Nutrient depletion and heat stress impair the assimilation of nitrogen compounds in a scleractinian coral

Concentrations of dissolved nitrogen in seawater can affect the resilience of the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis to climate change-induced bleaching. However, it is not yet known how the assimilation and translocation of the various nitrogen forms change during heat stress, nor how the symbiosis responds to nutrient depletion, which may occur due to increasing water stratification. Here, the tropical scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata, in symbiosis with dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium, was grown at different temperatures (26°C, 30°C and 34°C), before being placed in nutrient-replete or -depleted seawater for 24 h. The corals were then incubated with 13C-labelled sodium bicarbonate and different 15N-labelled nitrogen forms (ammonium, urea and dissolved free amino acids) to determine their assimilation rates. We found that nutrient depletion inhibited the assimilation of all nitrogen sources studied and that heat stress reduced the assimilation of ammonium and dissolved free amino acids. However, the host assimilated over 3-fold more urea at 30°C relative to 26°C. Overall, both moderate heat stress (30°C) and nutrient depletion individually decreased the total nitrogen assimilated by the symbiont by 66%, and combined, they decreased assimilation by 79%. This led to the symbiotic algae becoming nitrogen starved, with the C:N ratio increasing by over 3-fold at 34°C, potentially exacerbating the impacts of coral bleaching.

The Contribution of Willingness to Communicate to L2 Learners' Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge: An Empirical Study

The issues of depth vocabulary knowledge and Willingness to Communicate (henceforth, WTC) are among the most important issues in second language learning. The present study set out to empirically look into the contribution of WTC to depth of vocabulary knowledge in L2 learning. To this end, 88 English L2 learners, divided into two groups in terms of their WTC, were given two depth vocabulary tests. The Word Association Test (WAT) was first administered to make a comparison between the depth vocabulary knowledge of the two WTC groups. Then, to triangulate the results, the Word Part Levels Test (WPLT) was administered to check whether the obtained results confirmed those of WAT. Analyzing data through independent t-test and MANOVA indicated that learners with higher levels of WTC had deeper vocabulary knowledge than those with lower levels of WTC on the WAT. Further, the triangulation results evinced that although the two groups did not differ significantly on the form-section and meaning-section of the WPLT, they significantly differed on the use-section of the test. The relevant pedagogical implications of the study are discussed.

An experimental approach: Investigating the directive function of autobiographical memory

Why do we have autobiographical memory and how is it useful? Researchers have proposed a directive function; our experiences guide our behavior, particularly when faced with an open-ended problem. Two experiments (one between-participant and one mixed design) were therefore conducted to test whether success autobiographical memories - any experience when the participant felt successful and competent - are helpful for generating solutions to problem scenarios. One research aim was to experimentally test the directive function as current experimental evidence is limited and results are mixed. Consequently, it is unclear if and how autobiographical memory is helpful for open-ended problem solving. Another aim was to test whether self-efficacy is an important factor that supports open-ended problem solving and thus the directive function. Although success memories enhanced self-ratings of self-efficacy across both experiments, in samples of undergraduate students there was no experimental effect of success autobiographical memories on problem solving. Instead, some participants across the memory and control conditions in both experiments, even when not instructed, recalled autobiographical memories related to the problem scenarios presented in the problem-solving task, and these participants did better at problem solving than those who did not. This may hint to a directive function and is perhaps one reason why there is no experimental effect. Sample and experimental design differences are discussed as potential factors that may contribute to non-significant effects in this study but significant effects in others. Our results highlight the complexity of the directive function, and the difficulty of experimentally testing how autobiographical memory directs behavior.

A comparison of two gene regions for assessing community composition of eukaryotic marine microalgae from coastal ecosystems

Two gene regions commonly used to characterise the diversity of eukaryotic communities using metabarcoding are the 18S ribosomal DNA V4 and V9 gene regions. We assessed the effectiveness of these two regions for characterising diverisity of coastal eukaryotic microalgae communities (EMCs) from tropical and temperate sites. We binned amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) into the high level taxonomic groups: dinoflagellates, pennate diatoms, radial centric diatoms, polar centric diatoms, chlorophytes, haptophytes and 'other microalgae'. When V4 and V9 generated ASV abundances were compared, the V9 region generated a higher number of raw reads, captured more diversity from all high level taxonomic groups and was more closely aligned with the community composition determined using light microscopy. The V4 region did resolve more ASVs to a deeper taxonomic resolution within the dinoflagellates, but did not effectively resolve other major taxonomic divisions. When characterising these communities via metabarcoding, the use of multiple gene regions is recommended, but the V9 gene region can be used in isolation to provide high-level community biodiversity to reflect relative abundances within groups. This approach reduces the cost of sequencing multiple gene regions whilst still providing important baseline ecosystem function information.

The motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination as antecedents of cultural identity styles

OBJECTIVES

The research examined the motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination as antecedents of cultural identity styles, the cognitive and behavioral strategies that bicultural individuals use for decision making in managing and maintaining their ethnic and national identities. Two major cultural identity styles have been distinguished: the alternating identity style (AIS, changing cultural identities depending on the circumstances) and the hybrid identity style (HIS, blending selected aspects of these identities in a unique way). Based on earlier cross-sectional research, we tested the hypotheses that the motivation to integrate would predict greater use of both styles and that perceived discrimination would predict greater use of the AIS, but not the HIS, over time.

METHOD

A community sample of 493 Chinese Americans (56% female, 51.5% first generation, Mage = 53.27 years) completed an online survey at two points in time with approximately a 1-month interval. Path modeling controlling for demographic factors (age, generation) and cultural identity style (AIS and HIS at T1) was used to test our hypotheses.

RESULTS

Analyses revealed that younger Chinese Americans made greater use of the AIS and that both the motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination were significant predictors of the AIS at T2. In contrast, only the motivation to integrate predicted the HIS at T2, confirming our hypotheses.

