Stage Migration Research Articles

The representation of migration in parliamentary settings: critical cross-linguistics corpus-assisted discourse analyses

This study examines migration representation in three parliamentary chambers: the Spanish Chamber, the European Parliament, and the British House of Commons. The time span of its analysis coincides with the eighth Legislature of Spain (2004–2008). The reasons for this decision are straightforward. If parliaments portray or construct ideological debates in democratic societies, it seems logical to turn our attention to them as a means of assessing the nature and quality of comparable but different multicultural environments in which migration is a major defining feature. Furthermore, this time span allows for an examination of such societies at different ideological phases, for example, Spain’s conceptualisation of migration in the initial stages of parliamentary representation. The study expands the method of corpus-assisted analysis through a critical theoretical framework proposed by the socio-political scientist Zapata-Barrero. Data were obtained from the European Comparable and Parallel Corpus Archive of Parliamentary Speeches. Well-established tools in corpus linguistics, such as frequency and collocation, were employed, leading to an examination of Zapata-Barrero’s reactive and proactive discourses. The quantitative methods used were especially in-depth, undertaking an exhaustive descriptive and statistical treatment and aiming to strengthen the validity of subsequent qualitative analyses. Consequently, a virtuous circle was achieved: the corpus linguistic procedures reached higher levels of theoretical abstraction, while Zapata-Barrero’s framework gained robustness and more potential for generalisation. The study’s originality, thus, lies in the mutual synergies activated by this theoretical and methodological combination.

The effects of MEK and PKA inhibition on Spire proteins during oocyte maturation.

Asymmetric division of oocytes driven by chromosome migration is a crucial step of oocyte maturation. Actin filaments take key roles in chromosome migration in oocytesThe aim of this study was to determine the effects of MEK and PKA inhibition on the levels of Spire-1 and Spire-2 proteins that are known to be related to actin nucleation.MEK inhibitor PD98059 and PKA inhibitor H89 were applied during IVM to the oocytes retrieved from preovulatory ovarian follicles of PMSG induced 3-5 weeks old female BalbC mice. GVBD and PBE rates were determined. Spire-1 and Spire-2 proteins were detected by immunofluorescence and western blot in oocytes at different maturation stages.Though GVBD rates were similar in different groups, PBE rates were lower in the MEK inhibition group. Through immunofluorescence, cortical localizations of Spire-1 and Spire-2 were determined. MEK inhibition resulted in a decrease in cortical Spire-1 and Spire-2 levels in PBE oocytes. PKA inhibition led to an increase in cortical Spire-1 levels in spindle migration stage oocytes, and an increase in cortical and total Spire-2 levels in PBE oocytes. Application of both MEK and PKA inhibition resulted in compensation of the decrease in Spire-1, while Spire-2 levels remained low with no compensation of PKA inhibition.According to the results of this study, chemical inhibition of MEK and PKA during oocyte maturation alters Spire-1 and Spire-2 protein levels.

Toward understanding the endocrine regulation of diverse facultative migration strategies

Migration is an important event in the annual cycle of many animals that facilitates the use of resources that vary across space and time. It can occur with regular and predictable timing, as in obligate migration, or with much greater flexibility, as in facultative migration. Most research aimed at understanding the endocrine mechanisms regulating the transition to a migratory stage has focused on obligate migration, whereas less is known about facultative forms of migration. One challenge for research into the endocrine regulation of facultative migration is that facultative migrations encompass a diverse array of migratory movements. Here, we present a framework to describe and conceptualize variation in facultative migrations that focuses on conditions at departure. Within the context of this framework, we review potential endocrine mechanisms involved in the initiation of facultative migrations in vertebrates. We first focus on glucocorticoids, which have been the subject of most research on the topic. We then examine other potential hormones and neurohormones that have received less attention, but are exciting candidates to consider. We conclude by highlighting areas where future research is particularly needed.

