Gene flow at a snail\u27s pace: phylogeography and conservation genetics of relict populations of the Iowa Pleistocene snail

The Iowa Pleistocene snail, Discus macclintocki, is a federally endangered land snail found only in northeast Iowa and northwestern Illinois. This species is believed to be a glacial relict with populations isolated for the last 16,000 years. In this study, I investigated the amount of genetic variation within, and the gene flow among, ten isolated populations of the Iowa Pleistocene snail, Discus macclintocki (Baker). I sequenced part of the 16s region of the mitochondrial DNA from 175 snails. Populations clustered clearly by watershed, suggesting that flooding events may have been the historical avenue of gene flow rather than overland dispersal. On a single small watershed, Buck Creek, individuals could not reliably be assigned to their population, suggesting that either gene flow is still occurring or the populations have not been separated as long as the others. Within populations, an extremely high amount of variation was observed. Polymorphism was very high, with up to seven haplotypes per population;The high level of genetic variation observed is not purely a population size effect, as polymorphism was not related to size estimates determined in a mark-recapture study I conducted. Population sizes were estimated at fourteen sites using standard mark-recapture analyses, as well as Bayesian estimates, which account for small sample sizes. Discus macclintocki has a very high mutation rate and seems to have a very healthy amount of genetic variation. When the number of variable sites in 16s rDNA was compared among species in a variety of taxonomic groups, snails showed an extremely high level of variability;Although I only investigated mitochondrial genetic variation in Discus macclintocki, many organisms have been examined for variation in the nuclear genome as well. These studies sometimes give conflicting results of how much variation is present within a population. One potential reason for differences in levels of nuclear variation and mitochondrial variation is due to differential dispersal rates and/or dispersal distances between the sexes. These ideas are explored through an analysis of data from the literature

Programmes de soutien par les pairs dans les domaines de la médecine et des sciences infirmières : recension systématique et revue narrative

Peer-provided services exist in many different domains and professions. However, there is a knowledge gap in the existing programs’ descriptions and grouping that hinders creating new high-quality peer support programs. The objectives of this article are two-fold in describing existing peer support programs published in the literature in the medical field and evaluating their descriptive quality. Six electronic databases, grey literature, and reference lists were systematically searched. Studies reporting the existence of a support program delivered by peers and its description or methodology were included. Studies targeting patients and children were excluded. 11 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis and explored in detail. A total of 2155 peers participated in support programs in the fields of medicine, nursing, or both. Programs in other professional fields were not found. Programs were described in five different countries. Three methods of peer support delivery were found: in person, online, and mixed varying in their goals, duration, peer training supervision and participant demographics and number. Program descriptions were rated as good, fair, or poor using a verified rating scale.  There are numerous well-described programs varying in their methodology and type of delivery. Thus, the emergence of new programs can be based on such models that have been well-described in the literature.Les services fournis par les pairs existent dans de nombreux domaines et professions. Cependant, les connaissances en matière de description et de regroupement des programmes existants sont lacunaires, entravant ainsi la création de nouveaux programmes de soutien par les pairs de qualité. Le présent article vise d’une part à décrire les programmes actuels de soutien par les pairs dont fait état la littérature médicale et d’autre part à évaluer leur qualité descriptive. Une recherche systématique a été effectuée dans six bases de données électroniques, dans la littérature grise et dans les listes de références. Toutes les études présentant un programme de soutien fourni par des pairs et sa description ou sa méthodologie ont été incluses. Les études ciblant les patients et les enfants ont été exclues. Onze articles ont été inclus dans la synthèse qualitative et explorés en détail. Au total, 2155 pairs ont participé à un programme de soutien en médecine, en sciences infirmières ou dans les deux domaines. Aucun programme n’a été trouvé dans d’autres domaines professionnels. Les programmes décrits proviennent de cinq pays différents. Trois méthodes de soutien par les pairs ont été trouvées : en personne, en ligne et mixte. Les objectifs, la durée, la supervision de la formation par les pairs, les données démographiques des participants et leur nombre varient d’un programme à l’autre. Les descriptions de programmes ont été évaluées selon une échelle d’évaluation validée comme bonnes, acceptables ou médiocres. Il existe de nombreux programmes, bien décrits, qui varient en termes de méthodologie et de type de prestation. Aussi, la création de nouveaux programmes pourra s’appuyer sur les modèles qui sont bien décrits dans la littérature

Characterization of the Latent K15 Protein of Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus and Identification of Compounds that Disrupt Viral Latency