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate that both personal and situational factors affect the management of cultural identities. The findings are discussed in relation to research on acculturation and integration and theories of social and situated identity identities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

An integrative approach to assess the impact of disturbance on native fish in lakes

Freshwater fish are in a perilous state with more than 30% of species considered critically endangered. Yet significant ecological and methodological complexities constrain our ability to determine how disturbances are impacting native fish communities. We review current methods used to assess the responses of fish communities, especially native fish, to disturbances, with a focus on lakes. These methods include contemporary population surveys, manipulative experimental approaches, paleolimnological approaches and Indigenous Knowledge and social histories. We identify knowledge gaps, such as a lack of baseline data for native fish, an inability to assess the impact of historical disturbances, stressor response dynamics in contemporary multi-stressor environments, and natural disturbance regimes. Our assessment of the current methods highlights challenges to filling these knowledge gaps using the reviewed methods. We advocate strongly for the implementation of an integrative approach that combines emerging technologies (i.e. molecular-based techniques in contemporary surveys and paleolimnology) and underutilised knowledge streams (i.e. Indigenous Knowledge and social histories) which should be used in concert with conventional methods. This integrative approach will allow researchers to determine the key drivers of decline and the degree of change, which will enable more informed and successful management actions.

Community perspectives on the appropriateness and importance of support goals for young autistic children

LAY ABSTRACT

Researchers do not know much about what autistic adults, parents and professionals think about support goals for young autistic children. People's views of support goals might also be influenced by their beliefs about early support more generally. This survey involved 87 autistic adults, 159 parents of autistic children and 80 clinical professionals living in New Zealand and Australia. We asked participants questions about themselves and what they thought about early support for young autistic children in general. We then asked participants to rate whether different support goals were appropriate for young autistic children and, if they were appropriate, to rate their level of priority. We found that autistic adults, parents and professionals all rated goals about the adult changing to better support the child, reducing and replacing harmful behaviours and improving the child's quality of life as the highest priorities. They all rated goals about autism characteristics, play skills and academic skills as the lowest priorities. Compared to parents and/or professionals, autistic adults gave lower priority ratings for play skills, autism characteristics and participation goals. Autistic adults were also more likely to rate goals related to play skills and autism characteristics as inappropriate. While these three participant groups generally agreed on the order of priority of early support goals for young autistic children, autistic adults found goals related to autism characteristics, play and/or participation to be an even lower priority and less appropriate than parents and professionals.

Key elements and contextual factors that influence successful implementation of large-system transformation initiatives in the New Zealand health system: a realist evaluation

BACKGROUND

Despite three decades of policy initiatives to improve integration of health care, delivery of health care in New Zealand remains fragmented, and health inequities persist for Māori and other high priority populations. An evidence base is needed to increase the chances of success with implementation of large-system transformation (LST) initiatives in a complex adaptive system.

METHODS

This research aimed to identify key elements that support implementation of LST initiatives, and to investigate contextual factors that influence these initiatives. The realist logic of enquiry, nested within the macro framing of complex adaptive systems, formed the overall methodology for this research and involved five phases: theory gleaning from a local LST initiative, literature review, interviews, workshop, and online survey. NVivo software programme was used for thematic analysis of the interview, workshop, and the survey data. We identified key elements and explained variations in success (outcomes) by identifying mechanisms triggered by various contexts in which LST initiatives are implemented.

RESULTS

The research found that a set of 10 key elements need to be present in the New Zealand health system to increase chances of success with implementation of LST initiatives. These are: (i) an alliancing way of working; (ii) a commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi; (iii) an understanding of equity; (iv) clinical leadership and involvement; (v) involved people, whānau, and community; (vi) intelligent commissioning; (vii) continuous improvement; (viii) integrated health information; (ix) analytic capability; and (x) dedicated resources and time. The research identified five contextual factors that influenced implementation of LST initiatives: a history of working together, distributed leadership from funders, the maturity of Alliances, capacity and capability for improvement, and a continuous improvement culture. The research found that the key mechanism of trust is built and nurtured over time through sharing of power by senior health leaders by practising distributed leadership, which then creates a positive history of working together and increases the maturity of Alliances.

DISCUSSION

Two authors (KMS and PBJ) led the development and implementation of the local LST initiative. This prior knowledge and experience provided a unique perspective to the research but also created a conflict of interest and introduced potential bias, these were managed through a wide range of data collection methods and informed consent from participants. The evidence-base for successful implementation of LST initiatives produced in this research contains knowledge and experience of senior system leaders who are often in charge of leading these initiatives. This evidence base enables decision makers to make sense of complex processes involved in the successful implementation of LST initiatives.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of informal trust-based networks provided a critical platform for successful implementation of LST initiatives in the New Zealand health system. Maturity of these networks relies on building and sustaining high-trust relationships among the network members. The role of local and central agencies and the government is to provide the policy settings and conditions in which trust-based networks can flourish.

OTHER

This study was approved by the Victoria University of Wellington Human Ethics Committee (Ethics Approval Number 27,356). The research was supported by the Victoria University of Wellington research grant (222,809) and from the University of Auckland Department of Medicine research fund (H10779).

The effects of annual cycle, source population, and body condition on leukocyte profile and immune challenge in a basal reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)

Leukocyte profiles are broadly used to assess the health status of many species. Reference intervals, and an understanding of the factors that may influence these intervals, are necessary for adequate interpretation of leukograms. Using a data set that spans over three decades, we investigated variation in leukocyte profile in several populations of the evolutionarily unique reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). To do this, we first established reference intervals for each leukocyte type according to best practices. Next, we determined that source population and sampling date were the two most important predictors of leukocyte makeup. We found significant differences in the ratio of heterophils: lymphocytes (H:L) between populations, with tuatara on the more resource-stressed sampling island having a significantly higher ratio of H:L. Finally, we found that sampling location, sex, and life stage did not explain variation in the responses of tuatara to stimulation with Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide in both 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di-phenyltetrazolium bromide and Griess assay experiments. Our results offer important insight into the function of leukocytes in reptiles.

Mutual entailment between causation and responsibility

The standard view in philosophy is that responsibility entails causation. Most philosophers treat this entailment claim as an evident insight into the ordinary concepts of responsibility and causation. Further, it is taken to be equally obvious that the reversal of this claim does not hold: causation does not entail responsibility. In contrast, Sytsma and Livengood have put forward an account of the use of ordinary causal attributions (statements like "X caused Y") that contends that they are typically used interchangeably with responsibility attributions (statements like "X is responsible for Y"). Put in terms of the concepts at play in these attributions, this account suggests that the reversal of the entailment claim may also hold, and, a fortiori, there would be mutual entailment between the ordinary concepts of responsibility and causation. Using the cancellability test, we report the results of three pre-registered studies providing empirical evidence that causation and responsibility are mutually entailed by each other.

