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[Dipetalonema lineage. New attempt at classification].

Through comparing the morphological evolution to the host range and the geographical distribution we can suggest Dipetalonema sensu-largo may be interpreted as a gondwanian lineage which may have evolved after the three main austral continents drifted apart. Therefore, we propose the following systematic splitting: --Sprattia n.gen., type species: S. venacavincola parasite of Australian Marsupials, which may be related to Litomosa; --Breinlia Yorke and Maplestone, 1926, and Breinlia (Johnstonema) (Yeh, 1957), parasite of Australian Marsupials; --Skrjabinofilaria (Travassos, 1925), parasite of American Marsupials; --Macdonaldius (Khanna, 1933), parasite of American Reptiles; --Dipetalonema (Orihelia) n.sub. gen., type species: D. (O.) anticlava, parasite of Dasypodidae; --Dipetalonema (Acanthocheilonema) (Cobbold, 1870), parasite of Insectivora, Carnivora, Pinnipedia, sometimes Rodents; --Dipetalonema (Molinema) (Freitas and Lent, 1939), parasite of Caviomorpha and Beavers; --Dipetalonema (Loxodontofilaria) (Berghe and Gillain, 1939), parasite of Ethiopian Ungulates; --Dipetalonema (Chenofilaria) (Kou, 1958), parasite of Asiatic Pholidota and Australian Marsupials; --Dipetalonema (Dipetalonema) (Diesing, 1861), parasite of American Primates; --Monanema Anteson, 1968, parasite of Rodents other than Cariomorpha; --Ackertia (Vaz, 1934), parasite of Caviomorpha; --Tetrapetalonema (Sandnema) n.sub.gen., type species: T. (S.) digitata, parasite of Asiatic Insectivora and Primates; --Tetrapetalonema (Tetrapetalonema) (Faust, 1935), parasite of Tupaidae, Platyrhinii, and, sometimes, American Rodents and Carnivora; --Tetrapetalonema (Esslingeria) n. sub.gen., type species: T. (E.) perstans, parasite of African African Anthropoidea and Humans; --Filarissima (Chabaud, 1974), parasite of Caviomorpha.

Animals↗

Competitive dominance among strains of luminous bacteria provides an unusual form of evidence for parallel evolution in Sepiolid squid-vibrio symbioses.

One of the principal assumptions in symbiosis research is that associated partners have evolved in parallel. We report here experimental evidence for parallel speciation patterns among several partners of the sepiolid squid-luminous bacterial symbioses. Molecular phylogenies for 14 species of host squids were derived from sequences of both the nuclear internal transcribed spacer region and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I; the glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase locus was sequenced for phylogenetic determinations of 7 strains of bacterial symbionts. Comparisons of trees constructed for each of the three loci revealed a parallel phylogeny between the sepiolids and their respective symbionts. Because both the squids and their bacterial partners can be easily cultured independently in the laboratory, we were able to couple these phylogenetic analyses with experiments to examine the ability of the different symbiont strains to compete with each other during the colonization of one of the host species. Our results not only indicate a pronounced dominance of native symbiont strains over nonnative strains, but also reveal a hierarchy of symbiont competency that reflects the phylogenetic relationships of the partners. For the first time, molecular systematics has been coupled with experimental colonization assays to provide evidence for the existence of parallel speciation among a set of animal-bacterial associations.

Animals↗

Evolutionary simulations to detect functional lineage-specific genes.

MOTIVATION: Supporting the functionality of recent duplicate gene copies is usually difficult, owing to high sequence similarity between duplicate counterparts and shallow phylogenies, which hamper both the statistical and experimental inference. RESULTS: We developed an integrated evolutionary approach to identify functional duplicate gene copies and other lineage-specific genes. By repeatedly simulating neutral evolution, our method estimates the probability that an ORF was selectively conserved and is therefore likely to represent a bona fide coding region. In parallel, our method tests whether the accumulation of non-synonymous substitutions reveals signatures of selective constraint. We show that our approach has high power to identify functional lineage-specific genes using simulated and real data. For example, a coding region of average length (approximately 1400 bp), restricted to hominoids, can be predicted to be functional in approximately 94-100% of cases. Notably, the method may support functionality for instances where classical selection tests based on the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions fail to reveal signatures of selection. Our method is available as an automated tool, ReEVOLVER, which will also be useful to systematically detect functional lineage-specific genes of closely related species on a large scale. AVAILABILITY: ReEVOLVER is available at http://www.unil.ch/cig/page7858.html.

Animals↗

Morphological, molecular, and chromosomal discrimination of cryptic Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) (Diptera: Culicidae) from South America.

