Convergent genomic signatures of high-altitude adaptation among domestic mammals

Abundant and diverse domestic mammals living on the Tibetan Plateau provide useful materials for investigating adaptive evolution and genetic convergence. Here, we used 327 genomes from horses, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and dogs living at both high and low altitudes, including 73 genomes generated for this study, to disentangle the genetic mechanisms underlying local adaptation of domestic mammals. Although molecular convergence is comparatively rare at the DNA sequence level, we found convergent signature of positive selection at the gene level, particularly the EPAS1 gene in these Tibetan domestic mammals. We also reported a potential function in response to hypoxia for the gene C10orf67, which underwent positive selection in three of the domestic mammals. Our data provide an insight into adaptive evolution of high-altitude domestic mammals, and should facilitate the search for additional novel genes involved in the hypoxia response pathway.     

Rapid phenotypic evolution with shallow genomic differentiation during early stages of high elevation adaptation in Eurasian Tree Sparrows

Known as the ‘third polar region’, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau represents one of the harshest highland environments in the world and yet a number of organisms thrive there. Previous studies of birds, animals and humans have focused on well-differentiated populations in later stages of phenotypic divergence. The adaptive processes during the initial phase of highland adaptation remain poorly understood. We studied a human commensal, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow, which has followed human agriculture to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Despite strong phenotypic differentiation at multiple levels, in particular in muscle-related phenotypes, highland and lowland populations show shallow genomic divergence and the colonization event occurred within the past few thousand years. In a one-month acclimation experiment investigating phenotypic plasticity, we exposed adult lowland tree sparrows to a hypoxic environment and did not observe muscle changes. Through population genetic analyses, we identified a signature of polygenic adaptation, whereby shifts in allele frequencies are spread across multiple loci, many of which are associated with muscle-related processes. Our results reveal a case of positive selection in which polygenic adaptation appears to drive rapid phenotypic evolution, shedding light on early stages of adaptive evolution to a novel environment.     

Large-scale multiferroic complex oxide epitaxy with magnetically switched polarization enabled by solution processing

Complex oxides with tunable structures have many fascinating properties, though high-quality complex oxide epitaxy with precisely controlled composition is still out of reach. Here we have successfully developed solution-based single-crystalline epitaxy for multiferroic (1-x)BiTi_(1-y)/2Fe_yMg_(1-y)/2O₃–(x)CaTiO₃ (BTFM–CTO) solid solution in large area, confirming its ferroelectricity at the atomic scale with strong spontaneous polarization. Careful compositional tuning leads to a bulk magnetization of 0.07 ± 0.035 μ_B/Fe at room temperature, enabling magnetically induced polarization switching exhibiting a large magnetoelectric coefficient of 2.7–3.0 × 10⁻⁷ s/m. This work demonstrates the great potential of solution processing in large-scale complex oxide epitaxy and establishes novel room-temperature magnetoelectric coupling in epitaxial BTFM–CTO film, making it possible to explore a much wider space of composition, phase, and structure that can be easily scaled up for industrial applications.     

Evolution and distribution of medullary bone: evidence from a new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird

Living birds are unique among vertebrates in the formation of a female-specific bone tissue called medullary bone (MB) that is strictly associated with reproductive activity. MB is a rapidly mobilized source of calcium and phosphorus for the production of eggshell. Among living taxa, its skeletal distribution can be highly extensive such that it even exists in the ribs of some species. Due to its ephemeral nature, MB is rarely fossilized and so little is understood with regard to the origin of MB and its skeletal distribution in early taxa. Here we describe a new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird, Mirusavis parvus, gen. et. sp. nov., indicating that skeleton-wide distribution of MB appeared early in avian evolution. We suggest that this represents the plesiomorphic condition for the Aves and that the distribution of MB observed among extant neornithines is a product of increased pneumatization in this lineage and natural selection for more efficient distribution of MB.     

Perceptions of job satisfaction,job stability,and quality of professional life among rural and urban school psychologists

A survey was conducted of 231 psychologists from a midwestern state. Investigators surveyed perceptions of job satisfaction, job stability, and quality of professional life. Responses of rural and urban professionals were compared. While resembling urban colleagues in most regards, rural psychologists appear more satisfied with working environments and job policies. Discussion is presented on differences between the two groups on a number of variables influencing perceptions.     

Comparison of the slosson intelligence test,revised norms,and WISC-R for children with learning problems and for gifted children

The Slosson Intelligence Test (revised norms) (SIT) and the WISC-R were compared in two samples of children. In the first sample, there were 34 black and 27 white rural Southeastern Alabama children being considered for special education classes. In the second sample, there were 4 black and 81 white suburban Alabama children being considered for classes for the talented and gifted. In both samples, correlations between the SIT IQ and WISC-R Full Scale IQ were significant (rs of .70 and .48, respectively). However, in the special education sample, SIT IQs were significantly higher than WISC-R Full Scale IQs by about 7 points. The results from both samples provide a moderate degree of support for the concurrent validity of the revised SIT norms, using the WISC-R as the criterion. However, the IQs on the two tests may not be interchangeable.     

Teaching learning disabled students goal-implementation skills

Eight learning disabled (LD) junior high school students were taught goal-setting and self-regulatory skills in a resource room setting. The training program was designed to help students set realistic goals, develop plans to achieve these goals, monitor and evaluate their own behavior, and accept responsibility for the outcome of goal-directed activities. The goal-implementation strategy was effective in increasing some students' rates of assignment completion in the resource room and the regular classroom. Following the training program, students attributed success to effort; failure was attributed to effort, luck, and task difficulty.     

The evidence for the impact of policy on physical activity outcomes within the school setting: A systematic review

BackgroundDespite the well-established health benefits of physical activity (PA) for young people (aged 4–19 years), most do not meet PA guidelines. Policies that support PA in schools may be promising, but their impact on PA behavior is poorly understood. The aim of this systematic review was to ascertain the level and type of evidence reported in the international scientific literature for policies within the school setting that contribute directly or indirectly to increasing PA.MethodsThis systematic review is compliant with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Six databases were searched using key concepts of policy, school, evaluation, and PA. Following title and abstract screening of 2323 studies, 25 progressed to data synthesis. Methodological quality was assessed using standardized tools, and the strength of the evidence of policy impact was described based on pre-determined codes: positive, negative, inconclusive, or untested statistically.ResultsEvidence emerged for 9 policy areas that had a direct or indirect effect on PA within the school setting. These were whole school PA policy, physical education, sport/extracurricular PA, classroom-based PA, active breaks/recess, physical environment, shared use agreements, active school transport, and surveillance. The bulk of the evidence was significantly positive (54%), 27% was inconclusive, 9% was significantly negative, and 11% was untested (due to rounding, some numbers add to 99% or 101%). Frequency of evidence was highest in the primary setting (41%), 34% in the secondary setting, and 24% in primary/secondary combined school settings. By policy area, frequency of evidence was highest for sport/extracurricular PA (35%), 17% for physical education, and 12% for whole school PA policy, with evidence for shared use agreements between schools and local communities rarely reported (2%). Comparing relative strength of evidence, the evidence for shared use agreements, though sparse, was 100% positive, while 60% of the evidence for whole school PA policy, 59% of the evidence for sport/extracurricular PA, 57% of the evidence for physical education, 50% of the evidence for PA in classroom, and 50% of the evidence for active breaks/recess were positive.ConclusionThe current evidence base supports the effectiveness of PA policy actions within the school setting but cautions against a “one-size-fits-all” approach and emphasizes the need to examine policy implementation to maximize translation into practice. Greater clarity regarding terminology, measurement, and methods for evaluation of policy interventions is needed.