Mutation independently affects reproductive traits and dauer larvae development in mutation accumulation lines of Caenorhabditis elegans

Developmental decisions are important in organismal fitness. For the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which is naturally found in the ephemeral food patches formed by rotting plant material, correctly committing to dauer or non-dauer larval development is key to genotype survival. To investigate the link between reproductive traits, which will determine how populations grow, and dauer larvae formation, we have analysed these traits in mutation accumulation lines of C. elegans. We find that reproductive traits of individual worms-the total number of progeny and the timing of progeny production-are highly correlated with the population size observed in growing populations. In contrast, we find no relationship between reproduction traits and the number of dauer larvae observed in growing populations. We also do not observe a mutational bias in dauer larvae formation. These results indicate that the control of dauer larvae formation is distinct from the control of reproduction and that differences in dauer larvae formation can evolve rapidly

Fourteen degrees of latitude and a continent apart: comparison of lichen activity over two years at continental and maritime Antarctic sites

There are marked declines in precipitation, mean temperatures and the number of lichen species with increasing latitude in Antarctica. However, it is not known which factors are the predominant controllers of biodiversity changes. Results are presented from over two years of almost continuous monitoring of both microclimate and activity in lichens at Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, 62°S, and Botany Bay, Ross Sea region, 77°S. Lichen activity was evident over a much longer period at Livingston Island, (3694 versus 897 hours) and could occur in any month whereas it was almost completely confined to the period November–February at Botany Bay. Mean air temperatures were much lower at Botany Bay (-18° compared to -1.5°C at Livingston Island), but the temperatures at which the lichens were active were almost identical at around 2°C at both sites. When the lichens were active incident light at Botany Bay was very much higher. The differences are related to the availability of meltwater which only occurs at times of high light and warm temperatures at Botany Bay. Temperature as a direct effect does not seem to explain the differences in biodiversity between the sites, but an indirect effect through active hours is much more probable. In addition there are negative effects of stresses such as high light and extreme winter cold at Botany Bay

A qualitative study into Egyptian patients' satisfaction with physiotherapy management of low back pain

Background and purpose - There is strong evidence suggesting that patient satisfaction may improve therapy outcomes independent of the treatment given. Thus the aim of this study is to explore Egyptian patients' expectations and satisfaction with physical therapy management of low back pain. Methods - A qualitative study design involving two focus groups and 10 semi-structured interviews; all discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a Framework analysis approach. Results - The five final themes were about outcome of the treatment episode, the therapist characteristics, their ability to provide patient education, the service provision and involvement in the decision-making process. Conclusion - The therapeutic encounter between patients and therapists in an episode of back care is complex and reflects the multidimensional nature of patient satisfaction. Participants had several criteria according to which they evaluated the quality of care and were able to determine when these criteria were met or not during physiotherap

X-ray and Optical Study of Low Core Density Globular Clusters NGC6144 and E3

We report on the Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope observation of two low core density globular clusters, NGC6144 and E3. By comparing the number of X-ray sources inside the half-mass radius to those outside, we found 6 X-ray sources within the half-mass radius of NGC6144, among which 4 are expected to be background sources; 3 X-ray sources are also found within the half-mass radius of E3, of which 3 is expected to be background source. Therefore, we cannot exclude that all our sources are background sources. However, combining the results from X-ray and optical observations, we found that 1-2 sources in NGC6144 and 1 source in E3 are likely to be cataclysmic variables and that 1 source in NGC6144 is an active binary, based on the X-ray and optical properties. The number of faint X-ray sources in NGC6144 and E3 found with Chandra and HST is higher than a prediction based on collision frequency, but is closer to that based on mass. Our observations strongly suggest that the compact binary systems in NGC6144 and E3 are primordial in origin.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables, Accepted for publication in Ap