Based on similarity of male genitalia, the malaria vector Anopheles trinkae Faran from the eastern Andean piedmont of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia was determined by Peyton (1993) to be a junior synonym of An. dunhami Causey, then known from a single locality in Amazonian Brazil. Following an appraisal of molecular, chromosomal, and morphological characters, we conclude herein that the 2 taxa are specifically distinct and remove An. trinkae from synonymy with An. dunhami. Eggs of the 2 species are distinguished easily by the anterior crown, long floats, and closed deck that occur only in An. trinkae. The X chromosome of larval polytenes is divisible into R and L arms in An. dunhami, but not in An. trinkae. A phenogram based on banding pattern scores from 18 random amplified polymorphic DNA primers separated with 100% resolution An. dunhami, An. trinkae, Anopheles nuneztovari Gabaldón and Anopheles darlingi Root. In the ITS2 region of rDNA, 25% of base sites distinguished An. trinkae from An. dunhami and 21% from the related An. nuneztovari; males of these 3 species had accessory glands of significantly different sizes. Preliminary isoenzyme screening indicated that 3 of 11 loci were diagnostic for separating An. trinkae from An. dunhami. The results indicate that An. dunhami is related more closely to An. nuneztovari than to An. trinkae and illustrate the merits of a multidisciplinary approach to mosquito systematics.

Animals↗

Rapidly evolving genes in human. I. The glycophorins and their possible role in evading malaria parasites.

In an attempt to identify all fast-evolving genes between human and other primates, we found three glycophorins, GPA, GPB, and GPE, to have the highest rate of nonsynonymous substitutions among the 280 genes surveyed. The Ka/Ks ratios are generally greater than 3 for GPA, GPB, and GPE in human, chimpanzee, and gorilla, indicating positive selection. The uniformly high substitution rate across loci can be explained by the frequent sequence exchanges among genes. GPA is the receptor for the binding ligand EBA-175 of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The levels of nonsynonymous divergence and polymorphism of EBA-175 are also the highest in the genome of P. falciparum. We hypothesize that GPA has been evolving rapidly to evade malaria parasites. Both the high rate of nonsynonymous substitutions and the frequent interlocus conversions may be means of evasion. The support for the evasion hypothesis is still indirect, but, unlike other hypotheses, it can be tested specifically and systematically.

Alleles↗

An analysis of signatures of selective sweeps in natural populations of the house mouse.

Population and locus-specific reduction of variability of polymorphic loci could be an indication of positive selection at a linked site (selective sweep) and therefore point toward genes that have been involved in recent adaptations. Analysis of microsatellite variability offers a way to identify such regions and to ask whether they occur more often than expected by chance. We studied four populations of the house mouse (Mus musculus) to assess the frequency of such signatures of selective sweeps under natural conditions. Three samples represent the subspecies Mus m. dometicus [corrected] and came from Germany, France, and Cameroon. One sample came from Kazakhstan and constitutes a population of the subspecies Mus m. [corrected] musculus. Mitochondrial D-loop sequences from all animals confirm their respective assignments. Approximately 200 microsatellite loci were typed for up to 60 unrelated individuals from each population and evaluated for signs of selective sweeps on the basis of Schlötterer's ln RV and ln RH statistics. Our data suggest that there are slightly more signs of selective sweeps than would have been expected by chance alone in each of the populations and also highlights some of the statistical challenges faced in genome scans for detecting selection. Single-nucleotide polymorphism typing of one sweep signature in the M. m. domesticus populations around the beta-defensin 6 locus confirms a lowered nucleotide diversity in this region and limits the potential sweep region to about 20 kb. However, no amino acid exchange has occurred in the coding region when compared to M. m. musculus. If this sweep signature is due to a recent adaptation, it is expected that a regulatory change would have caused it. Our data provide a framework for conducting a systematic whole genome scan for signatures of selective sweeps in the mouse genome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Gene and genome duplication in Acanthamoeba polyphaga Mimivirus.

Gene duplication is key to molecular evolution in all three domains of life and may be the first step in the emergence of new gene function. It is a well-recognized feature in large DNA viruses but has not been studied extensively in the largest known virus to date, the recently discovered Acanthamoeba polyphaga Mimivirus. Here, I present a systematic analysis of gene and genome duplication events in the mimivirus genome. I found that one-third of the mimivirus genes are related to at least one other gene in the mimivirus genome, either through a large segmental genome duplication event that occurred in the more remote past or through more recent gene duplication events, which often occur in tandem. This shows that gene and genome duplication played a major role in shaping the mimivirus genome. Using multiple alignments, together with remote-homology detection methods based on Hidden Markov Model comparison, I assign putative functions to some of the paralogous gene families. I suggest that a large part of the duplicated mimivirus gene families are likely to interfere with important host cell processes, such as transcription control, protein degradation, and cell regulatory processes. My findings support the view that large DNA viruses are complex evolving organisms, possibly deeply rooted within the tree of life, and oppose the paradigm that viral evolution is dominated by lateral gene acquisition, at least in regard to large DNA viruses.

