Disentangling reticulate evolution in an arctic-alpine polyploid complex

Although polyploidy plays a fundamental role in plant evolution, the elucidation of polyploid origins is fraught with methodological challenges. For example, allopolyploid species may confound phylogenetic reconstruction because commonly used methods are designed to trace divergent, rather than reticulate patterns. Recently developed techniques of phylogenetic network estimation allow for a more effective identification of incongruence among trees. However, incongruence can also be caused by incomplete lineage sorting, paralogy, concerted evolution, and recombination. Thus, initial hypotheses of hybridization need to be examined via additional sources of evidence, including the partitioning of infraspecific genetic polymorphisms, morphological characteristics, chromosome numbers, crossing experiments, and distributional patterns. Primula sect. Aleuritia subsect. Aleuritia (Aleuritia) represents an ideal case study to examine reticulation because specific hypotheses have been derived from morphology, karyology, interfertility, and distribution to explain the observed variation of ploidy levels, ranging from diploidy to 14-ploidy. Sequences from 5 chloroplast and 1 nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) markers were analyzed to generate the respective phylogenies and consensus networks. Furthermore, extensive cloning of the nrDNA marker allowed for the identification of shared nucleotides at polymorphic sites, investigation of infraspecific genetic polymorphisms via principal coordinate analyses PCoAs, and detection of recombination between putative progenitor sequences. The results suggest that most surveyed polyploids originated via hybridization and that 2 taxonomic species formed recurrently from different progenitors, findings that are congruent with the expectations of speciation via secondary contact. Overall, the study highlights the importance of using multiple experimental and analytical approaches to disentangle complex patterns of reticulatio

Natural history of Plasmodium odocoilei malaria infection in farmed white-tailed deer

ABSTRACT White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), an ecologically and economically important species, are the most widely distributed large animals in North America. A recent study indicated that up to 25% of all white-tailed deer may be infected with Plasmodium odocoilei, a malaria parasite belonging to the distinct clade of ungulate-infecting Plasmodium spp. Because the clinical impact of P. odocoilei on deer health and survival is unknown, we undertook a retrospective longitudinal study of farmed Floridian O. virginianus fawns. We found that a substantial proportion (21%) of fawns acquire malaria infection during the first 8 months of life. Some animals naturally clear P. odocoilei infection, while other animals remain persistently positive. Importantly, we found that animals that acquire malaria parasites very early in life have poor survival compared to animals that remain uninfected. Our report thus provides the first evidence of a clinically significant impact of malaria infection in young deer. IMPORTANCE Malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium are known to infect a variety of vertebrate hosts, including ungulates (hoofed mammals). A recent study found that up to a quarter of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in North America are infected with the parasite Plasmodium odocoilei. In addition to occupying an important ecological niche, white-tailed deer are popular game animals and deer farming represents a rapidly growing industry. However, the effect of P. odocoilei infection in this ecologically and economically important ungulate species is unknown. Our work is significant because (i) we identified a high prevalence of P. odocoilei in farmed deer and (ii) we found evidence for both cleared and persistent infection, as well as an association with decreased survival of young fawns

Zur absoluten Chronologie der späten Hallstatt- und frühen Latènezeit: der Beitrag der Klassischen Archäologie

In diesem Aufsatz wird die Bedeutung mediterraner Importe für die absolute Chronologie der Hallstatt- und Frühlatènezeit aufs Neue beleuchtet. Ausgehend von den Grundlagen der mediterranen Chronologie, wobei auf die wichtigsten Monumente und Schriftquellen verwiesen wird, spannt sich die Diskussion um das Bezeihungsgeflecht der Metallgefäße nördlich der Alpen und jener der Mediterraneis. Daraus leiten sich die für die Chronologiediskussion wesentlichen Schlußfolgerungen ab

Spontane durale arteriovenöse Fistel am Sinus cavernosus: Demaskierung nach endoskopischer Nasennebenhöhlen-Operation

