Graphical Abstract
Brief summary of the early-career job market in marine biology and conservation.
Unpaid positions in environmental sciences are common yet controversial. While they exclude already ...marginalised groups and are detrimental to the entire job market, many voices maintain that these positions are crucial, support science and conservation in economically disadvantaged areas, and allow early-career scientists their first step into the field. To better understand the real scale and nature of these positions, we reviewed relevant job offers within marine biology and conservation, advertised globally in English, from three random months in 2019–2020, both preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unpaid and pay-to-work positions were more common than paid jobs, and offered mostly in economically privileged areas, such as North America and Europe. Most of these postings required some or strong experience and education background. Most non-governmental and private organisations offering uncompensated work did not produce any peer-reviewed research output in the last 3 years. This review shows that a considerable proportion of unpaid work contributes to private businesses, and may often breach local labour laws.
Paramutation is the ability of specific DNA sequences to communicate in trans to establish meiotically heritable expression states. Paramutation at the maize b1 locus is mediated by seven unique ...noncoding transcribed tandem repeats of 853 bp that are required to establish and maintain the meiotically heritable expression and distinct chromatin states associated with b1 paramutation. In this study, we report the identification of a CXC-domain protein CBBP (CXC domain b1-repeat binding protein) that binds to a defined region within the b1 tandem repeat sequence in vivo and in vitro. When CBBP is expressed from a transgene in maize, it can induce a silent state at the b1 locus that is heritable in progeny no longer containing the transgene, and the silent epiallele is capable of silencing an active epiallele, characteristic of paramutation. Accumulation of the CBBP protein correlates with b1 silencing in transgenic and nontransgenic plants. The ability of CBBP to form multimers and to bind to the b1 tandem repeats suggests a model for counting the number of b1 repeats. In contrast to previously identified proteins involved in paramutation, CBBP does not share similarity to the known components of the Arabidopsis RNAi heterochromatin silencing pathway. Thus, this study defines another class of protein that is involved in heritable gene silencing.
Ocean research and conservation are still largely exclusive fields, with ongoing issues of racial, gender, class, and geographic underrepresentation. To improve accessibility and retention within ...these fields, we need to create equitable, just, and welcoming study and work environments. It is therefore crucial to listen to the voices of students and early career ocean professionals (ECOP). We conducted an online survey on the study- and workplace experiences of ECOP, focusing on social obstacles, such as economic strain, unpaid work, and workplace discrimination and abuse. Strong economic barriers to education access were evident in certain geographic areas. Almost half of the reported work time in the field was uncompensated, yet unpaid work rarely translated into career advancement and was often associated with workplace abuse. Dissatisfaction and burn-out rates at the earliest career stages were alarming, and experienced hardship and mental health issues were particularly dire for women and non-binary persons. While most respondents were white and from the global north, meaning the results may not reflect experiences of ECOP in other regions, this study highlights some of the barriers to equity as well as work ethics issues that should be urgently addressed within the field.
Epigenetic mechanisms maintain gene expression states through mitotic and sometimes meiotic cell divisions. Paramutation is an extreme example of epigenetic processes. Not only an established ...expression state is transmitted through meiosis to the following generations but also an information transfer occurs between alleles and leads to heritable changes in expression state. As a consequence the expression states can rapidly propagate in population, violating Mendelian genetics. Recent findings unraveled an essential role for siRNA‐dependent processes in paramutation. Despite significant progress, the overall picture is still puzzling and many important questions remain to be answered. WIREs RNA 2011 2 863–874 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.97
Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > RNAi: Mechanisms of Action
RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development
In yeast and mammals, ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complexes of the SWI/SNF family play critical roles in the regulation of transcription, cell proliferation, differentiation and development. ...Homologues of conserved subunits of SWI/SNF-type complexes, including Snf2-type ATPases and SWI3-type proteins, participate in analogous processes in Arabidopsis. Recent studies indicate a remarkable similarity between phenotypic effects of mutations in the SWI3 homologue ATSWI3C and bromodomain-ATPase BRM genes. To verify the extent of functional similarity between BRM and ATSWI3C, we have constructed atswi3c brm double mutants and compared their phenotypic traits to those of simultaneously grown single atswi3c and brm mutants. In addition to inheritance of characteristic developmental abnormalities shared by atswi3c and brm mutants, some additive brm-specific traits were also observed in the atswi3c brm double mutants. Unlike atswi3c, the brm mutation results in the enhancement of abnormal carpel development and pollen abortion leading to complete male sterility. Despite the overall similarity of brm and atswi3c phenotypes, a critical requirement for BRM in the differentiation of reproductive organs suggests that its regulatory functions do not entirely overlap those of ATSWI3C. The detection of two different transcript isoforms indicates that BRM is regulated by alternative splicing that creates an in-frame premature translation stop codon in its SNF2-like ATPase coding domain. The analysis of Arabidopsis mutants in nonsense-mediated decay suggests an involvement of this pathway in the control of alternative BRM transcript level.