The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) persists in a latent state in the healthy host without apparent disease. However, in circumstances of diminished immune responsiveness, latent KSHV infection has been linked to three neoplastic diseases, including Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. Cytokines, chemokines and growth factors play important roles in all three KSHV-associated malignancies, stimulating tumor cell proliferation and neovascularization. The restricted expression of viral proteins during latency minimizes the risk of immune recognition and also limits the number of potential therapeutic targets. Currently, no drugs successfully target KSHV latency. Thus there is no cure. One potential therapeutic target is the latent membrane protein K15. Multiple K15 isoforms result from alternative splicing of the K15 message. However, all K15 isoforms are membrane-bound and share a long cytoplasmic tail with several conserved signaling motifs. Given its location and potential signaling capacities, we investigated the function of the K15 protein in B lymphocytes. We show that K15 expression alters the cytokine milieu. K15 induces interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression by activation of AP-1 transcription factors. IL-6 secretion is increased by K15 alone or in the context of viral infection. The viral IL-6 homolog is also induced by K15, stressing the important role of IL-6 cytokine signaling in viral pathogenesis. Paradoxically, K15 also activates the STAT1 protein, normally shown to be active in the interferon response. Our studies suggest that K15 signaling may enhance cell survival and promote viral latency. Therefore, K15 might be a promising target for new pharmaceuticals. In order to screen samples for activity against latent viral infection, we developed a fluorescence-based screening assay that we used to identify antiviral agents without bias to mechanism. Of 81 plant extracts screened, we found two potential hits that were relatively non-toxic to uninfected cells, highly toxic to naturally infected cells, and that exhibited selective viral inhibition in a latent model of infection. These extracts may achieve their antiviral effects by disrupting the latency associated nuclear antigen (LANA) which tethers the viral episome to the host cell chromosome, ensuring the latent virus is not lost from the dividing cell population

Developmental psychogenic mutism as a cause of severely delayed speech development

The purpose of this descriptive study is to posit information concerning "Developmental Psychogenic Mutism." The study has attempted to apply this descriptive term, Developmental Psychogenic Mutism, to certain children displaying severely delayed speech development of unknown etiology. Three children who were severely delayed in the acquisition of speech were selected as subjects for this study. The similarities they shared were compared and contrasted with four of the recognized causes of severely delayed speech development in an attempt to determine whether or not the descriptive term Developmental Psychogenic Mutism should be applied. Each subject was hospitalized in Amos Cottage for behavioral and diagnostic therapy in an attempt to determine potential. The case histories of each subject were presented, and each subject was studied in diagnostic therapy for a period of not less than four months. Tests of receptive abilities and performance were administered to each subject. The parents were also studied in an attempt to determine the intrafamilial relationships

Early life social and ecological determinants of global DNA methylation in wild spotted hyenas

Environmental factors early in life can have lasting influence on the development and phenotypes of animals, but the underlying molecular modifications remain poorly understood. We examined cross‐sectional associations among early life socioecological factors and global DNA methylation in 293 wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, grouped according to three age classes (cub, subadult and adult). Explanatory variables of interest included annual maternal rank based on outcomes of dyadic agonistic interactions, litter size, wild ungulate prey density and anthropogenic disturbance in the year each hyena was born based on counts of illegal livestock in the Reserve. The dependent variable of interest was global DNA methylation, assessed via the LUminometric Methylation Assay, which provides a percentage methylation value calculated at CCGG sites across the genome. Among cubs, we observed approximately 2.75% higher CCGG methylation in offspring born to high‐ than low‐ranking mothers. Among cubs and subadults, higher anthropogenic disturbance corresponded with greater %CCGG methylation. In both cubs and adults, we found an inverse association between prey density measured before a hyena was 3 months old and %CCGG methylation. Our results suggest that maternal rank, anthropogenic disturbance and prey availability early in life are associated with later life global DNA methylation. Future studies are required to understand the extent to which these DNA methylation patterns relate to adult phenotypes and fitness outcomes.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151897/1/mec15174_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151897/2/mec15174.pd

Long noncoding RNA genes: conservation of sequence and brain expression among diverse amniotes