Transcriptome analysis reveals temporally regulated genetic networks during Drosophila border cell collective migration

BackgroundCollective cell migration underlies many essential processes, including sculpting organs during embryogenesis, wound healing in the adult, and metastasis of cancer cells. At mid-oogenesis, Drosophila border cells undergo collective migration. Border cells round up into a small group at the pre-migration stage, detach from the epithelium and undergo a dynamic and highly regulated migration at the mid-migration stage, and stop at the oocyte, their final destination, at the post-migration stage. While specific genes that promote cell signaling, polarization of the cluster, formation of protrusions, and cell-cell adhesion are known to regulate border cell migration, there may be additional genes that promote these distinct active phases of border cell migration. Therefore, we sought to identify genes whose expression patterns changed during border cell migration.ResultsWe performed RNA-sequencing on border cells isolated at pre-, mid-, and post-migration stages. We report that 1,729 transcripts, in nine co-expression gene clusters, are temporally and differentially expressed across the three migration stages. Gene ontology analyses and constructed protein-protein interaction networks identified genes expected to function in collective migration, such as regulators of the cytoskeleton, adhesion, and tissue morphogenesis, but also uncovered a notable enrichment of genes involved in immune signaling, ribosome biogenesis, and stress responses. Finally, we validated the in vivo expression and function of a subset of identified genes in border cells.ConclusionsOverall, our results identified differentially and temporally expressed genetic networks that may facilitate the efficient development and migration of border cells. The genes identified here represent a wealth of new candidates to investigate the molecular nature of dynamic collective cell migrations in developing tissues.

A novel RT-qPCR health assay reveals differential expression of stress and immunoregulatory genes between the seasonal migrations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).

Health information is essential for the conservation management of whale species. However, assessing the health of free-ranging whales is challenging as samples are primarily limited to skin and blubber tissue. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) offers a method to measure health from blubber RNA, providing insights into energetic status, stress and immune activity. To identify changes in health, natural differences in baseline gene expression linked to an individual's sex, reproductive status and life-history stage must first be quantified. This study aimed to establish baseline gene expression indices of health in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). To do this, we developed an assay to quantify seven health-related gene transcripts (Leptin, Leptin Receptor, Adiponectin, Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, Tumour Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukin-6, Heat Shock Protein-70) and used Bayesian mixed effect models to assess differential baseline expression based on sex, lactation status and migration stage (northbound to and southbound from the annual breeding grounds). Results showed no significant contribution of sex to differential baseline expression. However, lactating individuals exhibited downregulated AhR and HSP-70 compared to non-lactating conspecifics. Additionally, southbound individuals demonstrated significantly upregulated HSP-70 and downregulated TNF-alpha, suggesting a relationship between these inflammation-linked transcripts and migratory fasting. Our results suggest that baseline differences due to migratory stage and lactation status should be considered in health applications of this assay. Future monitoring efforts can use our baseline measurements to better understand how gene expression is tied to population-level impacts, such as reduced prey availability or migratory stressors.

The Role of Motivation in Work Teams

This article aims to establish the state of the art of motivation in work teams in the scientific literature. The research was of a descriptive type in which a bibliometric review scheme was adapted that includes the stages of recovery, migration, analysis, visualization, and interpretation of information. As a result, 59 research articles were obtained from which it stands out that the United States and China are the main scientific producers on the subject. Likewise, production has been constant and balanced in the 2018-2022 period, with research that mainly addressed aspects such as motivation, leadership, work teams, performance, and human talent, among others. Finally, research that addressed the consequences of motivation on the performance of work teams stands out, as well as the effect of leadership and other moderating variables on the motivation of people in work teams. It is expected that studies related to work teams will continue to grow, especially when work dynamics in today's organizations are strongly oriented towards the creation of competitive, high performance, autonomous, and self-regulated work teams.

