Phenotypic plasticity is not affected by experimental evolution in constant,predictable or unpredictable fluctuating thermal environments

The selective past of populations is presumed to affect the levels of phenotypic plasticity. Experimental evolution at constant temperatures is generally expected to lead to a decreased level of plasticity due to presumed costs associated with phenotypic plasticity when not needed. In this study, we investigated the effect of experimental evolution in constant, predictable and unpredictable daily fluctuating temperature regimes on the levels of phenotype plasticity in several life history and stress resistance traits in Drosophila simulans. Contrary to the expectation, evolution in the different regimes did not affect the levels of plasticity in any of the traits investigated even though the populations from the different thermal regimes had evolved different stress resistance and fitness trait means. Although costs associated with phenotypic plasticity are known, our results suggest that the maintenance of phenotypic plasticity might come at low and negligible costs, and thus, the potential of phenotypic plasticity to evolve in populations exposed to different environmental conditions might be limited.     

CCK Response Deficiency in Synphilin-1 Transgenic Mice

Previously, we have identified a novel role for the cytoplasmic protein, synphilin-1(SP1), in the controls of food intake and body weight in both mice and Drosophila. Ubiquitous overexpression of human SP1 in brain neurons in transgenic mice results in hyperphagia expressed as an increase in meal size. However, the mechanisms underlying this action of SP1 remain to be determined. Here we investigate a potential role for altered gut feedback signaling in the effects of SP1 on food intake. We examined responses to peripheral administration of cholecytokinin (CCK), amylin, and the glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, exendin-4. Intraperitoneal administration of CCK at doses ranging from 1–10 nmol/kg significantly reduced glucose intake in wild type (WT) mice, but failed to affect intake in SP1 transgenic mice. Moreover, there was a significant attenuation of CCK-induced c-Fos expression in the dorsal vagal complex in SP1 transgenic mice. In contrast, WT and SP1 transgenic mice were similarly responsive to both amylin and exendin-4 treatment. These studies demonstrate that SP1 results in a CCK response deficiency that may contribute to the increased meal size and overall hyperphagia in synphillin-1 transgenic mice.     

Micromorphology of fruits and seeds of Iranian Geranium (Geraniaceae), and its systematic significance

The fruit and seed micromorphology of 22 species of Geranium, representing the eight sections of the genus represented in Iran (G. sectt. Dissecta, Geranium, and Tuberosa of subgen. Geranium; sectt. Batrachioidea, Divaricata, Lucida, Ruberta and Trilopha of subgen. Robertium), have been examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Macro‐ and micromorphological characters, including fruit and seed shape, size, color, hair type and density, mericarp ornamentations, hilum position, seed coat pattern, epidermal cell shape, and anticlinal and periclinal cell walls, are presented. Two microsculpturing patterns are recognized on the mericarp surface: reticulate and pusticulate. The micromorphology of the seed coat showed four distinctive cell patterns. The seed epidermis is constructed either of polygonal, elongated polygonal, or square to rectangular cells. The polygonal type is the most common among the studied species, but the variation in testa cell characters, their size and shape, may provide further information and useful diagnostic characters at specific and infraspecific rank. The shape and color of the seeds are, however, of little systematic value. Fruit characters were found to be important for separating taxa at infrageneric rank and our results show that the species can be separated into subgenera and sections based on fruit morphology.     

Optimization of shunt placement for the Norwood surgery using multi-domain modeling

An idealized systemic-to-pulmonary shunt anatomy is parameterized and coupled to a closed loop, lumped parameter network (LPN) in a multidomain model of the Norwood surgical anatomy. The LPN approach is essential for obtaining information on global changes in cardiac output and oxygen delivery resulting from changes in local geometry and physiology. The LPN is fully coupled to a custom 3D finite element solver using a semi-implicit approach to model the heart and downstream circulation. This closed loop multidomain model is then integrated with a fully automated derivative-free optimization algorithm to obtain optimal shunt geometries with variable parameters of shunt diameter, anastomosis location, and angles. Three objective functions: (1) systemic; (2) coronary; and (3) combined systemic and coronary oxygen deliveries are maximized. Results show that a smaller shunt diameter with a distal shunt-brachiocephalic anastomosis is optimal for systemic oxygen delivery, whereas a more proximal anastomosis is optimal for coronary oxygen delivery and a shunt between these two anatomies is optimal for both systemic and coronary oxygen deliveries. Results are used to quantify the origin of blood flow going through the shunt and its relationship with shunt geometry. Results show that coronary artery flow is directly related to shunt position.     

