Alpine Ice Patches and Shúhtagot’ine Land Use in the Mackenzie and Selwyn Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada

The NWT Ice Patch Study was developed in partnership with the Shúhtagot’ine residents of Tulita, Northwest Territories, Canada. This paper explores how Shúhtagot’ine traditional knowledge, collected through the direct participation of Elders in our archaeological fieldwork, science camps with Elders and youth, Elder interviews, and traditional land-use mapping, is informing our interpretation of archaeological data collected at alpine ice patches in the Selwyn Mountains. While knowledge of bow-and-arrow and snare technologies persists in Shúhtagot’ine culture, Shúhtagot’ine oral history does not contain detailed knowledge of throwing dart technology. Using data collected in our traditional land-use mapping project, we consider the role of ice patches in the broader context of Shúhtagot’ine land use. We propose that resource harvesting on high alpine plateaus and adjacent ice patches in the summer was more important in late precontact times than it was after contact. Shúhtagot’ine land-use practices involve long-distance travel in all seasons. Safe travel in the alpine landscape requires detailed knowledge of environmental conditions, such as snow and ice conditions, and respectful engagement with the spiritual entities inhabiting the landscape.L’étude des névés des Territoires du Nord-Ouest a été réalisée en collaboration avec les Shúhtagot’ine de Tulita, dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest, au Canada. Le présent article explore comment le savoir traditionnel des Shúhtagot’ine, recueilli lors de la participation directe des aînés à nos fouilles archéologiques, à des camps de sciences où aînés et plus jeunes participaient, à des entrevues avec les aînés et au relevé cartographique de l’utilisation traditionnelle des terres influence et éclaire notre interprétation des données archéologiques recueillies dans les névés alpins de la chaîne de Selwyn. Bien que le savoir relatif aux techniques de l’arc et de la flèche et de la chasse au collet est encore bien présent dans la culture des Shúhtagot’ine, leur histoire orale ne fait aucune allusion à la technique du tir au propulseur. En nous appuyant sur les données recueillies dans le cadre de notre projet de cartographie de l’utilisation traditionnelle des terres, nous considérons le rôle des névés dans le plus contexte plus large de l’utilisation du territoire par les Shúhtagot’ine. Nous proposons que la récolte estivale des ressources sur les hauts plateaux alpins et les névés adjacents était plus importante à la période juste avant le contact qu’à celle qui a suivi. Les pratiques d’utilisation des terres par les Shúhtagot’ine impliquent des déplacements sur de longues distances à toutes saisons. La sûreté des déplacements en milieu alpin nécessite une connaissance détaillée des conditions environnementales, telles que l’état de la neige et de la glace, de même qu’une interaction respectueuse avec les entités spirituelles qui habitent le milieu

Functional consequences of copy number variants in miscarriage

BACKGROUND: The presence of unique copy number variations (CNVs) in miscarriages suggests that their integral genes have a role in maintaining early pregnancy. In our previous work, we identified 19 unique CNVs in ~40% of studied euploid miscarriages, which were predominantly familial in origin. In our current work, we assessed their relevance to miscarriage by expression analysis of 14 genes integral to CNVs in available miscarriage chorionic villi. As familial CNVs could cause miscarriage due to imprinting effect, we investigated the allelic expression of one of the genes (TIMP2) previously suggested to be maternally expressed in placenta and involved in placental remodelling and embryo development. RESULTS: Six out of fourteen genes had detectable expression in villi and for three genes the RNA and protein expression was altered due to maternal CNVs. These genes were integral to duplication on Xp22.2 (TRAPPC2 and OFD1) or disrupted by a duplication mapping to 17q25.3 (TIMP2). RNA and protein expression was increased for TRAPPC2 and OFD1 and reduced for TIMP2 in carrier miscarriages. The three genes have roles in processes important for pregnancy development such as extracellular matrix homeostasis (TIMP2 and TRAPPC2) and cilia function (OFD1). TIMP2 allelic expression was not affected by the CNV in miscarriages in comparison to control elective terminations. CONCLUSION: We propose that functional studies of CNVs could help determine if and how the miscarriage CNVs affect the expression of integral genes. In case of parental CNVs, assessment of the function of their integral genes in parental reproductive tissues should be also considered in the future, especially if they affect processes relevant for pregnancy development and support. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13039-015-0109-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Community Development for Adaptation

Council-community engagement for a climate-impacted future – research brief. Many of New Zealand’s urban settlements are likely to be impacted by climate-induced hazards such as coastal erosion, flooding and rising groundwater levels. Affected communities will face physical, social, financial and emotional challenges. To ensure successful adaptation, local authorities will need to adopt new approaches to engagement with communities that are exposed to these hazards. This summary forms part of the research findings of the Climate-Adaptive Communities project of the Deep South National Science Challenge. We have drawn from the stories and insights shared with the research team by community members, iwi members and council staff

