Raspberry viruses manipulate plant–aphid interactions

Plants come under attack by a variety of organisms, including insects and pathogenic microorganisms such as viruses. Plant viruses can interact indirectly with their vectors by inducing changes to plant chemistry which may alter its attractiveness as a host for herbivore vectors. Using red raspberry as a study system, this study aimed to investigate the host plant mediated interactions occurring between the large raspberry aphid, Amphorophora idaei, and two of the viruses that it transmits, Black raspberry necrosis virus (BRNV) and Raspberry leaf mottle virus (RLMV). In whole plant bioassays, BRNV and RLMV-infected plants were shown to be initially more attractive to A. idaei and aphids remained on the initially selected host plant for a period of approximately 30 minutes. In addition, A. idaei took three days longer to reach reproductive maturity compared with those feeding on non-infected plants, suggesting a virally-induced manipulation of aphid behaviour whereby a deceptive attraction of the vector to a host plant found to be nutritionally poor, presumably acts to promote virus transmission. Investigations of the underlying plant chemistry revealed that raspberry viruses may be capable of facilitating aphid feeding by reducing leaf phenolic concentration when aphids are feeding and that infection with BRNV and RLMV resulted in significantly elevated levels of carbon and free amino acids in the leaves. While increased concentrations of amino acids might be expected to promote aphid performance, the amino acid composition was dominated by glutamate (77% of total content of infected plants), a previously suggested indicator of reduced host-plant suitability for aphids. Volatile entrainments from virus-infected plants showed elevated levels of the green leaf volatile (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. Bioassays subsequently revealed that this compound acted as an aphid attractant at a concentration of 50 ng ml-1 but that aphid behaviour was unaffected by lower concentrations. The combined utilisation of PCR diagnostics developed from newly sequenced viral genomes and the implementation of a non-invasive, targeted method of sampling plant headspace volatiles enabled this study to provide novel insights into the nature of host plant mediated interactions between aphids and the viral pathogens that they transmit

Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta: Protecting Free Speech and its Implications for Campaign Finance Disclosures

In 2021, the United States Supreme Court in Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta considered the anonymous speech rights of charitable donors against the California Attorney General’s interest in preventing wrongdoing by charitable organizations. The Court applied exacting scrutiny, a standard traditionally applied to campaign finance disclosure laws, determining that California’s requirement was facially invalid as a violation of associational rights. Bonta did not concern campaign finance, making this application of exacting scrutiny novel. This Article considers the open questions raised by Bonta regarding how exacting scrutiny should be applied and what it means for the future of campaign finance disclosure regimes

POWRE: A Pilot Study of Chemoreception Mechanisms in Deposit-Feeding Polychaetes

This proposal was submitted to the NSF-wide Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) program. The PI proposes to begin research on the sensory mechanisms coordinating chemoreception in spionid polychaetes, a common deposit-feeding invertebrate. These worms are widely distributed in soft-sediment benthic marine environments and, along with other deposit-feeders, are responsible for the bioturbation that is important to this environment. Some evidence indicates that chemoreception may coordinate sediment ingestion rate and other aspects of deposit-feeding in a variety of species. The proposed research will attempt to identify some of the physiological and molecular mechanisms used by the worms to detect chemical stimuli

An Evaluation of Sex Education in Missoula County Schools from Students Perspectives

