The use of microsatellites as a surrogate for quantitative trait variation in conservation

Conservation biologists are interested in maintaining genetic variation in small populations, with a view to maintaining fitness and the ability of the species to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The most important type of genetic variation is therefore that which affects fitness and reproduction, and is therefore subject to natural selection. Such fitness traits are often quantitative, i.e. are the result of a suite of loci, and are continuously variable. Microsatellite markers are a popular method of determining the level of variation present in a species’ genome. The assumption is made that microsatellites, which are neutral markers, behave in the same manner as quantitative traits. If this assumption were proved incorrect, then the use of neutral markers in conservation monitoring would have to be re-evaluated. In this study, experiments have been conducted using Drosophila melanogaster to test the assumption that variation in quantitative traits under stabilising selection declines at the same rate as heterozygosity in microsatellite markers, during a population bottleneck. Experimental population bottlenecks were of two effective population sizes (Ne), Ne=2 for one generation and Ne=60 for 35 generations. Based on the effective population size, we expected both types of bottlenecks to lose 25% of neutral genetic variation. Ten replicates of each bottleneck were maintained, along with four large control populations with Ne=320. In each population, heterozygosity (He) for eight microsatellite loci was compared with the heritability and additive genetic variance of two quantitative traits subject to balancing selection: fecundity and sternopleural bristle number. Microsatellite heterozygosity decreased in accordance with neutral predictions, whereas additive genetic variation in quantitative traits altered more than expected in both large and in bottlenecked populations relative to the initial sampling values, indicating that variation in quantitative traits was not being lost at the same rate as predicted by neutral theory. For most traits, the changes in additive genetic variance were congruent in all populations, large or bottlenecked. This congruence suggests that a common process was affecting all populations, such as adaptation. A mite infestation in early generations is a possible source of selective pressure. When bottlenecked populations were compared to the contemporaneous large populations (Ne = 320), the additive genetic variance of most traits was seen to have been lost in accordance with predictions from the loss of microsatellite heterozygosity. Loss of variation in microsatellites can thus be used to predict the loss of variation in quantitative traits due to bottlenecks, but not to predict the potentially much larger changes due to other processes such as adaptation. The effects of concurrent environmental stress and reduced population size were also evaluated. Endangered populations are often subject to environmental stress in addition to reduced population size, but the effect of stress on the additive genetic variance of fitness traits in organisms undergoing population bottlenecks is unknown. If the presence of stress alters the level of additive genetic variance in fitness traits, the viability of such populations could be substantially affected. The loss of microsatellite heterozygosity was not affected by the presence of a stress agent during a bottleneck. I found some significant effects of stress on the additive genetic variance of sternopleural bristles and fecundity; there was also a significant interaction between stress and the response to directional selection in sternopleural bristles. There was also an increase in the coefficient of variation of VA for sternopleural bristles. Stress may therefore affect the manner in which populations respond to selective pressures

Aligning systems science and community-based participatory research: A case example of the Community Health Advocacy and Research Alliance (CHARA).

Partnered research may help bridge the gap between research and practice. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) supports collaboration between scientific researchers and community members that is designed to improve capacity, enhance trust, and address health disparities. Systems science aims to understand the complex ways human-ecological coupled systems interact and apply knowledge to management practices. Although CBPR and systems science display complementary principles, only a few articles describe synergies between these 2 approaches. In this article, we explore opportunities to utilize concepts from systems science to understand the development, evolution, and sustainability of 1 CBPR partnership: The Community Health Advocacy and Research Alliance (CHARA). Systems science tools may help CHARA and other CBPR partnerships sustain their core identities while co-evolving in conjunction with individual members, community priorities, and a changing healthcare landscape. Our goal is to highlight CHARA as a case for applying the complementary approaches of CBPR and systems science to (1) improve academic/community partnership functioning and sustainability, (2) ensure that research addresses the priorities and needs of end users, and (3) support more timely application of scientific discoveries into routine practice

Asymmetric preference formation in willingness to pay estimates in discrete choice models

Individuals when faced with choices amongst a number of alternatives often adopt a variety of processing rules, ranging from simple linear to complex non-linear treatment of each attribute defining the offer of each alternative. In this paper we investigate the presence of asymmetry in preferences to test for reference effects and differential willingness to pay according to whether we are valuing gains or losses. The findings offer clear evidence of an asymmetrical response to increases and decreases in attributes when compared to the corresponding values for a reference alternative, where the degree of asymmetry varies across attributes and population segments

