Hox gene expression during postlarval development of the polychaete Alitta virens

BACKGROUND: Hox genes are the family of transcription factors that play a key role in the patterning of the anterior-posterior axis of all bilaterian animals. These genes display clustered organization and colinear expression. Expression boundaries of individual Hox genes usually correspond with morphological boundaries of the body. Previously, we studied Hox gene expression during larval development of the polychaete Alitta virens (formerly Nereis virens) and discovered that Hox genes are expressed in nereid larva according to the spatial colinearity principle. Adult Alitta virens consist of multiple morphologically similar segments, which are formed sequentially in the growth zone. Since the worm grows for most of its life, postlarval segments constantly change their position along the anterior-posterior axis. RESULTS: We studied the expression dynamics of the Hox cluster during postlarval development of the nereid Alitta virens and found that 8 out of 11 Hox genes are transcribed as wide gene-specific gradients in the ventral nerve cord, ectoderm, and mesoderm. The expression domains constantly shift in accordance with the changing proportions of the growing worm, so expression domains of most Hox genes do not have stable anterior or/and posterior boundaries. In the course of our study, we revealed long antisense RNA (asRNA) for some Hox genes. Expression patterns of two of these genes were analyzed using whole-mount in-situ hybridization. This is the first discovery of antisense RNA for Hox genes in Lophotrochozoa. CONCLUSION: Hox gene expression in juvenile A. virens differs significantly from Hox gene expression patterns both in A. virens larva and in other Bilateria. We suppose that the postlarval function of the Hox genes in this polychaete is to establish and maintain positional coordinates in a constantly growing body, as opposed to creating morphological difference between segments

Modelling effects of phytobiotic administration on coherent responses to Salmonella infection in laying hens

Practice of layer poultry farming and commercial egg production relies on the optimal use and improvement of the welfare and genetically determined functional abilities of laying hens, their efficient intake of feed and its components, adaptation to housing conditions and resistance to infectious diseases including salmonellosis. Previous studies were focussed on relationships of chicken performance and resistance with the expression profiles of individual genes involved in metabolic processes and immune system, or with genetic markers that can be closely associated with these processes in chickens. In this study, mathematical models of coherent changes in laying hens were developed for the expression of eight genes involved in immunity and metabolism, on the one hand, and biochemical and immunological blood parameters, on the other hand, in response to Salmonella infection and administration of a phytobiotic Intebio. The proposed modelling approach can be a further basis for an in-depth research of the relationship between the gene expression, functional state and welfare of poultry, impact of pathogenic microorganisms and use of immunomodulatory drugs

Homogeneous singularities inside collapsing wormholes

We analyze analytically and numerically the origin of the singularity in the course of the collapse of a wormhole with the exotic scalar field Psi with negative energy density, and with this field Psi together with the ordered magnetic field H. We do this under the simplifying assumptions of the spherical symmetry and that in the vicinity of the singularity the solution of the Einstein equations depends only on one coordinate (the homogeneous approximation). In the framework of these assumptions we found the principal difference between the case of the collapse of the ordinary scalar field Phi with the positive energy density together with an ordered magnetic field H and the collapse of the exotic scalar field Psi together with the magnetic field H. The later case is important for the possible astrophysical manifestation of the wormholes.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures each of which has a),b),c),and d) sub-figures. To be published in "Physical review. D, Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology

Auditory Cortex Responses to Clicks and Sensory Modulation Difficulties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Auditory sensory modulation difficulties are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and may stem from a faulty arousal system that compromises the ability to regulate an optimal response. To study neurophysiological correlates of the sensory modulation difficulties, we recorded magnetic field responses to clicks in 14 ASD and 15 typically developing (TD) children. We further analyzed the P100m, which is the most prominent component of the auditory magnetic field response in children and may reflect preattentive arousal processes. The P100m was rightward lateralized in the TD, but not in the ASD children, who showed a tendency toward P100m reduction in the right hemisphere (RH). The atypical P100m lateralization in the ASD subjects was associated with greater severity of sensory abnormalities assessed by Short Sensory Profile, as well as with auditory hypersensitivity during the first two years of life. The absence of right-hemispheric predominance of the P100m and a tendency for its right-hemispheric reduction in the ASD children suggests disturbance of the RH ascending reticular brainstem pathways and/or their thalamic and cortical projections, which in turn may contribute to abnormal arousal and attention. The correlation of sensory abnormalities with atypical, more leftward, P100m lateralization suggests that reduced preattentive processing in the right hemisphere and/or its shift to the left hemisphere may contribute to abnormal sensory behavior in ASD

Effects of essential oils-based supplement and Salmonella infection on gene expression, blood parameters, cecal microbiome and egg production in laying hens

Simple Summary Salmonellosis is one of the most severe zoonotic diseases transmitted to humans through animal products (especially poultry meat and eggs). Essential oils (EOs)-based feed additives in poultry nutrition are a possible alternative replacement of antimicrobials to fight this infection. In the present study on laying hens, we tested a phytobiotic, Intebio®, and elucidated formation of immune response and changes in cecal microbiocenosis and biochemical/immunological variables in blood caused by Salmonella. Changes in differential gene expression were observed at both one and seven days post-inoculation in the hens’ intestines, revealing similarities with known mammalian/human tissue-specific expression. The results of this study suggest that the challenge of birds with Salmonella had a negative effect, while phytobiotic intake had a positive effect on the status of their gastrointestinal microbiome, their level of metabolism, and their performance. Abstract One of the main roles in poultry resistance to infections caused by Salmonella is attributed to host immunity and intestinal microbiota. We conducted an experiment that involved challenging Lohmann White laying hens with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), feeding them a diet supplemented with an EOs-based phytobiotic Intebio®. At 1 and 7 days post-inoculation, the expression profiles of eight genes related to immunity, transport of nutrients in the intestine, and metabolism were examined. Cecal microbiome composition and blood biochemical/immunological indices were also explored and egg production traits recorded. As a result, the SE challenge of laying hens and Intebio® administration had either a suppressive or activating effect on the expression level of the studied genes (e.g., IL6 and BPIFB3), the latter echoing mammalian/human tissue-specific expression. There were also effects of the pathogen challenge and phytobiotic intake on the cecal microbiome profiles and blood biochemical/immunological parameters, including those reflecting the activity of the birds’ immune systems (e.g., serum bactericidal activity, β-lysine content, and immunoglobulin levels). Significant differences between control and experimental subgroups in egg performance traits (i.e., egg weight/number/mass) were also found. The phytobiotic administration suggested a positive effect on the welfare and productivity of poultry

Examination of the expression of immunity genes and bacterial profiles in the caecum of growing chickens infected with Salmonella Enteritidis and fed a phytobiotic

This study was performed to investigate the differential expression of eight immunity genes and the bacterial profiles in the caecum of growing chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) at 1 and 23 days post inoculation (dpi) in response to SE infection at 19 days of age and administration of the phytobiotic Intebio. Following infection, the genes CASP6 and IRF7 were upregulated by greater than twofold. Chicks fed Intebio showed at 1 dpi upregulation of AvBD10, IL6, IL8L2, CASP6 and IRF7. At 23 dpi, expression of AvBD11, IL6, IL8L2, CASP6 and IRF7 lowered in the experiment subgroups as compared with the control. Examination of the caecal contents at 1 dpi demonstrated a significant decrease in the microbial biodiversity in the infected subgroup fed normal diet. Bacterial content of Lactobacillus and Bacillus declined, while that of Enterobacteriaceae rose. In the infected subgroup fed Intebio, a pronounced change in composition of the microflora was not observed. In the early infection stages, the phytobiotic seemed to promote response to infection. Subsequently, an earlier suppression of the inflammatory reaction took place in chickens fed Intebio. Thus, use of Intebio as a drug with phytobiotic activity in chickens, including those infected with Salmonella, proved to be promising

