Social factors influencing natal dispersal in male whitefaced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)

White-faced capuchin males disperse from their natal group at around 4.5 years of age, but there is much variation in dispersal timing: our youngest confirmed disperser was 19 months and the oldest 11 years old. In this study, we investigate possible factors influencing dispersal decisions in this species. Between 1983 and 2010, 64 males were born into three study groups in Santa Rosa National Park, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, and Costa Rica. As of August 2010, 21 died or were presumed dead (o14 months), 13 remained natal residents, and 30 were presumed dispersers. We used backward logistic regression to identify proximate factors that predict the occurrence of male natal dispersal. The occurrence of a takeover (significant positive association) and group size (nonsignificant negative association) were included in the model. Male age, number of maternal brothers, and number of adult males were not significant predictors of natal dispersal. The resultant model correctly classified 97% of dispersed and 89% of resident natal males, for an overall success rate of 95%. The occurrence of a group takeover was the strongest predictor of male dispersal, with natal males being 18.7 times more likely to disperse in the context of a group takeover than during peaceful times. A linear regression model showed that the tenure length of a male's probable father influences the age of natal dispersal, explaining 15% of the observed variation in age. However, when our oldest disperser was removed (an outlier) this effect disappeared. Collectively, these results indicate that group instability, as evidenced by the occurrence of a takeover, shorter tenure length of a natal male's father, and smaller group size, triggers natal dispersal in this species while the converse leads to a delay. These data add to our growing evidence of the enormous impact that takeovers have on the behavioral ecology of this species. Am. J. Primatol. 73:1-7, 2011

Social Factors Influencing Natal Dispersal in Male White-Faced Capuchins (Cebus capucinus)

White-faced capuchin males disperse from their natal group at around 4.5 years of age, but there is much variation in dispersal timing: our youngest confirmed disperser was 19 months and the oldest 11 years old. In this study, we investigate possible factors influencing dispersal decisions in this species. Between 1983 and 2010, 64 males were born into three study groups in Santa Rosa National Park, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, and Costa Rica. As of August 2010, 21 died or were presumed dead (o14 months), 13 remained natal residents, and 30 were presumed dispersers. We used backward logistic regression to identify proximate factors that predict the occurrence of male natal dispersal. The occurrence of a takeover (significant positive association) and group size (nonsignificant negative association) were included in the model. Male age, number of maternal brothers, and number of adult males were not significant predictors of natal dispersal. The resultant model correctly classified 97% of dispersed and 89% of resident natal males, for an overall success rate of 95%. The occurrence of a group takeover was the strongest predictor of male dispersal, with natal males being 18.7 times more likely to disperse in the context of a group takeover than during peaceful times. A linear regression model showed that the tenure length of a male's probable father influences the age of natal dispersal, explaining 15% of the observed variation in age. However, when our oldest disperser was removed (an outlier) this effect disappeared. Collectively, these results indicate that group instability, as evidenced by the occurrence of a takeover, shorter tenure length of a natal male's father, and smaller group size, triggers natal dispersal in this species while the converse leads to a delay. These data add to our growing evidence of the enormous impact that takeovers have on the behavioral ecology of this species. Am. J

Preparing for a Northwest Passage: A Workshop on the Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic

Preparing for a Northwest Passage: A Workshop on the Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic (March 25 - 27, 2018 -- The University of New Hampshire) paired two of NSF\u27s 10 Big Ideas: Navigating the New Arctic and Growing Convergence Research at NSF. During this event, participants assessed economic, environmental, and social impacts of Arctic change on New England and established convergence research initiatives to prepare for, adapt to, and respond to these effects. Shipping routes through an ice-free Northwest Passage in combination with modifications to ocean circulation and regional climate patterns linked to Arctic ice melt will affect trade, fisheries, tourism, coastal ecology, air and water quality, animal migration, and demographics not only in the Arctic but also in lower latitude coastal regions such as New England. With profound changes on the horizon, this is a critical opportunity for New England to prepare for uncertain yet inevitable economic and environmental impacts of Arctic change

p27 allosterically activates cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and antagonizes palbociclib inhibition.