A comprehensive study of fines migration in internally unstable natural gas hydrate reservoirs

Evaluating unconsolidated reservoirs' internal stability concerning fine migration is essential for the commercial development of natural gas hydrate resources. In this pursuit, we use our newly developed visualized sand production cell and validated CFD-DEM model to study the fines migration dynamics in unconsolidated reservoirs. Our approach leveraged the novel Analysis Software for the Internal Stability of Granular Soils (ASISGS), equipped with three distinct criteria. Experimental observations revealed reservoirs with smaller fine particles experience intensified sand production, characterized by extended production durations and a heightened presence of fine particles in the produced sand. The fine particles move faster than the coarse ones. The ‘coarse matrix with floating fines’ is a premise for fines migration. The flow channel severely clogged by fine particles may reopen, leading to erosive bursts. Kezdi law and the Kenney and Lau criterion in ASISGS software successfully assessed reservoirs' internal stability, consistent with our experimental results. However, the Sherard criterion sometimes overestimated the reservoir's internal stability. Rather than a binary distinction, our research posits a continuum between internally stable and unstable reservoirs. From a CFD-DEM perspective, we discerned two predominant failure modes leading to sand production: erosion of fines and destabilization of the primary sand arch subsequently triggering a sand skeleton reorganization. The smaller the fine particle size, the slower the coordination number increase, the lower the coordination number the platform reach, and the more significant the fine particle migration. With the hydrodynamic drag force exerted by the fluid, fine particles move faster and farther than coarse particles. The formation process of the sand arch includes initial, migration, and equilibrium stages. Overall, this study offers valuable insights into fines migration and its impact on sand production, providing a foundation for effective sand management in natural gas hydrate reservoirs.

OGC P58 Clinical Rationale for Staging Laparoscopy in Oesophagogastric cancers: A high-volume tertiary centre study

Abstract Background Oesophagagogastric cancers are characterised by their propensity to spread to the locoregional lymph nodes or to distant sites by transcoelomic migration. Accurate staging is imperative to select patients for treatment according to the likelihood of clinical benefit; sparing patients with advanced disease aggressive treatment which would most likely be futile. Staging laparoscopy combined with peritoneal cytology is usually employed as a method to detect peritoneal metastases which would not detected by other staging modalities. Our study focuses on stage migration following staging laparoscopy in patient with oeophagogastric cancers and thus analyses the clinical rationale for staging laparoscopy in these patients. Methods Data from all patients undergoing staging laparoscopy by a standardised procedure for oesophagogastric cancer between January 2013 and December 2022 was studied retrospectively using a prospectively maintained database. Patient demographics, tumour location, preoperative staging, laparoscopy findings, cytology, histopathology and subsequent treatment decisions at multi-disciplinary meetings were analysed. Results A total of 317 patients were identified. Of these 103 (32.5 %) were female. Median age was 69 (33-88) years. The site of tumour was oesophageal for 108 (34%) patients, junctional including gastric cardia for 56 (18%) and gastric (fundus to pylorus) for 153 (48%). Positive peritoneal cytology was identified in 38 (11.9%) patients. There was no significant difference between findings of metastases between primarily oesophageal and primarily gastric tumours (p=0.14). cTNM staging for metastatic disease at laparoscopy was most commonly T3N2 and T3N3 with 10 patients (26.3%) each. Only 5 (13.5%) of patients declared metastatic had been staged as cT4. Conclusions The yield for staging laparoscopy was found to be similar for oesophageal and gastric tumour locations independent of stage. Evidently, while the procedure remains a valuable tool in the staging and management of patients with clinically resectable oesophagogastric cancer,it is essential that the staging laparoscopy procedure be standardised in practice to allow comparisons across regional or national institutes. This stands to impact both the clinical benefit and the cost-effectiveness of the procedure in the long run.

Partitioning survival during early marine migration of wild and hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) smolts using acoustic telemetry

The marine migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) has been prioritised for research internationally as populations of S. salar have declined significantly throughout the species’ range. The main objectives of this study were to use acoustic telemetry to partition survival during the early migration phase, investigate potential causes of mortality and establish diurnal and tidal influences on movements. In 2017 and 2018 wild (n = 49) and hatchery (n = 81) S. salar smolts were tagged with acoustic transmitters. Migration was monitored through a brackish tidal lake, which discharges through a short estuary into northeast Clew Bay in Ireland situated in the northeast Atlantic. Partitioned survival through each area was similar for both wild and hatchery smolts and both groups followed the same migration routes, travelling along the main current out of Clew Bay. Total survival was high within the brackish lake (wild = 98% ± 1.21 and hatchery = 100%) and estuary (wild = 98% ± 1.01 and hatchery = 89% ± 9.28) compared to the marine environment (wild = 67% ± 4.39 and hatchery = 66% ± 7.91). Leaving the brackish lake during an ebb tide and entering the marine environment during daylight increased the probability of survival through the early marine period. The majority of smolts transited through the study area during ebb tides. Migration of hatchery smolts occurred mainly during hours of daylight while wild smolt migration showed no diel patterns. High mortality rates during the initial stages of the marine migration have consequences for the persistence of salmon populations and should be addressed through regionally tailored management measures and conservation efforts aimed at increasing the resilience of salmon stocks.

