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Background: Although women with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) generally have healthy pregnancies and babies, pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of maternal complications and requires planning and management of their condition. Given these possible complications, routine communication about childbearing between women with PKD and their treating team is important. A question prompt list (QPL), a structured list of questions used by patients during consultations with healthcare providers, may be beneficial in assisting women with PKD to discuss their childbearing concerns with, and seek related information from, their treating team. The aims of this study were to co‐design a QPL about pregnancy and childbearing for women with PKD, and evaluate its comprehensibility, salience, and acceptability. Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed‐methods study of women of reproductive age with PKD living in Australia, using an experience‐based co‐design approach with two phases. Women were recruited from a metropolitan public health service and via social media and invited to complete an anonymous online survey about the development of the PKD QPL (phase one) and participate in an online discussion group about its refinement (phase two). Results: Sixteen women completed the development survey and seven participated in the evaluation discussion group. Participants reported that women with PKD would value and use a QPL to prompt discussions with and seek further information about pregnancy and childbearing from their healthcare providers. Women identified four main topics for the QPL: 'thinking about having a baby', 'pregnancy', 'my medications' and 'after my baby is born'. Within each section a series of questions was developed. Based on the findings, a QPL about pregnancy and childbearing for women with PKD was co-designed. Conclusions: Women with PKD often find it difficult to access information and have discussions with their health care providers about pregnancy and childbearing. The PKD QPL co-designed in this study was perceived to be an acceptable tool which will, from the perspectives of participants, assist women with PKD to access information more easily about pregnancy, childbearing and PKD; ask more targeted questions of their treating team; and make informed childbearing decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During World War II, the U.S. Navy faced a shortage of diving equipment and converted gas masks for shallow-water diving. These modified masks became a de facto standard due to limited availability. They were primarily used by divers in Pearl Harbor and throughout the fleet, including African-American Seabee divers and Navy Civil Engineer Corps divers. The masks were also used in scientific and early recreational diving after the war. However, there were hazards such as lack of air reserve and exposure to hazardous substances. The use of converted gas masks declined as more modern equipment became available. The author of the text shares their experience diving with various masks, focusing on the TECO mask developed by Frank E. Thompson, Jr. during the war. The author found that all the masks performed satisfactorily underwater, with some minor issues. The TECO mask with an exhaust valve was the most effective in preventing water leakage and providing a quieter experience. The author also provides some background information on Thompson and the TECO company. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Coral reefs are highly productive ecosystems with distinct biogeochemistry and biology nestled within unproductive oligotrophic gyres. Coral reef islands have often been associated with a nearshore enhancement in phytoplankton, a phenomenon known as the Island Mass Effect (IME). Despite being documented more than 60 years ago, much remains unknown about the extent and drivers of IMEs. Here we utilized 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding as a biological tracer to elucidate horizontal and vertical influence of an IME around the islands of Mo′orea and Tahiti, French Polynesia. We show that those nearshore oceanic stations with elevated chlorophyll a included bacterioplankton found in high abundance in the reef environment, suggesting advection of reef water is the source of altered nearshore biogeochemistry. We also observed communities in the nearshore deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) with enhanced abundances of upper euphotic bacterioplankton that correlated with intrusions of low‐density, O2 rich water, suggesting island influence extends into the DCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolites exuded by primary producers comprise a significant fraction of marine dissolved organic matter, a poorly characterized, heterogenous mixture that dictates microbial metabolism and biogeochemical cycling. We present a foundational untargeted molecular analysis of exudates released by coral reef primary producers using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to examine compounds produced by two coral species and three types of algae (macroalgae, turfing microalgae, and crustose coralline algae [CCA]) from Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Of 10,568 distinct ion features recovered from reef and mesocosm waters, 1,667 were exuded by producers; the majority (86%) were organism specific, reflecting a clear divide between coral and algal exometabolomes. These data allowed us to examine two tenets of coral reef ecology at the molecular level. First, stoichiometric analyses show a significantly reduced nominal carbon oxidation state of algal exometabolites than coral exometabolites, illustrating one ecological mechanism by which algal phase shifts engender fundamental changes in the biogeochemistry of reef biomes. Second, coral and algal exometabolomes were differentially enriched in organic macronutrients, revealing a mechanism for reef nutrient-recycling. Coral exometabolomes were enriched in diverse sources of nitrogen and phosphorus, including tyrosine derivatives, oleoyl-taurines, and acyl carnitines. Exometabolites of CCA and turf algae were significantly enriched in nitrogen with distinct signals from polyketide macrolactams and alkaloids, respectively. Macroalgal exometabolomes were dominated by nonnitrogenous compounds, including diverse prenol lipids and steroids. This study provides molecular-level insights into biogeochemical cycling on coral reefs and illustrates how changing benthic cover on reefs influences reef water chemistry with implications for microbial metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nutrient pollution on coral reef ecosystems are multifaceted. Numerous experiments have sought to identify the physiological effects of nutrient enrichment on reef‐building corals, but the results have been variable and sensitive to choices of nutrient quantity, chemical composition and exposure duration.To test the effects of chronic, ecologically relevant nutrient enrichment on coral growth and photophysiology, we conducted a 5‐week continuous dosing experiment on two Hawaiian coral species, Porites compressa and Pocillopora acuta. We acclimated coral fragments to five nutrient concentrations (0.1–7 µM NO3‐ and 0.06–2.24 µM PO43‐) with constant stoichiometry 2.5:1 nitrate to phosphate) bracketing in situ observations from reefs throughout the Pacific.Nutrient enrichment linearly increased photophysiological performance of both species within 3 weeks. The effect of nutrients on P. acuta photochemical efficiency increased through time while a consistent response in P. compressa indicated acclimation to elevated nutrients within 5 weeks. Endosymbiont densities and total chlorophyll concentrations also increased proportionally with nutrient enrichment in P. acuta, but not in P. compressa, revealing contrasting patterns of host–symbiont acclimatization.The two species also exhibited contrasting effects of nutrient enrichment on skeletal growth. Calcification was enhanced at low nutrient enrichment (1 µM NO3‐) in P. acuta, but comparable to the control at higher concentrations, whereas calcification was reduced in P. compressa (30%–35%) above 3 µM NO3‐.Stable isotope analysis revealed species‐specific nitrogen uptake dynamics in the coral–algal symbiosis. The endosymbionts of P. acuta exhibited increased nitrogen uptake (decreased δ15N) and incorporation (19%–31% decrease in C:N ratios) across treatments. In contrast, P. compressa endosymbionts maintained constant δ15N values and low levels of nitrogen incorporation (9%–11% decrease in C:N ratios). The inability of P. acuta to regulate endosymbiont nutrient uptake may indicate an emerging destabilization in the coral–algal symbiosis under nutrient enrichment that could compromise resistance to additional environmental stressors.Our results highlight species‐specific differences in the coral–algal symbiosis, which influence responses to chronic nutrient enrichment. These findings showcase how symbioses can vary among closely related taxa and underscore the importance of considering how life‐history traits modify species response to environmental change. