Population structure and plumage polymorphism: The intraspecific evolutionary relationships of a polymorphic raptor, Buteo jamaicensis harlani

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Phenotypic and molecular genetic data often provide conflicting patterns of intraspecific relationships confounding phylogenetic inference, particularly among birds where a variety of environmental factors may influence plumage characters. Among diurnal raptors, the taxonomic relationship of <it>Buteo jamaicensis harlani </it>to other <it>B. jamaicensis </it>subspecies has been long debated because of the polytypic nature of the plumage characteristics used in subspecies or species designations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To address the evolutionary relationships within this group, we used data from 17 nuclear microsatellite loci, 430 base pairs of the mitochondrial control region, and 829 base pairs of the melanocortin 1 receptor (<it>Mc1r</it>) to investigate molecular genetic differentiation among three <it>B. jamaicensis </it>subspecies (<it>B. j. borealis</it>, <it>B. j. calurus</it>, <it>B. j. harlani</it>). Bayesian clustering analyses of nuclear microsatellite loci showed no significant differences between <it>B. j. harlani </it>and <it>B. j. borealis</it>. Differences observed between <it>B. j. harlani </it>and <it>B. j. borealis </it>in mitochondrial and microsatellite data were equivalent to those found between morphologically similar subspecies, <it>B. j. borealis </it>and <it>B. j. calurus</it>, and estimates of migration rates among all three subspecies were high. No consistent differences were observed in <it>Mc1r </it>data between <it>B. j. harlani </it>and other <it>B. jamaicensis </it>subspecies or between light and dark color morphs within <it>B. j. calurus</it>, suggesting that <it>Mc1r </it>does not play a significant role in <it>B. jamaicensis </it>melanism.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data suggest recent interbreeding and gene flow between <it>B. j. harlani </it>and the other <it>B. jamaicensis </it>subspecies examined, providing no support for the historical designation of <it>B. j. harlani </it>as a distinct species.</p

The support person\u27s preferences and perspectives of physical activity programs for older adults with cognitive impairment

Objectives: Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for older adults\u27 cognition. There is limited research investigating perspectives of support persons (SPs) of next-of-kins (NOKs) with cognitive impairment. This exploratory study aimed to investigate perspectives of SPs of older adults with Alzheimer\u27s Dementia (AD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Methods: A telephone survey of 213 SPs of NOKs from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL) was undertaken to quantitatively assess SPs\u27 beliefs and knowledge about PA benefits, current PA level of their NOK, and PA program preferences. The contribution of age, gender, diagnosis and mental health symptoms was assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Many SPs were aware of PA benefits for memory (64%) and believed it would help their NOK (72%). Older SP age was associated with less awareness of benefits (p = 0.016). SPs caring for male NOKs were more likely to believe that PA would be helpful than those caring for female NOKs (p = 0.049). NOK AD diagnosis (rather than MCI) (p = 0.014), older age (p = 0.005) and female gender (p = 0.043) were associated with lower PA levels. SPs were mixed regarding preference for their NOKs to participate in individual (45%) or group (54%) PA. Many SPs wanted to participate in PA with their NOK (63%). Conclusions: The results highlight that SPs have high levels of awareness of the cognitive benefits of PA, and describe their preferences regarding PA programs. The findings provide new information to inform targeted public health messaging, PA prescribers and providers, and future research directions

Genetic contributions to visuospatial cognition in Williams syndrome: insights from two contrasting partial deletion patients

Background Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder arising from a hemizygotic deletion of approximately 27 genes on chromosome 7, at locus 7q11.23. WS is characterised by an uneven cognitive profile, with serious deficits in visuospatial tasks in comparison to relatively proficient performance in some other cognitive domains such as language and face processing. Individuals with partial genetic deletions within the WS critical region (WSCR) have provided insights into the contribution of specific genes to this complex phenotype. However, the combinatorial effects of different genes remain elusive. Methods We report on visuospatial cognition in two individuals with contrasting partial deletions in the WSCR: one female (HR), aged 11 years 9 months, with haploinsufficiency for 24 of the WS genes (up to GTF2IRD1), and one male (JB), aged 14 years 2 months, with the three most telomeric genes within the WSCR deleted, or partially deleted. Results Our in-depth phenotyping of the visuospatial domain from table-top psychometric, and small- and large-scale experimental tasks reveal a profile in HR in line with typically developing controls, albeit with some atypical features. These data are contrasted with patient JB’s atypical profile of strengths and weaknesses across the visuospatial domain, as well as with more substantial visuospatial deficits in individuals with the full WS deletion. Conclusions Our findings point to the contribution of specific genes to spatial processing difficulties associated with WS, highlighting the multifaceted nature of spatial cognition and the divergent effects of genetic deletions within the WSCR on different components of visuospatial ability. The importance of general transcription factors at the telomeric end of the WSCR, and their combinatorial effects on the WS visuospatial phenotype are also discussed

Tumor matrix stiffness promotes metastatic cancer cell interaction with the endothelium

Tumor progression alters the composition and physical properties of the extracellular matrix. Particularly, increased matrix stiffness has profound effects on tumor growth and metastasis. While endothelial cells are key players in cancer progression, the influence of tumor stiffness on the endothelium and the impact on metastasis is unknown. Through quantitative mass spectrometry, we find that the matricellular protein CCN1/CYR61 is highly regulated by stiffness in endothelial cells. We show that stiffness‐induced CCN1 activates β‐catenin nuclear translocation and signaling and that this contributes to upregulate N‐cadherin levels on the surface of the endothelium, in vitro. This facilitates N‐cadherin‐dependent cancer cell–endothelium interaction. Using intravital imaging, we show that knockout of Ccn1 in endothelial cells inhibits melanoma cancer cell binding to the blood vessels, a critical step in cancer cell transit through the vasculature to metastasize. Targeting stiffness‐induced changes in the vasculature, such as CCN1, is therefore a potential yet unappreciated mechanism to impair metastasis