scholarly journals Barcoding ciliates: a comprehensive study of 75 isolates of the genus Tetrahymena

2007 ◽  
Vol 57 (10) ◽  
pp. 2412-2423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chitchai Chantangsi ◽  
Denis H. Lynn ◽  
Maria T. Brandl ◽  
Jeffrey C. Cole ◽  
Neil Hetrick ◽  
...  

The mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene has been proposed as a DNA barcode to identify animal species. To test the applicability of the cox1 gene in identifying ciliates, 75 isolates of the genus Tetrahymena and three non-Tetrahymena ciliates that are close relatives of Tetrahymena, Colpidium campylum, Colpidium colpoda and Glaucoma chattoni, were selected. All tetrahymenines of unproblematic species could be identified to the species level using 689 bp of the cox1 sequence, with about 11 % interspecific sequence divergence. Intraspecific isolates of Tetrahymena borealis, Tetrahymena lwoffi, Tetrahymena patula and Tetrahymena thermophila could be identified by their cox1 sequences, showing <0.65 % intraspecific sequence divergence. In addition, isolates of these species were clustered together on a cox1 neighbour-joining (NJ) tree. However, strains identified as Tetrahymena pyriformis and Tetrahymena tropicalis showed high intraspecific sequence divergence values of 5.01 and 9.07 %, respectively, and did not cluster together on a cox1 NJ tree. This may indicate the presence of cryptic species. The mean interspecific sequence divergence of Tetrahymena was about 11 times greater than the mean intraspecific sequence divergence, and this increased to 58 times when all isolates of species with high intraspecific sequence divergence were excluded. This result is similar to DNA barcoding studies on animals, indicating that congeneric sequence divergences are an order of magnitude greater than conspecific sequence divergences. Our analysis also demonstrated low sequence divergences of <1.0 % between some isolates of T. pyriformis and Tetrahymena setosa on the one hand and some isolates of Tetrahymena furgasoni and T. lwoffi on the other, suggesting that the latter species in each pair is a junior synonym of the former. Overall, our study demonstrates the feasibility of using the mitochondrial cox1 gene as a taxonomic marker for ‘barcoding’ and identifying Tetrahymena species and some other ciliated protists.

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (March 2018) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.A Okanlawon ◽  
O.O Odunjo ◽  
S.A Olaniyan

This study examined Residents’ evaluation of turning transport infrastructure (road) to spaces for holding social ceremonies in the indigenous residential zone of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Upon stratifying the city into the three identifiable zones, the core, otherwise known as the indigenous residential zone was isolated for study. Of the twenty (20) political wards in the two local government areas of the town, fifteen (15) wards that were located in the indigenous zone constituted the study area. Respondents were selected along one out of every three (33.3%) of the Trunk — C (local) roads being the one mostly used for the purpose in the study area. The respondents were the residents, commercial motorists, commercial motorcyclists, and celebrants. Six hundred and forty-two (642) copies of questionnaire were administered and harvested on the spot. The Mean Analysis generated from the respondents’ rating of twelve perceived hazards listed in the questionnaire were then used to determine respondents’ most highly rated perceived consequences of the practice. These were noisy environment, Blockage of drainage by waste, and Endangering the life of the sick on the way to hospital; the most highly rated reasons why the practice came into being; and level of acceptability of the practice which was found to be very unacceptable in the study area. Policy makers should therefore focus their attention on strict enforcement of the law prohibiting the practice in order to ensure more cordial relationship among the citizenry, seeing citizens’ unacceptability of the practice in the study area.


