Woodssykes2729
Although different animal species often exhibit extensive variation in many behaviors, typically scientists examine one or a small number of behaviors in any single study. Here, we propose a new framework to simultaneously study the evolution of many behaviors. We measured the behavioral repertoire of individuals from six species of fruit flies using unsupervised techniques and identified all stereotyped movements exhibited by each species. We then fit a Generalized Linear Mixed Model to estimate the intra- and inter-species behavioral covariances, and, by using the known phylogenetic relationships among species, we estimated the (unobserved) behaviors exhibited by ancestral species. We found that much of intra-specific behavioral variation has a similar covariance structure to previously described long-time scale variation in an individual's behavior, suggesting that much of the measured variation between individuals of a single species in our assay reflects differences in the status of neural networks, rather than genetic or developmental differences between individuals. We then propose a method to identify groups of behaviors that appear to have evolved in a correlated manner, illustrating how sets of behaviors, rather than individual behaviors, likely evolved. this website Our approach provides a new framework for identifying co-evolving behaviors and may provide new opportunities to study the mechanistic basis of behavioral evolution.Videos of animal behavior are used to quantify researcher-defined behaviors of interest to study neural function, gene mutations, and pharmacological therapies. Behaviors of interest are often scored manually, which is time-consuming, limited to few behaviors, and variable across researchers. We created DeepEthogram software that uses supervised machine learning to convert raw video pixels into an ethogram, the behaviors of interest present in each video frame. DeepEthogram is designed to be general-purpose and applicable across species, behaviors, and video-recording hardware. It uses convolutional neural networks to compute motion, extract features from motion and images, and classify features into behaviors. Behaviors are classified with above 90% accuracy on single frames in videos of mice and flies, matching expert-level human performance. DeepEthogram accurately predicts rare behaviors, requires little training data, and generalizes across subjects. A graphical interface allows beginning-to-end analysis without end-user programming. DeepEthogram's rapid, automatic, and reproducible labeling of researcher-defined behaviors of interest may accelerate and enhance supervised behavior analysis. Code is available at https//github.com/jbohnslav/deepethogram.The histone modification H3K27me3 plays a central role in Polycomb-mediated epigenetic silencing. H3K27me3 recruits and allosterically activates Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), which adds this modification to nearby histones, providing a read/write mechanism for inheritance through DNA replication. However, for some PRC2 targets, a purely histone-based system for epigenetic inheritance may be insufficient. We address this issue at the Polycomb target FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) in Arabidopsis thaliana, as a narrow nucleation region of only ~three nucleosomes within FLC mediates epigenetic state switching and subsequent memory over many cell cycles. To explain the memory's unexpected persistence, we introduce a mathematical model incorporating extra protein memory storage elements with positive feedback that persist at the locus through DNA replication, in addition to histone modifications. Our hybrid model explains many features of epigenetic switching/memory at FLC and encapsulates generic mechanisms that may be widely applicable.Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) constitute a rare type of immune cell with multifaceted functions, but their potential use as a cell-based immunotherapy is challenged by the scarce cell numbers that can be extracted from blood. Here, we systematically investigate culture parameters for generating pDCs from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Using optimized conditions combined with implementation of HSPC pre-expansion, we generate an average of 465 million HSPC-derived pDCs (HSPC-pDCs) starting from 100,000 cord blood-derived HSPCs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that such protocol allows HSPC-pDC generation from whole-blood HSPCs, and these cells display a pDC phenotype and function. Using GMP-compliant medium, we observe a remarkable loss of TLR7/9 responses, which is rescued by ascorbic acid supplementation. Ascorbic acid induces transcriptional signatures associated with pDC-specific innate immune pathways, suggesting an undescribed role of ascorbic acid for pDC functionality. This constitutes the first protocol for generating pDCs from whole blood and lays the foundation for investigating HSPC-pDCs for cell-based immunotherapy.
Shift work is commonly increasing, and some physiological changes occur as workers sleep less and their circadian rhythms are disrupted. This umbrella review not only summarizes the evidence but also evaluates the validity of the associations of shift work with different health outcomes.
We searched the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase databases from their inception to April 25, 2020. This study has been registered at PROSPERO; the registration number is CRD42020188537. For each systematic review and/or meta-analysis, we estimated the summary effect size, the 95% confidence interval, the 95% prediction interval, the between-study heterogeneity, evidence of small-study effects, and evidence of excess-significance bias.
Eight eligible systematic reviews and meta-analyses were identified, providing data on 16 associations. We observed highly suggestive evidence for associations between shift work and myocardial infarction (having ever
having never done shift work) and diabetes mellitus incidence (per five-year increment in shift work). Furthermore, we observed suggestive evidence for an association between shift work and diabetes mellitus incidence (having ever
having never done shift work). Two health outcomes, including prostate cancer incidence (having ever
having never done shift work and rotating night shift work
daytime work), and colorectal cancer incidence (longest
shortest shift work time) were only supported by weak evidence.
