Natural allelic diversity of the calcium signaling regulators in plants.

Calcium ions act as secondary messengers in diverse signaling pathways in plants throughout their life cycle. Studies have revealed that calcium is involved in developmental events and in responses to external stimuli, such as biotic and abiotic stresses. Cellular calcium ion levels are tightly controlled by intricate molecular machinery such as calcium channels and pumps.

Geographic variation in evolutionary rescue under climate change in a crop pest-predator system.

Species distribution models (SDMs) are often built upon the "niche conservatism" assumption, such that they ignore the possibility of "evolutionary rescue" and may underestimate species' future range limits under climate change. We select aphids and ladybirds as model species and develop an eco-evolutionary model to explore evolutionary rescue in a predator-prey system under climate change. We model the adaptive change of species' thermal performances, accounting for biotic interactions.

Females and Housing First: An analysis of 18-month outcomes in a randomized controlled trial.

The main objective of this research was to qualitatively examine the impacts of Housing First (HF) specifically on those participants who identified themselves as female in response to question asking what their gender was. The data analyzed are from a larger, muti-site, randomized controlled trial. χ analysis was used to compare the life changes (coded as positive, neutral, or negative) experienced by 64 females (42 HF and 22 TAU).

Higher-order interactions between hippocampal CA1 neurons are disrupted in amnestic mice.

Across systems, higher-order interactions between components govern emergent dynamics. Here we tested whether contextual threat memory retrieval in mice relies on higher-order interactions between dorsal CA1 hippocampal neurons requiring learning-induced dendritic spine plasticity. We compared population-level Ca2 transients as wild-type mice (with intact learning-induced spine plasticity and memory) and amnestic mice (TgCRND8 mice with high levels of amyloid-β and deficits in learning-induced spine plasticity and memory) were tested for memory.

Beyond simple vs. complex: exploring the nuanced and unexpected effects of spatial environmental complexity on mating patterns and female fecundity.

The features of the physical environment set the stage upon which sexual selection operates, and consequently can have a significant impact on variation in realized individual fitness, and influence a population's evolutionary trajectory. This phenomenon has been explored empirically in several studies using fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) which have found that changing the spatial complexity of the mating environment influenced male-female interaction dynamics, (re)mating rates, and realized female fecundities. However, these studies did not explore mating patterns, which can dramatically alter the genetic composition of the next generation, and frequently only compared a single, small "simple" environment to a single larger "complex" environment.

Exposure to Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Impacts Gill Structure and Function in Adult Zebrafish.

Total suspended solids (TSS) are a major contributor of anthropogenic impacts to aquatic systems. TSS exposure have been shown to affect the function of gills, but the mode of action is unclear. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is emerging as an excellent model for mechanistic toxicology, and as there are no baseline studies on TSS effects in zebrafish gills, we tested the hypothesis that environmental concentrations of TSS damages gill structure and function in this species.

Co-learning companionship benefits word learning in a new language: Evidence from a dual-brain EEG examination.

Companionship refers to one's being in the presence of another individual. For adults, acquiring a new language is a highly social activity that often involves learning in the context of companionship. However, the effects of companionship on new language learning have gone relatively underexplored, particularly with respect to word learning.

The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Energy Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Context: Energy intake may differ across the menstrual cycle, with some studies identifying greater energy intake in the luteal phase (LP) compared with the follicular phase (FP) and others finding no clear differences. To date, no study has systematically synthesized the available data to draw more definite conclusions while considering any methodological inconsistencies between studies.

Objective: The aim was to conduct a systematic review/meta-analysis in an effort to determine if there are differences in energy intake between the FP and LP.

Unsupervised shape-and-texture-based generative adversarial tuning of pre-trained networks for carotid segmentation from 3D ultrasound images.

Background: Vessel-wall volume and localized three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) metrics are sensitive to the change of carotid atherosclerosis in response to medical/dietary interventions. Manual segmentation of the media-adventitia boundary (MAB) and lumen-intima boundary (LIB) required to obtain these metrics is time-consuming and prone to observer variability. Although supervised deep-learning segmentation models have been proposed, training of these models requires a sizeable manually segmented training set, making larger clinical studies prohibitive.

It's time to apply outbreak response best practices to avian influenza: A national call to action.

Cases of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in Canada are upon us again and with reports of infection in US dairy cattle and a dairy farmer in the United States, concern has been raised. Although panic isn't helpful, this heightened level of concern is appropriate, given that reports of human infections with the H5N1 virus often indicate high mortality rates. These can range from 14 to 50%.

Can remotely sensed catchment to lake area ratios predict mercury levels in subarctic fishes?

Mercury concentrations ([Hg]) in fish reflect a complex array of interacting biogeochemical and ecological variables. In northern regions where fish are a critical subsistence food, understanding and predicting fish [Hg] can be particularly difficult, largely due to a paucity of comprehensive data associated with the logistical challenges of field sampling. Building on previous work where we elucidated causal relationships between fish [Hg] and a variety of catchment, water quality, and ecological variables in subarctic lakes, we investigated whether using only ratios of catchment area to lake area (CA:LA) can predict [Hg] in northern freshwater fish species.

The Wise Mind Balances the Abstract and the Concrete.

