How well can spectroscopy predict leaf morphological traits in the seasonal neotropical savannas?

Science.gov (United States)

Streher, A. S.; McGill, B.; Morellato, P.; Silva, T. S. F.

2017-12-01

Variations in foliar morphological traits, quantified as leaf mass per area (LMA, g m-2) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC, g g-1), correspond to a tradeoff between investments in leaf construction costs and leaf life span. Leaf spectroscopy, the acquisition of reflected radiation along contiguous narrow spectral bands from leaves, has shown the potential to link leaf optical properties with a range of foliar traits. However, our knowledge is still limited on how well leaf traits from plants with different life forms and deciduousness strategies can be predicted from spectroscopy. To understand the relationships between leaf traits and optical properties, we investigated: 1) What are the spectral regions associated with leaf morphological traits? 2) How generalizable an optical trait model is across different life forms and leaf strategies? Five locations across cerrado and campo rupestre vegetation in Brazil were sampled during the growing season in 2017. Triplicate mature sun leaves were harvested from plants encompassing different life forms (grasses, perennial herbs, shrubs and trees), comprising 1650 individuals growing over a wide range of environmental conditions. For each individual, we determined LDMC and LMA, and took 30 spectral leaf measurements from 400 to 2500nm, using a spectrometer. We used the Random Forests (RF) algorithm to predict both morphological traits from leaf reflectance, and performed feature selection with a backward stepwise method, progressively removing variables with small importance at each iteration. Model performance was evaluated by using 10-fold cross-validation. LDMC values ranged from 0.12 to 0.67 g g-1, while LMA varied between 41.78 and 562 g m-2. The spectral bands that best explained trait variation were found within the SWIR, around 1397 nm for LDMC, and 2279 nm for LMA. Our general model explained 55.28% of LDMC variance and 55.64% of LMA variation, and the mean RMSE for the predicted values were 0.004 g g-1 and 36.99 g

Genetic divergence in sesame based on morphological and agronomic traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nair Helena Castro Arriel

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The evaluation of diversity in germplasm collections is important for both plant breeders and germplasmcurators to optimize the use of the variability available. Diversity can be estimated by different genetic markers. The purposeof this study was to estimate the genetic divergence of 30 morphological and agronomic traits in 108 sesame genotypes bymultivariate analysis. The Cole-Rodgers index was used to establish the dissimilarity matrices. The principal componentanalysis identified the traits that contributed most to the divergence and the genotypes were clustered by Tocher’s optimization.Despite the narrow genetic basis, the markers were efficient to characterize the genotypes and identify the most similar groupsor duplicate and divergent genotypes. Greatest variation was found for the traits number of capsules per plant and grain yield.

'It means everyone should know their status': exploring lay conceptions of sickle cell trait and sickle cell trait screening among African Americans within middle reproductive age.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayo-Gamble, Tilicia L; Barnes, Priscilla A; Cunningham Erves, Jennifer; Middlestadt, Susan E; Lin, Hsien-Chang

2017-02-21

This study examined the meaning of sickle cell trait and sickle cell trait screening from the lay perspective of African Americans. African Americans (N = 300), ages 18-35 and unaware of their sickle cell trait status, completed two open-ended questions from a larger survey. One question asked for their understanding of sickle cell trait; the other asked for their understanding of sickle cell trait screening. Content analysis occurred in two phases: (1) In vivo and holistic coding; and (2) focused coding. Four categories emerged illustrating lay conceptions of sickle cell trait; (1) Perceived as an illness; (2) Perceived recognition of the inheritance pattern of sickle cell trait; (3) Perceived lack of knowledge of sickle cell trait; and (4) Perceived importance of sickle cell trait. Five categories emerged illustrating lay conceptions for sickle cell trait screening: (1) Perceived recognition that screening means getting tested for sickle cell trait; (2) Perceived lack of knowledge of sickle cell trait screening; (3) Perceived health benefit of sickle cell trait screening; (4) Perceived importance of sickle cell trait screening; and (5) Perceived barriers to sickle cell trait screening. Sickle cell trait and sickle cell trait screening are concepts that are both regarded as important among this high-risk population. However, there is still misunderstanding concerning the hereditary nature and reproductive implications of sickle cell trait. Interventions seeking to improve communication on the need for sickle cell trait screening should begin by identifying what the population at large understands, knows and/or believes to improve their ability to make informed health decisions.

High Throughput Phenotyping of Blueberry Bush Morphological Traits Using Unmanned Aerial Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaron Patrick

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Phenotyping morphological traits of blueberry bushes in the field is important for selecting genotypes that are easily harvested by mechanical harvesters. Morphological data can also be used to assess the effects of crop treatments such as plant growth regulators, fertilizers, and environmental conditions. This paper investigates the feasibility and accuracy of an inexpensive unmanned aerial system in determining the morphological characteristics of blueberry bushes. Color images collected by a quadcopter are processed into three-dimensional point clouds via structure from motion algorithms. Bush height, extents, canopy area, and volume, in addition to crown diameter and width, are derived and referenced to ground truth. In an experimental farm, twenty-five bushes were imaged by a quadcopter. Height and width dimensions achieved a mean absolute error of 9.85 cm before and 5.82 cm after systematic under-estimation correction. Strong correlation was found between manual and image derived bush volumes and their traditional growth indices. Hedgerows of three Southern Highbush varieties were imaged at a commercial farm to extract five morphological features (base angle, blockiness, crown percent height, crown ratio, and vegetation ratio associated with cultivation and machine harvestability. The bushes were found to be partially separable by multivariate analysis. The methodology developed from this study is not only valuable for plant breeders to screen genotypes with bush morphological traits that are suitable for machine harvest, but can also aid producers in crop management such as pruning and plot layout organization.

Genetic Divergence and Heritability of 42 Coloured Upland Rice Genotypes (Oryzasativa) as Revealed by Microsatellites Marker and Agro-Morphological Traits

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Faiz; Hanafi, Mohamed Musa; Hakim, Md Abdul; Rafii, Mohd Y.; Arolu, Ibrahim Wasiu; Akmar Abdullah, Siti Nor

2015-01-01

Coloured rice genotypes have greater nutritious value and consumer demand for these varieties is now greater than ever. The documentation of these genotypes is important for the improvement of the rice plant. In this study, 42 coloured rice genotypes were selected for determination of their genetic divergence using 25 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers and 15 agro-morphological traits. Twenty-one out of the 25 SSR primers showed distinct, reproducible polymorphism. A dendrogram constructed using the SSR primers clustered the 42 coloured rice genotypes into 7 groups. Further, principle component analysis showed 75.28% of total variations were explained by the first—three components. All agro-morphological traits showed significant difference at the (p≤0.05) and (p≤0.01) levels. From the dendrogram constructed using the agro-morphological traits, all the genotypes were clustered into four distinct groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed that among the 15 agro-morphological traits, the yield contributing factor had positive correlation with the number of tillers, number of panicles, and panicle length. The heritability of the 15 traits ranged from 17.68 to 99.69%. Yield per plant and harvest index showed the highest value for both heritability and genetic advance. The information on the molecular and agro-morphological traits can be used in rice breeding programmes to improve nutritional value and produce higher yields. PMID:26393807

[Susceptibility of induced sickle in samples of heterozygous hemoglobin S patients (sickle cell trait) suffering diabetes mellitus type 2].

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Piedra, Pablo; Cervantes-Villagrana, Alberto Rafael; Ramos-Jiménez, Raúl; Presno-Bernal, José Miguel; Cervantes-Villagrana, Rodolfo Daniel

2015-01-01

Hemoglobin S is an abnormal protein that induces morphological changes in erythrocyte in low-oxygen conditions. In Mexico, it is reported that up to 13.7% of the population with mutation in one allele are considered asymptomatic (sickle cell trait). The sickle cell trait and diabetes mellitus are conditions that occur together in more than one million patients worldwide. Both diseases possibly produce microvascular changes in retinopathy and acute chest syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the induction of sickle cells in samples of diabetic patients with sickle cell trait to identify altered red cell parameters. We obtained samples of diabetic patients to determine hemoglobin A1c and S; furthermore, red blood cell biometrics data were analyzed. We found that older men with diabetes were susceptible to generate sickle cells and this correlated with reduced red blood cell count and an increase in media cell volume. In samples of women diabetes, there were no differences. We conclude that samples from patients with sickle cell trait and diabetes can cause sickle cells with high frequency in men, with lower red blood cells count and increased mean corpuscular volume as susceptibility parameters.

Remote sensing of macrophyte morphological traits: Implications for the management of shallow lakes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Villa

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Macrophytes are important elements of freshwater ecosystems, fulfilling a pivotal role in biogeochemical cycles. The synoptic capabilities provided by remote sensing make it a powerful tool for monitoring aquatic vegetation characteristics and the functional status of shallow lake systems in which they occur. The latest generation of airborne and spaceborne imaging sensors can be effectively exploited for mapping morphologically – and physiologically – relevant vegetation features based on their canopy spectral response. The objectives of this study were to calibrate semi-empirical models for mapping macrophyte morphological traits (i.e., fractional cover, leaf area index and above-water biomass from hyperspectral data, and to investigate the capabilities of remote sensing in supporting macrophyte monitoring and management. We calibrated spectral models using in situ reflectance and morphological trait measures and applied them to airborne hyperspectral imaging data, acquired over two shallow European water bodies (Lake Hídvégi, in Hungary, and Mantua lakes system, in Italy in two key phenological phases. Maps of morphological traits were produced covering a broad range of aquatic plant types (submerged, floating, and emergent, common to temperate and continental regions, with an error level of 5.4% for fractional cover, 0.10 m2 m-2 for leaf area index, and 0.06 kg m-2 for above-water biomass. Based on these maps, we discuss how remote sensing could support monitoring strategies and shallow lake management with reference to our two case studies: i.e., by providing insight into spatial and species-wise variability, by assessing nutrient uptake by aquatic plants, and by identifying hotspot areas where invasive species could become a threat to ecosystem functioning and service provision.

Genetic Factors and Host Traits Predict Spore Morphology for a Butterfly Pathogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacobus C. de Roode

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus throughout the world are commonly infected by the specialist pathogen Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE. This protozoan is transmitted when larvae ingest infectious stages (spores scattered onto host plant leaves by infected adults. Parasites replicate internally during larval and pupal stages, and adult monarchs emerge covered with millions of dormant spores on the outsides of their bodies. Across multiple monarch populations, OE varies in prevalence and virulence. Here, we examined geographic and genetic variation in OE spore morphology using clonal parasite lineages derived from each of four host populations (eastern and western North America, South Florida and Hawaii. Spores were harvested from experimentally inoculated, captive-reared adult monarchs. Using light microscopy and digital image analysis, we measured the size, shape and color of 30 replicate spores per host. Analyses examined predictors of spore morphology, including parasite source population and clone, parasite load, and the following host traits: family line, sex, wing area, and wing color (orange and black pigmentation. Results showed significant differences in spore size and shape among parasite clones, suggesting genetic determinants of morphological variation. Spore size also increased with monarch wing size, and monarchs with larger and darker orange wings tended to have darker colored spores, consistent with the idea that parasite development depends on variation in host quality and resources. We found no evidence for effects of source population on variation in spore morphology. Collectively, these results provide support for heritable variation in spore morphology and a role for host traits in affecting parasite development.

Identification of major and minor QTL for ecologically important morphological traits in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Shikano, Takahito; Leinonen, Tuomas; Cano, José Manuel; Li, Meng-Hua; Merilä, Juha

2014-04-16

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping studies of Pacific three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) have uncovered several genomic regions controlling variability in different morphological traits, but QTL studies of Atlantic sticklebacks are lacking. We mapped QTL for 40 morphological traits, including body size, body shape, and body armor, in a F2 full-sib cross between northern European marine and freshwater three-spined sticklebacks. A total of 52 significant QTL were identified at the 5% genome-wide level. One major QTL explaining 74.4% of the total variance in lateral plate number was detected on LG4, whereas several major QTL for centroid size (a proxy for body size), and the lengths of two dorsal spines, pelvic spine, and pelvic girdle were mapped on LG21 with the explained variance ranging from 27.9% to 57.6%. Major QTL for landmark coordinates defining body shape variation also were identified on LG21, with each explaining ≥15% of variance in body shape. Multiple QTL for different traits mapped on LG21 overlapped each other, implying pleiotropy and/or tight linkage. Thus, apart from providing confirmatory data to support conclusions born out of earlier QTL studies of Pacific sticklebacks, this study also describes several novel QTL of both major and smaller effect for ecologically important traits. The finding that many major QTL mapped on LG21 suggests that this linkage group might be a hotspot for genetic determinants of ecologically important morphological traits in three-spined sticklebacks.

ATLANTIC MAMMAL TRAITS: a data set of morphological traits of mammals in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonçalves, Fernando; Bovendorp, Ricardo S; Beca, Gabrielle; Bello, Carolina; Costa-Pereira, Raul; Muylaert, Renata L; Rodarte, Raisa R; Villar, Nacho; Souza, Rafael; Graipel, Maurício E; Cherem, Jorge J; Faria, Deborah; Baumgarten, Julio; Alvarez, Martín R; Vieira, Emerson M; Cáceres, Nilton; Pardini, Renata; Leite, Yuri L R; Costa, Leonora P; Mello, Marco A R; Fischer, Erich; Passos, Fernando C; Varzinczak, Luiz H; Prevedello, Jayme A; Cruz-Neto, Ariovaldo P; Carvalho, Fernando; Percequillo, Alexandre R; Paviolo, Agustin; Nava, Alessandra; Duarte, José M B; de la Sancha, Noé U; Bernard, Enrico; Morato, Ronaldo G; Ribeiro, Juliana F; Becker, Rafael G; Paise, Gabriela; Tomasi, Paulo S; Vélez-Garcia, Felipe; Melo, Geruza L; Sponchiado, Jonas; Cerezer, Felipe; Barros, Marília A S; de Souza, Albérico Q S; Dos Santos, Cinthya C; Giné, Gastón A F; Kerches-Rogeri, Patricia; Weber, Marcelo M; Ambar, Guilherme; Cabrera-Martinez, Lucía V; Eriksson, Alan; Silveira, Maurício; Santos, Carolina F; Alves, Lucas; Barbier, Eder; Rezende, Gabriela C; Garbino, Guilherme S T; Rios, Élson O; Silva, Adna; Nascimento, Alexandre Túlio A; de Carvalho, Rodrigo S; Feijó, Anderson; Arrabal, Juan; Agostini, Ilaria; Lamattina, Daniela; Costa, Sebastian; Vanderhoeven, Ezequiel; de Melo, Fabiano R; de Oliveira Laroque, Plautino; Jerusalinsky, Leandro; Valença-Montenegro, Mônica M; Martins, Amely B; Ludwig, Gabriela; de Azevedo, Renata B; Anzóategui, Agustin; da Silva, Marina X; Figuerêdo Duarte Moraes, Marcela; Vogliotti, Alexandre; Gatti, Andressa; Püttker, Thomas; Barros, Camila S; Martins, Thais K; Keuroghlian, Alexine; Eaton, Donald P; Neves, Carolina L; Nardi, Marcelo S; Braga, Caryne; Gonçalves, Pablo R; Srbek-Araujo, Ana Carolina; Mendes, Poliana; de Oliveira, João A; Soares, Fábio A M; Rocha, Patrício A; Crawshaw, Peter; Ribeiro, Milton C; Galetti, Mauro

2018-02-01

Measures of traits are the basis of functional biological diversity. Numerous works consider mean species-level measures of traits while ignoring individual variance within species. However, there is a large amount of variation within species and it is increasingly apparent that it is important to consider trait variation not only between species, but also within species. Mammals are an interesting group for investigating trait-based approaches because they play diverse and important ecological functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, predation, grazing) that are correlated with functional traits. Here we compile a data set comprising morphological and life history information of 279 mammal species from 39,850 individuals of 388 populations ranging from -5.83 to -29.75 decimal degrees of latitude and -34.82 to -56.73 decimal degrees of longitude in the Atlantic forest of South America. We present trait information from 16,840 individuals of 181 species of non-volant mammals (Rodentia, Didelphimorphia, Carnivora, Primates, Cingulata, Artiodactyla, Pilosa, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla) and from 23,010 individuals of 98 species of volant mammals (Chiroptera). The traits reported include body mass, age, sex, reproductive stage, as well as the geographic coordinates of sampling for all taxa. Moreover, we gathered information on forearm length for bats and body length and tail length for rodents and marsupials. No copyright restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Genetic diversity among Juglans regia L. genotypes assessed by morphological traits and microsatellite markers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahmoodi, R.; Rahmani, F.; Rezaee, R.

2013-06-01

In this study, genetic diversity was assayed among 16 accessions and five cultivars of Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) using morphological traits and nine simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Samples were collected from Agriculture Research Center of Urmia city (North West Iran). Study on important morphological traits revealed genetic similarity of -0.6 to 0.99 based on CORR coefficient. The microsatellite marker system produced 34 alleles in range of 160-290 bp. The minimum (2) and maximum (7) number of alleles were obtained from WGA71 and WGA202 genetic loci, respectively. The mean number of alleles per locus was 4.25. Jaccards similarity coefficient ranged from 0.13 to 0.76. The results of this paper indicate high diversity among these genotypes which could be used for breeding management. (Author) 28 refs.

Genetic diversity based on morphological traits in walnut (Juglans regia L.) landraces from Karakoram region-I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, I.; Sultan, A.; Shinwari, Z. K.

2016-01-01

Walnut is one of the most important nutritive nut crops and widely grown in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. In the present study 19 local landraces were analyzed for morphological traits to investigate genetic diversity and identify promising landraces for cultivar development. Multivariate analyses showed high variation for morphological traits and nut and kernel characteristics. Cluster analyses depicted diversity among the local land races which separated them into 2 major clusters groups, showing more association to morphological differences. PCA revealed that the 1st four principal components (PCs) possessed Eigen value >1.0, where PC1 and PC2 contributed total variance of 41.65 percent and 23.42 percent respectively with total variance (65.05 percent) showing maximum factor loadings by kernel ratio, shell percent, kernel yield and nut width by the first two PCs. Pearson correlation coefficient among walnut landraces revealed positively significant correlation between shell yield and nut weight(r=0.96), kernel yield and nut width(r=0.85), whereas negative correlation were observed (r = -0.89 and r = -0.76) between kernel ratio with shell yield and nut weight respectively. A wide range of diversity was observed among the local landraces from Karakoram regions and the landrace HKK and GNAG were reported as promising one with highest kernel ratio. These landraces are potential for future breeding of nut crops with distinct morphological traits. (author)

Variation in the agronomic and morphological traits in spring barley

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Dyulgerov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract. The study was conducted to examine the variation in the agronomic and morphological traits in spring barley. For this purpose, 22 lines from the ICARDA High Input Barley Program for favorable environment and 3 check varieties (Rihane-03, VMorales and Veslets were tested in an alpha-lattice design with two replications at the Institute of Agriculture – Karnobat, Bulgaria in 2014 and 2015 growing season. The traits days to heading, plant height, number of tillers per plant, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, spike length, awn length, peduncle length, spikelet number per spike, grain number per spike, grain weight per spike, 1000 grains weight, grain yield, powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei, net blotch (Pyrenophora teres f. teres and stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei infection were studied. Significant differences between lines for all studied traits were found. The number of fertile tillers per plant was significantly positively correlated with grain yield. Lines expressed higher grain yields, shorter stem, better tolerance to net blotch and stripe rust than Bulgarian check variety Veslets were identified. These genotypes can, therefore, be used as parents for the improvement of spring barley.

The Effect of Nano Calcium and Potassium Humic Acid Fertilizer on Morphological and Biochemical Traits of Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus (

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

l salehi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Today with regard to environmental pollution caused by chemical fertilizers and finding an alternative to these fertilizers, Consideration has been given to the use of other products in this field. Accordingly, In order To study the effect of Nano calcium and Humi potas on morphological and biochemical traits of nasturtium, this factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The experiment was carried out at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2013-2014. In this study, morphological traits, length and diameter of stem, number and leaf area, number of lateral branches, number of flowers and seeds, fresh and dry weight of leaves, stems and roots and biochemical traits, total chlorophyll, calcium and potassium absorption Evaluated. The results showed that the interaction of two treatments in all studied traits, except for stem length and diameter, number of flowers and number of branches, was significant. According to the results of the best condition in the studied traits, we observed interaction effects of concentration of 2 in 1000 Nano calcium with 500 and 1000 ppm Humi Potasses. Both treatments had a non-significant difference and Showed a significant difference compared to control treatment. In general, the application of concentration of 2 per thousand Nano calcium with different levels of Humi potash fertilizer improved morphological and biochemical traits in Nasturtium flowers.

Random regression analysis for body weights and main morphological traits in genetically improved farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jie; Zhao, Yunfeng; Zhao, Jingli; Gao, Jin; Xu, Pao; Yang, Runqing

2018-02-01

To genetically analyse growth traits in genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT), the body weight (BWE) and main morphological traits, including body length (BL), body depth (BD), body width (BWI), head length (HL) and length of the caudal peduncle (CPL), were measured six times in growth duration on 1451 fish from 45 mixed families of full and half sibs. A random regression model (RRM) was used to model genetic changes of the growth traits with days of age and estimate the heritability for any growth point and genetic correlations between pairwise growth points. Using the covariance function based on optimal RRMs, the heritabilities were estimated to be from 0.102 to 0.662 for BWE, 0.157 to 0.591 for BL, 0.047 to 0.621 for BD, 0.018 to 0.577 for BWI, 0.075 to 0.597 for HL and 0.032 to 0.610 for CPL between 60 and 140 days of age. All genetic correlations exceeded 0.5 between pairwise growth points. Moreover, the traits at initial days of age showed less correlation with those at later days of age. With phenotypes observed repeatedly, the model choice showed that the optimal RRMs could more precisely predict breeding values at a specific growth time than repeatability models or multiple trait animal models, which enhanced the efficiency of selection for the BWE and main morphological traits.

Neuronal Correlates of Individual Differences in the Big Five Personality Traits: Evidences from Cortical Morphology and Functional Homogeneity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ting; Yan, Xu; Li, Yuan; Wang, Junjie; Li, Qiang; Li, Hong; Li, Junfeng

2017-01-01

There have been many neuroimaging studies of human personality traits, and it have already provided glimpse into the neurobiology of complex traits. And most of previous studies adopt voxel-based morphology (VBM) analysis to explore the brain-personality mechanism from two levels (vertex and regional based), the findings are mixed with great inconsistencies and the brain-personality relations are far from a full understanding. Here, we used a new method of surface-based morphology (SBM) analysis, which provides better alignment of cortical landmarks to generate about the associations between cortical morphology and the personality traits across 120 healthy individuals at both vertex and regional levels. While to further reveal local functional correlates of the morphology-personality relationships, we related surface-based functional homogeneity measures to the regions identified in the regional-based SBM correlation. Vertex-wise analysis revealed that people with high agreeableness exhibited larger areas in the left superior temporal gyrus. Based on regional parcellation we found that extroversion was negatively related with the volume of the left lateral occipito-temporal gyrus and agreeableness was negatively associated with the sulcus depth of the left superior parietal lobule. Moreover, increased regional homogeneity in the left lateral occipito-temporal gyrus is related to the scores of extroversion, and increased regional homogeneity in the left superior parietal lobule is related to the scores of agreeableness. These findings provide supporting evidence of a link between personality and brain structural mysteries with a method of SBM, and further suggest that local functional homogeneity of personality traits has neurobiological relevance that is likely based on anatomical substrates.

Development of root morphology traits of the Czech lucerne varieties in chernozem over a three year period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Hakl

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The root system of plants is generally in relation to important agronomic and ecological characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in root morphology development of Czech lucerne varieties under chernozem soil conditions. In spring 2007, a field experiment with ten Czech lucerne varieties was established with a regular space of 125 mm between the rows. During the 2008–2010 period, the plants were sampled every autumn after the last cut in five blocks per each variety; the size of the sampling area was 50 × 50 cm and average depth of sampling was 0.25 m. All varieties provided similar trend in root morphology development but some differences could be detected in the rate of this development. From all evaluated root traits, these differences were connected mainly with tap-root diameter, intensity of root branching and lateral root number. Advisable varieties should provide higher density of plant together with higher root diameter and branching which is resulted to higher root weight per m2 and consequently to higher stand productivity. The root-branched plants achieved a significantly higher tap-root diameter of 10.7 mm in comparison with unbranched-root plants with 7.1 mm. Except of plant age, the stand density and tap-root diameter could be considered as a parameter to drive lucerne root morphology development. Within a year, the increase of tap-root diameter was connected with increase of root branching at root-branched plants whilst decrease of plant density caused the beginning of the process of root branching at tap-rooted plants. The range of root traits influenced themselves so their joint presentation is advisable. It must be remembered that soil conditions are a factor which strongly modified the root morphology traits; therefore, these results must be completed with other experiments under various soil conditions. The knowledge of root morphology traits could contribute to the assessment of

Analysis of the dental morphology of Plio-pleistocene hominids. I. Mandibular molars: crown area measurements and morphological traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, B A; Abbott, S A

1983-01-01

This study has used accurate measurements of crown area and precise assessments of the morphological traits of mandibular molars in an attempt to define the metrical and morphological characteristics of early hominid taxa. A total of 196 Plio-Pleistocene hominid molars were either allocated to one of six informal taxonomic groups or considered as individual cases. Accurate measurements of crown base area made from occlusal photographs have enabled us to estimate the effects of interproximal wear on crown areas. The average correction factor over the three molar types is around 2-4% with a maximum of 6%. The patterns of distribution of extra cusps show interesting differences between taxa. None of the M-1S in the two groups of 'gracile' hominids from East and South Africa bears a C6, but it is common in the two 'robust' taxa. The distribution of a C7 is the reverse of this, it being rare in the robust' taxa, and more common in the 'gracile' groups. There is thus no simple relationship between cusp number and tooth size. Our observations on the protostylid suggest that though it is more common in the 'robust' australopithecines than the 'graciles', when it does occur it is more strongly expressed in the 'gracile' group. The combination of simple metrical data, and the assessment of morphological traits, can help in the classification of enigmatic or incomplete specimens. Some isolated teeth from the collection at Koobi Fora can confidently be assigned to Australopithecus boisei, and useful guides have been provided for taxonomic assessment of the skull KNM-ER 1805, and the mandibles KNM-ER 1506 and 1820.

Neuronal Correlates of Individual Differences in the Big Five Personality Traits: Evidences from Cortical Morphology and Functional Homogeneity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ting Li

2017-07-01

Full Text Available There have been many neuroimaging studies of human personality traits, and it have already provided glimpse into the neurobiology of complex traits. And most of previous studies adopt voxel-based morphology (VBM analysis to explore the brain-personality mechanism from two levels (vertex and regional based, the findings are mixed with great inconsistencies and the brain-personality relations are far from a full understanding. Here, we used a new method of surface-based morphology (SBM analysis, which provides better alignment of cortical landmarks to generate about the associations between cortical morphology and the personality traits across 120 healthy individuals at both vertex and regional levels. While to further reveal local functional correlates of the morphology-personality relationships, we related surface-based functional homogeneity measures to the regions identified in the regional-based SBM correlation. Vertex-wise analysis revealed that people with high agreeableness exhibited larger areas in the left superior temporal gyrus. Based on regional parcellation we found that extroversion was negatively related with the volume of the left lateral occipito-temporal gyrus and agreeableness was negatively associated with the sulcus depth of the left superior parietal lobule. Moreover, increased regional homogeneity in the left lateral occipito-temporal gyrus is related to the scores of extroversion, and increased regional homogeneity in the left superior parietal lobule is related to the scores of agreeableness. These findings provide supporting evidence of a link between personality and brain structural mysteries with a method of SBM, and further suggest that local functional homogeneity of personality traits has neurobiological relevance that is likely based on anatomical substrates.

CO2 and temperature effects on morphological and physiological traits affecting risk of drought-induced mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Honglang; Chaszar, Brian; Lewis, James D; Smith, Renee A; Huxman, Travis E; Tissue, David T

2018-04-26

Despite a wealth of eco-physiological assessments of plant response to extreme drought, few studies have addressed the interactive effects of global change factors on traits driving mortality. To understand the interaction between hydraulic and carbon metabolic traits influencing tree mortality, which may be independently influenced by atmospheric [CO2] and temperature, we grew Eucalyptus sideroxylon A. Cunn. ex Woolls from seed in a full-factorial [CO2] (280, 400 and 640 μmol mol-1, Cp, Ca and Ce, respectively) and temperature (ambient and ambient +4 °C, Ta and Te, respectively) experiment. Prior to drought, growth across treatment combinations resulted in significant variation in physiological and morphological traits, including photosynthesis (Asat), respiration (Rd), stomatal conductance, carbohydrate storage, biomass and leaf area (LA). Ce increased Asat, LA and leaf carbohydrate concentration compared with Ca, while Cp generated the opposite response; Te reduced Rd. However, upon imposition of drought, Te hastened mortality (9 days sooner compared with Ta), while Ce significantly exacerbated drought stress when combined with Te. Across treatments, earlier time-to-mortality was mainly associated with lower (more negative) leaf water potential (Ψl) during the initial drought phase, along with higher water loss across the first 3 weeks of water limitation. Among many variables, Ψl was more important than carbon status in predicting time-to-mortality across treatments, yet leaf starch was associated with residual variation within treatments. These results highlight the need to carefully consider the integration, interaction and hierarchy of traits contributing to mortality, along with their responses to environmental drivers. Both morphological traits, which influence soil resource extraction, and physiological traits, which affect water-for-carbon exchange to the atmosphere, must be considered to adequately predict plant response to drought. Researchers have

Genetic diversity in radish germplasm for morphological traits and seed storage proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jatoi, S.A.; Siddiqui, S.U.; Masood, M.S.; Javaid, A.; Iqbal, M.; Sayal, O.U.

2011-01-01

Genetic variation of forty-nine local and exotic radish genotypes including two checks was studied for morphological traits and seed storage protein electrophoresis using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) markers. A high variation in germplasm for root shape, root length, root colour (internal and external), flesh texture and root type was observed. Among these genotypes, the genetic variation was apparent for most of the characters like plant biomass, root weight, leaf length, root length and root diameter that indicated the potential for crop improvement in these traits through simple selection. Exotic germplasm exhibited higher variation for plant biomass, root weight and root length which could be utilized through breeding programme. Cluster analysis on the basis of genetic diversity for seven quantitative traits resulted into four clusters. No clustering was found on the basis of origin. Low level of variance was observed for SDS-PAGE electrophoresis that suggested acquisition of more germplasm. On the basis of high yield and crispy root texture some genotypes (10076, 10362, 10429, 10658, 10662 and 10667) were identified for further testing under wide range of agro-ecological conditions. (author)

The genus Pyrenomyxa and its affinities to other cleistocarpous Hypoxyloideae as inferred from morphological and chemical traits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stadler, M.; Læssøe, Thomas; Vassilyeva, L.

2005-01-01

Types and authentic specimens of Hypoxylon piceum, Pulveria porrecta, and Pyrenomyxa invocans were studied for morphological traits and extrolite (= secondary metabolite) profiles generated by analytical HPLC with UV-visual and mass spectrometric detection. The orange stromatal pigments of P....... invocans are rubiginosin A and mitorubrinol. It lacks three different types of extrolites (BNT, macrocarpone and hypomiltin) that are known from Hypoxylon taxa and occur in H. piceum and P. porrecta. In agreement with morphological traits, the latter two names are regarded as synonymous and transferred...

Pig StAR: mRNA expression and alternative splicing in testis and Leydig cells, and association analyses with testicular morphology traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanghai; Cui, Yang; Zhang, Xuelian; Wang, Yimin; Gao, Jiayang; Yu, Ting; Lv, Xiaoyan; Pan, Chuanying

2018-05-31

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), primarily expressed in Leydig cells (LCs) in the mammalian testes, is essential for testosterone biosynthesis and male fertility. However, no previous reports have explored the expression profiles, alternative splicing and genetic variations of StAR gene in pig. The aim of current study was to explore the expression profiles in different tissues and different types of testicular cells (LCs; spermatogonial stem cells, SSCs; Sertoli cells, SCs), to identify different splice variants and their expression levels, as well as to detect the indel polymorphism in pig StAR gene. Expression analysis results revealed that StAR was widely expressed in all tested tissues and the expression level in testis was significantly higher than that in other tissues (P StAR mRNA expression level was significantly higher in LCs than others (P StAR-a, StAR-b and StAR-c, were first found in pig. Further study showed StAR-a was highly expressed in both testis and LCs when compared with other variants (P StAR-a was the primary variant at StAR gene post-transcription and may facilitate the combination and transportation of cholesterol with StAR. In addition, a 5-bp duplicated deletion (NC_010457.5:g.5524-5528 delACTTG) was verified in the porcine StAR gene, which was closely related to male testicular morphology traits (P StAR gene might be a positive allele. Briefly, the current findings suggest that StAR and StAR-a play imperative roles in male fertility and the 5-bp indel can be a potential DNA marker for the marker-assisted selection in boar. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphological traits based diversity in safflower (carthamus tinctorius L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinwari, Z.K.; Rehman, H.

2014-01-01

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) one of the world minor oil crops originated in the Middle East. The breeding potential of the safflower genotypes held in the gene-bank of Plant Genetic Resources Institute (PGRI) has not been exploited to date. Present work was carried out to evaluate 122 genotypes collected from various eco-geographical regions/countries of the world. Observations were recorded for eleven quantitative and five qualitative characters to estimate substantial variation and relationship among the genotypes and identify promising accession(s) for traits of economic significance. A significant level of morphological diversity was noticed for a number of traits. The largest variation was recorded for capsules plant-1, seeds capsule-1, seed yield plant-1, plant height, days to flowering initiation and days to maturity. Relatively low level of variability was distinguished in 100-seed weight, capsule diameter, primary branches plant-1, days to flower completion, time of flowering, flower color, leaf shape and spininess. The correlation analysis indicated that seed diameter, capsules plant-1 and seeds capsule-1 had highly significant positive contribution to seed yield plant-1. Only one trait, time of flowering showed negative correlation with seed yield plant-1. Principal component (PC) analysis of 122 safflower germplasm displayed significant variation with PC1 having 26.02% of the total variation, 19.97% for PC2, 12.38% for PC3 and PC4 contributed 11.24% of the total variation and revealed that the characters that mainly distinguish the germplasm are: capsule diameter, capsules plant-1, seeds capsule-1, days to maturity, plant height and time of flowering. Cluster analysis recognized five major clusters. Our findings have an important application for safflower germplasm evaluation and preservation. (author)

Sickle cell trait and sudden death--bringing it home.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Bruce L.

2007-01-01

Sickle cell trait continues to be the leading cause of sudden death for young African Americans in military basic training and civilian organized sports. The syndrome may have caused the death of up to 10 college football players since 1974 and, as recently as 2000, was suspected as the cause of death of three U.S. Army recruits. The penal military-style boot camps in the United States and the recent death of two teenagers with sickle cell trait merits renewed vigor in the education of athletic instructors, the military and the public about conditions associated with sudden death in individuals with sickle cell trait. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:17393956

Morphological traits and yield of red clover (Trifolium pratense L. genotypes with varying inflorescence length

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadeusz Zając

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Two red clover breeding strains with elongated flower heads, developed by one of the authors (H.Góral, were studied for forage and seed yield and compared to the standard cultivar 'Nike'. In addition, six morphological shoot traits were measured and their interrelations were computed. The leaf area index (LAI of successive cuts in two harvest years was determined on the basis of shoot density and leaf area of individual shoots. All three genotypes exhibited a high leaf area on shoots and a very high forage productivity. Among the morphological traits only shoot height could be a good selective criterion because it is easily measured, is significantly associated with shoot weight and shoot leaf area and its variation is low. Both strains, particularly the one with longer inflorescences belong to short-lived red clover forms giving satis factory forage and seed yields in the first harvest year. Depending on the strain the number of seeds per elongated inflorescence in the first harvest year was higher by 92 and 42% compared to that of a standard cultivar.

Individual Cell Based Traits Obtained by Scanning Flow-Cytometry Show Selection by Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Factors during a Phytoplankton Spring Bloom

Science.gov (United States)

Pomati, Francesco; Kraft, Nathan J. B.; Posch, Thomas; Eugster, Bettina; Jokela, Jukka; Ibelings, Bas W.

2013-01-01

In ecology and evolution, the primary challenge in understanding the processes that shape biodiversity is to assess the relationship between the phenotypic traits of organisms and the environment. Here we tested for selection on physio-morphological traits measured by scanning flow-cytometry at the individual level in phytoplankton communities under a temporally changing biotic and abiotic environment. Our aim was to study how high-frequency temporal changes in the environment influence biodiversity dynamics in a natural community. We focused on a spring bloom in Lake Zurich (Switzerland), characterized by rapid changes in phytoplankton, water conditions, nutrients and grazing (mainly mediated by herbivore ciliates). We described bloom dynamics in terms of taxonomic and trait-based diversity and found that diversity dynamics of trait-based groups were more pronounced than those of identified phytoplankton taxa. We characterized the linkage between measured phytoplankton traits, abiotic environmental factors and abundance of the main grazers and observed weak but significant correlations between changing abiotic and biotic conditions and measured size-related and fluorescence-related traits. We tested for deviations in observed community-wide distributions of focal traits from random patterns and found evidence for both clustering and even spacing of traits, occurring sporadically over the time series. Patterns were consistent with environmental filtering and phenotypic divergence under herbivore pressure, respectively. Size-related traits showed significant even spacing during the peak of herbivore abundance, suggesting that morphology-related traits were under selection from grazing. Pigment distribution within cells and colonies appeared instead to be associated with acclimation to temperature and water chemistry. We found support for trade-offs among grazing resistance and environmental tolerance traits, as well as for substantial periods of dynamics in which

Modification of morphological traits of common beans through gamma-ray irradiation: analysis of three consecutive generations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, Gismar S.; Goulart, Luiz R.; Viglioni Pena, Julio C.; Fernandes, Jonas J.

1995-01-01

The objective of this investigation were to study the effects of different levels of gamma-rays on some morphological characteristics of a nearly-white seed coat color bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar, and to determine the radiation level which would generate the greatest genetic variability. Breeder seeds of EMGOPA 201 - Ouro cv, a beige seed coat color cultivar, were submitted to gamma-ray irradiation ( 60 Co). Treatments consisted of eight levels of radiation: 0,10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 Krad. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. In the field, plots consisted of 100 seeds. The following data were collected: percent germination, plant height, final stand, plant yield and yield components, number of chlorotic and albino mutants, leaf mutants, growth habit alterations, earliness, seed coat brightness, halo color, seed size and format. Among traits greatest variations were observed seed morphology. Seed coat color varied from completely white to a dark-brownish color. Halo color was also modified from yellow (normal) to pink. Brightness of seeds varied from opaque to bright. Seed varied from squared to rounded, and from very small to large. treatments with 20 and 25 Krad generated the greatest variability for several morphological traits from the M 1 to M 3 generations, a dosage equivalent to the LD 50 observed in the M 1 generation. Traits such as percent germination, plant height and some yield components were highly and negatively affected by increasing levels of radiation. Modification of yield components as well as many unusual characteristics with late onset were observed in advanced generations, suggesting that late selection would also be useful. (author)

Trait-based diet selection: prey behaviour and morphology predict vulnerability to predation in reef fish communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Stephanie J; Côté, Isabelle M

2014-11-01

Understanding how predators select their prey can provide important insights into community structure and dynamics. However, the suite of prey species available to a predator is often spatially and temporally variable. As a result, species-specific selectivity data are of limited use for predicting novel predator-prey interactions because they are assemblage specific. We present a method for predicting diet selection that is applicable across prey assemblages, based on identifying general morphological and behavioural traits of prey that confer vulnerability to predation independent of species identity. We apply this trait-based approach to examining prey selection by Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles), invasive predators that prey upon species-rich reef fish communities and are rapidly spreading across the western Atlantic. We first generate hypotheses about morphological and behavioural traits recurring across fish species that could facilitate or deter predation by lionfish. Constructing generalized linear mixed-effects models that account for relatedness among prey taxa, we test whether these traits predict patterns of diet selection by lionfish within two independent data sets collected at different spatial scales: (i) in situ visual observations of prey consumption and availability for individual lionfish and (ii) comparisons of prey abundance in lionfish stomach contents to availability on invaded reefs at large. Both analyses reveal that a number of traits predicted to affect vulnerability to predation, including body size, body shape, position in the water column and aggregation behaviour, are important determinants of diet selection by lionfish. Small, shallow-bodied, solitary fishes found resting on or just above reefs are the most vulnerable. Fishes that exhibit parasite cleaning behaviour experience a significantly lower risk of predation than non-cleaning fishes, and fishes that are nocturnally active are at significantly

Association of erythrocyte deformability with red blood cell distribution width in metabolic diseases and thalassemia trait.

Science.gov (United States)

Vayá, Amparo; Alis, Rafael; Suescún, Marta; Rivera, Leonor; Murado, Julian; Romagnoli, Marco; Solá, Eva; Hernandez-Mijares, Antonio

2015-01-01

Increased red blood distribution width (RDW) in anemia is related to disturbances in the cellular surface/volume ratio, usually accompanied by morphological alterations, while it has been shown in inflammatory diseases that the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines disturbing erythropoiesis increases RDW. Recently it has been reported that higher RDW is related with decreased erythrocyte deformability, and that it could be related with the association of RDW and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. In order to analyze the influence of morphological alterations and proinflammatory status on the relationship between RDW and erythrocyte deformability, we analyzed erythrocyte deformability along with RDW and other hematological and biochemical parameters in 36 α-thalassemia, 20 β-thalassemia, 20 δβ-thalassemia trait carriers, 61 metabolic syndrome patients and 76 morbidly obese patients. RDW correlated inversely with erythrocyte deformability in minor β-thalassemia (r =-0.530, p thalassemia is often accompanied by more marked cell-shaped perturbations than other thalassemia traits. This could be the reason for this negative association only in this setting. Higher anisocytosis seems to be associated with greater morphologic alterations (shape/volume), which reduce erythrocyte deformability. The proinflammatory profile in metabolic patients can be related to the positive association of RDW with erythrocyte deformability found in these patients. However, further research is needed to explain the mechanisms underlying this association.

Variation on biomass yield and morphological traits of energy grasses from the genus Miscanthus during the first years of crop establishment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jezowski, S.; Glowacka, K.; Kaczmarek, Z. [Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Strzeszynska 34, 60-479 Poznan (Poland)

2011-02-15

This study presents the results of investigations of variation, genotype x year interactions and genotype x year x location interactions for the yield and morphological traits of several selected clones of energy grasses of the genus Miscanthus. The analyses were performed on the best clones of selected hybrid plants, which were obtained within the species M. sinensis or are the result of interspecific hybridization of M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus. Analyses were conducted on the basis of three-year field trials at two locations. The young plants produced from in vitro cultures were planted at a density of one plant per m{sup 2}. The early stages of plant development, from planting until peak yield in the third year of cultivation, were analysed. Statistical analyses performed on the yield and morphological traits as well as changes in these characteristics over the successive years of the study showed considerable genotypic variation for traits under study. Moreover, significant genotype x year interactions as well as genotype x year x location interactions were observed in terms of yield and morphological traits. Based on the collective results of the study, we suggest that apart from M. x giganteus particularly hybrids of M. sinensis x M. sacchariflorus, should be taken into consideration in genetic and breeding studies on the improvement of yield from energy grasses of the genus Miscanthus. (author)

Effects of Drought on Morphological Traits in Some Cowpea Genotypes by Evaluating Their Combining Abilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amos Afolarin Olajide

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An evaluation was conducted to understand the genetic effects of combining ability for four different morphological traits, on 42 hybrids in randomized complete block design with three replications in water-stressed and well-watered environments. The significance of the additive variance (D and dominance variance (H1 indicated the presence of both additive and nonadditive gene actions in both environments. Among the parents, there was asymmetrical distribution of positive and negative dominant genes and the preponderance of overdominance gene action for all the traits in both environments. This study also indicated a minimum of ten genes for plant height in water-stressed environment and minimum of three and eight genes for terminal leaflet area and number of leaves per plant in both environments, respectively. Estimates of narrow-sense heritability ranged from 13.0% for number of branches per plant in water-stressed to 95.0% in well-watered environment for terminal leaflet area. The study revealed that Danilla, IT93K-432-1, and IT97K-499-35 were the best general combiners for all traits, Danilla × IT97K-499-35, and Danilla × IT93K-432-1 were found to be the best specific combiners for all traits in water-stressed environment. Genetic interactions, additive × additive and additive × dominance, were more pronounced in the inheritance of the traits. This indicated that the selection for these traits should be delayed till advanced generations.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Morphological Traits in M1 Generation of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) V36 Variety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faiz Ahmad; Mohd Zulmadi Sani; Mustapha Akil

2016-01-01

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is one of the world most economically important fiber crops particularly in Asian-Pacific region. Mutation induction is a method to increase genetic divergence associated with selection, recombination, or a combination of these approaches in plant breeding. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of selected gamma irradiation doses (200 Gy and 300 Gy) on the kenaf morphological traits in M1 generation. Irradiated and non-irradiated of kenaf seed from V36 variety were planted in the field at Beseri, Perlis. Soil condition at the field, morphological changes and 10 morphological traits of irradiated plants were observed and evaluated against the controls. Cluster analysis result on M1 progenies showed that the mutation observed were classified into eight genotypic groups. The first two components from principal component analysis explained about 77.99 % of variation. Number of seed per pod, weight of seed per plant and dry stem biomass play important role to explain the variation since they showed positive correlated values for the first component analysis. Thus, this study is important in determining the effectiveness of these doses in generating mutations. In addition, it can also be used to generate a new source of germplasm in kenaf with enhanced quality traits such as high yielding and high fiber content. (author)

The effect of sperm concentration in the ejaculate on morphological traits of bull spermatozoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondracki, Stanisław; Banaszewska, Dorota; Wysokńjska, Anna; Iwanina, Maria

2012-01-01

Experiments were performed on 75 ejaculates obtained from 19 bulls representing different cattle breeds used at the Masovian Centre for Animal Breeding and Reproduction in Łowicz. Fresh ejaculates were measured in respect to their volume and sperm count in the ejaculates was determined. The ejaculates were classified based on the criterion of sperm concentration and divided into five groups. Sperm morphometric measurements were taken from each bull and assessment of semen morphology was done on the basis of examination under a microscope using preparations made from fresh ejaculates. For each slide, morphometric measurements were taken of 15 randomly selected spermatozoa characterised by normal morphology and well visible under the microscope. Additionally, in each preparation morphometry of 500 spermatozoa was evaluated, numbers of spermatozoa with normal morphology and morphological abnormalities were recorded and these were categorized into spermatozoa with major and minor defects. An insignificant correlation was observed between the sperm concentration in the ejaculate and morphological traits, dimensions and shapes of bull spermatozoa. The less concentrated ejaculates contained spermatozoa with a slightly larger head circumference and a more elongated head shape in comparison with the spermatozoa in the more concentrated ejaculates. The highest frequency of morphologically malformed spermatozoa, both in the case of primary and secondary alterations, was observed in ejaculates with sperm concentration of no more than 1000 x 10(3)/mm3.

Genetic analysis of agro-morphological traits in promising hybrids of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam GOLABADI

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The main objective underlying sunflower breeding programs is to develop high-yielding productive F1 hybrid cultivars. This study was conducted to investigate the genetic control of some agro-morphological traits of new sunflower F1 hybrids. For this purpose, fourteen inbred lines of sunflower were crossed with three male sterile inbred lines. Their hybrids (14 hybrids were then evaluated against three control cultivars. The data thus obtained were analyzed using the nested model (North Carolina Design І as a completely randomized block design (CRBD with four replications. Analysis of variance showed that the hybrids were significantly different in all the traits studied, except for head and stem diameters. From among the hybrids evaluated, Cms19 × Rn1-81 was found to have the highest seed yield and oil content. Cluster analysis classified the hybrids into four different groups. Genetic analysis showed that days to maturity, seed weight, and oil content (% were under the additive gene action. Breeding strategies based on selection could be suggested for the improvement of these traits. Head angle, head diameter, seed yield, and oil yield were under the dominance gene action; breeding based on hybridization methods is, therefore, proposed for these traits. Finally, both additive and dominance gene actions were observed to play important roles in the genetic control of plant height and stem diameter.

Response of Barley Double Haploid Lines to the Grain Yield and Morphological Traits under Water Deficit Stress Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maroof Khalily

2017-04-01

Full Text Available To study the relationships of grain yield and some of agro-morphological traits in 40 doubled haploid (DH lines along with parental and three check genotypes in a randomized complete block design with two replications under two water regimes (normal and stress were evaluated during 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 growing seasons. Combined analysis of variance showed significant difference for all the traits in terms of the year, water regimes, lines, and and line × year. Comparison of group means, between non-stress and stress conditions, showed that DH lines had the lowest reduction percentage for the number of grains per spike, thousand grain weight, grain yield and biological yield as opposed to check genotypes. The correlation between grain yield with biological yield, harvest index, thousand grain weight, and hectoliter of kernel weight in both conditions, were highly significant and positive. Based on stepwise regression the peduncle length, number of seeds per spike, thousand seed weight, and hectoliter of kernel weight had important effect on increasing seed yield. The result of path analysis showed that these traits had the highest direct effect on grain yield. Based on mean comparisons of morphological characters as well as STI and GMP indices it can be concluded that lines No.11, 13, 14, 24, 29, 30, 35 and 39 were distinguished to be desirable lines for grain yield and their related traits and also tolerant lines in terms of response to drought stress conditions.

Quantitative trait loci for yield and morphological traits in maize under drought stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolić Ana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Drought is one of the most important factors contributing to crop yield loss. In order to develop maize varieties with drought tolerance, it is necessary to explore the genetic basis. Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL that control the yield and associate agronomic traits is one way of understanding drought genetics. QTLs associated with grain yield (GY, leaf width (LW3, LW4 plant height (PH, ear height (EH, leaf number (NL, tassel branch number (TBN and tassel length (TL were studied with composite interval mapping. A total of 43 QTLs were detected, distributed on all chromosomes, except chromosome 9. Phenotypic variability determined for the identified QTLs for all the traits was in the range from 20.99 to 87.24%. Mapping analysis identified genomic regions associated with two traits in a manner that was consistent with phenotypic correlation among traits, supporting either pleiotropy or tight linkage among QTLs.

PREVALENCE OF SICKLE CELL TRAIT IN THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS OF BEIRUT, LEBANON

OpenAIRE

Abdel Badih El Ariss; Mohamad Younes; Jad Matar; Zeina Berjaoui

2016-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, gender differences, and time trends of Sickle Cell Trait in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, as well as to highlight the importance of screening for Sickle Cell Trait carriers in this population. Another objective was to describe a new screening technique for Sickle Cell Trait carriers. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study carried out at a private laboratory in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon between 20...

The flora phenotype ontology (FLOPO): tool for integrating morphological traits and phenotypes of vascular plants

KAUST Repository

Hoehndorf, Robert

2016-11-14

Background The systematic analysis of a large number of comparable plant trait data can support investigations into phylogenetics and ecological adaptation, with broad applications in evolutionary biology, agriculture, conservation, and the functioning of ecosystems. Floras, i.e., books collecting the information on all known plant species found within a region, are a potentially rich source of such plant trait data. Floras describe plant traits with a focus on morphology and other traits relevant for species identification in addition to other characteristics of plant species, such as ecological affinities, distribution, economic value, health applications, traditional uses, and so on. However, a key limitation in systematically analyzing information in Floras is the lack of a standardized vocabulary for the described traits as well as the difficulties in extracting structured information from free text. Results We have developed the Flora Phenotype Ontology (FLOPO), an ontology for describing traits of plant species found in Floras. We used the Plant Ontology (PO) and the Phenotype And Trait Ontology (PATO) to extract entity-quality relationships from digitized taxon descriptions in Floras, and used a formal ontological approach based on phenotype description patterns and automated reasoning to generate the FLOPO. The resulting ontology consists of 25,407 classes and is based on the PO and PATO. The classified ontology closely follows the structure of Plant Ontology in that the primary axis of classification is the observed plant anatomical structure, and more specific traits are then classified based on parthood and subclass relations between anatomical structures as well as subclass relations between phenotypic qualities. Conclusions The FLOPO is primarily intended as a framework based on which plant traits can be integrated computationally across all species and higher taxa of flowering plants. Importantly, it is not intended to replace established

The flora phenotype ontology (FLOPO): tool for integrating morphological traits and phenotypes of vascular plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoehndorf, Robert; Alshahrani, Mona; Gkoutos, Georgios V; Gosline, George; Groom, Quentin; Hamann, Thomas; Kattge, Jens; de Oliveira, Sylvia Mota; Schmidt, Marco; Sierra, Soraya; Smets, Erik; Vos, Rutger A; Weiland, Claus

2016-11-14

The systematic analysis of a large number of comparable plant trait data can support investigations into phylogenetics and ecological adaptation, with broad applications in evolutionary biology, agriculture, conservation, and the functioning of ecosystems. Floras, i.e., books collecting the information on all known plant species found within a region, are a potentially rich source of such plant trait data. Floras describe plant traits with a focus on morphology and other traits relevant for species identification in addition to other characteristics of plant species, such as ecological affinities, distribution, economic value, health applications, traditional uses, and so on. However, a key limitation in systematically analyzing information in Floras is the lack of a standardized vocabulary for the described traits as well as the difficulties in extracting structured information from free text. We have developed the Flora Phenotype Ontology (FLOPO), an ontology for describing traits of plant species found in Floras. We used the Plant Ontology (PO) and the Phenotype And Trait Ontology (PATO) to extract entity-quality relationships from digitized taxon descriptions in Floras, and used a formal ontological approach based on phenotype description patterns and automated reasoning to generate the FLOPO. The resulting ontology consists of 25,407 classes and is based on the PO and PATO. The classified ontology closely follows the structure of Plant Ontology in that the primary axis of classification is the observed plant anatomical structure, and more specific traits are then classified based on parthood and subclass relations between anatomical structures as well as subclass relations between phenotypic qualities. The FLOPO is primarily intended as a framework based on which plant traits can be integrated computationally across all species and higher taxa of flowering plants. Importantly, it is not intended to replace established vocabularies or ontologies, but rather

Genome-Wide Association Study for Traits Related to Plant and Grain Morphology, and Root Architecture in Temperate Rice Accessions.

