Sex allocation and investment into pre- and post-copulatory traits in simultaneous hermaphrodites: the role of polyandry and local sperm competition

PubMed Central

Schärer, Lukas; Pen, Ido

2013-01-01

Sex allocation theory predicts the optimal allocation to male and female reproduction in sexual organisms. In animals, most work on sex allocation has focused on species with separate sexes and our understanding of simultaneous hermaphrodites is patchier. Recent theory predicts that sex allocation in simultaneous hermaphrodites should strongly be affected by post-copulatory sexual selection, while the role of pre-copulatory sexual selection is much less clear. Here, we review sex allocation and sexual selection theory for simultaneous hermaphrodites, and identify several strong and potentially unwarranted assumptions. We then present a model that treats allocation to sexually selected traits as components of sex allocation and explore patterns of allocation when some of these assumptions are relaxed. For example, when investment into a male sexually selected trait leads to skews in sperm competition, causing local sperm competition, this is expected to lead to a reduced allocation to sperm production. We conclude that understanding the evolution of sex allocation in simultaneous hermaphrodites requires detailed knowledge of the different sexual selection processes and their relative importance. However, little is currently known quantitatively about sexual selection in simultaneous hermaphrodites, about what the underlying traits are, and about what drives and constrains their evolution. Future work should therefore aim at quantifying sexual selection and identifying the underlying traits along the pre- to post-copulatory axis. PMID:23339243

The symbiotic lifestyle and its evolutionary consequences: social monogamy and sex allocation in the hermaphroditic shrimp Lysmata pederseni

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baeza, J. Antonio

2010-08-01

Sex allocation theory predicts female-biased sex allocation for simultaneous hermaphrodites with a monogamous mating system. Mating systems theory predicts that monogamy is advantageous in environments where refuges are discrete, scarce, relatively small, and when predation risk is high outside of these refuges. These predictions were tested with the Caribbean shrimp Lysmata pederseni, a simultaneous hermaphrodite which has an early male phase and lives inside tubes of the sponge Callyspongia vaginalis. This host sponge is a scarce resource that, together with the high predation risk typical of tropical environments, should favor monogamy in the shrimp. Field observations demonstrated that shrimps were frequently encountered as pairs within these tube sponges. Pairs were equally likely to comprise two hermaphrodites or one hermaphrodite and one male. Several of these pairs were observed for long periods of time in the field. Experiments demonstrated that hermaphrodites tolerated other hermaphrodites but not males in their host sponge. These results suggest that pairs of hermaphroditic L. pederseni are socially monogamous; they share the same host individual and might reproduce exclusively with their host partners for long periods of time. Nevertheless, males appeared less likely to establish long-term associations with hermaphrodites as indicated by the rate of their disappearance from their hosts (greater than that of hermaphrodites). Sex allocation was female biased in monogamous hermaphrodites. On average, hermaphrodites invested 34 times more to female than to male reproductive structures. Monogamy and female-biased sex allocation seem to be evolutionary consequences of adopting a symbiotic lifestyle in simultaneous hermaphrodites.

The symbiotic lifestyle and its evolutionary consequences: social monogamy and sex allocation in the hermaphroditic shrimp Lysmata pederseni.

PubMed

Baeza, J Antonio

2010-08-01

Sex allocation theory predicts female-biased sex allocation for simultaneous hermaphrodites with a monogamous mating system. Mating systems theory predicts that monogamy is advantageous in environments where refuges are discrete, scarce, relatively small, and when predation risk is high outside of these refuges. These predictions were tested with the Caribbean shrimp Lysmata pederseni, a simultaneous hermaphrodite which has an early male phase and lives inside tubes of the sponge Callyspongia vaginalis. This host sponge is a scarce resource that, together with the high predation risk typical of tropical environments, should favor monogamy in the shrimp. Field observations demonstrated that shrimps were frequently encountered as pairs within these tube sponges. Pairs were equally likely to comprise two hermaphrodites or one hermaphrodite and one male. Several of these pairs were observed for long periods of time in the field. Experiments demonstrated that hermaphrodites tolerated other hermaphrodites but not males in their host sponge. These results suggest that pairs of hermaphroditic L. pederseni are socially monogamous; they share the same host individual and might reproduce exclusively with their host partners for long periods of time. Nevertheless, males appeared less likely to establish long-term associations with hermaphrodites as indicated by the rate of their disappearance from their hosts (greater than that of hermaphrodites). Sex allocation was female biased in monogamous hermaphrodites. On average, hermaphrodites invested 34 times more to female than to male reproductive structures. Monogamy and female-biased sex allocation seem to be evolutionary consequences of adopting a symbiotic lifestyle in simultaneous hermaphrodites.

True hermaphrodite: a case report.

