The spatial and molecular ecology of Twite linaria flavirostris

Twite Linaria flavirostris have a globally disjunct population, with breeding groups in western Europe and from central to east Asia, yet the phylogeographic consequences of this distribution have remained largely uninvestigated. Furthermore, recent population declines in Western Europe now underpin the need to better understand within-species population limits and migratory ecology. This study sought to investigate connectivity and population structure at differing scales within the Twite’s global distribution. Data was accessed from ringing schemes across Europe to infer spatio-temporal trends within the Western European breeding group. Mixing between the endemic British subspecies L. f. pipilans and the Scandinavian L. f. flavirostris is rare and may be perpetuated by differing migratory ecologies. Weak connectivity within the continental group is considered to be a response to instability in available food during the non- breeding season; the findings also suggests a lack of migratory plasticity within the British group. Two regions of the mitochondrial DNA, cyt-b and COI were sequenced in order to explore population structure across the global distribution. A number of informative sites in the mitochondrial DNA identified three narrowly divergent and relatively invariable haplogroups, a single western European, a closely related central Asian group and a divergent Himalayan group. These data are suggestive of recent population expansion within the closely related European and Central Asian groups and, probably related to Pleistocene glacial cycles. Museum specimens were accessed in an attempt to fill gaps in sampling, however sequences retrieved likely contained contaminating DNA. Over all, this study finds isolation within Western Europe and suggests a revision to current IUCN classifications within the region. Future works should seek more comprehensive sampling within the Asian group in order to better understand population limits and connectivity

Indirect genetic effects increase heritability estimates for male and female extra-pair reproduction

The question of why females engage in extra-pair behaviors is long-standing in evolutionary biology. One suggestion is that these behaviors are maintained through pleiotropic effects on male extra-pair behaviors (genes controlling extra-pair reproduction are shared between sexes, but only beneficial to one sex, in this case, males). However, for this to evolve extra-pair reproduction must be both heritable and positively genetically correlated between sexes. Previous studies have suggested low heritability with no evidence for between-sex genetic correlations in extra-pair reproduction. However, these have not considered indirect genetic effects (derived from the behavior of others, IGEs) from the social partner, the influence of the social partner’s genotype on the phenotype of an individual, despite the potential of IGEs to uncover hidden heritable variation. Using data from a closed-house sparrow population with a genetic pedigree spanning two decades, we tested the influence of social partner IGEs on heritable variation and genetic correlation estimates of extra-pair reproduction. We found that the inclusion of IGEs resulted in larger heritable genetic variance for both male and female extra-pair heritability. While IGEs did not change between-sex genetic correlations, we found they reduced uncertainty in those estimates. Future studies should consider the effect of IGEs on the mechanisms of sex-specific extra-pair reproduction

Calls of Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus contain individual signatures

Vocalisations are widely used to signal behavioural intention in animal communication, but may also carry acoustic signatures unique to the calling individual. Here, we used acoustic analysis to confirm that Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus calls carry individual signatures, and discerned which features made the calls individual. Manx shearwater are nocturnal seabirds that breed in dense colonies, where they must recognize and locate mates among thousands of conspecifics calling in the dark. There is evidence for mate vocal recognition in two shearwater species, but quantitative data on the vocalisations are lacking. We elicited vocal responses to playback of conspecific calls in Manx shearwaters, and measured spectral and temporal parameters of the calls. We then applied linear discriminant analysis with leave-one-out cross-validation and could confirm the presence of individual vocal signatures. We then calculated among-individual repeatability of 34 features describing the vocalisation to determine the extent to which these features may contribute to individual signature coding. We found that calls cluster by individual in both temporal and spectral characteristics, suggesting these traits are contributing to Manx shearwaters' unique call signatures

How woodcocks produce the most brilliant white plumage patches among the birds

Until recently, and when compared with diurnal birds that use contrasting plumage patches and complex feather structures to convey visual information, communication in nocturnal and crepuscular species was considered to follow acoustic and chemical channels. However, many birds that are active in low-light environments have evolved intensely white plumage patches within otherwise inconspicuous plumages. We used spectrophotometry, electron microscopy, and optical modelling to explain the mechanisms producing bright white tail feather tips of the Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola. Their diffuse reflectance was approximately 30% higher than any previously measured feather. This intense reflectance is the result of incoherent light scattering from a disordered nanostructure composed of keratin and air within the barb rami. In addition, the flattening, thickening and arrangement of those barbs create a Venetian-blind-like macrostructure that enhances the surface area for light reflection. We suggest that the woodcocks have evolved these bright white feather patches for long-range visual communication in dimly lit environments.Copyright © 2023 TheAuthors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited. The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor

Circulating miRNAs in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Show Promise as Biomarkers of Vascular Function