Science.gov (United States)

Biscarini, Filippo; Cozzi, Paolo; Casella, Laura; Riccardi, Paolo; Vattari, Alessandra; Orasen, Gabriele; Perrini, Rosaria; Tacconi, Gianni; Tondelli, Alessandro; Biselli, Chiara; Cattivelli, Luigi; Spindel, Jennifer; McCouch, Susan; Abbruscato, Pamela; Valé, Giampiero; Piffanelli, Pietro; Greco, Raffaella

2016-01-01

In this study we carried out a genome-wide association analysis for plant and grain morphology and root architecture in a unique panel of temperate rice accessions adapted to European pedo-climatic conditions. This is the first study to assess the association of selected phenotypic traits to specific genomic regions in the narrow genetic pool of temperate japonica. A set of 391 rice accessions were GBS-genotyped yielding-after data editing-57000 polymorphic and informative SNPS, among which 54% were in genic regions. In total, 42 significant genotype-phenotype associations were detected: 21 for plant morphology traits, 11 for grain quality traits, 10 for root architecture traits. The FDR of detected associations ranged from 3 · 10-7 to 0.92 (median: 0.25). In most cases, the significant detected associations co-localised with QTLs and candidate genes controlling the phenotypic variation of single or multiple traits. The most significant associations were those for flag leaf width on chromosome 4 (FDR = 3 · 10-7) and for plant height on chromosome 6 (FDR = 0.011). We demonstrate the effectiveness and resolution of the developed platform for high-throughput phenotyping, genotyping and GWAS in detecting major QTLs for relevant traits in rice. We identified strong associations that may be used for selection in temperate irrigated rice breeding: e.g. associations for flag leaf width, plant height, root volume and length, grain length, grain width and their ratio. Our findings pave the way to successfully exploit the narrow genetic pool of European temperate rice and to pinpoint the most relevant genetic components contributing to the adaptability and high yield of this germplasm. The generated data could be of direct use in genomic-assisted breeding strategies.

Genome-Wide Association Study for Traits Related to Plant and Grain Morphology, and Root Architecture in Temperate Rice Accessions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filippo Biscarini

Full Text Available In this study we carried out a genome-wide association analysis for plant and grain morphology and root architecture in a unique panel of temperate rice accessions adapted to European pedo-climatic conditions. This is the first study to assess the association of selected phenotypic traits to specific genomic regions in the narrow genetic pool of temperate japonica. A set of 391 rice accessions were GBS-genotyped yielding-after data editing-57000 polymorphic and informative SNPS, among which 54% were in genic regions.In total, 42 significant genotype-phenotype associations were detected: 21 for plant morphology traits, 11 for grain quality traits, 10 for root architecture traits. The FDR of detected associations ranged from 3 · 10-7 to 0.92 (median: 0.25. In most cases, the significant detected associations co-localised with QTLs and candidate genes controlling the phenotypic variation of single or multiple traits. The most significant associations were those for flag leaf width on chromosome 4 (FDR = 3 · 10-7 and for plant height on chromosome 6 (FDR = 0.011.We demonstrate the effectiveness and resolution of the developed platform for high-throughput phenotyping, genotyping and GWAS in detecting major QTLs for relevant traits in rice. We identified strong associations that may be used for selection in temperate irrigated rice breeding: e.g. associations for flag leaf width, plant height, root volume and length, grain length, grain width and their ratio. Our findings pave the way to successfully exploit the narrow genetic pool of European temperate rice and to pinpoint the most relevant genetic components contributing to the adaptability and high yield of this germplasm. The generated data could be of direct use in genomic-assisted breeding strategies.

Phytohormonal regulation of biomass allocation and morphological and physiological traits of leaves in response to environmental changes in Polygonum cuspidatum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daisuke Sugiura

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Plants plastically change their morphological and physiological traits in response to environmental changes, which are accompanied by changes in endogenous levels of phytohormones. Although roles of phytohormones in various aspects of plant growth and development were elucidated, their importance in the regulation of biomass allocation was not fully investigated. This study aimed to determine causal relationships among changes in biomass allocation, morphological and physiological traits, and endogenous levels of phytohormones such as gibberellins (GAs and cytokinins (CKs in response to environmental changes in Polygonum cuspidatum. Seedlings of P. cuspidatum were grown under two light intensities, each at three nitrogen availabilities. The seedlings grown in high light intensity and high nitrogen availability (HH were subjected to three additional treatments: defoliating half of the leaves (Def, transferral to low nitrogen availability (LowN or low light intensity (LowL. Biomass allocation at the whole-plant level, morphological and physiological traits of each leaf, and endogenous levels of phytohormones in each leaf and shoot apex were measured. Age-dependent changes in leaf traits were also investigated. After the treatments, endogenous levels of GAs in the shoot apex and leaves significantly increased in Def, decreased in LowN, and did not change in LowL compared with HH seedlings. Among all of the seedlings, the levels of GAs in the shoot apex and leaves were strongly correlated with biomass allocation ratio between leaves and roots. The levels of GAs in the youngest leaves were highest, while the levels of CKs were almost consistent in each leaf. The levels of CKs were positively correlated with leaf nitrogen content in each leaf, whereas the levels of GAs were negatively correlated with the total non-structural carbohydrate content in each leaf. These results support our hypothesis that GAs and CKs are key regulatory factors that control

A Unique Cause of Intestinal and Splenic Infarction in a Sickle Cell Trait Patient

OpenAIRE

Asfaw, Sofya H.; Falk, Gavin A.; Morris-Stiff, Gareth; Tuthill, Ralph J.; Moorman, Matthew L.; Samotowka, Michael A.

2013-01-01

Sickle-cell trait is a common genetic abnormality in the African American population. A sickle-cell crisis in a patient with sickle-cell trait is uncommon at best. Abdominal painful crises are typical of patients with sickle cell anemia. The treatment for an abdominal painful crisis is usually medical and rarely surgical. We present the case of a cocaine-induced sickle-cell crisis in a sickle-cell trait patient that resulted in splenic, intestinal, and cerebral infarctions and multisystem org...

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping in Brassica rapa Revealed the Structural and Functional Conservation of Genetic Loci Governing Morphological and Yield Component Traits in the A, B, and C Subgenomes of Brassica Species

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaonan; Ramchiary, Nirala; Dhandapani, Vignesh; Choi, Su Ryun; Hur, Yoonkang; Nou, Ill-Sup; Yoon, Moo Kyoung; Lim, Yong Pyo

2013-01-01

Brassica rapa is an important crop species that produces vegetables, oilseed, and fodder. Although many studies reported quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, the genes governing most of its economically important traits are still unknown. In this study, we report QTL mapping for morphological and yield component traits in B. rapa and comparative map alignment between B. rapa, B. napus, B. juncea, and Arabidopsis thaliana to identify candidate genes and conserved QTL blocks between them. A total of 95 QTL were identified in different crucifer blocks of the B. rapa genome. Through synteny analysis with A. thaliana, B. rapa candidate genes and intronic and exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms in the parental lines were detected from whole genome resequenced data, a few of which were validated by mapping them to the QTL regions. Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis showed differences in the expression levels of a few genes in parental lines. Comparative mapping identified five key major evolutionarily conserved crucifer blocks (R, J, F, E, and W) harbouring QTL for morphological and yield components traits between the A, B, and C subgenomes of B. rapa, B. juncea, and B. napus. The information of the identified candidate genes could be used for breeding B. rapa and other related Brassica species. PMID:23223793

Alternative Somatic Cell Count Traits as Mastitis Indicators for Genetic Selection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haas, de Y.; Ouweltjes, W.; Napel, ten J.; Windig, J.J.; Jong, de G.

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to define alternative traits of somatic cell count (SCC) that can be used to decrease genetic susceptibility to clinical and subclinical mastitis (CM and SCM, respectively). Three kinds of SCC traits were evaluated: 1) lactation-averages of SCC, 2) traits derived from the

Bariatric surgery, gut morphology and enteroendocrine cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Carl Frederik

40 hormones. In this PhD study, gut morphology and the population of endocrine cells have been examined in three rodent animal models using stereological techniques. First, in a rodent model of type-2 diabetes (T2DM), the Zucker diabetic fatty rat (ZDF), the population of endocrine L-cells...... to contribute to the positive effects of bariatic surgery but the mechanisms remain largely unknown. The endocrine cells of the gastrointestinal tract that produce and secrete hormones are difficult to examine as they are distributed as single cells. Several types of endocrine cells together produce more than...... and the gut morphology were quantified. The number of Lcells was 4.8 million in the normal rat and the L-cells were found to double in number in the diabetic ZDF rat model. Second, the L-cell population, gut morphology and endocrine cell gene expression were examined in a rodent model of Roux-en-Y gastric...

GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SOME IRANIAN SWEET CHERRY (PRUNUS AVIUM) CULTIVARS USING MICROSATELLITE MARKERS AND MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS.

Science.gov (United States)

Farsad, A; Esna-Ashari, M

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize 23 important Iranian sweet cherry (Prunus avium) cultivars collected from different provinces of Iran and 1 foreign cultivar, which was used as control, considered for breeding programs by using 21 microsatellite markers and 27 morphological traits. In sweet cherry (Prunus avium) accessions, leaf, fruit, and stone morphological characters were evaluated during two consecutive years. The study revealed a high variability in the set of evaluated sweet cherry accessions. The majority of important correlations were determined among variables representing fruit and leaf size and variables related to color. Cluster analysis distinguished sweet cherry accessions into two distinct groups. Principal component analysis (PCA) of qualitative and quantitative morphological parameters explained over 86.59% of total variability in the first seven axes. In PCA, leaf traits such as leaf length and width, and fruit traits such as length, width, and weight, and fruit flesh and juice color were predominant in the first two components, indicating that they were useful for the assessment of sweet cherry germplasm characterization. Out of 21 SSR markers, 16 were polymorphic, producing 177 alleles that varied from 4 to 16 alleles (9.35 on average) with a mean heterozygosity value of 0.82 that produced successful amplifications and revealed DNA polymorphisms. Allele size varied from 95 to 290 bp. Cluster analyses showed that the studied sweet cherry genotypes were classified intofive main groups based mainly on their species characteristics and SSR data. In general, our results did not show a clear structuring of genetic variability within the Iranian diffusion area of sweet cherry, so it was not possible to draw any indications on regions of provenance delimitation. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of sweet cherry genetic variations in Iran, thus making for more efficient programs aimed at preserving biodiversity and

Association of Increased Grain Iron and Zinc Concentrations with Agro-morphological Traits of Biofortified Rice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Tatiana Moreno-Moyano

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Biofortification of rice (Oryza sativa L. with micronutrients is widely recognized as a sustainable strategy to alleviate human iron (Fe and zinc (Zn deficiencies in developing countries where rice is the staple food. Constitutive overexpression of the rice nicotianamine synthase (OsNAS genes has been successfully implemented to increase Fe and Zn concentrations in unpolished and polished rice grain. Intensive research is now needed to couple this high-micronutrient trait with high grain yields. We investigated associations of increased grain Fe and Zn concentrations with agro-morphological traits of backcross twice second filial (BC2F2 transgenic progeny carrying OsNAS1 or OsNAS2 overexpression constructs under indica/japonica and japonica/japonica genetic backgrounds. Thirteen agro-morphological traits were evaluated in BC2F2 transgenic progeny grown under hydroponic conditions. Concentrations of 8 mineral nutrients (Fe, Zn, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus in roots, stems/sheaths, non-flag leaves, flag leaves, panicles and grain were also determined. A distance-based linear model (DistLM was utilized to extract plant tissue nutrient predictors accounting for the largest variation in agro-morphological traits differing between transgenic and non-transgenic progeny. Overall, the BC2F2 transgenic progeny contained up to 148% higher Fe and 336% higher Zn concentrations in unpolished grain compared to non-transgenic progeny. However, unpolished grain concentrations surpassing 23 µg Fe g-1 and 40 µg Zn g-1 in BC2F2 indica/japonica progeny, and 36 µg Fe g-1 and 56 µg Zn g1 in BC2F2 japonica/japonica progeny, were associated with significant reductions in grain yield. DistLM analyses identified grain-Zn and panicle-magnesium as the primary nutrient predictors associated with grain yield reductions in the indica/japonica and japonica/japonica progeny, respectively. We subsequently produced polished grain from high

Prevalence of Sickle Cell Trait in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

El Ariss, Abdel Badih; Younes, Mohamad; Matar, Jad; Berjaoui, Zeina

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, gender differences, and time trends of Sickle Cell Trait in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, as well as to highlight the importance of screening for Sickle Cell Trait carriers in this population. Another objective was to describe a new screening technique for Sickle Cell Trait carriers. This was a retrospective cohort study carried out at a private laboratory in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon between 2002 and 2014. The sickling test was carried out for each patient using two methods: the classical "sodium metabisulfite sickling test", and the new "sickling test method" used in the private lab. As a confirmatory test, hemoglobin electrophoresis was run on a random sample of 223 cases which were found to be positive using the two sickling tests. A total of 899 cases were found to be positive for the sickle cell trait out of 184,105 subjects screened during the 12-year period, prevalence = 0.49% (95% CI: 0.46 - 0.52). Among the total sample, females were found to have higher prevalence, where no time trend over the studied period was noted. The haemoglobin electrophoresis method confirmed the results of this new sickling test technique among the random sample of the 223 cases. We found that the prevalence of sickle cell trait is lower as compared to other Arab countries, higher in females, with no significant time trend. The sickle cell test was found to be an accurate, simple and cheap test that could be easily added as a requirement for the pre-marital testing to screen for Sickle Cell Trait carriers.

Comparison of pregnancy outcomes in women with sickle cell disease and trait

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zia, S.; Rafiq, M.

2013-01-01

Objective: To compare the pregnancy and neonatal outcome in sickle cell disease and trait women. Method: The retrospective comparative study was conducted at Abha General Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia, from January 2009 to December 2011. The records of women having sickle cell disease and trait were reviewed for antenatal and postnatal complications. Pregnancy and foetal outcome was also compared in both the groups. Chi-square, Fisher's Exact and Student's t tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 112 women, 57 (50.89%) had sickle cell disease and 55 (40.10%) had sickle cell trait. The mean gravidity and parity in the latter group (5.05+-3.51 and 3.2+-2.74 respectively) was more than double in the former group (2.89+-1.36 and 1.66+-0.96 respectively). There were significant differences in antenatal complications. In the disease group, anaemia was in 55 (96.5%) cases compared to 35 (63.6%) in the trait group. Significant number of women in the first group (n=41; 71.9%) experienced painful crisis in pregnancy compared to 4 (7.27 %) in the second group. Mean haemoglobin in the disease group was 8.35g/dl, while it was 9.96 g/dl in the other (p <0.01). The requirement of blood transfusion was higher in the former, 28 (38.6%) than in the latter 3 (5.54%). Frequency of pre-term delivery was only slightly higher in the disease group, 14 (28.57%) than in the trait women, 13(23.63%). The mean birth weight of babies of women with the disease and the trait was 2380 and 2480 grams. This 100 grams difference, however, was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Patients with sickle cell disease had more antenatal complications than those with sickle cell trait, without affecting the foetal outcome. Though the trait is generally considered a benign disease, women need special care and attention during a stressful situation like pregnancy. (author)

Sickle Cell Trait, Rhabdomyolysis, and Mortality among U.S. Army Soldiers

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, D. Alan; Deuster, Patricia A.; Carter, Robert; Hill, Owen T.; Wolcott, Vickee L.; Kurina, Lianne M.

2016-01-01

Background Studies have suggested that sickle cell trait elevates the risks of exertional rhabdomyolysis and death. We conducted a study of sickle cell trait in relation to these outcomes, controlling for known risk factors for exertional rhabdomyolysis, in a large population of active persons who had undergone laboratory tests for hemoglobin AS (HbAS) and who were subject to exertional-injury precautions. Methods We used Cox proportional-hazards models to test whether the risks of exertional rhabdomyolysis and death varied according to sickle cell trait status among 47,944 black soldiers who had undergone testing for HbAS and who were on active duty in the U.S. Army between January 2011 and December 2014. We used the Stanford Military Data Repository, which contains comprehensive medical and administrative data on all active-duty soldiers. Results There was no significant difference in the risk of death among soldiers with sickle cell trait, as compared with those without the trait (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46 to 2.13; P = 0.97), but the trait was associated with a significantly higher adjusted risk of exertional rhabdomyolysis (hazard ratio, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.12; P = 0.008). This effect was similar in magnitude to that associated with tobacco use, as compared with no use (hazard ratio, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.94; Prhabdomyolysis. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.) PMID:27518662

Genetic Diversity of Aegilops cylindrica Species from West of Iran Using Morphological and Phenological Traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Arabbeigi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aegilops cylindrica species (CCDD, 2n = 4x = 28 is one of the wild relatives of wheat and hence known as a valuable source of genes related to biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. In this study genetic variation of 66 Aegilops cylindrica genotypes collected from west and northwestern of Iran was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative morphological traits. The results indicated that glumelle (lemma length and glume color traits had the highest variation as the quantitative and qualitative traits, respectively. The principal components analysis (PCA indicated 6 components that first component justified %30.3 total variation. Flag leaf color and fluffiness had the highest contribution in this component and thus the first component named as the flag leaf component. The cluster analysis divided the studied genotypes into three groups.  Genotypes originating from west of Iran were included in the first group and genotypes from northwestern Iran were clustered into the second and third groups. It could be concluded that the high genetic variation among genotypes of Ae. cylindrica revealed in this study can be utilized to improve wheat particularly for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Menstruum induces changes in mesothelial cell morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Koks, C A; Demir Weusten, A Y; Groothuis, P G; Dunselman, G A; de Goeij, A F; Evers, J L

2000-01-01

In previous studies, we have shown that menstrual endometrium preferentially adheres to the subepithelial lining of the peritoneum. It remains to be elucidated, however, whether this damage is preexisting or inflicted by the menstrual tissue itself. We hypothesized that the menstrual tissue itself damages the peritoneum. To investigate this, the viability of menstrual endometrial tissue in peritoneal fluid (PF) was evaluated and the morphologic changes in the mesothelial cells were studied by in vitro cocultures of menstruum with mesothelial cell monolayers. Menstruum was collected with a menstrual cup. Endometrial tissue was isolated from the menstruum, resuspended in culture medium or in the cell-free fraction of PF and cultured for 24, 48 or 72 h. A 3(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed to obtain a relative measure of viable adhered endometrial cells. Mesothelial cells isolated from human omental tissue were cultured on Matrigel or uncoated plastic. At confluence, overnight cocultures were performed and scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate the morphologic changes. The viability of endometrial fragments was 84% (n = 36, p Menstrual endometrial fragments or menstrual serum added to and cocultured with mesothelial cells induced severe morphologic alterations of the latter, including retraction, shrinking and gap formation. Similar morphologic changes were observed when mesothelial cells were cocultured with menstrual endometrial fragments in PF or in culture inserts. Incubation with conditioned medium from cultured menstrual endometrium induced similar but less pronounced changes in morphology. In conclusion, menstrual endometrial fragments remain viable in PF in vitro for at least 72 h. Antegradely shed menstruum induces changes in mesothelial cell morphology, including retraction and shrinking with exposure of the underlying surface. These findings suggest that menstruum is harmful to the peritoneal

Plant Survival and Mortality during Drought Can be Mediated by Co-occurring Species' Physiological and Morphological Traits: Results from a Model

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, X.; Mackay, D. S.

2015-12-01

Interactions among co-occurring species are mediated by plant physiology, morphology and environment. Without proper mechanisms to account for these factors, it remains difficult to predict plant mortality/survival under changing climate. A plant ecophysiological model, TREES, was extended to incorporate co-occurring species' belowground interaction for water. We used it to examine the interaction between two commonly co-occurring species during drought experiment, pine (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma), with contrasting physiological traits (vulnerability to cavitation and leaf water potential regulation). TREES was parameterized and validated using field-measured plant physiological traits. The root architecture (depth, profile, and root area to leaf area ratio) of juniper was adjusted to see how root morphology could affect the survival/mortality of its neighboring pine under both ambient and drought conditions. Drought suppressed plant water and carbon uptake, as well increased the average percentage loss of conductivity (PLC). Pine had 59% reduction in water uptake, 48% reduction in carbon uptake, and 38% increase in PLC, while juniper had 56% reduction in water uptake, 50% reduction in carbon and 29% increase in PLC, suggesting different vulnerability to drought as mediated by plant physiological traits. Variations in juniper root architecture further mediated drought stress on pine, from negative to positive. Different juniper root architecture caused variations in response of pine over drought (water uptake reduction ranged 0% ~63%, carbon uptake reduction ranged 0% ~ 70%, and PLC increase ranged 2% ~ 91%). Deeper or more uniformly distributed roots of juniper could effectively mitigate stress experienced by pine. In addition, the total water and carbon uptake tended to increase as the ratio of root area to leaf area increased while PLC showed non-monotonic response, suggesting the potential trade-off between maximizing resource uptake and

Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine

2015-01-01

The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time

Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine, E-mail: catherine.labbe@rennes.inra.fr

2015-07-01

The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time.

The genetics of reproductive organ morphology in two Petunia species with contrasting pollination syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermann, Katrin; Klahre, Ulrich; Venail, Julien; Brandenburg, Anna; Kuhlemeier, Cris

2015-05-01

Switches between pollination syndromes have happened frequently during angiosperm evolution. Using QTL mapping and reciprocal introgressions, we show that changes in reproductive organ morphology have a simple genetic basis. In animal-pollinated plants, flowers have evolved to optimize pollination efficiency by different pollinator guilds and hence reproductive success. The two Petunia species, P. axillaris and P. exserta, display pollination syndromes adapted to moth or hummingbird pollination. For the floral traits color and scent, genetic loci of large phenotypic effect have been well documented. However, such large-effect loci may be typical for shifts in simple biochemical traits, whereas the evolution of morphological traits may involve multiple mutations of small phenotypic effect. Here, we performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of floral morphology, followed by an in-depth study of pistil and stamen morphology and the introgression of individual QTL into reciprocal parental backgrounds. Two QTLs, on chromosomes II and V, are sufficient to explain the interspecific difference in pistil and stamen length. Since most of the difference in organ length is caused by differences in cell number, genes underlying these QTLs are likely to be involved in cell cycle regulation. Interestingly, conservation of the locus on chromosome II in a different P. axillaris subspecies suggests that the evolution of organ elongation was initiated on chromosome II in adaptation to different pollinators. We recently showed that QTLs for pistil and stamen length on chromosome II are tightly linked to QTLs for petal color and volatile emission. Linkage of multiple traits will enable major phenotypic change within a few generations in hybridizing populations. Thus, the genomic architecture of pollination syndromes in Petunia allows for rapid responses to changing pollinator availability.

Safety of Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta in Patients with Sickle Cell Trait/Anemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pashtoon Murtaza Kasi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta is a recombinant filgrastim (human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF attached to a polyethylene glycol (PEG molecule and is given as part of chemotherapy regimens that are associated with significant myelosuppression and risk for febrile neutropenia. Prescribing information available on manufacturer’s website for the drug warns us about possible severe sickle cell crises related to the medication but does not report the actual incidence or the use in patients with sickle cell trait. Caution is advised when using it in patients with sickle cell disease. Here we present a case of a Caucasian female with known sickle cell trait (SCT with no prior complications who developed a presumed sickle cell crisis after getting Neulasta, as a part of the chemotherapy regimen used to treat her breast cancer. Based on our literature review, this appears to be the first case report of a patient with SCT developing a sickle cell crisis with the pegylated form of recombinant filgrastim. Given the dearth of literature regarding the use of G-CSF and its related pegylated forms in patients with sickle cell anemia and sickle cell trait, a discussion of potential mechanisms and review of current literature and guidelines is also presented.

Diagnostic significance of red cell indices in beta-thalassaemia trait

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, Z.; Malik, N.; Chughtai, A.S.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the formulae for the diagnosis of beta-thalassemia trait cases in settings where electrophoreses is not available. The study included 50 cases of beta-thalassaemia trait already diagnosed by Hb electrophoresis. CBC samples were analyzed on Sysmex K4500 and red cell indices were used to evaluate formulae for differentiating beta thalassaemia trait from iron deficiency anemia. The formula MCV/RBC and MCH/RBC identified 56% of the cases. Formula MCV - (5 x Hb)- RBC - 8.4 identified 54% of beta thalassemia trait cases. The formula MCV x MCH identified 92% of cases. RBC indices given by 100 electronic counters can be used to differentiate iron deficiency anemia from beta-thalassaemia trait at least provisionally in areas where Hb electrophoresis is not available. (author)

A unique cause of intestinal and splenic infarction in a sickle cell trait patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Asfaw, Sofya H; Falk, Gavin A; Morris-Stiff, Gareth; Tuthill, Ralph J; Moorman, Matthew L; Samotowka, Michael A

2013-01-01

Sickle-cell trait is a common genetic abnormality in the African American population. A sickle-cell crisis in a patient with sickle-cell trait is uncommon at best. Abdominal painful crises are typical of patients with sickle cell anemia. The treatment for an abdominal painful crisis is usually medical and rarely surgical. We present the case of a cocaine-induced sickle-cell crisis in a sickle-cell trait patient that resulted in splenic, intestinal, and cerebral infarctions and multisystem organ failure necessitating a splenectomy, subtotal colectomy, and small bowel resection. This case highlights the diagnostic dilemma that abdominal pain can present in the sickle-cell population and illustrates the importance of recognizing the potential for traditionally medically managed illnesses to become surgical emergencies.

A Unique Cause of Intestinal and Splenic Infarction in a Sickle Cell Trait Patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofya H. Asfaw

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Sickle-cell trait is a common genetic abnormality in the African American population. A sickle-cell crisis in a patient with sickle-cell trait is uncommon at best. Abdominal painful crises are typical of patients with sickle cell anemia. The treatment for an abdominal painful crisis is usually medical and rarely surgical. We present the case of a cocaine-induced sickle-cell crisis in a sickle-cell trait patient that resulted in splenic, intestinal, and cerebral infarctions and multisystem organ failure necessitating a splenectomy, subtotal colectomy, and small bowel resection. This case highlights the diagnostic dilemma that abdominal pain can present in the sickle-cell population and illustrates the importance of recognizing the potential for traditionally medically managed illnesses to become surgical emergencies.

Association between QTLs and morphological traits toward sheath blight resistance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, Md Kamal; Jena, Kshirod Kumar; Bhuiyan, Md Atiqur Rahman; Wickneswari, Ratnam

2016-01-01

Sheath blight is considered the most significant disease of rice and causes enormous yield losses over the world. Breeding for resistant varieties is the only viable option to combat the disease efficiently. Seventeen diverged rice genotypes along with 17 QTL-linked SSR markers were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Pearson’s correlation showed only the flag leaf angle had a significant correlation with sheath blight resistance under greenhouse screening. Multivariate analysis based on UPGMA clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the flag leaf angle, flag leaf length, and plant compactness were significantly associated with the following SSR marker alleles: RM209 (116,130), RM202 (176), RM224 (126), RM257 (156), RM426 (175), and RM6971 (196), which are linked to the SB QTLs: QRlh11, qSBR11-3, qSBR11-1, qSBR9-1, qShB3-2, and qSB-9. A Mantel test suggested a weak relationship between the observed phenotypes and allelic variation patterns, implying the independent nature of morphological and molecular variations. Teqing and Tetep were found to be the most resistant cultivars. IR65482-4-136-2-2, MR219-4, and MR264 showed improved resistance potentials. These results suggest that the morphological traits and QTLs which have been found to associate with sheath blight resistance are a good choice to enhance resistance through pyramiding either 2 QTLs or QTLs and traits in susceptible rice cultivars. PMID:27795687

Morphology targets: What do seedling morphological attributes tell us?

Science.gov (United States)

Jeremiah R. Pinto

2011-01-01

Morphology is classically defined as the form and structure of individual organisms, as distinct from their anatomy or physiology. We use morphological targets in the nursery because they are easy to measure, and because we can often quantitatively link seedling morphological traits with survival and growth performance in the field. In the 20 years since the Target...

Genetic variation for seed yield and some of agro-morphological traits in faba bean (Vicia faba L. genotypes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peyman SHARIFI

2015-11-01

Full Text Available  An investigation was carried out to select the most successful faba bean genotype(s and to estimate the heritability for seed yield and some of agro-morphological traits. The results of analysis of variance indicated that the studied genotypes differed significantly for all of the traits. For 100-seed weight, two north's of Iran landraces (G1 and G2 and two improved breeding cultivars containing France (G4 and Barrakat (G10 possessed the heaviest seed weight, 161.33, 139, 119.67 and 166 g, respectively. G1 and G10 presented the highest values for dry seed weight (473.98 and 495.44 g m-2, respectively. G1 and G10 showed significantly higher magnitude values of the other traits. Broad sense heritability (h2 estimates were generally high to moderate for all of the studied traits. The highest estimates of broad sense heritability was inscribed as 98 % for pod length, dry seed length and dry seed width and 0.95 for hundred seed weight. The estimated broad-sense heritability was 0.80 for dry seed yield per m2. These results suggested that the environmental factors had a small effect on the inheritance of traits with high heritability. High estimates of heritability indicated that selection based on mean would be successful in improving of these traits. High heritability indicate an additive gene action for the traits, and hence, possible trait improvement through selection. Path coefficient analysis indicated that the traits containing day to harvesting, pod length, hundred seed weight and number of stems per plant play major role in seed yield determination of faba bean. Attention should be paid to these characters for augmentation of seed yield and these traits could be used as selection criteria in faba bean breeding programs. These findings indicate that selection for each or full of the above traits would be accompanied by high yielding ability under such conditions. 

Exome Genotyping Identifies Pleiotropic Variants Associated with Red Blood Cell Traits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chami, N. (Nathalie); M.-H. Chen (Ming-Huei); Slater, A.J. (Andrew J.); Eicher, J.D. (John D.); E. Evangelou (Evangelos); Tajuddin, S.M. (Salman M.); Love-Gregory, L. (Latisha); T. Kacprowski (Tim); U.M. Schick (Ursula); Nomura, A. (Akihiro); Giri, A. (Ayush); Lessard, S. (Samuel); J. Brody (Jennifer); C. Schurmann (Claudia); V.S. Pankratz (Shane); L.R. Yanek (Lisa); A. Manichaikul (Ani); R. Pazoki (Raha); E. Mihailov (Evelin); W.D. Hill (W. David); Raffield, L.M. (Laura M.); A.D. Burt (Alastair); T.M. Bartz (Traci M.); D.M. Becker (Diane); L.C. Becker (Lewis); E.A. Boerwinkle (Eric); J. Bork-Jensen (Jette); E.P. Bottinger (Erwin); M.L. O'Donoghue (Michelle L.); D.R. Crosslin (David); de Denus, S. (Simon); Dubé, M.-P. (Marie-Pierre); P. Elliott (Paul); G. Engström; M. Evans (Michele); J. Floyd (James); M. Fornage (Myriam); Gao, H. (He); A. Greinacher (Andreas); V. Gudnason (Vilmundur); T. Hansen (T.); T.B. Harris (Tamara); C. Hayward (Caroline); Hernesniemi, J. (Jussi); H. Highland (Heather); J.N. Hirschhorn (Joel); Hofman, A. (Albert); Irvin, M.R. (Marguerite R.); M. Kähönen (Mika); E.M. Lange (Ethan); Launer, L.J. (Lenore J.); T. Lehtimäki (Terho); Li, J. (Jin); D.C. Liewald (David C.); A. Linneberg (Allan); Y. Liu (YongMei); Y. Lu (Yingchang); L.-P. Lyytikäinen (Leo-Pekka); R. Mägi (Reedik); J. Mathias (Jasmine); O. Melander (Olle); A. Metspalu (Andres); K. Mononen (Kari); M.A. Nalls (Michael); D.A. Nickerson (Deborah); K. Nikus (Kjell); C.J. O'Donnell (Christopher); M. Orho-Melander (Marju); O. Pedersen (Oluf); A. Petersmann (Astrid); Polfus, L. (Linda); B.M. Psaty (Bruce); O.T. Raitakari (Olli T.); Raitoharju, E. (Emma); Richard, M. (Melissa); K.M. Rice (Kenneth); F. Rivadeneira Ramirez (Fernando); Rotter, J.I. (Jerome I.); Schmidt, F. (Frank); A.V. Smith (Albert Vernon); J.M. Starr (John); K.D. Taylor (Kent); A. Teumer (Alexander); Thuesen, B.H. (Betina H.); Torstenson, E.S. (Eric S.); R.P. Tracy (Russell); I. Tzoulaki; N.A. Zakai (Neil); Vacchi-Suzzi, C. (Caterina); C.M. van Duijn (Cornelia); F.J.A. van Rooij (Frank); M. Cushman (Mary Ann); I.J. Deary (Ian J.); Velez Edwards, D.R. (Digna R.); Vergnaud, A.-C. (Anne-Claire); L.C. Wallentin (Lars); D. Waterworth (Dawn); White, H.D. (Harvey D.); J.F. Wilson (James); A.B. Zonderman; S. Kathiresan (Sekar); N. Grarup (Niels); T. Esko (Tõnu); R.J.F. Loos (Ruth); L.A. Lange (Leslie); Faraday, N. (Nauder); Abumrad, N.A. (Nada A.); T.L. Edwards (Todd L.); S.K. Ganesh (Santhi); P. Auer (Paul); A.D. Johnson (Andrew); A. Reiner (Alexander); G. Lettre (Guillaume)

2016-01-01

textabstractRed blood cell (RBC) traits are important heritable clinical biomarkers and modifiers of disease severity. To identify coding genetic variants associated with these traits, we conducted meta-analyses of seven RBC phenotypes in 130,273 multi-ethnic individuals from studies genotyped on an

Genetic diversity analysis for agro-morphological and seed quality traits in rapeseed (brassica campestris l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousuf, M.; Ajmal, S.U.; Munir, M.; Ghafoor, A.

2011-01-01

One hundred fourteen accessions of rapeseed (Brassica campestris L.) were evaluated at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan using cluster and principal component analyses during 2005 and 2006. Cluster analysis based on fifteen agro-morphological and six seed quality traits, divided 114 accessions into six and five clusters during 2005 and 2006, respectively. The first seven and five PCs with eigenvalues > 1 contributed 74.09% and 66.08% of the variability amongst accessions during 2005 and 2006, respectively. Nine important characters contributed positively to first two PCs during both the years 2005 and 2006. (author)

Cell behavior on microparticles with different surface morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Sha; Fu Xiaobing

2010-01-01

Microparticles can serve as substrates for cell amplification and deliver the cell aggregation to the site of the defect for tissue regeneration. To develop favorable microparticles for cell delivery application, we fabricated and evaluated three types of microparticles that differ in surface properties. The microparticles with varied surface morphology (smooth, pitted and multicavity) were created from chemically crosslinked gelatin particles that underwent various drying treatments. Three types of microparticles were characterized and assessed in terms of the cell behavior of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts seeded on them. The cells could attach, spread and proliferate on all types of microparticles but spread and populated more slowly on the microparticles with smooth surfaces than on those with pitted or multicavity surfaces. Microparticles with a multicavity surface demonstrated the highest cell attachment and growth rate. Furthermore, cells tested on microparticles with a multicavity surface exhibited better morphology and induced the earlier formation of extracellular-based cell-microparticle aggregation than those on microparticles with other surface morphology (smooth and pitted). Thus, microparticles with a multicavity surface show promise for attachment and proliferation of cells in tissue engineering.

PREVALENCE OF SICKLE CELL TRAIT IN THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS OF BEIRUT, LEBANON

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdel Badih El Ariss

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, gender differences, and time trends of sickle cell trait in Beirut, Lebanon. Another objective was to describe a new screening technique for sickle cell trait carriers. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study carried out at a private laboratory in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon between 2002 and 2014. The sickling test was carried out for each patient using two methods: the classical “sodium metabisulfite sickling test”, and the new “sickling test method” used in the private lab.  As a confirmatory test, haemoglobin electrophoresis was run on a random sample of 223 cases who were found to be positive using the two sickling tests.  Results: A total of 899 cases were found to be positive for the sickle cell trait out of 184,105 subjects screened during the 12-year period, prevalence = 0.49% (95% CI: 0.46 – 0.52. Among the total sample, females were found to have higher prevalence, where no time trend over the studied period was noted.  The haemoglobin electrophoresis method confirmed the results of this new sickling test technique among the random sample of the 223 cases.  Conclusion: We found that the prevalence of sickle cell trait is lower as compared to other Arab countries, higher in females, with no significant time trend. The sickle cell test was found to be an accurate, simple and cheap test which could be easily added as a requirement to the pre-marital testing to screen for sickle cell trait carriers.

Effect of shading intensity on morphological and color traits, and chemical components of new tea (Camellia sinensis L.) shoots under direct covering cultivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Tomohito; Horie, Hideki; Matsunaga, Akiko; Hirono, Yuhei

2018-05-02

Use of covering cultivation to shade tea (Camellia sinensis L.) trees to produce high-quality, high-priced green tea has recently increased in Japan. Knowledge of shading effects on morphological and color traits, and chemical components of new tea shoots is important for product quality and productivity. We assessed these traits of tea shoots and their relationships under covering cultivation of various radiation intensities. Leaf thickness, LMA (leaf mass per area), and leaf density of new tea leaves were smaller under covering culture than under open-field culture. SPAD values and chlorophyll contents were larger under covering culture than under open culture. The derived exponential equation for estimating chlorophyll contents from SPAD values was improved by considering leaf thickness. Covering culture decreased EC (epicatechin) and EGC (epigallocatechin) contents, and increased theanine and caffeine contents. Principal component analysis on shoot and leaf traits indicated that LMA, and chlorophyll, EC, and EGC contents were strongly associated with shading effects. Morphological and color traits, and chemical components of new tea shoots and leaves varied depending on radiation intensity, shoot growth, and cropping season. These findings are useful for covering cultivation with high quality and high productivity in tea gardens. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Construction of chromosome segment substitution lines enables QTL mapping for flowering and morphological traits in Brassica rapa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaonan eLi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs represent a powerful method for precise quantitative trait loci (QTL detection of complex agronomical traits in plants. In this study, we used a marker-assisted backcrossing strategy to develop a population consisting of 63 CSSLs, derived from backcrossing of the F1 generated from a cross between two Brassica rapa subspecies: ‘Chiifu’ (ssp. pekinensis, the Brassica A genome-represented line used as the donor, and ‘49caixin’ (ssp. parachinensis, a non-heading cultivar used as the recipient. The 63 CSSLs covered 87.95% of the B. rapa genome. Among them, 39 lines carried a single segment; 15 lines, two segments; and nine lines, three or more segments of the donor parent chromosomes. To verify the potential advantage of these CSSL lines, we used them to locate QTL for six morphology-related traits. A total of 58 QTL were located on eight chromosomes for all six traits: 17 for flowering time, 14 each for bolting time and plant height, 6 for plant diameter, 2 for leaf width, and 5 for flowering stalk diameter. Co-localized QTL were mainly distributed on eight genomic regions in A01, A02, A05, A06, A08, A09, and A10, present in the corresponding CSSLs. Moreover, new chromosomal fragments that harbored QTL were identified using the findings of previous studies. The CSSL population constructed in our study paves the way for fine mapping and cloning of candidate genes involved in late bolting, flowering, and plant architecture-related traits in B. rapa. Furthermore, it has great potential for future marker-aided gene/QTL pyramiding of other interesting traits in B. rapa breeding.

Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of HCT116 Human Colon Cancer Cells Investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Huiqing; Wang, Nan; Zhang, Zhe; Wang, Hongda; Du, Jun; Tang, Jilin

2017-01-01

Chronic inflammation orchestrates the tumor microenvironment and is strongly associated with cancer. Tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF α ) is involved in tumor invasion and metastasis by inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This process is defined by the loss of epithelial characteristics and gain of mesenchymal traits. The mechanisms of TNF α -induced EMT in cancer cells have been well studied. However, mechanical properties have not yet been probed. In this work, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to investigate the morphology and mechanical properties of EMT in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. A remarkable morphological change from cobblestone shape to spindle-like morphology was observed. In parallel, AFM images showed that the cellular cytoskeleton was rearranged from a cortical to a stress-fiber pattern. Moreover, cell stiffness measurements indicated that Young's modulus of cells gradually reduced from 1 to 3 days with TNF α -treatment, but it has an apparent increase after 4 days of treatment compared with that for 3 days. Additionally, Young's modulus of the cells treated with TNF α for 4 days is slightly larger than that for 1 or 2 days, but still less than that of the untreated cells. Our work contributes to a better understanding of colorectal cancer metastasis induced by inflammation.

Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of HCT116 Human Colon Cancer Cells Investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huiqing Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Chronic inflammation orchestrates the tumor microenvironment and is strongly associated with cancer. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα is involved in tumor invasion and metastasis by inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT. This process is defined by the loss of epithelial characteristics and gain of mesenchymal traits. The mechanisms of TNFα-induced EMT in cancer cells have been well studied. However, mechanical properties have not yet been probed. In this work, atomic force microscopy (AFM was applied to investigate the morphology and mechanical properties of EMT in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. A remarkable morphological change from cobblestone shape to spindle-like morphology was observed. In parallel, AFM images showed that the cellular cytoskeleton was rearranged from a cortical to a stress-fiber pattern. Moreover, cell stiffness measurements indicated that Young’s modulus of cells gradually reduced from 1 to 3 days with TNFα-treatment, but it has an apparent increase after 4 days of treatment compared with that for 3 days. Additionally, Young’s modulus of the cells treated with TNFα for 4 days is slightly larger than that for 1 or 2 days, but still less than that of the untreated cells. Our work contributes to a better understanding of colorectal cancer metastasis induced by inflammation.

Cell dynamic morphology classification using deep convolutional neural networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Heng; Pang, Fengqian; Shi, Yonggang; Liu, Zhiwen

2018-05-15

Cell morphology is often used as a proxy measurement of cell status to understand cell physiology. Hence, interpretation of cell dynamic morphology is a meaningful task in biomedical research. Inspired by the recent success of deep learning, we here explore the application of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to cell dynamic morphology classification. An innovative strategy for the implementation of CNNs is introduced in this study. Mouse lymphocytes were collected to observe the dynamic morphology, and two datasets were thus set up to investigate the performances of CNNs. Considering the installation of deep learning, the classification problem was simplified from video data to image data, and was then solved by CNNs in a self-taught manner with the generated image data. CNNs were separately performed in three installation scenarios and compared with existing methods. Experimental results demonstrated the potential of CNNs in cell dynamic morphology classification, and validated the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. CNNs were successfully applied to the classification problem, and outperformed the existing methods in the classification accuracy. For the installation of CNNs, transfer learning was proved to be a promising scheme. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Variability among Capsicum baccatum accessions from Goiás, Brazil, assessed by morphological traits and molecular markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, A L A; Araújo, J S P; Ragassi, C F; Buso, G S C; Reifschneider, F J B

2017-07-06

Capsicum peppers are native to the Americas, with Brazil being a significant diversity center. Capsicum baccatum accessions at Instituto Federal (IF) Goiano represent a portion of the species genetic resources from central Brazil. We aimed to characterize a C. baccatum working collection comprising 27 accessions and 3 commercial cultivars using morphological traits and molecular markers to describe its genetic and morphological variability and verify the occurrence of duplicates. This set included 1 C. baccatum var. praetermissum and 29 C. baccatum var. pendulum with potential for use in breeding programs. Twenty-two morphological descriptors, 57 inter-simple sequence repeat, and 34 random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were used. Genetic distance was calculated through the Jaccard similarity index and genetic variability through cluster analysis using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean, resulting in dendrograms for both morphological analysis and molecular analysis. Genetic variability was found among C. baccatum var. pendulum accessions, and the distinction between the two C. baccatum varieties was evident in both the morphological and molecular analyses. The 29 C. baccatum var. pendulum genotypes clustered in four groups according to fruit type in the morphological analysis. They formed seven groups in the molecular analysis, without a clear correspondence with morphology. No duplicates were found. The results describe the genetic and morphological variability, provide a detailed characterization of genotypes, and discard the possibility of duplicates within the IF Goiano C. baccatum L. collection. This study will foment the use of this germplasm collection in C. baccatum breeding programs.

Supplementary Material for: The flora phenotype ontology (FLOPO): tool for integrating morphological traits and phenotypes of vascular plants

KAUST Repository

Hoehndorf, Robert

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The systematic analysis of a large number of comparable plant trait data can support investigations into phylogenetics and ecological adaptation, with broad applications in evolutionary biology, agriculture, conservation, and the functioning of ecosystems. Floras, i.e., books collecting the information on all known plant species found within a region, are a potentially rich source of such plant trait data. Floras describe plant traits with a focus on morphology and other traits relevant for species identification in addition to other characteristics of plant species, such as ecological affinities, distribution, economic value, health applications, traditional uses, and so on. However, a key limitation in systematically analyzing information in Floras is the lack of a standardized vocabulary for the described traits as well as the difficulties in extracting structured information from free text. Results We have developed the Flora Phenotype Ontology (FLOPO), an ontology for describing traits of plant species found in Floras. We used the Plant Ontology (PO) and the Phenotype And Trait Ontology (PATO) to extract entity-quality relationships from digitized taxon descriptions in Floras, and used a formal ontological approach based on phenotype description patterns and automated reasoning to generate the FLOPO. The resulting ontology consists of 25,407 classes and is based on the PO and PATO. The classified ontology closely follows the structure of Plant Ontology in that the primary axis of classification is the observed plant anatomical structure, and more specific traits are then classified based on parthood and subclass relations between anatomical structures as well as subclass relations between phenotypic qualities. Conclusions The FLOPO is primarily intended as a framework based on which plant traits can be integrated computationally across all species and higher taxa of flowering plants. Importantly, it is not intended to replace established

Variation, heritability and association of yield, fiber and morphological traits in a near long staple upland cotton population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, D.; Wang, T.; Zhang, H.; Zhu, J.; Tang, F.

2016-01-01

Development of near long staple (NLS) cotton germplasm represents a remarkable improvement in fiber properties of upland genotypes without compromising yield potential. This study aimed to evaluate a NLS population for variability in yield, fiber and morphological traits, investigate heritability and genetic advance of these traits, and analyze the interrelationships among them. The NLS lines exhibited large variation for lint yield per hectare and bolls per plant, while little variation for fiber properties. The highest genotypic (GCV) and phenotypic (PCV) coefficient of variation were recorded by lint yield per hectare (25.10%, 23.00%) followed by bolls per plant (18.88%, 16.38%). High heritability along with high response to selection was documented in plant height, bolls per plant and lint yield per hectare indicating that the additive gene function model in the inheritance of these traits and direct selection can be profitably applied on them. Favourable associations were found among fiber length, strength and fineness in this population. It is concluded that there is a great potential in the NSL population for further enhancing yield while maintaining high fiber quality. (author)

The variability of Scots pine from Piekielna Góra as expressed by morphological and anatomical traits of needles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria A. Bobowicz

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Two-year old needles were collected from 30 standing Scots pine trees on Piekielna Góra. These needles were analysed in respect to 13 morphological and anatomical traits. The data so obtained was subjected to a whole range of multi-trait analytical methods in an attempt to determine the variability among the randomly chosen trees. Multivariate analysis of variance and canonical analysis were done as well as calculation of Mahalanobis distances between each pair of trees and their significance was tested by the Hotelling T2 statistics. Aminimum spanning tree was constructed on the basis of the shortest Mahalanobis distances, while a dendrogram (cluster analysis was compiled on the basis of Euclidean distances. It was found that in spite of the fact that the studied population sample of pines did not form internal, significantly differentiated groups, the variability among particular trees was large and depended on the given trait. The number of resin canals best differentiated the studied trees, while the Marcet coefficient did not significantly differentia­te any pair of trees.

Morphological changes in human melanoma cells following irradiation with thermal neutrons.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkla, D H; Allen, B J; Brown, J K; Mountford, M; Mishima, Y; Ichihashi, M

1989-01-01

Morphological changes in two human melanoma cell lines, MM96 and MM418, following irradiation with thermal neutrons, were studied using light and electron microscopy. The results show that the response of human malignant melanoma cells to neutron irradiation is both cell line dependent and dose dependent, and that in any given cell line, some cells are more resistant to irradiation than others, thus demonstrating heterogeneity in respect to radiosensitivity. Cells repopulating MM96 flasks after irradiation were morphologically similar to the cells of origin whereas in MM418 flasks cells differentiated into five morphologically distinct subgroups and showed increased melanization. The results also show that radiation causes distinctive morphological patterns of damage although ultrastructural changes unique to the high LET particles released from boron 10 neutron capture are yet to be identified.

Morphological changes in human melanoma cells following irradiation with thermal neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkla, D.H.; Allen, B.J.; Brown, J.K.; Mountford, M.; Mishima, Y.; Ichihashi, M.

1989-01-01

Morphological changes in two human melanoma cell lines, MM96 and MM418, following irradiation with thermal neutrons, were studied using light and electron microscopy. The results show that the response of human malignant melanoma cells to neutron irradiation is both cell line dependent and dose dependent, and that in any given cell line, some cells are more resistant to irradiation than others, thus demonstrating heterogeneity in respect to radiosensitivity. Cells repopulating MM96 flasks after irradiation were morphologically similar to the cells of origin whereas in MM418 flasks cells differentiated into five morphologically distinct subgroups and showed increased melanization. The results also show that radiation causes distinctive morphological patterns of damage although ultrastructural changes unique to the high LET particles released from boron 10 neutron capture are yet to be identified

Sickle cell trait: what are the costs and benefits of screening?

Science.gov (United States)

Shephard, Roy J

2016-12-01

Eight percent of African Americans are carriers of the sickle cell trait. Some regard this as a benign anomaly, but others point to incidents of sudden exercise-related death, calling for a preliminary screening of either all athletes or those of African-American ancestry. This brief review considers the costs and benefits of such screening. The Ovid/Health Star data-base was searched from 1996 to June 2015. 2014. The terms "exercise", "exercise therapy", "sports", "athletes", "physical activity/motor activity" and "physical fitness" were combined to yield 227,120 citations. Likewise, the terms "sickle cell trait", "sickle cell disease", "splenic infarction", "hemoglobin S" and "rhabdomyolysis" identified 12,325 citations. A combination of the 2 searches yielded 416 abstracts. Excluding items relating to animal research or forms of rhabdomyolysis other than sickling left 375 abstracts; 115 papers merited full examination. This material covered the risks of sickle cell trait and of screening (55 items), effects upon physical performance (31 items), cellular mechanisms (23 items), nutrition (4 items), and other topics (2 items). Supplemented material was drawn from reference lists and personal files. The tendency to sickling was provoked by excessive exercise relative to physical condition in hot or hypoxic conditions, and by local tissue acidosis, conditions that were best avoided by all athletes. The condition had little impact upon physical performance, but the relative risks of heat illness, exertional rhabdomyolysis, splenic infarction and sudden death were all increased by the sickle cell trait. The absolute number of critical incidents was nevertheless small, calling for close assessment of the costs and putative benefits of widespread screening. Sports physicians should be aware of the clinical picture of sickling and be prepared to treat it. Screening may be cost-effective if targeted to black athletes involved in certain sports, although it has yet to be

Assessment relationship between agro-morphological traits and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ahmadizadeh.M

2012-05-01

May 1, 2012 ... Principal component analysis (PCA) identifies plant traits which ..... interaction analysis of yield performance in bread wheat genotypes across environments. Turk J. ... Determination of grain protein concentration in barley.

Beta thalassaemia traits in Nigerian patients with sickle cell anaemia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research ... These three patients (1.2%) were found to have positive co-inheritance of thalassaemia trait and sickle cell anaemia. The erythrocyte indices were all reduced in these selected families except for one family whose mean cell haemoglobin concentration was within normal ...

Organic Based Solar Cells with Morphology Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas Rieks

The field of organic solar cells has in the last years gone through an impressive development with efficiencies reported up to 12 %. For organic solar cells to take the leap from primarily being a laboratory scale technology to being utilized as renewable energy source, several issues need...... Microscopy and as solar cells in a blend with PCBM. It was concluded that these particles did not show a potential large enough for continuous work due to a high material loss and low efficiency when applied in solar cells. The second method to achieve was preparation of pre-arranged morphology organic...... nanoparticles consisting of a blend of donor and acceptor in an aqueous dispersion, thereby addressing two of the issues remaining in the field of organic solar cells. This approach was used on six different polymers, which all had the ability to prepare aqueous nanoparticle inks. The morphology...

