Form, function, and evolutionary origins of architectural symmetry in honey bee nests.

Symmetry is pervasive across the tree of life, and organisms (including humans) build symmetrical structures for reproduction, locomotion, or aesthetics. Symmetry, however, does not necessarily span across levels of biological organization (e.g.

In vitro and in vivo stability of a highly efficient long-acting cocaine hydrolase.

It is recognized as a promising therapeutic strategy for cocaine use disorder to develop an efficient enzyme which can rapidly convert cocaine to physiologically inactive metabolites. We have designed and discovered a series of highly efficient cocaine hydrolases, including CocH5-Fc(M6) which is the currently known as the most efficient cocaine hydrolase with both the highest catalytic activity against (-)-cocaine and the longest biological half-life in rats. In the present study, we characterized the time courses of protein appearance, pH, structural integrity, and catalytic activity against cocaine in vitro and in vivo of a CocH5-Fc(M6) bulk drug substance produced in a bioreactor for its in vitro and in vivo stability after long-time storage under various temperatures (- 80, - 20, 4, 25, or 37 °C).

Monitoring and Genotyping of Wild Grapevine ( L. subsp. ) in Slovenia.

L. subsp. () is the only native wild grapevine in Eurasia (Europe and western Asia) and is the existing ancestor of the grapevine varieties (for wine and table grape production) belonging to the subsp.

Wild grapes of Armenia: unexplored source of genetic diversity and disease resistance.

The present study is the first in-depth research evaluating the genetic diversity and potential resistance of Armenian wild grapes utilizing DNA-based markers to understand the genetic signature of this unexplored germplasm. In the proposed research, five geographical regions with known viticultural history were explored. A total of 148 unique wild genotypes were collected and included in the study with 48 wild individuals previously collected as seed.

Dual domestications and origin of traits in grapevine evolution.

We elucidate grapevine evolution and domestication histories with 3525 cultivated and wild accessions worldwide. In the Pleistocene, harsh climate drove the separation of wild grape ecotypes caused by continuous habitat fragmentation. Then, domestication occurred concurrently about 11,000 years ago in Western Asia and the Caucasus to yield table and wine grapevines.

PhenoApp: A mobile tool for plant phenotyping to record field and greenhouse observations.

With the ongoing cost decrease of genotyping and sequencing technologies, accurate and fast phenotyping remains the bottleneck in the utilizing of plant genetic resources for breeding and breeding research. Although cost-efficient high-throughput phenotyping platforms are emerging for specific traits and/or species, manual phenotyping is still widely used and is a time- and money-consuming step. Approaches that improve data recording, processing or handling are pivotal steps towards the efficient use of genetic resources and are demanded by the research community.

Comparative Study on Grape Berry Anthocyanins of Various Teinturier Varieties.

The red-fleshed grape cultivars, called teinturier or dyer grapes, contain anthocyanins in both the skin and flesh. These phenolic compounds exhibit excellent coloring ability, and as antioxidants, they are important bioactive compounds in food crops. In this work, anthocyanin patterns of grape berries of fifteen teinturier varieties collected from the gene bank located at Pécs in the southwest of Hungary were compared.

Tannin phenotyping of the Vitaceae reveals a phylogenetic linkage of epigallocatechin in berries and leaves.

Background And Aims: Condensed tannins, responsible for berry and wine astringency, may have been selected during grapevine domestication. This work examines the phylogenetic distribution of condensed tannins throughout the Vitaceae phylogenetic tree.

Methods: Green berries and mature leaves of representative true-to-type members of the Vitaceae were collected before 'véraison', freeze-dried and pulverized, and condensed tannins were measured following depolymerization by nucleophilic addition of 2-mercaptoethanol to the C4 of the flavan-3-ol units in an organic acidic medium.

Use and Cost Analysis of Comprehensive Respiratory Panel Testing in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objectives: Fever and respiratory infections are among the leading causes of pediatric emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Although typically self-resolving, clinicians may perform diagnostic tests to determine microbial etiologies of these illnesses. Although comprehensive respiratory viral panels can quickly identify causative organisms, cost to the hospital and patient may be significant.

A 69 kbp Deletion at the Berry Color Locus Is Responsible for Berry Color Recovery in L. Cultivar 'Riesling Rot'.

