Altering an extended phenotype reduces intraspecific male aggression and can maintain diversity in cichlid fish

Reduced male aggression towards different phenotypes generating negative frequency-dependent intrasexual selection has been suggested as a mechanism to facilitate the invasion and maintenance of novel phenotypes in a population. To date, the best empirical evidence for the phenomenon has been provided by laboratory studies on cichlid fish with different colour polymorphisms. Here we experimentally tested the hypothesis in a natural population of Lake Malawi cichlid fish, in which males build sand-castles (bowers) to attract females during seasonal leks. We predicted that if bower shape plays an important role in male aggressive interactions, aggression among conspecific males should decrease when their bower shape is altered. Accordingly, we allocated randomly chosen bowers in a Nyassachromis cf. microcephalus lek into three treatments: control, manipulated to a different shape, and simulated manipulation. We then measured male behaviours and bower shape before and after these treatments. We found that once bower shape was altered, males were involved in significantly fewer aggressive interactions with conspecific males than before manipulation. Mating success was not affected. Our results support the idea that an extended phenotype, such as bower shape, can be important in maintaining polymorphic populations. Specifically, reduced male conspecific aggression towards males with different extended phenotypes (here, bower shapes) may cause negative frequency-dependent selection, allowing the invasion and establishment of a new phenotype (bower builder). This could help our understanding of mechanisms of diversification within populations, and in particular, the overall diversification of bower shapes within Lake Malawi cichlids

Phenotypic divergence and inter-specific trait correlation in a plant-pollinator/seed predator mutualism

Plant-pollinator interactions have been suggested as key drivers of morphological divergence and speciation of the involved taxa. These interactions can also promote sexual dimorphism in both the plant and pollinator, particularly if the pollinator is also a seed-eater and/or exerts different selection pressures on male and female plants. Here we tested the hypotheses that plant-pollinator interactions can be reflected in trait variation and sexual dimorphism in both organisms within and across populations. Across nine European populations, we examined intraspecific variation and sexual dimorphism in phenotypic traits potentially involved in the plant-insect interaction of the dioecious white campion Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae) and its specialist pollinator Hadena bicruris (Noctuidae). This interaction is expected to entail sex-specific selective pressures, as female moths lay eggs on female plants and the larvae predate on the seeds during their development. We compared divergence in phenotypic traits among populations and between sexes within populations, examined correlations between plant and pollinator traits, and between phenotypic distances and genetic distances among co-occurring populations for both plants and insects. We found key differences in phenotypic traits across populations of both the plant and moth, though only in the moth were these differences correlated with geographic distances. We also found evidence for sexual dimorphism in the plant but not in the pollinator. Evolution of floral sexual dimorphism in S. latifolia most likely results from the joint contribution of different selective forces, including biotic interactions with H. bicruris moths

Admixture between ancient lineages, selection, and the formation of sympatric stickleback species-pairs

Ecological speciation has become a popular model for the development and maintenance of reproductive isolation in closely related sympatric pairs of species or ecotypes. An implicit assumption has been that such pairs originate (possibly with gene flow) from a recent, genetically homogeneous ancestor. However, recent genomic data have revealed that currently sympatric taxa are often a result of secondary contact between ancestrally allopatric lineages. This has sparked an interest in the importance of initial hybridization upon secondary contact, with genomic reanalysis of classic examples of ecological speciation often implicating admixture in speciation. We describe a novel occurrence of unusually well-developed reproductive isolation in a model system for ecological speciation: the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), breeding sympatrically in multiple lagoons on the Scottish island of North Uist. Using morphological data, targeted genotyping, and genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism data, we show that lagoon resident and anadromous ecotypes are strongly reproductively isolated with an estimated hybridization rate of only ∼1%. We use palaeoecological and genetic data to test three hypotheses to explain the existence of these species-pairs. Our results suggest that recent, purely ecological speciation from a genetically homogeneous ancestor is probably not solely responsible for the evolution of species-pairs. Instead, we reveal a complex colonization history with multiple ancestral lineages contributing to the genetic composition of species-pairs, alongside strong disruptive selection. Our results imply a role for admixture upon secondary contact and are consistent with the recent suggestion that the genomic underpinning of ecological speciation often has an older, allopatric origin

Interaction with human plasminogen system turns on proteolytic activity in Streptococcus agalactiae and enhances its virulence in a mouse model

Interactions of several microbial pathogens with the plasminogen system increase their invasive potential. In this study, we show that Streptococcus agalactiae binds human plasminogen which can be subsequently activated to plasmin, thus generating a proteolytic bacterium. S. agalactiae binds plasminogen via the direct pathway, using plasminogen receptors, and via the indirect pathway through fibrinogen receptors. The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is one If the S. agalactiae proteins that bind plasminogen. Presence of exogenous activators such as uPA and tPA are required to activate bound plasminogen. Results from competitive inhibition assays indicate that binding is partially mediated through the lysine binding sites of plasminogen. Following plasminogen binding and activation, S. agalactiae is able to degrade in vitro fibronectin, one of the host extracellular matrix proteins. Moreover, incubation of S. agalactiae with either plasminogen alone, or plasminogen plus fibrinogen, in the presence of tPA enhanced its virulence in C57BL/6 mice, suggesting that acquisition of plasmin-like activity by the bacteria increase their invasiveness

Interaction with human plasminogen system turns on proteolytic activity in Streptococcus agalactiae and enhances its virulence in a mouse model