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the relationships of somatic and anxiety symptoms of depression with functional disability in a sample of older adults with late life depression. Method: Data were analyzed from 78 older adults aged 65–88 with current major depression. Somatic and anxiety symptoms from the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were summed to create variables measuring severity of these symptoms. Other symptoms of depression were also assessed using the remaining items of the HDRS. Current physical health burden was assessed using the Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI). Disability was measured with the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) total limitation score. A linear regression analysis was performed to assess the association of somatic and anxiety symptoms with disability independent of other factors. Results: The model accounted for 26.6% of variance in disability, (F(6,51) = 3.1, p =.01). Somatic (B = −1.9, p =.004) and anxiety (B = −3.7, p =.04) symptoms of depression were significantly associated with disability. Other depressive symptoms and physical illness burden were not associated with disability. Discussion: In older adults with major depression, somatic and anxiety symptoms of depression are associated with disability. Identification and treatment to remission of these symptoms may improve functional outcomes among older depressed adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncontact thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) has several desirable characteristics for applications such as explosive detection in high-water-content media. In this letter, we report a detection technique using millimeter-wave interferometry based on sensitive phase detection at ${W}$ -band. The displacement sensitivity of the proposed ${W}$ -band vibrometer at 95 GHz is of the order of 1 nm. We also analyze the effect of phase noise on the sensitivity of the vibrometer. Unlike laser-based sensors, a ${W}$ -band sensor has several advantages; it can easily penetrate surface obscurants such as fur or cloth and it does not require a highly reflective surface of the target to detect the thermoacoustic vibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the argument that scientific thinkers who embrace a religious tradition can promote intellectual integration between religion and science rather than fragmented discourse. It is argued that God's Word as an event and the concept of structural directedness, an organized movement toward a future that does not demand a consciously intended end, may be helpful in understanding God's actions in an indeterminant way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a long history of examining the impacts of nutrient pollution and pH on coral reefs. However, little is known about how these two stressors interact and influence coral reef ecosystem functioning. Using a six-week nutrient addition experiment, we measured the impact of elevated nitrate (NO3- ) and phosphate (PO43- ) on net community calcification (NCC) and net community production (NCP) rates of individual taxa and combined reef communities. Our study had four major outcomes: (i) NCC rates declined in response to nutrient addition in all substrate types, (ii) the mixed community switched from net calcification to net dissolution under medium and high nutrient conditions, (iii) nutrients augmented pH variability through modified photosynthesis and respiration rates, and (iv) nutrients disrupted the relationship between NCC and aragonite saturation state documented in ambient conditions. These results indicate that the negative effect of NO3- and PO43- addition on reef calcification is likely both a direct physiological response to nutrients and also an indirect response to a shifting pH environment from altered NCP rates. Here, we show that nutrient pollution could make reefs more vulnerable to global changes associated with ocean acidification and accelerate the predicted shift from net accretion to net erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cross-spectrum noise measurement technique enables enhanced resolution of spectral measurements. However, it has disadvantages, namely, increased complexity, inability of making real-time measurements, and bias due to the “cross-spectral collapse” (CSC) effect. The CSC can occur when the spectral density of a random process under investigation approaches the thermal noise of the power splitter. This effect can severely bias results due to a differential measurement between the investigated noise and the anti-correlated (phase-inverted) noise of the power splitter. In this paper, we report an accurate measurement of the phase noise of a thermally limited electronic oscillator operating at room temperature (300 K) without significant CSC bias. We mitigated the problem by cooling the power splitter to liquid helium temperature (4 K).We quantify errors of greater than 1 dB that occur when the thermal noise of the oscillator at room temperature is measured with the power splitter at temperatures above 77 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year in the US three divers, on average, perish inside flooded caves and their remains require recovery. Recovery is a hazardous undertaking often performed by members of the International Underwater Cave Rescue and Recovery (IUCRR) team, in collaboration with local law enforcement and medical examiners/coroners. Since forming in 1999 the IUCRR have established standard recovery procedures for cave diving fatalities. This article reviews each stage of the recovery; the call out, arrival on site, the search, recording/preserving the evidence, the recovery, the handover and post-recovery record-keeping. A series of five cases highlight the challenges IUCRR divers are trained to face. It is strongly recommended local dive teams do not attempt to recover bodies from within flooded caves. IUCRR divers are trained to utilize a uniform procedure that is acceptable to the local law enforcement Incident Command System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a novel technique for reducing the phase modulation (PM) noise of an oscillator in a steady-state condition as well as under vibration. It utilizes correlation between PM noise and amplitude modulation (AM) noise that can originate from the oscillator’s loop components. A control voltage proportional to the correlated AM noise is generated and utilized in a feedforward architecture to correct for the steady state as well as the vibration-induced PM noise. An improvement of almost 10–15 dB in PM noise is observed over one decade of offset frequencies for a 635-MHz quartz-MEMS oscillator. This corresponds to more than a factor of five reductions in vibration sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In Hawaiʻi and other Pacific high islands submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can be a significant and continuous source of solutes to nearshore reefs and may play a key role in the structure and function of benthic coral and algal communities. Identifying SGD sources and linking them to reef biogeochemistry is technically challenging. Here we analyzed spectra of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM) in coral reefs in the context of a suite of biogeochemical parameters along gradients of SGD to characterize fDOM composition and evaluate the utility of fDOM signatures in tracking groundwater dispersal and transformation. We spatially mapped water column chemistry in Maunalua Bay, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi by collecting 24 water samples in grids at each of two ~ 0.15 km 2 regions during both high and low tides over a two-day