A Portraiture of Environmental Justice in Communities of Concern

Environmental justice as a movement is an urgent step towards the realization of environmental equity. There is a necessity that makes environmental justice an important solution to climate change. The origin of the necessity was the damage that environmental racism was causing, and its realization in the United States and later as an international phenomenon. Through a theoretical approach, this article examined how communities of concern are denied environmental justice as a result of the current developmental models in practice and showed why they are vulnerable to the global challenge of climate change and environmental pollution. It identified the link between human rights and the environment. It explored a viable sustainable development model for communities of concern and concluded on how they can get past the economic challenges of implementing green industries.

Genetic Control of MAP3K1 in Eye Development and Sex Differentiation

The MAP3K1 is responsible for transmitting signals to activate specific MAP2K-MAPK cascades. Following the initial biochemical characterization, genetic mouse models have taken center stage to elucidate how MAP3K1 regulates biological functions. To that end, mice were generated with the ablation of the entire Map3k1 gene, the kinase domain coding sequences, or ubiquitin ligase domain mutations. Analyses of the mutants identify diverse roles that MAP3K1 plays in embryonic survival, maturation of T/B cells, and development of sensory organs, including eye and ear. Specifically in eye development, Map3k1 loss-of-function was found to be autosomal recessive for congenital eye abnormalities, but became autosomal dominant in combination with Jnk and RhoA mutations. Additionally, Map3k1 mutation increased eye defects with an exposure to environmental agents such as dioxin. Data from eye developmental models reveal the nexus role of MAP3K1 in integrating genetic and environmental signals to control developmental activities. Here, we focus the discussions on recent advances in understanding the signaling mechanisms of MAP3K1 in eye development in mice and in sex differentiation from human genomics findings. The research works featured here lead to a deeper understanding of the in vivo signaling network, the mechanisms of gene–environment interactions, and the relevance of this multifaceted protein kinase in disease etiology and pathogenesis.

The influence of harshness and unpredictability on female sexual development: Addressing gene–environment interplay using a polygenic score

Recent developments in the application life history theory to human development indicate two fundamental dimension of the early environment – harshness and unpredictability – are key regulators life history strategies. Few studies have examined the manner with which these dimensions influence development, though age at menarche (AAM) and age at first sexual intercourse have been proposed as possible mechanisms among women. Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 3,645) were used to examine direct and indirect effects of harshness (financial difficulties) and unpredictability (paternal transitions) on lifetime and past year sexual partners during adolescence and young adulthood. Genetic confounding was addressed using an AAM polygenic score (PGS) and potential gene-by-environment interactions were also evaluated using the PGS. Path model results showed only harshness was directly related to AAM. Harshness, unpredictability, and AAM were indirectly related to lifetime and past year sexual partner number via age at first sexual intercourse. The PGS did not account for any of the associations and no significant interactions were detected. Implications of these results for developmental models derived from life history theory are discussed as well as the role of PGSs in gene–environment interplay research.

Localized Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis in Chlamydia trachomatis Conforms to the Polarized Division and Cell Size Reduction Developmental Models

Cell size regulation in bacteria is a function of two basic cellular processes: the expansion of the cell envelope and its constriction at spatially defined points at what will eventually become the division plane. In most bacterial species, both cell wall expansion and restriction are dependent on peptidoglycan (PG), a structural polymer comprised of sugars and amino acids that imparts strength and rigidity to bacterial membranes. Pathogenic Chlamydia species are unique in that their cell walls contain very little PG, which is restricted almost entirely to the apparent division plane of the microbe’s replicative forms. Very little is known about the degree to which PG affects the size and shape of C. trachomatis during its division process, and recent studies suggest the process is initiated via a polarized mechanism. We conducted an imaging study to ascertain the dimensions, orientation, and relative density of chlamydial PG throughout the organism’s developmental cycle. Our analysis indicates that PG in replicating C. trachomatis can be associated with four, broad structural forms; polar/septal disks, small/thick rings, large rings, and small/thin rings. We found that PG density appeared to be highest in septal disks and small/thick rings, indicating that these structures likely have high PG synthesis to degradation ratios. We also discovered that as C. trachomatis progresses through its developmental cycle PG structures, on average, decrease in total volume, indicating that the average cell volume of chlamydial RBs likely decreases over time. When cells infected with C. trachomatis are treated with inhibitors of critical components of the microbe’s two distinct PG synthases, we observed drastic differences in the ratio of PG synthesis to degradation, as well as the volume and shape of PG-containing structures. Overall, our results suggest that C. trachomatis PG synthases differentially regulate the expansion and contraction of the PG ring during both the expansion and constriction of the microbe’s cell membrane during cell growth and division, respectively.