Monstrous Domesticity – Home as a Site of Oppression in Crimson Peak

This paper begins by offering a brief overview of the popular culture narrative Crimson Peak (2015), directed by Guillermo del Toro. The analysis focuses on the most compelling Gothic trope del Toro reintroduces, the proverbial mansion, simultaneously displaying Freud’s heimlich and unheimlich elements, oppressing and liberating its inhabitants. Since the narrative revolves around two female protagonists, Lucille Sharpe and Edith Cushing, the paper also refers to feminist socio-cultural perspectives on space, primarily Gillian Rose’s and Shelley Mallett’s, in order to understand the position of the two protagonists within the decidedly Gothic space. This paper aims to emphasize that Lucille’s liberation as the mistress of the house is illusory regardless of the fact that she is represented as the embodiment of domestic corruption. It is precisely because she is a sexually active woman and a disruptor of the patriarchal order that she must ultimately be punished. Even though del Toro subverts the traditional image of the madwoman in the attic by positioning her at the center of the narrative, Allerdale Hall does not reveal itself as a space of female empowerment

The effect of SME internationalization motivators on initial and successive international market entry mode choice

Source at https://vkm.no/In preparation for a legal implementation of EU-regulation 1829/2003, the Norwegian Environment Agency (former Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management) has requested the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) to give final opinions on all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products containing or consisting of GMOs that are authorized in the European Union under Directive 2001/18/EC or Regulation 1829/2003/EC within the Authority’s sectoral responsibility. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has therefore, by letter dated 13 February 2013 (ref. 2012/150202), requested the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) to carry out scientific risk assessments of 39 GMOs and products containing or consisting of GMOs that are authorized in the European Union. The request covers scope(s) relevant to the Gene Technology Act. The request does not cover GMOs that VKM already has conducted its final risk assessments on. However, the Agency requests VKM to consider whether updates or other changes to earlier submitted assessments are necessary.I forbindelse med forberedelse til implementering av EU-forordning 1829/2003 i norsk rett har Miljødirektoratet (tidligere Direktoratet for Naturforvalting) bedt Mattilsynet om vurderinger av allegenmodifiserte organismer (GMOer) og avledete produkter som inneholder eller består av GMOer som er godkjent under forordning 1829/2003 eller direktiv 2001/18 som er godkjent for ett eller flere bruksområder som omfattes av genteknologiloven. På den bakgrunnen har Mattilsynet, i brev av 13. februar 2013 (ref. 2012/150202), bedt Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet (VKM) om å utarbeide endelige vitenskapelige risikovurderinger av 39 GMOer og avledete produkter som inneholder eller består av genmodifiserte organismer, innen Mattilsynets sektoransvar. VKM er bedt om endelige risikovurderinger for de EU-godkjente søknader hvor VKM ikke har avgitt endelig risikovurdering. I tillegg er VKM bedt om å vurdere hvorvidt det er nødvendig med oppdatering eller annen endring av de endelige risikovurderingene som VKM tidligere har lever

Food/feed and environmental risk assessment of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genetically modified maize MIR604 x GA21 in the European Union under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (EFSA/GMO/UK/2007/48)

Source at https://vkm.no/In preparation for a legal implementation of EU-regulation 1829/2003, the Norwegian Environment Agency (former Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management) has requested the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) to give final opinions on all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products containing or consisting of GMOs that are authorised in the European Union under Directive 2001/18/EC or Regulation 1829/2003/EC within the Authority’s sectoral responsibility. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has therefore, by letter dated 13 February 2013 (ref. 2012/150202), requested the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) to carry out scientific risk assessments of 39 GMOs and products containing or consisting of GMOs that are authorised in the European Union. The request covers scope(s) relevant to the Gene Technology Act. The request does not cover GMOs that VKM already has conducted its final risk assessments on. However, the Agency requests VKM to consider whether updates or other changes to earlier submitted assessments are necessary.I forbindelse med forberedelse til implementering av EU-forordning 1829/2003 i norsk rett har Miljødirektoratet (tidligere Direktoratet for Naturforvalting) bedt Mattilsynet om vurderinger av allegenmodifiserte organismer (GMOer) og avledete produkter som inneholder eller består av GMOer som er godkjent under forordning 1829/2003 eller direktiv 2001/18, og som er godkjent for ett eller flere bruksområder som omfattes av genteknologiloven. På den bakgrunnen har Mattilsynet, i brev av 13. februar 2013 (ref. 2012/150202), bedt Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet (VKM) om å utarbeide endelige vitenskapelige risikovurderinger av 39 GMOer og avledete produkter som inneholder eller består av genmodifiserte organismer, innen Mattilsynets sektoransvar. VKM er bedt om endelige risikovurderinger for de EU-godkjente søknader hvor VKM ikke har avgitt endelig risikovurdering. I tillegg er VKM bedt om å vurdere hvorvidt det er nødvendig med oppdatering eller annen endring av de endelige risikovurderingene som VKM tidligere har levert

Meal skipping children in low-income families and community practice implications

