A Novel Role for the SMG-1 Kinase in Lifespan and Oxidative Stress Resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans

The PTEN tumour suppressor encodes a phosphatase, and its daf-18 orthologue in Caenorhabditis elegans negatively regulates the insulin/IGF-1 DAF-2 receptor pathway that influences lifespan in worms and other species. In order to identify new DAF-18 regulated pathways involved in aging, we initiated a candidate RNAi feeding screen for clones that lengthen lifespan. Here, we report that smg-1 inactivation increases average lifespan in a daf-18 dependent manner. Genetic analysis is consistent with SMG-1 acting at least in part in parallel to the canonical DAF-2 receptor pathway, but converging on the transcription factor DAF-16/FOXO. SMG-1 is a serine-threonine kinase which plays a conserved role in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in worms and mammals. In addition, human SMG-1 has also been implicated in the p53-mediated response to genotoxic stress. The effect of smg-1 inactivation on lifespan appears to be unrelated to its NMD function, but requires the p53 tumour suppressor orthologue cep-1. Furthermore, smg-1 inactivation confers a resistance to oxidative stress in a daf-18-, daf-16- and cep-1-dependent manner. We propose that the role of SMG-1 in lifespan regulation is at least partly dependent on its function in oxidative stress resistance. Taken together, our results unveil a novel role for SMG-1 in lifespan regulation

A many-analysts approach to the relation between religiosity and well-being

The relation between religiosity and well-being is one of the most researched topics in the psychology of religion, yet the directionality and robustness of the effect remains debated. Here, we adopted a many-analysts approach to assess the robustness of this relation based on a new cross-cultural dataset (N=10,535 participants from 24 countries). We recruited 120 analysis teams to investigate (1) whether religious people self-report higher well-being, and (2) whether the relation between religiosity and self-reported well-being depends on perceived cultural norms of religion (i.e., whether it is considered normal and desirable to be religious in a given country). In a two-stage procedure, the teams first created an analysis plan and then executed their planned analysis on the data. For the first research question, all but 3 teams reported positive effect sizes with credible/confidence intervals excluding zero (median reported β=0.120). For the second research question, this was the case for 65% of the teams (median reported β=0.039). While most teams applied (multilevel) linear regression models, there was considerable variability in the choice of items used to construct the independent variables, the dependent variable, and the included covariates

A Many-analysts Approach to the Relation Between Religiosity and Well-being

The relation between religiosity and well-being is one of the most researched topics in the psychology of religion, yet the directionality and robustness of the effect remains debated. Here, we adopted a many-analysts approach to assess the robustness of this relation based on a new cross-cultural dataset (N = 10, 535 participants from 24 countries). We recruited 120 analysis teams to investigate (1) whether religious people self-report higher well-being, and (2) whether the relation between religiosity and self-reported well-being depends on perceived cultural norms of religion (i.e., whether it is considered normal and desirable to be religious in a given country). In a two-stage procedure, the teams first created an analysis plan and then executed their planned analysis on the data. For the first research question, all but 3 teams reported positive effect sizes with credible/confidence intervals excluding zero (median reported β = 0.120). For the second research question, this was the case for 65% of the teams (median reported β = 0.039). While most teams applied (multilevel) linear regression models, there was considerable variability in the choice of items used to construct the independent variables, the dependent variable, and the included covariates

Characterization of embryonic globin gene expansions in homo sapiens : mechanistic and evolutionary implications