Author(s):  
Vanajakshamma Velam ◽  
Vyshnavi Kancherla ◽  
Latheef Kasala ◽  
Anusha Kancherla ◽  
Mounica Reddy Pillaram

Abstract Background This study was an attempt to assess and compare the gender-wise lifestyle patterns and well-being status among the employees of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Material and Methods This is a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study conducted at a tertiary care hospital between May and August 2019. A total of 777 employees belonging to both genders (male and female) and working at different professional levels were assessed. All the enrolled employees were subjected to a comprehensive study tool consisting of various dimensions of their health, which included physical, mental, social, spiritual and intellectual health dimensions. Results Among the participants, 327 (42.1%) were male and 450 (57.9%) were female. There was no significant difference in the mean age of male (37.91 ± 7.52) and female (36.85 ± 8.16) employees (p = 0.07). A significantly higher proportion of diabetes and hypertension were seen in male employees (9.8% and 14.4%, respectively) than in female (5.6% and 6.2% respectively). The overall well-being was better in male employees than in females and was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). We found that male employees had statistically significant better well-being in terms of physical, mental and social health whereas female employees had intellectual health. Conclusion The overall well-being in healthcare staff was good at our tertiary care hospital, and the outstanding/good well-being rate was higher in male employees than in female employees. Female employees experienced risks with regard to their physical health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1076.1-1077
Author(s):  
L. Moroni ◽  
L. Giudice ◽  
G. A. Ramirez ◽  
S. Sartorelli ◽  
A. Cariddi ◽  
...  

Background:Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is defined as airway narrowing below the vocal cords and is a common and potentially life-threatening manifestation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA), with an estimated prevalence of 16-23% (1). Balloon catheter dilation is effective in GPA-related SGS, but relapses are frequent. Little is known about the role of immunosuppression in this setting.Objectives:to analyse the clinical characteristics of a monocentric GPA cohort, describe phenotype differences among patients with and without SGS and investigate the role of surgical and medical treatments on relapse risk and general outcome.Methods:Biopsy-proven patients with SGS were identified by review of medical charts among a cohort of patients with GPA, classified according to the algorithm of the European Medicine Agency (2). The clinical characteristics of patients with SGS were retrospectively collected over a median follow-up time of 15.9 years and compared to those of patients without SGS.Results:Fourteen patients with SGS-GPA were identified, with a female to male ratio of 1:1 and a prevalence of 29.2% among the cohort. The mean ± SD age at GPA onset was 30.8 ± 14.4 years, with a mean time from GPA diagnosis to SGS onset of 4.7 ± 4.2 years. ANCA were positive in 78.6% (54.0% anti-PR3, 18.1% anti-MPO and 27.9% IFI only). The mean Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) at onset was 10.0 ± 5.6. The main clinical manifestations associated with SGS were crusty rhinitis (100%), sinusitis (78%), pulmonary disease (72.7%), otitis/mastoiditis (50%), glomerulonephritis (42.9%), orbital pseudotumor (28.6%). Six patients (42.9%) received medical treatment only, other six (42.9%) had one to three balloon dilations and two (14.2%) underwent four or more procedures. Eight patients had no SGS relapse (maximum one dilation) and they all received immunosuppression with rituximab (RTX), cyclophosphamide (CYC) or azathioprine (AZA). All patients who received no immunosuppression, methotrexate (MTX) or mycophenolate (MMF) had at least one relapse. Patients treated with MTX or MMF had a mean relapse-free survival of 13.1 months, which was comparable to the one of patients not receiving medical treatment (40.2 months; p=NS) and shorter than the one of patients receiving CYC or RTX (153.2 months; p=0.032). CYC use also inversely correlated with the number of surgical procedures (r=-0.691, p=0.006). Compared to patients without SGS (31 consecutive patients with at least 4 years of follow-up), patients with SGS-GPA had an earlier disease onset (mean age 30.8 vs 50.4 years; p<0.001), but with lower BVAS (mean 10.0 vs 15.3; p=0.013) and showed a higher prevalence of crusty rhinitis (100% vs 67.7%; p=0.019). No difference was observed in damage accrual over time between the two groups.Conclusion:Subglottic stenosis is highly prevalent in patients with GPA and may define a milder disease subset occurring more frequently in younger patients. MTX and MMF might be insufficient to prevent SGS relapses requiring balloon dilation. Aggressive immunosuppression (CYC or RTX) might have a non-redundant role in this setting and reduce the risk of relapses.References:[1]Quinn KA, et al. Subglottic stenosis and endobronchial disease in granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Rheumatology 2019; 58 (12), 2203-2211.[2]Watts R, et al. Development and validation of a consensus methodology for the classification of the ANCA associated vasculitides and polyarteritis nodosa for epidemiological studies. Ann Rheum Dis 2007; 66: 222-7.Disclosure of Interests:Luca Moroni: None declared, Laura Giudice: None declared, Giuseppe Alvise Ramirez: None declared, Silvia Sartorelli: None declared, adriana cariddi: None declared, Angelo Carretta: None declared, Enrica Bozzolo: None declared, Lorenzo Dagna Grant/research support from: The Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases (UnIRAR) received unresctricted research/educational grants from Abbvie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, Merk Sharp & Dohme, Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Genzyme, and SOBI., Consultant of: Prof Lorenzo Dagna received consultation honoraria from Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Genzyme, and SOBI.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eszter Gyimesi

