30 days wild: development and evaluation of a large-scale nature engagement campaign to improve well-being

There is a need to increase people’s engagement with and connection to nature, both for human well-being and the conservation of nature itself. In order to suggest ways for people to engage with nature and create a wider social context to normalise nature engagement, The Wildlife Trusts developed a mass engagement campaign, 30 Days Wild. The campaign asked people to engage with nature every day for a month. 12,400 people signed up for 30 Days Wild via an online sign-up with an estimated 18,500 taking part overall, resulting in an estimated 300,000 engagements with nature by participants. Samples of those taking part were found to have sustained increases in happiness, health, connection to nature and pro-nature behaviours. With the improvement in health being predicted by the improvement in happiness, this relationship was mediated by the change in connection to nature

Genetic Diversity and Linkage Disequilibrium in Chinese Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Revealed by SSR Markers

Two hundred and fifty bread wheat lines, mainly Chinese mini core accessions, were assayed for polymorphism and linkage disequilibrium (LD) based on 512 whole-genome microsatellite loci representing a mean marker density of 5.1 cM. A total of 6,724 alleles ranging from 1 to 49 per locus were identified in all collections. The mean PIC value was 0.650, ranging from 0 to 0.965. Population structure and principal coordinate analysis revealed that landraces and modern varieties were two relatively independent genetic sub-groups. Landraces had a higher allelic diversity than modern varieties with respect to both genomes and chromosomes in terms of total number of alleles and allelic richness. 3,833 (57.0%) and 2,788 (41.5%) rare alleles with frequencies of <5% were found in the landrace and modern variety gene pools, respectively, indicating greater numbers of rare variants, or likely new alleles, in landraces. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that A genome had the largest genetic differentiation and D genome the lowest. In contrast to genetic diversity, modern varieties displayed a wider average LD decay across the whole genome for locus pairs with r2>0.05 (P<0.001) than the landraces. Mean LD decay distance for the landraces at the whole genome level was <5 cM, while a higher LD decay distance of 5–10 cM in modern varieties. LD decay distances were also somewhat different for each of the 21 chromosomes, being higher for most of the chromosomes in modern varieties (<5∼25 cM) compared to landraces (<5∼15 cM), presumably indicating the influences of domestication and breeding. This study facilitates predicting the marker density required to effectively associate genotypes with traits in Chinese wheat genetic resources

Assessing the Value of Recreational Divers for Censusing Elasmobranchs

BACKGROUND: Around the world, researchers are using the observations and experiences of citizens to describe patterns in animal populations. This data is often collected via ongoing sampling or by synthesizing past experiences. Since elasmobranchs are relatively rare, obtaining data for broad-scale trend analysis requires high sampling effort. Elasmobranchs are also relatively large and conspicuous and therefore it may be possible to enlist recreational divers to collect data on their occurrence and relative abundance from daily dive activities. For this, however, a good understanding of the value of data collected by recreational divers is essential. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we explore the value of recreational divers for censusing elasmobranchs using a diverse set of data sources. First, we use a simulation experiment to explore detection rates of the roving diver technique, used by recreational divers, across a range of fish densities and speeds. Next, using a field survey, we show that inexperienced recreational divers detect and count elasmobranchs as well as experienced recreational divers. Finally, we use semi-structured interviews of recreational dive instructors to demonstrate the value of their recollections in terms of effort and their descriptions of spatial and temporal distributions of sharks in Thailand. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Overall, this study provides initial ground-work for using recreational divers for monitoring elasmobranch populations. If used appropriately, citizen-collected data may provide additional information that can be used to complement more standardized surveys and to describe population trends across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Due to the non-extractive nature of this data, recreational divers may also provide important insight into the success of conservation initiatives, such as shark sanctuaries and no-take zones

Identification of human renal cell carcinoma associated genes by suppression subtractive hybridization

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are frequently chemo- and radiation resistant. Thus, there is a need for identifying biological features of these cells that could serve as alternative therapeutic targets. We performed suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) on patient-matched normal renal and RCC tissue to identify variably regulated genes. 11 genes were strongly up-regulated or selectively expressed in more than one RCC tissue or cell line. Screening of filters containing cancer-related cDNAs confirmed overexpression of 3 of these genes and 3 additional genes were identified. These 14 differentially expressed genes, only 6 of which have previously been associated with RCC, are related to tumour growth/survival (EGFR, cyclin D1, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and a MLRQ sub-unit homologue of the NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex), angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor, endothelial PAS domain protein-1, ceruloplasmin, angiopoietin-related protein 2) and cell adhesion/motility (protocadherin 2, cadherin 6, autotaxin, vimentin, lysyl oxidase and semaphorin G). Since some of these genes were overexpressed in 80–90% of RCC tissues, it is important to evaluate their suitability as therapeutic targets. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaig

1996 surveillance into the occurrence of residues of anabolic steroids, beta-agonists, gestagenes and tranquillizers in animals for slaughter

