Understanding Global Change: From Documentation and Collaboration to Social Transformation

The conclusion to the book situates the chapters within four programs of anthropological research on climate change: (1) documentation of local impacts of and adaptations to climate change, (2) connections to socioeconomic and political contexts, (3) collaborations with nonanthropologists, and (4) activism and social transformation. The final section notes the persistent challenges to creating positive change and meaningful research outcomes. It highlights some examples of success and outlines future directions for politically engaged anthropological work around climate change

Functional Changes in Muscle Afferent Neurones in an Osteoarthritis Model: Implications for Impaired Proprioceptive Performance

Impaired proprioceptive performance is a significant clinical issue for many who suffer osteoarthritis (OA) and is a risk factor for falls and other liabilities. This study was designed to evaluate weight-bearing distribution in a rat model of OA and to determine whether changes also occur in muscle afferent neurones.Intracellular recordings were made in functionally identified dorsal root ganglion neurones in acute electrophysiological experiments on the anaesthetized animal following measurements of hind limb weight bearing in the incapacitance test. OA rats but not naïve control rats stood with less weight on the ipsilateral hind leg (P = 0.02). In the acute electrophysiological experiments that followed weight bearing measurements, action potentials (AP) elicited by electrical stimulation of the dorsal roots differed in OA rats, including longer AP duration (P = 0.006), slower rise time (P = 0.001) and slower maximum rising rate (P = 0.03). Depolarizing intracellular current injection elicited more APs in models than in naïve muscle afferent neurones (P = 0.01) indicating greater excitability. Axonal conduction velocity in model animals was slower (P = 0.04).The present study demonstrates changes in hind limb stance accompanied by changes in the functional properties of muscle afferent neurones in this derangement model of OA. This may provide a possible avenue to explore mechanisms underlying the impaired proprioceptive performance and perhaps other sensory disorders in people with OA

CD27 is a thymic determinant of the balance between interferon-gamma-and interleukin 17-producing gamma delta T cell subsets

The production of cytokines such as interferon-gamma and interleukin 17 by alphabeta and gammadelta T cells influences the outcome of immune responses. Here we show that most gammadelta T lymphocytes expressed the tumor necrosis factor receptor family member CD27 and secreted interferon-gamma, whereas interleukin 17 production was restricted to CD27(-) gammadelta T cells. In contrast to the apparent plasticity of alphabeta T cells, the cytokine profiles of these distinct gammadelta T cell subsets were essentially stable, even during infection. These phenotypes were established during thymic development, when CD27 functions as a regulator of the differentiation of gammadelta T cells at least in part by inducing expression of the lymphotoxin-beta receptor and genes associated with trans-conditioning and interferon-gamma production. Thus, the cytokine profiles of peripheral gammadelta T cells are predetermined mainly by a mechanism involving CD2