Evaluation of cardiac function tests in Sudanese adult patients with sickle cell trait

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamal E.A. Abdelsalam

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Cardiac dysfunctions have been recognized as a common complication of sickle cell anaemia (SCA, and together with pulmonary disorder accounts for many deaths in these patients. However, sickle cell traits appear clinically normal, although they have genetic abnormality. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of sickle cell trait on cardiac prognostic markers by measuring high density lipoprotein (HDL-C, low density lipoprotein (LDL-C, cardiac creatine kinase (CK-MB, ultra-sensitive C reactive protein (us-CRP, total homocysteine (Hyc, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP tests in adult Sudanese patients with sickle cell trait.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 200 healthy volunteers as a control group and 200 diagnosed patients with sickle cell trait. It was carried out in Khartoum Specialized Hospital, Al-Bayan Hospital, Obayed Clinical Center and Dr. Nadir Specialized Hospital, Sudan between January 2015 and January 2016. All participants were between 20-32 years old. LDL-C, HDL-C, CK-MB, NT-proBNP and hs-CRP concentrations were measured by Hitachi 912 full-automated Chemistry Analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Germany as manufacturer procedure, while homocysteine level was measured by ELISA technique using special kit.Results: When compared to control group, the levels of LDL-C, hs-CRP and NT-proBNP revealed significant increase in patients’ sera (p<0.001, while Hyc and CK-MB levels were increased insignificantly in patients with SCT (p=0.069, p=0.054 respectively. On the other hand, comparison to control group, HDL-C showed insignificant reduction in patients (p=0.099.Conclusion: The results suggest that sickle cell trait increased the risk of patient-related complication secondary to cardiac dysfunction.

Analyses of genetic relationships between linear type traits, fat-to-protein ratio, milk production traits, and somatic cell count in first-parity Czech Holstein cows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zink, V; Zavadilová, L; Lassen, Jan

2014-01-01

. The number of animals for each linear type trait was 59 454, except for locomotion, for which 53 424 animals were recorded. The numbers of animals with records of milk production data were 43 992 for milk yield, fat percentage, protein percentage, and fat-to-protein percentage ratio and 43 978 for fat yield...... and protein yield. In total, 27 098 somatic cell score records were available. The strongest positive genetic correlation between production traits and linear type traits was estimated between udder width and fat yield (0.51 ± 0.04), while the strongest negative correlation estimated was between body......Genetic and phenotypic correlations between production traits, selected linear type traits, and somatic cell score were estimated. The results could be useful for breeding programs involving Czech Holstein dairy cows or other populations. A series of bivariate analyses was applied whereby (co...

Variations in cell morphology in the canine cruciate ligament complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, K D; Vaughan-Thomas, A; Spiller, D G; Clegg, P D; Innes, J F; Comerford, E J

2012-08-01

Cell morphology may reflect the mechanical environment of tissues and influence tissue physiology and response to injury. Normal cruciate ligaments (CLs) from disease-free stifle joints were harvested from dog breeds with a high (Labrador retriever) and low (Greyhound) risk of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture. Antibodies against the cytoskeletal components vimentin and alpha tubulin were used to analyse cell morphology; nuclei were stained with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, and images were collected using conventional and confocal microscopy. Both cranial and caudal CLs contained cells of heterogenous morphologies. Cells were arranged between collagen bundles and frequently had cytoplasmic processes. Some of these processes were long (type A cells), others were shorter, thicker and more branched (type B cells), and some had no processes (type C cells). Processes were frequently shown to contact other cells, extending longitudinally and transversely through the CLs. Cells with longer processes had fusiform nuclei, and those with no processes had rounded nuclei and were more frequent in the mid-substance of both CLs. Cells with long processes were more commonly noted in the CLs of the Greyhound. As contact between cells may facilitate direct communication, variances in cell morphology between breeds at a differing risk of CCL rupture may reflect differences in CL physiology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinically relevant morphological structures in breast cancer represent transcriptionally distinct tumor cell populations with varied degrees of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness.

Science.gov (United States)

Denisov, Evgeny V; Skryabin, Nikolay A; Gerashchenko, Tatiana S; Tashireva, Lubov A; Wilhelm, Jochen; Buldakov, Mikhail A; Sleptcov, Aleksei A; Lebedev, Igor N; Vtorushin, Sergey V; Zavyalova, Marina V; Cherdyntseva, Nadezhda V; Perelmuter, Vladimir M

2017-09-22

Intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer is represented by different morphological structures (tubular, alveolar, solid, trabecular, and discrete) and contributes to poor prognosis; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we performed 3D imaging, laser microdissection-assisted array comparative genomic hybridization and gene expression microarray analysis of different morphological structures and examined their association with the standard immunohistochemistry scorings and CD44 + CD24 - cancer stem cells. We found that the intratumor morphological heterogeneity is not associated with chromosomal aberrations. By contrast, morphological structures were characterized by specific gene expression profiles and signaling pathways and significantly differed in progesterone receptor and Ki-67 expression. Most importantly, we observed significant differences between structures in the number of expressed genes of the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes and the association with cancer invasion pathways. Tubular (tube-shaped) and alveolar (spheroid-shaped) structures were transcriptionally similar and demonstrated co-expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Solid (large shapeless) structures retained epithelial features but demonstrated an increase in mesenchymal traits and collective cell migration hallmarks. Mesenchymal genes and cancer invasion pathways, as well as Ki-67 expression, were enriched in trabecular (one/two rows of tumor cells) and discrete groups (single cells and/or arrangements of 2-5 cells). Surprisingly, the number of CD44 + CD24 - cells was found to be the lowest in discrete groups and the highest in alveolar and solid structures. Overall, our findings indicate the association of intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44 + CD24 - stemness and the appeal of this heterogeneity as a model for the study of cancer invasion.

The Effect of Nitrogen and Zinc Levels on Essential Oil Yield and some Morphological Traits of Hypericum perforatums

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.R. Zadeh Esfahlan

2014-07-01

Full Text Available To study the effects of nitrogen and zinc fertilizer on the morphological traits and essential oil yield of St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum a greenhouse experiment in a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at University of Tabriz, Iran in 2012. Treatments consisted of three levels of zinc sulphate with a concentration of zinc fertilizer (zero, 3 and 6 parts per thousand and four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (zero, 50, 100, 150 kg/ha. One half of the fertilizers were applied 20 days after planting of plants and the rest 40 days after transplanting. Traits evaluated were plant height, inflorescence number, leaf area, plant fresh and dry weights and plant essential oil content. The results showed that the traits under study were affected by rate of fertilizer applications. Highest plant height, number of inflorescences, leaf area and essential oil yield were obtained by using 150 kg/ha of nitrogen and applying zinc with 0.006 concentration. Highest fresh and dry weights of above ground parts were also produced by using 150 kg/ha of nitrogen fertilizer along with zinc fertilizer 0.003.

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths.

Science.gov (United States)

van Doorn, W G; Beers, E P; Dangl, J L; Franklin-Tong, V E; Gallois, P; Hara-Nishimura, I; Jones, A M; Kawai-Yamada, M; Lam, E; Mundy, J; Mur, L A J; Petersen, M; Smertenko, A; Taliansky, M; Van Breusegem, F; Wolpert, T; Woltering, E; Zhivotovsky, B; Bozhkov, P V

2011-08-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an integral part of plant development and of responses to abiotic stress or pathogens. Although the morphology of plant PCD is, in some cases, well characterised and molecular mechanisms controlling plant PCD are beginning to emerge, there is still confusion about the classification of PCD in plants. Here we suggest a classification based on morphological criteria. According to this classification, the use of the term 'apoptosis' is not justified in plants, but at least two classes of PCD can be distinguished: vacuolar cell death and necrosis. During vacuolar cell death, the cell contents are removed by a combination of autophagy-like process and release of hydrolases from collapsed lytic vacuoles. Necrosis is characterised by early rupture of the plasma membrane, shrinkage of the protoplast and absence of vacuolar cell death features. Vacuolar cell death is common during tissue and organ formation and elimination, whereas necrosis is typically found under abiotic stress. Some examples of plant PCD cannot be ascribed to either major class and are therefore classified as separate modalities. These are PCD associated with the hypersensitive response to biotrophic pathogens, which can express features of both necrosis and vacuolar cell death, PCD in starchy cereal endosperm and during self-incompatibility. The present classification is not static, but will be subject to further revision, especially when specific biochemical pathways are better defined.

Evolutionary dynamics of ecological niche in three Rhinogobio fishes from the upper Yangtze River inferred from morphological traits

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meirong; Liu, Fei; Lin, Pengcheng; Yang, Shaorong; Liu, Huanzhang

2015-01-01

In the past decades, it has been debated whether ecological niche should be conserved among closely related species (phylogenetic niche conservatism, PNC) or largely divergent (traditional ecological niche theory and ecological speciation) and whether niche specialist and generalist might remain in equilibrium or niche generalist could not appear. In this study, we employed morphological traits to describe ecological niche and test whether different niche dimensions exhibit disparate evolutionary patterns. We conducted our analysis on three Rhinogobio fish species (R. typus,R. cylindricus, and R. ventralis) from the upper Yangtze River, China. Among the 32 measured morphological traits except body length, PCA extracted the first four principal components with their loading scores >1.000. To find the PNC among species, Mantel tests were conducted with the Euclidean distances calculated from the four principal components (representing different niche dimensions) against the pairwise distances calculated from mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence variations. The results showed that the second and the third niche dimension, both related to swimming ability and behavior, exhibited phylogenetic conservatism. Further comparison on niche breadth among these three species revealed that the fourth dimension of R. typus showed the greatest width, indicating that this dimension exhibited niche generalism. In conclusion, our results suggested that different niche dimensions could show different evolutionary dynamic patterns: they may exhibit PNC or not, and some dimensions may evolve generalism. PMID:25691981

Genetic Diversity of Iranian and Exotic Sainfoin Accessions (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop Based on Morphological Traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Zarabiyan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. is widely grown as forage and pasture legume in Iran and is tolerant to environmental stresses. To investigate the genetic diversity among 56 accessions of sainfoin germplasm (including 46 Iranian and 10 foreign based on morphological and agronomic characteristics, present experiment was conducted as randomized complete block design with three replications in Isfahan University of Technology Research Farm during 2010-2011. The results of analysis of variance indicated considerable variation between studied germplasm for all traits and the better performance for Iranian accessions. The estimation of broad sense heritability for plant height, number of stems per plant, number of stems per meter square and number of nods per stem was high suggesting contribution of the major genes for controlling these traits. On the basis of means comparison, the forage yield was greatest for the first cutting as compared to the second cutting. Also the highest yield obtained from second year. Regarding the palatability (based on leaf to stem ratio the exotic accessions had higher values. Developing of superior cultivars may be possible through combining high yield and palatability in breeding programs.

Genetic divergence among accessions of Axonopus jesuiticus x A. scoparius based on morphological and agronomical traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SIMONE M. SCHEFFER-BASSO

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This study had the objective of assessing the genetic divergence in giant missionary grass (Axonopus jesuiticus x A. scoparius germplasm based on morphological and agronomic traits. Five accessions were evaluated in the field: V14337, V14403, V14404, V14405 and V14406. Three contrasting groups were formed using the UPGMA clustering method: V14337 and V14404 formed one group, V14403 and V14405 formed another, and V14406 was isolated from the other accessions. The most striking traits for the identification of the accessions were the height of the plant and the change color of the leaf. Only V14406 accession had purplish green leaves. The other four accessions differed with regards to plant height and dry matter production, with superiority of V14337 and V14404 accessions. The high similarity, as assessed by the mean Euclidean distance, suggests that V14337 and V14404 share the same genotype. The genotypic variability among accessions indicates their potential use in breeding programs.

MORPHOLOGY AND CELL BIOMASS OF SPONGE Aaptos aaptos AND

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meutia Samira Ismet

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Aaptos aaptos and Petrosia sp. sponges are known for their ability to produce potential marine bioactive compound. As a metazoan animal with simple body structure, the morphology and it association with symbiont-bacteria could influence their bioactive compound both type and activity, as much as their habitat adaptation. In order to determine morphology and its cell biomass of Aaptos aaptos dan Petrosia sp., samples were taken from the West Pari Island, at 7 m depth. Preserved samples (in 4% formaldehyde were examined using a histological mounting and centrifugation method to separate the cells fraction of sponge’s tissues. A. aaptos sponge has a soft body structure with 55.9% skeleton-forming fraction, 14.2% sponge cell fraction and 29.9% bacteria fraction. Meanwhile, Petrosia sp. sponge has a rigid body with dominant skeleton-forming fraction (68.6%, and lesser sponge cell and bacteria associated (19.7% and 11.7%, respectively.Keywords: A. aaptos, Petrosia sp, morphology, cell biomass

Towards reconstructing herbaceous biome dynamics and associated precipitation in Africa: insights from the classification of grass morphological traits

Science.gov (United States)

Pasturel, Marine; Alexandre, Anne; Novello, Alice; Moctar Dieye, Amadou; Wele, Abdoulaye; Paradis, Laure; Hely, Christelle

2014-05-01

Inter-tropical herbaceous ecosystems occupy a 1/5th of terrestrial surface, a half of the African continent, and are expected to extend in the next decades. Dynamic of these ecosystems is simulated with poor accuracy by Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs). One of the bias results from the fact that the diversity of the grass layer dominating these herbaceous ecosystems is poorly taken into account. Mean annual precipitation and the length of the dry season are the main constrains of the dynamics of these ecosystems. Conversely, changes in vegetation affect the water cycle. Inaccuracy in herbaceous ecosystem simulation thus impacts simulations of the water cycle (including precipitation) and vice versa. In order to increase our knowledge of the relationships between grass morphological traits, taxonomy, biomes and climatic niches in Western and South Africa, a 3-step methodology was followed: i) values of culm height, leaf length and width of dominant grass species from Senegal were gathered from flora and clustered using the Partition Around Medoids (PAM) method; ii) trait group ability to sign climatic domains and biomes was assessed using Kruskal-Wallis tests; iii) genericity and robustness of the trait groups were evaluated through their application to Chadian and South African botanical datasets. Results show that 8 grass trait groups are present either in Senegal, Chad or South Africa. These 8 trait groups are distributed along mean annual precipitation and dry season length gradients. The combination of three of them allow to discriminate mean annual precipitation domains (1000 mm) and herbaceous biomes (steppes, savannas, South African grasslands and Nama-Karoo). With these results in hand, grass Plant Functional Types (PFTs) of the DGMV LPJ-GUESS will be re-parameterized and particular attention will be given to the herbaceous biomass assigned to each grass trait group. Simultaneously, relationships between grass trait groups and phytolith vegetation

The morphology of durability issues in PEM fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundu, S.; Fowler, M.; Simon, L.; Grot, S.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' The work presented here examines durability issues in PEM fuel cell materials by examining material morphology and linking morphological features to performance. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques have been able to identify a variety of features on the catalyst layer, each with their own implication to the overall performance and durability of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). These features include cracking, delamination of the catalyst layer, catalyst clustering, electrolyte clustering, and thickness variations. Links between several of these features and catalyst dispersion conditions was also examined, showing that how the material was manufactured influences the type of morphological features present. The SEM has also been used with accelerated aging techniques to closely examine aging of the gas diffusion layer (GDL). It can be shown that over time the GDL will loose its hydrophobic character and hence become more susceptible to flooding in a fuel cell. The impact of morphological changes were determined using fuel cell models and experimental work. The ultimate aim of this work is to provide material developers with the tools and knowledge necessary to design better materials and therefore bring fuel cells closer to commercialization. (author)

Cell Morphology Change by the Ultraviolet Ray Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Myung Joo; Matuo, Yoichirou; Akiyama, Yoko; Izumi, Yoshinobu; Nishijima, Shigehiro

2009-01-01

The effect of low doses of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on morphology changes of cell has been studied based on the observation of the cell length. It was shown that UV-irradiated cell has different behavior in comparison with nonirradiated cell. From the histogram of cell-length distribution, it was confirmed that cell cycle of non irradiated cell was 28 hours, and that cell cycle of irradiated cell with dose of 20 Jm -2 was delayed (39 hours), while irradiated cell with 40 Jm -2 and 60 Jm -2 did not divide and kept growing continuously. It was supposed that in case of 20 Jm -2 of irradiation dose, the cell cycle was delayed because the checkpoint worked in order to repair DNA damage induced by generation of pyrimidine dimer, reactive oxygen species and so on. It was also supposed that in case of 40 Jm -2 and 60 Jm -2 of irradiation dose, overgrowth was induced because the checkpoint was not worked well. The morphology of overgrown cell was similar to that of normally senescent cell. Therefore, it was considered that cell senescence was accelerated by UV irradiation with irradiation doses of 40 Jm -2 and 60 Jm -2

The effect of parity on morphological evolution among phrynosomatid lizards.

Science.gov (United States)

Oufiero, C E; Gartner, G E A

2014-11-01

The shift from egg laying to live-bearing is one of the most well-studied transitions in evolutionary biology. Few studies, however, have assessed the effect of this transition on morphological evolution. Here, we evaluated the effect of reproductive mode on the morphological evolution of 10 traits, among 108 species of phrynosomatid lizards. We assess whether the requirement for passing shelled eggs through the pelvic girdle has led to morphological constraints in oviparous species and whether long gestation times in viviparous species have led to constraints in locomotor morphology. We fit models to the data that vary both in their tempo (strength and rate of selection) and mode of evolution (Brownian or Ornstein-Uhlenbeck) and estimates of trait optima. We found that most traits are best fit by a generalized multipeak OU model, suggesting differing trait optima for viviparous vs. oviparous species. Additionally, rates (σ(2) ) of both pelvic girdle and forelimb trait evolution varied with parity; viviparous species had higher rates. Hindlimb traits, however, exhibited no difference in σ(2) between parity modes. In a functional context, our results suggest that the passage of shelled eggs constrains the morphology of the pelvic girdle, but we found no evidence of morphological constraint of the locomotor apparatus in viviparous species. Our results are consistent with recent lineage diversification analyses, leading to the conclusion that transitions to viviparity increase both lineage and morphological diversification. © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

The adaptive value of morphological, behavioural and life-history traits in reproductive female wolves.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahler, Daniel R; MacNulty, Daniel R; Wayne, Robert K; vonHoldt, Bridgett; Smith, Douglas W

2013-01-01

Reproduction in social organisms is shaped by numerous morphological, behavioural and life-history traits such as body size, cooperative breeding and age of reproduction, respectively. Little is known, however, about the relative influence of these different types of traits on reproduction, particularly in the context of environmental conditions that determine their adaptive value. Here, we use 14 years of data from a long-term study of wolves (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park, USA, to evaluate the relative effects of different traits and ecological factors on the reproductive performance (litter size and survival) of breeding females. At the individual level, litter size and survival improved with body mass and declined with age (c. 4-5 years). Grey-coloured females had more surviving pups than black females, which likely contributed to the maintenance of coat colour polymorphism in this system. The effect of pack size on reproductive performance was nonlinear as litter size peaked at eight wolves and then declined, and litter survival increased rapidly up to three wolves, beyond which it increased more gradually. At the population level, litter size and survival decreased with increasing wolf population size and canine distemper outbreaks. The relative influence of these different-level factors on wolf reproductive success followed individual > group > population. Body mass was the primary determinant of litter size, followed by pack size and population size. Body mass was also the main driver of litter survival, followed by pack size and disease. Reproductive gains because of larger body size and cooperative breeding may mitigate reproductive losses because of negative density dependence and disease. These findings highlight the adaptive value of large body size and sociality in promoting individual fitness in stochastic and competitive environments. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

A rare case of avascular necrosis in sickle cell trait: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, William J

2018-01-01

Sickle cell trait is usually an asymptomatic presentation of a patient with slightly different hemoglobin molecule makeup than normal. It is similar to a more serious disease, sickle cell disease, in which a person's hemoglobin is mutated in such a way that causes their red blood cells to easily change shape in certain environmental and internal states; this causes red blood cells to adhere to the walls and occlude the lumen of the arteries in which they travel, leading to downstream effects secondary to ischemia. Sickle cell trait does not have these ischemic effects, usually. In this case, a young African American female patient presents to the clinic with severe right hip pain. Her past medical history includes sickle cell trait and asthma. She has not been symptomatic of her asthma for years and is not on therapy for it. The pain has lasted for several months and has not improved with anti-inflammatory medication. There is severe pain with internal and external rotation of the hip. The neurovascularity of the lower extremities is intact bilaterally. MRI of the femur shows stage 2 or 3 avascular necrosis of the femoral head, while X-rays of the femur are unremarkable. Non weight-bearing for several weeks was unsuccessful; shortly thereafter, the patient underwent core decompression of the right femoral head as well as starting bisphosphonates. The patient improved temporarily but regressed shortly thereafter. Her avascular necrosis worsened radiographically over the next several months. At this point, the only other option would be to do a total hip arthroplasty, but the patient may need several more throughout her lifetime due to the lifespan of the artificial replacement. There have only been scarce reports of avascular necrosis in patients with sickle cell trait. This manuscript presents such a case and includes the trials and tribulations associated with its management.

Path analysis of the productive traits in Sorghum species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ikanović Jela

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This research studied the phenotypic correlation coefficients between three Sorghum species, namely forage sorghum S. bicolor Moench. (c. NS-Džin, Sudan grass S. sudanense L. (c. Zora and interspecies hybrid S. bicolor x S. sudanense (c. Siloking. The analyses were performed on plant material samples taken from the first cutting, when plants were in the beginning phase of tasseling. The following morphologic traits were studied: plant height, number of leaves per plant, stem leaf weight and mean stem weight. Additionally, their direct and indirect effect on dependent variable green biomass yield was analyzed, for which path coefficients were calculated. This method enables more quality and full insight into relations existing among the studied traits, more precise establishment of cause-effect connections among them, as well as to separate direct from indirect effects of any particular trait on dependent variable, being biomass yield in this case. The analysis of phenotypic coefficients revealed differences in direct and indirect effect of certain traits on dependent variable. Sudan grass had the highest stem (2.281 m and most leaves per plant (7.917. Forage sorghum had the largest leaf weight per plant (49.05 g, while interspecies hybrid had the highest mean stem weight (80.798 g. Variations of these morphologic traits among species were found to be significant and very significant. Morphologic traits - stem height and weight significantly affected sorghum green biomass yield. Leaf number and leaf portion in total biomass were negatively correlated with yield. Cultivars differed significantly regarding morphologic and productive traits. Sudan grass had the lowest green biomass yield, while forage sorghum and interspecies hybrid had significant yield increase.

New handbook for standardised measurement of plant functional traits worldwide.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perez-Harguindeguy, N.; Diaz, S.; Garnier, E.; Lavorel, S.; Poorter, H.; Jaureguiberry, P.; Bret-Harte, M.S.; Cornwell, W.K.; Craine, J.M.; Gurvich, D.E.; Urcelay, C.; Veneklaas, E.J.; Reich, P.B.; Poorter, L.; Wright, I.J.; Ray, P.; Enrico, L.; Pausas, J.G.; de Vos, A.C.; Buchmann, N.; Funes, G.; Quetier, F.; Hodgson, J.G.; Thompson, K.; Morgan, H.D.; ter Steege, H.; van der Heijden, M.G.A.; Sack, L.; Blonder, B.; Poschlod, P.; Vaieretti, M.V.; Conti, G.; Staver, A.C.; Aquino, S.; Cornelissen, J.H.C.

2013-01-01

Plant functional traits are the features (morphological, physiological, phenological) that represent ecological strategies and determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels and influence ecosystem properties. Variation in plant functional traits, and trait

[Sub capsular splenic hematoma in a sickle cell trait carrier. Case report].

Science.gov (United States)

Ugalde, Diego; Conte, Guillermo; Ugalde, Héctor; Figueroa, Gastón; Cuneo, Marianela; Muñoz, Macarena; Mayor, Javiera

2011-09-01

Drepanocytic anemia is an uncommon hereditary disease in Chile. The heterozygous state of drepanocytic anemia or "sickle trait" has a frequency of 8% among Afro-Americans. A small number of patients carrying hemoglobin S are homozygous, with clinical manifestations of hemolytic anemia and thrombotic disease. Sickle trait is usually asymptomatic. We report a 59-year-old male who presented an acute abdominal pain and dyspnea while staying at high altitude. Six days later, an angio CAT scan showed the presence of a subcapsular splenic hematoma that was managed conservatively. Sickle cell induction with sodium metabisulphite was positive. Hemoglobin electrophoresis confirmed the sickle trait.

The Allelic Landscape of Human Blood Cell Trait Variation and Links to Common Complex Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Astle, William J; Elding, Heather; Jiang, Tao; Allen, Dave; Ruklisa, Dace; Mann, Alice L; Mead, Daniel; Bouman, Heleen; Riveros-Mckay, Fernando; Kostadima, Myrto A; Lambourne, John J; Sivapalaratnam, Suthesh; Downes, Kate; Kundu, Kousik; Bomba, Lorenzo; Berentsen, Kim; Bradley, John R; Daugherty, Louise C; Delaneau, Olivier; Freson, Kathleen; Garner, Stephen F; Grassi, Luigi; Guerrero, Jose; Haimel, Matthias; Janssen-Megens, Eva M; Kaan, Anita; Kamat, Mihir; Kim, Bowon; Mandoli, Amit; Marchini, Jonathan; Martens, Joost H A; Meacham, Stuart; Megy, Karyn; O'Connell, Jared; Petersen, Romina; Sharifi, Nilofar; Sheard, Simon M; Staley, James R; Tuna, Salih; van der Ent, Martijn; Walter, Klaudia; Wang, Shuang-Yin; Wheeler, Eleanor; Wilder, Steven P; Iotchkova, Valentina; Moore, Carmel; Sambrook, Jennifer; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Di Angelantonio, Emanuele; Kaptoge, Stephen; Kuijpers, Taco W; Carrillo-de-Santa-Pau, Enrique; Juan, David; Rico, Daniel; Valencia, Alfonso; Chen, Lu; Ge, Bing; Vasquez, Louella; Kwan, Tony; Garrido-Martín, Diego; Watt, Stephen; Yang, Ying; Guigo, Roderic; Beck, Stephan; Paul, Dirk S; Pastinen, Tomi; Bujold, David; Bourque, Guillaume; Frontini, Mattia; Danesh, John; Roberts, David J; Ouwehand, Willem H; Butterworth, Adam S; Soranzo, Nicole

2016-11-17

Many common variants have been associated with hematological traits, but identification of causal genes and pathways has proven challenging. We performed a genome-wide association analysis in the UK Biobank and INTERVAL studies, testing 29.5 million genetic variants for association with 36 red cell, white cell, and platelet properties in 173,480 European-ancestry participants. This effort yielded hundreds of low frequency (<5%) and rare (<1%) variants with a strong impact on blood cell phenotypes. Our data highlight general properties of the allelic architecture of complex traits, including the proportion of the heritable component of each blood trait explained by the polygenic signal across different genome regulatory domains. Finally, through Mendelian randomization, we provide evidence of shared genetic pathways linking blood cell indices with complex pathologies, including autoimmune diseases, schizophrenia, and coronary heart disease and evidence suggesting previously reported population associations between blood cell indices and cardiovascular disease may be non-causal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

morphological and agronomic traits variations for mungbean variety

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

environment interaction (GEI) was significant (P < 0.001) for all the traits, indicating inconsistent ... and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed narrow diversity in the mungbean collection. ... Mungbean protein and carbohydrates.

Effects of biochar application on morphological traits in maize and soybean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šeremešić Srđan I.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the effects of the biochar application morphologi­cal traits in maize and soybean under semi-controlled conditions. During the study, the in­creasing doses of biochar (0%, 0.5%, 1, 3, and 5% were incorporated in three soil types: Alluvium, Humogley and Chernozem to determine plant height and shoot weight. The ex­periment was set up as fully randomized design with three repetitions. The plants were grown in pots of 5 l with controlled watering and N fertilization. The research results have shown that there are differences in terms of biochar effects on soils. The greatest effect on plant height and shoot weight was obtained when the biochar was applied to Humogley soil and lower effects were found on the Alluvium soil. The increase in aboveground mass of maize and soybeans was significantly conditioned by adding different doses of biochar. Based on these results, it can be concluded that adding biochar can significantly affect the growth of plants. This is a consequence of the changes it causes in soil, which requires further tests to complement the current findings. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR031072 i br. TR031073

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Doorn, W.G.; Beers, E.P.; Dangl, J.L.

2011-01-01

, which can express features of both necrosis and vacuolar cell death, PCD in starchy cereal endosperm and during self-incompatibility. The present classification is not static, but will be subject to further revision, especially when specific biochemical pathways are better defined....... the classification of PCD in plants. Here we suggest a classification based on morphological criteria. According to this classification, the use of the term 'apoptosis' is not justified in plants, but at least two classes of PCD can be distinguished: vacuolar cell death and necrosis. During vacuolar cell death...

Estimation of genetic parameters for reproductive traits in alpacas.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, A; Cervantes, I; Burgos, A; Morante, R; Gutiérrez, J P

2015-12-01

One of the main deficiencies affecting animal breeding programs in Peruvian alpacas is the low reproductive performance leading to low number of animals available to select from, decreasing strongly the selection intensity. Some reproductive traits could be improved by artificial selection, but very few information about genetic parameters exists for these traits in this specie. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for six reproductive traits in alpacas both in Suri (SU) and Huacaya (HU) ecotypes, as well as their genetic relationship with fiber and morphological traits. Dataset belonging to Pacomarca experimental farm collected between 2000 and 2014 was used. Number of records for age at first service (AFS), age at first calving (AFC), copulation time (CT), pregnancy diagnosis (PD), gestation length (GL), and calving interval (CI) were, respectively, 1704, 854, 19,770, 5874, 4290 and 934. Pedigree consisted of 7742 animals. Regarding reproductive traits, model of analysis included additive and residual random effects for all traits, and also permanent environmental effect for CT, PD, GL and CI traits, with color and year of recording as fixed effects for all the reproductive traits and also age at mating and sex of calf for GL trait. Estimated heritabilities, respectively for HU and SU were 0.19 and 0.09 for AFS, 0.45 and 0.59 for AFC, 0.04 and 0.05 for CT, 0.07 and 0.05 for PD, 0.12 and 0.20 for GL, and 0.14 and 0.09 for CI. Genetic correlations between them ranged from -0.96 to 0.70. No important genetic correlations were found between reproductive traits and fiber or morphological traits in HU. However, some moderate favorable genetic correlations were found between reproductive and either fiber and morphological traits in SU. According to estimated genetic correlations, some reproductive traits might be included as additional selection criteria in HU. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Sickle Cell Trait and Glucose 6 Phosphate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Blood donation from sickle cell trait (SCT) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient donors might alter the quality of the donated blood during processing, storage or in the recipients' circulatory system. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of SCT and G6PD deficiency among blood ...

Cell wall staining with Trypan blue enables quantitative analysis of morphological changes in yeast cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liesche, Johannes; Marek, Magdalena; Günther-Pomorski, Thomas

2015-01-01

Yeast cells are protected by a cell wall that plays an important role in the exchange of substances with the environment. The cell wall structure is dynamic and can adapt to different physiological states or environmental conditions. For the investigation of morphological changes, selective staining with fluorescent dyes is a valuable tool. Furthermore, cell wall staining is used to facilitate sub-cellular localization experiments with fluorescently-labeled proteins and the detection of yeast cells in non-fungal host tissues. Here, we report staining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall with Trypan Blue, which emits strong red fluorescence upon binding to chitin and yeast glucan; thereby, it facilitates cell wall analysis by confocal and super-resolution microscopy. The staining pattern of Trypan Blue was similar to that of the widely used UV-excitable, blue fluorescent cell wall stain Calcofluor White. Trypan Blue staining facilitated quantification of cell size and cell wall volume when utilizing the optical sectioning capacity of a confocal microscope. This enabled the quantification of morphological changes during growth under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of chemicals, demonstrating the potential of this approach for morphological investigations or screening assays.

Cell wall staining with Trypan Blue enables quantitative analysis of morphological changes in yeast cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes eLiesche

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Yeast cells are protected by a cell wall that plays an important role in the exchange of substances with the environment. The cell wall structure is dynamic and can adapt to different physiological states or environmental conditions. For the investigation of morphological changes, selective staining with fluorescent dyes is a valuable tool. Furthermore, cell wall staining is used to facilitate sub-cellular localization experiments with fluorescently-labeled proteins and the detection of yeast cells in non-fungal host tissues. Here, we report staining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall with Trypan Blue, which emits strong red fluorescence upon binding to chitin and yeast glucan; thereby, it facilitates cell wall analysis by confocal and super-resolution microscopy. The staining pattern of Trypan Blue was similar to that of the widely used UV-excitable, blue fluorescent cell wall stain Calcofluor White. Trypan Blue staining facilitated quantification of cell size and cell wall volume when utilizing the optical sectioning capacity of a confocal microscope. This enabled the quantification of morphological changes during growth under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of chemicals, demonstrating the potential of this approach for morphological investigations or screening assays.

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doorn, van W.G.; Beers, E.P.; Dangl, J.L.; Franklin-Tong, V.E.; Woltering, E.J.

2011-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an integral part of plant development and of responses to abiotic stress or pathogens. Although the morphology of plant PCD is, in some cases, well characterised and molecular mechanisms controlling plant PCD are beginning to emerge, there is still confusion about the

Morphological evaluation during in vitro chondrogenesis of dental pulp stromal cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choo-Ryung Chung

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives The aim was to confirm the stem cell-like properties of the dental pulp stromal cells and to evaluate the morphologic changes during in vitro chondrogenesis. Materials and Methods Stromal cells were outgrown from the dental pulp tissue of the premolars. Surface markers were investigated and cell proliferation rate was compared to other mesenchymal stem cells. Multipotency of the pulp cells was confirmed by inducing osteogenesis, adipogenesis and chondrogenesis. The morphologic changes in the chondrogenic pellet during the 21 day of induction were evaluated under light microscope and transmission electron microscope. TUNEL assay was used to evaluate apoptosis within the chondrogenic pellets. Results Pulp cells were CD90, 105 positive and CD31, 34 negative. They showed similar proliferation rate to other stem cells. Pulp cells differentiated to osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic tissues. During chondrogenesis, 3-dimensional pellet was created with multi-layers, hypertrophic chondrocyte-like cells and cartilage-like extracellular matrix. However, cell morphology became irregular and apoptotic cells were increased after 7 day of chondrogenic induction. Conclusions Pulp cells indicated mesenchymal stem cell-like characteristics. During the in vitro chondrogenesis, cellular activity was superior during the earlier phase (within 7 day of differentiation.

Controversial report on sickle cell trait in Manipur, India

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maishnam Rustam Singh

2012-12-28

Dec 28, 2012 ... I read with concern the article by Shah et al. [1] entitled. 'Gene Frequency of Sickle Cell Trait among Muslim Popula- tions in a Malarial belt of India, i.e., Manipur' published in your esteemed journal. However, I found many ambiguities in it. I would like to make the following comments on this article.

Gross morphology and ultrastructure of the female reproductive system of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Cleisto Alda Dossi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The morphological traits of the female reproductive system of Diaphorina citri were examined in detail. Diaphorina citri has telotrophic ovaries with ovarioles organized as a "bouquet", displaying a rudimentary terminal filament and a syncytial tropharium. The vitellarium carries a single growing oocyte at each maturation cycle, which is connected with the tropharium by a nutritive cord. Morpho-functional changes occur during oocyte development, mainly during mid to late vitellogenesis. Morphological events such as the patency of the follicular cells and the intense traffic of vesicles through para- or intracellular processes, suggest a possible route for endosymbiont invasion of D. citri reproductive tissues. Similar events have been demonstrated to be involved in the process of ovariole invasion by endosymbionts in other sternorrhynchans that share reproductive traits with psyllids.

Polymer solar cells. Morphology-property-correlation; Polymere Solarzellen. Morphologie-Eigenschafts-Korrelation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erb, Tobias

2008-09-22

The aim of the presented dissertation is to clarify open questions concerning the development and control of the morphology in the active layer of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells. The new findings hereby derived shall modify the existing models of the active layer morphology as found in today's literature. The experimental investigations were performed by X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. In addition to those methods, light microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were applied to investigate three chosen material systems: P3HT/PCBM-C{sub 60}, P3HT/MDHE-C{sub 60}, and P3HT/(MDHE){sub 2}-C{sub 60}. On the basis of experimental results a morphological model is developed, which is discussed in the context of existing literature. The solar cells were electrically characterised by current-voltage and external quantum efficiency measurements. The structural model is set into relation with photovoltaic parameters of the polymer solar cell, such as short circuit photocurrent, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency. This contributes to the explanation and analysis of the electrical properties of the organic solar cell as a device. In summary, this work yields morphology-property-relations that are able to explain the interaction between physical properties, such as light absorption, charge carrier generation, and transport, with the morphology present within the active layer. Finally, the three investigated systems are compared and evaluated with respect to their applicability in polymer solar cells. Further on, the morphology-propertyrelations are used to develop a strategy to estimate the suitability of new twocomponent polymer-fullerene donor-acceptor systems for polymer solar cells. Based on these findings it becomes possible to evaluate the optimization potential for new materials. In conclusion, this helps to develop polymer solar cells with increased power conversion

Traumatic central retinal artery occlusion with sickle cell trait.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorr, E M; Goldberg, R E

1975-10-01

An 8-year-old black boy with sickle cell trait struck his left brow and globe on the edge of a table and had immediate blurring of vision. Six days later visual acuity was light projection, and traumatic iritis with secondary glaucoma and perimacular edema were present. Fluorescein angiography indicated obstructed peripheral and perimacular arterioles and dye leakage from the disk.

Conserved G-matrices of morphological and life-history traits among continental and island blue tit populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Delahaie, B; Charmantier, A; Chantepie, S; Garant, D; Porlier, M; Teplitsky, C

2017-08-01

The genetic variance-covariance matrix (G-matrix) summarizes the genetic architecture of multiple traits. It has a central role in the understanding of phenotypic divergence and the quantification of the evolutionary potential of populations. Laboratory experiments have shown that G-matrices can vary rapidly under divergent selective pressures. However, because of the demanding nature of G-matrix estimation and comparison in wild populations, the extent of its spatial variability remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigate spatial variation in G-matrices for morphological and life-history traits using long-term data sets from one continental and three island populations of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) that have experienced contrasting population history and selective environment. We found no evidence for differences in G-matrices among populations. Interestingly, the phenotypic variance-covariance matrices (P) were divergent across populations, suggesting that using P as a substitute for G may be inadequate. These analyses also provide the first evidence in wild populations for additive genetic variation in the incubation period (that is, the period between last egg laid and hatching) in all four populations. Altogether, our results suggest that G-matrices may be stable across populations inhabiting contrasted environments, therefore challenging the results of previous simulation studies and laboratory experiments.

Morphological diversity in oleaginous watermelon ( Citrullus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A hundred and seventy-one oleaginous watermelon accessions either collected from different countries or obtained from gene banks were evaluated and compared based on 11 quantitative morphological traits. Principal component analysis on 11 traits revealed 81.19% of the total variability and pointed out variations ...

MicroRNA-200, associated with metastatic breast cancer, promotes traits of mammary luminal progenitor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Cid, Lourdes; Pons, Mònica; Lozano, Juan José; Rubio, Nuria; Guerra-Rebollo, Marta; Soriano, Aroa; Paris-Coderch, Laia; Segura, Miquel F; Fueyo, Raquel; Arguimbau, Judit; Zodda, Erika; Bermudo, Raquel; Alonso, Immaculada; Caparrós, Xavier; Cascante, Marta; Rafii, Arash; Kang, Yibin; Martínez-Balbás, Marian; Weiss, Stephen J; Blanco, Jerónimo; Muñoz, Montserrat; Fernández, Pedro L; Thomson, Timothy M

2017-10-13

MicroRNAs are critical regulators of gene networks in normal and abnormal biological processes. Focusing on invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC), we have found dysregulated expression in tumor samples of several microRNAs, including the miR-200 family, along progression from primary tumors to distant metastases, further reflected in higher blood levels of miR-200b and miR-7 in IDC patients with regional or distant metastases relative to patients with primary node-negative tumors. Forced expression of miR-200s in MCF10CA1h mammary cells induced an enhanced epithelial program, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, mammosphere growth and ability to form branched tubuloalveolar structures while promoting orthotopic tumor growth and lung colonization in vivo . MiR-200s also induced the constitutive activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling through downregulation of PTEN, and the enhanced mammosphere growth and ALDH activity induced in MCF10CA1h cells by miR-200s required the activation of this signaling pathway. Interestingly, the morphology of tumors formed in vivo by cells expressing miR-200s was reminiscent of metaplastic breast cancer (MBC). Indeed, the epithelial components of MBC samples expressed significantly higher levels of miR-200s than their mesenchymal components and displayed a marker profile compatible with luminal progenitor cells. We propose that microRNAs of the miR-200 family promote traits of highly proliferative breast luminal progenitor cells, thereby exacerbating the growth and metastatic properties of transformed mammary epithelial cells.

Effect of different irrigated conditions on some morphological traits of wheat genotypes grown in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albokari, A. A.; Majeed, A.; Almuwalid, A.

2016-01-01

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia being one of the driest countries globally needs drought tolerant wheat varieties. Breeding studies were conducted to determine the effects of different irrigation levels on some morphological traits of 4 wheat varieties. A pot-house experiment was conducted in split plot design using two different irrigations (well-watered and partial moisture stress) levels. Presently, the study was laid on different traits viz. plant height (cm), tiller number/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf length (cm), flowering time (days), maturity time (days), 1000-grain weight (g) and grain yield/plant (g). The mean square from pooled analysis of variance revealed that the genotypes, treatments and genotype x treatment interaction were highly significant (p>0.05) for the traits leaf length, plant height, maturity time,1000-grain weight, grain yield per plot; however, number of leaves, number of tillers/plant, flowering time and 1000-grain weight showed non-significant difference. Similarly, genotype x reading interaction was also highly significant (p>0.05) leaf length, number of tillers per plant and plant height. The varieties Nukrat Zahran, Samrra Najran and Halba Najran and showed better performance for grain yield and maximum 1000-grain weight under both environments. Plant height showed highly significant positive correlation with number of leaves per plant and number of tillers per plant. At partial stress, 1000-grain weight showed highly significant (p>0.01) correlation (r=0.8608) with grain yield and maturity time (r=0.9948). The knowledge obtained through this research will be helpful while selection of best varieties with better tolerance to environmental stresses. (author)

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas with sickle cell trait: A rare case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harish S Permi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas is a rare pancreatic neoplasm affecting young women, has low malignant potential and amenable for surgical excision with good long-term survival. Sickle cell trait is benign condition, which involves one normal beta-globin chain and one HbS chain. Although it is a benign condition, individuals are prone to have rare complications that may predispose to death under certain circumstances. We report a rare coexistence of solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas with sickle cell trait in an 18-year-old female who underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Histopathological examination and haemoglobin electrophoresis confirmed the diagnosis.

Ex-situ evaluation of morphological, agronomic and qualitative traits of a naturalized population of parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill Nyman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fusani, Pietro

2016-07-01

Full Text Available A naturalized population of parsley of the province of Trento, Italy, was evaluated ex-situ for its morphological and agronomic traits in a field trial in which it was compared with three commercial cultivars of the species. The naturalized population belongs to the smooth leaf type for the absence of curling, and differed from the other smooth leaf type accessions for the lower plant height, the smaller length of petiole and the prostrate attitude of the plant, all undesirable characteristics which make the harvest of plants more difficult. The yields of aerial parts and leaves were higher in the commercial cultivars, while the naturalized population had the highest yield and content of essential oil. Due to the high content and yield of essential oil, the naturalized population could be the object of an eventual breeding program aiming to improve the morphologic and agronomic undesirable characteristics.

interrelationships between grain yield and other physiological traits

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof. Adipala Ekwamu

Combined analysis of variance, cluster analysis and genotype-by- ... all phenological and morphological traits, except grain yield and associated yield components. ... egg, and other protein-rich foods (Alghali, 1991). ... systematic modelling approach. ... MD IT98 K -132 – 3 .... traits based on Principal Component axes (PC)1.

Micromorphology and histochemical traits of staminal osmophores in Asphodelus aestivus Brot. flower

OpenAIRE

Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska; Mirosława Chwil; Thomas Sawidis

2012-01-01

The conducted studies pertained to micromorphology of the surface of epidermis cells and histological traits of staminal filaments of Asphodelus aestivus Brot. flowers. The structure of the filaments was analyzed in a light microscope (LM) using various histochemical techniques. The morphology of the surface of the epidermis of filaments was observed in scanning electron microscope (SEM). Filaments Asphodelus aestivus accrete together with the basal part of the abaxial surface with the leaves...

The Coral Trait Database, a curated database of trait information for coral species from the global oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Madin, Joshua S.; Anderson, Kristen D.; Andreasen, Magnus Heide; Bridge, Tom C. L.; Cairns, Stephen D.; Connolly, Sean R.; Darling, Emily S.; Diaz, Marcela; Falster, Daniel S.; Franklin, Erik C.; Gates, Ruth D.; Hoogenboom, Mia O.; Huang, Danwei; Keith, Sally A.; Kosnik, Matthew A.; Kuo, Chao-Yang; Lough, Janice M.; Lovelock, Catherine E.; Luiz, Osmar; Martinelli, Julieta; Mizerek, Toni; Pandolfi, John M.; Pochon, Xavier; Pratchett, Morgan S.; Putnam, Hollie M.; Roberts, T. Edward; Stat, Michael; Wallace, Carden C.; Widman, Elizabeth; Baird, Andrew H.

2016-03-01

Trait-based approaches advance ecological and evolutionary research because traits provide a strong link to an organism’s function and fitness. Trait-based research might lead to a deeper understanding of the functions of, and services provided by, ecosystems, thereby improving management, which is vital in the current era of rapid environmental change. Coral reef scientists have long collected trait data for corals; however, these are difficult to access and often under-utilized in addressing large-scale questions. We present the Coral Trait Database initiative that aims to bring together physiological, morphological, ecological, phylogenetic and biogeographic trait information into a single repository. The database houses species- and individual-level data from published field and experimental studies alongside contextual data that provide important framing for analyses. In this data descriptor, we release data for 56 traits for 1547 species, and present a collaborative platform on which other trait data are being actively federated. Our overall goal is for the Coral Trait Database to become an open-source, community-led data clearinghouse that accelerates coral reef research.

The Coral Trait Database, a curated database of trait information for coral species from the global oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Madin, Joshua S; Anderson, Kristen D; Andreasen, Magnus Heide; Bridge, Tom C L; Cairns, Stephen D; Connolly, Sean R; Darling, Emily S; Diaz, Marcela; Falster, Daniel S; Franklin, Erik C; Gates, Ruth D; Harmer, Aaron; Hoogenboom, Mia O; Huang, Danwei; Keith, Sally A; Kosnik, Matthew A; Kuo, Chao-Yang; Lough, Janice M; Lovelock, Catherine E; Luiz, Osmar; Martinelli, Julieta; Mizerek, Toni; Pandolfi, John M; Pochon, Xavier; Pratchett, Morgan S; Putnam, Hollie M; Roberts, T Edward; Stat, Michael; Wallace, Carden C; Widman, Elizabeth; Baird, Andrew H

2016-03-29

Trait-based approaches advance ecological and evolutionary research because traits provide a strong link to an organism's function and fitness. Trait-based research might lead to a deeper understanding of the functions of, and services provided by, ecosystems, thereby improving management, which is vital in the current era of rapid environmental change. Coral reef scientists have long collected trait data for corals; however, these are difficult to access and often under-utilized in addressing large-scale questions. We present the Coral Trait Database initiative that aims to bring together physiological, morphological, ecological, phylogenetic and biogeographic trait information into a single repository. The database houses species- and individual-level data from published field and experimental studies alongside contextual data that provide important framing for analyses. In this data descriptor, we release data for 56 traits for 1547 species, and present a collaborative platform on which other trait data are being actively federated. Our overall goal is for the Coral Trait Database to become an open-source, community-led data clearinghouse that accelerates coral reef research.

Engineering Cyanobacterial Cell Morphology for Enhanced Recovery and Processing of Biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Adam; Chandler, Jenna; MacCready, Joshua S; Huang, Jingcheng; Osteryoung, Katherine W; Ducat, Daniel C

2017-05-01

Cyanobacteria are emerging as alternative crop species for the production of fuels, chemicals, and biomass. Yet, the success of these microbes depends on the development of cost-effective technologies that permit scaled cultivation and cell harvesting. Here, we investigate the feasibility of engineering cell morphology to improve biomass recovery and decrease energetic costs associated with lysing cyanobacterial cells. Specifically, we modify the levels of Min system proteins in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The Min system has established functions in controlling cell division by regulating the assembly of FtsZ, a tubulin-like protein required for defining the bacterial division plane. We show that altering the expression of two FtsZ-regulatory proteins, MinC and Cdv3, enables control over cell morphology by disrupting FtsZ localization and cell division without preventing continued cell growth. By varying the expression of these proteins, we can tune the lengths of cyanobacterial cells across a broad dynamic range, anywhere from an ∼20% increased length (relative to the wild type) to near-millimeter lengths. Highly elongated cells exhibit increased rates of sedimentation under low centrifugal forces or by gravity-assisted settling. Furthermore, hyperelongated cells are also more susceptible to lysis through the application of mild physical stress. Collectively, these results demonstrate a novel approach toward decreasing harvesting and processing costs associated with mass cyanobacterial cultivation by altering morphology at the cellular level. IMPORTANCE We show that the cell length of a model cyanobacterial species can be programmed by rationally manipulating the expression of protein factors that suppress cell division. In some instances, we can increase the size of these cells to near-millimeter lengths with this approach. The resulting elongated cells have favorable properties with regard to cell harvesting and lysis. Furthermore, cells treated in this

Cell type dependent morphological adaptation in polyelectrolyte hydrogels governs chondrogenic fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Raghothaman, Deepak; Leong, Meng Fatt; Lim, Tze Chiun; Wan, Andrew C A; Ser, Zheng; Lee, Eng Hin; Yang, Zheng

2016-04-04

Repair of critical-size articular cartilage defects typically involves delivery of cells in biodegradable, 3D matrices. Differences in the developmental status of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and terminally differentiated mature chondrocytes might be a critical factor in engineering appropriate 3D matrices for articular cartilage tissue engineering. This study examined the relationship between material-driven early cell morphological adaptations and chondrogenic outcomes, by studying the influence of aligned collagen type I (Col I) presentation on chondrocytes and MSC in interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation (IPC)-based hydrogels. In the absence of Col I, both chondrocytes and MSCs adopted rounded cell morphology and formed clusters, with chondrocyte clusters favoring the maintenance of hyaline phenotype, while MSC clusters differentiated to fibro-superficial zone-like chondrocytes. Encapsulated chondrocytes in IPC-Col I hydrogel adopted a fibroblastic morphology forming fibro-superficial zone-like phenotype, which could be reversed by inhibiting actin polymerization using cytochalasin D (CytD). In contrast, adoption of fibroblastic morphology by encapsulated MSCs in IPC-Col I facilitated superior chondrogenesis, generating a mature, hyaline neocartilage tissue. CytD treatment abrogated the elongation of MSCs and brought about a single cell-like state, resulting in insignificant chondrogenic differentiation, underscoring the essential requirement of providing matrix environments that are amenable to cell-cell interactions for robust MSC chondrogenic differentiation. Our study demonstrates that MSCs and culture-expanded chondrocytes favour differential microenvironmental niches and emphasizes the importance of designing biomaterials that meet cell type-specific requirements, in adopting chondrocyte or MSC-based approaches for regenerating hyaline, articular cartilage.

New handbook for standardised measurement of plant functional traits worldwide

OpenAIRE

Pérez-Harguindeguy N Díaz S Garnier E Lavorel S Poorter H Jaureguiberry P Bret-Harte MS Cor

2013-01-01

Plant functional traits are the features (morphological physiological phenological) that represent ecological strategies and determine how plants respond to environmental factors affect other trophic levels and influence ecosystem properties. Variation in plant functional traits and trait syndromes has proven useful for tackling many important ecological questions at a range of scales giving rise to a demand for standardised ways to measure ecologically meaningful plant traits. This line of r...

Intra-operative cell salvage and sickle cell trait in liver transplantation: time to re-consider?

Science.gov (United States)

Loh, P S; Gilder, F; Klinck, J

2018-04-19

Sickle cell trait (SCT), characterized by the sickle hemoglobin (HbS) gene in a heterozygous state is the most common hemoglobinopathy worldwide that is typically asymptomatic in affected individuals [1]. In Europe, migration has increased the prevalence, raising concerns about its clinical impact [1]. For example, the use of intraoperative cell salvage may induce sickling because of hypoxia during processing [2]. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Red cell distribution width in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia trait

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adil, M.M.; Junaid, A.; Zaman, I.; Ishtiaque, Z.B.

2010-01-01

To evaluate diagnostic importance of Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) in differentiating iron deficiency anemia from Thalassemia trait. A total of 100 cases aged 5 months to 50 years of either sex with diagnosed iron deficiency anemia or thalassemia trait were compared with respect to their RDW value. RDW value in iron deficiency anemia was between 36.2% to 55.2% (Mean 44.1%). The range of RDW in Thalassemia trait was 14.7% to 24.9% (Mean 19.8%). Conclusions The very high range of RDW in iron deficiency anemia as compared to slight elevation of the value in thalassemia trait in our study suggests that RDW value obtained from simple Complete Blood Counts (CBC) can help in differentiating the two pathologies. (author)

Pumpkin seed cake as a fishmeal substitute in fish nutrition: effects on growth performance, morphological traits and fillet colour of two freshwater salmonids and two catfish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Greiling, Alexander Michael; Schwarz, Christiane; Gierus, Martin; Rodehutscord, Markus

2018-06-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the digestibility of pumpkin seed cake (PSC) for the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792), and effects on performance and product quality traits of four different fish species when PSC partially replaced fishmeal in extruded diets. A digestibility trial was carried out to determine apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) for crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and gross energy (GE) of PSC fed to rainbow trout. In subsequent growth trials, effects on performance and morphological traits and fillet colour values of four different fish species [rainbow trout; brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill, 1814); African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822); and wels catfish, Silurus glanis (Linnaeus, 1758)] were evaluated when 60% of fishmeal protein of a reference diet was replaced by PSC protein (based on digestible CP). Nutrient ADC of PSC were high (CP: 89%, EE: 88% and GE: 84%). No significant effects on growth and only minor effects on fillet colour were detected in the trials. However, replacing fishmeal with PSC at the chosen level affected morphological traits and feed conversion in all four species to different extents. Replacement effects of PSC should be tested at lower levels of inclusion before conclusions are drawn on its suitability in fish diets.

