No evidence for increased extinction proneness with decreasing effective population size in a parasitoid with complementary sex determination and fertile diploid males

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In species with single locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD), the sex of individuals depends on their genotype at one single locus with multiple alleles. Haploid individuals are always males. Diploid individuals are females when heterozygous, but males when homozygous at the sex-determining locus. Diploid males are typically unviable or effectively sterile, hence imposing a genetic load on populations. Diploid males are produced from matings of partners that share an allele at the sex-determining locus. The lower the allelic diversity at the sex-determining locus, the more diploid males are produced, ultimately impairing the growth of populations and jeopardizing their persistence. The gregarious endoparasitoid wasp <it>Cotesia glomerata </it>is one of only two known species with sl-CSD and fertile diploid males.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>By manipulating the relatedness of the founders, we established replicated experimental populations of the parasitoid <it>C. glomerata </it>differing in their genetic effective size, and thus in allelic richness at the sex-determining locus and in the expected magnitude of diploid male production. Our long-term survey of population welfare and persistence did not provide evidence for increased proneness to population extinction with decreasing initial genetic effective population size. Most recorded surrogates of fitness nevertheless decayed over time and most experimental populations eventually went extinct, suggesting that the negative effects of inbreeding outweighed any premium from the fertility of diploid males.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The fertility of diploid males may have evolved as an adaptation prompted by the risk of extinction looming over small isolated populations of species with sl-CSD. However, fertility of diploid males does not negate the costs imposed by their production, and although it may temporarily stave off extinction, it is not sufficient to eradicate the negative effects of inbreeding.</p

No Need to Discriminate? Reproductive Diploid Males in a Parasitoid with Complementary Sex Determination

Diploid males in hymenopterans are generally either inviable or sterile, thus imposing a severe genetic load on populations. In species with the widespread single locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD), sex depends on the genotype at one single locus with multiple alleles. Haploid (hemizygous) individuals are always males. Diploid individuals develop into females when heterozygous and into males when homozygous at the sex determining locus. Our comparison of the mating and reproductive success of haploid and diploid males revealed that diploid males of the braconid parasitoid Cotesia glomerata sire viable and fertile diploid daughters. Females mated to diploid males, however, produced fewer daughters than females mated to haploid males. Nevertheless, females did not discriminate against diploid males as mating partners. Diploid males initiated courtship display sooner than haploid males and were larger in body size. Although in most species so far examined diploid males were recognized as genetic dead ends, we present a second example of a species with sl-CSD and commonly occurring functionally reproductive diploid males. Our study suggests that functionally reproductive diploid males might not be as rare as hitherto assumed. We argue that the frequent occurrence of inbreeding in combination with imperfect behavioural adaptations towards its avoidance promote the evolution of diploid male fertility

Daily estimates of the tropospheric aerosol optical thickness over land surface from MSG geostationary observations

The paper presents an innovative method to derive aerosol optical thickness (AOT) on a continental scale, using MSG observation. The approach consists in taking into account the high temporal resolution of the observing system, in order to discriminate between surface and aerosol effects. A suitably extended semi-empirical BRDF model is applied, combined with a recursive scheme. The method is not instrument-specific (can be adapted to instruments onboard polar satellites) and was tested with MSG/SEVIRI data over mid-latitude and African regions. The aerosol optical thickness estimates are compared to AERONET ground measurements and to the corresponding MODIS product over land. The method appears very promising for tracking anthropogenic emissions in the troposphere and also for estimating dust events over bright surfaces. The high spatial and temporal resolution of the estimate is appropriate to investigate the dependence of AOT on the density of urbanization and potentially on motor vehicle traffic. Finally, this study suggests that this approach is appropriate for multi-sensor data fusion, for the simultaneous retrieval of surface albedo and aerosol optical thickness, and to generate these products in near-real time with a very high generation frequency

Hierarchical framework to improve individualised exercise prescription in adults : a critical review

