Comments on the subgenera of darters (Percidae) with descriptions of two new species of Etheostoma (Ulocentra) from southeastern United States

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56419/4/MP175.pd

Etheostoma (Ulocentra) flavum, a new darter from the Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57153/1/OP717.pd

An external focus of attention is effective for balance control when sleep-deprived

The purpose of our study was to examine if the beneficial effects of an external focus are effective for balance control when sleep-deprived. Sleep-deprived participants (27 hours awake) completed three blocks of five separate 30 second trials on a dynamic balance board. All participants were given internal, external, and control instruction. For the internal focus trials, participants focused on their feet; whereas, for the external focus trials, participants focused on the balance board. Participants’ time in balance was significantly greater during the external focus compared to the internal focus and control. These findings suggest that external focus instructions are effective when participants are sleep-deprived

The effects of low-intensity cycling on cognitive performance following sleep deprivation

This study examined the effect of 24 h of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance and assessed the effect of acute exercise on cognitive performance following sleep deprivation. Young, active, healthy adults (n = 24, 14 males) were randomized to control (age = 24.7 ± 3.7 years, BMI = 27.2 ± 7.0) or exercise (age = 25.3 ± 3.3 years, BMI = 25.6 ± 5.1) groups. Cognitive testing included a 5-min psychomotor vigilance task (PVT), three memory tasks with increasing cognitive load, and performance of the PVT a second time. On morning one, cognitive testing followed a typical night's sleep. Following 24-h of sustained wakefulness, cognitive testing was conducted again prior to and after the acute intervention. Participants in the exercise condition performed low-intensity cycling (~ 40%HRR) for 15-min and those in the control condition sat quietly on the bike for 15-min. t-Tests revealed sleep deprivation negatively affected performance on the PVT, but did not affect memory performance. Following the acute intervention, there were no cognitive performance differences between the exercise and rested conditions. We provide support for previous literature suggesting that during simple tasks, sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognitive performance. Importantly, in contrast to previous literature which has shown multiple bouts of exercise adding to cognitive detriment when combined with sleep deprivation, our results did not reveal any further detriments to cognitive performance from a single-bout of exercise following sleep deprivation

Growth Rate Responses of Missouri and Lower Yellowstone River Fishes to a Latitudinal Gradient

Notropis atherinoides, freshwater drums Aplodinotus grunniens, river carpsuckers Carpiodes carpio and saugers Stizostedion canadense collected in 1996-1998 from nine river sections of the Missouri and lower Yellowstone rivers at two life-stages (young-of-the-year and age 1+ years) were significantly different among sections. However, they showed no river-wide latitudinal trend except for age 1+ years emerald shiners that did show a weak negative relation between growth and both latitude and length of growing season. The results suggest growth rates of fishes along the Missouri River system are complex and could be of significance in the management and conservation of fish communities in this altered system

Growth, Fecundity, and Diets of Newly Established Silver Carp in the Middle Mississippi River

The silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix has spread throughout the Mississippi River drainage. During 2003, we determined its population status and potential impact in the middle Mississippi River (MMR), the conduit between the lower Mississippi River and the upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois rivers. We quantified growth, age structure, fecundity, and diets of silver carp sampled with trammel nets and AC electrofishing in main-channel areas. Mean length at age in the MMR exceeded that of populations in Asia by as much as 26%. Individuals were typically more than 1 year old and 230 mm total length, suggesting that small, young fish were absent. Individuals in this population matured earlier (age 2) than in the species\u27 native range. Regardless of phytoplankton variation (using chlorophyll a as a surrogate) and zooplankton concentration at MMR sites, phytoplankton was consistently most abundant in diets. Silver carp are finding suitable resources within the MMR, allowing individuals to grow rapidly during early life, persist as adults, and successfully disperse upstream

Protocol for Project FACT: a randomised controlled trial on the effect of a walking program and vitamin B supplementation on the rate of cognitive decline and psychosocial wellbeing in older adults with mild cognitive impairment [ISRCTN19227688]

