Human dimensions of global environmental change: A review of frameworks and research gaps.

This review of current knowledge in, and development of, priorities for research into the human dimensions of global environmental change has been conducted to assist the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to formulate their research needs agenda. An overview of the emergence of the human dimension of the global environmental change research field is used as a prelude to a review of the international literature on frameworks for conducting human dimensions research. The terminology used in the human dimension field is diverse. An attempt is therefore made to consolidate the myriad of definitions for key concepts, in order to form a basis for human dimensions research in New Zealand and build a platform for the remainder of this report. Three disciplinary areas of academic inquiry were explored in the context of human dimensions of global environmental change research: economics, law and biological sciences. These disciplinary perspectives are reviewed through the international literature and in a New Zealand context. A conceptual framework for research into the human dimensions of global environmental change is provided based on the knowledge-base developed from the both international and New Zealand research. Core concepts, such as found in multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research are reviewed in historical context to form the basis for a specific research framework for New Zealand. Some general needs for research are derived from the New Zealand framework. The remainder of this report details the methods used for drawing out expert opinion on the priorities for research on the human dimensions of global environmental change in the context of information, knowledge and method. Thirty-eight interviews and two hui were conducted and 254 research needs defined by questions were obtained. A modified Delphi technique was applied to the questions and prioritised lists of responses are provided. The final list Provides European/Pakeha and Māori perspectives. Divergence and convergence between the European/Pakeha and Māori responses is provided, as well as justification for the prioritisation stance that is taken. This research had four outputs: A conceptual framework for considering the human dimensions of global environmental changes and research contributions; A description of the gaps in knowledge that impede effective response to global change and provisional research needs: one for New Zealand generally, and one on Māori in particular; A network of end-users and research providers that are cognisant of, and contributors to, the human dimensions research assessment; A set of priority research needs pertaining to the human dimensions of global environmental change, in a form suitable for use by FRST

AIDS and food security: essays

AIDS (Disease), Food security., HIV/AIDS Africa., Africa, Sub-Saharan., Epidemics., Food security Developing countries., Food supply., Malnutrition Prevention., Agriculture., Nutrition policies. ,

Receipt from Benj. Gillespie to P. McCormick and Receipt from Peter McCormick to Ogden Goelet

https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/goelet-new-york/1013/thumbnail.jp

DDK:The Outsourced Kinase of Chromosome Maintenance

SIMPLE SUMMARY: To ensure the maintenance of genetic stability prior to cell division a cell’s complement of chromosomes must be duplicated. This requires not only the replication of the chromosomal DNA but also the re-establishment the chromatin environment following duplication. To ensure the equal segregation of the genetic material to progeny cells, the duplicated chromatid pairs must remain physically coupled until cell division. The regulation of chromosome duplication is under the overall control of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK). In addition to maintaining global control of chromosome duplication, CDK directs the activation of a second kinase, the Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK), which functions locally to facilitate the activation DNA replication and to coordinate this with the re-establishment of chromatin and the physical coupling of the chromatids following duplication. In this review, we discuss this ‘outsourcing’ by CDK to DDK of the activities that must be coordinated to ensure chromosome maintenance during cell division. ABSTRACT: The maintenance of genomic stability during the mitotic cell-cycle not only demands that the DNA is duplicated and repaired with high fidelity, but that following DNA replication the chromatin composition is perpetuated and that the duplicated chromatids remain tethered until their anaphase segregation. The coordination of these processes during S phase is achieved by both cyclin-dependent kinase, CDK, and Dbf4-dependent kinase, DDK. CDK orchestrates the activation of DDK at the G1-to-S transition, acting as the ‘global’ regulator of S phase and cell-cycle progression, whilst ‘local’ control of the initiation of DNA replication and repair and their coordination with the re-formation of local chromatin environments and the establishment of chromatid cohesion are delegated to DDK. Here, we discuss the regulation and the multiple roles of DDK in ensuring chromosome maintenance. Regulation of replication initiation by DDK has long been known to involve phosphorylation of MCM2-7 subunits, but more recent results have indicated that Treslin:MTBP might also be important substrates. Molecular mechanisms by which DDK regulates replisome stability and replicated chromatid cohesion are less well understood, though important new insights have been reported recently. We discuss how the ‘outsourcing’ of activities required for chromosome maintenance to DDK allows CDK to maintain outright control of S phase progression and the cell-cycle phase transitions whilst permitting ongoing chromatin replication and cohesion establishment to be completed and achieved faithfully

