Evolution of Novel Signal Traits in the Absence of Female Preferences in Neoconocephalus Katydids (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

Background Significance: Communication signals that function to bring together the sexes are important for maintaining reproductive isolation in many taxa. Changes in male calls are often attributed to sexual selection, in which female preferences initiate signal divergence. Natural selection can also influence signal traits if calls attract predators or parasitoids, or if calling is energetically costly. Neutral evolution is often neglected in the context of acoustic communication. Methodology/Principal Findings: We describe a signal trait that appears to have evolved in the absence of either sexual or natural selection. In the katydid genus Neoconocephalus, calls with a derived pattern in which pulses are grouped into pairs have evolved five times independently. We have previously shown that in three of these species, females require the double pulse pattern for call recognition, and hence the recognition system of the females is also in a derived state. Here we describe the remaining two species and find that although males produce the derived call pattern, females use the ancestral recognition mechanism in which no pulse pattern is required. Females respond equally well to the single and double pulse calls, indicating that the derived trait is selectively neutral in the context of mate recognition. Conclusions/Significance: These results suggest that 1) neutral changes in signal traits could be important in the diversification of communication systems, and 2) males rather than females may be responsible for initiating signa

Central Exercise Action Increases the AMPK and mTOR Response to Leptin

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) are key regulators of cellular energy balance and of the effects of leptin on food intake. Acute exercise is associated with increased sensitivity to the effects of leptin on food intake in an IL-6-dependent manner. To determine whether exercise ameliorates the AMPK and mTOR response to leptin in the hypothalamus in an IL-6-dependent manner, rats performed two 3-h exercise bouts, separated by one 45-min rest period. Intracerebroventricular IL-6 infusion reduced food intake and pretreatment with AMPK activators and mTOR inhibitor prevented IL-6-induced anorexia. Activators of AMPK and fasting increased food intake in control rats to a greater extent than that observed in exercised ones, whereas inhibitor of AMPK had the opposite effect. Furthermore, the reduction of AMPK and ACC phosphorylation and increase in phosphorylation of proteins involved in mTOR signal transduction, observed in the hypothalamus after leptin infusion, were more pronounced in both lean and diet-induced obesity rats after acute exercise. Treatment with leptin reduced food intake in exercised rats that were pretreated with vehicle, although no increase in responsiveness to leptin-induced anorexia after pretreatment with anti-IL6 antibody, AICAR or Rapamycin was detected. Thus, the effects of leptin on the AMPK/mTOR pathway, potentiated by acute exercise, may contribute to appetite suppressive actions in the hypothalamus

Cysteinyl leukotrienes: multi-functional mediators in allergic rhinitis

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are a family of inflammatory lipid mediators synthesized from arachidonic acid by a variety of cells, including mast cells, eosinophils, basophils, and macrophages. This article reviews the data for the role of CysLTs as multi-functional mediators in allergic rhinitis (AR). We review the evidence that: (1) CysLTs are released from inflammatory cells that participate in AR, (2) receptors for CysLTs are located in nasal tissue, (3) CysLTs are increased in patients with AR and are released following allergen exposure, (4) administration of CysLTs reproduces the symptoms of AR, (5) CysLTs play roles in the maturation, as well as tissue recruitment, of inflammatory cells, and (6) a complex inter-regulation between CysLTs and a variety of other inflammatory mediators exists.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75432/1/j.1365-2222.2006.02498.x.pd

Notes for genera: basal clades of Fungi (including Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota)

Compared to the higher fungi (Dikarya), taxonomic and evolutionary studies on the basal clades of fungi are fewer in number. Thus, the generic boundaries and higher ranks in the basal clades of fungi are poorly known. Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have provided reliable and accurate information. It is therefore necessary to compile all available information since basal clades genera lack updated checklists or outlines. Recently, Tedersoo et al. (MycoKeys 13:1--20, 2016) accepted Aphelidiomycota and Rozellomycota in Fungal clade. Thus, we regard both these phyla as members in Kingdom Fungi. We accept 16 phyla in basal clades viz. Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. Thus, 611 genera in 153 families, 43 orders and 18 classes are provided with details of classification, synonyms, life modes, distribution, recent literature and genomic data. Moreover, Catenariaceae Couch is proposed to be conserved, Cladochytriales Mozl.-Standr. is emended and the family Nephridiophagaceae is introduced

Dissection and 3D reconstruction of healthy and aneurysmal human ascending thoracic aorta

Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is among the most devastating forms of cardiovascular disease, causing a significant mortality despite current medical and surgical treatments [1]. This form of disease is a predisposing factor for spontaneous aortic dissection which in general results in the initiation of an intimal flap and its propagation due to blood flow. Since aortic dissection fails by separation of the elastic layers [2], the delamination strength of ATAA tissues was investigated by designing and performing mechanical tests that simulate the in-vivo tearing condition of the aortic wall. Specifically, the delamination tests were carried out on nonaneurysmal and aneurysmal human ascending thoracic tissues with bicuspid (BAV) and tricuspid (TAV) aortic valves. The influence of the anisotropy on these properties was investigated by testing oriented specimen strips which morphology was studied with SEM. Thus imaging techniques and 3D reconstruction software were used to obtain the 3D shape of ATAAs for estimating the wall stress distribution in future investigations. On the basis of a methodology developed in our laboratory [3], the geometry of ATAAs was reconstructed for patients routinely undergoing imaging analysis prior to surgical repair. Surfaces corresponding to the aortic wall were created with segmentation and smoothing techniques to yield virtual aneurysms ready for finite element analyses. Preliminary results suggest that ATAAs have lower delamination strength than the nonaneurysmal tissues indicating a risk of aortic dissection and that the 3D geometry of ATAAs can be successfully reconstructed from the MRI and CT imaging analyses

DISSECTION PROPERTIES OF ANEURYSMAL AND NONANEURYSMAL HUMAN ASCENDING THORACIC AORTA: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is among the most devastating forms of cardiovascular disease, causing a significant mortality despite current medical and surgical treatments [1]. Moreover these therapies themselves are associated with great risk of mortality or morbidity, complicated by the advanced age of the typical patient, and high surgical costs. The mechanics of spontaneous aortic dissection is not fully understood. It is generally believed that aortic dissection initiates as an intimal tear in which a separation of wall layers produces the formation of a ‘false’ lumen. The dissection may propagate axially and/or circumferentially due to blood flow and pressure. Dissection may lead to several possible complications. For example, the septum between the false lumen and true lumen may fracture, resulting in embolism and ischemic damage. Another possibility is that the thinned and weakened residual outer aortic wall may fail, resulting in rapid blood loss and tamponade. From a mechanical point of view, aortic dissection is due to the combination of hemodynamic loads acting on the intimal layer and the laminar structure of the aortic wall with different elastic properties. Since the aorta is an anisotropic and inhomogeneous body, it is possible that the hemodynamic loads (including mural shear) produce stresses of the appropriate types and magnitudes that result in delamination of the aortic layers [2]. That is, dissection initiates when the hemodynamic loads overcome the adhesive forces holding the layers together. The effects of the loads are of course accentuated in the case of a disorganized microstructure and degenerated tissue that is typical in aneurysmal disease. The goal of this study was to perform a preliminary investigation of the dissection properties of human ATAA tissues. Specifically, delamination tests were designed and carried out on nonaneurysmal and aneurysmal thoracic tissues with bicuspid (BAV) and tricuspid (TAV) aortic valves. The possible influence of the tissue anisotropy on these properties was investigated by testing oriented specimen strips. Finally, the morphology of the delamination surfaces was studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

A Custom Image-Based Analysis Tool for Quantifying Elastin and Collagen Micro-Architecture in the Wall of the Human Aorta from Multi-Photon Microscopy

The aorta possesses a micro-architecture that imparts and supports a high degree of compliance and mechanical strength. Alteration of the quantity and/or arrangement of the main load-bearing components of this micro-architecture - the elastin and collagen fibers - leads to mechanical, and hence functional, changes associated with aortic disease and aging. Therefore, in the future, the ability to rigorously characterize the wall fiber micro-architecture could provide insight into the complicated mechanisms of aortic wall remodeling in aging and disease. Elastin and collagen fibers can be observed using state-of-the-art multi-photon microscopy. Image-analysis algorithms have been effective at characterizing fibrous constructs using various microscopy modalities. The objective of this study was to develop a custom MATLAB-language automated image-based analysis tool to describe multiple parameters of elastin and collagen micro-architecture in human soft fibrous tissue samples using multi-photon microscopy images. Human aortic tissue samples were used to develop the code. The tool smooths, cleans and equalizes fiber intensities in the image before segmenting the fibers into a binary image. The binary image is cleaned and thinned to a fiber skeleton representation of the image. The developed software analyzes the fiber skeleton to obtain intersections, fiber orientation, concentration, porosity, diameter distribution, segment length and tortuosity. In the future, the developed custom image-based analysis tool can be used to describe the micro-architecture of aortic wall samples in a variety of conditions. While this work targeted the aorta, the software has the potential to describe the architecture of other fibrous materials, tube-like networks and connective tissue