Spatial and temporal changes in the morphology of preosteoblastic cells seeded on microstructured tantalum surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Jørn; Lorentzen, M.; Andersen, L. K.

2009-01-01

It has been widely reported that surface morphology on the micrometer scale affects cell function as well as cell shape. In this study, we have systematically compared the influence of 13 topographically micropatterned tantalum surfaces on the temporal development of morphology, including spreading......, and length of preosteoblastic cells (MC3T3-E1). Cells were examined after 0.5, 1, 4, and 24 h on different Ta microstructures with vertical dimensions (heights) of 0.25 and 1.6 mu m. Cell morphologies depended upon the underlying Surface topography, and the length and spreading of cells varied as a function...... to depend on the distance between the pillars with one specific pillar Structure exhibiting a decreased spreading combined with a radical change in morphology of the cells. Interestingly, this morphology on the particular pillar structure was associated with a markedly different distribution of the actio...

Relation between flower head traits and florivory in Asteraceae: a phylogenetically controlled approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Oguro, Michio; Sakai, Satoki

2015-03-01

• While much research has examined the relation between leaf traits and herbivory, very little is known about the interaction between floral traits, particularly biochemical traits, and florivory. We investigated patterns between floral traits and florivory across multiple species using phylogenetic comparative approaches to enhance our understanding of the evolution of plant-florivore interactions.• The relation between the intensity of florivory and five biochemical traits (concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, water, and total phenolics) and two morphological traits (diameter and number of flower heads) were investigated in wild individuals of 18 native species of Asteraceae. The phylogenetic signals in the morphological traits and intensity of florivory were also tested.• We found that species with higher nitrogen, water, and total phenolics and lower phosphorus concentrations in the flower heads and species with a large number and diameter of flower heads tended to be attacked by florivores. In addition, we found significant phylogenetic signals in florivory and morphological traits.• Our results clearly show that biochemical traits also play important roles in plant-florivore interactions, as previously shown in plant-leaf herbivore interactions. The positive relationship between florivory and total phenolics implies that phenolic compounds in flower heads may not act as a defense in the species. In addition, the observed pattern of signals in florivory might not be solely explained by the signals of the measured traits and other plant traits may also play significant roles in plant-florivore interaction in these species. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Effects of hypergravity on adipose-derived stem cell morphology, mechanical property and proliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavakolinejad, Alireza [Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rabbani, Mohsen, E-mail: m.rabbani@eng.ui.ac.ir [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Janmaleki, Mohsen [Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-08-21

Alteration in specific inertial conditions can lead to changes in morphology, proliferation, mechanical properties and cytoskeleton of cells. In this report, the effects of hypergravity on morphology of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) are indicated. ADSCs were repeatedly exposed to discontinuous hypergravity conditions of 10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g by utilizing centrifuge (three times of 20 min exposure, with an interval of 40 min at 1 g). Cell morphology in terms of length, width and cell elongation index and cytoskeleton of actin filaments and microtubules were analyzed by image processing. Consistent changes observed in cell elongation index as morphological change. Moreover, cell proliferation was assessed and mechanical properties of cells in case of elastic modulus of cells were evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy. Increase in proliferation and decrease in elastic modulus of cells are further results of this study. Staining ADSC was done to show changes in cytoskeleton of the cells associated to hypergravity condition specifically in microfilament and microtubule components. After exposing to hypergravity, significant changes were observed in microfilaments and microtubule density as components of cytoskeleton. It was concluded that there could be a relationship between changes in morphology and MFs as the main component of the cells. - Highlights: • Hypergravity (10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g) affects on adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs). • ADSCs after exposure to the hypergravity are more slender. • The height of ADSCs increases in all test groups comparing their control group. • Hypergravity decreases ADSCs modulus of elasticity and cell actin fiber content. • Hypergravity enhances proliferation rate of ADSCs.

Effects of hypergravity on adipose-derived stem cell morphology, mechanical property and proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavakolinejad, Alireza; Rabbani, Mohsen; Janmaleki, Mohsen

2015-01-01

Alteration in specific inertial conditions can lead to changes in morphology, proliferation, mechanical properties and cytoskeleton of cells. In this report, the effects of hypergravity on morphology of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) are indicated. ADSCs were repeatedly exposed to discontinuous hypergravity conditions of 10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g by utilizing centrifuge (three times of 20 min exposure, with an interval of 40 min at 1 g). Cell morphology in terms of length, width and cell elongation index and cytoskeleton of actin filaments and microtubules were analyzed by image processing. Consistent changes observed in cell elongation index as morphological change. Moreover, cell proliferation was assessed and mechanical properties of cells in case of elastic modulus of cells were evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy. Increase in proliferation and decrease in elastic modulus of cells are further results of this study. Staining ADSC was done to show changes in cytoskeleton of the cells associated to hypergravity condition specifically in microfilament and microtubule components. After exposing to hypergravity, significant changes were observed in microfilaments and microtubule density as components of cytoskeleton. It was concluded that there could be a relationship between changes in morphology and MFs as the main component of the cells. - Highlights: • Hypergravity (10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g) affects on adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs). • ADSCs after exposure to the hypergravity are more slender. • The height of ADSCs increases in all test groups comparing their control group. • Hypergravity decreases ADSCs modulus of elasticity and cell actin fiber content. • Hypergravity enhances proliferation rate of ADSCs

Aspirin induces morphological transformation to the secretory state in isolated rabbit parietal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Murthy, U K; Levine, R A

1991-08-01

The morphological response of rabbit parietal cells to aspirin was evaluated by grading several ultra-structural features including the extent of the tubulovesicular system, intracellular secretory canaliculi, and microvilli. After exposure of isolated parietal cells and gastric glands to aspirin or histamine, there was an approximately twofold increase in the ratio of secretory to nonsecretory parietal cells, and depletion of extracellular Ca2+ abolished the aspirin-induced morphological changes. Morphometry in parietal cells showed that aspirin induced a sixfold increase in secretory canalicular membrane elaboration. Aspirin potentiated histamine-induced parietal cell respiration and aminopyrine uptake ratio but did not increase basal respiration or aminopyrine uptake, suggesting an apparent dissociation from aspirin-induced morphological changes.

Different Phylogenetic and Environmental Controls of First-order Root Morphological and Chemical Traits

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, R.; Wang, Q.; Zhao, N.; Yu, G.; He, N.

2017-12-01

Fine roots are the most distal roots that act as the primary belowground organs in acquiring limiting nutrients and water from the soil. However, limited by the inconsistency in definitions of fine roots and the different protocols among studies, knowledge of root system traits has, to date, still lagged far behind our understanding of above-ground traits. In particular, whether variation in fine root traits among the plant species along a single root economics spectrum and this underlying mechanism are still hotly debated. In this study, we sampled the first-order root using the standardized protocols, and measured six important root traits related to resource use strategies, from 181 plant species from subtropical to boreal forests. Base on this large dataset, we concluded that different phylogenetic and environmental factors affected on root thickness and nutrient, resulting in the decoupled pattern between them. Specifically, variation in species-level traits related to root thickness (including root diameter, RD and specific root length, SRL) was restricted by common ancestry and little plastic to the changing environments, whereas the large-scale variation in woody root nutrient was mainly controlled by environmental differences, especially soil variables. For community-level traits, mean annual temperature (MAT) mainly influenced the community-level root thickness through the direct effect of changes in plant species composition, while soil P had a positive influence effect on community-level root nitrogen concentration (CWM_RN), reflecting the strong influence of soil fertility on belowground root nutrient. The different environmental constraints and selective pressures acting between root thickness and nutrient traits allows for multiple ecological strategies to adapt to complex environmental conditions. In addition, strong relationships between community-level root traits and environmental variables, due to environmental filters, indicate that in contrast

A special cell morphology of saccharomyces cerevisiae induced by low-temperature plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ling Dajun; Cao Jinxiang

2003-01-01

A special cell morphology, cavity-like cells, was found in posterities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae treated by low-temperature air plasma with different powers. The feature of the special morphology indicates that the cavity-like cells may be formed by cellular mutation effect induced by the plasma, instead of direct cellular damage by the plasma. The results suggest that the cellular mutation effect of the low-temperature plasma is a complex process

Genetic Dissection of Root Morphological Traits Related to Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Brassica napus L. under Two Contrasting Nitrogen Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Wang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available As the major determinant for nutrient uptake, root system architecture (RSA has a massive impact on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE. However, little is known the molecular control of RSA as related to NUE in rapeseed. Here, a rapeseed recombinant inbred line population (BnaZNRIL was used to investigate root morphology (RM, an important component for RSA and NUE-related traits under high-nitrogen (HN and low-nitrogen (LN conditions by hydroponics. Data analysis suggested that RM-related traits, particularly root size had significantly phenotypic correlations with plant dry biomass and N uptake irrespective of N levels, but no or little correlation with N utilization efficiency (NUtE, providing the potential to identify QTLs with pleiotropy or specificity for RM- and NUE-related traits. A total of 129 QTLs (including 23 stable QTLs, which were repeatedly detected at least two environments or different N levels were identified and 83 of them were integrated into 22 pleiotropic QTL clusters. Five RM-NUE, ten RM-specific and three NUE-specific QTL clusters with same directions of additive-effect implied two NUE-improving approaches (RM-based and N utilization-based directly and provided valuable genomic regions for NUE improvement in rapeseed. Importantly, all of four major QTLs and most of stable QTLs (20 out of 23 detected here were related to RM traits under HN and/or LN levels, suggested that regulating RM to improve NUE would be more feasible than regulating N efficiency directly. These results provided the promising genomic regions for marker-assisted selection on RM-based NUE improvement in rapeseed.

Analysis of Lamarckian Evolution in Morphologically Evolving Robots

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jelisavcic, Milan; Kiesel, Rafael; Glette, Kyrre; Haasdijk, Evert; Eiben, A.E.

Evolving robot morphologies implies the need for lifetime learning so that newborn robots can learn to manipulate their bodies. An individual’s morphology will obviously combine traits of all its parents; it must adapt its own controller to suit its morphology, and cannot rely on the controller of

Atractylenolide I-mediated Notch pathway inhibition attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Li; Mao, Rurong; Shen, Ke; Zheng, Yuanhong; Li, Yueqi [State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, #268, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237 (China); Liu, Jianwen, E-mail: liujian@ecust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, #268, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237 (China); Ni, Lei, E-mail: nilei625@yahoo.com [Department of Respiration, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Road II, Shanghai 200025 (China)

2014-07-18

Highlights: • This paper supports the anti-tumor effects of AT-I on gastric cancer in vitro. • AT-I attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits. • It is the systematic study regarding AT-I suppression of Notch pathway in GC and GCSLCs. - Abstract: Atractylenolide I (AT-I), one of the main naturally occurring compounds of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, has remarkable anti-cancer effects on various cancers. However, its effects on the treatment of gastric cancer remain unclear. Via multiple cellular and molecular approaches, we demonstrated that AT-I could potently inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis through inactivating Notch pathway. AT-I treatment led to the reduction of expressions of Notch1, Jagged1, and its downstream Hes1/ Hey1. Our results showed that AT-I inhibited the self-renewal capacity of gastric stem-like cells (GCSLCs) by suppression of their sphere formation capacity and cell viability. AT-I attenuated gastric cancer stem cell (GCSC) traits partly through inactivating Notch1, leading to reducing the expressions of its downstream target Hes1, Hey1 and CD44 in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that AT-I might develop as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Atractylenolide I-mediated Notch pathway inhibition attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Li; Mao, Rurong; Shen, Ke; Zheng, Yuanhong; Li, Yueqi; Liu, Jianwen; Ni, Lei

2014-01-01

Highlights: • This paper supports the anti-tumor effects of AT-I on gastric cancer in vitro. • AT-I attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits. • It is the systematic study regarding AT-I suppression of Notch pathway in GC and GCSLCs. - Abstract: Atractylenolide I (AT-I), one of the main naturally occurring compounds of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, has remarkable anti-cancer effects on various cancers. However, its effects on the treatment of gastric cancer remain unclear. Via multiple cellular and molecular approaches, we demonstrated that AT-I could potently inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis through inactivating Notch pathway. AT-I treatment led to the reduction of expressions of Notch1, Jagged1, and its downstream Hes1/ Hey1. Our results showed that AT-I inhibited the self-renewal capacity of gastric stem-like cells (GCSLCs) by suppression of their sphere formation capacity and cell viability. AT-I attenuated gastric cancer stem cell (GCSC) traits partly through inactivating Notch1, leading to reducing the expressions of its downstream target Hes1, Hey1 and CD44 in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that AT-I might develop as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of gastric cancer

Modeling the Excess Cell Surface Stored in a Complex Morphology of Bleb-Like Protrusions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryna Kapustina

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Cells transition from spread to rounded morphologies in diverse physiological contexts including mitosis and mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transitions. When these drastic shape changes occur rapidly, cell volume and surface area are approximately conserved. Consequently, the rounded cells are suddenly presented with a several-fold excess of cell surface whose area far exceeds that of a smooth sphere enclosing the cell volume. This excess is stored in a population of bleb-like protrusions (BLiPs, whose size distribution is shown by electron micrographs to be skewed. We introduce three complementary models of rounded cell morphologies with a prescribed excess surface area. A 2D Hamiltonian model provides a mechanistic description of how discrete attachment points between the cell surface and cortex together with surface bending energy can generate a morphology that satisfies a prescribed excess area and BLiP number density. A 3D random seed-and-growth model simulates efficient packing of BLiPs over a primary rounded shape, demonstrating a pathway for skewed BLiP size distributions that recapitulate 3D morphologies. Finally, a phase field model (2D and 3D posits energy-based constitutive laws for the cell membrane, nematic F-actin cortex, interior cytosol, and external aqueous medium. The cell surface is equipped with a spontaneous curvature function, a proxy for the cell surface-cortex couple, that is a priori unknown, which the model "learns" from the thin section transmission electron micrograph image (2D or the "seed and growth" model image (3D. Converged phase field simulations predict self-consistent amplitudes and spatial localization of pressure and stress throughout the cell for any posited stationary morphology target and cell compartment constitutive properties. The models form a general framework for future studies of cell morphological dynamics in a variety of biological contexts.

Morphological traits in nitrogen fixing heterocytous cyanobacteria: possible links between morphology and eco-physiology.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pinto, P. D.; Kust, Andreja; Devercelli, M.; Kozlíková-Zapomělová, Eliška

2016-01-01

Roč. 764, č. 1 (2016), s. 271-281 ISSN 0018-8158 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-18067S Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : traits * heterocyte * akinete * shape * size * phytoplankton Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 2.056, year: 2016

Correlating yeast cell stress physiology to changes in the cell surface morphology: atomic force microscopic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Canetta, Elisabetta; Walker, Graeme M; Adya, Ashok K

2006-07-06

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has emerged as a powerful biophysical tool in biotechnology and medicine to investigate the morphological, physical, and mechanical properties of yeasts and other biological systems. However, properties such as, yeasts' response to environmental stresses, metabolic activities of pathogenic yeasts, cell-cell/cell-substrate adhesion, and cell-flocculation have rarely been investigated so far by using biophysical tools. Our recent results obtained by AFM on one strain each of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe show a clear correlation between the physiology of environmentally stressed yeasts and the changes in their surface morphology. The future directions of the AFM related techniques in relation to yeasts are also discussed.

Biophysical subsets of embryonic stem cells display distinct phenotypic and morphological signatures.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom Bongiorno

Full Text Available The highly proliferative and pluripotent characteristics of embryonic stem cells engender great promise for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but the rapid identification and isolation of target cell phenotypes remains challenging. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to characterize cell mechanics as a function of differentiation and to employ differences in cell stiffness to select population subsets with distinct mechanical, morphological, and biological properties. Biomechanical analysis with atomic force microscopy revealed that embryonic stem cells stiffened within one day of differentiation induced by leukemia inhibitory factor removal, with a lagging but pronounced change from spherical to spindle-shaped cell morphology. A microfluidic device was then employed to sort a differentially labeled mixture of pluripotent and differentiating cells based on stiffness, resulting in pluripotent cell enrichment in the soft device outlet. Furthermore, sorting an unlabeled population of partially differentiated cells produced a subset of "soft" cells that was enriched for the pluripotent phenotype, as assessed by post-sort characterization of cell mechanics, morphology, and gene expression. The results of this study indicate that intrinsic cell mechanical properties might serve as a basis for efficient, high-throughput, and label-free isolation of pluripotent stem cells, which will facilitate a greater biological understanding of pluripotency and advance the potential of pluripotent stem cell differentiated progeny as cell sources for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Effect of Yeast Cell Morphology, Cell Wall Physical Structure and Chemical Composition on Patulin Adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Ying; Wang, Jianguo; Liu, Bin; Wang, Zhouli; Yuan, Yahong; Yue, Tianli

2015-01-01

The capability of yeast to adsorb patulin in fruit juice can aid in substantially reducing the patulin toxic effect on human health. This study aimed to investigate the capability of yeast cell morphology and cell wall internal structure and composition to adsorb patulin. To compare different yeast cell morphologies, cell wall internal structure and composition, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and ion chromatography were used. The results indicated that patulin adsorption capability of yeast was influenced by cell surface areas, volume, and cell wall thickness, as well as 1,3-β-glucan content. Among these factors, cell wall thickness and 1,3-β-glucan content serve significant functions. The investigation revealed that patulin adsorption capability was mainly affected by the three-dimensional network structure of the cell wall composed of 1,3-β-glucan. Finally, patulin adsorption in commercial kiwi fruit juice was investigated, and the results indicated that yeast cells could adsorb patulin from commercial kiwi fruit juice efficiently. This study can potentially simulate in vitro cell walls to enhance patulin adsorption capability and successfully apply to fruit juice industry.

Effects of drought stress on morphological traits in chickpea (Cicer arientinum L. genotypes in greenhouse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ali masoomi

2009-06-01

Full Text Available This research was conducted in a research greenhouse at the College of Agriculture in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad to investigate the impact of five drought levels (-0.3, -3, -6, -9 and -12 bar on physiological and morphological characteristics of nine chickpea genotypes including MCC101, MCC174, MCC276, MCC477, MCC327, MCC476, JAM, Karaj12-60-31and ILC482. The experiment used 5×9 factorial laid out in randomized complete design with 4 replications. The genotypes were exposed to drought stress 10 days after emergence. Some traits were measured during growth season (including plant height, leaf number, flower and pod number, length and number of lateral branch that all of them shown significant differences in the first stage of stress between genotypes and then the effects of drought were appeared. In majority of genotypes reduction in the flowering and podding time were observed. Flower number is a favor parameter in the assessment of drought tolerance genotypes. Most measured traits imposed significant differences in all levels of drought stress, genotypes and interaction of them at the end of growth season. The highest amount of all measured parameters were observed in the field capacity (-0.3 bar. Among the levels of water potential tested -3 and -6 bar were the best treatment for evaluating drought stress of chickpea genotypes. Pod and seed weight did not form in heavy drought stress. Among genotypes tested ILC482, MCC276 and MCC 477 were the best genotypes in terms of responsing to drought stress.

Relationship between udder and milking traits during lactation in Istrian dairy crossbreed ewes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Kaps

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the udder morphology and milking characteristics changes throughout lactation during machine milking of the sheep. Additionally, udder morphology was analyzed by using slide ruler and digital picture. Milking characteristics were influenced by milking interval and day of lactation. Udder morphology traits did not change throughout lactation, except for udder width. The repeatability between slide ruler and digital picture measurements was high (r=0.53 to 0.68. Milkability in Istrian dairy crossbreed ewes could be improved if udder traits are incorporated in selection scheme. Digital picture analysis for faster recording of udder morphology measurements in sheep can be used.

SNP Marker Integration and QTL Analysis of 12 Agronomic and Morphological Traits in F8 RILs of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Fu-Hao; Kwon, Soon-Wook; Yoon, Min-Young; Kim, Ki-Taek; Cho, Myeong-Cheoul; Yoon, Moo-Kyung; Park, Yong-Jin

2012-01-01

Red pepper, Capsicum annuum L., has been attracting geneticists’ and breeders’ attention as one of the important agronomic crops. This study was to integrate 41 SNP markers newly developed from comparative transcriptomes into a previous linkage map, and map 12 agronomic and morphological traits into the integrated map. A total of 39 markers found precise position and were assigned to 13 linkage groups (LGs) as well as the unassigned LGe, leading to total 458 molecular markers present in this genetic map. Linkage mapping was supported by the physical mapping to tomato and potato genomes using BLAST retrieving, revealing at least two-thirds of the markers mapped to the corresponding LGs. A sum of 23 quantitative trait loci from 11 traits was detected using the composite interval mapping algorithm. A consistent interval between a035_1 and a170_1 on LG5 was detected as a main-effect locus among the resistance QTLs to Phytophthora capsici at high-, intermediate- and low-level tests, and interactions between the QTLs for high-level resistance test were found. Considering the epistatic effect, those QTLs could explain up to 98.25% of the phenotype variations of resistance. Moreover, 17 QTLs for another eight traits were found to locate on LG3, 4, and 12 mostly with varying phenotypic contribution. Furthermore, the locus for corolla color was mapped to LG10 as a marker. The integrated map and the QTLs identified would be helpful for current genetics research and crop breeding, especially in the Solanaceae family. PMID:22684870

Global study of holistic morphological effectors in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Godai; Wang, Yang; Kubo, Karen; Hirata, Eri; Ohnuki, Shinsuke; Ohya, Yoshikazu

2018-02-20

The size of the phenotypic effect of a gene has been thoroughly investigated in terms of fitness and specific morphological traits in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but little is known about gross morphological abnormalities. We identified 1126 holistic morphological effectors that cause severe gross morphological abnormality when deleted, and 2241 specific morphological effectors with weak holistic effects but distinctive effects on yeast morphology. Holistic effectors fell into many gene function categories and acted as network hubs, affecting a large number of morphological traits, interacting with a large number of genes, and facilitating high protein expression. Holistic morphological abnormality was useful for estimating the importance of a gene to morphology. The contribution of gene importance to fitness and morphology could be used to efficiently classify genes into functional groups. Holistic morphological abnormality can be used as a reproducible and reliable gene feature for high-dimensional morphological phenotyping. It can be used in many functional genomic applications.

Replication and Characterization of Association between ABO SNPs and Red Blood Cell Traits by Meta-Analysis in Europeans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stela McLachlan

Full Text Available Red blood cell (RBC traits are routinely measured in clinical practice as important markers of health. Deviations from the physiological ranges are usually a sign of disease, although variation between healthy individuals also occurs, at least partly due to genetic factors. Recent large scale genetic studies identified loci associated with one or more of these traits; further characterization of known loci and identification of new loci is necessary to better understand their role in health and disease and to identify potential molecular mechanisms. We performed meta-analysis of Metabochip association results for six RBC traits-hemoglobin concentration (Hb, hematocrit (Hct, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC, mean corpuscular volume (MCV and red blood cell count (RCC-in 11 093 Europeans from seven studies of the UCL-LSHTM-Edinburgh-Bristol (UCLEB Consortium. We identified 394 non-overlapping SNPs in five loci at genome-wide significance: 6p22.1-6p21.33 (with HFE among others, 6q23.2 (with HBS1L among others, 6q23.3 (contains no genes, 9q34.3 (only ABO gene and 22q13.1 (with TMPRSS6 among others, replicating previous findings of association with RBC traits at these loci and extending them by imputation to 1000 Genomes. We further characterized associations between ABO SNPs and three traits: hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cell count, replicating them in an independent cohort. Conditional analyses indicated the independent association of each of these traits with ABO SNPs and a role for blood group O in mediating the association. The 15 most significant RBC-associated ABO SNPs were also associated with five cardiometabolic traits, with discordance in the direction of effect between groups of traits, suggesting that ABO may act through more than one mechanism to influence cardiometabolic risk.

The Study of Morphological Traits and Identification of Self-incompatibility Alleles in Almond Cultivars and Genotypes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mousa Rasouli

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The evaluation of an almond collection using morphological variables and identification of self-incompatibility genotype  is useful for selecting pollinizers and for the design of crossing in almond breeding programs. In this study, important morphological traits and self-incompatibilities in 71 almond cultivars and genotypes were studied. Simple and multiplex specific PCR analyses were used in order to identify self-incompatibility alleles. Based on the results, cultivars and genotypes including ‘Dir Ras–e-Savojbolagh’, ‘D-124’, ‘D-99’, ‘Shahrood 12’, ‘Tuono’, ‘Nonpareil’, ‘Price’, ‘Mirpanj-e-Tehran’, ‘Pakotahe-e- Taleghan’, ‘V-13-34’, ‘V-16-8, ‘V-11-10’, ‘Zarghan 10’, ‘Uromiyeh 68’, ‘Barg dorosht-e-Hamedan’ and ‘Yazd 60’ were late flowering and had the highest quality of nut and kernel characters. The result of the PCR method using combined primers AS1II and AmyC5R showed amplification of ten self-incompatibility alleles (S1, S2, S3, S5, S6, S7, S8, S10, S12,and S unknown allele and three Sfalleles. Moreover, S1 had the highest frequencies in comparison with other known S-alleles. Also, unknown alleles with different sizes were detected and 58 new bands were found in some cultivars.

Genetic diversity of gliadin pattern, morphological traits and baking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2010-02-15

Feb 15, 2010 ... diversity of 102 double haploids of wheat (sent from. CIMMYT) through studying gliadin protein ... biomass, yield per plant, harvest index, number of grains per spike, spike density, spike length, plant ... per spike, also 6 baking quality traits, protein content, gluten index,. SDS sedimentation, sedimentation ...

Effect of Yeast Cell Morphology, Cell Wall Physical Structure and Chemical Composition on Patulin Adsorption.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Luo

Full Text Available The capability of yeast to adsorb patulin in fruit juice can aid in substantially reducing the patulin toxic effect on human health. This study aimed to investigate the capability of yeast cell morphology and cell wall internal structure and composition to adsorb patulin. To compare different yeast cell morphologies, cell wall internal structure and composition, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and ion chromatography were used. The results indicated that patulin adsorption capability of yeast was influenced by cell surface areas, volume, and cell wall thickness, as well as 1,3-β-glucan content. Among these factors, cell wall thickness and 1,3-β-glucan content serve significant functions. The investigation revealed that patulin adsorption capability was mainly affected by the three-dimensional network structure of the cell wall composed of 1,3-β-glucan. Finally, patulin adsorption in commercial kiwi fruit juice was investigated, and the results indicated that yeast cells could adsorb patulin from commercial kiwi fruit juice efficiently. This study can potentially simulate in vitro cell walls to enhance patulin adsorption capability and successfully apply to fruit juice industry.

original article the use of morphological and cell wall chemical

African Journals Online (AJOL)

boaz

THE USE OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND CELL WALL CHEMICAL MARKERS IN. THE IDENTIFICATION OF ... aerial hyphae, with or without diffusible pigments on medium surface (7, 14). Cell wall components of Actinomycetes enable rapid qualitative identification of certain .... Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the.

The ROCK isoforms differentially regulate the morphological characteristics of carcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerrell, Rachel J; Leih, Mitchell J; Parekh, Aron

2017-06-26

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) activity drives cell migration via actomyosin contractility. During invasion, individual cancer cells can transition between 2 modes of migration, mesenchymal and amoeboid. Changes in ROCK activity can cause a switch between these migration phenotypes which are defined by distinct morphologies. However, recent studies have shown that the ROCK isoforms are not functionally redundant as previously thought. Therefore, it is unclear whether the ROCK isoforms play different roles in regulating migration phenotypes. Here, we found that ROCK1 and ROCK2 differentially regulate carcinoma cell morphology resulting in intermediate phenotypes that share some mesenchymal and amoeboid characteristics. These findings suggest that the ROCK isoforms play unique roles in the phenotypic plasticity of mesenchymal carcinoma cells which may have therapeutic implications.

Lipophilic organic pollutants induce changes in phospholipid and membrane protein composition leading to Vero cell morphological change.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Ting T; Wang, Lei; Jia, Ru W; Fu, Xiao H; Chua, Hong

2014-01-01

Membrane damage related to morphological change in Vero cells is a sensitive index of the composite biotoxicity of trace lipophilic chemicals. However, judging whether the morphological change in Vero cells happens and its ratio are difficult because it is not a quantitative characteristic. To find biomarkers of cell morphological change for quantitatively representing the ratio of morphological changed cell, the mechanism of cell membrane damage driven by typical lipophilic chemicals, such as trichlorophenol (TCP) and perfluorooctanesulphonate (PFOS), was explored. The ratio of morphologically changed cells generally increased with increased TCP or PFOS concentrations, and the level of four major components of phospholipids varied with concentrations of TCP or PFOS, but only the ratio of phosphatidylcholine (PC)/phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) decreased regularly as TCP or PFOS concentrations increased. Analysis of membrane proteins showed that the level of vimentin in normal cell membranes is high, while it decreases or vanishes after TCP exposure. These variations in phospholipid and membrane protein components may result in membrane leakage and variation in rigid structure, which leads to changes in cell morphology. Therefore, the ratio of PC/PE and amount of vimentin may be potential biomarkers for representing the ratio of morphological changed Vero cell introduced by trace lipophilic compounds, thus their composite bio-toxicity.

Morphology-based prediction of osteogenic differentiation potential of human mesenchymal stem cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fumiko Matsuoka

Full Text Available Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs are widely used cell source for clinical bone regeneration. Achieving the greatest therapeutic effect is dependent on the osteogenic differentiation potential of the stem cells to be implanted. However, there are still no practical methods to characterize such potential non-invasively or previously. Monitoring cellular morphology is a practical and non-invasive approach for evaluating osteogenic potential. Unfortunately, such image-based approaches had been historically qualitative and requiring experienced interpretation. By combining the non-invasive attributes of microscopy with the latest technology allowing higher throughput and quantitative imaging metrics, we studied the applicability of morphometric features to quantitatively predict cellular osteogenic potential. We applied computational machine learning, combining cell morphology features with their corresponding biochemical osteogenic assay results, to develop prediction model of osteogenic differentiation. Using a dataset of 9,990 images automatically acquired by BioStation CT during osteogenic differentiation culture of hBMSCs, 666 morphometric features were extracted as parameters. Two commonly used osteogenic markers, alkaline phosphatase (ALP activity and calcium deposition were measured experimentally, and used as the true biological differentiation status to validate the prediction accuracy. Using time-course morphological features throughout differentiation culture, the prediction results highly correlated with the experimentally defined differentiation marker values (R>0.89 for both marker predictions. The clinical applicability of our morphology-based prediction was further examined with two scenarios: one using only historical cell images and the other using both historical images together with the patient's own cell images to predict a new patient's cellular potential. The prediction accuracy was found to be greatly enhanced

Denervation-induced homeostatic dendritic plasticity in morphological granule cell models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hermann Cuntz

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Neuronal death and subsequent denervation of target areas are major consequences of several neurological conditions such asischemia or neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's disease. The denervation-induced axonal loss results in reorganization of the dendritic tree of denervated neurons. The dendritic reorganization has been previously studied using entorhinal cortex lesion (ECL. ECL leads to shortening and loss of dendritic segments in the denervated outer molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. However, the functional importance of these long-term dendritic alterations is not yet understood and their impact on neuronal electrical properties remains unclear. Here we analyzed what happens to the electrotonic structure and excitability of dentate granule cells after lesion-induced alterations of their dendritic morphology, assuming all other parameters remain equal. We performed comparative electrotonic analysis in anatomically and biophysically realistic compartmental models of 3D-reconstructed healthy and denervated granule cells. Using the method of morphological modeling based on optimization principles minimizing the amount of wiring and maximizing synaptic democracy, we built artificial granule cells which replicate morphological features of their real counterparts. Our results show that somatofugal and somatopetal voltage attenuation in the passive cable model are strongly reduced in denervated granule cells. In line with these predictions, the attenuation both of simulated backpropagating action potentials and forward propagating EPSPs was significantly reduced in dendrites of denervated neurons. Intriguingly, the enhancement of action potential backpropagation occurred specifically in the denervated dendritic layers. Furthermore, simulations of synaptic f-I curves revealed a homeostatic increase of excitability in denervated granule cells. In summary, our morphological and compartmental modeling indicates that unless modified by changes of

Understanding Solvent Manipulation of Morphology in Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yuxia; Zhan, Chuanlang; Yao, Jiannian

2016-10-06

Film morphology greatly influences the performance of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ)-structure-based solar cells. It is known that an interpenetrating bicontinuous network with nanoscale-separated donor and acceptor phases for charge transfer, an ordered molecular packing for exciton diffusion and charge transport, and a vertical compositionally graded structure for charge collection are prerequisites for achieving highly efficient BHJ organic solar cells (OSCs). Therefore, control of the morphology to obtain an ideal structure is a key problem. For this solution-processing BHJ system, the solvent participates fully in film processing. Its involvement is critical in modifying the nanostructure of BHJ films. In this review, we discuss the effects of solvent-related methods on the morphology of BHJ films, including selection of the casting solvent, solvent mixture, solvent vapor annealing, and solvent soaking. On the basis of a discussion on interaction strength and time between solvent and active materials, we believe that the solvent-morphology-performance relationship will be clearer and that solvent selection as a means to manipulate the morphology of BHJ films will be more rational. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

SSR and morphological trait based population structure analysis of 130 diverse flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions.

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, Shashi Bhushan; Sharma, Hariom Kumar; Kumar, Arroju Anil; Maruthi, Rangappa Thimmaiah; Mitra, Jiban; Chowdhury, Isholeena; Singh, Binay Kumar; Karmakar, Pran Gobinda

2017-02-01

A total of 130 flax accessions of diverse morphotypes and worldwide origin were assessed for genetic diversity and population structure using 11 morphological traits and microsatellite markers (15 gSSRs and 7 EST-SSRs). Analysis performed after classifying these accessions on the basis of plant height, branching pattern, seed size, Indian/foreign origin into six categories called sub-populations viz. fibre type exotic, fibre type indigenous, intermediate type exotic, intermediate type indigenous, linseed type exotic and linseed type indigenous. The study assessed different diversity indices, AMOVA, population structure and included a principal coordinate analysis based on different marker systems. The highest diversity was exhibited by gSSR markers (SI=0.46; He=0.31; P=85.11). AMOVA based on all markers explained significant difference among fibre type, intermediate type and linseed type populations of flax. In terms of variation explained by different markers, EST-SSR markers (12%) better differentiated flax populations compared to morphological (9%) and gSSR (6%) markers at P=0.01. The maximum Nei's unbiased genetic distance (D=0.11) was observed between fibre type and linseed type exotic sub-populations based on EST-SSR markers. The combined structure analysis by using all markers grouped Indian fibre type accessions (63.4%) in a separate cluster along with the Indian intermediate type (48.7%), whereas Indian accessions (82.16%) of linseed type constituted an independent cluster. These findings were supported by the results of the principal coordinate analysis. Morphological markers employed in the study found complementary with microsatellite based markers in deciphering genetic diversity and population structure of the flax germplasm. Copyright © 2016 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Evidences of local adaptation in quantitative traits in Prosopis alba (Leguminosae).

Science.gov (United States)

Bessega, C; Pometti, C; Ewens, M; Saidman, B O; Vilardi, J C

2015-02-01

Signals of selection on quantitative traits can be detected by the comparison between the genetic differentiation of molecular (neutral) markers and quantitative traits, by multivariate extensions of the same model and by the observation of the additive covariance among relatives. We studied, by three different tests, signals of occurrence of selection in Prosopis alba populations over 15 quantitative traits: three economically important life history traits: height, basal diameter and biomass, 11 leaf morphology traits that may be related with heat-tolerance and physiological responses and spine length that is very important from silvicultural purposes. We analyzed 172 G1-generation trees growing in a common garden belonging to 32 open pollinated families from eight sampling sites in Argentina. The multivariate phenotypes differ significantly among origins, and the highest differentiation corresponded to foliar traits. Molecular genetic markers (SSR) exhibited significant differentiation and allowed us to provide convincing evidence that natural selection is responsible for the patterns of morphological differentiation. The heterogeneous selection over phenotypic traits observed suggested different optima in each population and has important implications for gene resource management. The results suggest that the adaptive significance of traits should be considered together with population provenance in breeding program as a crucial point prior to any selecting program, especially in Prosopis where the first steps are under development.

Cell-mediated immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum purified soluble antigens in sickle-cell trait subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bayoumi, R A; Abu-Zeid, Y A; Abdulhadi, N H

1990-01-01

individuals (P less than 0.025). Responses of BMNCs to PPD and PHA were also higher among Hb AS individuals and correlated positively with responses to SPAg. These findings support the hypotheses that the sickle-cell trait protects individuals from P. falciparum infections, at least in part, by modulating...

Variability of morphological needle traits of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. among populations from mountain and lowland regions of Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Łabiszak Bartosz

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this work was to examine interpopulational needle traits variability of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. from four mountain, one foothill and three lowland, natural populations located in Poland. This choice of locations was motivated by the presumed different origins of mountainous populations and the necessity to demonstrate how closely they are related to lowland populations. Variation in the studied populations was determined using seven morphological traits of needles: 1 - needle length, 2 - number of stomatal rows on the flat side of a needle, 3 - number of stomata per 2 mm of needle length on the flat side, 4 - number of stomatal rows on the convex side of a needle, 5 - number of stomata per 2 mm of needle length on the convex side, 6 - number of serrations per 2 mm of the needle length on the left side and 7 - number of serrations per 2 mm of the needle length on the right side. Biometric data were analysed statistically, and it was found that (i needle traits differentiate studied populations; (ii the postulated division of the population into two groups is reflected in the obtained results; and (iii a particularly strong relationship was found between two relict pine populations from the Pieniny (Sokolica, Kazalnica, Czertezik and Tatra Mts. (Wielke Koryciska, which may be the result of the common origins and history of these two populations

QTL for the species-specific male and female genital morphologies in Ohomopterus ground beetles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasabe, Masataka; Takami, Yasuoki; Sota, Teiji

2010-12-01

Animals with internal fertilization often exhibit marked diversification in genital morphology among closely related species. However, our knowledge of the genetic architecture underlying genital evolution is still limited. We constructed genetic linkage maps and analysed quantitative trait loci (QTL) for F(2) hybrids of two closely related species of the carabid beetles Carabus (Ohomopterus) iwawakianus and C. (O.) maiyasanus, which show matching male and female genital shapes within species, but marked differences in genital morphologies between species. The linkage maps comprised both amplified fragment length polymorphism and microsatellite markers. Composite interval mapping to detect QTL for three traits of male copulatory piece (length, width, weight) and two traits for female vaginal appendix (length, width) resulted in the detection of one to five significant QTL for each trait. The QTL explained large proportions of phenotypic variance. Thus, the interspecific difference in the genital morphologies appeared to be determined by relatively small numbers of genes with large genetic effects. QTL of different traits for the same or different sexes co-occurred on five of eight linkage groups with significant QTL; in particular, three QTL for different male and female genital traits occurred almost at the same position. Each of the male genital traits showed uniform signs of additive genetic effects, suggesting that directional selection has led to species-specific morphologies. However, the signs of additive genetic effects in each female genital trait were not uniform, suggesting that coevolution between sexes is not necessarily concerted. This result requires further assessment because the sample size of F(2) females was small. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cellient™ automated cell block versus traditional cell block preparation: a comparison of morphologic features and immunohistochemical staining.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, David G; Russell, Donna K; Benson, Jenna M; Schneider, Ashley E; Hoda, Rana S; Bonfiglio, Thomas A

2011-10-01

Traditional cell block (TCB) sections serve as an important diagnostic adjunct to cytologic smears but are also used today as a reliable preparation for immunohistochemical (IHC) studies. There are many ways to prepare a cell block and the methods continue to be revised. In this study, we compare the TCB with the Cellient™ automated cell block system. Thirty-five cell blocks were obtained from 16 benign and 19 malignant nongynecologic cytology specimens at a large university teaching hospital and prepared according to TCB and Cellient protocols. Cell block sections from both methods were compared for possible differences in various morphologic features and immunohistochemical staining patterns. In the 16 benign cases, no significant morphologic differences were found between the TCB and Cellient cell block sections. For the 19 malignant cases, some noticeable differences in the nuclear chromatin and cellularity were identified, although statistical significance was not attained. Immunohistochemical or special stains were performed on 89% of the malignant cases (17/19). Inadequate cellularity precluded full evaluation in 23% of Cellient cell block IHC preparations (4/17). Of the malignant cases with adequate cellularity (13/17), the immunohistochemical staining patterns from the different methods were identical in 53% of cases. The traditional and Cellient cell block sections showed similar morphologic and immunohistochemical staining patterns. The only significant difference between the two methods concerned the lower overall cell block cellularity identified during immunohistochemical staining in the Cellient cell block sections. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The role of apical contractility in determining cell morphology in multilayered epithelial sheets and tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhen Tan, Rui; Lai, Tanny; Chiam, K.-H.

2017-08-01

A multilayered epithelium is made up of individual cells that are stratified in an orderly fashion, layer by layer. In such tissues, individual cells can adopt a wide range of shapes ranging from columnar to squamous. From histological images, we observe that, in flat epithelia such as the skin, the cells in the top layer are squamous while those in the middle and bottom layers are columnar, whereas in tubular epithelia, the cells in all layers are columnar. We develop a computational model to understand how individual cell shape is governed by the mechanical forces within multilayered flat and curved epithelia. We derive the energy function for an epithelial sheet of cells considering intercellular adhesive and intracellular contractile forces. We determine computationally the cell morphologies that minimize the energy function for a wide range of cellular parameters. Depending on the dominant adhesive and contractile forces, we find four dominant cell morphologies for the multilayered-layered flat sheet and three dominant cell morphologies for the two-layered curved sheet. We study the transitions between the dominant cell morphologies for the two-layered flat sheet and find both continuous and discontinuous transitions and also the presence of multistable states. Matching our computational results with histological images, we conclude that apical contractile forces from the actomyosin belt in the epithelial cells is the dominant force determining cell shape in multilayered epithelia. Our computational model can guide tissue engineers in designing artificial multilayered epithelia, in terms of figuring out the cellular parameters needed to achieve realistic epithelial morphologies.

Basal metabolic rate can evolve independently of morphological and behavioural traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathot, K J; Martin, K; Kempenaers, B; Forstmeier, W

2013-09-01

Quantitative genetic analyses of basal metabolic rate (BMR) can inform us about the evolvability of the trait by providing estimates of heritability, and also of genetic correlations with other traits that may constrain the ability of BMR to respond to selection. Here, we studied a captive population of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in which selection lines for male courtship rate have been established. We measure BMR in these lines to see whether selection on male sexual activity would change BMR as a potentially correlated trait. We find that the genetic correlation between courtship rate and BMR is practically zero, indicating that the two traits can evolve independently of each other. Interestingly, we find that the heritability of BMR in our population (h(2)=0.45) is markedly higher than was previously reported for a captive zebra finch population from Norway. A comparison of the two studies shows that additive genetic variance in BMR has been largely depleted in the Norwegian population, especially the genetic variance in BMR that is independent of body mass. In our population, the slope of BMR increase with body mass differs not only between the sexes but also between the six selection lines, which we tentatively attribute to genetic drift and/or founder effects being strong in small populations. Our study therefore highlights two things. First, the evolvability of BMR may be less constrained by genetic correlations and lack of independent genetic variation than previously described. Second, genetic drift in small populations can rapidly lead to different evolvabilities across populations.

Genetic Variation of Morphological Traits and Transpiration in an Apple Core Collection under Well-Watered Conditions: Towards the Identification of Morphotypes with High Water Use Efficiency.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerardo Lopez

Full Text Available Water use efficiency (WUE is a quantitative measurement which improvement is a major issue in the context of global warming and restrictions in water availability for agriculture. In this study, we aimed at studying the variation and genetic control of WUE and the respective role of its components (plant biomass and transpiration in a perennial fruit crop. We explored an INRA apple core collection grown in a phenotyping platform to screen one-year-old scions for their accumulated biomass, transpiration and WUE under optimal growing conditions. Plant biomass was decompose into morphological components related to either growth or organ expansion. For each trait, nine mixed models were evaluated to account for the genetic effect and spatial heterogeneity inside the platform. The Best Linear Unbiased Predictors of genetic values were estimated after model selection. Mean broad-sense heritabilities were calculated from variance estimates. Heritability values indicated that biomass (0.76 and WUE (0.73 were under genetic control. This genetic control was lower in plant transpiration with an heritability of 0.54. Across the collection, biomass accounted for 70% of the WUE variability. A Hierarchical Ascendant Classification of the core collection indicated the existence of six groups of genotypes with contrasting morphology and WUE. Differences between morphotypes were interpreted as resulting from differences in the main processes responsible for plant growth: cell division leading to the generation of new organs and cell elongation leading to organ dimension. Although further studies will be necessary on mature trees with more complex architecture and multiple sinks such as fruits, this study is a first step for improving apple plant material for the use of water.

Genetic Variation of Morphological Traits and Transpiration in an Apple Core Collection under Well-Watered Conditions: Towards the Identification of Morphotypes with High Water Use Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Gerardo; Pallas, Benoît; Martinez, Sébastien; Lauri, Pierre-Éric; Regnard, Jean-Luc; Durel, Charles-Éric; Costes, Evelyne

2015-01-01

Water use efficiency (WUE) is a quantitative measurement which improvement is a major issue in the context of global warming and restrictions in water availability for agriculture. In this study, we aimed at studying the variation and genetic control of WUE and the respective role of its components (plant biomass and transpiration) in a perennial fruit crop. We explored an INRA apple core collection grown in a phenotyping platform to screen one-year-old scions for their accumulated biomass, transpiration and WUE under optimal growing conditions. Plant biomass was decompose into morphological components related to either growth or organ expansion. For each trait, nine mixed models were evaluated to account for the genetic effect and spatial heterogeneity inside the platform. The Best Linear Unbiased Predictors of genetic values were estimated after model selection. Mean broad-sense heritabilities were calculated from variance estimates. Heritability values indicated that biomass (0.76) and WUE (0.73) were under genetic control. This genetic control was lower in plant transpiration with an heritability of 0.54. Across the collection, biomass accounted for 70% of the WUE variability. A Hierarchical Ascendant Classification of the core collection indicated the existence of six groups of genotypes with contrasting morphology and WUE. Differences between morphotypes were interpreted as resulting from differences in the main processes responsible for plant growth: cell division leading to the generation of new organs and cell elongation leading to organ dimension. Although further studies will be necessary on mature trees with more complex architecture and multiple sinks such as fruits, this study is a first step for improving apple plant material for the use of water.

Trait plasticity, not values, best corresponds with woodland plant success in novel and manipulated habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Robert J. Warren; Jeffrey K. Lake

2012-01-01

Aims: The clustering of plants with similar leaf traits along environmental gradients may arise from adaptation as well as acclimation to heterogeneous habitat conditions. Determining the forces that shape plant leaf traits requires both linking variation in trait morphology with abiotic gradients and linking that trait variation with plant performance under varying...

Responsiveness of performance and morphological traits to experimental submergence predicts field distribution pattern of wetland plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luo, Fang-Li; Huang, Lin; Lei, Ting; Xue, Wei; Li, Hong-Li; Yu, Fei-Hai; Cornelissen, J.H.C.

2016-01-01

Question: Plant trait mean values and trait responsiveness to different environmental regimes are both important determinants of plant field distribution, but the degree to which plant trait means vs trait responsiveness predict plant distribution has rarely been compared quantitatively. Because

Supramolecular Approaches to Nanoscale Morphological Control in Organic Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander M. Haruk

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Having recently surpassed 10% efficiency, solar cells based on organic molecules are poised to become a viable low-cost clean energy source with the added advantages of mechanical flexibility and light weight. The best-performing organic solar cells rely on a nanostructured active layer morphology consisting of a complex organization of electron donating and electron accepting molecules. Although much progress has been made in designing new donor and acceptor molecules, rational control over active layer morphology remains a central challenge. Long-term device stability is another important consideration that needs to be addressed. This review highlights supramolecular strategies for generating highly stable nanostructured organic photovoltaic active materials by design.

Maintenance of the cell morphology by MinC in Helicobacter pylori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pei-Yu Chiou

Full Text Available In the model organism Escherichia coli, Min proteins are involved in regulating the division of septa formation. The computational genome analysis of Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium causing gastritis and peptic ulceration, also identified MinC, MinD, and MinE. However, MinC (HP1053 shares a low identity with those of other bacteria and its function in H. pylori remains unclear. In this study, we used morphological and genetic approaches to examine the molecular role of MinC. The results were shown that an H. pylori mutant lacking MinC forms filamentous cells, while the wild-type strain retains the shape of short rods. In addition, a minC mutant regains the short rods when complemented with an intact minCHp gene. The overexpression of MinCHp in E. coli did not affect the growth and cell morphology. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that MinCHp forms helix-form structures in H. pylori, whereas MinCHp localizes at cell poles and pole of new daughter cell in E. coli. In addition, co-immunoprecipitation showed MinC can interact with MinD but not with FtsZ during mid-exponential stage of H. pylori. Altogether, our results show that MinCHp plays a key role in maintaining proper cell morphology and its function differs from those of MinCEc.

Dose response behaviour of water scarcity towards genetical and morphological traits in spring wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noorkha, I.R.; Tabasum, S.

2015-01-01

Combining ability was studied in a Line * Tester mating fashion in wheat (Tricticum aestivum L.). Significant differences were observed for all the yield and yield contributing traits. GCA and SCA components of variation were found significant for most of the traits. Under water stressed conditions among lines the genotype Kohistan-97 revealed significant GCA effects for all the traits except spike length. Among testers, the genotype V08172 showed significant effects for the traits spike length, 1000-grain weight and flag leaf area. Based on desirable SCA effects and mean performance the cross combinations Kohistan-97 * V08172, Chakwal-86 * Punjab-81, Fsd-2008 * Punjab-81, Sehar-2006 * V08172 and Chakwal-86 * V08172 behaved best combiner to tolerate the water stress. Results of genetic analysis offered over dominance type of gene action that remained unchanged with the change in water provision for the traits like 1000 grain weight and economic yield. Similarly additive gene action was observed for the trait plant height under both normal irrigation and water stress conditions. However the cumulative genetic effects to control the expression of yield and yield components was shifted due to the changed environments. The study was concluded that due to presence of additive variance, selection could be practiced in early generation whereas in the presence of recessiveness the selection may be delayed up to the later generations. Plant traits associated with water stress tolerance having high heritability and with additive gene action may be used as indirect selection criteria for early selection of water stress tolerant genotypes. The information generated as a result of this study on genetic analysis of important economic traits of wheat under contrasting water availability positions will be of great value to the wheat breeders to design future breeding programmes. (author)

Effects of insularity on digestion: living on islands induces shifts in physiological and morphological traits in island reptiles

Science.gov (United States)

Sagonas, Kostas; Pafilis, Panayiotis; Valakos, Efstratios D.

2015-10-01

Living on islands entails numerous challenges for animals, among which resource scarcity stands out. In order to survive, animals have to optimize energy acquisition. We examined the impact of insularity on digestion comparing a series of physiological and morphological traits of adult males between insular and mainland populations of the Balkan green lizard. Island lizards had longer gastrointestinal tracts and gut passage times and higher digestive efficiencies. The dissection of the hindgut revealed an unexpected finding, the presence of cecal valves that were more frequent in island lizards. Thanks to all above islanders retain food for longer periods and thus maximize energy income and increase the amount of the extracted nutrients. That way, they secure energy income from the limited, in time and quantity, food resources of the islands.

Automated studies of radiation-induced changes in 3T3 cell motility and morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thurston, G.; Palcic, B.

1985-01-01

The most common endpoint in radiobiological studies is cell survival, as measured by colony forming ability. There is substantial experimental evidence that cell survival is related to the amount of radiation damage to the DNA. Radiation induces other changes in cell behaviour and morphology that may not be due to DNA damage alone. For example, low doses of radiation (<100 rads) were found to alter the ''phagokinetic tracks'' of moving 3T3 cells. They reported abnormal cell motility as demonstrated by a more random pattern of motion. 3T3 cells were also noted to show changes in morphology after exposure to x-rays. The fibroblast adhesion routine is disrupted by low doses of radiation (cell settling, microspike extension, lamellipodia flow, then cell spreading). An automated microscope system, DMIPS, is being used to automatically track 3T3 cells as they move and to correlate their movement with their morphology. An effort is being made to quantitate, for a large number of cells, the changes in 3T3 cell motility induced by radiation. The DMIPS procedure is compared to the gold dust technique

The ultrastructural surface morphology of oral cancer cells and keratinocytes after exposure to chitosan

Science.gov (United States)

Fatimah; Sarsito, A. S.; Wimardhani, Y. S.