Purpose: Research paper identifies the current trends in the logistics support of the global pharmaceutical industry, including CSR activities. Research results can be a good reference point for ...decision-makers in the fields of logistics management. The subject matter of the paper is based mainly on the comparison of logistics practices in the area of CSR in the pharmaceutical industry supply chains. Methodology: To achieve the research goal stated for this study, two research procedures were chosen and implemented:1) documents review (triangulation of sources); 2) literature review with the use of Boolean logic and the chosen procedure, valid for socio-economic research. Findings: This paper points out that the set of methods and tools used in logistics support of the CSR activities overlap in some part the set of methods and tools for core business activity (commercial sales of medicines). Implications for practice: Research results can be a good reference point for decision-makers in the fields of logistics management and CSR of the pharmaceutical industry. Originality/value: This paper is the first about logistics support of CSR activities in the pharmaceutical industry. It shows the similarities and differences between the support of the basic, primary activities and CSR ones. It can be the basis for further theoretical and empirical research.
The aim of the article is to compare the plans for a low-carbon economy two of five Polish cities with the highest level of air dustiness. For the analysis two cities have been selected. Nowy Sącz, ...the second in order city with the worst air quality, and Katowice - city with a similar level of dust, but larger financial capacities to fight smog. The article attempts to compare and evaluate the tools/instruments scheduled in both low-carbon economy plans (PGN).
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) due to C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency is a rare disease characterized by recurrent swellings. This study aims to determine (i) the clinical characteristics of the HAE ...patient population from Poland, and (ii) real-life patients’ treatment practices. A cross-sectional study involved 138 adult HAE patients (88 females, 50 males) treated in six regional HAE centers in Poland. Consecutive patients during routine follow-up visits underwent a structured medical interview on the clinical characteristics of the course and treatment of HAE attacks within the last six months. A total of 118 of 138 patients was symptomatic. They reported in total 2835 HAE attacks predominantly peripheral and abdominal, treated with plasma-derived C1-INH (61.4%), icatibant (36.7%) and recombinant C1-INH (1.9%). An amount of 116 patients carried the rescue medication with them while traveling, and 74 patients self-administrated on demand treatment. There were twice as many symptomatic women (n = 78) as there were men (n = 40). Women treated their HAE attacks significantly more often than men. Older patients (≥65 years) reported a longer delay in diagnosis, and practiced the self-administration of rescue medication less frequently in comparison to other patients. Clinical features of the surveyed population are similar to other European, but not Asian, HAE patient groups. Self-administration still remains an unmet medical need. Some distinct HAE patients may require special attention due to the severe course of the disease (females) or a delay in diagnosis (the elderly).
Shrimp waste is a common waste in seafood processing. It is used as part of the fish meal which is added to feed. Bearing in mind the Green Deal and sustainability development, it was proposed to use ...northern prawn shells to obtain chitosan (Ch), which could then be used for polyurethane (PUR) modification. In ports, oil micro-spills often flow into the waters of gulfs and, consequently, into the sea. Systematic chemical and petroleum water pollution may pose a threat to flora and fauna. In this study, chitosan, which was obtained from shrimp shells, was used to synthesize polyurethane–chitosan foams (PUR+Ch) with different chitosan concentrations. Selected physico-chemical and sorption properties in relation to oil and water of these materials were determined. It was found that the amount of Ch added to the foam affected its morphology, hardness, density, and thermal and sorption properties. PUR foam with a 1.5% weight of Ch was characterized as having the highest water and oil sorption. The advantages of the tested material as an innovative product with potentially significant proecological values were estimated using strengths–weaknesses–opportunities–threats (SWOT) analysis. The conducted preliminary research made it possible to demonstrate the use of these materials in the processes of water treatment with the mentioned micropollutants.
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