Higher-Order Factor Invariance and Idiographic Mapping of Constructs to Observables

Theory, research, and application in developmental science share the conceptual and methodological challenges of integrating the study of the course of a person's intra-individual changes and the formulation of subgroup (differential) or nomothetic generalizations. One approach to these challenges has involved building tailored construct representations that filter out irrelevant idiosyncratic information hampering the articulation of nomothetic relations by means of individual level factor analysis (P–technique). Exploring this approach has provided initially promising results (Nesselroade, Gerstorf, Hardy, & Ram, 2007 Nesselroade , J. R. , Gerstorf , D. , Hardy , S. A. , & Ram , N. ( 2007 ). Idiographic filters for psychological constructs . Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives , 5 , 217 – 235 . doi: DOI: 10.1080/15366360701741807 [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). We present a specification of an alternative to traditional factor invariance (higher-order invariance) that further formalizes these ideas and examine the results of some simulation experiments designed to evaluate the appropriateness of the implementation. The results also have implications for use in basic and applied work across the life span of between-persons variation and subgroup comparisons to establish relations among variables.     

Animal-Facilitated Therapy Revisited

In Disney/Pixar's phenomenally popular animated film Finding Nemo (Stanton, 2003 Stanton, A. Writer/Director. 2003. Finding Nemo [Motion picture], United States: Pixar Animation Studios.  [Google Scholar]), one of the central themes of fish welfare was highlighted when the moorish idol, Gill, commented, “Fish aren't meant to be kept in a box, kid. It does things to you.” The notion that fish might have the capacity to suffer in captivity (Chandroo, Duncan, & Moccia, 2004a Chandroo, K. P., Duncan, I. J. H and Moccia, R. D. 2004a. Can fish suffer?: Perspectives on sentience, pain, fear and stress. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 86: 225–250. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2004b Chandroo, K. P., Duncan, I. J. H and Moccia, R. D. 2004b. An evaluation of current perspectives on consciousness and pain in fish. Fish and Fisheries, 5: 281–295. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) links to the larger question of sentiency, which remains a fundamental tenet when justifying concerns for nonhuman animal welfare (Dawkins, 2006 Dawkins, M. S. 2006. Through animal eyes: What behaviour tells us. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 100: 4–10. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Huntingford et al., 2006 Huntingford, F. A., Adams, C., Braithwaite, V. A., Kadri, S., Pottinger, T. G.Sandoe, P. 2006. Review paper: Current issues in fish welfare. Journal of Fish Biology, 68: 332–372. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Although terrestrial nonhuman-animal welfare has been discussed and explored for many years, the development of aquatic animal welfare concepts and approaches remains relatively new and beyond public awareness (Braastad, Damsgård, & Juell, 2006; Broom, 2007 Broom, D. M. 2007. Cognitive ability and sentience: Which aquatic animals should be protected?. Disease of Aquatic Organisms, 75: 99–108. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Farmed Animal Welfare Council, 1996; Fisheries Society of the British Isles, 2002; Håstein, Scarfe, & Lund, 2005; Iwama, 2007 Iwama, G. K. 2007. The welfare of fish. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 75: 155–158. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Schreck, 1981 Schreck, C. B. 1981. “Stress and compensation in teleostean fishes: Response to social and physical factors”. In Stress and fish, Edited by: Pickering, A. D. 295–321. London: Academic.  [Google Scholar]).     

On several conjectures from evolution of dispersal

We address several conjectures raised in Cantrell et al. [Evolution of dispersal and ideal free distribution, Math. Biosci. Eng. 7 (2010), pp. 17–36 [9 Cantrell, R. S., Cosner, C. and Lou, Y. 2010. Evolution of dispersal and ideal free distribution. Math. Biosci. Eng., 7: 17–36. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]] concerning the dynamics of a diffusion–advection–competition model for two competing species. A conditional dispersal strategy, which results in the ideal free distribution of a single population at equilibrium, was found in Cantrell et al. [9 Cantrell, R. S., Cosner, C. and Lou, Y. 2010. Evolution of dispersal and ideal free distribution. Math. Biosci. Eng., 7: 17–36. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. It was shown in [9 Cantrell, R. S., Cosner, C. and Lou, Y. 2010. Evolution of dispersal and ideal free distribution. Math. Biosci. Eng., 7: 17–36. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] that this special dispersal strategy is a local evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) when the random diffusion rates of the two species are equal, and here we show that it is a global ESS for arbitrary random diffusion rates. The conditions in [9 Cantrell, R. S., Cosner, C. and Lou, Y. 2010. Evolution of dispersal and ideal free distribution. Math. Biosci. Eng., 7: 17–36. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] for the coexistence of two species are substantially improved. Finally, we show that this special dispersal strategy is not globally convergent stable for certain resource functions, in contrast with the result from [9 Cantrell, R. S., Cosner, C. and Lou, Y. 2010. Evolution of dispersal and ideal free distribution. Math. Biosci. Eng., 7: 17–36. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]], which roughly says that this dispersal strategy is globally convergent stable for any monotone resource function.     

