Southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) exhibit environmental sex determination (ESD), where environmental factors can influence phenotypic sex during early juvenile development but only in the ...presumed XX female genotype. Warm and cold temperatures masculinize fish with mid-range conditions producing at most 50% females. Due to sexually dimorphic growth, southern flounder fisheries are dependent upon larger females. Wild populations could be at risk of masculinization from ESD due to globally increasing water temperatures. We evaluated the effects of habitat and temperature on wild populations of juvenile southern flounder in North Carolina, USA. While northern habitats averaged temperatures near 23 °C and produced the greatest proportion of females, more southerly habitats exhibited warmer temperatures (>27 °C) and consistently produced male-biased sex ratios (up to 94% male). Rearing flounder in the laboratory under temperature regimes mimicking those of natural habitats recapitulated sex ratio differences observed across the wild populations, providing strong evidence that temperature is a key factor influencing sex ratios in nursery habitats. These studies provide evidence of habitat conditions interacting with ESD to affect a key demographic parameter in an economically important fishery. The temperature ranges that yield male-biased sex ratios are within the scope of predicted increases in ocean temperature under climate change.
Early life stress (ELS) is a potent developmental disruptor and increases the risk for psychopathology. Various forms of ELS have been studied in both humans and rodents, and have been implicated in ...altered DNA methylation, gene transcription, stress hormone levels, and behavior. Although recent studies have focused on stress-induced epigenetic changes, the extent to which ELS alters HPA axis function and stress responsivity across generations, whether these effects are sex-specific, and how lineage interacts with upbringing to impact these effects, remain unclear. To address these points, two generations of rodents were utilized, with the first generation subjected to ELS via maternal separation, and the second to a balanced cross-fostering paradigm. We hypothesized that ELS would disrupt normative development in both generations, manifesting as altered methylation and expression of genes associated with stress signaling pathways (Nr3c1, Nr3c2, and Bdnf), blunted corticosterone (CORT), and anxiety-like behaviors. Additionally, we expected deficits in the second generation to be modulated by caretaking environment and for the pattern of results to differ between the sexes. Results suggest that direct exposure to ELS leads to sex-specific effects on gene regulation and HPA functioning in adulthood, with maternal separation leading to increases in Bdnf methylation in both sexes, decreases in Bdnf expression in females, and decreases in Nr3c1 methylation in males, as well as blunted CORT and less anxiety-like behavior in females. These alterations converged with caretaking to impart perturbations upon the subsequent generation. Across sex, ELS lineage led to decreased methylation of Nr3c1, and increased methylation of Bdnf. In fostered animals, upbringing by a previously stressed mother interacted with offspring lineage to impact methylation of Nr3c1 and Bdnf. Upbringing was also implicated in altered anxiety-like behavior in males, and baseline CORT levels in females. Such effects may correspond with observed alterations in maternal behavior across groups. In conclusion, ELS conferred enduring sex-specific alterations, both first-hand and
-generationally via lineage and upbringing. Importantly, lineage of cross-fostered pups was sufficient to normalize or disturb maternal behavior of foster-dams, an observation requiring further elucidation. These results have implications for multi-generational effects of ELS in humans and may motivate early interventions.
Theincreasing incidence of opportunistic fungal infections necessitatesrapid and accurate identification of the associated fungi to facilitateoptimal patient treatment. Traditional phenotype-based ...identificationmethods utilized in clinical laboratories rely on the production andrecognition of reproductive structures, making identification difficultor impossible when these structures are not observed. We hypothesizedthat DNA sequence analysis of multiple loci is useful for rapidlyidentifying medically important molds. Our study included the analysisof the D1/D2 hypervariable region of the 28S ribosomal gene and theinternal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions 1 and 2 of the rRNA operon.Two hundred one strains, including 143 clinical isolates and 58reference and type strains, representing 43 recognized species and onepossible new species, were examined. We generated a phenotypicallyvalidated database of 118 diagnostic alleles. DNA length polymorphismsdetected among ITS1 and ITS2 PCR products can differentiate 20 of 33species of molds tested, and ITS DNA sequence analysis permitsidentification of all species tested. For 42 of 44 species tested,conspecific strains displayed >99% sequence identity at ITS1and ITS2; sequevars were detected in two species. For all 44 species,identifications by genotypic and traditional phenotypic methods were100% concordant. Because dendrograms based on ITS sequence analysis aresimilar in topology to 28S-based trees, we conclude that ITS sequencesprovide phylogenetically valid information and can be utilized toidentify clinically important molds. Additionally, this phenotypicallyvalidated database of ITS sequences will be useful for identifying newspecies of pathogenicmolds.
