scholarly journals Conserved roles of Distal-less and spalt in regulating butterfly melanic patterns

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn Liang Qi Wee ◽  
Tirtha Das Banerjee ◽  
Anupama Prakash ◽  
Kwi Shan Seah ◽  
Antonia Monteiro

Simple spot patterns are proposed to be ancestral to more complex eyespot patterns found on the wings of butterflies. Two genes, Distal-less (Dll) and spalt (sal), are known to be involved in two separate functions in establishing nymphalid butterfly eyespots: in the differentiation of their central signaling cells, or foci, necessary for eyespot ring formation, and in scale melanisation. However, little is known about the functions of these genes in the development of more primitive spot patterns. Here, we study the roles of Dll and sal in the development of spots and other melanic wing patterns of the Indian cabbage white, Pieris canidia, a pierid butterfly. We examined the expression pattern of both genes in developing larval and pupal wings and explored their functions using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In P. canidia, both Dll and sal are expressed in the tips and along the margin of pupal wings, areas of future scale melanisation. Additionally, sal alone, is expressed in the future black spot patterns. CRISPR knockouts of Dll and sal showed that both genes are required for promoting melanic scales in the areas where they are expressed. Both Dll and sal also function as repressors of the pteridine pigment pathway. We conclude that both genes share a conserved role in promoting scale melanisation, across pierid and nymphalid butterflies, but are unlikely to be involved in differentiating spot centers. The genetic and developmental mechanisms that set up the location of spots and eyespots are likely distinct and independently evolved in each lineage.

2011 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-305
Author(s):  
Etienne Verhoeyen

Nadat Hitler in oktober 1939 beslist had een aanval in het Westen te ondernemen, werden in Keulen twee studiegroepen opgericht, die het toekomstig bezettingsregime van België en Nederland moesten voorbereiden. Er was een studiecommissie die geleid werd door de toekomstige leider van het Duits Militair Bestuur in België, Regierungspräsident Reeder, en daarnaast bestond een geheime studiegroep die de Sondergruppe Student werd genoemd. Deze bijdrage belicht het voorbereidend werk van de leden van deze studiegroep op het gebied van handel, industrie, recht, Volkstum en cultuur in België. De groep legde een grote belangstelling voor de Flamenfrage aan de dag en trok daarbij lessen uit de ervaringen met de bezetting van België tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Ofschoon er van diverse zijden in Duitsland werd op aangestuurd, hebben zowel de 'commissie Reeder' als de Sondergruppe de wederinvoering van de bestuurlijke scheiding van het Vlaams en Franstalig landsgedeelte, één van de 'verworvenheden' van het Vlaams activisme uit 1914-18, beslist afgewezen. De bijdrage laat ook de tegenstellingen zien die in Duitsland bestonden op het gebied van de beïnvloeding (ten voordele van Duitsland) in de te bezetten gebieden. ________ A German network in the preparation of the Militärverwaltung (Army administration) in Belgium (1939-1940)After Hitler had decided in October 1939 to carry out an attack on the West, two study groups were set up in Cologne in order to prepare the future occupational regime of Belgium and the Netherlands.  The future leader of the German Army Administration in Belgium, President of the Government Reeder chaired the study group, and in addition there was a secret study group called the Sondergruppe Student (Special Student Group).This contribution illuminates the preparatory work of the members of this study group in the area of trade, industry, law, Volkstum (nationality) and culture in Belgium. The group demonstrated a lot of interest in the Flamenfrage (Flemish question) and in doing so drew lessons from the experience of the occupation of Belgium during the First World War.Although people from various quarters in Germany aimed for the reintroduction of the governmental separation between  the Flemish and French speaking parts of the country, one of the 'achievements' of Flemish activism from the period of 1914-1918, both the 'Reeder committee' and the 'Sondergruppe' definitely dismissed it. This contribution also demonstrates the contradictions present in Germany in the area of influencing the territories to be occupied (in favour of Germany).


2019 ◽  
Vol 130 (629) ◽  
pp. 1384-1415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph Hertwig ◽  
Michael D Ryall

ABSTRACT Thaler and Sunstein (2008) advance the concept of ‘nudge’ policies—non-regulatory and non-fiscal mechanisms designed to enlist people's cognitive biases or motivational deficits so as to guide their behaviour in a desired direction. A core assumption of this approach is that policymakers make artful use of people's cognitive biases and motivational deficits in ways that serve the ultimate interests of the nudged individual. We analyse a model of dynamic policymaking in which the policymaker's preferences are not always aligned with those of the individual. One novelty of our set-up is that the policymaker has the option to implement a ‘boost’ policy, equipping the individual with the competence to overcome the nudge-enabling bias once and for all. Our main result identifies conditions under which the policymaker chooses not to boost in order to preserve the option of using the nudge (and its associated bias) in the future—even though boosting is in the immediate best interests of both the policymaker and the individual. We extend our analysis to situations in which the policymaker can be removed (e.g., through an election) and in which the policymaker is similarly prone to bias. We conclude with a discussion of some policy implications of these findings.