period. We observed clear horizontal gradients in the majority of 15 measured parameters, including inorganic and organic solutes and organic particles that tracked concentrations of conservative SGD tracers (radon, salinity and silicate). Multivariate scanning excitation–emission fluorometry successfully differentiated two distinct groundwater sources and delineated regions of SGD dispersion in each reef from the surrounding water column samples without detectable groundwater. Groundwater was consistently depleted in DOC and enriched in nutrients; although the two SGD sources varied widely in fDOM quantity and fluorophore proportions, indices of humification were consistently elevated in SGD at both sites. Our results provide a robust spectral characterization of fDOM in SGD-influenced coral reefs and indicate the potential for this rapid and cost-effective measurement technique to be useful in tracking SGD dispersal in nearshore ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding bacterioplankton community dynamics in coastal hypoxic environments is relevant to global biogeochemistry because coastal hypoxia is increasing worldwide. The temporal dynamics of bacterioplankton communities were analysed throughout the illuminated water column of Devil's Hole, Bermuda during the 6-week annual transition from a strongly stratified water column with suboxic and high- pCO2 bottom waters to a fully mixed and ventilated state during 2008. A suite of culture-independent methods provided a quantitative spatiotemporal characterization of bacterioplankton community changes, including both direct counts and rRNA gene sequencing. During stratification, the surface waters were dominated by the SAR11 clade of A lphaproteobacteria and the cyanobacterium S ynechococcus. In the suboxic bottom waters, cells from the order C hlorobiales prevailed, with gene sequences indicating members of the genera C hlorobium and P rosthecochloris - anoxygenic photoautotrophs that utilize sulfide as a source of electrons for photosynthesis. Transitional zones of hypoxia also exhibited elevated levels of methane- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria relative to the overlying waters. The abundance of both T haumarcheota and E uryarcheota were elevated in the suboxic bottom waters (> 109 cells l−1). Following convective mixing, the entire water column returned to a community typical of oxygenated waters, with E uryarcheota only averaging 5% of cells, and C hlorobiales and T haumarcheota absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a high-performance 92 to 96 GHz cross-spectrum phase modulation (PM) noise measurement system. Utilizing this system, we measured residual PM noise of several amplifiers, mixers, and frequency multipliers. Data for the measurement system noise floor and the PM noise of W-band components are reported. These results can serve as a temporary benchmark because little or no information is available on the PM noise of components in this frequency range. In addition, we discuss an enhanced-performance frequency synthesizer that operates in the 92 to 96 GHz range. We achieved 5 to 10 dB improvement in the PM noise at 96 GHz compared with our previously designed synthesizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethics of permission can be helpful in framing a response to the ethical differences surrounding the California End of Life Option Act. Law does not define morality, and reaching a moral understanding demands thorough reflection. An ethics of permission examines the ethical demands of a permissive law for both clinician and patient. Serving the good of the patient, respecting professional conscience, and following the law are three ethical elements. Although developing an ethics of permission includes these three elements, these elements do not exhaust all the moral implications involved. An ethics of permission also includes the importance of exercising professional tolerance in the honoring of clinicians who choose to participate or refuse to participate. In addition, an ethics of permission also provides insight in implementing just and fair behavior among medical professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eddies are mesoscale oceanographic features (∼ 200 km diameter) that can cause transient blooms of phytoplankton by shifting density isoclines in relation to light and nutrient resources. To better understand how bacterioplankton respond to eddies, we examined depth-resolved distributions of bacterial populations across an anticyclonic mode-water eddy in the Sargasso Sea. Previous work on this eddy has documented elevated phytoplankton productivity and diatom abundance within the eddy centre with coincident bacterial productivity and biomass maxima. We illustrate bacterial community shifts within the eddy centre, differentiating populations uplifted along isopycnals from those enriched or depleted at horizons of enhanced bacterial and primary productivity. Phylotypes belonging to the Roseobacter, OCS116 and marine Actinobacteria clades were enriched in the eddy core and were highly correlated with pigment-based indicators of diatom abundance, supporting developing hypotheses that members of these clades associate with phytoplankton blooms. Typical mesopelagic clades ( SAR202, SAR324, SAR406 and SAR11 IIb) were uplifted within the eddy centre, increasing bacterial diversity in the lower euphotic zone. Typical surface oligotrophic clades ( SAR116, OM75, Prochlorococcus and SAR11 Ia) were relatively depleted in the eddy centre. The biogeochemical context of a bloom-inducing eddy provides insight into the ecology of the diverse uncultured bacterioplankton dominating the oligotrophic oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We established a fair and explicit nonbeneficial treatment and conflict resolution policy at our medical center. The policy was designed to help us acknowledge and respect both patients and clinicians involved in treatment planning and decision making. Objective: To qualitatively describe how our hospitalwide nonbeneficial treatment and conflict resolution policy was used. Design: Retrospective evaluation of all bioethics consultations from November 6, 2009, when the policy was adopted, through August 6, 2012. Case-specific data were obtained when nonconsensus occurred involving withholding or withdrawing of nonbeneficial treatment. Main Outcome Measures: Rates of resolution of conflicts and treatment plan consensus when nonbeneficial treatment was withheld or withdrawn. Results: We identified 146 (39.4%) cases where there was a treatment-level conflict between patients/surrogates and the treatment teams responsible for their care. In 54 (37.0%) of the cases, resolution occurred. In 92 (63.0%) of the cases, nonbeneficial treatment was eventually withheld or withdrawn. In 87 (94.6%) of the cases where treatment was withheld or withdrawn, the treatment teams and patients/surrogates reached consensus by the conclusion of the bioethics consultation process using the fair and explicit nonbeneficial treatment and conflict resolution policy. Conclusion: A fair and explicit nonbenfeficial treatment and conflict resolution policy can result in a high level of consensus between patients/surrogates and the treatment teams responsible for their care when treatment is withheld or withdrawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare antemortem whole-blood to postmortem peripheral blood concentrations of methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine in three medical examiner cases. Antemortem specimens, initially screened positive for methamphetamine by ELISA, were subsequently confirmed, together with the postmortem specimens, by GC-MS analysis following solid-phase extraction. Methamphetamine peripheral blood to antemortem blood ratios averaged 1.51 (±0.049; n = 3) and amphetamine peripheral blood to antemortem blood ratios averaged 1.50 (n = 2). These data show that postmortem redistribution occurs for both methamphetamine and amphetamine, revealing that postmortem blood concentrations are ∼1.5 times greater than antemortem concentrations. Furthermore, as both methamphetamine and amphetamine have previously been shown to have liver/peripheral blood (L/P) ratios of 5–8, it can be proposed that drugs displaying L/P ratios ranging from 5 to 10 may exhibit postmortem concentrations up to twice those concentrations circulating in blood before death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing algal cover on tropical reefs worldwide may be maintained through feedbacks whereby algae outcompete coral by altering microbial activity. We hypothesized that algae and coral release compositionally distinct exudates that differentially alter bacterioplankton growth and community structure. We collected exudates from the dominant hermatypic coral holobiont Porites spp. and three dominant macroalgae (one each Ochrophyta, Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta) from reefs of Mo'orea, French Polynesia. We characterized exudates by measuring dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and fractional dissolved combined neutral sugars (DCNSs) and subsequently tracked bacterioplankton responses to each exudate over 48 h, assessing cellular growth, DOC/DCNS utilization and changes in taxonomic composition (via 16S rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing). Fleshy macroalgal exudates were enriched in the DCNS components fucose (Ochrophyta) and galactose (Rhodophyta); coral and calcareous algal exudates were enriched in total DCNS but in the same component proportions as ambient seawater. Rates of bacterioplankton growth and DOC utilization were significantly higher in algal exudate treatments than in coral exudate and control incubations with each community selectively removing different DCNS components. Coral exudates engendered the smallest shift in overall bacterioplankton community structure, maintained high diversity and enriched taxa from Alphaproteobacteria lineages containing cultured representatives with relatively few virulence factors (VFs) (Hyphomonadaceae and Erythrobacteraceae). In contrast, macroalgal exudates selected for less diverse communities heavily enriched in copiotrophic Gammaproteobacteria lineages containing cultured pathogens with increased VFs (Vibrionaceae and Pseudoalteromonadaceae). Our results demonstrate that algal exudates are enriched in DCNS components, foster rapid growth of bacterioplankton and select for bacterial populations with more potential VFs than coral exudates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense light exposure causes photoreceptor apoptosis in dark-adapted adult albino zebrafish (Danio rerio). Subsequently, Müller glia increase expression of the Achaete-scute complex-like 1a (Ascl1a) and Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) transcription factors and re-enter the cell cycle to yield undifferentiated neuronal progenitors that continue to proliferate, migrate to the outer nuclear layer, and differentiate into photoreceptors. A proteomic analysis of light-damaged retinal homogenates, which induced Müller glia proliferation when injected into an undamaged eye, revealed increased expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) signaling proteins relative to undamaged retinal homogenates. TNFα expression initially increased in apoptotic photoreceptors and later in Müller glia. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of TNFα expression before light damage diminished the expression of both Ascl1a and Stat3 in Müller glia and significantly reduced the number of proliferating Müller glia without affecting photoreceptor cell death. Knockdown of TNFα expression in the Müller glia resulted in fewer proliferating Müller glia, suggesting that Müller glial-derived TNFα recruited additional Müller glia to re-enter the cell cycle. While TNFα is required for increased Ascl1a and Stat3 expression, Ascl1a and Stat3 are both necessary for TNFα expression in Müller glia. Apoptotic inner retinal neurons, resulting from intravitreal injection of ouabain, also exhibited increased TNFα expression that was required for Müller glia proliferation. Thus, TNFα is the first molecule identified that is produced by dying retinal neurons and is necessary to induce Müller glia to proliferate in the zebrafish retinal regeneration response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifts in the composition of dissolved organic matter ( DOM) may be a principal factor effecting changes in bacterial community composition. Emerald Lake, a high-elevation lake with DOM dominated by terrestrial sources in the spring with increasing phytoplankton-derived inputs throughout the ice-free season, provided a natural experiment with which to investigate the importance of resource-mediated drivers. Glycolate-utilizing bacteria, a subset of the bacterial community able to use algal exudates, were characterized using DNA analysis of glycolate oxidase subunit D ( glcD) genes from Emerald Lake samples collected approximately biweekly from ice-cover ( June) through fall turnover ( September). glcD genes were not detected in early-season samples when the lake was ice-covered and phytoplankton-derived resources were scarce. Following this period, glcD gene composition exhibited significant changes through time, which were strongly correlated with the combination of fluorescence index, an indicator of the proportion of lake vs. terrestrially derived DOM, and dissolved inorganic nitrate + nitrite. These results suggest that seasonal shifts in DOM source and environmental variables that affect the composition of algal-derived dissolved resources drive changes in the relative abundance and composition of putative glycolate-utilizing bacteria. These findings strengthen the evidence for shifts in DOM structuring bacterial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the role of Stat3, Ascl1a, and Lin28a in Müller glia reentry into the cell cycle following damage to the zebrafish retina. Immunohistochemical analysis was employed to determine the temporal and spatial expression of Stat3 and Ascl1a proteins following rod and cone photoreceptor cell apoptosis. Stat3 expression was observed in all Müller glia, whereas Ascl1a expression was restricted to only the mitotic Müller glia. Knockdown of Stat3 protein expression did not affect photoreceptor apoptosis, but significantly reduced, without abolishing, the number of proliferating Ascl1a-positive Müller glia. Knockdown of Ascl1a protein also did not change the extent of photoreceptor apoptosis, but did yield significantly fewer Müller glia that reentered the cell cycle relative to the stat3 morphant and significantly decreased the number and intensity of Stat3-expressing Müller glia. Finally, introduction of lin28a morpholinos resulted in decreased Müller glia expression of Stat3 and Ascl1a, significantly reducing the number of proliferating Müller glia. Thus, there are three populations of Müller glia in the light-damaged zebrafish retina: 1) Stat3-expressing Ascl1a-nonexpressing nonproliferating (quiescent) Müller glia; 2) Stat3-dependent Ascl1a-dependent proliferating Müller glia; and 3) Stat3-independent Ascl1a-dependent proliferating Müller glia. Whereas Ascl1a and Lin28a are required for Müller glia proliferation, Stat3 is necessary for the maximal number of Müller glia to proliferate during regeneration of the damaged zebrafish retina. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:4294-4311, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterioplankton are the primary trophic conduit for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and linking community structure with DOC utilization is central to understanding global carbon cycling. We coupled stable isotope probing (SIP) with 16S rRNA pyrosequencing in dark seawater culture experiments on euphotic and mesopelagic communities from the Sargasso Sea. Parallel cultures were amended with equimolar quantities of four DO13C substrates to simultaneously evaluate community utilization and population-specific incorporation. Of the substrates tested - two cyanobacterial products (exudates or lysates from a culture of Synechococcus) and two defined monosaccharides (glucose or gluconic acid) - the cyanobacterial exudates were incorporated by the greatest diversity of oligotrophic bacterioplankton populations in surface waters, including taxa from > 10 major subclades within the Flavobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria (including SAR11). In contrast, the monosaccharide glucose was not incorporated by any taxa belonging to extant oligotrophic oceanic clades. Conversely, proteobacterial copiotrophs, which were rare in the ambient water (< 0.1% of sequences), grew rapidly on all DOC amendments at both depths, but with different substrate preferences among lineages. We present a new analytical framework for using SIP to detect DOC incorporation across diverse