PubMed

Iqbal, Muhammad Zafar; Jam, Mazhar Rafee; Saleem, Muhammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq

2011-05-01

True hermaphrodite is one of the rarest variety of disorders of sexual differentiation (DSD) and represents only 5% cases of all. A 3-year-old child presented with left sided undescended testis and penoscrotal hypospadias. Chordee correction was performed 18 months back, elsewhere. At laparotomy Mullerian structures were present on left side. On right side testis was normally descended into the scrotum.

True Hermaphrodite: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Jam, Mazhar Rafee; Saleem, Muhammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq

2011-01-01

True hermaphrodite is one of the rarest variety of disorders of sexual differentiation (DSD) and represents only 5% cases of all. A 3-year-old child presented with left sided undescended testis and penoscrotal hypospadias. Chordee correction was performed 18 months back, elsewhere. At laparotomy Mullerian structures were present on left side. On right side testis was normally descended into the scrotum. PMID:22953283

Hermaphroditism demonstrated by computed tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gale, M.E.

1983-07-01

The categorization of disorders of gender differentiation is based on chromosome analysis, physical examination, gonadal histology, and endocrine evaluation. In most cases of hermaphroditism, radiologic studies have been limited to assessment of associated urinary tract anomalies before surgical revconstruction. Noninvasive evaluation with computed tomography (CT) or sonography is potentially useful for investigation of internal pelvic anatomy in these cases. A case report of a 65-year-old man is reported. (KRM)

SRY protein is expressed in ovotestis and streak gonads from human sex-reversal.

PubMed

Salas-Cortés, L; Jaubert, F; Nihoul-Feketé, C; Brauner, R; Rosemblatt, M; Fellous, M

2000-01-01

In mammals, a master gene located on the Y chromosome, the testis-determining gene SRY, controls sex determination. SRY protein is expressed in the genital ridge before testis determination, and in the testis it is expressed in Sertoli and germ cells. Completely sex-reversed patients are classified as either 46,XX males or 46,XY females. SRY mutations have been described in only 15% of patients with 46,XY complete or partial gonadal dysgenesis. However, although incomplete or partial sex-reversal affects 46,XX true hermaphrodites, 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis, and 46,XX/46,XY mosaicism, only 15% of the 46,XX true hermaphrodites analyzed have the SRY gene. Here, we demonstrate that the SRY protein is expressed in the tubules of streak gonads and rete testis, indicating that the SRY protein is normally expressed early during testis determination. Based on these results, we propose that some factors downstream from SRY may be mutated in these 46,XY sex-reversal patients. We have also analyzed SRY protein expression in the ovotestis from 46,XX true hermaphrodites and 46,XX/46,XY mosaicism, demonstrating SRY protein expression in both testicular and ovarian portions in these patients. This suggests that the SRY protein does not inhibit ovary development. These results confirm that other factors are needed for complete testis development, in particular, those downstream of the SRY protein. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

[Intersexuality in domestic mammals].

PubMed

Cribiu, E P; Chaffaux, S

1990-01-01

With the exception of bovine freemartinism, intersexuality is rarely reported in domestic animals. The few cases of intersexuality reported here in dogs, cattle, goats, sheep and horses were classified according to the karyotype. The XX intersexes described here included goats which were either polled male pseudohermaphrodites or true hermaphrodites and dogs which were female pseudohermaphrodites. Among the XY intersexes studied, one dog was a true hermaphrodite, whereas the others were male pseudohermaphrodites, all mares showed gonadal dysgenesis and one cow was a female pseudohermaphrodite. XX/XY intersexes were detected in ovine cases of freemartinism.

Origin and domestication of papaya Yh chromosome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sex in papaya is controlled by a pair of nascent sex chromosomes. Females are XX, and two slightly different Y chromosomes distinguish males (XY) and hermaphrodites (XYh). The hermaphrodite-specific region of the Yh chromosome (HSY) and its X chromosome counterpart were sequenced and analyzed previo...

Dosage compensation proteins targeted to X chromosomes by a determinant of hermaphrodite fate.

PubMed

Dawes, H E; Berlin, D S; Lapidus, D M; Nusbaum, C; Davis, T L; Meyer, B J

1999-06-11

In many organisms, master control genes coordinately regulate sex-specific aspects of development. SDC-2 was shown to induce hermaphrodite sexual differentiation and activate X chromosome dosage compensation in Caenorhabditis elegans. To control these distinct processes, SDC-2 acts as a strong gene-specific repressor and a weaker chromosome-wide repressor. To initiate hermaphrodite development, SDC-2 associates with the promoter of the male sex-determining gene her-1 to repress its transcription. To activate dosage compensation, SDC-2 triggers assembly of a specialized protein complex exclusively on hermaphrodite X chromosomes to reduce gene expression by half. SDC-2 can localize to X chromosomes without other components of the dosage compensation complex, suggesting that SDC-2 targets dosage compensation machinery to X chromosomes.

45,X/46,XY Mosaicism and Possible Association With Hypothyroidism in Males.

