A recent duplication revisited: phylogenetic analysis reveals an ancestral duplication highly-conserved throughout the Oryza genus and beyond

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of gene duplication in the structural and functional evolution of genomes has been well documented. Analysis of complete rice (<it>Oryza sativa</it>) genome sequences suggested an ancient whole genome duplication, common to all the grasses, some 50-70 million years ago and a more conserved segmental duplication between the distal regions of the short arms of chromosomes 11 and 12, whose evolutionary history is controversial.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have carried out a comparative analysis of this duplication within the wild species of the genus <it>Oryza</it>, using a phylogenetic approach to specify its origin and evolutionary dynamics. Paralogous pairs were isolated for nine genes selected throughout the region in all <it>Oryza </it>genome types, as well as in two outgroup species, <it>Leersia perrieri </it>and <it>Potamophila parviflora</it>. All <it>Oryza </it>species display the same global evolutionary dynamics but some lineage-specific features appear towards the proximal end of the duplicated region. The same level of conservation is observed between the redundant copies of the tetraploid species <it>Oryza minuta</it>. The presence of orthologous duplicated blocks in the genome of the more distantly-related species, <it>Brachypodium distachyon</it>, strongly suggests that this duplication between chromosomes 11 and 12 was formed as part of the whole genome duplication common to all Poaceae.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our observations suggest that recurrent but heterogeneous concerted evolution throughout the <it>Oryza </it>genus and in related species has led specifically to the extremely high sequence conservation occurring in this region of more than 2 Mbp.</p

A comparison of open access in exercise science journals: 2010 to 2012

he aim of this study was to complete an audit on the number of open access journals within the discipline of Exercise Science. Publishing in open access journals results in wide dissemination of material in a very short period of time compared with the more traditional way of publishing in a subscription journal. The 2010 ERA journal list, category Human Movement and Sport Science, was initially utilised and then compared with the openness of the same journals in 2012. In this study journals were audited for their degree of open access, open licensing and open format. Open access relates to the free online availability of research results and hence research publications and in the discipline of exercise science relates to the concept of an idealised level playing field. Open licensing relates to the ability of the consumers to replicate and share those publications freely whilst open format relates to the use of open and transferrable format types. Open access increased (p=0.014) as did our measurement of open licensing (p=0.000) and open formats (p=0.021) between the 2010 and 2012 reviews of the journals in 1106 For code. This study reveals an increase in the number of Exercise Science journals that have full or partial open access over the two year period and suggests that authors are increasingly adopting peer reviewed open access journal publications. It is evident from this study that the impact of open access journals be assessed and further research into the feasibility of such a rating is imperative.Full Tex

EphA4 and EfnB2a maintain rhombomere coherence by independently regulating intercalation of progenitor cells in the zebrafish neural keel

AbstractDuring vertebrate development, the hindbrain is transiently segmented into 7 distinct rhombomeres (r). Hindbrain segmentation takes place within the context of the complex morphogenesis required for neurulation, which in zebrafish involves a characteristic cross-midline division that distributes progenitor cells bilaterally in the forming neural tube. The Eph receptor tyrosine kinase EphA4 and the membrane-bound Ephrin (Efn) ligand EfnB2a, which are expressed in complementary segments in the early hindbrain, are required for rhombomere boundary formation. We showed previously that EphA4 promotes cell–cell affinity within r3 and r5, and proposed that preferential adhesion within rhombomeres contributes to boundary formation. Here we show that EfnB2a is similarly required in r4 for normal cell affinity and that EphA4 and EfnB2a regulate cell affinity independently within their respective rhombomeres. Live imaging of cell sorting in mosaic embryos shows that both proteins function during cross-midline cell divisions in the hindbrain neural keel. Consistent with this, mosaic EfnB2a over-expression causes widespread cell sorting and disrupts hindbrain organization, but only if induced at or before neural keel stage. We propose a model in which Eph and Efn-dependent cell affinity within rhombomeres serve to maintain rhombomere organization during the potentially disruptive process of teleost neurulation

The transition from hospital to community living from mental health patients and carers

