Snowshoe hares (
) maintain seasonal camouflage by molting to a white winter coat, but some hares remain brown during the winter in regions with low snow cover. We show that cis-regulatory variation ...controlling seasonal expression of the
gene underlies this adaptive winter camouflage polymorphism. Genetic variation at
clustered by winter coat color across multiple hare and jackrabbit species, revealing a history of recurrent interspecific gene flow. Brown winter coats in snowshoe hares likely originated from an introgressed black-tailed jackrabbit allele that has swept to high frequency in mild winter environments. These discoveries show that introgression of genetic variants that underlie key ecological traits can seed past and ongoing adaptation to rapidly changing environments.
Humans are currently confronted by many global challenges. These include achieving food security for a rapidly expanding population, lowering the risk of climate change by reducing the net release of ...greenhouse gases into the atmosphere due to human activity, and meeting the increasing demand for energy in the face of dwindling reserves of fossil energy and uncertainties about future reliability of supply. Legumes deliver several important services to societies. They provide important sources of oil, fiber, and protein-rich food and feed while supplying nitrogen (N) to agro-ecosystems via their unique ability to fix atmospheric N
2
in symbiosis with the soil bacteria rhizobia, increasing soil carbon content, and stimulating the productivity of the crops that follow. However, the role of legumes has rarely been considered in the context of their potential to contribute to the mitigation of climate change by reducing fossil fuel use or by providing feedstock for the emerging biobased economies where fossil sources of energy and industrial raw materials are replaced in part by sustainable and renewable biomass resources. The aim of this review was to collate the current knowledge regarding the capacity of legumes to (1) lower the emissions of the key greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO
2
) and nitrous oxide (N
2
O) compared to N-fertilized systems, (2) reduce the fossil energy used in the production of food and forage, (3) contribute to the sequestration of carbon (C) in soils, and (4) provide a viable source of biomass for the generation of biofuels and other materials in future biorefinery concepts. We estimated that globally between 350 and 500 Tg CO
2
could be emitted as a result of the 33 to 46 Tg N that is biologically fixed by agricultural legumes each year. This compares to around 300 Tg CO
2
released annually from the manufacture of 100 Tg fertilizer N. The main difference is that the CO
2
respired from the nodulated roots of N
2
-fixing legumes originated from photosynthesis and will not represent a net contribution to atmospheric concentrations of CO
2
, whereas the CO
2
generated during the synthesis of N fertilizer was derived from fossil fuels. Experimental measures of total N
2
O fluxes from legumes and N-fertilized systems were found to vary enormously (0.03–7.09 and 0.09–18.16 kg N
2
O–N ha
−1
, respectively). This reflected the data being collated from a diverse range of studies using different rates of N inputs, as well as the large number of climatic, soil, and management variables known to influence denitrification and the portion of the total N lost as N
2
O. Averages across 71 site-years of data, soils under legumes emitted a total of 1.29 kg N
2
O–N ha
−1
during a growing season. This compared to a mean of 3.22 kg N
2
O–N ha
−1
from 67 site-years of N-fertilized crops and pastures, and 1.20 kg N
2
O–N ha
−1
from 33 site-years of data collected from unplanted soils or unfertilized non-legumes. It was concluded that there was little evidence that biological N
2
fixation substantially contributed to total N
2
O emissions, and that losses of N
2
O from legume soil were generally lower than N-fertilized systems, especially when commercial rates of N fertilizer were applied. Elevated rates of N
2
O losses can occur following the termination of legume-based pastures, or where legumes had been green- or brown-manured and there was a rapid build-up of high concentrations of nitrate in soil. Legume crops and legume-based pastures use 35% to 60% less fossil energy than N-fertilized cereals or grasslands, and the inclusion of legumes in cropping sequences reduced the average annual energy usage over a rotation by 12% to 34%. The reduced energy use was primarily due to the removal of the need to apply N fertilizer and the subsequently lower N fertilizer requirements for crops grown following legumes. Life cycle energy balances of legume-based rotations were also assisted by a lower use of agrichemicals for crop protection as diversification of cropping sequences reduce the incidence of cereal pathogens and pests and assisted weed control, although it was noted that differences in fossil energy use between legumes and N-fertilized systems were greatly diminished if energy use was expressed per unit of biomass or grain produced. For a change in land use to result in a net increase C sequestration in soil, the inputs of C remaining in plant residues need to exceed the CO
2
respired by soil microbes during the decomposition of plant residues or soil organic C, and the C lost through wind or water erosion. The net N-balance of the system was a key driver of changes in soil C stocks in many environments, and data collected from pasture, cropping, and agroforestry systems all indicated that legumes played a pivotal role in providing the additional organic N required to encourage the accumulation of soil C at rates greater than can be achieved by cereals or grasses even when they were supplied with N fertilizer. Legumes contain a range of compounds, which could be refined to produce raw industrial materials currently manufactured from petroleum-based sources, pharmaceuticals, surfactants, or food additives as valuable by-products if legume biomass was to be used to generate biodiesel, bioethanol, biojet A1 fuel, or biogas. The attraction of using leguminous material feedstock is that they do not need the inputs of N fertilizer that would otherwise be necessary to support the production of high grain yields or large amounts of plant biomass since it is the high fossil energy use in the synthesis, transport, and application of N fertilizers that often negates much of the net C benefits of many other bioenergy sources. The use of legume biomass for biorefineries needs careful thought as there will be significant trade-offs with the current role of legumes in contributing to the organic fertility of soils. Agricultural systems will require novel management and plant breeding solutions to provide the range of options that will be required to mitigate climate change. Given their array of ecosystem services and their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower the use of fossil energy, accelerate rates of C sequestration in soil, and provide a valuable source of feedstock for biorefineries, legumes should be considered as important components in the development of future agroecosystems.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of retigabine 600, 900, and 1,200 mg/day administered three times daily as adjunctive therapy in patients with partial-onset seizures.
