Facial expressions depicting compassionate and critical emotions: the development and validation of a new emotional face stimulus set

Attachment with altruistic others requires the ability to appropriately process affiliative and kind facial cues. Yet there is no stimulus set available to investigate such processes. Here, we developed a stimulus set depicting compassionate and critical facial expressions, and validated its effectiveness using well-established visual-probe methodology. In Study 1, 62 participants rated photographs of actors displaying compassionate/kind and critical faces on strength of emotion type. This produced a new stimulus set based on N = 31 actors, whose facial expressions were reliably distinguished as compassionate, critical and neutral. In Study 2, 70 participants completed a visual-probe task measuring attentional orientation to critical and compassionate/kind faces. This revealed that participants lower in self-criticism demonstrated enhanced attention to compassionate/kind faces whereas those higher in self-criticism showed no bias. To sum, the new stimulus set produced interpretable findings using visual-probe methodology and is the first to include higher order, complex positive affect displays

The function of the alula in avian flight

The alula is a small structure located at the joint between the hand-wing and arm-wing of birds and is known to be used in slow flight with high angles of attack such as landing. It is assumed to function similarly to a leading-edge slat that increases lift and delays stall. However, in spite of its universal presence in flying birds and the wide acceptance of stall delay as its main function, how the alula delays the stall and aids the flight of birds remains unclear. Here, we investigated the function of alula on the aerodynamic performance of avian wings based on data from flight tasks and wind-tunnel experiments. With the alula, the birds performed steeper descending flights with greater changes in body orientation. Force measurements revealed that the alula increases the lift and often delays the stall. Digital particle image velocimetry showed that these effects are caused by the streamwise vortex, formed at the tip of the alula, that induces strong downwash and suppresses the flow separation over the wing surface. This is the first experimental evidence that the alula functions as a vortex generator that increases the lift force and enhances manoeuvrability in flights at high angles of attack.open1

Long-term effects of chronic light pollution on seasonal functions of European blackbirds (turdus merula)

Light pollution is known to affect important biological functions of wild animals, including daily and annual cycles. However, knowledge about long-term effects of chronic exposure to artificial light at night is still very limited. Here we present data on reproductive physiology, molt and locomotor activity during two-year cycles of European blackbirds (Turdus merula) exposed to either dark nights or 0.3 lux at night. As expected, control birds kept under dark nights exhibited two regular testicular and testosterone cycles during the two-year experiment. Control urban birds developed testes faster than their control rural conspecifics. Conversely, while in the first year blackbirds exposed to light at night showed a normal but earlier gonadal cycle compared to control birds, during the second year the reproductive system did not develop at all: both testicular size and testosterone concentration were at baseline levels in all birds. In addition, molt sequence in light-treated birds was more irregular than in control birds in both years. Analysis of locomotor activity showed that birds were still synchronized to the underlying light-dark cycle. We suggest that the lack of reproductive activity and irregular molt progression were possibly the results of i) birds being stuck in a photorefractory state and/or ii) chronic stress. Our data show that chronic low intensities of light at night can dramatically affect the reproductive system. Future studies are needed in order to investigate if and how urban animals avoid such negative impact and to elucidate the physiological mechanisms behind these profound long-term effects of artificial light at night. Finally we call for collaboration between scientists and policy makers to limit the impact of light pollution on animals and ecosystems

The impact of polio eradication on routine immunization and primary health care: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: After 2 decades of focused efforts to eradicate polio, the impact of eradication activities on health systems continues to be controversial. This study evaluated the impact of polio eradication activities on routine immunization (RI) and primary healthcare (PHC). METHODS: Quantitative analysis assessed the effects of polio eradication campaigns on RI and maternal healthcare coverage. A systematic qualitative analysis in 7 countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa assessed impacts of polio eradication activities on key health system functions, using data from interviews, participant observation, and document review. RESULTS: Our quantitative analysis did not find compelling evidence of widespread and significant effects of polio eradication campaigns, either positive or negative, on measures of RI and maternal healthcare. Our qualitative analysis revealed context-specific positive impacts of polio eradication activities in many of our case studies, particularly disease surveillance and cold chain strengthening. These impacts were dependent on the initiative of policy makers. Negative impacts, including service interruption and public dissatisfaction, were observed primarily in districts with many campaigns per year. CONCLUSIONS: Polio eradication activities can provide support for RI and PHC, but many opportunities to do so remain missed. Increased commitment to scaling up best practices could lead to significant positive impacts

Engaging Middle School Students through Locally Focused Environmental Science Project-Based Learning

Increasing scientific literacy through education is one way to promote awareness of current environmental challenges, and can be enhanced through project-based learning (PBL), a pedagogical approach in which students explore authentic topics and demonstrate their learning publically. The National Science Foundation–funded GK–12 program at Iowa State University partnered doctoral-level graduate students (fellows) with middle and high school science teachers. This study analyzed results from one such middle school partnership in Iowa, where a PBL approach was implemented. Classroom practices focused on local environmental case studies of energy development, water pollution, soil science, climate change, plant biology, and ecology. Results from a student survey (n = 101), following a year with the PBL curricula, revealed significantly more positive attitudes and greater levels of engagement and confidence in scientific material relative to GK–12 peers (n = 329). Publicly submitted student letters to a government agency responsible for approving an oil pipeline project were also analyzed for scientific themes and levels of comprehension (n = 65). Overall, 60% of students demonstrated the ability to construct arguments by citing specific data and scientific evidence in the letters, and also incorporated topics covered in previous units (4–5 themes addressed on average per letter). Results demonstrate that a PBL approach in a middle school science classroom is a method to stimulate attitudes, engagement, confidence, and comprehension in the study of environmental topics. Discussion follows about improving K–12 science education to enhance public understanding and engagement around environmental policy issues

Engaging Middle School Students through Locally Focused Environmental Science Project-Based Learning

Increasing scientific literacy through education is one way to promote awareness of current environmental challenges, and can be enhanced through project-based learning (PBL), a pedagogical approach in which students explore authentic topics and demonstrate their learning publically. The National Science Foundation–funded GK–12 program at Iowa State University partnered doctoral-level graduate students (fellows) with middle and high school science teachers. This study analyzed results from one such middle school partnership in Iowa, where a PBL approach was implemented. Classroom practices focused on local environmental case studies of energy development, water pollution, soil science, climate change, plant biology, and ecology. Results from a student survey (n = 101), following a year with the PBL curricula, revealed significantly more positive attitudes and greater levels of engagement and confidence in scientific material relative to GK–12 peers (n = 329). Publicly submitted student letters to a government agency responsible for approving an oil pipeline project were also analyzed for scientific themes and levels of comprehension (n = 65). Overall, 60% of students demonstrated the ability to construct arguments by citing specific data and scientific evidence in the letters, and also incorporated topics covered in previous units (4–5 themes addressed on average per letter). Results demonstrate that a PBL approach in a middle school science classroom is a method to stimulate attitudes, engagement, confidence, and comprehension in the study of environmental topics. Discussion follows about improving K–12 science education to enhance public understanding and engagement around environmental policy issues

Effect of Metformin on miR-146a Expression

Sjögren’s Syndrome (SjS) is an autoimmune disorder that affects secretory glands in the human body, restricting their function and causing extreme dryness in areas like the mouth and eyes. miR-146a is an anti-inflammatory microRNA that targets the NFκB activation pathway. Previous studies have shown that SjS patients have increased miR-146a expression, despite having high levels of inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate whether metformin, a diabetes drug with a wide variety of effects and potential functions, reduces levels of miR-146a expression. Metformin is known to reduce inflammation by inhibiting the activation of NFκB. THP-1 human monocytes were treated with various concentrations of metformin ranging from 12.5uM to 200uM. The cells were treated for 24 hours before total RNA was isolated, and qRT-PCR was utilized to compare miR-146a expression in metformin-treated versus untreated cells. Our results showed a dose-dependent decrease of miR-146a expression in the presence of metformin. These results are reasonable since miR-146a expression is dependent on NFκB activation, and metformin is known to inhibit the activation of NFκB. Further studies will investigate metformin’s ability to suppress inflammation in varying conditions

Microwave reflectometer ionization sensor

The development of the Microwave Reflectometer Ionization Sensor (MRIS) Instrument for use on the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) spacecraft is described. The instrument contract was terminated, due to cancellation of the AFE program, subsequent to testing of an engineering development model. The MRIS, a four-frequency reflectometer, was designed for the detection and location of critical electron density levels in spacecraft reentry plasmas. The instrument would sample the relative magnitude and phase of reflected signals at discrete frequency steps across 4 GHz bandwidths centered at four frequencies: 20, 44, 95, and 140 GHz. The sampled data would be stored for later processing to calculate the distance from the spacecraft surface to the critical electron densities versus time. Four stepped PM CW transmitter receivers were located behind the thermal protection system of the spacecraft with horn antennas radiating and receiving through an insulating tile. Techniques were developed to deal with interference, including multiple reflections and resonance effects, resulting from the antenna configuration and operating environment