Fixation of genetic variation and optimization of gene expression: The speed of evolution in isolated lizard populations undergoing Reverse Island Syndrome

The ecological theory of island biogeography suggests that mainland populations should be more genetically divergent from those on large and distant islands rather than from those on small and close islets. Some island populations do not evolve in a linear way, but the process of divergence occurs more rapidly because they undergo a series of phenotypic changes, jointly known as the Island Syndrome. A special case is Reversed Island Syndrome (RIS), in which populations show drastic phenotypic changes both in body shape, skin colouration, age of sexual maturity, aggressiveness, and food intake rates. The populations showing the RIS were observed on islets nearby mainland and recently raised, and for this they are useful models to study the occurrence of rapid evolutionary change. We investigated the timing and mode of evolution of lizard populations adapted through selection on small islets. For our analyses, we used an ad hoc model system of three populations: wild-type lizards from the mainland and insular lizards from a big island (Capri, Italy), both Podarcis siculus siculus not affected by the syndrome, and a lizard population from islet (Scopolo) undergoing the RIS (called P. s. coerulea because of their melanism). The split time of the big (Capri) and small (Scopolo) islands was determined using geological events, like sea-level rises. To infer molecular evolution, we compared five complete mitochondrial genomes for each population to reconstruct the phylogeography and estimate the divergence time between island and mainland lizards. We found a lower mitochondrial mutation rate in Scopolo lizards despite the phenotypic changes achieved in approximately 8,000 years. Furthermore, transcriptome analyses showed significant differential gene expression between islet and mainland lizard populations, suggesting the key role of plasticity in these unpredictable environments

Diagnosis of centrocestus formosanus infection in zebrafish (Danio rerio) in Italy: A window to a new globalization-derived invasive microorganism

Centrocestus formosanus is a digenetic trematode with a complex life cycle, involving invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, humans included. In particular, it causes gill lesions and mortality in freshwater fish species, and gastrointestinal symptoms in infected humans. Here, we describe the occurrence of C. formosanus infection in zebrafish imported in Italy and propose a newly designed species-specific primer pair to ameliorate the diagnostic investigations for C. formosanus. Gill arches of 30 zebrafish were examined for the presence of encysted metacercariae under a stereomicroscope and processed through molecular analyses targeting the ribosomal internal transcribed sequence 2 (ITS2). Although C. formosanus distribution was originally restricted to Asia, it has been subsequently reported in new countries, revealing itself as an invasive species and raising important concerns for biodiversity, economy, scientific research, as well as animal and public health. Given the crucial role played by the ornamental fish industry in spreading this parasite, there is an urgent need for control measures to prevent the introduction and establishment of C. formosanus in non-endemic areas, including Europe. We also suggest developing new strategies in microbiology and epidemiology to better explore this new globalization-derived invasive species

Role of surgical setting and patients-related factors in predicting the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the role of surgical setting (urgent vs. elective) and approach (open vs. laparoscopic) in affecting postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) prevalence in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After local Ethical Committee approval, 409 patients who had undergone abdominal surgery between January and December 2014 were included in the final analysis. PPCs were defined as the development of one of the following new findings: respiratory failure, pulmonary infection, aspiration pneumonia, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, atelectasis on chest X-ray, bronchospasm or un-planned urgent re-intubation. RESULTS: PPCs prevalence was greater in urgent (33%) vs. elective setting (7%) (chi(2) with Yates correction: 44; p=0.0001) and in open (6%) vs. laparoscopic approach (1.9%) (chi(2) with Yates correction: 12; p=0.0006). PPCs occurrence was positively correlated with in-hospital mortality (Biserial Correlation r=0.37; p=0.0001). Logistic regression showed that urgent setting (p=0.000), Ariscat (Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia) score (p=0.004), and age (p=0.01) were predictors of PPCs. A cutoff of 23 for Ariscat score was also identified as determining factor for PPCs occurrence with 94% sensitivity and 29% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing abdominal surgery in an urgent setting were exposed to a higher risk of PPCs compared to patients scheduled for elective procedures. Ariscat score fitted with PPCs prevalence and older patients were exposed to a higher risk of PPCs. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these result

