Distinct gene regulatory signatures of dominance rank and social bond strength in wild baboons

The social environment is a major determinant of morbidity, mortality and Darwinian fitness in social animals. Recent studies have begun to uncover the molecular processes associated with these relationships, but the degree to which they vary across different dimensions of the social environment remains unclear. Here, we draw on a long-term field study of wild baboons to compare the signatures of affiliative and competitive aspects of the social environment in white blood cell gene regulation, under both immune-stimulated and non-stimulated conditions. We find that the effects of dominance rank on gene expression are directionally opposite in males versus females, such that high-ranking males resemble low-ranking females, and vice versa. Among females, rank and social bond strength are both reflected in the activity of cellular metabolism and proliferation genes. However, while we observe pronounced rank-related differences in baseline immune gene activity, only bond strength predicts the fold-change response to immune (lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. Together, our results indicate that the directionality and magnitude of social effects on gene regulation depend on the aspect of the social environment under study. This heterogeneity may help explain why social environmental effects on health and longevity can also vary between measures. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies’.

Participants’ Perspectives Regarding the Role of University Governance in Promoting Climate Change and Sustainability Interventions at University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania

Higher education offers several opportunities for faculty, administrative staff, and students to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as promote sustainability within the areas where such institutions are located. Through training, research, and community engagement functions, higher education institutions can ably contribute to sustainability and climate change response. This paper presents part of the findings from a larger study conducted at University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The researcher adopted a socio-constructivist perspective to explore the perspectives and views of lecturers, administrators, and students on climate change related programmes regarding the role that university governance and management can play in promoting climate change and sustainability interventions at their university. Data was generated using semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) from 33 participants. Data was analysed using thematic analysis based on Braun & Clarke (2006). Findings revealed several roles that their university’s governance has and continues to play in promoting climate change and sustainability interventions including integrating these aspects in the university strategy, adding climate change and sustainability to the university research agenda, and promoting sustainability practices in the management and governance processes and systems. The findings may be handy in supporting other universities to promote these aspects right from the governance levels.

Accelerating Adaptation of Forest Trees to Climate Change Using Individual Tree Response Functions

In forest tree breeding, assisted migration has been proposed to accelerate the adaptive response to climate change. Response functions are currently fitted across multiple populations and environments, enabling selections of the most appropriate seed sources for a specific reforestation site. So far, the approach has been limited to capturing adaptive variation among populations, neglecting tree-to-tree variation residing within a population. Here, we combined the response function methodology with the in-situ breeding approach, utilizing progeny trials of European larch (Larix decidua) across 21 test sites in Austria ranging from Alpine to lowland regions. We quantified intra-population genetic variance and predicted individual genetic performance along a climatic gradient. This approach can be adopted in most breeding and conservation programs, boosting the speed of adaptation under climate change.

Effects of global warming on plateau plants

Biological and ecological environment in the plateau climate warming, abiotic environmental factors to different degrees of change were summed up from the macroscopic level to microcosmic individual physiological level of global climate change response model. The study summarized the research achievements at home and abroad, pointed out the plant phenology, photosynthesis, nutrient structure and presents different response patterns. These different response modes, from micro to macro, will eventually lead to changes in the structure and function of the Plateau ecosystem. This will threaten the survival and development of the Plateau plants on a large scale. Finally, the future research emphases in this field would be prospected. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(3): 963-968, 2021 (September) Special

Effect of Time of Day on the Magnitude of Stature Change Response Variability in Participants with Chronic Low Back Pain on Consecutive 2 Days

Measurements of stature change have been used to compare spinal loading in the sitting posture. However, it is difficult to interpret whether the stature change response recorded is truly due to an intervention or to the natural fluctuation of stature change response between the days. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of time of day (morning and afternoon) on the variability of stature change in participants with chronic low back pain (CLBP) on 2 consecutive days. Forty-four participants with CLBP attended 2 sessions (morning and afternoon) of stature change testing on 4 separate days. A stature change response of more than 0.985 mm in the morning and 1.149 mm in the afternoon on 2 consecutive days indicates that an intervention itself has influenced stature change measurement in CLBP participants. The magnitude of stature change response on different days and times of day established specific levels of natural variation meaning changes above these levels can be attributed to intervention effects in participants with CLBP. HIGHLIGHTS The findings suggest that it is important to control the time at which stature change investigations are conducted Seated stadiometry measurement, changes above 0.985 mm (morning) and 1.149 mm (afternoon) can be attributed to intervention effects between consecutive 2 days The results of the current study presented no significant difference in magnitude of stature change response in the morning versus the afternoon in chronic low back pain participants GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Perceptual stimuli with novel bindings interfere with visual working memory

What influences the extent to which perceptual information interferes with the contents of visual working memory? In two experiments using a combination of change detection and continuous reproduction tasks, I show that binding novelty is a key factor in producing interference. In Experiment 2, participants viewed arrays of colored circles, then completed consecutive change detection and recall tests of their memory for stochastically independent items from the same array. When the probe used in the change detection test was novel (i.e., required a “change” response), subsequent recall performance was worse than in trials with matching (i.e., “no change”) probes, irrespective of whether or not the same item was tested in both phases. In Experiment 2, participants viewed arrays of oriented arrows, then completed a change detection (requiring memory) or direction judgement (not requiring memory) test, followed by recalling a stochastically independent item. Again, novel probes in the first phase led to worse recall, irrespective of whether the initial task required memory. This effect held whether the probe was wholly novel (i.e., a new feature presented at any location) or simply involved a novel binding (i.e., an old feature presented at a new location). These findings highlight the role of novelty in visual interference, consistent with the assumptions of computational models of WM, and suggest that new bindings of old information are sufficient to produce such interference.

Facilitation activities for change response: a qualitative study on infection prevention and control professionals during a pandemic in Brazil

PurposeFacilitation activities support implementation of evidence-based interventions within healthcare organizations. Few studies have attempted to understand how facilitation activities are performed to promote the uptake of evidence-based interventions in hospitals from resource-poor countries during crises such as pandemics. This paper aims to explore facilitation activities by infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals in 16 hospitals from 9 states in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachPrimary and secondary data were collected between March and December 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 IPC professionals in Brazilian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public and internal documents were used for data triangulation. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis technique.FindingsBuilding on the change response theory, this study explores the facilitation activities from the cognitive, behavioral and affective aspects. The facilitation activities are grouped in three overarching dimensions: (1) creating and sustaining legitimacy to continuous and rapid changes, (2) fostering capabilities for continuous changes and (3) accelerating individual commitment.Practical implicationsDuring crises such as pandemics, facilitation activities by IPC professionals need to embrace all the cognitive, behavioral and affective aspects to stimulate positive attitudes of frontline workers toward continuous and urgent changes.Originality/valueThis study provides unique and timely empirical evidence on the facilitation activities that support the implementation of evidence-based interventions by IPC professionals during crises in hospitals in a resource-poor country.