Showing papers by "University of Georgia published in 2006"
University of Tennessee1, Oak Ridge National Laboratory2, West Virginia University3, Umeå University4, University of British Columbia5, United States Department of Energy6, Ghent University7, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences8, Institut national de la recherche agronomique9, Virginia Tech10, Michigan Technological University11, University of Toronto12, Pennsylvania State University13, University of Provence14, University of Georgia15, University of Florida16, University of California, Berkeley17, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory18, University of Arizona19, Purdue University20, Stanford University21, United States Department of Agriculture22, University of Helsinki23, University of Turku24, Massachusetts Institute of Technology25, University of Tennessee Health Science Center26, University of Tübingen27
TL;DR: The draft genome of the black cottonwood tree, Populus trichocarpa, has been reported in this paper, with more than 45,000 putative protein-coding genes identified.
Abstract: We report the draft genome of the black cottonwood tree, Populus trichocarpa. Integration of shotgun sequence assembly with genetic mapping enabled chromosome-scale reconstruction of the genome. More than 45,000 putative protein-coding genes were identified. Analysis of the assembled genome revealed a whole-genome duplication event; about 8000 pairs of duplicated genes from that event survived in the Populus genome. A second, older duplication event is indistinguishably coincident with the divergence of the Populus and Arabidopsis lineages. Nucleotide substitution, tandem gene duplication, and gross chromosomal rearrangement appear to proceed substantially more slowly in Populus than in Arabidopsis. Populus has more protein-coding genes than Arabidopsis, ranging on average from 1.4 to 1.6 putative Populus homologs for each Arabidopsis gene. However, the relative frequency of protein domains in the two genomes is similar. Overrepresented exceptions in Populus include genes associated with lignocellulosic wall biosynthesis, meristem development, disease resistance, and metabolite transport.
4,025 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors trace four widely cited and reported cutoff criteria to their (alleged) original sources to determine whether they really said what they are cited as having said about the cutoff criteria, and if not, what the original sources really said.
Abstract: Everyone can recite methodological “urban legends” that were taught in graduate school, learned over the years through experience publishing, or perhaps just heard through the grapevine. In this article, the authors trace four widely cited and reported cutoff criteria to their (alleged) original sources to determine whether they really said what they are cited as having said about the cutoff criteria, and if not, what the original sources really said. The authors uncover partial truths in tracing the history of each cutoff criterion and in the end endorse a set of 12 specific guidelines for effective academic referencing provided by Harzing that, if adopted, should help prevent the further perpetuation of methodological urban legends.
1,708 citations
Duke University1, Oregon State University2, Clark University3, Natural History Museum4, University of Minnesota5, Field Museum of Natural History6, Kaiserslautern University of Technology7, University of Arizona8, New York Botanical Garden9, University of Iowa10, Technische Universität Darmstadt11, University of Maine12, United States Department of Agriculture13, University of Georgia14, University of Alabama15, University of California, Berkeley16, University of Kansas17, Aberystwyth University18, West Virginia University19, Washington State University20, Harvard University21, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill22, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures23, University of Tennessee24, Okayama University25, University of Kassel26, Brandon University27, Pennsylvania State University28, Leibniz Association29, University of Hamburg30, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh31
TL;DR: It is indicated that there may have been at least four independent losses of the flagellum in the kingdom Fungi, and the enigmatic microsporidia seem to be derived from an endoparasitic chytrid ancestor similar to Rozella allomycis, on the earliest diverging branch of the fungal phylogenetic tree.
Abstract: The ancestors of fungi are believed to be simple aquatic forms with flagellated spores, similar to members of the extant phylum Chytridiomycota (chytrids). Current classifications assume that chytrids form an early-diverging clade within the kingdom Fungi and imply a single loss of the spore flagellum, leading to the diversification of terrestrial fungi. Here we develop phylogenetic hypotheses for Fungi using data from six gene regions and nearly 200 species. Our results indicate that there may have been at least four independent losses of the flagellum in the kingdom Fungi. These losses of swimming spores coincided with the evolution of new mechanisms of spore dispersal, such as aerial dispersal in mycelial groups and polar tube eversion in the microsporidia (unicellular forms that lack mitochondria). The enigmatic microsporidia seem to be derived from an endoparasitic chytrid ancestor similar to Rozella allomycis, on the earliest diverging branch of the fungal phylogenetic tree.
