Language variation and change through an experimental lens: Contextual modulation in the use of the Progressive in three Spanish dialects

Spanish exhibits two markers to convey a progressive meaning: the Simple Present and the Present Progressive. The use of these markers is contextually biased: the Simple Present requires contexts where speaker and addressee share perceptual access to the situation at issue, while the Present Progressive does not require such support. We test this generalization through real-time comprehension: the Simple Present marker in contexts without shared perceptual access should elicit slower reading times than within shared perceptual access contexts. A self-paced reading study (n = 176) in three different varieties of Spanish (Mexican, Rioplatense, and Castilian) bears this prediction out. Additionally, we find that the Mexican variety appears further advanced in the Progressive-to-Imperfective diachronic shift than its dialectal counterparts

Intended Consequences Statement in Conservation Science and Practice

As the biodiversity crisis accelerates, the stakes are higher for threatened plants and animals. Rebuilding the health of our planet will require addressing underlying threats at many scales, including habitat loss and climate change. Conservation interventions such as habitat protection, management, restoration, predator control, trans location, genetic rescue, and biological control have the potential to help threatened or endangered species avert extinction. These existing, well-tested methods can be complemented and augmented by more frequent and faster adoption of new technologies, such as powerful new genetic tools. In addition, synthetic biology might offer solutions to currently intractable conservation problems. We believe that conservation needs to be bold and clear-eyed in this moment of great urgency

Histone Deacetylase 3 Depletion in Osteo/Chondroprogenitor Cells Decreases Bone Density and Increases Marrow Fat

Histone deacetylase (Hdac)3 is a nuclear enzyme that contributes to epigenetic programming and is required for embryonic development. To determine the role of Hdac3 in bone formation, we crossed mice harboring loxP sites around exon 7 of Hdac3 with mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the osterix promoter. The resulting Hdac3 conditional knockout (CKO) mice were runted and had severe deficits in intramembranous and endochondral bone formation. Calvarial bones were significantly thinner and trabecular bone volume in the distal femur was decreased 75% in the Hdac3 CKO mice due to a substantial reduction in trabecular number. Hdac3-CKO mice had fewer osteoblasts and more bone marrow adipocytes as a proportion of tissue area than their wildtype or heterozygous littermates. Bone formation rates were depressed in both the cortical and trabecular regions of Hdac3 CKO femurs. Microarray analyses revealed that numerous developmental signaling pathways were affected by Hdac3-deficiency. Thus, Hdac3 depletion in osterix-expressing progenitor cells interferes with bone formation and promotes bone marrow adipocyte differentiation. These results demonstrate that Hdac3 inhibition is detrimental to skeletal health

Language variation and change through an experimental lens: Contextual modulation in the use of the Progressive in three Spanish dialects

Spanish exhibits two markers to convey a progressive meaning: the Simple Present and the Present Progressive. The use of these markers is contextually biased: the Simple Present requires contexts where speaker and addressee share perceptual access to the situation at issue, while the Present Progressive does not require such support. We test this generalization through real-time comprehension: the Simple Present marker in contexts without shared perceptual access should elicit slower reading times than within shared perceptual access contexts. A self-paced reading study (n = 176) in three different varieties of Spanish (Mexican, Rioplatense, and Castilian) bears this prediction out. Additionally, we find that the Mexican variety appears further advanced in the Progressive-to-Imperfective diachronic shift than its dialectal counterparts

Socioeconomic Status and Foodborne Pathogens in Connecticut, USA, 2000–2011

Foodborne pathogens cause >9 million illnesses annually. Food safety efforts address the entire food chain, but an essential strategy for preventing foodborne disease is educating consumers and food preparers. To better understand the epidemiology of foodborne disease and to direct prevention efforts, we examined incidence of Salmonella infection, Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli infection, and hemolytic uremic syndrome by census tract–level socioeconomic status (SES) in the Connecticut Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network site for 2000–2011. Addresses of case-patients were geocoded to census tracts and linked to census tract–level SES data. Higher census tract–level SES was associated with Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli, regardless of serotype; hemolytic uremic syndrome; salmonellosis in persons ≥5 years of age; and some Salmonella serotypes. A reverse association was found for salmonellosis in children <5 years of age and for 1 Salmonella serotype. These findings will inform education and prevention efforts as well as further research

Changes in key vaginal bacteria among postpartum African women initiating intramuscular depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate.

