The human salivary microbiome exhibits temporal stability in bacterial diversity

The temporal variability of the human microbiome may be an important factor in determining its relationship with health and disease. In this study, the saliva of 40 participants was collected every 2 months over a one-year period to determine the temporal variability of the human salivary microbiome. Salivary pH and 16S rRNA gene copy number were measured for all participants, with the microbiome of 10 participants assessed through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. In February 2013, 16S rRNA gene copy number was significantly (P < 0.001) higher, with individual changes between time points significant (P = 0.003). Salivary pH levels were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in December 2012 than in October 2012 and February 2013, with significant (P < 0.001) individual variations seen throughout. Bacterial α-diversity showed significant differences between participants (P < 0.001), but not sampling periods (P = 0.801), and a significant positive correlation with salivary pH (R(2) = 7.8%; P = 0.019). At the phylum level, significant differences were evident between participants in the Actinobacteria (P < 0.001), Bacteroidetes (P < 0.001), Firmicutes (P = 0.008), Fusobacteria (P < 0.001), Proteobacteria (P < 0.001), Synergistetes (P < 0.001) and Spirochaetes (P = 0.003) phyla. This study charted the temporal variability of the salivary microbiome, suggesting that bacterial diversity is stable, but that 16S rRNA gene copy number may be subject to seasonal flux

Mitotic Illegitimate Recombination Is a Mechanism for Novel Changes in High-Molecular-Weight Glutenin Subunits in Wheat-Rye Hybrids

Wide hybrids can have novel traits or changed expression of a quantitative trait that their parents do not have. These phenomena have long been noticed, yet the mechanisms are poorly understood. High-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) are seed storage proteins encoded by Glu-1 genes that only express in endosperm in wheat and its related species. Novel HMW-GS compositions have been observed in their hybrids. This research elucidated the molecular mechanisms by investigating the causative factors of novel HMW-GS changes in wheat-rye hybrids. HMW-GS compositions in the endosperm and their coding sequences in the leaves of F1 and F2 hybrids between wheat landrace Shinchunaga and rye landrace Qinling were investigated. Missing and/or additional novel HMW-GSs were observed in the endosperm of 0.5% of the 2078 F1 and 22% of 36 F2 hybrid seeds. The wildtype Glu-1Ax null allele was found to have 42 types of short repeat sequences of 3-60 bp long that appeared 2 to 100 times. It also has an in-frame stop codon in the central repetitive region. Analyzing cloned allele sequences of HMW-GS coding gene Glu-1 revealed that deletions involving the in-frame stop codon had happened, resulting in novel ∼1.8-kb Glu-1Ax alleles in some F1 and F2 plants. The cloned mutant Glu-1Ax alleles were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the HMW-GSs produced matched the novel HMW-GSs found in the hybrids. The differential changes between the endosperm and the plant of the same hybrids and the data of E. coli expression of the cloned deletion alleles both suggested that mitotic illegitimate recombination between two copies of a short repeat sequence had resulted in the deletions and thus the changed HMW-GS compositions. Our experiments have provided the first direct evidence to show that mitotic illegitimate recombination is a mechanism that produces novel phenotypes in wide hybrids