Repeatability and heritability of inhibitory control performance in wild toutouwai (Petroica longipes)

Despite increasing interest in the evolution of inhibitory control, few studies have examined the validity of widespread testing paradigms, the long-term repeatability and the heritability of this cognitive ability in the wild. We investigated these aspects in the inhibitory control performance of wild toutouwai (North Island robin; Petroica longipes), using detour and reversal learning tasks. We assessed convergent validity by testing whether individual performance correlated across detour and reversal learning tasks. We then further evaluated task validity by examining whether individual performance was confounded by non-cognitive factors. We tested a subset of subjects twice in each task to estimate the repeatability of performance across a 1-year period. Finally, we used a population pedigree to estimate the heritability of task performance. Individual performance was unrelated across detour and reversal learning tasks, indicating that these measured different cognitive abilities. Task performance was not influenced by body condition, boldness or prior experience, and showed moderate between-year repeatability. Yet despite this individual consistency, we found no evidence that task performance was heritable. Our findings suggest that detour and reversal learning tasks measure consistent individual differences in distinct forms of inhibitory control in toutouwai, but this variation may be environmentally determined rather than genetic.

My Turning Point Tells the Story: A Longitudinal Examination of Greater Episodic Detail and Youth Depressive Symptoms

Although research findings show that the personal memories of people who are depressed are characterized by sparse episodic detail, under some circumstances, the opposite pattern emerges. Specifically, a recent study (Salmon et al., 2021) has shown that for community youth, greater episodic detail in a highly self-relevant narrative (a life turning point) predicted increased depressive symptoms concurrently and one year later. In a new longitudinal study of young people (N = 320 at Time 1, M = 16.9 years; 81% female) followed up over six months, we aimed to replicate and extend this finding. In Study A, we compared the turning point with a narrative about a conflict event, to establish whether the detail in a turning point memory uniquely predicted depressive symptoms. Supporting the first hypothesis, at both time-points, greater episodic detail was concurrently positively associated with depressive symptoms for turning point narratives only. Contrary to our second hypothesis, greater detail did not predict increased depressive symptoms longitudinally. The reverse pattern was significant, however, in that greater initial depressive symptoms predicted greater detail uniquely in the turning point narrative six months later. In Study B, we determined that the concurrent association between episodic detail and depressive symptoms in turning points (but not conflict events) was exacerbated by linguistic markers of self-focus (greater I-talk and lower distancing language). These findings suggest that greater detail in a turning point narrative may uniquely signify risk of psychological distress when youth narrate the experience with heightened self-focus.

Time heals all wounds? Naïve theories about the fading of affect associated with autobiographical events

The current research examined the naïve theories that individuals hold about how affect fades over time. In three studies (with various replications), participants read about positive and negative events and estimated the emotional impact of those events on either themselves or a hypothetical other over different time frames (i.e., 1 week, 1 month, 1 year-Studies 1a-1c) or how long it would take for specific amounts of fade to occur (Studies 2a & 2b). In a final study, participants were directly asked about their beliefs regarding affect fade. Results demonstrated that people have inaccurate expectations about affect fade for positive and negative events. Specifically, participants rate that positive events fade more in the short term, but that negative events fade more in the long term. Results are discussed in terms of how these (incorrect) naïve theories of affect fade relate to metacognitive biases in memory and emotion.

Behavioral metabolomics: how behavioral data can guide metabolomics research on neuropsychiatric disorders

INTRODUCTION

Metabolomics produces vast quantities of data but determining which metabolites are the most relevant to the disease or disorder of interest can be challenging.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to demonstrate how behavioral models of psychiatric disorders can be combined with metabolomics research to overcome this limitation.

METHODS

We designed a preclinical, untargeted metabolomics procedure, that focuses on the determination of central metabolites relevant to substance use disorders that are (a) associated with changes in behavior produced by acute drug exposure and (b) impacted by repeated drug exposure. Untargeted metabolomics analysis was carried out on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data obtained from 336 microdialysis samples. Samples were collected from the medial striatum of male Sprague-Dawley (N = 21) rats whilst behavioral data were simultaneously collected as part of a (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced behavioral sensitization experiment. Analysis was conducted by orthogonal partial least squares, where the Y variable was the behavioral data, and the X variables were the relative concentrations of the 737 detected features.

RESULTS

MDMA and its derivatives, serotonin, and several dopamine/norepinephrine metabolites were the greatest predictors of acute MDMA-produced behavior. Subsequent univariate analyses showed that repeated MDMA exposure produced significant changes in MDMA metabolism, which may contribute to the increased abuse liability of the drug as a function of repeated exposure.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight how the inclusion of behavioral data can guide metabolomics data analysis and increase the relevance of the results to the phenotype of interest.

Believing in the Powers of Mindfulness: A Thematic Narrative Approach and the Development of a New Scale

Objectives

The beliefs and expectations people bring into mindfulness practice can affect the measurement outcomes of interventions. The aim of this mixed-method study was to examine the key beliefs in the powers of mindfulness-understood as non-judgmental awareness of the present moment-to transform the individual and the society, and to develop and validate the Belief in the Powers of Mindfulness Scale (BPMS).

Method

In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with mindfulness meditators (n = 32), including follow-up interviews (n = 22). Qualitative data were analysed through a thematic narrative approach. Participants (n = 458) completed a questionnaire that included the new scale.

Results

Participants' key beliefs were thematically analysed in three transformation themes: interpersonal relationships and compassion, peace and violence, and the inner world-themes were encapsulated in the BPMS. Ideas presented in each theme were undergirded by a host of ideologies, epistemic claims, and metaphysical assumptions about the nature of mind, self, and reality-which are predicated by broader cultural trends such as expressive individualism, perennial philosophy, and New Age sentiments and ideals. The BPMS showed strong internal consistency and convergent validity, and individuals who were older and more spiritual practised mindfulness more often and for longer, and self-reported greater mindfulness skills, and scored higher on the BPMS.

Conclusions

Findings illustrate the persisting importance of attending to people's beliefs and expectations in mindfulness interventions and further the call for a contextual approach that accounts for cultural factors. The newly developed BPMS may assist with the measuring of peoples' beliefs and expectations.

Teachers Responding to Pacific Community Voice: Supporting Relationships Through an Ecological Research Initiative

Pacific education is an area of priority in Aotearoa New Zealand. It involves the teaching of Pacific students by a workforce that is largely of European origin. Pacific communities value education and have the capability to contribute to the understandings of teachers as they seek to provide the kinds of service that communities want to see. This article reports on a Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI), Learning From Each Other. Leveraging talanoa as a dialogic research approach, the initiative examines the change value of Pacific voice in enhancing teacher understanding and promoting deliberate action to improve Pacific education. We present findings organised by spaces in which educators enact change using a contextualised revision of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model as a mapping tool. What emerges is a sense of how non-Pacific educators' growing Pacific-informed understandings support Pacific learners in personal, classroom and institutional spaces.