Communities and Climate Change: Vulnerability to rising seas and more frequent flooding

Many communities and iwi in coastal and flood-prone locations face an uncertain future because of climate change, with rising sea levels and a greater frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events. We do not yet have a good understanding of how these long-term changes will affect people in these exposed locations, but we can learn from studies of the impacts of short-run natural hazards such as major floods and earthquakes. It is clear that individuals and households can suffer both directly and indirectly, and stressors even from single events can extend over years. These include significant financial impacts, loss of assets and resources, loss of access to valued places, loss of physical and mental health, and loss of identity and sense of belonging. Some individuals and groups may be more vulnerable to these impacts, while others may be more resilient. It is not yet clear who will be more vulnerable, nor what kinds of steps need to be taken to build resilience for the long term. Decision-making institutions such as councils will need to be proactive in working with exposed communities, anticipate the support that may be required, and offer equitable solutions. Iwi and community members will need to be involved in climate change adaptation processes, and to be in a position to make informed decisions about their future. Sometimes, people may already be facing financial, physical and mental stresses from impacts such as flooding and erosion, and at the same time may need to be involved in planning for a changing future. The social, cultural and psychological challenges could be immense, so response and adaptation processes need to be carefully designed and delivered, especially for the more vulnerable. Law and policy need to be adjusted to be fit-for-purpose for the new challenges of climate change, including the roles of government agencies, limiting exposure to hazards, and financing of adaptation. Knowledge gaps identified include: • understanding vulnerability and resilience in a climate change context; • how decision-making roles and responsibilities should be allocated especially in relation to more vulnerable people and communities; • the extent to which flood mitigation schemes will be effective in protecting communities under climate change conditions; • how iwi and community groups are already anticipating and responding to climate-related challenges; • how councils are and should be working proactively to reduce impacts on the more vulnerable; and • how information about climate change impacts can be more effectively communicated

Evaluating the effectiveness of psychosocial resilience training for heart health, and the added value of promoting physical activity: a cluster randomized trial of the READY program

Background: Depression and poor social support are significant risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), and stress and anxiety can trigger coronary events. People experiencing such psychosocial difficulties are more likely to be physically inactive, which is also an independent risk factor for CHD. Resilience training can target these risk factors, but there is little research evaluating the effectiveness of such programs. This paper describes the design and measures of a study to evaluate a resilience training program (READY) to promote psychosocial well-being for heart health, and the added value of integrating physical activity promotion

HABITAT: A longitudinal multilevel study of physical activity change in mid-aged adults

Purpose. To explore the role of the neighborhood environment in supporting walking Design. Cross sectional study of 10,286 residents of 200 neighborhoods. Participants were selected using a stratified two-stage cluster design. Data were collected by mail survey (68.5% response rate). Setting. The Brisbane City Local Government Area, Australia, 2007. Subjects. Brisbane residents aged 40 to 65 years. Measures. Environmental: street connectivity, residential density, hilliness, tree coverage, bikeways, and street lights within a one kilometer circular buffer from each resident’s home; and network distance to nearest river or coast, public transport, shop, and park. Walking: minutes in the previous week categorized as < 30 minutes, ≥ 30 < 90 minutes, ≥ 90 < 150 minutes, ≥ 150 < 300 minutes, and ≥ 300 minutes. Analysis. The association between each neighborhood characteristic and walking was examined using multilevel multinomial logistic regression and the model parameters were estimated using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. Results. After adjustment for individual factors, the likelihood of walking for more than 300 minutes (relative to <30 minutes) was highest in areas with the most connectivity (OR=1.93, 99% CI 1.32-2.80), the greatest residential density (OR=1.47, 99% CI 1.02-2.12), the least tree coverage (OR=1.69, 99% CI 1.13-2.51), the most bikeways (OR=1.60, 99% CI 1.16-2.21), and the most street lights (OR=1.50, 99% CI 1.07-2.11). The likelihood of walking for more than 300 minutes was also higher among those who lived closest to a river or the coast (OR=2.06, 99% CI 1.41-3.02). Conclusion. The likelihood of meeting (and exceeding) physical activity recommendations on the basis of walking was higher in neighborhoods with greater street connectivity and residential density, more street lights and bikeways, closer proximity to waterways, and less tree coverage. Interventions targeting these neighborhood characteristics may lead to improved environmental quality as well as lower rates of overweight and obesity and associated chromic disease