This thesis explores the transition from hospital to community living for mental health patients and carers. This period presents a number of challenges and risks for patients and the support from family members throughout this period is invaluable. Through further exploration of the discharge process and period, this thesis considers how both patients and carers can be better supported to manage the challenges and increase the likelihood of a successful transition. The first paper is a systematic literature review investigating the predictors of suicide up to a year after discharge from mental health inpatient services. After database and manual searches were complete, thirteen studies met inclusion criteria and were reviewed and critically evaluated. Despite inconsistent findings across studies, the review identified some predictors of post-discharge suicide which have been replicated within and across cultures. Clinical implications in relation to thorough discharge planning and maintaining continuity of care are discussed. The second paper reports on a qualitative exploration of family members’ experiences of the discharge process from inpatient mental health services. Six family members were recruited and interviewed using a semi-structured method. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The three phenomenological themes emerging from participants’ accounts indicated that the discharge process was characterised by isolation, fear and exhaustion. The themes are discussed, explored and considered in relation to how services can increase carers’ involvement and strengthen their position in the discharge process. The final paper reflects on insights into the world of carers gained through the research process, with a focus on loss and grief in caring. Comparing the processes of therapy and research, the paper considers how research offered greater freedom to ‘hear’ experiences and the potential advantages of transferring these reflections to the therapy room

Using the making Visible the ImpaCT Of Research (VICTOR) questionnaire to evaluate the benefits of a fellowship programme for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals

Background: There is increasing emphasis in the UK on developing a nurse, midwife and allied health professional (NMAHP) workforce that conducts research. Training for clinical academic careers is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). However, the low number of successful applicants suggested there were barriers to achieving this. The Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Led Research (CNMR) launched a fellowship programme in 2016 to backfill two days a week of NMAHPs’ time for up to a year, to give them time to make competitive applications to the NIHR. Aim: To report a study evaluating the CNMR fellowship programme. Discussion: The making Visible the ImpaCT Of Research (VICTOR) tool (Cooke et al 2019) was developed to describe the organisational impact of research. The 2016-17 CNMR fellows completed VICTOR and their responses were analysed using a framework approach. The analysis found the main benefits of participating in the programme were protected time for research, opportunities to develop collaborations, increasing intra- and inter-professional awareness of NMAHPs’ research, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations. Challenges included a lack of support from line managers, limited value placed on NMAHPs’ research and failure to backfill posts. Conclusion: There were some challenges with the fellowship programme, but all recipients found it to be a positive experience and undertook significant scholarly activity. Implications for practice: A contractual agreement must be established to foster committed partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and the NHS. HEIs and the NHS should conduct frank discussions of the challenges encountered in fellowship programmes. Positive initiatives and outcomes in tertiary education and clinical settings should be shared to improve fellows’ experiences and enhance partnerships between HEIs and the NHS. Job descriptions should include time allocation to review fellowship candidates’ applications regardless of outcome. The showcasing of research successes and the benefits of NMAHP research must evolve to secure organisational ‘buy in’, which is the precursor to widening access to clinical academic pathways

Pre-Exercise Whole- or Partial-Body Cryotherapy Exposure to Improve Physical Performance:A Systematic Review

Whole- (WBC) and partial-body cryotherapy (PBC) are commonly used sports medicine modalities for the treatment of injury and exercise recovery. Physiological and perceptual effects have the potential to be utilised in a novel application that involves pre-exercise WBC and PBC exposure to improve physical performance. A systematic literature search of multiple databases was conducted in July 2021 to identify and evaluate the effects of pre-exercise exposure of WBC or PBC on physical performance measures, and any potential translational effects. The following inclusion criteria were applied: (1) use of WBC or PBC exposure pre-exercise, (2) use of WBC or PBC in healthy and/or athletic populations, (3) control group was used in the data collection, and (4) investigated physiological, psychosocial or direct physical performance impacts of pre-exercise cryotherapy exposure. A total of 759 titles were identified, with twelve relevant studies satisfying the inclusion criteria after full-text screening. The twelve studies were categorised into three key areas: performance testing (n = 6), oxidative stress response (n = 4) and lysosomal enzyme activity (n = 2). The potential for eliciting favourable physical and physiological responses from pre-exercise WBC or PBC is currently unclear with a paucity of good quality research available. Furthermore, a lack of standardisation of cryotherapy protocols is a current challenge

