Metamorphosis of a unicellular green alga in the presence of acetate and a spatially structured three-dimensional environment.

Photosynthetic protists, named microalgae, are key players in global primary production. The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a well-studied model organism. In nature, it dwells in acetate-rich paddy rice soil, which is not mimicked by standard liquid laboratory conditions.

Genetic Variation in Jamaican Populations of the Coffee Berry Borer, Hypothenemus hampei.

The coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei was first described in Africa in 1867 and has spread to all major coffee-producing regions worldwide, including Jamaica. Using long-read sequencing, we produced a new high-quality reference genome (172.7 Mb) for the Jamaican strain of the CBB, with 93% of the genome assembled into 14 scaffolds.

Rapid and local neuroestrogen synthesis supports long-term potentiation of hippocampal Schaffer collaterals-cornu ammonis 1 synapse in ovariectomized mice.

In aging women, cognitive decline and increased risk of dementia have been associated with the cessation of ovarian hormones production at menopause. In the brain, presence of the key enzyme aromatase required for the synthesis of 17-β-estradiol (E2) allows for local production of E2 in absence of functional ovaries. Understanding how aromatase activity is regulated could help alleviate the cognitive symptoms.

Molecular identification of polymorphic transposable elements in populations of the invasive ant .

Transposable elements (TEs) are found in virtually every eukaryotic genome and are important for generating genetic variation. However, outside of costly and time-consuming whole-genome sequencing approaches, the set of available methods to study TE polymorphisms in non-model species is very limited. The Transposon Display (TD) is a simple yet effective technique to characterize polymorphisms across samples by identifying amplified fragment length polymorphisms using primers targeting specific TE families.

Circadian disruption, clock genes, and metabolic health.

A growing body of research has identified circadian-rhythm disruption as a risk factor for metabolic health. However, the underlying biological basis remains complex, and complete molecular mechanisms are unknown. There is emerging evidence from animal and human research to suggest that the expression of core circadian genes, such as circadian locomotor output cycles kaput gene (CLOCK), brain and muscle ARNT-Like 1 gene (BMAL1), period (PER), and cyptochrome (CRY), and the consequent expression of hundreds of circadian output genes are integral to the regulation of cellular metabolism.

Causes and consequences of a complex recombinational landscape in the ant .

Eusocial Hymenoptera have the highest recombination rates among all multicellular animals studied so far, but it is unclear why this is and how this affects the biology of individual species. A high-resolution linkage map for the ant corroborates genome-wide high recombination rates reported for ants (8.1 cM/Mb).

Hemojuvelin-mediated hepcidin induction requires both bone morphogenetic protein type I receptors ALK2 and ALK3.

Hemojuvelin (HJV) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein of the repulsive guidance molecule family acting as a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) coreceptor to induce the hepatic iron regulatory protein hepcidin. Hepcidin causes ubiquitination and degradation of the sole known iron exporter ferroportin, thereby limiting iron availability. The detailed signaling mechanism of HJV in vivo has yet to be investigated.

Identifying environmental factors affecting the microbial community composition on outdoor structural timber.

Timber wood is a building material with many positive properties. However, its susceptibility to microbial degradation is a major challenge for outdoor usage. Although many wood-degrading fungal species are known, knowledge on their prevalence and diversity causing damage to exterior structural timber is still limited.

The UV-A Receptor CRY-DASH1 Up- and Downregulates Proteins Involved in Different Plastidial Pathways.

Algae encode up to five different types of cryptochrome photoreceptors. So far, relatively little is known about the biological functions of the DASH (Drosophila, Arabidopsis, Synechocystis and Homo)-type cryptochromes. The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii encodes two of them.

Slowly cutting, loose seton ligature and staged fistulotomy for healing of idiopathic perianal fistula and influence on anal continence.

Purpose: To investigate the ability of a "slowly cutting, loose seton ligature and staged fistulotomy" to heal perianal fistulas, the time needed with the seton ligature, recurrence rate, influence on anal continence, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and patient satisfaction.

Methods: Observational single-center study. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with primary surgeries from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018.

Cardiometabolic health, menopausal estrogen therapy and the brain: How effects of estrogens diverge in healthy and unhealthy preclinical models of aging.

Research in preclinical models indicates that estrogens are neuroprotective and positively impact cognitive aging. However, clinical data are equivocal as to the benefits of menopausal estrogen therapy to the brain and cognition. Pre-existing cardiometabolic disease may modulate mechanisms by which estrogens act, potentially reducing or reversing protections they provide against cognitive decline.

Perioperative Tracking of Intravenous Iron in Patients Undergoing On-Pump Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective, Single-Center Pilot Trial.

Background: Preoperative intravenous iron administration is a frequently used patient blood management procedure. If the timeframe of intravenous iron administration before surgery is short, (1) the concentration of the intravenous iron compound might still be high in patients' plasma when undergoing surgery and (2) this iron in patients' plasma is at risk to be lost due to blood loss. The aim of the current study was, therefore, to track the iron compound ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) before, during, and after cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass, with an emphasis on intraoperative iron losses in shed blood and potential recovery through autologous cell salvage.