We examined dietary habits, food intakes, health status, and school and community life of meal skipping children, and investigated factors predicting meal skipping of children. A sample was composed of 944 children in low-income families who were provided with public meal service. The sample was obtained from the Survey of Meal Service for Poor Children conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2007. Meal skipping was significantly associated with a lower nutrition and health status, and poor school performance of children, as hypothesized. The school age of child, family structure, region, job of caretaker, concern about diet, and the child's visit to welfare center significantly predicted frequency of meal skipping. We suggested a few implications for community practice to reduce meal skipping of children

Food/feed and environmental risk assessment of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genetically modified maize Bt11 from Syngenta Seeds for food and feed uses, import and processing under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (EFSA/GMO/RX/Bt11)

Source at https://vkm.no/In preparation for a legal implementation of EU-regulation 1829/2003, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has been requested by the Norwegian Environment Agency (former Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management) and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) to conduct final food/feed and environmental risk assessments for all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products containing or consisting of GMOs that are authorized in the European Union under Directive 2001/18/EC or Regulation 1829/2003/EC. The request covers scope(s) relevant to the Gene Technology Act. The request does not cover GMOs that VKM already has conducted its final risk assessments on. However, the Agency and NFSA requests VKM to consider whether updates or other changes to earlier submitted assessments are necessary.I forbindelse med forberedelse til implementering av EU-forordning 1829/2003 i norsk rett, er Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet (VKM) bedt av Miljødirektoratet (tidligere Direktoratet for naturforvalting (DN)) og Mattilsynet om å utarbeide endelige helse- og miljørisikovurderinger av alle genmodifiserte organismer (GMOer) og avledete produkter som inneholder eller består av GMOer som er godkjent under forordning 1829/2003 eller direktiv 2001/18, og som er godkjent for ett eller flere bruksområder som omfattes av genteknologiloven. Miljødirektoratet og Mattilsynet har bedt VKM om endelige risikovurderinger for de EU-godkjente søknader hvor VKM ikke har avgitt endelige risikovurderinger. I tillegg er VKM bedt om å vurdere hvorvidt det er nødvendig med oppdatering eller annen endring av de endelige helse- og miljørisikovurderingene som VKM tidligere har levert

Risk Factors for Development of Chronic Kidney Disease in Cats

BACKGROUND: Identification of risk factors for development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats may aid in its earlier detection. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of clinical and questionnaire data will identify risk factors for development of azotemic CKD in cats. ANIMALS: One hundred and forty‐eight client‐owned geriatric (>9 years) cats. METHODS: Cats were recruited into the study and followed longitudinally for a variable time. Owners were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their pet at enrollment. Additional data regarding dental disease were obtained when available by development of a dental categorization system. Variables were explored in univariable and multivariable Cox regression models. RESULTS: In the final multivariable Cox regression model, annual/frequent vaccination (P value, .003; hazard ratio, 5.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.83–17.64), moderate dental disease (P value, .008; hazard ratio, 13.83; 95% confidence interval, 2.01–94.99), and severe dental disease (P value, .001; hazard ratio, 35.35; 95% confidence interval, 4.31–289.73) predicted development of azotemic CKD. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests independent associations between both vaccination frequency and severity of dental disease and development of CKD. Further studies to explore the pathophysiological mechanism of renal injury for these risk factors are warranted

Food/feed and environmental risk assessment of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genetically modified maize Bt11 from Syngenta Seeds for food and feed uses, import and processing under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (EFSA/GMO/RX/Bt11)

Source at https://vkm.no/In preparation for a legal implementation of EU-regulation 1829/2003, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has been requested by the Norwegian Environment Agency (former Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management) and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) to conduct final food/feed and environmental risk assessments for all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products containing or consisting of GMOs that are authorized in the European Union under Directive 2001/18/EC or Regulation 1829/2003/EC. The request covers scope(s) relevant to the Gene Technology Act. The request does not cover GMOs that VKM already has conducted its final risk assessments on. However, the Agency and NFSA requests VKM to consider whether updates or other changes to earlier submitted assessments are necessary.I forbindelse med forberedelse til implementering av EU-forordning 1829/2003 i norsk rett, er Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet (VKM) bedt av Miljødirektoratet (tidligere Direktoratet for naturforvalting (DN)) og Mattilsynet om å utarbeide endelige helse- og miljørisikovurderinger av alle genmodifiserte organismer (GMOer) og avledete produkter som inneholder eller består av GMOer som er godkjent under forordning 1829/2003 eller direktiv 2001/18, og som er godkjent for ett eller flere bruksområder som omfattes av genteknologiloven. Miljødirektoratet og Mattilsynet har bedt VKM om endelige risikovurderinger for de EU-godkjente søknader hvor VKM ikke har avgitt endelige risikovurderinger. I tillegg er VKM bedt om å vurdere hvorvidt det er nødvendig med oppdatering eller annen endring av de endelige helse- og miljørisikovurderingene som VKM tidligere har levert