PubMed

Hojat, Leila; Schweiger, Michelle

2016-06-01

Mosaicism has a wide phenotypic spectrum but frequently manifests as the normal male phenotype. Its association with short stature has been well recognized and appears to respond effectively to growth hormone therapy. We present 2 phenotypically normal males who both initially presented with short stature and were found to have hypothyroidism. They were treated for hypothyroidism but their growth did not improve as expected. Further testing revealed 45,X/46,XY mosaicism in both males. We propose that a potential link exists between 45,X/46,XY mosaicism and hypothyroidism, which has not been previously described in the literature. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to evaluate for other disorders such as 45,X/46,XY mosaicism in young males with short stature and hypothyroidism if their growth does not improve once they become euthyroid. © The Author(s) 2015.

Control of social monogamy through aggression in a hermaphroditic shrimp

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Sex allocation theory predicts that in small mating groups simultaneous hermaphroditism is the optimal form of gender expression. Under these conditions, male allocation is predicted to be very low and overall per-capita reproductive output maximal. This is particularly true for individuals that live in pairs, but monogamy is highly susceptible to cheating by both partners. However, certain conditions favour social monogamy in hermaphrodites. This study addresses the influence of group size on group stability and moulting cycles in singles, pairs, triplets and quartets of the socially monogamous shrimp Lysmata amboinensis, a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite. Results The effect of group size was very strong: Exactly one individual in each triplet and exactly two individuals in each quartet were killed in aggressive interactions, resulting in group sizes of two individuals. All killed individuals had just moulted. No mortality occurred in single and pair treatments. The number of moults in the surviving shrimp increased significantly after changing from triplets and quartets to pairs. Conclusion Social monogamy in L. amboinensis is reinforced by aggressive expulsion of supernumerous individuals. We suggest that the high risk of mortality in triplets and quartets results in suppression of moulting in groups larger than two individuals and that the feeding ecology of L. amboinensis favours social monogamy. PMID:22078746

Control of social monogamy through aggression in a hermaphroditic shrimp.

PubMed

Wong, Janine Wy; Michiels, Nico K

2011-11-11

Sex allocation theory predicts that in small mating groups simultaneous hermaphroditism is the optimal form of gender expression. Under these conditions, male allocation is predicted to be very low and overall per-capita reproductive output maximal. This is particularly true for individuals that live in pairs, but monogamy is highly susceptible to cheating by both partners. However, certain conditions favour social monogamy in hermaphrodites. This study addresses the influence of group size on group stability and moulting cycles in singles, pairs, triplets and quartets of the socially monogamous shrimp Lysmata amboinensis, a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite. The effect of group size was very strong: Exactly one individual in each triplet and exactly two individuals in each quartet were killed in aggressive interactions, resulting in group sizes of two individuals. All killed individuals had just moulted. No mortality occurred in single and pair treatments. The number of moults in the surviving shrimp increased significantly after changing from triplets and quartets to pairs. Social monogamy in L. amboinensis is reinforced by aggressive expulsion of supernumerous individuals. We suggest that the high risk of mortality in triplets and quartets results in suppression of moulting in groups larger than two individuals and that the feeding ecology of L. amboinensis favours social monogamy.

Coordinated X-Y stage apparatus

DOEpatents

Morimoto, Alan K.; Kozlowski, David M.; Charles, Steven T.; Spalding, James A.

2000-01-01

An apparatus based on precision X-Y stages that are stacked. Attached to arms projecting from each X-Y stage are a set of two axis gimbals. Attached to the gimbals is a rod, which provides motion along the axis of the rod and rotation around its axis. A dual-planar apparatus that provides six degrees of freedom of motion precise to within microns of motion.

Integrated optical XY coupler

DOEpatents

Vawter, G. Allen; Hadley, G. Ronald

1997-01-01

An integrated optical XY coupler having two converging input waveguide arms meeting in a central section and a central output waveguide arm and two diverging flanking output waveguide arms emanating from the central section. In-phase light from the input arms constructively interfers in the central section to produce a single mode output in the central output arm with the rest of the light being collected in the flanking output arms. Crosstalk between devices on a substrate is minimized by this collection of the out-of-phase light by the flanking output arms of the XY coupler.

Integrated optical XY coupler

DOEpatents

Vawter, G.A.; Hadley, G.R.

1997-05-06

An integrated optical XY coupler having two converging input waveguide arms meeting in a central section and a central output waveguide arm and two diverging flanking output waveguide arms emanating from the central section. In-phase light from the input arms constructively interferes in the central section to produce a single mode output in the central output arm with the rest of the light being collected in the flanking output arms. Crosstalk between devices on a substrate is minimized by this collection of the out-of-phase light by the flanking output arms of the XY coupler. 9 figs.

Direct reciprocity stabilizes simultaneous hermaphroditism at high mating rates: A model of sex allocation with egg trading.