Contrafreeloading and foraging-related behavior in hens differing in laying performance and phylogenetic origin.

Different breeds of domestic and junglefowl differ in foraging strategies indicating that domestication resulted in modified energy saving behavioral strategies. In the present study we investigated foraging strategies and foraging-related behavior in 4 lines of laying hens differing in phylogenetic origin and laying performance to analyze a possible relationship between foraging and the level of egg production. High performing brown and white pure bred lines were compared with their low performing brown and white counterparts.

Employing micro-aeration in anaerobic digestion of poultry litter and wheat straw: Batch kinetics and continuous performance.

In this study, different micro-aeration (MA) strategies for anaerobic digestion (AD) of poultry litter (PL) and wheat straw (WS) were examined. MA at different stages (pretreatment, middle, pretreatment plus middle, and daily) in batch AD of WS showed that daily MA had the highest increase (16.5 %) of the cumulative methane yield (CMY) compared to the control.

Brain gain-Is the cognitive performance of domestic hens affected by a functional polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene?

The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) plays an important role in regulating serotonergic transmission removal of serotonin (5-HT) from synaptic clefts. Alterations in 5-HTT expression and subsequent 5-HT transmission have been found to be associated with changes in behaviour, such as fearfulness or activity, in humans and other vertebrates. In humans, alterations in 5-HTT expression have been suggested to be able to lead to better learning performance, with more fearful persons being better at learning.

Productive performance, perching behavior, keel bone and other health aspects in dual-purpose compared to conventional laying hens.

Several alternatives to avoid killing male day-old chicks are available. One of these alternatives is to keep dual-purpose chicken strains. The aim of this study was to compare dual-purpose hens (Lohmann Dual, LD) with conventional laying hens (Lohmann Tradition, LT) in terms of performance, animal welfare parameters such as keel bone state and foot pad dermatitis, and perching behavior.

Polygenic adaptation contributes to the invasive success of the Colorado potato beetle.

How invasive species cope with novel selective pressures with limited genetic variation is a fundamental question in molecular ecology. Several mechanisms have been proposed, but they can lack generality. Here, we addressed an alternative solution, polygenic adaptation, wherein traits that arise from multiple combinations of loci may be less sensitive to loss of variation during invasion.

Estradiol-17ß Is Influenced by Age, Housing System, and Laying Performance in Genetically Divergent Laying Hens ( f.d.).

The estrogen estradiol-17ß is known as one of the major gonadal steroid hormones with different functions in reproduction. In this study we analyzed estradiol-17ß concentration in laying hens of four pure bred chicken laying lines at four different time intervals of the laying period (17th-19th week of age, 33rd-35th week of age, 49th-51st week of age, and 72nd week of age). The high performing white egg (WLA) and brown egg (BLA) layer lines as well as the low performing white (R11) and brown (L68) layer lines were kept in both single cages and a floor housing system.

A diagnostic approach to paratesticular lesions with tubulopapillary architecture: a series of 16 serous borderline tumors/low-grade serous carcinoma and 14 well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumors and mesothelioma.

As there is limited literature on paratesticular tumors of müllerian and mesothelial origin, we reviewed archived cases of serous borderline tumors (n = 15), low-grade serous carcinoma (n = 1), well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumors (WDPMTs; n = 2), and mesothelioma (n = 12), for relevant clinicopathologic features. Molecular profiling data from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) GENIE registry was accessed for 8 additional patients with testicular mesothelioma. For tumors of mesothelial origin, the median age at surgical excision was 62 years, the median size was 4.

Genetic and genomic architecture of species-specific cuticular hydrocarbon variation in parasitoid wasps.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) serve two fundamental functions in insects: protection against desiccation and chemical signalling. How the interaction of genes shapes CHC profiles, which are essential for insect survival, adaptation and reproductive success, is still poorly understood. Here we investigate the genetic and genomic basis of CHC biosynthesis and variation in parasitoid wasps of the genus .

Learned control of urinary reflexes in cattle to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Indiscriminate voiding of excreta by cattle contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and soil and water contamination. Emissions are higher in animal-friendly husbandry offering cattle more space - a trade-off we call the 'climate killer conundrum'. Voiding in a specific location (latrine) would help resolve this dilemma by allowing ready capture and treatment of excreta under more spacious farming conditions.

Transposable elements and introgression introduce genetic variation in the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior.

Introduced populations of invasive organisms have to cope with novel environmental challenges, while having reduced genetic variation caused by founder effects. The mechanisms associated with this "genetic paradox of invasive species" has received considerable attention, yet few studies have examined the genomic architecture of invasive species. Populations of the heart node ant Cardiocondyla obscurior belong to two distinct lineages, a New World lineage so far only found in Latin America and a more globally distributed Old World lineage.

Effects of an Elevated Platform on Welfare Aspects in Male Conventional Broilers and Dual-Purpose Chickens.

To avoid killing day-old male chicks, one possibility is to keep dual-purpose chicken strains. Here, the hens were kept for egg production, and the roosters were kept for meat production. Both sexes had moderate performances compared to the respective hybrid chicken strains.