Description and growth of larval and pelagic juvenile pygmy rockfish (Sebastes wilsoni) (family Sebastidae)

A developmental series of larval and pelagic juvenile pygmy rockfish (Sebastes wilsoni) from central California is illustrated and described. Sebastes wilsoni is a non- commercially, but ecologically, important rockfish, and the ability to differentiate its young stages will aid researchers in population abundance studies. Pigment patterns, meristic characters, morphometric measurements, and head spination were recorded from specimens that ranged from 8.1 to 34.4 mm in standard length. Larvae were identified initially by meristic characters and the absence of ventral and lateral midline pigment. Pelagic juveniles developed a prominent pigment pattern of three body bars that did not extend to the ventral surface. Species identification was confirmed subsequently by using mitochondrial sequence data of four representative specimens of various sizes. As determined from the examination of otoliths, the growth rate of larval and pelagic juvenile pygmy rockfish was 0.28 mm/day, which is relatively slow in comparison to the growth rate of other species of Sebastes. These data will aid researchers in determining species abundance

Building relationships and facilitating immigrant community integration: An evaluation of a Cultural Navigator Program

Despite the United States’ long history of immigration, large and small communities around the country struggle to integrate newcomers into the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres of society. Utilizing results from the program evaluation of one public library’s Cultural Navigator Program (CNP), the authors illustrate how communities and public institutions can promote integration and relationship building between newly arrived immigrants and long-time residents. Existing social networks, conceptualized in this article as social capital, within receiving communities were leveraged to build capacity among newly arrived immigrants and foster inclusivity and integration at the community level. As a place of intervention, public libraries are suggested as a safe and shared space where community integration can be fostered. The program model is provided as an approach to immigrant community integration. Insights derived from the evaluation inform a discussion on engaging approaches to immigrant integration. The CNP utilized community networks to deliberately and systematically facilitate integration and relationship building between newly arrived immigrants and community members. Lessons learned and recommendations for program evaluators and administrators are provided

The immune checkpoint CD96 defines a distinct lymphocyte phenotype and is highly expressed on tumor-infiltrating T cells

CD96 has recently been shown to be a potent immune checkpoint molecule in mice, but a similar role in humans is not known. In this study, we provide a detailed map of CD96 expression across human lymphocyte lineages, the kinetics of CD96 regulation on T-cell activation and co-expression with other conventional and emerging immune checkpoint molecules. We show that CD96 is predominantly expressed by T cells and has a unique lymphocyte expression profile. CD96 high T cells exhibited distinct effector functions on activation. Of note, CD96 expression was highly correlated with T-cell markers in primary and metastatic human tumors and was elevated on antigen- experienced T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Collectively, these data demonstrate that CD96 may be a promising immune checkpoint to enhance T-cell function against human cancer and infectious diseas

Targeted NGS gene panel identifies mutations in RSPH1 causing primary ciliary dyskinesia and a common mechanism for ciliary central pair agenesis due to radial spoke defects.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an inherited chronic respiratory obstructive disease with randomized body laterality and infertility, resulting from cilia and sperm dysmotility. PCD is characterized by clinical variability and extensive genetic heterogeneity, associated with different cilia ultrastructural defects and mutations identified in >20 genes. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies therefore present a promising approach for genetic diagnosis which is not yet in routine use. We developed a targeted panel-based NGS pipeline to identify mutations by sequencing of selected candidate genes in 70 genetically undefined PCD patients. This detected loss-of-function RSPH1 mutations in four individuals with isolated central pair (CP) agenesis and normal body laterality, from two unrelated families. Ultrastructural analysis in RSPH1-mutated cilia revealed transposition of peripheral outer microtubules into the 'empty' CP space, accompanied by a distinctive intermittent loss of the central pair microtubules. We find that mutations in RSPH1, RSPH4A and RSPH9, which all encode homologs of components of the 'head' structure of ciliary radial spoke complexes identified in Chlamydomonas, cause clinical phenotypes that appear to be indistinguishable except at the gene level. By high-resolution immunofluorescence we identified a loss of RSPH4A and RSPH9 along with RSPH1 from RSPH1-mutated cilia, suggesting RSPH1 mutations may result in loss of the entire spoke head structure. CP loss is seen in up to 28% of PCD cases, in whom laterality determination specified by CP-less embryonic node cilia remains undisturbed. We propose this defect could arise from instability or agenesis of the ciliary central microtubules due to loss of their normal radial spoke head tethering