oligotrophic bacterioplankton and discuss implications for the ecology of bacterial-DOC interactions among populations of diverging trophic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As clinical ethicists and ethics committee members, we strive to create the ideal situation for moral conversation and ethical refection. Using both the familiar foundation and the fuller sense, the ethicist and ethics committee are aided in participating more fruitfully in a process of resolution. The familiar foundation represents a body of knowledge that ethics consultants and ethics committees should thoroughly understand. In addition, there is a depth of analysis found in the fuller sense, through narrative, that sharpens ethical focus and enables richer understanding of the patient's situation in life. In using both tools, patients and families are better served than they would be relying on either tool by itself. Stakeholders and their relationships become more clearly assessed and individuals more effectively discover their own legitimate position. This can mean a more thorough representation of moral problems, a deeper understanding of all parties involved, and a greater opportunity to help parties better understand themselves and each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Zebrafish provide an attractive model to study the retinal response to photoreceptor apoptosis due to its remarkable ability to spontaneously regenerate retinal neurons following damage. There are currently two widely-used light-induced retinal degeneration models to damage photoreceptors in the adult zebrafish. One model uses constant bright light, whereas the other uses a short exposure to extremely intense ultraviolet light. Although both models are currently used, it is unclear whether they differ in regard to the extent of photoreceptor damage or the subsequent regeneration response. Here we report a thorough analysis of the photoreceptor damage and subsequent proliferation response elicited by each individual treatment, as well as by the concomitant use of both treatments. We show a differential loss of rod and cone photoreceptors with each treatment. Additionally, we show that the extent of proliferation observed in the retina directly correlates with the severity of photoreceptor loss. We also demonstrate that both the ventral and posterior regions of the retina are partially protected from light damage. Finally, we show that combining a short ultraviolet exposure followed by a constant bright light treatment largely eliminates the neuroprotected regions, resulting in widespread loss of rod and cone photoreceptors and a robust regenerative response throughout the retina. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To examine the influence of landscape characteristics and landscape position on aquatic biogeochemistry, we sampled a total of 76 lakes within 14 different lake-chains spanning the latitudinal extent of the high-elevation Sierra Nevada (California). We measured water chemistry, dissolved organic matter (DOM), nutrients, and biotic variables in study catchments that encompassed representative ranges of area (3-22 km), elevation (2,200-3,700 m.a.s.l), elevation change (50-700 m), and average slope (13°-26°). Hierarchical models were used to account for variability in biogeochemistry because they explicitly maintain the framework of lakes within individual lake-chains while accounting for variation among lake-chains. Unconditional means models, where lake-chain was a random effect, revealed significant differences among lake-chains for nearly all biogeochemical variables. Models explained 42-95% of this variability, with the majority of the variation (70%) explained by the among lake-chain component. To explore the amount of additional variation explained by lake landscape position, we added lake network number (LNN) to models. LNN explained a significant amount of additional variation (7% average) in 8 of 23 biogeochemical parameters. However, it explained more variability within individual lake-chains (75%), where among lake-chain differences did not obscure patterns. Patterns of increase with LNN were found for dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, fluorescence of DOM, alkalinity, and bacterioplankton abundance, whereas nitrate and nitrogen to phosphorus nutrient ratios decreased. LNN explained variation because it served as a proxy for underlying catchment characteristics that changed consistently along downstream flow paths. To characterize the amount of variation explained by catchment characteristics alone, we fit a third model that included lake-chain as a random effect and landscape or lake morphometry attributes as fixed effects. Catchment characteristics explained about as much additional variation (6%) as LNN, but for substantially more biogeochemical parameters (18 out of 23). The catchment characteristics most predictive of biogeochemistry were land-cover factors delineating alpine and subalpine zones (elevation, slope, or proportions of rock or shrub cover). In general, catchment characteristics were stronger predictors of biogeochemistry than characteristics of lake morphometry, emphasizing the relative importance of landscape processes in snowmelt-dominated lake ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Site (17.50°S, 149.83°W) comprises the fringe of coral reefs and lagoons surrounding the volcanic island of Moorea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. As part of our Microbial Inventory Research Across Diverse Aquatic LTERS biodiversity inventory project, we characterized microbial community composition across all three domains of life using amplicon pyrosequencing of the V6 (bacterial and archaeal) and V9 (eukaryotic) hypervariable regions of small-subunit ribosomal RNA genes. Our survey spanned eight locations along a 130-km transect from the reef lagoon to the open ocean to examine changes in communities along inshore to offshore gradients. Our results illustrate consistent community differentiation between inshore and offshore ecosystems across all three domains, with greater richness in all domains in the reef-associated habitats. Bacterial communities were more homogenous among open ocean sites spanning >100 km than among inshore sites separated by <1 km, whereas eukaryotic communities varied more offshore than inshore, and archaea showed more equal levels of dissimilarity among subhabitats. We identified signature communities representative of specific geographic and geochemical milieu, and characterized co-occurrence patterns of specific microbial taxa within the inshore ecosystem including several bacterial groups that persist in geographical niches across time. Bacterial and archaeal communities were dominated by few abundant taxa but spatial patterning was consistent through time and space in both rare and abundant communities. This is the first in-depth inventory analysis of biogeographic variation of all three microbial domains within a coral reef ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benthic primary producers in marine ecosystems may significantly alter biogeochemical cycling and microbial processes in their surrounding environment. To examine these interactions, we studied dissolved organic matter release by dominant benthic taxa and subsequent microbial remineralization in the lagoonal reefs of Moorea, French Polynesia. Rates of photosynthesis, respiration, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release were assessed for several common benthic reef organisms from the backreef habitat. We assessed microbial community response to dissolved exudates of each benthic producer by measuring bacterioplankton growth, respiration, and DOC drawdown in two-day dark dilution culture incubations. Experiments were conducted for six benthic producers: three species of macroalgae (each representing a different algal phylum: Turbinaria ornata - Ochrophyta; Amansia rhodantha - Rhodophyta; Halimeda opuntia - Chlorophyta), a mixed assemblage of turf algae, a species of crustose coralline algae (Hydrolithon reinboldii) and a dominant hermatypic coral (Porites lobata). Our results show that all five types of algae, but not the coral, exuded significant amounts of labile DOC into their surrounding environment. In general, primary producers with the highest rates of photosynthesis released the most DOC and yielded the greatest bacterioplankton growth; turf algae produced nearly twice as much DOC per unit