1,682 citations
George M. Weinstock1, Gene E. Robinson2, Richard A. Gibbs1, Kim C. Worley1 +225 more•Institutions (55)
TL;DR: The genome sequence of the honeybee Apis mellifera is reported, suggesting a novel African origin for the species A. melliferA and insights into whether Africanized bees spread throughout the New World via hybridization or displacement.
Abstract: Here we report the genome sequence of the honeybee Apis mellifera, a key model for social behaviour and essential to global ecology through pollination. Compared with other sequenced insect genomes, the A. mellifera genome has high A+T and CpG contents, lacks major transposon families, evolves more slowly, and is more similar to vertebrates for circadian rhythm, RNA interference and DNA methylation genes, among others. Furthermore, A. mellifera has fewer genes for innate immunity, detoxification enzymes, cuticle-forming proteins and gustatory receptors, more genes for odorant receptors, and novel genes for nectar and pollen utilization, consistent with its ecology and social organization. Compared to Drosophila, genes in early developmental pathways differ in Apis, whereas similarities exist for functions that differ markedly, such as sex determination, brain function and behaviour. Population genetics suggests a novel African origin for the species A. mellifera and insights into whether Africanized bees spread throughout the New World via hybridization or displacement.
1,673 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that satisfied consumers tend to be less loyal to brands in more hedonic product categories and to engage in more positive word-of-mouth about self-expressive brands.
Abstract: Survey research is employed to test hypotheses involving brand love, a new marketing construct that assesses satisfied consumers’ passionate emotional attachment to particular brands. Findings suggest that satisfied consumers’ love is greater for brands in product categories perceived as more hedonic (as compared with utilitarian) and for brands that offer more in terms of symbolic benefits. Brand love, in turn, is linked to higher levels of brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth. Findings also suggest that satisfied consumers tend to be less loyal to brands in more hedonic product categories and to engage in more positive word-of-mouth about self-expressive brands.
1,608 citations
TL;DR: Metal contamination represents a long-standing, widespread and recalcitrant selection pressure with both environmental and clinical importance that potentially contributes to the maintenance and spread of antibiotic resistance factors.
1,400 citations
TL;DR: Examples from human and wildlife disease systems are reviewed to illustrate the challenges inherent in understanding the mechanisms and impacts of seasonal environmental drivers, and to highlight general insights that are relevant to other ecological interactions.
Abstract: Seasonal variations in temperature, rainfall and resource availability are ubiquitous and can exert strong pressures on population dynamics. Infectious diseases provide some of the best-studied examples of the role of seasonality in shaping population fluctuations. In this paper, we review examples from human and wildlife disease systems to illustrate the challenges inherent in understanding the mechanisms and impacts of seasonal environmental drivers. Empirical evidence points to several biologically distinct mechanisms by which seasonality can impact host-pathogen interactions, including seasonal changes in host social behaviour and contact rates, variation in encounters with infective stages in the environment, annual pulses of host births and deaths and changes in host immune defences. Mathematical models and field observations show that the strength and mechanisms of seasonality can alter the spread and persistence of infectious diseases, and that population-level responses can range from simple annual cycles to more complex multiyear fluctuations. From an applied perspective, understanding the timing and causes of seasonality offers important insights into how parasite-host systems operate, how and when parasite control measures should be applied, and how disease risks will respond to anthropogenic climate change and altered patterns of seasonality. Finally, by focusing on well-studied examples of infectious diseases, we hope to highlight general insights that are relevant to other ecological interactions.