2017-08-01

Low-molecular-weight chitosan (LMWC) has the same selective cytotoxic effects on oral cancer cells as cisplatin. The cell deaths caused by the anticancer characteristics of chitosan show that apoptosis is not the death pathway of the primary cells involved. The interactions between LMWC and the cells need to be explored. The objective of this study was to compare the ultrastructural morphology of oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC Ca)-922 and noncancer keratinocyte HaCaT cell lines after exposure to LMWC and cisplatin. The cells were treated with LMWC and cisplatin, and their ultrastructural morphology was analyzed using scanning electron micrographs. Features of early apoptosis, seen as the loss of microvilli, were detected in the LMWC-exposed Ca9-22 cells, and there was a material surrounding the cells. In contrast, the LMWC-exposed HaCaT cells showed no changes related to apoptosis. The results were the opposite when cisplatin was used. This study confirms that there are differences in the ultrastructural surface morphology of LMWC-exposed and cisplatin-exposed oral cancer cells and keratinocytes that could be correlated with their biological activity.

Morphologic and proteomic characterization of exosomes released by cultured extravillous trophoblast cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atay, Safinur [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY (United States); Gercel-Taylor, Cicek [Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women' s Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY (United States); Kesimer, Mehmet [Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (United States); Taylor, Douglas D., E-mail: ddtaylor@louisville.edu [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY (United States); Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women' s Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY (United States)

2011-05-01

Exosomes represent an important intercellular communication vehicle, mediating events essential for the decidual microenvironment. While we have demonstrated exosome induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, to date, no extensive characterization of trophoblast-derived exosomes has been provided. Our objective was to provide a morphologic and proteomic characterization of these exosomes. Exosomes were isolated from the conditioned media of Swan71 human trophoblast cells by ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. These were analyzed for density (sucrose density gradient centrifugation), morphology (electron microscopy), size (dynamic light scattering) and protein composition (Ion Trap mass spectrometry and western immunoblotting). Based on density gradient centrifugation, microvesicles from Sw71 cells exhibit a density between 1.134 and 1.173 g/ml. Electron microscopy demonstrated that microvesicles from Sw71 cells exhibit the characteristic cup-shaped morphology of exosomes. Dynamic light scattering showed a bell-shaped curve, indicating a homogeneous population with a mean size of 165 nm {+-} 0.5 nm. Ion Trap mass spectrometry demonstrated the presence of exosome marker proteins (including CD81, Alix, cytoskeleton related proteins, and Rab family). The MS results were confirmed by western immunoblotting. Based on morphology, density, size and protein composition, we defined the release of exosomes from extravillous trophoblast cells and provide their first extensive characterization. This characterization is essential in furthering our understanding of 'normal' early pregnancy.

Morphologic and proteomic characterization of exosomes released by cultured extravillous trophoblast cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atay, Safinur; Gercel-Taylor, Cicek; Kesimer, Mehmet; Taylor, Douglas D.

2011-01-01

Exosomes represent an important intercellular communication vehicle, mediating events essential for the decidual microenvironment. While we have demonstrated exosome induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, to date, no extensive characterization of trophoblast-derived exosomes has been provided. Our objective was to provide a morphologic and proteomic characterization of these exosomes. Exosomes were isolated from the conditioned media of Swan71 human trophoblast cells by ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. These were analyzed for density (sucrose density gradient centrifugation), morphology (electron microscopy), size (dynamic light scattering) and protein composition (Ion Trap mass spectrometry and western immunoblotting). Based on density gradient centrifugation, microvesicles from Sw71 cells exhibit a density between 1.134 and 1.173 g/ml. Electron microscopy demonstrated that microvesicles from Sw71 cells exhibit the characteristic cup-shaped morphology of exosomes. Dynamic light scattering showed a bell-shaped curve, indicating a homogeneous population with a mean size of 165 nm ± 0.5 nm. Ion Trap mass spectrometry demonstrated the presence of exosome marker proteins (including CD81, Alix, cytoskeleton related proteins, and Rab family). The MS results were confirmed by western immunoblotting. Based on morphology, density, size and protein composition, we defined the release of exosomes from extravillous trophoblast cells and provide their first extensive characterization. This characterization is essential in furthering our understanding of 'normal' early pregnancy.

Cellular Morphology-Mediated Proliferation and Drug Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryota Domura

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The interpretation of the local microenvironment of the extracellular matrix for malignant tumor cells is in intimate relation with metastatic spread of cancer cells involving the associated issues of cellular proliferation and drug responsiveness. This study was aimed to assess the combination of both surface topographies (fiber alignments and different stiffness of the polymeric substrates (poly(l-lactic acid and poly(ε-caprolactone, PLLA and PCL, respectively as well as collagen substrates (coat and gel to elucidate the effect of the cellular morphology on cellular proliferation and drug sensitivities of two different types of breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. The morphological spreading parameter (nucleus/cytoplasm area ratio induced by the anthropogenic substrates has correlated intimately with the cellular proliferation and the drug sensitivity the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 of cancer cells. This study demonstrated the promising results of the parameter for the evaluation of cancer cell malignancy.

Cellular Morphology-Mediated Proliferation and Drug Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Domura, Ryota; Sasaki, Rie; Ishikawa, Yuma; Okamoto, Masami

2017-06-06

The interpretation of the local microenvironment of the extracellular matrix for malignant tumor cells is in intimate relation with metastatic spread of cancer cells involving the associated issues of cellular proliferation and drug responsiveness. This study was aimed to assess the combination of both surface topographies (fiber alignments) and different stiffness of the polymeric substrates (poly(l-lactic acid) and poly(ε-caprolactone), PLLA and PCL, respectively) as well as collagen substrates (coat and gel) to elucidate the effect of the cellular morphology on cellular proliferation and drug sensitivities of two different types of breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7). The morphological spreading parameter (nucleus/cytoplasm area ratio) induced by the anthropogenic substrates has correlated intimately with the cellular proliferation and the drug sensitivity the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of cancer cells. This study demonstrated the promising results of the parameter for the evaluation of cancer cell malignancy.

Occurrence of Morphological and Anatomical Adaptive Traits in Young and Adult Plants of the Rare Mediterranean Cliff Species Primula palinuri Petagna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronica De Micco

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cliffs worldwide are known to be reservoirs of relict biodiversity. Despite the presence of harsh abiotic conditions, large endemic floras live in such environments. Primula palinuri Petagna is a rare endemic plant species, surviving on cliff sites along a few kilometres of the Tyrrhenian coast in southern Italy. This species is declared at risk of extinction due to human impact on the coastal areas in question. Population surveys have shown that most of the plants are old individuals, while seedlings and plants at early stages of development are rare. We followed the growth of P. palinuri plants from seed germination to the adult phase and analysed the morphoanatomical traits of plants at all stages of development. Our results showed that the pressure of cliff environmental factors has been selected for seasonal habitus and structural adaptive traits in this species. The main morphoanatomical modifications are suberized cell layers and accumulation of phenolic compounds in cell structures. These features are strictly related to regulation of water uptake and storage as well as defence from predation. However, we found them well established only in adult plants and not in juvenile individuals. These findings contribute to explain the rare recruitment of the present relict populations, identifying some of the biological traits which result in species vulnerability.

Occurrence of morphological and anatomical adaptive traits in young and adult plants of the rare Mediterranean cliff species Primula palinuri Petagna.

Science.gov (United States)

De Micco, Veronica; Aronne, Giovanna

2012-01-01

Cliffs worldwide are known to be reservoirs of relict biodiversity. Despite the presence of harsh abiotic conditions, large endemic floras live in such environments. Primula palinuri Petagna is a rare endemic plant species, surviving on cliff sites along a few kilometres of the Tyrrhenian coast in southern Italy. This species is declared at risk of extinction due to human impact on the coastal areas in question. Population surveys have shown that most of the plants are old individuals, while seedlings and plants at early stages of development are rare. We followed the growth of P. palinuri plants from seed germination to the adult phase and analysed the morphoanatomical traits of plants at all stages of development. Our results showed that the pressure of cliff environmental factors has been selected for seasonal habitus and structural adaptive traits in this species. The main morphoanatomical modifications are suberized cell layers and accumulation of phenolic compounds in cell structures. These features are strictly related to regulation of water uptake and storage as well as defence from predation. However, we found them well established only in adult plants and not in juvenile individuals. These findings contribute to explain the rare recruitment of the present relict populations, identifying some of the biological traits which result in species vulnerability.

Detection of quantitative trait loci in Danish Holstein cattle affecting clinical mastitis, somatic cell score, udder conformation traits, and assessment of associated effects on milk yield

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, M S; Guldbrandtsen, B; Buitenhuis, A J

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to 1) detect QTL across the cattle genome that influence the incidence of clinical mastitis and somatic cell score (SCS) in Danish Holsteins, and 2) characterize these QTL for pleiotropy versus multiple linked quantitative trait loci (QTL) when chromosomal regions...... affecting clinical mastitis were also affecting other traits in the Danish udder health index or milk production traits. The chromosomes were scanned using a granddaughter design where markers were typed for 19 to 34 grandsire families and 1,373 to 2,042 sons. A total of 356 microsatellites covering all 29...... autosomes were used in the scan. Among the across-family regression analyses, 16 showed chromosome-wide significance for the primary traits incidence of clinical mastitis in first (CM1), second (CM2), and third (CM3) lactations, and SCS. Regions of chromosomes 5, 6, 9, 11, 15, and 26 were found to affect CM...

High efficiency polymer solar cells with vertically modulated nanoscale morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Ankit; Hong Ziruo; Yang Yang; Li Gang

2009-01-01

Nanoscale morphology has been shown to be a critical parameter governing charge transport properties of polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Recent results on vertical phase separation have intensified the research on 3D morphology control. In this paper, we intend to modify the distribution of donors and acceptors in a classical BHJ polymer solar cell by making the active layer richer in donors and acceptors near the anode and cathode respectively. Here, we chose [6,6]-phenyl- C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) to be the acceptor material to be thermally deposited on top of [poly(3-hexylthiophene)] P3HT: the PCBM active layer to achieve a vertical composition gradient in the BHJ structure. Here we report on a solar cell with enhanced power conversion efficiency of 4.5% which can be directly correlated with the decrease in series resistance of the device.

Retinal ganglion cells in the eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens: topography, morphology, and diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pushchin, Igor I; Karetin, Yuriy A

2009-10-20

The topography and morphology of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the eastern newt were studied. Cells were retrogradely labeled with tetramethylrhodamine-conjugated dextran amines or horseradish peroxidase and examined in retinal wholemounts. Their total number was 18,025 +/- 3,602 (mean +/- SEM). The spatial density of RGCs varied from 2,100 cells/mm(2) in the retinal periphery to 4,500 cells/mm(2) in the dorsotemporal retina. No prominent retinal specializations were found. The spatial resolution estimated from the spatial density of RGCs varied from 1.4 cycles per degree in the periphery to 1.95 cycles per degree in the region of the peak RGC density. A sample of 68 cells was camera lucida drawn and subjected to quantitative analysis. A total of 21 parameters related to RGC morphology and stratification in the retina were estimated. Partitionings obtained by using different clustering algorithms combined with automatic variable weighting and dimensionality reduction techniques were compared, and an effective solution was found by using silhouette analysis. A total of seven clusters were identified and associated with potential cell types. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA-on-Ranks with post hoc Mann-Whitney U tests showed significant pairwise between-cluster differences in one or more of the clustering variables. The average silhouette values of the clusters were reasonably high, ranging from 0.52 to 0.79. Cells assigned to the same cluster displayed similar morphology and stratification in the retina. The advantages and limitations of the methodology adopted are discussed. The present classification is compared with known morphological and physiological RGC classifications in other salamanders.

Human aortic endothelial cell morphology influenced by topography of porous silicon substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Formentín, Pilar; Catalán, Úrsula; Fernández-Castillejo, Sara; Alba, Maria; Baranowska, Malgorzata; Solà, Rosa; Pallarès, Josep; Marsal, Lluís F

2015-10-01

Porous silicon has received much attention because of its optical properties and for its usefulness in cell-based biosensing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. Surface properties of the biomaterial are associated with cell adhesion and with proliferation, migration, and differentiation. The present article analyzes the behavior of human aortic endothelial cells in macro- and nanoporous collagen-modified porous silicon samples. On both substrates, cells are well adhered and numerous. Confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to study the effects of porosity on the morphology of the cells. On macroporous silicon, filopodia is not observed but the cell spreads on the surface, increasing the lamellipodia surface which penetrates the macropore. On nanoporous silicon, multiple filopodia were found to branch out from the cell body. These results demonstrate that the pore size plays a key role in controlling the morphology and growth rate of human aortic endothelial cells, and that these forms of silicon can be used to control cell development in tissue engineering as well as in basic cell biology research. © The Author(s) 2015.

The BNCT resistant fraction of cancer cells. An in vitro morphologic and cytofluorimetric study on a rat coloncarcinoma cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrari, C.; Clerici, A.M.; Mazzini, G.

2006-01-01

Given the high efficacy of the BNCT treatment, recurrences reasonably depends on the failure of a cell fraction to uptake and retain adequate levels of boronated compounds. Aim of this study is to identify, quantify and characterize the resistant cell fraction relative to the delivered boron concentration. Experiments were performed on the DHD/K12/TRb line by means of cytofluorimetric DNA analysis, plating efficiency and morphologic observations. Cells were incubated with p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) concentrations ranging from 10 to 40 ppm for 18 h. Following neutron exposure, cells were reseeded for subsequent morphologic observations, counting and DNA analysis. Samples of irradiated cells not BPA enriched and non-irradiated cells with and without boron were compared with them. After 24 hs there were no differences among the four conditions, in terms of number of recovered cells, morphology and cell cycle distribution. Starting from 48 hs and up to 7 days BPA irradiated cells showed growth in dimensions, important cell number reduction and multiclonal DNA profile worsening with time. After 9 days normally sized cell clones appeared confirming the presence of a resistant cell fraction able to restore the original cell population after 21 days. The incidence of surviving cells turned out to be in the range 0,026-0,05%. (author)

Morphology Analysis and Optimization: Crucial Factor Determining the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjin Zeng

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This review presents an overall discussion on the morphology analysis and optimization for perovskite (PVSK solar cells. Surface morphology and energy alignment have been proven to play a dominant role in determining the device performance. The effect of the key parameters such as solution condition and preparation atmosphere on the crystallization of PVSK, the characterization of surface morphology and interface distribution in the perovskite layer is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the analysis of interface energy level alignment by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy is presented to reveals the correlation between morphology and charge generation and collection within the perovskite layer, and its influence on the device performance. The techniques including architecture modification, solvent annealing, etc. were reviewed as an efficient approach to improve the morphology of PVSK. It is expected that further progress will be achieved with more efforts devoted to the insight of the mechanism of surface engineering in the field of PVSK solar cells.

Morphology and behaviour : functional links in development and evolution Introduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bertossa, Rinaldo C.

2011-01-01

Development and evolution of animal behaviour and morphology are frequently addressed independently, as reflected in the dichotomy of disciplines dedicated to their study distinguishing object of study (morphology versus behaviour) and perspective (ultimate versus proximate). Although traits are

Relative deformability of red blood cells in sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia by trapping and dragging

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Rance; Cooper, James; Welker, Gabriel; Aguilar, Elaura; Flanagan, Brooke; Pennycuff, Chelsey; Scott, David; Farone, Anthony; Farone, Mary; Erenso, Daniel; Mushi, Robert; del Pilar Aguinaga, Maria

2013-06-01

Genetic mutation of the β-globin gene or inheritance of this mutated gene changes the chemical composition of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecule that could lead to either the heterozygote genotype, resulting in sickle cell trait (SCT), or the homozygote genotype, resulting in sickle cell anemia (SCA). These mutations could affect the reversible elastic deformations of the red blood cells (RBCs) which are vital for biological functions. We have investigated this effect by studying the differences in the deformability of RBCs from blood samples of an individual with SCT and an untreated patient with SCA along with hemoglobin quantitation of each blood sample. Infrared 1064 nm laser trap force along with drag shear force are used to induce deformation in the RBCs. Ultra2-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) is used for the hemoglobin quantitation.

Prevalence, association, and sexual dimorphism of Carabelli's molar and shovel incisor traits amongst Jordanian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Khraisat, A; Taha, Sahar T; Jung, R E; Hattar, S; Smadi, L; Al-Omari, I K; Jarbawi, M

2007-09-01

The correlation between dental morphological traits can be used as an indicator to show major ethnic differences. Therefore, this study investigated the prevalence of Carabelli's molar and shovel incisor traits and tested their association and sexual dimorphism in Jordanian population. Three hundred subjects of school children at their 10th grade and of 15.5-year as an average age were involved. Alginate impressions for the maxillary arch were taken, poured, and casts were then trimmed. The selected accurate casts were of 132 male- and 155 female-students. The examined morphologic traits were Carabelli's trait on the maxillary first and second molars and shovel-shaped incisors. The relationship between different traits was investigated by Nonparametric Correlation analysis and Independent Sample t test was used to test sexual dimorphism in trait expression. The prevalence of Carabelli's trait in maxillary first molar and shovel trait in maxillary central incisor was relatively high (65.0 % and 53.0 %, respectively). The prevalence of Carabelli's trait on maxillary second molars was 3.8 %. Nonparametric Correlations revealed a strongest positive correlation between Carabelli's trait on maxillary first molar and shovel trait in males (P = 0.005). Significant sexual dimorphism was only found in the prevalence of Carabelli's trait on maxillary first molar (P = 0.013) and shovel trait (P = 0.038). The Jordanian Population had comparatively high prevalence of Carabelli's molar and shovel incisor traits. There was a positive association between Carabelli's trait on maxillary first molar and shovel trait in males. Sexual dimorphism was evident in Carabelli's trait on maxillary first molar and shovel trait.

Genetic relationship of lactation persistency with milk yield, somatic cell score, reproductive traits, and longevity in Slovak Holstein cattle

OpenAIRE

Strapáková, Eva; Candrák, Juraj; Strapák, Peter

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the breeding values (BVs) of lactation persistency, the test day of milk yield, the somatic cell score, reproductive traits (calving interval, days open), longevity in Slovak Holstein dairy cattle. BVs were used for the detection of relationships among the persistency of lactation and other selected traits. Data for the estimation of BVs of milk production and somatic cell score were collected from 855 240 cows. BVs for reproductive t...

Relationship between udder morphology traits, alveolar and cisternal milk compartments and machine milking performances of dairy camels (Camelus dromedarius

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ayadi

2013-07-01

Full Text Available A total of 22 dairy dromedary camels under intensive conditions in late lactation (275±24 days were used to study the relationship between external and internal udder morphology and machine milking performances. Measurements of udder and teat morphology were obtained immediately before milking and in duplicate. Individual milk yield, lag time and total milking time were recorded during milking, and milk samples were collected and analyzed for milk composition thereafter. Cisternal and alveolar milk volumes and composition were evaluated at 9 h milking interval. Results revealed that dairy camels had well developed udders and milk veins, with medium sized teats. On average, milk yield as well as milk fat and protein contents were 4.80±0.50 L d-1, 2.61±0.16% and 3.08±0.05%, respectively. The low fat values observed indicated incomplete milk letdown during machine milking. Lag time, and total milking time were 3.0±0.3, and 120.0±8.9s, on average, respectively. Positive correlations (p<0.05 were observed between milk yield and udder depth (r=0.37, distance between teats (r=0.57 and milk vein diameter (r=0.28, while a negative correlation was found with udder height (r=-0.25, p<0.05. Cisternal milk accounted for 11% of the total udder milk. Positive correlations were observed between total milk yield and volume of alveolar milk (r=0.98; p<0.001 as well as with volume of cisternal milk (r=0.63, p<0.05. Despite the low udder milk storage capacity observed in dairy camels, our study concluded that the evaluated dromedary sample had adequate udder morphology for machine milking. Finally, positive relationships were detected between milk yield and udder morphology traits of dairy camels.

Suitable parameter choice on quantitative morphology of A549 cell in epithelial–mesenchymal transition

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhou-Xin; Yu, Hai-Bin; Li, Jian-Sheng; Shen, Jun-Ling; Du, Wen-Sen

2015-01-01

Evaluation of morphological changes in cells is an integral part of study on epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), however, only a few papers reported the changes in quantitative parameters and no article compared different parameters for demanding better parameters. In the study, the purpose was to investigate suitable parameters for quantitative evaluation of EMT morphological changes. A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line was selected for the study. Some cells were stimulated by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) for EMT, and other cells were as control without TGF-β1 stimulation. Subsequently, cells were placed in phase contrast microscope and three arbitrary fields were captured and saved with a personal computer. Using the tools of Photoshop software, some cells in an image were selected, segmented out and exchanged into unique hue, and other part in the image was shifted into another unique hue. The cells were calculated with 29 morphological parameters by Image Pro Plus software. A parameter between cells with or without TGF-β1 stimulation was compared statistically and nine parameters were significantly different between them. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) of a parameter was described with SPSS software and F-test was used to compare two areas under the curves (AUCs) in Excel. Among them, roundness and radius ratio were the most AUCs and were significant higher than the other parameters. The results provided a new method with quantitative assessment of cell morphology during EMT, and found out two parameters, roundness and radius ratio, as suitable for quantification. PMID:26182364

Morphology and behaviour: functional links in development and evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Bertossa, Rinaldo C.

2011-01-01

Development and evolution of animal behaviour and morphology are frequently addressed independently, as reflected in the dichotomy of disciplines dedicated to their study distinguishing object of study (morphology versus behaviour) and perspective (ultimate versus proximate). Although traits are known to develop and evolve semi-independently, they are matched together in development and evolution to produce a unique functional phenotype. Here I highlight similarities shared by both traits, such as the decisive role played by the environment for their ontogeny. Considering the widespread developmental and functional entanglement between both traits, many cases of adaptive evolution are better understood when proximate and ultimate explanations are integrated. A field integrating these perspectives is evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo), which studies the developmental basis of phenotypic diversity. Ultimate aspects in evo-devo studies—which have mostly focused on morphological traits—could become more apparent when behaviour, ‘the integrator of form and function’, is integrated into the same framework of analysis. Integrating a trait such as behaviour at a different level in the biological hierarchy will help to better understand not only how behavioural diversity is produced, but also how levels are connected to produce functional phenotypes and how these evolve. A possible framework to accommodate and compare form and function at different levels of the biological hierarchy is outlined. At the end, some methodological issues are discussed. PMID:21690124

Polyploidy and the relationship between leaf structure and function: implications for correlated evolution of anatomy, morphology, and physiology in Brassica.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Robert L; Yarkhunova, Yulia; Vidal, Katherine; Ewers, Brent E; Weinig, Cynthia

2017-01-05

Polyploidy is well studied from a genetic and genomic perspective, but the morphological, anatomical, and physiological consequences of polyploidy remain relatively uncharacterized. Whether these potential changes bear on functional integration or are idiosyncratic remains an open question. Repeated allotetraploid events and multiple genomic combinations as well as overlapping targets of artificial selection make the Brassica triangle an excellent system for exploring variation in the connection between plant structure (anatomy and morphology) and function (physiology). We examine phenotypic integration among structural aspects of leaves including external morphology and internal anatomy with leaf-level physiology among several species of Brassica. We compare diploid and allotetraploid species to ascertain patterns of phenotypic correlations among structural and functional traits and test the hypothesis that allotetraploidy results in trait disintegration allowing for transgressive phenotypes and additional evolutionary and crop improvement potential. Among six Brassica species, we found significant effects of species and ploidy level for morphological, anatomical and physiological traits. We identified three suites of intercorrelated traits in both diploid parents and allotetraploids: Morphological traits (such as leaf area and perimeter) anatomic traits (including ab- and ad- axial epidermis) and aspects of physiology. In general, there were more correlations between structural and functional traits for allotetraploid hybrids than diploid parents. Parents and hybrids did not have any significant structure-function correlations in common. Of particular note, there were no significant correlations between morphological structure and physiological function in the diploid parents. Increased phenotypic integration in the allotetraploid hybrids may be due, in part, to increased trait ranges or simply different structure-function relationships. Genomic and chromosomal

Phytoplankton defence mechanisms: traits and trade-offs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pančić, Marina; Kiørboe, Thomas

2018-01-01

mechanisms in phytoplankton are diverse and include physiological (e.g. toxicity, bioluminescence), morphological (e.g. silica shell, colony formation), and behavioural (e.g. escape response) traits. However, the function of many of the proposed defence mechanisms remains elusive, and the costs and benefits...

Time-kill profiles and cell-surface morphological effects of crude ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

MK1201 mycelial extract on the viability and cell surface morphology of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods: Time-kill assays were conducted by incubating test ...

Plasma cell morphology in multiple myeloma and related disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribourtout, B; Zandecki, M

2015-06-01

Normal and reactive plasma cells (PC) are easy to ascertain on human bone marrow films, due to their small mature-appearing nucleus and large cytoplasm, the latter usually deep blue after Giemsa staining. Cytoplasm is filled with long strands of rough endoplasmic reticulum and one large Golgi apparatus (paranuclear hof), demonstrating that PC are dedicated mainly to protein synthesis and excretion (immunoglobulin). Deregulation of the genome may induce clonal expansion of one PC that will lead to immunoglobulin overproduction and eventually to one among the so-called PC neoplasms. In multiple myeloma (MM), the number of PC is over 10% in most patients studied. Changes in the morphology of myeloma PC may be inconspicuous as compared to normal PC (30-50% patients). In other instances PC show one or several morphological changes. One is related to low amount of cytoplasm, defining lymphoplasmacytoid myeloma (10-15% patients). In other cases (40-50% patients), named immature myeloma cases, nuclear-cytoplasmic asynchrony is observed: presence of one nucleolus, finely dispersed chromatin and/or irregular nuclear contour contrast with a still large and blue (mature) cytoplasm. A peculiar morphological change, corresponding to the presence of very immature PC named plasmablasts, is observed in 10-15% cases. Several prognostic morphological classifications have been published, as mature myeloma is related to favorable outcome and immature myeloma, peculiarly plasmablastic myeloma, is related to dismal prognosis. However, such classifications are no longer included in current prognostic schemes. Changes related to the nucleus are very rare in monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS). In contrast, anomalies related to the cytoplasm of PC, including color (flaming cells), round inclusions (Mott cells, Russell bodies), Auer rod-like or crystalline inclusions, are reported in myeloma cases as well as in MGUS and at times in reactive disorders. They do not correspond

Genetic Determinism vs. Phenotypic Plasticity in Protist Morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulot, Matthieu; Marcisz, Katarzyna; Grandgirard, Lara; Lara, Enrique; Kosakyan, Anush; Robroek, Bjorn J M; Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Payne, Richard J; Mitchell, Edward A D

2017-11-01

Untangling the relationships between morphology and phylogeny is key to building a reliable taxonomy, but is especially challenging for protists, where the existence of cryptic or pseudocryptic species makes finding relevant discriminant traits difficult. Here we use Hyalosphenia papilio (a testate amoeba) as a model species to investigate the contribution of phylogeny and phenotypic plasticity in its morphology. We study the response of H. papilio morphology (shape and pores number) to environmental variables in (i) a manipulative experiment with controlled conditions (water level), (ii) an observational study of a within-site natural ecological gradient (water level), and (iii) an observational study across 37 European peatlands (climate). We showed that H. papilio morphology is correlated to environmental conditions (climate and water depth) as well as geography, while no relationship between morphology and phylogeny was brought to light. The relative contribution of genetic inheritance and phenotypic plasticity in shaping morphology varies depending on the taxonomic group and the trait under consideration. Thus, our data call for a reassessment of taxonomy based on morphology alone. This clearly calls for a substantial increase in taxonomic research on these globally still under-studied organisms leading to a reassessment of estimates of global microbial eukaryotic diversity. © 2017 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2017 International Society of Protistologists.

Optimizing time and resource allocation trade-offs for investment into morphological and behavioral defense

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steiner, Uli; Pfeiffer, Thomas

2007-01-01

pronounced at intermediate environmental conditions. Optimizing single traits generally leads to a more pronounced response of the defense traits, which implies that studying single traits leads to an overestimation of their response to predation. Behavioral defense and morphological defense compensate......Prey organisms are confronted with time and resource allocation trade-offs. Time allocation trade-offs partition time, for example, between foraging effort to acquire resources and behavioral defense. Resource allocation trade-offs partition the acquired resources between multiple traits...... for and augment each other depending on predator densities and the effectiveness of the defense mechanisms. In the presence of time constraints, the model shows peak investment into morphological and behavioral defense at intermediate resource levels....

Non-Metric Dental Traits in Human Skeletal Remains from Transcaucasian Populations: Phylogenetic and Diachronic Evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khudaverdyan Anahit Yu.

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is the assessment of biological distance between populations from Transcaucasia on the basis of the frequency of dental morphological traits. It is well known that these traits are characterised by a high inter-population differentiation, low sexual dimorphism, and their recording is loaded by relatively small intra and inter observer error. The dental morphological traits are successfully used in the description and explanation of the microevolutionary and ethnogenetic processes. This paper presents the results of the odontological differentiation of human populations from Transcaucasia. The comparative analysis was carried out on the basis of 12 groups. From the obtained results, we can draw the following conclusions: The populations of Armenian Highland and Georgia can be differentiated as far as the frequency of dental morphological traits are concerned. They also do not exhibit similar intragroup variability. Biocultural diversity of ancient Transcaucasian populations has not been studied extensively; therefore, delineating some of the patterns of phenotypic variation may be useful for understanding their ongoing evolution.

Atomic force microscopic study of the effects of ethanol on yeast cell surface morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Canetta, Elisabetta; Adya, Ashok K; Walker, Graeme M

2006-02-01

The detrimental effects of ethanol toxicity on the cell surface morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain NCYC 1681) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (strain DVPB 1354) were investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). In combination with culture viability and mean cell volume measurements AFM studies allowed us to relate the cell surface morphological changes, observed on nanometer lateral resolution, with the cellular stress physiology. Exposing yeasts to increasing stressful concentrations of ethanol led to decreased cell viabilities and mean cell volumes. Together with the roughness and bearing volume analyses of the AFM images, the results provided novel insight into the relative ethanol tolerance of S. cerevisiae and Sc. pombe.

Microgeographic variation in locomotor traits among lizards in a human-built environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin Donihue

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Microgeographic variation in fitness-relevant traits may be more common than previously appreciated. The fitness of many vertebrates is directly related to their locomotor capacity, a whole-organism trait integrating behavior, morphology, and physiology. Because locomotion is inextricably related to context, I hypothesized that it might vary with habitat structure in a wide-ranging lizard, Podarcis erhardii, found in the Greek Cyclade Islands. I compared lizard populations living on human-built rock walls, a novel habitat with complex vertical structure, with nearby lizard populations that are naive to human-built infrastructure and live in flat, loose-substrate habitat. I tested for differences in morphology, behavior, and performance. Lizards from built sites were larger and had significantly (and relatively longer forelimbs and hindlimbs. The differences in hindlimb morphology were especially pronounced for distal components—the foot and longest toe. These morphologies facilitated a significant behavioral shift in jumping propensity across a rocky experimental substrate. I found no difference in maximum velocity between these populations; however, females originating from wall sites potentially accelerated faster over the rocky experimental substrate. The variation between these closely neighboring populations suggests that the lizards inhabiting walls have experienced a suite of trait changes enabling them to take advantage of the novel habitat structure created by humans.

Morphology and efficiency : the case of Polymer/ZnO solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koster, L.J.A.; Stenzel, O.; Oosterhout, S.D.; Wienk, M.M.; Schmidt, V.; Janssen, R.A.J.

2013-01-01

The performance of polymer solar cells critically depends on the morphology of the interface between the donor- and acceptor materials that are used to create and transport charge carriers. Solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and ZnO were fully characterized in terms of their efficiency and

Morphology and Efficiency : The Case of Polymer/ZnO Solar Cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koster, L.J.A.; Stenzel, O.; Oosterhout, S.D.; Wienk, M.M.; Schmidt, V.; Janssen, R.A.J.

The performance of polymer solar cells critically depends on the morphology of the interface between the donor- and acceptor materials that are used to create and transport charge carriers. Solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and ZnO were fully characterized in terms of their efficiency and

Distribution of functional traits in subtropical trees across environmental and forest use gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Blundo, Cecilia; Malizia, Lucio R.; González-Espinosa, Mario

2015-11-01

The relationship between functional traits and environmental factors contribute to understanding community structure and predicting which species will be able to elude environmental filters in different habitats. We selected 10 functional traits related to morphology, demography and regeneration niche in 54 subtropical premontane tree species to describe their main axes of functional differentiation. We derived species traits, environmental variables and species abundance data from 20 1-ha permanent plots established in a seasonal subtropical premontane forest in northwestern Argentina. We analyzed the relationship between species functional traits and environmental factors through RLQ and fourth-corner analyzes. We found an axis of structural differentiation that segregates understory from canopy species, and an axis of functional differentiation that segregates species that maximize resource acquisition from those that promote resource conservation. Environmental and forest use gradients operate hierarchically over subtropical premontane tree species influencing the distribution of demographic and morphological traits. The interaction between climatic and topographic factors influences the distribution of species functional traits at the regional scale. In addition, the history of forest use seems to operate at the landscape scale and explains the distribution of species traits reflecting a trade-off between resource acquisition and resource conservation strategies in secondary forests across different successional stages. Our results support the idea that functional traits may be used to analyze community structure and dynamics through niche differentiation and environmental filtering processes.

Liver-cell patterning lab chip: mimicking the morphology of liver lobule tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Chen-Ta; Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Chen, Rong-Jhe; Chin, Chung-Kuang; Gong, Song-En; Chang, Hwan-You; Peng, Hwei-Ling; Hsu, Long; Yew, Tri-Rung; Chang, Shau-Feng; Liu, Cheng-Hsien

2013-09-21

A lobule-mimetic cell-patterning technique for on-chip reconstruction of centimetre-scale liver tissue of heterogeneous hepatic and endothelial cells via an enhanced field-induced dielectrophoresis (DEP) trap is demonstrated and reported. By mimicking the basic morphology of liver tissue, the classic hepatic lobule, the lobule-mimetic-stellate-electrodes array was designed for cell patterning. Through DEP manipulation, well-defined and enhanced spatial electric field gradients were created for in-parallel manipulation of massive individual cells. With this liver-cell patterning labchip design, the original randomly distributed hepatic and endothelial cells inside the microfluidic chamber can be manipulated separately and aligned into the desired pattern that mimicks the morphology of liver lobule tissue. Experimental results showed that both hepatic and endothelial cells were orderly guided, snared, and aligned along the field-induced orientation to form the lobule-mimetic pattern. About 95% cell viability of hepatic and endothelial cells was also observed after cell-patterning demonstration via a fluorescent assay technique. The liver function of CYP450-1A1 enzyme activity showed an 80% enhancement for our engineered liver tissue (HepG2+HUVECs) compared to the non-patterned pure HepG2 for two-day culturing.

Morphological evolution and heritability estimates for some biometric traits in the Murgese horse breed.

Science.gov (United States)

Dario, C; Carnicella, D; Dario, M; Bufano, G

2006-06-30

A data set concerning 1,816 subjects entered in the Italian Horse Registry from 1925 to 2002 was analyzed to investigate the morphological evolution of the Murgese horse and to obtain useful elements to enhance breeding practices. Three basic body measurements (height at withers, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference) were considered for each subject. Heritabilities were calculated for each parameter to infer the growth and development traits of this breed. Over the past 20 years the Murgese horse has undergone considerable changes, passing from a typical mesomorphic structure (height at withers: 156.30 and 151.04 cm; chest girth: 185.80 and 176.11 cm; cannon bone: 21.10 and 19.82 cm for males and females, respectively) to a mesodolichomorphic structure (height at withers: 160.31 and 156.44 cm; chest girth: 187.89 and 182.48 cm; cannon bone: 21.07 and 20.37 cm, for males and females, respectively). Due to these changes and to its characteristic strength and power, the Murgese, which was once used in agriculture and for meat production (at the end of its life), is now involved in sports, mainly in trekking and equestrian tourism. The heritability estimates for the three body measurements were found to be 0.24, 0.39 and 0.44.

Functional and morphological recovery of the T-cell compartment in lethally irradiated and reconstituted mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraal, G.; Hilst, B. van der; Boden, D.

1979-01-01

The recovery of the T-cell compartment in mice after lethal irradiation and reconstitution was studied using functional and morphological parameters. T-helper cell activity, determined by the direct SRBC-plaque-forming cell (PFC) response, recovered in a similar fashion as T-memory function which was studied by adoptive transfer of carrier-primed cells. Both functions returned to control levels in 2.5 to 3 months. Using immunoperoxidase staining of frozen sections with anti-T cell serum, the morphological recovery of the T-cell dependent areas in the white pulp of the spleen could be studied and compared with the functional recovery. (author)

Label-free morphology-based prediction of multiple differentiation potentials of human mesenchymal stem cells for early evaluation of intact cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroto Sasaki

Full Text Available Precise quantification of cellular potential of stem cells, such as human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs, is important for achieving stable and effective outcomes in clinical stem cell therapy. Here, we report a method for image-based prediction of the multiple differentiation potentials of hBMSCs. This method has four major advantages: (1 the cells used for potential prediction are fully intact, and therefore directly usable for clinical applications; (2 predictions of potentials are generated before differentiation cultures are initiated; (3 prediction of multiple potentials can be provided simultaneously for each sample; and (4 predictions of potentials yield quantitative values that correlate strongly with the experimental data. Our results show that the collapse of hBMSC differentiation potentials, triggered by in vitro expansion, can be quantitatively predicted far in advance by predicting multiple potentials, multi-lineage differentiation potentials (osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic and population doubling potential using morphological features apparent during the first 4 days of expansion culture. In order to understand how such morphological features can be effective for advance predictions, we measured gene-expression profiles of the same early undifferentiated cells. Both senescence-related genes (p16 and p21 and cytoskeleton-related genes (PTK2, CD146, and CD49 already correlated to the decrease of potentials at this stage. To objectively compare the performance of morphology and gene expression for such early prediction, we tested a range of models using various combinations of features. Such comparison of predictive performances revealed that morphological features performed better overall than gene-expression profiles, balancing the predictive accuracy with the effort required for model construction. This benchmark list of various prediction models not only identifies the best morphological feature

Linkage disequilibrium mapping of morphological, resistance, and other agronomically relevant traits in modern spring barley cultivars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraakman, A.T.W.; Martinez, F.; Mussiraliev, B.; Eeuwijk, van F.A.; Niks, R.E.

2006-01-01

A set of 148 modern spring barley cultivars was explored for the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between genes governing traits and nearby marker alleles. Associations of agronomically relevant traits (days to heading, plant height), resistance traits (leaf rust, barley yellow dwarf virus

Morphological characterization of a human glioma cell l ine.

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, Camila Ml; Schenka, André; Vassallo, José; Tamashiro, Wirla Msc; Gonçalves, Estela M; Genari, Selma C; Verinaud, Liana

2005-05-10

A human malignant continuous cell line, named NG97, was recently established in our laboratory. This cell line has been serially subcultured over 100 times in standard culture media presenting no sign of cell senescence. The NG97 cell line has a doubling time of about 24 h. Immunocytochemical analysis of glial markers demonstrated that cells are positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S-100 protein, and negative for vimentin. Under phase-contrast microscope, cultures of NG97 showed cells with variable morphological features, such as small rounded cells, fusiform cells (fibroblastic-like cells), and dendritic-like cells. However, at confluence just small rounded and fusiform cells can be observed. At scanning electron microscopy (SEM) small rounded cells showed heterogeneous microextentions, including blebs and filopodia. Dendritic-like cells were flat and presented extensive prolongations, making several contacts with small rounded cells, while fusiform cells presented their surfaces dominated by microvilli.We believe that the knowledge about NG97 cell line may be useful for a deeper understanding of biological and immunological characteristics of gliomas.

Meaningful traits for grouping plant species across arid ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Bär Lamas, Marlene Ivonne; Carrera, A L; Bertiller, M B

2016-05-01

Grouping species may provide some degree of simplification to understand the ecological function of plants on key ecosystem processes. We asked whether groups of plant species based on morpho-chemical traits associated with plant persistence and stress/disturbance resistance reflect dominant plant growth forms in arid ecosystems. We selected twelve sites across an aridity gradient in northern Patagonia. At each site, we identified modal size plants of each dominant species and assessed specific leaf area (SLA), plant height, seed mass, N and soluble phenol concentration in green and senesced leaves at each plant. Plant species were grouped according with plant growth forms (perennial grasses, evergreen shrubs and deciduous shrubs) and plant morphological and/or chemical traits using cluster analysis. We calculated mean values of each plant trait for each species group and plant growth form. Plant growth forms significantly differed among them in most of the morpho-chemical traits. Evergreen shrubs were tall plants with the highest seed mass and soluble phenols in leaves, deciduous shrubs were also tall plants with high SLA and the highest N in leaves, and perennial grasses were short plants with high SLA and low concentration of N and soluble phenols in leaves. Grouping species by the combination of morpho-chemical traits yielded 4 groups in which species from one growth form prevailed. These species groups differed in soluble phenol concentration in senesced leaves and plant height. These traits were highly correlated. We concluded that (1) plant height is a relevant synthetic variable, (2) growth forms adequately summarize ecological strategies of species in arid ecosystems, and (3) the inclusion of plant morphological and chemical traits related to defenses against environmental stresses and herbivory enhanced the potential of species grouping, particularly within shrubby growth forms.

Genetic diversity Study of Dioscoreas Using Morphological Traits ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof. Ogunji

study. Onyilagha (1988) used polyacrylamide gel elctrophoresis on 13 cultivars of Dioscorea (5 of D.rotundata and 8 of D.cayenesis). The two taxa have some common morphological features, leading to .... g, potassium chloride = 0.725 g, ethylene ..... feasibility in broadening the genetic base for the improvement of yam.

Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite particles with different morphology and their response to highly malignant melanoma cells in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Bo [National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterial, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China); Guo Bo [National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterial, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China); West China Eye Center of Huaxi Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China); Fan Hongsong [National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterial, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China)], E-mail: leewave@126.com; Zhang Xingdong [National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterial, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China)

2008-11-15

To investigate the effects of nano-hydroxyapatite (HA) particles with different morphology on highly malignant melanoma cells, three kinds of HA particles with different morphology were synthesized and co-cultured with highly malignant melanoma cells using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as control. A precipitation method with or without citric acid addition as surfactant was used to produce rod-like hydroxyapatite (HA) particles with nano- and micron size, respectively, and a novel oil-in-water emulsion method was employed to prepare ellipse-like nano-HA particles. Particle morphology and size distribution of the as prepared HA powders were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and dynamic light scattering technique. The nano- and micron HA particles with different morphology were co-cultured with highly malignant melanoma cells. Immunofluorescence analysis and MTT assay were employed to evaluate morphological change of nucleolus and proliferation of tumour cells, respectively. To compare the effects of HA particles on cell response, the PBS without HA particles was used as control. The experiment results indicated that particle nanoscale effect rather than particle morphology of HA was more effective for the inhibition on highly malignant melanoma cells proliferation.

Consumer trait variation influences tritrophic interactions in salt marsh communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Anne Randall; Hanley, Torrance C; Orozco, Nohelia P; Zerebecki, Robyn A

2015-07-01

The importance of intraspecific variation has emerged as a key question in community ecology, helping to bridge the gap between ecology and evolution. Although much of this work has focused on plant species, recent syntheses have highlighted the prevalence and potential importance of morphological, behavioral, and life history variation within animals for ecological and evolutionary processes. Many small-bodied consumers live on the plant that they consume, often resulting in host plant-associated trait variation within and across consumer species. Given the central position of consumer species within tritrophic food webs, such consumer trait variation may play a particularly important role in mediating trophic dynamics, including trophic cascades. In this study, we used a series of field surveys and laboratory experiments to document intraspecific trait variation in a key consumer species, the marsh periwinkle Littoraria irrorata, based on its host plant species (Spartina alterniflora or Juncus roemerianus) in a mixed species assemblage. We then conducted a 12-week mesocosm experiment to examine the effects of Littoraria trait variation on plant community structure and dynamics in a tritrophic salt marsh food web. Littoraria from different host plant species varied across a suite of morphological and behavioral traits. These consumer trait differences interacted with plant community composition and predator presence to affect overall plant stem height, as well as differentially alter the density and biomass of the two key plant species in this system. Whether due to genetic differences or phenotypic plasticity, trait differences between consumer types had significant ecological consequences for the tritrophic marsh food web over seasonal time scales. By altering the cascading effects of the top predator on plant community structure and dynamics, consumer differences may generate a feedback over longer time scales, which in turn influences the degree of trait

Behavioral response and cell morphology changes of caenorhabditis elegans under high power millimeter wave irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Changhong; Gao Yan; Wu Yonghong; Xu Zhiwei; Zhang Chenggang; Yuan Guangjiang; Xu Shouxi; Su Yinong; Liu Pukun

2010-01-01

C. elegans were exposed to high power millimeter waves (MMWs) with different mean power densities, to investigate their behavioral response and cell morphology changes under MMW irradiation. The time-course photomicrography system was used to record the behavioral changes of C. elegans. The behavioral response and cell morphology changes were further observed by stereoscopic microscopes. The results show that freely moving C. elegans will escape from the MMW irradiation region quickly. After the exposure to MMWs with output mean power of 10 W and 12 W, the bending speed of C. elegans increases significantly at first, while the movement gradually slows down until the bodies get rigid. However, exposed to 5 W MMW, C. elegans show a distinctive tolerant reaction because of the thermal effect. In addition, cell morphological observations show that the nuclear structure of the eggs are abnormal after abnormal after MMW irradiation. High power MMW significantly affects the behaviors and cell morphology of C. elegans, which suggests the C. elegans could be used as a typical model species to study the biological effects of MMW irradiation. (authors)

Effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of human cancer cells investigated by atomic force microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mi; Liu, LianQing; Xi, Ning; Wang, YueChao; Xiao, XiuBin; Zhang, WeiJing

2015-09-01

Cell mechanics plays an important role in cellular physiological activities. Recent studies have shown that cellular mechanical properties are novel biomarkers for indicating the cell states. In this article, temperature-controllable atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to quantitatively investigate the effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of human cancer cells. First, AFM indenting experiments were performed on six types of human cells to investigate the changes of cellular Young's modulus at different temperatures and the results showed that the mechanical responses to the changes of temperature were variable for different types of cancer cells. Second, AFM imaging experiments were performed to observe the morphological changes in living cells at different temperatures and the results showed the significant changes of cell morphology caused by the alterations of temperature. Finally, by co-culturing human cancer cells with human immune cells, the mechanical and morphological changes in cancer cells were investigated. The results showed that the co-culture of cancer cells and immune cells could cause the distinct mechanical changes in cancer cells, but no significant morphological differences were observed. The experimental results improved our understanding of the effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of cancer cells.

Morphological and Metabolic Parameters of Red Blood Cells after Their Treatment with Ozone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna V. Deryugina

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to assess the morphology of red blood cells (RBC and the association of morphological parameters with lipid peroxidation processes and the content of organic phosphates in RBC when treating packed red blood cells with the ozonized saline solution (with an ozone concentration of 2 mg/l after different storage periods.Materials and methods. The morphology of human RBC, the concentration of malonic dialdehyde (MDA in RBC, the catalase activity, the concentration of ATP and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG were studied before and after treatment of RBC with the ozonized saline (with the ozone concentration of 2 mg/l after 7, 14, 21 and 30 days of storage.Results. The effect of ozone (2 ng/l in vitro on the packed red blood cells after 7–21 days of storage contributed to the recovery of RBC shape, increased the concentration of ATP and 2,3-DPG, and optimized the lipid peroxidation. Ozone did not demonstrate a pronounced positive effect on these parameters when the packed RBCs were stored for 30 days.Conclusion. The treatment of the packed RBCs with the ozonized saline solution (with the ozone concentration of 2 mg/l contributed to the recovery of the discocyte count due to optimization of lipid peroxidation processes in cell membranes and enhanced the synthesis of organic phosphates in cells due to the activation of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway. This can be used to improve the morphological and metabolic status of the packed RBCs before their transfusion. 

Morphology of endothelial cells from different regions of the equine cornea

OpenAIRE

Faganello, Cláudia Skilhan; Silva, Vanessa Ruiz Moura da; Andrade, Maria Cristina Caldart de; Carissimi, André Silva; Pigatto, João Antonio Tadeu

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphology of different regions of the equine cornea using optical microscopy. Both healthy eyes of eight horses, male or female, of different ages were evaluated. Corneas were stained with alizarin red vital dye and subsequently examined and photographed using optical microscopy. Corneal endothelial morphology of central, superior, inferior, temporal and nasal areas was assessed. One hundred endothelial cells from each corneal area we...

ALS/FTLD-linked TDP-43 regulates neurite morphology and cell survival in differentiated neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Jeong-Ho; Yu, Tae-Hoon; Ryu, Hyun-Hee; Jun, Mi-Hee; Ban, Byung-Kwan; Jang, Deok-Jin; Lee, Jin-A

2013-01-01

Tar-DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) has been characterized as a major component of protein aggregates in brains with neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, physiological roles of TDP-43 and early cellular pathogenic effects caused by disease associated mutations in differentiated neurons are still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the physiological roles of TDP-43 and the effects of missense mutations associated with diseases in differentiated cortical neurons. The reduction of TDP-43 by siRNA increased abnormal neurites and decreased cell viability. ALS/FTLD-associated missense mutant proteins (A315T, Q331K, and M337V) were partially mislocalized to the cytosol and neurites when compared to wild-type and showed abnormal neurites similar to those observed in cases of loss of TDP-43. Interestingly, cytosolic expression of wild-type TDP-43 with mutated nuclear localization signals also induced abnormal neurtie morphology and reduction of cell viability. However, there was no significant difference in the effects of cytosolic expression in neuronal morphology and cell toxicity between wild-type and missense mutant proteins. Thus, our results suggest that mislocalization of missense mutant TDP-43 may contribute to loss of TDP-43 function and affect neuronal morphology, probably via dominant negative action before severe neurodegeneration in differentiated cortical neurons. Highlights: • The function of nuclear TDP-43 in neurite morphology in mature neurons. • Partial mislocalization of TDP-43 missense mutants into cytosol from nucleus. • Abnormal neurite morphology caused by missense mutants of TDP-43. • The effect of cytosolic expression of TDP-43 in neurite morphology and in cell survival

ALS/FTLD-linked TDP-43 regulates neurite morphology and cell survival in differentiated neurons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jeong-Ho; Yu, Tae-Hoon; Ryu, Hyun-Hee; Jun, Mi-Hee; Ban, Byung-Kwan [Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Nanotechnology, Hannam University, Dajeon 305-811 (Korea, Republic of); Jang, Deok-Jin [Department of Applied Biology, College of Ecology and Environment, Kyungpook National University, 386, Gajang-dong, Sangju-si, Kyungbuk 742-711 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jin-A, E-mail: leeja@hnu.kr [Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Nanotechnology, Hannam University, Dajeon 305-811 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-08-01

Tar-DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) has been characterized as a major component of protein aggregates in brains with neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, physiological roles of TDP-43 and early cellular pathogenic effects caused by disease associated mutations in differentiated neurons are still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the physiological roles of TDP-43 and the effects of missense mutations associated with diseases in differentiated cortical neurons. The reduction of TDP-43 by siRNA increased abnormal neurites and decreased cell viability. ALS/FTLD-associated missense mutant proteins (A315T, Q331K, and M337V) were partially mislocalized to the cytosol and neurites when compared to wild-type and showed abnormal neurites similar to those observed in cases of loss of TDP-43. Interestingly, cytosolic expression of wild-type TDP-43 with mutated nuclear localization signals also induced abnormal neurtie morphology and reduction of cell viability. However, there was no significant difference in the effects of cytosolic expression in neuronal morphology and cell toxicity between wild-type and missense mutant proteins. Thus, our results suggest that mislocalization of missense mutant TDP-43 may contribute to loss of TDP-43 function and affect neuronal morphology, probably via dominant negative action before severe neurodegeneration in differentiated cortical neurons. Highlights: • The function of nuclear TDP-43 in neurite morphology in mature neurons. • Partial mislocalization of TDP-43 missense mutants into cytosol from nucleus. • Abnormal neurite morphology caused by missense mutants of TDP-43. • The effect of cytosolic expression of TDP-43 in neurite morphology and in cell survival.

Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in healthy Turkish eyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Arıcı, Ceyhun; Arslan, Osman Sevki; Dikkaya, Funda

2014-01-01

Purpose. To describe the normative values of corneal endothelial cell density, morphology, and central corneal thickness in healthy Turkish eyes. Methods. Specular microscopy was performed in 252 eyes of 126 healthy volunteers (M : F, 42 : 84). Parameters studied included mean endothelial cell density (MCD), mean cell area (MCA), coefficient of variation (CV) in cell size, percentage of hexagonal cells, and central corneal thickness (CCT). Results. The mean age of volunteers was 44.3 ± 13.5 (range, 20 to 70) years. There was a statistically significant decrease in MCD (P Filipino eyes and higher than that described in Indian, Thai, and Iranian eyes.

