Growth and shaping of the fin and limb buds

The development of the fin and limb buds involves a balance of centrifugal (active) and centripetal (passive) mechanical forces, the first of which acts to move the walls of these structures away from each other and the second of which holds them together. When the volume of the mesodermal core increases, the generated force meets with the resistance of the basal membrane, and as a result, the limb bud has a tendency to acquire a cylindrical shape. Collagen fibers, individual mesenchymal cells, and their groups hold together the dorsal and the ventral wall of the limb bud, prevent the movement of these walls away from each other, and in this way direct bud growth along the proximodistal and the anteroposterior axes. The balance of the forces which stretch the ectodermal layer and those which constrain it has also been observed in the development of other body parts.     

Prophylactic and curative effects of Bacopa monniera in gastric ulcer models.

Bacopa monniera Wettst. (BM, syn. Herpestis monniera L; Scrophulariaceae), is an Ayurvedic drug used as a rasayana. Its fresh juice was earlier reported to have significant antiulcerogenic activity. In continuation, methanolic extract of BM (BME) standardized to bacoside-A content (percentage-38.0 ± 0.9), when given in the dose of 10–50 mg/kg, twice daily for 5 days, showed dose-dependent anti-ulcerogenic on various gastric ulcer models induced by ethanol, aspirin, 2 h cold restraint stress and 4 h pylorus ligation. BME in the dose of 20 mg/kg, given for 10 days, twice daily showed healing effects against 50% acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers. Further work was done to investigate the possible mechanisms of its action by studying its effect on various mucosal offensive acid-pepsin secretion and defensive factors like mucin secretion, mucosal cell shedding, cell proliferation and antioxidant activity in rats. BME 20 mg/kg showed no effect on acid-pepsin secretion, increased mucin secretion, while it decreased cell shedding with no effect on cell proliferation. BME showed significant antioxidant effect per se and in stressed animals. Thus, the gastric prophylactic and curative effects of BME may be due to its predominant effect on mucosal defensive factors.     

Inhibitory factors affecting the process of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) – A mini-review

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) technology has been widely considered as a key strategy in preventing eutrophication and recognized as the advancing front of research in wastewater treatment. The key to keep its high efficiency in biological phosphorus removal is to optimize the operation and management of the system. Previous research in this field has undoubtedly improved understanding of the factors hindered overall efficiency of EBPR. However, it is obvious that much remains to be learnt. This paper attempts to review the fundamental understanding in factors inhibiting the stability and reliability of the EBPR systems in the state-of-the-art research. In view of modeling the EBPR systems, an appropriate extension of the current mechanistic models with these inhibitory factors is recommended in order to better simulate and predict the behavior of full-scale and lab-scale EBPR plants. From the perspectives of the further mechanistic and multi-factors study, the direction of denitrifying dephosphatation and granules/biofilms are also discussed. This comprehensive overview will not only help us to understand the overall mechanism of the EBPR process, but also benefit the researchers and engineers to consider all the possible factors affecting the process in the urban sewage treatment plants.     

Contrast-FEL—A Test for Differences in Selective Pressures at Individual Sites among Clades and Sets of Branches

A number of evolutionary hypotheses can be tested by comparing selective pressures among sets of branches in a phylogenetic tree. When the question of interest is to identify specific sites within genes that may be evolving differently, a common approach is to perform separate analyses on subsets of sequences and compare parameter estimates in a post hoc fashion. This approach is statistically suboptimal and not always applicable. Here, we develop a simple extension of a popular fixed effects likelihood method in the context of codon-based evolutionary phylogenetic maximum likelihood testing, Contrast-FEL. It is suitable for identifying individual alignment sites where any among the K≥2 sets of branches in a phylogenetic tree have detectably different ω ratios, indicative of different selective regimes. Using extensive simulations, we show that Contrast-FEL delivers good power, exceeding 90% for sufficiently large differences, while maintaining tight control over false positive rates, when the model is correctly specified. We conclude by applying Contrast-FEL to data from five previously published studies spanning a diverse range of organisms and focusing on different evolutionary questions.     