BACKGROUND: Long considered to be the building block of life, it is now apparent that protein is only one of many functional products generated by the eukaryotic genome. Indeed, more of the human genome is transcribed into noncoding sequence than into protein-coding sequence. Nevertheless, whilst we have developed a deep understanding of the relationships between evolutionary constraint and function for protein-coding sequence, little is known about these relationships for non-coding transcribed sequence. This dearth of information is partially attributable to a lack of established non-protein-coding RNA (ncRNA) orthologs among birds and mammals within sequence and expression databases. RESULTS: Here, we performed a multi-disciplinary study of four highly conserved and brain-expressed transcripts selected from a list of mouse long intergenic noncoding RNA (lncRNA) loci that generally show pronounced evolutionary constraint within their putative promoter regions and across exon-intron boundaries. We identify some of the first lncRNA orthologs present in birds (chicken), marsupial (opossum), and eutherian mammals (mouse), and investigate whether they exhibit conservation of brain expression. In contrast to conventional protein-coding genes, the sequences, transcriptional start sites, exon structures, and lengths for these non-coding genes are all highly variable. CONCLUSIONS: The biological relevance of lncRNAs would be highly questionable if they were limited to closely related phyla. Instead, their preservation across diverse amniotes, their apparent conservation in exon structure, and similarities in their pattern of brain expression during embryonic and early postnatal stages together indicate that these are functional RNA molecules, of which some have roles in vertebrate brain development

What enables and constrains the inclusion of the social determinants of health inequities in government policy agendas? A narrative review

Background: Despite decades of evidence gathering and calls for action, few countries have systematically attenuated health inequities (HI) through action on the social determinants of health (SDH). This is at least partly because doing so presents a significant political and policy challenge. This paper explores this challenge through a review of the empirical literature, asking: what factors have enabled and constrained the inclusion of the social determinants of health inequities (SDHI) in government policy agendas? Methods: A narrative review method was adopted involving three steps: first, drawing upon political science theories on agenda-setting, an integrated theoretical framework was developed to guide the review; second, a systematic search of scholarly databases for relevant literature; and third, qualitative analysis of the data and thematic synthesis of the results. Studies were included if they were empirical, met specified quality criteria, and identified factors that enabled or constrained the inclusion of the SDHI in government policy agendas. Results: A total of 48 studies were included in the final synthesis, with studies spanning a number of country-contexts and jurisdictional settings, and employing a diversity of theoretical frameworks. Influential factors included the ways in which the SDHI were framed in public, media and political discourse; emerging data and evidence describing health inequalities; limited supporting evidence and misalignment of proposed solutions with existing policy and institutional arrangements; institutionalised norms and ideologies (ie, belief systems) that are antithetical to a SDH approach including neoliberalism, the medicalisation of health and racism; civil society mobilization; leadership; and changes in government. Conclusion: A complex set of interrelated, context-dependent and dynamic factors influence the inclusion or neglect of the SDHI in government policy agendas. It is better to think about these factors as increasing (or decreasing) the ‘probability’ of health equity reaching a government agenda, rather than in terms of ‘necessity’ or ‘sufficiency.’ Understanding these factors may help advocates develop strategies for generating political priority for attenuating HI in the future

What Enables and Constrains the Inclusion of the Social Determinants of Health Inequities in Government Policy Agendas? A Narrative Review

Background Despite decades of evidence gathering and calls for action, few countries have systematically attenuated health inequities (HI) through action on the social determinants of health (SDH). This is at least partly because doing so presents a significant political and policy challenge. This paper explores this challenge through a review of the empirical literature, asking: what factors have enabled and constrained the inclusion of the social determinants of health inequities (SDHI) in government policy agendas? Methods A narrative review method was adopted involving three steps: first, drawing upon political science theories on agenda-setting, an integrated theoretical framework was developed to guide the review; second, a systematic search of scholarly databases for relevant literature; and third, qualitative analysis of the data and thematic synthesis of the results. Studies were included if they were empirical, met specified quality criteria, and identified factors that enabled or constrained the inclusion of the SDHI in government policy agendas. Results A total of 48 studies were included in the final synthesis, with studies spanning a number of country-contexts and jurisdictional settings, and employing a diversity of theoretical frameworks. Influential factors included the ways in which the SDHI were framed in public, media and political discourse; emerging data and evidence describing health inequalities; limited supporting evidence and misalignment of proposed solutions with existing policy and institutional arrangements; institutionalised norms and ideologies (ie, belief systems) that are antithetical to a SDH approach including neoliberalism, the medicalisation of health and racism; civil society mobilization; leadership; and changes in government. Conclusion A complex set of interrelated, context-dependent and dynamic factors influence the inclusion or neglect of the SDHI in government policy agendas. It is better to think about these factors as increasing (or decreasing) the ‘probability’ of health equity reaching a government agenda, rather than in terms of ‘necessity’ or ‘sufficiency.’ Understanding these factors may help advocates develop strategies for generating political priority for attenuating HI in the future. Keywords Health Inequities; Health Inequalities; Social Determinants of Health; Agenda-Setting; Policy ProcessThis work was supported by the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on the Social Determinants of Health Equity: Policy research on the social determinants of health equity (APP1078046)

