Barcoding of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) indicates a recent introduction of Ciona savignyi into New Zealand and provides a rapid method for Ciona species discrimination

Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequencing (DNA barcoding) of Ciona specimens from New Zealand (NZ) led to the first record of the solitary ascidian Ciona savignyi in the Southern Hemisphere. We sought to quantify C. savignyi COI genetic diversity around the NZ archipelago and to compare this with diversity within C. savignyi's native range in the north-west Pacific. Ciona savignyi specimens were collected from two NZ sites and from three sites around Japan. COI sequences (595 bp) were amplified and measures of genetic diversity were calculated. Based on differences between their COI sequences we developed a PCR-based assay to distinguish C. savignyi from the morphologically similar C. intestinalis. A total of 12 C. savignyi COI haplotypes were recovered from the 76 samples. Of the four haplotypes observed in NZ, two were unique. From the 10 haplotypes observed in the Japan samples, eight were unique. The C. savignyi populations in Japan were found to contain higher haplotype diversity when compared with those in NZ. The NZ samples contained only a small subset of the haplotype variation of the Japan samples, however, NZ samples did harbor two haplotypes not observed in the Japan samples. A PCR-based assay developed from the COI sequences was able to reliably discriminate the two Ciona species. The low COI genetic diversity within the two NZ C. savignyi populations sampled is consistent with a founder effect associated loss of genetic diversity. The robust PCR-based assay for distinguishing C. savignyi and C. intestinalis may find application in ecological and taxonomic studies and can be applied to both archival materials and live animals

Poor commons and kings’ propines: food and status in later medieval Aberdeen

Assuring the supply of food and drink in the medieval Scottish town, and safeguarding the town’s reputation in relation to this, were at the heart of the burgh government’s duties. Some foods were specially associated with the poor; conversely, provision and consumption of high-status comestibles was at the core of guild ceremonial, civic pageantry and celebration, and hospitality offered to important visitors. There was a recognised ranking of crafts engaged in food and drink production, and those who failed to meet expectations were threatened with loss of equipment or status–although burgh officers risked their own reputation when they failed to carry out the prescribed penalties. Employers were expected to give meals to their servants and townspeople had a mutual responsibility to provide sustenance for those engaged in public service. Status and reputation, individual and collective, and social relationships, depended on the successful provision of food and drink

Comparability of accelerometer- and IPAQ-derived physical activity and sedentary time in South Asian women: A cross-sectional study

There is limited research documenting objectively measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) in South Asian (SA) women, with no published evidence of the validity of self-report methods for assessment of PA/ST in SA. The purpose of this study was to compare accelerometer- and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-derived PA/ST among SA women in the United Kingdom (UK) via a mixed-methods approach. One hundred and forty SA women wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days; a sub-sample (n = 50) completed the IPAQ-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and a brief structured interview. Accelerometer-derived metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes per week (min/wk) moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (mean +/- SD) for the full sample was 793.94 (+/-519.44) and mean accelerometer-derived ST wk was 530.20 (+/-81.76). IPAQ-SF-derived MVPA (MET min/wk) was 636.80 (+/-2113.56) and mean ST wk was 315.31 (+/-266.98). Pearson correlations were not significant between accelerometer- and IPAQ-SF-assessed MVPA (r = -.119, p = .579) and ST (r = -.140, p = .229). Major themes synthesised from interviews included inability to recall sitting time and limited general knowledge of real-life examples of MVPA. These results suggest that the IPAQ-SF may not accurately measure PA/ST in the UK SA women. These findings are supported by qualitative evidence indicating several issues with interpretation and recall of PA/ST as assessed via this questionnaire

Exposure to the early COVID‐19 pandemic and early, moderate and overall preterm births in the United States: A conception cohort approach

BackgroundThe United States (US) data suggest fewer-than-expected preterm births in 2020, but no study has examined the impact of exposure to the early COVID-19 pandemic at different points in gestation on preterm birth.ObjectiveOur objective was to determine-among cohorts exposed to the early COVID-19 pandemic-whether observed counts of overall, early and moderately preterm birth fell outside the expected range.MethodsWe used de-identified, cross-sectional, national birth certificate data from 2014 to 2020. We used month and year of birth and gestational age to estimate month of conception for birth. We calculated the count of overall (<37 weeks gestation), early (<33 weeks gestation) and moderately (33 to <37 weeks gestation) preterm birth by month of conception. We employed time series methods to estimate expected counts of preterm birth for exposed conception cohorts and identified cohorts for whom the observed counts of preterm birth fell outside the 95% detection interval of the expected value.ResultsAmong the 23,731,146 births in our study, the mean prevalence of preterm birth among monthly conception cohorts was 9.7 per 100 live births. Gestations conceived in July, August or December of 2019-that is exposed to the early COVID-19 pandemic in the first or third trimester-yielded approximately 3245 fewer moderately preterm and 3627 fewer overall preterm births than the expected values for moderate and overall preterm. Gestations conceived in August and October of 2019-that is exposed to the early COVID-19 pandemic in the late second to third trimester-produced approximately 498 fewer early preterm births than the expected count for early preterm.ConclusionsExposure to the early COVID-19 pandemic may have promoted longer gestation among close-to-term pregnancies, reduced risk of later preterm delivery among gestations exposed in the first trimester or induced selective loss of gestations