PubMed

Henshaw, Jonathan M; Kokko, Hanna; Jennions, Michael D

2015-08-01

Simultaneous hermaphroditism is predicted to be unstable at high mating rates given an associated increase in sperm competition. The existence of reciprocal egg trading, which requires both hermaphroditism and high mating rates to evolve, is consequently hard to explain. We show using mathematical models that the presence of a trading economy creates an additional fitness benefit to egg production, which selects for traders to bias their sex allocation toward the female function. This female-biased sex allocation prevents pure females from invading a trading population, thereby allowing simultaneous hermaphroditism to persist stably at much higher levels of sperm competition than would otherwise be expected. More generally, our model highlights that simultaneous hermaphroditism can persist stably when mating opportunities are abundant, as long as sperm competition remains low. It also predicts that reciprocity will select for heavier investment in the traded resource. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Flexibility of resource allocation in a hermaphroditic-gynomonoecious herb through deployment of female and male resources in perfect flowers.

PubMed

Mamut, Jannathan; Xiong, Ying-Ze; Tan, Dun-Yan; Huang, Shuang-Quan

2017-03-01

It has been hypothesized that two flower types permit flexible allocation of resources to female and male functions, yet empirical evidence for the sex-allocation hypothesis remains scarce in gynomonoecious species. To characterize resource allocation to pistillate and perfect flowers and allocation of perfect flowers between gynomonoecious and hermaphroditic individuals, we examined the flexibility and whether female-biased allocation increases with plant size in the hermaphroditic-gynomonoecious herb Eremurus anisopterus . Frequency of gynomonoecious individuals, flower production, and plant size were investigated in different populations. Floral allocation was compared among the three flower types of E. anisopterus . Frequency of gynomonoecious plants varied from 2-17% in nine populations. Only larger plants produced female flowers at the bottom of racemes. Both female and perfect flower production tended to increase proportionately with plant size in gynomonoecious individuals. Female flowers did not produce less biomass than perfect flowers from hermaphroditic or gynomonoecious plants. However, both female and perfect flowers from gynomonoecious individuals had lighter stamen mass, but larger pistil mass, than perfect flowers from hermaphrodites. Although the prediction of an increase in female flower number with plant size was not observed in E. anisopterus , the flexibility of sex allocation in gynomonoecious species was confirmed in that gynomonoecious individuals had a female-biased floral allocation compared to hermaphroditic individuals. Such comparisons of gynomonoecious to hermaphroditic individuals permit us to unveil a sexual adjustment strategy: flexibility of sexual investments within plants. © 2017 Botanical Society of America.

An extreme bias in the germ line of XY C57BL/6<->XY FVB/N chimaeric mice

PubMed Central

MacGregor, G. R.

2011-01-01

Chimaeric analysis is a powerful method to address questions about the cell-autonomous nature of defects in spermatogenesis. Symplastic spermatids (sys) mice have a recessive mutation that causes male sterility due to an arrest in germ-cell development during spermiogenesis. Chimaeric mice were generated by aggregation of eight-cell embryos from sys (FVB/N genetic background) and wild-type C57BL/6 (B6) mice to determine whether the male germ-cell defect is cell-autonomous. The resulting FVB/N<->B6 chimaeras (<-> denotes fusion of embryos) were mated with FVB/N mice and coat colour of offspring was used to identify transmission of FVB/N or B6 gametes. Regardless of the relative contribution of B6 to somatic tissues of the chimaeras, almost all (282 of 284; 99.3%) offspring of B6 XY<->XY FVB/N (+/+ or sys/+) males (n = 9) received a FVB/N-derived paternal gamete. After mating of female B6<->FVB/N chimaeras, 51 of 73 (69.9%) offspring received an FVB-derived maternal gamete. Southern blot analysis of different tissues from chimaeric males indicated that, despite the presence of balanced chimaerism in somatic tissues, the germ line in B6 XY<->XY FVB/N mice was essentially FVB/N in composition. Thus there is a strong selective advantage for FVB/N male germ cells over B6 male germ cells in B6<->FVB/N-aggregation chimaeras at some stage during development of the male germ line. Each of three male chimaeras that were either B6 XY<->XY FVB/N (sys/sys) or B6 XX<->XY FVB/N (sys/sys) in composition was sterile, and testis histology was essentially sys mutant. This finding indicates that the function of the gene(s) affected in the sys mutation may be required in the testis, although whether expression is required in germ cells, somatic cells or both remains unknown. The extreme bias in transmission of male gametes has implications for experimental design in studies that use chimaeric analysis to address questions regarding the cell-autonomous nature of germ-cell defects in mice

Automated edge finishing using an active XY table

DOEpatents

Loucks, Clifford S.; Starr, Gregory P.

