Gibbons are small, arboreal, highly endangered apes that are understudied compared with other hominoids. At present, there are four recognized genera and approximately 17 species, all likely to have ...diverged from each other within the last 5-6 My. Although the gibbon phylogeny has been investigated using various approaches (i.e., vocalization, morphology, mitochondrial DNA, karyotype, etc.), the precise taxonomic relationships are still highly debated. Here, we present the first survey of nuclear sequence variation within and between gibbon species with the goal of estimating basic population genetic parameters. We gathered ∼60 kb of sequence data from a panel of 19 gibbons representing nine species and all four genera. We observe high levels of nucleotide diversity within species, indicative of large historical population sizes. In addition, we find low levels of genetic differentiation between species within a genus comparable to what has been estimated for human populations. This is likely due to ongoing or episodic gene flow between species, and we estimate a migration rate between Nomascus leucogenys and N. gabriellae of roughly one migrant every two generations. Together, our findings suggest that gibbons have had a complex demographic history involving hybridization or mixing between diverged populations.
• The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on the moss Racomitrium lanuginosum within montane heath in Scotland were investigated over 5 yr. • Permanent field plots were sprayed with KNO3or NH4Cl ...solutions, at doses equivalent to 10 and 40 kg N ha-1yr-1, in 3-6 applications each summer. • Racomitrium growth and cover were severely reduced by N addition, whilst the proportion of dead shoots greatly increased. N dose decreased inducibility of shoot nitrate reductase activity (NRA), suggesting that N saturation of Racomitrium occurred, and caused an increase in potassium leakage. At high dosage, effects of NH4
+were more detrimental than NO3
-. • Physiological responses to N indicate that the habitat's critical load (CL) is exceeded by addition of 10 kg N ha-1yr-1. The differential toxicity of the two forms of N suggests that predominant ion type in deposition should be taken into consideration when CLs are set. In contrast to tissue N, NRA correlated well with shoot growth, and may thus be a useful biological indicator of moss condition.
Peripherally restricted analgesics are desirable to avoid central nervous system (CNS) side effects of opioids. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs produce peripheral analgesia but have significant ...toxicity. GABA(B) receptors represent peripheral targets for analgesia but selective GABA(B) agonists like baclofen cross the blood-brain barrier. Recently, we found that the CNS-impermeant amino acid, isovaline, produces analgesia without apparent CNS effects. On observing that isovaline has GABA(B) activity in brain slices, we examined the hypothesis that isovaline produces peripheral analgesia mediated by GABA(B) receptors. We compared the peripheral analgesic and CNS effect profiles of isovaline, baclofen, and GABA (a CNS-impermeant, unselective GABA(B) agonist). All three amino acids attenuated allodynia induced by prostaglandin E2 injection into the mouse hindpaw and tested with von Frey filaments. The antiallodynic actions of isovaline, baclofen, and GABA were blocked by the GABA(B) antagonist, CGP52432, and potentiated by the GABA(B) modulator, CGP7930. We measured Behavioural Hyperactivity Scores and temperature change as indicators of GABAergic action in the CNS. ED(95) doses of isovaline and GABA produced no CNS effects while baclofen produced substantial sedation and hypothermia. In a mouse model of osteoarthritis, isovaline restored performance during forced exercise to baseline values. Immunohistochemical staining of cutaneous layers of the analgesic test site demonstrated co-localization of GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) receptor subunits on fine nerve endings and keratinocytes. Isovaline represents a new class of peripherally restricted analgesics without CNS effects, mediated by cutaneous GABA(B) receptors.
The field of population genetics is rapidly moving into population genomics as the quantity of data generated by high‐throughput sequencing platforms increases. In this study, we used ...restriction‐site‐associated DNA sequencing (RADSeq) to recover genomewide genotypes from 70 white‐beaked (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) and 43 Atlantic white‐sided dolphins (L. acutus) gathered throughout their north‐east Atlantic distribution range. Both species are at a high risk of being negatively affected by climate change. Here, we provide a resource of 38 240 RAD‐tags and 52 981 nuclear SNPs shared between both species. We have estimated overall higher levels of nucleotide diversity in white‐sided (π = 0.0492 ± 0.0006%) than in white‐beaked dolphins (π = 0.0300 ± 0.0004%). White‐sided dolphins sampled in the Faroe Islands, belonging to two pods (N = 7 and N = 11), showed similar levels of diversity (π = 0.0317 ± 0.0007% and 0.0267 ± 0.0006%, respectively) compared to unrelated individuals of the same species sampled elsewhere (e.g. π = 0.0285 ± 0.0007% for 11 Scottish individuals). No evidence of higher levels of kinship within pods can be derived from our analyses. When identifying the most likely number of genetic clusters among our sample set, we obtained an estimate of two to four clusters, corresponding to both species and possibly, two further clusters within each species. A higher diversity and lower population structuring was encountered in white‐sided dolphins from the north‐east Atlantic, in line with their preference for pelagic waters, as opposed to white‐beaked dolphins that have a more patchy distribution, mainly across continental shelves.
