Environmental memory from a circadian oscillator:the Arabidopsis thaliana clock differentially integrates perception of photic vs. thermal entrainment

The constraint of a rotating earth has led to the evolution of a circadian clock that drives anticipation of future environmental changes. During this daily rotation, the circadian clock of Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) intersects with the diurnal environment to orchestrate virtually all transcriptional processes of the plant cell, presumably by detecting, interpreting, and anticipating the environmental alternations of light and temperature. To comparatively assess differential inputs toward phenotypic and physiological responses on a circadian parameter, we surveyed clock periodicity in a recombinant inbred population modified to allow for robust periodicity measurements after entrainment to respective photic vs. thermal cues, termed zeitgebers. Lines previously thermally entrained generally displayed reduced period length compared to those previously photically entrained. This differential zeitgeber response was also detected in a set of diverse Arabidopsis accessions. Thus, the zeitgebers of the preceding environment direct future behavior of the circadian oscillator. Allelic variation at quantitative trait loci generated significant differences in zeitgeber responses in the segregating population. These were important for periodicity variation dependent on the nature of the subsequent entrainment source. Collectively, our results provide a genetic paradigm for the basis of environmental memory of a preceding environment, which leads to the integrated coordination of circadian periodicity

Molecular mechanism of photoperiod sensing

ELF3 and GI are two important components of the Arabidopsis circadian clock. They are not only essential for the oscillator function but are also pivotal in mediating light inputs to the oscillator. Lack of either results in a defective oscillator causing severely compromised output pathways, such as photoperiodic flowering and hypocotyl elongation. Although single loss of function mutants of ELF3 and GI have been well-studied, their genetic interaction remains unclear. We generated an elf3 gi double mutant to study their genetic relationship in clock-controlled growth and phase transition phenotypes. We found that ELF3 and GI repress growth during the night and the day, respectively. We also provide evidence that ELF3, for which so far only a growth inhibitory role has been reported, can also act as a growth promoter under certain conditions. Finally, circadian clock assays revealed that ELF3 and GI are essential Zeitnehmers that enable the oscillator to synchronize the endogenous cellular mechanisms to external environmental signals. In their absence, the circadian oscillator fails to synchronize to the light dark cycles even under diurnal conditions. Consequently, clock-mediated photoperiod-responsive growth and development is completely lost in plants lacking both genes, suggesting that ELF3 and GI together convey photoperiod sensing to the central oscillator. Since ELF3 and GI are conserved across flowering plants and represent important breeding and domestication targets, our data highlight the possibility of developing photoperiod-insensitive crops by manipulating the combination of these two key genes

Photoperiod sensing of the circadian clock is controlled by EARLY FLOWERING 3 and GIGANTEA

ELF3 and GI are two important components of the Arabidopsis circadian clock. They are not on-ly essential for the oscillator function but are also pivotal in mediating light inputs to the oscillator. Lack of either results in a defective oscillator causing severely compromised output pathways, such as photoperiodic flowering and hypocotyl elongation. Although single loss of function mu-tants of ELF3 and GI have been well-studied, their genetic interaction remains unclear. We gen-erated an elf3 gi double mutant to study their genetic relationship in clock-controlled growth and phase transition phenotypes. We found that ELF3 and GI repress growth differentially during the night and the day, respectively. Circadian clock assays revealed that ELF3 and GI are essential Zeitnehmers that enable the oscillator to synchronize the endogenous cellular mechanisms to external environmental signals. In their absence, the circadian oscillator fails to synchronize to the light-dark cycles even under diurnal conditions. Consequently, clock-mediated photoperiod-responsive growth and development are completely lost in plants lacking both genes, suggesting that ELF3 and GI together convey photoperiod sensing to the central oscillator. Since ELF3 and GI are conserved across flowering plants and represent important breeding and domestication targets, our data highlight the possibility of developing photoperiod-insensitive crops by adjusting the allelic combination of these two key genes

Becoming an Adult: Challenges for Those with Mental Health Conditions [English and Spanish versions]

A Spanish translation of this publication is available for download under Additional Files below. This brief will describe psychosocial development and family life cycle changes during the transition to adulthood in typical youth and youth with serious mental health conditions (SMHC). We also describe additional challenges this population faces, and what can be done to support them and improve their outcomes. Originally published as: Transitions RTC Research Brief 3, 2011

Laparoscopic Nephroureterectomy and Management of the Distal Ureter: A Review of Current Techniques and Outcomes

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) is becoming an increasingly common alternative treatment for transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis and ureter due to decreased perioperative morbidity, shorter hospitalization, and comparable oncologic control with open nephroureterectomy (ONU). Mobilization of the kidney and proximal ureter may be performed through a transperitoneal, retroperitoneal, or hand-assisted approach. Each technique is associated with its own benefits and limitations, and the optimal approach is often dictated by surgeon preference. Our analysis of the literature reflects equivalent cancer control between LPN and OPN at intermediate follow-up with significantly improved perioperative morbidity following LPN. Several methods for bladder cuff excision have been advocated, however, no individual technique for management of the distal ureter proved superior. Overall, complete en-bloc resection with minimal disruption of the urinary tract should be optimized to maintain oncologic outcomes. Longer follow-up and prospective studies are needed to fully evaluate these techniques

Assessment in Practice: A Companion Guide to the ASK Standards

Colleges today are asked to provide greater proof that they are providing quality educational experiences to their students. There has been a growing need for student affairs to provide documentation that their areas also impact learning and student experience. However, many student affairs professionals are overwhelmed by the idea of assessment and are looking for examples of best practices in this area. Several years ago the American College Personnel Association\u27s Commission Director for Assessment and Evaluation developed the Assessment Skills and Knowledge Standards for practitioners. This document provides exampes of these standards in practice

