Asymmetric Distributions of Achromatic Bipolar Cells in the Mouse Retina

In the retina, evolutionary changes can be traced in the topography of photoreceptors. The shape of the visual streak depends on the height of the animal and its habitat, namely, woods, prairies, or mountains. Also, the distribution of distinct wavelength-sensitive cones is unique to each animal. For example, UV and green cones reside in the ventral and dorsal regions in the mouse retina, respectively, whereas in the rat retina these cones are homogeneously distributed. In contrast with the abundant investigation on the distribution of photoreceptors and the third-order neurons, the distribution of bipolar cells has not been well understood. We utilized two enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mouse lines, Lhx4-EGFP (Lhx4) and 6030405A18Rik-EGFP (Rik), to examine the topographic distributions of bipolar cells in the retina. First, we characterized their GFP-expressing cells using type-specific markers. We found that GFP was expressed by type 2, type 3a, and type 6 bipolar cells in the Rik mice and by type 3b, type 4, and type 5 bipolar cells in the Lhx4 mice. All these types are achromatic. Then, we examined the distributions of bipolar cells in the four cardinal directions and three different eccentricities of the retinal tissue. In the Rik mice, GFP-expressing bipolar cells were more highly observed in the nasal region than those in the temporal retina. The number of GFP cells was not different along with the ventral-dorsal axis. In contrast, in the Lhx4 mice, GFP-expressing cells occurred at a higher density in the ventral region than in the dorsal retina. However, no difference was observed along the nasal-temporal axis. Furthermore, we examined which type of bipolar cells contributed to the asymmetric distributions in the Rik mice. We found that type 3a bipolar cells occurred at a higher density in the temporal region, whereas type 6 bipolar cells were denser in the nasal region. The asymmetricity of these bipolar cells shaped the uneven distribution of the GFP cells in the Rik mice. In conclusion, we found that a subset of achromatic bipolar cells is asymmetrically distributed in the mouse retina, suggesting their unique roles in achromatic visual processing.

Genome characteristic of Bordetella parapertussis isolated from Iran

Pertussis also known as whooping cough is a respiratory infection in humans particularly in infants and usually caused by Bordetella pertussis. However, Bordetella parapertussis can also cause a similar clinical syndrome. During 2012 to 2015, from nasal swabs sent from different provinces to the pertussis reference laboratory of Pasture Institute of Iran for pertussis confirmation, seven B. parapertussis isolates were identified by bacterial culture, biochemical tests, and the presence of IS1001 insertion in the genome by real-time PCR. Furthermore, the expression of pertactin (Prn) as one the major virulence factor for bacterial adhesion was investigated using western blot. Moreover, the genomic characteristic of one recently collected isolate, IRBP134, from a seven-month infant was investigated using Illumina NextSeq sequencing protocol. The results revealed the genome with G+C content 65% and genome size 4.7 Mbp. A total of 81 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 13 short insertion and deletions were found in the genome compared to the B. parapertussis 12822 as a reference genome showing ongoing evolutionary changes in our isolate. A phylogeny relationship of IRBP134 was also investigated using global B. parapertussis available genomes.

Poetic Diction and Standard Language: Predictive Aspect

The article deals with the interdiction convergence on the example of evolutionary changes in lexical semantics of poetic language. The current study contributes to the development of the methodology for studying the language evolutionary processes. The paper describes certain trends of dynamic changes and their specifics; it gives some prediction about the further lexis convergence of different types of functional styles. The findings contribute to the development of lexicography which is going to reflect not only static but also dynamic characteristics of lexical units including stylistic ones. The subjectivity of labeling poetic vocabulary in dictionaries can be partially removed through the analysis of corpus data by comparing frequency indices in different subsections, however this method is not always accurate, moreover, it doesnt effectively trace evolutionary changes. The data from the psycholinguistic experiments can help reveal the dynamics of changes. On the one hand, the results of scaling show the extent of poetry in connotative meanings; on the other hand, the open-response associative experiment allows us to calculate the archaization index of a lexeme through summing up the numerical values of certain selected parameters. The research gives obvious evidence of active archaization of some specific poetic lexemes. The findings also prove that the dynamic changes in stylistic connotation are not synchronous with the changes in the denotative layer of a lexical unit.

From ‘Traditional’ Budgeting to ‘Better’ Budgeting: Navigating through ‘Stability’ and ‘Change’

Faced with criticisms on traditional budgeting, contemporary organisations have moved towards better budgeting and beyond budgeting practices. Drawing evidence from Citrus Lanka, a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturing firm in Sri Lanka, this paper explores amid limitations of traditional budgeting, how and why the firm moved to better budgeting rather than embracing beyond budgeting. It adopts the qualitative methodology and case study approach and mobilises the theoretical notions; ‘stability’ and ‘change’ under institutional theory. The field data illustrate how Citrus Lanka instigated evolutionary changes (towards better budgeting) rather than revolutionary changes (towards beyond budgeting), witnessing ‘stability’ of budgeting and ‘change’ towards better budgeting. This paper contributes by adding to the burgeoning budgetary control literature and extends the use of institutional theory in management accounting research by espousing how the notions of ‘stability’ and ‘change’ can co-exist. The better budgeting practice presented in this paper is a pragmatic approach. It offers practitioner pointers to managers grappling with limitations of traditional budgeting and practical difficulties of beyond budgeting on improving budgetary control through better budgeting approaches. Such an understanding is useful for managers beyond the case study firm to those across different industries and nations in adapting to the ever-changing business environment by drawing on management accounting insights.

The University Extension under an introspective approach: reflections and challenges from the management

University Extension at the Faculty of Dentistry of the National University of Cordoba has gone through a long process of conceptions, tensions and evolutionary changes with the aim of gradually accompanying the current extension paradigms. Various conceptions have been adapted during this process, giving rise to several significant changes in an attempt to give hierarchy to this pillar of the public university in line with the genuine needs of the community. However, there are still some challenges for the future, for which the participation of its teachers and students will be very important, not only in their permanent education and training, but also in the substantiation of renewed interdisciplinary projects, more and more committed to the social collective.

Morphology of the Antennal Sensilla of Notonectoidea and Comparison of Evolutionary Changes in Sensilla Types and Distribution in Infraorder Nepomorpha (Insecta: Heteroptera)

This article introduces the results of a study of three families of Nepomorpha and is the last part of a series of studies that sums up our work on the morphologies of the antennal sensory structures in this taxon. The morphologies and distribution of the sensilla in the families Notonectidae, Pleidae and Helotrephidae were studied under a scanning electron microscope. Six main types (sensilla trichodea, chaetica, campaniformia, basiconica, ampullacea and coeloconica) and ten subtypes (five subtypes of sensilla trichodea and five subtypes of sensilla basiconica) were described. The results were compared with other studies on the antennal sensilla of Nepomorpha in order to assess evolutionary changes within the infraorder. With the use of cladistics analysis, the monophyly of the families Nepidae, Micronectidae, Corixidae and Gelastocoridae was supported. On the other hand, the occurrence of some clades forming superfamilies was weakly supported by bootstrap analysis. These results, supported by presence of the numerous autapomorphies, suggest that antennal sensilla evolved within inner groups.

Ecology drives the degree of convergence in the gene expression of extremophile fishes

Convergent evolution, where independent lineages evolve similar traits when adapting to similar habitats, is a common phenomenon and testament to the repeatability of evolutionary processes. Still, non-convergence is also common, and a major question is whether apparently idiosyncratic, lineage-specific evolutionary changes are reflective of chance events inherent to evolutionary processes, or whether they are also influenced by deterministic genetic or ecological factors. To address this question, we quantified the degree of convergence in genome-wide patterns of gene expression across lineages of livebearing fishes (family Poeciliidae) that span 40 million years of evolution and have colonized extreme environments in the form of toxic, hydrogen-sulfide-rich springs. We specifically asked whether the degree of convergence across lineage pairs was related to their phylogenetic relatedness or the ecological similarity of the habitats they inhabit. Using phylogenetic comparative analyses, we showed that the degree of convergence was highly variable across lineage pairs residing in sulfide springs. While closely related lineages did not exhibit higher degrees of convergence than distantly related ones, we uncovered a strong relationship between degree of convergence and ecological similarity. Our results indicate that variation in the degree of convergence is not merely noise associated with evolutionary contingency. Rather, cryptic environmental variation that is frequently ignored when we employ reductionist approaches can significantly contribute to adaptive evolution. This study highlights the importance of multivariate approaches that capture the complexities of both selective regimes and organismal design when assessing the roles of determinism and contingency in evolution.

The Subscapularis Muscle: A Proposed Classification System

Background. On the basis of the available literature, we proposed the hypothesis that the number of muscle bellies is morphologically constant. The main purpose of this study was to examine the morphological variability of the SM and to create a new classification of it based on number of muscle bellies. Methods. Sixty-six adult cadavers of Central European population (45 females, 21 males) were obtained and fixed in 10% formalin before examination. Results. The SM was found in all 66 specimens (45 females, 21 males, 31 left and 35 right sides). After meticulous dissection, we distinguished nine types on the basis of number of bellies. Type I was characterized by single belly and occurred in 1.5%. Type II had a double belly and was present in 3%. Type III, the most common type, occurring in almost 32% of the studied population, had three bellies. The frequency of type IV, characterized by four bellies, was also high, just over 30%. The following types were less frequent: type V with five bellies (18.2%), type VI with six bellies (7.6%), type VII with seven bellies (3%), type VIII with eight bellies (1.5%), and type IX with nine bellies (3%). All of the types had origin on the anterior surface of the scapula. Conclusions. The SM is morphologically variable in the number of its bellies. Evolutionary changes are probably the reason. The most common type was the SM with three bellies, in line with Larson’s model of the division of the SM into three parts. Subsequent studies should be carried out based on MRI or ultrasonography examination to confirm if it is possible to show all types (presented in this study) among group of patients during MRI.

Teaching Jacobitism for the Twenty-First Century

This is a case study in highlighting evolutionary changes that have taken place within the history profession in recent years. Between 2015 and 2021 I have taught and redesigned a course for university students on the Jacobites. During this time I have significantly evolved in my approach to teaching eighteenth century history. I have moved from designing knowledge-based courses to skill-based courses, skills which all historians use regardless of specialism or field of interest such as historical empathy, measuring progress and decline, close reading of primary and secondary sources. I introduced marginalised and often forgotten voices from history and in doing so disrupted the romantic image of the Jacobite.. With this approach aimed to promote a set of skills relevant for the twenty-first century. A new generation of students has a different approach to learning than previous generations and social media is now used to consolidate learning through interactivity and fun. The new media and the digital technologies are now essential tools whether it be online course design and assessment or face-to-face with the students. My traditional forms of teaching eighteenth century history have fundamentally been challenged by the new technologies and pedagogical approaches have undergone significant evolutionary change.

From sequences to enzymes: comparative genomics to study evolutionary conserved protein functions in marine microbes

Comparative genomics is a research field that allows comparison between genomes of different life forms providing information on the organization of the compared genomes, both in terms of structure and encoded functions. Moreover, this approach provides apowerful tool to study and understand the evolutionary changes and adaptation among organisms. Comparative genomics can be used to compare phylogenetically close marine organisms showing different vital strategies and lifestyles and obtain information regarding specific adaptations and/or their evolutionary history. Here we report a basic comparative genomics protocol to extrapolate evolutionary information about a protein of interest conserved across diverse marine microbes. The outlined approach can be used in a number of different settings and might help to gain new insight into the evolution and adaptation of marine microorganisms.