AbstractThe notions of r-Bell polynomials and their generalization, the r-Dowling polynomials are due to Mező and Cheon, Jung. Recently, Nyul and Rácz defined the r-Lah polynomials, which are close relatives of r-Bell polynomials. In the present paper, we introduce the Dowling type generalization of r-Lah polynomials, the r-Dowling–Lah polynomials. We give a comprehensive study of them using the results of the author and Nyul on r-Whitney–Lah numbers, which are the coefficients of these polynomials.


Author(s):  
Phan Thành Nam ◽  
Marcin Napiórkowski

AbstractWe consider the homogeneous Bose gas on a unit torus in the mean-field regime when the interaction strength is proportional to the inverse of the particle number. In the limit when the number of particles becomes large, we derive a two-term expansion of the one-body density matrix of the ground state. The proof is based on a cubic correction to Bogoliubov’s approximation of the ground state energy and the ground state.


2021 ◽  
Vol 163 (4) ◽  
pp. 1191-1198
Author(s):  
Andreas K. Demetriades ◽  
Marco Mancuso-Marcello ◽  
Asfand Baig Mirza ◽  
Joseph Frantzias ◽  
David A. Bell ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Isolated acute bilateral foot drop due to degenerative spine disease is an extremely rare neurosurgical presentation, whilst the literature is rich with accounts of chronic bilateral foot drop occurring as a sequela of systemic illnesses. We present, to our knowledge, the largest case series of acute bilateral foot drop, with trauma and relevant systemic illness excluded. Methods Data from three different centres had been collected at the time of historic treatment, and records were subsequently reviewed retrospectively, documenting the clinical presentation, radiological level of compression, timing of surgery, and degree of neurological recovery. Results Seven patients are presented. The mean age at presentation was 52.1 years (range 41–66). All patients but one were male. All had a painful radiculopathic presentation. Relevant discopathy was observed from L2/3 to L5/S1, the commonest level being L3/4. Five were treated within 24 h of presentation, and two within 48 h. Three had concomitant cauda equina syndrome; of these, the first two made a full motor recovery, one by 6 weeks follow-up and the second on the same-day post-op evaluation. Overall, five out of seven cases had full resolution of their ankle dorsiflexion pareses. One patient with 1/5 power has not improved. Another with 1/5 weakness improved to normal on the one side and to 3/5 on the other. Conclusion When bilateral foot drop occurs acutely, we encourage the consideration of degenerative spinal disease. Relevant discopathy was observed from L2/3 to L5/S1; aberrant innervation may be at play. Cauda equina syndrome is not necessarily associated with acute bilateral foot drop. The prognosis seems to be pretty good with respect to recovery of the foot drop, especially if partial at presentation and if treated within 48 h.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Suardi ◽  
Sergio Saia ◽  
Walter Stefanoni ◽  
Carina Gunnarsson ◽  
Martin Sundberg ◽  
...  

