Search

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Aims Organelle genomes are usually maternally inherited in angiosperms. However, biparental inheritance has been observed, especially in hybrids resulting from crosses between divergent genetic lineages. When it concerns the plastid genome, this exceptional mode of inheritance might rescue inter-lineage hybrids suffering from plastid–nuclear incompatibilities. Genetically differentiated lineages of Silene nutans exhibit strong postzygotic isolation owing to plastid–nuclear incompatibilities, highlighted by inter-lineage hybrid chlorosis and mortality. Surviving hybrids can exhibit variegated leaves, which might indicate paternal leakage of the plastid genome. We tested whether the surviving hybrids inherited the paternal plastid genome and survived thanks to paternal leakage. Methods We characterized the leaf phenotype (fully green, variegated or white) of 504 surviving inter-lineage hybrids obtained from a reciprocal cross experiment among populations of four genetic lineages (W1, W2, W3 and E1) of S. nutans from Western Europe and genotyped 560 leaf samples (both green and white leaves for variegated hybrids) using six lineage-specific plastid single nucleotide polymorphisms. Key Results A high proportion of the surviving hybrids (≤98 %) inherited the paternal plastid genome, indicating paternal leakage. The level of paternal leakage depended on cross type and cross direction. The E1 and W2 lineages as maternal lineages led to the highest hybrid mortality and to the highest paternal leakage from W1 and W3 lineages in the few surviving hybrids. This was consistent with E1 and W2 lineages, which contained the most divergent plastid genomes. When W3 was the mother, more hybrids survived, and no paternal leakage was detected. Conclusions By providing a plastid genome potentially more compatible with the hybrid nuclear background, paternal leakage has the potential to rescue inter-lineage hybrids from plastid–nuclear incompatibilities. This phenomenon might slow down the speciation process, provided hybrid survival and reproduction can occur in the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the problem of antimicrobial resistance is constantly increasing, there is a renewed interest in antimicrobial products derived from natural sources, particularly obtained from innovative and eco-friendly materials. Insect lipids, due to their fatty acid composition, can be classified as natural antimicrobial compounds. In order to assess the antibacterial efficacy of Hermetia illucens lipids, we extracted this component from the larval stage, fed on different substrates and we characterized it. Moreover, we analyzed the fatty acid composition of the feeding substrate, to determine if and how it could affect the antimicrobial activity of the lipid component. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive Micrococcus flavus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Analyzing the fatty acid profiles of larval lipids that showed activity against the two bacterial strains, we detected significant differences for C4:0, C10:0, C16:1, C18:3 n3 (ALA), and C20:1. The strongest antimicrobial activity was verified against Micrococcus flavus by lipids extracted from larvae reared on strawberry, tangerine, and fresh manure substrates, with growth inhibition zones ranged from 1.38 to 1.51 mm, while only the rearing on manure showed the effect against Escherichia coli. Notably, the fatty acid profile of H. illucens seems to not be really influenced by the substrate fatty acid profile, except for C18:0 and C18:2 CIS n6 (LA). This implies that other factors, such as the rearing conditions, larval development stages, and other nutrients such as carbohydrates, affect the amount of fatty acids in insects. Key points: • Feeding substrates influence larval lipids and fatty acids (FA) • Generally, there is no direct correlation between substrate FAs and the same larvae FAs • Specific FAs influence more the antimicrobial effect of BSF lipids [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the problem of antimicrobial resistance is constantly increasing, there is a renewed interest in antimicrobial products derived from natural sources, particularly obtained from innovative and eco-friendly materials. Insect lipids, due to their fatty acid composition, can be classified as natural antimicrobial compounds. In order to assess the antibacterial efficacy of Hermetia illucens lipids, we extracted this component from the larval stage, fed on different substrates and we characterized it. Moreover, we analyzed the fatty acid composition of the feeding substrate, to determine if and how it could affect the antimicrobial activity of the lipid component. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive Micrococcus flavus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Analyzing the fatty acid profiles of larval lipids that showed activity against the two bacterial strains, we detected significant differences for C4:0, C10:0, C16:1, C18:3 n3 (ALA), and C20:1. The strongest antimicrobial activity was verified against Micrococcus flavus by lipids extracted from larvae reared on strawberry, tangerine, and fresh manure substrates, with growth inhibition zones ranged from 1.38 to 1.51 mm, while only the rearing on manure showed the effect against Escherichia coli. Notably, the fatty acid profile of H. illucens seems to not be really influenced by the substrate fatty acid profile, except for C18:0 and C18:2 CIS n6 (LA). This implies that other factors, such as the rearing conditions, larval development stages, and other nutrients such as carbohydrates, affect the amount of fatty acids in insects. Key points: • Feeding substrates influence larval lipids and fatty acids (FA) • Generally, there is no direct correlation between substrate FAs and the same larvae FAs • Specific FAs influence more the antimicrobial effect of BSF lipids [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Although caring relatives of people with dementia are a mainstay of many care systems, the