Thanks to technical progress and the availability of virtual data, sex estimation methods as part of a biological profile are undergoing an inevitable evolution. Further reductions in subjectivity, but potentially also in measurement errors, can be brought by approaches that automate the extraction of variables. Such automatization also significantly accelerates and facilitates the specialist's work. The aim of this study is (1) to apply a previously proposed algorithm (Kuchař et al. 2021) to automatically extract 10 variables used for the DSP2 sex estimation method, and (2) to test the robustness of the new automatic approach in a current heterogeneous population. For the first aim, we used a sample of 240 3D scans of pelvic bones from the same individuals, which were measured manually for the DSP database. For the second aim a sample of 108 pelvic bones from the New Mexico Decedent Image Database was used. The results showed high agreement between automatic and manual measurements with rTEM below 5% for all dimensions except two. The accuracy of final sex estimates based on all 10 variables was excellent (error rate 0.3%). However, we observed a higher number of undetermined individuals in the Portuguese sample (25% of males) and the New Mexican sample (36.5% of females). In conclusion, the procedure for automatic dimension extraction was successfully applied both to a different type of data and to a heterogeneous population.

• MeSH
• algoritmy * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• pánevní kosti * diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• soudní antropologie * metody   MeSH
• určení pohlaví podle kostry * metody   MeSH
• zobrazování trojrozměrné * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Portugalsko MeSH

Throughout human evolutionary history, snakes have been associated with danger and threat. Research has shown that snakes are prioritized by our attentional system, despite many of us rarely encountering them in our daily lives. We conducted two high-powered, pre-registered experiments (total N = 224) manipulating target prevalence to understand this heightened prioritization of threatening targets. Target prevalence refers to the proportion of trials wherein a target is presented; reductions in prevalence consistently reduce the likelihood that targets will be found. We reasoned that snake targets in visual search should experience weaker effects of low target prevalence compared to non-threatening targets (rabbits) because they should be prioritized by searchers despite appearing rarely. In both experiments, we found evidence of classic prevalence effects but (contrasting prior work) we also found that search for threatening targets was slower and less accurate than for nonthreatening targets. This surprising result is possibly due to methodological issues common in prior studies, including comparatively smaller sample sizes, fewer trials, and a tendency to exclusively examine conditions of relatively high prevalence. Our findings call into question accounts of threat prioritization and suggest that prior attention findings may be constrained to a narrow range of circumstances.

• MeSH
• biologická evoluce MeSH
• hadi MeSH
• králíci MeSH
• Lagomorpha * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pozornost MeSH
• reakční čas MeSH
• strach * MeSH
• zraková percepce MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• králíci MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

"Genetics and Genomics in Medicine is a new textbook written for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as medical researchers, which explains the science behind the uses of genetics and genomics in medicine today. It is not just about rare inherited and chromosomal disorders, but how genetics affects the whole spectrum of human health and disease. DNA technologies are explained, with emphasis on the modern techniques that have revolutionized the use of genetic information in medicine and are indicating the role of genetics in common complex diseases. The detailed, integrative coverage of genetic approaches to treatment and prevention includes pharmacogenomics and the prospects for personalized medicine. Cancers are essentially genetic diseases and are given a dedicated chapter that includes new insights from cancer genome sequencing. Clinical disorders are covered throughout and there are extensive end-of-chapter questions and problems"--Provided by publisher.