BACKGROUND: the prevalence of individuals with cognitive decline is increasing since the number of elderly adults is growing considerably. The literature provides promising results on the beneficial effect of exercise and vitamin supplementation on cognitive function both in cognitively healthy as well as in the demented elderly. METHODS/DESIGN: the design is a two-by-two factorial randomised controlled trial. The study population consists of independently living elderly, between 70 and 80 years old, with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In the RCT the effect of two interventions, a walking program and vitamin supplementation, is examined. The walking program (WP) is a group-based program aimed at improving cardiovascular endurance; frequency two lessons a week; lesson duration one hour; program duration one year. Non-walking groups receive a placebo activity program (PAP) (i.e. low intensive non-aerobic group exercises, like stretching) with the same frequency, lesson and program duration. Vitamin supplementation consists of a single daily vitamin supplement containing 50 mg B6, 5 mg folic acid and 0,4 mg B12 for one year. Subjects not receiving vitamin supplements are daily taking an identically looking placebo pill, also for a year. Participants are randomised to four groups 1) WP and vitamin supplements; 2) WP and placebo supplements; 3) PAP and vitamin supplements; 4) PAP and placebo supplements. Primary outcome measures are measures of cognitive function. Secondary outcomes include psychosocial wellbeing, physical activity, cardiovascular endurance and blood vitamin levels. DISCUSSION: no large intervention study has been conducted yet on the effect of physical activity and vitamin supplementation in a population-based sample of adults with MCI. The objective of the present article is to describe the design of a randomised controlled trial examining the effect of a walking program and vitamin B supplementation on the rate of cognitive decline in older adults with MCI

Variation in flexural, morphological, and biochemical leaf properties of eelgrass (Zostera marina) along the European Atlantic climate regions

Seagrasses need to withstand hydrodynamic forces; therefore, mechanical properties such as flexibility or breaking resistance are beneficial for survival. The co-variation of leaf breaking properties with biochemical traits in seagrasses has been documented, but it is unknown if the same patterns apply to leaf flexural properties. To interpret changes in the ecological function of seagrass ecosystems based on acclimation responses to environmental changes, it is necessary to understand the factors that affect flexural leaf properties. Here, morphological and flexural leaf properties of the perennial type of Zostera marina across different environmental conditions along European Atlantic climate regions are presented together with C:N ratio and neutral detergent fibre content as descriptors of biochemical leaf composition. Eelgrass leaves from cold regions were similar to threefold more elastic and similar to tenfold more flexible, were also narrower (1.7-fold), and contained similar to 1.9-fold higher fibre content than from plants growing in warmer regions. Eelgrass also showed acclimation to local conditions such as seasonality, water depth, and hydrodynamic exposure. Leaves collected from exposed or shallower locations or during winter were more flexible, suggesting an avoidance strategy to hydrodynamic forcing, which is generally higher under those conditions. Flexural rigidity was almost equally controlled by bending modulus (35%) and leaf thickness (37%), indicating functional differences compared to leaf breaking described in the literature. Overall, the findings indicate that Zostera marina has a high flexural plasticity and high acclimation capacity to some climate change effects such as sea level rise and increase in storm frequency and intensity.German Science FoundationGerman Research Foundation (DFG) [PA 2547/1-1]Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA travel grant)FCT-Foundation for Science and TechnologyPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UID/Multi/04326/2019, SFRH/BPD/119344/2016

The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936: a study to examine influences on cognitive ageing from age 11 to age 70 and beyond

BACKGROUND: Cognitive ageing is a major burden for society and a major influence in lowering people's independence and quality of life. It is the most feared aspect of ageing. There are large individual differences in age-related cognitive changes. Seeking the determinants of cognitive ageing is a research priority. A limitation of many studies is the lack of a sufficiently long period between cognitive assessments to examine determinants. Here, the aim is to examine influences on cognitive ageing between childhood and old age. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is designed as a follow-up cohort study. The participants comprise surviving members of the Scottish Mental Survey of 1947 (SMS1947; N = 70,805) who reside in the Edinburgh area (Lothian) of Scotland. The SMS1947 applied a valid test of general intelligence to all children born in 1936 and attending Scottish schools in June 1947. A total of 1091 participants make up the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. They undertook: a medical interview and examination; physical fitness testing; extensive cognitive testing (reasoning, memory, speed of information processing, and executive function); personality, quality of life and other psycho-social questionnaires; and a food frequency questionnaire. They have taken the same mental ability test (the Moray House Test No. 12) at age 11 and age 70. They provided blood samples for DNA extraction and testing and other biomarker analyses. Here we describe the background and aims of the study, the recruitment procedures and details of numbers tested, and the details of all examinations. DISCUSSION: The principal strength of this cohort is the rarely captured phenotype of lifetime cognitive change. There is additional rich information to examine the determinants of individual differences in this lifetime cognitive change. This protocol report is important in alerting other researchers to the data available in the cohort