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1990.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-138)Microfiche.xiii, 138 leaves, bound ill. 29 cmThis research focused on the characterization of aberrant ζ-globin expansions as an important model system in the study of genetic recombination and gene rearrangements in Homo sapiens. There are normally two embryonic ζ-globin genes in the α-globin multigene family on chromosome 16p13.3. In this study, thirteen triple ζ-globin and two novel quadruple ζ-globin chromosomes from Laotian and Filipino populations in Hawaii were discovered and characterized by Southern blot gene mapping, PCR amplification and sequencing analyses in an effort to elucidate the structure and processes of gene duplication in the evolution of these amplified regions. Attempts to clone the reduplicated genes in genomic library constructs were unsuccessful, presumably due to sequence-specific idiosyncrasies and problems with methylation. Restriction patterns generated from a battery of enzymes in single and double digests indicate a similar homologous recombination event was responsible for the expansion haplotypes. The high frequencies (10-15%) of triplicated ζ-genes in the populations studied increases the likelihood of a homologous crossover event involving a triple ζ-globin chromosome in the generation of the quadruple arrangement. The identification of two distinct triple ζ-gene chromosomal arrangements, one in linkage with normal α-genes, and another associated with a - α3.7 deletion, indicates that the triple arrangement has undergone two recombination events in the Filipino population. Further, gene mapping and sequence analyses of PCR products of the ζ-gene expansions indicate that the recombinant genes are hybrids of 5'ψζ1 and 3'ζ2 genes, and that the ζ-globin sequences are highly conserved to date. The absence of single ζ-gene chromosomes in these populations suggests that the reciprocal chromosome in the recombinant expansion may be detrimental or lethal, similar to the α-thalassemia deletions. These analyses are suggestive of structural constraints within the molecule which lead to the production of similar zeta expansions in this region. As no correlating phenotypic advantage has been determined to date, the frequencies observed for the reduplicated ζ-globin genotypes are probably maintained by random genetic drift in these populations. The ζ-globin expansions may be an important event in the evolution of new genes or new gene functions in the α-globin complex, and their characterization is relevant to studies of molecular etiology of disease states and evolution in the human genome

Comparing Appreciative Inqiury to a Problem-Centered Technique in Organizational Deveopment: An Experiment

Author note: Submitted to: International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior January 1, 2006. PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE WITHOUT PERMISSION OF AUTHORSScholars and practitioners typically view organizational development and change from two very different starting points. A diagnostic intervention begins with an examination of problems to assess and correct dysfunction. This process has a history of success, with decades of theory and practice to support its use. However, an alternative has emerged with popularity. Appreciative Inquiry targets the organization's strengths and draws upon them as a resource for change. An experiment was conducted to compare the first phase of each approach to understand how initial experiences in each process impacts employees. Results show Appreciative Inquiry leads to positive emotion, favorable view of self, and desired perceptions, but the diagnostic approach also leads to desired perceptions. Gender moderates effects in unexpected ways

Comparing Appreciative Inquiry to a Diagnostic Technique in Organizational Change: The Moderating Effects of Gender

Organizational development and change may be initiated from two different starting points. A diagnostic approach begins with an examination of problems to assess and correct dysfunction. In contrast, the Appreciative Inquiry approach begins by identifying an organization’s strengths as resources for change. An experimental study was conducted to compare the processes and outcomes that arise during the first phase of each approach. Results show that both approaches lead to different but favorable and complementary outcomes. Both participant gender and the gender construction of the dyads in which individuals participated moderate these effects in unexpected ways. The implications for understanding the processes by which both methods work, and the potential for combining them, are discussed.Yellow-Roadway CorporationYellow-Roadway Corporatio

Non-target Markets and Viewer Distinctiveness: The Impact of Target Marketing on Advertising Attitudes

This research examines the effect of target marketing on members of the advertiser's intended audience as well as members not in the target market: the "non-target market." The results of three experiments show that unfavorable non-target market effects are stronger for members of non-distinctive groups (e.g., Causasian individuals, heterosexual individuals), and that favorable target market effects are stronger fro members of distinctive groups (e.g., Africian-American individuals, homosexual individuals). The results of Experiment 2 demonstrate that the psychological processes by which target and non-target market effects occur differ by viewer group: felt similarity with sources in an advertisement drives target market effects for distinctive viewers, while felt targetedness drives target market effects for non-distinctive viewers. Finally, Experiment 3 shows that these consumer feelings of similarity or targetedness are associated with underlying processes of identification and internalization. Theoretical implications regarding the impact of distinctiveness theory in consumer persuasion effects, and potential social effects of target marketing are discussed.