2021 ◽  
pp. 155335062110080
Author(s):  
Lara Blanco Terés ◽  
Carlos Cerdán Santacruz ◽  
Javier García Septiem ◽  
Rocío Maqueda González ◽  
José María Lopesino González ◽  
...  

Introduction: The pandemic produced by SARS-CoV-2 has obliged us to set up the tele-assistance to offer a continuity of care. This implies an innovation, being the degree of satisfaction of patients unknown. Methods: A telephonic survey was conducted with the validated in the Spanish tool Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (Telehealth Usability Questionnaire; rating from 1-7) of all candidate patients assisted consecutively in the Coloproctology Unit. We included demographic variables, education level, job status, diagnosis and consultation type. A descriptive study was done. The relationship between the willingness of consultation model in the future (telemedicine vs traditional) and the categorical variables was analysed through the chi-squared test. Results: A total of 115 patients were included. The average age was 59.9 years, being 60% women. The average score in each of the survey items was higher than 6 in all the questions but 1. 26.1% of the surveyed patients confessed being advocated to tele-assistance in the future. The only factors related to greater willingness to tele-assistance were male gender (37% vs 18.8%; P = .03) and a higher academic preparation level in favour of higher technical studies (35.9%) and university studies (32.4%) opposite to the rest ( P = .043). The rest of variables studied, job status, labour regimen, diagnostic group and consultation type did not show any relationship. Conclusions: A vast majority of patients answered favourably to almost all the items of the survey. However, only 26.1% of them would choose a model of tele-assistance without restrictions.


1964 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8

Early in 1963 much of the land occupied by the Roman building at Fishbourne was purchased by Mr. I. D. Margary, M.A., F.S.A., and was given to the Sussex Archaeological Trust. The Fishbourne Committee of the trust was set up to administer the future of the site. The third season's excavation, carried out at the desire of this committee, was again organized by the Chichester Civic Society.1 About fifty volunteers a day were employed from 24th July to 3rd September. Excavation concentrated upon three main areas; the orchard south of the east wing excavated in 1962, the west end of the north wing, and the west wing. In addition, trial trenches were dug at the north-east and north-west extremities of the building and in the area to the north of the north wing. The work of supervision was carried out by Miss F. Pierce, M.A., Mr. B. Morley, Mr. A. B. Norton, B.A., and Mr. J. P. Wild, B.A. Photography was organized by Mr. D. B. Baker and Mrs. F. A. Cunliffe took charge of the pottery and finds.


2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Finon

Nuclear phase-out policies and the European obligation to liberalise electricity markets could put the French nuclear option dramatically at risk by influencing social preferences or by constraining power producers' investment choices in the future. So far, the particular institutional set-up which has allowed the efficient build-up and operation of several series of standardised reactors preserves the stability of the main elements of the option. However, important adaptations to the evolving industrial and political environment occur and contribute to changing the option. Some institutional changes (such as local public inquiry, creation of a Parliamentary committee, independence of safety authorities) and divergence between industrial interests already allow debates on internal options such as reprocessing, type of waste management deposits, ordering of an advanced PWR. These changes improve the cost transparency, even if internalisation of nuclear externalities (cost of insurance, provisions for waste management) is still incomplete. However, when effective, this internalisation would not affect definitively the competitive position of the nuclear production because of the parallel internalisation of CO2 externalities from fossil fuel power generation in the official rationale. Consequently the real issue for the future of the nuclear option in France remains the preservation of social acceptability in the perception of nuclear risks.


Author(s):  
P. Kadochnikov ◽  
M. Ptashkina

The US and the EU are negotiating a comprehensive Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The main purposes of the agreement are to stimulate economic growth and employment, to facilitate trade and investment and raise competitiveness on both sides of the Atlantic. The US and EU are the biggest trade and investment partners for each other, as well as most important partners for a number of other countries. The Trans-Atlantic free trade agreement would not only facilitate bilateral cooperation, but has a potential to set up new, more advanced international trade and investment rules and practices. The agreement is aimed, among other point, at resolving some of the existing problems in bilateral relations, such as differences in regulatory practices, market access conditions, government procurement, intellectual property rights (IPR) and investor protection. However, some of these differences are deeply inherent in the regulatory systems and have become the reasons for numerous disputes. Despite the fact that the negotiations on TTIP are still in progress, it is already possible to identify and assess the underlying differences that would potentially hamper the creation of deep provisions in the future agreement. The paper aims at analyzing the most difficult areas of negotiations and giving predictions for the future provisions. Firstly, the paper gives an overview of the scope and structure of bilateral relations between the US and EU. Secondly, the authors give detailed analysis of the most important points of the negotiation’s agenda, making stress on the underlying differences in domestic regulation and assessing the depth of those differences. The conclusions are as follows. While some of the areas, such as tariffs, labor and environment, SMEs, state enterprises and others, are relatively easy to agree upon, as both economies are striving to achieve high standards, negotiations on other issues, such as government procurement, NTM regulation and IPR are less likely to achieve high standards.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Cong Zhao ◽  
Wei Guo

