Insights from the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) genome for MHC gene architecture and evolution in threatened rattlesnakes.

Conservation of threatened species can benefit from an evaluation of genes in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), whose loci encode proteins that bind pathogens and are often under strong selection to maintain diversity in immune response to diseases. Despite this gene family's importance to disease resistance, little is known about these genes in reptiles including snakes. To address this issue, we assembled and annotated a highly-contiguous genome assembly for the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), a pit viper which is threatened or endangered in parts of its range, and analyzed this new genome along with three other rattlesnake genomes to characterize snake MHC loci.

A preliminary repeated measures study of the effect of an imposed posture on the pose of the head and upper and lower neck of seated humans.

Background: Posture of the upper neck is considered by some to contribute to neck pain and headache. Infrared reflectors and cameras permit non-invasive three-dimensional (3D) evaluation of head and neck range of motion but have not been used to examine the relative pose (position and orientation) of the head, upper and lower neck.

Research Question: Can the relative 3D pose of the head, upper and lower neck regions of adult humans be non-invasively measured and perturbated while recording the characteristics of neck or head pain?

Methods: An optical motion capture system was used in a repeat measure descriptive analysis study.

Sequential introgression of a carotenoid processing gene underlies sexual ornament diversity in a genus of manakins.

In a hybrid zone between two tropical lekking birds, yellow male plumage of one species has introgressed asymmetrically replacing white plumage of another via sexual selection. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the plumage trait to uncover its physical and genetic bases and trace its evolutionary history. We determine that the carotenoid lutein underlies the yellow phenotype and describe microstructural feather features likely to enhance color appearance.

A quality improvement project to increase treatment rates of osteoporosis in general practice.

ObjectiveThis study tests a model to improve the management of patients with an osteoporotic fracture.MethodsPatients with fractures potentially due to osteoporosis were identified from imaging reports using computerised near natural language processing. A coordinator notified the referring GP about the finding and provided follow-up to remind GPs of the need for management.