availability of support services for them within the municipal community shows deficiencies. Adopting the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) this study aims to investigate 1) which of the TDF domains adapted to gerontology show up in public dialogue, and 2) the results that public dialogues produce in terms of support services for caring relatives. Subject and methods: The data consists of town hall meetings and focus groups from 14 municipal communities in Germany. Participants were caring relatives and stakeholders of the communities. A qualitative content analysis was conducted, focusing on the assessment of three TDF domains, namely knowledge, goals, and sociopolitical context as well as outcomes of care optimisation. Results: With regard to domain knowledge, it was evident that in every community there were actors aware of the situation and relevance of carers and their relatives. Only some actors mentioned goals for optimising the care of the target group. The sociopolitical context is often addressed through statements about incomplete requirements. Conclusion: Overall, a relation between the discussion about the domains in public dialogues and changes in supporting carers of people with dementia can be assumed. The results indicate that an increased discussion about the domains within town hall meetings influences the actors and their statements with regard to the improvement of support services for caring relatives of people with dementia. Since the domains were not developed exclusively for the outlined context, this approach can also be applied to other areas of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioconversion is a biological process by which organic materials are converted into products with higher biological and commercial value. During its larval stage the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens is extremely voracious and can feed on a wide variety of organic materials. To study the impact of different fruit byproducts on the insect's growth, final larval biomass, substrate reduction, bioconversion parameters, and larval nutritional composition, 10 000 black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) were reared on 7.0 kg of one of three substrates (strawberry, tangerine, or orange) or on a standard diet as a control. The results highlight that BSFL can successfully feed and grow on each of these diets, though their development time, growth rate, and final biomass were differently impacted by the substrates, with strawberry being the most suitable. The lipid and protein contents of BSFL were similar among larvae fed on different substrates; however, major differences were detected in ash, micronutrient, fiber, fatty acid, and amino acid contents. Overall, the results indicate that fruit waste management through the BSFL bioconversion process represents a commercially promising resource for regional and national agrifood companies. Our study offers new perspectives for sustainable and environmentally friendly industrial development by which fruit byproducts or waste might be disposed of or unconventionally enhanced to create secondary products of high biological and economic value, including BSFL biomass as animal feed or, in perspective, as alternative protein source for human nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: There is growing evidence that cytonuclear incompatibilities (i.e. disruption of cytonuclear coadaptation) might contribute to the speciation process. In a former study, we described the possible involvement of plastid–nuclear incompatibilities in the reproductive isolation between four lineages of Silene nutans (Caryophyllaceae). Because organellar genomes are usually cotransmitted, we assessed whether the mitochondrial genome could also be involved in the speciation process, knowing that the gynodioecious breeding system of S. nutans is expected to impact the evolutionary dynamics of this genome.Using hybrid capture and high‐throughput DNA sequencing, we analyzed diversity patterns in the genic content of the organellar genomes in the four S. nutans lineages.Contrary to the plastid genome, which exhibited a large number of fixed substitutions between lineages, extensive sharing of polymorphisms between lineages was found in the mitochondrial genome. In addition, numerous recombination‐like events were detected in the mitochondrial genome, loosening the linkage disequilibrium between the organellar genomes and leading to decoupled evolution.These results suggest that gynodioecy shaped mitochondrial diversity through balancing selection, maintaining ancestral polymorphism and, thus, limiting the involvement of the mitochondrial genome in evolution of hybrid inviability between S. nutans lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic changes drive shifts in species' geographic distributions and increase the occurrence of leading or trailing‐edge marginal populations. Theoretical predictions and empirical observations indicate substantial changes in life‐history traits in marginal populations, often involving dispersal and reproductive abilities. Using a common garden experiment, we studied the variation of life‐history traits of populations sampled on spatial gradients extending from range‐core to range‐edge habitats for three expanding (miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata, Danish scurvygrass Cochlearia danica and rock samphire Crithmum maritimum) and one receding plant species (dune pansy Viola tricolor subs. curtisii). We monitored life‐history traits related to dispersal, phenology, survival, reproductive output and selfing ability. Significant shifts in life‐history traits between central and marginal populations strongly differed among species. Marginal populations of the three expanding species displayed modified seed weight in natura, suggesting increased dispersal abilities in leading‐edge populations. Discarding unassessed maternal effects, this trait modification can be due to phenotypic plasticity or to genetic differentiation. In miner's lettuce, marginal expanding populations