1981 (Fifty-Sixth) Spring Migration and Occurrence Report

Two hundred ninety-eight species are listed in this report, from 12 locations. The comparable figures from 1980 are 298 species from 14 locations; 1979292 from 12; and 1978300 from 13. The symbols used in the tabulation are: Ja, Fe, Mr, Ap, My, and Je for the months P to indicate a species which is present all the year, although the same individuals may not be present during the whole year, and the numbers may vary greatly between periods. p to indicate a species which is permanent in Garden Co. but not at the Refuge. -S to indicate a species which remained after 30 June

Links between maternal postpartum depressive symptoms, maternal distress, infant gender and sensitivity in a high-risk population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Maternal postpartum depression has an impact on mother-infant interaction. Mothers with depression display less positive affect and sensitivity in interaction with their infants compared to non-depressed mothers. Depressed women also show more signs of distress and difficulties adjusting to their role as mothers than non-depressed women. In addition, depressive mothers are reported to be affectively more negative with their sons than with daughters.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A non-clinical sample of 106 mother-infant dyads at psychosocial risk (poverty, alcohol or drug abuse, lack of social support, teenage mothers and maternal psychic disorder) was investigated with EPDS (maternal postpartum depressive symptoms), the CARE-Index (maternal sensitivity in a dyadic context) and PSI-SF (maternal distress). The baseline data were collected when the babies had reached 19 weeks of age.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A hierarchical regression analysis yielded a highly significant relation between the PSI-SF subscale "parental distress" and the EPDS total score, accounting for 55% of the variance in the EPDS. The other variables did not significantly predict the severity of depressive symptoms. A two-way ANOVA with "infant gender" and "maternal postpartum depressive symptoms" showed no interaction effect on maternal sensitivity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Depressive symptoms and maternal sensitivity were not linked. It is likely that we could not find any relation between both variables due to different measuring methods (self-reporting and observation). Maternal distress was strongly related to maternal depressive symptoms, probably due to the generally increased burden in the sample, and contributed to 55% of the variance of postpartum depressive symptoms.</p

Dysregulation of core neurodevelopmental pathways : a common feature of cancers with perineural invasion

Background: High nerve density in tumors and metastasis via nerves (perineural invasion—PNI) have been reported extensively in solid tumors throughout the body including pancreatic, head and neck, gastric, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. Ablation of tumor nerves results in improved disease outcomes, suggesting that blocking nerve–tumor communication could be a novel treatment strategy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this remain poorly understood. Thus, the aim here was to identify molecular pathways underlying nerve–tumor crosstalk and to determine common molecular features between PNI-associated cancers. Results: Analysis of head and neck (HNSCC), pancreatic, and gastric (STAD) cancer Gene Expression Omnibus datasets was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). This revealed extracellular matrix components as highly dysregulated. To enrich for pathways associated with PNI, genes previously correlated with PNI in STAD and in 2 HNSCC studies where tumor samples were segregated by PNI status were analyzed. Neurodevelopmental genes were found to be enriched with PNI. In datasets where tumor samples were not segregated by PNI, neurodevelopmental pathways accounted for 12%–16% of the DEGs. Further dysregulation of axon guidance genes was common to all cancers analyzed. By examining paralog genes, a clear pattern emerged where at least one family member from several axon guidance pathways was affected in all cancers examined. Overall 17 different axon guidance gene families were disrupted, including the ephrin–Eph, semaphorin–neuropilin/plexin, and slit–robo pathways. These findings were validated using The Cancer Genome Atlas and cross-referenced to other cancers with a high incidence of PNI including colon, cholangiocarcinoma, prostate, and breast cancers. Survival analysis revealed that the expression levels of neurodevelopmental gene families impacted disease survival. Conclusion: These data highlight the importance of the tumor as a source of signals for neural tropism and neural plasticity as a common feature of cancer. The analysis supports the hypothesis that dysregulation of neurodevelopmental programs is a common feature associated with PNI. Furthermore, the data suggested that different cancers may have evolved to employ alternative genetic strategies to disrupt the same pathways. Overall, these findings provide potential druggable targets for novel therapies of cancer management and provide multi-cancer molecular biomarkers

Generation of functional hepatocytes by forward programming with nuclear receptors.

Funder: UK Regenerative Medicine PlatformFunder: Wellcome TrustFunder: Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of CambridgeFunder: Chan Zuckerberg InitiativeProduction of large quantities of hepatocytes remains a major challenge for a number of clinical applications in the biomedical field. Directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) provides an advantageous solution and a number of protocols have been developed for this purpose. However, these methods usually follow different steps of liver development in vitro, which is time consuming and requires complex culture conditions. In addition, HLCs lack the full repertoire of functionalities characterising primary hepatocytes. Here, we explore the interest of forward programming to generate hepatocytes from hPSCs and to bypass these limitations. This approach relies on the overexpression of three hepatocyte nuclear factors (HNF1A, HNF6, and FOXA3) in combination with different nuclear receptors expressed in the adult liver using the OPTi-OX platform. Forward programming allows for the rapid production of hepatocytes (FoP-Heps) with functional characteristics using a simplified process. We also uncovered that the overexpression of nuclear receptors such as RORc can enhance specific functionalities of FoP-Heps thereby validating its role in lipid/glucose metabolism. Together, our results show that forward programming could offer a versatile alternative to direct differentiation for generating hepatocytes in vitro