1993-01-01

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for automated edge finishing using hybrid position/force control of an XY table. The disclosure is particularly directed to learning the trajectory of the edge of a workpiece by "guarded moves". Machining is done by controllably moving the XY table, with the workpiece mounted thereon, along the learned trajectory with feedback from a force sensor. Other similar workpieces can be mounted, without a fixture on the XY table, located and the learned trajectory adjusted

Helicity moduli of three-dimensional dilute XY models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, Anupam; Pandit, Rahul; Solla, Sara A.; Ebner, C.

1984-07-01

The helicity moduli of various dilute, classical XY models on three-dimensional lattices are studied with a view to understanding some aspects of the superfluidity of 4He in Vycor glass. A spinwave calculation is used to obtain the low-temperature helicity modulus of a regularly-diluted XY model. A similar calculation is performed for the randomly bond-diluted and site-diluted XY models in the limit of low dilution. A Monte Carlo simulation is used to obtain the helicity modulus of the randomly bond-diluted XY model over a wide range of temperature and dilution. It is found that the randomly diluted models do agree and the regularly diluted model does not agree with certain experimentally found features of the variation in superfluid fraction with coverage of 4He in Vycor glass.

Bidirectional sex change induced by sex steroid implantation in the hermaphrodite fish, Pseudolabrus sieboldi.

PubMed

Ohta, Kohei; Sakai, Mami; Sundaray, Jittendra Kumar; Kitano, Takeshi; Takeda, Tatsusuke; Yamaguchi, Akihiko; Matsuyama, Michiya

2012-11-01

Sex steroids have been suggested to be involved in gonadal sex change in hermaphrodite fish. Aromatase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of androgens into estrogens, is a principal enzyme regulating gonadal sex. However, the detailed functions of each steroid hormone remain to be evaluated. Recent studies have demonstrated that estradiol-17β (E2) is synthesized via estrone (E1) in some hermaphrodite species. On the other hand, 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) is produced in the testis via testosterone (T). In this study, we hypothesized that E1 and T are also involved in the sex change as precursors for E2 and 11KT, respectively. We implanted females of the wrasse, Pseudolabrus sieboldi, with T and 11KT, and males with E1 and E2, by use of sustained-release capsules. In females, testicular tissues and body color change were observed after androgen administration, in which 11KT was more effective than T. In contrast, after estrogen administration, the gonads of males contained oocytes. In females, the administration of T and 11KT resulted in reduced serum E2 levels. Conversely, serum 11KT levels decreased in the E1- and E2-treated males. Thus, we successfully induced bidirectional sex change in the gonad by estrogen and androgen administration in vivo. Moreover, this study raises the possibility that E1 and T are involved in the sex change as precursors for E2 and 11KT, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PERCHLORATE INDUCES HERMAPHRODITISM IN THREESPINE STICKLEBACKS

PubMed Central

Bernhardt, Richard R.; von Hippel, Frank A.; Cresko, William A.

2011-01-01

Recently, concern regarding perchlorate contamination has arisen in many contexts. Perchlorate has many military, commercial, and domestic applications, and it has been found in milk, drinking and irrigation water, and produce. Perchlorate is harmful at low levels, yet it remains unregulated in the United States while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency attempts to establish acceptable exposure levels. The present study investigated potential reproductive effects on vertebrates using a model fish species, the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Sticklebacks were raised from syngamy through sexual maturity in untreated water and in three target concentrations of sodium perchlorate–treated water. Perchlorate was found to interfere with the expression of nuptial coloration, courtship behavior, and normal sexual development. Genetic testing revealed that some females were masculinized to the extent that they produced both sperm and eggs, and histological analysis showed that these individuals had intersexual gonads (ovotestes) containing both oocytes and cells undergoing spermatogenesis. In vitro fertilizations revealed that those gametes were capable of self- and cross-fertilization. However, crosses using sperm derived from genetic females died either during the blastula phase or near the onset of organogenesis. Sperm derived from genetic males produced viable fry when crossed with eggs derived from genetic females from all treatments. To our knowledge, the present study provides the first evidence that perchlorate produces androgenic effects and is capable of inducing functional hermaphroditism in a nonhermaphroditic vertebrate. PMID:16916028

Beliefs and practices concerning twins, hermaphrodites, and albinos among the Bamana and Maninka of Mali.