Calmodulin binding to recombinant myosin-1c and myosin-1c IQ peptides

BACKGROUND: Bullfrog myosin-1c contains three previously recognized calmodulin-binding IQ domains (IQ1, IQ2, and IQ3) in its neck region; we identified a fourth IQ domain (IQ4), located immediately adjacent to IQ3. How calmodulin binds to these IQ domains is the subject of this report. RESULTS: In the presence of EGTA, calmodulin bound to synthetic peptides corresponding to IQ1, IQ2, and IQ3 with K(d )values of 2–4 μM at normal ionic strength; the interaction with an IQ4 peptide was much weaker. Ca(2+ )substantially weakened the calmodulin-peptide affinity for all of the IQ peptides except IQ3. To reveal how calmodulin bound to the linearly arranged IQ domains of the myosin-1c neck, we used hydrodynamic measurements to determine the stoichiometry of complexes of calmodulin and myosin-1c. Purified myosin-1c and T701-Myo1c (a myosin-1c fragment with all four IQ domains and the C-terminal tail) each bound 2–3 calmodulin molecules. At a physiologically relevant temperature (25°C) and under low-Ca(2+ )conditions, T701-Myo1c bound two calmodulins in the absence and three calmodulins in the presence of 5 μM free calmodulin. Ca(2+ )dissociated nearly all calmodulins from T701-Myo1c at 25°C; one calmodulin was retained if 5 μM free calmodulin was present. CONCLUSIONS: We inferred from these data that at 25°C and normal cellular concentrations of calmodulin, calmodulin is bound to IQ1, IQ2, and IQ3 of myosin-1c when Ca(2+ )is low. The calmodulin bound to one of these IQ domains, probably IQ2, is only weakly associated. Upon Ca(2+ )elevation, all calmodulin except that bound to IQ3 should dissociate

Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods

This proceedings contains papers dealing with issues affecting biological control, particularly pertaining to the use of parasitoids and predators as biological control agents. This includes all approaches to biological control: conservation, augmentation, and importation of natural enemy species for the control of arthropod targets, as well as other transversal issues related to its implementation. It has 14 sessions addressing the most relevant and current topics in the field of biological control of arthropods: (i) Accidental introductions of biocontrol agens: positive and negative aspects; (ii) The importance of pre and post release genetics in biological control; (iii) How well do we understand non-target impacts in arthropod biological control; (iv) Regulation and access and benefit sharing policies relevant for classical biological control approaches; (v) The role of native and alien natural enemy diversity in biological control; (vi) Frontiers in forest insect control; (vii) Biocontrol marketplace I; (viii) Weed and arthropod biological control: mutual benefits and challenges; (ix) Maximizing opportunities for biological control in Asia's rapidly changing agro-environments; (x) Biological control based integrated pest management: does it work?; (xi) Exploring the compatibility of arthropod biological control and pesticides: models and data; (xii) Successes and uptake of arthropod biological control in developing countries; (xiii) Socio-economic impacts of biological control; (xiv) Biocontrol marketplace II

Reconstitution of licensed replication origins on Xenopus sperm nuclei using purified proteins

BACKGROUND: In order to ensure precise chromosome duplication, eukaryotes "license" their replication origins during late mitosis and early G1 by assembling complexes of Mcm2-7 onto them. Mcm2-7 are essential for DNA replication, but are displaced from origins as they initiate, thus ensuring that no origin fires more than once in a single cell cycle. RESULTS: Here we show that a combination of purified nucleoplasmin, the origin recognition complex (ORC), Cdc6, RLF-B/Cdt1 and Mcm2-7 can promote functional origin licensing and the assembly of Mcm2-7 onto Xenopus sperm nuclei. The reconstituted reaction is inhibited by geminin, a specific RLF-B/Cdt1 inhibitor. Interestingly, the purified ORC used in the reconstitution had apparently lost the Orc6 subunit, suggesting that Orc6 is not essential for replication licensing. We use the reconstituted system to make a preliminary analysis of the different events occuring during origin assembly, and examine their nucleotide requirements. We show that the loading of Xenopus ORC onto chromatin is strongly stimulated by both ADP, ATP and ATP-γ-S whilst the loading of Cdc6 and Cdt1 is stimulated only by ATP or ATP-γ-S. CONCLUSIONS: Nucleoplasmin, ORC, Cdc6, RLF-B/Cdt1 and Mcm2-7 are the only proteins required for functional licensing and the loading of Mcm2-7 onto chromatin. The requirement for nucleoplasmin probably only reflects a requirement to decondense sperm chromatin before ORC can bind to it. Use of this reconstituted system should allow a full biochemical analysis of origin licensing and Mcm2-7 loading

Estimating Half-Lives for Pesticide Dissipation from Plants

Pesticide risk and impact assessment models critically rely on and are sensitive to information describing dissipation from plants. Despite recent progress, experimental data are not available for all relevant pesticide–plant combinations, and currently no model predicting plant dissipation accounts for the influence of substance properties, plant characteristics, temperature, and study conditions. In this study, we propose models to estimate half-lives for pesticide dissipation from plants and provide recommendations for how to use our results. On the basis of fitting experimental dissipation data with reported average air temperatures, we estimated a reaction activation energy of 14.25 kJ/mol and a temperature coefficient <i>Q</i>₁₀ of 1.22 to correct dissipation from plants for the influence of temperature. We calculated a set of dissipation half-lives for 333 substances applied at 20 °C under field conditions. Half-lives range from 0.2 days for pyrethrins to 31 days for dalapon. Parameter estimates are provided to correct for specific plant species, temperatures, and study conditions. Finally, we propose a predictive regression model for pesticides without available measured dissipation data to estimate half-lives based on substance properties at the level of chemical substance class. Estimated half-lives from our study are designed to be applied in risk and impact assessment models to either directly describe dissipation or as first proxy for describing degradation