A multicenter, randomized, ...double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed. After an 8-week baseline phase, patients were randomized to a 16-week double-blind treatment period (8-week forced titration and 8-week maintenance) followed by either tapering or entry into an open-label extension study. Primary efficacy was the percentage change from baseline in monthly seizure frequency and compared across treatment arms. Secondary efficacy comparisons included the proportion of patients experiencing >/=50% reduction in seizure frequency (responder rate), emergence of new seizure types, and physician assessment of global clinical improvement. Safety/tolerability assessments included adverse events (AEs), physical and neurologic examinations, and clinical laboratory evaluations. Efficacy analyses were performed on the intent-to-treat population.
Of the 399 randomized patients, 279 (69.9%) completed the double-blind treatment period. The median percent change in monthly total partial seizure frequency from baseline was -23% for 600 mg/day, -29% for 900 mg/day, and -35% for 1,200 mg/day vs -13% for placebo (p < 0.001 for overall difference across all treatment arms). Responder rates for retigabine were 23% for 600 mg/day, 32% for 900 mg/day (p = 0.021), and 33% for 1,200 mg/day (p = 0.016), vs 16% for placebo. The most common treatment-emergent AEs were somnolence, dizziness, confusion, speech disorder, vertigo, tremor, amnesia, abnormal thinking, abnormal gait, paresthesia, and diplopia.
Adjunctive therapy with retigabine is well tolerated and reduces the frequency of partial-onset seizures in a dose-dependent manner.
Esophageal cancer is an extensive public health issue worldwide, warranting the search for biomarkers related to its risk and progression. Previous studies have indicated an association between ...Val16AlaSOD2 single nucleotide polymorphism in the gene encoding the enzyme superoxide dismutase 2 and esophageal cancer. However, further investigations are needed to clarify its role in disease risk and progression.
To investigate the role of Val16AlaSOD2-SNP in esophageal cancer progression and in the survival of patients METHODS: Tumor samples were utilized for Val16Ala-SNP genotyping, while SOD2 expression levels in tissue were assessed using immunohistochemistry. A SOD2 Val16Ala-SNP database was used to obtain information on the genotype of healthy individuals. Risk and overall survival analyzes were performed.
The Val16Ala SNP was associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer (RR 2.18, 95%CI 1.23-3.86), regardless of age and gender, but did not have a significant effect on patient survival. In contrast, weak SOD2 expression demonstrated a significantly associated with poor overall survival after treatment, independent of other clinicopathological variables (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.22-0.79 P = 0.007).
Val16Ala SNP was positively associated with esophageal cancer, and the expression of SOD2 was an independent prognostic marker.
This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition and the IgG concentration of the colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk of Santa Inês ewes as well as the transfer of passive immunity to ...lambs. Thirty-two pregnant ewes and 38 lambs were used. Ewes were milked immediately after lambing and at 12, 24, 36 h and 10 d postpartum. Colostrum was provided to the lambs at 40±15min (mean ± SE) after birth and then at 30-min intervals for obtaining the intake closest to 10% of body weight, and transitional milk was provided ad libitum. Blood from the lambs was collected 36 h after birth for measuring the serum concentrations of IgG, total protein, albumin, and gamma-globulin. The production was lower in primiparous than in multiparous ewes with body condition score (BCS)<2.75, but did not differ between primiparous and multiparous with BCS≥2.75 (interaction parity and BCS). The IgG concentration and fat, protein, lactose, and defatted dry extract percentages were not affected by the BCS of the ewe at lambing or by the parity. The total solids percentage in the colostrum was higher in ewes with BCS <2.75 (interaction BCS and time). The production and the protein, total solid, and defatted dry extract percentages showed quadratic behavior, the fat percentage decreased linearly, and the lactose percentage increased linearly with time postpartum. The IgG concentration in the colostrum was not correlated with the ewe’s weight or BCS at the time of lambing. Moreover, the parity, the BCS, the ewe’s type of gestation, and the lamb’s sex did not influence the serum concentrations of IgG, total protein, albumin, and gamma-globulin in lambs. Adequate passive immune transfer (PIT) was observed in lambs for which the IgG intake was higher than 30g. Failure in PIT was observed in 39.5% of lambs when considering a serum IgG concentration lower than 15mg/mL and in 21% when considering a serum total protein concentration lower than 45mg/mL. The mean apparent efficiency of absorption was 38.10%, with values between 0.02% and 98.80%. The serum IgG concentration was correlated with the total protein concentration (according to the enzymatic colorimetric method), the gamma-globulin concentration, and the absorption efficiency. The extreme variation on apparent efficiency of absorption may have an effect on the success of PIT. Lambs should consume at least 30g of IgG in the first 24 h of life to ensure adequate PIT.