Thermodynamics of Agricultural Sustainability: The Case of US Maize Agriculture

This paper considers the local, field-scale sustainability of a productive industrial maize agrosystem that has replaced a fertile grassland ecosystem.

Using the revised thermodynamic approach of Svirezhev (1998 Svirezhev, Y. M. 1998. “Thermodynamic orientors: How to use Thermodynamic concepts in ecology”. In Eco Targets, Goal Functions, and Orientors, 102–122. Berlin: Springer Verlag. [Crossref] [Google Scholar], 2000 Svirezhev, Y. M. 2000. Thermodynamics and ecology. Ecological Modelling, 132: 11–22. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]) and Steinborn and Svirezhev (2000) Steinborn, W. and Svirezhev, Y. M. 2000. Entropy as an indicator of sustainability in agro-ecosystems: North Germany case study. Ecol. Mode., 133: 247–257. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar], it is shown that currently this agrosystem is unsustainable in the U.S., with or without tilling the soil. The calculated average erosion rates of soil necessary to dissipate the entropy produced by U.S. maize agriculture, 23–45 t ha^?1 yr^?1, are bounded from above by an experimental estimate of mean soil erosion by conventional agriculture worldwide, 47 t ha^?1 yr^?1, (Montgomery, 2007 Montgomery, D. R. 2007. Soil erosion and agricultural sustainability. PNAS, 104(33): 13268–13272. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]). Between 1982 and 1997, US agriculture caused an estimated 7–23 t ha^?1 yr^?1 of average erosion with the mean of 15 t ha^?1 yr^?1 (USDA-NRCS Database). The lower mean erosion rate of no till agriculture, 1.5 t ha^?1 yr^?1 (Montgomery, 2007 Montgomery, D. R. 2007. Soil erosion and agricultural sustainability. PNAS, 104(33): 13268–13272. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]), necessitates the elimination of weeds and pests with field chemicals—with the ensuing chemical and biological soil degradation, and chemical runoff—to dissipate the produced entropy. The increased use of field chemicals that replace tillers is equivalent to the killing or injuring of up to 300 kg ha^?1 yr^?1 of soil flora and fauna. Additional soil degradation, not calculated here, occurs by acidification, buildup of insoluble metal compounds, and buildup of toxic residues from field chemicals. The degree of unsustainability of an average U.S. maize field is high, requiring 6–13 times more energy to reverse soil erosion and degradation, etc., than the direct energy inputs to maize agriculture. This additional energy, if spent, would not increase maize yields. The calculated “critical yield” of “organic” maize agriculture that does not use field chemicals and fossil fuels is only 30 percent lower than the average maize yield of 8.7 tons per hectare (～140 bu/acre) assumed here. This critical yield would not likely be achieved and sustained by large monocultures, but might be achieved by more balanced organic polycultures (Baum et al., 2008 Baum, A. W., Patzek, T. W., Bender, M., Renich, S. and Jackson, W. 2008. The Visible, Sustainable Farm: A Comprehensive Energy Analysis of a Midwestern Farm 1–34. Posted at petroleum.berkeley.edu/papers/Biofuels/SSF?Report3-051408.pdf [Google Scholar]).     

