Hot Off the Presses: Podcasting for the Economics Classroom

Despite the recent interest and production of quality podcasts freely available online, there are relatively few podcasts available for K-12 teachers of economics. We see this as a missed opportunity given the real-time and real-world nature of economics. We have created the Econocast (http://econocast.org) website to help spark teachers’ imaginations to leverage podcasting in the economics classroom and to help make the publication process easier. In this article, we offer a definition of podcasting, discuss how podcasting might support the economics curriculum, and present a case study of a teacher\u27s development of an “iReport” economics podcast for her ninth grade classroom. We invite readers to help realize the potential of podcasting to engage students in meaningful learning of economics concepts

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

MAREDAT: towards a world atlas of MARine Ecosystem DATa

We present a summary of biomass data for 11 Plankton Functional Types (PFTs)plus phytoplankton pigment data, compiled as part of the MARine Ecosystem biomassDATa (MAREDAT) initiative. The goal of the MAREDAT initiative is to provide global gridded data products with coverage of all biological components of the global ocean ecosystem. This special issue is the first step towards achieving this. The PFTs presented here include picophytoplankton, diazotrophs, coccolithophores,Phaeocystis, diatoms, picoheterotrophs, microzooplankton, foraminifers, mesozooplankton, pteropodsand macrozooplankton. All variables have been gridded onto a World Ocean Atlas (WOA) grid (1° × 1° × 33 vertical levels × monthly climatologies). The data show that (1) the global total heterotrophic biomass (2.0–6.4Pg C) is at least as high as the totalautotrophic biomass (0.5–2.6 Pg C excluding nanophytoplankton and autotrophic dinoflagellates), (2) the biomass of zooplankton calcifiers (0.9–2.3Pg C) is substantiallyhigher than that of coccolithophores (0.01–0.14 Pg C), (3) patchiness of biomass distribution increases with organism size, and (4) although zooplankton biomass measurements below 200m are rare, the limited measurements available suggest thatBacteriaandArchaeaare not the only heterotrophs in the deep sea. More data will be neededto characterize ocean ecosystem functioning and associated biogeochemistry in theSouthern Hemisphere and below 200 m.ISSN:1866-359

A Qualitative Examination of a School-Based Implementation of Computer-Assisted Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Child Anxiety

Mental health treatment in schools has the potential to improve youth treatment access. However, school-specific barriers can make implementing evidence-based interventions difficult. Task-shifting (i.e., training lay staff to implement interventions) and computer-assisted interventions may mitigate these barriers. This paper reports on a qualitative examination of facilitators and barriers of a school-based implementation of a computer-assisted intervention for anxious youth (Camp Cope-A-Lot; CCAL). Participants (N = 45) included school staff in first through fourth grades. Providers attended a training in CCAL and received weekly, hour-long group consultation calls for three months. In the second year, the sustainability of CCAL use was assessed. Qualitative interviews were conducted after the first year (initial implementation) and second year (sustainability). Interviews were analyzed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains to classify themes. Although participants reported that CCAL included useful skills, they expressed concerns about recommended session length (45 minutes) and frequency (weekly). Time burden of consultation calls was also a barrier. School staff facilitated implementation by enabling flexible scheduling for youth to be able to participate in the CCAL program. However, the sustainability of the program was limited due to competing school/time demands. Results suggest that even with computer assisted programs, there is a need to tailor interventions and implementation efforts to account for the time restrictions experienced by school-based service providers. Optimal fit between the intervention and specific school is important to maintain the potential benefits of computer-assisted treatments delivered by lay service providers in schools

BioSentinel: Monitoring DNA Damage Repair Beyond Low Earth Orbit on a 6U Nanosatellite