Acanthamoeba↗

Comparative anatomical study of the carotid circulation in gundis, with implications for their evolutionary history.

The carotid circulation pattern in gundis (Ctenodactylidae) is examined and compared with that of typical members of the classical rodent suborders. On this basis their probable phylogenetic relationships and systematic position are discussed. Together with other recent investigations, the unique pattern of cephalic arterial supply emphasizes the isolated position of the ctenodactylids.

Animals↗

[The basic types and forms of the fine structure of mitochondrial cristae: the degree of their evolutionary stability (capacity for morphological transformations)].

The organellological analysis being made of the fine structure of mitochondria in different species of the kingdom Protista, and in different cells of representatives of the kingdoms Plantae and Animalia (Metazoa). On the base of this analysis the following classification of types and forms of the fine structure of mitochondrial cristae is proposed. The Ist type, with lamellar (flat) cristae includes four morphological forms: ribbon, sheet, bundle-like and rounded ones (discoidal and plate-like). The 2nd type, with vesicular cristae, includes bubble, ampule, and sac-like ones. The 3rd type with tubular cristae. Among the representatives of each kingdom (Protista, Plantae and Metazoa) all the three types of mitochondrial cristae have been observed. The majority of cells of higher plants and higher animals have lamellar mitochondrial cristae, but sometimes (in some tissues) there are cells with tubular or vesicular mitochondrial cristae. On the base of the above classification some other conclusions have been made. Among the eukaryotes the vesicular cristae are spread as widely as tubular and lamellar ones. Only in a few macrotaxa (superphyla and phyla) of Protista all the investigated organisms have mitochondria of similar cristal organization. For example, Ciliophora have only tubular, and Cryptophyta only lamellar mitochondrial cristae. In the majority of protistan macrotaxa a certain mitochondrial type of cristae may dominate, but there is the number of species with some different mitochondrial patterns (Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta, Chrysophyta, Mycetozoa, etc.). In some macrotaxa (Chrysophyta, Mycetozoa, etc.) such mitochondrial patterns as mentioned above, are characteristic of the lower organisms. Finally, in some macrotaxa of Protista mitochondrial cristae of two or three types may appear in different species, sometimes even within the same genus; for example--Sporozoa, Myxospora and Ascetospora. In the course of ontogenesis of the vertebrates and insects, cell mitochondria in some of their tissues can change their morphological type from lamellar to tubular or vesicular. Similar transformations of mitochondrial cristae were observed in the life cycles of some trypanosomes (Kinetoplastida) and in the flagellate Polytoma (Chlorophyta) due to modifications in the culture conditions. It is undoubtedly that the principle of morphological concervatism in the organization of mitochondrial cristae may be used for purposes of systematics and phylogeny, however only after a thorough comparative organellological analysis of the fine structure in numerous species of the examined taxon.

Animals↗

Construction of phylogenetic tree based on G + C contents in DNA and 16S rRNA sequences: example for group 1 of genus Bacillus.

The applicability of the G + C content in DNA in the construction of phylogenetic tree was studied. The group 1 of the genus Bacillus was selected as an object for study. Statistically reliable correlation between evolutionary distances of 16S rRNA sequences (Ei) and parameter Pi named as "GC evolutionary distance" was shown. The value of Pi is the difference between the G + C content in DNA of two species branching from one phylogenetic line. The coefficient of correlation between Ei and Pi equals 0.97 for the representatives of group 1, including Bacillus anthracis, B. cereus, B. circulans, B. firmus, B. lautus, and B. subtilis. Phylogenetic studies of the G + C content in DNA in the genus Bacillus, group 1 representatives has shown that this character can be used in molecular systematics and phylogeny as additional data altogether with the data on 16S rRNA sequences.

