Distinct patterns of genetic variation at low-recombining genomic regions represent haplotype structure.

Genomic regions sometimes show patterns of genetic variation distinct from the genome-wide population structure. Such deviations have often been interpreted to represent effects of selection. However, systematic investigation of whether and how non-selective factors, such as recombination rates, can affect distinct patterns has been limited.

Bicalutamide Enhances Conventional Chemotherapy in In Vitro and In Vivo Assays Using Human and Canine Inflammatory Mammary Cancer Cell Lines.

Human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) are highly aggressive neoplastic diseases that share numerous characteristics. In IBC and IMC, chemotherapy produces a limited pathological response and anti-androgen therapies have been of interest for breast cancer treatment. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate the effect of a therapy based on bicalutamide, a non-steroidal anti-androgen, with doxorubicin and docetaxel chemotherapy on cell proliferation, migration, tumor growth, and steroid-hormone secretion.

Genomic landscapes of divergence among island bird populations: Evidence of parallel adaptation but at different loci?

When populations colonise new environments, they may be exposed to novel selection pressures but also suffer from extensive genetic drift due to founder effects, small population sizes and limited interpopulation gene flow. Genomic approaches enable us to study how these factors drive divergence, and disentangle neutral effects from differentiation at specific loci due to selection. Here, we investigate patterns of genetic diversity and divergence using whole-genome resequencing (>22× coverage) in Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii), a passerine endemic to the islands of three north Atlantic archipelagos.

Addressing Combative Behaviour in Spanish Bulls by Measuring Hormonal Indicators.

The fighting bull is characterised by its natural aggressiveness, but the physiological mechanisms that underlie its aggressive behaviour are poorly studied. This study determines the hormonal component of aggressiveness in fighting bulls by analysing their behaviour during a fight and correlating it to their serotonin, dopamine and testosterone levels. We also determine whether aggressive behaviour can be estimated in calves.

Avian Island Radiations Shed Light on the Dynamics of Adaptive and Nonadaptive Radiation.

Understanding the mechanisms underlying species formation and differentiation is a central goal of evolutionary biology and a formidable challenge. This understanding can provide valuable insights into the origins of the astonishing diversity of organisms living on our planet. Avian evolutionary radiations on islands have long fascinated biologists as they provide the ideal variation to study the ecological and evolutionary forces operating on the continuum between incipient lineages to complete speciation.

Genotype-environment associations reveal genes potentially linked to avian malaria infection in populations of an endemic island bird.

Patterns of pathogen prevalence are, at least partially, the result of coevolutionary host-pathogen interactions. Thus, exploring the distribution of host genetic variation in relation to infection by a pathogen within and across populations can provide important insights into mechanisms of host defence and adaptation. Here, we use a landscape genomics approach (Bayenv) in conjunction with genome-wide data (ddRADseq) to test for associations between avian malaria (Plasmodium) prevalence and host genetic variation across 13 populations of the island endemic Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii).

Androgen and Estrogen β Receptor Expression Enhances Efficacy of Antihormonal Treatments in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype is characterized by the lack of expression of ERα (estrogen receptor α), PR (progesterone receptor) and no overexpression of HER-2. However, TNBC can express the androgen receptor (AR) or estrogen receptor β (ERβ). Also, TNBC secretes steroid hormones and is influenced by hormonal fluctuations, so the steroid inhibition could exert a beneficial effect in TNBC treatment.

Frugivore-mediated seed dispersal in fragmented landscapes: Compositional and functional turnover from forest to matrix.

Seed dispersal by frugivores is a fundamental function for plant community dynamics in fragmented landscapes, where forest remnants are typically embedded in a matrix of anthropogenic habitats. Frugivores can mediate both connectivity among forest remnants and plant colonization of the matrix. However, it remains poorly understood how frugivore communities change from forest to matrix due to the loss or replacement of species with traits that are less advantageous in open habitats and whether such changes ultimately influence the composition and traits of dispersed plants via species interactions.