Quantitative assessment of cancer cell morphology and motility using telecentric digital holographic microscopy and machine learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Van K; Nguyen, Thanh C; Chung, Byung M; Nehmetallah, George; Raub, Christopher B

2018-03-01

The noninvasive, fast acquisition of quantitative phase maps using digital holographic microscopy (DHM) allows tracking of rapid cellular motility on transparent substrates. On two-dimensional surfaces in vitro, MDA-MB-231 cancer cells assume several morphologies related to the mode of migration and substrate stiffness, relevant to mechanisms of cancer invasiveness in vivo. The quantitative phase information from DHM may accurately classify adhesive cancer cell subpopulations with clinical relevance. To test this, cells from the invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line were cultured on glass, tissue-culture treated polystyrene, and collagen hydrogels, and imaged with DHM followed by epifluorescence microscopy after staining F-actin and nuclei. Trends in cell phase parameters were tracked on the different substrates, during cell division, and during matrix adhesion, relating them to F-actin features. Support vector machine learning algorithms were trained and tested using parameters from holographic phase reconstructions and cell geometric features from conventional phase images, and used to distinguish between elongated and rounded cell morphologies. DHM was able to distinguish between elongated and rounded morphologies of MDA-MB-231 cells with 94% accuracy, compared to 83% accuracy using cell geometric features from conventional brightfield microscopy. This finding indicates the potential of DHM to detect and monitor cancer cell morphologies relevant to cell cycle phase status, substrate adhesion, and motility. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Induction of morphological changes in death-induced cancer cells monitored by holographic microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Schich, Zahra; Mölder, Anna; Tassidis, Helena; Härkönen, Pirkko; Falck Miniotis, Maria; Gjörloff Wingren, Anette

2015-03-01

We are using the label-free technique of holographic microscopy to analyze cellular parameters including cell number, confluence, cellular volume and area directly in the cell culture environment. We show that death-induced cells can be distinguished from untreated counterparts by the use of holographic microscopy, and we demonstrate its capability for cell death assessment. Morphological analysis of two representative cell lines (L929 and DU145) was performed in the culture flasks without any prior cell detachment. The two cell lines were treated with the anti-tumour agent etoposide for 1-3days. Measurements by holographic microscopy showed significant differences in average cell number, confluence, volume and area when comparing etoposide-treated with untreated cells. The cell volume of the treated cell lines was initially increased at early time-points. By time, cells decreased in volume, especially when treated with high doses of etoposide. In conclusion, we have shown that holographic microscopy allows label-free and completely non-invasive morphological measurements of cell growth, viability and death. Future applications could include real-time monitoring of these holographic microscopy parameters in cells in response to clinically relevant compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human neural progenitors express functional lysophospholipid receptors that regulate cell growth and morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Callihan Phillip

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lysophospholipids regulate the morphology and growth of neurons, neural cell lines, and neural progenitors. A stable human neural progenitor cell line is not currently available in which to study the role of lysophospholipids in human neural development. We recently established a stable, adherent human embryonic stem cell-derived neuroepithelial (hES-NEP cell line which recapitulates morphological and phenotypic features of neural progenitor cells isolated from fetal tissue. The goal of this study was to determine if hES-NEP cells express functional lysophospholipid receptors, and if activation of these receptors mediates cellular responses critical for neural development. Results Our results demonstrate that Lysophosphatidic Acid (LPA and Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P receptors are functionally expressed in hES-NEP cells and are coupled to multiple cellular signaling pathways. We have shown that transcript levels for S1P1 receptor increased significantly in the transition from embryonic stem cell to hES-NEP. hES-NEP cells express LPA and S1P receptors coupled to Gi/o G-proteins that inhibit adenylyl cyclase and to Gq-like phospholipase C activity. LPA and S1P also induce p44/42 ERK MAP kinase phosphorylation in these cells and stimulate cell proliferation via Gi/o coupled receptors in an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR- and ERK-dependent pathway. In contrast, LPA and S1P stimulate transient cell rounding and aggregation that is independent of EGFR and ERK, but dependent on the Rho effector p160 ROCK. Conclusion Thus, lysophospholipids regulate neural progenitor growth and morphology through distinct mechanisms. These findings establish human ES cell-derived NEP cells as a model system for studying the role of lysophospholipids in neural progenitors.

Evidence for genetic variation in human mate preferences for sexually dimorphic physical traits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verweij, K.J.H.; Burri, A.V.; Zietsch, B.P.

2012-01-01

Intersexual selection has been proposed as an important force in shaping a number of morphological traits that differ between human populations and/or between the sexes. Important to these accounts is the source of mate preferences for such traits, but this has not been investigated. In a large

The morphologies of breast cancer cell lines in three-dimensionalassays correlate with their profiles of gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kenny, Paraic A.; Lee, Genee Y.; Myers, Connie A.; Neve, RichardM.; Semeiks, Jeremy R.; Spellman, Paul T.; Lorenz, Katrin; Lee, Eva H.; Barcellos-Hoff, Mary Helen; Petersen, Ole W.; Gray, Joe W.; Bissell, MinaJ.

2007-01-31

3D cell cultures are rapidly becoming the method of choice for the physiologically relevant modeling of many aspects of non-malignant and malignant cell behavior ex vivo. Nevertheless, only a limited number of distinct cell types have been evaluated in this assay to date. Here we report the first large scale comparison of the transcriptional profiles and 3D cell culture phenotypes of a substantial panel of human breast cancer cell lines. Each cell line adopts a colony morphology of one of four main classes in 3D culture. These morphologies reflect, at least in part, the underlying gene expression profile and protein expression patterns of the cell lines, and distinct morphologies were also associated with tumor cell invasiveness and with cell lines originating from metastases. We further demonstrate that consistent differences in genes encoding signal transduction proteins emerge when even tumor cells are cultured in 3D microenvironments.

Physicochemical Constraints on the Distribution of Benthic Foraminiferal Cell Morphology in the Modern Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Keating-Bitonti, C.; Payne, J.

2016-02-01

Patterns in the sizes and shapes of marine organisms often occur across latitude and water depth gradients as a function of metabolic constraints dictated by the physical environment. However, the environmental factors that maintain these gradients in morphology remain incompletely understood because several oceanographic variables of biological importance are intimately correlated, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, particulate organic carbon (POC) flux, and carbonate saturation. Benthic foraminifera, a diverse group of single-celled protists that occur in nearly all marine environments, provide an ideal opportunity to test statistically among the various hypothesized environmental controls on cell morphology. Here, we use over 7,000 occurrences of 541 species of recent benthic foraminifera that span more than 60 degrees of latitude and 1,600 meters of water depth around the North American continental margin to assess the relative contributions of temperature, oxygen availability, carbonate saturation, and POC flux on their size and volume-to-surface area ratio in the modern ocean. Seawater temperature and dissolved oxygen concentrations best predict both measures of benthic foraminiferal cell morphology from the North American continental margin. These same variables also explain morphological variations from the Pacific continental margin in isolation, but dissolved oxygen is absent from the best model for the Atlantic. Because our results concur with predictions from first principles of cell physiology, we interpret these findings to reflect the physiological selective pressures on cell morphology as determined by the physical environment. Moreover, these findings suggest that warming waters and the expansion of hypoxic zones associated with anthropogenic-induced climate change are more likely to impact benthic foraminiferal communities than changes in primary productivity or ocean acidification.

Genetic Variability among Lucerne Cultivars Based on Biochemical (SDS-PAGE) and Morphological Markers

Science.gov (United States)

Farshadfar, M.; Farshadfar, E.

The present research was conducted to determine the genetic variability of 18 Lucerne cultivars, based on morphological and biochemical markers. The traits studied were plant height, tiller number, biomass, dry yield, dry yield/biomass, dry leaf/dry yield, macro and micro elements, crude protein, dry matter, crude fiber and ash percentage and SDS- PAGE in seed and leaf samples. Field experiments included 18 plots of two meter rows. Data based on morphological, chemical and SDS-PAGE markers were analyzed using SPSSWIN soft ware and the multivariate statistical procedures: cluster analysis (UPGMA), principal component. Analysis of analysis of variance and mean comparison for morphological traits reflected significant differences among genotypes. Genotype 13 and 15 had the greatest values for most traits. The Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV), Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) and Heritability (Hb) parameters for different characters raged from 12.49 to 26.58% for PCV, hence the GCV ranged from 6.84 to 18.84%. The greatest value of Hb was 0.94 for stem number. Lucerne genotypes could be classified, based on morphological traits, into four clusters and 94% of the variance among the genotypes was explained by two PCAs: Based on chemical traits they were classified into five groups and 73.492% of variance was explained by four principal components: Dry matter, protein, fiber, P, K, Na, Mg and Zn had higher variance. Genotypes based on the SDS-PAGE patterns all genotypes were classified into three clusters. The greatest genetic distance was between cultivar 10 and others, therefore they would be suitable parent in a breeding program.

Genetic relationships between detailed reproductive traits and performance traits in Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

Carthy, T R; Ryan, D P; Fitzgerald, A M; Evans, R D; Berry, D P

2016-02-01

The objective of the study was to estimate the genetic relationships between detailed reproductive traits derived from ultrasound examination of the reproductive tract and a range of performance traits in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The performance traits investigated included calving performance, milk production, somatic cell score (i.e., logarithm transformation of somatic cell count), carcass traits, and body-related linear type traits. Detailed reproductive traits included (1) resumed cyclicity at the time of examination, (2) multiple ovulations, (3) early ovulation, (4) heat detection, (5) ovarian cystic structures, (6) embryo loss, and (7) uterine score, measured on a 1 (little or no fluid with normal tone) to 4 (large quantity of fluid with a flaccid tone) scale, based on the tone of the uterine wall and the quantity of fluid present in the uterus. (Co)variance components were estimated using a repeatability animal linear mixed model. Genetic merit for greater milk, fat, and protein yield was associated with a reduced ability to resume cyclicity postpartum (genetic correlations ranged from -0.25 to -0.15). Higher genetic merit for milk yield was also associated with a greater genetic susceptibility to multiple ovulations. Genetic predisposition to elevated somatic cell score was associated with a decreased likelihood of cyclicity postpartum (genetic correlation of -0.32) and a greater risk of both multiple ovulations (genetic correlation of 0.25) and embryo loss (genetic correlation of 0.32). Greater body condition score was genetically associated with an increased likelihood of resumption of cyclicity postpartum (genetic correlation of 0.52). Genetically heavier, fatter carcasses with better conformation were also associated with an increased likelihood of resumed cyclicity by the time of examination (genetic correlations ranged from 0.24 to 0.41). Genetically heavier carcasses were associated with an inferior uterine score as well as a greater

Cell Painting, a high-content image-based assay for morphological profiling using multiplexed fluorescent dyes

Science.gov (United States)

Bray, Mark-Anthony; Singh, Shantanu; Han, Han; Davis, Chadwick T.; Borgeson, Blake; Hartland, Cathy; Kost-Alimova, Maria; Gustafsdottir, Sigrun M.; Gibson, Christopher C.; Carpenter, Anne E.

2016-01-01

In morphological profiling, quantitative data are extracted from microscopy images of cells to identify biologically relevant similarities and differences among samples based on these profiles. This protocol describes the design and execution of experiments using Cell Painting, a morphological profiling assay multiplexing six fluorescent dyes imaged in five channels, to reveal eight broadly relevant cellular components or organelles. Cells are plated in multi-well plates, perturbed with the treatments to be tested, stained, fixed, and imaged on a high-throughput microscope. Then, automated image analysis software identifies individual cells and measures ~1,500 morphological features (various measures of size, shape, texture, intensity, etc.) to produce a rich profile suitable for detecting subtle phenotypes. Profiles of cell populations treated with different experimental perturbations can be compared to suit many goals, such as identifying the phenotypic impact of chemical or genetic perturbations, grouping compounds and/or genes into functional pathways, and identifying signatures of disease. Cell culture and image acquisition takes two weeks; feature extraction and data analysis take an additional 1-2 weeks. PMID:27560178

The effect of weather on morphometric traits of juvenile cliff swallows

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Erin A.; Brown, Mary Bomberger; Brown, Charles R.

2015-01-01

Episodes of food deprivation may change how nestling birds allocate energy to the growth of skeletal and feather morphological traits during development. Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) are colonial, insectivorous birds that regularly experience brief periods of severe weather-induced food deprivation during the nesting season which may affect offspring development. We investigated how annual variation in timing of rearing and weather were associated with length of wing and tail, skeletal traits, and body mass in juvenile cliff swallows reared in southwestern Nebraska during 2001–2006. As predicted under conditions of food deprivation, nestling skeletal and feather measurements were generally smaller in cooler years. However, variability explained by weather was small, suggesting that morphometric traits of juvenile cliff swallows were not highly sensitive to weather conditions experienced during this study. Measurements of juvenile morphological traits were positively correlated with measurements taken as adults, meaning that any variation among juveniles in response to rearing conditions showed evidence of persisting into a bird’s first breeding season. Our results show that body size in this species is phenotypically plastic and influenced, in part, by weather variables.

The Effect of Water Stress and Polymer on Water Use Efficiency, Yield and several Morphological Traits of Sunflower under Greenhouse Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein NAZARLI

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In many part of Iran, the reproductive growth stages of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. are exposed to water deficit stress. Therefore, the investigation of irrigation management in the farm conditions is a necessary element for increasing irrigation efficiency and decreasing water losses. The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of different rates of super absorbent polymer and levels of water stress on water use efficiency (WUE, yield and some morphological traits of sunflower (cultivar Master. Factorial experiment was carried out in completely randomized design with 3 replications. Factors were water stress in three levels (irrigation in 0.75; 0.50 and 0.25% of field capacity and super absorbent polymer in five levels (0; 0.75; 0.150; 2.25; 3 g/kg of soil. Super absorbent polymer was added in eight leaves stage of sunflower to pots in deepness of roots development. Water stress treatment was also applied in this growth stage of sunflower. For stress application, pots were weighted every day and irrigated when soil water received to 0.75; 0.50 and 0.25 of field capacity, respectively. The results of ANOVA indicated that the effect of different rates of super absorbent polymer and different rates of consumed water in all traits were significant. ANOVA also revealed that the interactive effects of two mentioned factors were significant except for seed yield trait. Polynomial model based on the ANOVA results was fitted for each trait. The results indicated that water stress significantly convert in decreasing the number of leaves per plant, chlorophyll content, 100 weight of seeds, seed yield and WUE in sunflower, whereas the application of super absorbent polymer moderated the negative effect of deficit irrigation, especially in high rates of polymer (2.25 and 3 g/kg of soil. The above mentioned rates of polymer have the best effect to all characteristics of sunflower in all levels of water stress treatment. The findings

Worker morphology of the ant Gnamptogenys striatula Mayr (Formicidae, Ectatomminae in different landscapes from the Atlantic Forest domain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roseli F. Oliveira

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Morphological traits, such as size and shape, may reflect a combination of ecological and evolutionary responses by organisms. Ants have been used to evaluate the relationship between the environment and species coexistence and morphology. In the present study, we analyzed the morphology of workers of Gnamptogenys striatula Mayr in different landscapes from the Atlantic Domain in southeastern Brazil, focusing on the variation in the morphological attributes of these populations compared to those from a dense ombrophilous forest. Eighteen morphological traits of functional importance for interactions between workers and the environment were measured to characterize the size and shape of the workers. In general, the results show that ants of urban areas possess some morphological attributes of smaller size, with highly overlapped morphological space between the populations in forested ecosystems. Further, some of the traits related to predation were relatively smaller in modified land areas than in the populations from preserved areas of dense ombrophilous forest. These results help broaden the knowledge regarding morphological diversity in G. striatula, suggesting that the characterization of the morphology may be important to quantify the effects of land use on morphological diversity, and presumably, to facilitate the use of ants as biological indicators.

Evaluation of collembolan trait performance as effect indicator of environmental change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Paul Henning; Petersen, Henning

several significant responses on the species level to the treatments where both taxonomic composition and extent of significant effects varied between the six sites. The basic hypothesis of the present work is that similar groups with respect to traits will respond in a similar manner to environmental...... stress across species of the local community. Furthermore, provided that the composition of traits is similar across Europe the response to environmental stress will also be similar. Hence, traits corresponding to morphological and ecological properties were subject to our analyses of treatment effects...

Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Morphology and Migration on Micro-Textured Titanium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brittany eBanik

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The implant used in spinal fusion procedures is an essential component to achieving successful arthrodesis. At the cellular level, the implant impacts healing and fusion through a series of steps: first, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs need to adhere and proliferate to cover the implant; second, the MSCs must differentiate into osteoblasts; third, the osteoid matrix produced by the osteoblasts needs to generate new bone tissue, thoroughly integrating the implant with the vertebrate above and below. Previous research has demonstrated that micro-textured titanium is advantageous over smooth titanium and PEEK implants for both promoting osteogenic differentiation and integrating with host bone tissue; however, no investigation to date has examined the early morphology and migration of MSCs on these surfaces. This study details cell spreading and morphology changes over 24 hours, rate and directionality of migration 6 to 18 hours post seeding, differentiation markers at 10 days, and the long term morphology of MSCs at 7 days, on micro-textured, acid-etched titanium (Endoskeleton, smooth titanium, and smooth PEEK surfaces. The results demonstrate in all metrics, the two titanium surfaces outperformed the PEEK surface. Furthermore, the rough acid-etched titanium surface presented the most favorable overall results, demonstrating the random migration needed to efficiently cover a surface in addition to morphologies consistent with osteoblasts and preosteoblasts.

Potential in a single cancer cell to produce heterogeneous morphology, radiosensitivity and gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ban, Sadayuki; Ishikawa, Ken-ichi; Kawai, Seiko; Koyama-Saegusa, Kumiko; Ishikawa, Atsuko; Imai, Takashi; Shimada, Yutaka; Inazawa, Johji

2005-01-01

Morphologically heterogeneous colonies were formed from a cultured cell line (KYSE70) established from one human esophageal carcinoma tissue. Two subclones were separated from a single clone (clone 13) of KYSE70 cells. One subclone (clone 13-3G) formed mainly mounding colonies and the other (clone 13-6G) formed flat, diffusive colonies. X-irradiation stimulated the cells to dedifferentiate from the mounding state to the flat, diffusive state. Clone 13-6G cells were more radiosensitive than the other 3 cell lines. Clustering analysis for gene expression level by oligonucleotide microarray demonstrated that in the radiosensitive clone 13-6G cells, expression of genes involved in cell adhesion was upregulated, but genes involved in the response to DNA damage stimulus were downregulated. The data demonstrated that a single cancer cell had the potential to produce progeny heterogeneous in terms of morphology, radiation sensitivity and gene expression, and irradiation enhanced the dedifferentiation of cancer cells. (author)

T-Cell lymphoproliferative disorder of hand-mirror cell morphology presenting in an eosinophilic loculated peritoneal effusion, with omental "caking"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tufankjian Dearon

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cells with "hand mirror" morphology have not, to the best of our knowledge, been described in a primary effusion sample. This paper describes a case of T-cell lymphoma with eosinophilia in a patient with suspected peritoneal carcinomatosis. Rarely, a T-cell lymphoproliferative process may mimic primary peritoneal carcinomatosis, clinically suggested by a presentation in CT imaging of omental caking with bilateral massive loculated effusions in a patient without lymphadenopathy or splenomegaly. Methods A 60 year old caucasian male presented with vague abdominal discomfort and increasing abdominal girth. Computed tomography showed a two centimeter thick omental cake and a small loculated effusion. The clinical presentation and imaging findings were most consistent with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Cytologic evaluation of the effusion was undertaken for diagnostic study. Results Rapid intraprocedural interpretation of the effusion sample showed a monomorphic population of cells with "hand-mirror" cell morphology exhibiting cytoplasmic extensions (uropodia with 3–5 course dark cytoplasmic granules and a rim of vacuolated cytoplasm capping the opposing "mirror head" side. These cells were seen within a background of mature eosinophils. Flow cytometric evaluation of the ascites fluid demonstrated an atypical T-cell population with the following immunophenotype: CD2-, CD3+, CD4-, CD5-, CD7-, CD8+, CD56+. T-cell receptor (TCR gene rearrangement was positive for clonal TCR-gamma gene rearrangement, supporting the diagnosis of a T-lymphoprolifereative disorder. Conclusion A T-cell lymphoproliferative process may present with "hand mirror" morphology in an effusion sample. These cells may show polar cytoplasmic vacuolization and 3–5 course granules within the "handle" of these unique cells. Cytoplasm shows peripheral constriction around the nucleus.

In vitro radiation and chemotherapy sensitivity of established cell lines of human small cell lung cancer and its large cell morphological variants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carney, D.N.; Mitchell, J.B.; Kinsella, T.J.

1983-01-01

The in vitro response to radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs of cell lines established from 7 patients with small cell (SC) lung cancer were tested using a soft agarose clonogenic assay. Five cell lines retained the typical morphological and biochemical amine precursor uptake decarboxylation characteristics of SC, while two cell lines had undergone ''transformation'' to large cell (LC) morphological variants with loss of amine precursor uptake decarboxylation cell characteristics of SC. The radiation survival curves for the SC lines were characterized by D0 values ranging from 51 to 140 rads and extrapolation values (n) ranging from 1.0 to 3.3. While the D0 values of the radiation survival curves of the LC variants were similar (91 and 80 rads), the extrapolation values were 5.6 and 11.1 In vitro chemosensitivity testing of the cell lines revealed an excellent correlation between prior treatment status of the patient and in vitro sensitivity or resistance. No correlation was observed between in vitro chemosensitivity and radiation response. These data suggest that transformation of SC to LC with loss of amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation characteristics is associated with a marked increase in radiation resistance (n) in vitro. The observation of a 2- to 5-fold increase in survival of the LC compared to the SC lines following 200 rads suggests that the use of larger daily radiation fractions and/or radiation-sensitizing drugs might lead to a significantly greater clinical response in patients with LC morphology. This clinical approach may have a major impact on patient response and survival

The effects of electrospun substrate-mediated cell colony morphology on the self-renewal of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Maldonado, Maricela; Wong, Lauren Y; Echeverria, Cristina; Ico, Gerardo; Low, Karen; Fujimoto, Taylor; Johnson, Jed K; Nam, Jin

2015-05-01

The development of xeno-free, chemically defined stem cell culture systems has been a primary focus in the field of regenerative medicine to enhance the clinical application of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). In this regard, various electrospun substrates with diverse physiochemical properties were synthesized utilizing various polymer precursors and surface treatments. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) cultured on these substrates were characterized by their gene and protein expression to determine the effects of the substrate physiochemical properties on the cells' self-renewal, i.e., proliferation and the maintenance of pluripotency. The results showed that surface chemistry significantly affected cell colony formation via governing the colony edge propagation. More importantly, when surface chemistry of the substrates was uniformly controlled by collagen conjugation, the stiffness of substrate was inversely related to the sphericity, a degree of three dimensionality in colony morphology. The differences in sphericity subsequently affected spontaneous differentiation of IPSCs during a long-term culture, implicating that the colony morphology is a deciding factor in the lineage commitment of PSCs. Overall, we show that the capability of controlling IPSC colony morphology by electrospun substrates provides a means to modulate IPSC self-renewal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Premature birth--Studies on orthodontic treatment need, craniofacial morphology and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulsson, Liselotte

2009-01-01

A series of studies have been initiated implying a unique opportunity to evaluate and compare malocclusion traits, orthodontic treatment need, craniofacial morphology, mandibular function, signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and headache between extremely preterm (EPT; born before the 29th week of gestation) and very preterm (VPT; born between 29 and 32 weeks of gestation) and full-term born children. THIS THESIS WAS BASED ON FOUR STUDIES: Paper I. A systematic literature review was undertaken to answer the following questions: Does prematurity result in alterations of palatal morphology, dental occlusion, tooth-crown dimensions, tooth maturation and eruption? What role does neonatal oral intubation play in the appearance of the alterations? Are the alterations in morphology permanent or transient? The literature search spanned from January 1966 to November 2002 and was later extended to September 2008. Furthermore, a quality analysis of the methodological soundness of the studies in the review was performed. Paper II-IV. The aims were to compare EPT and VPT 8- to 10-year-old children with matched full-term controls considering: Prevalence of malocclusion traits and orthodontic treatment need (Paper II). Craniofacial morphology (Paper III). Mandibular function, signs and symptoms of TMD and headache (Paper IV). KEY FINDINGS IN PAPER I AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY SEARCH: Moderate scientific evidence existed for more malocclusion traits among premature children. Limited evidence was found for no delay in dental eruption, if corrected age was considered for the premature children. Insufficientwas considered for the premature children. Insufficient evidence was found for altered tooth-crown dimensions and permanent alteration of palatal morphology among prematurely children. Thus, further well-designed controlled studies which should also consider orthodontic treatment need, craniofacial morphology, TMD and headache are needed. KEY FINDINGS IN PAPER II

The Allelic Landscape of Human Blood Cell Trait Variation and Links to Common Complex Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Astle, William J.; Elding, Heather; Jiang, Tao; Allen, Dave; Ruklisa, Dace; Mann, Alice L.; Mead, Daniel; Bouman, Heleen; Riveros-Mckay, Fernando; Kostadima, Myrto A.; Lambourne, John J.; Sivapalaratnam, Suthesh; Downes, Kate; Kundu, Kousik; Bomba, Lorenzo; Berentsen, Kim; Bradley, John R.; Daugherty, Louise C.; Delaneau, Olivier; Freson, Kathleen; Garner, Stephen F.; Grassi, Luigi; Guerrero, Jose; Haimel, Matthias; Janssen-Megens, Eva M.; Kaan, Anita; Kamat, Mihir; Kim, Bowon; Mandoli, Amit; Marchini, Jonathan; Martens, Joost H. A.; Meacham, Stuart; Megy, Karyn; O'Connell, Jared; Petersen, Romina; Sharifi, Nilofar; Sheard, Simon M.; Staley, James R.; Tuna, Salih; van der Ent, Martijn; Walter, Klaudia; Wang, Shuang-Yin; Wheeler, Eleanor; Wilder, Steven P.; Iotchkova, Valentina; Moore, Carmel; Sambrook, Jennifer; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G.; Di Angelantonio, Emanuele; Kaptoge, Stephen; Kuijpers, Taco W.; Carrillo-de-Santa-Pau, Enrique; Juan, David; Rico, Daniel; Valencia, Alfonso; Chen, Lu; Ge, Bing; Vasquez, Louella; Kwan, Tony; Garrido-Martín, Diego; Watt, Stephen; Yang, Ying; Guigo, Roderic; Beck, Stephan; Paul, Dirk S.; Pastinen, Tomi; Bujold, David; Bourque, Guillaume; Frontini, Mattia; Danesh, John; Roberts, David J.; Ouwehand, Willem H.; Butterworth, Adam S.; Soranzo, Nicole

2016-01-01

Many common variants have been associated with hematological traits, but identification of causal genes and pathways has proven challenging. We performed a genome-wide association analysis in the UK Biobank and INTERVAL studies, testing 29.5 million genetic variants for association with 36 red cell,

Morphological Control for High Performance, Solution-Processed Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Eperon, Giles E.

2013-09-09

Organometal trihalide perovskite based solar cells have exhibited the highest efficiencies to-date when incorporated into mesostructured composites. However, thin solid films of a perovskite absorber should be capable of operating at the highest efficiency in a simple planar heterojunction configuration. Here, it is shown that film morphology is a critical issue in planar heterojunction CH3NH3PbI3-xCl x solar cells. The morphology is carefully controlled by varying processing conditions, and it is demonstrated that the highest photocurrents are attainable only with the highest perovskite surface coverages. With optimized solution based film formation, power conversion efficiencies of up to 11.4% are achieved, the first report of efficiencies above 10% in fully thin-film solution processed perovskite solar cells with no mesoporous layer. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Adult renal cell carcinoma with rhabdoid morphology represents a neoplastic dedifferentiation analogous to sarcomatoid carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman-Fredricks, Jennifer R; Herrera, Loren; Bracho, Jorge; Gomez-Fernandez, Carmen; Leveillee, Raymond; Rey, Luis; Jorda, Merce

2011-10-01

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with rhabdoid morphology (RCC-RM) is a recently described variant of RCC, which has an aggressive biologic behavior and poor prognosis, akin to sarcomatoid RCC. The current World Health Organization classification of RCC does not include the rhabdoid phenotype as a distinct histologic entity. The aim of this study is to investigate whether RCC-RM represents a dedifferentiation of a classifiable-type World Health Organization RCC or a carcinosarcoma with muscle differentiation. We reviewed 168 cases of RCC obtained between 2003 and 2008. From these cases, 10 (6%) were found to have areas of classic rhabdoid morphology. Immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, desmin, CD10, and CD117 was performed in each case using the labeled streptavidin-biotin method. Rhabdoid differentiation was identified in association with conventional-type RCC (9) and with unclassifiable-type RCC with spindle cell morphology (1). In all cases, both the rhabdoid and nonrhabdoid tumoral areas were positive for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen and negative for desmin. Cytokeratin positivity in the rhabdoid areas was focal. In cases associated with conventional-type RCC, CD10 was positive in both the rhabdoid and nonrhabdoid foci. CD117 was negative in these tumors. The unclassifiable-type RCC with spindle cell morphology was negative for both CD10 and CD117. The similar immunophenotype between the rhabdoid and nonrhabdoid tumoral foci supports the origin of the rhabdoid cells from the classifiable-type RCC. Areas of rhabdoid morphology do not represent muscle metaplastic differentiation. Renal cell carcinoma with rhabdoid morphology may represent a dedifferentiation of a classifiable-type RCC, similar to that of sarcomatoid differentiation. The recognition of RCC-RM is important as it allows for the inclusion of these high-grade malignancies into a category associated with poor prognosis despite lacking the spindle cell component

Traits of estuarine marsh plants affect wave dissipation

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte Ostermann, Tilla; Heuner, Maike; Bouma, Tjeerd

2017-04-01

Estuarine vegetation can attenuate hydrodynamic forces such as waves or flow velocities and therefore has an important role in natural tidal bank protection. This function depends on the degree of hydrodynamic forces, bank morphology and on plant traits of the dominant species. The traits vary between the species but also between different marsh sites. Biomass, stem density and biomechanical properties are crucial factors that influence the rate of wave dissipation. These properties illustrate the trade-offs a species is facing in such a dynamic habitat and highlight the ability of dominant species such as Bolboschoenus maritimus and Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani to protect the tidal bank. Along the Elbe estuary, traits of dominant marsh plant species were measured on different sites. The sites vary e.g. in their elevation, salt levels and inundation periods. To analyse the role that plant traits can play in wave dissipation, the structure of the vegetation as well as the composition was recorded. Biomechanical tests helped to understand the species traits regarding stem flexibility and to determine the effects of plant traits on wave dynamics and vice versa. On the conference, we will present how plant traits affect the wave dissipation on tidal marshes and why they vary.

Flow cytometric and morphological analyses of Pinus pinaster somatic embryogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Marum, Liliana; Loureiro, João; Rodriguez, Eleazar; Santos, Conceição; Oliveira, M Margarida; Miguel, Célia

2009-09-25

An approach combining morphological profiling and flow cytometric analysis was used to assess genetic stability during the several steps of somatic embryogenesis in Pinus pinaster. Embryogenic cell lines of P. pinaster were established from immature zygotic embryos excised from seeds obtained from open-pollinated trees. During the maturation stage, phenotype of somatic embryos was characterized as being either normal or abnormal. Based upon the prevalent morphological traits, different types of abnormal embryos underwent further classification and quantification. Nuclear DNA content of maritime pine using the zygotic embryos was estimated to be 57.04 pg/2C, using propidium iodide flow cytometry. According to the same methodology, no significant differences (P< or =0.01) in DNA ploidy were detected among the most frequently observed abnormal phenotypes, embryogenic cell lines, zygotic and normal somatic embryos, and somatic embryogenesis-derived plantlets. Although the differences in DNA ploidy level do not exclude the occurrence of a low level of aneuploidy, the results obtained point to the absence of major changes in ploidy level during the somatic embryogenesis process of this economically important species. Therefore, our primary goal of true-to-typeness was assured at this level.

Quantitative trait loci for udder conformation and other udder traits in Finnish Ayrshire cattle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.F. SCHULMAN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Udder traits are important due to their correlation with clinical mastitis which causes major economic losses to the dairy farms. Chromosomal areas associated with udder conformation traits, milking speed and leakage could be used in breeding programs to improve both udder traits and mastitis resistance. Quantitative trait loci (QTL mapping for udder traits was carried out on bovine chromosomes (BTA 9, 11, 14, 18, 20, 23, and 29, where earlier studies have indicated QTL for mastitis. A granddaughter design with 12 Ayrshire sire families and 360 sons was used. The sires and sons were typed for 35 markers. The traits analysed were udder depth, fore udder attachment, central ligament, distance from udder to floor, body stature, fore teat length, udder balance, rear udder height, milking speed, and leakage. Associations between markers and traits were analysed with multiple marker regression. Five genome-wise significant QTL were detected: stature on BTA14 and 23, udder balance on BTA23, rear udder height on BTA11, and central ligament on BTA23. On BTA11 and 14 the suggested QTL positions for udder traits are at the same position as previously detected QTL for mastitis and somatic cell count.;

Ring substituents mediate the morphology of PBDTTPD-PCBM bulk-heterojunction solar cells

KAUST Repository

Warnan, Julien

2014-04-08

Among π-conjugated polymer donors for efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell applications, poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene- thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymers yield some of the highest open-circuit voltages (VOC, ca. 0.9 V) and fill-factors (FF, ca. 70%) in conventional (single-cell) BHJ devices with PCBM acceptors. In PBDTTPD, side chains of varying size and branching affect polymer self-assembly, nanostructural order, and impact material performance. However, the role of the polymer side-chain pattern in the intimate mixing between polymer donors and PCBM acceptors, and on the development of the BHJ morphology is in general less understood. In this contribution, we show that ring substituents such as furan (F), thiophene (T) and selenophene (S)-incorporated into the side chains of PBDTTPD polymers-can induce significant and, of importance, very different morphological effects in BHJs with PCBM. A combination of experimental and theoretical (via density functional theory) characterizations sheds light on how varying the heteroatom of the ring substituents impacts (i) the preferred side-chain configurations and (ii) the ionization, electronic, and optical properties of the PBDTTPD polymers. In parallel, we find that the PBDT(X)TPD analogs (with X = F, T, or S) span a broad range of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs, 3-6.5%) in optimized devices with improved thin-film morphologies via the use of 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and discuss that persistent morphological impediments at the nanoscale can be at the origin of the spread in PCE across optimized PBDT(X)TPD-based devices. With their high VOC ∼1 V, PBDT(X)TPD polymers are promising candidates for use in the high-band gap cell of tandem solar cells. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Ring substituents mediate the morphology of PBDTTPD-PCBM bulk-heterojunction solar cells

KAUST Repository

Warnan, Julien; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Cabanetos, Clement; Hoke, Eric T.; Shukla, Pradeep Kumar; Risko, Chad; Bré das, Jean Luc; McGehee, Michael D.; Beaujuge, Pierre

2014-01-01

Among π-conjugated polymer donors for efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell applications, poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene- thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymers yield some of the highest open-circuit voltages (VOC, ca. 0.9 V) and fill-factors (FF, ca. 70%) in conventional (single-cell) BHJ devices with PCBM acceptors. In PBDTTPD, side chains of varying size and branching affect polymer self-assembly, nanostructural order, and impact material performance. However, the role of the polymer side-chain pattern in the intimate mixing between polymer donors and PCBM acceptors, and on the development of the BHJ morphology is in general less understood. In this contribution, we show that ring substituents such as furan (F), thiophene (T) and selenophene (S)-incorporated into the side chains of PBDTTPD polymers-can induce significant and, of importance, very different morphological effects in BHJs with PCBM. A combination of experimental and theoretical (via density functional theory) characterizations sheds light on how varying the heteroatom of the ring substituents impacts (i) the preferred side-chain configurations and (ii) the ionization, electronic, and optical properties of the PBDTTPD polymers. In parallel, we find that the PBDT(X)TPD analogs (with X = F, T, or S) span a broad range of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs, 3-6.5%) in optimized devices with improved thin-film morphologies via the use of 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and discuss that persistent morphological impediments at the nanoscale can be at the origin of the spread in PCE across optimized PBDT(X)TPD-based devices. With their high VOC ∼1 V, PBDT(X)TPD polymers are promising candidates for use in the high-band gap cell of tandem solar cells. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Relating Stomatal Conductance to Leaf Functional Traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kröber, Wenzel; Plath, Isa; Heklau, Heike; Bruelheide, Helge

2015-10-12

Leaf functional traits are important because they reflect physiological functions, such as transpiration and carbon assimilation. In particular, morphological leaf traits have the potential to summarize plants strategies in terms of water use efficiency, growth pattern and nutrient use. The leaf economics spectrum (LES) is a recognized framework in functional plant ecology and reflects a gradient of increasing specific leaf area (SLA), leaf nitrogen, phosphorus and cation content, and decreasing leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and carbon nitrogen ratio (CN). The LES describes different strategies ranging from that of short-lived leaves with high photosynthetic capacity per leaf mass to long-lived leaves with low mass-based carbon assimilation rates. However, traits that are not included in the LES might provide additional information on the species' physiology, such as those related to stomatal control. Protocols are presented for a wide range of leaf functional traits, including traits of the LES, but also traits that are independent of the LES. In particular, a new method is introduced that relates the plants' regulatory behavior in stomatal conductance to vapor pressure deficit. The resulting parameters of stomatal regulation can then be compared to the LES and other plant functional traits. The results show that functional leaf traits of the LES were also valid predictors for the parameters of stomatal regulation. For example, leaf carbon concentration was positively related to the vapor pressure deficit (vpd) at the point of inflection and the maximum of the conductance-vpd curve. However, traits that are not included in the LES added information in explaining parameters of stomatal control: the vpd at the point of inflection of the conductance-vpd curve was lower for species with higher stomatal density and higher stomatal index. Overall, stomata and vein traits were more powerful predictors for explaining stomatal regulation than traits used in the LES.

Morphology and Differentiation of MG63 Osteoblast Cells on Saliva Contaminated Implant Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neda Shams

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Osteoblasts are the most important cells in the osseointegration process. Despite years of study on dental Implants, limited studies have discussed the effect of saliva on the adhesion process of osteoblasts to implant surfaces. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of saliva on morphology and differentiation of osteoblasts attached to implant surfaces.Materials and Methods: Twelve Axiom dental implants were divided into two groups. Implants of the case group were placed in containers, containing saliva, for 40 minutes. Then, all the implants were separately stored in a medium containing MG63 human osteoblasts for a week. Cell morphology and differentiation were assessed using a scanning electron microscope and their alkaline phosphatase (ALP activity was determined. The t-test was used to compare the two groups.Results: Scanning electron microscopic observation of osteoblasts revealed round or square cells with fewer and shorter cellular processes in saliva contaminated samples, whereas elongated, fusiform and well-defined cell processes were seen in the control group. ALP level was significantly lower in case compared to control group (P<0.05.Conclusion: Saliva contamination alters osteoblast morphology and differentiation and may subsequently interfere with successful osseointegration. Thus, saliva contamination of bone and implant must be prevented or minimized.

Variability of silver fir (Abies alba Mill. progeny from the Tisovik Reserve expressed in needle traits and chloroplast microsatellite DNA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pawlaczyk Ewa M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Progeny from nineteen family lines of silver fir (Abies alba Mill. from the Tisovik Reserve growing in an experimental plot were analyzed based on 4 chloroplast microsatellite DNA loci and 12 morphological and anatomical needle traits. The Tisovik Reserve is located in Białowieża Primeval Forest, 120 km north of the natural range limit of this species, and embraces a small and isolated natural population of silver fir. The aim of this study was to determine genetic variation within and between progeny lines. Analysis of phenotypic variation showed that the traits which differed most among individuals were the needle width and the distance from resin canals to vascular bundle. Those traits, which differed most between the progeny lines, were the number of endodermic cells around the vascular bund and the weight of hypodermic cells. In Tisovik progeny, we detected 107 different haplotypes. In progeny lines, we detected more haplotypes than in maternal trees, and most haplotypes did not exist in maternal trees. This may be the result of pollen influx from other silver fir stands. Progeny from Tisovik showed a higher level of variability in comparison with maternal trees.

Plant functional traits and the distribution of West African rain forest trees along the rainfall gradient

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maharjan, S.K.; Poorter, L.; Holmgren, M.; Bongers, F.; Wieringa, J.J.; Hawthorne, W.D.

2011-01-01

Plant morphological and physiological traits affect the way plants tolerate environmental stresses and therefore play an important role in shaping species distribution patterns in relation to environmental gradients. Despite our growing knowledge on the role of functional traits in structuring plant

Recent Approaches to Controlling the Nanoscale Morphology of Polymer-Based Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulra'uf Lukman Bola

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The need for clean, inexpensive and renewable energy has increasingly turned research attention towards polymer photovoltaic cells. However, the performance efficiency of these devices is still low in comparison with silicon-based devices. The recent introduction of new materials and processing techniques has resulted in a remarkable increase in power-conversion efficiency, with a value above 10%. Controlling the interpenetrating network morphology is a key factor in obtaining devices with improved performance. This review focuses on the influence of controlled nanoscale morphology on the overall performance of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ photovoltaic cells. Strategies such as the use of solvents, solvent annealing, polymer nanowires (NWs, and donor–acceptor (D–A blend ratios employed to control the active-layer morphologies are all discussed.

Effects of Angular Frequency During Clinorotation on Mesenchymal Stem Cell Morphology and Migration

Science.gov (United States)

Luna, Carlos; Yew, Alvin G.; Hsieh, Adam H.

2015-01-01

Background/Objectives: Ground-based microgravity simulation can reproduce the apparent effects of weightlessness in spaceflight using clinostats that continuously reorient the gravity vector on a specimen, creating a time-averaged nullification of gravity. In this work, we investigated the effects of clinorotation speed on the morphology, cytoarchitecture, and migration behavior of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Methods: We compared cell responses at clinorotation speeds of 0, 30, 60, and 75 rpm over 8 hours in a recently developed lab-on-chip-based clinostat system. Time lapse light microscopy was used to visualize changes in cell morphology during and after cessation of clinorotation. Cytoarchitecture was assessed by actin and vinculin staining, and chemotaxis was examined using time lapse light microscopy of cells in NGF (100 ng/ml) gradients. Results: Among clinorotated groups, cell area distributions indicated a greater inhibition of cell spreading with higher angular frequency (p is less than 0.005), though average cell area at 30 rpm after 8 hours became statistically similar to control (p = 0.794). Cells at 75rpm clinorotation remained viable and were able to re-spread after clinorotation. In chemotaxis chambers clinorotation did not alter migration patterns in elongated cells, but most clinorotated cells exhibited cell retraction, which strongly compromised motility.

Tendon cell outgrowth rates and morphology associated with kevlar-49.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, M; Gordon, K E

1988-12-01

A rat tendon cell model was used to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of kevlar-49. The cell response to kevlar was compared to carbon AS-4 and nylon sutures. Three trials were run and cell growth rates were statistically similar for all the materials tested. A separate experiment was conducted in which the same fiber materials were placed in the same Petri dish. Again, the rates were similar for each material. Finally, the cells were observed with a scanning electron microscope, and the three classic cell morphologies associated with this tendon cell model were observed. Also, cellular attachment to the fiber and cellular encapsulation of the fiber were identical for the three materials tested. Kevlar-49 proved to be comparable to carbon AS4 and nylon sutures in terms of cellular response and cell outgrowth rates.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity of Some Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L. Gaertn. Accessions Using Morphological Markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.V.S. Kaluthanthri

2017-03-01

Full Text Available AbstractGermplasm characterization is an important link between conservation and utilizationof plant genetic resources. The study was conducted to characterize randomly selected 20finger millet germplasm accessions obtained from Plant Genetic Resource Center,Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka using morphological markers. Morphological study was carried outusing Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD and 15 morphological markers wererecorded. Analysis of variance (ANOVA results for quantitative morphological charactersrevealed that all quantitative morphological characters measured differed significantly(p˂0.05 among the accessions used for the study, indicating higher levels of morphologicaldiversity. According to the ANOVA results, days to flowering and days to maturity showhigh level of predictive capability while flag leaf length and number of productive tillersshow comparatively low level of predictive capability. Principal component analysisindicated that morphological characters such as days to flowering, finger number and yieldper plant were the important traits contributing for the overall variability implying thatbreeding effort on those traits can meet the targeted objective. The clustering pattern ofstudied finger millet accessions based on morphological markers comprised of two majorclusters. Both clusters comprised of Indian accessions those conserved at PGRC, Gannoruwaand as well as Sri Lankan accessions.Results of the study suggest a considerable morphological variability, which couldexist among the studied traits. Furthermore, this study revealed that the genetic diversityexisted irrespective to the geographical origin. This finding justifies the importance ofgermplasm characterization.Keywords: Finger Millet, Morphological Markers, Germplasm Accessions, GeneticDiversity, Crop Improvement

Estimation of genetic parameters for morphological and functional traits in a Menorca horse population

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sole, M.; Cervantes, I.; Gutierrez, J. P.; Gomez, M. D.; Valera, M.

2014-06-01

Functional conformation and performance in Classic and Menorca Dressage are the main selection criteria in the Menorca Horse breeding program. Menorca Dressage is an alternative Classical Dressage discipline which is exclusive of the Menorca Island, but including a series of movements that the animals perform in the traditional festivities called Jaleo Menorquin. One of these movements involves the horse raising its forelimbs and standing or walking on its hindlimbs, which is called el bot. To make the Menorca horse breed more competitive in the equestrian market, it is necessary to understand the genetic background that characterizes the aptitude for Menorca Dressage and its relationship with conformation traits. The analysed data consisted of 15 conformation traits from 347 Menorca horses (200 males and 147 females), with 1,550 performance records in Menorca Dressage competitions. Genetic parameters were estimated using linear and threshold animal models. The heritabilities for heights and lengths were high (0.45-0.76), those for angulations and binary conformation traits were low to moderate (0.10-0.36) as were the scores for dressage performance (0.13-0.21). The results suggest that the analyzed traits could be used as an efficient tool for selecting breeding horses. (Author)

Estimation of genetic parameters for morphological and functional traits in a Menorca horse population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Solé

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Functional conformation and performance in Classic and Menorca Dressage are the main selection criteria in the Menorca Horse breeding program. Menorca Dressage is an alternative Classical Dressage discipline which is exclusive of the Menorca Island, but including a series of movements that the animals perform in the traditional festivities called “Jaleo Menorquín”. One of these movements involves the horse raising its forelimbs and standing or walking on its hindlimbs, which is called “el bot”. To make the Menorca horse breed more competitive in the equestrian market, it is necessary to understand the genetic background that characterizes the aptitude for Menorca Dressage and its relationship with conformation traits. The analysed data consisted of 15 conformation traits from 347 Menorca horses (200 males and 147 females, with 1,550 performance records in Menorca Dressage competitions. Genetic parameters were estimated using linear and threshold animal models. The heritabilities for heights and lengths were high (0.45-0.76, those for angulations and binary conformation traits were low to moderate (0.10-0.36 as were the scores for dressage performance (0.13-0.21. The results suggest that the analyzed traits could be used as an efficient tool for selecting breeding horses.

Morphologically controlled ZnO nanostructures as electron transport materials in polymer-based organic solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kyu-Chae; Lee, Eun-Jin; Baek, Youn-Kyoung; Lim, Dong-Chan; Kang, Yong-Cheol; Kim, Yang-Do; Kim, Ki Hyun; Kim, Jae Pil; Kim, Young-Kuk

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Enhanced efficiency of solar cells using ZnO nanocrystals for charge transport. • Morphology of the charge transport layer is controlled. • Mixture of nanoparticles and nanorods are advantageous for cell efficiency. - ABSTRACT: The morphology of ZnO electron transport layers based on ZnO nanoparticles were modified with incorporation of ZnO nanorods via their co-deposition from mixed colloidal solution of nanoparticles and nanorods. In particular, the short circuit current density and the fill factor of the constructed photovoltaic device were simultaneously improved by applying mixture of ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods. As a result, a large improvement of power conversion efficiency up to 9% for the inverted organic solar cells having a blend of low band gap polymers and fullerene derivative as an active layer was demonstrated with the morphologically controlled ZnO electron transport layer.

No Relationship between Embryo Morphology and Successful Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines

Science.gov (United States)

Ström, Susanne; Rodriguez-Wallberg, Kenny; Holm, Frida; Bergström, Rosita; Eklund, Linda; Strömberg, Anne-Marie; Hovatta, Outi

2010-01-01

Background The large number (30) of permanent human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines and additional 29 which did not continue growing, in our laboratory at Karolinska Institutet have given us a possibility to analyse the relationship between embryo morphology and the success of derivation of hESC lines. The derivation method has been improved during the period 2002–2009, towards fewer xeno-components. Embryo quality is important as regards the likelihood of pregnancy, but there is little information regarding likelihood of stem cell derivation. Methods We evaluated the relationship of pronuclear zygote stage, the score based on embryo morphology and developmental rate at cleavage state, and the morphology of the blastocyst at the time of donation to stem cell research, to see how they correlated to successful establishment of new hESC lines. Results Derivation of hESC lines succeeded from poor quality and good quality embryos in the same extent. In several blastocysts, no real inner cell mass (ICM) was seen, but permanent well growing hESC lines could be established. One tripronuclear (3PN) zygote, which developed to blastocyst stage, gave origin to a karyotypically normal hESC line. Conclusion Even very poor quality embryos with few cells in the ICM can give origin to hESC lines. PMID:21217828

Performance analysis of deciduous morphology for detecting biological siblings.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Kathleen S; Stojanowski, Christopher M

2015-08-01

Family-centered burial practices influence cemetery structure and can represent social group composition in both modern and ancient contexts. In ancient sites dental phenotypic data are often used as proxies for underlying genotypes to identify potential biological relatives. Here, we test the performance of deciduous dental morphological traits for differentiating sibling pairs from unrelated individuals from the same population. We collected 46 deciduous morphological traits for 69 sibling pairs from the Burlington Growth Centre's long term Family Study. Deciduous crown features were recorded following published standards. After variable winnowing, inter-individual Euclidean distances were generated using 20 morphological traits. To determine whether sibling pairs are more phenotypically similar than expected by chance we used bootstrap resampling of distances to generate P values. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) plots were used to evaluate the degree of clustering among sibling pairs. Results indicate an average distance between siblings of 0.252, which is significantly less than 9,999 replicated averages of 69 resampled pseudo-distances generated from: 1) a sample of non-relative pairs (P < 0.001), and 2) a sample of relative and non-relative pairs (P < 0.001). MDS plots indicate moderate to strong clustering among siblings; families occupied 3.83% of the multidimensional space on average (versus 63.10% for the total sample). Deciduous crown morphology performed well in identifying related sibling pairs. However, there was considerable variation in the extent to which different families exhibited similarly low levels of phenotypic divergence. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparative Analyses of Phenotypic Trait Covariation within and among Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Peiman, Kathryn S; Robinson, Beren W

2017-10-01

Many morphological, behavioral, physiological, and life-history traits covary across the biological scales of individuals, populations, and species. However, the processes that cause traits to covary also change over these scales, challenging our ability to use patterns of trait covariance to infer process. Trait relationships are also widely assumed to have generic functional relationships with similar evolutionary potentials, and even though many different trait relationships are now identified, there is little appreciation that these may influence trait covariation and evolution in unique ways. We use a trait-performance-fitness framework to classify and organize trait relationships into three general classes, address which ones more likely generate trait covariation among individuals in a population, and review how selection shapes phenotypic covariation. We generate predictions about how trait covariance changes within and among populations as a result of trait relationships and in response to selection and consider how these can be tested with comparative data. Careful comparisons of covariation patterns can narrow the set of hypothesized processes that cause trait covariation when the form of the trait relationship and how it responds to selection yield clear predictions about patterns of trait covariation. We discuss the opportunities and limitations of comparative approaches to evaluate hypotheses about the evolutionary causes and consequences of trait covariation and highlight the importance of evaluating patterns within populations replicated in the same and in different selective environments. Explicit hypotheses about trait relationships are key to generating effective predictions about phenotype and its evolution using covariance data.

Atomic Force Microscopy Investigation of Morphological and Nanomechanical Properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Ninell Pollas

2008-01-01

changes in the fraction of individual bacteria and bacteria undergoing proliferation, and decrease of cell length of mother and daughter cells. The results indicated that colistin arrested the bacterial growth just after septum formation. Furthermore did the morphology change from a smooth bacterial......Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is unique in the aspect of studying living biological sample under physiological conditions. AFM was invented in 1986 by Binnig and Gerber and began in the early 1990’s to be implemented in life science. AFM can give a detailed three dimensional image of an intact cell......, but also be used to examine the nanomechanical properties on single cell level. These qualities make AFM a powerful tool in biology and can be used to examine both morphological and nanomechanical response to various liquids environments, such as osmotic pressure, but also the effects of e.g. antibiotic...

The importance of colony structure versus shoot morphology for the water balance of 22 subarctic bryophyte species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elumeeva, Tatiana G.; Soudzilovskaia, Nadejda A.; During, Heinjo J.; Cornelissen, Johannes H.C.

Questions: What are the water economy strategies of the dominant subarctic bryophytes in terms of colony and shoot traits? Can colony water retention capacity be predicted from morphological traits of both colonies and separate shoots? Are suites of water retention traits consistently related to

Multi-trait mimicry of ants by a parasitoid wasp

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Malcicka, M.; Bezemer, T.M.; Visser, B.; Bloemberg, M.; Snart, C.J.P.; Hardy, I.C.W.; Harvey, J.A.

2015-01-01

Many animals avoid attack from predators through toxicity or the emission of repellent chemicals. Defensive mimicry has evolved in many species to deceive shared predators, for instance through colouration and other morphological adaptations, but mimicry hardly ever seems to involve multi-trait

Effect of hydroxyapatite particle size, morphology and crystallinity on proliferation of colon cancer HCT116 cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dey, Sangeeta; Das, Mitun, E-mail: mitun@cgcri.res.in; Balla, Vamsi Krishna

2014-06-01

The aim of the present work is to chemically and physically characterize the synthesized Hydroxyapatite (HAp) micro and nanoparticles and to explore the inhibitory effect of nano-HAps on the in vitro growth of human colon cancerous cells HCT116. HAp powder was synthesized using three different routes to achieve micro and nanosized powders, with different morphologies and crystallinity. The synthesized powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the average crystallite size of HAp powder varies from 11 nm to 177 nm and respective crystallinity of powder found to be in the range of 0.12 and 0.92. The effect of these physico-chemical properties of HAp powders on human colon cancer HCT116 cells inhibition was determined in vitro. It was found that decreasing the HAp powder crystallite size between 11 nm and 22 nm significantly increases the HCT116 cell inhibition. Our results demonstrate that apart from HAp powder size their crystallinity and morphology also play an important role in cellular inhibition of human colon cancer cells. - Highlights: • Chemically synthesized hydroxyapatite micro and nano-particles with different morphologies and crystallinity. • In vitro cell–material interaction showed that hydroxyapatite nano-particles inhibit colon cancer cells. • Human colon cancer cell inhibition also depends on crystallinity and morphology of HAp powder.

