The State of the Animals IV: 2007

In the fourth volume of the State of the Animals series, a stellar array of researchers, scholars, and leaders in the field explores current and emerging issues in animal protection.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/humspre/1003/thumbnail.jp

The State of the Animals III: 2005

In this third, all new, volume in the State of the Animals series, scholars and experts in animal protection examine the challenges facing companion animals, marine mammals, and nonhuman primates and review legal protection for animals here and abroad.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/humspre/1002/thumbnail.jp

The State of the Animals III: 2005

In this third, all new, volume in the State of the Animals series, scholars and experts in animal protection examine the challenges facing companion animals, marine mammals, and nonhuman primates and review legal protection for animals here and abroad.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/humspre/1002/thumbnail.jp

Evaluating Mississippi Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowners Acceptance of an Interactive Video Short Course

An interactive forest landowner short course was held in Mississippi in the spring of 2001. Participants evaluated the interactive video versus traditional short course delivery methods. Ninety-five percent of participants said that they would attend another interactive program in the future if given the opportunity. Technical problems were the main reasons cited for not preferring the interactive video format. Results indicate that several subject areas not currently covered in traditional short courses were requested for future interactive programming. Travel costs were significantly reduced. Suggestions for ensuring the success of future interactive programs are given

The State of the Animals: 2001

How has the state of animals improved in the last half century? How has it worsened? Where are gains made on behalf of animals under threat? In one landmark volume, distinguished scholars and experts examine these questions–and offer often-provocative answers–for farm animals, companion animals, laboratory animals, zoo animals, and wildlife worldwide.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/humspre/1001/thumbnail.jp

Characterization of Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula eques) microsatellite loci and their cross-utility in other parrots (Psittacidae, Aves).

We characterized 21 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the endangered Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula eques). Loci were isolated from a Mauritius parakeet genomic library that had been enriched separately for eight different repeat motifs. Loci were characterized in up to 43 putatively unrelated Mauritius parakeets from a single population inhabiting the Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius. Each locus displayed between three and nine alleles, with the observed heterozygosity ranging between 0.39 and 0.96. All loci were tested in 10 other parrot species. Despite testing few individuals, between seven and 21 loci were polymorphic in each of seven species tested

Rib Truncations and Fusions in the Sp2HMouse Reveal a Role for Pax3 in Specification of the Ventro-lateral and Posterior Parts of the Somite

AbstractThesplotch (Pax3)mouse mutant serves as a model for developmental defects of several types, including defective migration of dermomyotomal cells to form the limb musculature. Here, we describe abnormalities of the ribs, neural arches, and acromion inSp2Hhomozygous embryos, indicating a widespread dependence of lateral somite development onPax3function. Moreover, the intercostal and body wall muscles, derivatives of the ventrolateral myotome, are also abnormal inSp2Hhomozygotes.Pax3is expressed in the dermomyotome, but not in either the sclerotome or the myotome, raising the possibility thatPax3-dependent inductive influences from the dermomyotome are necessary for early specification of lateral sclerotome and myotome. Support for this idea comes from analysis of gene expression markers of lateral sclerotome (tenascin-Candscleraxis) and myotome (myogenin, MyoD,andMyf5). All exhibit ventrally truncated domains of expression inSp2Hhomozygotes, potentially accounting for the rib and intercostal muscle truncations. In contrast, the medial sclerotomal markerPax1is expressed normally in mutant embryos, arguing thatPax3is not required for development of the medial sclerotome. Most of the somitic markers show ectopic expression in anteroposterior and mediolateral dimensions, suggesting a loss of definition of somite boundaries insplotchand explaining the rib and muscle fusions. An exception isMyf5,which is not ectopically expressed inSp2Hhomozygotes, consistent with the previous suggestion thatPax3andMyf5function in different pathways of skeletal myogenesis. PDGFα and its receptor are candidates for mediating signalling between myotome and sclerotome. We find that both genes are misexpressed inSp2Hembryos, suggesting that PDGFα/PDGFRα may function downstream ofPax3,accounting for the close similarities between thesplotchandPatchmutant phenotypes. Our findings point to additional regulatory functions for the Pax3 transcription factor, apart from those already demonstrated for development of the neural tube, neural crest, and dermomyotome

An alternate proton acceptor for excited-state proton transfer in green fluorescent protein: Rewiring GFP

The neutral form of the chromophore in wild-type green fluorescent protein (wtGFP) undergoes excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) upon excitation, resulting in characteristic green (508 nm) fluorescence. This ESPT reaction involves a proton relay from the phenol hydroxyl of the chromophore to the ionized side chain of E222, and results in formation of the anionic chromophore in a protein environment optimized for the neutral species (the I* state). Reorientation or replacement of E222, as occurs in the S65T and E222Q GFP mutants, disables the ESPT reaction and results in loss of green emission following excitation of the neutral chromophore. Previously, it has been shown that the introduction of a second mutation (H148D) into S65T GFP allows the recovery of green emission, implying that ESPT is again possible. A similar recovery of green fluorescence is also observed for the E222Q/H148D mutant, suggesting that D148 is the proton acceptor for the ESPT reaction in both double mutants. The mechanism of fluorescence emission following excitation of the neutral chromophore in S65T/H148D and E222Q/H148D has been explored through the use of steady state and ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence and vibrational spectroscopy. The data are contrasted with those of the single mutant S65T GFP. Time-resolved fluorescence studies indicate very rapid (<1 ps) formation of I* in the double mutants, followed by vibrational cooling on the picosecond time scale. The time-resolved IR difference spectra are markedly different to those of wtGFP or its anionic mutants. In particular, no spectral signatures are apparent in the picosecond IR difference spectra that would correspond to alteration in the ionization state of D148, leading to the proposal that a low-barrier hydrogen bond (LBHB) is present between the phenol hydroxyl of the chromophore and the side chain of D148, with different potential energy surfaces for the ground and excited states. This model is consistent with recent high-resolution structural data in which the distance between the donor and acceptor oxygen atoms is =2.4 Å. Importantly, these studies indicate that the hydrogen-bond network in wtGFP can be replaced by a single residue, an observation which, when fully explored, will add to our understanding of the various requirements for proton-transfer reactions within proteins

An Examination of Children\u27s Outdoor Time, Nature Connection, and Environmental Stewardship

Abstract This study examined the relationship between children’s time spent outdoors, nature connection, and environmental stewardship. It was hypothesized that time spent outdoors predicted a feeling of connection to nature, and that connection to nature, in turn, influenced environmental stewardship. A total of 218 fifth-grade students from central Pennsylvania participated in the study. Baron and Kenny’s (1986) method was used to establish mediation using ordinary least squares regression. It was found that nature connection partially mediated the direct effect of time spent outdoors on environmental stewardship and increased the amount of variance explained. In other words, a feeling of connection to nature explained a portion of the effect that time spent outdoors has on environmental stewardship behaviors. Future studies that examine predictors of nature connection, including direct experience with nature, environmental education programs, and underlying personality characteristics, are warranted