An Efficient Alternative Route To 3,6-Disubstituted-Furo[2,3-d]Pyrimidin-2-One Analogues

Copper(I)-catalyzed 5-endo-dig cyclizations of 5-(alkyn-1-yl)uracil derivatives had given poor yields of substituted furo[2 Robins, M. J. and Barr, P. J. 1983. Nucleic acid related compounds. 39. Efficient conversion of 5-iodo to 5-alkynyl and derived 5-substituted uracil bases and nucleosides. J. Org. Chem, 48: 1854–1862. [CSA][CROSSREF][Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 3 De Clercq, E., Descamps, J., Balzarini, J., Giziewicz, J., Barr, P. J. and Robins, M. J. 1983. Nucleic acid related compounds. 40. Synthesis and biological activities of 5-alkynyluracil nucleosides. J. Med. Chem, 26: 661–666. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA][CROSSREF][Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]pyrimidin-2-ones unless the uracil ring was substituted at N1 with alkyl or glycosyl groups. This limited flexibility for the synthesis of analogues with varied substituents at N3 and/or C6 of the furo[2 Robins, M. J. and Barr, P. J. 1983. Nucleic acid related compounds. 39. Efficient conversion of 5-iodo to 5-alkynyl and derived 5-substituted uracil bases and nucleosides. J. Org. Chem, 48: 1854–1862. [CSA][CROSSREF][Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 3 De Clercq, E., Descamps, J., Balzarini, J., Giziewicz, J., Barr, P. J. and Robins, M. J. 1983. Nucleic acid related compounds. 40. Synthesis and biological activities of 5-alkynyluracil nucleosides. J. Med. Chem, 26: 661–666. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA][CROSSREF][Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]pyrimidin-2-one core has been overcome with 5-(3-hydroxyalkyn-1-yl)uracil compounds with no substituent at N1. Manipulation of the side-chain hydroxyl group gives access to additional furo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-one analogues.     

Korean Fan Dance for Fun: Performing Alterity in Contemporary Japan

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on performances of Korean folk culture in Japanese schools and communities to analyse how minority identities are constructed. Korean minority education in Japan has taken up the challenge of reversing the stigma attached to former colonial subjects, employing a range of tangible props what Twine (1999 Twine, France Winddance. 1999. Bearing Blackness in Britain: The Meaning of Raical Difference for White Birth Mothers of African-Descent Children. Social Identities, 5(2):185–210. doi: 10.1080/13504639951554[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) calls ‘racial literacy’ which prepares racial minority children to cope with and challenge racism at large. While embodying identity expression through Korean folk dance performances is an effective strategy, it faces constraints from larger social forces. Korean dance and music performances do little to challenge the dominance of mainstream values. These performances are embedded in everyday family, school, and community practices and paradoxically reproduce existing gender roles, broader pedagogical ideologies, and social structures. This ethnographic case study disentangles contradictions in minority education and shows commitment to alterity accompanies disavowal of alterity in relation to the hegemonic Japanese culture and society.     

Restrictions on the Production of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers by Gallionella sp.

The enzymatic oxidization of dissolved Fe(II) to Fe(III) by neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria plays a significant role in biological cycling of iron by inducing the precipitation of Fe(III) oxyhydroxide in aqueous environments. Among the diverse neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria, the genus Gallionella has received wide attention for its production of unique twisted extracellular stalks. Hallberg and Tai (2014 Hallberg R, Tai CW. 2014. Multi-wall carbon nanotubes and nanofibers in Gallionella. Geomicrobiol J 31(9):764–768.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) recently reported the detection of multi-wall carbon nanotubes on the twisted-stalks, and they viewed those carbon nanotubes as being biologically produced by Gallionella. We scrutinized Gallionella-produced biofilms collected from natural environments by scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite were the only nano-scaled minerals observed on the stalk, while there were nanometer-sized sheet-like graphitic contaminants on the grid in the vicinity of the sample which showed the same morphology as Hallberg and Tai (2014 Hallberg R, Tai CW. 2014. Multi-wall carbon nanotubes and nanofibers in Gallionella. Geomicrobiol J 31(9):764–768.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) observed. Moreover, similar materials on an empty grid and a grid loaded with randomly selected synthesized materials were also observed. Based on the current knowledge of carbon nanotube syntheses, none of the three known synthesizing methods including root-growth, rolling-up and bottom-up could be biochemically produced by any life because of the significant kinetic and energy obstacles. The carbon nanomaterials reported by Hallberg and Tai (2014 Hallberg R, Tai CW. 2014. Multi-wall carbon nanotubes and nanofibers in Gallionella. Geomicrobiol J 31(9):764–768.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) were clearly contaminations from amorphous carbon film on the grids for holding samples for transmission electron microscopic observations.     