Objective: The study aims of this study is to gather information about sex education in Missoula County Schools for students graduating 2016-2019. The purpose of gathering this information is to evaluate what students recall from their sex education and gain insight into their perspectives of sex education. This is important for understanding what students perceive as their unmet needs in sex education within Missoula County schools so that the gap can be filled between what the current sex education is and what students need it to be. What students need sex education includes what they perceive as relevant in terms of what content they need to make decisions going forward and what teaching methods are most effective for them. This research is limited to the participants located in Missoula and is only evaluating Missoula County high schools from years 2016-2019. Methods: This study was conducted by performing informational interviews with former high schools’ graduates of Missoula County high schools from years 2016-2019. Interviews were conducted via Zoom with audio only to protect the confidentiality of the students. Interviews were then transcribed. Questions asked were aimed to gain insight into what students recalled from their sex education and what their perspectives were on sex education in regard to when it should be offered, what content is included, and how it should be taught. Results: The findings of this study included content topics that the participants recalled from their own sex education, their view of sex education in general and within Missoula County schools and what they think is important to change about sex education. Topics recalled included anatomy and physiology of reproductive systems, sexually transmitted diseases, reproduction, abstinence, consent and healthy relationships. The topics that students though were important to include were gender and sexual orientation, decision making, communication around sex and all birth control options. In terms of teaching methods, students recalled learning via PowerPoint lectures and textbooks and diagrams for anatomy. Students explained that a variety of teaching methods would increase engagement in sex education, including videos, more guest speakers and class discussions or activities. Conclusion: This study aimed to learn more about sex education in Missoula County schools and led to future directions for research before practical action can be taken. This includes further research on the connection between what students can recall from their sex education and how effective that sex education was, the effectiveness of the use of a variety of teaching methods in sex education and how relevance effects student’s engagement in sex education

Quota or No Quota: The Effect of Gender Quotas on Women’s Ability to Provide Substantive Representation

The primary goal of this thesis is to determine the effect of gender quotas in national legislatures on the ability of female legislators to provide substantive representation. The secondary goal of this thesis is to determine which kinds of gender quotas are conducive toward strengthening overall democracies. This study will determine whether any and which kinds of gender quotas allow women parliamentarians to provide substantive representation by measuring the legislation enacted to address women’s issues (namely domestic violence legislation, reproductive rights legislation). This study draws from an accumulation of primary and secondary sources to examine whether parliaments successfully enact legislation to address women’s issues. Through an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, this thesis determines which gender quota systems are most conducive to substantive representation and which quota systems provide the best results in terms of strengthening democratic systems. I find based on this qualitative data that there is no causation between gender quota implementation and policy outputs that reflect the interests of women. I further find that parliaments are able to pass legislation to address women’s issues, but that legislation is rarely well-implemented because of institutional gender biases and patriarchal systems. Thus, I find that gender quotas of any type do not appear to strengthen democracies – nor do they improve overall gender development. I conclude that gender quotas are a short-term solution that fails to fix a problem (pervasive patriarchal political and social systems) that require larger-scale and longer-term systemic and societal changes

Ecology of Injury in Marine Sedimentary Habitats: Effects of Repeated Injury on Infaunal Condition and Sediment Bioturbation