surface area than the other benthic producers (14.0±2.8 mmol h-1 dm-2), stimulating rapid bacterioplankton growth (0.044±0.002 log10 cells h-1) and concomitant oxygen drawdown (0.16±0.05 mmol L-1 h-1 dm22). Our results demonstrate that benthic reef algae can release a significant fraction of their photosynthetically-fixed carbon as DOC, these release rates vary by species, and this DOC is available to and consumed by reef associated microbes. These data provide compelling evidence that benthic primary producers differentially influence reef microbial dynamics and biogeochemical parameters (i.e., DOC and oxygen availability, bacterial abundance and metabolism) in coral reef communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reefs are highly productive ecosystems bathed in unproductive, low-nutrient oceanic waters, where microbially dominated food webs are supported largely by bacterioplankton recycling of dissolved compounds. Despite evidence that benthic reef organisms efficiently scavenge particulate organic matter and inorganic nutrients from advected oceanic waters, our understanding of the role of bacterioplankton and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the interaction between reefs and the surrounding ocean remains limited. In this study, we present the results of a 4-year study conducted in a well-characterized coral reef ecosystem (Paopao Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia) where changes in bacterioplankton abundance and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were quantified and bacterial community structure variation was examined along spatial gradients of the reef:ocean interface. Our results illustrate that the reef is consistently depleted in concentrations of both DOC and bacterioplankton relative to offshore waters (averaging 79 μmol l−1 DOC and 5.5 × 108 cells l−1 offshore and 68 μmol l−1 DOC and 3.1 × 108 cells l−1 over the reef, respectively) across a 4-year time period. In addition, using a suite of culture-independent measures of bacterial community structure, we found consistent differentiation of reef bacterioplankton communities from those offshore or in a nearby embayment across all taxonomic levels. Reef habitats were enriched in Gamma-, Delta-, and Betaproteobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Specific bacterial phylotypes, including members of the SAR11, SAR116, Flavobacteria, and Synechococcus clades, exhibited clear gradients in relative abundance among nearshore habitats. Our observations indicate that this reef system removes oceanic DOC and exerts selective pressures on bacterioplankton community structure on timescales approximating reef water residence times, observations which are notable both because fringing reefs do not exhibit long residence times (unlike those characteristic of atoll lagoons) and because oceanic DOC is generally recalcitrant to degradation by ambient microbial assemblages. Our findings thus have interesting implications for the role of oceanic DOM and bacterioplankton in the ecology and metabolism of reef ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient enrichment of high-elevation freshwater ecosystems by atmospheric deposition is increasing worldwide, and bacteria are a key conduit for the metabolism of organic matter in these oligotrophic environments. We conducted two distinct in situ microcosm experiments in a high-elevation lake (Emerald Lake, Sierra Nevada, California, USA) to evaluate responses in bacterioplankton growth, carbon utilization, and community structure to short-term enrichment by nitrate and phosphate. The first experiment, conducted just following ice-off, employed dark dilution culture to directly assess the impact of nutrients on bacterioplankton growth and consumption of terrigenous dissolved organic matter during snowmelt. The second experiment, conducted in transparent microcosms during autumn overturn, examined how bacterioplankton in unmanipulated microbial communities responded to nutrients concomitant with increasing phytoplankton-derived organic matter. In both experiments, phosphate enrichment (but not nitrate) caused significant increases in bacterioplankton growth, changed particulate organic stoichiometry, and induced shifts in bacterial community composition, including consistent declines in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria. The dark dilution culture showed a significant increase in dissolved organic carbon removal in response to phosphate enrichment. In transparent microcosms nutrient enrichment had no effect on concentrations of chlorophyll, carbon, or the fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic matter, suggesting that bacterioplankton responses were independent of phytoplankton responses. These results demonstrate that bacterioplankton communities in unproductive high-elevation habitats can rapidly alter their taxonomic composition and metabolism in response to short-term phosphate enrichment. Our results reinforce the key role that phosphorus plays in oligotrophic lake ecosystems, clarify the nature of bacterioplankton nutrient limitation, and emphasize that evaluation of eutrophication in these habitats should incorporate heterotrophic microbial communities and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States is merging its two polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite programs operated by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Defense into a single system, which is called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). During the next decade, NPOESS will provide global operational data to meet many of the needs of weather forecasters, climate researchers, and global decision makers for remotely sensed Earth science data and global environmental monitoring. The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) will be launched in 2011 as a precursor to NPOESS to reduce final development risks for NPOESS and to provide continuity of global imaging and atmospheric sounding data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observing System (EOS) missions. Beginning in 2014, NPOESS spacecraft will be launched into an afternoon orbit and in 2016 into an early-morning orbit to provide significantly improved operational capabilities and benefits to satisfy critical civil and national security requirements for space-based, remotely sensed environmental data. The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Meteorological Operation (MetOp) spacecraft will complement NPOESS in a midmorning orbit. The joint constellation will provide global coverage with a data refresh rate of approximately four hours. NPOESS will observe more phenomena simultaneously from space and deliver a data volume significantly greater than its operational predecessors with substantially improved data delivery to users. Higher-resolution (spatial and spectral) and more accurate imaging and atmospheric sounding data will enable improvements in short- to medium-range weather forecasts. Multispectral and hyperspectral instruments on NPOESS will provide global imagery and sounding products useful to the forecaster that are complementary to those available from geostationary satellites. NPOESS will support the operational needs of meteorological, oceanographic, environmental, climatic, and space environmental remote sensing programs and provide continuity of data for climate researchers. This article that describes NPOESS was completed and accepted for publication prior to the White House decision in February 2010 ordering a major restructuring of the NPOESS program. The Department of Commerce will now assume primary responsibility for the afternoon polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite orbit and the Department of Defense will take primary responsibility for the early morning orbit. However, NPP, as described in this article, is still scheduled to be launched in 2011. Several of the instruments and program elements described in this article are also likely to be carried forward into future U.S. polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of microwave components is sensitive to vibrations to some extent. Aside from the resonator, microwave cables, and connectors, bandpass filters, mechanical phase shifters, and some nonlinear components are the most sensitive. The local oscillator is one of the prime performance-limiting components in microwave systems ranging from simple RF receivers to advanced radars. The increasing