Capillary Effects on Natural Remobilization of Pools of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid Mixtures in Porous Media

The natural remobilization of an initially static mixed dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) pool due to dissolution was demonstrated by (Roy et al. 2002 Roy, J. W., Smith, J. E. and Gillham, R. W. 2002. Natural remobilization of multicomponent DNAPL pools due to dissolution. J. Contam. Hydrol., 59: 163–186. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar], 2004 Roy, J. W., Smith, J. E. and Gillham, R. W. 2004. Laboratory evidence of natural remobilization of multicomponent DNAPL pools due to dissolution. J. Contam. Hydrol., 74: 145–161. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]) using a compositional mathematical model and laboratory experiments with open pools over a porous medium. The purposes of this study were to: a) demonstrate natural remobilization for a pool within porous media (as opposed to an open pool); and b) analyze the capillary effects associated with residual formation, a changing saturation profile, hysteresis, and aging, as these processes may reduce the potential for natural remobilization of pools in porous media. DNAPL pools comprised of tetrachloroethene and benzene were created within a zone of larger glass beads overlying smaller glass beads, in a water-saturated 2-D flow cell. In one case, remobilization occurred in the form of a DNAPL finger, after 56 days of flushing. In another case, no remobilization had occurred after 64 days of flushing, though the density increased by 430 kg m ^?3 and remobilization was predicted by the compositional model. Comparison of observations with model predictions suggest that contact angle hysteresis, related to an observed change in wettability, was the most significant contributing factor causing overprediction of the potential for natural remobilization.     

Interlinked bistable mechanisms generate robust mitotic transitions

The transitions between phases of the cell cycle have evolved to be robust and switch-like, which ensures temporal separation of DNA replication, sister chromatid separation, and cell division. Mathematical models describing the biochemical interaction networks of cell cycle regulators attribute these properties to underlying bistable switches, which inherently generate robust, switch-like, and irreversible transitions between states. We have recently presented new mathematical models for two control systems that regulate crucial transitions in the cell cycle: mitotic entry and exit,¹ Mochida S, Rata S, Hino H, Nagai T, Novák B. Two Bistable Switches Govern M Phase Entry. Curr Biol. 2016;26:3361-3367. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.10.022. PMID:27889260[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] and the mitotic checkpoint.² Mirkovic M, Hutter LH, Novák B, Oliveira RA. Premature sister chromatid separation is poorly detected by the spindle assembly checkpoint as a result of system-level feedback. Cell Rep. 2015;13:469-478. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2015.09.020[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] Each of the two control systems is characterized by two interlinked bistable switches. In the case of mitotic checkpoint control, these switches are mutually activating, whereas in the case of the mitotic entry/exit network, the switches are mutually inhibiting. In this Perspective we describe the qualitative features of these regulatory motifs and show that having two interlinked bistable mechanisms further enhances robustness and irreversibility. We speculate that these network motifs also underlie other cell cycle transitions and cellular transitions between distinct biochemical states.     

The influence of the geometry of the porcine cornea on the biomechanical response of inflation tests

To withstand the high probability of success, the growing diffusion of laser surgery for the correction of visual defects, corneal surgeons are regarding with interest numerical tools able to provide reliable predictions of the intervention outcomes. The main obstacle to the definition of a predictive numerical instrument is the objective difficulty in evaluating the in vivo mechanical properties of the human cornea. In this study, we assess the ability of a parametrised numerical model of the cornea (Pandolfi and Manganiello 2006 PandolfiA, ManganielloF. 2006. A model for the human cornea: constitutive formulation and numerical analysis. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 5:237–246.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) to describe individual pressurisation tests on whole porcine corneas once the mechanical parameters of the model have been calibrated over average data. We also aim at estimating the sensitivity of the mechanical response with the variation of basic geometrical parameters, such as the central corneal thickness, the curvature and the in-plane diameter. We conclude that the actual geometry of a cornea has a minor role in the overall mechanical response, and therefore the material properties must be considered carefully and individually in any numerical application. This study makes use of the data obtained from a wide experimental program, where a set of 21 porcine corneas has been fully characterised in terms of mechanical and geometrical properties (Boschetti et al. 2012 BoschettiF, TriaccaV, SpinelliL, PandolfiA. 2012. Mechanical characterization of porcine corneas. J Biomech Eng. 134(3):031003.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]).     