Physiological Stress Responses in Cattle Used in the Spanish Rodeo.

Certain events can cause distress in cattle. In Spain, there is a sport similar to rodeo called persecution and takedown, in which calves are harassed and knocked down by riders. In this study, the physiological stress response of calves (n = 260) is assessed by measuring hormonal physiological parameters.

Predicting Sex in White Rhinoceroses: A Statistical Model for Conservation Management.

Ensuring the effective management of every rhinoceros population is crucial for securing a future for the species, especially considering the escalating global threat of poaching and the challenges faced in captive breeding programs for this endangered species. Steroid hormones play pivotal roles in regulating diverse biological processes, making fecal hormonal determinations a valuable non-invasive tool for monitoring adrenal and gonadal endocrinologies and assessing reproductive status, particularly in endangered species. The purpose of this study was to develop a statistical model for predicting the sex of white rhinoceroses using hormonal determinations obtained from a single fecal sample.

The inhibition of steroid hormones determines the fate of IPC-366 tumor cells, highlighting the crucial role of androgen production in tumor processes.

Inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) is a disease that affects female dogs. It is characterized by poor treatment options and no efficient targets. However, anti-androgenic and anti-estrogenic therapies could be effective because IMC has a great endocrine influence, affecting tumor progression.

Long-Term Exposure to Isoflavones Alters the Hormonal Steroid Homeostasis-Impairing Reproductive Function in Adult Male Wistar Rats.

The consumption of isoflavones is gaining popularity worldwide due to their beneficial effects on health. However, isoflavones are considered to be endocrine disruptors and cause deleterious effects on hormone-sensitive organs, especially in males. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if a continuous and prolonged exposure to isoflavones in adult males altered the endocrine axis effect of testicular function.

Runs of homozygosity reveal past bottlenecks and contemporary inbreeding across diverging populations of an island-colonizing bird.

Genomes retain evidence of the demographic history and evolutionary forces that have shaped populations and drive speciation. Across island systems, contemporary patterns of genetic diversity reflect population demography, including colonization events, bottlenecks, gene flow and genetic drift. Here, we investigate genome-wide diversity and the distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROH) using whole-genome resequencing of individuals (>22× coverage) from six populations across three archipelagos of Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii)-a passerine that has recently undergone island speciation.

Cell adhesion molecules E-cadherin and CADM1 are differently expressed in canine inflammatory mammary cancer.

Human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) are the most aggressive and lethal types of mammary tumors with specific characteristics such as exacerbated angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and lymphangiotropism. E-cadherin expression is another specific feature of IBC not previously studied in canine IMC. In this study, the expression of E-cadherin and CADM1 (Cell Adhesion molecule 1) and their possible role as key molecules involved in the pathogenesis of IMC were immunohistochemically analyzed in 19 canine IMC and 15 grade III non-IMC cases.

Hormonal Homologies between Canine Mammary Cancer and Human Breast Cancer in a Series of Cases.

The validity of spontaneous canine mammary cancer (CMC) as a natural model for the study of human breast cancer (HBC) from a hormonal point of view has never been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of aromatase (Arom) and steroid receptors [estrogen receptor α (ER α), estrogen receptor β (ER β), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR)] and intratumor steroid hormone levels of 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone sulfate (SO4E1), progesterone (P4), androstenedione (A4), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and testosterone (T) in 78 samples of mammary cancer-51 human breast cancer (HBC) and 27 canine mammary cancer (CMC)-and corresponding controls. Frequency of tumors expressing Arom, ERβ, PR, and AR was similar in both species, whereas ERα+ tumors were less frequent in the canine species.

Population-specific association of Clock gene polymorphism with annual cycle timing in stonechats.

Timing is essential for survival and reproduction of organisms across the tree of life. The core circadian clock gene Clk is involved in the regulation of annual timing events and shows highly conserved sequence homology across vertebrates except for one variable region of poly-glutamine repeats. Clk genotype varies in some species with latitude, seasonal timing and migration.

