The relative role of drift and selection in shaping the human skull

Human populations across the world vary greatly in cranial morphology. It is highly debated to what extent this variability has accumulated through neutral processes (genetic drift) or through natural selection driven by climate. By taking advantage of recent work showing that geographic distance along landmasses is an excellent proxy for neutral genetic differentiation, we quantify the relative role of drift versus selection in an exceptionally large dataset of human skulls. We show that neutral processes have been much more important than climate in shaping the human cranium. We further demonstrate that a large proportion of the signal for natural selection comes from populations from extremely cold regions. More generally, we show that, if drift is not explicitly accounted for, the effect of natural selection can be greatly overestimated. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Susceptibility of different strains of mice to various levels of infection with the eggs of Taenia taeniaeformis

Susceptibility of different mouse strains to varying levels of Taenia taeniaeformis eggs has been studied. C3H are shown to be susceptible to any quantity of eggs. However C57 and NMRI are only susceptible to 1–2 eggs, while larvae from an infection of 30–50 eggs are precociously destroyed. Sometimes fertile larvae can also develop in resistant strains of mice infected with some hundred eggs. In C3H the challenge larvae are unable to survive even from an infection given 24–48 h post-first inoculum. The hypothesis is proposed that in resistant strains, infection with 30–50 eggs induces a more rapid immune response which becomes effective while the larva is still vulnerable; in massive infections, however, immune paralysis may occur. Although susceptible strains allow primary infections to develop, they show resistance to challenge infections because larvae are destroyed before they become insusceptible to host attack.     

Organoid systems to study the human female reproductive tract and pregnancy

Both the proper functioning of the female reproductive tract (FRT) and normal placental development are essential for women’s health, wellbeing, and pregnancy outcome. The study of the FRT in humans has been challenging due to limitations in the in vitro and in vivo tools available. Recent developments in 3D organoid technology that model the different regions of the FRT include organoids of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, endometrium and cervix, as well as placental trophoblast. These models are opening up new avenues to investigate the normal biology and pathology of the FRT. In this review, we discuss the advances, potential, and limitations of organoid cultures of the human FRT.Subject terms: Cell biology, Physiology, Diseases

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Reduced myofilament component in primary Sjögren’s syndrome salivary gland myoepithelial cells

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a solitary poorly understood autoimmune inflammatory disease by involvement of the salivary and lacrimal glands resulting in dry mouth and dry eyes. Myoepithelial cells (MECs) are cells knowing for its hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype that are important components of the salivary gland (SGs) structure aiding the expulsion of saliva from acinar lobules. In this study we investigate possible alteration in the myofilament component of MECs in SGs specimens obtained from pSS patients in comparison with healthy subjects, to evaluate MECs hypothetical involvement in the pathogenesis of pSS. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and p63, as MECs markers, was evaluated in bioptic specimens from pSS and healthy labial SGs through immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses; the distribution of MECs markers was quantified using Aperio ScanScope and ImageScope software to provide quantitative assessments of staining levels. Our observations demonstrated that p63 nuclear labeling in pSS MECs is preserved whereas α-SMA cytoplasmic staining is strongly and significantly reduced when compared with healthy SGs; the digital images analysis quantification of the expression of labeled α-SMA and p63 protein in the healthy and pSS MECs salivary tissues, led to results suggesting a loss of mechanical support for acini and ducts in pSS, correlated, probably, with the reduction of salivary flow that features one important aspect of pSS disease.     

Antimicrobial activity of amphiphilic nanomicelles loaded with curcumin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa alone and activated by blue laser light

The aim of this work was to assess the antimicrobial efficacy on Pseudomonas aeruginosa of nanomicelles loaded with curcumin (CUR) alone and activated by blue laser light in an antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) approach. First, free CUR in liquid suspension and loaded in three amphiphilic nanomicelles (CUR-DAPMA, CUR-SPD and CUR-SPM) were tested both on bacteria and keratinocytes. While free CUR exerted limited efficacy showing moderate cytotoxicity, a strong inhibition of bacterial growth was obtained using all three nanosystems without toxicity on eukaryotic cells. CUR-SPM emerged as the most effective, and was therefore employed in APDT experiments. Among the three sublethal blue laser (λ 445 nm) protocols tested, the ones characterized by a fluence of 18 and 30 J/cm² further decreased the antimicrobial concentration to 50 nM. The combination of blue laser APDT with CUR-SPM nanomicelles results in an effective synergistic activity that represents a promising novel therapeutic approach on resistant species.     

Conditions affecting prolonged maintenance of mouse and rat colon in organ culture

Summary The effect of variations in culture conditions on survival of fragments of mouse and rat descending colon in organ culture was studied by morphological and functional criteria. A combination of conditions demonstrated to be beneficial permitted maintenance for at least 35 days. These included: a gaseous environment of 95% O₂:5% CO₂, an attachment matrix consisting of a Metricel GA-4 membrane (pore size, 0.8 μ), intermittent exposure to the gas and fluid phases by rocking in 5 ml medium and supplementation of the medium with 1.0 μM dexamethasone and 10% FBS. During this time, the crypt structure of the mucosal epithelium was well preserved, and DNA synthesis in the crypts and mucin production in the crypts and superficial epithelium continued. In addition, the synthetic hormone, pentagastrin, stimulated DNA synthesis in the mucosal epithelium of mouse colon fragment in short-term organ culture. This work was supported by Environmental Protection Agency Grant R803998-01-1 and National Cancer Institute Contract N01-CP-75952.     

Effects of Chronic Arginase Inhibition with Norvaline on Tau Pathology and Brain Glucose Metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease Mice

Neurochemical Research - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an insidious neurodegenerative disorder representing a serious continuously escalating medico-social problem. The AD-associated progressive...     

Investigation of the budding process in Tethya citrina and Tethya aurantium (Porifera, Demospongiae)

The budding process has been studied in two congeneric Mediterranean species belonging to Tethya from different sampling sites: Marsala and Venice Lagoons (Tethya citrina); Marsala Lagoon and Porto Cesareo Basin (Tethya aurantium). Buds, connected to the adult by a spiculated stalk, differ between the two species in morphology and size, since those of T. citrina are small with elongated bodies, showing only a few spicules protruding from the apical region, whereas those of T. aurantium are round, larger, and show spicules radiating from the peripheral border. In T. citrina, cells with inclusions, varying in electron density and size, represent the main cell types of the buds. In T. aurantium, the cell component shows a major diversification, resulting from spherulous cells, grey cells, vacuolar cells and peculiar micro-vesicle cells. Neither canals nor choanocyte chambers were observed in the buds of the two species. In T. citrina, bud production is similar in both sampling sites. In T. aurantium, budding occurs more rarely in Porto Cesareo Basin, probably in relation with environmental factors, such as the covering of the cortex by sediment and micro-algae. Finally, in the buds of both species, the spicule size does not differ from that of the cortex of the adult sponges, further supporting the main involvement of the cortex in organizing the skeletal architecture of the buds.