Flowers for health: the importance of flower diversity and composition for maintaining the health and disease resistance of bumblebee pollinators

Bumblebees are important pollinating insects for many crops and wild flowering plants. Due to multiple factors that include agricultural intensification, many populations have experienced severe declines and several species are now listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Bumblebees rely exclusively on nutrients derived from pollen and nectar, and nutrition is crucial for the development and activation of the immune system. Four microbial pathogens are known to infect bumblebees, and previous work has shown a variety of interactive effects between host nutritional status and pathogen epidemiology. Of the studies that investigated nutritional immunology in bumblebees, almost all have been carried on a limited range of common species because others, notably long-tonged species, have been difficult to rear in captivity. As a result, we lack knowledge of the nutritional needs of many declining species. Here, I test methods for rearing two long-tongued species in captivity and investigate the effect of diet on incipient colony development. A new technique to encourage oviposition and brood care was trialled successfully, and I observed interspecific differences between bumblebee queens on each diet. I also find evidence to support the idea that the nutritional content of pollen, not only plant species diversity, determines bumblebee health. In the wild, floral resources play an important role in regulating bumblebee populations and that of their pathogens. The abundance, diversity and composition of floral resources vary dramatically across the landscape, but studies investigating the effects of floristic composition on host-pathogen dynamics in bumblebees remain scarce. I compare floral resource availability, bee health and pathogen prevalence across three important UK habitats: farmland, gardens and nature reserves. I found that gardens contained the greatest species richness of flowers and had the largest, healthiest bees, despite increased parasitism. Farmland consistently provided the least floral resources, but habitats were complementary to each other in resource provision. I observed interspecific differences in bee health across habitats and report on the prevalence of bumblebee pathogens C. bombi, N. bombi and N. ceranae. Floral resources have a substantial effect on bumblebee health and pathogen dynamics, but these effects appear to vary between species. To support taxonomically diverse bumblebee communities, it is essential that the nutritional needs of a wider range of bumblebee species are considered

“Mantenha suas palavras”: A juventude Indígena, política local, e o trabalho no fortalecimento da língua

