracted with 1 m NH4NO3 ( P < 0.001; r2 = 64%). There were also positive relationships ( P < 0.001) between soil organic carbon (C) concentrations and soil biomass C and respiration rates across the nine sites. Oxidation of sludge C following land application resulted in approximately 45% of the digested sludge cake C and approximately 64% of the ‘raw’ sludge cake C being lost by the end of the 4-year application period. The sludge cake applications generally increased soil microbial biomass C and soil respiration rates, whilst most probable numbers of clover Rhizobium were generally unchanged. Overall, there was no evidence that the metal applications were damaging soil microbial activity in the short term after the cessation of sludge cake addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flight activity of Phorodon humuli was monitored using suction traps, laboratory studies and mark and recapture experiments. Emigrants were trapped as they flew from a Myrobalan ( Prunus cerasifera) hedge and among dwarf hops ( Humulus lupulus). Daily flight curves were bimodal with 69% and 38% of emigrants caught in the morning peak near Myrobalan and among hops, respectively. The median period of flight activity was from 2 h after sunrise until 30 min before sunset. The lower temperature for flight was 13.5°C in the field and 14.9°C for take off in the laboratory. Variations in wind speed had little effect on flight activity explaining <2.5% of the total variance among insect counts. The percentage of emigrants on hop declined exponentially with time. The relationship, y= 10.9(±2.0) + 64.3(±2.3) × 0.92(±0.01) t where t = daylight hours (standard error in parentheses), explained 98.3% of the variance. Hence, 62% of new arrivals flew within 1 day of arrival and 79% within 2 days. Similar numbers arrived as departed at 08:30, 10:30 and 12:30 h, but at 14:30 h twice as many arrived than departed and at 16:30 h, the accumulation was threefold. Daily flight curves of return migrants and males leaving hop were bimodal with 70% and 80%, respectively, trapped in the earlier peak. In the field, the median lower temperature for flight was 13.2°C for return migrants and a nonsignificantly different 12.8°C for males. The mean temperature for take off by return migrants was 15.7°C in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NumerousCulicoidesspp. are important vectors of livestock or human disease pathogens. Transcriptome information from midguts and salivary glands of adult femaleCulicoides sonorensisprovides new insight into vector biology. Of 1719 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from adult serum-fed female midguts harvested within 5 h of feeding, twenty-eight clusters of serine proteases were derived. Four clusters encode putative iron binding proteins (FER1, FERL, PXDL1, PXDL2), and two clusters encode metalloendopeptidases (MDP6C, MDP6D) that probably function in bloodmeal catabolism. In addition, a diverse variety of housekeeping cDNAs were identified. Selected midgut protease transcripts were analysed by quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR): TRY1_115 and MDP6C mRNAs were induced in adult female midguts upon feeding, whereas TRY1_156 and CHYM1 were abundant in midguts both before and immediately after feeding. Of 708 salivary gland ESTs analysed, clusters representing two new classes of protein families were identified: a new class of D7 proteins and a new class of Kunitz-type protease inhibitors. Additional cDNAs representing putative immunomodulatory proteins were also identified: 5′ nucleotidases, antigen 5-related proteins, a hyaluronidase, a platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase, mucins and several immune response cDNAs. Analysis by q-PCR showed that all D7 and Kunitz domain transcripts tested were highly enriched in female heads compared with other tissues and were generally absent from males. The mRNAs of two additional protease inhibitors, TFPI1 and TFPI2, were detected in salivary glands of paraffin-embedded females byin situhybridization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many speech and language therapists (SLTs) in the UK work with speech and language therapy assistants, and the numbers of SLT assistants is expected to grow. There has been very little empirical investigation of how SLTs feel about this situation or the effect on working practices of working indirectly.Aims: To investigate SLTs' opinions on working with SLT assistants in a small-scale research case study.Methods & Procedures: The study design was a case study of five SLTs delivering intervention within a research intervention project. Prepared questionnaire and formal interview techniques were used to elicit opinions on working through assistants, and a content analysis was performed.Outcomes & Results: Although respondents could see value in working through assistants, they stressed the time required to do so and the difficulties of adapting and updating therapy plans when working indirectly.Conclusions: The study suggests a variety of factors that have to be carefully managed if SLTs are to work competently through assistants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between bacterial community diversity and stability were investigated by perturbing soils, with naturally differing levels of diversity, to equivalent toxicity using copper sulfate and benzene. Benzene amendment led to large decreases in total bacterial numbers and biomass in both soils. Benzene amendment of an organo-mineral/improved pasture soil altered total soil bacterial community structure but, unlike amendment of the mineral/arable soil, maintained genetic diversity, based on polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE ) analysis