1,304 citations
Max Planck Society1, University of Marburg2, Broad Institute3, University of Toronto4, Trent University5, California State University, Long Beach6, University of British Columbia7, University of Georgia8, University of Louisville9, Utrecht University10, Saint Joseph's University11, Spanish National Research Council12, Cornell University13, CINVESTAV14, University of Kentucky15, Duke University16, University of Valencia17, Saint Louis University18, Bayer19, Exelixis20, Technische Universität München21
TL;DR: The discovery of the secreted protein gene clusters and the functional demonstration of their decisive role in the infection process illuminate previously unknown mechanisms of pathogenicity operating in biotrophic fungi.
Abstract: Ustilago maydis is a ubiquitous pathogen of maize and a well-established model organism for the study of plant-microbe interactions. This basidiomycete fungus does not use aggressive virulence strategies to kill its host. U. maydis belongs to the group of biotrophic parasites (the smuts) that depend on living tissue for proliferation and development. Here we report the genome sequence for a member of this economically important group of biotrophic fungi. The 20.5-million-base U. maydis genome assembly contains 6,902 predicted protein-encoding genes and lacks pathogenicity signatures found in the genomes of aggressive pathogenic fungi, for example a battery of cell-wall-degrading enzymes. However, we detected unexpected genomic features responsible for the pathogenicity of this organism. Specifically, we found 12 clusters of genes encoding small secreted proteins with unknown function. A significant fraction of these genes exists in small gene families. Expression analysis showed that most of the genes contained in these clusters are regulated together and induced in infected tissue. Deletion of individual clusters altered the virulence of U. maydis in five cases, ranging from a complete lack of symptoms to hypervirulence. Despite years of research into the mechanism of pathogenicity in U. maydis, no 'true' virulence factors had been previously identified. Thus, the discovery of the secreted protein gene clusters and the functional demonstration of their decisive role in the infection process illuminate previously unknown mechanisms of pathogenicity operating in biotrophic fungi. Genomic analysis is, similarly, likely to open up new avenues for the discovery of virulence determinants in other pathogens.
1,120 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that individuals espouse national cultural values to differing degrees and that social norms are stronger determinants of intended behavior for individuals who espouse feminine and high uncertainty avoidance cultural values.
Abstract: Prior research has examined age, gender, experience, and voluntariness as the main moderators of beliefs on technology acceptance. This paper extends this line of research beyond these demographic and situational variables. Motivated by research that suggests that behavioral models do not universally hold across cultures, the paper identifies espoused national cultural values as an important set of individual difference moderators in technology acceptance. Building on research in psychological anthropology and cultural psychology that assesses cultural traits by personality tests at the individual level of analysis, we argue that individuals espouse national cultural values to differing degrees. These espoused national cultural values of masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance are incorporated into an extended model of technology acceptance as moderators. We conducted two studies to test our model. Results indicated that, as hypothesized, social norms are stronger determinants of intended behavior for individuals who espouse feminine and high uncertainty avoidance cultural values. Contrary to expectations, espoused masculinity/femininity values did not moderate the relationship between perceived usefulness and behavioral intention but, as expected, did moderate the relationship between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention.
1,010 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that organizational change in government agencies has not induced a high volume of articles that explicitly address the topic in public administration journals, but that there are prominent exceptions to this observation (e.g., Bryson and Anderson 2000; Chackerian and Mavima 2000; Mani 1995; Wise 2002 ).
Abstract: C an governmental organizations change? Reform initiatives have swept through governments in the United States and overseas, again and again bringing news about eff orts to reinvent, transform, or reform government agencies ( Barzelay 2001; Kettl 2000; Pollitt and Bouckaert 2000; Stillman 1999 ). Curiously, however, this recurrent theme of change in government agencies has not induced a high volume of articles that explicitly address the topic in public administration journals. # ere are prominent exceptions to this observation (e.g., Bryson and Anderson 2000; Chackerian and Mavima 2000; Mani 1995; Wise 2002 ) and journal articles about topics related to organizational change (e.g., Berman and Wang 2000; Brudney and Wright 2002; Hood and Peters 2004 ). Articles reporting research and theory with titles containing “ organizational change ” and with that theme as a focal topic, however, appear with much less regularity in public administration journals than in research journals focusing on general management and organization theory.