This article focuses on the work of cultural and language maintenance and fortification with Indigenous youth populations. Here, the idea of work represents two strands of thought: first, research that is partnered with Indigenous youth-serving institutions and that prioritizes Indigenous youth perspectives; and second, the work of cultural and linguistic engagement that is often taken for granted as part of the sociocultural fabric of Indigenous communities where youth are active participants. By highlighting a study with Pueblo Indian youth in the southwestern United States, we aim to build on the counter-narrative frameworks of other educational scholars and community-based researchers in order to offer alternative approaches towards understanding how Indigenous youth can and do participate in representing themselves as cultural and language agents of change. Arriving at this realization requires several key steps, including deconstructing dominant assumptions, holding ourselves accountable for interrogating and revisiting our own biases, and ultimately committing to long-term research and support with Indigenous youth. As such, we offer empirical evidence that contradicts universal discourse of Indigenous peoples and youth as victims at risk. Instead, we focus on the ways in which Indigenous youth demonstrate both tentative and bold fortification of key elements in their Indigenous identities and illustrate promise in contribution to multiple levels of policy development to address their communities’ most urgent needs and goals. Este artículo se enfoca en el mantenimiento y fortalecimiento de las culturas e idiomas indígenas con jóvenes indígenas. Representamos dos líneas de pensamiento – primero, investigaciones en asociación con instituciones que sirven jóvenes indígenas y que priorizan las perspectivas de la juventud Indígena, y en segundo lugar, el trabajo de participación cultural y lingüístico que a veces se da por descontado como parte de la estructura de comunidades indígenas donde jóvenes participan activamente. Destacando un estudio de investigación con jóvenes indígenas Pueblo del suroeste de los Estados Unidos, nuestro objetivo es fortalecer contra-narrativas de otros intelectuales y de investigadores insertos en comunidades Indígenas para ofrecer propuestas alternativas para la comprensión sobre como los jóvenes participarán y participan para representarse como agentes culturales y de idiomas para cambios sociales. Estas tareas requieren varios pasos, incluso deconstruir suposiciones dominantes, responsabilizándonos a nosotros mismos para interrogar y volver a visitar nuestros prejuicios, y finalmente, comprometiéndonos a estudios de investigación de largo plazo y que apoyen jóvenes indígenas. Ofrecemos pruebas empíricas que contradicen el discurso general que caracteriza a los pueblos Indígenas y sus jovenes como victimas en situación de riesgo. Nosotros nos enfocamos en las maneras como los jovenes indígena fortalecen tentativamente y audazmente elementos importantes para sus identidades indígenas e ilustramos sus contribuciones en múltiples niveles de desarrollos políticos para abordar las necesidades y metas más urgentes en sus comunidades.Este artigo foca no trabalho de manter e fortalecer a cultura da língua indígena com as populações de jovens indígenas. O trabalho representa dois aspectos de pensamento - primeiro, pesquisas associadas com instituições que sirvam à juventude indígena e que priorizam as perspectivas da juventude Indígena, e segundo, o trabalho de engajamento cultural e linguístico que muitas vezes é algo adquirido como parte da estrutura sociocultural de comunidades Indígenas onde os jovens participam ativamente. Destacando um estudo com a juventude indígena Pueblo do sudoeste dos Estados Unidos, nosso objetivo é desenvolver sistemas de contra-narrativa de outros estudiosos e pesquisadores com base nas comunidades indígenas a fim de oferecer propostas alternativas para a compreensão de como jovens indígenas participaram e participam representando a si mesmos como agentes culturais e linguísticos em uma mudança social. Chegar à essa realização requer várias etapas, incluindo desconstruir suposições dominantes, mantendo-nos responsáveis para interrogar e revisitar nossos próprios preconceitos, e, por fim, comprometendo-se a investigação a longo prazo e apoio com os jovens indígenas. Como tal, oferecemos evidência empírica que contradiz o discurso universal dos povos Indígenas e os jovens como vítimas em risco. Em vez disso, focamos em formas em que os jovens indígenas demonstram fortificação tanto hesitante como ousada nos elementos principais para suas identidades Indígenas e ilustram o nível de contribuição a múltiplos níveis de desenvolvimento político para abordar as necessidades e metas mais urgentes em suas comunidades

C. elegans Demonstrates Distinct Behaviors within a Fixed and Uniform Electric Field

C. elegans will orient and travel in a straight uninterrupted path directly towards the negative pole of a DC electric field. We have sought to understand the strategy worms use to navigate to the negative pole in a uniform electric field that is fixed in both direction and magnitude. We examined this behavior by quantifying three aspects of electrotaxis behavior in response to different applied field strengths: the mean approach trajectory angles of the animals’ tracks, turning behavior (pirouettes) and average population speeds. We determined that C. elegans align directly to the negative pole of an electric field at sub-preferred field strength and alter approach trajectories at higher field strengths to maintain taxis within a preferred range we have calculated to be ~ 5V/cm. We sought to identify the sensory neurons responsible for the animals’ tracking to a preferred field strength. eat-4 mutant animals defective in glutamatergic signaling of the amphid sensory neurons are severely electrotaxis defective and ceh-36 mutant animals, which are defective in the terminal differentiation of two types of sensory neurons, AWC and ASE, are partially defective in electrotaxis. To further elucidate the role of the AWC neurons, we examined the role of each of the pair of AWC neurons (AWCOFF and AWCON), which are functionally asymmetric and express different genes. nsy-5/inx-19 mutant animals, which express both neurons as AWCOFF, are severely impaired in electrotaxis behavior while nsy-1 mutants, which express both neurons as AWCON, are able to differentiate field strengths required for navigation to a specific field strength within an electric field. We also tested a strain with targeted genetic ablation of AWC neurons and found that these animals showed only slight disruption of directionality and turning behavior. These results suggest a role for AWC neurons in which complete loss of function is less disruptive than loss of functional asymmetry in electrotaxis behavior within a uniform fixed field

An Algorithm for Finding Candidate Synaptic Sites in Computer Generated Networks of Neurons with Realistic Morphologies

Neurons make synaptic connections at locations where axons and dendrites are sufficiently close in space. Typically the required proximity is based on the dimensions of dendritic spines and axonal boutons. Based on this principle one can search those locations in networks formed by reconstructed neurons or computer generated neurons. Candidate synapses are then located where axons and dendrites are within a given criterion distance from each other. Both experimentally reconstructed and model generated neurons are usually represented morphologically by piecewise-linear structures (line pieces or cylinders). Proximity tests are then performed on all pairs of line pieces from both axonal and dendritic branches. Applying just a test on the distance between line pieces may result in local clusters of synaptic sites when more than one pair of nearby line pieces from axonal and dendritic branches is sufficient close, and may introduce a dependency on the length scale of the individual line pieces. The present paper describes a new algorithm for defining locations of candidate synapses which is based on the crossing requirement of a line piece pair, while the length of the orthogonal distance between the line pieces is subjected to the distance criterion for testing 3D proximity

Problem Solving Incorporated into Blending Learning in Nursing Masters Degree

Online and face-to-face learning are integrated in a teaching format called blended learning. In recent years, educators have begun to use blended learning for a number of education related purposes. Typically, blended learning is used to involve the nurse students in a more active and constructive learning process. In a pilot project, five modules of a Masters nursing course were redesigned and implemented in blending learning format. While redesigning the modules, the first challenge was to assure the balance between online and face-to-face classroom activities. The second was to incorporate problem solving phases into blended learning in an efficient way. Moodle is the learning management system used for the online teaching and learning activities. The preliminary results concern the description of the redesign process of the five modules and their implementation. Some critical issues emerged and they must be corrected to improve the teachers\u2019 involvement and the redesign

IBM Watson Supporting Space Radiation

The NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Space Radiation (SR) Program Element has been working with IBM Watson Explorer (WEX) to create a tool that allows researchers to search the NASA SR-funded research corpus to help streamline research and maximize efficiency. The entire corpus of publications from research funded by the NASA SR Program Element has been ingested into WEX to allow for examination of: synergies across funded research areas, gaps in research, and collaboration opportunities. This information will be valuable to both scientists and managers as it will allow analysis related to specific scientific questions, inform key decisions and support cross validation of study results. NASA will also evaluate the potential to make WEX publicly available in order to facilitate proposal generation and to enhance collaborations within and across disciplines

The spatial distribution of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in the UK 2016

Annual Report to Defra (Project SCF0107), modelling and mapping UK ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. • Agricultural emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide for 2016 were spatially distributed across the UK, and maps produced. • Emission estimates produced for the 2016 inventory are based on a new emissions model developed by ADAS, Rothamsted Research and Cranfield University. The new emissions model replaces the previous NARSES and GHGI spreadsheets used to estimate emissions in the 2015 inventory and has been written in C#. • In parallel with the development of the new emission inventory model under Defra project SCF0102, the AENEID model, used to produce high-resolution maps of UK agricultural emissions, has also been updated. The new model version builds on techniques previously implemented in the AENEID model (e.g. Dragosits et al. 1998, Hellsten et al. 2008) and has been developed in the R statistical environment. It produces non-disclosive agricultural emission maps at a grid resolution of 1 km, compared with a 5 km grid resolution previously. The model incorporates detailed agricultural census data, landcover data (Rowland et al., 2017), agricultural practice information (e.g. fertiliser application rates, stocking densities) and emission source strength data from the UK emissions inventories for agriculture 2016 (Wakeling et al. 2018 and Brown et al. 2018). • All emission maps correspond to the totals reported by Rothamsted Research North Wyke (RResNW) for 2016

The spatial distribution of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in the UK 2018