We are designing and developing a “6U” nanosatellite as a secondary payload to fly aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Mission (EM) 1, scheduled for launch in late 2017. For the first time in over forty years, direct experimental data from biological studies beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) will be obtained during BioSentinel’s 12 to 18-month mission. BioSentinel will measure the damage and repair of DNA in a biological organism and compare that to information from onboard physical radiation sensors. This data will be available for validation of existing models and for extrapolation to humans. The BioSentinel experiment will use the organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) to report DNA double-strand-break (DSB) events that result from space radiation. DSB repair exhibits striking conservation of repair proteins from yeast to humans. The flight strain will include engineered genetic defects that prevent growth and division until a radiation-induced DSB activates the yeast’s DNA repair mechanisms. The triggered culture growth and metabolic activity directly indicate a DSB and its repair. The yeast will be carried in the dry state in independent microwells with support electronics. The measurement subsystem will sequentially activate and monitor wells, optically tracking cell growth and metabolism. BioSentinel will also include TimePix radiation sensors implemented by JSC’s RadWorks group. Dose and Linear Energy Transfer (LET) data will be compared directly to the rate of DSB-and-repair events measured by the S. cerevisiae biosentinels. BioSentinel will mature nanosatellite technologies to include: deep space communications and navigation, autonomous attitude control and momentum management, and micropropulsion systems to provide an adaptable nanosatellite platform for deep space uses

The Cytokinesis Formins from the Nematode Worm and Fission Yeast Differentially Mediate Actin Filament Assembly*

Formins drive actin filament assembly for diverse cellular processes including motility, establishing polarity, and cell division. To investigate the mechanism of contractile ring assembly in animal cells, we directly compared the actin assembly properties of formins required for cytokinesis in the nematode worm early embryo (CYK-1) and fission yeast (Cdc12p). Like Cdc12p and most other formins, CYK-1 nucleates actin filament assembly and remains processively associated with the elongating barbed end while facilitating the addition of profilin-actin above the theoretical diffusion-limited rate. However, specific properties differ significantly between Cdc12p and CYK-1. Cdc12p efficiently nucleates filaments that in the presence of profilin elongate at approximately the same rate as control filaments without formin (∼10.0 subunits/s). CYK-1 is an inefficient nucleator but allows filaments to elongate profilin-actin 6-fold faster than Cdc12p (∼60 subunits/s). Both Cdc12p and CYK-1 bind to pre-assembled actin filaments with low nanomolar affinity, but CYK-1 dissociates 2 orders of magnitude more quickly. However, CYK-1 rapidly re-associates with free barbed ends. Cdc12p allows barbed ends to elongate in the presence of excess capping protein, whereas capping protein inhibits CYK-1-mediated actin assembly. Therefore, these evolutionarily diverse formins can drive contractile ring assembly by a generally similar mechanism, but cells with unique dimensions and physical parameters might require proteins with carefully tuned actin assembly properties

The MAREDAT global database of high performance liquid chromatography marine pigment measurements

A global pigment database consisting of 37103 pigment suites measured by high performance liquid chromatography was assembled in support of theMARineEcosytemDATa (MAREDAT) initiative. These data originate from 136 field surveys within theglobal ocean, were solicited from investigators and databases, compiled, and then quality controlled. Nearly one quarter of the data originates from the Laboratoired’Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), with an additional 20 % and 17% stemming from the US JGOFS and LTER programs, respectively. The MAREDAT pigmentdatabase provides high quality measurements of the major taxonomic pigments including chlorophyllsaandb, 19’butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, 19’hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, allox-10anthin, divinyl chlorophylla, fucoxanthin, lutein, peridinin, prasinoxanthin, violaxanthinand zeaxanthin, which may be used in varying combinations to estimate phytoplank-ton community composition. Quality control measures consisted of flagging samplesthat had a total chlorophyllaconcentration of zero, had fewer than four reported accessory pigments, or exceeded two standard deviations of the log-linear regression of total chlorophyllawith total accessory pigment concentrations. We anticipate the MAREDAT pigment database to be of use in the marine ecology, remote sensing andecological modeling communities where it will support model validation and advanceour global perspective on marine biodiversity. The original dataset together with qualitycontrol flags as well as the gridded MAREDAT pigment data may be downloaded from PANGAEA:http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.793246.ISSN:1866-359