We explored how individuals' mental representations of complex and uncertain situations impact their ability to reason wisely. To this end, we introduce situated methods to capture abstract and concrete mental representations and the switching between them when reflecting on social challenges. Using these methods, we evaluated the alignment of abstractness and concreteness with four integral facets of wisdom: intellectual humility, open-mindedness, perspective-taking, and compromise-seeking.

Gill raker and pyloric caeca counts differ between Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and Dolly Varden (S. malma) populations across their ranges.

Meristic characters are often used to differentiate between closely related forms, morphs, and species of fishes, and lend insight into ecology and post-glacial recolonization in taxa with complicated or contentious phylogenies, including the genus Salvelinus. Previous studies of meristics in Salvelinus have focused mostly on individual populations. We collated data from 456 populations/systems across the North American and Russian Arctic and sub-Arctic, and found that counts of pyloric caeca and gill rakers differed consistently between fish visually and/or genetically identified as Arctic char and Dolly Varden across their distributional ranges.

How Static and Cyclic Loading Affect the Mechanical Properties of the Porcine Annulus Fibrosus.

This study sought to evaluate the effects of prolonged cyclic loading on the tissue-level mechanical properties of the spinal annulus fibrosus. Functional spinal units (FSUs) were obtained from porcine cervical spines at the C3-C4 and C5-C6 levels. Following a 15-min preload of 300 N of axial compression, the FSUs were split into three groups: the cyclic loading group cycled between 0.

Knowledge translation in Indigenous health research: voices from the field.

Objectives: To better understand what knowledge translation activities are effective and meaningful to Indigenous communities and what is required to advance knowledge translation in health research with, for, and by Indigenous communities.

Study Design: Workshop and collaborative yarning.

Setting: Lowitja Institute International Indigenous Health Conference, Cairns, June 2023.

Comparing the effectiveness of flagship species in zoo interpretation videos involving dialogic-based narrative approaches.

Zoological institutions frequently engage in indirect conservation activities as global conservation targets suggest a need for raising public awareness and engagement in biodiversity conservation. However, research suggests that while members of the public are typically aware of general conservation issues, they are often uncertain of simple and practical actions they take that will be impactful. In light of current conservation goals and targets, and the need for social science research to address the environmental learning and behavior change gap, this study builds upon prior action-based environmental education research and tests the efficacy of ex situ environmental education in supporting in situ conservation.

Evaluating Cationic Nanoparticles as Carriers of Antiviral Nucleic Acids.

Nanoparticle carriers enable the multivalent delivery of nucleic acids to cells and protect them from degradation. In this chapter, we present a comprehensive overview of four methodologies: electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), alamarBlue/CFDA-AM cell viability dyes, fluorescence microscopy, and antiviral assays, which collectively are tools to explore interactions between nucleic acids and nanoparticles, and their biological efficacy. These assays provide insights into binding potential, cytotoxicity, and antiviral efficacy of nucleic acid-based nanoparticle treatments furthering the development of effective antiviral therapeutics.

Production, Isolation, and Detection of Poly IC in Extracellular Vesicles from U937 Cells.

Double-stranded RNA is produced by viruses during their replicative cycle. It is a potent immune modulator and indicator of viral infection within the body. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound particles released from cells homeostatically.

Effects of guaranteed basic income interventions on poverty-related outcomes in high-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: High-income countries offer social assistance (welfare) programs to help alleviate poverty for people with little or no income. These programs have become increasingly conditional and stringent in recent decades based on the premise that transitioning people from government support to paid work will improve their circumstances. However, many people end up with low-paying and precarious jobs that may cause more poverty because they lose benefits such as housing subsidies and health and dental insurance, while incurring job-related expenses.

Exploring LGBT2Q+ Intracategorical Factors in Mental Health Service Utilization: Differences in Gender Modalities, Sexual Orientations, and Ethnoracial Groups in Canada.

LGBT2Q+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, queer, plus) Canadians face minority stressors that lead to higher mental health inequalities such as worse self-reported mental health and increased risk of mental health issues when compared to their heterosexual/straight and cisgender counterparts. However, there are within-group (intracategorical) differences within a community as large as LGBT2Q+ peoples. Guided by the Andersen Model of Healthcare Utilization, we sought to explore intracategorical differences in LGBT2Q+ Canadian predisposing, enabling, and need factors in mental health service utilization within the past year.

Exploring the relationship between the supination resistance test and the effects of foot orthoses on the foot and ankle biomechanics during walking.

Background: The effects of foot orthoses on lower limb biomechanics during walking have been studied extensively. However, the lack of knowledge regarding the effects of various foot orthoses models for the same population complicates model selection in clinical practice and research. Additionally, there is a critical need to enhance our ability to predict the outcomes of foot orthoses using clinical tests, such as the supination resistance test.

Quality of Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Bereaved Caregivers' Experiences at a Hospice Residence.

An essential component of residential hospice care is the provision of high quality palliative care. The perspectives of quality of care from palliative care patients and bereaved caregivers have increasingly been studied to guide quality improvements. The study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of bereaved caregivers of patients who died in residential hospice during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic to determine perceptions of quality of care, caregiver grief and bereavement, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.