Diversity of topological digital patterns in Iranian populations

We analyzed bilateral finger prints of 3158 individuals from 13 Iranian populations of diverse origins, for digital patterns, using the topological method. Some male/female differences, and a great deal of heterogeneity in interpopulational variation was observed. Distance analysis, and the resultant dendrograms separated the populations studied, but the separation was not in agreement with the known ethnohistory of this region. Comparison of the obtained results with those based on the traditional methodology showed that the traditional methodology gives better results in measuring population distances.     

Diversity of palmar pattern ridge counts in Iranian populations

We analyzed bilateral palmar prints of 3,158 individuals from 13 Iranian populations of diverse origins for palmar pattern ridge counts. Right palms did not show greater counts than the left in the majority of the populations studied. Highly significant interpopulational variation was observed for most palmar areas of both males and females. Dendrograms of males and combined sexes showed a good fit with the ethnohistoric background of the populations studied. The results thus demonstrate variation in the palmar pattern ridge counts of populations of diverse origins and may be used as a good measure of population distance.     

Diversity in palmar pattern ridge counts among 12 Iranian populations

Bilateral palmar prints of 604 male individuals from 12 Iranian groups, six Mongoloid and six Caucasoid, have been analyzed for palmar pattern ridge counts (PPRC). Highly significant variation has been observed in the size of the palmar patterns in all the configurational areas among the Iranian groups. The distance analysis based on PPRCs differentiated the Iranian Mongoloid from the Iranian Caucasoid groups into distinct clusters. The pattern of differentiation based on PPRCs explained the ethnohistoric relationships between the Iranian groups as well as between the Iranian and the 20 Caucasoid groups from India much better than the palmar pattern frequencies. The results of this study demonstrate the existence of variation in the size of the palmar patterns across different populations within an ethnic group, as well as that among different ethnic groups, and seems to be a better indicator of interpopulational diversity than the palmar pattern frequencies.     

Diversity of C-line terminations in Iranian populations

Thirteen Iranian populations of diverse origins have been analyzed for C-line terminations, utilizing bilateral palmar prints of 3,158 individuals. Significant bimanual and male/female differences were frequently found in these populations. Interpopulational variation displayed significant heterogeneity. Distance analysis and constructed dendrograms provided separation between the populations, but the dendrograms are not in agreement with the ethnohistoric records of the populations studied.     

Cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms in Iranian populations

Cytokines are important immunomodulatory molecules involved in immune responses against microorganisms; they also have an important role in the setting of immune system disorders. Cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms have been extensively studied in different, normal populations as well as in association with disease. Cytokine gene polymorphisms are potentially important as genetic predictors of disease susceptibility, clinical outcome, and as a tool for anthropological studies. In this study, samples have been collected from 455 healthy individuals located in different regions of Iran (Tehran, Yazd, Sistan and Balochistan). Allele and genotype frequencies of cytokine SNP, including: IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-1R, IL-1RA, IL-2, IL-4, IL-4RA, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta and IFN-gamma were investigated, using the PCR-SSP method. Allele frequencies in Tehran and Yazd populations were similar, except for TGF-beta. Allele frequencies in Sistani & Baloch populations were similar at all positions, except for IL-1beta at position of -511 and IFN-gamma genes at position UTR5644; there were some differences in allele frequencies comparing these populations with the Yazd population, including: IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-beta and TNF-alpha. Although some significant differences were observed for some cytokines, it seems that the cytokine gene polymorphism profile of the Iranian population is similar to that of Caucasians, particularly the Italian population.     

Spiralin Diversity Within Iranian Strains of Spiroplasma citri

The first-cultured and most-studied spiroplasma is Spiroplasma citri, the causal agent of citrus stubborn disease, one of the three plant-pathogenic, sieve-tube-restricted, and leafhopper vector-transmitted mollicutes. In Iranian Fars province, S. citri cultures were obtained from stubborn affected citrus trees, sesame and safflower plants, and from the leafhopper vector Circulifer haematoceps. Spiralin gene sequences from different S. citri isolates were amplified by PCR, cloned, and sequenced. Phylogenetic trees based on spiralin gene sequence showed diversity and indicated the presence of three clusters among the S. citri strains. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of eleven spiralins from Iranian strains and those from the reference S. citri strain GII-3 (241 aa), Palmyre strain (242 aa), Spiroplasma kunkelii (240 aa), and Spiroplasma phoeniceum (237 aa) confirmed the conservation of general features of the protein. However, the spiralin of an S. citri isolate named Shiraz I comprised 346 amino acids and showed a large duplication of the region comprised between two short repeats previously identified in S. citri spiralins. We report in this paper the spiralin diversity in Spiroplasma strains from southern Iran and for the first time a partial internal duplication of the spiralin gene.     