present and future demand for low acceleration sensitive oscillators, approaching 10-13/g, requires a reexamination of sensitivities of basic nonoscillatory building-block components under vibration. The purpose of this paper is to study the phase-modulation (PM) noise performance of an assortment of oscillatory and nonoscillatory microwave components under vibration at 10 GHz. We point out some challenges and provide suggestions for the accurate measurement of vibration sensitivity of these components. We also study the effect of vibration on the amplitude-modulation (AM) noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many eukaryotic communities exhibit predictable seasonality in species composition, but such phenological patterns are not well-documented in bacterial communities. This study quantified seasonal variation in the community composition of bacterioplankton in a high-elevation lake in the Sierra Nevada of California over a 3-year period of 2004–2006. Bacterioplankton exhibited consistent phenological patterns, with distinct, interannually recurring community types characteristic of the spring snowmelt, ice-off and fall-overturn periods in the lake. Thermal stratification was associated with the emergence of specific communities each summer and increased community heterogeneity throughout the water column. Two key environmental variables modulated by regional meteorologic variation, lake residence time and thermal stability, predicted the timing of occurrence of community types each year with 75% accuracy, and each corresponded with different aspects of variation in community composition (orthogonal ordination axes). Seasonal variation in dissolved organic matter source was characterized fluorometrically in 2005 and was highly correlated with overall variation in bacterial community structure (rMantel=0.75, P<0.001) and with the relative contributions of specific phylotypes within the Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria and β-Proteobacteria. The seasonal dynamics of bacterial clades (tracked through coupling of randomized clone sequence libraries to restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprints) matched previous results from alpine lakes and were variously related to solute inputs, thermal stability and temperature. Taken together, these results describe a phenology of high-elevation bacterioplankton communities linked to climate-driven physical and chemical lake characteristics already known to regulate eukaryotic plankton community structure.The ISME Journal (2009) 3, 13–30; doi:10.1038/ismej.2008.81; published online 11 September 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength of the evidence supporting evolution has increased markedly since the discovery of DNA but, paradoxically, public resistance to accepting evolution seems to have become stronger. A key dilemma is that science faculty have often continued to teach evolution ineffectively, even as the evidence that traditional ways of teaching are inferior has become stronger and stronger. Three pedagogical strategies that together can make a large difference in students' understanding and acceptance of evolution are extensive use of interactive engagement, a focus on critical thinking in science (especially on comparisons and explicit criteria) and using both of these in helping the students actively compare their initial conceptions (and publicly popular misconceptions) with more fully scientific conceptions. The conclusion that students' misconceptions must be dealt with systematically can be difficult for faculty who are teaching evolution since much of the students' resistance is framed in religious terms and one might be reluctant to address religious ideas in class. Applications to teaching evolution are illustrated with examples that address criteria and critical thinking, standard geology versus flood geology, evolutionary developmental biology versus organs of extreme perfection, and the importance of using humans as a central example. It is also helpful to bridge the false dichotomy, seen by many students, between atheistic evolution versus religious creationism. These applications are developed in detail and are intended to be sufficient to allow others to use these approaches in their teaching. Students and other faculty were quite supportive of these approaches as implemented in my classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hox proteins have been proposed to act at multiple levels within regulatory hierarchies and to directly control the expression of a plethora of target genes. However, for any specific Hox protein or tissue, very few direct in vivo-regulated target genes have been identified. Here, we have identified target genes of the Hox protein Ultrabithorax (UBX), which modifies the genetic regulatory network of the wing to generate the haltere, a modified hindwing. We used whole-genome microarrays and custom arrays including all predicted transcription factors and signaling molecules in the Drosophila melanogaster genome to identify differentially expressed genes in wing and haltere imaginal discs. To elucidate the regulation of selected genes in more detail, we isolated cis-regulatory elements (CREs) for genes that were specifically expressed in either the wing disc or haltere disc. We demonstrate that UBX binds directly to sites in one element, and these sites are critical for activation in the haltere disc. These results indicate that haltere and metathoracic segment morphology is not achieved merely by turning off the wing and mesothoracic development programs, but rather specific genes must also be activated to form these structures. The evolution of haltere morphology involved changes in UBX-regulated target genes, both positive and negative, throughout the wing genetic regulatory network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Tucson Police Department, Tucson, AZ, has begun using the Polyshok Impact Reactive Projectile (IRP), a new type of shotgun ammunition that includes a lead bead core that travels within single, plastic-encased projectile. On impact, the core is released to distribute over a small area, thereby disintegrating on impact to reduce the likelihood of exit or collateral damage on missed shots. After a brief review of shotgun slug ballistics and wound characteristics and a discussion of the mechanism of the Polyshok IRP, we report the first death in the United States from this ammunition. Findings included a single entrance wound with plastic ammunition components and small lead particles recovered from the body, the combination of which normally would suggest a close-range shooting with birdshot. However, the characteristics of this ammunition create different patterns than are found with slugs or shot, so that a medical examiner unfamiliar with the Polyshok IRP could draw inaccurate conclusions about ammunition and range of fire. Because the single projectile fired from this ammunition is composed of both plastic and lead, plastic components are likely to be found within the wound at any range of fire, unlike traditional shot or slug ammunition. Also, the small size of lead particles found spread through the wound cavity would ordinarily suggest a small-size shot, whereas the external appearance of the wound (a single entrance with no dispersion of shot) and the pattern of tissue destruction are more consistent with the patterns of injury associated with shotgun slugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that many educators use multiple-choice questions (MCQs) as one method of assessing student comprehension. When creating alternative answers for MCQs, instructors often try to imitate or replicate student thoughts. One area to focus on when writing MCQs is the language content. As faculty with larger vocabularies than students, people may use words requiring subtle distinctions that are unfamiliar to many students. Use of such words may unreasonably cause confusion for students who understand the concept that the question addresses. A few studies have examined student confusion over non-technical words in MCQs. Student use of past learning increases as students work through problems, and future recall is enhanced by the creation of additional conceptual frameworks and reinforcement of prior frameworks. MCQs can have a profound influence on student understanding of the question. It is found such test questions are very helpful in revealing student thinking and reasoning skills.