Phylogenetic relationships among the Neotropical cichlid subfamily Geophaginae were examined using 136 morphological characters and a molecular dataset consisting of six mitochondrial and nuclear ...genes. Topologies produced by morphological and combined data under parsimony were contrasted, congruence among different partitions was analysed, and potential effects of character incongruence and patterns of geophagine evolution on phylogenetic resolution are discussed. Interaction of morphological and molecular characters in combined analysis produced better resolved and supported topologies than when either was analysed separately. Combined analyses recovered a strongly supported Geophaginae that was closely related to Cichlasomatinae. Within Geophaginae, two sister clades included all geophagine genera. Acarichthyini (Acarichthys+Guianacara) was sister to the ‘B clade’, which contained the ‘Geophagus clade’ (‘Geophagus’steindachneri+Geophagus sensu stricto, and both sister to Gymnogeophagus) as sister to the ‘Mikrogeophagus clade’ (Mikrogeophagus+‘Geophagus’brasiliensis), and in turn, the Geophagus and Mikrogeophagus clades were sister to the crenicarine clade (Crenicara+Dicrossus) and Biotodoma. The second geophagine clade included the ‘Satanoperca clade’ (Satanoperca+Apistogramma and Taeniacara) as sister to the ‘Crenicichla clade’ (Crenicichla+Biotoecus). Several lineages were supported by unique morphological synapomorphies: the Geophaginae + Cichlasomatinae (5 synapomorphies), Geophaginae (1), Crenicichla clade (3), crenicarine clade (1), the sister relationship of Apistogramma and Taeniacara (4) and of Geophagus sensu stricto and‘Geophagus’steindachneri (1), and the cichlasomine tribe Heroini (1). Incorporation of Crenicichla in Geophaginae reconciles formerly contradictory hypotheses based on morphological and molecular data, and makes the subfamily the most diverse and ecologically versatile clade of cichlids outside the African great lakes. Results of this study support the hypothesis that morphological differentiation of geophagine lineages occurred rapidly as part of an adaptive radiation.
Previous analyses of relations, divergence times, and diversification patterns among extant mammalian families have relied on supertree methods and local molecular clocks. We constructed a molecular ...supermatrix for mammalian families and analyzed these data with likelihood-based methods and relaxed molecular clocks. Phylogenetic analyses resulted in a robust phylogeny with better resolution than phylogenies from supertree methods. Relaxed clock analyses support the long-fuse model of diversification and highlight the importance of including multiple fossil calibrations that are spread across the tree. Molecular time trees and diversification analyses suggest important roles for the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution and Cretaceous-Paleogene (KPg) mass extinction in opening up ecospace that promoted interordinal and intraordinal diversification, respectively. By contrast, diversification analyses provide no support for the hypothesis concerning the delayed rise of present-day mammals during the Eocene Period.
Multiple and ancient origins of the domestic dog Vilà, Carles; Savolainen, Peter; Maldonado, Jesús E. ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
06/1997, Letnik:
276, Številka:
5319
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences were analyzed from 162 wolves at 27 localities worldwide and from 140 domestic dogs representing 67 breeds. Sequences from both dogs and wolves showed ...considerable diversity and supported the hypothesis that wolves were the ancestors of dogs. Most dog sequences belonged to a divergent monophyletic clade sharing no sequences with wolves. The sequence divergence within this clade suggested that dogs originated more than 100,000 years before the present. Associations of dog haplotypes with other wolf lineages indicated episodes of admixture between wolves and dogs. Repeated genetic exchange between dog and wolf populations may have been an important source of variation for artificial selection.