Live birth potential of good morphology and vitrified blastocysts presenting abnormal cell divisions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azzarello, Antonino; Høst, Thomas; Hay-Schmidt, Anders

2017-01-01

a lower live birth rate (17.0%) than blastocyst with solely regular cell divisions (29.3%). ACDs could occur at more than one cell division in the same good morphology blastocyst. Reported as independent events, we observed ACDs occurring more frequently at the later cell cycles (1st: 1.3%; 2nd: 8.0%; 3rd...

Host Diet Affects the Morphology of Monarch Butterfly Parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoang, Kevin; Tao, Leiling; Hunter, Mark D; de Roode, Jacobus C

2017-06-01

Understanding host-parasite interactions is essential for ecological research, wildlife conservation, and health management. While most studies focus on numerical traits of parasite groups, such as changes in parasite load, less focus is placed on the traits of individual parasites such as parasite size and shape (parasite morphology). Parasite morphology has significant effects on parasite fitness such as initial colonization of hosts, avoidance of host immune defenses, and the availability of resources for parasite replication. As such, understanding factors that affect parasite morphology is important in predicting the consequences of host-parasite interactions. Here, we studied how host diet affected the spore morphology of a protozoan parasite ( Ophryocystis elektroscirrha ), a specialist parasite of the monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus ). We found that different host plant species (milkweeds; Asclepias spp.) significantly affected parasite spore size. Previous studies have found that cardenolides, secondary chemicals in host plants of monarchs, can reduce parasite loads and increase the lifespan of infected butterflies. Adding to this benefit of high cardenolide milkweeds, we found that infected monarchs reared on milkweeds of higher cardenolide concentrations yielded smaller parasites, a potentially hidden characteristic of cardenolides that may have important implications for monarch-parasite interactions.

Characterization of Morphological Diversity of Jute Mallow (Corchorus spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Munguatosha Ngomuo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Jute mallow is a traditional leaf vegetable that is an important part of daily diet for the majority of people in rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Here we employed quantitative and qualitative phenotypic traits to assess the morphological diversity of 90 accessions using univariate and multivariate analyses. Field experiments were conducted for two seasons to identify accessions suitable for leaf yield. The accessions were significantly variable in all traits. Highest variability among accessions was found in harvest index, biomass yield, and weight of 1000 seeds. The traits that significantly correlated with biomass yield include plant height (r=0.448, petiole length (r=0.237, primary branches (r=0.319, and number of leaves per plant (r=0.333. Principal component analysis showed that the first five PCs with eigenvalues ≥1 explained 72.9% of the total variability in the accessions. Pods per plant, primary branches, secondary branches, and number of leaves per plant accounted for highest variability in PC1. Cluster analysis grouped the accessions into five major clusters mainly based on their origin. Thus, the collection displayed high variation in morphological traits, particularly those related to leaf yield. These accessions are therefore useful in breeding for the improvement of the crop and germplasm management.

Cell wall staining with Trypan blue enables quantitative analysis of morphological changes in yeast cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liesche, Johannes; Marek, Magdalena; Günther-Pomorski, Thomas

2015-01-01

staining with fluorescent dyes is a valuable tool. Furthermore, cell wall staining is used to facilitate sub-cellular localization experiments with fluorescently-labeled proteins and the detection of yeast cells in non-fungal host tissues. Here, we report staining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall......Yeast cells are protected by a cell wall that plays an important role in the exchange of substances with the environment. The cell wall structure is dynamic and can adapt to different physiological states or environmental conditions. For the investigation of morphological changes, selective...... with Trypan Blue, which emits strong red fluorescence upon binding to chitin and yeast glucan; thereby, it facilitates cell wall analysis by confocal and super-resolution microscopy. The staining pattern of Trypan Blue was similar to that of the widely used UV-excitable, blue fluorescent cell wall stain...

Genetic analysis of relative traits for a drought-sensitive mutant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Kangning; Wang Huaqi

2009-01-01

A drought-sensitive mutant (M616), selected from Handao 616 (HD616) by 60 Co γ-irradiation at 200Gy, was used. Some morphological and yield related traits of M166 and HD616 related to drought resistance were investigated. We further developed F 1 and F 2 reciprocal hybrid combinations derived from the crosses between M616 and HD616, between M616 and IRAT109, respectively, and genetic analysis of 3 traits including plant height, culm width of main stem and seed setting rate on main panicle were camed out. The results showed that M616 showed obviously sensitive to drought stress. Analysis of variance for three traits in upland and paddy between F 1 reciprocal hybrid combinations showed that each trait had no significant difference, and indicated that there were no differences of cytoplasmic hereditary effect. In addition, 3 traits of F 2 populations, were found that the frequency distributions of culm width showed normal distribution, indicating that culm width was polygenic trait, and the frequency distribution of plant height and seed setting rate did not show normal distribution, indicating that the two traits were qualitative-quantitative traits. Genetic analysis of relative traits for a drought-sensitive mutant of upland rice was a basic work for the gene location and cloning. (authors)

Morphologic Patterns Formed by the Anomalous Fibers Occurring Along the Anterior Capsule of the Crystalline Lens in People With the Long Anterior Zonule Trait.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Daniel K; Yang, Yongyi; Morettin, Christina E; Newman, Tricia L; Roberts, Mary F; Wilensky, Jacob T

2017-07-01

People with the long anterior zonule (LAZ) trait, which may have prevalence near 2%, have zonular fibers that extend more central than usual along the anterior capsule of the crystalline lens. The anomalous fibers can be observed in vivo with clinical slit lamp biomicroscopy after pharmacologic pupil dilation, and although minimally studied, the LAZ trait may have importance to glaucoma, retinal degeneration, and cataract surgery. To further characterize LAZ morphology, a custom computer program was used to trace LAZ fibers seen on retro-illumination photos acquired during previous study at an academic, urban eye care facility in Chicago, IL. There were 59 African-Americans (54 female; median age = 70 years, 53-91 years) included in the analysis. After initial review of the zonule tracings, we identified three basic LAZ patterns. We called one pattern (47% of right eyes) a "non-segmental LAZ pattern," which was predominated by fibers that could be visually traced to the dilated pupil border where they became obscured by the iris. Another pattern (35% of right eyes), the "segmental LAZ pattern," was predominated by fibers that appeared to terminate abruptly without detectable extension to the pupil border. The third pattern (18% of right eyes), the "mixed LAZ pattern," had a more equivalent mixture of the other two fiber morphologies. Compared to the "non-segmental" group, the "segmental" LAZ eyes had smaller central zonule-free zones (P < 0.0001), and they tended to exhibit fewer LAZ fibers (P = 0.07). These data improve understanding of LAZ clinical anatomy and may be helpful to future investigation. Anat Rec, 300:1336-1347, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Defensive traits exhibit an evolutionary trade-off and drive diversification in ants.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, Benjamin D; Moreau, Corrie S

2017-02-01

Evolutionary biologists have long predicted that evolutionary trade-offs among traits should constrain morphological divergence and species diversification. However, this prediction has yet to be tested in a broad evolutionary context in many diverse clades, including ants. Here, we reconstruct an expanded ant phylogeny representing 82% of ant genera, compile a new family-wide trait database, and conduct various trait-based analyses to show that defensive traits in ants do exhibit an evolutionary trade-off. In particular, the use of a functional sting negatively correlates with a suite of other defensive traits including spines, large eye size, and large colony size. Furthermore, we find that several of the defensive traits that trade off with a sting are also positively correlated with each other and drive increased diversification, further suggesting that these traits form a defensive suite. Our results support the hypothesis that trade-offs in defensive traits significantly constrain trait evolution and influence species diversification in ants. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder with spindle-cell morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Martires, Kathryn J; Cohen, Brandon E; Cassarino, David S

2016-11-01

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is classified as a CD30+ primary cutaneous lymphoproliferative disease. The phenotypic variability along the spectrum of CD30+ lymphoproliferative diseases is highlighted by the distinct histologic subtypes of LyP types A, B, C, and the more recently described types D, E, and F. We report the case of an elderly woman with a clinical presentation and histopathologic findings consistent with LyP, whose atypical CD30+ infiltrate uniquely demonstrated a spindle-cell morphology. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of LyP characterized by CD30+ spindle-shaped cells, and may represent a new and distinct histologic variant of LyP. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Controlled cell morphology and liver-specific function of engineered primary hepatocytes by fibroblast layer cell densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Yusuke; Koike, Makiko; Kawahara, Daisuke; Hasegawa, Hideko; Murai, Tomomi; Yamanouchi, Kosho; Soyama, Akihiko; Hidaka, Masaaki; Takatsuki, Mitsuhisa; Fujita, Fumihiko; Kuroki, Tamotsu; Eguchi, Susumu

2018-03-05

Engineered primary hepatocytes, including co-cultured hepatocyte sheets, are an attractive to basic scientific and clinical researchers because they maintain liver-specific functions, have reconstructed cell polarity, and have high transplantation efficiency. However, co-culture conditions regarding engineered primary hepatocytes were suboptimal in promoting these advantages. Here we report that the hepatocyte morphology and liver-specific function levels are controlled by the normal human diploid fibroblast (TIG-118 cell) layer cell density. Primary rat hepatocytes were plated onto TIG-118 cells, previously plated 3 days before at 1.04, 5.21, and 26.1×10 3  cells/cm 2 . Hepatocytes plated onto lower TIG-118 cell densities expanded better during the early culture period. The hepatocytes gathered as colonies and only exhibited small adhesion areas because of the pushing force from proliferating TIG-118 cells. The smaller areas of each hepatocyte result in the development of bile canaliculi. The highest density of TIG-118 cells downregulated albumin synthesis activity of hepatocytes. The hepatocytes may have undergone apoptosis associated with high TGF-β1 concentration and necrosis due to a lack of oxygen. These occurrences were supported by apoptotic chromatin condensation and high expression of both proteins HIF-1a and HIF-1b. Three types of engineered hepatocyte/fibroblast sheets comprising different TIG-118 cell densities were harvested after 4 days of hepatocyte culture and showed a complete cell sheet format without any holes. Hepatocyte morphology and liver-specific function levels are controlled by TIG-118 cell density, which helps to design better engineered hepatocytes for future applications such as in vitro cell-based assays and transplantable hepatocyte tissues. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solution-Processed Molecular Organic Solar cell: Relationship between Morphology and Device Performance

KAUST Repository

Babics, Maxime

2018-05-09

In the last decade, organic photovoltaics (OPV) have gained considerable attention with a rapid improvement of power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 5% to more than 13%. At the origin of the gradual efficiency improvements are (i) the rationalization of material design and (ii) systematic optimization of film processing condition. OPV can have a key role in markets such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). The main advantages of organic solar cells are semitransparency, low weight, good performance at low light intensity, flexibility and potential low-cost module manufacture through solution processed-based technologies. In solution processed OPV, the active layer that converts photons into electric charges is a composite of two organic compounds, a donor (D) and an acceptor (A) where the best morphology is achieved via the so-called bulk heterojunction (BHJ): an interpenetrating phase-separated D-A network. Historically, research has been focused on polymer donors and guidelines about morphology and film processing have been established. However recent studies have shown that small-molecule (SM) donors can rival their polymer counterparts in performance. The advantages of SM are a defined molecular weight, the ease of purification and a good batch-to-batch reproducibility. Using this class of material the existing guidelines have to be adjusted and refined. In this dissertation, using new SM synthesized in our laboratory, solution-processed organic solar cells are fabricated in which the morphology of the active layer is controlled by thermal annealing, the use of additive or solvent vapor annealing. In-depth analyses of the morphology are correlated to charge generation, recombination and extraction inferred from device physics. In the first part of the dissertation, using a small amount of 1,8-Diiodooctane additive that acts as a plasticizer, it is found that the D-A domains do not necessarily need to be pure and that mixed domains can also result in

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of the tropical pasture grass Brachiaria humidicola based on microsatellites, cytogenetics, morphological traits, and geographical origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Jungmann, L; Vigna, B B Z; Boldrini, K R; Sousa, A C B; do Valle, C B; Resende, R M S; Pagliarini, M S; Zucchi, M I; de Souza, A P

2010-09-01

Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick. is a warm-season grass commonly used as forage in the tropics. Accessions of this species were collected in eastern Africa and massively introduced into South America in the 1980s. Several of these accessions form a germplasm collection at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. However, apomixis, ploidy, and limited knowledge of the genetic basis of this germplasm collection have constrained breeding activities. The objectives of this work were to identify genetic variability in the Brazilian B. humidicola germplasm collection using microsatellite markers and to compare the results with information on the following: (1) collection sites of the accessions; (2) reproductive mode and ploidy levels; and (3) genetic diversity revealed by morphological traits. The evaluated germplasm population is highly structured into four major groups. The sole sexual accession did not group with any of the clusters. Genetic dissimilarities did not correlate with either geographic distances or genetic distances inferred from morphological descriptors. Additionally, the genetic structure identified in this collection did not correspond to differences in ploidy level. Alleles exclusive to either sexual or apomictic accessions were identified, suggesting that further evaluation of the association of these loci with apospory should be carried out.

Genetic Analysis for Some of Morphological Traits in Bread Wheat under Drought Stress Condition Using Generations Mean Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamileh Abedi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Perception of genes action controlling of quantitative traits is very important in genetic breeding methods the plant populations. to study and estimate the parameters of genetic and appointment the best genetically model for justification the genetic changing some of traits the bread wheat under drought stress condition, parents (P1 & P2 and F3, F4, F5 generations together the four control cultivars (Kharchia, Gaspard, Moghan and Mahuti were evaluated by generation mean analysis using a agoment design including six blocks. Generation mean analysis was performed for all traits with Mather and Jinks model using joint scaling test. Three parameter model [m d h] provided the best fit for all traits expect harvest index, main spike grain weight, number of grain per plant, Total spike weight of plant with significant at 5% and 1% levels . Though additive and dominance effect both had interfered in controlling often the traits but with attention to difference effects and variety component was determined that dominance is more impressive than additive effect for traits of number of tiller, main spike weight, grain yield and grain number of main spike. Therefore will benefit using of these traits in the collection and to improve these traits hybridization would be much efficient than the selection strategies. In this study additive Ч additive epistasis effect only observed for traits of Total spike weight of plant, number of grain per plant, main spike grain weight and harvest index and other traits hadn’t any epistasis effect that it was demonstration lack of existence the genes reciprocal effect in the inheritance studied traits. Therefore we can suggest that the selection strategies perform in terminal generations and additive Ч additive epistasis effect would be confirmed in selection under self-pollination condition.

Identification of new SSR markers linked to leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits in wheat under water stressed condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Barakat, Mohamed N; Saleh, Mohamed; Al-Doss, Abdullah A; Moustafa, Khaled A; Elshafei, Adel A; Al-Qurainy, Fahed H

2015-03-01

Segregating F4 families from the cross between drought sensitive (Yecora Rojo) and drought tolerant (Pavon 76) genotypes were made to identify SSR markers linked to leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under water-stressed condition and to map quantitative trait locus (QTL) for the three physiological traits. The parents and 150 F4 families were evaluated phenotypically for drought tolerance using two irrigation treatments (2500 and 7500 m3/ha). Using 400 SSR primers tested for polymorphism in testing parental and F4 families genotypes, the results revealed that QTL for leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits were associated with 12, 5 and 12 SSR markers, respectively and explained phenotypic variation ranged from 6 to 42%. The SSR markers for physiological traits had genetic distances ranged from 12.5 to 25.5 cM. These SSR markers can be further used in breeding programs for drought tolerance in wheat.

Transforming growth factor-β2 induces morphological alteration of human corneal endothelial cells in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Wang

2014-10-01

Full Text Available AIM:To investigate the morphological altering effect of transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2 on untransfected human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs in vitro.METHODS: After untransfected HCECs were treated with TGF-β2 at different concentrations, the morphology, cytoskeleton distribution, and type IV collagen expression of the cells were examined with inverted contrast light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, immunofluorescence or Western Blot.RESULTS:TGF-β2 at the concentration of 3-15 μg/L had obviously alterative effects on HCECs morphology in dose and time-dependent manner, and 9 μg/L was the peak concentration. TGF-β2 (9 μg/L altered HCE cell morphology after treatment for 36h, increased the mean optical density (P<0.01 and the length of F-actin, reduced the mean optical density (P<0.01 of the collagen type IV in extracellular matrix (ECM and induced the rearrangement of F-actin, microtubule in cytoplasm and collagen type IV in ECM after treatment for 72h. CONCLUTION:TGF-β2 has obviously alterative effect on the morphology of HCECs from polygonal phenotype to enlarged spindle-shaped phenotype, in dose and time-dependence manner by inducing more, elongation and alignment of F-actin, rearrangement of microtubule and larger spread area of collagen type IV.

Size and morphology effects of titania on dye-sensitized solar cells performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, Wen-Chen; Lin, Chien-Chih; Jang, Shiue-Ming; Kao, Tien-Hsieh

2013-01-01

This study uses commercial titania (P25) to prepare titania nanowires (NWs) using alkali and hydrothermal treatments. Nanosized titania P25 and NWs were used to prepare spray-dried titania P25 (SP25) and spray-dried titania nanowires (SNWs), respectively, using the spray-drying process. These different titania sizes and morphologies were used to fabricate photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and to investigate their effect on cell performance. All prepared titania NWs and SNWs were in the anatase phase after heat treatment at 450 °C for 2 h. The specific areas for titania with different morphologies were 49.5 m 2 /g for P25, 48.3 m 2 /g for SP25, 42.6 m 2 /g for NWs, and 40.3 m 2 /g for SNWs. The results show that the surface areas decreased when the titania P25 or NWs were processed by spray drying. In optimal conditions, DSSCs prepared from P25 + 2.5 wt.% NWs with a light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of 5.88% were produced using a simulated solar light irradiation of 100 mW/cm 2 (AM 1.5). - Highlights: • Titania with different size and morphology were prepared. • Hydrothermal and spray drying process were applied. • Solar cells with an efficiency of 5.88% were produced

Size and morphology effects of titania on dye-sensitized solar cells performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chien, Wen-Chen, E-mail: wcchien@mail.mcut.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gunjuan Road, New Taipei City 243, Taiwan (China); Battery Research Center of Green Energy, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gunjuan Road, New Taipei City 243, Taiwan (China); Lin, Chien-Chih [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gunjuan Road, New Taipei City 243, Taiwan (China); Jang, Shiue-Ming [Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 310, Taiwan (China); Kao, Tien-Hsieh [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gunjuan Road, New Taipei City 243, Taiwan (China)

2013-10-01

This study uses commercial titania (P25) to prepare titania nanowires (NWs) using alkali and hydrothermal treatments. Nanosized titania P25 and NWs were used to prepare spray-dried titania P25 (SP25) and spray-dried titania nanowires (SNWs), respectively, using the spray-drying process. These different titania sizes and morphologies were used to fabricate photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and to investigate their effect on cell performance. All prepared titania NWs and SNWs were in the anatase phase after heat treatment at 450 °C for 2 h. The specific areas for titania with different morphologies were 49.5 m{sup 2}/g for P25, 48.3 m{sup 2}/g for SP25, 42.6 m{sup 2}/g for NWs, and 40.3 m{sup 2}/g for SNWs. The results show that the surface areas decreased when the titania P25 or NWs were processed by spray drying. In optimal conditions, DSSCs prepared from P25 + 2.5 wt.% NWs with a light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of 5.88% were produced using a simulated solar light irradiation of 100 mW/cm{sup 2} (AM 1.5). - Highlights: • Titania with different size and morphology were prepared. • Hydrothermal and spray drying process were applied. • Solar cells with an efficiency of 5.88% were produced.

Morphological alterations in newly born dentate gyrus granule cells that emerge after status epilepticus contribute to make them less excitable.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julián Tejada

Full Text Available Computer simulations of external current stimulations of dentate gyrus granule cells of rats with Status Epilepticus induced by pilocarpine and control rats were used to evaluate whether morphological differences alone between these cells have an impact on their electrophysiological behavior. The cell models were constructed using morphological information from tridimensional reconstructions with Neurolucida software. To evaluate the effect of morphology differences alone, ion channel conductances, densities and distributions over the dendritic trees of dentate gyrus granule cells were the same for all models. External simulated currents were injected in randomly chosen dendrites belonging to one of three different areas of dentate gyrus granule cell molecular layer: inner molecular layer, medial molecular layer and outer molecular layer. Somatic membrane potentials were recorded to determine firing frequencies and inter-spike intervals. The results show that morphologically altered granule cells from pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats are less excitable than control cells, especially when they are stimulated in the inner molecular layer, which is the target area for mossy fibers that sprout after pilocarpine-induced cell degeneration. This suggests that morphological alterations may act as a protective mechanism to allow dentate gyrus granule cells to cope with the increase of stimulation caused by mossy fiber sprouting.

Postcopulatory sexual selection is associated with reduced variation in sperm morphology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Calhim

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The evolutionary role of postcopulatory sexual selection in shaping male reproductive traits, including sperm morphology, is well documented in several taxa. However, previous studies have focused almost exclusively on the influence of sperm competition on variation among species. In this study we tested the hypothesis that intraspecific variation in sperm morphology is driven by the level of postcopulatory sexual selection in passerine birds.Using two proxy measures of sperm competition level, (i relative testes size and (ii extrapair paternity level, we found strong evidence that intermale variation in sperm morphology is negatively associated with the degree of postcopulatory sexual selection, independently of phylogeny.Our results show that the role of postcopulatory sexual selection in the evolution of sperm morphology extends to an intraspecific level, reducing the variation towards what might be a species-specific 'optimum' sperm phenotype. This finding suggests that while postcopulatory selection is generally directional (e.g., favouring longer sperm across avian species, it also acts as a stabilising evolutionary force within species under intense selection, resulting in reduced variation in sperm morphology traits. We discuss some potential evolutionary mechanisms for this pattern.

Assessing The Effect of Carbon Dioxide on Physio-Morphological Traits of Bitter Olive (Melia azedarach Linn. Under Greenhouse Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parvaneh Yousefvand

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Climate change has great impact on global production of several major plants. Negative effects of increasing carbon dioxide concentration in the world, on the one hand, and positive effects of the gas on plants, on the other hand, are the most important reasons for investigating the gas effects on different plants. Many studies have been conducted to examine the effects of elevated CO2on plants during the past several decades. Carbon dioxide enrichment in greenhouses can be used as a mechanism for reducing production time, improving quality and increasing plant vigor. The world is facing an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the coming years. The physiological responses of plant are affected by CO2concentration,among which changes in nitrogen, chlorophyll content, proline and soluble sugar have been observed in many studies. The significant changes in the levels of these characteristics are likely to cause marked effects on the entire metabolism of plant. Since the proteins of the Calvin cycle and thylakoid represent the majority of leaf nitrogen, chlorophyll content is the central part of the energy manifestation and can directly determine photosynthetic response and primary production. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of elevated concentration ofCO2 on some morphological and physiological traits of Melia azedarachunder greenhouse conditions. . Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted in a CO2 – controlled glasshouse in a completely randomized design with three replications in Yazd University. The glasshouse consisted of three separate chambers with threeCO2levels of control (450 ppm, 750ppm, and 1100ppm.The concentration of CO2within each chamber was monitored constantly three times a week. After two months, morphological characteristics such as diameter of the collar, height of stem, number of leaves, wet weight of shoots, root wet weight, wet matter biomass, dry weight of shoots, root

Merging the "Morphology-Performance-Fitness" Paradigm and Life-History Theory in the Eagle Lake Garter Snake Research Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Addis, Elizabeth A; Gangloff, Eric J; Palacios, Maria G; Carr, Katherine E; Bronikowski, Anne M

2017-08-01

The morphology-performance-fitness paradigm for testing selection on morphological traits has seen decades of successful application. At the same time, life-history approaches using matrix methods and perturbation studies have also allowed the direct estimate of selection acting on vital rates and the traits that comprise them. Both methodologies have been successfully applied to the garter snakes of the long-term Eagle Lake research project to reveal selection on morphology, such as color pattern, number of vertebrae, and gape size; and life-history traits such as birth size, growth rates, and juvenile survival. Here we conduct a reciprocal transplant study in a common laboratory environment to study selection on morphology and life-history. To place our results in the ecomorphology paradigm, we measure performance outcomes (feeding rates, growth, insulin-like growth factor 1 titers) of morphological variation (body size, condition) and their fitness consequences for juvenile survival-a trait that has large fitness sensitivities in these garter snake populations, and therefore is thought to be subject to strong selection. To better merge these two complementary theories, we end by discussing our findings in a nexus of morphology-performance-fitness-life history to highlight what these approaches, when combined, can reveal about selection in the wild. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Melanoma Cells Can Adopt the Phenotype of Stromal Fibroblasts and Macrophages by Spontaneous Cell Fusion in Vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemény, Lajos V; Kurgyis, Zsuzsanna; Buknicz, Tünde; Groma, Gergely; Jakab, Ádám; Zänker, Kurt; Dittmar, Thomas; Kemény, Lajos; Németh, István B

2016-06-02

After the removal of primary cutaneous melanoma some patients develop local recurrences, even after having histologically tumor-free re-excision. A potential explanation behind this phenomenon is that tumor cells switch their phenotype, making their recognition via standard histopathological assessments extremely difficult. Tumor-stromal cell fusion has been proposed as a potential mechanism for tumor cells to acquire mesenchymal traits; therefore, we hypothesized that melanoma cells could acquire fibroblast- and macrophage-like phenotypes via cell fusion. We show that melanoma cells spontaneously fuse with human dermal fibroblasts and human peripheral blood monocytes in vitro. The hybrid cells' nuclei contain chromosomes from both parental cells and are indistinguishable from the parental fibroblasts or macrophages based on their morphology and immunophenotype, as they could lose the melanoma specific MART1 marker, but express the fibroblast marker smooth muscle actin or the macrophage marker CD68. Our results suggest that, by spontaneous cell fusion in vitro, tumor cells can adopt the morphology and immunophenotype of stromal cells while still carrying oncogenic, tumor-derived genetic information. Therefore, melanoma-stromal cell fusion might play a role in missing tumor cells by routine histopathological assessments.

Morphological analysis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells co-cultured with ovarian cancer cells in 3D: An oncogenic angiogenesis assay.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao Wan

Full Text Available Antiangiogenic therapy for cancer is a strategy targeted at tumour vasculature, often in combination with conventional cytotoxicity treatments. Animal testing is still the most common method used for evaluating the efficacy of new drugs but tissue-engineered in vitro models are becoming more acceptable for replacing and reducing the use of animals in anti-cancer drug screening. In this study, a 3D co-culture model of human endothelial cells and ovarian cancer cells was developed. This model has the potential to mimic the interactions between endothelial cells and ovarian cancer cells. The feasibility of applying this model in drug testing was explored here. The complex morphology of the co-culture system, which features development of both endothelial tubule-like structures and tumour structures, was analysed quantitatively by an image analysis method. The co-culture morphology integrity was maintained for 10 days and the potential of the model for anti-cancer drug testing was evaluated using Paclitaxel and Cisplatin, two common anti-tumour drugs with different mechanisms of action. Both traditional cell viability assays and quantitative morphological analyses were applied in the drug testing. Cisplatin proved a good example showing the advantages of morphological analysis of the co-culture model when compared with mono-culture of endothelial cells, which did not reveal an inhibitory effect of Cisplatin on the tubule-like endothelial structures. Thus, the tubule areas of the co-culture reflected the anti-angiogenesis potential of Cisplatin. In summary, in vitro cancer models can be developed using a tissue engineering approach to more closely mimic the characteristics of tumours in vivo. Combined with the image analysis technique, this developed 3D co-culture angiogenesis model will provide more reproducible and reliably quantified results and reveal further information of the drug's effects on both tumour cell growth and tumour angiogenesis.

Morphology of primary human venous endothelial cell cultures before and after culture medium exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger-Genge, A; Fuhrmann, R; Jung, F; Franke, R P

2015-01-01

The evaluation of the interaction of human, venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) with body foreign materials on the cellular level cannot be performed in vivo, but is investigated in vitro under standard culture conditions. To maintain the vitality, proliferation and morphology of HUVEC seeded on body foreign substrates over days, the cell culture medium is usually exchanged every second day. It is well known, that alterations in the microenvironment of cells bear the risk of influencing cell morphology and function. In the current study the influence of cell culture medium exchange on HUVEC cytoskeletal microfilament structure and function was investigated. HUVEC in the third passage were seeded on extracellular matrix (ECM) - which was secreted from bovine corneal endothelial cells on glass- until functional confluence was reached. The experiment started 11 days after HUVEC seeding with an exchange of the cell culture medium followed by a staining of the actin microfilaments with phalloidin-rhodamin 1.5 and 5 minutes after medium exchange. The microfilaments were documented by use of an Olympus microscope (IMT-2) equipped with a UV lamp and online connected to a TV chain (Sony XC 50 ST/monochrome) implying an OPTIMAS - Image analysis system. Prostacyclin was analysed in the cell culture supernatant. 1.5 min after culture medium exchange in the functionally confluent cultures a slight disturbance of the actin microfilament structure with a broadening of the marginal filament band, a partial disconnection of cell-cell contacts and the appearance of intercellular fenestrations were observed. 5 minutes after medium exchange a redevelopment of the slightly disturbed microfilament structure with a condensation and narrowing of the marginal filament band was seen. 12 h later a further consolidation of the microfilament structure occurred. In addition, a perturbation of the cultured HUVEC occurred after cell culture medium exchange. The prostacyclin concentration in the

COORDINATING MORPHOLOGY WITH BEHAVIOUR DURING DEVELOPMENT: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH FROM A FLY PERSPECTIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria João Almeida Carvalho

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Animals in the wild live in highly variable and unpredictable environments. This variation in their habitat induces animals, at all stages of their development, to make decisions about what to eat, where to live, and with whom to associate. Additionally, animals like insect show dramatic restructuring of their morphology across life stages, which is accompanied by alterations in their behaviour to match stage-specific functions. Finally, in a process called developmental plasticity, environmental conditions feedback onto developmental mechanisms producing animals with stage-specific variation in both morphological and behavioural traits.In this review, we use examples from insects to explore the idea that animals are integrated units where stage-specific morphological and neurological traits develop together to increase individual fitness within their natural environments. We hypothesize that the same mechanisms act to alter both morphological and behavioural traits in response to the environment in which an organism develops. We review relevant findings from the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, combining insights from different fields like developmental biology, neurobiology and developmental plasticity. Finally, we highlight how insights drawn from D. melanogaster can be used as a model in future efforts to understand how developmental processes modify behavioural responses to environmental change in a stage-specific manner in other animals.

Beyond neutral and forbidden links: morphological matches and the assembly of mutualistic hawkmoth-plant networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Sazatornil, Federico D; Moré, Marcela; Benitez-Vieyra, Santiago; Cocucci, Andrea A; Kitching, Ian J; Schlumpberger, Boris O; Oliveira, Paulo E; Sazima, Marlies; Amorim, Felipe W

2016-11-01

A major challenge in evolutionary ecology is to understand how co-evolutionary processes shape patterns of interactions between species at community level. Pollination of flowers with long corolla tubes by long-tongued hawkmoths has been invoked as a showcase model of co-evolution. Recently, optimal foraging models have predicted that there might be a close association between mouthparts' length and the corolla depth of the visited flowers, thus favouring trait convergence and specialization at community level. Here, we assessed whether hawkmoths more frequently pollinate plants with floral tube lengths similar to their proboscis lengths (morphological match hypothesis) against abundance-based processes (neutral hypothesis) and ecological trait mismatches constraints (forbidden links hypothesis), and how these processes structure hawkmoth-plant mutualistic networks from five communities in four biogeographical regions of South America. We found convergence in morphological traits across the five communities and that the distribution of morphological differences between hawkmoths and plants is consistent with expectations under the morphological match hypothesis in three of the five communities. In the two remaining communities, which are ecotones between two distinct biogeographical areas, interactions are better predicted by the neutral hypothesis. Our findings are consistent with the idea that diffuse co-evolution drives the evolution of extremely long proboscises and flower tubes, and highlight the importance of morphological traits, beyond the forbidden links hypothesis, in structuring interactions between mutualistic partners, revealing that the role of niche-based processes can be much more complex than previously known. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2016 British Ecological Society.

Sexual Dimorphisms of Appendicular Musculoskeletal Morphology Related to Social Display in Cuban Anolis Lizards.

Science.gov (United States)

Anzai, Wataru; Cádiz, Antonio; Endo, Hideki

2015-10-01

In Anolis lizards, sexual dimorphism has been reported in morphological and ecological traits. Males show larger body size and longer limbs related to territorial combat and courtship display with the dewlap. Although functional-anatomical traits are closely related to locomotor behaviors, differences between sexes in musculoskeletal traits on limbs remain unclear. We explored the relationships among sexual dimorphisms in musculoskeletal morphology, habitat, and locomotor traits in Anolis lizards. Specifically, we examined appendicular musculoskeletal morphology in three species of Cuban Anolis by measuring muscle mass and lengths of moment arms. Through comparisons of crossing locomotion, we found that the runner species possessed larger extensors in hindlimbs, which are advantageous for running, whereas the masses of the humeral and femoral retractors were larger in climber species, allowing these lizards to hold up their bodies and occupy tree substrates. Comparisons between the sexes showed different trends among the three species. Males of A. porcatus, which inhabit narrow branches or leaves, had stronger elbow extensors that maintain the display posture. In contrast, males of A. sagrei, which occupy broad surfaces, did not show sexual differences that affected social display. Moreover, A. bartschi indicated sexual differences despite the absence of dewlapping behavior. Our findings suggest that both sexes show fundamentally similar relationships between muscular morphology and locomotor habits to adapt arboreal or terrestrial substrates, and yet sexual dimorphism in forelimb muscles may additionally affected by male specific display with the dewlap.

Genetic diversity, population structure and marker-trait associations for agronomic and grain traits in wild diploid wheat Triticum urartu.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Luo, Guangbin; Yang, Wenlong; Li, Yiwen; Sun, Jiazhu; Zhan, Kehui; Liu, Dongcheng; Zhang, Aimin

2017-07-01

Wild diploid wheat, Triticum urartu (T. urartu) is the progenitor of bread wheat, and understanding its genetic diversity and genome function will provide considerable reference for dissecting genomic information of common wheat. In this study, we investigated the morphological and genetic diversity and population structure of 238 T. urartu accessions collected from different geographic regions. This collection had 19.37 alleles per SSR locus and its polymorphic information content (PIC) value was 0.76, and the PIC and Nei's gene diversity (GD) of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs) were 0.86 and 0.88, respectively. UPGMA clustering analysis indicated that the 238 T. urartu accessions could be classified into two subpopulations, of which Cluster I contained accessions from Eastern Mediterranean coast and those from Mesopotamia and Transcaucasia belonged to Cluster II. The wide range of genetic diversity along with the manageable number of accessions makes it one of the best collections for mining valuable genes based on marker-trait association. Significant associations were observed between simple sequence repeats (SSR) or HMW-GSs and six morphological traits: heading date (HD), plant height (PH), spike length (SPL), spikelet number per spike (SPLN), tiller angle (TA) and grain length (GL). Our data demonstrated that SSRs and HMW-GSs were useful markers for identification of beneficial genes controlling important traits in T. urartu, and subsequently for their conservation and future utilization, which may be useful for genetic improvement of the cultivated hexaploid wheat.

Morphology of the epidermis of the neotropical catfish Pimelodella lateristriga (Lichtenstein, 1823 with emphasis in club cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Medeiros Damasceno

Full Text Available The epidermis of Ostariophysi fish is composed of 4 main cell types: epidermal cells (or filament containing cells, mucous cells, granular cells and club cells. The morphological analysis of the epidermis of the catfish Pimelodella lateristriga revealed the presence of only two types of cells: epidermal and club cells. The latter were evident in the middle layer of the epidermis, being the largest cells within the epithelium. Few organelles were located in the perinuclear region, while the rest of the cytoplasm was filled with a non-vesicular fibrillar substance. Club cells contained two irregular nuclei with evident nucleoli and high compacted peripheral chromatin. Histochemical analysis detected prevalence of protein within the cytoplasm other than carbohydrates, which were absent. These characteristics are similar to those described to most Ostariophysi studied so far. On the other hand, the epidermal cells differ from what is found in the literature. The present study described three distinct types, as follows: superficial, abundant and dense cells. Differences among them were restricted to their cytoplasm and nucleus morphology. Mucous cells were found in all Ostariophysi studied so far, although they were absent in P. lateristriga, along with granular cells, also typical of other catfish epidermis. The preset study corroborates the observations on club cells' morphology in Siluriformes specimens, and shows important differences in epidermis composition and cell structure of P. lateristriga regarding the literature data.

Nutcracker Syndrome and Sickle Cell Trait: A Perfect Storm for Hematuria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Amier; McElwee, Samuel K; Kraemer, Ryan R

2017-05-01

We describe the case of a 27-year-old woman with a history of sickle cell trait (SCT) who presented with several months of hematuria and was found to have nutcracker syndrome (NCS). While SCT is a common cause of hematuria resulting from renal papillary necrosis, our patient had concomitant abdominal pain and anemia, prompting further evaluation and the subsequent diagnosis of NCS. Interestingly, the anoxia in the left renal vein from NCS predisposes patients with SCT to sickling. Our case highlights key clinical features of both NCS and SCT and the relationship between the two disease processes.

The relevance of morphology for habitat use and locomotion in two species of wall lizards

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Verónica; Carretero, Miguel A.; Kaliontzopoulou, Antigoni

2016-01-01

Understanding if morphological differences between organisms that occupy different environments are associated to differences in functional performance can suggest a functional link between environmental and morphological variation. In this study we examined three components of the ecomorphological paradigm - morphology, locomotor performance and habitat use - using two syntopic wall lizards endemic to the Iberian Peninsula as a case study to establish whether morphological variation is associated with habitat use and determine the potential relevance of locomotor performance for such an association. Differences in habitat use between both lizards matched patterns of morphological variation. Indeed, individuals of Podarcis guadarramae lusitanicus, which are more flattened, used more rocky environments, whereas Podarcis bocagei, which have higher heads, used more vegetation than rocks. These patterns translated into a significant association between morphology and habitat use. Nevertheless, the two species were only differentiated in some of the functional traits quantified, and locomotor performance did not exhibit an association with morphological traits. Our results suggest that the link between morphology and habitat use is mediated by refuge use, rather than locomotor performance, in this system, and advise caution when extrapolating morphology-performance-environment associations across organisms.

The influence of morphology on charge transport/recombination dynamics in planar perovskite solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Man; Wang, Yi; Wang, Hao-Yi; Han, Jun; Qin, Yujun; Zhang, Jian-Ping; Ai, Xi-Cheng

2016-10-01

The photovoltaic performance of planar perovskite solar cell is significantly influenced by the morphology of perovskite film. In this work, five kinds of devices with different perovskite film morphologies were prepared by varying the concentration of CH3NH3Cl in precursor solutions. We found that best morphology of perovskite film results in the excellent photovoltaic performance with an average efficiency of 15.52% and a champion efficiency of 16.38%. Transient photovoltage and photocurrent measurements are performed to elucidate the mechanism of photoelectric conversion processes, which shows that the charge recombination is effectively suppressed and the charge transport is obviously promoted by optimized morphology.

Morphological changes of the red blood cells treated with metal oxide nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozelskaya, A I; Panin, A V; Khlusov, I A; Mokrushnikov, P V; Zaitsev, B N; Kuzmenko, D I; Vasyukov, G Yu

2016-12-01

The toxic effect of Al 2 O 3 , SiО 2 and ZrО 2 nanoparticles on red blood cells of Wistar rats was studied in vitro using the atomic force microscopy and the fluorescence analysis. Transformation of discocytes into echinocytes and spherocytes caused by the metal oxide nanoparticles was revealed. It was shown that only extremely high concentration of the nanoparticles (2mg/ml) allows correct estimating of their effect on the cell morphology. Besides, it was found out that the microviscosity changes of red blood cell membranes treated with nanoparticles began long before morphological modifications of the cells. On the contrary, the negatively charged ZrO 2 and SiO 2 nanoparticles did not affect ghost microviscosity up to concentrations of 1μg/ml and 0.1mg/ml, correspondingly. In its turn, the positively charged Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles induced structural changes in the lipid bilayer of the red blood cells already at a concentration of 0.05μg/ml. A decrease in microviscosity of the erythrocyte ghosts treated with Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 nanoparticles was shown. It was detected that the interaction of ZrO 2 nanoparticles with the cells led to an increase in the membrane microviscosity and cracking of swollen erythrocytes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Colony types and virulence traits of Legionella feeleii determined by exopolysaccharide materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Changle; Saito, Mitsumasa; Ogawa, Midori; Yoshida, Shin-Ichi

2016-05-01

Legionella feeleii is a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium that causes Pontiac fever and pneumonia in humans. When L. feeleii serogroup 1 (ATCC 35072) was cultured on BCYE agar plates, two types of colonies were observed and exhibited differences in color, opacity and morphology. Since the two colony types are white rugose and brown translucent, they were termed as white rugose L. feeleii (WRLf) and brown translucent L. feeleii (BTLf), respectively. They exhibited different growth capacities in BYE broth in vitro, and it was found that WRLf could transform to BTLf. Under the electron microscope, it was observed that WRLf secreted materials which could be stained with ruthenium red, which was absent in BTLf. When U937 macrophages and HeLa cells were infected with the bacteria, WRLf manifested stronger internalization ability than BTLf. Intracellular growth in murine macrophages and Acanthamoeba cells was affected by the level of initial phagocytosis. WRLf was more resistant to human serum bactericidal action than BTLf. After being inoculated to guinea pigs, both organisms caused fever in the animals. These results suggest that ruthenium red-stained materials secreted in the surroundings may play a crucial role in determining L. feeleii colony morphology and virulence traits. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Early effects of trimethyltin on the dentate gyrus basket cells: a morphological study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, L.W.; Dyer, R.S.

1985-01-01

Electrophysiological evidence for reduction of recurrent inhibition in the dentate gyrus in animals exposed to trimethyltin (TMT) suggested alterations in the inhibitory neurons (basket cells) by TMT. The present study was designed to investigate the morphology of basket cells after TMT exposure. Long-Evans hooded rats were injected with TMT chloride in a dose of 6.0 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). Tissue samples from the dentate gyri were examined by both light and electron microscopy at 24 and 72 h after TMT exposure. Except for isolated basket cell damage at 72 h, no remarkable pathological changes were observed with light microscopy. Consistent with previous data, electron microscopy revealed that the basket cells of the dentate gyrus are large neurons situated just below the granule cell layer with characteristic large, infolded nuclei and intranuclear filamentous rods. Increased cytoplasmic density and degenerative changes of the Golgi complex were evident in the basket cells as early as 24 h after TMT exposure. By 72 h, neuronal vacuolation, accumulation of lysosomes, and occasional neuronal necrosis were observed. No significant pathological changes were found among the granule cells at this time. This report provides the first morphological evidence for early damage to the basket cells by TMT, which may account for the reduction of recurrent inhibition and hyperexcitability among the granule cells reported previously.

NOTCH2 signaling confers immature morphology and aggressiveness in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Yoshihiro; Osanai, Makoto; Lee, Gang-Hong

2015-10-01

The NOTCH family of membranous receptors plays key roles during development and carcinogenesis. Since NOTCH2, yet not NOTCH1 has been shown essential for murine hepatogenesis, NOTCH2 rather than NOTCH1 may be more relevant to human hepatocarcinogenesis; however, no previous studies have supported this hypothesis. We therefore assessed the role of NOTCH2 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by immunohistochemistry and cell culture. Immunohistochemically, 19% of primary HCCs showed nuclear staining for NOTCH2, indicating activated NOTCH2 signaling. NOTCH2-positive HCCs were on average in more advanced clinical stages, and exhibited more immature cellular morphology, i.e. higher nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios and nuclear densities. Such features were not evident in NOTCH1‑positive HCCs. In human HCC cell lines, abundant NOTCH2 expression was associated with anaplasia, represented by loss of E-cadherin. When NOTCH2 signaling was stably downregulated in HLF cells, an anaplastic HCC cell line, the cells were attenuated in potential for in vitro invasiveness and migration, as well as in vivo tumorigenicity accompanied by histological maturation. Generally, inverse results were obtained for a differentiated HCC cell line, Huh7, manipulated to overexpress activated NOTCH2. These findings suggested that the NOTCH2 signaling may confer aggressive behavior and immature morphology in human HCC cells.

Variability assesment of some morphological traits among blue pine (pinus wallichiana) communities in hindukush ranges of Swat, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, I. U.; Khan, N.; Ali, K.

2017-01-01

Pinus wallichiana dominated forest communities, located in the Hindukush ranges of Swat, Pakistan were analysed for variability in the cone and seed traits. The results disclosed significant variability in mean values, critical difference, co-efficient of variation, broad sense heritability, genetic gain and genetic advance. Genotypic variance (Vg) and genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) were noted to be lower than the corresponding environmental variance (Ve) and environmental coefficient of variability (ECV) for most of the parameters which clearly shows that these traits are under the control of environment. Both Number of male clusters/branch and 100 seeds weight are heritable traits as having higher genotypic variance and genotypic coefficient of variance. Traits like 100 seeds weight, Number of male cluster/branch, number of female cones/tree, female cone weight and number of sterile scales/cone showed moderate to high percentage of heritability indicates that these traits are under strong genetic control. These heritable additive genetic traits can be used for future breeding and tree improvement plans for the species. It is further concluded that the alleged traits should be given priority while selecting superior genotypes. (author)

Application of image flow cytometry for the characterization of red blood cell morphology

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Ruben N.; Sebastian, Joseph A.; Parsons, Michael; Chang, Tim C.; Acker, Jason P.; Kolios, Michael C.

2017-02-01

Red blood cells (RBCs) stored in hypothermic environments for the purpose of transfusion have been documented to undergo structural and functional changes over time. One sign of the so-called RBC storage lesion is irreversible damage to the cell membrane. Consequently, RBCs undergo a morphological transformation from regular, deformable biconcave discocytes to rigid spheroechinocytes. The spherically shaped RBCs lack the deformability to efficiently enter microvasculature, thereby reducing the capacity of RBCs to oxygenate tissue. Blood banks currently rely on microscope techniques that include fixing, staining and cell counting in order to morphologically characterize RBC samples; these methods are labor intensive and highly subjective. This study presents a novel, high-throughput RBC morphology characterization technique using image flow cytometry (IFC). An image segmentation template was developed to process 100,000 images acquired from the IFC system and output the relative spheroechinocyte percentage. The technique was applied on samples extracted from two blood bags to monitor the morphological changes of the RBCs during in vitro hypothermic storage. The study found that, for a given sample of RBCs, the IFC method was twice as fast in data acquisition, and analyzed 250-350 times more RBCs than the conventional method. Over the lifespan of the blood bags, the mean spheroechinocyte population increased by 37%. Future work will focus on expanding the template to segregate RBC images into more subpopulations for the validation of the IFC method against conventional techniques; the expanded template will aid in establishing quantitative links between spheroechinocyte increase and other RBC storage lesion characteristics.

Cell wall carbohydrates content of pathogenic Candida albicans strain morphological forms.

Science.gov (United States)

Staniszewska, Monika; Bondaryk, Małgorzata; Rabczenko, Daniel; Smoleńska-Sym, Gabriela; Kurzatkowski, Wiesław

2013-01-01

The study evaluated the cell wall carbohydrates fraction in blastoconidia grown in YEPD medium at 30 degrees C and in the conglomerate of true hyphae grown in human serum at 37 degrees C. The clinical isolate obtained from a child with widespread C. albicans infection was used in the study. The cells were broken with glass beads, centrifuged to harvest the cell wall followed by subjection to TFA hydrolysis and in the result of that released monosaccharides were detected by HPAEC-PAD. Both, serum and temperature conditions (37 degrees C) affected germination process influencing the cell wall carbohydrates content when incubation in serum was prolonged from 1 to 18 h. The mannan content of blastoconidia was almost twofold higher compared to filamentous forms (149.25 +/- 299.24 vs 77.26 +/- 122.07). The glucan content was threefold lower in blastoconidia compared to hyphae (251.86 +/- 243.44 vs 755.81 +/- 1299.30). The chitin level was fourfold lower in blastoconidia compared to filaments (23.86 +/- 54.09 vs 106.29 +/- 170.12). The reason for the differences in the carbohydrates content may be related to type of morphology induced in different environmental conditions. Among tested carbohydrates, glucan appeared to be present in appreciably larger amounts in both tested morphological fractions. The ultrastructure of the blastoconidial cell wall revealed striking differences compared to the hyphae indicating the carbohydrates content alterations for wall assembly during hyphal growth at alkaline pH and temp. 37 degrees C. The study provided evidence for the relationship between morphogenesis, cell-cell adhesion induced by serum and changes in the level of carbohydrates content.

Effect of Solvent-Assisted Nanoscaled Organo-Gels on Morphology and Performance of Organic Solar Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zuo, Li-Jian; Hu, Xiao-Lian; Ye, Tao

2012-01-01

with that of the organo-gels in solution. Through this knowledge, we eventually achieve controlled morphology and optimized organic solar cells (OSCs) performance. Our results present a significant step forward for understanding the self-assembly behavior of conjugated polymers, control of their morphology...... and optimization of OSC performance....

Nanoscopic morphological changes in yeast cell surfaces caused by oxidative stress: an atomic force microscopic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Canetta, Elisabetta; Walker, Graeme M; Adya, Ashok K

2009-06-01

Nanoscopic changes in the cell surface morphology of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain NCYC 1681) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (strain DVPB 1354), due to their exposure to varying concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (oxidative stress), were investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Increasing hydrogen peroxide concentration led to a decrease in cell viabilities and mean cell volumes, and an increase in the surface roughness of the yeasts. In addition, AFM studies revealed that oxidative stress caused cell compression in both S. cerevisiae and Schiz. pombe cells and an increase in the number of aged yeasts. These results confirmed the importance and usefulness of AFM in investigating the morphology of stressed microbial cells at the nanoscale. The results also provided novel information on the relative oxidative stress tolerance of S. cerevisiae and Schiz. pombe.

Morphological, physiological and dietary covariation in migratory and resident adult brown trout (Salmo trutta).

Science.gov (United States)

Peiman, Kathryn S; Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Larsen, Martin H; Colborne, Scott F; Gilmour, Kathleen M; Aarestrup, Kim; Willmore, William G; Cooke, Steven J

2017-08-01

The causes and consequences of trait relationships within and among the categories of physiology, morphology, and life-history remain poorly studied. Few studies cross the boundaries of these categories, and recent reviews have pointed out not only the dearth of evidence for among-category correlations but that trait relationships may change depending on the ecological conditions a population faces. We examined changes in mean values and correlations between traits in a partially migrant population of brown trout when migrant sea-run and resident stream forms were breeding sympatrically. Within each sex and life-history strategy group, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to assess trophic level and habitat use; assessed morphology which reflects swimming and foraging ability; measured circulating cortisol as it is released in response to stressors and is involved in the transition from salt to freshwater; and determined oxidative status by measuring oxidative stress and antioxidants. We found that sea-run trout were larger and had higher values of stable isotopes, cortisol and oxidative stress compared to residents. Most groups showed some correlations between morphology and diet, indicating individual resource specialization was occurring, and we found consistent correlations between morphology and cortisol. Additionally, relationships differed between the sexes (cortisol and oxidative status were related in females but not males) and between life-history strategies (habitat use was related to oxidative status in male sea-run trout but not in either sex of residents). The differing patterns of covariation between the two life-history strategies and between the sexes suggest that the relationships among phenotypic traits are subjected to different selection pressures, illustrating the importance of integrating multiple phenotypic measures across different trait categories and contrasting life-history strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights

Trait modality distribution of aquatic macrofauna communities as explained by pesticides and water chemistry

OpenAIRE

Ieromina, O.; Musters, C. J. M.; Bodegom, P. M.; Peijnenburg, W. J. G. M.; Vijver, M. G.

2016-01-01

Analyzing functional species? characteristics (species traits) that represent physiological, life history and morphological characteristics of species help understanding the impacts of various stressors on aquatic communities at field conditions. This research aimed to study the combined effects of pesticides and other environmental factors (temperature, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon, floating macrophytes cover, phosphate, nitrite, and nitrate) on the trait modality distribution ...

Linking hard and soft traits: Physiology, morphology and anatomy interact to determine habitat affinities to soil water availability in herbaceous dicots.

Science.gov (United States)

Belluau, Michaël; Shipley, Bill

2018-01-01

Species' habitat affinities along environmental gradients should be determined by a combination of physiological (hard) and morpho-anatomical (soft) traits. Using a gradient of soil water availability, we address three questions: How well can we predict habitat affinities from hard traits, from soft traits, and from a combination of the two? How well can we predict species' physiological responses to drought (hard traits) from their soft traits? Can we model a causal sequence as soft traits → hard traits → species distributions? We chose 25 species of herbaceous dicots whose affinities for soil moisture have already been linked to 5 physiological traits (stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis measured at soil field capacity, water use efficiency, stomatal conductance and soil water potential measured when leaves begin to wilt). Under controlled conditions in soils at field capacity, we measured five soft traits (leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen content, stomatal area, specific root length). Soft traits alone were poor predictors (R2 = 0.129) while hard traits explained 48% of species habitat affinities. Moreover, hard traits were significantly related to combinations of soft traits. From a priori biological knowledge and hypothesized ecological links we built a path model showing a sequential pattern soft traits → hard traits → species distributions and accounting for 59.6% (p = 0.782) of habitat wetness. Both direct and indirect causal relationships existed between soft traits, hard traits and species' habitat preferences. The poor predictive abilities of soft traits alone were due to the existence of antagonistic and synergistic direct and indirect effects of soft traits on habitat preferences mediated by the hard traits. To obtain a more realistic model applicable to a population level, it has to be tested in an experiment including species competition for water supply.