Bacillus↗

The evolution of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocols for nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Over the past 2 decades, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) has played a significant role in clarifying the role of radiation therapy (RT) in the treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). RTOG lung cancer research has evolved over this time period through a systematic succession of investigations. For unresectable NSCLC, the dependence of local tumor control and survival on total dose of standard fractionation RT, as well as pretreatment performance characteristics, was demonstrated in initial RTOG trials. Subsequently, further radiation dose intensification was tested using altered fractionation RT to total doses up to 32% higher than standard RT to 60 Gy, given as either hyperfractionation or accelerated fractionation, while attempting to retain acceptable normal tissue toxicity. These higher doses required rethinking of established RT techniques and limitations, as well as careful surveillance of acute and late toxicity. A survival advantage was shown for hyperfractionation to 69.6 Gy, in favorable performance patients, compared to 60 Gy. Further testing of high dose standard RT will use three-dimensional, conformal techniques to minimize toxicity. RTOG further extended the theme of treatment intensification for unresectable NSCLC by evaluating combined chemotherapy (CT) and RT. Improved local control and survival was shown for induction CT followed by standard RT to 60 Gy, compared to standard RT (60 Gy) and altered fractionation RT (69.6 Gy). The intent of current studies is to optimize dose and scheduling of combined CT and standard RT, as well as combined CT and altered fractionation RT. Noncytotoxic RT adjuvants, such as hypoxic cell sensitizers, nonspecific immune stimulants, and biologic response modifiers have also been studied. Resectable NSCLC has also been an RTOG focus, with studies of preoperative and postoperative RT, CT, and CT/RT, including the prognostic value of serum and tissue factors. RTOG studies have yielded incremental improvements in treatment outcome for NSCLC, better understanding of the disease dynamics, and a strong foundation for future investigations.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

Controlled-release periodontal chemotherapy: the evolution of antimicrobial delivery systems.

Bacterial plaque contributes to the development and progression of periodontal diseases. Therefore, therapeutics designed to stop or slow periodontal destruction must limit or eliminate the deleterious effects of plaque. Despite the recognized beneficial effects of in-office surgical and nonsurgical periodontal therapies and home mechanical plaque control, antimicrobials have been used locally, systematically, or in combination to limit plaque activity. This article discusses a new, localized antimicrobial delivery method. The technique discussed employs an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, containing tetracycline hydrochloride. Description of this polymeric fiber, indications for its use, placement technique, patient education, the role of auxiliaries, and practice management aspects are reviewed. The future potential of sustained-release local pharmaceutical devices is addressed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Molecular evolution of shark C-type natriuretic peptides.

C-type natriuretic peptides (CNP) of varying length were isolated from the atrium or ventricle of a shark, Lamna ditropis and their amino acid sequences were determined. Although the sequence of Lamna CNP was highly homologous to those of other CNPs sequenced to date, the Lamna CNP-41, the longest CNP identified in this study, has one amino acid replacement from those of Triakis scyllia and Scyliorhinus canicula, and three amino acid replacements from that of Squalus acanthias. The degree of similarity of CNP molecules coincides well with their systematic positions in the cladogram of elasmobranchs; Lamna, Triakis and Scyliorhinus belong to the same order, but Lamna and Squalus belong to different orders. The facts that Lamna and Triakis are in different suborders but Triakis and Scyliorhinus are in the same suborder and have identical CNP-41, also support this evolutionary implication.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Molecular markers of nuclear DNA in the study of evolution and speciation process in an example of "Lacerta agilis complex" (Sauria: Lacertidae)].

In order to elucidate the molecular-genetic relations of some Lacerta s. str. lizard populations, subspecies and species in comparison with some other genera we used methods revealing four types of nuclear DNA markers. Among these were taxonprint, RAPD, Inter-MIR-PCR markers and also satellite DNA monomer sequences. The aim was to compare the phylogeny and systematics of this reptilian group based on morphological and molecular criteria. This problem has a general importance for understanding a speciation process. Our results show a good correlation between both approaches when genera and species levels were studied. Systematic status of five subspecies of L. agilis were supported but not in all cases, some subspecies have no meaningful genetic differences by three types of molecular markers, but all of them were differed by RAPD markers. The data confirm the subdivision of L. agilis populations into west and east clades proposed by other authors earlier on the basis of mitochondrial DNA and morphology. The population structure of one of the subspecies--L. agilis exigua, was studied on a number of populations distributed from Ural region up to Kabardino-Balkaria by IMP method. There were no significant differences among these 14 populations investigated. The data testify the rapid distribution of the species after the end of Pleistocene glaciation.

Animals↗

Molecular evolution and immune expression analysis of ELF transcription factors in Lethenteron reissneri.