show advanced phenology and higher reproductive output, that may potentially influence their colonization ability. In rock samphire, life‐history traits showed large intra‐ and inter‐population variability that did not follow a core‐to‐edge geographic trend, except for seed size. Finally, the receding populations of the dune pansy displayed a shift towards a plant architecture maximizing survival but reducing individual reproductive success. Altogether, our results indicated a common trend for increased dispersal abilities in marginal populations of expanding species. However, shifts in species' distributions may drive idiosyncratic changes in other life‐history traits, for which we observed no general evolutionary syndrome at range edges. These findings go along a stochastic view of trait evolution during range expansion, and question how to draw predictive projections of species' distribution shifts under current global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics was legally restricted by the European Commission in March 2019. Since the extender for rabbit semen Galap® contained this antibiotic, it became necessary to modify it. The purpose of this study was to search for another molecule, based on its antimicrobial activity and also on the conservation, motility and fertility of semen diluted with the new extender. Several bacterial strains were isolated from 10 poor-quality ejaculates, including Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus spp. They were then tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Out of 15 antibiotics evaluated, gentamicin was the one targeting such bacteria. In vivo tests were then carried out to assess the effects of this antibiotic change on sperm parameters. Up to 26 pools of good quality semen (total motility >70%) were diluted in original Galap® or in this extender with gentamicin. Ejaculates were analysed on the day (D) of collection and up to 6 d of storage at +17°C. After 24 h storage, the motility in the new extender was reduced by 7.7% compared to the original; this decrease did not worsen by storing. After 6 d of storage, no difference between the two media was detected. A total of 360 females were then inseminated with pools of 4 to 5 good quality semen diluted 1:10 in both extenders, following the routine protocol of rabbit semen processing centres. There was no difference in female fertility or prolificacy between both formulations. In conclusion, these preliminary results suggest that the addition of gentamicin to this extender is useful and also has no adverse effect on fertility or prolificacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) farming has exponentially increased in recent years due to the ability of its larvae to efficiently convert low-grade organic materials into high-value food, feed, and technical products. There is a need to further improve the efficiency of production, to meet the rising demands for proteins in the feed and food industries under limited resources. One means of improvement is artificial selection, which has been widely applied in plants and in other livestock species. In 2019, a genetic improvement program was started with the aim to increase larval body weight in black soldier fly larvae. In this paper, we present the outcomes of this breeding program after 10, 13, and 16 generations of selection. The performance of the selected body weight line was compared to the base population line over six experimental rounds under different environmental conditions. Under automated production settings, an average increase of +39% in larval weight, +34% in wet crate yield, +26% in dry matter crate yield, +32% in crude protein per crate, and +21% crude fat per crate was achieved in the selected line compared to the base population line. This research demonstrates the potential contribution of artificial selection to improve efficiency when farming black soldier flies in industrial settings. Further research is needed to fully unlock that potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of people with dementia, a simultaneous decline of professional caregivers, and changing family structures clearly illustrate the societal relevance of the question of how dementia care can be arranged and delivered in the future. The demand for innovative solutions especially to support family carers requires a deeper insight into their life situation and a focused perception of their needs. This article presents the main hypothesis that specific forms of social integration and participation based on an equal dialogue between family caregivers, the public, and policymakers is needed to achieve that. Therefore, the main point here is to give family caregivers of people with dementia a voice to learn how to better support them in caring as well as self-care. A learning process triggered by a dialogue might result in a higher level of community readiness to implement new forms of support or social innovations. The hypothesis will be supported by John Dewey's theory of political and democratic learning and the model of transformative learning according to Jack Mezirow indicating that learning particularly succeeds in interpersonal communication. In this context, the Town-Hall Meeting method and its potential to promote interpersonal communication and reflexive learning is discussed. The article addresses an important debate, namely that of how dementia care and support of family carers can succeed. It also sets the direction for future empirical research as the Town-Hall Meeting method might be applicable for gerontological action and participatory research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chitin purification from remains (pupal exuviae after metamorphosis to adult flies) of Hermetia illucens farming was optimized performing demineralization, deproteinization and bleaching under different conditions. The optimal parameters to obtain high-purity chitin were determined. Methods: Dried and ground pupal exuviae, whose composition was initially determined, were demineralized using six different acids. Proteins were