Comparative genomics of a vertically transmitted thiotrophic bacterial ectosymbiont and its close free-living relative.

Thiotrophic symbioses between sulphur-oxidizing bacteria and various unicellular and metazoan eukaryotes are widespread in reducing marine environments. The giant colonial ciliate Zoothamnium niveum, however, is the only host of thioautotrophic symbionts that has been cultivated along with its symbiont, the vertically transmitted ectosymbiont Candidatus Thiobius zoothamnicola (short Thiobius). Because theoretical predictions posit a smaller genome in vertically transmitted endosymbionts compared to free-living relatives, we investigated whether this is true also for an ectosymbiont.

Genomic and transcriptomic survey of bryozoan Hox and ParaHox genes with emphasis on phylactolaemate bryozoans.

Background: Bryozoans are mostly sessile aquatic colonial invertebrates belonging to the clade Lophotrochozoa, which unites many protostome bilaterian phyla such as molluscs, annelids and brachiopods. While Hox and ParaHox genes have been extensively studied in various lophotrochozoan lineages, investigations on Hox and ParaHox gene complements in bryozoans are scarce.

Results: Herein, we present the most comprehensive survey of Hox and ParaHox gene complements in bryozoans using four genomes and 35 transcriptomes representing all bryozoan clades: Cheilostomata, Ctenostomata, Cyclostomata and Phylactolaemata.

Adaptive Parameters for LoRa-Based Networks Physical-Layer.

Sub-GHz communication provides long-range coverage with low power consumption and reduced deployment cost. LoRa (Long-Range) has emerged, among existing LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Networks) technologies, as a promising physical layer alternative to provide ubiquitous connectivity to outdoor IoT devices. LoRa modulation technology supports adapting transmissions based on parameters such as carrier frequency, channel bandwidth, spreading factor, and code rate.

The complete and closed genome of the facultative generalist Candidatus Endoriftia persephone from deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

The mutualistic interactions between Riftia pachyptila and its endosymbiont Candidatus Endoriftia persephone (short Endoriftia) have been extensively researched. However, the closed Endoriftia genome is still lacking. Here, by employing single-molecule real-time sequencing we present the closed chromosomal sequence of Endoriftia.

Novel Insights on Obligate Symbiont Lifestyle and Adaptation to Chemosynthetic Environment as Revealed by the Giant Tubeworm Genome.

The mutualism between the giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila and its endosymbiont Candidatus Endoriftia persephone has been extensively researched over the past 40 years. However, the lack of the host whole-genome information has impeded the full comprehension of the genotype/phenotype interface in Riftia. Here, we described the high-quality draft genome of Riftia, its complete mitogenome, and tissue-specific transcriptomic data.

Endovascular treatment of left internal thoracic artery aneurysm.

Aneurysm of the internal thoracic artery is a rare entity, with variable presentation and a potential risk of fatal rupture. Angiotomography is the diagnostic test of choice and is useful for planning treatment. Considering the morbidity of thoracic access for a direct approach and the unpredictable risk of rupture, an endovascular procedure is the treatment modality of choice for this type of aneurysm.

Non-collinear Hox gene expression in bivalves and the evolution of morphological novelties in mollusks.

Hox genes are key developmental regulators that are involved in establishing morphological features during animal ontogeny. They are commonly expressed along the anterior-posterior axis in a staggered, or collinear, fashion. In mollusks, the repertoire of body plans is widely diverse and current data suggest their involvement during development of landmark morphological traits in Conchifera, one of the two major lineages that comprises those taxa that originated from a uni-shelled ancestor (Monoplacophora, Gastropoda, Cephalopoda, Scaphopoda, Bivalvia).

The quagga mussel genome and the evolution of freshwater tolerance.

Freshwater dreissenid mussels evolved from marine ancestors during the Miocene ∼30 million years ago and today include some of the most successful and destructive invasive species of freshwater environments. Here, we sequenced the genome of the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis to identify adaptations involved in embryonic osmoregulation. We provide evidence that a lophotrochozoan-specific aquaporin water channel, a vacuolar ATPase subunit and a sodium/hydrogen exchanger are involved in osmoregulation throughout early cleavage, during which time large intercellular fluid-filled 'cleavage cavities' repeatedly form, coalesce and collapse, expelling excess water to the exterior.

Ancient origins of arthropod moulting pathway components.

Ecdysis (moulting) is the defining character of Ecdysoza (arthropods, nematodes and related phyla). Despite superficial similarities, the signalling cascade underlying moulting differs between Panarthropoda and the remaining ecdysozoans. Here, we reconstruct the evolution of major components of the ecdysis pathway.

Neural network for fractal dimension evolution.

The coagulation/flocculation process is an essential step in drinking water treatment. The process of formation, growth, breakage and rearrangement of the formed aggregates is key to enhancing the understanding of the flocculation process. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are a powerful technique, which can be used to model complex problems in several areas, such as water treatment.

Ancestral and novel roles of Pax family genes in mollusks.

Background: Pax genes are transcription factors with significant roles in cell fate specification and tissue differentiation during animal ontogeny. Most information on their tempo-spatial mode of expression is available from well-studied model organisms where the Pax-subfamilies Pax2/5/8, Pax6, and Paxα/β are mainly involved in the development of the central nervous system (CNS), the eyes, and other sensory organs. In certain taxa, Pax2/5/8 seems to be additionally involved in the development of excretion organs.

Identification of Genes Involved in Indole-3-Acetic Acid Biosynthesis by PAL5 Strain Using Transposon Mutagenesis.

is a beneficial nitrogen-fixing endophyte found in association with sugarcane plants and other important crops. Beneficial effects of on sugarcane growth and productivity have been attributed to biological nitrogen fixation process and production of phytohormones especially indole-3-acetic acid (IAA); however, information about the biosynthesis and function of IAA in is still scarce. Therefore, the aim of this work was to identify genes and pathways involved in IAA biosynthesis in this bacterium.