Preliminary Findings on How Different Management Systems and Social Interactions Influence Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in White Rhinoceros ().

White rhinoceroses () are the most social and gregarious species of all rhinoceroses known worldwide. One of the most critical effects of elevated glucocorticoid concentrations, especially in threatened species, is its relation to chronic stress, which could potentially lead to immunosuppression and reduced reproductive activity. Our aim is to determine how different social environments and management systems might be influencing the secretion of fecal glucocorticoids in white rhinoceroses.

Genomic associations with poxvirus across divergent island populations in Berthelot's pipit.

Understanding the mechanisms and genes that enable animal populations to adapt to pathogens is important from an evolutionary, health and conservation perspective. Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii) experiences extensive and consistent spatial heterogeneity in avian pox infection pressure across its range of island populations, thus providing an excellent system with which to examine how pathogen-mediated selection drives spatial variation in immunogenetic diversity. Here, we test for evidence of genetic variation associated with avian pox at both an individual and population-level.

Blocking Estrogen Synthesis Leads to Different Hormonal Responses in Canine and Human Triple Negative Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

Blocking estrogen synthesis by inhibitors of estrogen synthesis is a widely used therapy against estrogen receptor-positive tumors. However, these therapies are less effective in negative expression tumors. Therefore, this study determined the effectiveness of anti-aromatase and anti-sulfatase therapies in canine and human inflammatory breast cancer.

Non-Invasive Determination of Annual Fecal Cortisol, Androstenedione, and Testosterone Variations in a Herd of Male Asian Elephants () and Their Relation to Some Climatic Variables.

The measurement of stress and reproductive hormones in wild animal species by non-invasive methods is of special interest. To assess whether the adrenal and gonadal hormones show annual variations in male Asian elephants () and to evaluate whether there is any influence of climatic variables on hormonal secretion, fecal samples were taken from a herd of 7 Asian elephants over a 14-month period to subsequently determine the concentrations of testosterone (T), androstenedione (A4), and cortisol (C) by a validated immunoassay technique. Data referring to three climatic variables in the place and period of study were collected, namely monthly mean values of temperature, humidity and rainfall.

Tumor Growth Progression in Ectopic and Orthotopic Xenografts from Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Xenografts can grow in immunosuppressed hosts, such as SCID mice, and tumor material can be injected into hosts either ectopically or orthotopically. Choosing the correct model to use is a crucial step in animal research. The aim of this study was to report the differences between ectopic and orthotopic xenografts in tumor progression, metastasis capacity, histological features, and steroid hormone profiles in xenografts from the cIMC (canine inflammatory mammary cancer) cell line IPC-366 and hIBC (human inflammatory breast cancer) cell line SUM149.

Sequential colonization of oceanic archipelagos led to a species-level radiation in the common chaffinch complex (Aves: Fringilla coelebs).

Oceanic archipelagos are excellent systems for studying speciation, yet inference of evolutionary process requires that the colonization history of island organisms be known with accuracy. Here, we used phylogenomics and patterns of genetic diversity to infer the sequence and timing of colonization of Macaronesia by mainland common chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs), and assessed whether colonization of the different archipelagos has resulted in a species-level radiation. To reconstruct the evolutionary history of the complex we generated a molecular phylogeny based on genome-wide SNP loci obtained from genotyping-by-sequencing, we ran ancestral range biogeographic analyses, and assessed fine-scale genetic structure between and within archipelagos using admixture analysis.

Anti-Angiogenic Treatments Interact with Steroid Secretion in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Triple Negative Cell Lines.

Human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a highly angiogenic disease for which antiangiogenic therapy has demonstrated only a modest response, and the reason for this remains unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of different antiangiogenic therapies on in vitro and in vivo steroid hormone and angiogenic growth factor production using canine and human inflammatory breast carcinoma cell lines as well as the possible involvement of sex steroid hormones in angiogenesis. IPC-366 and SUM149 cell lines and xenotransplanted mice were treated with different concentrations of VEGF, SU5416, bevacizumab and celecoxib.