A system-based approach to the genetic etiologies of non-immune hydrops fetalis

A wide spectrum of genetic causes may lead to nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF), and a thorough phenotypic and genetic evaluation are essential to determine the underlying etiology, optimally manage these pregnancies, and inform discussions about anticipated prognosis. In this review, we outline the known genetic etiologies of NIHF by fetal organ system affected, and provide a systematic approach to the evaluation of NIHF. Some of the underlying genetic disorders are associated with characteristic phenotypic features that may be seen on prenatal ultrasound, such as hepatomegaly with lysosomal storage disorders, hyperechoic kidneys with congenital nephrosis, or pulmonary valve stenosis with RASopathies. However, this is not always the case, and the approach to evaluation must include prenatal ultrasound findings as well as genetic testing and many other factors. Genetic testing that has been utilized for NIHF ranges from standard chromosomal microarray or karyotype to gene panels and broad approaches such as whole exome sequencing. Family and obstetric history, as well as pathology examination, can yield additional clues that are helpful in establishing a diagnosis. A systematic approach to evaluation can guide a more targeted approach to genetic evaluation, diagnosis, and management of NIHF.     

Entitled to solutions: The need for research on workplace entitlement

Workplace entitlement is a pressing concern for modern organizations and managers. Organizational scholars, however, have largely overlooked this phenomenon in their research. In this Incubator, we summarize the untapped opportunities that entitlement research offers for impacting both scholarly thinking and practitioner knowledge on the subject. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rider preferences and economic values for equestrian trails

Recreational horseback riding is an important, but less studied, component of human interaction with the natural environment and often occurs alongside other outdoor recreational activities. Using choice experiment data collected from a survey conducted in Kentucky, this study assesses rider preferences and economic values associated with various equestrian trail attributes for daylong horseback riding trips in rural trail systems. Results indicate that while individuals have different opinions, trail attributes such as length of trail, scenic views, and travel distance from home all have significant economic implications. In addition, riders prefer trails that are restricted for horse riding only. Willingness to pay estimates of all attributes increase substantially when the travel cost to reach the trail is also considered. Policy implications on maintaining current and creating new trails in a multi-user setting are given, such as the opportunities for separating horseback riders from other users while still providing other beneficial attributes like options for longer trails and scenic views to all groups.     

Soil microbial response to waste potassium silicate drilling fluid

Potassium silicate drilling fluids (PSDF) are a waste product of the oil and gas industry with potential for use in land reclamation. Few studies have examined the influence of PSDF on abundance and composition of soil bacteria and fungi. Soils from three representative locations for PSDF application in Alberta, Canada, with clay loam, loam and sand textures were studied with applications of unused, used once and used twice PSDF. For all three soils, applying ≥ 40 m³/ha of used PSDF significantly affected the existing soil microbial flora. No microbiota was detected in unused PSDF without soil. Adding used PSDF to soil significantly increased total fungal and aerobic bacterial colony forming units in dilution plate counts, and anaerobic denitrifying bacteria numbers in serial growth experiments. Used PSDF altered bacterial and fungal colony forming unit ratios of all three soils.     

The role of natural disaster in individual and relational adjustment in Sri Lankan mothers following the 2004 tsunami

The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between maternal mental health distress symptoms, including depression and post‐traumatic stress disorder, the extent to which the presence of a child's disaster‐related physical health problem(s) have interfered with daily functioning, and family cohesion over time among Sri Lankan mothers who survived the tsunami on 26 December 2004. Study variables were measured using a self‐report questionnaire administered approximately four months after the event and three years later in summer 2008. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted. Path analysis was employed to assess the relationships between the key variables over time and the correlations in the study variables at each time point. Among other findings, the results of the path analysis indicated that post‐traumatic stress symptom distress four months after the disaster significantly predicted variance in family cohesion three years later. Clinical and empirical research implications are presented and discussed.     

