Isolation, via 454 Sequencing, and Characterization of Microsatellites for Vachellia farnesiana (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY-NC-SA) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0).Premise of the study: We isolated 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers from Vachellia farnesiana for use in population genetic studies to determine the native range of the species. Methods and Results: Initially, 454 shotgun sequencing was used to identify and design primers for 68 microsatellite loci. Of these, we trialed 47 loci in the target species, and 42 (89%) amplified a product of expected size. Fifteen of the 47 loci were screened for variation in 21 individuals from the native range of V. farnesiana in southern Mexico and 20 from northwestern Australia. Fourteen loci were polymorphic, with observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.026 to 1.00 (mean = 0.515) and two to 12 alleles per locus (average = 5.2). Cross-amplification was successful in four to 11 loci in three other Vachellia species. Conclusions: The new microsatellite loci will be useful in understanding genetic variation and investigating the role of human-mediated dispersal in the current distribution of V. farnesiana

Geographical distribution of host's specific SARS-CoV-2 mutations in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE: To assess, if the SARS-CoV-2 mutate in a similar pattern globally or has a specific pattern in any given population. RESULTS: We report, the insertion of TTT at 11085, which adds an extra amino acid, F to the NSP6 at amino acid position 38. The highest occurrence of TTT insertion at 11,085 position was found in UK derived samples (65.97%). The second and third highest occurrence of the mutation were found in Australia (8.3%) and USA (4.16%) derived samples, respectively. Another important discovery of this study is the C27945T mutation, which translates into the termination of ORF-8 after 17 amino acids, reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 can replicate without the intact ORF-8 protein. We found that the 97% of C27945T mutation of global occurrence, occurred in Europe and the USA derived samples. CONCLUSION: Two of the reported mutations (11085TTT insertion and C27945T nonsense), which seemed to reduce Type I interferon response are linked to specific geographical locations of the host and implicate region-specific mutations in the virus. The findings of this study signify that SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to adapt differently to different populations

Detection of a Tyrosine Phosphatase LAR on Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Intraepithelial Lymphocytes in the Human Duodenum

Studies of tyrosine phosphorylation in the human duodenum have indicated that proliferating cells in the middle portion of the duodenal crypt were devoid of this feature, suggesting that tyrosine kinase activation is not a dominant factor in crypt cell proliferation, and that consequently tyrosine phosphatase activity may be a more critical factor in crypt cell development. We investigated the expression of the leukocyte common antigen-related receptor (LAR) family of tyrosine phosphatases. A flow cytometry system was used to examine cells from the surface, mid-portion, and lower part of the crypt. Individual cell populations were immunostained with anti-LAR antibodies using phycoerythrin-conjugated anti-CD3 to discriminate between epithelial cells (CD3(−)) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (CD3(+)). Epithelial cells expressed LAR throughout the crypt. Expression of LAR was maximal in the mid-portion of the crypt with lower expression at the top of the villi. Intraepithelial lymphocytes expressed low levels of LAR at the tips of the villi with stronger expression extending towards the base of the crypt. These findings were confirmed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-fixed sections. Of note, peripheral blood lymphocytes expressed less LAR than IEL. These observations suggest the possibility that tyrosine phosphatase LAR may be of importance in the regulation of crypt cell proliferation. Moreover, as the extracellular domain of LAR has homology with adhesion molecules, the finding of this molecule on IEL could suggest a possible functional role in homing of this unique lymphocyte

Communication Asset Mapping: An Ecological Field Application Toward Building Healthy Communities

Guided by an integrated theoretical approach combining communication infrastructure theory with methods of assets-oriented community field mapping, this study reports the findings of an engaged scholarship project we term communication asset mapping (CAM). Ecological in orientation and participatory in practice, CAM represents a tool for analyzing urban spaces’ potential as mediums for building healthy communities. This article offers two case studies from different low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles, the first a researcher-directed CAM application and the second undertaken in collaboration with community health promotion workers. Both offer insights for researchers and practitioners interested in the intersecting roles of communication and place in creating positive community change

The Spectral Energy Distribution of Dust Emission in the Edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4631 as seen with Spitzer and the James Clerk Maxwell telescope

We explore variations in dust emission within the edge-on Sd spiral galaxy NGC 4631 using 3.6-160 μm Spitzer Space Telescope data and 450-850 μm JCMT data with the goals of understanding the relation between PAHs and dust emission, studying the variations in the colors of the dust emission, and searching for possible excess submillimeter emission compared to what is expected from dust models extrapolated from far-infrared wavelengths. The 8 μm PAH emission correlates best with 24 μm hot dust emission on 1.7 kpc scales, but the relation breaks down on 650 pc scales, possibly because of differences in the mean free paths between photons that excite the PAHs and photons that heat the dust and possibly because the PAHs are destroyed by the hard radiation fields within some star formation regions. The ratio of 8 μm PAH emission to 160 μm cool dust emission appears to vary as a function of radius. The 70 μm/160 μm and 160 μm/450 μm flux density ratios are remarkably constant even though the surface brightnesses vary by factors of 25, which suggests that the emission is from dust heated by a nearly uniform radiation field. Globally, we find an excess of 850-1230 μm emission relative to what would be predicted by dust models. The 850 μm excess is highest in regions with low 160 μm surface brightnesses, although the magnitude depends on the model fit to the data. We rule out variable emissivity functions or ~4 K dust as the possible origins of this 850 μm emission, but we do discuss the other possible mechanisms that could produce the emission