Incidence,prevalence, mortality,disability-adjusted life years and risk factors of cancer in Australia and comparison with OECD countries, 1990–2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

BackgroundComparative evidence on the burden, trend, and risk factors of cancer is limited. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, we aimed to assess cancer burden – incidence, prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) – and attributable risk factors for Australia between 1990 and 2015, and to compare them with those of 34 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).MethodsThe general GBD cancer estimation methods were used with data input from vital registration systems and cancer registries. A comparative risk assessment approach was used to estimate the population-attributable fractions due to risk factors.ResultsIn 2015 there were 198,880 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 183,908–217,365) estimated incident cancer cases and 47,562 (95% UI: 46,061–49,004) cancer deaths in Australia. Twenty-nine percent (95% UI: 28.2–29.8) of total deaths and 17.0% (95% UI: 15.0–19.1) of DALYs were caused by cancer in Australia in 2015. Cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lung, colon and rectum, and prostate were the most common causes of cancer deaths. Thirty-six percent (95% UI: 33.1–37.9) of all cancer deaths were attributable to behavioral risks. The age-standardized cancer incidence rate (ASIR) increased between 1990 and 2015, while the age-standardized cancer death rate (ASDR) decreased over the same period. In 2015, compared to 34 other OECD countries Australia ranked first (highest) and 24^th based on ASIR and ASDR, respectively.ConclusionThe incidence of cancer has increased over 25 years, and behavioral risks are responsible for a large proportion of cancer deaths. Scaling up of prevention (using strategies targeting cancer risk factors), early detection, and treatment of cancer is required to effectively address this growing health challenge.     

Variation of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils of Mentha x rotundifolia (L.) Huds. (Lamiaceae) collected from different bioclimatic areas of Tunisia

The variation of the essential oils composition of 10 Tunisian Mentha x rotundifolia (L.) Huds. Populations and their antioxidant activity were assessed. Essential oils showed high percentages of oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Rotundifolone, p-menthane-1,2,3-triol, β-caryophyllene and germacrene D were identified as main compounds at the species level. A variation in the essential oil composition was observed according to the populations and ecological factors. The populations 7, 8, 9 and 10 from the upper semi-arid bioclimatic zone and situated at high altitudes, exhibited the highest amount of rotundifolone. The populations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 from the lower humid showed a rotundifolone/β-caryophyllene/germacrene D chemotype. The population 6, situated at the lowest altitude, was characterized by the highest amount of p-menthane-1,2,3-triol. The level of antioxidant activity of the populations was linked to their chemical composition difference. The highest scavenging activity and the best ability to reduce ferric ions were recorded for the population 10. The most important capacity to inhibit β-carotene bleaching was revealed for the population 8. For all populations, the antioxidant activities were substantial but lower than antioxidant standards used (Trolox and BHT).The populations (7, 8, 9 and 10) from the upper semi-arid showed the best yields of essential oils and the highest contents of rotundifolone. Chemotypes within these populations could be selected for improvement programs.     

Characterization of microsatellite loci for the detection of temporal genetic shifts within a single cohort of the brown demoiselle,Neopomacentrus filamentosus

Neopomacentrus filamentosus, a common damselfish on the Indo–Australian archipelago, undergoes significant shifts in size and mitochondrial genetic structure upon larval settlement and metamorphosis to juvenile stages. We characterized five polymorphic microsatellite loci in order to study temporal genetic shifts within a single generation of N. filamentosus sampled first as larval settlers then again as demersal juvenile recruits. All loci were extremely polymorphic and exhibited high levels of heterozygosity. While all loci from the larval samples conformed to Hardy – Weinberg expectations, significant heterozygote deficiencies were seen in two loci in the juvenile samples, likely due to extreme size‐selective mortality imposed post‐settlement.     

Hepatic DNAJB9 Drives Anabolic Biasing to Reduce Steatosis and Obesity

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