The Validation of a Precursor Lesion of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Fancd2-KO Mice

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate of all gynaecological malignancies. The asymptomatic nature and limited understanding of early disease hamper research into early-stage OC. Therefore, there is an urgent need for models of early-stage OC to be characterised to improve the understanding of early neoplastic transformations. This study sought to validate a unique mouse model for early OC development. The homozygous Fanconi anaemia complementation group D2 knock-out mice (Fancd2^-/-) develop multiple ovarian tumour phenotypes in a sequential manner as they age. Using immunohistochemistry, our group previously identified purported initiating precursor cells, termed 'sex cords', that are hypothesised to progress into epithelial OC in this model. To validate this hypothesis, the sex cords, tubulostromal adenomas and equivalent controls were isolated using laser capture microdissection for downstream multiplexed gene expression analyses using the Genome Lab GeXP Genetic Analysis System. Principal component analysis and unbiased hierarchical clustering of the resultant expression data from approximately 90 OC-related genes determined that cells from the sex cords and late-stage tumours clustered together, confirming the identity of the precursor lesion in this model. This study, therefore, provides a novel model for the investigation of initiating neoplastic events that can accelerate progress in understanding early OC.

Asymptotic Distribution of Certain Types of Entropy under the Multinomial Law

We obtain expressions for the asymptotic distributions of the Rényi and Tsallis of order q entropies and Fisher information when computed on the maximum likelihood estimator of probabilities from multinomial random samples. We verify that these asymptotic models, two of which (Tsallis and Fisher) are normal, describe well a variety of simulated data. In addition, we obtain test statistics for comparing (possibly different types of) entropies from two samples without requiring the same number of categories. Finally, we apply these tests to social survey data and verify that the results are consistent but more general than those obtained with a χ2 test.

The island biogeography of human population size

For decades, biogeographers have sought a better understanding of how organisms are distributed among islands. However, the island biogeography of humans remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate how human population size varies among 486 islands at two spatial scales. At a global scale, we tested whether population size increases with island area and declines with island elevation and nearest mainland, as is common in non-human species, or whether humans escape such biogeographic constraints. At a regional scale, we tested whether population sizes vary among islands within archipelagos according to the positioning of different cultural source pools. Results illustrate that on a global scale, human populations increased in size with island area, similar to non-human species, yet they did not decline in size with elevation and distance to nearest mainland. At a regional scale, human population size often varied among islands within archipelagos relative to the location of different cultural source pools. Despite broad-scale similarities in the geographical distribution of human and non-human species among islands, results from this study indicate that the island biogeography of humans may also be influenced by archipelago-specific social, political and historical circumstances.

The Influence of Symbiosis on the Proteome of the Exaiptasia Endosymbiont Breviolum minutum

The cellular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of nutrient exchange, immune response, and symbiont population growth in the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis are poorly resolved. Here, we employed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to elucidate proteomic changes associated with symbiosis in Breviolum minutum, a native symbiont of the sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana ('Aiptasia'). We manipulated nutrients available to the algae in culture and to the holobiont in hospite (i.e., in symbiosis) and then monitored the impacts of our treatments on host-endosymbiont interactions. Both the symbiotic and nutritional states had significant impacts on the B. minutum proteome. B. minutum in hospite showed an increased abundance of proteins involved in phosphoinositol metabolism (e.g., glycerophosphoinositol permease 1 and phosphatidylinositol phosphatase) relative to the free-living alga, potentially reflecting inter-partner signalling that promotes the stability of the symbiosis. Proteins potentially involved in concentrating and fixing inorganic carbon (e.g., carbonic anhydrase, V-type ATPase) and in the assimilation of nitrogen (e.g., glutamine synthase) were more abundant in free-living B. minutum than in hospite, possibly due to host-facilitated access to inorganic carbon and nitrogen limitation by the host when in hospite. Photosystem proteins increased in abundance at high nutrient levels irrespective of the symbiotic state, as did proteins involved in antioxidant defences (e.g., superoxide dismutase, glutathione s-transferase). Proteins involved in iron metabolism were also affected by the nutritional state, with an increased iron demand and uptake under low nutrient treatments. These results detail the changes in symbiont physiology in response to the host microenvironment and nutrient availability and indicate potential symbiont-driven mechanisms that regulate the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis.

A Psycholinguistic Look at the Role of Field Dependence/Independence in Receptive/Productive Vocabulary Knowledge: Does it Draw a Line?

The thrust of this study was to investigate the impact of learning styles in general and Field dependence/Independence (FD/I) in particular on the receptive/productive lexical performance of language learners. It aimed to check whether FD/I learners perform differently on receptive and productive vocabulary tests. To achieve this, first, 94 Iranian language learners were given the Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT) to determine their learning style; and second, they were put into two groups and were asked to take a receptive and a productive vocabulary test. Having collected and analyzed the data, the study revealed that first, with regard to the receptive test, although FI learners outperformed the FD ones, this outperformance was not significant statistically. Second, for the productive test, a significant difference was found between FIs and FDs with FI learners having a better performance. Third, FI learners acted significantly better in the productive test compared with receptive test. Finally, FD learners performed almost similarly in both receptive and productive tests. The pertinent implications are also discussed.

How Might Indices of Happiness Inform Early Intervention Research and Decision Making?

OBJECTIVES

The child-caregiver relationship is the foundation for which intervention occurs. Therefore, the acceptability of the intervention should be considered for both parties. Indices of happiness (IOH) have shown to be effective in assessing social validity and providing insight to improving interventions to promote better quality of life. However, to date, there is limited attention to the integration of IOH in very early caregiver-led intervention. The purpose of this study is to explore how researchers and clinicians might collect direct data on IOH to assess the acceptability of an intervention.

METHODS

Participants in this study included 4 children, ages 19-26 months old, identified as "at-risk" for autism, and their caregivers. Caregiver-led intervention focused on pairing, play, and following the child's lead. IOH data was collected on both child and caregiver using 10 s partial-interval recording. Data analysis from the intervention is presented using three different approaches: pre/post-analysis on an individual level, pre/post-analysis on a dyad level, and during intervention as a primary dependent variable.

RESULTS

Variations were seen in levels of happiness, both on an individual level and dyad level. IOH for caregivers increased in relation as their fidelity increased but child IOH decreased as they acquired the targeted skill.