The p27 protein is a canonical negative regulator of cell proliferation and acts primarily by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Under some circumstances, p27 is associated with active CDK4, but no mechanism for activation has been described. We found that p27, when phosphorylated by tyrosine kinases, allosterically activated CDK4 in complex with cyclin D1 (CDK4-CycD1). Structural and biochemical data revealed that binding of phosphorylated p27 (phosp27) to CDK4 altered the kinase adenosine triphosphate site to promote phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (Rb) and other substrates. Surprisingly, purified and endogenous phosp27-CDK4-CycD1 complexes were insensitive to the CDK4-targeting drug palbociclib. Palbociclib instead primarily targeted monomeric CDK4 and CDK6 (CDK4/6) in breast tumor cells. Our data characterize phosp27-CDK4-CycD1 as an active Rb kinase that is refractory to clinically relevant CDK4/6 inhibitors

Tethering Telomeric Double- and Single-stranded DNA-binding Proteins Inhibits Telomere Elongation

Mammalian telomeres are composed of G-rich repetitive double-stranded (ds) DNA with a 3' single-stranded (ss) overhang and associated proteins that together maintain chromosome end stability. Complete replication of telomeric DNA requires de novo elongation of the ssDNA by the enzyme telomerase, with telomeric proteins playing a key role in regulating telomerase-mediated telomere replication. In regards to the protein component of mammalian telomeres, TRF1 and TRF2 bind to the dsDNA of telomeres, whereas POT1 binds to the ssDNA portion. These three proteins are linked through either direct interactions or by the proteins TIN2 and TPP1. To determine the biological consequence of connecting telomeric dsDNA to ssDNA through a multiprotein assembly, we compared the effect of expressing TRF1 and POT1 in trans versus in cis in the form of a fusion of these two proteins, on telomere length in telomerase-positive cells. When expressed in trans these two proteins induced extensive telomere elongation. Fusing TRF1 to POT1 abrogated this effect, inducing mild telomere shortening, and generated looped DNA structures, as assessed by electron microscopy, consistent with the protein forming a complex with dsDNA and ssDNA. We speculate that such a protein bridge between dsDNA and ssDNA may inhibit telomerase access, promoting telomere shortening

Fecal microbiota transplant rescues mice from human pathogen mediated sepsis by restoring systemic immunity.

Death due to sepsis remains a persistent threat to critically ill patients confined to the intensive care unit and is characterized by colonization with multi-drug-resistant healthcare-associated pathogens. Here we report that sepsis in mice caused by a defined four-member pathogen community isolated from a patient with lethal sepsis is associated with the systemic suppression of key elements of the host transcriptome required for pathogen clearance and decreased butyrate expression. More specifically, these pathogens directly suppress interferon regulatory factor 3. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) reverses the course of otherwise lethal sepsis by enhancing pathogen clearance via the restoration of host immunity in an interferon regulatory factor 3-dependent manner. This protective effect is linked to the expansion of butyrate-producing Bacteroidetes. Taken together these results suggest that fecal microbiota transplantation may be a treatment option in sepsis associated with immunosuppression

Leadership and the media: Gendered framings of Julia Gillard's ‘sexism and misogyny’ speech

This article analyses Australian media portrayals of former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's ‘sexism and misogyny’ speech to parliament in October 2012. Our analysis reveals that coverage of the speech comprised three principal gendered framings: strategic attack, uncontrolled emotional outpouring and hypocrisy. We argue that these framings demonstrate the role the media plays as a gendered mediator, perpetuating the gender double bind that constrains female political leaders, as they negotiate the demand to demonstrate masculine leadership attributes without tarnishing the feminine qualities expected of them. In this instance, gendered media framings limited the saliency of Gillard's speech, curtailed calls for wider introspection on Australian political culture and further disassociated women from political leadership

Planning for Sustainability in Small Municipalities: The Influence of Interest Groups, Growth Patterns, and Institutional Characteristics