V prvních měsících roku 2020 propukla celosvětová pandemie koronavirové choroby COVID-19. Tato skutečnost se plně promítla i do každodenního života obyvatel České republiky. Vládou přijatá restriktivní protipandemická opatření zcela změnila a významně omezila chod celé společnosti. Od 11. března 2020 došlo k uzavření školských zařízení a zákazu osobní přítomnosti žáků na vzdělávání. Takováto opatření probíhala v několika vlnách po dobu více než dvou let. To se významně promítlo i do životního stylu dětí a mládeže. Uvedené skutečnosti se mohou projevit v různé úrovni indikátorů souvisejících se zdravým růstem a vývojem mladého organismu. Cíle: Cílem předložené studie je zachytit a porovnat vývoj vybraných somatických a morfologických parametrů u hráčů regionální fotbalové akademie a stejně starých nesportujících chlapců v období restriktivních opatření spojených s pandemií koronavirové choroby COVID-19. Metodika: Výzkumné šetření se uskutečnilo v měsících březen 2020 a říjen 2021. Byla zpracována data probandů, kteří absolvovali první i druhé měření. Výzkumného šetření se zúčastnilo celkem 20 hráčů regionální fotbalové akademie (průměrný věk 1. měření: 12,9 ± 0,32 let; průměrný věk 2. měření: 14,5 ± 0,33 let). Kontrolní soubor byl tvořen 32 chlapci (průměrný věk 1. měření: 13,1 ± 0,43 let; průměrný věk 2. měření: 14,6 ± 0,45 let), kteří reprezentují jedince bez pravidelně řízené pohybové aktivity. Pro hodnocení sledovaných parametrů byly aplikovány metody somatické, antropometrické diagnostiky a neinvazivní metoda multifrekvenční tetrapolární bioelektrické impedance pomocí přístroje InBody 770. Výsledky: V průběhu sledovaného pandemického období došlo u hráčů fotbalové akademie k signifikantnímu snížení tělesného tuku o 2,6 % (p ≤ 0,01; d = 1,16) s jeho celkovým zastoupením na úrovni 8,3 %. Současně u nich došlo k významnému navýšení kosterního svalstva o 2,9 % (p ≤ 0,001; d = 2,24) s jeho průměrným zastoupením 51,2 % v rámci tělesného složení. Z hlediska tělesné konstituce byl zjištěn významný pokles endomorfie a nárůst mezomorfie. Průměrný somatotyp hráčů fotbalové akademie se přesunul z oblasti centrálních typů do kategorie mezomorfů-ektomorfů s hodnotou 1,8–4,3–4,0. U nesportujících chlapců došlo k navýšení tělesného tuku o 3,2 % s jeho průměrným zastoupením na úrovni 23,3 %. Dále byl zjištěn pokles v zastoupení kosterního svalstva o 1,1 % na průměrnou úroveň 39,8 % v rámci tělesného složení. Závěry: Nalezená zjištění prokazují významné odlišnosti ve vývoji somatických a morfologických parametrů u mladých chlapců ve věku 13–14 let s významně rozdílnou úrovní pohybové aktivity v průběhu pandemického období COVID-19 a s tím spojených restriktivních opatření.

In the first months of 2020, a global pandemic of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 broke out. This fact was fully reflected in the everyday life of the Czech Republic's inhabitants. The restrictive pandemic measures adopted by the government have completely changed and significantly limited the operation of the entire society. Since 11 March 2020, school facilities have been closed and pupils have been banned from attending education in person. Such measures have taken place in several waves over a period of more than two years. This has had a significant impact on the lifestyles of children and young people. These facts may be reflected in different levels of indicators related to the healthy growth and development of the young organism. Objective: The aim of the present study is to capture and compare the evolution of selected somatic and morphological parameters in football academy players and similarly aged non-sporting boys during the period of restrictive measures associated with the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Methods: The survey was conducted in the months March 2020 and October 2021. Data from probands who completed both the first and second measurement were processed. A total of 20 players of the regional football academy participated in the research investigation (mean age of the 1st measurement: 12.9 ± 0.32 years; mean age of the 2nd measurement: 14.5 ± 0.33 years). The control group consists of 32 boys (mean age of 1st measurement: 13.1 ± 0.43 years; mean age of 2nd measurement: 14.6 ± 0.45 years), who represent individuals with no regularly controlled physical activity. Somatic and anthropometric diagnostic methods and the non-invasive method of multi-frequency tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance using the InBody 770 device were applied to evaluate the monitored parameters. Results: During the observed pandemic period, there was a significant reduction of body fat by 2.6 % (p ≤ 0.01; d = 1.16) in the football academy players, with its overall representation at 8.3 %. At the same time, there was a significant increase in skeletal muscle by 2.9 % (p ≤ 0.001; d = 2.24) with a mean body composition of 51.2 %. In terms of body constitution, there was a significant decrease in endomorphy and an increase in mesomorphy. The average somatotype of football academy players moved from the central types to the mesomorph-ectomorph category with a value of 1.8-4.3-4.0. There was a 3.2 % increase in body fat in the non-sporting boys, with an average body fat percentage of 23.3 %. Furthermore, there was a decrease in skeletal muscle representation by 1.1 % to an average level of 39.8 % in body composition. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate significant differences in the development of somatic and morphological parameters in young boys aged thirteen and fourteen years with significantly different levels of physical activity during the pandemic period of COVID-19 and associated restrictive measures.

• MeSH
• COVID-19 * MeSH
• cvičení MeSH
• fotbal fyziologie   MeSH
• klinická studie jako téma MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství * MeSH
• muži MeSH
• růst a vývoj MeSH
• složení těla * MeSH
• sportovci * MeSH
• tuková tkáň fyziologie   MeSH
• životní styl MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství * MeSH