CONCLUSIONS

Direct observation of happiness data is likely to provide valuable insight into participants perception of an intervention. And retrospective analysis may be a valuable tool for reflection and guidance and planning of future interventions.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41252-022-00288-0.

Genetics and epigenetics: paternal adolescent ethanol consumption in serotonin transporter knock-out rats and offspring sensitivity to ethanol

RATIONALE

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is shown to have an overall heritability of around 50%. One of the genes associated with AUD is SLC6A4 (solute carrier family 6 member A4) which codes for the serotonin transporter (SERT). The study looked at serotonin dysfunction on ethanol consumption in adolescents and the subsequent intergenerational effects of drinking by using a rat model: SERT^+/+ (regular functioning), SERT^+/- (50% transporter reduction) and SERT^-/- (complete reduction).

OBJECTIVES

We investigated sex and genotype differences in ethanol consumption in SERT knock-out Wistar rats (F0) followed by studying behaviour in the offspring (F1) of the male drinkers to assess effects of paternal alcohol consumption.

METHODS

An intermittent access two-bottle choice paradigm (IA2BC) was used to yield ethanol drinking behaviour in F0 adolescent Wistar rats. The highest drinking males were mated to alcohol-naive females and their offspring were compared with controls. Drinking behaviour (IA2BC) and ethanol-induced motor coordination effects (via rotarod) were measured in the F1s.

RESULTS

F0 drinking saw no SERT genotype differences in males. However, females consumed higher volumes of ethanol compared to males, with SERT^-/- females showing the highest intake. A clearer genotype effect was seen in the F1 animals, with reduction in SERT activity leading to enhanced ethanol intake in both sexes. Importantly, paternal exposure to ethanol significantly reduced the ethanol induced motor side effects in offspring, independent of sex and genotype.

CONCLUSIONS

These indicate a difference in the way genetic factors may act across sexes and suggest the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in the intergenerational effects of alcohol.

Understanding of empathetic communication in acute hospital settings: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

Empathy and empathy education have been reviewed a number of times through systematic reviews and meta-analyses; however, the topic of 'empathetic communication' remains poorly understood when considering engaging in hospital-based research. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to explore the existing literature concerning empathetic communication in hospital settings and to evaluate the definitions presented.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

Systematic searches of the PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and PsycArticles databases were conducted.

STUDY SELECTION

All English studies in which empathetic communication in hospital settings were explored. The search terms used included empathy, communication, hospital settings, providers, and consumers.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were assessed through the use of a pre-set analysis tool.

RESULTS

After conducting the searches, 419 articles were identified, of which 26 were included in this review. No single article specifically defined the term 'empathetic communication'; however, 33 unique definitions of 'empathy' were identified, of which 23 considered communication to be a component of empathy. There was a considerable lack of consistency between the empathy definitions, with some classifying communication in empathy as an ability and others classifying it as a dynamic process.

CONCLUSION

Future and contextually focused research is needed to develop a consistent and clear definition of empathetic communication and empathy within a hospital setting to better build positive healthcare cultures.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Inconsistencies between definitions of empathy in empathetic communication research could reduce the efficacy of future research gains and impact the translation of research findings into clinical practice.

Finding Your Identity and Partner in a Trade Mark? Consumption, Innovation and the Law

Trade marks are not traditionally considered to be central to innovation because they do not need to be innovative to be protected. Instead, trade marks are used to indicate the source of products and services. Of course, if consumers could not determine the source, this would reduce the incentive for traders to compete through innovative products and services. Here, we argue that trade marks implicate innovation in yet another way. Namely, because consumption can be based on identity characteristics and personality traits of trade marks, which can result in consumer-brand relationships that are either or both identity-related and/or partner-like, companies have incentives to innovate in accordance with the identity characteristics and personality traits. Failure to do so can result in negative reactions from consumers and relationship break-ups, which impacts innovation selection and hence societal good. We explore the implications of this for trade mark law theory and practice.

Dual-Mode Teaching in the Language Classroom: Reconciling the Pandemic, Equity, and the Future of Quality Language Teaching Pedagogy

The COVID-19 pandemic sent New Zealand universities into crisis, and as a key crisis response measure, classes were mostly moved online. While navigating national public health settings, educators simultaneously had to innovate quickly: to keep our courses in operation, students learning, and quality pedagogy present. The author has been navigating a faculty-wide 'dual-mode' teaching policy at their home institution, to teach the Māori language. Dual-mode refers to teaching both in-person and online. Although dual-mode teaching has brought a significant amount of learning flexibility and innovation to the classroom, it also has disadvantages. This article attempts to document some of the positive and negative characteristics noted over two years of dual-mode teaching, from the position of intermediate Māori language classes. It concludes that although this kind of teaching is flexible and equitable, it is not of high quality, and contributes to poor proficiency outcomes for students. Teaching in this way could, however, be of a much higher quality, with support, resourcing and time. As we look to keep these more accessible teaching methods in the future, those additional aspects will be critical in designing classes that are not only equitable, dynamic, and in line with contemporary technological learning styles, but also of a standard that maintains quality language proficiency-building within our learners.

Material Legacies and Environmental Constraints Underlie Fire Resilience of a Dominant Boreal Forest Type

Resilience of plant communities to disturbance is supported by multiple mechanisms, including ecological legacies affecting propagule availability, species' environmental tolerances, and biotic interactions. Understanding the relative importance of these mechanisms for plant community resilience supports predictions of where and how resilience will be altered with disturbance. We tested mechanisms underlying resilience of forests dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana) to fire disturbance across a heterogeneous forest landscape in the Northwest Territories, Canada. We combined surveys of naturally regenerating seedlings at 219 burned plots with experimental manipulations of ecological legacies via seed addition of four tree species and vertebrate exclosures to limit granivory and herbivory at 30 plots varying in moisture and fire severity. Black spruce recovery was greatest where it dominated pre-fire, at wet sites with deep residual soil organic layers, and fire conditions of low soil or canopy combustion and longer return intervals. Experimental addition of seed indicated all species were seed-limited, emphasizing the importance of propagule legacies. Black spruce and birch (Betula papyrifera) recruitment were enhanced with vertebrate exclusion. Our combination of observational and experimental studies demonstrates black spruce is vulnerable to effects of increased fire activity that erode ecological legacies. Moreover, black spruce relies on wet areas with deep soil organic layers where other species are less competitive. However, other species can colonize these areas if enough seed is available or soil moisture is altered by climate change. Testing mechanisms underlying species' resilience to disturbance aids predictions of where vegetation will transform with effects of climate change.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10021-022-00772-7.

