Beyond Critical Period Learning: Striatal FoxP2 Affects the Active Maintenance of Learned Vocalizations in Adulthood.

In humans, mutations in the transcription factor forkhead box P2 (FOXP2) result in language disorders associated with altered striatal structure. Like speech, birdsong is learned through social interactions during maturational critical periods, and it relies on auditory feedback during initial learning and on-going maintenance. Hearing loss causes learned vocalizations to deteriorate in adult humans and songbirds. In the adult songbird brain, most FoxP2-enriched regions (e.g., cortex, thalamus) show a static expression level, but in the striatal song control nucleus, area X, FoxP2 is regulated by singing and social context: when juveniles and adults sing alone, its levels drop, and songs are more variable. When males sing to females, FoxP2 levels remain high, and songs are relatively stable: this "on-line" regulation implicates FoxP2 in ongoing vocal processes, but its role in the auditory-based maintenance of learned vocalization has not been examined. To test this, we overexpressed FoxP2 in both hearing and deafened adult zebra finches and assessed effects on song sung alone versus songs directed to females. In intact birds singing alone, no changes were detected between songs of males expressing FoxP2 or a GFP construct in area X, consistent with the marked stability of mature song in this species. In contrast, songs of males overexpressing FoxP2 became more variable and were less preferable to females, unlike responses to songs of GFP-expressing control males. In deafened birds, song deteriorated more rapidly following FoxP2 overexpression relative to GFP controls. Together, these experiments suggest that behavior-driven FoxP2 expression and auditory feedback interact to precisely maintain learned vocalizations

A critical edition of The Privity of the Passion and The Lyrical Meditations.

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX97519 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Home Away from Home: The Evolution and Meaning of American Truck Stops

Truck stops provide a tie to place for mobile, long-haul drivers. Truckers rely on these businesses for necessities and help to shape their form and function with their perceptions and actions. An increasing domination of the industry by chain operations impacts these perceptions. Using interviews and field observations to determine drivers' sense of place, I find that, although feelings regarding truck stops vary, most drivers choose where to stop based on fuel, food, and restrooms

Landscape Evolution and Human Settlement Patterns on Ofu Island, Manu’a Group, American Samoa

This study summarizes the impacts of geomorphological processes on human settlement strategies on the island of Ofu in the Samoan Archipelago from island colonization to permanent settlement in the interior uplands (c. 2700–900 b.p.). Previous archaeological research on Ofu has documented a dynamic coastal landscape at one location, To’aga, on the southern coast. Using a new geoarchaeological data set, our study extends this assessment to a site on the western coast of the island. We conclude that although the sequence of coastal evolution is broadly consistent between the two areas there are also differences indicating that island-wide coastal evolution did not progress everywhere at the same rate. Using this data set, we record changes in human settlement patterns temporally correlated with coastal progradation—perhaps related to continued drawdown from the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand—and sediment aggradation. We suggest that coastal landscape change on Ofu may have been one factor in the expansion of the terrestrial component of the human subsistence base and the more intensive use of the interior uplands of the island. The timing of this settlement change was slightly earlier than elsewhere in the region, demonstrating the variability of human response to regional-scale environmental changes

FoxP2 isoforms delineate spatiotemporal transcriptional networks for vocal learning in the zebra finch.

Human speech is one of the few examples of vocal learning among mammals yet ~half of avian species exhibit this ability. Its neurogenetic basis is largely unknown beyond a shared requirement for FoxP2 in both humans and zebra finches. We manipulated FoxP2 isoforms in Area X, a song-specific region of the avian striatopallidum analogous to human anterior striatum, during a critical period for song development. We delineate, for the first time, unique contributions of each isoform to vocal learning. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis of RNA-seq data revealed gene modules correlated to singing, learning, or vocal variability. Coexpression related to singing was found in juvenile and adult Area X whereas coexpression correlated to learning was unique to juveniles. The confluence of learning and singing coexpression in juvenile Area X may underscore molecular processes that drive vocal learning in young zebra finches and, by analogy, humans

Thermal reaction norms and the scale of temperature variation: latitudinal vulnerability of intertidal Nacellid limpets to climate change

The thermal reaction norms of 4 closely related intertidal Nacellid limpets, Antarctic (Nacella concinna), New Zealand (Cellana ornata), Australia (C. tramoserica) and Singapore (C. radiata), were compared across environments with different temperature magnitude, variability and predictability, to test their relative vulnerability to different scales of climate warming. Lethal limits were measured alongside a newly developed metric of “duration tenacity”, which was tested at different temperatures to calculate the thermal reaction norm of limpet adductor muscle fatigue. Except in C. tramoserica which had a wide optimum range with two break points, duration tenacity did not follow a typical aerobic capacity curve but was best described by a single break point at an optimum temperature. Thermal reaction norms were shifted to warmer temperatures in warmer environments; the optimum temperature for tenacity (Topt) increased from 1.0°C (N. concinna) to 14.3°C (C. ornata) to 18.0°C (an average for the optimum range of C. tramoserica) to 27.6°C (C. radiata). The temperature limits for duration tenacity of the 4 species were most consistently correlated with both maximum sea surface temperature and summer maximum in situ habitat logger temperature. Tropical C. radiata, which lives in the least variable and most predictable environment, generally had the lowest warming tolerance and thermal safety margin (WT and TSM; respectively the thermal buffer of CTmax and Topt over habitat temperature). However, the two temperate species, C. ornata and C. tramoserica, which live in a variable and seasonally unpredictable microhabitat, had the lowest TSM relative to in situ logger temperature. N. concinna which lives in the most variable, but seasonally predictable microhabitat, generally had the highest TSMs. Intertidal animals live at the highly variable interface between terrestrial and marine biomes and even small changes in the magnitude and predictability of their environment could markedly influence their future distributions