targeting DNA and RNA, until week 9 of the perturbation experiment. Assuming equivalent toxicity, the genetic diversity of the naturally more diverse soil was more resistant to benzene perturbation than the less diverse soil. The broad scale function (mineralization of14C-labelled wheat shoot) of both benzene- and copper-treated soil communities was unaffected. However, narrow niche function (mineralization of14C-labelled 2,4-dichlorophenol) was impaired for both benzene-polluted soils. The organo-mineral soil recovered this function by the end of the experiment but the mineral soil did not, suggesting greater resilience in the more diverse soil. Despite a large reduction in bacterial numbers and biomass in the copper-treated soils, only small differences in bacterial community diversity were observed by week 9 in the copper-polluted soils. The overall community structure was little altered and functionality, measured by mineralization rates, remained unchanged. This suggested a non-selective pressure and a degree of genetic and functional resistance to copper perturbation, despite a significant reduction in bacterial numbers and biomass. However, initial shifts in physiological profiles of both copper-polluted soils were observed but rapidly returned to those of the controls. This apparent functional recovery, accompanied by an increase in culturability, possibly reflects adaptation by the surviving communities to perturbation. The findings indicate that, although soil communities may be robust, relationships between diversity and stability need to be considered in developing a predictive understanding of response to environmental perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Linking roots and ectomycorrhizas (EcM) to individual host trees in the field is required to test whether individual trees support different ectomycorrhizal communities.• Here we describe a method that identifies the source of EcM roots by PCR of polymorphic pine nuclear microsatellite loci using fluorescently labelled primers and high-throughput fragment analysis. ITS-PCR can also be performed on the same EcM DNA extract for fungal identification.• The method was tested on five neighbouring Scots pine (Pinus sylvestrisvarscotica) trees in native woodland. Successful host tree identification from DNA extracts of EcM root tips was achieved for 93% of all root fragments recovered from soil cores.• It was estimated that each individual mature pine sampled was colonised by between 15 and 19 EcM fungi. The most abundant fungal species were found on all five trees, and within the constraints of the sampling scheme, no differences between trees in EcM fungal community structure or composition were detected.New Phytologist(2004)doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2004.01213.x© New Phytologist(2004) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the more efficient stocking strategy for lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Lake Simcoe, Ontario, we compared growth and survival of fish stocked as rail fingerlings and as spring yearlings. Paired lots were stocked in April and October from the 1986 to 1991 year-classes. Survival and growth of fish from the two rearing practices were indexed as the relative abundance and length of 6-year-old lake whitefish captured with trap nets during fall spawning runs from 1992 to 1997. No difference in relative abundance or length between lake whitefish stocked at 6 months of age and those stocked at 12 months of age was detected. This contradicts results reported for many other fish species, which have exhibited greater survival rates when stocked as yearlings rather than fingerlings. As a result of these findings, all lake whitefish stocked into Lake Simcoe are stocked in the fall when the fish are 6 months of age, thus freeing up limited hatchery space for other purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IL-18 is a cytokine which is known to have an important role in the development of a Th1 lymphocyte response. As such, it may have a regulatory role in asthma by modifying Th2 lymphocyte responses. Cigarette smoking may amplify the airway inflammation associated with asthma. This study investigated if IL-18 could be detected in induced sputum from asthmatics and normal subjects and if smoking altered IL-18 levels. Induced sputum was obtained from asthmatic (31 smokers, 35 non-smokers) and normal (20 smokers, 20 non-smokers) subjects. All smokers had a smoking history of ≥ 15 pack years. IL-18 levels in sputum supernatant were measured by ELISA. IL-18 mRNA expression and cellular localization were assessed by quantitative PCR and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Smoking was associated with a significant reduction in IL-18 levels (median (interquartile range)-smokers20(0–102)pg mL vs. non-smokers 358 (50–876)pg mL. P<0.001). This was more pronounced in asthmatics (smokers, 47 (41–64)pg mL vs. non-smokers, 530 (30–1484)pg mL: P<0.001) than in hernial subjects (smokers, 25 (0–78)pg mL vs. non-smokers, 247 (50–656)pg mL: P < 0.01). Within each of the smoking and non smoking groups there was no significant difference in IL-18 levels between asthmatic and normal subjects. There was no correlation between sputum IL-18 levels and any specific cell type in the sputum samples nor serum IgE levels. IL-18 mRNA expression was reduced in asthmatic smokers compared with non smokers. IL-18 production was localized to sputum macrophages by immunocytochemistry. IL-18 is detectable in induced sputum samples from both asthmatic and normal subjects. Cigarette smoking significantly reduces sputum IL-18 levels. This effect is more pronounced in asthmatics than in normal subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]