Change and stability of migration intentions. Evidence from Italy

AbstractDue to a lack of relevant data, very few empirical studies have examined the changes in and stability of secondary migration intentions. We aim to fill this gap by analysing return migration intentions among international migrants in Italy. Data are drawn from the cross‐sectional SCIF survey conducted by ISTAT in 2011–2012. Our findings reveal that migration intentions at the beginning of the migratory experience tend to differ from those measured at more advanced migration stages (i.e. at the time of the survey). In particular, intentions to return seem less stable than intentions to stay. When confirming intentions to return or remain, critical factors include financial stability, family situation and ties with the country of origin and destination. Additionally, having an Italian partner, a partner living in Italy, and a positive self‐assessed family financial condition are positively associated with transitioning from a temporary plan to a permanent settlement intention.

A new method regulates bone fracture tissue exosome lncRNA-mRNA to promote mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and migration

Post-injury adaptation (PIA) is a simple and convenient method to promote bone healing, but its mechanism is unclear. This study was to discuss the role of fracture site tissue exosomes lncRNAs-mRNAs networks on PIA promoting bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) proliferation and migration. Firstly, the effects of PIA accelerating BMSCs proliferation and migration were confirmed by rat fracture model and bone fracture environment in vitro. Besides, the fracture site tissue exosomes were isolated and authenticated. Then the tissue exosomes were the key factor in PIA promoting BMSCs proliferation and migration authenticated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The high throughput sequencing and RT-PCR were used to analyze the tissue exosomes lncRNAs-mRNAs networks. It was found that PIA treatment upregulated 118 lncRNAs, 295 mRNAs, and downregulated 111 lncRNAs, 2706 mRNAs in tissue exosomes. A total 12,211 genes were the target genes. Akt1, Actb and Uba52 were the hub mRNAs in tissue exosomes. In additions, tissue-derived exosomes of PIA treated rats upregulated 49 genes, 3 lncRNAs and downregulated 28 genes, 1 lncRNA in BMSCs. Kif11 was the hub gene. Overall, PIA promoted BMSCs proliferation and migration in the early stage of fracture healing, which was closely related to the fracture site tissue exosomes. Akt1, Actb and Uba52 were the hub mRNAs in the exosomes. Besides, Kif11 might be the key gene in BMSC regulated by tissue-derived exosomes of PIA treated rats.

Pelvic lymphadenectomy: Evaluating nodal stage migration and will rogers effect in bladder cancer

IntroductionPelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) alongside radical cystectomy (RC), provides crucial diagnostic and therapeutic value in patients with bladder cancer. With the advent of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and prospective data supporting standard PLND, controversy remains regarding the optimal PLND extent and patient selection. Nearly 40% of patients may not receive adequate PLND, even though 25% of patients have positive lymph nodes (LN) at time of RC. We hypothesized that PLND still remains an important facet of bladder cancer treatment. To clarify the prognostic importance of nodal yield, we performed a retrospective investigation of a heterogenous population (pTanyNx/0M0) of patients undergoing RC. MethodsFrom the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, we identified pTanyNx/0M0 bladder cancer patients undergoing RC from 2004 to 2015. Kaplan Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models assessed cancer-specific survival. Patients were analyzed with PLND performed as the primary covariate. Survival analysis then stratified patients undergoing PLND by LN yield, both as a continuous and categorial variable (≤10, 11–20, 21–30, and >30), and T stage. ResultsThe final cohort included pTanyNx/0M0 patients with urothelial bladder cancer (n = 12,096); median follow up was 39 (IQR: 17–77) months. PLND was performed in 81.45% of patients with a median LN yield of 14 (IQR: 7–23). Most commonly, patients had T2 disease (44.68%). After controlling for age and T stage, patients receiving PLND had improved CSS (HR = 0.56, [95% CI: 0.51–0.62]) compared to those that did not receive PLND. When grouping patients by LN yield, survival improved in a “dose dependent” manner (>30 LN: HR = 0.76, [95% CI: 0.66–0.87]). We noted similar results when stratifying patients into non–muscle-invasive (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). ConclusionsIn a large contemporary series of pTanyNx/0M0 bladder cancer patients, we found a significant oncologic benefit to PLND. Higher LN yield correlated to improved CSS in non–muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive disease. Our data support the possibility of occult micrometastasis even in non–muscle-invasive disease. Additionally, in light of recent advances in adjuvant immunotherapy, our results emphasize the importance of adequate nodal yield for accurate staging and optimal treatment.