An empirical model of soil chemical properties that regulate methane production in Japanese rice paddy soils

To understand which soil chemical properties are the best predictors of CH4 production in rice paddy soils, a model was developed with empirical data from nine types of rice soils collected around Japan and anaerobically incubated at 30 degrees C for 16 wk in laboratory conditions. After 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 wk of incubation, CO2, CH4, and Fe(II) were measured to understand soil organic matter decomposition and iron (Fe) reduction. Available N (N ava) was also measured at the end of incubation. The results showed that decomposable C and reducible Fe are two key parameters that regulate soil CH(4) production (P CH4). There was a significant relationship between decomposable C and available N (N ava) (r2 = 0.975**). Except for a sandy soil sample, a significant relationship between total Fe (Fe total) and reducible Fe was found. From this experiment, a simple model of soil CH4 production was developed: P CH4 = 1.593N(ava) - 2.460Fe total/1000 (each unit was mg kg(-1) soil). After simulated CH4 production by two soil chemical properties as above, there was a significant consistency between model simulation and actual measurement (r2 = 0.831**).     

Family dynasties in the Tasmanian native hen (Gallinula mortierii)

For species that form multi-generational and territorial family groups, resource-rich areas are predicted to support family dynasties in which one genetic lineage continuously occupies an area and may even expand to occupy surrounding areas. Data from a long-term study of Tasmanian native hens (Gallinula mortierii) support this prediction. The reproductive success and dispersal patterns of 18 hen lineages were monitored for seven breeding seasons and over several generations. The founder group with the highest average territory quality produced the highest total number of fledged young and the highest number of fledged linear descendants, accounting for 24% of the combined reproductive output of these 18 lineages. In the space of 6 years, this single genetic lineage expanded from one territory to occupy 12 of the 47 territories present in the population. This rate of expansion was over four times the population average for the same period. A multivariate analysis revealed that the success of a genetic lineage depended only on the number of high-quality territories surrounding the founder group. These results further demonstrate the resource-dependent nature of reproductive success in this species, and also highlight the potential importance of family dynasties in other cooperative species with complex social dynamics and dispersal patterns.     

Complex genetic structure of a euryhaline marine fish in temporarily open/closed estuaries from the wider Gulf of Aden

Temporarily open/closed estuaries (TOCEs) are major ecosystems of the Indian Ocean coastal zones. Their functioning is tightly linked to climatic events such as monsoons and storms, and their mouth can close up for prolonged and variable periods of time, thus limiting their connectivity with the marine environment. Two types of genetic markers (i.e., mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene and microsatellites) were used to assess the genetic structure of 288 individuals of Terapon jarbua, a widely distributed fish species in the wider Gulf of Aden. Firstly, the hypothesis of panmixia was tested. Then, alternative hypotheses were investigated to explain the population genetic structure of T. jarbua: could it be shaped by (1) regional biogeographic barriers (i.e., Socotra Island vs. mainland Yemen) and/or (2) the particular functioning of TOCEs in relation to the species life cycle and particular physical ocean parameters? On one hand, the polymorphism of the COI inferred (1) a high haplotype diversity and a reduced nucleotide diversity over the whole data set and (2) a “star-like” shape of the haplotype network, thus suggesting a population expansion after local extinctions during the Pleistocene glaciations. On a second hand, the genotyping of eight microsatellites showed a significant genetic differentiation between T. jarbua populations in the wider Gulf of Aden (F _ST = 0.035, p < 0.01), and thus, the panmixia hypothesis was rejected. Analyses of molecular variance results did not show any significant structure between Socotra Island and mainland Yemen and thus did not support the role of biogeographic barriers in structuring T. jarbua populations. Significant multi-locus deficits in heterozygotes at particular locations displaying high levels of F _IS were recorded. It was suggested that a possible Wahlund effect took place in those TOCEs which could gather several cohorts of larvae stemming from different marine subpopulations over the sampled area. The present study emphasized the uniqueness of each TOCE as a potential reservoir of biodiversity and the urgent need for a better conservation program of those estuaries in the region, in order to avoid habitat fragmentation and permanent closure of those nursery areas by human activities.