Our understanding of herbivorous insect's host selection is often based on observed associations with host plants, which can be biased by relative plant abundance, leading to inaccurate assumptions of preference. These biases may be particularly pronounced for insects associated with bryophytes, where dominance patterns are less evident. Estimating selection tendencies is also challenging for rare species with unique ecologies. Boreus hyemalis, a winter-active insect, associates with a range of bryophyte species, yet its specificity in moss-host selection remains unclear. This study investigates whether B. hyemalis shows non-random distribution among bryophyte species in natural habitats and laboratory settings. Field surveys revealed associations with 21 moss species, with significant selection tendencies toward Dicranella heteromalla and Hypnum cupressiforme, with moss species richness being a key factor for boreid inhabitance. Laboratory tests assessed selection among 14 moss species, including H. cupressiforme morphotypes, under controlled conditions. Results indicated Polytrichum formosum was the most frequently selected in the lab. Despite some discrepancies between field and lab findings, B. hyemalis shows specific selection tendencies for particular moss species. These results provide new insights into the ecological interactions between bryophytes and this winter-active insect, emphasizing the importance of moss structure and species richness in shaping B. hyemalis distribution.
- Keywords
- boreidae, bryophagy, bryophytes, insect–plant interactions, non-random distribution,
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Species of the cnidarian genus Henneguya Thélohan, 1892 (Myxosporea: Myxobolidae) are histozoic parasites commonly found in freshwater and, more rarely, in marine fish. The development of these parasites in fish tissues includes the formation of plasmodia within which occurs the sporogony originating spores with two caudal processes, which are usually randomly distributed within the plasmodia. In this report the authors present some cases of non-random distribution of the spores of six species of Henneguya within their plasmodia. Two different patterns of non-random distribution were found based on a literature survey. These patterns and their origin are discussed. Apparently this non-random distribution of the spores is due to both internal and external factors.
- Keywords
- Myxozoa, fish, motility, parasites, spores arrangement,
- MeSH
- Myxozoa classification cytology MeSH
- Fish Diseases parasitology MeSH
- Parasitic Diseases, Animal parasitology MeSH
- Fishes MeSH
- Spores MeSH
- Gills parasitology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The spatial and statistical distribution of genome sizes and the adaptivity of genome size to some types of habitat, vegetation or microclimatic conditions were investigated in a tetraploid population of Festuca pallens. The population was previously documented to vary highly in genome size and is assumed as a model for the study of the initial stages of genome size differentiation. METHODS: Using DAPI flow cytometry, samples were measured repeatedly with diploid Festuca pallens as the internal standard. Altogether 172 plants from 57 plots (2.25 m(2)), distributed in contrasting habitats over the whole locality in South Moravia, Czech Republic, were sampled. The differences in DNA content were confirmed by the double peaks of simultaneously measured samples. KEY RESULTS: At maximum, a 1.115-fold difference in genome size was observed. The statistical distribution of genome sizes was found to be continuous and best fits the extreme (Gumbel) distribution with rare occurrences of extremely large genomes (positive-skewed), as it is similar for the log-normal distribution of the whole Angiosperms. Even plants from the same plot frequently varied considerably in genome size and the spatial distribution of genome sizes was generally random and unautocorrelated (P > 0.05). The observed spatial pattern and the overall lack of correlations of genome size with recognized vegetation types or microclimatic conditions indicate the absence of ecological adaptivity of genome size in the studied population. CONCLUSIONS: These experimental data on intraspecific genome size variability in Festuca pallens argue for the absence of natural selection and the selective non-significance of genome size in the initial stages of genome size differentiation, and corroborate the current hypothetical model of genome size evolution in Angiosperms (Bennetzen et al., 2005, Annals of Botany 95: 127-132).
Inverted repeats (IR) play important roles in specific DNA-dependent processes in simple prokaryotes to complex eukaryotes. They are recognized by a variety of proteins including restriction enzymes, helicases and transcription factors. We evaluate the presence and localization of IRs in all validated human promoter sequences within 1000 bp upstream and downstream of the transcription start site (TSS). The occurrence of 7 bp and longer IRs is located non-randomly in promoter regions, with enrichment within 200 bp upstream of the TSS. The highest frequency of IRs is just before TSS for repeats of 8 bp or longer. A comparison of promoters divided according to the occurrence of five individual promoter motifs shows unique location patterns of IRs. Principal component analyses and hierarchical clustering of IRs abundance demonstrated that they are depleted and/or not enriched in the promoters of stably expressed genes, but show significant enrichments for specific dynamically regulated biological pathways.