How and why small municipalities promote sustainability through planning efforts is poorly understood. We analyzed ordinances in 451 Maine municipalities and tested theories of policy adoption using regression analysis.We found that smaller communities do adopt programs that contribute to sustainability relevant to their scale and context. In line with the political market theory, we found that municipalities with strong environmental interests, higher growth, and more formal governments were more likely to adopt these policies. Consideration of context and capacity in planning for sustainability will help planners better identify and benefit from collaboration, training, and outreach opportunities

Translocator protein is a marker of activated microglia in rodent models but not human neurodegenerative diseases

Microglial activation plays central roles in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Positron emission tomography (PET) targeting 18 kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO) is widely used for localising inflammation in vivo, but its quantitative interpretation remains uncertain. We show that TSPO expression increases in activated microglia in mouse brain disease models but does not change in a non-human primate disease model or in common neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory human diseases. We describe genetic divergence in the TSPO gene promoter, consistent with the hypothesis that the increase in TSPO expression in activated myeloid cells depends on the transcription factor AP1 and is unique to a subset of rodent species within the Muroidea superfamily. Finally, we identify LCP2 and TFEC as potential markers of microglial activation in humans. These data emphasise that TSPO expression in human myeloid cells is related to different phenomena than in mice, and that TSPO-PET signals in humans reflect the density of inflammatory cells rather than activation state.Published versionThe authors thank the UK MS Society for financial support (grant number: C008-16.1). DRO was funded by an MRC Clinician Scientist Award (MR/N008219/1). P.M.M. acknowledges generous support from Edmond J Safra Foundation and Lily Safra, the NIHR Senior Investigator programme and the UK Dementia Research Institute which receives its funding from DRI Ltd., funded by the UK Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Society, and Alzheimer’s Research UK. P.M.M. and D.R.O. thank the Imperial College Healthcare Trust-NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for infrastructure support and the Medical Research Council for support of TSPO studies (MR/N016343/1). E.A. was supported by the ALS Stichting (grant “The Dutch ALS Tissue Bank”). P.M. and B.B.T. are funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (projects 320030_184713 and 310030_212322, respectively). S.T. was supported by an “Early Postdoc.Mobility” scholarship (P2GEP3_191446) from the Swiss National Science Foundation, a “Clinical Medicine Plus” scholarship from the Prof Dr. Max Cloëtta Foundation (Zurich, Switzerland), from the Jean et Madeleine Vachoux Foundation (Geneva, Switzerland) and from the University Hospitals of Geneva. This work was funded by NIH grants U01AG061356 (De Jager/Bennett), RF1AG057473 (De Jager/Bennett), and U01AG046152 (De Jager/Bennett) as part of the AMP-AD consortium, as well as NIH grants R01AG066831 (Menon) and U01AG072572 (De Jager/St George-Hyslop)

A long-period transiting substellar companion in the super-Jupiters to brown dwarfs mass regime and a prototypical warm-Jupiter detected by TESS

We report on the confirmation and follow-up characterization of two long-period transiting substellar companions on low-eccentricity orbits around TIC 4672985 and TOI-2529, whose transit events were detected by the TESS space mission. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic follow up from different facilities, confirmed the substellar nature of TIC 4672985 b, a massive gas giant, in the transition between the super-Jupiters and brown-dwarfs mass regime. From the joint analysis we derived the following orbital parameters: P = 69.0480+0.0004−0.0005 d, Mp = 12.74+1.01−1.01 MJ, Rp =1.026+0.065−0.067 RJ and e = 0.018+0.004−0.004 . In addition, the RV time series revealed a significant trend at the ∼ 350 m s−1 yr−1level, which is indicative of the presence of a massive outer companion in the system. TIC 4672985 b is a unique example of a transiting substellar companion with a mass above the deuterium-burning limit, located beyond 0.1 AU and in a nearly circular orbit. These planetary properties are difficult to reproduce from canonical planet formation and evolution models. For TOI-2529 b, we obtained the following orbital parameters: P = 64.5949+0.0003−0.0003 d, Mp =2.340+0.197−0.195 MJ, Rp = 1.030+0.050−0.050 RJ and e = 0.021+0.024−0.015 , making this object a new example of a growing population of transiting warm giant planets