Polymorphism and mapping of the IGF1 gene,and absence of association with stature among African Pygmies

Summary Probes detecting restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in the insulinlike growth factor (IGF1) gene were isolated and allele frequencies in different human populations determined. No difference was detected between the distribution of IGF1 alleles in Pygmies versus non-Pygmy black Africans, despite the proposal that a defect in the IGF1 gene might be responsible for Pygmy short stature. This was supported by the absence of a correlation of IGF1 genotype with height in the C.A.R. Pygmies. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing failed to demonstrate an alteration in the region upstream the IGF1 start site in Pygmies. Linkage analysis demonstrated that IGF1 is tightly linked to the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene on chromosome 12q22–24.1.     

The productive traits,fatty acid profile and nutritional indices of three lupin (Lupinus spp.) species cultivated in a Mediterranean environment for the livestock

The aim of this study was to investigate the productive traits and fatty acid profiles of eight sweet varieties of Lupinus albus, Lupinus angustifolius and Lupinus luteus cultivated in a Mediterranean environment (Sicily, southern Italy). This is being done to identify the most suitable species, from an agronomical and nutritional point of view, for supporting animal husbandry in this area. Seed yield, oil quantity and oil quality were considerably different depending on the genotype. L. albus showed the highest yield (2.0–2.4 t/ha), 100 seed weight (27.0 g, on average), oil content (70.4–75.5 g/kg), and n?3/n?6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio (0.39–0.51), L. angustifolius showed the highest content of saturated fatty acids (21.03–26.66 g/100 g) and L. luteus showed the highest levels of n?6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (47.56–50.85 g/100 g), unsaturated/saturated (4.93–5.62) and polyunsaturated/saturated (3.33–3.99) fatty acid ratios and the best atherogenic (0.06) and thrombogenic (0.09–0.11) indices. The data obtained suggests L. albus as the most interesting lupin species for aiding the crop-livestock food chain and L. luteus as a promising crop due to its high nutritive traits for the Mediterranean environment.     

A Thermally Controlled Microinjector

An economical device for 0.1-2 μl microinjections in animals is described. The expansion of electrically heated mercury is used to provide precise and repeatable injections. The rate of injection can be controlled either manually or by a motor drive.     

Ricerche morfologiche ed istochimiche sui lipidi delle vie biliari nei Mammiferi

Sans résumé     

Phylogenetic Properties of RNA Viruses

A new word, phylodynamics, was coined to emphasize the interconnection between phylogenetic properties, as observed for instance in a phylogenetic tree, and the epidemic dynamics of viruses, where selection, mediated by the host immune response, and transmission play a crucial role. The challenges faced when investigating the evolution of RNA viruses call for a virtuous loop of data collection, data analysis and modeling. This already resulted both in the collection of massive sequences databases and in the formulation of hypotheses on the main mechanisms driving qualitative differences observed in the (reconstructed) evolutionary patterns of different RNA viruses. Qualitatively, it has been observed that selection driven by the host immune response induces an uneven survival ability among co-existing strains. As a consequence, the imbalance level of the phylogenetic tree is manifestly more pronounced if compared to the case when the interaction with the host immune system does not play a central role in the evolutive dynamics. While many imbalance metrics have been introduced, reliable methods to discriminate in a quantitative way different level of imbalance are still lacking. In our work, we reconstruct and analyze the phylogenetic trees of six RNA viruses, with a special emphasis on the human Influenza A virus, due to its relevance for vaccine preparation as well as for the theoretical challenges it poses due to its peculiar evolutionary dynamics. We focus in particular on topological properties. We point out the limitation featured by standard imbalance metrics, and we introduce a new methodology with which we assign the correct imbalance level of the phylogenetic trees, in agreement with the phylodynamics of the viruses. Our thorough quantitative analysis allows for a deeper understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of the considered RNA viruses, which is crucial in order to provide a valuable framework for a quantitative assessment of theoretical predictions.     

How costly is clutch formation in the Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii?

During the Audouin's Gull's breeding season at the Ebro Delta in 1993, 24 fresh eggs from eight three-egg clutches (modal clutch-size) were collected at the peak of the laying period. Eggs were processed to obtain formalin-fixed yolks, which were halved and stained using the potassium dichromate method. Digitized images of the yolks were examined to assess the daily rates of yolk deposition. We used these data in combination with egg compositional analysis to build a model of energy demands during the formation of an average clutch in Audouin's Gull. To show how the different parameters of clutch formation affect the daily energy investment peak, we performed a simulation analysis in which the rapid yolk development (RYD) period, the follicle triggering interval (FTI), the laying interval (LI) and the albumen synthesis period (ASP) were allowed to vary simultaneously. In our sample, the mean RYD period was seven days with a range from six to eight days. There were no significant differences in yolk volume among eggs in a clutch, but albumen volume was significantly smaller in third eggs. According to our model the albumen synthesis of the a-egg coincides with the energy demand peak for clutch formation. This peak represents an increase by ca. 42% in female energy requirements. Values obtained from the simulation analysis showed that only the ASP of the a-egg and the RYD durations of the second and third follicles produced noticeable reductions in peak energy investment. We predict that in gulls, whose laying intervals seem to be kept constant, significant increases of the durations of the RYD periods of second and third eggs, or even significant reductions of yolk size of these eggs, may operate simultaneously to match the energy demands during clutch formation to the prevailing food conditions.     

The body beyond the body: expectation of a sensory event is enough to induce ownership over a fake hand

More than 100 papers have been published on the rubber hand illusion since its discovery 14 years ago. The illusion has been proposed as a demonstration that the body is distinguished from other objects by its participation in specific forms of intermodal perceptual correlation. Here, we radically challenge this view by claiming that perceptual correlation is not necessary to produce the experience of this body as mine. Each of 15 participants was seated with his/her right arm resting upon a table just below another smaller table. Thus, the real hand was hidden from the participant''s view and a life-sized rubber model of a right hand was placed on the small table in front of the participant. The participant observed the experimenter''s hand while approaching—without touching—the rubber hand. Phenomenology of the illusion was measured by means of skin conductance response and questionnaire. Both measures indicated that participants experienced the illusion that the experimenter''s hand was about to touch their hidden hand rather than the rubber hand, as if the latter replaced their own hand. This did not occur when the rubber hand was rotated by 180° or replaced by a piece of wood. This illusion indicates that our brain does not build a sense of self in a merely reactive way, via perceptual correlations; rather it generates predictions on what may or may not belong to itself.     

How the Context Matters. Literal and Figurative Meaning in the Embodied Language Paradigm

The involvement of the sensorimotor system in language understanding has been widely demonstrated. However, the role of context in these studies has only recently started to be addressed. Though words are bearers of a semantic potential, meaning is the product of a pragmatic process. It needs to be situated in a context to be disambiguated. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that embodied simulation occurring during linguistic processing is contextually modulated to the extent that the same sentence, depending on the context of utterance, leads to the activation of different effector-specific brain motor areas. In order to test this hypothesis, we asked subjects to give a motor response with the hand or the foot to the presentation of ambiguous idioms containing action-related words when these are preceded by context sentences. The results directly support our hypothesis only in relation to the comprehension of hand-related action sentences.