PubMed

Imperato, Gavin H; Imperato, Pascal James

2006-06-01

The Bamana and Maninka of Mali greatly value twins, and have elaborated a range of cultural beliefs and practices to assure their survival. Rates of twinning among these two ethnic groups average from 15.2/1000 to 17.9/1000 births compared to 10.5/1000 births (without assisted reproduction) in the United States and Great Britain. Twins (flaniw) are regarded as extraordinary beings with unusual powers, and as a gift from the supreme deity. A small altar (sinzin) is maintained in the home of twins, and periodic sacrifices of chicken blood, kola nuts, millet paste and millet beer regularly made to assure their protection. Albinos (yéfeguéw) and true and pseudo-hermaphrodites (tyéténousotéw) are also considered twin beings. However, they are believed to be the result of aberrant parental social behavior. The Bamana and Maninka believe that all four groups (twins, albinos, hermaphrodites, and pseudo-harmaphrodites) are closely linked to Faro, an androgynous supernatural being who provides equilibrium in the world. Faro is the original albino and hermaphrodite who gave birth to the first pair of twins after self-impregnation. Whenever a twin dies, a small wooden statue is sculpted called a flanitokélé (twin that remains). This commemorative figure is kept close to the surviving twin, reflecting a belief in the inseparability of twins. Eventually, the surviving twin takes responsibility for the figure. When a surviving twin marries, another figure is often sculpted in the opposite sex from the deceased twin, and placed with the original sculpture. Such commemorative sculptures are not created upon the death of those who are albinos, hermaphrodites, or pseudo-hermaphrodites. In recent years, transformational belief patterns have evolved as increasing numbers of Bamana and Maninka embrace Islam. Traditional beliefs are often given Islamic myths of origin. However, even in this Islamic context, many practices that assure twin survival are maintained.

Methyltestosterone efficiently induces male development in the self-fertilizing hermaphrodite fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus.

PubMed

Kanamori, Akira; Yamamura, Aki; Koshiba, Satoshi; Lee, Jae-Seong; Orlando, Edward F; Hori, Hiroshi

2006-10-01

A hermaphrodite fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, is the only known vertebrate that reproduces by self-fertilization. In nature, males have been rarely observed. Low-temperature treatment during late embryonic stages is known to induce males but its efficacy is variable. Here we report that 17alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) treatment of the embryos converted most of the fish to males. We examined a time course of this male induction with histological and marker gene expression analyses. Oogenesis started in the gonads of the control embryo at hatching; spermatogenesis did not start until two months after hatching. In the MT-treated fish, oogenesis started initially as in the control but stopped completely within one month after hatching. Instead, spermatogonial proliferation started earlier than in the control fish and progressed to full spermatogenesis. Expression profiles of the sex-specific marker genes corresponded well with histological observations. From one month after hatching, expression of an oocyte-specific marker, figalpha, and a testicular somatic cell marker, dmrt1, started to increase in the control and in the MT-treated fish, respectively. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sexual selection gradients change over time in a simultaneous hermaphrodite

PubMed Central

Hoffer, Jeroen NA; Mariën, Janine; Ellers, Jacintha; Koene, Joris M

2017-01-01

Sexual selection is generally predicted to act more strongly on males than on females. The Darwin-Bateman paradigm predicts that this should also hold for hermaphrodites. However, measuring this strength of selection is less straightforward when both sexual functions are performed throughout the organism’s lifetime. Besides, quantifications of sexual selection are usually done during a short time window, while many animals store sperm and are long-lived. To explore whether the chosen time frame affects estimated measures of sexual selection, we recorded mating success and reproductive success over time, using a simultaneous hermaphrodite. Our results show that male sexual selection gradients are consistently positive. However, an individual’s female mating success seems to negatively affect its own male reproductive success, an effect that only becomes visible several weeks into the experiment, highlighting that the time frame is crucial for the quantification and interpretation of sexual selection measures, an insight that applies to any iteroparous mating system. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25139.001 PMID:28613158

The protocadherin 11X/Y (PCDH11X/Y) gene pair as determinant of cerebral asymmetry in modern Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Priddle, Thomas H; Crow, Timothy J

2013-06-01

Annett's right-shift theory proposes that human cerebral dominance (the functional and anatomical asymmetry or torque along the antero-posterior axis) and handedness are determined by a single "right-shift" gene. Familial transmission of handedness and specific deviations of cerebral dominance in sex chromosome aneuploidies implicate a locus within an X-Y homologous region of the sex chromosomes. The Xq21.3/Yp11.2 human-specific region of homology includes the protocadherin 11X/Y (PCDH11X/Y) gene pair, which encode cell adhesion molecules subject to accelerated evolution following the separation of the human and chimpanzee lineages six million years ago. PCDH11X and PCDH11Y, differentially regulated by retinoic acid, are highly expressed in the ventricular zone, subplate, and cortical plate of the developing cerebral cortex. Both proteins interact with β-catenin, a protein that plays a role in determining axis formation and regulating cortical size. In this way, the PCDH11X/Y gene pair determines cerebral asymmetry by initiating the right shift in Homo sapiens. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

Neuro-Endocrine Control of Reproduction in Hermaphroditic Freshwater Snails: Mechanisms and Evolution

PubMed Central

Koene, Joris M.