removed with a NaOH treatment in which temperature, molarity and duration were varied in a randomized experiment. Bleaching was carried out testing ten different chemicals, including NaOCl, H2O2, solvent mixtures and enzymes. The efficiency of each step was determined to assess the optimal conditions for each of them. The resulting chitin was subjected to spectroscopic characterization. Results: The highest demineralization efficiency (90%) was achieved using 0.5 M formic acid for 2 h at 40 °C, confirming the validity of organic acids as a more sustainable alternative to inorganic acids. The treatment with 1.25 M NaOH at 90 °C for 4 h showed the highest deproteinization efficiency, removing 96% of the proteins. Temperature and NaOH concentration were the significant parameters for deproteinization efficiency. The most efficient bleaching treatment was with 6% NaOCl at 60 °C for 1 h (67% efficiency). H2O2 could also be a valid alternative to avoid environmental risk related to chlorine-containing compounds. At the end of the purification process 17% of the original biomass was retained with a chitin content of 85%, corresponding to a chitin yield of 14% related to the initial biomass. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance showed that the purified chitin had a degree of acetylation of 96% and X-ray powder diffraction gave a crystallinity index of 74%. Conclusion: This investigation shows an optimized method for extraction of high-purity chitin from H. illucens pupal exuviae, supporting the validity of insect-farming remains as source of this versatile biopolymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Functional Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study explores the extent of sexual abuse of minors by members of the Catholic Church in Germany. It is the first comprehensive study to examine this extent in a European country. The goals of this study are as follows: (a) to analyze whether the extent and characteristics of sexual abuse in a European country are comparable to those in the United States and Australia and (b) how discrepancies can be explained. The personnel files of 38,156 Catholic Priests, deacons, and male members of religious orders in the authority of the German Bishops' Conference were analyzed. The study period lasted from 1946 to 2014. All 27 German dioceses took part in this study. A total of 4.4% of all clerics (N = 1,670) from 1946 to 2014 were alleged to have committed sexual abuse, and 3,677 children or adolescents were identified as victims. These results are similar to those from comparable studies in the United States. Sexual abuse of minors within the authority of the Catholic Church seems to be a worldwide phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretation of mitochondrial protein‐encoding (mt‐mRNA) variants has been challenging due to mitochondrial characteristics that have not been addressed by American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. We developed criteria for the interpretation of mt‐mRNA variants via literature review of reported variants, tested and refined these criteria by using our new cases, followed by interpreting 421 novel variants in our clinical database using these verified criteria. A total of 32 of 56 previously reported pathogenic (P) variants had convincing evidence for pathogenicity. These variants are either null variants, well‐known disease‐causing variants, or have robust functional data or strong phenotypic correlation with heteroplasmy levels. Based on our criteria, 65.7% (730/1,111) of variants of unknown significance (VUS) were reclassified as benign (B) or likely benign (LB), and one variant was scored as likely pathogenic (LP). Furthermore, using our criteria we classified 2, 12, and 23 as P, LP, and LB, respectively, among 421 novel variants. The remaining stayed as VUS (91.2%). Appropriate interpretation of mt‐mRNA variants is the basis for clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling. Mutation type, heteroplasmy levels in different tissues of the probands and matrilineal relatives, in silico predictions, population data, as well as functional studies are key points for pathogenicity assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black soldier fly [BSF; Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)] larvae are very effective in transforming low‐grade food waste into valuable high‐end proteins and fat, in intensive production facilities. The production output of this species is growing quickly, but upscaling brings risks to the health status of the reared insects. Until now, not a single major case of disease outbreak caused by a pathogen in a BSF production unit has been reported. This contrasts with data on other species of mass‐produced insects, which have experienced various disease outbreaks, indicating that BSFs are comparatively resistant to insect diseases. Further, there are no records of natural infections caused by entomopathogens in BSF. In this review, the known entomopathogens of Diptera, especially BSF, and their potential risks for causing disease in these insects are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomy of the Paeonia mascula group in the Tyrrhenian Islands has always been controversial, especially in Sardinia and Corsica. In this paper, 124 morpho-colorimetric quantitative and qualitative features of seeds of the Paeonia mascula group from the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sicily, and Sardinia were measured by an image analysis system to evaluate whether differences in seed morphology were present and if the results support the current taxonomic treatment. Digital images of 41 accessions for a total of 3,317 seeds were acquired using a flatbed scanner, and morpho-colorimetric seed features were analysed using a plugin developed for the open source software ImageJ. The data were statistically processed by applying the stepwise Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). The results showed that the seeds of the studied taxa were distinguishable with a high percentage of classification