Repeated evolution of a derived feature: insights from complementary sex determination

Trabalho de projeto do mestrado em Economia (Economia Financeira), apresentado à Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra, sob a orientação de António Portugal e Rita MartinsO trabalho de projeto que se segue tem como objetivo principal refletir sobre os impactos económicos de um grande evento desportivo no país onde é organizado e realizado. Em primeiro lugar, são identificados os conceitos chave que permitem desenvolver uma correta interpretação do estudo. Da revisão da literatura teórica, apresentam-se autores que expõem os diversos impactos, não só económicos, mas também socioculturais, ambientais e na imagem exterior do país em questão. A análise prossegue com o estudo das variações do produto num conjunto de períodos em que se considera a presença do evento desportivo, comparativamente a períodos anteriores e posteriores, nos países que realizaram um grande evento desportivo como o Campeonato do Mundo de futebol, o Campeonato da Europa de futebol e os Jogos Olímpicos. Essa análise aponta para uma tendência de aceleração do crescimento económico quando ocorre um dos acontecimentos em estudo. Com recurso a estudos econométricos, calculam-se coeficientes que permitem estimar o efeito positivo destes eventos sobre o crescimento económico. De seguida, focando o Euro 2004 organizado e realizado em Portugal, verificam-se que infraestruturas foram construídas e de que forma foram financiadas, assim como os impactos decorrentes das mesmas, nomeadamente, o acréscimo na produção, o acréscimo de postos de trabalho e o acréscimo de rendimentos salariais. Ao nível da estatística descritiva são examinadas três variáveis, o número de hóspedes estrangeiros, a riqueza produzida e o emprego, nas regiões em que se construíram/remodelaram os estádios utilizados no Euro 2004, e comparadas estas variações, em cada região e no conjunto das regiões, com as variações no espaço nacional. Esta análise permite verificar taxas de crescimento, do conjunto das regiões, superiores às taxas de crescimento nacionais, nos períodos seguintes ao evento e, portanto, o efeito positivo do referido evento no turismo, assim como o impacto na taxa de crescimento da riqueza produzida, principalmente, no ano em que ocorreu o evento, e ainda, os efeitos sobre a distribuição da mão-de-obra no país, que mostram indícios de deslocação de mão-de-obra entre regiões. Em conclusão, a organização e realização de um grande evento desportivo pode ser um acontecimento que afeta positivamente o crescimento económico de um país, por via dos efeitos criadas pelas infraestruturas e por via da remodelação da imagem do país no exterior

Extended base pair complementarity between U1 snRNA and the 5′ splice site does not inhibit splicing in higher eukaryotes, but rather increases 5′ splice site recognition

Spliceosome formation is initiated by the recognition of the 5′ splice site through formation of an RNA duplex between the 5′ splice site and U1 snRNA. We have previously shown that RNA duplex formation between U1 snRNA and the 5′ splice site can protect pre-mRNAs from degradation prior to splicing. This initial RNA duplex must be disrupted to expose the 5′ splice site sequence for base pairing with U6 snRNA and to form the active spliceosome. Here, we investigated whether hyperstabilization of the U1 snRNA/5′ splice site duplex interferes with splicing efficiency in human cell lines or nuclear extracts. Unlike observations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we demonstrate that an extended U1 snRNA/5′ splice site interaction does not decrease splicing efficiency, but rather increases 5′ splice site recognition and exon inclusion. However, low complementarity of the 5′ splice site to U1 snRNA significantly increases exon skipping and RNA degradation. Although the splicing mechanisms are conserved between human and S.cerevisiae, these results demonstrate that distinct differences exist in the activation of the spliceosome

Witches, pagans and historians:an extended review of Max Dashu, <i>Witches and Pagans: Women in European Folk Religion, 700-1000 </i>

Additional file 4: Table S4. DEGs associated with the HB sources but not with the behavior. A modified t-test was performed on the log-transformed transcription ratios gained from 82 hybridizations. Oligo Ids, Gene Ids, and Comments are quoted from the UIUC Honey bee oligo 13 K v1 annotation file (May 2007)

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

Sex Determination in Honeybees: Two Separate Mechanisms Induce and Maintain the Female Pathway

Sex determination in honeybees is realized by the csd and the fem gene that establish and maintain, throughout development, sexual fates via the control of alternative splicing

High sensitivity C reactive protein, fibrinogen levels and the onset of major depressive disorder in post-acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND: Major depression disorder (MDD) is a common condition in patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and depression is a risk factor for mortality following an ACS. Growing evidence suggests that there is an intricate interplay between atherosclerosis, inflammation and depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of atherosclerosis-induced inflammation in the mediation of MDD. METHODS: 87 patients without depression were recruited at the time of an ACS, evaluated at 3 and 7 days and followed at 1, 3 and 9 months for the occurrence of a MDD as assessed by structured interviews (MINI). At each time point, they were monitored for inflammatory markers (high sensitivity C Reactive Protein {hsCRP} and fibrinogen), cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis burden. Association between possible predictive characteristics and depression was assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS: The overall incidence of MDD, in this population, was 28.7% [95% CI: 19.5 - 39.4] during the 9-month follow up period. Elevated hsCRP was not associated with depression onset after an ACS (adjusted OR: 1.07 [0.77 - 1.48]; p = 0.70), and similarly no association was found with fibrinogen. Furthermore, we found no association between hsCRP, fibrinogen or atherosclerosis burden at any time-point, and the occurrence of a MDD (or HDRS-17 and MADRS). The only factor associated with depression occurrence after an ACS was a previous personal history of depression (adjusted OR: 11.02 [2.74 to 44.34]; p = 0.0007). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that after an ACS, patients treated with optimal medications could have a MDD independent of elevated hsCRP or fibrinogen levels. Personal history of depression may be a good marker to select patients who should be screened for depression after an ACS