Publications by authors named "R M Sargent"
Ecological restoration is a leading approach to mitigating biodiversity decline. While restoration often leads to an immediate increase in species abundance or diversity, it is rarely clear whether it supports longer-term biodiversity gains at the landscape scale. To examine the impacts of urban restoration on pollinator biodiversity, we conducted a 3-year natural experiment in 18 parks across a large metropolitan area.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Palladin is an actin binding protein that accelerates actin polymerization and is linked to metastasis of several types of cancer. Previously, three lysine residues in an immunoglobulin-like domain of palladin have been identified as essential for actin binding. However, it is still unknown where palladin binds to F-actin.
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- GM crops are widely used in leading agricultural countries, but their overall environmental effects are still not fully understood.
- The decline in direct concerns about GM crops has led to significant indirect changes in farming practices, affecting pesticide usage, land expansion, and crop rotations, all of which impact the environment.
- Recent research shows that the effects of GM crops on biodiversity, deforestation, and human health are complex and vary based on specific traits and the geographic context of their use.
Most plants form root hyphal relationships with mycorrhizal fungi, especially arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). These associations are known to positively impact plant biomass and competitive ability. However, less is known about how mycorrhizas impact other ecological interactions, such as those mediated by pollinators.
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- Vaccine hesitancy is a significant obstacle in controlling COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
- A study evaluated the effectiveness of informational videos about the COVID-19 vaccine by varying the source's race/ethnicity and the sequence of personal narratives addressing vaccine concerns.
- Results showed that participants who watched a personal story before the informational video were much more likely to view the entire video, and those who identified with the source's race/ethnicity had an even higher likelihood of engagement, indicating that personalized and relatable messaging can enhance vaccine message receptiveness.