Current status of the Sardinian partridge (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alectoris barbara</Emphasis>) assessed by molecular markers

Four Alectoris species inhabit the Mediterranean area, where they represent important gamebirds subject to human manipulations. The Sardinian partridge is peculiar in Europe, in that it belongs to the African species Alectoris barbara. Nevertheless, no comprehensive study has as yet investigated its genetic status as regards both the extant levels of genetic diversity and the possible contamination due to introgressive hybridization with other Mediterranean species. For the purposes of this study, we analyzed 65 samples of Sardinian partridges, 40 of which came from the wild population and 25 from captive stocks. No one of them showed a mtDNA polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism haplotype assigned to another species than A. barbara, thus, ruling out a possible introgression in the maternal line. In addition, we compared these samples with 94 partridges from other circum-Mediterranean populations using a set of eight chicken (Gallus gallus) microsatellites. A low level of genetic variation was observed in the Sardinian population (H _E = 0.310; k _AR = 2.69), comparable only to that observed in the Sicilian rock partridge (A. graeca). The comparison with the Tunisian population showed that its present genetic composition is consistent with a historical introduction from North Africa, showing possible effects of a post-introductional genetic drift. Bayesian tests assigned all but one individuals with >90% probability to A. barbara, thus, providing evidence that no or only a few exotic Alectoris genes have introgressed into Sardinian partridges.     

Dendritic cell function can be modulated through cooperative actions of TLR ligands and invariant NKT cells

The quality of signals received by dendritic cells (DC) in response to pathogens influences the nature of the adaptive response. We show that pathogen-derived signals to DC mediated via TLRs can be modulated by activated invariant NKT (iNKT) cells. DC maturation induced in vivo with any one of a variety of TLR ligands was greatly improved through simultaneous administration of the iNKT cell ligand alpha-galactosylceramide. DC isolated from animals treated simultaneously with TLR and iNKT cell ligands were potent stimulators of naive T cells in vitro compared with DC from animals treated with the ligands individually. Injection of protein Ags with both stimuli resulted in significantly improved T cell and Ab responses to coadministered protein Ags over TLR stimulation alone. Ag-specific CD8(+) T cell responses induced in the presence of the TLR4 ligand monophosphoryl lipid A and alpha-galactosylceramide showed faster proliferation kinetics, and increased effector function, than those induced with either ligand alone. Human DC exposed to TLR ligands and activated iNKT cells in vitro had enhanced expression of maturation markers, suggesting that a cooperative action of TLR ligands and iNKT cells on DC function is a generalizable phenomenon across species. These studies highlight the potential for manipulating the interactions between TLR ligands and iNKT cell activation in the design of effective vaccine adjuvants.     

Dyneins across eukaryotes: a comparative genomic analysis

Dyneins are large minus-end-directed microtubule motors. Each dynein contains at least one dynein heavy chain (DHC) and a variable number of intermediate chains (IC), light intermediate chains (LIC) and light chains (LC). Here, we used genome sequence data from 24 diverse eukaryotes to assess the distribution of DHCs, ICs, LICs and LCs across Eukaryota. Phylogenetic inference identified nine DHC families (two cytoplasmic and seven axonemal) and six IC families (one cytoplasmic). We confirm that dyneins have been lost from higher plants and show that this is most likely because of a single loss of cytoplasmic dynein 1 from the ancestor of Rhodophyta and Viridiplantae, followed by lineage-specific losses of other families. Independent losses in Entamoeba mean that at least three extant eukaryotic lineages are entirely devoid of dyneins. Cytoplasmic dynein 2 is associated with intraflagellar transport (IFT), but in two chromalveolate organisms, we find an IFT footprint without the retrograde motor. The distribution of one family of outer-arm dyneins accounts for 2-headed or 3-headed outer-arm ultrastructures observed in different organisms. One diatom species builds motile axonemes without any inner-arm dyneins (IAD), and the unexpected conservation of IAD I1 in non-flagellate algae and LC8 (DYNLL1/2) in all lineages reveals a surprising fluidity to dynein function.     

Agricultural resources in the Bronze Age city of Tel Lachish

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - In this paper, we present the results of the plant macrofossil analyses from the site of Tel Lachish, Israel with focus on the botanical assemblage of the...     

Structural and functional changes in the zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) skeletal muscle after cadmium exposure

This report describes the alterations induced by an environmentally realistic concentration of cadmium in skeletal muscle fibre organization, composition, and function in the teleost zebrafish. Results demonstrate that the ion induces a significant quantitative and qualitative deterioration, disrupting sarcomeric pattern and altering glycoprotein composition. These events, together with a mitochondrial damage, result in a significant reduction in swimming performance. In conclusion, the evidence here collected indicate that in presence of an environmental cadmium contamination, important economic (yields in fisheries/aquaculture), consumer health (fish is an important source of proteins), and ecological (reduced fitness due to reduced swimming performance) consequences can be expected.     

Postoperative radiotherapy in prostate cancer: Analysis of prognostic factors in a series of 282 patients

Aim

To assess the outcomes of patients treated with postoperative RT in relation to the possible prognostic factors.

Background

Postoperative radiotherapy (RT) has been proved to reduce the risk of biochemical recurrence in high-risk prostate cancer patients. Baseline prostate specific antigen (PSA), pathological Gleason score (GS), positive surgical margins, nodal status and seminal vesicle invasion are independent predictors of biochemical relapse.

Materials and methods

The clinical records of 282 patients who underwent postoperative RT were retrospectively reviewed. The prognostic value of postoperative PSA, preoperative risk class, nodal status, pathological GS, margins status, and administration of hormonal therapy (HT) was analyzed.

Results

Postoperative RT was delivered with a median dose to the prostatic fossa of 66 Gy (range 50–72) in 1.8–2 Gy/fraction. Median follow-up was 23.1 months (range 6–119). Five-year actuarial biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) and overall survival rates were 76% and 95%, respectively. Higher bDFS was found for patients with postoperative PSA <0.02 ng/ml (p = 0.03), low preoperative risk class (p = 0.01), pN0 (p = 0.003), GS 4–6 (p = 0.0006), no androgen deprivation therapy (p = 0.02), and irrespective of surgical margin status (p = 0.10). Multivariate analysis showed that postoperative PSA and Gleason score had a significant impact on bDFS (p = 0.039 and p = 0.05, respectively).

Conclusions

Postoperative RT with a dose of 66 Gy offers an acceptable toxicity and an optimal disease control after radical prostatectomy in patients with different risk features. A postoperative PSA >0.02 ng/ml could be considered as a prognostic factor and a tool to select patients at risk for progression.