The Advanced Compton Telescope

The Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT), the next major step in gamma-ray astronomy, will probe the fires where chemical elements are formed by enabling high-resolution spectroscopy of nuclear emission from supernova explosions. During the past two years, our collaboration has been undertaking a NASA mission concept study for ACT. This study was designed to (1) transform the key scientific objectives into specific instrument requirements, (2) to identify the most promising technologies to meet those requirements, and (3) to design a viable mission concept for this instrument. We present the results of this study, including scientific goals and expected performance, mission design, and technology recommendations

[Mathematical assessment of BAC-based interspecies hybridization data in the process of genomic mapping in the white-throated sparrow as an avian behavioral model] Математическая оценка данных межвидовой БАК-гибридизации в процессе геномного картирования у белошейной зонотрихии как модели поведения птиц

The white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) known for its morphological, behavioral and chromosomal polymorphisms represents a quite new model system to study genomic mechanisms underlying variable behavioral repertoire interwoven with population biology, reproduction and adaptation in this species. It was previously shown that these polymorphisms could be due to chromosomal rearrangements (inversions) on sparrow chromosome 2 (ZAL2) that is characterized by a heterogeneity in two distinct morphs, tan (ZAL2/ZAL2) and white (ZAL2/ZAL2m). To construct a comparative genomic map of ZAL2 and other chromosomes, we used a sparrow genomic BAC library, CHORI-264. Following a cross-species overgo hybridization approach, we screened the library and developed a first-generation BAC-based comparative physical map using the chicken and zebra finch reference genomes. The map includes 640 BAC-gene assignments for 77 loci and serves for further refining the genomic regions and identifying candidate genes that are affected by rearrangements and contribute to the observed behavioral polymorphisms. Mathematical assessment of the BAC-based hybridization data was undertaken to show evolutionary relationships of avian genomes. В настоящей работе представлена математическая оценка межвидовой БАК-гибридизации в процессе геномного картирования у белошейной зонотрихии – вида воробьев, рассматриваемого в качестве удобной модели поведения птиц

The Advanced Compton Telescope Mission

The Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT), the next major step in gamma-ray astronomy, will probe the fires where chemical elements are formed by enabling high-resolution spectroscopy of nuclear emission from supernova explosions. During the past two years, our collaboration has been undertaking a NASA mission concept study for ACT. This study was designed to (1) transform the key scientific objectives into specific instrument requirements, (2) to identify the most promising technologies to meet those requirements, and (3) to design a viable mission concept for this instrument. We present the results of this study, including scientific goals and expected performance, mission design, and technology recommendations.Comment: NASA Vision Mission Concept Study Report, final version. (A condensed version of this report has been submitted to AIAA.

Investigating adverse effects of chronic dietary exposure to herbicide glyphosate on zootechnical characteristics and clinical, biochemical and immunological blood parameters in broiler chickens

Although the herbicide glyphosate is widely used globally and considered safe, more evidence of its adverse effects on animals and humans is accumulating. The present investigation was aimed at evaluating the impact of different glyphosate concentrations on zootechnical characteristics and clinical, biochemical and immunological blood parameters in Ross 308 broiler chickens. Four groups were employed, including untreated control and three experimental groups fed diets enriched with glyphosate at doses of 10, 20 and 100 ppm that conformed to 0.5, 1 and 5 maximum residue limits, respectively. The results showed that glyphosate is a stress factor triggering a multifaceted effect on important blood parameters (e.g., white blood cell and phagocytic counts), which was shown for the first time in the experiments involving productive meat-type poultry. It was first revealed that glyphosate-induced changes in blood parameters may be related to a negative impact on the zootechnical characteristics including the digestive tract organ development and body weight gain. The study findings suggested that exposure to glyphosate in the feedstuffs can adversely affect the physiological condition and productivity of broilers