High Tunnel Strawberry Production for Late Fall Harvest

Utah State University Extension researchers have developed two systems for high tunnel strawberry production. This fact sheet details an early spring-planted, fall-harvested system

Evolution of the NANOG pseudogene family in the human and chimpanzee genomes

BACKGROUND: The NANOG gene is expressed in mammalian embryonic stem cells where it maintains cellular pluripotency. An unusually large family of pseudogenes arose from it with one unprocessed and ten processed pseudogenes in the human genome. This article compares the NANOG gene and its pseudogenes in the human and chimpanzee genomes and derives an evolutionary history of this pseudogene family. RESULTS: The NANOG gene and all pseudogenes except NANOGP8 are present at their expected orthologous chromosomal positions in the chimpanzee genome when compared to the human genome, indicating that their origins predate the human-chimpanzee divergence. Analysis of flanking DNA sequences demonstrates that NANOGP8 is absent from the chimpanzee genome. CONCLUSION: Based on the most parsimonious ordering of inferred source-gene mutations, the deduced evolutionary origins for the NANOG pseudogene family in the human and chimpanzee genomes, in order of most ancient to most recent, are NANOGP6, NANOGP5, NANOGP3, NANOGP10, NANOGP2, NANOGP9, NANOGP7, NANOGP1, and NANOGP4. All of these pseudogenes were fixed in the genome of the human-chimpanzee common ancestor. NANOGP8 is the most recent pseudogene and it originated exclusively in the human lineage after the human-chimpanzee divergence. NANOGP1 is apparently an unprocessed pseudogene. Comparison of its sequence to the functional NANOG gene's reading frame suggests that this apparent pseudogene remained functional after duplication and, therefore, was subject to selection-driven conservation of its reading frame, and that it may retain some functionality or that its loss of function may be evolutionarily recent

High Tunnel Strawberry Production for Early Spring Harvest

Utah State University Extension researchers have developed two systems for high tunnel strawberry production. This fact sheet details a fall-planted, spring-harvested system

What psychiatrists should know about environmental sustainability and what they should be doing about it

The 2013 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has caused renewed concern among both clinicians and health policy makers. Climate change is continuing at an increasing rate. This guest editorial describes how climate change might affect global mental health and proposes three things that psychiatrists from every country could implement to respond appropriately to this urgent and severe global threat. These responses are mitigation and adaptation strategies for mental health services, and the integration of sustainability into training.</jats:p

Determining an approach to estimating the carbon footprint of mental health care that is fit for purpose

The NHS has to meet the Climate Change Act targets of an 80% reduction to their carbon emissions by 2050. Investigation into the components of the carbon footprint of mental health care is needed to understand how services can meet these targets. This thesis first seeks to understand what is known about the carbon footprint of mental health care through two systematic reviews and two national surveys. Second, existing methodologies for estimating carbon footprints are examined to assess whether an approach is available that is ‘fit for purpose’ in mental health care. The approach needs to be applied feasibly within a clinical context and the results need to be sufficiently robust to reliably inform decisions about service design. The aim of this research is to provide an approach that service providers can use to estimate the carbon footprint of services and then use the information obtained to inform service design. This thesis defines the boundaries of assessment to ensure a consistent approach. It suggests an approach to data collection that includes financial and activity data. It presents a review of the available methods for converting this data to carbon equivalents and finds a potential five-fold range associated with carbon footprint estimates of medication. The approach developed within this study is termed the combined approach. The combined approach is then evaluated using a scenario analysis, a four-year retrospective cohort analysis and a prospective care modelling analysis to assess whether it is fit for purpose according to specified criteria. It is concluded that the combined approach is fit for the purpose of assessing how the carbon footprint of a service changes over time. However, due to the use of financial data and the problems with estimating the carbon footprint of medication, this approach has significant weaknesses, which limits its wider use

The experience of seeking and accessing help from mental health services among young people of Eastern European backgrounds: A qualitative interview study