Agriculture biologique en Martinique

Beaucoup de bananes et un peu de canne à sucre pour le rhum : la Martinique vit toujours, pour une part importante, de ces grandes cultures tropicales d’exportation. Mais pour combien de temps ? La concurrence de pays voisins à faibles coûts de main d’œuvre, la fragilité des soutiens de l’Union européenne, font aujourd’hui de cette question une urgence. La Martinique s’interroge sur les espoirs qu’elle peut fonder dans le développement d’une « agriculture biologique » pour répondre à ces défis. Dix-sept chercheurs, experts de l’agriculture tropicale d’une part et des techniques « bio » d’autre part, ont ensemble étudié dans quelles conditions le développement d’une agriculture biologique, certifiée ou non, est possible. Comment l’île peut-elle trouver ses débouchés et contribuer à revaloriser l’image de l’agriculture, en tissant de nouveaux liens entre agriculture et alimentation ? Tel est l’enjeu de cette expertise.With a large output of bananas and some sugar cane for rum, Martinique still largely earns its living from these major tropical exports. But how much longer can this last? With competition from neighbouring countries with low labour costs and the uncertain future of European Union support, this is now an urgent question. What hopes can Martinique place in developing organic farming as a way of confronting these challenges? To answer this question, researchers specialising in tropical agriculture and in organic farming methods joined forces to examine the conditions for developing organic farming, certified or otherwise, in Martinique. What crop rotations could be used, and in which parts of the island? What outlets would there be for what products? And how can the image of agriculture be improved by rebuilding the links between food, farming and the land in Martinique? In answering these questions, the experts provide useful insights for all Southern countries wishing to opt for organics, a growth sector in the North

Maisons

Le terme de "maison" est utilisé en archéologie pour toutes les périodes à partir du Néolithique. Il s’applique à un logement humain fixe et, indistinctement, au rural comme à l’urbain. Mais en quoi les structures auxquelles nous attribuons ce nom se distinguent-elles d’autres ? Ont-elles des formes, des dimensions, des plans, des matériaux, des caractéristiques (ouvertures, orientation…) spécifiques ? En quoi ces éléments particuliers sont-ils adaptés à l’environnement urbain comme rural ; ont-ils des liens avec le relief, le climat, les contraintes des parcelles, les bâtis préexistants ? Quelle est la pérennité de leur occupation ? Changent-elles parfois de fonction, d’usage ? Appelle-t-on ces structures « maison » parce qu’elles sont le lieu d’activités particulières : sommeil, cuisine, toilette, artisanat… ? Quels équipements et quels mobiliers permettent de rendre compte de ces activités ? Existe-t-il des pièces, des endroits (intérieurs ou extérieurs), qui leur sont dédiés ? Si la maison est définie comme le lieu qui abrite et lie la famille, sur quelles données s’appuyer pour comprendre qui y vit ensemble (nombre de personnes, liens génétiques ou autres, génération, classes d’âge, sexe, position sociale…) ? The term "house" is used in archaeology for all periods from the Neolithic onwards. It applies to a fixed human dwelling and, indiscriminately, in both rural and urban contexts. But how do the structures to which we attribute this name differ from others? Do they have specific shapes, dimensions, plans, materials, characteristics (openings, orientation...)? In what way are these particular elements adapted to the urban or rural environment; do they have links with relief, climate, constraints of the plots, pre-existing buildings? What is the durability of their occupation? Do they sometimes change function or use? Are these structures called "houses" because they are the site of particular activities: sleeping, cooking, washing, crafts, etc.? What equipment and furnishings allow these activities to be reflected? Are there rooms or places (inside or outside) dedicated to them? If the house is defined as the place that shelters and binds the family, what data can be used to understand who lives there together (number of people, genetic or other links, generation, age groups, sex, social position, etc.)? La palabra "casa" se utiliza en arqueología para todos los periodos desde el Neolítico en adelante. Se aplica a una vivienda humana fija e, indistintamente, al contexto rural y urbano. Pero, ¿en qué se diferencian las estructuras a las que atribuimos este nombre de otras? ¿Tienen formas, dimensiones, planos, materiales, características específicas (aberturas, orientación...)? ¿De qué manera se adaptan estos elementos particulares al entorno urbano y rural; tienen vínculos con el relieve, el clima, las limitaciones de las parcelas, las construcciones preexistentes? ¿Cuál es la durabilidad de su ocupación? ¿Cambian a veces de función o de uso? ¿Se llaman estas estructuras "casa" porque son el lugar de determinadas actividades: dormir, cocinar, asearse, hacer manualidades? ¿Qué equipamiento y mobiliario permiten estas actividades? ¿Hay salas o lugares (interiores o exteriores) dedicados a ellos? Si la casa se define como el lugar que alberga y vincula a la familia, ¿qué datos pueden utilizarse para comprender quiénes conviven en ella (número de personas, vínculos genéticos o de otro tipo, generación, grupos de edad, sexo, posición social, etc.)