937 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effect of CEO compensation contracts on misreporting and found that the sensitivity of the option portfolio to stock price is significantly positively related to the propensity to misreport.
TL;DR: It is shown that the kinesin-1 cargo protein JNK-interacting protein 1 (JIP1) is localized to only a subset of neurites in cultured neuronal cells, and microtubule PTMs are important markers of distinct microtubules populations and that they act to control motor-protein trafficking.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present research and theory pertaining to their multicomponent perspective on authentic functioning. And they discuss potential downsides or costs for authentic functioning and describe some future directions for research on authenticity.
Abstract: And if by chance I wake at night and I ask you who I am, oh take me to the slaughterhouse I will wait there with the lamb. —Leonard Cohen Whatever satisfies the soul is truth. —Walt Whitman I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. —Frederick Douglass In this chapter, we present research and theory pertaining to our multicomponent perspective on authentic functioning. We begin with a historical account of various philosophical perspectives on authentic functioning and briefly review several past and contemporary psychological perspectives on authenticity. We then define and discuss our multicomponent conceptualization of authenticity and describe each of its components and their relationships to other constructs in the psychology literature. Next, we present an individual differences measure we have developed to assess dispositional authenticity and each of its components, and we report findings attesting to the adequacy of its psychometric properties. In addition, we present findings from a variety of studies we have conducted to examine how authenticity relates to diverse aspects of healthy psychological and interpersonal functioning. These studies pertain to a wide range of phenomena, including the following: verbal defensiveness, mindfulness, coping styles, self‐concept structure, social‐role functioning, goal pursuits, general well‐being, romantic relationships, parenting styles, and self‐esteem. Following this, we discuss potential downsides or costs for authentic functioning and describe some future directions for research on authenticity.
University of Georgia1, Pennington Biomedical Research Center2, University of Missouri3, University of California, Irvine4, University of California, Los Angeles5, University of Colorado Boulder6, Neuroscience Research Australia7, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign8, Rutgers University9, Johns Hopkins University10, California State University, Los Angeles11, University of Connecticut12, University of Portland13, University of Pittsburgh14
TL;DR: Mechanisms explaining these adaptations are not as yet known, but metabolic and neurochemical pathways among skeletal muscle, the spinal cord, and the brain offer plausible, testable mechanisms that might help explain effects of physical activity and exercise on the central nervous system.
Abstract: Voluntary physical activity and exercise training can favorably influence brain plasticity by facilitating neurogenerative, neuroadaptive, and neuroprotective processes. At least some of the processes are mediated by neurotrophic factors. Motor skill training and regular exercise enhance executive functions of cognition and some types of learning, including motor learning in the spinal cord. These adaptations in the central nervous system have implications for the prevention and treatment of obesity, cancer, depression, the decline in cognition associated with aging, and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's dementia, ischemic stroke, and head and spinal cord injury. Chronic voluntary physical activity also attenuates neural responses to stress in brain circuits responsible for regulating peripheral sympathetic activity, suggesting constraint on sympathetic responses to stress that could plausibly contribute to reductions in clinical disorders such as hypertension, heart failure, oxidative stress, and suppression of immunity. Mechanisms explaining these adaptations are not as yet known, but metabolic and neurochemical pathways among skeletal muscle, the spinal cord, and the brain offer plausible, testable mechanisms that might help explain effects of physical activity and exercise on the central nervous system.
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the Arabidopsis thaliana NAC (for NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) domain transcription factor, SND1 (for secondary wall–associated NAC domain protein), is a key transcriptional switch regulating secondary wall synthesis in fibers.