To What Extent Does Advertising Affect Brand Equity: The Food Industry

The importance of brand equity to the success of businesses has become increasingly apparent in recent years, in particular as it is an incredibly powerful means of gaining competitive advantage. The significance of competitive advantage is especially noticeable in the food industry, where there is such vigorous competition among food firms to compete for success in the market. Resultantly, it is essential for these firms to create strong and unique brands that will appeal to a vast number of consumers. In order to create strong brands, firms must recognise and understand their target market. They must be aware of how consumers evaluate brands, and be able to identify the most effective methods that can be used to influence consumer purchase behaviour. Research shows that advertising can be an extremely effective and influential marketing tool, capable of persuading consumers to purchase specific food products. Consequently, this study evaluated the impact of effective advertising on consumer-based brand equity within the food industry. The study was further developed through the addition of a demographic dimension which examined whether a consumer’s gender or age determined their response to food advertising. The data for this study was collected using convenience sampling, with questionnaires distributed via email. The results indicated that there is a significant relationship between food advertising and each of the four brand equity dimensions evaluated: brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty. Further, it was established that although age significantly influenced the extent to which consumers responded to advertising, gender appeared to make little difference. These findings have a number of managerial implications. As advertising is proven to be directly associated with a food product’s brand equity level, marketers should focus on increasing both the effectiveness and frequency of their advertisements in addition to ensuring that they develop the four fundamental brand equity elements

Dual Ring Bus Electrical Distribution System for US Navy Destroyer- and Frigate-sized Vessels

In response to a Request for Information from the Office of Naval Research regarding electrical architectures to be considered in an architecture evaluation study for two candidate hull forms including a 10,000 ton destroyer-sized vessel and a 5,000 ton frigate-sized vessel, the Design Laboratory of the MIT Sea Grant College Program proposes a dual ring bus topology as described in the following.United States. Office of Naval Research (N00014-08-1-0080); Electric Ship and Research Development Consortium; United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Grant NA06OAR4170019

The impact of high-intensity interval training exercise on breast cancer survivors: a pilot study to explore fitness, cardiac regulation and biomarkers of the stress systems

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the largest cause of death in breast cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of exercise intensity on aerobic fitness and autonomic cardiac regulation (heart rate variability (HRV)) and salivary biomarkers of the stress systems (HPA-axis, cortisol; sympathetic nervous system, α-amylase) and mucosal immunity (secretory(s)-IgA), markers of increased risk of CVD in breast cancer survivors. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to; 1) high intensity interval training (HIIT); 2) moderate-intensity, continuous aerobic training (CMIT); or 3) a wait-list control (CON) for a 12-week (36 session) stationary cycling intervention. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), resting HRV and salivary biomarkers were measured at baseline 2-4 d pre-intervention and 2-4 d post the last exercise session. Results Seventeen participants were included in this study (62 +- 8 years, HIIT; n = 6, CMIT; n = 5, CON; n = 6). A significant improvement (p ≤ 0.05) was observed for VO2peak in the HIIT group; 19.3% (B = 3.98, 95%CI = [1.89; 4.02]) and a non-significant increase in the CMIT group; 5.6% (B = 1.96, 95%CI = [− 0.11; 4.03]), compared with a 2.6% (B = − 0.64, 95%CI = [− 2.10; 0.82]) decrease in the CON group. Post intervention improvements in HRV markers of vagal activity (log (ln)LF/HF, LnRMSSD) and sympathetic nervous system (α-amylase waking response) occurred for individuals exhibiting outlying (> 95% CI) levels at baseline compared to general population. Conclusion High intensity interval training improved cardiovascular fitness in breast cancer survivors and improved cardiac regulation, and sympathetic nervous system (stress) responses in some individuals. High-intensity interval training was safe and effective for breast cancer survivors to participate in with promising results as a time efficient intensity to improve physical health and stress, reducing CVD risk