CaV2 channel subtype expression in rat sympathetic neurons is selectively regulated by α2δ subunits

Type two voltage gated calcium (Ca_V2) channels are the primary mediators of neurotransmission at neuronal presynapses, but their function at neural soma is also important in regulating excitability.¹ Catterall WA. Voltage-gated calcium channels. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2011;3:a003947. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a003947. PMID:21746798[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] Mechanisms that regulate Ca_V2 channel expression at synapses have been studied extensively, which motivated us to perform similar studies in the soma. Rat sympathetic neurons from the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) natively express Ca_V2.2 and Ca_V2.3.² Zhu Y, Ikeda SR. Adenosine modulates voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in adult rat sympathetic neurons. J Neurophysiol. 1993;70:610-20. PMID:8410161[PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] We noted previously that heterologous expression of Ca_V2.1 but not Ca_V2.2 results in increased calcium current in SCG neurons.³ Beqollari D, Kammermeier PJ. The interaction between mGluR1 and the calcium channel Cav(2).(1) preserves coupling in the presence of long Homer proteins. Neuropharmacology. 2013;66:302-10. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.05.038. PMID:22659088[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] In the present study, we extended these observations to show that both Ca_V2.1 and Ca_V2.3 expression resulted in increased calcium currents while Ca_V2.2 expression did not. Further, Ca_V2.1 could displace native Ca_V2.2 channels, but Ca_V2.3 expression could not. Heterologous expression of the individual accessory subunits α₂δ-1, α₂δ-2, α₂δ-3, or β4 alone failed to increase current density, suggesting that the calcium current ceiling when Ca_V2.2 was over-expressed was not due to lack of these subunits. Interestingly, introduction of recombinant α2δ subunits produced surprising effects on displacement of native Ca_V2.2 by recombinant channels. Both α₂δ-1 and α₂δ-2 seemed to promote Ca_V2.2 displacement by recombinant channel expression, while α₂δ-3 appeared to protect Ca_V2.2 from displacement. Thus, we observe a selective prioritization of Ca_V channel functional expression in neurons by specific α₂δ subunits. These data highlight a new function for α₂δ subtypes that could shed light on subtype selectivity of Ca_V2 membrane expression.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluations of Click-Generated Nitrogen Mustards

This paper describes the synthesis of new click-generated nitrogen mustards and their biological evaluation. By using the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction, we managed to synthesize eight new nitrogen mustards. This strategy paves the way for the synthesis of a new family of nitrogen mustard, with an important structural variability. Furthermore, we studied the biological activity of synthesized compounds by testing their cytotoxicity on four representative cancer cell lines A431, JURKAT, K562, and U266. One structure, 1-benzyl-4-(N,N-di-2-chloroethylaminomethyl)-1H-[1 Noll, D.M.; McG.Mason, T.; Miller, P.S. Formation and repair of interstrand cross-links in DNA. Chem. Rev. 2006, 106, 277–301.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar],2 Rink, S.M.; Hopkins, P.B. Direct evidence for DNA intrastrand cross-linking by the nitrogen mustard mechlorethamine in synthetic oligonucleotides. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 1995, 5(23), 2845–2850.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar],3 Chabner, B.A.; Collins, J.M. Cancer Chemotherapy: Principles and Practices, PA, J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1990, pp. 276–313. [Google Scholar]]triazole, showed an interesting cytotoxic effect.     

Hitchhiking vesicular transport routes to the vacuole: Amyloid recruitment to the Insoluble Protein Deposit (IPOD)

Sequestration of aggregates into specialized deposition sites occurs in many species across all kingdoms of life ranging from bacteria to mammals and is commonly believed to have a cytoprotective function. Yeast cells possess at least 3 different spatially separated deposition sites, one of which is termed “Insoluble Protein Deposit (IPOD)” and harbors amyloid aggregates. We have recently discovered that recruitment of amyloid aggregates to the IPOD uses an actin cable based recruitment machinery that also involves vesicular transport.¹ Kumar R, Nawroth PP, Tyedmers J. Prion aggregates are recruited to the insoluble protein deposit (IPOD) via myosin 2-based vesicular transport. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006324; PMID:27689885; http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1006324[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] Here we discuss how different proteins known to be involved in vesicular transport processes to the vacuole might act to guide amyloid aggregates to the IPOD. These factors include the Myosin V motor protein Myo2 involved in transporting vacuolar vesicles along actin cables, the transmembrane protein Atg9 involved in the recruitment of large precursor hydrolase complexes to the vacuole, the phosphatidylinositol/ phosphatidylcholine (PI/PC) transfer protein Sec 14 and the SNARE chaperone Sec 18. Furthermore, we present new data suggesting that the yeast dynamin homolog Vps1 is also crucial for faithful delivery of the amyloid model protein PrD-GFP to the IPOD. This is in agreement with a previously identified role for Vps1 in recruitment of heat-denatured aggregates to a perivacuolar deposition site.² Hill SM, Hao X, Gronvall J, Spikings-Nordby S, Widlund PO, Amen T, Jörhov A, Josefson R, Kaganovich D, Liu B, et al. Asymmetric inheritance of aggregated proteins and age reset in yeast are regulated by Vac17-dependent vacuolar functions. Cell Rep 2016; 16:826-38; PMID:27373154[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]     