and highlighted that three different taxa are identifiable in Corsica (P. corsica, P. mascula subsp. mascula, and P. morisii), while only one (P. cambessedesii) is identifiable in the Balearic Islands. In the same way, the morpho-colorimetric analysis identified two well-defined taxa in Sicily (P. mascula subsp. mascula and P. mascula subsp. russoi). On the other hand, the discriminant analysis suggested that only P. corsica/morisii and P. sandrae were present in Sardinia, while differences were highlighted between Sardinian and Corsican peonies. The present study represents the first attempt to investigate the taxonomy of the P. mascula group, which makes in-depth usage of the seed features as diagnostic characters. The results obtained in this work enable the usefulness of image analysis techniques in taxonomic investigations to be suggested in order to contribute to the future systematic evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ein Teilprojekt der von der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz in Auftrag gegebenen Studie »Sexueller Missbrauch an Minderjährigen durch katholische Priester, Diakone und männliche Ordensangehörige im Bereich der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz« befasst sich mit der Analyse von Strafakten. Es wurden Strafverfahren wegen sexueller Missbrauchsdelikte gegen Minderjährige durch Kleriker der katholischen Kirche und durch Mitglieder anderer Institutionen, wie z. B. Schulen, ausgewertet. In diesem Beitrag wird untersucht, ob die besonderen Rahmenbedingungen in der katholischen Kirche, insbesondere das Kirchenrecht und der Klerikalismus, einen Einfluss auf Taten, Täter und institutionelle Reaktionen bei Delikten des sexuellen Missbrauchs von Minderjährigen haben. Die Analyse ergab, dass die Besonderheiten in der katholischen Kirche mit spezifischen Tat- und Tätermerkmalen korrespondierten und die Institutionen unterschiedlich auf Missbrauchsvorwürfe reagierten. Obwohl das Normensystem, das einen sexuellen Missbrauch verhindern soll, in der katholischen Kirche viel ausgeprägter ist als in anderen Institutionen, sind keine Unterschiede im Verhalten der Akteure ersichtlich. A subproject of the study »Sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, deacons and male members of religious orders in the authority of the German Bishops' Conference« deals with an analysis of criminal records. Criminal records dealing with criminal procedures due to offences of sexual abuse against minors in the Catholic Church and in other institutions, e.g. schools, were analyzed. It was examined whether the special conditions in the Catholic Church, especially the church law and clericalism, have an impact on the sexual abuse of children. The analysis revealed that the peculiarities in the Catholic Church generated specific characteristics of crimes and of perpetrators and that the institutions responded differently to abuse allegations. The system of norms intended to prevent sexual abuse is much more extensive in the Catholic Church than in other institutions. Nevertheless, no differences in practice are apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When cases of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church became known, the German Bishops' Conference (Deutsche Bischofskonferenz, DBK) commissioned a study by an interdisciplinary consortium to determine the frequency of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Germany (the MHG study). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used and the subject matter of the study was analyzed in seven component projects. To determine the frequency of sexual abuse, 38 156 personnel files of Catholic clergy from the period 1946 to 2014 were studied, and the epidemiologic findings of these evaluations are presented. Results: 1670 persons belonging to the Catholic clergy who were accused of sexual abuse of minors were identified from their personnel files, corresponding to 4.4% of the clergy overall. 3677 victims of sexual abuse could be linked to the accused persons; 62.8% of them were male, and 66.7% were under 14 years old when the abuse took place. The mean duration of the abuse in individual cases was 1.3 years. "Hands-on" abuses (i.e., abuses involving bodily contact) occurred in more than 80% of cases. Many of the affected persons suffered serious consequences for their health and social functioning. The ones most commonly reported were anxiety, depression, mistrust, sexual problems, and difficulties with interpersonal contact. Conclusion: The figures reported here should be considered a lower bound to the actual frequency of sexual abuse. Asymmetrical power relationships in a closed system such as the Catholic Church can facilitate sexual abuse. Physicians play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of the victims of sexual abuse, in the diagnosis and treatment of persons inclined to commit abuses and actual abusers, and in the development and implementation of preventive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the last decade, progress has been made in methods to identify the sex determination system in plants. This gives the opportunity to study sex chromosomes that arose independently at different phylogenetic scales, and thus allows the discovery and the understanding of early stages of sex chromosome evolution. In the genus Silene, sex chromosomes have evolved independently in at least two clades from a nondioecious ancestor, the Melandrium and Otites sections. In the latter, sex chromosomes could be younger than in the section Melandrium, based on phylogenetic studies and as no heteromorphic sex chromosomes have been detected. This section might also exhibit lability in sex determination, because male heterogamy and female heterogamy have been suggested to occur. In this study, we investigated the sex determination system of two dioecious species in the section Otite s (Silene otites and its close relative Silene pseudotites). Applying the new probabilistic method SEX-DETector on RNA-seq data from cross-controlled progenies, we inferred their most