Objectives: Most lifetime mental health problems (MHP) start before the age of 25. Yet young people—particularly those of minority backgrounds—often do not seek or access professional help. In the UK, young people of Eastern European (EE) backgrounds represent a large minority group; however, little is known about their experiences of MHP and help‐seeking. In this study, we aim to understand the help‐seeking process from the perspectives of EE young people. Design: We used a qualitative study design with semi‐structured individual interviews. The results were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Method: Twelve young people (18–25 years) of EE backgrounds, living in Oxfordshire, UK, took part. All participants had experienced a severe MHP and were identified in the community. Results: EE young people's experiences of MHP and help‐seeking were driven by a sense of being caught between different cultures and simultaneously needing to navigate the potentially contrasting expectations of both cultures. This process was reinforced or tempered by the perceived continuing influence of young people's families, that is, families with more open views about MHP made it easier for young people to navigate through the process of help‐seeking. Young people's internalised cultural and familial beliefs about MHP affected their decision‐making when experiencing difficulties, their levels of trust in services, and perceived sense of resourcefulness and ability to cope. Conclusions: Recognising and responding to the cultural tension that young people of EE backgrounds may experience can help us to develop more accessible and inclusive mental health services

Critical Temperature for Sub-lethal Cold Injury of Strawberry Leaves

Freezing temperatures are a major limitation to strawberry production in temperate regions, and protected-cultivation strategies such as the use of tunnels and row covers are used to overcome this limitation. In order to optimize management under protected cultivation, it is necessary to understand the damage thresholds for strawberry plant tissues. The effects of freezing temperatures (−3, −5, and −7 °C) on leaf CO2 assimilation were evaluated for ‘Chandler’, ‘Seascape’ and ‘Jewel’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). Growth chambers were used to expose plants to freezing temperatures under carefully defined conditions. Net assimilation was then measured on the cold-exposed leaves after the plants had been returned to 10 °C. Exposure to −3 °C did not significantly reduce CO2 assimilation when compared to plants maintained at 10 °C day/5 °C night. However, leaves exposed to −5 °C for one night had a net CO2assimilation rate that was 49% of the control. When leaves were first exposed to a conditioning night of −3 °C and then exposed to −5 °C, the net assimilation rate was 62% of the untreated control. Repeated exposure to −5 or −7 °C night temperatures resulted in a further decrease in net assimilation after each successive exposure. Leaves exposed to −7 °C for one night had a net assimilation rate of 6% of the control. Leaves exposed to −5 °C or −7 °C did not show any recovery over a 28-d monitoring period. There was no significant difference among cultivars in the sensitivity of leaves to cold temperatures. These results indicate that protected cultivation systems should be managed to maintain strawberry leaf temperatures above −5 °C in order to preserve full photosynthetic activity of existing leaves which would extend the growing season of the crop

A Wide-Field Study of the z~0.8 Cluster RX J0152.7-1357: the Role of Environment in the Formation of the Red-Sequence

[ABRIDGED] We present the first results from the largest spectroscopic survey to date of an intermediate redshift galaxy cluster, the z=0.834 cluster RX J0152.7-1357. We use the colors of galaxies, assembled from a D~12 Mpc region centered on the cluster, to investigate the properties of the red-sequence as a function of density and clustercentric radius. Our wide-field multi-slit survey with a low-dispersion prism in the IMACS spectrograph at Magellan allowed us to identify 475 new members of the cluster and its surrounding large scale structure with a redshift accuracy of dz/(1+z)~1% and a contamination rate of ~2% for galaxies with i<23.75 mag. We combine these new members with the 279 previously known spectroscopic members to give a total of 754 galaxies from which we obtain a mass-limited sample of 300 galaxies with stellar masses M>4x10^{10} M_sun. We find that the red galaxy fraction is 93+/-3% in the two merging cores of the cluster and declines to a level of 64+/-3% at projected clustercentric radii R>~3 Mpc. At these large projected distances, the correlation between clustercentric radius and local density is nonexistent. This allows an assessment of the influence of the local environment on galaxy evolution, as opposed to mechanisms that operate on cluster scales. Even beyond R>3 Mpc we find an increasing fraction of red galaxies with increasing local density. The red fraction at the highest local densities in two groups at R>3 Mpc matches the red fraction found in the two cores. Strikingly, galaxies at intermediate densities at R>3 Mpc, that are not group members, also show signs of an enhanced red fraction. Our results point to such intermediate density regions and the groups in the outskirts of the cluster, as sites where the local environment influences the transition of galaxies onto the red-sequence.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in ApJ, expanded introduction and additional references adde