To achieve the goal that anybody could communicate with anyone at anytime in anyplace and in anyway, many technologies, such as GSM、CDMA、WCDMA、CDMA2000、TD-SCDMA、802.11a/b/g and so on, come true in the past years. And now, many B3G or 4G technologies are being studied. It is well-known that the future network would be heterogeneous networks. It is studied in this paper the mobility management of wireless heterogeneous network and a reversing paging process of callee is proposed which integrates paging and handoff. In the process when the caller pages the callee choosing its best suited network on one end, the callee chooses its own best network to begin a reversing paging process to set up the communication. The simulation tells that the proposed process has better performances in the call delay, the call succeeding rate and the wireless signal cost than that of the existing process in which it sets up the call first and then does vertical handoff independently.


mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanchen Yu ◽  
Jinsheng Zhou ◽  
Frederico J. Gueiros-Filho ◽  
Daniel B. Kearns ◽  
Stephen C. Jacobson

ABSTRACT Bacteria that divide by binary fission form FtsZ rings at the geometric midpoint of the cell between the bulk of the replicated nucleoids. In Bacillus subtilis, the DNA- and membrane-binding Noc protein is thought to participate in nucleoid occlusion by preventing FtsZ rings from forming over the chromosome. To explore the role of Noc, we used time-lapse fluorescence microscopy to monitor FtsZ and the nucleoid of cells growing in microfluidic channels. Our data show that Noc does not prevent de novo FtsZ ring formation over the chromosome nor does Noc control cell division site selection. Instead, Noc corrals FtsZ at the cytokinetic ring and reduces migration of protofilaments over the chromosome to the future site of cell division. Moreover, we show that FtsZ protofilaments travel due to a local reduction in ZapA association, and the diffuse FtsZ rings observed in the Noc mutant can be suppressed by ZapA overexpression. Thus, Noc sterically hinders FtsZ migration away from the Z-ring during cytokinesis and retains FtsZ at the postdivisional polar site for full disassembly by the Min system. IMPORTANCE In bacteria, a condensed structure of FtsZ (Z-ring) recruits cell division machinery at the midcell, and Z-ring formation is discouraged over the chromosome by a poorly understood phenomenon called nucleoid occlusion. In B. subtilis, nucleoid occlusion has been reported to be mediated, at least in part, by the DNA-membrane bridging protein, Noc. Using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of cells growing in microchannels, we show that Noc neither protects the chromosome from proximal Z-ring formation nor determines the future site of cell division. Rather, Noc plays a corralling role by preventing protofilaments from leaving a Z-ring undergoing cytokinesis and traveling over the nucleoid.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ersan Bocutoğlu

After the liberation of Dağlık Karabağ and close vicinity from the long-standing Armenian occupation by Azerbaijan in 2020, different scenarios concerning the future of Armenia and South Caucasus have come to fore. Therefore, there should be a realistic evaluation of status quo of Armenian political elites, diasporas and Armenian economy relations before taking into account of the scenarios. It is not difficult to estimate that since the realization of optimistic scenarios need a mental transformation of Armenian political elites and diasporas that takes considerable time, they are not likely to happen let alone in the short run but even in the medium run. The aim of this paper is to investigate the status quo of Armenian political elites, diasporas, and Armenian economy relations during 1991-2019 period so as to be able to set up a scientific base on which the evaluation of scenarios concerning the future of Armenia and South Caucasus is placed. The method adopted in the paper is a descriptive one and data are collected via internet. Paper suggests that the divergence of Armenian political elites and diasporas on fundamental issues such as Armenia-diaspora relations, Armenia-Russia relations, Armenia-the West Relations and Armenia-Turkey-Azerbaijan relations blackens not only the future of Armenia but also the future of South Caucasus.


Author(s):  
Kristin Scheible

Pāli is not typically considered a language that allows for much literary flourish, but literary moves are made nonetheless: patterns and rhetorical structures introduced in the first chapter determine how the rest of the historical narrative is literarily conveyed. This chapter argues that structurally significant patterns manifest in the proem itself are what determine the narrative arc of the text, and further explores the metaphor of light as it is employed in the story, paying attention to the way the proems had set up the reader to perceive the transformative richness and practical potential of such metaphors. By exploring this metaphor of light we will see how a certain pattern is developed whereby the physical space of Laṅkā is transformed to a lamp of the dhamma, a cetiya for the future remembrance and representation of the Buddha through relic veneration, while individual hearers are transformed ethically, resulting in the moral community primed for the responsibility of the dhamma. Just as a lamp is primed with oil to effectively receive the flame, so the reader of the Mahāvaṃsa is primed for the full, transformative force of the text by the proem and by the narrative strategies employed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document