BackgroundThe ECHO trial has relieved apprehension about intramuscular depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-IM), however it is still important to understand how DMPA-IM affects the vaginal environment. We sought to describe how DMPA-IM initiation influences vaginal bacteria associated with HIV acquisition in postpartum women.MethodsVaginal swabs were collected for Nugent score determination and taxon-specific quantitative PCR of eight bacteria. Enrollment occurred at contraceptive initiation (DMPA-IM or non-hormonal contraception (non-HC)) and repeat vaginal swabs were collected after three months. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate changes in Nugent score, total bacterial load, and taxa concentrations among contraceptive groups.ResultsWomen who chose DMPA-IM (n = 33) were more likely to be married (97%vs.67%) and have resumed intercourse since delivery (52%vs.29%) compared to women who chose non-HC (n = 21). After three months, significant decreases in the concentrations of Sneathia species, Mycoplasma hominis, and Parvimonas species Type 1 were seen among non-HC users, however concentrations remained stable among DMPA-IM users; contraceptive method was associated with significantly different changes in M. hominis concentration between groups (p = 0.010).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that postpartum use of DMPA-IM and non-HC may have differential impacts on the vaginal concentrations of some bacteria that have previously been associated with HIV acquisition

EXAMINING THE 26 IRIDOVIRUS CORE GENES FOR ALTERNATIVES TO THE MAJOR CAPSID PROTEIN FOR PHYLOGENETIC RECONSTRUCTION IN RANAVIRUSES: AN ONGOING SAGA

Ranaviruses are globally emerging pathogens of ectothermic vertebrates. They are a member of the family Iridoviridae and, as such, have 26 core genes. Traditionally, one or a few genes have been used for phylogenetic inference or placing new isolates into species groupings. The most commonly used gene for this has been the major capsid protein, open reading frame (ORF) 90R in Frog Virus 3 (FV3), the type virus for the Ranaviruses. In this study, sequence data from 17 fully sequenced Ranavirus isolates, that included strains from each species of Ranavirus obtained from GenBank, was used to investigate the phylogenetic relationships reconstructed using each core gene. Sequence data was aligned using multiple alignment using fast Fournier transform, then imported in to Molecular Evolution and Genetic Analysis (MEGA version 6). Sequence data was tested for the best nucleotide substitution model in MEGA and a neighbor-joining tree (with 1000 bootstraps) using the best fit model was created for each of the 26 core genes. Trees were then exported into FigTree (version 1.4.2) and rootless trees were created for visualization. For large scale differentiation, using the major capsid protein gene creates a tree similar to the whole genome tree. Other comparable genes are ORF 19R (a serine-theonine protein kinase), ORF 81R (a transcription elongation factor TFIIS), ORF 88R (Erv I/Alr Family protein) and ORF 91R (an immediate early protein ICP-46). The poorest candidate for phylogenetic reconstruction, due to high homology, was ORF 1R (a putative replication factor or DNA binding-packing protein). In the future, we hope to test each core ORF for phylogenetic signal and use this data to create trees that capture both large and smaller scale variation

Substance use and HIV stage at entry into care among people with HIV.

BackgroundInformation regarding the impact of substance use on the timing of entry into HIV care is lacking. Better understanding of this relationship can help guide approaches and policies to improve HIV testing and linkage.MethodsWe examined the effect of specific substances on stage of HIV disease at entry into care in over 5000 persons with HIV (PWH) newly enrolling in care. Substance use was obtained from the AUDIT-C and ASSIST instruments. We examined the association between early entry into care and substance use (high-risk alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine/crack, illicit opioids, marijuana) using logistic and relative risk regression models adjusting for demographic factors, mental health symptoms and diagnoses, and clinical site.ResultsWe found that current methamphetamine use, past and current cocaine and marijuana use was associated with earlier entry into care compared with individuals who reported no use of these substances.ConclusionEarly entry into care among those with substance use suggests that HIV testing may be differentially offered to people with known HIV risk factors, and that individuals with substances use disorders may be more likely to be tested and linked to care due to increased interactions with the healthcare system