Can Charisma Be Taught? Tests of Two Interventions

We tested whether we could teach individuals to behave more charismatically, andwhether changes in charisma affected leader outcomes. In Study 1, a mixed-design fieldexperiment, we randomly assigned 34 middle-level managers to a control or anexperimental group. Three months later, we reassessed the managers using theircoworker ratings (Time 1 raters = 343; Time 2 raters = 321). In Study 2, a within-subjectslaboratory experiment, we videotaped 41 MBA participants giving a speech. We thentaught them how to behave more charismatically, and they redelivered the speech6 weeks later. Independent assessors (n = 135) rated the speeches. Results from thestudies indicated that the training had significant effects on ratings of leader charisma(mean D = .62) and that charisma had significant effects on ratings of leaderprototypicality and emergence...............................................................................................................................

Multidimensional Performance of Farming Approaches

Fil: Garibaldi, Lucas Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Andina; Argentina.Fil: Gemmill Herren, Barbara. World Agroforestry Centre; Kenya.Fil: D’Annolfo, Raffaele. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Italia.Fil: Graeub, Benjamin E. Biovision Foundation for Ecological Development y Ricolab; Suiza.Fil: Cunningham, Saul A. Australian National University; Australia.Fil: Breeze, Thomas D. University of Reading; UK.Fil: Garibaldi, Lucas Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.The letter by Mehrabi et al. [1] provides interesting insights regarding the scientific framework and attitudes needed to support farming approaches for greater biodiversity, livelihoods, and food security. In general, we do not see a dichotomy between our point of view [2] and that put forward by Mehrabi et al. [1]. We share their view that the different farming systems we have described do not form distinct, non-overlapping categories. We do not seek to promote a binary choice between conventional and alternative farming

Policies for ecological intensification of crop production

Ecological intensification aims to increase crop productivity by enhancing biodiversity and associated ecosystem services, while minimizing the use of synthetic inputs and cropland expansion. Policies to promote ecological intensification have emerged in different countries, but they are still scarce and vary widely across regions. Here, we propose ten policy targets that governments can follow for ecological intensification

Non-bee insects are important contributors to global crop pollination

Wild and managed bees are well documented as effective pollinators of global crops of economic importance. However, the contributions by pollinators other than bees have been little explored despite their potential to contribute to crop production and stability in the face of environmental change. Non-bee pollinators include flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, wasps, ants, birds, and bats, among others. Here we focus on non-bee insects and synthesize 39 field studies from five continents that directly measured the crop pollination services provided by non-bees, honey bees, and other bees to compare the relative contributions of these taxa. Non-bees performed 25–50% of the total number of flower visits. Although non-bees were less effective pollinators than bees per flower visit, they made more visits; thus these two factors compensated for each other, resulting in pollination services rendered by non-bees that were similar to those provided by bees. In the subset of studies that measured fruit set, fruit set increased with non-bee insect visits independently of bee visitation rates, indicating that non-bee insects provide a unique benefit that is not provided by bees. We also show that non-bee insects are not as reliant as bees on the presence of remnant natural or seminatural habitat in the surrounding landscape. These results strongly suggest that non-bee insect pollinators play a significant role in global crop production and respond differently than bees to landscape structure, probably making their crop pollination services more robust to changes in land use. Non-bee insects provide a valuable service and provide potential insurance against bee population declines

A New Species of Pittosporum Described from the Poor Knights Islands, Northland, Aotearoa/New Zealand

Here we describe Pittosporum roimata Gemmill & S.N. Carter, the only vascular plant endemic to the Poor Knights Islands, Northland, Aotearoa/New Zealand. This new species has previously been referred to as a distinct yellow-flowered variant of Pittosporum cornifolium (tāwhiri karo, wharewhareatua), a morphologically similar epiphytic shrub known from both main islands of New Zealand as well as other off shore islands. We have segregated this new species from P. cornifolium based on morphology, DNA sequence variation, as well as distribution. Pittosporum roimata is distinguished from P. cornifolium by flowers with yellow petals, larger inflorescences, and producing several terminal fruits per stem. Herbarium specimens of P. roimata statistically have larger leaves and shorter petioles than specimens of P. cornifolium. Pittosporum roimata is locally common on the islands of Tawhiti Rahi, Aorangi, and Aorangaia, growing on rocky substrates associated with Xeronema callistemon (raupo taranga) and Metrosideros excelsa (pōhutukawa). Using the current New Zealand Threat Classification System, we suggest a preliminary classification of this new species as ‘at risk/naturally uncommon’ qualified data poor [DP], one location [OL]