DEXTEROUS MANIPULATION CAPABILITIES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGE IN DISCHARGE RATE PROPERTIES OF MOTOR NEURONS WITH AGE

Aging is accompanied by declines in manual dexterity and fine motor control. The purpose of this research was to compare hand motor control in young and older adults and examine the neuromuscular mechanisms responsible for enabling these interactions. We test force variability during isometric and dynamic contractions, manual dexterity and track motor unit activity to identify the neuromuscular mechanisms responsible for changes in dexterity with age. 26 older adults (66-86 years) and 28 young adults (19 – 38 years) participated in the study. Research participants performed force matching tasks during index finger abduction, precision pinch, static pressing and hybrid force/ motion tasks. The coefficient of variation (CV) during the force-matching task computed. Multichannel high-density EMG was measured from the First Dorsal Interosseus (FDI) and extensor Digitorum Communis (EDC). The EMG signals were decomposed to obtain motor unit discharge rate parameters such as discharge rate and discharge rate variability of the motor neurons was computed. Low-frequency common oscillatory drive to the motor neurons was computed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on the motor unit discharge rates. Associations between the force variability, dexterity scores and motor unit parameters were analyzed for group differences and associations. A higher CV of force was observed in older and younger adults was associated with reduced mean discharge rates, increased discharge rate variabilities and an increase in the low-frequency common oscillatory signal to the motor units. Additionally, the motor unit parameters were associated with performance on tests of manual dexterity such as the box and block test and grooved pegboard test

Assigning conservation value and identifying hotspots of endemic rattan diversity in the Western Ghats, India

Rattans, or canes, are one of the most important non-timber forest products supporting the livelihood of many forest-dwelling communities in South and North-eastern India. Due to increased demand for rattan products, rattans have been extracted indiscriminately from the Western Ghats, a 1600-km mountain chain running parallel to the west coast of India. Extensive harvesting, loss of habitat and poor regeneration has resulted in dwindling rattan populations, necessitating an urgent attempt to conserve existing rattan resources. In this study, using niche-modelling tools, an attempt has been made to identify areas of high species richness of rattans in the Western Ghats, one of the mega-diversity regions of the world. We have also developed conservation values for 21 economically important and endemic rattans of the Western Ghats. We identified at least two to three sites of extremely high species richness outside the existing protected area network that should be prioritized for in situ conservation. This study emphasizes the need to develop strategies for the long-term conservation of rattans in the Western Ghats, Indi

FACTORS INFLUENCING INDIAN FIRMS DECISION MAKING IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN AFRICA

India’s economic progress and relations with other developing regions have received much attention, particularly the way in which Indo-African relations have evolved since 2000. This paper aims to put Indian FDI in Africa into perspective and provide some answers on the nature and possible impact of these flows to the continent. The study utilized the international typology offered by Dunning OLI paradigm to identify the important of Location Specific Advantages and how these advantages leads to selection of location for investment purposes by investors The study findings demonstrated that potential market growth, market opportunities and consumer base are the important indicated Indian firms targets Africa to seek new and unexplored markets of Africa. Competitiveness climate is important determinant along with economies of scale, investment incentives and availability of natural resources

Genomics Portals: integrative web-platform for mining genomics data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A large amount of experimental data generated by modern high-throughput technologies is available through various public repositories. Our knowledge about molecular interaction networks, functional biological pathways and transcriptional regulatory modules is rapidly expanding, and is being organized in lists of functionally related genes. Jointly, these two sources of information hold a tremendous potential for gaining new insights into functioning of living systems.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genomics Portals platform integrates access to an extensive knowledge base and a large database of human, mouse, and rat genomics data with basic analytical visualization tools. It provides the context for analyzing and interpreting new experimental data and the tool for effective mining of a large number of publicly available genomics datasets stored in the back-end databases. The uniqueness of this platform lies in the volume and the diversity of genomics data that can be accessed and analyzed (gene expression, ChIP-chip, ChIP-seq, epigenomics, computationally predicted binding sites, etc), and the integration with an extensive knowledge base that can be used in such analysis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The integrated access to primary genomics data, functional knowledge and analytical tools makes Genomics Portals platform a unique tool for interpreting results of new genomics experiments and for mining the vast amount of data stored in the Genomics Portals backend databases. Genomics Portals can be accessed and used freely at <url>http://GenomicsPortals.org</url>.</p

Genomics Reveal Admixture and Unexpected Patterns of Diversity in a Parapatric Pair of Butterflies