Cuttrees in the topological analysis of branching patterns

In this paper the effects of the occurrence of cut trees in the topological analysis of branching patterns have been studied. It is assumed that branches are removed at random from the trees. We prove that, for both the segmental and terminal growth models, the probability distributions of the cut trees are identical to those of complete trees.     

Parent-offspring resemblance of palmar and plantar dermatoglyphic patterns in Down syndrome

With the aim of investigating the influence of trisomy 21 on the expression of heritable morphological features, we recorded the palmar and plantar dermatoglyphic patterns in 48 children with Down syndrome (DS), in both their parents, and, as a control, in 57 of their siblings. Using the Kendall tau rank correlation test, a considerable parental influence on the frequency of true patterns in the interdigital areas (IDA) III and IV of the palms (P = 0.3%) and soles (P = 1.0% and 3.8%, respectively) is demonstrated for the control siblings. In the children with DS, this influence is discernible as well, although with no statistical significance. A greater number of families may be required to settle the question.     

Genetic Diversity of ND5 mitochondrial patterns in Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations from Tunisia

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) is known to be one of the most destructive and economically important agricultural pests worldwide. Several previous research projects have investigated the genetic makeup of regional populations of this pest and the relationships of populations from different areas of the world, including countries from the Mediterranean region. However, previously, little information has been reported on populations from Tunisia, despite the fact that this pest occurs in several agriculturally sensitive areas of this country. In order to study the genetic diversity of medfly populations within Tunisia, specimens were collected from the Coastal, Northern, Central and Southern regions of the country. Results using mitochondrial ND5 sequences show the presence of distinct haplotypes. This data used to analyze the levels of genetic variability within and between populations from Tunisia as well as from other countries in the Mediterranean region (Morocco and Israel) and in the world (Seychelles and Hawaii). This study also leads to a better understanding of the origin of new infestations and the colonization processes involving this pest.     

Diversity patterns in terrestrial dipteran communities

1. Dipteran communities were studied in five terrestrial habitats [beech forest (BE), oak and hornbeam forest (OH), hedgerow (HE), meadow (ME), alder and willow forest (AW)] using emergence traps and diversity patterns of three trophic groups with soil-dwelling larvae (zoophages, phytosaprophages and surface scrapers) were analysed in detail.
2. Across habitats, sampling effort was a poor predictor of species richness, and species richness increased more steeply with sample size in the zoophages than in the phytosaprophages and surface scrapers.
3. Point diversity (S/trap) of phytosaprophages and surface scrapers increased (as predicted) with resource heterogeneity in the litter layer, but that of zoophages did not. It is suggested that this may be due to differential resource requirements of the three trophic groups during adult life.
4. Zoophages attained the highest and surface scrapers the lowest values of Shannon diversity, while phytosaprophages were intermediate.
5. Predator:prey ratios differed between habitats; they were particularly high in the meadow and low in the oak and hornbeam forest communities.
6. Species identity (Sorensen index) of soil-dwelling Diptera arranged habitats in an order of decreasing similarity (BE–OH–HE–ME–AW), but percentage similarity indicated a closer relationship between the meadow and the hedgerow communities [BE–OH–AW–(HE–ME)]. Functional similarity, which was based on the proportional biomass of differently sized trophic groups, was highest between the BE and OH communities, i.e. in the habitats most similar in litter layer and vegetation structure.     

Diversity patterns in a diversity hotspot

Our knowledge of diversity patterns is generally founded on studies performed in the more species‐poor part of our globe. Ibanez et al. (2014, this issue) report on patterns based on impressive field efforts in a diversity hotspot, namely New Caledonia. Some intriguing patterns arise from this study offering valuable insights in our quest to understand and manage global biodiversity.     

Diversity of some gene frequencies in European and Asian populations. VI. Geographic patterns of PGM and ACP

Genetic variation at the phosphoglucomutase-1 (PGM) and acid phosphatase (ACP) loci, in 160 and 120 European and Asian populations, respectively, is described by spatial autocorrelation statistics and directional variograms. Short-distance patterns of gene frequencies correspond to those predicted by models of isolation by distance, but long-range differentiation of populations is observed as well. A possible role of climatic selection in maintaining the PGM polymorphism is supported by the north-south orientation of the gradient for that locus, but not by biochemical evidence. By and large, the observed patterns of gene frequencies seem to reflect a combination of demographic processes, subdivision and isolation of local populations among them.     

Digital and palmar dermatoglyphic patterns among natives of extreme northwest Nepal

A dermatoglyphic study was made of two high-altitude populations inhabiting the same ecozone in extreme northwest Nepal. Despite cultural and linguistic differences there appears to be a significant amount of dermatoglyphic homology between the Buddhist-Tibetan villages and their Hindu-Caucasian neighbors.     