Objectives: To estimate the cost and cost-effectiveness of testing sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic subgroups for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: HCV counseling, testing, and ...referral (CTR) costs were estimated using data from two STD clinics and the literature, and are reported in 2006 dollars. Effectiveness of HCV CTR was defined as the estimated percentage of clinic clients in subgroups targeted for HCV antibody (anti-HCV) testing who had a true positive test and returned for their test results. We estimated the cost per true positive injection drug user (IDU) who returned for anti-HCV test results and the cost-effectiveness of expanding HCV CTR to non-IDU subgroups. Results: The estimated cost per true positive IDU who returned for test results was $54. The cost-effectiveness of expanding HCV CTR to non-IDU subgroups ranged from $179 to $2,986. Our estimates were most sensitive to variations in HCV prevalence, the cost of testing, and the rate of client return. Conclusions: Based on national data, testing IDUs in the STD clinic setting is highly cost-effective. Some clinics may find that it is cost-effective to expand testing to non-IDU men older than 40 who report more than 100 lifetime sex partners. STD clinics can use study estimates to assess the feasibility and desirability of expanding HCV CTR beyond IDUs.
To project the number of people with diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. through 2050, accounting for changing demography and diabetes prevalence rates.
We combined age-, sex-, and race-specific diagnosed ...diabetes prevalence rates-predicted from 1980-1998 trends in prevalence data from the National Health Interview Survey-with Bureau of Census population demographic projections. Sensitivity analyses were performed by varying both prevalence rate and population projections.
The number of Americans with diagnosed diabetes is projected to increase 165%, from 11 million in 2000 (prevalence of 4.0%) to 29 million in 2050 (prevalence of 7.2%). The largest percent increase in diagnosed diabetes will be among those aged > or =75 years (+271% in women and +437% in men). The fastest growing ethnic group with diagnosed diabetes is expected to be black males (+363% from 2000-2050), with black females (+217%), white males (+148%), and white females (+107%) following. Of the projected 18 million increase in the number of cases of diabetes in 2050, 37% are due to changes in demographic composition, 27% are due to population growth, and 36% are due to increasing prevalence rates.
If recent trends in diabetes prevalence rates continue linearly over the next 50 years, future changes in the size and demographic characteristics of the U.S. population will lead to dramatic increases in the number of Americans with diagnosed diabetes.
Sacral neuromodulation and intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injection are therapies for refractory urgency urinary incontinence. Sacral neuromodulation involves surgical implantation of a device that ...can last 4 to 6 years while onabotulinumtoxinA therapy involves serial office injections. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of 2-stage implantation sacral neuromodulation vs 200 units onabotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of urgency urinary incontinence.
Prospective economic evaluation was performed concurrent with the ROSETTA (Refractory Overactive Bladder: Sacral NEuromodulation vs. BoTulinum Toxin Assessment) randomized trial of 386 women with 6 or more urgency urinary incontinence episodes on a 3-day diary. Analysis is from the health care system perspective with primary within-trial analysis for 2 years and secondary 5-year decision analysis. Costs are in 2018 U.S. dollars. Effectiveness was measured in quality adjusted life-years (QALYs) and reductions in urgency urinary incontinence episodes per day. We generated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.
Two-year costs were higher for sacral neuromodulation than for onabotulinumtoxinA ($35,680 95% CI 33,920-37,440 vs $7,460 95% CI 5,780-9,150, p <0.01), persisting through 5 years ($36,550 95% CI 34,787-38,309 vs $12,020 95% CI 10,330-13,700, p <0.01). At 2 years there were no differences in mean reduction in urgency urinary incontinence episodes per day (-3.00 95% CI -3.38 - -2.62 vs -3.12 95% CI -3.48 - -2.76, p=0.66) or QALYs (1.39 95% CI 1.34-1.44 vs 1.41 95% CI 1.36-1.45, p=0.60). The probability that sacral neuromodulation is cost-effective relative to onabotulinumtoxinA is less than 0.025 for all willingness to pay values below $580,000 per QALY at 2 years and $204,000 per QALY at 5 years.
Although both treatments were effective, the high cost of sacral neuromodulation is not good value for treating urgency urinary incontinence compared to 200 units onabotulinumtoxinA.
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