Dissociation of recombinant prion autocatalysis from infectivity

ABSTRACT

Within the mammalian prion field, the existence of recombinant prion protein (PrP) conformers with self-replicating (ie. autocatalytic) activity in vitro but little to no infectious activity in vivo challenges a key prediction of the protein-only hypothesis of prion replication – that autocatalytic PrP conformers should be infectious. To understand this dissociation of autocatalysis from infectivity, we recently performed a structural and functional comparison between a highly infectious and non-infectious pair of autocatalytic recombinant PrP conformers derived from the same initial prion strain.¹ Noble GP, Wang DW, Walsh DJ, Barone JR, Miller MB, Nishina KA, Li S, Supattapone S. A Structural and Functional Comparison Between Infectious and Non-Infectious Autocatalytic Recombinant PrP Conformers. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005017; PMID:26125623; http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1005017[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] We identified restricted, C-terminal structural differences between these 2 conformers and provided evidence that these relatively subtle differences prevent the non-infectious conformer from templating the conversion of native PrP^C substrates containing a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor.¹ Noble GP, Wang DW, Walsh DJ, Barone JR, Miller MB, Nishina KA, Li S, Supattapone S. A Structural and Functional Comparison Between Infectious and Non-Infectious Autocatalytic Recombinant PrP Conformers. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005017; PMID:26125623; http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1005017[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] In this article we discuss a model, consistent with these findings, in which recombinant PrP, lacking post-translational modifications and associated folding constraints, is capable of adopting a wide variety of autocatalytic conformations. Only a subset of these recombinant conformers can be adopted by post-translationally modified native PrP^C, and this subset represents the recombinant conformers with high specific infectivity. We examine this model's implications for the generation of highly infectious recombinant prions and the protein-only hypothesis of prion replication.     

The Dangerous Myth of Emerging Adulthood: An Evidence-Based Critique of a Flawed Developmental Theory

This article examines the theory of emerging adulthood, introduced into the literature by Arnett (2000 Arnett , J. J. ( 2000 ). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties . American Psychologist , 55 , 469 – 480 .[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), in terms of its methodological and evidential basis, and finds it to be unsubstantiated on numerous grounds. Other, more convincing, formulations of variations in the transition to adulthood are examined. Most flawed academic theories are simply ignored by scientists. However, Arnett's unsubstantiated formulations have found their way to journalists, who are influencing public opinion, and policymakers, who are determining the fate of youth populations. As such, the article argues that an academic myth is being created that has serious economic and emotional repercussions for the many young people facing difficult circumstances in their transition to adulthood. Consequently, this myth requires corrections from the scientific community, one of which is provided here.     