Physical activity (PA) guidelines for the general population are designed to mitigate the rise of chronic and debilitating diseases brought by inactivity and sedentariness. Although essential, they are insufficient as rates of cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, metabolic and other devastating and life-long diseases remain on the rise. This systemic failure supports the need for an improved exercise prescription approach that targets the individual. Significant interindividual variability of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) responses to exercise are partly explained by biological and methodological factors, and the modulation of exercise volume and intensity seem to be key in improving prescription guidelines. The use of physiological thresholds, such as lactate, ventilation, as well as critical power, have demonstrated excellent results to improve CRF in those struggling to respond to the current homogenous prescription of exercise. However, assessing physiological thresholds requires laboratory resources and expertise and is incompatible for a general population approach. A case must be made that balances the effectiveness of an exercise programme to improve CRF and accessibility of resources. A population-wide approach of exercise prescription guidelines should include free and accessible self-assessed threshold tools, such as rate of perceived exertion, where the homeostatic perturbation induced by exercise reflects physiological thresholds. The present critical review outlines factors for individuals exercise prescription and proposes a new theoretical hierarchal framework to help shape PA guidelines based on accessibility and effectiveness as part of a personalised exercise prescription that targets the individual.Peer reviewe

The role of energy dissipation of polymeric scaffolds in the mechanobiological modulation of chondrogenic expression

Mechanical stimulation has been proposed to induce chondrogenesis in cell-seeded scaffold. However, the effects of mechanical stimuli on engineered cartilage may vary substantially between different scaffolds. This advocates for the need to identify an overarching mechanobiological variable. We hypothesize that energy dissipation of scaffolds subjected to dynamic loading may be used as a mechanobiology variable. The energy dissipation would furnish a general criterion to adjust the mechanical stimulation favoring chondrogenesis in scaffold. Epiphyseal chondro-progenitor cells were then subject to unconfined compression two hours per day during four days in different scaffolds, which differ only by the level of dissipation they generated while keeping the same loading conditions. Scaffolds with higher dissipation levels upregulated the mRNA of chondrogenic markers. In contrast lower dissipation of scaffolds was associated with downregulation of chondrogenic markers. These results showed that energy dissipation could be considered as a mechanobiology variable in cartilage. This study also indicated that scaffold with energy dissipation level close to the one of cartilage favors chondrogenic expression when dynamical loading is present

Eukaryotic DING Proteins Are Endogenous: An Immunohistological Study in Mouse Tissues

BACKGROUND: DING proteins encompass an intriguing protein family first characterized by their conserved N-terminal sequences. Some of these proteins seem to have key roles in various human diseases, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, HIV suppression. Although this protein family seems to be ubiquitous in eukaryotes, their genes are consistently lacking from genomic databases. Such a lack has considerably hampered functional studies and has fostered therefore the hypothesis that DING proteins isolated from eukaryotes were in fact prokaryotic contaminants. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the framework of our study, we have performed a comprehensive immunological detection of DING proteins in mice. We demonstrate that DING proteins are present in all tissues tested as isoforms of various molecular weights (MWs). Their intracellular localization is tissue-dependant, being exclusively nuclear in neurons, but cytoplasmic and nuclear in other tissues. We also provide evidence that germ-free mouse plasma contains as much DING protein as wild-type. SIGNIFICANCE: Hence, data herein provide a valuable basis for future investigations aimed at eukaryotic DING proteins, revealing that these proteins seem ubiquitous in mouse tissue. Our results strongly suggest that mouse DING proteins are endogenous. Moreover, the determination in this study of the precise cellular localization of DING proteins constitute a precious evidence to understand their molecular involvements in their related human diseases

Epiphyseal chondro-progenitors provide a stable cell source for cartilage cell therapy