- Keywords
- Distribution, Human genome, Inverted repeat, Promoter,
- MeSH
- Principal Component Analysis MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Inverted Repeat Sequences * MeSH
- Transcription Initiation Site MeSH
- Promoter Regions, Genetic * MeSH
- Cluster Analysis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Mammalian chromosomes occupy chromosome territories within nuclear space the positions of which are generally accepted as non-random. However, it is still controversial whether position of chromosome territories/chromatin is maintained in daughter cells. We addressed this issue and investigated maintenance of various chromatin regions of unknown composition as well as nucleolus-associated chromatin, a significant part of which is composed of nucleolus organizer region-bearing chromosomes. The photoconvertible histone H4-Dendra2 was used to label such regions in transfected HepG2 cells, and its position was followed up to next interphase. The distribution of labeled chromatin in daughter cells exhibited a non-random character. However, its distribution in a vast majority of daughter cells extensively differed from the original ones and the labeled nucleolus-associated chromatin differently located into the vicinity of different nucleoli. Therefore, our results were not consistent with a concept of preservation chromatin position. This conclusion was supported by the finding that the numbers of nucleoli significantly differed between the two daughter cells. Our results support a view that while the transfected daughter HepG2 cells maintain some features of the parental cell chromosome organization, there is also a significant stochastic component associated with reassortment of chromosome territories/chromatin that results in their positional rearrangements.
- MeSH
- Cell Nucleolus metabolism MeSH
- Cell Nucleus metabolism MeSH
- Cell Line MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Chromatin chemistry metabolism MeSH
- Chromosomes ultrastructure MeSH
- Fibroblasts metabolism MeSH
- Microscopy, Fluorescence methods MeSH
- Histones metabolism MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Image Processing, Computer-Assisted MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Chromatin MeSH
- Histones MeSH
For the future of sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication, simultaneously transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS) technology is emerging as a promising solution to achieve lower power transmission and flawless coverage. To facilitate the performance analysis of RIS-assisted networks, the statistics of the sum of double random variables, i.e., the sum of the products of two random variables of the same distribution type, become vitally necessary. This paper applies the statistics of the sum of double random variables in the performance analysis of an integrated power beacon (PB) energy-harvesting (EH)-based NOMA-assisted STAR-RIS network to improve its outage probability (OP), ergodic rate, and average symbol error rate. Furthermore, the impact of imperfect successive interference cancellation (ipSIC) on system performance is also analyzed. The analysis provides the closed-form expressions of the OP and ergodic rate derived for both imperfect and perfect SIC (pSIC) cases. All analyses are supported by extensive simulation results, which help recommend optimized system parameters, including the time-switching factor, the number of reflecting elements, and the power allocation coefficients, to minimize the OP. Finally, the results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed framework compared to conventional NOMA and OMA systems.
In the present study, genetic diversity and mycotoxin profiles of Aspergillus flavus isolated from air (indoors and outdoors), levels (surfaces), and soils of five hospitals in Southwest Iran were examined. From a total of 146 Aspergillus colonies, 63 isolates were finally identified as A. flavus by a combination of colony morphology, microscopic criteria, and mycotoxin profiles. No Aspergillus parasiticus was isolated from examined samples. Chromatographic analyses of A. flavus isolates cultured on yeast extract-sucrose broth by tip culture method showed that approximately 10% and 45% of the isolates were able to produce aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), respectively. Around 40% of the isolates produced sclerotia on Czapek-Dox agar. The isolates were classified into four chemotypes based on the ability to produce AF and CPA that majority of them (55.5%) belonged to chemotype IV comprising non-mycotoxigenic isolates. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles generated by a combination of four selected primers were used to assess genetic relatedness of 16 selected toxigenic and non-toxigenic isolates. The resulting dendrogram demonstrated the formation of two separate clusters for the A. flavus comprised both mycotoxigenic and non-toxigenic isolates in a random distribution. The obtained results in this study showed that RAPD profiling is a promising and efficient tool to determine intra-specific genetic variation among A. flavus populations from hospital environments. A. flavus isolates, either toxigenic or non-toxigenic, should be considered as potential threats for hospitalized patients due to their obvious role in the etiology of nosocomial aspergillosis.
- MeSH
- Aspergillus flavus classification genetics isolation & purification metabolism MeSH
- Phylogeny MeSH
- Air Microbiology * MeSH
- Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
- Mycotoxins metabolism MeSH
- Hospitals MeSH
- Soil Microbiology * MeSH
- Equipment and Supplies, Hospital microbiology MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Iran MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Mycotoxins MeSH
The p73 protein is a member of the p53 family of transcription factors that has two N-terminal isoforms: the TAp73 isoform is reported to have a tumor suppressor function, whereas the ΔNp73 isoform likely has oncogenic potential. The expression of these isoforms and the differences in their intracellular distribution have been described in many cancer types; however, little is known about the p73 isoforms in brain tumors. Our study is focused on the intracellular localization of ΔNp73 in medulloblastoma cell lines. Due to a lack of suitable anti-ΔNp73 antibodies, we developed two new rabbit polyclonal antibodies, ΔNp73-26 and ΔNp73-27, with sufficient specificity, as demonstrated by immunodetection methods using transiently transfected cell lines. Both of these new antibodies were subsequently used for analysis of the ΔNp73 distribution in medulloblastoma cells using immunofluorescence, immunoblotting and immunogold labeling for transmission electron microscopy. We found a nuclear localization of the ΔNp73 isoform in all of the medulloblastoma cell lines included in this study. Furthermore, a non-random accumulation of the ΔNp73 isoform near the cell nuclei was observable in all of these cell lines. By double-labeling with ΔNp73 and golgin-97, we showed the co-localization of the ΔNp73 isoform with the Golgi apparatus. Nevertheless, further detailed analyses of possible interactions of ΔNp73 with the proteins accumulated in the Golgi apparatus should be performed to explain the dynamics of ΔNp73 outside the cell nucleus.