Translational control of gurken mRNA in Drosophila development

Localized mRNA translation is a widespread mechanism for targeting protein synthesis, important for cell fate, motility and pathogenesis. In Drosophila, the spatiotemporal control of gurken/TGF-α mRNA translation is required for establishing the embryonic body axes. A number of recent studies have highlighted key aspects of the mechanism of gurken mRNA translational control at the dorsoanterior corner of the mid-stage oocyte. Orb/CPEB and Wispy/GLD-2 are required for polyadenylation of gurken mRNA, but unlocalized gurken mRNA in the oocyte is not fully polyadenylated.¹ Norvell A, Wong J, Randolph K, Thompson L. Wispy and Orb cooperate in the cytoplasmic polyadenylation of localized gurken mRNA. Dev Dyn Off Publ Am Assoc Anat 2015; 244:1276-1285. [Google Scholar] At the dorsoanterior corner, Orb and gurken mRNA have been shown to be enriched at the edge of Processing bodies, where translation occurs.² Weil TT, Parton RM, Herpers B, Soetaert J, Veenendaal T, Xanthakis D, Dobbie IM, Halstead JM, Hayashi R, Rabouille C, et al. Drosophila patterning is established by differential association of mRNAs with P bodies. Nat Cell Biol 2012; 14:1305-1313; PMID:23178881; http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncb2627[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] Over-expression of Orb in the adjacent nurse cells, where gurken mRNA is transcribed, is sufficient to cause mis-expression of Gurken protein.³ Davidson A, Parton RM, Rabouille C, Weil TT, Davis I. Localized translation of gurken/TGF-α mRNA during axis specification is controlled by access to Orb/CPEB on processing bodies. Cell Rep 2016; 14:2451-2462; PMID:26947065; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.02.038[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] In orb mutant egg chambers, reducing the activity of CK2, a Serine/Threonine protein kinase, enhances the ventralized phenotype, consistent with perturbation of gurken translation.⁴ Wong LC, Costa A, McLeod I, Sarkeshik A, Yates J 3rd, Kyin S, Perlman D, Schedl P, et al. The functioning of the drosophila CPEB protein Orb is regulated by phosphorylation and requires casein kinase 2 activity. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24355; PMID:21949709; http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0024355[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] Here we show that sites phosphorylated by CK2 overlap with active Orb and with Gurken protein expression. Together with our new findings we consolidate the literature into a working model for gurken mRNA translational control and review the role of kinases, cell cycle factors and polyadenylation machinery highlighting a multitude of conserved factors and mechanisms in the Drosophila egg chamber.     

Tyr(less) kinase signaling during mitosis

Tyrosine phosphorylation is rare, representing only about 0.5% of phosphorylations in the cell under basal conditions. While mitogenic tyrosine kinase signaling has been extensively explored, the role of phosphotyrosine signaling across the cell cycle and in particular during mitosis is poorly understood.

Two recent, independent studies tackled this question from different angles to reveal exciting new insights into the role of this modification during cell division. Caron et al.¹ Caron D, Byrne DP, Thebault P, Soulet D, Landry CR, Eyers PA, Elowe S. Mitotic phosphotyrosine network analysis reveals that tyrosine phosphorylation regulates Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Sci Signal 2016; 9:rs14; PMID:27965426; http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.aah3525[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] exploited mitotic phosphoproteomics data sets to determine the extent of mitotic tyrosine phosphorylation, and St-Denis et al.² St-Denis N, Gupta GD, Lin ZY, Gonzalez-Badillo B, Veri AO, Knight JD, Rajendran D, Couzens AL, Currie KW, Tkach JM, et al. Phenotypic and interaction profiling of the human phosphatases identifies diverse mitotic regulators. Cell Rep 2016; 17:2488-501; PMID:27880917; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.10.078[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] identified protein tyrosine phosphatases from all subfamilies as regulators of mitotic progression or spindle formation. These studied collectively revealed that tyrosine phosphorylation may play a more prominent and active role in mitotic progression than previously appreciated.     

A Life-History Model of Human Fitness Indicators

Recent adaptationist accounts of human mental and physical health have reinvigorated the debate over the evolution of human intelligence. In the tradition of strong inference the current study was developed to determine whether either Miller's (1998 Miller, G. F. 1998. “How mate choice shaped human nature: A review of sexual selection and human evolution”. In Handbook of evolutionary psychology: Ideas, issues, and applications, Edited by: Crawford, C. and Krebs, D. 87–129. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.  [Google Scholar], 2000a Miller, G. F. 2000a. Mental traits as fitness indicators: Expanding evolutionary psychology's adaptationism. Evolutionary approaches to human reproductive behavior. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 907: 62–74. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) Fitness Indicator Theory or Rushton's (1985 Rushton, J. P. 1985. Differential K theory: The sociobiology of individual and group differences. Pers Indiv Diff, 6(4): 441–452. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], 2000 Rushton, J. P. 2000. Race, evolution, and behavior: A life-history perspective, 3rd, Port Huron, MI: Charles Darwin Research Institute.  [Google Scholar]) Differential-K Theory better accounts for general intelligence (“g”) in an undergraduate university population (N = 192). Owing to the lengthy administration time of the test materials, a newly developed 18-item short form of the Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM-18; Sefcek, Miller, and Figueredo 2007 Sefcek, J. A., Miller, G. F. and Figueredo, A. J. 2007. “Development and of an 18-item short form of the Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM-18). (Submitted)”.  [Google Scholar]) was used. A significant, positive relationship between K and F (r = .31, p < .001) emerged. Contrary to predictions, no significant relationships were found between “g” and either K or F (r = –.09, p ≥ .05 and r = .11, p ≥ .05, respectively). Though generally contrary to both hypotheses, these results may be explained in relation to antagonistic pleiotropy and a potential failure to derive correct predictions for within-species comparisons directly from the results of between-species comparisons.     