2010-01-01

Invertebrates are used extensively as model species to investigate neuro-endocrine processes regulating behaviors, and many of these processes may be extrapolated to vertebrates. However, when it comes to reproductive processes, many of these model species differ notably in their mode of reproduction. A point in case are simultaneously hermaphroditic molluscs. In this review I aim to achieve two things. On the one hand, I provide a comprehensive overview of the neuro-endocrine control of male and female reproductive processes in freshwater snails. Even though the focus will necessarily be on Lymnaea stagnalis, since this is the best-studied species in this respect, extensions to other species are made wherever possible. On the other hand, I will place these findings in the actual context of the whole animal, after all these are simultaneous hermaphrodites. By considering the hermaphroditic situation, I uncover a numbers of possible links between the regulation of the two reproductive systems that are present within this animal, and suggest a few possible mechanisms via which this animal can effectively switch between the two sexual roles in the flexible way that it does. Evidently, this opens up a number of new research questions and areas that explicitly integrate knowledge about behavioral decisions (e.g., mating, insemination, egg laying) and sexual selection processes (e.g., mate choice, sperm allocation) with the actual underlying neuronal and endocrine mechanisms required for these processes to act and function effectively. PMID:21088700

Sensation in a single neuron pair represses male behavior in hermaphrodites

PubMed Central

White, Jamie Q.; Jorgensen, Erik M.

2012-01-01

Summary Pheromones elicit innate sex-specific mating behaviors in many species. We demonstrate that in C. elegans, male-specific sexual attraction behavior is programmed in both sexes but repressed in hermaphrodites. Repression requires a single sensory neuron pair, the ASIs. To represses attraction in adults, the ASIs must be present, active, and capable of sensing the environment during development. The ASIs release TGF-β, and ASI function can be bypassed by experimental activation of TGF-β signaling. Sexual attraction in de-repressed hermaphrodites requires the same sensory neurons as in males. The sexual identity of both these sensory neurons and a distinct subset of interneurons must be male to relieve repression and release attraction. TGF-β may therefore act to change connections between sensory- and interneurons during development to engage repression. Thus, sensation in a single sensory neuron pair during development reprograms a common neural circuit from male to female behavior. PMID:22920252

Ejaculates are not used as nuptial gifts in simultaneously hermaphroditic snails.

PubMed

Lodi, Monica; Meijer, Fedde W; Koene, Joris M

2017-08-01

Promoted by sexual selection, males usually adopt different ways to increase their fertilization chances. In many insect taxa males donate nuptial gifts, together with sperm, which represent a valuable additional nutrient source that females can use to provision eggs. This has also been suggested to occur in simultaneous hermaphrodites, organisms with both sex functions. In theory, donation of nuptial gifts or extra nutrients might work in hermaphrodites that mate unilaterally (one-way donation of ejaculates), but will not be effective when these organisms mate reciprocally (mutual exchange of ejaculates), since on average each partner would receive the amount it also transfers. Hence, for the latter the net amount gained would be zero, and when considering the non-trivial costs of metabolic conversion the energy balance of this exchange ends up negative. To test this prediction, we measured the material (dry weight) and resource (carbon and nitrogen content) investment into ejaculates of the unilaterally mating freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis and spermatophores of the reciprocally mating land snail Cornu aspersum. When compared to eggs, our measurements indicate that the investment is low for ejaculates and spermatophores, neither of which represent a significant contribution to egg production. Importantly, during reciprocal matings, couples exchanged similar amounts of material and resources, thus a gain of extra substances seems irrelevant. Hence, caution is needed when generalizing functions of male reproductive strategies across mating systems. Although digestion of ejaculates does not provide extra material and resources in simultaneous hermaphrodites, their absorption could still be important to eliminate an excess of received sperm and to select sperm via cryptic female choice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Eddy current X-Y scanner system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtz, G. W.

1983-01-01

The Nondestructive Evaluation Branch of the Materials and Processes Laboratory became aware of a need for a miniature, portable X-Y scanner capable of performing eddy current or other nondestructive testing scanning operations such as ultrasonic, or small areas of flat plate. The technical description and operational theory of the X-Y scanner system designed and built to fulfill this need are covered. The scanner was given limited testing and performs according to its design intent, which is to scan flat plate areas of approximately 412 sq cm (64 sq in) during each complete cycle of scanning.

De novo sequencing and comparative transcriptome analysis of the male and hermaphroditic flowers provide insights into the regulation of flower formation in andromonoecious taihangia rupestris.