Experimental investigation of gas migration behaviour in unsaturated sand–clay mixtures

Understanding gas migration behaviours in unsaturated sand–clay mixtures is of great importance to design and construction involving applications of shield-cutting-tool replacement using pressure. A gas permeability test apparatus for unsaturated soil was upgraded to investigate gas migration behaviours further. A series of gas, liquid and solid three-phase coupling gas injection tests were performed on unsaturated clay under different moisture contents and sand–clay ratios. There are three stages of gas migration in unsaturated sand–clay: steep drop stage, transition stage and stability stage. In unsaturated sand–clay with low moisture contents and gas pressures, gas migration is affected primarily by the slippage effect. When the gas pressure is greater than 300 kPa, the permeability remains nearly unchanged. In this case, the gas permeability of the soil sample is affected primarily by the internal structural characteristics of the unsaturated soil sample and those of the shrinkage film. The ideal gas permeability of the soil used in actual engineering and the empirical formula for calculating the pressure of the shield pressure-holding system are summarised.

Interacciones potenciales entre embarcaciones menores y zonas de agregación de tortugas marinas en Isla Arena, Campeche

Within the Gulf of Mexico, five of the seven species of sea turtles are distributed and carry out essential stages of their life cycle. The marine habitats of sea turtles are subject to various threats, including bycatch and boat traffic. The aim of this study was to identify, in the marine portion of Isla Arena, Campeche, sites of use of space for its feeding, internesting, and migration stages, as well as potential zones of interaction with small vessels distributed in the study area. For this, satellite tracking of three species of post-nesting female sea turtles: 1 hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), 4 Kemp´s ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), and 7 green turtle (Chelonia mydas), with which the home range was estimated, and through a grid of the study area made up of 170 hexagons of 21 km2 area, the sites of the intensity of space use were estimated for each life stage. With this information and the quantification of vessels identified in the marine area of Isla Arena from January 2017 to December 2019 through Sentinel-2 satellite images, the areas of greatest interaction in three different seasons were identified. As a result, the sites with the highest use of space in the feeding stage are the south and north of Isla Arena, while for internesting the line parallel to the coast is where the highest use occurred; for migration, most of the study area has a use that goes from high to regular. Regarding the potential interaction with boats, feeding season one (January to April) was the one that presented the greatest interaction in the north and south of Isla Arena, while the west and north represent the areas of highest interaction for migration during season three (September to December), and season two (May to August) for internesting. The results of this research highlight that number of small boats activity represents another important stressor for important aggregation zones for sea turtle populations. Keywords: Turtles, interaction, vessels, track, marine.