The majority of the ocean floor is sedimentary, and marine sediments play a key role in the flux of nutrients and organic matter in the ocean. Via their feeding and other activities, organisms living in marine sediments influence benthic-pelagic coupling by processing and redistributing organic matter supplied from the water column and influencing the supply of nutrients. These activities also influence recruitment and competitive interactions. Thus, factors that impact infaunal activity can secondarily impact sediment biogeochemistry and benthic communities. Non-lethal loss of body tissue is a common event for marine infauna such as polychaetes, and numerous studies have investigated the immediate effects of injury on individuals and predicted indirect effects on ecological interactions in marine soft-sediment habitats. Accurate predictions of the effect injury has on marine infaunal communities require knowing the frequency at which infaunal organisms are injured, whether injured individuals can regenerate and the speed at which they do so. But comprehensive, accurate assessments of injury rates among soft-bodied infauna are difficult because current methods underestimate injury rates by counting only individuals that are visibly regenerating lost tissue. Past injury may be masked by rapid regeneration in some species.RESEARCH SUMMARY & INTELLECTUAL MERIT: This project will use a novel approach using a histological stain in conjunction with field surveys to answer several important ecological questions: How frequently are marine worms injured? How variable is the incidence of injury in space and time? Are there species differences in the frequency of injury? Surveys of infaunal injury will be repeated during the spring and summer months over three years at two sites in Maine. This project will also investigate the effect of repeated injury on infauna, an aspect of injury that has been largely ignored. Comprehensive measurements relating sediment activity, regeneration status and nutritional condition of infauna are rare. Laboratory experiments will compare the effect of repeated injury on survival, growth, fecundity, nutritional condition and sediment disturbance by different functional groups such as spionid polychaetes (shallow tube-dwelling interface deposit feeders with rapid regeneration rates), maldanid polychaetes (head-down tube-dwelling conveyor-belt feeders), and arenicolid polychaetes (head-down burrowers that subduct surface sediments to depth to feed). This project will then use the data gathered in the proposed experiments and surveys to create a more realistic model of the interacting effects injury has on infaunal populations, sediment bioturbation, recruitment, and predator populations. Effects of predation intensity on bioturbation and infaunal populations will be explored.BROADER IMPACTS: The project includes a significant effort to improve ocean science literacy across the nation by collaborating with the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-Ocean Systems team (COSEE-OS) to develop educational resources describing the ways marine infauna link sediment and water column processes in the ocean. Two graduate students and three undergraduates will receive diverse training in marine organismal biology, physiology and ecology. All participants will work with COSEE-OS educational experts to develop content and educational activities that will be added to interactive concept maps of Oceans and Climate and Ocean Diversity. Undergraduate and graduate students will be introduced to the process of translating the knowledge and experience they gain during their research into larger key concepts to be presented to a general audience. Educational activities will be tested in the PI\u27s marine science class and interactive concept maps and ocean science educational activities will be widely distributed by COSEE-OS via the internet. Materials will align with Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and National Science Education Standards. After internal evaluation at the University of Maine to evaluate student learning, the materials will then be widely distributed by COSEE-OS and evaluated using standard evaluation protocols for technology usability and end-user effectiveness. By working directly with both a national network (COSEE) and a national ocean literacy campaign with proven success, we can ensure that our deliverables will reach a broad spectrum of learners, including those traditionally underrepresented in ocean sciences

The multifaceted role of astrocytes in regulating myelination

Astrocytes are the major glial cell of the central nervous system (CNS), providing both metabolic and physical support to other neural cells. After injury, astrocytes become reactive and express a continuum of phenotypes which may be supportive or inhibitory to CNS repair. This review will focus on the ability of astrocytes to influence myelination in the context of specific secreted factors, cytokines and other neural cell targets within the CNS. In particular, we focus on how astrocytes provide energy and cholesterol to neurons, influence synaptogenesis, affect oligodendrocyte biology and instigate cross-talk between the many cellular components of the CNS

Centre of mass acceleration-derived variables detects differences between runners of different abilities and fatigue-related changes during a long distance over ground run

Background: Wireless accelerometers provide a method of performing running assessments in sports-specific environments. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in running movement using centre of mass acceleration-derived variables between runners of varying skill levels and examine fatigue-related changes during a long distance over ground run. Methods: Ninety-two runners performed a self-selected paced long distance over ground run, with a tri-axial accelerometer attached to their low back. Runners were divided into four groups (elite, advanced, intermediate and slow) based on their finishing run time. Spatiotemporal (contact time, flight time, step frequency), dynamic postural stability (ratio of root mean square of accelerations), dynamic loading (peak impact and braking accelerations) and variability (step and stride regularity), were derived from acceleration data. Speed and acceleration-derived variables were used to investigate between group differences and within group fatigue-related changes. Results: Faster runners (elite and advanced groups) exhibited significantly shorter contact times and higher step frequencies than the slow group. Fatigue-related changes throughout the run were only observed amongst the slower runners (intermediate and slow groups). The main changes in the intermediate group were an increase in ratio of root mean square in mediolateral acceleration, and a decrease in speed in the slow group. Conclusion: The shorter contact times and higher step frequencies and no fatigue-related changes exhibited by the faster runners indicate an efficient running movement pattern. Fatigue-related changes in the slower runners were a decrease in postural dynamic stability in mediolateral direction in the intermediate group and a decrease in speed in the slow group which impacted on performance. These runners would benefit from exercise interventions and pacing strategies to reduce these fatigue-related changes and improve performance