This umbrella review found that shift work was associated with several health outcomes with different levels of evidence. Associations for myocardial infarction and diabetes mellitus incidence were supported by highly suggestive evidence.
This umbrella review found that shift work was associated with several health outcomes with different levels of evidence. Associations for myocardial infarction and diabetes mellitus incidence were supported by highly suggestive evidence.
Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) is a rare condition that accounts for just 1% of all congenital heart disease. Diagnosis of ccTGA often is missed in adulthood, despite imaging and cardiology consultation.
We present the case of an intraoperatively diagnosed ccTGA with severe tricuspid valve regurgitation and secundum atrial septal defect in a 54-year-old woman, who preoperatively was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation in atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial concordance heart. Intraoperatively, options considered were anatomical repair with atrial-arterial double switch operation after retraining the left ventricle or a conventional repair that focused on the associated defects without addressing the discordant connections. Considering our patient's age and condition, we decided to carry on with the conventional repair to prevent further systemic right ventricle dysfunction that may lead to poor outcome and decreased survival. She was discharged one week after surgery and resumed her normal activity at 3-month follow up.
Although it rarely happens, CHD such as ccTGA in an adult must always be considered. Careful examination is essential. The treatment of ccTGA in an adult is challenging, with more limited options compared with pediatric patients. However, early management could still provide favorable outcomes.
Although it rarely happens, CHD such as ccTGA in an adult must always be considered. Careful examination is essential. The treatment of ccTGA in an adult is challenging, with more limited options compared with pediatric patients. However, early management could still provide favorable outcomes.
Hypoxia induced injury of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier is closely related to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury after lung transplantation. VE-cadherin is an important structural molecule for pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles of VE-cadherin in hypoxia induced injury of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier.
Rat model of hypoxia and cultured pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were utilized. Determination of PMVECs apoptosis, skeleton combination was conducted to verify the effects of hypoxia on injury of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier. In addition, VE-cadherin expression was modulated by administration of siRNA in order to investigate the roles of VE-cadherin in hypoxia induced PMVECs apoptosis and skeleton recombination.
Our data indicated that expression of VE-cadherin was down-regulated in hypoxia-exposed PMVECs. Whereas, in the cells treated using siRNA, down-regulation of VE-cadherin did not trigger PMVECs apoptosis, but it increased the sensitivity of PMVECs to the hypoxia induced apoptosis. In cases of hypoxia, the expression of VE-cadherin was significantly down-regulated, together with endothelial skeleton recombination and increase of permeability, which then triggered endothelial barrier dysfunction.
These data verify that VE-cadherin expression played an important role in hypoxia induced PMVECs apoptosis and cellular skeletal recombination.
These data verify that VE-cadherin expression played an important role in hypoxia induced PMVECs apoptosis and cellular skeletal recombination.
There are three cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) training pathways-general surgery residency followed by a CTS residency of 2-3 years (traditional), 4 years of general surgery and 3 years of CTS residency (4+3), and an integrated 6-year pathway (I-6). The goal of this study was to survey early career cardiothoracic surgeons regarding their training experiences.
An email-based survey was sent to cardiothoracic surgeons, who graduated between 2012-2017. Data on training pathway specific variables and overall satisfaction were collected. The primary endpoints were career preparation and satisfaction, scored on a scale from 1-100, 100 being the most positive.
Four hundred seventy-seven emails were sent, with a response rate of 95/477 (20%). Seventy-six of the respondents (80%) were male; the mean age was 39. Seventy-seven (81.0%) completed a traditional training pathway, 7 (7.4%) completed a 4+3 pathway, and 11 (11.6%) completed an I-6 pathway. Participants felt prepared for practice with a mean response of 79.8 (range 31-100); mean career satisfaction was 87.6. When asked which pathway respondents would choose in the current era, 52 (54.7%) would choose a traditional pathway, 17 (17.9%) a 4+3 pathway, and 19 (20.0%) an I-6 program; 7 (7.4%) did not respond. Twenty of 72 (27.8%) traditional pathway trained and 18/18(100%) integrated pathway trained surgeons would choose an integrated pathway.
This is the first survey addressing perceptions of training from early-career cardiothoracic surgeons across all training pathways. Data from this study provides insights to better understand how to improve CTS training for the next generation of surgeons.
This is the first survey addressing perceptions of training from early-career cardiothoracic surgeons across all training pathways. Data from this study provides insights to better understand how to improve CTS training for the next generation of surgeons.