likely sex determination system and a list of putative autosomal and sex-linked contigs. We showed that the two phylogenetically close species differed in their sex determination system (XY versus ZW) with sex chromosomes that derived from two different pairs of autosomes. We built a genetic map of the sex chromosomes and showed that both pairs exhibited a large region with lack of recombination. However, the sex-limited chromosomes exhibited no strong degeneration. Finally, using the "ancestral" autosomal expression of sex-linked orthologs of nondioecious S. nutans, we found a slight signature of dosage compensation in the heterogametic females of S. otites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For artificial insemination (AI) to be successful, it is essential that sperm delivery be perfectly timed relative to ovulation, as sperm lifespan is limited due to oxidative metabolism induced by capacitation. Extending the window of sperm capacitation could therefore increase sperm lifespan, prolong sperm-fertilizing competence and increase AI efficiency. Hyperpolarization of sperm is a crucial step in capacitation and is induced by activation of the potassium calcium-activated channel subfamily U member 1 (KCNU1, also named Slo3 or KSper). Given the essential role played by KCNU1 in capacitation, this study assessed the impact of its pharmacological inhibition on sperm lifespan. We showed that treatment of murine sperm with sub-micromolar concentrations of clofilium, a specific inhibitor of KCNU1, slowed down capacitation, decreased the rate of acrosome reaction and extended the fertilizing competence of capacitated sperm for 12 h. Clofilium also extended fertilizing competence and motility of bovine-capacitated sperm, and increased the rate of fertilization with sperm capacitated for 24 h by 100%, and the rate of blastocyst formation by 150%. Finally, toxicity experiments showed clofilium to have no impact on sperm DNA and no embryotoxicity at the concentration used to extend sperm lifespan. Our results demonstrate that clofilium prolongs fertilizing competence of aging capacitated sperm in vitro in both rodent and bovine species. To our knowledge, this is the first time the duration of sperm-fertilizing competence is shown to be extended by potassium channels blockers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in the use of insects in poultry, swine and aquaculture feed, as well as pet food applications. All insects produce chitin‐based exoskeletons. With regard to chitin content, a precise determination in agricultural applications is crucial because it has favorable functional properties, although it is also difficult to digest for some species of livestock. Three measurement methods were compared to determine the most reliable method of chitin content determination in different insects and selected Hermetia illucens products: acid detergent fiber (ADF) provides the fiber content and the acid detergent lignin (ADL) additionally considers the catecholic compounds. Acetyl group measurement relates the acetate content to the chitin content. RESULTS: Comparing different insect species, the highest chitin value via ADF measurement was determined for the Tenebrio molitor larvae (155 g kg−1). Chitin values higher than 200 g kg−1 revealed that H. illucens residues are a much better valuable source of chitin. For the larval exoskeletons, a chitin content for all measurement methods of more than 350 g kg−1 was determined. In general, the ADF measurement is approximately 5% higher than the ADF‐ADL and acetyl measurements. ADF‐ADL and acetyl group determinations are approximately equivalent measurement methods. CONCLUSION: According to statistical analysis, ADF‐ADL represents a compromise between accuracy and equipment demand and is a suitable method for determining the chitin content of both insects and their residues. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild potato species have substantial phenotypic and physiological diversity. Here, we report a comprehensive assessment of wild and cultivated potato species based on genomic analyses of 201 accessions of Solanum section Petota . We sequenced the genomes of these 201 accessions and identified 6 487 006 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 167 accessions in clade 4 of Solanum section Petota , including 146 wild and 21 cultivated diploid potato accessions with a broad geographic distribution. Genome-wide genetic variation analysis showed that the diversity of wild potatoes is higher than that of cultivated potatoes, and much higher genetic diversity in the agronomically important disease resistance genes was observed in wild potatoes. Furthermore, by exploiting information about known quantitative trait loci (QTL), we identified 609 genes under selection, including those correlated with the loss of bitterness in tubers and those involved in tuberization, two major domesticated traits of potato. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a north-south division of all species in clade 4, not just those in the S. brevicaule complex, and further supported S. candolleanum as the progenitor of cultivated potato and the monophyletic origin of cultivated potato in southern Peru. In addition, we analyzed the genome of S. candolleanum and identified 529 genes lost in cultivated potato. Collectively, the molecular markers generated in this study provide a valuable resource for the identification of agronomically important genes useful for potato breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genetic skeletal disorders (GSDs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous with more than 350 genes accounting for the diversity of disease phenotypes. Prenatal diagnosis of these disorders has been challenging because of the limited but variable prenatal phenotypes, highlighting the need of a novel genetic approach. Short-rib polydactyly syndrome (SRPS) Type III is an autosomal recessive GSD characterized by extreme narrowness of the thorax, severely shortened tubular bones, polydactyly and multiple malformations. Methods: Cytogenetic and molecular analyses using GTG-banding, single nucleotide polymorphism array and a novel GSDs targeted gene panel sequencing were performed in a 24 weeks fetus with increased biparietal diameter (BPD), short limbs, narrow thorax and polyhydramnios. Results: No chromosomal abnormalities and pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) were detected in the fetus. Two novel compound heterozygous mutations c.2992C > T and c.12836G > C in the DYNC2H1 gene were identified by targeted genes panel sequencing. A literature review was performed to delineate the prenatal phenotype of SRPS Type III. Conclusion: This is the first report of prenatal diagnosis of DYNC2H1 mutations causing SRPS Type III in a fetus with increased BPD associated with polyhydramnios in China. Our findings expand the mutation spectrum of DYNC2H1 in this rare disease and demonstrate that targeted gene panel capture followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) is an efficient and cost-effective method to perform a molecular prenatal diagnosis of a rare genetic skeletal disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genetic skeletal disorders (GSDs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous with more than 350 genes accounting for the diversity of disease phenotypes. Prenatal diagnosis of these disorders has been challenging because of the limited but variable prenatal phenotypes, highlighting the need of a novel genetic approach. Short‐rib polydactyly syndrome (SRPS) Type III is an autosomal recessive GSD characterized by extreme narrowness of the thorax, severely shortened tubular bones, polydactyly and multiple malformations. Methods: Cytogenetic and molecular analyses using GTG‐banding, single nucleotide polymorphism array and a novel GSDs targeted gene panel sequencing were performed in a 24 weeks fetus with increased biparietal diameter (BPD), short limbs, narrow thorax and polyhydramnios. Results: No chromosomal abnormalities and pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) were detected in the fetus. Two novel compound heterozygous mutations c.2992C > T and c.12836G > C in the DYNC2H1 gene were identified by targeted genes panel sequencing. A literature review was performed to delineate the prenatal phenotype of SRPS Type III. Conclusion: This is the first report of prenatal diagnosis of DYNC2H1 mutations causing SRPS Type III in a fetus with increased BPD associated with polyhydramnios in China. Our findings expand the mutation spectrum of DYNC2H1 in this rare disease and demonstrate that targeted gene panel capture followed by next‐generation sequencing (NGS) is an efficient and cost‐effective method to perform a molecular prenatal diagnosis of a rare genetic skeletal disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive isolation can rise either as a consequence of genomic divergence in allopatry or as a byproduct of divergent selection in parapatry. To determine whether reproductive isolation in gynodioecious Silene nutans results from allopatric divergence or from ecological adaptation following secondary contact, we investigated the pattern of postzygotic reproductive isolation and hybridization in natural populations using two phylogeographic lineages, western (W1) and eastern (E1). Experimental crosses between the lineages identified strong, asymmetric postzygotic isolation between the W1 and the E1 lineages, independent of geographic overlap. The proportion of ovules fertilized, seeds aborted, and seeds germinated revealed relatively little effect on the fitness of hybrids. In contrast, hybrid mortality was high and asymmetric: while half of the hybrid seedlings with western lineage mothers died, nearly all hybrid seedlings with E1 mothers died. This asymmetric mortality mirrored the proportion of chlorotic seedlings, and is congruent with cytonuclear incompatibility. We found no evidence of hybridization between the lineages in regions of co-occurrence using nuclear and plastid markers. Together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that strong postzygotic reproductive isolation involving cytonuclear incompatibilities arose in allopatry. We argue that the dynamics of cytonuclear gynodioecy could facilitate the evolution of reproductive isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Principal component analysis (PCA) is widely used to analyze high-dimensional data, but it is very sensitive to outliers. Robust PCA methods seek fits that are unaffected by the outliers and can therefore be trusted to reveal them. FastHCS (high-dimensional congruent subsets) is a robust PCA algorithm suitable for high-dimensional applications, including cases where the number of variables exceeds the number of observations. After detailing the FastHCS algorithm, we carry out an extensive simulation study and three real data applications, the results of which show that FastHCS is systematically more robust to outliers than state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new sparse PCA algorithm is presented, which is robust against outliers. The approach is based on the ROBPCA algorithm that generates robust but nonsparse loadings. The construction of the new ROSPCA method is detailed, as well as a selection criterion for the sparsity parameter. An extensive simulation study and a real data example are performed, showing that it is capable of accurately finding the sparse structure of datasets, even when challenging outliers are present. In comparison with a projection pursuit-based algorithm, ROSPCA demonstrates superior robustness properties and comparable sparsity estimation capability, as well as significantly faster computation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kindergarten retention is a popular practice for children who are considered unready for primary school. However, past research has not yet succeeded to find consistent, strong empirical evidence supporting the practice. In the current study, kindergarten repeaters’ development in nine psychosocial domains is compared with that of equally at risk but (1) continuously promoted age-mates and (2) promoted age-mates who repeated first grade instead. Analysing data from a large-scale longitudinal study using propensity score matching and multilevel modelling, the findings reveal no harm of kindergarten retention for at-risk children’s long term psychosocial development. Rather, we find that, relative to equally at-risk but continuously promoted children, kindergarten repeaters benefit from retention with respect to higher levels of well-being, and peer relations, and lower levels of hyperactivity, aggression and asocial behaviour. Compared to similar children who were promoted but who were retained in first grade instead, kindergarten repeaters are found to benefit more from retention with respect to higher levels of well-being, self-confidence, attitude to work and independent behaviour, and lower levels of hyperactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