Abstract: Secondary walls in fibers and tracheary elements constitute the most abundant biomass produced by plants. Although a number of genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary wall components have been characterized, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the coordinated expression of these genes. Here, we demonstrate that the Arabidopsis thaliana NAC (for NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) domain transcription factor, SND1 (for secondary wall–associated NAC domain protein), is a key transcriptional switch regulating secondary wall synthesis in fibers. We show that SND1 is expressed specifically in interfascicular fibers and xylary fibers in stems and that dominant repression of SND1 causes a drastic reduction in the secondary wall thickening of fibers. Ectopic overexpression of SND1 results in activation of the expression of secondary wall biosynthetic genes, leading to massive deposition of secondary walls in cells that are normally nonsclerenchymatous. In addition, we have found that SND1 upregulates the expression of several transcription factors that are highly expressed in fibers during secondary wall synthesis. Together, our results reveal that SND1 is a key transcriptional activator involved in secondary wall biosynthesis in fibers.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the link between perceived racial discrimination and later conduct problems and depressive symptoms among 714 African American adolescents who were 10-12 years old at recruitment.
Abstract: Longitudinal links between perceived racial discrimination and later conduct problems and depressive symptoms were examined among 714 African American adolescents who were 10-12 years old at recruitment. Data were gathered 3 times over a 5-year period. Hypotheses were tested via latent curve modeling and multiple-group latent growth modeling. Increases in perceived discrimination were associated with increased conduct problems and depressive symptoms. This association was weaker when youths received nurturant-involved parenting, affiliated with prosocial friends, and performed well academically. For conduct problems, the association was stronger for boys than for girls; for depressive symptoms, no gender differences emerged. The findings thus identify contextual variables that moderate the contribution of perceived discrimination to African American youths' adjustment.
TL;DR: This special issue was stimulated by a symposium that culminated in the publication of the first special issue of Limnology and Oceanography on nutrients and eutrophication, edited by G. Likens (Likens 1972a).
Abstract: Initial understanding of the links between nutrients and aquatic productivity originated in Europe in the early 1900s, and our knowledge base has expanded greatly during the past 40 yr. This explosion of eutrophication-related research has made it unequivocally clear that a comprehensive strategy to prevent excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus from entering our waterways is needed to protect our lakes, rivers, and coasts from water quality deterioration. However, despite these very significant advances, cultural eutrophication remains one of the foremost problems for protecting our valuable surface water resources. The papers in this special issue provide a valuable cross section and synthesis of our current understanding of both freshwater and marine eutrophication science. They also serve to identify gaps in our knowledge and will help to guide future research. Knowledge of the links between nutrients and aquatic productivity began with the pioneering work of Weber (1907) on German peat bogs and with Johnstone’s (1908) studies of the North Sea. A crystallization of freshwater eutrophication concepts took place soon thereafter in Northern Europe, where the first trophic classification systems for surface waters were developed. These early classification systems were based on the intensity of aquatic organic matter production, as well as nutrient supply conditions and ecosystemlevel consequences of increased production (e.g., hypolimnetic oxygen depletion; Rodhe 1969). There was a lot of uncertainty in the subsequent 50 yr about the physical, chemical, and ecological details of the eutrophication process, and hot debates raged about the relative roles of different mineral nutrients as constraints on, or regulators of, primary productivity, especially the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and carbon (C). Work on the eutrophication process accelerated in the 1960s and 1970s. Particularly important was the landmark 1971 American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) eutrophication symposium that culminated in the publication of the first special issue of Limnology and Oceanography (L&O) on nutrients and eutrophication, edited by G. E. Likens (Likens 1972a). This special issue was similarly stimulated by a symposium that the three of us 1
TL;DR: In this article, the role of urban political economy, private-public property relations, and race and ethnicity in the social production of Milwaukee's urban forest was investigated by integrating urban-forest canopy-cover data from aerial photography, United States Census data, and qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews.