IODP Expedition 340 successfully drilled a series of sites offshore Montserrat, Martinique and Dominica in the Lesser Antilles from March to April 2012. These are among the few drill sites gathered ...around volcanic islands, and the first scientific drilling of large and likely tsunamigenic volcanic island-arc landslide deposits. These cores provide evidence and tests of previous hypotheses for the composition and origin of those deposits. Sites U1394, U1399, and U1400 that penetrated landslide deposits recovered exclusively seafloor sediment, comprising mainly turbidites and hemipelagic deposits, and lacked debris avalanche deposits. This supports the concepts that i/ volcanic debris avalanches tend to stop at the slope break, and ii/ widespread and voluminous failures of preexisting low-gradient seafloor sediment can be triggered by initial emplacement of material from the volcano. Offshore Martinique (U1399 and 1400), the landslide deposits comprised blocks of parallel strata that were tilted or microfaulted, sometimes separated by intervals of homogenized sediment (intense shearing), while Site U1394 offshore Montserrat penetrated a flat-lying block of intact strata. The most likely mechanism for generating these large-scale seafloor sediment failures appears to be propagation of a decollement from proximal areas loaded and incised by a volcanic debris avalanche. These results have implications for the magnitude of tsunami generation. Under some conditions, volcanic island landslide deposits composed of mainly seafloor sediment will tend to form smaller magnitude tsunamis than equivalent volumes of subaerial block-rich mass flows rapidly entering water. Expedition 340 also successfully drilled sites to access the undisturbed record of eruption fallout layers intercalated with marine sediment which provide an outstanding high-resolution data set to analyze eruption and landslides cycles, improve understanding of magmatic evolution as well as offshore sedimentation processes.
The authors studied the effects and population-level impact of short (≤12 months) interpregnancy intervals on the risks for low (<2.5 kg) birth weight and preterm (<37 weeks) delivery of liveborn ...singleton infants to US African American, Mexican, Native American, non-Hispanic white, and Puerto Rican mothers (n = 4,841,418) from 1989 to 1991. Statistical analyses were done by using the Mantel-Haenszel correlation statistic chi-square test and logistic regression. The proportion of livebirths associated with ≤12-month interpregnancy intervals was the lowest among non-Hispanic whites (18.5%, 95% confidence interval 18.5–18.5) and the highest among Native Americans (29.7%, 95% confidence interval 29.2–30.2). As compared with mothers with >12-month intervals, mothers with <6-month intervals had an approximately 50% to 80% increased risk of very low (<1.5 kg) birth weight delivery and a 30% to 90% increased risk of very preterm (<32 weeks) delivery. Logistic regression analyses showed that the adverse effects of short intervals were reduced by about 10% but remained for the most part significant after controlling for potential confounding by maternal age, education, parity, marital status, prenatal care, smoking, and previous preterm delivery. Am J Epidemiol 1998; 148:798–805.
Karasek (1979) proposed that job demands and decision latitude interact to cause psychological strain. Main effects of these job variables on strain have been often found, but the predicted ...interaction between them has been less consistently demonstrated. We argue that this lack of support results from inadequate specification and operationalization of the independent variables. In particular, most empirical tests of the interaction have been based on a general measure of decision latitude which encompasses a wide range of job properties including control, task variety and learning opportunities. Yet, theoretically, it is control which is the crucial factor. In this study we used more focused measures of demands and control, with a sample of 1451 manufacturing employees, and found clear evidence of the predicted interaction effect. Parallel analyses using a measure of decision latitude rather than of job control did not show an equivalent effect. It is recommended that greater attention be paid to congruence between theory and measurement.
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men with prostate cancer (PCa) is associated with an array of adverse effects, including reduced bone mineral density (BMD) predisposing patients to increased ...fracture risk. Our purpose was to examine the effects of targeted exercise modes on BMD in men with PCa undergoing ADT.
Between 2009 and 2012, 154 PCa patients 43-90 yr old on ADT were randomized to exercise targeting the musculoskeletal system (impact loading + resistance training ImpRes, n = 57) supervised for 12 months, cardiovascular and muscular systems (aerobic + resistance training, n = 50) supervised for 6 months followed by a 6-month home-based program, or delayed aerobic exercise (DelAer, n = 47) received exercise information for 6 months followed by 6 months of supervised aerobic exercise (stationary cycling). End points were lumbar spine, hip and whole-body BMD measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry with secondary end points of lean and fat mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, and neuromuscular strength. ANOVA was used to compare the exercise groups with DelAer at 6 and 12 months.
There was a between-group difference in BMD for ImpRes and DelAer at the spine (6 months, P = 0.039; 12 months, P = 0.035) and femoral neck (6 months, P = 0.050), with decline attenuated in ImpRes (~-1.0% vs ~-2.0%). Compared with DelAer, ImpRes increased appendicular skeletal muscle at 6 months (0.3 kg, P = 0.045) and improved muscle strength at 6 and 12 months (P ≤ 0.012) by 9%-34%. A limitation was inclusion of well-functioning patients.
Combined impact loading and resistance exercise attenuates bone loss at the spine and enhances overall musculoskeletal function in PCa patients undergoing ADT.
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