Evaluating a Two-Tiered Parent Coaching Intervention for Young Autistic Children Using the Early Start Denver Model

OBJECTIVES

Early intervention can improve the outcomes of young autistic children, and parents may be well placed to deliver these interventions. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention that can be implemented by parents with their own children (P-ESDM). This study evaluated a two-tiered P-ESDM intervention that used a group parent coaching program, and a 1:1 parent coaching program. We evaluated changes in parent use of the ESDM and parent stress, as well as child engagement, communication, and imitation.

METHODS

Seven autistic or probably autistic children (< 60 months old) and their parents participated. A multiple-baseline design was used to compare individual changes between Baseline 1, Group Coaching (Tier 1), Baseline 2, and 1:1 Coaching (Tier 2). Parent and child behaviors were analyzed from weekly videos and graphed. Parenting stress was measured.

RESULTS

All parents improved in their use of ESDM strategies after the Tier 1 intervention. Changes in parent fidelity during Tier 2 were mixed, but all parents maintained higher than baseline levels of fidelity. Six parents demonstrated above 75% ESDM fidelity in at least one session. There were positive changes in parent stress levels pre- post-intervention. Positive results were found for most children's levels of engagement, imitation, and communication. There were significant positive relationships between parent fidelity and both child engagement and child functional utterances.

CONCLUSIONS

Group P-ESDM is a promising approach for improving parent fidelity and some child outcomes. Future randomized and controlled studies of group P-ESDM, using standardized outcome measures, are warranted.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41252-022-00264-8.

COVID19 epidemic outbreak: operating rooms scheduling, specialty teams timetabling and emergency patients' assignment using the robust optimization approach

The health care system is characterized by limited resources, including the physical facilities as well as skilled human resources. Due to the extensive fixed cost of medical facilities and the high specialization required by the medical staff, the problem of resource scarcity in a health care supply chain is much more acute than in other industries. In the pandemic of the Coronavirus, where medical services are the most important services in communities, and protective and preventive guidelines impose new restrictions on the system, the issue of resource allocation will be more complicated and significantly affect the efficiency of health care systems. In this paper, the problem of activating the operating rooms in hospitals, assigning active operating rooms to the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, assigning specialty teams to the operating rooms and assigning the elective and emergency patients to the specialty teams, and scheduling their operations is studied by considering the new constraints of protective and preventive guidelines of the Coronavirus. To address these issues, a mixed-integer mathematical programming model is proposed. Moreover, to consider the uncertainty in the surgery duration of elective and emergency patients, the stochastic robust optimization approach is utilized. The proposed model is applied for the planning of operating rooms in the cardiovascular department of a hospital in Iran, and the results highlight the role of proper management in supplying sufficient medical resources effectively to respond to patients and scheduled surgical team to overcome the pressure on hospital resources and medical staff results from pandemic conditions.

Personality Cult or a Mere Matter of Popularity?

This paper introduces a theoretical model for distinguishing between mere popularity and personality cults as there currently is an inflated use of the personality cult concept, especially in news media, attaching it to significantly different phenomena. The model is based on Weber's concept of charismatic authority and consists of three parameters, widespread symbolic elevation, resilience and religious parallels, covering a representational and social practice dimension. Both dimensions are needed to constitute a personality cult. Trump, Putin and Ardern are used as examples of the model's ability to distinguish between cult and non-cult phenomena. The comparison shows that only Trump and Putin have a cult on both dimensions. Mere popular politicians like Ardern are more comparable to celebrities as these do not have the same authority and power over the followers as leaders with a personality cult - despite potentially showing some cultlike tendencies on the representational dimension. Popular politicians are thus especially characterised by lacking the key social practice aspect of personality cults. As they might still exhibit some cultlike characteristics, the different phenomena are best perceived as being on a continuum ranging from mere admiration or popularity to a personality cult.

Sweat Equity: Student Scholarships in Aotearoa New Zealand's Universities

This paper responds to calls from past and present students to increase the value of postgraduate scholarships in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here we provide context for understanding the scholarship landscape in Aotearoa, including how scholarships are understood in relation to dominant neoliberal framings of higher education and persistent inequities within the sector. We present data which provides insight into the current inequities in Summer, Masters and PhD scholarship values. The average value of PhD scholarships has remained stagnant between 2011 and 2019 resulting in the average being $11,238 less than the Living Wage in 2019. We show that the average length of time full-time PhD students take to complete their doctorates exceeds the three-year tenure of scholarships. We argue the status-quo of low scholarships, supplemented by postgraduate 'sweat', excludes people from participating in postgraduate education, preventing them and their communities from realising the public benefits that such an education can produce. We suggest that these inadequacies could be addressed through (1) raising Summer, Masters and PhD scholarships to the living wage; (2) extending tenure of PhD scholarships; and (3) reinstating the postgraduate student allowance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40841-022-00244-5.

A Case Study of Bluetooth Technology as a Supplemental Tool in Contact Tracing

We present results from a 7-day trial of a Bluetooth-enabled card by the New Zealand Ministry of Health to investigate its usefulness in contact tracing. A comparison of the card with traditional contact tracing, which relies on self-reports of contacts to case investigators, demonstrated significantly higher levels of internal consistency in detected contact events by Bluetooth-enabled cards with 88% of contact events being detected by both cards involved in an interaction as compared to 64% for self-reports of contacts to case investigators. We found no clear evidence of memory recall worsening in reporting contact events that were further removed in time from the date of a case investigation. Roughly 66% of contact events between trial participants that were indicated by cards went unreported to case investigators, simultaneously highlighting the shortcomings of traditional contact tracing and the value of Bluetooth technology in detecting contact events that may otherwise go unreported. At the same time, cards detected only 65% of self-reported contact events, in part due to increasing non-compliance as the study progressed. This would suggest that Bluetooth technology can only be considered as a supplemental tool in contact tracing and not a viable replacement to traditional contact tracing unless measures are introduced to ensure greater compliance.

Speaking Truth to Power and Power to Truth: Reflections from the Pandemic

The complex relationship between science and politics has been a perennial issue in public administration. In this debate it is important to distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ politics, and between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ science. The Covid-19 pandemic has valorised the importance of science in shaping governmental responses, and has tended to contrast politics negatively with science. However, technocratic approaches to policymaking downplay the importance of politics in policymaking. Two case studies, of countries where there have been markedly different pandemic outcomes are used to illustrate the relationship between science and politics during this public health crisis – New Zealand and Brazil. In New Zealand there has been a positive and effective, if technocratic, relationship between science and politics, while in Brazil the relationship between the two domains has been fraught.

The Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) profile of Phytophthora agathidicida and its potential use as diagnostic tool

Phytophthora diseases cause devastation to crops and native ecosystems worldwide. In New Zealand, Phytophthora agathidicida is threatening the survival of kauri, an endemic, culturally and ecologically important tree species. The current method for detecting P. agathidicida is a soil bating assay that is time-consuming and requires high levels of expertise to assess, thus limiting the analytical sample throughput. Here, we characterized the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profile of P. agathidicida. We also compared it with the FAME profile of P. cinnamomi and assessed the efficacy of FAME analysis as a diagnostic tool for detecting the pathogen in soil samples. In FAME analysis, the total fatty acid content is isolated from a sample and converted to FAMEs for analysis, a process that takes less than a day. Unique fatty acid acyl chains can serve as biomarkers for specific organisms. We detected 12 fatty acids in P. agathidicida, two of which (20:4ω6 and 20:5ω3) show promise as potential Phytophthora specific biomarkers. Collectively, these findings advance our fundamental understanding of P. agathidicida biology and provide a promising technique to increase the rate of sample processing and the speed of pathogen detection for P. agathidicida in soil.

Perceptions of underlying practice hierarchies: Who is managing my care?

BACKGROUND

The introduction of new health professional roles, such as that of the nurse practitioner and pharmacist prescriber in primary health care can lead to changes in health service delivery. Consumers, having used these roles, often report high satisfaction. However, there is limited knowledge of how these individuals position nurse practitioner and pharmacist prescriber roles within existing practice structures.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals receiving services from these practitioners in New Zealand primary health care. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Participant views reflect established practice hierarchies, placing advanced practitioners 'below' general practitioners. Participants are unable to articulate what it was about these practitioners that meant they operated at lower tiers and often considered practitioners to act as 'their doctor'. They also highlight structural barriers impairing the ability of these providers to operate within their full scope of practice.

CONCLUSIONS

While seeing value in the services they receive, consumers are often unable to position nurse practitioner and pharmacist prescriber roles within health system contexts or to articulate how they value their practitioner's skills. Embedded structural barriers may be more visible to consumers than their interactions with the health system suggest. This may influence peoples' ability to receive intended or optimal health services. Consumer 'health professional literacy' around the functions of distinct health practitioners should be supported so that they may make informed service provision choices.

Initial collection, characterization, and storage of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) sperm offers insight into their unique reproductive system

Successful reproduction is critical to the persistence of at-risk species; however, reproductive characteristics are understudied in many wild species. New Zealand’s endemic tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), the sole surviving member of the reptile order Rhynchocephalia, is restricted to 10% of its historic range. To complement ongoing conservation efforts, we collected and characterized mature sperm from male tuatara for the first time. Semen collected both during mating and from urine after courting contained motile sperm and had the potential for a very high percentage of viable sperm cells (98%). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a filiform sperm cell with distinct divisions: head, midpiece, tail, and reduced end piece. Finally, our initial curvilinear velocity estimates for tuatara sperm are 2–4 times faster than any previously studied reptile. Further work is needed to examine these trends at a larger scale; however, this research provides valuable information regarding reproduction in this basal reptile.

Survival of presolar p-nuclide carriers in the nebula revealed by stepwise leaching of Allende refractory inclusions

The ⁸⁷Rb-⁸⁷Sr radiochronometer provides key insights into the timing of volatile element depletion in planetary bodies, yet the unknown nucleosynthetic origin of Sr anomalies in Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs, the oldest dated solar system solids) challenges the reliability of resulting chronological interpretations. To identify the nature of these Sr anomalies, we performed step-leaching experiments on nine unmelted CAIs from Allende. In six CAIs, the chemically resistant residues (0.06 to 9.7% total CAI Sr) show extreme positive μ⁸⁴Sr (up to +80,655) and ⁸⁷Sr variations that cannot be explained by decay of ⁸⁷Rb. The extreme ⁸⁴Sr but more subdued ⁸⁷Sr anomalies are best explained by the presence of a presolar carrier enriched in the p-nuclide ⁸⁴Sr. We argue that this unidentified carrier controls the isotopic anomalies in bulk CAIs and outer solar system materials, which reinstates the chronological significance of differences in initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr between CAIs and volatile-depleted inner solar system materials.

Mie theory and the dichroic effect for spherical gold nanoparticles: an experimental approach

The attractive optical properties of metallic nanoparticles include the optically interesting but surprisingly not well understood dichroic effect, defined in this research as when particle colloids display different colours in transmitted and reflected light. Here we use a systematic experimental approach supplemented by theoretical Mie theory analysis to study the origin of this effect. The CloudSpec spectrophotometer has been utilised to produce quantitative scattering and absorption spectra for monodisperse spherical gold nanoparticles, allowing precise links to be made between the optical spectra and the colours observed. The source of the dichroic effect has been conclusively linked to particle size with no special particle shapes or size distributions required. These results experimentally demonstrate the relationship between particle size and the ratio of scattering to absorption predicted by Mie theory, which has important implications for users of Mie theory calculations.

'She taught me': factors consumers find important in nurse practitioner and pharmacist prescriber services

BACKGROUND

Advanced practitioner services, such as those nurse practitioners and pharmacist prescribers provide, are an opportunity to improve health care delivery. In New Zealand, these practitioners remain underutilised, despite research suggesting they offer safe and effective care, and considerable international literature recording patient satisfaction with these roles. This study aimed to explore factors underlying consumer satisfaction with primary health care nurse practitioner and pharmacist prescriber services.

METHODS

As part of a larger realist evaluation, 21 individuals receiving advanced practitioner services participated in semi-structured interviews. These interviews were transcribed and coded against context-mechanism-outcome configurations tested and refined throughout the research.

RESULTS

Study findings emphasise the importance of consumer confidence in the provider as a mechanism for establishing advanced practitioner roles. Underlying this confidence is a recognition that these practitioners work in a more accessible manner, engage at the individual's 'level', and operate with passion.

CONCLUSIONS

This research offers learnings to re-engineer service delivery within primary health care to make best use of the entire health care team by including consumers in the design and introduction of new roles.