The Adjunctive Role of Nutritional Therapy in the Management of Phlegmon in Two Children with Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease may be complicated by the development of penetrating (fistulizing) or structuring complications. The presentation of an intra-abdominal phlegmon or abscess with or without an associated fistula has traditionally required surgical intervention. This series of two cases illustrates a beneficial role of non-surgical management, with parenteral and then enteral nutrition playing central roles. This report further elaborates the potential adjunctive role of enteral nutrition in the management of this complication of CD

Photovoice and Youth on Violence and Related Topics: A Systematic Review

Background and Purpose: Photovoice is a qualitative method that empowers youth to identify community issues and assets through photo-taking and photo discussions. The purpose of this systematic review was to explore the characteristics of studies using photovoice in violence and related topics among youth, and the rationale, strengths and limitations of the photovoice methodology when applied to youth. Methods: Inclusion criteria, search strategy, and data extraction and analysis plan were specified in advance and documented in a protocol (Registration: PROSPERO-CRD42018087290). The search strategy included three search concepts: photovoice, youth, and violence-related topics. Two rounds of formal searches were executed across the following electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science, using the predefined search terms and strings in the registered protocol. Searching records were screened and selected based on inclusion criteria. Included studies were extracted to a predefined spreadsheet and synthesized narratively. Results: A total of 23 studies were included in this systematic review, of which, 17 studies described the cameras used for photo taking, 15 studies used the SHOWeD framework for photo discussions, 12 studies provided an in-depth description of the thematic analysis process, and 11 studies addressed dissemination activities and social actions. Most studies mentioned the rationale of using photovoice, stating that it empowered youth to express their concerns on community issues while inspiring their critical thinking for social action in youth participatory action research (YPAR) and community-based participatory research (CBPR). The strengths and limitations of the photovoice methodology were also discussed from the perspective of youth participants, researchers, and communities. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review that provides thorough summaries on the characteristics of photovoice studies on violence and related topics among youth, as well as the strengths and limitations of using the photovoice methodology in these studies

Developing social-ecological indicators for Canada\u27s Pacific Marine regions: steps, methods, results and lessons

In the past decade there has been increasing interest in assessing marine ecosystems and developing indicators to track and understand changes over time. A key direction in conducting assessments and developing indicators is recognizing that biophysical and human systems are interconnected. The increasing prominence of the concepts of coupled social-ecological systems and ecosystem-based management, and the related incentives to identify and integrate ecological and human well-being indicators, have expanded and advanced the vision of integrated assessment and management. However, more applied examples are needed. We outline the steps and methods we used to develop indicators for different areas of Canada’s Pacific marine social-ecological systems. Our approach began with conceptual models that identified key aspects of ecological systems (structure, function, and environmental quality) and human systems (social, economic, institutional, and physical). We then identified associated elements, valued components, and features. We undertook an extensive ‘bottom-up’ approach to identify indicators associated with each feature or valued component, drawing on different knowledge sources, including scientists, managers, sectors, and First Nations and community members. Candidate lists of indicators were then compiled, reviewed, and rated based on three dimensions of indicator selection criteria assembled from the literature and other sources —scientific soundness, relevance, and practicality. Ecological ratings were then weighted based on expert perceptions of the relative importance of the criteria. Our approach relied primarily on literature reviews, expert surveys and judgment, and workshops. We will present the results, key limitations, and opportunities associated with implementing this approach. We will also discuss the way in which the indicators are being used within integrated marine planning processes in British Columbia

Prevalence and nature of multi-sensory and multi-modal hallucinations in people with first episode psychosis

Hallucinations can occur in single or multiple sensory modalities. This study explored how common these experiences were in people with first episode of psychosis (n = 82). Particular attention was paid to the number of modalities reported and whether the experiences were seen to be linked temporally and thematically. It was predicted that those people reporting a greater number of hallucinations would report more delusional ideation, greater levels of distress generally and lower functioning. All participants reported hallucinations in the auditory domain, given the nature of the recruitment. The participants also reported a range of other unusual sensory experiences, with visual and tactile hallucinations being reported by over half. Moreover, single sensory experiences or unimodal hallucinations were less common than two or more hallucination modalities which was reported by 78% of the participants. The number of hallucinations was significantly associated with greater delusional ideation and higher levels of general distress, but not with reduced functioning. It is clear there is a need to refine psychological treatments so that they are better matched to the actual experiences reported by people with psychosis. Theoretical implications are also considered