Collagen I Modifies Connexin‐43 Hemichannel Activity via Integrin α2β1 Binding in TGFβ1‐Evoked Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is associated with sustained inflammation and progressive fibrosis, changes that have been linked to altered connexin hemichannel‐mediated release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Kidney fibrosis develops in response to increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), and up‐regulation of collagen I is an early marker of renal disease. With ECM remodeling known to promote a loss of epithelial stability, in the current study we used a clonal human kidney (HK2) model of proximal tubular epithelial cells to determine if collagen I modulates changes in cell function, via connexin‐43 (Cx43) hemichannel ATP release. HK2 cells were cultured on collagen I and treated with the beta 1 isoform of the pro‐fibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor (TGFβ1) ± the Cx43 mimetic Peptide 5 and/or an anti‐integrin α2β1 neutralizing antibody. Phase microscopy and immunocytochemistry observed changes in cell morphology and cytoskeletal reorganization, whilst immunoblotting and ELISA identified changes in protein expression and secretion. Carboxyfluorescein dye uptake and biosensing measured hemichannel activity and ATP release. A Cytoselect extracellular matrix adhesion assay assessed changes in cell‐substrate interactions. Collagen I and TGFβ1 synergistically evoked increased hemichannel activity and ATP release. This was paralleled by changes to markers of tubular injury, partly mediated by integrin α2β1/integrin‐like kinase signaling. The co‐incubation of the hemichannel blocker Peptide 5, reduced collagen I/TGFβ1 induced alterations and inhibited a positive feedforward loop between Cx43/ATP release/collagen I. This study highlights a role for collagen I in regulating connexin‐mediated hemichannel activity through integrin α2β1 signaling, ahead of establishing Peptide 5 as a potential intervention

The political process of constructing a sustainable London Olympics sports development legacy

This study attempts to develop a research agenda for understanding the process of constructing a sustainable Olympic sports development legacy. The research uses a social constructivist perspective to examine the link between the 2012 London Olympic Games and sustainable sports development. The first part of the paper provides justification for the study of sport policy processes using a constructivist lens. This is followed by a section which critically unpacks sustainable sports development drawing on Mosse’s (1998) ideas of process-oriented research and Searle’s conceptualisation of the construction of social reality. Searle’s (1995) concepts of the assignment of function, collective intentionality, collective rules, and human capacity to cope with the environment are considered in relation to the events and discourses emerging from the legacy vision(s) associated with the 2012 London Olympic Games. The paper concludes by proposing a framework for engaging in process oriented research and highlights key elements, research questions, and methodological issues. The proposed constructivist approach can be used to inform policy, practice, and research on sustainable Olympic sports development legacy

A miniaturized 4 K platform for superconducting infrared photon counting detectors

We report on a miniaturized platform for superconducting infrared photon counting detectors. We have implemented a fibre-coupled superconducting nanowire single photon detector in a Stirling/Joule–Thomson platform with a base temperature of 4.2 K. We have verified a cooling power of 4 mW at 4.7 K. We report 20% system detection efficiency at 1310 nm wavelength at a dark count rate of 1 kHz. We have carried out compelling application demonstrations in single photon depth metrology and singlet oxygen luminescence detection

Cohesin-dependent regulation of gene expression during differentiation is lost in cohesin-mutated myeloid malignancies.

Cohesin complex disruption alters gene expression, and cohesin mutations are common in myeloid neoplasia, suggesting a critical role in hematopoiesis. Here, we explore cohesin dynamics and regulation of hematopoietic stem cell homeostasis and differentiation. Cohesin binding increases at active regulatory elements only during erythroid differentiation. Prior binding of the repressive Ets transcription factor Etv6 predicts cohesin binding at these elements and Etv6 interacts with cohesin at chromatin. Depletion of cohesin severely impairs erythroid differentiation, particularly at Etv6-prebound loci, but augments self-renewal programs. Together with corroborative findings in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patient samples, these data suggest cohesin-mediated alleviation of Etv6 repression is required for dynamic expression at critical erythroid genes during differentiation and how this may be perturbed in myeloid malignancies

‘Sons of athelings given to the earth’: Infant Mortality within Anglo-Saxon Mortuary Geography

FOR 20 OR MORE YEARS early Anglo-Saxon archaeologists have believed children are underrepresented in the cemetery evidence. They conclude that excavation misses small bones, that previous attitudes to reporting overlook the very young, or that infants and children were buried elsewhere. This is all well and good, but we must be careful of oversimplifying compound social and cultural responses to childhood and infant mortality. Previous approaches have offered methodological quandaries in the face of this under-representation. However, proportionally more infants were placed in large cemeteries and sometimes in specific zones. This trend is statistically significant and is therefore unlikely to result entirely from preservation or excavation problems. Early medieval cemeteries were part of regional mortuary geographies and provided places to stage events that promoted social cohesion across kinship systems extending over tribal territories. This paper argues that patterns in early Anglo-Saxon infant burial were the result of female mobility. Many women probably travelled locally to marry in a union which reinforced existing social networks. For an expectant mother, however, the safest place to give birth was with experience women in her maternal home. Infant identities were affected by personal and legal association with their mother’s parental kindred, so when an infant died in childbirth or months and years later, it was their mother’s identity which dictated burial location. As a result, cemeteries central to tribal identities became places to bury the sons and daughters of a regional tribal aristocracy