High-dimensional and time-dependent data pose significant challenges to Statistical Process Monitoring. Most of the high-dimensional methodologies to cope with these challenges rely on some form of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) model, usually classified as nonadaptive and adaptive. Nonadaptive methods include the static PCA approach and Dynamic Principal Component Analysis (DPCA) for data with autocorrelation. Methods, such as DPCA with Decorrelated Residuals, extend DPCA to further reduce the effects of autocorrelation and cross-correlation on the monitoring statistics. Recursive Principal Component Analysis and Moving Window Principal Component Analysis, developed for nonstationary data, are adaptive. These fundamental methods will be systematically compared on high-dimensional, time-dependent processes (including the Tennessee Eastman benchmark process) to provide practitioners with guidelines for appropriate monitoring strategies and a sense of how they can be expected to perform. The selection of parameter values for the different methods is also discussed. Finally, the relevant challenges of modeling time-dependent data are discussed, and areas of possible further research are highlighted. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 1478-1493, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods based on principal component analysis (PCA) are widely used for statistical process monitoring of high-dimensional processes. Allowing the monitoring model to update as new observations are acquired extends this class of approaches to non-stationary processes. The updating procedure is governed by a weighting parameter that defines the rate at which older observations are discarded, and therefore, it greatly affects model quality and monitoring performance. Additionally, monitoring non-stationary processes can require adjustments to the parameters defining the control limits of adaptive PCA in order to achieve the intended false detection rate. These two aspects require careful consideration prior the implementation of adaptive PCA. Towards this end, approaches are given in this paper for both parameter selection challenges. Results are presented for a simulation and two real-life industrial process examples. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the issue of complex process monitoring on choices between data driven models, model-driven approaches, latent variables techniques of principal component analysis (PCA), simulation settings, time-dependent measurements, cointegration, etc.

During the last decades, we evolved from measuring few process variables at sparse intervals to a situation in which a multitude of variables are measured at high speed. This evidently provides opportunities for extracting more information from processes and to pinpoint out-of-control situations, but transforming the large data streams into valuable information is still a challenging task. In this contribution we will focus on the analysis of time-dependent processes since this is the scenario most often encountered in practice, due to high sampling systems and the natural behavior of many real-life applications. The modeling and monitoring challenges that statistical process monitoring (SPM) techniques face in this situation will be described and possible routes will be provided. Simulation results as well as a real-life data set will be used throughout the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-dimensional and time-dependent data pose significant challenges to statistical process monitoring. Dynamic principal-component analysis, recursive principal-component analysis, and moving-window principal-component analysis have been proposed to cope with high-dimensional and time-dependent features. We present a comprehensive review of this literature for the practitioner encountering this topic for the first time. We detail the implementation of the aforementioned methods and direct the reader toward extensions that may be useful to their specific problem. A real-data example is presented to help the reader draw connections between the methods and the behavior they display. Furthermore, we highlight several challenges that remain for research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a child does not seem to be ready for primary school, a popular practice is to grant the child more time by letting it repeat kindergarten. However, previous quasi-experimental research demonstrated negative, though diminishing, effects of kindergarten retention on academic learning during the first years of primary school. The present study extends the existing evidence by addressing children’s post-treatment school trajectories. Analysing data from a large-scale longitudinal study, we find that, on average, kindergarten repeaters would perform better for mathematics until five years later, were they promoted to first grade instead. However, if promoted instead, kindergarten repeaters would also have a higher likelihood to be retained in first grade and, under that condition, have a lower growth rate and score lower for mathematics five years later. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]