Gedurende het in 1996 uitgevoerde bewakings- onderzoek 'bijzondere slachtplaatsen' werden 75 monsters urine onderzocht op de aanwezigheid van residuen van anabole steroiden en beta-agonisten. Er werden eveneens 34 monsters runderoog (retina) en 40 monsters lever op residuen van beta-agonisten onderzocht. Verder werden 50 monsters niervet op residuen van gestagenen en 11 monsters nier op residuen van tranquillizers onderzocht. In een monster urine werd clenbuterol aangetroffen en de aanwezigheid hiervan kon in het bijbehorende monster lever worden bevestigd. In geen van de overige monsters konden residuen van een van de gezochte verbindingen worden aangetoond. De 245 onderzochten monsters (afkomstig van 75+34+11=120 dieren) residuen van een der gezochte verbindingen kon worden aangetoond. Een steekproef van vijftig monsters niervet werd onderzocht op de aanwezigheid van gestagenen.During the 1996 surveillance, focusing on special slaughter locations, 75 samples of urine were analysed for the presence of residues of anabolic steroids and beta-agonists, 34 samples of bovine retina and 40 samples of liver for residues of beta-agonists, 50 samples of kidney fat for gestagens and 11 samples of kidney for tranquillizers. In one sample of urine residues of clenbuterol were detected and clenbuterol was confirmed in the sample of liver taken from the same animal. In none of the other samples were any residues of the compounds mentioned detected. One sample out of a total of 245 (originating from 120 animals) was found positive for a beta-agonist. Fifty samples of kidney fax were selected at random for the analysis of gestagens.V

Electronic structure of polyhedral carbon cages consisting of hexagons and triangles

An infinite series of (3, 6) cages is defined by trivalent carbon polyhedra composed of hexagonal and four triangular rings. A zone-folding construction is applied to the graphene band structure to yield explicit expressions for the pi-molecular orbitals, energies, and symmetries of the cages that depend only on four indices m, n, p, and q. Leapfrog members of the series (m-n=0 mod 3 and p-q=0 mod 3) have closed shells in a neutral form with two filled nonbonding orbitals; all others have closed shells as dications. Quantum chemical calculations on C-12,C-48, and C-52(2+) confirm this result. Embedding relationships are proved for the spectra of (3, 6) cages related by inflation transformations corresponding to stretching and rotation of the polyhedral net.status: publishe

Surveillance 1995 into the occurence of residues of anabolic steroids, beta-agonists, gestagens and tranquillizers in slaughter animals

Gedurende het in 1995 uitgevoerde bewakingsonderzoek 'bijzondere slachtplaatsen' werden 199 monsters urine onderzocht op de aanwezigheid van residuen van anabole steroiden en beta-agonisten, 93 monsters runderoog op beta-agonisten, 50 monsters niervet op gestagenen en 63 monsters nier op tranquillizers. In een monster urine werd clenbuterol aangetroffen en in een monster nier de tranquillizer xylazine. In geen van de overige monsters konden residuen van een van de gezochte verbindingen worden aangetoond. Gevonden werd dat in 2 van de 604 onderzochte monsters (afkomstig van 405 dieren) residuen aan beta-agonisten of tranquillizers werden aangetroffen.During the surveillance conducted in 1995, focussing on special slaughter places, 199 samples of urine were analysed for the presence of residues of anabolic steroids and beta-agonists, 93 samples of bovine retina were analysed for the presence of residues of beta-agonists, 50 samples of kidney fat were analysed for the presence of gestagens and 63 samples of kidney were analysed for the presence of tranquillizers. In one sample of urine residues of clenbuterol were detected and in one sample of kidney residues of xylazine were detected. In none of the other samples any residues of the compounds mentioned were detected. We found out that 2 of the 604 samples (originating from 405 animals) were found positive for beta-agonists or tranquillizers.IG

Investigating annual diving behaviour by Hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) within the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

This work was funded through the Atlantic Seal Research Programme, International Governance Programme (DFO), the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, and a CFI grant to YFW. The authors also acknowledge the support of the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS) pooling initiative in the completion of this study. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.With the exception of relatively brief periods when they reproduce and moult, hooded seals, Cystophora cristata, spend most of the year in the open ocean where they undergo feeding migrations to either recover or prepare for the next fasting period. Valuable insights into habitat use and diving behaviour during these periods have been obtained by attaching Satellite Relay Data Loggers (SRDLs) to 51 Northwest (NW) Atlantic hooded seals (33 females and 18 males) during ice-bound fasting periods (2004−2008). Using General Additive Models (GAMs) we describe habitat use in terms of First Passage Time (FPT) and analyse how bathymetry, seasonality and FPT influence the hooded seals’ diving behaviour described by maximum dive depth, dive duration and surface duration. Adult NW Atlantic hooded seals exhibit a change in diving activity in areas where they spend >20 h by increasing maximum dive depth, dive duration and surface duration, indicating a restricted search behaviour. We found that male and female hooded seals are spatially segregated and that diving behaviour varies between sexes in relation to habitat properties and seasonality. Migration periods are described by increased dive duration for both sexes with a peak in May, October and January. Males demonstrated an increase in dive depth and dive duration towards May (post-breeding/pre-moult) and August–October (post-moult/pre-breeding) but did not show any pronounced increase in surface duration. Females dived deepest and had the highest surface duration between December and January (post-moult/pre-breeding). Our results suggest that the smaller females may have a greater need to recover from dives than that of the larger males. Horizontal segregation could have evolved as a result of a resource partitioning strategy to avoid sexual competition or that the energy requirements of males and females are different due to different energy expenditure during fasting periods.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe