Clinicopathologic Features of Lymphoproliferative Neoplasms Involving the Liver

Background and Objectives: Primary hepatic lymphoproliferative neoplasms (PHL) are uncommon. This retrospective study is aimed to present the clinicopathological characteristics of PHL and compare to secondary hepatic lymphoproliferative neoplasms (SHL). Materials and Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with lymphoproliferative neoplasms involving the liver between January 2004 and December 2018 at a tertiary medical center in central Taiwan were included. The demographic and clinical data, radiological results and histopathological findings were reviewed and summarized. Results: We analyzed 36 patients comprising 6 PHL patients and 30 SHL patients. The median age at diagnosis tended to be younger in PHL than in SHL (59 vs. 63 years old, p = 0.349). Both entities had a small male predominance. The PHL patients tended to have higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase and serum albumin and lower levels of alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, γ-glutamyl transferase and lactate dehydrogenase compared with SHL, but there was no significant difference. Multiple mass lesions were the most common radiological finding in both groups. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the predominant subtype in both groups (67% in PHL and 40% in SHL). The PHL patients had a longer median survival than the SHL patients (not reached vs. 3 months, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Although there was no significant difference between PHL and SHL in clinical, laboratory and radiological features, the SHL patients had very poor outcomes with a median survival time of 3 months. Effective therapies are urgently required for these patients.

Assessing Water Poverty of Livelihood Groups in Peri-Urban Areas around Dhaka under a Changing Environment

Water poverty, measured by the Water Poverty Index (WPI), is traditionally applied at country and community levels. This study presents a livelihood-inclusive approach for measuring WPI at the livelihood group level. The specific objectives are to evaluate present and future WPIs for different livelihood groups, such as large and small male farmers, female farmers, male and female industrial workers and economically inactive women. Primary data are collected from three peri-urban areas around Dhaka using a mixed approach, including a semi-structured questionnaire survey of 260 respondents. The WPIs are calculated by using a weighted multiplicative function, and the component weights are assigned by principal component analysis. The results show that the economically inactive women are presently the most water-poor group, with a WPI value of 41, whereas the small male farmers would be the most water-poor group in the future, with a WPI value of 34. Environmental changes, such as high temperature, variability in rainfall and surface water, lowering of groundwater level, rapid population growth and unplanned urbanization, are found to be responsible for the dynamism in WPIs for different livelihood groups. The Resource and Environment components should be paid immediate attention in order to protect peri-urban livelihood groups from future water poverty.

Does recent experience affect large male advantage in a sequentially-mating fish?

In many mating systems, large male body size is associated with dominance in direct contests with rivals and females may exhibit preference for larger males. As such, body size is often positively associated with mating success. However, mating experience can influence the potential advantage of large body size through alterations in behaviour and depletion of sperm reserves. In Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), males mate with many females each day, and larger males mate more frequently than smaller males. In an observational experiment, we tested the following alternate predictions: (1) recent mating experience may enhance mating success through a carry-over effect of prior mating, whereby small experienced males gain an advantage over large inexperienced rivals in mating contests; or (2) recent mating experience decreases mating success through a reduction in fertilization due to sperm limitation, effectively dampening the large-male advantage against a small inexperienced rival. We examined the interactive effect of size and recent experience on mating behaviour and success. While mating contests were monopolized by large males, recent experience enhanced mating success, especially in small male winners. Experienced males courted more readily than those without recent experience, suggesting that recent prior mating enhances this behaviour. Furthermore, males who had copulated recently did not exhibit sperm depletion when in the presence of a competitor, nor did female behaviour indicate a preference for inexperienced males. This suggests that males can use sexual experience to increase their reproductive success in future mating situations, which may influence the action of sexual selection and alternative tactics in shaping mating systems.

The different morphotypes in males of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium tenellum (Smith, 1871) (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae) in Mexico

We analyzed the occurrence of morphotypes in the males of Macrobrachium tenellum (Smith, 1871), a species of potential use in farming, using biometric data and multivariate statistical analysis. Specimens were collected in the Ameca River, Mexico and grown for four months in two rectangular concrete ponds 50 m2 at an initial density of 10 individuals m–2. A biometric analysis was done on all male specimens, identified by the presence of the appendix masculina on the second pair of pleopods. We measured eight dimensions in each of the measured male specimens. Color and spination of the right second cheliped were also determined. We performed a statistical analysis of the data using multivariate analysis, which resulted in the identification of five morphotypes: dark-brown claw (DBrC), brown claw (BrC), cinnamon claw (CC), translucent claw (TC), and small male (SM). The mean of groups of almost all variables showed statistically significant differences except for the ratio Lcl:Lpo. There was no significant difference between groups BrC and DBrC, and spine angles were not significant between groups CC versus TC and BrC. A detailed description of the main macroscopic characteristics that differed between morphotypes is provided, which will allow their identification in future work. Our results will also help in studying social interactions between the male morphotypes.

The first case of gynandromorphy in Centris pallida (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini)

A case of gynandromorphy is reported for the first time for Centris pallida Fox, a bee species found predominantly in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This specimen marks only the second report of a gynandromorph within the tribe of oil-collecting bees, Centridini, and the first Centris Fabricius. The specimen exhibits mosaic gynandromorphy, with male and female characteristics randomly distributed throughout the body. Males of C. pallida are morphologically and behaviorally dimorphic (a large and a small male morph), and the male characteristics of the gynandromorph are more similar to the large male morph, which is also most similar in head width to the specimen.

p53 mutations exhibit sex specific gain-of-function activity in gliomagenesis

The tumor suppressor TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene in cancer. Most TP53 mutations are missense mutations in the DNA-binding domain, which in addition to loss of canonical p53 activity, frequently confer gain-of-function (GOF) aberrant transcriptional activity through mutant p53 localization to non-canonical genes. GOF phenotypes differ by mutation and cell identity and are reported to include increased proliferation, migration, metabolic reprogramming, and therapy resistance. We found that several recurring p53 mutations exhibit a sex-bias in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). In vitro and in vivo analysis of three mutations, p53R172H, p53Y202C, and p53Y217C revealed sex differences in each mutation′s ability to transform primary mouse astrocytes. p53R172H exhibited a far greater ability to transform female astrocytes than males, p53Y202C transformed both male and female astrocytes with a small male bias, and p53Y217C only exhibited GOF transformation effects in male astrocytes. These phenotypic differences reflect an interaction between sex and GOF mutation to drive unique gene expression patterns in cancer pathways. We found that mutant p53 exhibits sex and mutation specific aberrant genomic localization to the transcriptional start sites of upregulated genes, whose promoter regions were enriched for different sets of transcription factor DNA-binding motifs. Together, our data establish a novel paradigm for sex specific mutant p53 GOF activity in GBM with implications for all cancer.

Asymmetric mating behavior of isogamous budding yeast

Anisogamy, the size difference between small male and large female gametes, is known to enable selection for sexual dimorphism and behavioral differences between sexes. Nevertheless, even isogamous species exhibit molecular asymmetries between mating types, which are known to ensure their self-incompatibility. Here, we show that different properties of the pheromones secreted by the MATa and MATα mating types of budding yeast lead to asymmetry in their behavioral responses during mating in mixed haploid populations, which resemble behavioral asymmetries between gametes in anisogamous organisms. MATa behaves as a random searcher that is stimulated in proportion to the fraction of MATα partner cells within the population, whereas MATα behaves as a short-range directional distance sensor. Mathematical modeling suggests that the observed asymmetric responses can enhance efficiency of mating and might thus provide a selective advantage. Our results demonstrate that the emergence of asymmetric mating behavior did not require anisogamy-based sexual selection.

Partial migration and spawning movements of humpback chub in the Little Colorado River are better understood using data from autonomous PIT tag antennas

Choosing whether or not to migrate is an important life history decision for many fishes. Here we combine data from physical captures and detections on autonomous passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag antennas to study migration in an endangered fish, the humpback chub (Gila cypha). We develop hidden Markov mark-recapture models with and without antenna detections and find that the model fit without antenna detections misses a large proportion of fish and underestimates migration and survival probabilities. We then assess survival and growth differences associated with life history strategy and migration for different demographic groups (small male, small female, large male, large female). We find large differences in survival according to life history strategy, where residents had much lower over-winter survival than migrants. However, within the migratory life history strategy, survival and growth were similar for active migrants and skipped migrants for all demographic groups. We discuss some common challenges to incorporating detections from autonomous antennas into population models and demonstrate how these data can provide insight about fish movement and life history strategies.

Description of Hemienchytraeus wuhanensis sp. nov. (Annelida, Clitellata, Enchytraeidae) from central China, with comments on species records of Hemienchytraeus from China

Hemienchytraeus wuhanensissp. nov. is described from hardwood forest soil in Wuhan, China. This moderately sized enchytraeid species of 6–9 mm body length is characterized by: (1) an oesophageal appendage with tertiary branches, (2) three pairs of secondary pharyngeal gland lobes in V, VI, VII, (3) five pairs preclitellar nephridia, from 5/6 to 9/10, (4) dorsal vessel originating in clitellar segments, (5) a girdle-shaped clitellum, (6) a relatively small male reproductive apparatus without seminal vesicle, and (7) spermathecae that extend to VI–VII. DNA barcodes of paratype specimens of the new species are provided. Previous species records of Hemienchytraeus from China are critically discussed.

SMA-10 Is a Non-Canonical Member of the TGF-β Sma/Mab Pathway and Immunity Regulator via the DAF-2 Insulin Receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signalling pathways are highly conserved across metazoa and play essential roles not only during development but also in adult tissue maintenance. Alterations of these pathways usually result in a plethora of pathologies. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the TGF-β Sma/Mab (small/male abnormal) pathway regulates various worm phenotypes such as body size, immune response, ageing, matricide and reproductive span. SMA-10 has been described as a positive modulator of worm body size through the TGF-β Sma/Mab pathway. To better understand if SMA-10 is a core component of the pathway, we use gene epistatic analysis to assess the contribution of SMA-10 to various phenotypes regulated by TGF-β Sma/Mab. We confirm that SMA-10 controls body size and find that it also affects the matricide and reproductive span of the nematodes. However, neither male tail formation (previously reported) nor ageing appeared altered. Lastly, although null sma-10 worms are more susceptible to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections than wild-types, this response does not depend on TGF-β Sma/Mab but on the insulin receptor DAF-2. We also show that the expression of sma-10 in either hypodermis or intestine fully rescues the wild-type immune response. Our results contribute to understanding the role of SMA-10 as a context-dependent component of TGF-β Sma/Mab, and reveal a function of SMA-10 in immunity in association to the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling (IIS) pathway.