On the hierarchical use of colourants in a 15th century book of hours

An illuminated Book of Hours (in use in Chalon-sur-Sa\uf4ne) currently owned by the Museo Civico di Arte Antica and displayed in the prestigious Palazzo Madama in Torino (Italy) was investigated by means of optical microscopy, fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy, fibre optic molecular fluorimetry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy. The aim of the scientific survey was to expand the knowledge of the manuscript itself and on the materials and techniques employed by Antoine the Lonhy, the versatile itinerant artist who decorated the book in the 15th century. The focus was to reveal the original colourants and to investigate the pigments used in rough retouches which were visible in some of the miniatures. The investigation was carried out in situ by portable instruments according to a non-invasive analytical sequence previously developed. It was evident that the use of different pigments by the master was ruled, at least partially, by a hierarchical scheme in which more precious materials were linked to the most important characters or details in the painted scene

Shifted Generalized Pascal Matrices in the Context of Cli ord Algebra-Valued Polynomial Sequences

The paper shows the role of shifted generalized Pascal matrices in a matrix representation of hypercomplex orthogonal Appell systems. It extends results obtained in previous works in the context of Appell sequences whose rst term is a real constant to sequences whose initial term is a suitable chosen polynomial of n variables

MDAN-21: A Bivalent Opioid Ligand Containing mu-Agonist and Delta-Antagonist Pharmacophores and Its Effects in Rhesus Monkeys

MDAN-21, , a bivalent opioid ligand containing a mu-opioid receptor agonist (derived from oxymorphone) linked to the delta-opioid receptor antagonist (related to naltrindole) by a spacer of 21 atoms, was reported to have potent analgesic properties in mice. Tolerance, physical dependence, and conditioned place preference were not evident in that species. The finding that bivalent ligands in this series, with spacers 19 atoms or greater, were devoid of tolerance and dependence led to the proposal that MDAN-21 targets heteromeric mu-delta-opioid receptors. The present study focused on its effects in nonhuman primates (Macaca mulatta), a species with a physiology and behavioral repertoire not unlike humans. With regard to opioids, this species usually better predicts clinical outcomes. MDAN-21 substituted for morphine in morphine-dependent monkeys in the remarkably low dose range 0.006–0.032 mg/kg, subcutaneously. Although MDAN-21 failed to produce reliable thermal analgesia in the dose range 0.0032–0.032 mg/kg, intramuscularly, it was active in the same dose range and by the same route of administration, in the capsaicin-induced thermal allodynia assay. The results suggest that MDAN-21 may be useful in the treatment of opioid dependence and allodynia. The data provide additional evidence that opioid withdrawal is associated with sensitized pain

Kinetic flow performance in nozzles Final report

Engine performance and kinetic flow performance in nozzles using four space storable propellant combination

The Complexity of Codiagnosability for Discrete Event and Timed Systems

In this paper we study the fault codiagnosis problem for discrete event systems given by finite automata (FA) and timed systems given by timed automata (TA). We provide a uniform characterization of codiagnosability for FA and TA which extends the necessary and sufficient condition that characterizes diagnosability. We also settle the complexity of the codiagnosability problems both for FA and TA and show that codiagnosability is PSPACE-complete in both cases. For FA this improves on the previously known bound (EXPTIME) and for TA it is a new result. Finally we address the codiagnosis problem for TA under bounded resources and show it is 2EXPTIME-complete.Comment: 24 pages

Analysis of extended genomic rearrangements in oncological research.

Screening for genomic rearrangements is a fundamental task in the genetic diagnosis of many inherited disorders including cancer-predisposing syndromes. Several methods were developed for analysis of structural genomic abnormalities, some are targeted to the analysis of one or few specific loci, others are designed to scan the whole genome. Locus-specific methods are used when the candidate loci responsible for the specific pathological condition are known. Whole-genome methods are used to discover loci bearing structural abnormalities when the disease-associated locus is unknown. Three main approaches have been employed for the analysis of locus-specific structural changes. The first two are based on probe hybridization and include cytogenetics and DNA blotting. The third approach is based on PCR amplification and includes microsatellite or single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, relative allele quantitation, real-time quantitative PCR, long PCR and multiplex PCR-based methods such as multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and the recently developed nonfluorescent multiplex PCR coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Whole-genome methods include cytogenetic methods, array-comparative genomic hybridization, SNP array and other sequence-based methods. The goal of the present review is to provide an overview of the main features and advantages and limitations of methods for the screening of structural genomic abnormalities relevant to oncological research