Utilizing data-driven technology tools for community-led solutions to vacant properties and urban blight

As a city that has lost more than 1/3 of its population over the past 6 decades, some Baltimore neighborhoods suffer from a disproportionate number of vacant and abandoned properties, mired in issues of unclear ownership and “under-water” lien burdens. Cloudy legal and financial restrictions cause properties to cycle through a speculative system that strips them of all equity, and causes them to move out of reach for redevelopment. Evidence suggests that existing processes for addressing these issues, such as tax lien sales and foreclosures, can actually play a role in increasing vacancy rates and amplify neighborhood disinvestment (Dewar, Seymour, and Druță, 2015). Policies aimed at real property tax reform and foreclosure prevention can improve conditions, yet communities, non-profits, and city agencies in Baltimore lacked a unified data system to guide their reform and outreach efforts. One challenge is that property data are housed at various agencies, each using its own system of data storage and dissemination, making it difficult to use different datasets for a single property. The Baltimore City Open Land Data (BOLD) web application arose out of the need to streamline the data gathering process by integrating various datasets for easier use by stakeholders working to stabilize their communities, preserve homeownership, and break the cycle of vacant properties. This presentation will give an overview how BOLD was designed, a short demonstration of the application, and show how it can be used to further research the impact of tax sales and foreclosures in Baltimore City

Gene Expression Pattern Analysis of Anterior Hox Genes during Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryonic Development Reveals Divergent Expression Patterns from Other Teleosts

The regional identity of organs and organ systems along the anterior-posterior axis during embryonic development is patterned, in part, by Hox genes, which encode transcription factor proteins that activate or repress the expression of downstream target genes. Divergent nested Hox gene expression patterns may have had a role in facilitating morphological divergence of structures, such as the pharyngeal jaw apparatus, among evolutionarily divergent teleost fishes. Recent studies from several evolutionarily divergent teleosts, such as the Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) and the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), have shown the presence of divergent expression patterns of several Hox genes within paralog groups 2–5 between these species. Specifically, these expression patterns were documented in the pharyngeal arches, which give rise to the pharyngeal jaw apparatus. While the expression patterns of several Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Hox genes that are orthologous to those of Medaka and Tilapia have been documented within the developing hindbrain and pharyngeal arches, many still have yet to be documented, especially within the pharyngeal arches during the postmigratory cranial neural crest cell stages. Here, we present the expression patterns of six Zebrafish Hox genes, hoxc3a, d3a, a4a, d4a, b5a, and c5a, within the pharyngeal arches during a postmigratory cranial neural crest cell stage and compare them to their orthologous genes of Medaka and Tilapia at similar stages. We show that while hoxc3a, d3a, and c5a of Zebrafish are absent from the pharyngeal arches, hoxa4a, d4a, and b5a show divergent expression patterns from their orthologs in Medaka and Tilapia. These observed divergences may be, in part, responsible for the divergent pharyngeal jaw apparatus structures exhibited by these fishes

Establishing Peer Recovery Support Services to Address the Central Appalachian Opioid Epidemic: The West Virginia Peers Enhancing Education, Recovery, and Survival (WV PEERS) Pilot Program

Introduction: Central Appalachia has been disproportionately affected by the opioid epidemic and overdose fatalities. We developed West Virginia Peers Enhancing Education, Recovery, and Survival (WV PEERS), a program based on peer recovery support, to engage individuals using opioids and link them with a range of services. Methods: Community partners providing services to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) were identified and collaborations were formalized using a standardized memorandum of understanding. The program was structured to offer ongoing peer recovery support specialist (PRSS) services, not just a one-time referral. A website and cards describing the WV PEERS program were developed and disseminated via community partners and community education sessions. Results: Overall, 1456 encounters with individuals with OUD (mean= 2 encounters per individual) occurred in a variety of community settings over 8 months. The majority of referrals were from harm reduction programs. Overall, 63.9% (n=931) of individuals served by WV PEERS accessed services for substance use disorders and/or mental health problems. Over half (52.3%; n = 487) of individuals entered substance use and/or mental health treatment, and nearly a third (30.4%; n = 283) remained in treatment over six months. Implications: Using the WV PEERS model, PRSSs effectively engaged and linked individuals with OUD to mental health and substance use treatment in rural central Appalachia. Future research is needed to determine whether these services reduce the risk of overdose mortality

Daily rhythmicity of high affinity copper transport

A differential demand for copper (Cu) of essential cupro-proteins that act within the mitochondrial and chloroplastal electronic transport chains occurs along the daily light/dark cycles. This requires a fine-tuned spatiotemporal regulation of Cu delivery, becoming especially relevant under non-optimal growth conditions. When scarce, Cu is imported through plasma membrane-bound high affinity Cu transporters (COPTs) whose coding genes are transcriptionally induced by the SPL7 transcription factor. Temporal homeostatic mechanisms are evidenced by the presence of multiple light- and clock-responsive regulatory cis elements in the promoters of both SPL7 and its COPT targets. A model is presented here for such temporal regulation that is based on the synchrony between the basal oscillatory pattern of SPL7 and its targets, such as COPT2. Conversely, Cu feeds back to coordinate intracellular Cu availability on the SPL7-dependent regulation of further Cu acquisition. This occurs via regulation at COPT transporters. Moreover, exogenous Cu affects several circadian-clock components, such as the timing of GIGANTEA transcript abundance. Together we propose that there is a dynamic response to Cu that is integrated over diurnal time to maximize metabolic efficiency under challenging conditions