The Development and Validation of the Christian Environmentalism Scale (CES) from a Philippine Sample

Responding to emerging ecotheologies, we articulated a new environmental construct distinct from previous environmental measures which largely follow developmental models. In the present study we developed and reviewed the psychometric properties of the Christian Environmentalism Scale (CES) initially in three dimensions from 970 youth participants in the Philippines. Study design included exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for data reduction and best fit model analysis. CES is a unidimensional 15-item measure with a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .95) score and adequate results for best fit model. CES had significant associations with pro-environment and religious attitude scales indicating initial evidence of convergent validity.

Parkour-Based Activities in the Athletic Development of Youth Basketball Players

While ideas from long-term athlete development (LTAD) models have been adopted and integrated across different sports, issues related to early specialization, such as increased risk of injury and burnout, are still common. Although some benefits may be associated with early sport specialization, sports sampling is purported to be a more effective approach to the long-term health and wellbeing of children. Furthermore, the concept of developing what are commonly referred to as “fundamental movement skills” (FMS) is central to the rationale for delaying single sports specialization. However, in place of sports sampling, it appears that the practice of strength and conditioning (S&C) has become a driving force behind developmental models for youth athletes, highlighted by the growing body of literature regarding youth athletic development training. In this perspective piece, we explore how conventional S&C practice may insufficiently develop FMS because typically, it only emphasizes a narrow range of foundational exercises that serve a limited role toward the development of action capabilities in youth athletic populations. We further discuss how this approach may limit the transferability of physical qualities, such as muscular strength, to sports-specific tasks. Through an ecological dynamics lens, and using basketball as an example, we explore the potential for parkour-based activity within the LTAD of youth basketball players. We propose parkour as a training modality to not only encourage movement diversity and adaptability, but also as part of an advanced strength training strategy for the transfer of conventional S&C training.

Developmental models of the carrion beetle Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Coleoptera are currently considered a fundamental tool to help solve criminal investigations, allowing forensic entomologists to estimate post-mortem intervals and obtain other ecology-related information. Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758) is an important necrophagous beetle distributed through most of the Palaearctic region, where it is readily found on human bodies and animal carcasses. In this study, the new thermal summation models for all the developmental stages of Thanatophilus rugosus are provided. Beetles were reared at six different constant and ecologically relevant temperatures (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 °C), and their developmental times were measured. Thermal summation constants were calculated for each developmental stage (egg, three larval instars, post-feeding stage, and pupa).

The Japanese empathy questionnaire (EmQue) for preschool children: Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender

Empathy is assumed to be a universal human motivation to act altruistically toward others. Developmental models of empathy explaining when and how children acquire the capacity to empathize have been proposed. However, the existing knowledge is largely built upon studies conducted in the Western context. To fill this gap, a cross-culturally validated measure of empathy for children is needed. The purpose of this study was to assess the Japanese version of the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue), a parent-reported measure of empathy in preschool children, including its construct validity, measurement invariance across genders, and reliability. A total of 550 children aged 1–6 years participated in this study ( M age = 4.17 years, SD = 1.21). Their mothers completed the Japanese EmQue. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the hypothesized three-factor structure (emotional contagion, attention to others’ feelings, and prosocial actions) in the 13-item Japanese EmQue. The internal consistencies of the three scales were high. Measurement invariance across gender groups was also supported. Overall, the results demonstrate that the Japanese EmQue is a reliable and valid measure of the empathy of Japanese preschool children. It can serve as a tool in future studies to elucidate the role of culture in shaping empathy in early childhood.