- MeSH
- Cell Nucleus metabolism MeSH
- Child MeSH
- DNA-Binding Proteins metabolism MeSH
- Golgi Apparatus metabolism MeSH
- Immunohistochemistry MeSH
- Nuclear Proteins metabolism MeSH
- Infant MeSH
- Rabbits MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Medulloblastoma metabolism MeSH
- MCF-7 Cells MeSH
- Cell Line, Tumor MeSH
- Tumor Suppressor Proteins metabolism MeSH
- Child, Preschool MeSH
- Protein Isoforms metabolism MeSH
- Tumor Protein p73 MeSH
- Antibodies chemistry MeSH
- Transfection MeSH
- Microscopy, Electron, Transmission MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Infant MeSH
- Rabbits MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Child, Preschool MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Names of Substances
- delta Np73 protein, human MeSH Browser
- DNA-Binding Proteins MeSH
- Nuclear Proteins MeSH
- Tumor Suppressor Proteins MeSH
- Protein Isoforms MeSH
- Tumor Protein p73 MeSH
- Antibodies MeSH
- TP73 protein, human MeSH Browser
In the present study, 193 Aspergillus strains were isolated from a total of 100 soil samples of pistachio orchards, which all of them were identified as Aspergillus flavus as the most abundant species of Aspergillus section Flavi existing in the environment. Approximately 59%, 81%, and 61% of the isolates were capable of producing aflatoxins (AFs), cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), and sclerotia, respectively. The isolates were classified into four chemotypes (I to IV) based on the ability to produce AFs and CPA. The resulting dendrogram of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of 24 selected A. flavus isolates demonstrated the formation of two separate clusters. Cluster 1 contained both aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic isolates (17 isolates), whereas cluster 2 comprised only aflatoxigenic isolates (7 isolates). All the isolates of cluster 2 produced significantly higher levels of AFs than those of cluster 1 and the isolates that produced both AFB(1) and AFB(2) were found only in cluster 2. RAPD genotyping allowed the differentiation of A. flavus from Aspergillus parasiticus as a closely related species within section Flavi. The present study has provided for the first time the relevant information on distribution and genetic diversity of different A. flavus populations from nontoxigenic to highly toxigenic enable to produce hazardous amounts of AFB(1) and CPA in soils of pistachio orchards. These fungi, either toxigenic or not-toxigenic, should be considered as potential threats for agriculture and public health.
- MeSH
- Aflatoxins metabolism MeSH
- Aspergillus classification genetics isolation & purification metabolism MeSH
- Phylogeny MeSH
- Genetic Variation * MeSH
- Magnoliopsida growth & development microbiology MeSH
- Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
- Soil Microbiology * MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Iran MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Aflatoxins MeSH
The paper presents the objectives and design of an ongoing multicenter randomized, controlled trial EDEN (European Day Hospital EvaluatioN). The EDEN-study aims to evaluate the efficacy of acute psychiatric treatment in a day hospital setting in five European centres: Dresden, London, Michalovce, Prague and Wroclaw. The main hypothesis is that day hospital treatment for acute psychiatric patients is as effective as conventional inpatient hospital care. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the viability and effectiveness of day hospitals for acute psychiatric treatment, to identify subgroups of patients with a more or less favourable outcome so that the treatment setting might be specifically applied and to ascertain the cost-effectiveness of day hospital treatment compared to conventional inpatient treatment. The study utilises a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) design with repeated measures at a maximum of six time points: at admission (t1), one week after admission (t2), four weeks after admission (t3), discharge (t4), three months after discharge (t5), and 12 months after discharge (t6). A combination of well-established standardised assessment instruments and open questions is used in 6 time periods. If the findings accept the main hypothesis of the study, some practical consequences could be inevitable: at a mental health policy level, these results could lead to an increase in the capacity of day hospitals; at the clinical level clinicians could redefine their concepts of care to consider the day hospital as an alternative to conventional inpatient treatment; from economic point of view could lead to reduction of treatment costs.
- MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Day Care, Medical economics statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Mental Disorders economics therapy MeSH
- Inpatients * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Multicenter Studies as Topic MeSH
- Delivery of Health Care methods standards MeSH
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic standards MeSH
- Hospitals, Psychiatric economics statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Clinical Trial MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
- London MeSH
- Germany MeSH
- Poland MeSH
- Slovakia MeSH