Blastocystis is the most prevalent microbial eukaryote in the human and animal gut, yet its role as commensal or parasite is still under debate. Blastocystis has clearly undergone evolutionary adaptation to the gut environment and possesses minimal cellular compartmentalization, reduced anaerobic mitochondria, no flagella, and no reported peroxisomes. To address this poorly understood evolutionary transition, we have taken a multi-disciplinary approach to characterize Proteromonas lacertae, the closest canonical stramenopile relative of Blastocystis. Genomic data reveal an abundance of unique genes in P. lacertae but also reductive evolution of the genomic complement in Blastocystis. Comparative genomic analysis sheds light on flagellar evolution, including 37 new candidate components implicated with mastigonemes, the stramenopile morphological hallmark. The P. lacertae membrane-trafficking system (MTS) complement is only slightly more canonical than that of Blastocystis, but notably, we identified that both organisms encode the complete enigmatic endocytic TSET complex, a first for the entire stramenopile lineage. Investigation also details the modulation of mitochondrial composition and metabolism in both P. lacertae and Blastocystis. Unexpectedly, we identify in P. lacertae the most reduced peroxisome-derived organelle reported to date, which leads us to speculate on a mechanism of constraint guiding the dynamics of peroxisome-mitochondrion reductive evolution on the path to anaerobiosis. Overall, these analyses provide a launching point to investigate organellar evolution and reveal in detail the evolutionary path that Blastocystis has taken from a canonical flagellated protist to the hyper-divergent and hyper-prevalent animal and human gut microbe.

• MeSH
• Blastocystis * genetika   MeSH
• Eukaryota MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mitochondrie genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• organely metabolismus   MeSH
• střevní mikroflóra * genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Apicomplexans and related lineages comprise many obligate symbionts of animals; some of which cause notorious diseases such as malaria. They evolved from photosynthetic ancestors and transitioned into a symbiotic lifestyle several times, giving rise to species with diverse non-photosynthetic plastids. Here, we sought to reconstruct the evolution of the cryptic plastids in the apicomplexans, chrompodellids, and squirmids (ACS clade) by generating five new single-cell transcriptomes from understudied gregarine lineages, constructing a robust phylogenomic tree incorporating all ACS clade sequencing datasets available, and using these to examine in detail, the evolutionary distribution of all 162 proteins recently shown to be in the apicoplast by spatial proteomics in Toxoplasma. This expanded homology-based reconstruction of plastid proteins found in the ACS clade confirms earlier work showing convergence in the overall metabolic pathways retained once photosynthesis is lost, but also reveals differences in the degrees of plastid reduction in specific lineages. We show that the loss of the plastid genome is common and unexpectedly find many lineage- and species-specific plastid proteins, suggesting the presence of evolutionary innovations and neofunctionalizations that may confer new functional and metabolic capabilities that are yet to be discovered in these enigmatic organelles.

• MeSH
• fotosyntéza genetika   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• metabolické sítě a dráhy MeSH
• plastidy * genetika   MeSH
• proteom * genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

The eukaryotic phylum Parabasalia is composed primarily of anaerobic, endobiotic organisms such as the veterinary parasite Tritrichomonas foetus and the human parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, the latter causing the most prevalent, non-viral, sexually transmitted disease world-wide. Although a parasitic lifestyle is generally associated with a reduction in cell biology, T. vaginalis provides a striking counter-example. The 2007 T. vaginalis genome paper reported a massive and selective expansion of encoded proteins involved in vesicle trafficking, particularly those implicated in the late secretory and endocytic systems. Chief amongst these were the hetero-tetrameric adaptor proteins or 'adaptins', with T. vaginalis encoding ∼3.5 times more such proteins than do humans. The provenance of such a complement, and how it relates to the transition from a free-living or endobiotic state to parasitism, remains unclear. In this study, we performed a comprehensive bioinformatic and molecular evolutionary investigation of the heterotetrameric cargo adaptor-derived coats, comparing the molecular complement and evolution of these proteins between T. vaginalis, T. foetus and the available diversity of endobiotic parabasalids. Notably, with the recent discovery of Anaeramoeba spp. as the free-living sister lineage to all parabasalids, we were able to delve back to time points earlier in the lineage's history than ever before. We found that, although T. vaginalis still encodes the most HTAC subunits amongst parabasalids, the duplications giving rise to the complement took place more deeply and at various stages across the lineage. While some duplications appear to have convergently shaped the parasitic lineages, the largest jump is in the transition from free-living to endobiotic lifestyle with both gains and losses shaping the encoded complement. This work details the evolution of a cellular system across an important lineage of parasites and provides insight into the evolutionary dynamics of an example of expansion of protein machinery, counter to the more common trends observed in many parasitic systems.

• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Parabasalidea * MeSH
• paraziti * MeSH
• Trichomonas vaginalis * genetika   MeSH
• Tritrichomonas foetus * genetika   MeSH
• výpočetní biologie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported.The RMS2005 study included two phase III randomized trials for high-risk (HR) and observational trials for low (LR), standard (SR), and very high-risk (VHR) patients who have been partially reported. Herein, we present a comprehensive report of results achieved for the complete unselected nonmetastatic cohort and analyze the evolution of treatment in comparison with previous European protocols. After a median follow-up of 73.1 months, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) of the 1,733 patients enrolled were 70.7% (95% CI, 68.5 to 72.8) and 80.4% (95% CI, 78.4 to 82.3), respectively. The results by subgroup: LR (80 patients) EFS 93.7% (95% CI, 85.5 to 97.3), OS 96.7% (95% CI, 87.2 to 99.2); SR (652 patients) EFS 77.4% (95% CI, 73.9 to 80.5), OS 90.6% (95% CI, 87.9 to 92.7); HR (851 patients) EFS 67.3% (95% CI, 64.0 to 70.4), OS 76.7% (95% CI, 73.6 to 79.4); and VHR (150 patients) EFS 48.8% (95% CI, 40.4 to 56.7), OS 49.7% (95% CI, 40.8 to 57.9). The RMS2005 study demonstrated that 80% of children with localized rhabdomyosarcoma could be long-term survivors. The study has established the standard of care across the European pediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group countries with the confirmation of a 22-week vincristine/actinomycin D regimen for LR patients, the reduction of the cumulative ifosfamide dose in the SR group, and for HR disease, the omission of doxorubicin and the addition of maintenance chemotherapy.

• MeSH
• daktinomycin MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• přežití bez známek nemoci MeSH
• protokoly protinádorové kombinované chemoterapie terapeutické užití   MeSH
• rhabdomyosarkom * farmakoterapie   MeSH
• sarkom * patologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• klinické zkoušky MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND: Early stage of osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by joint stiffness and pain as well as by subclinical structural changes that may affect cartilage, synovium, and bone. At the moment, the lack of a validated definition of early osteoarthritis (EOA) does not allow to make an early diagnosis and adopt a therapeutic strategy to slow disease progression. Also, no questionnaires are available to evaluate the early stage, and therefore this remains an unmet need. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, the purpose of the technical experts panel (TEP) of 'International Symposium of intra-articular treatment' (ISIAT) was to create a specific questionnaire to evaluate and monitor the follow-up and clinical progress of patients affected by early knee OA. DESIGN: The items for the Early Osteoarthritis Questionnaire (EOAQ) were identified according to the following steps: items generation, items reduction, and pre-test submission. METHODS: During the first step, literature has been reviewed and a comprehensive list of items about pain and function in knee EOA was drafted. Then, during the ISIAT (5th edition 2019), the draft has been discussed by the board, which reformulated, deleted, or subdivided some of the items. After the ISIAT symposium, the draft was submitted to 24 subjects affected by knee OA. A score based on the importance and the frequency was created and the items with a score ⩾0.75 were selected. After intermediate evaluation made by a sample of patients, the second and final version of the questionnaire EOAQ was submitted to the whole board for final analysis and acceptance in a second meeting (29 January 2021). RESULTS: After an exhaustive elaboration, the final version of the questionnaire contains two domains (Clinical Features and Patients Reported Outcome) with respectively 2 and 9 questions, for a total of 11 questions. Questions mainly explored the fields of early symptoms and patients reported outcomes. Marginally, the need of the symptoms treatment and the use of painkillers were investigated. CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of diagnostic criteria of early OA is strongly encouraged and a specific questionnaire for the whole management of the clinical features and patients' outcome might really improve the evolution of OA in the early stages of the disease, when the treatment is expected to be more effective.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Miniature refers to species with extraordinarily small adult body size when adult and can be found within all major metazoan groups. It is considered that miniature species have experienced severe alteration of numerous morphological traits during evolution. For a variety of reasons, including severe labor concerns during collecting, chromosomal acquisition, and taxonomic issues, miniature fishes are neglected and understudied. Since some available studies indicate possible relationship between diploid chromosome number (2n) and body size in fishes, we aimed to study one of the smallest Neotropical fish Nannostomus anduzei (Teleostei, Characiformes, Lebiasinidae), using both conventional (Giemsa staining, C-banding) and molecular cytogenetic methods (FISH mapping of rDNAs, microsatellites, and telomeric sequences). Our research revealed that N. anduzei possesses one of the lowest diploid chromosome numbers (2n = 22) among teleost fishes, and its karyotype is entirely composed of large metacentric chromosomes. All chromosomes, except for pair number 11, showed an 18S rDNA signal in the pericentromeric region. 5S rDNA signals were detected in the pericentromeric regions of chromosome pair number 1 and 6, displaying synteny to 18S rDNA signals. Interstitial telomeric sites (ITS) were identified in the centromeric region of pairs 6 and 8, indicating that centric fusions played a significant role in karyotype evolution of studied species. Our study provides further evidence supporting the trend of diploid chromosome number reduction along with miniaturization of adult body size in fishes.

• MeSH
• Characiformes * genetika   MeSH
• karyotyp MeSH
• karyotypizace MeSH
• ribozomální DNA genetika   MeSH
• telomery genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH