Time-restricted flight ability influences dispersal and colonization rates in a group of freshwater beetles

Variation in the ability to fly or not is a key mechanism for differences in local species occurrences. It is increasingly acknowledged that physiological or behavioral mechanisms rather than morphological differences may drive flight abilities. However, our knowledge on the seasonal variability and stressors creating nonmorphological differences in flight abilities and how it scales to local and regional occurrences is very limited particularly for small, short‐lived species such as insects. Here, we examine how flight ability might vary across seasons and between two closely related genera of freshwater beetles with similar geographical ranges, life histories, and dispersal‐related morphology. By combining flight experiments of >1,100 specimens with colonization rates in a metacommunity of 54 ponds in northern and eastern Europe, we have analyzed the relationship between flight ability and spatio‐environmental distribution of the study genera. We find profound differences in flight ability between the two study genera across seasons. High flight ability for Acilius (97% of the tested individuals flew during the experiments) and low for Graphoderus (14%) corresponded to the different colonization rates of newly created ponds. Within a 5‐year period, 81 and 31% of the study ponds were colonized by Acilius and Graphoderus, respectively. While Acilius dispersed throughout the season, flight activity in Graphoderus was restricted to stressed situations immediately after the emergence of adults. Regional colonization ability of Acilius was independent of spatial connectivity and mass effect from propagule sources. In contrast, Graphoderus species were closely related to high connectivity between ponds in the landscape. Our data suggest that different dispersal potential can account for different local occurrences of Acilius and Graphoderus. In general, our findings provide some of the first insights into the understanding of seasonal restrictions in flight patterns of aquatic beetles and their consequences for species distributions

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Rat Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis by Dual-Acting PPARα + γ Agonists

Despite clinical promise, dual-acting activators of PPARα and γ (here termed PPARα+γ agonists) have experienced high attrition rates in preclinical and early clinical development, due to toxicity. In some cases, discontinuation was due to carcinogenic effect in the rat urothelium, the epithelial layer lining the urinary bladder, ureters, and kidney pelvis. Chronic pharmacological activation of PPARα is invariably associated with cancer in rats and mice. Chronic pharmacological activation of PPARγ can in some cases also cause cancer in rats and mice. Urothelial cells coexpress PPARα as well as PPARγ, making it plausible that the urothelial carcinogenicity of PPARα+γ agonists may be caused by receptor-mediated effects (exaggerated pharmacology). Based on previously published mode of action data for the PPARα+γ agonist ragaglitazar, and the available literature about the role of PPARα and γ in rodent carcinogenesis, we propose a mode of action hypothesis for the carcinogenic effect of PPARα+γ agonists in the rat urothelium, which combines receptor-mediated and off-target cytotoxic effects. The proposed mode of action hypothesis is being explored in our laboratories, towards understanding the human relevance of the rat cancer findings, and developing rapid in vitro or short-term in vivo screening approaches to faciliate development of new dual-acting PPAR agonist compounds

Teaching Electronics and Programming in Norwegian Schools Using the air:bit Sensor Kit

We describe lessons learned from using the air:bit project to introduce more than 150 students in the Norwegian upper secondary school to computer programming, engineering and environmental sciences. In the air:bit project, students build and code a portable air quality sensor kits, and use their air:bit to collect data to investigate patterns in air quality in their local environment. When the project ended students had collected more than 400,000 measurements with their air:bit kits, and could describe local patterns in air quality. Students participate in all parts of the project, from soldering components and programming the sensors, to analyzing the air quality measurements. We conducted a survey after the project and describe our lessons learned from the project. The results show that the project successfully taught the students fundamental concepts in computer programming, electronics, and the scientific method. In addition, all the participating teachers reported that their students had showed good learning outcomes

Let the Games Begin

Artiklen har fokus på lovgningsprocesserne af den tidligere og nuværende eliteidrætslov, i perioderne 1979-1984 og 2002-2004. Evald Iversen and Lasse Taagaard Jensen: Let the Games Begin – the elite sports laws of 1984 and 2002This article tries to develop an understanding of the interplay between the Danish Government (i.e. the Ministry of Culture) and the interest organisations within the area of elite sports. The central argument is that close cooperation exists between the actors in the field. The Government as well as the interest organisations possess resources that are interesting seen from their counterparts perspective. On the basis of the first elite sports law the elite sports organisation »Team Danmark« was created in 1984. Its success and the contentment from athletes at the elite level meant that Team Danmark was difficult to ignore when a second elite sport law was in the making in 2004. The organisation had marked itself as a new player in field of elite sports. The Minister of Culture and the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (Danmarks Idræts Forbund) had a firm association during the process which led to the newest legislation in 2004 – but eventually they could not control the legislation process. This was partly due to the other players involved and partly to these partners cooperation with the media. In the end this meant that the 2004 process became fragmented with several actors involved – even though the interplay between the state and the sports organisations continued to be intertwined with relatively few actors involved

Let the Games Begin

Artiklen har fokus på lovgningsprocesserne af den tidligere og nuværende eliteidrætslov, i perioderne 1979-1984 og 2002-2004.    Evald Iversen and Lasse Taagaard Jensen: Let the Games Begin – the elite sports laws of 1984 and 2002 This article tries to develop an understanding of the interplay between the Danish Government (i.e. the Ministry of Culture) and the interest organisations within the area of elite sports. The central argument is that close cooperation exists between the actors in the field. The Government as well as the interest organisations possess resources that are interesting seen from their counterparts perspective. On the basis of the first elite sports law the elite sports organisation »Team Danmark« was created in 1984. Its success and the contentment from athletes at the elite level meant that Team Danmark was difficult to ignore when a second elite sport law was in the making in 2004. The organisation had marked itself as a new player in field of elite sports. The Minister of Culture and the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (Danmarks Idræts Forbund) had a firm association during the process which led to the newest legislation in 2004 – but eventually they could not control the legislation process. This was partly due to the other players involved and partly to these partners cooperation with the media. In the end this meant that the 2004 process became fragmented with several actors involved – even though the interplay between the state and the sports organisations continued to be intertwined with relatively few actors involved