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The biodiversity of coral reef habitats is rapidly declining due to the effects of anthropogenic climate change, prompting the use of active restoration as a mitigation strategy. Sexual propagation can maintain or enhance genetic diversity in restoration of these ecosystems, but these approaches suffer from a range of inefficiencies in rearing and husbandry. Algal overgrowth of juveniles is a major bottleneck in the production of sexually propagated corals that may be alleviated by co-culture with herbivores. We reared juvenile Montipora capitata alongside juvenile native Hawaiian collector urchins, Tripneustes gratilla , for 15 weeks and documented significant ecological benefits of co-culture. Urchin treatments significantly increased the survivorship of coral aggregates (14%) and individual settlers (24%). We also documented a significant increase in coral growth in the presence of urchins. These results demonstrate the utility of microherbivory in promoting coral growth and survivorship in ex situ conditions, providing valuable insight for restoration pipelines of native Hawaiian coral species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Barrows et al.)

We developed a Drosophila model of T2D in which high sugar (HS) feeding leads to insulin resistance. In this model, adipose TG storage is protective against fatty acid toxicity and diabetes. Initial biochemical and gene expression studies suggested that deficiency in CoA might underlie reduced TG synthesis in animals during chronic HS feeding. Focusing on the Drosophila fat body (FB), which is specialized for TG storage and lipolysis, we undertook a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that CoA could protect against the deleterious effects of caloric overload. Quantitative metabolomics revealed a reduction in substrate availability for CoA synthesis in the face of an HS diet. Further reducing CoA synthetic capacity by expressing FB-specific RNAi targeting pantothenate kinase (PK orfumble) or phosphopantothenoylcysteine synthase (PPCS) exacerbated HS-diet-induced accumulation of FFAs. Dietary supplementation with pantothenic acid (vitamin B5, a precursor of CoA) was able to ameliorate HS-diet-induced FFA accumulation and hyperglycemia while increasing TG synthesis. Taken together, our data support a model where free CoA is required to support fatty acid esterification and to protect against the toxicity of HS diets., (Copyright © 2016 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

The Centennial Vision requires us to finally, and definitively, address specific concerns with regard to our educational processes and their outcomes. They include: the quality of fieldwork placements, the collaboration between education and practice, and utilization of scientific evidence to support practice efficacy and our participation in the academy, and, finally, the education of practitioners who capably and willingly fulfill a range of roles.

Despite the efforts of academic educators and fieldwork supervisors, not all students successfully complete their Level II field-work experience (AOTA, 1997). This study used quantitative and qualitative data to identify common characteristics surrounding Level II fieldwork failure. Eleven participants responded to a questionnaire regarding their experience in supervising a student who failed a Level II fieldwork experience; six also participated in a telephone interview to provide additional information regarding the experience. Students in this study who failed a Level II fieldwork experience exhibited poor problem solving skills, poor clinical reasoning skills, had difficulty getting the "big picture," and had difficulty responding to constructive feedback. Additionally, supervisors reportedly believe students were academically unprepared for the fieldwork experience. In this study, there were common characteristics, including student attributes and supervisors' strategies for dealing with problematic behaviors, which existed in the circumstances surrounding Level II fieldwork failure.

ABSTRACT Striga aspera and S. hermonthica are sympatric in Africa. Each may serve as virulent gene reservoirs for the other if they hybridize and their hybrids are virulent and fertile. Intraspecific and interspecific crosses were made within and between the species, and reproductive success was determined. Freshly harvested seeds from the parental and F(1) crosses were tested over time for germination. Chromosome counts from shoot-tip squashes of seedlings of S. aspera were determined as n = 18, and as n = 19 for S. hermonthica. Hybridization results indicated that S. aspera and S. hermonthica could be intercrossed and their hybrids successfully backcrossed to either parent. Reproductive success in all crosses ranged from 68 to 95% and seeds of all the crosses were viable, germinated on exposure to a synthetic germination stimulant, and were pathogenic on maize. Seeds from the hybrids and backcrosses were less viable and germinable than either parent, suggesting that the two species were not 100% compatible. Results suggest that the two species are closely related, but are separate taxa, perhaps at the subspecies level. Seed dormancy for both species and the F(1) hybrids was less than 84 days after pollination. Germination of S. hermonthica seeds reached 31% at 28 days after pollination. Frequently occurring seed germination peaks were observed for all the seeds tested.