Perception of young adults with sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait about participation in the CHOICES randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hershberger, Patricia E; Gallo, Agatha M; Molokie, Robert; Thompson, Alexis A; Suarez, Marie L; Yao, Yingwei; Wilkie, Diana J

2016-06-01

To gain an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of young adults with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait about parenthood and participating in the CHOICES randomized controlled trial that used computer-based, educational programmes. In the USA, there is insufficient education to assure that all young adults with sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait understand genetic inheritance risks and reproductive options to make informed reproductive decisions. To address this educational need, we developed a computer-based, multimedia program (CHOICES) and reformatted usual care into a computer-based (e-Book) program. We then conducted a two-year randomized controlled trial that included a qualitative component that would deepen understanding of young adults' perceptions of parenthood and use of computer-based, educational programmes. A qualitative descriptive approach completed after a randomized controlled trial. Sixty-eight men and women of childbearing age participated in semi-structured interviews at the completion of the randomized controlled trial from 2012-2013. Thematic content analysis guided the qualitative description. Three main themes were identified: (1) increasing knowledge and new ways of thinking and behaving; (2) rethinking parenting plans; and (3) appraising the program design and delivery. Most participants reported increased knowledge and rethinking of their parenting plans and were supportive of computer-based learning. Some participants expressed difficulty in determining individual transmission risks. Participants perceived the computer programs as beneficial to their learning. Future development of an Internet-based educational programme is warranted, with emphasis on providing tailored education or memory boosters about individual transmission risks. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evidence for genetic variation in human mate preferences for sexually dimorphic physical traits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karin J H Verweij

Full Text Available Intersexual selection has been proposed as an important force in shaping a number of morphological traits that differ between human populations and/or between the sexes. Important to these accounts is the source of mate preferences for such traits, but this has not been investigated. In a large sample of twins, we assess forced-choice, dichotomous mate preferences for height, skin colour, hair colour and length, chest hair, facial hair, and breast size. Across the traits, identical twins reported more similar preferences than nonidentical twins, suggesting genetic effects. However, the relative magnitude of estimated genetic and environmental effects differed greatly and significantly between different trait preferences, with heritability estimates ranging from zero to 57%.

APC/β-catenin-rich complexes at membrane protrusions regulate mammary tumor cell migration and mesenchymal morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odenwald, Matthew A; Prosperi, Jenifer R; Goss, Kathleen H

2013-01-01

The APC tumor suppressor is mutated or downregulated in many tumor types, and is prominently localized to punctate clusters at protrusion tips in migratory cells, such as in astrocytes where it has been implicated in directed cell motility. Although APC loss is considered an initiating event in colorectal cancer, for example, it is less clear what role APC plays in tumor cell motility and whether loss of APC might be an important promoter of tumor progression in addition to initiation. The localization of APC and β-catenin was analyzed in multiple cell lines, including non-transformed epithelial lines treated with a proteasome inhibitor or TGFβ to induce an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as well as several breast cancer lines, by immunofluorescence. APC expression was knocked down in 4T07 mammary tumor cells using lentiviral-mediated delivery of APC-specific short-hairpin (sh) RNAs, and assessed using quantitative (q) reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR and western blotting. Tumor cell motility was analyzed by performing wound-filling assays, and morphology via immunofluorescence (IF) and phase-contrast microscopy. Additionally, proliferation was measured using BrdU incorporation, and TCF reporter assays were performed to determine β-catenin/TCF-mediated transcriptional activity. APC/β-catenin-rich complexes were observed at protrusion ends of migratory epithelial cells treated with a proteasome inhibitor or when EMT has been induced and in tumor cells with a mesenchymal, spindle-like morphology. 4T07 tumor cells with reduced APC levels were significantly less motile and had a more rounded morphology; yet, they did not differ significantly in proliferation or β-catenin/TCF transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we found that APC/β-catenin-rich complexes at protrusion ends were dependent upon an intact microtubule cytoskeleton. These findings indicate that membrane protrusions with APC/β-catenin-containing puncta control the migratory potential and

APC/β-catenin-rich complexes at membrane protrusions regulate mammary tumor cell migration and mesenchymal morphology

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The APC tumor suppressor is mutated or downregulated in many tumor types, and is prominently localized to punctate clusters at protrusion tips in migratory cells, such as in astrocytes where it has been implicated in directed cell motility. Although APC loss is considered an initiating event in colorectal cancer, for example, it is less clear what role APC plays in tumor cell motility and whether loss of APC might be an important promoter of tumor progression in addition to initiation. Methods The localization of APC and β-catenin was analyzed in multiple cell lines, including non-transformed epithelial lines treated with a proteasome inhibitor or TGFβ to induce an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as well as several breast cancer lines, by immunofluorescence. APC expression was knocked down in 4T07 mammary tumor cells using lentiviral-mediated delivery of APC-specific short-hairpin (sh) RNAs, and assessed using quantitative (q) reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR and western blotting. Tumor cell motility was analyzed by performing wound-filling assays, and morphology via immunofluorescence (IF) and phase-contrast microscopy. Additionally, proliferation was measured using BrdU incorporation, and TCF reporter assays were performed to determine β-catenin/TCF-mediated transcriptional activity. Results APC/β-catenin-rich complexes were observed at protrusion ends of migratory epithelial cells treated with a proteasome inhibitor or when EMT has been induced and in tumor cells with a mesenchymal, spindle-like morphology. 4T07 tumor cells with reduced APC levels were significantly less motile and had a more rounded morphology; yet, they did not differ significantly in proliferation or β-catenin/TCF transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we found that APC/β-catenin-rich complexes at protrusion ends were dependent upon an intact microtubule cytoskeleton. Conclusions These findings indicate that membrane protrusions with APC/β-catenin-containing puncta

Resolving tumor heterogeneity: genes involved in chordoma cell development identified by low-template analysis of morphologically distinct cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amin El-Heliebi

Full Text Available The classical sacrococcygeal chordoma tumor presents with a typical morphology of lobulated myxoid tumor tissue with cords, strands and nests of tumor cells. The population of cells consists of small non-vacuolated cells, intermediate cells with a wide range of vacuolization and large heavily vacuolated (physaliferous cells. To date analysis was only performed on bulk tumor mass because of its rare incidence, lack of suited model systems and technical limitations thereby neglecting its heterogeneous composition. We intended to clarify whether the observed cell types are derived from genetically distinct clones or represent different phenotypes. Furthermore, we aimed at elucidating the differences between small non-vacuolated and large physaliferous cells on the genomic and transcriptomic level. Phenotype-specific analyses of small non-vacuolated and large physaliferous cells in two independent chordoma cell lines yielded four candidate genes involved in chordoma cell development. UCHL3, coding for an ubiquitin hydrolase, was found to be over-expressed in the large physaliferous cell phenotype of MUG-Chor1 (18.7-fold and U-CH1 (3.7-fold cells. The mannosyltransferase ALG11 (695-fold and the phosphatase subunit PPP2CB (18.6-fold were found to be up-regulated in large physaliferous MUG-Chor1 cells showing a similar trend in U-CH1 cells. TMEM144, an orphan 10-transmembrane family receptor, yielded contradictory data as cDNA microarray analysis showed up- but RT-qPCR data down-regulation in large physaliferous MUG-Chor1 cells. Isolation of few but morphologically identical cells allowed us to overcome the limitations of bulk analysis in chordoma research. We identified the different chordoma cell phenotypes to be part of a developmental process and discovered new genes linked to chordoma cell development representing potential targets for further research in chordoma tumor biology.

Antiherbivore defenses alter natural selection on plant reproductive traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Ken A; Johnson, Marc T J

2016-04-01

While many studies demonstrate that herbivores alter selection on plant reproductive traits, little is known about whether antiherbivore defenses affect selection on these traits. We hypothesized that antiherbivore defenses could alter selection on reproductive traits by altering trait expression through allocation trade-offs, or by altering interactions with mutualists and/or antagonists. To test our hypothesis, we used white clover, Trifolium repens, which has a Mendelian polymorphism for the production of hydrogen cyanide-a potent antiherbivore defense. We conducted a common garden experiment with 185 clonal families of T. repens that included cyanogenic and acyanogenic genotypes. We quantified resistance to herbivores, and selection on six floral traits and phenology via male and female fitness. Cyanogenesis reduced herbivory but did not alter the expression of reproductive traits through allocation trade-offs. However, the presence of cyanogenic defenses altered natural selection on petal morphology and the number of flowers within inflorescences via female fitness. Herbivory influenced selection on flowers and phenology via female fitness independently of cyanogenesis. Our results demonstrate that both herbivory and antiherbivore defenses alter natural selection on plant reproductive traits. We discuss the significance of these results for understanding how antiherbivore defenses interact with herbivores and pollinators to shape floral evolution. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Correlation and path analysis of grain yield and morphological traits in test–cross populations of maize

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sreckov, Z.; Nastasic, A.; Bocanski, J.; Djalovic, I.; Vukosavljev, M.; Jockovic, B.

2011-01-01

One of the goals of this paper was to determine correlation between grain yield, like the most important agronomic trait, and traits of the plant and ear that are influencing on the grain yield, in two test-cross populations, which are formed by crossing progenies of NSU(1) population after 17

Specific features of red blood cell morphology in hemolytic disease neonates undergoing intrauterine intravascular blood transfusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Ivanova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents data on the characteristics of red blood cell morphology in infants who have undergone intrauterine intravascular blood transfusion for hemolytic disease of the fetus. The infants are shown to have a reduction in the mean volume of red blood cells and in their mean level of hemoglobin, a decrease in the fraction of fetal hemoglobin and an increase in oxygen tension at half saturation. The above morphological characteristics of red blood cells remain decreased during the neonatal period after exchange transfusion or others, as clinically indicated, which seems to suggest that the compensatory-adaptive mechanisms to regulate hematopoiesis are exhausted and a donor’s red blood cells continue to be predominant.

Thalassaemia Trait with Gaucher Disease: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kini, Jyoti Ramnath; Sreeram, Saraswathy; Hegde, Anupama; Kamath, Sowmini; Pai, Radha Ramachandra

2017-09-01

Gaucher Disease is an autosomal recessive disease caused by the accumulation of glucocerebrosidase due to deficiency in lysosomal glucocerebrosidase. Thalassaemia trait is asymptomatic and is usually an incidental diagnosis. Both thalassaemia and Gaucher disease can have similar haematologic manifestations and hence, their coexistence causes diagnostic dilemma. Our patient presented at one-and-a-half years with weakness, pallor, failure to thrive and massive hepatosplenomegaly. Clinical examination and history pointed to a lipid storage disease. Peripheral smear revealed microcytic hypochromic cells and nucleated red cells with haemolytic blood picture. Thalassaemia trait was indicated on haemoglobin variant analysis using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Liver biopsy, bone marrow aspirate and therapeutic splenectomy revealed Gaucher-like cells. Type 1 Gaucher disease can be clinically asymptomatic as well as present with massive liver and spleen enlargement and involvement of bone marrow. Anaemia, splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia are the usual presentations at diagnosis, similar to the haemoglobinopathies. Gaucher-like cells with normal beta-glucocerebrosidase (pseudo-Gaucher cells) are seen in thalassaemia, leukaemia, mycobacterial infections and myeloma. Gaucher disease coexisting with thalassaemia trait is uncommon. We report the occurrence of thalassaemia trait and Gaucher disease in a child, which resulted in confusion regarding the haematological diagnosis. This report highlights the necessity of independent establishment of the diagnosis in every patient so that appropriate management decisions are taken.

Live-cell imaging study of mitochondrial morphology in mammalian cells exposed to X-rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noguchi, M.; Yokoya, A.; Narita, A.; Fujii, K.; Kanari, Y.

2015-01-01

Morphological changes in mitochondria induced by X-irradiation in normal murine mammary gland cells were studied with a live-cell microscopic imaging technique. Mitochondria were visualised by staining with a specific fluorescent probe in the cells, which express fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell-cycle indicator 2 (Fucci2) probes to visualise cell cycle. In unirradiated cells, the number of cells with fragmented mitochondria was about 20 % of the total cells through observation period (96 h). In irradiated cells, the population with fragmented mitochondria significantly increased depending on the absorbed dose. Particularly, for 8 Gy irradiation, the accumulation of fragmentation persists even in the cells whose cell cycle came to a stand (80 % in G1 (G0-like) phase). The fraction reached to a maximum at 96 h after irradiation. The kinetics of the fraction with fragmented mitochondria was similar to that for cells in S/G2/M phase (20 %) through the observation period (120 h). The evidences show that, in irradiated cells, some signals are continually released from a nucleus or cytoplasm even in the G0-like cells to operate some sort of protein machineries involved in mitochondrial fission. It is inferred that this delayed mitochondrial fragmentation is strongly related to their dysfunction, and hence might modulate radiobiological effects such as mutation or cell death. (authors)

Reversal of retinal and optic disc ischemia in a patient with sickle cell trait and glaucoma secondary to traumatic hyphema.

Science.gov (United States)

Wax, M B; Ridley, M E; Magargal, L E

1982-07-01

A 14-year-old black boy with sickle cell trait, who sustained a traumatic hyphema, developed moderately elevated intraocular pressure that failed to respond to carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and osmotic agents. On the tenth postinjury day, a sudden increased cupping of the optic disc and partial central retinal artery obstruction caused painless loss of vision. Reversal of the cupping, the retinal ischemia, and the intraocular pressure was documented following anterior chamber paracentesis, and visual acuity returned to 6/6. Pathophysiology of the posterior ischemia is discussed. This case documents the potentially debilitating course of traumatic hyphema in "benign" sickle cell trait and its avoidance with proper management. The authors endorse recent suggestions for careful observation of any sickle cell patient with traumatic hyphema, and recommend anterior chamber paracentesis, supplemental oxygen, and avoidance of osmotic agents, if secondary glaucoma develops following the initial trauma.

Morphological characterisation of two endemic species of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The results showed no morphological variation on qualitative characteristics of leaf, growth habit and stem length. The coefficient of variations (CV) and standard deviations (SD) for all qualitative traits were zero. Boll length was positively correlated to boll weight with a factor of 0.355. Leaf length was inversely correlated to ...

Variation in relative growth rate and growth traits in wild and cultivated Capsicum accessions grown under different temperatures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swart, de E.A.M.; Marcelis, L.F.M.; Voorrips, R.E.

2006-01-01

Differences in environmental conditions are known to influence plant growth and growth-related traits. The aim of this study was to identify the variation in relative growth rate (RGR), and its underlying physiological and morphological traits, in a group of ten wild and cultivated Capsicum

Traits morphologiques des graines et vigueur des jeunes plants de ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

écologique du Sénégal afin de pouvoir sélectionner une meilleure semence qui sera destinée aux programmes de développement des énergies renouvelables. Morphological traits of seeds and seedling vigor of two sources of Jatropha curcas L. in ...

Control over the morphology and segregation of Zebrafish germ cell granules during embryonic development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nakkrasae La-Iad

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Zebrafish germ cells contain granular-like structures, organized around the cell nucleus. These structures share common features with polar granules in Drosophila, germinal granules in Xenopus and chromatoid bodies in mice germ cells, such as the localization of the zebrafish Vasa, Piwi and Nanos proteins, among others. Little is known about the structure of these granules as well as their segregation in mitosis during early germ-cell development. Results Using transgenic fish expressing a fluorescently labeled novel component of Zebrafish germ cell granules termed Granulito, we followed the morphology and distribution of the granules. We show that whereas these granules initially exhibit a wide size variation, by the end of the first day of development they become a homogeneous population of medium size granules. We investigated this resizing event and demonstrated the role of microtubules and the minus-end microtubule dependent motor protein Dynein in the process. Last, we show that the function of the germ cell granule resident protein the Tudor domain containing protein-7 (Tdrd7 is required for determination of granule morphology and number. Conclusion Our results suggest that Zebrafish germ cell granules undergo a transformation process, which involves germ cell specific proteins as well as the microtubular network.

Innate and adaptive immune traits are differentially affected by genetic and environmental factors

Science.gov (United States)

Mangino, Massimo; Roederer, Mario; Beddall, Margaret H.; Nestle, Frank O.; Spector, Tim D.

2017-01-01

The diversity and activity of leukocytes is controlled by genetic and environmental influences to maintain balanced immune responses. However, the relative contribution of environmental compared with genetic factors that affect variations in immune traits is unknown. Here we analyse 23,394 immune phenotypes in 497 adult female twins. 76% of these traits show a predominantly heritable influence, whereas 24% are mostly influenced by environment. These data highlight the importance of shared childhood environmental influences such as diet, infections or microbes in shaping immune homeostasis for monocytes, B1 cells, γδ T cells and NKT cells, whereas dendritic cells, B2 cells, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells are more influenced by genetics. Although leukocyte subsets are influenced by genetics and environment, adaptive immune traits are more affected by genetics, whereas innate immune traits are more affected by environment. PMID:28054551

Radiating despite a Lack of Character: Ecological Divergence among Closely Related, Morphologically Similar Honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae) Co-occurring in Arid Australian Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Eliot T; Wagner, Sarah K; Harmon, Luke J; Ricklefs, Robert E

2017-02-01

Quantifying the relationship between form and function can inform use of morphology as a surrogate for ecology. How the strength of this relationship varies continentally can inform understanding of evolutionary radiations; for example, does the relationship break down when certain lineages invade and diversify in novel habitats? The 75 species of Australian honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) are morphologically and ecologically diverse, with species feeding on nectar, insects, fruit, and other resources. We investigated Meliphagidae ecomorphology and community structure by (1) quantifying the concordance between morphology and ecology (foraging behavior), (2) estimating rates of trait evolution in relation to the packing of ecological space, and (3) comparing phylogenetic and trait community structure across the broad environmental gradients of the continent. We found that morphology explained 37% of the variance in ecology (and 62% vice versa), and we uncovered well-known bivariate relationships among the multivariate ecomorphological data. Ecological trait diversity declined less rapidly than phylogenetic diversity along a gradient of decreasing precipitation. We employ a new method (trait fields) and extend another (phylogenetic fields) to show that while species in phylogenetically clustered, arid-environment assemblages are similar morphologically, they are as varied in foraging behavior as those from more diverse assemblages. Thus, although closely related and similar morphologically, these arid-adapted species have diverged in ecological space to a similar degree as their mesic counterparts.

Effects of Surface Morphology ZnAl2O4 of Ceramic Materials on Osteoblastic Cells Responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suarez-Franco, J.L.; Fernandez-Pedrero, J.A.; Ivarez-Perez, M.A.; Garcia-Hipolito, M.; Surarez-Rosales, M.; Fregoso, O.; Juarez-Islas, J.A.; Ivarez-Perez, M.A.

2013-01-01

Ceramic scaffolds are widely studied in the tissue engineering field due to their potential in medical applications as bone substitutes or as bone-filling materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of surface morphology of nano structure thin films of ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by spray pyrolysis and bulk pellets of polycrystalline ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by chemical coprecipitation reaction on the in vitro cell adhesion, viability, and cell-material interactions of osteoblastic cells. Our result showed that cell attachment was significantly enhanced from 60 to 80% on the ZnAl 2 O 4 nano structured material surface when compared with bulk ceramic surfaces. Moreover, our results showed that the balance of morphological properties of the thin film nano structure ceramic improves cell-material interaction with enhanced spreading and filopodia with multiple cellular extensions on the surface of the ceramic and enhancing cell viability/proliferation in comparison with bulk ceramic surfaces used as control. Altogether, these results suggest that zinc aluminate nano structured materials have a great potential to be used in dental implant and bone substitute applications.Ceramic scaffolds are widely studied in the tissue engineering field due to their potential in medical applications as bone substitutes or as bone-filling materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of surface morphology of nano structure thin films of ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by spray pyrolysis and bulk pellets of polycrystalline ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by chemical coprecipitation reaction on the in vitro cell adhesion, viability, and cell-material interactions of osteoblastic cells. Our result showed that cell attachment was significantly enhanced from 60 to 80% on the ZnAl 2 O 4 nano structured material surface when compared with bulk ceramic surfaces. Moreover, our results showed that the balance of morphological properties of the thin film nano structure ceramic improves

Spider Trait Assembly Patterns and Resilience under Fire-Induced Vegetation Change in South Brazilian Grasslands

Science.gov (United States)

Podgaiski, Luciana R.; Joner, Fernando; Lavorel, Sandra; Moretti, Marco; Ibanez, Sebastien; Mendonça, Milton de S.; Pillar, Valério D.

2013-01-01

Disturbances induce changes on habitat proprieties that may filter organism's functional traits thereby shaping the structure and interactions of many trophic levels. We tested if communities of predators with foraging traits dependent on habitat structure respond to environmental change through cascades affecting the functional traits of plants. We monitored the response of spider and plant communities to fire in South Brazilian Grasslands using pairs of burned and unburned plots. Spiders were determined to the family level and described in feeding behavioral and morphological traits measured on each individual. Life form and morphological traits were recorded for plant species. One month after fire the abundance of vegetation hunters and the mean size of the chelicera increased due to the presence of suitable feeding sites in the regrowing vegetation, but irregular web builders decreased due to the absence of microhabitats and dense foliage into which they build their webs. Six months after fire rosette-form plants with broader leaves increased, creating a favourable habitat for orb web builders which became more abundant, while graminoids and tall plants were reduced, resulting in a decrease of proper shelters and microclimate in soil surface to ground hunters which became less abundant. Hence, fire triggered changes in vegetation structure that lead both to trait-convergence and trait-divergence assembly patterns of spiders along gradients of plant biomass and functional diversity. Spider individuals occurring in more functionally diverse plant communities were more diverse in their traits probably because increased possibility of resource exploitation, following the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. Finally, as an indication of resilience, after twelve months spider communities did not differ from those of unburned plots. Our findings show that functional traits provide a mechanistic understanding of the response of communities to environmental change

Identification of molecular markers associated with fruit traits in olive and assessment of olive core collection with AFLP markers and fruit traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Ipek, M; Seker, M; Ipek, A; Gul, M K

2015-03-31

The purpose of this study was to characterize olive core collection with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and fruit traits and to determine AFLP markers significantly associated with these fruit characters in olive. A total of 168 polymorphic AFLP markers generated by five primer combinations and nine fruit traits were used to characterize relationships between 18 olive cultivars. Although all olive cultivars were discriminated from each other by either AFLP markers (markers and fruit traits was not significantly correlated (r = 0.13). Partial clustering of olive cultivars by AFLP markers according to their geographical origin was observed. Associations of AFLP markers with fruits were determined using a multiple-regression analysis with stepwise addition of AFLP markers. Significant associations between eight AFLP markers and fruit traits were identified. While five AFLP markers demonstrated significant negative correlation with fruit and stone weight, width and length and total polyphenols (P markers displayed significant positive correlation with α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol (P molecular markers with fruit traits in olive. Molecular markers associated with morphological and agronomic traits could be utilized for the breeding of olive cultivars. However, the association power of these markers needs to be confirmed in larger populations, and highly correlated markers should then be converted to PCR-based DNA markers such as sequence-characterized amplified region markers for better utilization.

Phylogenetic perspectives on reef fish functional traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Floeter, Sergio R; Bender, Mariana G; Siqueira, Alexandre C; Cowman, Peter F

2018-02-01

Functional traits have been fundamental to the evolution and diversification of entire fish lineages on coral reefs. Yet their relationship with the processes promoting speciation, extinction and the filtering of local species pools remains unclear. We review the current literature exploring the evolution of diet, body size, water column use and geographic range size in reef-associated fishes. Using published and new data, we mapped functional traits on to published phylogenetic trees to uncover evolutionary patterns that have led to the current functional diversity of fishes on coral reefs. When examining reconstructed patterns for diet and feeding mode, we found examples of independent transitions to planktivory across different reef fish families. Such transitions and associated morphological alterations may represent cases in which ecological opportunity for the exploitation of different resources drives speciation and adaptation. In terms of body size, reconstructions showed that both large and small sizes appear multiple times within clades of mid-sized fishes and that extreme body sizes have arisen mostly in the last 10 million years (Myr). The reconstruction of range size revealed many cases of disparate range sizes among sister species. Such range size disparity highlights potential vicariant processes through isolation in peripheral locations. When accounting for peripheral speciation processes in sister pairs, we found a significant relationship between labrid range size and lineage age. The diversity and evolution of traits within lineages is influenced by trait-environment interactions as well as by species and trait-trait interactions, where the presence of a given trait may trigger the development of related traits or behaviours. Our effort to assess the evolution of functional diversity across reef fish clades adds to the burgeoning research focusing on the evolutionary and ecological roles of functional traits. We argue that the combination of a

Mammalian knock out cells reveal prominent roles for atlastin GTPases in ER network morphology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Guohua; Zhu, Peng-Peng; Renvoisé, Benoît; Maldonado-Báez, Lymarie; Park, Seong Hee; Blackstone, Craig, E-mail: blackstc@ninds.nih.gov

2016-11-15

Atlastins are large, membrane-bound GTPases that participate in the fusion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubules to generate the polygonal ER network in eukaryotes. They also regulate lipid droplet size and inhibit bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, though mechanisms remain unclear. Humans have three atlastins (ATL1, ATL2, and ATL3), and ATL1 and ATL3 are mutated in autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia and hereditary sensory neuropathies. Cellular investigations of atlastin orthologs in most yeast, plants, flies and worms are facilitated by the presence of a single or predominant isoform, but loss-of-function studies in mammalian cells are complicated by multiple, broadly-expressed paralogs. We have generated mouse NIH-3T3 cells lacking all three mammalian atlastins (Atl1/2/3) using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout (KO). ER morphology is markedly disrupted in these triple KO cells, with prominent impairment in formation of three-way ER tubule junctions. This phenotype can be rescued by expression of distant orthologs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sey1p) and Arabidopsis (ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE3) as well as any one of the three human atlastins. Minimal, if any, changes are observed in the morphology of mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus. Alterations in BMP signaling and increased sensitivity to ER stress are also noted, though effects appear more modest. Finally, atlastins appear required for the proper differentiation of NIH-3T3 cells into an adipocyte-like phenotype. These findings have important implications for the pathogenesis of hereditary spastic paraplegias and sensory neuropathies associated with atlastin mutations. - Highlights: • NIH-3T3 cells lacking all three atlastin paralogs were generated using CRISPR/Cas9. • Cells lacking all atlastin GTPases exhibit far fewer 3-way ER tubule junctions. • ER morphology defects in atlastin knockout cells are rescued by distant plant and yeast orthologs. • Atlastin knock out cells also

Mammalian knock out cells reveal prominent roles for atlastin GTPases in ER network morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Guohua; Zhu, Peng-Peng; Renvoisé, Benoît; Maldonado-Báez, Lymarie; Park, Seong Hee; Blackstone, Craig

2016-01-01

Atlastins are large, membrane-bound GTPases that participate in the fusion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubules to generate the polygonal ER network in eukaryotes. They also regulate lipid droplet size and inhibit bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, though mechanisms remain unclear. Humans have three atlastins (ATL1, ATL2, and ATL3), and ATL1 and ATL3 are mutated in autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia and hereditary sensory neuropathies. Cellular investigations of atlastin orthologs in most yeast, plants, flies and worms are facilitated by the presence of a single or predominant isoform, but loss-of-function studies in mammalian cells are complicated by multiple, broadly-expressed paralogs. We have generated mouse NIH-3T3 cells lacking all three mammalian atlastins (Atl1/2/3) using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout (KO). ER morphology is markedly disrupted in these triple KO cells, with prominent impairment in formation of three-way ER tubule junctions. This phenotype can be rescued by expression of distant orthologs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sey1p) and Arabidopsis (ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE3) as well as any one of the three human atlastins. Minimal, if any, changes are observed in the morphology of mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus. Alterations in BMP signaling and increased sensitivity to ER stress are also noted, though effects appear more modest. Finally, atlastins appear required for the proper differentiation of NIH-3T3 cells into an adipocyte-like phenotype. These findings have important implications for the pathogenesis of hereditary spastic paraplegias and sensory neuropathies associated with atlastin mutations. - Highlights: • NIH-3T3 cells lacking all three atlastin paralogs were generated using CRISPR/Cas9. • Cells lacking all atlastin GTPases exhibit far fewer 3-way ER tubule junctions. • ER morphology defects in atlastin knockout cells are rescued by distant plant and yeast orthologs. • Atlastin knock out cells also

Intraspecific variation in stomatal traits, leaf traits and physiology reflects adaptation along aridity gradients in a South African shrub.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Jane E; Adams, Christopher A; Holsinger, Kent E

2016-01-01

Trait-environment relationships are commonly interpreted as evidence for local adaptation in plants. However, even when selection analyses support this interpretation, the mechanisms underlying differential benefits are often unknown. This study addresses this gap in knowledge using the broadly distributed South African shrub Protea repens. Specifically, the study examines whether broad-scale patterns of trait variation are consistent with spatial differences in selection and ecophysiology in the wild. In a common garden study of plants sourced from 19 populations, associations were measured between five morphological traits and three axes describing source climates. Trait-trait and trait-environment associations were analysed in a multi-response model. Within two focal populations in the wild, selection and path analyses were used to test associations between traits, fecundity and physiological performance. Across 19 populations in a common garden, stomatal density increased with the source population's mean annual temperature and decreased with its average amount of rainfall in midsummer. Concordantly, selection analysis in two natural populations revealed positive selection on stomatal density at the hotter, drier site, while failing to detect selection at the cooler, moister site. Dry-site plants with high stomatal density also had higher stomatal conductances, cooler leaf temperatures and higher light-saturated photosynthetic rates than those with low stomatal density, but no such relationships were present among wet-site plants. Leaf area, stomatal pore index and specific leaf area in the garden also co-varied with climate, but within-population differences were not associated with fitness in either wild population. The parallel patterns of broad-scale variation, differences in selection and differences in trait-ecophysiology relationships suggest a mechanism for adaptive differentiation in stomatal density. Densely packed stomata may improve performance by

Time Dependent Assessment of Morphological Changes: Leukodepleted Packed Red Blood Cells Stored in SAGM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Mustafa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Usually packed red blood cells (pRBCs require specific conditions in storage procedures to ensure the maximum shelf life of up to 42 days in 2–6°C. However, molecular and biochemical consequences can affect the stored blood cells; these changes are collectively labeled as storage lesions. In this study, the effect of prolonged storage was assessed through investigating morphological changes and evaluating oxidative stress. Samples from leukodepleted pRBC in SAGM stored at 4°C for 42 days were withdrawn aseptically on day 0, day 14, day 28, and day 42. Morphological changes were observed using scanning electron microscopy and correlated with osmotic fragility and hematocrit. Oxidative injury was studied through assessing MDA level as a marker for lipid peroxidation. Osmotic fragility test showed that extended storage time caused increase in the osmotic fragility. The hematocrit increased by 6.6% from day 0 to day 42. The last 2 weeks show alteration in the morphology with the appearance of echinocytes and spherocytes. Storage lesions and morphological alterations appeared to affect RBCs during the storage period. Further studies should be performed to develop strategies that will aid in the improvement of stored pRBC quality and efficacy.

Genetic relationship between lactation curve traits of dairy cattle in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Wasike Chrislukovian

2014-08-23

Aug 23, 2014 ... Lactation milk yield is an important trait in selection of dairy cattle all ... affect functional traits such as fertility, somatic cell count and mastitis, ... explain physiological issues reported in Kenyan herds and guide future selection decisions. The correlation between milk yield and lactation curve traits has not ...

Evidence for ontogenetically and morphologically distinct alternative reproductive tactics in the invasive round Goby Neogobius melanostomus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bleeker, Katinka; Jong, De Karen; Kessel, Van Nils; Hinde, Camilla A.; Nagelkerke, Leopold A.J.

2017-01-01

Alternative reproductive tactics are characterized by the occurrence of discrete alternative morphs that differ in behavioural, morphological and physiological traits within the same sex. Although much effort has been made to describe the behaviour, morphology and physiology of such alternative

Collection and Morphological Characterization of some Native Allium Species of Khorassan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

amirhasan hossini

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Allium is one of the greatest genera in Amarylidaceae family with more than 900 species distributed in northern hemisphere from temperate region to tropical and subtropical areas. There are more than 135 Allium species in Iran, many of which have the ornamental potential and can be exploited in floriculture industry. Northeast of Iran with more than 35 species especially in Razavi and North Khorassan provinces is regarded as one of the main centers of diversity of Alliums. The species of Allium have the great potential to be used either as cut flower and potted plant or as outdoor plant in urban landscape. There are indeed a rich germplasm of Allium in Iran with diverse characteristics of flower colour, size and form. For the utilization of the wild species, it is necessary to identify and fully assess their main morphological and phenotypic characteristics as the initial step. Morphological markers are one of the commonly used tools which are applied in phenotypic evaluation, taxonomic classification and collection management of plant species. The aim of present study was to evaluate morphological traits and genetic diversity of some of the native Allium species of Razavi khorassan in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this study the Allium species were collected from diverse regions of Khorassan, Iran and were cultured as a collection in Research Center for Plant Sciences (RCPS of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in a completely randomized block design. Following the establishment of the Allium species, 29 qualitative and 13 quantitative traits were recorded during the growing season in two successive years. Analysis of variance and comparison of all traits were performed using JMP8 software and simple correlation and factor analysis was calculated using SPSS software. Principal component analysis as well as maximum variance was also performed on the collected data. Results and Discussion: The results exhibited that the species and

Effectiveness of antenatal screening for sickle cell trait: the impact on women's self-report of sickle cell trait status.

Science.gov (United States)

Knight-Madden, J M; Reid, M; Younger, N; Francis, D; McFarlane, S; Wilks, R

2012-03-01

The sickle gene frequency in the Jamaican population has not changed over a generation. It is unknown whether routine antenatal screening for sickle cell trait (SCT) has affected women's knowledge of their SCT status. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of self-reported SCT in parous women to the prevalence in nulliparous women, men and to the observed prevalence of SCT measured in an antenatal clinic. All participants in the nationally representative Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2008 were asked whether they had the SCT. The impact of gender, age, educational attainment, geographical location, and pregnancy on self-reported SCT were assessed. The prevalence of SCT in women attending a large antenatal clinic concurrently was compared to that reported by women of child-bearing age in the lifestyle survey. Self-report significantly underestimated the prevalence of SCT (2·9% versus 10·1%, Peducation were more likely than those with presecondary education (P = 0·01) and women more likely than men (3·2% versus 1·1%, P = 0·001) to report having SCT. Women who had been pregnant were no more likely than other women to report having SCT (3·1% versus 4·1%, P = 0·4). Attendance at antenatal clinic where SCT screening is routine, is not associated with increased self-report of SCT. Screening programs must ensure that, as well as technically accurate screening, there is effective communication of the results of screening for SCT to those tested to help reduce the public health burden of sickle cell disease in tropical countries.

A Simulation Study on the Effects of Dendritic Morphology on Layer V Prefontal Pyramidal Cell Firing Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria ePsarrou

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Pyramidal cells, the most abundant neurons in neocortex, exhibit significant structural variability across different brain areas and layers in different species. Moreover, in response to a somatic step current, these cells display a range of firing behaviors, the most common being (1 repetitive action potentials (Regular Spiking - RS, and (2 an initial cluster of 2-5 action potentials with short ISIs followed by single spikes (Intrinsic Bursting - IB. A correlation between firing behavior and dendritic morphology has recently been reported. In this work we use computational modeling to investigate quantitatively the effects of the basal dendritic tree morphology on the firing behavior of 112 three-dimensional reconstructions of layer V PFC rat pyramidal cells. Particularly, we focus on how different morphological (diameter, total length, volume and branch number and passive (Mean Electrotonic Path length features of basal dendritic trees shape somatic firing when the spatial distribution of ionic mechanisms in the basal dendritic trees is uniform or non-uniform. Our results suggest that total length, volume and branch number are the best morphological parameters to discriminate the cells as RS or IB, regardless of the distribution of ionic mechanisms in basal trees. The discriminatory power of total length, volume and branch number remains high in the presence of different apical dendrites. These results suggest that morphological variations in the basal dendritic trees of layer V pyramidal neurons in the PFC influence their firing patterns in a predictive manner and may in turn influence the information processing capabilities of these neurons.

Effects of biaxial oscillatory shear stress on endothelial cell proliferation and morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Amlan; Chakraborty, Sutirtha; Jala, Venkatakrishna R; Haribabu, Bodduluri; Sharp, M Keith; Berson, R Eric

2012-03-01

Wall shear stress (WSS) on anchored cells affects their responses, including cell proliferation and morphology. In this study, the effects of the directionality of pulsatile WSS on endothelial cell proliferation and morphology were investigated for cells grown in a Petri dish orbiting on a shaker platform. Time and location dependent WSS was determined by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). At low orbital speed (50 rpm), WSS was shown to be uniform (0-1 dyne/cm(2)) across the bottom of the dish, while at higher orbital speed (100 and 150 rpm), WSS remained fairly uniform near the center and fluctuated significantly (0-9 dyne/cm(2)) near the side walls of the dish. Since WSS on the bottom of the dish is two-dimensional, a new directional oscillatory shear index (DOSI) was developed to quantify the directionality of oscillating shear. DOSI approached zero for biaxial oscillatory shear of equal magnitudes near the center and approached one for uniaxial pulsatile shear near the wall, where large tangential WSS dominated a much smaller radial component. Near the center (low DOSI), more, smaller and less elongated cells grew, whereas larger cells with greater elongation were observed in the more uniaxial oscillatory shear (high DOSI) near the periphery of the dish. Further, cells aligned with the direction of the largest component of shear but were randomly oriented in low magnitude biaxial shear. Statistical analyses of the individual and interacting effects of multiple factors (DOSI, shear magnitudes and orbital speeds) showed that DOSI significantly affected all the responses, indicating that directionality is an important determinant of cellular responses. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of Solution-Based Fabrication Conditions on Morphology of Lead Halide Perovskite Thin Film Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy L. Barnett

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We present a critical review of the effects of processing conditions on the morphology of methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells. Though difficult to decouple from synthetic and film formation effects, a single morphological feature, specifically grain size, has been evidently linked to the photovoltaic performance of this class of solar cells. Herein, we discuss experimental aspects of optimizing the (a temperature and time of annealing, (b spin-coating parameters, and (c solution temperature of methylammonium iodide (MAI solution.

Biofabrication of morphology improved cadmium sulfide nanoparticles using Shewanella oneidensis bacterial cells and ionic liquid: For toxicity against brain cancer cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Chen, Siyuan; Ding, Yiming; Zhu, Qiang; Zhang, Nijia; Yu, Shuqing

2018-01-01

The present work determines the anticancer activity of bio-mediated synthesized cadmium sulfide nanoparticles using the ionic liquid and bacterial cells (Shewanella oneidensis). Bacterial cells have been exposed to be important resources that hold huge potential as ecofriendly, cost-effective, evading toxic of dangerous chemicals and the alternative of conventional physiochemical synthesis. The Shewanella oneidensis is an important kind of metal reducing bacterium, known as its special anaerobic respiratory and sulfate reducing capacity. The crystalline nature, phase purity and surface morphology of biosynthesized cadmium sulfide nanoparticles were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive spectroscopy and Transmission electron microscopy. The use of imidazolium based ionic liquids as soft templating agent for controlling self-assembly and crystal growth direction of metal sulfide nanoparticles has also advanced as an important method. The microscopic techniques showed that the nanoparticles are designed on the nano form and have an excellent spherical morphology, due to the self-assembled mechanism of ionic liquid assistance. The antitumor efficiency of the cadmium sulfide nanoparticles was investigated against brain cancer cell lines using rat glioma cell lines. The effectively improved nano-crystalline and morphological structure of CdS nanoparticles in the presence of IL exhibit excellent cytotoxicity and dispersion ability on the cell shape is completely spread out showing a nice toxic environment against cancer cells. The cytotoxicity effect of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles was discussed with a diagrammatic representation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Corneal Endothelial Cell Density and Morphology in Healthy Turkish Eyes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ceyhun Arıcı

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To describe the normative values of corneal endothelial cell density, morphology, and central corneal thickness in healthy Turkish eyes. Methods. Specular microscopy was performed in 252 eyes of 126 healthy volunteers (M : F, 42 : 84. Parameters studied included mean endothelial cell density (MCD, mean cell area (MCA, coefficient of variation (CV in cell size, percentage of hexagonal cells, and central corneal thickness (CCT. Results. The mean age of volunteers was 44.3±13.5 (range, 20 to 70 years. There was a statistically significant decrease in MCD (P<0.001; correlation, −0.388 and percentage of hexagonal cells, (P<0.001; correlation, −0.199 with age. There was also a statistically significant increase in MCA (P<0.001; correlation, 0.363 with increasing age. There was no statistically significant difference in MCD, MCA, CV in cell size, percentage of hexagonal cells, and CCT between genders and there was also no significant difference in these parameters between fellow eyes of subjects. Conclusions. Normotive data for the endothelium in the Turkish population are reported. Endothelial cell density in the Turkish eyes is less than that described in the Japanese, American, Chinese, and Filipino eyes and higher than that described in Indian, Thai, and Iranian eyes.

Morphological responses of dissociated sponge cells to different organic substrata.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaino, E; Magnino, G; Burlando, B; Sara', M

1993-06-01

To study interactions between sponge cells and components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), cells of the calcareous sponge Clathrina cerebrum were investigated in vitro by scanning electron microscopy. Cells were settled on glass coverslips, used as controls, and on coverslips coated with various ECM components (laminin, collagens and fibronectin), and with an adhesive substance (polylysine). Cells tended to conserve a rounded shape, producing thin, stiff processes (scleropodia) and lamellipodia, whose shape and extension varied according to the substrata. Spreading was observed only on polylysine, inducing cells to assume a fibroblast-like aspect. On laminin, cell adhesion was assured only by scleropodia. On fibronectin, scleropodia and lamellipodia were present, but reduced in size and length. On collagens, laminar processes occurred among prevailing scleropodia. Measurements of cell area and perimeter allowed statistical comparison of substrata, on the basis of their induction of cell flattening and protuberance formation. In summary, sponge cells were found to modulate their morphology in response to the external environment, expressing features for dynamic activities most fully in the presence of substances close to their natural ECM constituents. These results are discussed in the context of tissue rearrangement as a basic adaptation occurring throughout the life span of these organisms.

Evolution of increased competitiveness in cows trades off with reduced milk yield, fertility and more masculine morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sartori, Cristina; Mazza, Serena; Guzzo, Nadia; Mantovani, Roberto

2015-08-01

In some species females compete for food, foraging territories, mating, and nesting sites. Competing females can exhibit morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations typical of males, which are commonly considered as secondary sexual traits. Competition and the development of traits increasing competitiveness require much energy and may exert adverse effects on fecundity and survival. From an evolutionary perspective, positive selection for increased competitiveness would then result in evolution of reduced values for traits related to fitness such as fecundity and survival. There is recent evidence for such evolutionary trade-offs involving male competition, but no study has considered competing females so far. Using data from competitions for dominance in cows (Bos taurus), we found negative genetic correlations between traits providing success in competition, that is, fighting ability and fitness traits related to milk production and with fertility (the inverse of parity-conception interval). Fighting ability also showed low but positive genetic correlations with "masculine" morphological traits, and negative correlations with "feminine" traits. A genetic change in traits over time has occurred due to selection on competitiveness, corresponding to an evolutionary process of "masculinization" counteracting the official selection for milk yield. Similar evolutionary trade-off between success in competition and fitness components may be present in various species experiencing female competition. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Genetic architecture of clinical mastitis traits in dairy cattle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sahana, Goutam; Guldbrandtsen, Bernt; Lund, Mogens Sandø

2012-01-01

investigate the genetic architecture of clinical mastitis and somatic cell score traits in dairy cattle using a high density (HD) SNP panel. Mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary gland most commonly caused by bacterial infection, is a frequent disease in dairy cattle. Clinical mastitis and somatic cell...... score from first three lactations were studied for association with SNP markers in 4,200 progeny-tested Nordic Holstein bulls. Single trait breeding values were used as phenotypes. All the individuals were genotyped with BovineSNP50 Beadchip. Part of this population was also genotyped with the Bovine...... mixed model analysis. After Bonferroni correction 12, 372 SNP exhibited genome-wide significant associations with mastitis related traits. A total 61 QTL regions on 22 chromosomes associated with mastitis related traits were identified. The SNP with highest effect explained 5.6% of the variance...

Evo-devo of novel traits : the genetic basis of butterfly colour patterns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saenko, Suzanne Viatcheslavovna

2010-01-01

The origin and diversification of novel morphological traits is a major research theme in evolutionary developmental biology, or evo-devo. Wing patterns of butterflies, in particular eyespots, are lineage-specific novelties crucial for visual communication. This thesis explores different aspects of

Comparative Morphological Analysis of the Immature Stages of the Grass Blue Butterflies Zizeeria and Zizina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Gurung, Raj D; Iwata, Masaki; Hiyama, Atsuki; Taira, Wataru; Degnan, Bernard; Degnan, Sandie; Otaki, Joji M

2016-08-01

The pale grass blue butterfly has been used to assess the biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Zizeeria and Zizina are two closely related genera of grass blue butterflies that are widely distributed in tropical to temperate Asia, Australia, and Africa, making them suitable environmental indicators for these areas. However, the morphological features of the immature stages have been examined only in fragmentary fashion. Here, we reared Zizeeria maha argia, Zizeeria maha okinawana, Zizeeria karsandra karsandra, Zizina emelina emelina, Zizina otis labradus, and Zizina otis riukuensis using a standard rearing method that was developed for Zizeeria maha, and comparatively identified morphological traits to effectively classify the immature stages of species or subspecies. Morphological information on these and other subspecies including Zizeeria knysna knysna and Zizina otis antanossa from Africa was also collected from literature. The subspecies were all reared successfully. The subspecies all had dorsal nectary and tentacle organs with similar morphology. For the subspecies of Zizeeria maha, only minor morphological differences were noted. Similarly, the subspecies of Zizina otis shared many traits. Most importantly, Zizeeria and Zizina differed in the shape of the sensory hairs that accompany the dorsal nectary organ; Zizeeriahad pointed hairs, and Zizina had blunt or rounded hairs. However, Zizina emelina exhibited several intermediate features between these two genera. Overall, the morphological traits did not completely reflect the conventional systematic relationships. This comparative study describes the efficient rearing of the grass blue butterflies and provides a morphological basis for the use of these species as environmental indicators.

A Complex Interaction Between Reduced Reelin Expression and Prenatal Organophosphate Exposure Alters Neuronal Cell Morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian R. Mullen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Genetic and environmental factors are both likely to contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and major depressive disorders. Prior studies from our laboratory and others have demonstrated that the combinatorial effect of two factors—reduced expression of reelin protein and prenatal exposure to the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos oxon—gives rise to acute biochemical effects and to morphological and behavioral phenotypes in adolescent and young adult mice. In the current study, we examine the consequences of these factors on reelin protein expression and neuronal cell morphology in adult mice. While the cell populations that express reelin in the adult brain appear unchanged in location and distribution, the levels of full length and cleaved reelin protein show persistent reductions following prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos oxon. Cell positioning and organization in the hippocampus and cerebellum are largely normal in animals with either reduced reelin expression or prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos oxon, but cellular complexity and dendritic spine organization is altered, with a skewed distribution of immature dendritic spines in adult animals. Paradoxically, combinatorial exposure to both factors appears to generate a rescue of the dendritic spine phenotypes, similar to the mitigation of behavioral and morphological changes observed in our prior study. Together, our observations support an interaction between reelin expression and chlorpyrifos oxon exposure that is not simply additive, suggesting a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors in regulating brain morphology.

Morphological modulation of human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells by hydroxybenzoate compounds during apoptosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jassem G Mahdi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Hydroxybenzoate (HB compounds have shown to modulate the morphology in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells. The changes in HT-1080 cells showed marker signs of apoptosis, which included the condensation of nucleus, cell round, blebbing and the formation of apoptotic bodies. The different stages of apoptosis were assessed microscopically using different staining and immunohistochemical techniques, as well as scanning electron microscopy. In addition, HB compounds increased the expression of caspase-3, which is closely associated with the development of the modulation in HT-1080 cells that are undergoing the programmed cell death. Both acetyl salicylic acid (ASA and HBZn compounds were dose and treatment duration dependent.

Adrenal cortex expression quantitative trait loci in a German Holstein × Charolais cross.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Bodo; Scheinhardt, Markus O; Friedrich, Juliane; Zimmer, Daisy; Reinsch, Norbert; Ponsuksili, Siriluck; Schwerin, Manfred; Ziegler, Andreas

2016-10-06

The importance of the adrenal gland in regard to lactation and reproduction in cattle has been recognized early. Caused by interest in animal welfare and the impact of stress on economically important traits in farm animals the adrenal gland and its function within the stress response is of increasing interest. However, the molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in stress-related effects on economically important traits in farm animals are not fully understood. Gene expression is an important mechanism underlying complex traits, and genetic variants affecting the transcript abundance are thought to influence the manifestation of an expressed phenotype. We therefore investigated the genetic background of adrenocortical gene expression by applying an adaptive linear rank test to identify genome-wide expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) for adrenal cortex transcripts in cattle. A total of 10,986 adrenal cortex transcripts and 37,204 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analysed in 145 F2 cows of a Charolais × German Holstein cross. We identified 505 SNPs that were associated with the abundance of 129 transcripts, comprising 482 cis effects and 17 trans effects. These SNPs were located on all chromosomes but X, 16, 24 and 28. Associated genes are mainly involved in molecular and cellular functions comprising free radical scavenging, cellular compromise, cell morphology and lipid metabolism, including genes such as CYP27A1 and LHCGR that have been shown to affect economically important traits in cattle. In this study we showed that adrenocortical eQTL affect the expression of genes known to contribute to the phenotypic manifestation in cattle. Furthermore, some of the identified genes and related molecular pathways were previously shown to contribute to the phenotypic variation of behaviour, temperament and growth at the onset of puberty in the same population investigated here. We conclude that eQTL analysis appears to be a useful approach providing

Giant oral tumor in a child with malnutrition and sickle cell trait: Anesthetic challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preet Mohinder Singh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Pediatric oral tumors have always been challenging for the even most skilled anesthesiologists. The conventional method of awake intubation is not realistic in this age group. The management is to chart out a plan to intubate the child post induction. We describe successful management of a case of giant of ossifying fibroma in a child with sickle cell trait where non-conventional innovate approach helped us to secure the airway pre-operatively and avoid possible medical complications.

Automated classification of cell morphology by coherence-controlled holographic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Strbkova, Lenka; Zicha, Daniel; Vesely, Pavel; Chmelik, Radim

2017-08-01

In the last few years, classification of cells by machine learning has become frequently used in biology. However, most of the approaches are based on morphometric (MO) features, which are not quantitative in terms of cell mass. This may result in poor classification accuracy. Here, we study the potential contribution of coherence-controlled holographic microscopy enabling quantitative phase imaging for the classification of cell morphologies. We compare our approach with the commonly used method based on MO features. We tested both classification approaches in an experiment with nutritionally deprived cancer tissue cells, while employing several supervised machine learning algorithms. Most of the classifiers provided higher performance when quantitative phase features were employed. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the quantitative phase features played an important role in improving the performance of the classification. The methodology could be valuable help in refining the monitoring of live cells in an automated fashion. We believe that coherence-controlled holographic microscopy, as a tool for quantitative phase imaging, offers all preconditions for the accurate automated analysis of live cell behavior while enabling noninvasive label-free imaging with sufficient contrast and high-spatiotemporal phase sensitivity.

The genetic and developmental basis of an exaggerated craniofacial trait in East African cichlids.

Science.gov (United States)

Concannon, Moira R; Albertson, R Craig

2015-12-01

The evolution of an exaggerated trait can lead to a novel morphology that allows organisms to exploit new niches. The molecular bases of such phenotypes can reveal insights into the evolution of unique traits. Here, we investigate a rare morphological innovation in modern haplochromine cichlids, a flap of fibrous tissue that causes a pronounced projection of the snout, which is limited to a single genus (Labeotropheus) of Lake Malawi cichlids. We compare flap size in our focal species L. fuelleborni (LF) to homologous landmarks in other closely related cichlid species that show a range of ecological overlap with LF, and demonstrate that variation in flap size is discontinuous among Malawi cichlid species. We demonstrate further that flap development in LF begins at early juvenile stages, and scales allometrically with body size. We then used an F2 hybrid mapping population, derived via crossing LF to a close ecological competitor that lacks this trait, Tropheops "red cheek" (TRC), to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that underlie flap development. In all, we identified four loci associated with variation in flap size, and for each the LF allele contributed to a larger flap. We next cross-referenced our QTL map with population genomic data, comparing natural populations of LF and TRC, to identify divergent polymorphisms within each QTL interval. Candidate genes for flap development are discussed. Together, these data indicate a relatively simple and tractable genetic basis for this morphological innovation, which is consistent with its apparently sudden and saltatory evolutionary history. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 324B: 662-670, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physiological, morphological and allocation plasticity of a semi-deciduous shrub

Science.gov (United States)