Extreme longevity of the common gecko (Hoplodactylus maculatus) on Motunau Island, Canterbury, New Zealand

The longevity of common geckos (Hoplodactylus maculatus) on predator-free Motunau Island, North Canterbury, was investigated. Sixteen of 133 individuals marked between 1967-75 were re-captured in the summer of 1996/97. A growth curve was generated to estimate the age of these geckos at first capture, and from this their age in 1996/97; 10 were estimated to be at least 36 years old. In this cool-temperate habitat, H. maculatus matures late and has a low annual reproductive output over an extended lifespan. This suggests that nearby mainland populations would be particularly slow to recover from the impacts of introduced mammalian predators

Be Memorable: Library Advocacy through Compelling Storytelling

Whether persuading an administrator within your institution or lobbying for external action, storytelling can be a powerful and compelling advocacy tool. Telling stories about real people and real challenges is an effective means for convincing others of your viewpoint. What makes a good story? How can you incorporate the elements of storytelling into your advocacy efforts? After learning the fundamentals of a persuasive story and how to successfully integrate the story within a strategic advocacy campaign, participants will have the opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills in small groups. Volunteers from the small groups will share their story drafts with the larger audience and receive constructive feedback

Effects of rainfall on the atmosphere and the ocean during spurs-2

© The Author(s), 2019. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Clayson, C. A., Edson, J. B., Paget, A., Graham, R., & Greenwood, B. Effects of rainfall on the atmosphere and the ocean during spurs-2. Oceanography, 32(2), (2019):86-97, doi: 10.5670/oceanog.2019.216.The salinity variability of the upper ocean is influenced by surface heat, momentum, and freshwater fluxes, which are in turn affected by atmospheric conditions. It is necessary to accurately measure these surface fluxes within their atmospheric environment to understand the linkages between rain events and the resulting upper-ocean salinity balance that occurs at cloud scales. We describe a comprehensive set of atmospheric and oceanic data collected during the second Salinity Processes in the Upper-ocean Regional Study (SPURS-2) experiment in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. These measurements included direct estimates of heat, moisture, and momentum fluxes using direct covariance flux systems on R/V Roger Revelle and a 3 m discus buoy. These are the first successful direct measurements of evaporation from a buoy over an extended period. The atmospheric moisture budget is estimated from a combination of data, including measured freshwater fluxes, upper air sounding data, and satellite data. This analysis reconfirms the important role of moisture convergence beneath the Intertropical Convergence Zone in this region. We perform an analysis of the near-surface vertical salinity structure and its relationship to these surface fluxes, highlighting the roles of stabilization by solar insolation and precipitation and the effects of rainfall on mixing of the upper ocean.This research was supported by NASA under grants NNX15AF70G and NNX15AG20G

Entamoeba bangladeshi nov. sp., Bangladesh.

: TO THE EDITOR: Diarrheal diseases have a major effect on global health, particularly the health of malnourished children (1). The enteric parasites Entamoeba histolytica and E. moshkovskii are potential causes of diarrheal disease in children (2). For the past 20 years, we have been studying Entamoeba infections in children from the urban slum of Mirpur in Dhaka, Bangladesh (3)

The Case of AB Aurigae's Disk in Polarized Light: Is There Truly a Gap?

Using the NICMOS coronagraph, we have obtained high-contrast 2.0 micron imaging polarimetry and 1.1 micron imaging of the circumstellar disk around AB Aurigae on angular scales of 0.3-3 arcsec (40-550 AU). Unlike previous observations, these data resolve the disk in both total and polarized intensity, allowing accurate measurement of the spatial variation of polarization fraction across the disk. Using these observations we investigate the apparent "gap" in the disk reported by Oppenheimer et al. 2008. In polarized intensity, the NICMOS data closely reproduces the morphology seen by Oppenheimer et al., yet in total intensity we find no evidence for a gap in either our 1.1 or 2.0 micron images. We find instead that region has lower polarization fraction, without a significant decrease in total scattered light, consistent with expectations for back-scattered light on the far side of an inclined disk. Radiative transfer models demonstrate this explanation fits the observations. Geometrical scattering effects are entirely sufficient to explain the observed morphology without any need to invoke a gap or protoplanet at that location.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Letter

A Brief Measure of Fidelity for Mindfulness Programs: Development and Evaluation of the Concise Fidelity for Mindfulness-Based Interventions Tool

