Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacterium smegmatis Phages Chewbacca, Reptar3000, and Riparian, Isolated in Las Vegas, Nevada

Here, we present the complete genome sequences of Mycobacterium smegmatis phages Chewbacca, Reptar3000, and Riparian, isolated from soil in Las Vegas, NV. The phages were isolated and annotated by undergraduate students enrolled in the Phage Discovery course offered by the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vega

CpG-creating mutations are costly in many human viruses.

Mutations can occur throughout the virus genome and may be beneficial, neutral or deleterious. We are interested in mutations that yield a C next to a G, producing CpG sites. CpG sites are rare in eukaryotic and viral genomes. For the eukaryotes, it is thought that CpG sites are rare because they are prone to mutation when methylated. In viruses, we know less about why CpG sites are rare. A previous study in HIV suggested that CpG-creating transition mutations are more costly than similar non-CpG-creating mutations. To determine if this is the case in other viruses, we analyzed the allele frequencies of CpG-creating and non-CpG-creating mutations across various strains, subtypes, and genes of viruses using existing data obtained from Genbank, HIV Databases, and Virus Pathogen Resource. Our results suggest that CpG sites are indeed costly for most viruses. By understanding the cost of CpG sites, we can obtain further insights into the evolution and adaptation of viruses

Altered white matter microstructural organization in posttraumatic stress disorder across 3047 adults: results from the PGC-ENIGMA PTSD consortium

A growing number of studies have examined alterations in white matter organization in people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using diffusion MRI (dMRI), but the results have been mixed which may be partially due to relatively small sample sizes among studies. Altered structural connectivity may be both a neurobiological vulnerability for, and a result of, PTSD. In an effort to find reliable effects, we present a multi-cohort analysis of dMRI metrics across 3047 individuals from 28 cohorts currently participating in the PGC-ENIGMA PTSD working group (a joint partnership between the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis consortium). Comparing regional white matter metrics across the full brain in 1426 individuals with PTSD and 1621 controls (2174 males/873 females) between ages 18-83, 92% of whom were trauma-exposed, we report associations between PTSD and disrupted white matter organization measured by lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the tapetum region of the corpus callosum (Cohen's d = -0.11, p = 0.0055). The tapetum connects the left and right hippocampus, for which structure and function have been consistently implicated in PTSD. Results were consistent even after accounting for the effects of multiple potentially confounding variables: childhood trauma exposure, comorbid depression, history of traumatic brain injury, current alcohol abuse or dependence, and current use of psychotropic medications. Our results show that PTSD may be associated with alterations in the broader hippocampal network.New methods for child psychiatric diagnosis and treatment outcome evaluatio

Session 2.3 Burgess Shale Fossils in Yoho National Park

The Burgess Shale Fossils found in Yoho National Park are some of the oldest, most well-preserved, soft-bodies organisms ever found. These fossils provide valuable knowledge of Cambrian organisms and the origins of multicellular life. The construction of The Canadian Pacific Railway ultimately led to the discovery of these fossils by making the Kicking Horse Valley accessible to tourists, adventurers, and most importantly to our story, geologists. The railway can be seen as a vehicle of exploration, but for the First Nations peoples, it was a vehicle of exploitation that had harmed the natural environment and exploited their artifacts and resources. Type: Short talk (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Slides

Session 1E The Big Leaf Mahogany Tree In Belize in Connection to Sustainable Development Goals

The Big Leaf Mahogany Tree (Swietenia macrophylla) is a prominent ecological indicator in Belize. The species serves as a unit which sequesters carbon, mitigates natural disaster impacts, and reduces deforestation. Because of this, environmental conservation initiatives which align with SDG 13 Climate Action have become a central priority to the country of Belize. The Climate Action SDG is subject to goals such as strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate disasters and integrating climate change messages into policy and planning. Therefore, it is important to explore the role the Big Leaf Mahogany Tree has on both the drivers and interventions of SDG 13 within Belize

Session 2E Analysis of Elephant Injuries and Veterinary Treatment across the Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara in southwestern Kenya is a species-rich ecosystem. Rapid agricultural expansion and additional pressures of climate variability are threatening social-ecological dynamics in the region. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust mobile veterinary units, in collaboration with the Mara Elephant Project, have collected injury and treatment data for African Elephants in the Maasai Mara. This presentation showcases our analysis of spatio temporal patterns of where injuries are most treated within the ecosystem and if injuries have increased over time. Additionally, our project assesses how many of these injuries were caused by human-elephant conflict and if injuries vary with age or gender

Parental Acculturation and Childrens Bilingual Abilities: A Study With Chinese American and Mexican American Preschool DLLs.

Previous studies support the link of parental acculturation to their childrens academic achievement, identity, and family relations. Prior research also suggests that parental language proficiency is associated with childrens vocabulary knowledge. However, few studies have examined the links of parental acculturation to young childrens oral language abilities. As preschool oral language skills have been shown to predict future academic achievement, it is critical to understand the relations between parental acculturation and bilingual abilities with young immigrant children. Furthermore, few studies have examined the links between parental acculturation and childrens bilingual ability among different immigrant groups who live in the same areas to understand possible similarities and differences. To address these gaps, this study examines these relations in two of the largest and fastest-growing immigrant populations in the United States, Chinese American and Mexican American families. A total of 119 dual language learners (DLLs; 64 Chinese Americans and 55 Mexican Americans) enrolled in Head Start programs in Northern California were recruited. DLLs were assessed on oral language measures in both their heritage language (HL) and English. Parental interviews were conducted to obtain parental acculturation and language proficiency. Results showed no significant group differences between Chinese American and Mexican American parents on the majority of their acculturation dimensions. Furthermore, there were no significant group differences in the bilingual abilities between Chinese American and Mexican American DLLs. Cluster analysis identified four groups of DLLs based on their bilingual ability: high language ability in both English and HL, low language ability in both, English-dominant, and HL-dominant. Results suggest that parental acculturation levels are more similar than different among the four groups. On average, parents in all four groups had stronger ties to their heritage culture and HL than to the American culture. Results also showed links between parental cultural identities and childrens language dominance. Parents of English-dominant children had significantly higher levels of American identity than the parents of children with high ability in both languages. Implications are discussed