Annual Report to Defra (Project SCF0107). • Agricultural emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide for 2018 were spatially distributed across the UK, and maps produced. • Holding-level agricultural statistics on livestock numbers and crop areas for 2018 were not available in sufficient time for a full inventory model run. Therefore emission estimates produced for the 2018 inventory were derived by scaling the 2017 emissions based on the changes to 2018 in DA-level livestock numbers and crop areas. • Non-disclosive agricultural emission maps were produced at a grid resolution of 1 km by 1 km, using detailed agricultural census data, land cover data (Rowland et al., 2017), agricultural practice information (e.g. fertiliser application rates, stocking densities) and emission source strength data from the UK emissions inventories for agriculture 2017 (Misselbrook and Gilhespy 2020 and Brown et al. 2020). • All emission maps correspond to the totals reported by Rothamsted Research North Wyke (RResNW) for 2018

Fatores associados à subestimação do status do peso da criança pelos pais

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of parental misperception of child weight status, and identify socioeconomic, anthropometric, behavioral and dietary factors associated with underestimation. Method: Cross-sectional study. Data was collected in 14 Brazilian private schools. Parents of children aged 2-8 years (n= 976) completed a self-reported questionnaire assessing their perception of their child's weight status, and sociodemographic, anthropometric, behavioral and dietary information. To measure the agreement between parental perception about child weight status and actual child weight status, the Kappa coefficient was estimated, and to investigate associations between parental underestimation and independent variables, chi-squared tests were performed, followed by multiple logistic regression, considering p <= 0.05 for statistical significance. Results: Overall, 48.05% of the parents incorrectly classified their child's weight. Specifically, 45.08% underestimated their child's weight status, with just 3% of parents overestimating. Children with higher body mass index (OR = 2.03p< 0.001) and boys (OR = 1.70p < 0.001) were more likely to have their weight status underestimated by parents. Conclusion: Since awareness of weight problems is essential for prevention and treatment, clinical practitioners should help parents at high risk of misperception to correctly evaluate their child's weight status. (C) 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.Objetivo: Analisar a prevalência de percepção errônea dos pais sobre o status do peso infantil e identificar fatores socioeconômicos, antropométricos, comportamentais e dietéticos associados à subestimação. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal. Os dados foram coletados em 14 escolas particulares brasileiras. Pais de crianças de dois a oito anos de idade (n = 976) preencheram um questionário autoaplicável sobre sua percepção do estado nutricional do seu filho e informações sociodemográficas, antropométricas, comportamentais e dietéticas. Para medir o grau de concordância entre a percepção dos pais do peso do filho e o peso real do filho, estimamos o coeficiente Kappa e investigamos as associações entre subestimação do pai e variáveis independentes, calculamos o qui-quadrado seguido do modelo de regressão logística múltipla considerando p≤0,05 para significância estatística. Resultados: Em geral, 48,05% dos pais classificaram incorretamente o peso de seus filhos; particularmente, 45,08% subestimaram o peso do seu filho e apenas 3% subestimaram o peso infantil. A regressão logística demonstrou que as crianças com maior índice de massa corporal (OR = 2,03; p < 0,001) e os meninos (OR = 1,70; p < 0,001) tinham maior probabilidade de ter seu peso subestimado pelos pais. Conclusão: Médicos clínicos devem concentrar suas intervenções nessas crianças para ajudar os pais a avaliar corretamente o seu peso. A consciência dos pais sobre um problema de peso em crianças é essencial para a prevenção e tratamento da obesidade infantil e estilos de vida saudáveis.CAPESNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (OD)Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (OD)Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa (CNPq)Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pediat, Disciplina Nutrol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Saude Publ, Dept Epidemiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilJohns Hopkins Univ, Sch Med, Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, Div Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Baltimore, MD 21205 USAUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pediat, Disciplina Nutrol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilNIDDK: R00DK088360NICHD/OH: U54HD070725NIH/OH: U54HD070725Web of Scienc