Symposium Support: Integrative Biology of Animal Regeneration - Seattle, WA January 2010

Certain animals can regrow (regenerate) lost body parts, whereas others cannot. This is a fascinating and important area of biology, but why only some animals have this ability is still poorly understood. The purpose of this conference symposium is to bring together researchers working on regeneration from a variety of research perspectives in order to foster integrative approaches to studying this question. Ten researchers working from different perspectives in regeneration biology, ranging from molecular and cell biology to ecology, will present current research findings and participants will discuss the state of the field and needed areas for future research. Additional researchers, including early-career scientists, will present their findings in short talks. Educators and scientists will also share novel approaches on teaching principles of regeneration biology in classroom and laboratory settings. Women, minorities, and early career scientists are well represented among the symposium presenters and participants. It is anticipated that this symposium will help foster needed crosstalk between different sub-disciplines of regeneration biology and enhance future research efforts

Linking Bioturbation and Sensory Biology: Chemoreception Mechanisms in Deposit-Feeding Polychaetes

Soft-sediment benthic habitats are ubiquitous in the marine environment and typically feature macrofaunal assemblages that include large numbers of deposit-feeding invertebrates such as polychaetes, bivalves, gastropods, crustaceans, holothurians, and hemichordates. Via their feeding, modulated in part by chemoreception, these organisms have profound effects on the ecology, biology, geology, and chemistry of their habitats. Very little is known, however, concerning the physiology and molecular biology of chemoreception in deposit feeders. This research is a comprehensive investigation of the sensory mechanisms coordinating chemoreception in deposit feeding spionid polychaetes. It directly addresses this lack of information and will therefore have a significant impact on the current understanding of chemoreception in polychaetes and other marine invertebrates. In the first of three objectives, the ultrastructure and innervation of putative sensory structures on spionid polychaete palps will be described using electron and confocal microscopy. Second, the chemoreceptive capacity of palp sensory cells and nuchal organs will be tested with behavioral assays and activity-dependent cell labeling studies. The behavioral assays will identify chemical cues that elicit significant feeding responses and establish their threshold sensitivities. Complementary immunocytochemistry experiments will determine (1) if the chemicals that elicit behavioral responses activate the sensory cells described in objective 1; (2) the sensitivity of the sensory cells (i.e., stimulation thresholds); and (3) the distribution of cells responding to a particular chemical cue. Third, a functional biochemical approach will be used to characterize and isolate candidate chemoreceptor proteins associated with the peripheral sensory cells and nuchal organs. Several outcomes of the research are of particular significance. First, the cell-labeling method will be further refined for use with small invertebrates, and will provide a powerful tool for future studies of the neural mechanisms coordinating habitat selection by many species of marine invertebrate larvae. Second, the sequence information and purified receptor will set the stage for development of mRNA and antibody probes that can be used to examine gene expression and detail the chemosensory transduction pathways in polychaetes and other marine invertebrates. Such information will be useful to researchers interested in the evolutionary relationships among invertebrate phyla and the in evolution of sensory structures. In addition to its scientific relevance, the project provides significant opportunities for graduate and undergraduate student training. Three K-12 educators or high school students will also participate through the Maine Research Internships for Teachers and Students program. Their participation not only increases the capacity of this over subscribed program, but also strengthens the links between the local K-12 community and the University of Maine. Internet activities and resources will be created that focus on sensory perception and ecology in the marine environment. These materials will extend the research to an even larger Internet audience and facilitate the incorporation of ocean science examples into topics typically approached only from a terrestrial and human perspective