This study aims to evaluate the effects of adding alpha lipoic acid (ALA) to the in vitro ovarian tissue culture medium, either fresh or after vitrification/warming. For this purpose, 10 ovaries from ...five adult sheep were used. Each pair of ovaries gave rise to 16 fragments and were randomly distributed into two groups: fresh (n = 8) and vitrified (n = 8). Two fresh fragments were fixed immediately and considered the control, while another six were cultured in vitro for 14 days in the absence; presence of a constant (100 μM/0–14 day) or dynamic (50 μM/day 0–7 and 100 μM/day 8–14) concentration of ALA. As for the vitrified fragments, two were fixed and the other six were cultured in vitro under the same conditions described for the fresh group. All the fragments were subjected to morphological evaluation, follicular development and stromal density (classical histology), DNA fragmentation (TUNEL), senescence (Sudan Black), fibrosis (Masson's Trichome), and endoplasmic reticulum stress (immunofluorescence). Measurements of the antioxidant capacity against the free radicals 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and estradiol (E2) levels in the culture medium was performed. The results showed that in the absence of ALA, in vitro culture of vitrified ovarian fragments showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in follicular morphology and increased the presence of senescence and tissue fibrosis (P < 0.05). Dynamic ALA maintained E2 levels unchanged (P > 0.05) until the end of vitrified ovarian tissue culture and controlled the levels of ABTS and DPPH radicals in fresh or vitrified cultures. Therefore, it is concluded that ALA should be added to the vitrified ovarian tissue in vitro culture medium to reduce the damage that leads to loss of ovarian function. To ensure steroidogenesis during in vitro culture, ALA should be added dynamically (different concentrations throughout culture).
•Addition of ALA to vitrified ovary in vitro culture medium reduces fibrosis and cellular senescence.•In vitro culture of vitrified ovary to restore endocrine function.•Conservation of ovarian follicles in situ.
•Recycled aggregates obtained from crushed bricks and crushed sanitary ware.•Influence of aggregates incorporation in mechanical properties of concrete.•Concrete with recycled crushed bricks presents ...adequate structural performance.•Concrete with recycled sanitary ware performs poorly.
The objective of this research is to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of recycled ceramic fine aggregates, obtained from crushed bricks and crushed sanitary ware, on the mechanical properties of concrete. The effects of such incorporation on properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and abrasion resistance were investigated and are discussed. Seven different concrete mixes were cast to test these hardened properties: a conventional reference concrete and six concrete mixes with replacement ratios of 20%, 50% and 100% of natural fine aggregates by either fine recycled brick aggregates or fine recycled sanitary ware aggregates. All mixes were prepared with the same workability and the same aggregates’ size gradation to allow for a valid comparison of results. Results obtained show that concrete with recycled crushed bricks exhibits adequate structural performance. Conversely, concrete with recycled sanitary ware performed poorly compared to the reference concrete, even though this limitation may be offset by the use of superplasticizers.
Here we analyze the trends of rainfall and the frequency of rainy days over the Brazilian Cerrado between 1960 and 2021 in four distinct periods according to the seasonal patterns over the region. We ...also evaluated trends in evapotranspiration, atmospheric pressure, winds, and atmospheric humidity over the Cerrado to elucidate the possible reasons for the detected trends. We recorded a significant reduction in rainfall and frequency of rainy days in the northern and central Cerrado regions for all periods except at the beginning of the dry season. The most pronounced negative trends were recorded during the dry season and the beginning of the wet season, where we recorded reductions of up to 50% in total rainfall and the number of rainy days. These findings are associated with the intensification of the South Atlantic Subtropical Anticyclone, which has been shifting atmospheric circulation and raising regional subsidence. Moreover, during the dry season and the beginning of the wet season, there was a reduction in regional evapotranspiration, which also potentially contributed to the rainfall reduction. Our results suggest an expansion and intensification of the dry season in the region, potentially bringing broad environmental and social impacts that transcend the Cerrado boundaries.
We have investigated the global dynamical state of the integral shaped filament in the Orion A cloud using new N2H+ (1−0) large-scale, IRAM 30 m observations. Our analysis of its internal gas ...dynamics reveals the presence of accelerated motions towards the Orion Nebula Cluster, showing a characteristic blue-shifted profile centred at the position of the OMC-1 South region. The properties of these observed gas motions (profile, extension, and magnitude) are consistent with the expected accelerations for the gravitational collapse of the OMC-1 region and explain both the physical and kinematic structure of this cloud.
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