The journey of Indonesian nurse migration: a scoping review

The migration of nurses from Indonesia to other foreign countries is an inevitable part of the global mobility of the nurse profession. This phenomenon requires investigation to understand the current trajectories of Indonesian nurses in the global market. This scoping review aimed to investigate the Indonesian nurses' mobility to the international healthcare market. A scoping review of primary research addressing Indonesian nurses migration journey overseas. A range of databases were searched, including Scopus, Web of Science Clarivate Analytics, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PubMed. A systematic process was performed guided by the work of Arksey and O'Malley. Four databases were searched, and 68 articles were retrieved. After screening articles and abstracts, 19 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and finally, 17 studies were further analyzed and synthesized. Eleven qualitative studies, five quantitative study and one literature review study met inclusion criteria, emphasizing the three phases of migration: pre-migration, migration and post-migration. The destination countries of Indonesian nurses including Japan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. At the pre-migration stage there are several aspects that must be considered, there were: language, understanding of the job position, reason to work and comprehensive understanding of the destination countries. Migration stage include issues language, deskilling, mental health, unclear career path, cultural adaptation, lack of religious services and homesickness. At the post-migration stage includes deskilling, brain waste and re-integration with brain circulation platform. The comprehensive approach of Indonesian nurses migration from pre-migration, migration and post-migration has shown us the trajectory of Indonesian nurses in international migration. Understanding the bottle neck of each stage with improve policy support is needed to create safe and sound migration channel for Indonesian nurses. This review highlighted to the need for future research in key areas such as the impact of nurse migration on Indonesia's health systems.

Forced migration, family, and separation: The case of Kurdish families in Italy

This article explores how the case of refugee families highlights the challenges faced by migrant families, particularly in the experience of transnational fami-ly-making. The analysis is based on two different ethnographic research, (2014-2016) and (2017-2018), which collected qualitative data by means of semi-structured interviews with first-generation Kurdish refugees. The results show that the experiences of ‘forced migration' and ‘forced settlement' affect family relationships mainly at the affective (ties and relationships) and norma-tive (roles and expectations) levels, and that at each migration stage the com-bination of these spheres changes, weighing differently on family relation-ships.

Numerical analysis on the direction of groundwater flux effects on the early post-injection migration of a CO2 plume

Several parameters have been analysed in the field of carbon dioxide (CO2) subsurface storage efficiency and security, including the aquifer dip and background water flow, for proper selection of CO2 storage aquifer sites. However, less importance has been assigned to the impact of the direction of groundwater flow on the migration of the injected CO2 plume, and hence the aquifer storage performance. This study investigates, using a numerical modelling method, the effect of the direction and magnitude of groundwater flux on the CO2 plume displacement and trapping in dipping aquifers during the early stages of the post-injection migration. The groundwater flow is established using water injection and production wells at the extremities of the model, while the direction of flow is altered from downdip to updip by swapping the locations of these wells. The study estimates and compares the extent of the total injected plume and the mobile portion of the plume, in addition to the instantaneous velocity of the leading tip of the plume, when groundwater flows downdip and when it flows updip. Our results indicate that when the groundwater flows downdip, counter to the overall direction of the CO2 plume migration, the plume is more stretched in both the updip and downdip directions than when groundwater flows updip. The size of mobile CO2 plume enlarges to a greater extent with downdip groundwater flow, causing the advancing tip to accelerate during its updip migration due to increasing buoyancy, with the effect being more pronounced at lower flow velocities. This increases the risk of CO2 leakage during the early stages of the plume migration when groundwater flows downdip. On the other hand, updip groundwater flow reduces the risk of leakage by reducing the velocity and extent of the plume, and increasing the impact of trapping mechanisms. Thus, the direction of groundwater flow can control the migration velocity of the CO2 plume in dipping storage aquifers, not due primarily to any induced viscous force, but due to the impact of trapping on buoyancy. Therefore, choosing the appropriate injection location for CO2 relative to the direction of flux is important for storage efficiency.

Effects of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog and pimozide on the release of luteinizing hormone and ovulation in artificially matured Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