A putative species complex in the Sea of Japan revealed by DNA sequence data: a study on cf. (Gastropoda: Patellogastropoda).

A putative new limpet species (Patellogastropoda) from the Sea of Japan is revealed by molecular genetic analyses using the mitochondrial markers rRNA and subunit I (), as well as the DNA marker rRNA. Our data indicate that the limpet, collected in the Peter the Great Bay (Russian Federation), is not, as its morphology suggests, the Japanese species Sasaki and Okutani, 1994, and might also hint towards another putative species complex in the Sea of Japan. The different currents between the Far East Asian mainland (cold, subpolar jet running southwards) and the Japanese archipelago (warm, subtropical jet running northwards) are likely to act as a barrier that has a substantial influence on species distribution in these waters.

Formulations of polymeric biodegradable low-cost foam by melt extrusion to deliver plant growth-promoting bacteria in agricultural systems.

The extrusion technology of blends formed by compounds with different physicochemical properties often results in new materials that present properties distinctive from its original individual constituents. Here, we report the use of melt extrusion of blends made from low-cost materials to produce a biodegradable foam suitable for use as an inoculant carrier of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Six formulations were prepared with variable proportions of the raw materials; the resulting physicochemical and structural properties are described, as well as formulation performance in the maintenance of bacterial viability during 120 days of storage.

GenSeed-HMM: A Tool for Progressive Assembly Using Profile HMMs as Seeds and its Application in Alpavirinae Viral Discovery from Metagenomic Data.

This work reports the development of GenSeed-HMM, a program that implements seed-driven progressive assembly, an approach to reconstruct specific sequences from unassembled data, starting from short nucleotide or protein seed sequences or profile Hidden Markov Models (HMM). The program can use any one of a number of sequence assemblers. Assembly is performed in multiple steps and relatively few reads are used in each cycle, consequently the program demands low computational resources.

Neuromuscular development in Patellogastropoda (Mollusca: Gastropoda) and its importance for reconstructing ancestral gastropod bodyplan features.

Within Gastropoda, limpets (Patellogastropoda) are considered the most basal branching taxon and its representatives are thus crucial for research into evolutionary questions. Here, we describe the development of the neuromuscular system in cf. .

Chemopreventive effects of the polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 on the carcinogenesis process of the upper aerodigestive tract induced by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide in Swiss mice.

Objective: To study the potential chemopreventive effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 in Swiss mice submitted to oral and oesophageal carcinogenesis induction by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO).

Study Design: The animals underwent carcinogenesis induction with 50 µg/mL 4-NQO for eight weeks. The animals were divided into groups: Group I-4-NQO induction without chemoprevention, Group II-chemoprevention with the addition of 5% fish oil (FO) in their diet after 4-NQO carcinogenesis induction, and Group III-chemoprevention with 5% FO in their diet during and after 4-NQO carcinogenesis induction.

Chest radiography as a method of screening for occult cancer in patients with idiopathic deep vein thrombosis.

The occurrence of neoplasms in patients with idiopathic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) may result in a significant reduction in survival rates. The aim of our study was to assess the use of chest X-rays (CXRs) as a screening method of intrathoracic neoplasms in patients who with idiopathic DVT. In observational, cross-sectional study, the medical records of 99 patients with idiopathic DVT, who were submitted to CXR (during the hospital stay or within 30 days after discharge), were investigated.

Pubococcygeal activity on perineal ultrasound in incontinent women.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability and reproducibility of perineal ultrasound (US) in the evaluation of the pubococcygeal muscle (PCM) activity in urinary incontinent women.

Methods: Thirty women were assessed twice by two examiners who measured the angle between the lateral bundles of the PCM. The 2D US on coronal view evaluated the PCM performance during squeezing, straining, and resting.

Polypropylene mesh vs. site-specific repair in the treatment of anterior vaginal wall prolapse: preliminary results of a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Pelvic organ prolapse is a disorder caused by the imbalance between the forces responsible for supporting the pelvic organs in their normal position and those that tend to expel them from the pelvis. Anterior vaginal wall prolapse, known as cystocele, is the most common form of prolapse and can result from lesions in different topographies of the endopelvic fascia. Currently, a woman has an 11% risk of being submitted to a surgical procedure to correct pelvic floor disorder, and a 29% chance of being reoperated due to failure in the first surgery.

Treatment of coronary artery disease in hemodialysis patients evaluated for transplant-a registry study.

Background: We assessed the results of a noninvasive therapeutic strategy on the long-term occurrence of cardiac events and death in a registry of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: We analyzed 519 patients with CKD (56+/-9 years, 67% men, 67% whites) on maintenance hemodialysis with clinical or scintigraphic evidence of CAD by using coronary angiography.

Results: In 230 (44%) patients, coronary angiography revealed significant CAD (lumen reduction > or =70%).

Optimizing pelvic organ prolapse research.

For many years, researchers on this field have suffered from the lack of an efficient method for describing pelvic organ prolapse. Struggling to solve this problem, the International Continence Society has proposed a pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system [Bump RC, Mattiasson A, Bo K, Brubaker LP, DeLancey JO, Klarskov P, Shull B, Smith ARB, Am J Obstet Gynecol, 175(1):1956-1962, 1996], which was validated as a precise and reproducible technique for describing pelvic organ position. However, even though very precise at describing pelvic organ position, our critic to this system is its limited ability to quantify the prolapse itself, since it still classifies prolapse into four grades, almost the same way as Baden and Walker did in 1972.