In turtles with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), estradiol applied to eggs incubated at male-producing temperatures produces female hatchlings. In other vertebrate taxa, estradiol administration during embryogenesis often induces only temporary or incomplete feminization, and sensitivity to estradiol can vary among taxonomic families. In the present study, we treated eggs of Kinosternon scorpiodes and Sternotherus odoratus incubated at male-producing temperatures with estradiol-17β and examined reproductive morphology of offspring. Furthermore, to determine whether sex reversal resulting from estradiol application in turtles with TSD is lasting, we maintained juvenile K. scorpiodes in the lab for up to three years prior to dissection. We found normal ovarian morphology and Müllerian duct development in a significantly greater proportion of the hatchling S. odoratus and juvenile K. scorpiodes that had been treated with estradiol during embryogenesis than in the untreated group. Results further suggest that estradiol-induced sex reversal seen in TSD turtles is both permanent and ubiquitous and may shed light on the evolution of sex-determining mechanisms in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on studying biological classification in accordance with the theory of naturalist Charles Darwin. Features of the classification; Factors that affect the characteristics of classified organisms; Importance of predictive power to biological classification; Tasks in teaching biological classification.

An analysis of claims data from a managed care health plan was performed to evaluate whether patients use chiropractic care as a substitution for medical care or in addition to medical care. Rates of neuromusculoskeletal complaints in 9e diagnostic categories were compared between groups with and without chiropractic coverage. For the 4-year study period, there were 3,129,752 insured member years in the groups with chiropractic coverage and 5,197,686 insured member years in the groups without chiropractic coverage. Expressed in terms of unique patients with neuromusculoskeletal complaints, the cohort with chiropractic coverage experienced a rate of 162.0 complaints per 1000 member years compared with 171.3 complaints in the cohort without chiropractic coverage. These results indicate that patients use chiropractic care as a direct substitution for medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores issues with regard to the study and teaching of evolution in higher education in the U.S. Overview of the rudimentary public understanding of evolution; Background on the traditional pedagogy in teaching evolution; Problem associated with the learning of evolution.

SUMMARY: The kidney may be involved in several forms of systemic vasculitis, particularly those affecting small-calibre blood vessels. Hence, the majority of cases involve patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, Churg–Strauss syndrome or microscopic polyangiitis. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are found in the majority of these patients and their detection has increased the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis. However, the role of ANCA in the pathogenesis of these lesions remains uncertain. Moreover, the approach to treatment, both in terms of induction and maintenance of remission, remains problematic. This brief review discusses aspects of ANCA and current approaches to management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early identification and treatment of chronic disease is associated with better clinical outcomes, lower costs, and reduced hospitalisation. Primary care is ideally placed to identify patients at risk of, or in the early stages of, chronic disease and to implement prevention and early intervention measures. This paper evaluates the implementation of a technological intervention called Future Health Today that integrates with general practice EMRs to (1) identify patients at-risk of, or with undiagnosed or untreated, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and (2) provide guideline concordant recommendations for patient care. The evaluation aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to successful implementation. Methods: Future Health Today was implemented in 12 general practices in Victoria, Australia. Fifty-two interviews with 30 practice staff were undertaken between July 2020 and April 2021. Practice characteristics were collected directly from practices via survey. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive qualitative analysis strategies, using Clinical Performance - Feedback Intervention Theory (CP-FIT) for theoretical guidance. Results: Future Health Today was acceptable, user friendly and useful to general practice staff, and supported clinical performance improvement in the identification and management of chronic kidney disease. CP-FIT variables supporting use of FHT included the simplicity of design and delivery of actionable feedback via FHT, good fit within existing workflow, strong engagement with practices and positive attitudes toward FHT. Context variables provided the main barriers to use and were largely situated in the external context of practices (including pressures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic) and technical glitches impacting installation and early use. Participants primarily utilised the point of care prompt rather than the patient management dashboard due to its continued presence, and immediacy and relevance of the recommendations on the prompt, suggesting mechanisms of compatibility, complexity, actionability and credibility influenced use. Most practices continued using FHT after the evaluation phase was complete. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that FHT is a useful and acceptable software platform that provides direct support to general practice in identifying and managing patients with CKD. Further research is underway to explore the effectiveness of FHT, and to expand the conditions on the platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following cases demonstrate a proof of concept for the safe and effective use of the glucagon‐like‐peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1 RA) semaglutide for weight loss in obese, non‐diabetic, end stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients on haemodialysis (HD), who are unable to undergo renal transplantation due to obesity. Obesity is a common barrier to wait‐listing for renal transplantation with effective, broadly applicable weight loss strategies lacking. GLP‐1 RAs have been shown to be effective adjuncts to achieve weight loss in non‐diabetic obese people. However, the major clinical trials excluded patients with ESKD on dialysis. This paper outlines the successful use of semaglutide to achieve a target body mass index (BMI) prior to renal transplant wait‐listing in two obese, non‐diabetic, HD patients. These patients achieved a 16% and 12.6% weight loss in under 9 months with one now waitlisted and the other transplanted. This strategy has the potential for broader use in this patient cohort to improve wait‐list times by overcoming this common barrier to renal transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines a mechanism by which selector genes control extensive genetic regulatory networks. Formation of many complex structures; Special class of transcription factors encoded by selector genes; DNA binding component of the selector protein complex for the Drosophila wing field.

Examines the activity of sonic hedgehog and Fgf-4 in proper limb growth and patterning. Zone of polarizing activity; Apical ectodermal ridge (AER); Positive feedback loop operating between the posterior mesoderm and the overlying AER.

A series of experiments was conducted to investigate sex, housing conditions, and strain as possible factors influencing the interference effect of prior exposure to shock on shock-induced aggression. In albino subjects, female rats and rats housed in community cages evidenced the greatest suppression in aggression following prior exposure to shock. In addition, ten sessions of prior exposure to shock produced a greater suppression in shock-induced fighting than 20 sessions of prior exposure to shock. The prior shock effect was not obtained with hooded subjects. Responsivity to shock was also investigated to determine whether the prior exposure to shock attenuation of shock-induced fighting was a consequence of reduced activity in response to shock. Responsivity to shock measured with an isometric platform accounted for, less than 4% of the variance in shock-induced fighting in the single experiment that obtained a correlation between responsivity and shock-induced aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suggests that student diversity requires different approaches to college teaching, even in math and science. Apparent biases of traditionally taught college courses against non-traditional students; Changes in teaching seen as fostering dramatic changes in student performance.

Discusses the link between group learning and critical thinking. Theoretical and empirical approaches to critical thinking; Effect of preconceptual thinking on critical thinking; Discourse communities as inhibiting critical thinking; Collaborative learning and critical thinking; Intellectual development and collaborative learning.