As important members of the ETS superfamily, the E74-like factor (ELF) transcription factor family regulates gene transcription through a conserved ETS domain and plays critical roles in immune regulation. However, the evolutionary characteristics and functions of this family in lampreys (Lethenteron reissneri) remain unclear. In this study, the ELF gene family of lampreys (Lr-ELF1, Lr-ELF2, Lr-ELF3, and Lr-ELF5) was systematically identified, and their molecular evolutionary features and immune response functions were investigated. Phylogenetic analysis revealed evolutionary characteristics reflecting the transition from jawless to jawed vertebrates. Domain architecture, gene structure, and three-dimensional structural analyses indicated that these genes appear to be conserved among vertebrates, with their three-dimensional structures showing high similarity to the core secondary structural elements of human homologous proteins. Synteny analysis demonstrated significant differences in the genomic neighborhoods of ELF genes between lampreys and jawed vertebrates. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed with three biological and three technical replicates; relative expression levels were calculated using the ΔCt method, and statistical analysis was carried out with GraphPad Prism 9. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results suggested that the ELF gene family may be involved in immune defense. This study not only enriches our understanding of the evolution of ELF genes but also provides new insights into the roles of lamprey ELFs in immune defense.

Animals↗

Adolf Remane (1898-1976) and his views on systematics, homology and the Modern Synthesis.

Adolf Remane was primarily a morphologist and systematist. In 1952, he published an influential book on the foundations of systematics and phylogenetics in which he advocated homology as the central concept of morphology and the basis of the natural system and discussed criteria serving to discriminate homology from homoplasy in great detail. During the decades when the Modern Synthesis of evolution was created, he repeatedly commented on and criticised the synthetic theory of evolution, which he never fully accepted. Remane disapproved of idealistic morphology and was strongly opposed to Lamarckian, saltationist and orthogenetic theories of evolution. Yet, while appreciating the synthetic theory's validity in the realm of speciation and microevolution, he rejected the claim that the current genetic knowledge was sufficient to explain complex morphological transformations on the basis of random mutations and selection. Instead, he seems to have favoured mutation pressure as the most important factor in macroevolution. Nevertheless, the sometimes vicious disputes between Remane and the adherents of the Modern Synthesis may at least partly have been brought about by personal factors rather than by scientific differences.

Animals↗

[Evolution in consumption of and attitude towards tobacco towards physicians at the regional hospital "Reina Sofía," Córdoba].

OBJECTIVES: to study the evolution of the smoking prevalence and the personal attitudes about smoking among doctors of a university hospital. MATERIAL & METHODS: cross-sectional study. A survey. Study population was all physicians working in "Reina Sofía" University Hospital of Cordoba (N=738). By systematic sampling we select a random sample of 250 especialist physicians. We designed a self-administered questionnaire with items measuring the prevalence of smoking, the brand they used, the degree of smoking dependence, and their opinion about the new anti-smoking law. We also study the measures for smoking cessation that doctors considered most useful. We compared our data with other similar study carried out in 1987. RESULTS: the prevalence of tobacco use was 42% (CI:95%: 35.5-48.9), below the figure we obtained in 1987 (56.3%; p < 0.001). Doctors between 36-45 years had the highest rates of tobacco consumption (p < 0.01). 86.9% of smokers thought that smoking was unhealthy and among these 83.3% accepted the risk derived of smoking. 86.7% of smokers used to smoke inside the hospital. 86.8% of doctors thought that the new public places restrictive smoking law must be implemented. Doctors smoke more often (68.5%) when they are on call and 26.4% of them recognize to smoke when they inform the patient's family. CONCLUSIONS: we highlight a reduction of the prevalence of smoking among this kind of physicians. We still consider important the high number of physicians which smoke inside the hospital, although this figure have significantly decreased.

Adult↗

The simultaneous evolution of author and paper networks.

There has been a long history of research into the structure and evolution of mankind's scientific endeavor. However, recent progress in applying the tools of science to understand science itself has been unprecedented because only recently has there been access to high-volume and high-quality data sets of scientific output (e.g., publications, patents, grants) and computers and algorithms capable of handling this enormous stream of data. This article reviews major work on models that aim to capture and recreate the structure and dynamics of scientific evolution. We then introduce a general process model that simultaneously grows coauthor and paper citation networks. The statistical and dynamic properties of the networks generated by this model are validated against a 20-year data set of articles published in PNAS. Systematic deviations from a power law distribution of citations to papers are well fit by a model that incorporates a partitioning of authors and papers into topics, a bias for authors to cite recent papers, and a tendency for authors to cite papers cited by papers that they have read. In this TARL model (for topics, aging, and recursive linking), the number of topics is linearly related to the clustering coefficient of the simulated paper citation network.

Authorship↗