Abstract: This article investigates the role of urban political economy, private-public property relations, and race and ethnicity in the social production of Milwaukee's urban forest. By integrating urban-forest canopy-cover data from aerial photography, United States Census data, and qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, this analysis suggests that there is an inequitable distribution of urban canopy cover within Milwaukee. Since urban trees positively affect quality of life, the spatially inequitable distribution of urban trees in relation to race and ethnicity is yet another instance of urban environmental inequality that deserves greater consideration in light of contemporary and dynamic property relations within capitalist societies.
TL;DR: This novel SERS assay can detect spectral differences between viruses, viral strains, and viruses with gene deletions in biological media and provides rapid diagnostics for detection and characterization of viruses generating reproducible spectra without viral manipulation.
Abstract: A spectroscopic assay based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) using silver nanorod array substrates has been developed that allows for rapid detection of trace levels of viruses with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. This novel SERS assay can detect spectral differences between viruses, viral strains, and viruses with gene deletions in biological media. The method provides rapid diagnostics for detection and characterization of viruses generating reproducible spectra without viral manipulation.
TL;DR: Vocal emotional comprehension appears to be mediated by bilateral mechanisms anchored within sensory, cognitive and emotional processing systems that proceeds from the ventral auditory pathway to brain structures implicated in cognition and emotion.
TL;DR: Exposure assessment studies carried out in the developing world on several traffic-related air pollutants are reviewed and advantages and disadvantages of various monitoring methods for these pollutants in exposure assessment studies are discussed.
TL;DR: Bioengineering crops expressing dsRNA that silence target RKN parasitism genes to disrupt the parasitic process represents a viable and flexible means of developing novel durable RKN-resistant crops and could provide crops with unprecedented broad resistance to RKN.
Abstract: Secreted parasitism proteins encoded by parasitism genes expressed in esophageal gland cells mediate infection and parasitism of plants by root-knot nematodes (RKN). Parasitism gene 16D10 encodes a conserved RKN secretory peptide that stimulates root growth and functions as a ligand for a putative plant transcription factor. We used in vitro and in vivo RNA interference approaches to silence this parasitism gene in RKN and validate that the parasitism gene has an essential function in RKN parasitism of plants. Ingestion of 16D10 dsRNA in vitro silenced the target parasitism gene in RKN and resulted in reduced nematode infectivity. In vivo expression of 16D10 dsRNA in Arabidopsis resulted in resistance effective against the four major RKN species. Because no known natural resistance gene has this wide effective range of RKN resistance, bioengineering crops expressing dsRNA that silence target RKN parasitism genes to disrupt the parasitic process represents a viable and flexible means of developing novel durable RKN-resistant crops and could provide crops with unprecedented broad resistance to RKN.
TL;DR: The authors meta-analyzed the relationship between locus of control (LOC) and a wide range of work outcomes and found that internal locus was positively associated with favorable work outcomes, such as positive task and social experiences, and greater job motivation.
Abstract: This study meta-analyzed the relationships between locus of control (LOC) and a wide range of work outcomes. We categorized these outcomes according to three theoretical perspectives: LOC and well-being, LOC and motivation, and LOC and behavioral orientation. Hypotheses reflecting these three perspectives were proposed and tested. It was found that internal locus was positively associated with favorable work outcomes, such as positive task and social experiences, and greater job motivation. Our findings are discussed in relation to research on core self-evaluation and the Big Five personality traits. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TL;DR: In this paper, an ethnographic approach guided data collection, which included participant observation, photo and document reviews, informal conversations, and formal, in-depth interviews with 58 MG owners.
Abstract: Authenticity in the consumption context is an important topic within the marketing literature. This article explores authenticity’s multiplicity of meanings within the MG brand subculture of consumption. An ethnographic approach guided data collection, which included participant observation, photo and document reviews, informal conversations, and formal, in-depth interviews with 58 MG owners. The data show that MG owners gain a sense of authenticity in the consumption context via the object and its ownership, consumer experiences, and identity construction and confirmation. As an object, an MG is authentic if it broaches an ideal standard and preserves the brand heritage. An MG experience is authentic when an owner interacts with the car through driving and self-work activities. Finally, an MG owner authenticates his or her identity through role performance and communal commitment. Implications are discussed in light of brand management.
TL;DR: It is reported that polyphosphate is a potent hemostatic regulator, accelerating blood clotting by activating the contact pathway and promoting the activation of factor V, which in turn results in abrogation of the function of the natural anticoagulant protein, tissue factor pathway inhibitor.
Abstract: Inorganic polyphosphate is an abundant component of acidocalcisomes of bacteria and unicellular eukaryotes. Human platelet dense granules strongly resemble acidocalcisomes, and we recently showed that they contain substantial amounts of polyphosphate, which is secreted upon platelet activation. We now report that polyphosphate is a potent hemostatic regulator, accelerating blood clotting by activating the contact pathway and promoting the activation of factor V, which in turn results in abrogation of the function of the natural anticoagulant protein, tissue factor pathway inhibitor. Polyphosphate was also found to delay clot lysis by enhancing a natural antifibrinolytic agent, thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. Polyphosphate is unstable in blood or plasma, owing to the presence of phosphatases. We propose that polyphosphate released from platelets or microorganisms initially promotes clot formation and stability; subsequent degradation of polyphosphate by blood phosphatases fosters inhibition of clotting and activation of fibrinolysis during wound healing.
Royal Botanic Gardens1, University of Virginia2, Imperial College London3, University of Sheffield4, University of Birmingham5, University of Georgia6, Zoological Society of London7, University of Bath8, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University9, Michigan State University10, National Taiwan University11, Natural Environment Research Council12
TL;DR: The results indicate that ‘silver-bullet’ conservation strategies alone will not deliver efficient conservation solutions, and priority areas for biodiversity conservation must be based on high-resolution data from multiple taxa.
Abstract: 'Silver bullet' conservation strategies assume that the distribution of extinction-prone species in one well studied taxonomic group will predict the distribution of comparable species in other groups. This has been hard to test, but the availability of new databases on the global distribution of birds, mammals and amphibians means that a test is now possible. The three groups show similar patterns in terms of overall species richness, but the distribution of threatened and rare species is different in each group. Silver bullet strategies alone, it seems, miss the target. Instead, priority areas for biodiversity conservation must be based on high-resolution data from multiple taxa. 'Silver-bullet' approaches to conservation assume that conservation strategy can be based on the distribution of species in one or two well known taxonomic groups, as there is high cross-taxon congruence in large-scale patterns of biodiversity. Although birds, mammals and amphibians show similar patterns in terms of overall species richness, the distribution of threatened and rare species is found to be different in each group. Global conservation strategies commonly assume that different taxonomic groups show congruent geographical patterns of diversity, and that the distribution of extinction-prone species in one group can therefore act as a surrogate for vulnerable species in other groups when conservation decisions are being made1,2,3,4. The validity of these assumptions remains unclear, however, because previous tests have been limited in both geographical and taxonomic extent5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Here we use a database on the global distribution of 19,349 living bird, mammal and amphibian species to show that, although the distribution of overall species richness is very similar among these groups, congruence in the distribution of rare and threatened species is markedly lower. Congruence is especially low among the very rarest species. Cross-taxon congruence is also highly scale dependent, being particularly low at the finer spatial resolutions relevant to real protected areas. ‘Hotspots’ of rarity and threat are therefore largely non-overlapping across groups, as are areas chosen to maximize species complementarity. Overall, our results indicate that ‘silver-bullet’ conservation strategies alone will not deliver efficient conservation solutions. Instead, priority areas for biodiversity conservation must be based on high-resolution data from multiple taxa.
TL;DR: This paper found infectious prions capable of transmitting chronic wasting disease (CWD) in saliva (by the oral route) and in blood (by transfusion) from CWD-positive deer.
Abstract: A critical concern in the transmission of prion diseases, including chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids, is the potential presence of prions in body fluids. To address this issue directly, we exposed cohorts of CWD-naive deer to saliva, blood, or urine and feces from CWD-positive deer. We found infectious prions capable of transmitting CWD in saliva (by the oral route) and in blood (by transfusion). The results help to explain the facile transmission of CWD among cervids and prompt caution concerning contact with body fluids in prion infections.
TL;DR: An integrated summary of the efforts to characterize the distribution of ILPs in insects and to define this pathway and its functions in Drosophila is offered and a few considerations for future studies of ILP endocrinology in insects are offered.
Abstract: ▪ Abstract Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) exist in insects and are encoded by multigene families that are expressed in the brain and other tissues. Upon secretion, these peptides likely serve as hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors, but to date, few direct functions have been demonstrated. In Drosophila melanogaster, molecular genetic studies have revealed elements of a conserved insulin signaling pathway, and as in other animal models, it appears to play a key role in metabolism, growth, reproduction, and aging. This review offers (a) an integrated summary of the efforts to characterize the distribution of ILPs in insects and to define this pathway and its functions in Drosophila and (b) a few considerations for future studies of ILP endocrinology in insects.
TL;DR: This study provides a more comprehensive conceptual definition of compatibility that disaggregates the content of compatibility into four distinct and separable constructs: compatibility with preferred work style, compatibility with existing work practices, Compatibility with prior experience, and compatibility with values.
Abstract: Theoretical and empirical research in technology acceptance, while acknowledging the importance of individual beliefs about the compatibility of a technology, has produced equivocal results. This study focuses on further conceptual development of this important belief in technology acceptance. Unlike much prior research that has focused on only a limited aspect of compatibility, we provide a more comprehensive conceptual definition that disaggregates the content of compatibility into four distinct and separable constructs: compatibility with preferred work style, compatibility with existing work practices, compatibility with prior experience, and compatibility with values. We suggest that the form of the multidimensional compatibility construct is best modeled as a multivariate structural model. Based on their conceptual definitions, we develop operational measures for the four compatibility variables. We assess the nomological validity of our conceptualization by situating it within the technology acceptance model. In contrast to prior research, which has regarded beliefs of compatibility as an independent antecedent of technology acceptance outcomes, we posit causal linkages not only among the four compatibility beliefs, but also between compatibility beliefs and usefulness, and ease of use. We test our theoretical model with a field sample of 278 users of a customer relationship management system in the context of a large bank. Scale validation indicates that the operational measures of compatibility developed in this study have acceptable psychometric properties, which support the existence of four distinct constructs. Results largely support the theorized relationships.
TL;DR: Although infectious diseases appear to play a minor role in global species loss, the findings underscore two important limitations in the available evidence: uncertainty surrounding the threats to species survival and a temporal bias in the data.
Abstract: Infectious disease is listed among the top five causes of global species extinctions. However, the majority of available data supporting this contention is largely anecdotal. We used the IUCN Red List of Threatened and Endangered Species and literature indexed in the ISI Web of Science to assess the role of infectious disease in global species loss. Infectious disease was listed as a contributing factor in <4% of species extinctions known to have occurred since 1500 (833 plants and animals) and as contributing to a species' status as critically endangered in <8% of cases (2852 critically endangered plants and animals). Although infectious diseases appear to play a minor role in global species loss, our findings underscore two important limitations in the available evidence: uncertainty surrounding the threats to species survival and a temporal bias in the data. Several initiatives could help overcome these obstacles, including rigorous scientific tests to determine which infectious diseases present a significant threat at the species level, recognition of the limitations associated with the lack of baseline data for the role of infectious disease in species extinctions, combining data with theory to discern the circumstances under which infectious disease is most likely to serve as an agent of extinction, and improving surveillance programs for the detection of infectious disease. An evidence-based understanding of the role of infectious disease in species extinction and endangerment will help prioritize conservation initiatives and protect global biodiversity.