'Riesling Weiss' is a white grapevine variety famous worldwide for fruity wines with higher acidity. Hardly known is 'Riesling Rot', a red-berried variant of 'Riesling Weiss' that disappeared from commercial cultivation but has increased in awareness in the last decades. The question arises of which variant, white or red, is the original and, consequently, which cultivar is the true ancestor.

Linking the Morphology of Sternal Glands to Rubbing Behavior by (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Workers During Recruitment for Group Predation.

The activities of social insect colonies are supported by exocrine glands and the tremendous functional diversity of the compounds that they secrete. Many social wasps in the subfamilies Vespinae and Polistinae have two sternal glands-the van der Vecht and Richards' glands-that vary in their features and function across the species in which they are found. Field observations suggest that giant hornets use secretions from the van der Vecht gland to chemically mark targeted nests when workers initiate group attacks on social insect prey.

Identification of powdery mildew resistance in wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris Gmel Hegi) from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) is widely recognized as an important source of resistance or tolerance genes for diseases and environmental stresses. Recent studies revealed partial resistance to powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator, PM) in V.

Genetic Diversity of Armenian Grapevine ( L.) Germplasm: Molecular Characterization and Parentage Analysis.

Armenia is an important country of origin of cultivated subsp. and wild subsp. and has played a key role in the long history of grape cultivation in the Southern Caucasus.

Comparison of Horizontal Corneal Diameter Measurements Using Orbscan IIz, OPD Scan III, and IOLMaster 700.

Purpose: To compare three automated devices for measuring the horizontal corneal diameter (white to white [WTW]).

Methods: In 65 eyes of 38 patients, the WTW distance was measured independently by three examiners using the following techniques: Orbscan IIz tomography system (Bausch & Lomb), IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec), and OPD Scan III (NIDEK). We tested for systematic differences in measurements and estimated the limits of agreement (LoA) using linear mixed-effects models.

Visual field progression in patients with severe glaucoma.

Purpose: To assess the cumulative risk of progression in glaucomatous eyes in the severe stage of disease.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. Patients that had severe damage in at least one eye, as defined by three criteria including a mean deviation of ≤ - 20 dB, were included.

Subconjunctival Injections of Mitomycin C Are Associated with a Lower Incidence of Hypertensive Phase in Eyes with Ahmed Glaucoma Valve.

Purpose: To evaluate the association of intraoperative and postoperative subconjunctival injections of mitomycin C (MMC) and rate of the hypertensive phase after implantation of the Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV).

Design: Comparative case series.

Participants: This retrospective comparative study included 37 eyes of 35 patients with uncontrolled glaucoma on maximum tolerated medical therapy who underwent implantation of AGV by a single surgeon.

Genetic Structure and Relationships among Wild and Cultivated Grapevines from Central Europe and Part of the Western Balkan Peninsula.

The genetic diversity and relationship between wild ( L. subsp. (Gmel.

Color Intensity of the Red-Fleshed Berry Phenotype of Teinturier Grapes Varies Due to a 408 bp Duplication in the Promoter of .

Grapevine () teinturier cultivars are characterized by their typical reddish leaves and red-fleshed berries due to ectopic anthocyanin formation. Wines of these varieties have economic importance as they can be used for blending to enhance the color of red wines. The unique and heritable mutation has been known for a long time but the underlying genetic mechanism still is not yet understood.

Unraveling the genetic origin of 'Glera', 'Ribolla Gialla' and other autochthonous grapevine varieties from Friuli Venezia Giulia (northeastern Italy).

'Glera' and 'Ribolla Gialla' are the most economically relevant local grapevine cultivars of Friuli Venezia Giulia region (north-eastern Italy). 'Glera' is used to produce the world-renowned Prosecco wine. 'Ribolla Gialla' cultivation is constantly increasing due to the strong demand for sparkling wine and is the most important variety in Brda (Slovenia).

Assessment of wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris) chlorotypes and accompanying woody species in the Eastern Adriatic region.

The Eastern Adriatic region, encompassing Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, is considered an important area of natural populations of wild grapevines (Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris). The wild grapevine arises in the Eastern Adriatic region in a contact zone of the EU-Mediterranean and the sub-Mediterranean characterized by typical karst relief.