The potential for a CRISPR gene drive to eradicate or suppress globally invasive social wasps

CRISPR gene drives have potential for widespread and cost-efficient pest control, but are highly controversial. We examined a potential gene drive targeting spermatogenesis to control the invasive common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) in New Zealand. Vespula wasps are haplodiploid. Their life cycle makes gene drive production challenging, as nests are initiated by single fertilized queens in spring followed by several cohorts of sterile female workers and the production of reproductives in autumn. We show that different spermatogenesis genes have different levels of variation between introduced and native ranges, enabling a potential 'precision drive' that could target the reduced genetic diversity and genotypes within the invaded range. In vitro testing showed guide-RNA target specificity and efficacy that was dependent on the gene target within Vespula, but no cross-reactivity in other Hymenoptera. Mathematical modelling incorporating the genetic and life history traits of Vespula wasps identified characteristics for a male sterility drive to achieve population control. There was a trade-off between drive infiltration and impact: a drive causing complete male sterility would not spread, while partial sterility could be effective in limiting population size if the homing rate is high. Our results indicate that gene drives may offer viable suppression for wasps and other haplodiploid pests.

Occupying 'in-hospitable' spaces: Parental/primary-caregiver perceptions of the impact of repeated hospitalisation in children under two years of age

The experience of having a child hospitalised is stressful and disrupts families in myriad ways; however, the experiences of parents/caregivers who encounter repeated admissions of a child with acute lower respiratory infections are under-researched. This project aims to explore these experiences, from a qualitative perspective, using the philosophical tenets of reflective lifeworld research. The research included 14 face-to-face interviews with parents, grandparents, or primary caregivers, of children who, whilst under two years of age, were admitted to hospital multiple times with a lower respiratory infection diagnosis. Many of the participants were from Māori or Samoan ethnic backgrounds. The findings of this single site study revealed that these parents/caregivers' experiences were characterised by feelings of powerlessness, offering descriptions of hospitals as harsh and difficult places to reside, they are 'in-hospitable'. The findings suggest that repeated hospitalisations created a cycle of stressful experiences that impacted both familial relationships and interactions with society. This study draws attention to this previously obscured population group, and calls health care practitioners and policy advisors to engage differently over issues involving families in similar positions.

Multiple cyanotoxin congeners produced by sub-dominant cyanobacterial taxa in riverine cyanobacterial and algal mats

Benthic cyanobacterial proliferations in rivers are have been reported with increasing frequency worldwide. In the Eel and Russian rivers of California, more than a dozen dog deaths have been attributed to cyanotoxin toxicosis since 2000. Periphyton proliferations in these rivers comprise multiple cyanobacterial taxa capable of cyanotoxin production, hence there is uncertainty regarding which taxa are producing toxins. In this study, periphyton samples dominated by the cyanobacterial genera Anabaena spp. and Microcoleus spp. and the green alga Cladophora glomerata were collected from four sites in the Eel River catchment and one site in the Russian River. Samples were analysed for potential cyanotoxin producers using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in concert with Sanger sequencing. Cyanotoxin concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry, and anatoxin quota (the amount of cyanobacterial anatoxins per toxigenic cell) determined using droplet digital PCR. Sequencing indicated Microcoleus sp. and Nodularia sp. were the putative producers of cyanobacterial anatoxins and nodularins, respectively, regardless of the dominant taxa in the mat. Anatoxin concentrations in the mat samples varied from 0.1 to 18.6 μg g-1 and were significantly different among sites (p < 0.01, Wilcoxon test); however, anatoxin quotas were less variable (< 5-fold). Dihydroanatoxin-a was generally the most abundant variant in samples comprising 38% to 71% of the total anatoxins measured. Mats dominated by the green alga C. glomerata contained both anatoxins and nodularin-R at concentrations similar to those of cyanobacteria-dominated mats. This highlights that even when cyanobacteria are not the dominant taxa in periphyton, these mats may still pose a serious health risk and indicates that more widespread monitoring of all mats in a river are necessary.

High resolution microscopy reveals significant impacts of ocean acidification and warming on larval shell development in Laternula elliptica

Environmental stressors impact marine larval growth rates, quality and sizes. Larvae of the Antarctic bivalve, Laternula elliptica, were raised to the D-larvae stage under temperature and pH conditions representing ambient and end of century projections (-1.6°C to +0.4°C and pH 7.98 to 7.65). Previous observations using light microscopy suggested pH had no influence on larval abnormalities in this species. Detailed analysis of the shell using SEM showed that reduced pH is in fact a major stressor during development for this species, producing D-larvae with abnormal shapes, deformed shell edges and irregular hinges, cracked shell surfaces and even uncalcified larvae. Additionally, reduced pH increased pitting and cracking on shell surfaces. Thus, apparently normal larvae may be compromised at the ultrastructural level and these larvae would be in poor condition at settlement, reducing juvenile recruitment and overall survival. Elevated temperatures increased prodissoconch II sizes. However, the overall impacts on larval shell quality and integrity with concurrent ocean acidification would likely overshadow any beneficial results from warmer temperatures, limiting populations of this prevalent Antarctic species.

Activation-Induced TIM-4 Expression Identifies Differential Responsiveness of Intestinal CD103+ CD11b+ Dendritic Cells to a Mucosal Adjuvant

Macrophage and dendritic cell (DC) populations residing in the intestinal lamina propria (LP) are highly heterogeneous and have disparate yet collaborative roles in the promotion of adaptive immune responses towards intestinal antigen. Under steady-state conditions, macrophages are efficient at acquiring antigen but are non-migratory. In comparison, intestinal DC are inefficient at antigen uptake but migrate to the mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN) where they present antigen to T cells. Whether such distinction in the roles of DC and macrophages in the uptake and transport of antigen is maintained under immunostimulatory conditions is less clear. Here we show that the scavenger and phosphatidylserine receptor T cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin (TIM)-4 is expressed by the majority of LP macrophages at steady-state, whereas DC are TIM-4 negative. Oral treatment with the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT) induces expression of TIM-4 on a proportion of CD103+ CD11b+ DC in the LP. TIM-4+ DC selectively express high levels of co-stimulatory molecules after CT treatment and are detected in the mLN a short time after appearing in the LP. Importantly, intestinal macrophages and DC expressing TIM-4 are more efficient than their TIM-4 negative counterparts at taking up apoptotic cells and soluble antigen ex vivo. Taken together, our results show that CT induces phenotypic changes to migratory intestinal DC that may impact their ability to take up local antigens and in turn promote the priming of mucosal immunity.