A probabilistic model for gene content evolution with duplication, loss, and horizontal transfer

We introduce a Markov model for the evolution of a gene family along a phylogeny. The model includes parameters for the rates of horizontal gene transfer, gene duplication, and gene loss, in addition to branch lengths in the phylogeny. The likelihood for the changes in the size of a gene family across different organisms can be calculated in O(N+hM^2) time and O(N+M^2) space, where N is the number of organisms, $h$ is the height of the phylogeny, and M is the sum of family sizes. We apply the model to the evolution of gene content in Preoteobacteria using the gene families in the COG (Clusters of Orthologous Groups) database

Star clusters near and far; tracing star formation across cosmic time

© 2020 Springer-Verlag. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-020-00690-x.Star clusters are fundamental units of stellar feedback and unique tracers of their host galactic properties. In this review, we will first focus on their constituents, i.e.\ detailed insight into their stellar populations and their surrounding ionised, warm, neutral, and molecular gas. We, then, move beyond the Local Group to review star cluster populations at various evolutionary stages, and in diverse galactic environmental conditions accessible in the local Universe. At high redshift, where conditions for cluster formation and evolution are more extreme, we are only able to observe the integrated light of a handful of objects that we believe will become globular clusters. We therefore discuss how numerical and analytical methods, informed by the observed properties of cluster populations in the local Universe, are used to develop sophisticated simulations potentially capable of disentangling the genetic map of galaxy formation and assembly that is carried by globular cluster populations.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Le condizioni per crescere

L'economia italiana soffre di un problema di crescita. All'origine del quale sta un ritardo di adeguamento dell'industria nazionale alla liberalizzazione degli scambi internazionali. Per recuperare questo ritardo è cruciale la politica industriale che verrà adottata. Questo volume contiene i risultati di una ricerca sul sistema produttivo italiano che evidenzia i problemi strutturali dell'economia reale, fornendo un'importante visione d'insieme, fino ad ora disattesa. Dalla collaborazione fra una prestigiosa istituzione e un gruppo di docenti universitari eccellenti, una profonda e articolata riflessione che fa il punto sul settore industriale italiano e indica le coordinate per una politica industriale volta alla ripresa dell'economia. Uno strumento essenziale per studiosi, imprenditori, istituzioni

Recria de novilhas de corte com diferentes níveis de suplementação energética em pastagem de aveia preta e azevém Rearing of beef heifers with different energy supplementation levels on oat and annual ryegrass pasture

O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a recria de novilhas de corte, sob diferentes níveis de suplementação de farelo de trigo, em pastagem de aveia preta (Avena strigosa Schreb) + azevém (Lolium multiflorum Lam). Foram utilizadas 109 novilhas da raça Charolês e suas cruzas com Nelore com peso vivo (PV) no início do pastejo de 158 kg. Os níveis de suplementação foram: SS - animais exclusivamente em pastejo; S-0,5 - animais em pastejo recebendo suplemento na proporção de 0,5% do PV; S-1,0 - animais em pastejo recebendo suplemento na proporção de 1,0% do PV; S-1,5 - animais em pastejo recebendo suplemento na proporção de 1,5% do PV. O período de pastejo foi de 10 de julho a 02 de novembro. O sistema de pastejo foi contínuo com lotação variável, visando manter oferta de forragem de 10 kg de matéria seca/100kg de PV. Ganho de peso médio diário (GMD), condição corporal (CC), carga animal (CA) e ganho de peso por área (GPA) foram avaliados. Os níveis de suplementação afetaram o GMD de maneira distinta durante o ciclo da pastagem. O GMD médio das novilhas SS, S-0,5, S-1,0 e S-1,5, durante o período de pastejo, foi de 0,751; 0,894; 0,809 e 0,936 kg/animal/dia, respectivamente. O ganho de CC foi maior nas novilhas suplementadas, 0,8 pontos contra 0,5 pontos das novilhas exclusivamente em pastejo. A CA aumentou linearmente durante o período de pastejo no S-1,5, possibilitando, neste nível de suplementação, GPA superior ao SS e S-0,5. A taxa de substituição no consumo de forragem pelo consumo de suplemento e a adição no consumo total de MS foram determinantes sobre o desempenho das novilhas suplementadas.<br>An experiment was conducted to evaluate the rearing of beef heifers with different levels of wheat bran supplementation, on oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) + annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) pasture. One hundred nine Charolais and Charolais crossbreed Nellore heifers, with initial weight (LW) of 158 kg, were used. The supplementation levels were: SS - animals fed oat + annual ryegrass without supplementation; S 0.5 - animals fed 0.5% of LW/day of supplementation; S 1.0 - animals fed 1.0% LW/day of supplementation; S 1.5 - animals fed 1.5% of LW/day of supplementation. The grazing period was from July 10th to November 02nd with continuous grazing and forage offer of 10 kg dry matter (DM)/100 kg LW. The variables studied were average daily weight gain (ADG), body condition (BC), stocking rate (SR) and weight gain per ha (LWG). The supplementation levels affected the ADG, on a different way during the pasture cycle. Average ADG wasof 0.751; 0.894; 0.809 and 0.936 kg/animal/day for SS, S-0.5, S-1.0 e S-1.5 heifers, respectively. BC gain was higher for supplemented heifers, 0.8 points vs 0.5 points for heifers maintained only on pasture. The SR increased linearly during the grazing period, for the S 1.5, resulting in greater LWG than for the SS and S 0.5. The substitution rate of forage intake by the supplement consumption and the addition on total DM intake were determinant for the supplemented heifers performance