The collection of residues from staple crop may contribute to meet EU regulations in renewable energy production without harming soil quality. At a global scale, chaff may have great potential to be used as a bioenergy source. However, chaff is not usually collected, and its loss can consist of up to one-fifth of the residual biomass harvestable. In the present work, a spreader able to manage the chaff (either spreading [SPR] on the soil aside to the straw swath or admixed [ADM] with the straw) at varying threshing conditions (with either 1 or 2 threshing rotors [1R and 2R, respectively] in the combine, which affects the mean length of the straw pieces). The fractions of the biomass available in field (grain, chaff, straw, and stubble) were measured, along with the performances of both grain harvesting and baling operations. Admixing chaff allowed for a slightly higher amount of straw fresh weight baled compared to SPR (+336 kg straw ha−1), but such result was not evident on a dry weight basis. At the one time, admixing chaff reduced the material capacity of the combine by 12.9%. Using 2R compared to 1R strongly reduced the length of the straw pieces, and increased the bale unit weight; however, it reduced the field efficiency of the grain harvesting operations by 11.9%. On average, the straw loss did not vary by the treatments applied and was 44% of the total residues available (computed excluding the stubble). In conclusion, admixing of chaff with straw is an option to increase the residues collected without compromising grain harvesting and straw baling efficiencies; in addition, it can reduce the energy needs for the bale logistics. According to the present data, improving the chaff collection can allow halving the loss of residues. However, further studies are needed to optimise both the chaff and the straw recoveries.


1971 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 15-19
Author(s):  
George B. Rybicki

AbstractIt is shown that the time of relaxation by particle encounters of self-gravitating systems in the plane interacting by 1/r2 forces is of the same order of magnitude as the mean orbit time. Therefore such a system does not have a Vlasov limit for large numbers of particles, unless appeal is made to some non-zero thickness of the disk. The relevance of this result to numerical experiments on galactic structure is discussed.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 565-565
Author(s):  
G. Cayrel de Strobel ◽  
R. Cayrel ◽  
Y. Lebreton

After having studied in great detail the observational HR diagram (log Teff, Mbol) composed by 40 main sequence stars of the Hyades (Perryman et al.,1997, A&A., in press), we have tried to apply the same method to the observational main sequences of the three next nearest open clusters: Coma Berenices, the Pleiades, and Praesepe. This method consists in comparing the observational main sequence of the clusters with a grid of theoretical ZAMSs. The stars composing the observational main sequences had to have reliable absolute bolometric magnitudes, coming all from individual Hipparcos parallaxes, precise bolometric corrections, effective temperatures and metal abundances from high resolution detailed spectroscopic analyses. If we assume, following the work by Fernandez et al. (1996, A&A,311,127), that the mixing-lenth parameter is solar, the position of a theoretical ZAMS, in the (log Teff, Mbol) plane, computed with given input physics, only depends on two free parameters: the He content Y by mass, and the metallicity Z by mass. If effective temperature and metallicity of the constituting stars of the 4 clusters are previously known by means of detailed analyses, one can deduce their helium abundances by means of an appropriate grid of theoretical ZAMS’s. The comparison between the empirical (log Teff, Mbol) main sequence of the Hyades and the computed ZAMS corresponding to the observed metallicity Z of the Hyades (Z= 0.0240 ± 0.0085) gives a He abundance for the Hyades, Y= 0.26 ± 0.02. Our interpretation, concerning the observational position of the main sequence of the three nearest clusters after the Hyades, is still under way and appears to be greatly more difficult than for the Hyades. For the moment we can say that: ‒ The 15 dwarfs analysed in detailed in Coma have a solar metallicity: [Fe/H] = -0.05 ± 0.06. However, their observational main sequence fit better with the Hyades ZAMS. ‒ The mean metallicity of 13 Pleiades dwarfs analysed in detail is solar. A metal deficient and He normal ZAMS would fit better. But, a warning for absorption in the Pleiades has to be recalled. ‒ The upper main sequence of Praesepe, (the more distant cluster: 180 pc) composed by 11 stars, analysed in detail, is the one which has the best fit with the Hyades ZAMS. The deduced ‘turnoff age’ of the cluster is slightly higher than that of the Hyades: 0.8 Gyr instead of 0.63 Gyr.


1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussain M. Rizk

The relation between various surface quantities required in hydrodynamic calculations, and the relation between the parallel and perpendicular currents in an arbitrary magnetic toroidal plasma configuration with scalar pressure, are generalized to the case of anisotropic pressure. Magnetic co-ordinates for hydrodynamic equilibria in this configuration are defined. A general expression for the mean velocity of diffusion through a magnetic surface, on the basis of the one-fluid magnetohydrodynamic equation with anisotropic pressure, is derived.


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