Sexual selection theory predicts that competitors or potential mates signal their quality or relatedness to conspecifics. Researchers have focused on visual or auditory modes of signal transmission; however, the importance of olfactory indicators is gaining recognition. Using a primate model and a new integrative analytical approach, we provide the first evidence relating male olfactory cues to individual genome-wide heterozygosity and to the genetic distance between individuals. The relationships between male semiochemical profiles and genetic characteristics are apparent only during the highly competitive and stressful breeding season. As heterozygosity accurately predicts health and survivorship in this population, we identify scrotal olfactory cues as honest indicators of male quality, with relevance possibly to both sexes. Beyond showing that semiochemicals could underlie kin recognition and nepotism, we provide a putative olfactory mechanism to guide male-male competition and female mate choice.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.03831.x | DOI Listing |
Front Child Adolesc Psychiatry
June 2024
Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Background: Children with speech, language, and communication disorders require specialized support in response to their emotional expression challenges. Not only is such support key for their development, but it is also essential for their mental well-being. Art making emerges as a valuable tool for enabling these children to convey emotions both verbally and non-verbally, fostering a positive self-concept.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPoult Sci
December 2024
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy. Electronic address:
Basilicata and Apulian (BAS-APU) turkeys, a native population in the Basilicata and Puglia regions of southern Italy, are known for their high meat quality and tolerance to local conditions. Understanding the genomic patterns of BAS-APU turkeys is critical for effective breeding and preservation strategies. In this study, we characterized runs of homozygosity (ROH), and selection signatures using the integrated haplotype score (iHS) and ROH approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Syst
January 2025
Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Center for the Physics of Evolving Systems, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address:
The human gut microbiome contains many bacterial strains of the same species ("strain-level variants") that shape microbiome function. The tremendous scale and molecular resolution at which microbial communities are being interrogated motivates addressing how to describe strain-level variants. We introduce the "Spectral Tree"-an inferred tree of relatedness built from patterns of co-evolutionary constraint between greater than 7,000 diverse bacteria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBr J Dermatol
January 2025
The School of Translational Medicine, Monash University and Alfred Health, Melbourne VIC, Australia.
Background: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare, severe, genetic disorders characterised by persistent skin fragility and open wounds. EB manifests as cutaneous and mucosal blistering, erosions and impaired wound healing.
Objectives: To determine the long-term efficacy, tolerability and safety of Oleogel-S10 (birch bark extract) in dystrophic (DEB) and junctional (JEB) EB in the 24-months open-label phase (OLP) of the EASE study.
Eur J Midwifery
January 2025
Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Research in Education, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Introduction: Maternity care professionals need to guide women through an increasing number of decision-making processes during pregnancy. Professionals tend to focus more on providing information than on decision support. According to the self-determination theory (SDT), professionals could help women make their own choices by fulfilling their three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness through autonomy-supportive interactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!