Variation in susceptibility is ubiquitous in multi‐host, multi‐parasite assemblages, and can have profound implications for ecology and evolution in these systems. The extent to which susceptibility to parasites is phylogenetically conserved among hosts can be revealed by analysing diverse regional communities. We screened for haemosporidian parasites in 3983 birds representing 40 families and 523 species, spanning ~ 4500 m elevation in the tropical Andes. To quantify the influence of host phylogeny on infection status, we applied Bayesian phylogenetic multilevel models that included a suite of environmental, spatial, temporal, life history and ecological predictors. We found evidence of deeply conserved susceptibility across the avian tree; host phylogeny explained substantial variation in infection status, and results were robust to phylogenetic uncertainty. Our study suggests that susceptibility is governed, in part, by conserved, latent aspects of anti‐parasite defence. This demonstrates the importance of deep phylogeny for understanding present‐day ecological interactions. 相似文献
From fine‐scale foraging to broad‐scale migration, animal movement is shaped by the distribution of resources. There is mounting evidence, however, that learning and memory also guide movement. Although migratory mammals commonly track resource waves, how resource tracking and memory guide long‐distance migration has not been reconciled. We examined these hypotheses using movement data from four populations of migratory mule deer (n = 91). Spatial memory had an extraordinary influence on migration, affecting movement 2–28 times more strongly than tracking spring green‐up or autumn snow depth. Importantly, with only an ability to track resources, simulated deer were unable to recreate empirical migratory routes. In contrast, simulated deer with memory of empirical routes used those routes and obtained higher foraging benefits. For migratory terrestrial mammals, spatial memory provides knowledge of where seasonal ranges and migratory routes exist, whereas resource tracking determines when to beneficially move within those areas. 相似文献
The prognostic significance of paced QRS complex morphology on surface ECG remains unclear. This study aimed to assess long-term outcomes associated with variations in the paced QRS complex.
Methods
Adult patients who underwent dual-chamber pacemaker implantation with 20% or more ventricular pacing and a 12-lead ECG showing a paced complex were included. The paced QRS was analyzed in leads I and aVL. Long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were compared at 5 years.
Results
The study included 844 patients (43.1% female; age 75.0?±?12.1). Patients with a longer paced QRS (pQRS) duration in lead I had a lower rate of atrial fibrillation (HR 0.80; p?=?0.03) and higher rate of systolic dysfunction (HR 1.17; p?<?0.001). Total pacing complex (TPC) duration was linked to higher rates of ICD implantation (HR 1.18; p?=?0.04) and systolic dysfunction (HR 1.22, p?<?0.001). Longer paced intrinsicoid deflection (pID) was associated with less atrial fibrillation (HR 0.75; p?=?0.01), more systolic dysfunction (HR 1.17; p?<?0.001), ICD implantation (HR 1.23; p?=?0.04), and CRT upgrade (HR 1.23; p?=?0.03). Exceeding thresholds for TPC, pQRS, and pID of 170, 146, and 112?ms in lead I, respectively, was associated with a substantial increase in systolic dysfunction over 5 years (p?<?0.001).
Conclusions
Longer durations of all tested parameters in lead I were associated with increased rates of left ventricular systolic dysfunction. ICD implantation and CRT upgrade were also linked to increased TPC and pID durations. Paradoxically, patients with longer pID and pQRS had less incident atrial fibrillation. 相似文献
Development of probiotics to improve the growth of cultured species is a key to sustainable aquaculture. The present study investigates the potential of salt pan bacteria as probiotics for Litopenaeus vannamei. Halotolerant bacteria (100) were screened for enzyme production and mucus adhesion in vitro. The bacteria (SK07, SK27, ABSK55, FSK444, TSK17, TSK71) exhibiting promising enzyme activity and adhesive property in vitro were selected to study their effect on the growth and metabolism of L. vannamei in vivo. When administered to shrimps individually as a water additive in experiment I, SK07, SK27 and TSK71 significantly (p < 0.05) increased shrimp weight as compared to the control. In experiment II, a lyophilized bacterial consortium (test) prepared with the four best isolates (SK07, SK27, ABSK55, TSK71), exhibited significantly higher weight gain of shrimps, better feed efficiency and final yield as compared to control. Total enzyme activity (amylase, protease, lipase) in the shrimp gut was significantly higher in the test than the control. The four isolates showed 99% nBLAST similarity with Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus licheniformis and Pseudomonas sp. Presence of these bacteria in the shrimp gut was confirmed by using specific PCR-based molecular probes and 16S rDNA sequencing. Safety evaluation by antibiotic susceptibility test and hemolytic activity test indicated that the bacteria are safe as bioinoculants. The increased enzyme activity by colonisation of the isolates in the shrimp gut, along with improved growth and feed utilisation efficiency, strongly confirms that these salt pan bacteria are prospective probiotics in shrimp aquaculture.