Detection of multi-species patterns in plant populations

An analytical method for the detection of multi-species spatial patterns in grasslands was investigated. Several data sets of grasslands from the granitic pediment of the Sierra de Guadarrama (Central Spain) were used. The application of correspondence analysis to sequential abundance data of several species allowed the ordination of quadrats in an axis of floristic variation. Coordinate data were then subjected to pattern analysis through the use of variance tests, the results showing the existence of multi-species patches having variable dimensions.     

Genetic Diversity in Five Iranian Native Chicken Populations Estimated by Microsatellite Markers

Iranian chicken genetic resources are characterized by a long history and a vast diversity. This study represents the first results from the selection and evaluation of five polymorphic microsatellite markers for the genetic assessment of five native chicken populations located in the northwestern (West Azerbaijan), northern (Mazandaran), central (Isfahan, Yazd), and southern (Fars) provinces of Iran. The number of alleles ranged from three to six per microsatellite locus. All populations were characterized by a high degree of genetic diversity, with the lowest heterozygosity found in the Isfahan population (62%) and the greatest in the populations from West Azerbaijan and Mazandaran (79%). The largest Nei’s unbiased genetic distance was found between the Isfahan and Fars populations (0.696) and the smallest between the Mazandaran and Yazd populations (0.097). The Isfahan population was found to be the most genetically distant among all populations studied. These results serve as an initial step in the plan for genetic characterization and conservation of Iranian native chickens.     

Diversity of Sinorhizobium strains nodulating Medicago sativa from different Iranian regions

Alfalfa is believed to have originated in north-western Iran and has a long history of coexistence with its bacterial symbiont Sinorhizobium in soils of Iran. However, little is known about the diversity of Sinorhizobium strains nodulating Iranian alfalfa genotypes. In this study, Sinorhizobium populations were sampled from eight different Iranian sites using three cultivars of Medicago sativa as trap host plants. A total of 982 rhizobial strains were isolated and species were identified showing a large prevalence of Sinorhizobium meliloti over Sinorhizobium medicae. Analysis of salt tolerance demonstrated a great phenotypic diversity. The genetic diversity of the Sinorhizobium isolates was analysed using BOX-PCR and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR. Patterns ofBOX-PCR fingerprinting were statistically analysed with AMOVA to evaluate the role of plant variety and site of origin in the genetic variance observed. Results indicated that most of the total molecular variance was attributable to divergence among strains isolated from different sites and cultivars (intrapopulation, strain-by-strain variance). Moreover, the analysis showed the presence of two geographic populations (west and northwest), indicating that the effect of the site of origin could be more relevant in shaping population genetic diversity than the effect of cultivar or individual plant.     

Genomic patterns of homozygosity in worldwide human populations

Genome-wide patterns of homozygosity runs and their variation across individuals provide a valuable and often untapped resource for studying human genetic diversity and evolutionary history. Using genotype data at 577,489 autosomal SNPs, we employed a likelihood-based approach to identify runs of homozygosity (ROH) in 1,839 individuals representing 64 worldwide populations, classifying them by length into three classes—short, intermediate, and long—with a model-based clustering algorithm. For each class, the number and total length of ROH per individual show considerable variation across individuals and populations. The total lengths of short and intermediate ROH per individual increase with the distance of a population from East Africa, in agreement with similar patterns previously observed for locus-wise homozygosity and linkage disequilibrium. By contrast, total lengths of long ROH show large interindividual variations that probably reflect recent inbreeding patterns, with higher values occurring more often in populations with known high frequencies of consanguineous unions. Across the genome, distributions of ROH are not uniform, and they have distinctive continental patterns. ROH frequencies across the genome are correlated with local genomic variables such as recombination rate, as well as with signals of recent positive selection. In addition, long ROH are more frequent in genomic regions harboring genes associated with autosomal-dominant diseases than in regions not implicated in Mendelian diseases. These results provide insight into the way in which homozygosity patterns are produced, and they generate baseline homozygosity patterns that can be used to aid homozygosity mapping of genes associated with recessive diseases.     

Global patterns of resilience decline in vertebrate populations

Maintaining the resilience of natural populations, their ability to resist and recover from disturbance, is crucial to prevent biodiversity loss. However, the lack of appropriate data and quantitative tools has hampered our understanding of the factors determining resilience on a global scale. Here, we quantified the temporal trends of two key components of resilience—resistance and recovery—in >2000 population time-series of >1000 vertebrate species globally. We show that the number of threats to which a population is exposed is the main driver of resilience decline in vertebrate populations. Such declines are driven by a non-uniform loss of different components of resilience (i.e. resistance and recovery). Increased anthropogenic threats accelerating resilience loss through a decline in the recovery ability—but not resistance—of vertebrate populations. These findings suggest we may be underestimating the impacts of global change, highlighting the need to account for the multiple components of resilience in global biodiversity assessments.