Expression of cysteine proteinase type I and II of Leishmania infantum and their recognition by sera during canine and human visceral leishmaniasis

In this study, the mature domains of type I (CPB) and type II (CPA) cysteine proteinases (CPs) of Leishmania infantum were expressed and their immunogenic properties defined using sera from active and recovered cases of human visceral leishmaniasis and sera from infected dogs. Immunoblotting and ELISA analysis indicated that a freeze/thaw extract of parasite antigens showed similar and intensive recognition in both active cases of human and dog sera but lower recognition in recovered human individuals. The total IgG of actively infected human sera was higher than in recovered cases when rCPs were used as antigen. In contrast to dog sera, both active and recovered human cases have higher recognition toward rCPB than rCPA. Furthermore, the asymptomatic dogs in contrast to the symptomatic cases exhibited specific lymphocyte proliferation to both crude antigens and rCPs.     

Mild and efficient oxidation of alcohols with sodium periodate catalyzed by polystyrene-bound Mn(III)porphyrin

Mild and efficient oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols with sodium periodate catalyzed by Mn(TPyP), [manganese(III)tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin], supported on chloromethylated polystyrene, [Mn(TPyP)-CMP], at room temperature were reported. This catalyst can be reused consecutively four times in the oxidation of 4-chlorobenzyl alcohol in 97% yield without significant loss of its activity.     

Characterization of the biosurfactant production and enzymatic potential of bacteria isolated from an oil-contaminated saline soil

International Microbiology - Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds with extensive applications in oily contaminated environments to remove hydrocarbons. Moreover, enzymes such as laccase and...     

ACES: a machine learning toolbox for clustering analysis and visualization

Background

Studies that aim at explaining phenotypes or disease susceptibility by genetic or epigenetic variants often rely on clustering methods to stratify individuals or samples. While statistical associations may point at increased risk for certain parts of the population, the ultimate goal is to make precise predictions for each individual. This necessitates tools that allow for the rapid inspection of each data point, in particular to find explanations for outliers.

Results

ACES is an integrative cluster- and phenotype-browser, which implements standard clustering methods, as well as multiple visualization methods in which all sample information can be displayed quickly. In addition, ACES can automatically mine a list of phenotypes for cluster enrichment, whereby the number of clusters and their boundaries are estimated by a novel method. For visual data browsing, ACES provides a 2D or 3D PCA or Heat Map view. ACES is implemented in Java, with a focus on a user-friendly, interactive, graphical interface.

Conclusions

ACES has been proven an invaluable tool for analyzing large, pre-filtered DNA methylation data sets and RNA-Sequencing data, due to its ease to link molecular markers to complex phenotypes. The source code is available from https://github.com/GrabherrGroup/ACES.

     

Evaluation of application of EPID for rapid QC testing of linear accelerator

Aim

Evaluation of application of EPID for rapid QC testing of linear accelerator.

Cyclic AMP formation and release by cultured bone cells stimulated with prostaglandin E2.

PGE2 produced a marked and dose-related increase in cAMP content of cultured bone cells and in the release of cAMP into the incubation medium. The amount of cAMP released from the cells by PGE2 was proportional to the cellular concentration, and was dependent upon the time of incubation with PGE2. The cAMP levels released into the media increased slowly at a linear rate during a 60 min treatment with PGE2. This release was blocked by theophylline, probenecid, ouabain and dinitrophenol, suggesting that the release of cAMP was not a simple diffusive process and required energy. SC-19220 reduced the formation of cAMP more than the release, suggesting that the formation and the release may arise from separate events. Inability of D600 to inhibit PGE2-induced release of cAMP indicates that the release does not require calcium.