BackgroundMindfulness research and clinical programs are widespread, and it is important that mindfulness-based interventions are delivered with fidelity, or as intended, across settings. The MBI:TAC is a comprehensive system for assessing teacher competence, yet it can be complex to implement. A standardized, simple fidelity/engagement tool to address treatment delivery is needed.ObjectiveWe describe the development, evaluation, and outcomes of a brief, practical tool for assessing fidelity and engagement in online mindfulness-based programs. The tool contains questions about session elements such as meditation guidance and group discussion, and questions about participant engagement and technology-based barriers to engagement.MethodsThe fidelity rating tool was developed and tested in OPTIMUM, Optimizing Pain Treatment in Medical settings Using Mindfulness. The OPTIMUM study is a 3-site pragmatic randomized trial of group medical visits and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for primary care patients with chronic low back pain, delivered online. Two trained study personnel independently rated 26 recorded OPTIMUM sessions to determine inter-rater reliability of the Concise Fidelity for Mindfulness-Based Interventions (CoFi-MBI) tool. Trained raters also completed the CoFi-MBI for 105 sessions. Raters provided qualitative data via optional open text fields within the tool.ResultsInter-rater agreement was 77-100% for presence of key session components, and 69-88% for Likert ratings of participant engagement and challenges related to technology, with discrepancies only occurring within 2 categories: ‘very much’ and ‘quite a bit’. Key session components occurred as intended in 94-100% of the 105 sessions, and participant engagement was rated as ‘very much’ or ‘quite a bit’ in 95% of the sessions. Qualitative analysis of rater comments revealed themes related to engagement challenges and technology failures.ConclusionThe CoFi-MBI provides a practical way to assess basic adherence to online delivery of mindfulness session elements, participant engagement, and extent of technology obstacles. Optional text can guide strategies to improve engagement and reduce technology barriers

Thermoresponsive polymer micropatterns fabricated by dip-pen nanolithography for a highly controllable substrate with potential cellular applications

We report a novel approach for patterning thermoresponsive hydrogels based on N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEAAm) and bifunctional Jeffamine ED-600 by dip-pen nanolithography (DPN). The direct writing of micron-sized thermoresponsive polymer spots was achieved with efficient control over feature size. A Jeffamine-based ink prepared through the combination of organic polymers, such as DEAAm, in an inorganic silica network was used to print thermosensitive arrays on a thiol-silanised silicon oxide substrate. The use of a Jeffamine hydrogel, acting as a carrier matrix, allowed a reduction in the evaporation of ink molecules with high volatility, such as DEAAm, and facilitated the transfer of ink from tip to substrate. The thermoresponsive behaviour of polymer arrays which swell/de-swell in aqueous solution in response to a change in temperature was successfully characterised by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy: a thermally-induced change in height and hydration state was observed, respectively. Finally, we demonstrate that cells can adhere to and interact with these dynamic features and exhibit a change in behaviour when cultured on the substrates above and below the transition temperature of the Jeffamine/DEAAm thermoresponsive hydrogels. This demonstrates the potential of these micropatterned hydrogels to act as a controllable surface for cell growth

Skin Gene Expression Correlates of Severity of Interstitial Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/100260/1/art38101.pd

Overexpression of the MYB29 transcription factor affects aliphatic glucosinolate synthesis in Brassica oleracea

Isothiocyanates, the bio-active hydrolysis products of glucosinolates, naturally produced by several Brassicaceae species, play an important role in human health and agriculture. This study aims at correlating the content of aliphatic glucosinolates to the expression of genes involved in their synthesis in Brassica oleracea, and perform functional analysis of BoMYB29 gene. To this purpose, three genotypes were used: a sprouting broccoli, a cabbage, and a wild genotype (Winspit), a high glucosinolate containing accession. Winspit showed the highest transcript level of BoMYB28, BoMYB29 and BoAOP2 genes, and BoAOP2 expression was positively correlated with that of the two MYB genes. Further analyses of the aliphatic glucosinolates also showed a positive correlation between the expression of BoAOP2 and the production of sinigrin and gluconapin in Winspit. The Winspit BoMYB29 CDS was cloned and overexpressed in Winspit and in the DH AG1012 line. Overexpressing Winspit plants produced higher quantities of alkenyl glucosinolates, such as sinigrin. Conversely, the DH AG1012 transformants showed a higher production of methylsulphinylalkyl glucosinolates, including glucoraphanin, and, despite an up-regulation of the aliphatic glucosinolate genes, no increase in alkenyl glucosinolates. The latter may be explained by the absence of a functional AOP2 gene in DH AG1012. Nevertheless, an extract of DH AG1012 lines overexpressing BoMYB29 provided a chemoprotective effect on human colon cells. This work exemplifies how the genetic diversity of B. oleracea may be used by breeders to select for higher expression of transcription factors for glucosinolate biosynthesis to improve its natural, health-promoting properties