Single-use technologies, in particular disposable bioreactor bags, have become integral within the biopharmaceutical community. However, safety concerns arose upon the identification of toxic leachable compounds derived from the plastic materials. Although the leachable bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)-phosphate (bDtBPP) has been previously shown to inhibit CHO cell growth, it is critical to determine if other compounds like this are still present in subsequent generations of films for industrial application. This study compares the performance of CHO cells, CHO-K1, and CHO-DP12, cultured in media conditioned in an older single-use bioreactor (SUB) film (F-1) and a newer generation film (F-2) from the same vendor. CHO cells cultured in media conditioned for 7 days in the F-1 film demonstrated significantly reduced growth and antibody productivity profiles when compared to controls and media conditioned for the same time period in the newer F-2 film. Proteomic profiling of CHO cells cultured in the F-1 conditioned media identified differentially expressed proteins involved in oxidative stress response as well as compromised ATP synthesis. These potentially metabolically compromised cells exhibited reduced oxidative phosphorylation activity as well as lower glycolytic metabolism, characteristic of slower growing cells. Nonvolatile and metal leachables analysis of film extracts by LC–MS revealed a reduction in the abundance of the analyzed leachates from F-2 films when compared to F-1 films including bDtBPP, potentially explaining improved CHO cell growth in F-2 conditioned media. Furthermore, in vitro endocrine disruptor testing of the known leachable revealed this molecule to possess the potential to act as an androgen antagonist. This study demonstrates an improvement in the materials composition used in modern generations of SUBs for safe application in the bioprocess. 相似文献
The RPW8 locus of Arabidopsis thaliana confers broad-spectrum resistance to powdery mildew pathogens. In many A. thaliana accessions, this locus contains two homologous genes, RPW8.1 and RPW8.2. In some susceptible accessions, however, these two genes are replaced by HR4, a homolog of RPW8.1. Here, we show that RPW8.2 from A. lyrata conferred powdery mildew resistance in A. thaliana, suggesting that RPW8.2 might have gained the resistance function before the speciation of A. thaliana and A. lyrata. To investigate how RPW8 has been maintained in A. thaliana, we examined the nucleotide sequence polymorphisms in RPW8 from 51 A. thaliana accessions, related disease reaction phenotypes to the evolutionary history of RPW8.1 and RPW8.2, and identified mutations that confer phenotypic variations. The average nucleotide diversities were high at RPW8.1 and RPW8.2, showing no sign of selective sweep. Moreover, we found that expression of RPW8 incurs fitness benefits and costs on A. thaliana in the presence and absence of the pathogens, respectively. Our results suggest that polymorphisms at the RPW8 locus in A. thaliana may have been maintained by complex selective forces, including those from the fitness benefits and costs both associated with RPW8. 相似文献
Array based comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH) is a powerful technique for detecting clinically relevant genome imbalance
and can offer 40 to > 1000 times the resolution of karyotyping. Indeed, idiopathic learning disability (ILD) studies suggest
that a genome-wide aCGH approach makes 10–15% more diagnoses involving genome imbalance than karyotyping. Despite this, aCGH
has yet to be implemented as a routine NHS service. One significant obstacle is the perception that the technology is prohibitively
expensive for most standard NHS clinical cytogenetics laboratories. To address this, we investigated the cost-effectiveness
of aCGH versus standard cytogenetic analysis for diagnosing idiopathic learning disability (ILD) in the NHS. Cost data from
four participating genetics centres were collected and analysed. In a single test comparison, the average cost of aCGH was
£442 and the average cost of karyotyping was £117 with array costs contributing most to the cost difference. This difference
was not a key barrier when the context of follow up diagnostic tests was considered. Indeed, in a hypothetical cohort of 100 ILD
children, aCGH was found to cost less per diagnosis (£3,118) than a karyotyping and multi-telomere FISH approach (£4,957).
We conclude that testing for genomic imbalances in ILD using microarray technology is likely to be cost-effective because
long-term savings can be made regardless of a positive (diagnosis) or negative result. Earlier diagnoses save costs of additional
diagnostic tests. Negative results are cost-effective in minimising follow-up test choice. The use of aCGH in routine clinical
practice warrants serious consideration by healthcare providers.
Copyright statement The Corresponding Author has the right to grant on behalf of all authors and does grant on behalf of all authors, an exclusive
licence (or non exclusive for government employees) on a worldwide basis to the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, and its Licensees
to permit this article (if accepted) to be published in BMJ editions and any other BMJPGL products and to exploit all subsidiary
rights, as set out in our licence (bmj.com/advice/copyright.shtml).
Authorship The authors included on this paper fulfil the criteria of authorship and no one who fulfils the criteria has been excluded
from authorship. The authors made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, analysis and interpretation of data.
They were involved in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content and approving the
version to be published.
Contributorship Sarah Wordsworth (Guarantor): Planning, conducting and reporting work, interpretation of data, drafting and revising article.
James Buchanan: Conducting and reporting work, interpretation of data, revising article.
Regina Regan: Completing costing questionnaire, providing protocol details, other costing information, interpretation of data,
information about learning disability and genome imbalance and revising article.
Val Davison: Completing costing questionnaire, providing protocol details, sharing overall laboratory experience and drafting
article.
Kim Smith: Completing costing questionnaire, providing protocol details, drafting article.
Sara Dyer: Completing costing questionnaire and providing protocol details.
Carolyn Campbell: Completing costing questionnaire and providing protocol details.
Edward Blair: Critical appraisal of article for clinical content and revising article.
Eddy Maher: Completing costing questionnaire, providing protocol details, sharing overall laboratory experience and drafting
article.
Jenny Taylor: Planning and facilitating work between centres. Drafting and revising article.
Samantha JL Knight: Completing costing questionnaire, providing protocol details, other costing information, interpretation
of data, providing information about learning disability and genome imbalance, drafting and revising article.
Jenny Taylor and Samantha JL Knight contributed equally to the work presented. 相似文献
Bacterial mechanosensitive channels are activated by increases in tension in the lipid bilayer of the cytoplasmic membrane, where they transiently create large pores in a controlled manner. Mechanosensitive channel research has benefited from advances in electrophysiology, genomics and molecular genetics as well as from the application of biophysical techniques. Most recently, new analytical methods have been used to complement existing knowledge and generate insights into the molecular interactions that take place between mechanosensitive channel proteins and the surrounding membrane lipids. This article reviews the latest developments. 相似文献