Interactions of several microbial pathogens with the plasminogen system increase their invasive potential. In this study, we show that Streptococcus agalactiae binds human plasminogen which can be subsequently activated to plasmin, thus generating a proteolytic bacterium. S. agalactiae binds plasminogen via the direct pathway, using plasminogen receptors, and via the indirect pathway through fibrinogen receptors. The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is one If the S. agalactiae proteins that bind plasminogen. Presence of exogenous activators such as uPA and tPA are required to activate bound plasminogen. Results from competitive inhibition assays indicate that binding is partially mediated through the lysine binding sites of plasminogen. Following plasminogen binding and activation, S. agalactiae is able to degrade in vitro fibronectin, one of the host extracellular matrix proteins. Moreover, incubation of S. agalactiae with either plasminogen alone, or plasminogen plus fibrinogen, in the presence of tPA enhanced its virulence in C57BL/6 mice, suggesting that acquisition of plasmin-like activity by the bacteria increase their invasiveness

The Provision of Care in Bolivia: Gender Inequalities and Female Overload

El artículo analiza la organización social de los cuidados en Bolivia, indagando sobre su relación con los tiempos de trabajo no-remunerado femenino. A través del análisis de estadísticas oficiales y de una revisión de estado del arte, se ofrece un panorama de las desigualdades de género en la división social de estas labores en ámbitos rurales y urbanos bolivianos. Además, se analizan los marcos jurídicos y las políticas de protección social vigentes actualmente en el país. Nuestros hallazgos demuestran que, en las últimas dos décadas, avances normativos en Bolivia fomentaron la comprensión del cuidado como un derecho social, cuya responsabilidad debiera involucrar de forma equitativa a hombres y mujeres de la familia, a la sociedad, al mercado y al Estado. Pese a ello, las mujeres bolivianas siguen asumiendo los costes del cuidado y experimentando altos niveles de sobrecarga y precarización laboral.This paper analyzes the social organization of care in Bolivia, inquiring about its relationship with women’s unpaid working time. Through the analysis of official statistics and a state-of-theart review, we offer a general outlook of gender inequalities in the social division of these tasks in rural and urban Bolivian areas. In addition, we also examine the current legal frameworks and social protection policies promoted in the country. Our findings show that, in the last two decades, there have been legal advances in Bolivia promoting the understanding of care as a social right, whose responsibility should equitably involve men and women of the family, the society, the market and the State. Despite this, Bolivian women continue to assume the costs of care and experience high levels of overload and insecure working conditions.Fil: López Contreras, Eleonora. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Magalhaes, Lina. Universidade Estadual de Santa Catarina; BrasilFil: Araya, Isabel. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Lube Guizardi, Menara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Altos Estudios Sociales. Centro de Estudios En Antropología; Argentina. Universidad de Tarapaca.; Chil

ボゴ ニヨル コクゴ ノ ガクシュウ オ オヤコ デ ジッセンスル ワタシ ノ ブンカ オ イカシテ

There has been a large focus on the genetics of traits involved in adaptation, but knowledge of the environmental variables leading to adaptive changes is surprisingly poor. Combined use of environmental data with morphological and genomic data should allow us to understand the extent to which patterns of phenotypic and genetic diversity within a species can be explained by the structure of the environment. Here we analyse the variation of populations of three-spined stickleback from 27 freshwater lakes on North Uist, Scotland, that vary greatly in their environment, to understand how environmental and genetic constraints contribute to phenotypic divergence. We collected 35 individuals per population and 30 abiotic and biotic environmental parameters to characterize variation across lakes and analyse phenotype – environment associations. Additionally we used RAD sequencing to estimate the genetic relationships among a subset of these populations. We found a large amount of phenotypic variation among populations, most prominently in armour and spine traits. Despite large variation in the abiotic environment, namely in ion composition, depth and Dissolved Organic Carbon, more phenotypic variation was explained by the biotic variables (presence of predators and density of predator and competitors), than by associated abiotic variables. Genetic structure among populations was partly geographic, with closer populations being more similar. Altogether our results suggest that differences in body shape among stickleback populations are the result of both canalized genetic and plastic responses to environmental factors, which shape fish morphology in a predictable direction regardless of their genetic starting point

Definition of a collaborative working model to the logistics area using design for Six Sigma

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to create an online enterprise community for all logistics employees of Bosch Car Multimedia division in the Bosch Group, for an internal collaboration of the entire Bosch Group based on an IBM Connections platform: Bosch Connect. An additional concern, collected throughout the project, was to bring employees to join the platform, making it a tool of your daily work. The final objective is to implement and promote a tool to foster internal and external integration of the Bosch logistics community.Design/methodology/approach - A case study is presented to illustrate the use of a Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology to support all the process creation of a collaborative community. There are several variants of the methodology DFSS. For the context of this project, will be used the define, measure, analyze, design and verify (DMADV) methodology, that is appropriated to design services processes and it addresses specifically to the remodeling processes.Findings - The use of DMADV methodology allows establish, systematically, a model which was in accordance with the target population needs.Research limitations/implications - Since this is a case study, it is not possible to generalize the results. Furthermore, this project was developed in a limit time (about four months). Thus, was not possible to obtain a large community.Practical implications - The case study brings some evidence of how a systematic approach to the design of a online enterprise community can support designers to meet user's needs.Social implications - A new approach is proposed to meet an online enterprise community user's needs.Originality/value - To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no evidence the use of this methodology to support a construction of an online enterprise community.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio