Premise: The evolution of sex chromosomes is driven by sexual dimorphism, yet it can be challenging to document sexually dimorphic traits in dioecious plant species. At the genetic level, sexual dimorphism can be identified through sequence variation between females and males associated with sexually antagonistic traits and different fitness optima. This study aims to examine sexual dimorphism for 26 traits in three populations of Salix purpurea (a diversity panel and F and F populations) and determine the effect of the traits on biomass yield, a key trait in Salix bioenergy crops across multiple years, locations, and under manipulated growth conditions.
Methods: Sexual dimorphism was evaluated for morphological, phenological, physiological, and wood composition traits in a diversity panel of unrelated S. purpurea accessions and in full-sib F and F families produced through controlled cross pollinations and grown in replicated field trials.
Results: We observed sexual dimorphism in the timing of development for several traits that were highly predictive of biomass yield across three populations of S. purpurea. Across all populations and years surveyed, males had significantly shallower branching angle. Male plants highly predictive of biomass yield across three populations of S. purpurea also accumulated more nitrogen under fertilizer amendment as measured by SPAD in the diversity panel and had greater susceptibility to the rust fungus Melampsora americana in the F family. Allometric modelling of biomass yield showed an effect of sex and of location on the interaction between yield and stem height.
Conclusions: These results provide evidence of sexual dimorphism for certain traits in S. purpurea that may be involved in sex chromosome evolution.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1704 | DOI Listing |
Biol Sex Differ
January 2025
Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada.
As the earliest measure of social communication in rodents, ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to maternal separation are critical in preclinical research on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). While sex differences in both USV production and behavioral outcomes are reported, many studies overlook sex as a biological variable in preclinical NDD models. We aimed to evaluate sex differences in USV call parameters and determine if USVs are differently impacted based on sex in the preclinical maternal immune activation (MIA) model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ Open
January 2025
Department of General Practice, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Objectives: To describe the prevalence of sub-optimal monitoring for selected higher-risk medicines in older community-dwelling adults and to evaluate patient characteristics and outcomes associated with sub-optimal monitoring.
Study Design: Retrospective observational study (2011-2015) using historical general practice-based cohort data and linked dispensing data from a national pharmacy claims database.
Setting: Irish primary care.
Rev Clin Esp (Barc)
January 2025
Institute for the Improvement of Health Care (IMAS Foundation), Madrid, Spain.
Introduction And Objectives: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a prevalent yet underdiagnosed heart condition characterized by the abnormal accumulation of amyloid fibres, frequently resulting in heart failure (HF), particularly in older people. Despite advancements in non-invasive diagnostic techniques and treatments, the epidemiology of CA patients remains inadequately understood. This nationwide retrospective observational study sought to comprehensively investigate CA patients' characteristics, mortality, and readmission patterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Neurophysiol
January 2025
Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China. Electronic address:
Objective: Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) is a relatively uncommon epilepsy syndrome, characterized by seizures closely related to the sleep cycle. This study aims to explore interictal electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics in SHE.
Methods: We compared EEG data from 20 patients with SHE, 20 patients with focal epilepsy (FE), and 14 healthy controls, carefully matched for age, sex, education level, epilepsy duration, and drug-resistant epilepsy.
Sex Reprod Healthc
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Objective: To examine abortion care in the largest academic medical center in Washington, a state protective of abortion rights, before and after the Supreme Court Dobbs decision.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated abortion provision at the University of Washington between January 1, 2022 and October 31, 2023. Data on patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from electronic medical records.
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