To whom and to what is research on migration a contribution

Nicaraguan immigration to Costa Rica is a major case of South–South migration in Latin America. This chapter explores a set of examples of analyses of critical interventions – regarding immigration law, social imaginaries around which representations of Nicaraguans are framed, and participatory work carried out with impoverished communities – in order to reflect on the ways in which social sciences in Costa Rica attempts to intervene both in the everyday hostility of Costa Rican society and in the ways in which Nicaraguans contest that hostility. Responding to Michael Burawoy's (2005 Burawoy, Michael 2005 ‘For public sociology’, American Sociological Review, vol. 70, pp. 4–28. doi:10.1177/000312240507000102[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2007) call for a ‘public sociology’, the chapter reflects on how debates around public social sciences could enrich the political, institutional and conceptual location of migration studies in Costa Rica.     

Gobies are deeply divided: phylogenetic evidence from nuclear DNA (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Gobiidae)

Gobies (Gobiidae sensu Gill & Mooi, 2012 Gill, A. and Mooi, R. 2012. Thalasseleotrididae, new family of marine gobioid fishes from New Zealand and temperate Australia, with a revised definition of its sister taxon, the Gobiidae (Teleostei: Acanthomorpha). Zootaxa, 3266: 41–52.  [Google Scholar]) are one of the most diverse families of vertebrates, and comprise over 1700 species of marine, brackish and freshwater fishes. Phylogenetic studies based on morphological characters and mtDNA have suggested that goby diversity is asymmetrically split between a speciose clade of predominantly marine species, and a less rich, but ecologically diverse, clade comprising predominantly freshwater and brackish species. This study is the first to explore this deep divide in gobies and their relationships at the family level using phylogenetic data from nuclear genes (RAG1, rhodopsin). Our results confirm the split within the Gobiidae, and agree with prior molecular studies on the inclusion of the following taxa within the two goby clades: (i) the more diverse of the two clades of gobies (the ‘Gobiidae’ sensu stricto of Thacker 2009 Thacker, C. E. 2009. Phylogeny of Gobioidei and placement within Acanthomorpha, with a new classification and investigation of diversification and character evolution. Copeia, 1: 93–104. doi:10.1643/CI-08-004[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) comprises the gobiines, microdesmines, ptereleotrines and kraemeriines; (ii) the less diverse of the two gobiid clades (‘Gobionellidae’ sensu Thacker 2009 Thacker, C. E. 2009. Phylogeny of Gobioidei and placement within Acanthomorpha, with a new classification and investigation of diversification and character evolution. Copeia, 1: 93–104. doi:10.1643/CI-08-004[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) includes the gobionellines, oxudercines, amblyopines, sicydiines, as well as the European sand gobies. Some relationships within the two major gobiid clades remain unclear. Specifically, there remains confusion regarding the monophyly and interrelationships between the northern Pacific gobionellines, the Mugilogobius group gobionellines, and the European sand gobies. Additionally, within Thacker's (2009 Thacker, C. E. 2009. Phylogeny of Gobioidei and placement within Acanthomorpha, with a new classification and investigation of diversification and character evolution. Copeia, 1: 93–104. doi:10.1643/CI-08-004[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) Gobiidae sensu stricto, there are several well-supported groups (e.g. the wormfishes and dartfishes, the Coral Gobies, the Gobiosomatini), yet relationships among these groups are still poorly resolved despite the use of data from two conserved nuclear genes. Future phylogenetic analyses of gobies will benefit greatly from taxon sampling that includes groups that have been historically under-represented in molecular studies (e.g. European sand gobies, northern Pacific gobionellines, African species), as well as deeper genetic sampling including large numbers of independent loci from throughout the genome (i.e. a phylogenomic approach).