Discurso oral en el envejecimiento: estudio de caso

Este trabajo describe el discurso oral de adultos mayores sanos, bajo la mirada de la funcionalidad discursivo–pragmática, cuya unidad básica es el discurso como producción textual, como interacción y como contexto de enunciación. El estudio es descriptivo, transversal y se apoya en el desempeño oral de dos ancianas en la tarea descriptiva de la Lámina Robo de Galletas y en los diálogos de una entrevista semiestructurada. Los datos fueron analizados según el número de unidades de información de la Lámina y el Protocolo de Funcionalidad Discursiva. Estos datos indican que los dos sujetos utilizaron movimientos lenguajeros del discurso oral, de tipo retomada y reformulación, a través de la expansión, vacilación, sustitución, repetición, inserción y modificación del discurso. Estos movimientos favorecieron el desarrollo y mantenimiento natural de la interacción. El 80% de las unidades informativas de la Lámina Robo de Galletas fue nombrado por ambas mujeres.This work describes the oral discourse of healthy elderly adults under the paradigm of the discursive–pragmatic functionality, whose basic unit is discourse as text production, interaction and enunciation context. This is a descriptive, transversal case study based on the oral discourse of two healthy elderly women describing the Cookies Theft picture task and dialoging in a semi- structured interview. The results were analyzed according to the number of information units of the Cookies Theft picture and the Discursive Functionality Protocol. The results indicated that both subjects used oral discursive movements of formulation and reparations by expansion, hesitation, substitution, repetition, insertion and modification of discourse. Those movements favored the collaborative process in which reorganization and reorientation of meaning functioned to promote natural interaction during language activity. Both subjects named 80% of the Cookies Theft information units.Este trabalho descreve o discurso oral de idosos saudáveis, sob o olhar da funcionalidade discursivo–pragmática, cuja unidade básica é o discurso como produção textual, como interação e como contexto de enunciação. O estudo é descritivo, transversal e apoia-se no desempenho oral de duas idosas na tarefa descritiva da lâmina “Robo de las Galletas” e nos diálogos de uma entrevista semiestruturada. Os dados foram analisados segundo o número de unidades de informação da lâmina e o Protocolo de Funcionalidade Discursiva. Esses dados indicam que os dois sujeitos utilizaram movimentos do linguajar do discurso oral, de tipo retomada e reformulação, por meio da expansão, vacilação, substituição, repetição, inserção e modificação do discurso. Esses movimentos favoreceram o desenvolvimento e manutenção natural da interação. 80% das unidades informativas da lâmina “Robo de las Galletas” foram nomeadas por ambas as mulheres

What Enables and Constrains the Inclusion of the Social Determinants of Health Inequities in Government Policy Agendas? A Narrative Review

Abstract Background: Despite decades of evidence gathering and calls for action, few countries have systematically attenuated health inequities (HI) through action on the social determinants of health (SDH). This is at least partly because doing so presents a significant political and policy challenge. This paper explores this challenge through a review of the empirical literature, asking: what factors have enabled and constrained the inclusion of the social determinants of health inequities (SDHI) in government policy agendas? Methods: A narrative review method was adopted involving three steps: first, drawing upon political science theories on agenda-setting, an integrated theoretical framework was developed to guide the review; second, a systematic search of scholarly databases for relevant literature; and third, qualitative analysis of the data and thematic synthesis of the results. Studies were included if they were empirical, met specified quality criteria, and identified factors that enabled or constrained the inclusion of the SDHI in government policy agendas. Results: A total of 48 studies were included in the final synthesis, with studies spanning a number of country-contexts and jurisdictional settings, and employing a diversity of theoretical frameworks. Influential factors included the ways in which the SDHI were framed in public, media and political discourse; emerging data and evidence describing health inequalities; limited supporting evidence and misalignment of proposed solutions with existing policy and institutional arrangements; institutionalised norms and ideologies (ie, belief systems) that are antithetical to a SDH approach including neoliberalism, the medicalisation of health and racism; civil society mobilization; leadership; and changes in government. Conclusion: A complex set of interrelated, context-dependent and dynamic factors influence the inclusion or neglect of the SDHI in government policy agendas. It is better to think about these factors as increasing (or decreasing) the ‘probability’ of health equity reaching a government agenda, rather than in terms of ‘necessity’ or ‘sufficiency.’ Understanding these factors may help advocates develop strategies for generating political priority for attenuating HI in the future