Zusammenfassung: Spontane arteriovenöse Fisteln können sich über längere Zeit symptomlos entwickeln, bevor sie mit Strömungsgeräuschen, Visusminderung, Exophthalmos und konjunktivaler Injektion symptomatisch werden. Wir stellen den seltenen Fall einer okkulten parainfektiösen duralen arteriovenösen Fistel vor. Diese demaskierte sich postoperativ durch akute Verschlechterung der venösen Drainage, möglicherweise aufgrund der intraoperativen Lagerung, positiver Beatmungsdrucke und Stauung durch die Nasentamponad

NCOA4 Regulates Iron Recycling and Responds to Hepcidin Activity and Lipopolysaccharide in Macrophages

Macrophages, via erythrophagocytosis, recycle iron from effete erythrocytes to newly developing red blood cells. Conversion of potentially cytotoxic levels of iron from its heme into nonheme form during iron recycling is safely accomplished via coordinated regulations of cellular iron transport and homeostasis. Herein, we demonstrate the roles and regulation of NCOA4 (nuclear receptor coactivator 4)-mediated ferritinophagy in macrophages after erythrophagocytosis using the mouse macrophage cell line J774 cells. Ferritin in J774 cells increased with the rise of nonheme iron by erythrocyte ingestion and declined when total cellular iron contents subsequently decreased. NCOA4, a selective autophagic cargo receptor for ferritin, was responsible for the control of cellular ferritin and total iron contents at the later stage of erythrophagocytosis. A hepcidin analog, which limits the flux of iron through iron-recycling by inhibiting iron export at the plasma membrane, repressed NCOA4 expression and led to accumulation of ferritin in the mouse macrophages. Transcriptome analyses revealed a functional association of immune response with NCOA4-dependent gene expressions, and we confirmed repression of Ncoa4 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in J774 cells and the spleen of mice. Collectively, our studies indicate that NCOA4 facilitates cellular ferritin turnover and the release of iron by macrophages after erythrophagocytosis and functions as a regulatory target for molecular signals of systemic iron overload and inflammation. These identify macrophage NCOA4 as a potential therapeutic target for disorders of systemic iron dysregulation, including anemia of inflammation and hemochromatosis

Comparison of physicochemical properties of commercial UHT-treated plant-based beverages and cow's milk

A comparison of consumer-relevant physicochemical and technofunctional properties was performed between plant-based beverages (PBBs) and cow’s milk treated at ultra-high temperatures. The PBBs’ viscosities and pH values were similar to or higher than those in cow’s milk. The PBBs were less white, and their mean particle sizes were usually considerably larger than those of cow’s milk. Foam heights were quite different, from 41.5 mm to 173 mm at room temperature (milk foam height: 134.8 mm) and 50.9 mm to 203.6 mm at 60 °C (milk foam height: 179.3 mm), with a median bubble size radius (root mean square) of 14.0–149.5 μm (milk bubble size: 18 μm) and 31.0–175.5 μm (milk bubble size: 82.8 μm). Our correlation revealed that phytic acid (PA) might affect foam height at 60 °C, the temperature of interest for the consumption of hot beverages. This may be of interest, as PA might be reduced in these beverages for nutritional reasons

Localization of cortico-peripheral coherence with electroencephalography.

Background The analysis of coherent networks from continuous recordings of neural activity with functional MRI or magnetoencephalography has provided important new insights into brain physiology and pathology. Here we assess whether valid localizations of coherent cortical networks can also be obtained from high-resolution electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. Methods EEG was recorded from healthy subjects and from patients with ischemic brain lesions during a tonic hand muscle contraction task and during continuous visual stimulation with an alternating checkerboard. These tasks induce oscillations in the primary hand motor area or in the primary visual cortex, respectively, which are coherent with extracerebral signals (hand muscle electromyogram or visual stimulation frequency). Cortical oscillations were reconstructed with different inverse solutions and the coherence between oscillations at each cortical voxel and the extracerebral signals was calculated. Moreover, simulations of coherent point sources were performed. Results Cortico-muscular coherence was correctly localized to the primary hand motor area and the steady-state visual evoked potentials to the primary visual cortex in all subjects and patients. Sophisticated head models tended to yield better localization accuracy than a single sphere model. A Minimum Variance Beamformer (MVBF) provided more accurate and focal localizations of simulated point sources than an L2 Minimum Norm (MN) inverse solution. In the real datasets, the MN maps had less localization error but were less focal than MVBF maps. Conclusions EEG can localize coherent cortical networks with sufficient accuracy

Effects of Benzoic Acid and Dietary Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio on Performance and Mineral Metabolism of Weanling Pigs

In a 2×2 factorial experiment the hypotheses tested were that the metabolic acid load caused by benzoic acid (BA) added to the feed affects bone mineralization of weanling pigs, and that a wide dietary calcium (Ca) to phosphorus (P) ratio in phytase-supplemented feeds with a marginal P concentration has a positive effect on bone mineralization. The four experimental diets, which contained 0.4% P and were supplemented with 1,000 FTU phytase/kg, contained either 5 g BA/kg or no BA and either 0.77% Ca or 0.57% Ca. The 68 four-week-old Large White pigs were fed the experimental diets ad libitum for six weeks and were then slaughtered. Benzoic acid increased feed intake (p = 0.009) and growth rate (p = 0.051), but did not influence the feed conversion ratio (p>0.10). Benzoic acid decreased the pH of the urine (p = 0.031), but did not affect breaking strength and mineralization of the tibia (p>0.10). The wide Ca:P ratio decreased feed intake (p = 0.034) and growth rate (p = 0.007) and impaired feed the conversion ratio (p = 0.027), but increased the mineral concentration in the fat-free DM of the tibia (p = 0.013) without influencing its breaking strength (p>0.10). The observed positive effect of the wide Ca:P ratio on bone mineralization may be attributed, at least in part, to the impaired feed conversion ratio, i.e. to the higher feed intake and consequently to the higher mineral intake per kg BW gain. The negative impact on animal performance of the wide dietary Ca:P ratio outweighs its potentially positive effect on bone mineralization, precluding its implementation under practical feeding conditions

Distance dependence of force and dissipation in non-contact atomic force microscopy on Cu(100) and Al(111)

The dynamic characteristics of a tip oscillating in the nc-AFM mode in close vicinity to a Cu(100)-surface are investigated by means of phase variation experiments in the constant amplitude mode. The change of the quality factor upon approaching the surface deduced from both frequency shift and excitation versus phase curves yield to consistent values. The optimum phase is found to be independent of distance. The dependence of the quality factor on distance is related to 'true' damping, because artefacts related to phase misadjustment can be excluded. The experimental results, as well as on-resonance measurements at different bias voltages on an Al(111) surface, are compared to Joule dissipation and to a model of dissipation in which long-range forces lead to viscoelastic deformations

Brain-actuated functional electrical stimulation elicits lasting arm motor recovery after stroke

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are used in stroke rehabilitation to translate brain signals into intended movements of the paralyzed limb. However, the efficacy and mechanisms of BCI-based therapies remain unclear. Here we show that BCI coupled to functional electrical stimulation (FES) elicits significant, clinically relevant, and lasting motor recovery in chronic stroke survivors more effectively than sham FES. Such recovery is associated to quantitative signatures of functional neuroplasticity. BCI patients exhibit a significant functional recovery after the intervention, which remains 6–12 months after the end of therapy. Electroencephalography analysis pinpoints significant differences in favor of the BCI group, mainly consisting in an increase in functional connectivity between motor areas in the affected hemisphere. This increase is significantly correlated with functional improvement. Results illustrate how a BCI–FES therapy can drive significant functional recovery and purposeful plasticity thanks to contingent activation of body natural efferent and afferent pathways