Articular cartilage regeneration poses particularly tough challenges for implementing cell-­‐based therapies. Many cell types have been investigated looking for a balanced combination of responsiveness and stability, yet techniques are still far from defining a gold standard. The work presented focuses on the reliable expansion and characterization of a clinical-­‐grade human epiphyseal chondro-­‐progenitor (ECP) cell bank from a single tissue donation. A parental human ECP cell bank was established which provides the seed material for master and working cell banks. ECPs were investigated at both low and high cumulative population doublings looking at morphology, monolayer expansion kinetics, resistance to cryogenic shock, colony forming efficiency and cell surface markers. Three dimensional micro-­‐pellet assays were used to determine spontaneous extracellular matrix deposition at varying population doublings and monolayer 2D differentiation studies were undertaken to assess the propensity for commitment into other lineages and their stability. ECPs exhibited remarkable homogeneity in expansion with a steady proliferative potential averaging 3 population doublings over eight days. Surface marker analysis revealed no detectable contaminating subpopulations or population enrichment during prolonged culture periods. Despite a slight reduction in Sox9 expression levels at higher population doublings in monolayer, nuclear localization was equivalent both in monolayer and in micro-­‐pellet format. Equally, ECPs were capable of depositing glycosaminoglycans, producing aggrecan, collagen I and collagen II in 3D pellets both at after low and high population doublings indicating a stable spontaneous chondrogenic potential. Osteogenic induction was differentially restricted in low and high population doublings as observed by Von Kossa staining of calcified matrix, with a notable collagen X, MMP13 and ADAMTS5 down-­‐regulation. Rare adipogenic induction was seen as evidenced by cytoplasmic lipid accumulation detectable by Oil Red O staining. These findings highlight the reliability, stability and responsiveness of ECPs over prolonged culture, making them ideal candidates in defining novel strategies for cartilage regeneration

Evidence of hydrological control of Sr behavior in stream water (Strengbach catchment, Vosges mountains, France)

Strontium and particularly 87Sr/86Sr ratios in stream water have often been used to calculate weathering rates in catchments. Nevertheless, in the literature, discharge variation effects on the geochemical behavior of Sr are often omitted or considered as negligible. A regular survey of both Sr concentrations and Sr isotope ratios of the Strengbach stream water draining a granite (Vosges mountains, France) has been performed during one year. The results indicate that during low water flow periods, waters contain lower Sr concentrations and less radiogenic Sr isotope ratios (Sr=11.6 ppb and 87Sr/86Sr=0.7246 as an average, respectively) than during high water flow periods (Sr= 13 ppb and 87Sr/86Sr=0.7252 as an average, respectively). This is contrary to expected dilution processes by meteoric waters which have comparatively lower Sr isotopic ratios and lower Sr concentrations. Furthermore, 87Sr/86Sr ratios in stream water behave in 3 different ways depending on moisture and on hydrological conditions prevailing in the catchment. During low water flow periods (discharge < 9 l/s), a positive linear relationship exists between Sr isotope ratio and discharge, indicating the influence of radiogenic waters draining the saturated area during storm events. During high water flow conditions, rising discharges are characterized by significantly less radiogenic waters than the recession stages of discharge. This suggests a large contribution of radiogenic waters draining the deep layers of the hillslopes during the recession stages, particularly those from the more radiogenic north-facing slopes. These results allow one to confirm the negligible instantaneous incidence of rainwater on stream water chemistry during flood events, as well as the existence in the catchment of distinct contributive areas and reservoirs. The influence of these areas or reservoirs on the fluctuations of Sr concentrations and on Sr isotopic variations in stream water depends on both moisture and hydrological conditions. Hence, on a same bedrock type, 87Sr/86Sr ratios in surface waters can be related to flow rate. Consequently, discharge variations must be considered as a pre-requisite when using Sr isotopes for calculating weathering rates in catchments, particularly to define the range of variations of the end-members

Efficiency review of Austria’s social insurance and healthcare system: volume 1 – international comparisons and policy options

In 2016, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE Health) was engaged by the Austrian Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection to undertake an efficiency review of the country’s social insurance system (see Appendix A for the original Concept Note). The review was specifically targeted at health competencies within the social insurance system; for this reason, consideration of accident and pension insurance, as well as other forms of care covered by Federal and Länder governments, were only examined where directly applicable