Pituitary gonadotropins, follicle-stimulating hormone (Fsh) and luteinizing hormone (Lh), control oogenesis in all vertebrates. In particular, Lh plays a key role in stimulating the final oocyte maturation and subsequent ovulation. The biosynthesis and secretion of Lh are regulated by several neurohormones, including gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and dopamine. GnRH analogs, also known as Lh releasing hormone analogs (LHRHa), and dopamine antagonists are commonly used to induce sexual maturation in teleosts. However, the effects of these reagents differ among fish species. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of LHRHa and pimozide (a dopamine antagonist) on Lh release and ovulation induction were investigated in female eels whose ovarian development was artificially induced by recombinant Fsh with ovaries containing oocytes at the migratory nucleus stage in vitro and/or in vivo. Both LHRHa and pimozide stimulated the release of Lh from pituitary cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Furthermore, the synergistic effects of LHRHa and pimozide were observed in the release of Lh from the pituitary gland. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the administration of pimozide alone or in combination with LHRHa induced the release of Lh and the fusion of oil droplets in oocytes. In addition, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (OHP) combined with LHRHa and pimozide resulted in complete ovulation at a high rate (87.5% complete ovulation and 12.5% partial ovulation), whereas LHRHa and pimozide without OHP induced partial ovulation at a low rate (0% complete ovulation and 14.3% partial ovulation). These results suggest that combined treatment with LHRHa, pimozide, and OHP could induce ovulation in artificially matured female Japanese eels. However, future studies are needed to evaluate the quality of embryos produced by females induced with LHRHa, pimozide and OHP. Additionally, the pituitary gland obtained from female eels with artificially induced sexual maturation is suitable for investigating the mechanisms of Lh release.

Individuals of a group-living shorebird show smaller home range overlap when food availability is low

BackgroundGroup living animals, such as shorebirds foraging on intertidal mudflats, may use social information about where to find hidden food items. However, flocking also increases intraspecific competition for resources, which may be exacerbated by food scarcity. Therefore, although aggregation may bring benefits, it may also increase the intensity of intraspecific competition.MethodsWe examined this trade-off in adult great knots Calidris tenuirostris, a molluscivorous long-distance migrating shorebird species, using interannual variation based on 2 years with different levels of food availability during their northward migratory staging in the northern Yellow Sea, China. We estimated individual home ranges and the extent of spatial overlap of home ranges of individually tagged birds in 2012 and 2015, whilst discounting for possible differences in body size, body mass, sex and migration schedule between years.ResultsWe found that home range size was not associated with body mass, arrival date, body size, or sex of the individual. Despite a significant difference in food availability between the two study years, there was no significant change in the 50% and 95% home range size of great knots in the contrasting situations. However, there was a significantly smaller spatial overlap between individuals in the year when food was less available, suggesting that great knots operated more independently when food was scarce than when it was abundant.ConclusionsThese results suggest that minimizing intraspecific competition became more important when food was scarce. Where it is impossible to monitor all habitats en route, monitoring the local movements of shorebirds may offer a way to detect changes in habitat quality in real time.

Assessing adverse childhood experiences in young refugees – development of the BRACE questionnaire

Abstract Background With the persistence of ongoing crises and subsequent displacement of individuals, including children, knowledge about adversities experienced in this context is crucial, given the harmful effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on mental and physical health. With the tools currently available, a comprehensive assessment of adversity exposure faced by refugee children is not possible. The BRACE (beyond refugee ACE) project set out to develop a core set of screening items that are refugee children specific and measure exposure and severity at all stages of migration. Here, the development of the Arabic (one of the majority languages of asylum seekers in Europe) parent report version is described. Methods The BRACE questionnaire was developed based on results of 1) a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 47 refugee parents and 11 children (Germany, 2018-2020), and 2) a systematic review of relevant measures. Categories and associated adverse/protective experiences derived in 1) built the foundation of the BRACE. Whenever possible, items of validated ACE tools identified in 2) were used to assess exposure. The item set was finalized after translation into Arabic and cognitive pre-testing with 12 participants from the target population. Results The developed BRACE consisted of 52 items for 48 categories covering 8 adverse (e.g. disruption, violence) and 2 protective themes (e.g., connections). 19 items were developed by the study team (e.g., police brutality), 33 items were adopted from existing ACE tools (e.g. family member arrest). A binary response format expanding into a 4-point Likert scale was employed. Minor difficulties regarding respondent interpretation and answering ability could be resolved resulting in a final 50 item set. Conclusions This item set provides a starting point for field trials of a measure needed to facilitate the identification of at-risk individuals for targeted interventions. Key messages • Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) can harm mental/physical health. Adequate tools assessing ACE exposure in flight contexts are needed in order to develop mitigation strategies for those at risk. • The BRACE project has developed a core set of screening items specific to refugee children's experiences to measure adversity exposure and severity at all stages of migration.