KONSELINGNARATIF UNTUK MENGEMBANGKAN REGULASI DIRI (SELF REGULATION)SISWA SMA KOTA BANDAR LAMPUNG

Penelitian dilatarbelakangi oleh fenomena belum optimalnya regulasi diri remaja di SMA sehingga menimbulkan perilaku yang tidak sesuai dengan norma dan etika. Penelitian ini bertujuan menguji keefektivan konseling naratif untuk mengembangkan regulasi diri siswa SMA. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan explanatory mixed methode dengan desain quasi-eksperimen. Populasi penelitian yaitu siswa kelas XI SMA Kota Bandarlampung Tahun Ajaran 2016/2017 dengan sampel penelitian sebanyak 794 orang siswa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan (1) konseling naratif secara empirik terbukti efektif untuk mengembangkan regulasi diri siswa kelas XI SMA Kota Bandarlampung baik pada analisis total, aspek, maupun pada analisis indikator, (2) setelah mengikuti konseling naratif profil regulasi diri siswa kelas XI SMAN Kota Bandarlampung tahun ajaran 2016/2017 yang berada pada kategori sedang dan tinggi semakin bertambah banyak sedangkan pada kategori rendah semakin berkurang, (3) tidak ada perbedaan perkembangan regulasi diri antara siswa laki-laki dengan siswa perempuan Kelas XI SMA Kota Bandarlampung setelah konseling naratif, (4) ada perbedaan perkembangan regulasi diri antara siswa sekolah lower dengan siswa sekolah favorit setelah mengikuti konseling naratif. Siswa sekolah lower secara empirik terbukti memiliki regulasi diri lebih tinggi dibanding siswa sekolah favorit, dan (5) tidak ada perbedaan perkembangan regulasi diri antara siswa IPA dengan IPS Kelas XI SMA Kota Bandarlampung setelah mengikuti konseling naratif. Hasil penelitian ini direkomendasikan kepada guru Bimbingan dan Konseling/ Konselor, yakni implementasi konseling naratif dalam setting kelompok mengikuti tahapan: membentuk kelompok, ekternalisasi masalah kelompok, mengembangkan cerita, membentuk karakter konseli agar terpisah dengan masalah, membangun cerita, idetifikasi diri konseli, penguatan, menemukan cerita alternatif, dan perayaan. Bagi penelitian selanjutnya adalah melakukan penelitian konseling naratif untuk mengembangkan regulasi diri siswa dengan setting individual baik bagi siswa SMA, SMK, SMP, MTs, SD maupun MI. ;---The Study is based on the phenomenon where self regulation on adolescent hasn’t been optimal in Senior High School so it causes the inappropriate behavior towards norm and ethic. This study aim the effectiveness of narrative counseling to develop self regulation of Senior High School student. This study use explanatory mix methode approach with Quation Experimental Design. Population of this study is the student of Senior High School grade XI in Bandarlampung City on Academic Year 2016/2017 with 794 students as study’s sample. The Result of this study shows that (1) narrative counseling has been proven effectively to develop self regulation of the student of Senior High School grade XI in Bandarlampung City, whether on total analysis, aspect, or analysis indicator (2) after participating in the narrative counseling profile of the student of Senior High School grade XI in Bandarlampung City on Academic Year 2016/2017 on middle and high category become much more, while the low category decrease, (3) there is no difference on the development between male student and female student of Senior High School grade XI in Bandarlampung City after narrative counseling. (4) there is difference of the self regulation development between student of lower school with student of favourite school, and (5) there is no difference of the self regulation development between Science Student with Social Student of Senior High School grade XI in Bandarlampung City after participating in narrative counseling. The Result of this study is recommended to the teacher of Guidance and Counseling/Counselor, specifically the implementation of narrative counseling in group setting following the steps: forming the group, externalization of group problem, building the story, self-identification of counselee, strengthening, finding alternative story, and celebration. The upcoming study is about conducting narrative counseling experiment to develop student’s self regulation with individual setting whether for Senior High School, Vocational High School, Midle High School, MTs, Elementary School or MI

Differential Dynamics of Transposable Elements during Long-Term Diploidization of Nicotiana Section Repandae (Solanaceae) Allopolyploid Genomes

PubMed ID: 23185607This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Analysis of Gene Expression in Resynthesized Brassica napus Allopolyploids Using Arabidopsis 70mer Oligo Microarrays

Background Studies in resynthesized Brassica napus allopolyploids indicate that homoeologous chromosome exchanges in advanced generations (S5:6) alter gene expression through the loss and doubling of homoeologous genes within the rearrangements. Rearrangements may also indirectly affect global gene expression if homoeologous copies of gene regulators within rearrangements have differential affects on the transcription of genes in networks. Methodology/Principal Findings We utilized Arabidopsis 70mer oligonucleotide microarrays for exploring gene expression in three resynthesized B. napus lineages at the S0:1 and S5:6 generations as well as their diploid progenitors B. rapa and B. oleracea. Differential gene expression between the progenitors and additive (midparent) expression in the allopolyploids were tested. The S5:6 lines differed in the number of genetic rearrangements, allowing us to test if the number of genes displaying nonadditive expression was related to the number of rearrangements. Estimates using per-gene and common variance ANOVA models indicated that 6–15% of 26,107 genes were differentially expressed between the progenitors. Individual allopolyploids showed nonadditive expression for 1.6–32% of all genes. Less than 0.3% of genes displayed nonadditive expression in all S0:1lines and 0.1–0.2% were nonadditive among all S5:6 lines. Differentially expressed genes in the polyploids were over-represented by genes differential between the progenitors. The total number of differentially expressed genes was correlated with the number of genetic changes in S5:6 lines under the common variance model; however, there was no relationship using a per-gene variance model, and many genes showed nonadditive expression in S0:1 lines. Conclusions/Significance Few genes reproducibly demonstrated nonadditive expression among lineages, suggesting few changes resulted from a general response to polyploidization. Furthermore, our microarray analysis did not provide strong evidence that homoeologous rearrangements were a determinant of genome-wide nonadditive gene expression. In light of the inherent limitations of the Arabidopsis microarray to measure gene expression in polyploid Brassicas, further studies are warranted

Chromosome and DNA methylation dynamics during meiosis in autotetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa

Variation in chromosome number due to polyploidy can seriously compromise meiotic stability. In autopolyploids, the presence of more than two homologous chromosomes may result in complex pairing patterns and subsequent anomalous chromosome segregation. In this context, chromocenter, centromeric, telomeric and ribosomal DNA locus topology and DNA methylation patterns were investigated in the natural autotetraploid, Arabidopsis arenosa. The data show that homologous chromosome recognition and association initiates at telomeric domains in premeiotic interphase, followed by quadrivalent pairing of ribosomal 45S RNA gene loci (known as NORs) at leptotene. On the other hand, centromeric regions at early leptotene show pairwise associations rather than associations in fours. These pairwise associations are maintained throughout prophase I, and therefore likely to be related to the diploid-like behavior of A. arenosa chromosomes at metaphase I, where only bivalents are observed. In anthers, both cells at somatic interphase as well as at premeiotic interphase show 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) dispersed throughout the nucleus, contrasting with a preferential co-localization with chromocenters observed in vegetative nuclei. These results show for the first time that nuclear distribution patterns of 5-mC are simultaneously reshuffled in meiocytes and anther somatic cells. During prophase I, 5-mC is detected in extended chromatin fibers and chromocenters but interestingly is excluded from the NORs what correlates with the pairing patter

Global analysis of the small RNA transcriptome in different ploidies and genomic combinations of a vertebrate complex - the Squalius alburnoides

The Squalius alburnoides complex (Steindachner) is one of the most intricate hybrid polyploid systems known in vertebrates. In this complex, the constant switch of the genome composition in consecutive generations, very frequently involving a change on the ploidy level, promotes repetitive situations of potential genomic shock. Previously in this complex, it was showed that in response to the increase in genome dosage, triploids hybrids could regulate gene expression to a diploid state. In this work we compared the small RNA profiles in the different genomic compositions interacting in the complex in order to explore the miRNA involvement in gene expression regulation of triploids. Using high-throughput arrays and sequencing technologies we were able to verify that diploid and triploid hybrids shared most of their sequences and their miRNA expression profiles were high correlated. However, an overall view indicates an up-regulation of several miRNAs in triploids and a global miRNA expression in triploids higher than the predicted from an additive model. Those results point to a participation of miRNAs in the cellular functional stability needed when the ploidy change.publishe

Hybridization and hybrid speciation under global change

An unintended consequence of global change is an increase in opportunities for hybridization among previously isolated lineages. Here we illustrate how global change can facilitate the breakdown of reproductive barriers and the formation of hybrids, drawing on the flora of the British Isles for insight. Although global change may ameliorate some of the barriers preventing hybrid establishment, for example by providing new ecological niches for hybrids, it will have limited effects on environment-independent post-zygotic barriers. For example, genic incompatibilities and differences in chromosome numbers and structure within hybrid genomes are unlikely to be affected by global change. We thus speculate that global change will have a larger effect on eroding pre-zygotic barriers (eco-geographical isolation and phenology) than post-zygotic barriers, shifting the relative importance of these two classes of reproductive barriers from what is usually seen in naturally produced hybrids where pre-zygotic barriers are the largest contributors to reproductive isolation. Although the long-term fate of neo-hybrids is still to be determined, the massive impact of global change on the dynamics and distribution of biodiversity generates an unprecedented opportunity to study large numbers of unpredicted, and often replicated, hybridization ‘experiments’, allowing us to peer into the birth and death of evolutionary lineages

Bereavement help-seeking following an 'expected' death: a cross-sectional randomised face-to-face population survey

© 2008 Currow et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background : This study examines the prevalence and nature of bereavement help-seeking among the population who experienced an "expected" death in the five years before their survey response. Such whole population data are not limited by identification through previous access to specific services nor practitioners. Methods : In a randomised, cross-sectional, state-wide population-based survey, 6034 people over two years completed face-to-face interviews in South Australia by trained interviewers using piloted questions (74.2% participation rate). Respondent demographics, type of grief help sought, and circumstantial characteristics were collected. Uni- and multi-variate logistic regression models were created. Results : One in three people (1965/6034) had experienced an 'expected' death of someone close to them in the last five years. Thirteen per cent sought help for their grief from one or more: friend/family members (10.7%); grief counselors (2.2%); spiritual advisers (1.9%); nurses/doctors (1.5%). Twenty five respondents (1.3%) had not sought, but would have valued help with their grief. In multi-variate regression modeling, those who sought professional help (3.4% of the bereaved) had provided more intense care (OR 5.39; CI 1.94 to14.98; p < 0.001), identified that they were less able to 'move on' with their lives (OR 7.08; CI 2.49 to 20.13; p = 0.001) and were more likely not to be in full- or part-time work (OR 3.75; CI 2.31 – 11.82; p = 0.024; Nagelkerke's R2 = 0.33). Conclusion : These data provide a whole-of-population baseline of bereavement help-seeking. The uniquely identified group who wished they had sought help is one where potentially significant health gains could be made as we seek to understand better any improved health outcomes as a result of involving bereavement services

Supporting dynamic change detection: using the right tool for the task

Detecting task-relevant changes in a visual scene is necessary for successfully monitoring and managing dynamic command and control situations. Change blindness—the failure to notice visual changes—is an important source of human error. Change History EXplicit (CHEX) is a tool developed to aid change detection and maintain situation awareness; and in the current study we test the generality of its ability to facilitate the detection of changes when this subtask is embedded within a broader dynamic decision-making task. A multitasking air-warfare simulation required participants to perform radar-based subtasks, for which change detection was a necessary aspect of the higher-order goal of protecting one’s own ship. In this task, however, CHEX rendered the operator even more vulnerable to attentional failures in change detection and increased perceived workload. Such support was only effective when participants performed a change detection task without concurrent subtasks. Results are interpreted in terms of the NSEEV model of attention behavior (Steelman, McCarley, & Wickens, Hum. Factors 53:142–153, 2011; J. Exp. Psychol. Appl. 19:403–419, 2013), and suggest that decision aids for use in multitasking contexts must be designed to fit within the available workload capacity of the user so that they may truly augment cognition