Extending the temporal context of ethnobotanical databases: the case study of the Campania region (southern Italy)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ethnobotanical studies generally describe the traditional knowledge of a territory according to a "hic et nunc" principle. The need of approaching this field also embedding historical data has been frequently acknowledged. With their long history of civilization some regions of the Mediterranean basin seem to be particularly suited for an historical approach to be adopted. Campania, a region of southern Italy, has been selected for a database implementation containing present and past information on plant uses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A relational database has been built on the basis of information gathered from different historical sources, including diaries, travel accounts, and treatises on medicinal plants, written by explorers, botanists, physicians, who travelled in Campania during the last three centuries. Moreover, ethnobotanical uses described in historical herbal collections and in Ancient and Medieval texts from the Mediterranean Region have been included in the database.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>1672 different uses, ranging from medicinal, to alimentary, ceremonial, veterinary, have been recorded for 474 species listed in the data base. Information is not uniformly spread over the Campanian territory; Sannio being the most studied geographical area and Cilento the least one. About 50 plants have been continuously used in the last three centuries in the cure of the same affections. A comparison with the uses reported for the same species in Ancient treatises shows that the origin of present ethnomedicine from old learned medical doctrines needs a case-by-case confirmation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The database is flexible enough to represent a useful tool for researchers who need to store and compare present and previous ethnobotanical uses from Mediterranean Countries.</p

To what extent does a regional dialect and accent impact on the development of reading and writing skills?

The issue of whether a regional accent and/or dialect impact(s) on the development of literacy skills remains current in the UK. For decades the issue has dogged debate about education outcomes, portable skills and employability. The article summarizes research on the topic using systematic review methodology. A scoping review was undertaken with the research question ‘To what extent does a regional dialect and accent impact on the development of reading and writing skills?’. The review covers research relevant to the teaching of 5-16 year olds in England, but also draws on research within Europe, the USA, Australia and the Caribbean. The results suggest that curricula have marginalized language variation; that the impact of regional accent and dialect on writing is relatively minor; that young people are adept at style-shifting between standard and non-standard forms; and that inappropriate pedagogical responses to regional variation can have detrimental effects on children’s educational achievement

Prescribed opioids in primary care: cross sectional and longitudinal analyses of influence of patient and practice characteristics

Objectives: To examine trends in opioid prescribing in primary care, identify patient and general practice characteristics associated with long-term and stronger opioid prescribing, and identify associations with changes in opioid prescribing. Design: Trend, cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of routinely recorded patient data. Setting: 111 primary care practices in Leeds and Bradford, United Kingdom. Participants: We observed 471828 patient-years in which all patients represented had at least one opioid prescription between April 2005 and March 2012. A cross-sectional analysis included 99847 patients prescribed opioids between April 2011 and March 2012. A longitudinal analysis included 49065 patient-years between April 2008 and March 2012. We excluded patients with cancer or treated for substance misuse. Main outcome measures: Long-term opioid prescribing (four or more prescriptions within 12 months), stronger opioid prescribing, and stepping up to or down from stronger opioids. Results: Opioid prescribing in the adult population almost doubled for weaker opioids over 2005-12 and rose over six-fold for stronger opioids. There was marked variation amongst general practices in the odds of patients stepping up to stronger opioids compared to those not stepping up (range 0.31 to 3.36), unexplained by practice-level variables. Stepping up to stronger opioids was most strongly associated with being underweight (adjusted odds ratio 3.26, 1.49-7.17), increasing polypharmacy (4.15, 3.26-5.29 for 10 or more repeat prescriptions), increasing numbers of primary care appointments (3.04, 2.48-3.73 for over 12 appointments in the year), and referrals to specialist pain services (5.17, 4.37-6.12). Compared with women under 50 years, men under 50 were less likely to step down once prescribed stronger opioids (0.53, 0.37-0.75). Conclusions: Whilst clinicians should be alert to patients at risk of escalated opioid prescribing, much prescribing variation may be attributable to clinical behaviour. Effective strategies targeting both clinicians and patients are needed to curb rising prescribing, especially of stronger opioids