We studied the evolutionary relationship of two widely distributed parapatric butterfly species, Melitaea athalia and Melitaea celadussa, using the ddRAD sequencing approach, as well as genital morphology and mtDNA data. M. athalia was retrieved as paraphyletic with respect to M. celadussa. Several cases of mito-nuclear discordance and morpho-genetic mismatch were found in the contact zone. A strongly diverged and marginally sympatric clade of M. athalia from the Balkans was revealed. An in-depth analysis of genomic structure detected high levels of admixture between M. athalia and M. celadussa at the contact zone, though not reaching the Balkan clade. The demographic modelling of populations supported the intermediate genetic make-up of European M. athalia populations with regards to M. celadussa and the Balkan clade. However, the dissimilarity matrix of genotype data (PCoA) suggested the Balkan lineage having a genetic component that is unrelated to the athalia-celadussa group. Although narrowly sympatric, almost no signs of gene flow were found between the main M. athalia group and the Balkan clade. We propose two possible scenarios on the historical evolution of our model taxa and the role of the last glacial maximum in shaping their current distribution. Finally, we discuss the complexities regarding the taxonomic delimitation of parapatric taxa

Genomics Reveal Admixture and Unexpected Patterns of Diversity in a Parapatric Pair of Butterflies

We studied the evolutionary relationship of two widely distributed parapatric butterfly species, Melitaea athalia and Melitaea celadussa, using the ddRAD sequencing approach, as well as genital morphology and mtDNA data. M. athalia was retrieved as paraphyletic with respect to M. celadussa. Several cases of mito-nuclear discordance and morpho-genetic mismatch were found in the contact zone. A strongly diverged and marginally sympatric clade of M. athalia from the Balkans was revealed. An in-depth analysis of genomic structure detected high levels of admixture between M. athalia and M. celadussa at the contact zone, though not reaching the Balkan clade. The demographic modelling of populations supported the intermediate genetic make-up of European M. athalia populations with regards to M. celadussa and the Balkan clade. However, the dissimilarity matrix of genotype data (PCoA) suggested the Balkan lineage having a genetic component that is unrelated to the athalia-celadussa group. Although narrowly sympatric, almost no signs of gene flow were found between the main M. athalia group and the Balkan clade. We propose two possible scenarios on the historical evolution of our model taxa and the role of the last glacial maximum in shaping their current distribution. Finally, we discuss the complexities regarding the taxonomic delimitation of parapatric taxa

Vemurafenib-resistance via de novo RBM genes mutations and chromosome 5 aberrations is overcome by combined therapy with palbociclib in thyroid carcinoma with BRAFV600E

Purpose Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent endocrine tumor. BRAFV600E represents the PTC hallmark and is targeted with selective inhibitors (e.g. vemurafenib). Although there have been promising results in clinical trials using these inhibitors, most patients develop resistance and progress. Tumor clonal diversity is proposed as one mechanism underlying drug resistance. Here we have investigated mechanisms of primary and secondary resistance to vemurafenib in BRAFWT/V600E–positive PTC patient-derived cells with P16-/- (CDKN2A-/-). Experimental Design Following treatment with vemurafenib, we expanded a sub-population of cells with primary resistance and characterized them genetically and cytogenetically. We have used exome sequencing, metaphase chromosome analysis, FISH and oligonucleotide SNP-microarray assays to assess clonal evolution of vemurafenib-resistant cells. Furthermore, we have validated our findings by networks and pathways analyses using PTC clinical samples. Results: Vemurafenib-resistant cells grow similarly to naïve cells but are refractory to apoptosis upon treatment with vemurafenib, and accumulate in G2-M phase. We find that vemurafenib-resistant cells show amplification of chromosome 5 and de novo mutations in the RBM (RNA-binding motifs) genes family (i.e. RBMX, RBM10). RBMX knockdown in naïve-cells contributes to tetraploidization, including expansion of clones with chromosome 5 aberrations (e.g. isochromosome 5p). RBMX elicits gene regulatory networks with chromosome 5q cancer-associated genes and pathways for G2-M and DNA damage-response checkpoint regulation in BRAFWT/V600E-PTC. Importantly, combined therapy with vemurafenib plus palbociclib (inhibitor of CDK4/6, mimicking P16 functions) synergistically induces stronger apoptosis than single agents in resistant-cells and in anaplastic thyroid tumor cells harboring the heterozygous BRAFWT/V600E mutation. Conclusions: Critically, our findings suggest for the first time that targeting BRAFWT/V600E and CDK4/6 represents a novel therapeutic strategy to treat vemurafenib-resistant or vemurafenib-naïve radioiodine-refractory BRAFWT/V600E-PTC. This combined therapy could prevent selection and expansion of aggressive PTC cell sub-clones with intrinsic resistance, targeting tumor cells either with primary or secondary resistance to BRAFV600E inhibitor

Patterns of Speciation in a Parapatric Pair of Saturnia Moths as Revealed by Target Capture

&lt;p&gt;This is the dataset for the manuscript entitled Patterns of Speciation in a Parapatric Pair of Saturnia Moths as Revealed by Target Capture. This study helps in the delimitation of a parapatric pair of two species of moths in a complex distribution considering their evolutionary history with the help of the Target Capture method.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A total of 27 specimens were collected from across Europe. The dataset included individuals from both species close to and farther away from the contact zone, one outgroup Saturnia josephinae as well as two hybrids generated in the lab. To address species delimitation in these parapatric taxa, target enrichment, and mtDNA sequencing were employed alongside phylogenetic, admixture, introgression, and species delimitation analyses.&nbsp;&lt;/p&gt