Background/Objectives. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of vascular function in pediatric pulmonary hypertension. Method. Fourteen pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension patients underwent simultaneous right heart catheterization (RHC) and blood biochemical analysis. Univariate and stepwise multivariate linear regression was used to identify and correlate measures of reactive and resistive afterload with circulating miRNA levels. Furthermore, circulating miRNA candidates that classified patients according to a 20% decrease in resistive afterload in response to oxygen (O2) or inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) were identified using receiver-operating curves. Results. Thirty-two circulating miRNAs correlated with the pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRi), pulmonary arterial distensibility, and PVRi decrease in response to O2 and/or iNO. Multivariate models, combining the predictive capability of multiple promising miRNA candidates, revealed a good correlation with resistive (r=0.97, P2−tailed<0.0001) and reactive (r=0.86, P2−tailed<0.005) afterloads. Bland-Altman plots showed that 95% of the differences between multivariate models and RHC would fall within 0.13 (mmHg−min/L)m2 and 0.0085/mmHg for resistive and reactive afterloads, respectively. Circulating miR-663 proved to be a good classifier for vascular responsiveness to acute O2 and iNO challenges. Conclusion. This study suggests that circulating miRNAs may be biomarkers to phenotype vascular function in pediatric PAH

Targeted Resequencing of the Coding Sequence of 38 Genes Near Breast Cancer GWAS Loci in a Large Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Genes regulated by breast cancer risk alleles identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) may harbor rare coding risk alleles. METHODS: We sequenced the coding regions for 38 genes within 500 kb of 38 lead GWAS SNPs in 13,538 breast cancer cases and 5,518 controls. RESULTS: Truncating variants in these genes were rare, and were not associated with breast cancer risk. Burden testing of rare missense variants highlighted 5 genes with some suggestion of an association with breast cancer, although none met the multiple testing thresholds: MKL1, FTO, NEK10, MDM4, and COX11. Six common alleles in COX11, MAP3K1 (two), and NEK10 (three) were associated at the P < 0.0001 significance level, but these likely reflect linkage disequilibrium with causal regulatory variants. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence that rare coding variants in these genes confer substantial breast cancer risks. However, more modest effect sizes could not be ruled out. IMPACT: We tested the hypothesis that rare variants in 38 genes near breast cancer GWAS loci may mediate risk. These variants do not appear to play a major role in breast cancer heritability

Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants in a large, unselected breast cancer cohort.

Breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2-driven tumors may benefit from targeted therapy. It is not clear whether current BRCA screening guidelines are effective at identifying these patients. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of inherited BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants in a large, clinically representative breast cancer cohort and to estimate the proportion of BRCA1/2 carriers not detected by selectively screening individuals with the highest probability of being carriers according to current clinical guidelines. The study included 5,122 unselected Swedish breast cancer patients diagnosed from 2001 to 2008. Target sequence enrichment (48.48 Fluidigm Access Arrays) and sequencing were performed (Illumina Hi-Seq 2,500 instrument, v4 chemistry). Differences in patient and tumor characteristics of BRCA1/2 carriers who were already identified as part of clinical BRCA1/2 testing routines and additional BRCA1/2 carriers found by sequencing the entire study population were compared using logistic regression models. Ninety-two of 5,099 patients with valid variant calls were identified as BRCA1/2 carriers by screening all study participants (1.8%). Only 416 study participants (8.2%) were screened as part of clinical practice, but this identified 35 out of 92 carriers (38.0%). Clinically identified carriers were younger, less likely postmenopausal and more likely to be associated with familiar ovarian cancer compared to the additional carriers identified by screening all patients. More BRCA2 (34/42, 81.0%) than BRCA1 carriers (23/50, 46%) were missed by clinical screening. In conclusion, BRCA1/2 mutation prevalence in unselected breast cancer patients was 1.8%. Six in ten BRCA carriers were not detected by selective clinical screening of individuals

Association football and the representation of homosexuality by the print media: a case study of Anton Hysén

In March 2011 Anton Hysén (a semi-professional footballer currently playing in the Swedish fourth division) became only the second association football (soccer) player of any professional disposition to publicly declare his homosexuality whilst still playing the game. This article provides a textual analysis of the print media’s reaction to Hysén coming out and examines whether, in 2011, they portray more inclusive notions towards homosexuality than they did in 1990 when British footballer Justin Fashanu came out. The results advance inclusive masculinity theory as a number of print media sources (mostly British) interview Hysén in the weeks immediately after he came out and publish articles that challenge homophobia. Highlighting a change since 1990, a significant number of articles stress the need for the key stakeholders in football (players, fans, clubs, agents, the authorities and the media) to accept gay players