A targeted psychological treatment for sleep problems in young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis in England (SleepWell): a parallel group, single-blind, randomised controlled feasibility trial

Background Sleep disturbance is common and problematic for young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis. Sleep disruption is a contributory causal factor in the occurrence of mental health problems, including psychotic experiences, anxiety, and depression. The implication is that treating sleep problems might have additional benefits on mental health outcomes in individuals at high risk. The present study had two aims: first, to establish the feasibility and acceptability of a randomised controlled trial to treat sleep problems with the aim of reducing psychotic experiences in young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis; and second, to provide proof of concept of the clinical efficacy of the treatment. Methods We did a parallel group, single-blind, randomised controlled feasibility trial in two National Health Service trusts in England. Eligible participants were aged 14–25 years, a patient of mental health services, assessed as being at ultra-high risk of psychosis on the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States, and having current sleep problems (score of ≥15 on the self-report Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]). Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to either a targeted psychological therapy for sleep problems (SleepWell) plus usual care or usual care alone via an automated online system, with non-deterministic minimisation that balanced participants for ISI score and referring service. The SleepWell therapy was delivered on an individual basis in approximately eight 1-h sessions over 12 weeks. Assessments were done at 0, 3, and 9 months, with trial assessors masked to treatment allocation. The key feasibility outcomes were the numbers of patients identified, recruited, and retained, treatment uptake, and data completion. Treatment acceptability was measured with the Abbreviated Acceptability Rating Profile (AARP). In preliminary clinical assessments, the primary clinical outcome was insomnia at 3 and 9 months assessed with the ISI, reported by randomised group (intention-to-treat analysis). Safety was assessed in all randomly assigned participants. The trial was prospectively registered on ISRCTN, 85601537, and is completed. Findings From Nov 18, 2020, to Jan 26, 2022, 67 young people were screened, of whom 40 (60%) at ultra-high risk of psychosis were recruited. Mean age was 16·9 years (SD 2·5; range 14–23), and most participants identified as female (n=19 [48%]) or male (n=19 [48%]) and as White (n=32 [80%]). 21 participants were randomly assigned to SleepWell therapy plus usual care and 19 to usual care alone. All participants provided data on at least one follow-up visit. 39 (98%) of 40 participants completed the primary outcome assessment at 3 and 9 months. 20 (95%) of 21 participants assigned to SleepWell therapy received the prespecified minimum treatment dose of at least four sessions. The median treatment acceptability score on the AARP was 48 (IQR 46 to 48; n=17; maximum possible score 48). At the post-intervention follow-up (3 months), compared with the usual care alone group, the SleepWell therapy group had a reduction in insomnia severity (ISI adjusted mean difference –8·12 [95% CI –11·60 to –4·63]; Cohen's d=–2·67 [95% CI –3·81 to –1·52]), which was sustained at 9 months (ISI adjusted mean difference –5·83 [–9·31 to –2·35]; Cohen's d=–1·91 [–3·06 to –0·77]). Among the 40 participants, eight adverse events were reported in six participants (two [11%] participants in the usual care group and four [19%] participants in the SleepWell therapy group). One serious adverse event involving hospital admission for a physical health problem was reported in the SleepWell therapy group, and one patient in the usual care alone group transitioned to psychosis. None of these events were classed as being related to trial treatment or procedures. Interpretation A randomised controlled trial of a targeted psychological sleep therapy for young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis is feasible. Patients can be retained in the trial and assessments done by masked assessors. Uptake of the sleep therapy was high, and we found preliminary evidence of sustained reductions in sleep problems. A definitive multicentre trial is now needed. Funding NIHR Research for Patient Benefit and NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre