Ocean warming and acidification adjust inter- and intra-specific variability in the functional trait expression of polar invertebrates.

Climate change is known to affect the distribution and composition of species, but concomitant alterations to functionally important aspects of behaviour and species-environment relations are poorly constrained. Here, we examine the ecosystem ramifications of changes in sediment-dwelling invertebrate bioturbation behaviour-a key process mediating nutrient cycling-associated with near-future environmental conditions (+ 1.5 °C, 550 ppm [pCO]) for species from polar regions experiencing rapid rates of climate change.

Does the sound environment influence the behaviour of zoo-housed birds? A preliminary investigation of ten species across two zoos.

In the zoo, the sound environment experienced by captive wild animals will contain numerous anthropogenic features that may elicit different responses to those stimulated by naturally created, or more biologically relevant, sounds. Husbandry activities, visitor presence and neighbouring species (free-living and captive) will all influence the sounds around zoo-housed species; an animal's behavioural responses may therefore provide an insight into how its welfare state is influenced by this changing sound environment. This project aimed to investigate how animal behaviour was influenced by the sound environment at two large UK zoos; one situated in a more rural location and the other in an urban location.

Biogeochemical consequences of a changing Arctic shelf seafloor ecosystem.

Unprecedented and dramatic transformations are occurring in the Arctic in response to climate change, but academic, public, and political discourse has disproportionately focussed on the most visible and direct aspects of change, including sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, the fate of charismatic megafauna, and the expansion of fisheries. Such narratives disregard the importance of less visible and indirect processes and, in particular, miss the substantive contribution of the shelf seafloor in regulating nutrients and sequestering carbon. Here, we summarise the biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic shelf seafloor before considering how climate change and regional adjustments to human activities may alter its biogeochemical and ecological dynamics, including ecosystem function, carbon burial, or nutrient recycling.

Reproductive traits and population dynamics of benthic invertebrates indicate episodic recruitment patterns across an Arctic polar front.

Climate-induced changes in the ocean and sea ice environment of the Arctic are beginning to generate major and rapid changes in Arctic ecosystems, but the effects of directional forcing on the persistence and distribution of species remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the reproductive traits and population dynamics of the bivalve and sea star across a north-south transect that intersects the polar front in the Barents Sea. Both species present large oocytes indicative of short pelagic or direct development that do not differ in size-frequency between 74.

Climate-driven benthic invertebrate activity and biogeochemical functioning across the Barents Sea polar front.

Arctic marine ecosystems are undergoing rapid correction in response to multiple expressions of climate change, but the consequences of altered biodiversity for the sequestration, transformation and storage of nutrients are poorly constrained. Here, we determine the bioturbation activity of sediment-dwelling invertebrate communities over two consecutive summers that contrasted in sea-ice extent along a transect intersecting the polar front. We find a clear separation in community composition at the polar front that marks a transition in the type and amount of bioturbation activity, and associated nutrient concentrations, sufficient to distinguish a southern high from a northern low.

Interrogation of highly structured RNA with multicomponent deoxyribozyme probes at ambient temperatures.

Molecular analysis of RNA through hybridization with sequence-specific probes is challenging due to the intrinsic ability of RNA molecules to form stable secondary and tertiary structures. To overcome the energy barrier toward the probe-RNA complex formation, the probes are made of artificial nucleotides, which are more expensive than their natural counterparts and may still be inefficient. Here, we propose the use of a multicomponent probe based on an RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme for the analysis of highly structured RNA targets.

Cascade of deoxyribozymes for the colorimetric analysis of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

A visual cascade detection system has been applied to the detection and analysis of drug-resistance profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), a causative agent of tuberculosis. The cascade system utilizes highly selective split RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme (sDz) sensors. When activated by a complementary nucleic acid, sDz releases the peroxidase-like deoxyribozyme apoenzyme, which, in complex with a hemin cofactor, catalyzes the color change of the sample's solution.

Selective Determination of Isothermally Amplified Zika Virus RNA Using a Universal DNA-Hairpin Probe in Less than 1 Hour.

The recent outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas and multiple studies that linked the virus to the cases of microcephaly and neurological complications have revealed the need for cost efficient and rapid ZIKV diagnostics tests. Here, a diagnostic platform relying on a four-way junction (4WJ)-based biosensor with electrochemical readout using a Universal DNA-Hairpin (UDH) probe for the selective recognition of an isothermally amplified ZIKV RNA fragment is developed. The 4WJ structure utilizes an electrode-immobilized stem-loop (DNA-hairpin) probe and two DNA adaptor strands complementary to both the stem-loop probe and the targeted fragment of a ZIKV amplicon.

Label-Free Pathogen Detection by a Deoxyribozyme Cascade with Visual Signal Readout.

A colorimetric nucleic acid based test for label-free pathogen detection has been developed and used for the detection of the Zika virus. The test relies on nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) of a viral RNA followed by interrogation of the amplicon by a cascade of deoxyribozymes constituting a visual split deoxyribozyme (vsDz) probe. The probe consists of a split phosphodiesterase deoxyribozyme, which forms its catalytic core upon binding to a specific amplicon fragment.

Split Dapoxyl Aptamer for Sequence-Selective Analysis of Nucleic Acid Sequence Based Amplification Amplicons.

Hybridization probes have been used for the detection of single nucleotide variations (SNV) in DNA and RNA sequences in the mix-and-read formats. Among the most conventional are Taqman probes, which require expensive quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) instruments with melting capabilities. More affordable isothermal amplification format requires hybridization probes that can selectively detect SNVs isothermally.

Evaluation of a proposal for reliable low-cost grid power with 100% wind, water, and solar.

A number of analyses, meta-analyses, and assessments, including those performed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the International Energy Agency, have concluded that deployment of a diverse portfolio of clean energy technologies makes a transition to a low-carbon-emission energy system both more feasible and less costly than other pathways. In contrast, Jacobson et al. [Jacobson MZ, Delucchi MA, Cameron MA, Frew BA (2015) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112(49):15060-15065] argue that it is feasible to provide "low-cost solutions to the grid reliability problem with 100% penetration of WWS [wind, water and solar power] across all energy sectors in the continental United States between 2050 and 2055", with only electricity and hydrogen as energy carriers.

Phosphate deficiency promotes coral bleaching and is reflected by the ultrastructure of symbiotic dinoflagellates.

Enrichment of reef environments with dissolved inorganic nutrients is considered a major threat to the survival of corals living in symbiosis with dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium sp.). We argue, however, that the direct negative effects on the symbiosis are not necessarily caused by the nutrient enrichment itself but by the phosphorus starvation of the algal symbionts that can be caused by skewed nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) ratios.

The Development of Spatial Skills in Elementary School Students.

Through five waves of data collection, this longitudinal study investigated the development of spatial skills in 304 elementary school children (M  = 7.64 years) as they progressed from the second to fourth grade. The study focused on whether multiple latent classes with different developmental profiles best explain development.

East Weddell Sea echinoids from the JR275 expedition.

Information regarding the echinoids in this dataset is based on the Agassiz Trawl (AGT) and epibenthic sledge (EBS) samples collected during the British Antarctic Survey cruise JR275 on the RRS James Clark Ross in the austral summer 2012. A total of 56 (1 at the South Orkneys and 55 in the Eastern Weddell Sea) Agassiz Trawl and 18 (2 at the South Orkneys and 16 in the Eastern Weddell Sea) epibenthic sledge deployments were performed at depths ranging from ~280 to ~2060 m. This presents a unique collection for the Antarctic benthic biodiversity assessment of an important group of benthic invertebrates.

Shifting baselines in Antarctic ecosystems; ecophysiological response to warming in Lissarca miliaris at Signy Island, Antarctica.

The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a rapid increase in atmospheric temperature over the last 50 years. Whether or not marine organisms thriving in this cold stenothermal environment are able to cope with warming is of concern. Here, we present changes to the growth and shell characteristics of the ecologically important, small and short lived brooding bivalve Lissarca miliaris from Signy Island, Antarctica.

Resistance exercise training attenuates alcohol-induced cardiac oxidative stress.

Background: Myocardial oxidative stress is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Strenuous physical exercise has been shown to increase or decrease myocardial oxidative stress depending on the mode and duration of the exercise intervention. Given the possibility of individuals to engage in both alcohol consumption and weight-training exercise, we have examined the effect of resistance exercise training and chronic alcohol consumption on myocardial oxidative stress in rats.

The effects of chronic alcohol consumption and exercise on the skeleton of adult male rats.

Background: Lifestyle factors are known to affect skeletal development and integrity. Specifically, running has been reported to increase risk of fatigue fractures, whereas chronic alcohol consumption has been shown to reduce bone formation and bone mass. The combined effect of exercise and alcohol on the skeleton has yet to be explored, although alcohol consumption is common among certain physically active populations (e.