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This brief report assesses the validity of applying the adolescent-based developmental assets model to emerging adults. Developmental assets are specific constructs which predict future success, including positive individual characteristics and environmental resources. The researchers developed a self-report survey based on a subset of the assets and outcome behaviors most applicable to emerging adults. Correlational analyses revealed significant relationships of moderate strength between the perceived level of developmental assets and thriving behaviors r = 0.40, p < 0.01), risky behaviors r = -0.36, p < 0.01), and academic success r = 0.28, p < 0.01). Furthermore, a path analysis yielded significant coefficients wherein assets influenced thriving, risk, and collectively, academic success. Results suggest that the developmental assets framework applies to emerging adults and warrants further investigation.

Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) is now widely used to build diversity profiles from DNA that has been shed by species into the environment. There is substantial interest in the expansion of eDNA approaches for improved detection of terrestrial vertebrates using invertebrate‐derived DNA (iDNA) in which hematophagous, sarcophagous, and coprophagous invertebrates sample vertebrate blood, carrion, or faeces. Here, we used metabarcoding and multiple iDNA samplers (carrion flies, sandflies, and mosquitos) collected from 39 forested sites in the southern Amazon to profile gamma and alpha diversity. Our main objectives were to (1) compare diversity found with iDNA to camera trapping, which is the conventional method of vertebrate diversity surveillance; and (2) compare each of the iDNA samplers to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and potential biases associated with each sampler. In total, we collected and analysed 1759 carrion flies, 48,686 sandflies, and 4776 mosquitos. Carrion flies revealed the greatest total vertebrate species richness at the landscape level, despite the least amount of sampling effort and the fewest number of individuals captured for metabarcoding, followed by sandflies. Camera traps had the highest median species richness at the site‐level but showed strong bias towards carnivore and ungulate species and missed much of the diversity described by iDNA methods. Mosquitos showed a strong feeding preference for humans as did sandflies for armadillos, thus presenting potential utility to further study related to host‐vector interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although environmental DNA shed from an organism is now widely used for species detection in a wide variety of contexts, mobilizing environmental DNA for management requires estimation of population size and trends in addition to assessing presence or absence. However, the efficacy of environmental‐DNA‐based indices of abundance for long‐term population monitoring have not yet been assessed. Here we report on the relationship between six years of mark‐recapture population estimates for eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) and "eDNA rates" which are calculated from the product of stream flow and DNA concentration. Eulachon are a culturally and biologically important anadromous fish that have significantly declined in the southern part of their range but were historically rendered into oil and traded. Both the peak eDNA rate and the area under the curve of the daily eDNA rate were highly predictive of the mark‐recapture population estimate, explaining 84.96% and 92.53% of the deviance, respectively. Even in the absence of flow correction, the peak of the daily eDNA concentration explained an astonishing 89.53% while the area under the curve explained 90.74% of the deviance. These results support the use of eDNA to monitor eulachon population trends and represent a >80% cost savings over mark‐recapture, which could be further increased with automated water sampling, reduced replication, and focused temporal sampling. Due to its logistical ease and affordability, eDNA sampling can facilitate monitoring a larger number of rivers and in remote locations where mark‐recapture is infeasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stresses the importance of parental involvement in children's education. Describes a successful parent-student study-skills workshop, and discusses several common barriers to parents' participation in workshops along with suggested solutions. (ARH)

The article discusses the genocide in Rwanda during 1994, the post-genocide period, and the role which the hate speech has played in creating violence and destabilization of governments. It presents a comparative analysis of approaches to hate speech in the United States, Germany, Israel, and the European Union (EU). It evaluates the elements relating to post-conflict speech restrictions, and discusses different legal regimes which have addressed these elements.

Pain is the hallmark symptom causing morbidity for people with sickle cell disease (SCD) and may present as nociceptive, neuropathic, or mixed type pain. Neuropathic pain (NP) is underrecognized and undertreated in patients with SCD and is associated with decreased patient-reported quality of life. Surveys were completed by clinicians caring for adolescents with SCD in the outpatient setting. SCD patients ages 1418 at increased risk of NP completed a patient-facing survey at a scheduled clinic visit. Ninety-four percent of responding clinicians agreed that NP significantly contributes to reported pain in SCD. Clinicians believed that NP medications are effective for reducing chronic pain (62%) and decreasing opioid utilization (44%). Clinician-identified barriers to prescribing NP medications included concerns about medication adherence (82%), lack of pediatric guidelines for NP medications (70%), and perceived patient concern about side effects (65%). More than 1/3 (35%) of clinicians reported that they were not comfortable managing NP medications. Clinician-identified barriers to referral to a pain management specialist included scheduling concerns (88%) and perceived patient/family lack of interest (77%). Most patients expressed willingness to take a medication for NP (78%), see a pain management specialist (84%), or learn more about nonpharmacologic interventions (72%), although most (51%) also reported some concerns about taking a medication for NP, citing insufficient knowledge (34%), and potential for side effects (32%). A minority of respondents (15%) worried about referral to a pain management specialist. Clinician and patient perspectives provide insights that may guide education efforts or other interventions to improve treatment of SCD-related NP., Competing Interests: Matthew Rees received support for travel and lodging expenses to attend an educational conference by Creative Educational Concepts. The conference was supported by a grant from Jazz Pharmaceuticals. No other authors declared any conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. eJHaem published by British Society for Haematology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Our laboratory specializes in directed protein evolution, i.e., evolution of proteins under defined selective pressures in the laboratory. Our target genes are encoded in ColE1 plasmids to facilitate the generation of libraries in vivo. We have observed that when random mutations are not restricted to the coding sequence of the target genes, directed evolution results in a strong positive selection of plasmid origin of replication (ori) mutations. Surprisingly, this is true even during evolution of new biochemical activities, when the activity that is being selected was not originally present. The selected plasmid ori mutations are diverse and produce a range of plasmid copy numbers, suggesting a complex interplay between ori and coding mutations rather than a simple enhancement of level of expression of the target gene. Thus, plasmid dosage may contribute significantly to evolution by fine-tuning levels of activity. Here, we present examples illustrating these observations as well as our methods for efficient quantification of plasmid copy number.