PubMed

Li, Weiguo; Zhang, Lihui; Ding, Zhan; Wang, Guodong; Zhang, Yandi; Gong, Hongmei; Chang, Tianjun; Zhang, Yanwen

2017-02-28

Taihangia rupestris, an andromonoecious plant species, bears both male and hermaphroditic flowers within the same individual. However, the establishment and development of male and hermaphroditic flowers in andromonoecious Taihangia remain poorly understood, due to the limited genetic and sequence information. To investigate the potential molecular mechanism in the regulation of Taihangia flower formation, we used de novo RNA sequencing to compare the transcriptome profiles of male and hermaphroditic flowers at early and late developmental stages. Four cDNA libraries, including male floral bud, hermaphroditic floral bud, male flower, and hermaphroditic flower, were constructed and sequenced by using the Illumina RNA-Seq method. Totally, 84,596,426 qualified Illumina reads were obtained and then assembled into 59,064 unigenes, of which 24,753 unigenes were annotated in the NCBI non-redundant protein database. In addition, 12,214, 7,153, and 8,115 unigenes were assigned into 53 Gene Ontology (GO) functional groups, 25 Clusters of Orthologous Group (COG) categories, and 126 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, respectively. By pairwise comparison of unigene abundance between the samples, we identified 1,668 differential expressed genes (DEGs), including 176 transcription factors (TFs) between the male and hermaphroditic flowers. At the early developmental stage, we found 263 up-regulated genes and 436 down-regulated genes expressed in hermaphroditic floral buds, while 844 up-regulated genes and 314 down-regulated genes were detected in hermaphroditic flowers at the late developmental stage. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that a large number of DEGs were associated with a wide range of functions, including cell cycle, epigenetic processes, flower development, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid pathway. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was conducted to validate the DEGs identified in the present study. In this study, transcriptome

1. VIEW OF THE CONTROL ROOM FOR THE XY RETRIEVER. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. VIEW OF THE CONTROL ROOM FOR THE X-Y RETRIEVER. USING THE X-Y RETRIEVER, OPERATORS RETRIEVED PLUTONIUM METAL FROM THE PLUTONIUM STORAGE VAULTS (IN MODULE K) AND CONVEYED IT TO THE X-Y SHUTTLE AREA WHERE IT WAS CUT AND WEIGHED. FROM THE SHUTTLE AREA THE PLUTONIUM WAS CONVEYED TO MODULES A, J OR K FOR CASTING, OR MODULE B FOR ROLLING AND FORMING. (5/17/71) - Rocky Flats Plant, Plutonium Manufacturing Facility, North-central section of Plant, just south of Building 776/777, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

[Clinicopathological characterization of true hermaphroditism complicated with seminoma and review of the literature].

PubMed

Hua, Xing; Liu, Shao-Jie; Lu, Lin; Li, Chao-Xia; Yu, Li-Na

2012-08-01

To study the clinicopathological characteristics and diagnosis of true hermaphroditism complicated with seminoma. We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of a case of true hermaphroditism complicated with seminoma and reviewed the related literature. The patient was a 42-year-old male, admitted for bilateral lower back pain and discomfort. CT showed a huge mass in the lower middle abdomen. Gross pathological examination revealed a mass of uterine tissue, 7 cm x 2 cm x 6 cm in size, with bilateral oviducts and ovarian tissue. There was a cryptorchidism (4.0 cm x 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm) on the left and a huge tumor (22 cm x9 cm x6 cm) on the right of the uterine tissue. The tumor was completely encapsulated, with some testicular tissue. Microscopically, the tumor tissue was arranged in nests or sheets divided and surrounded by fibrous tissue. The tumor cells were large, with abundant and transparent cytoplasm, deeply stained nuclei, coarse granular chromatins, visible mitosis, and infiltration of a small number of lymphocytes in the stroma. The karyotype was 46, XX. Immunohistochemistry showed that PLAP and CD117 were positive, while the AFP, Vimentin, EMA, S100, CK-LMW, Desmin, CD34 and CD30 were negative, and Ki-67 was 20% positive. A small amount of residual normal testicular tissue was seen in the tumor tissue. True hermaphroditism complicated with seminoma is rare. Histopathological analysis combined with immunohistochemical detection is of great value for its diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Experimental Insights into Ground-State Selection of Quantum XY Pyrochlores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallas, Alannah M.; Gaudet, Jonathan; Gaulin, Bruce D.

2018-03-01

Extensive experimental investigations of the magnetic structures and excitations in the XY pyrochlores have been carried out over the past decade. Three families of XY pyrochlores have emerged: Yb2B2O7, Er2B2O7, and, most recently, [Formula: see text]Co2F7. In each case, the magnetic cation (either Yb, Er, or Co) exhibits XY anisotropy within the local pyrochlore coordinates, a consequence of crystal field effects. Materials in these families display rich phase behavior and are candidates for exotic ground states, such as quantum spin ice, and exotic ground-state selection via order-by-disorder mechanisms. In this review, we present an experimental summary of the ground-state properties of the XY pyrochlores, including evidence that they are strongly influenced by phase competition. We empirically demonstrate the signatures for phase competition in a frustrated magnet: multiple heat capacity anomalies, suppressed TN or TC, sample- and pressure-dependent ground states, and unconventional spin dynamics.

A Simple X-Y Scanner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halse, M. R.; Hudson, W. J.

1986-01-01

Describes an X-Y scanner used to create acoustic holograms. Scanner is computer controlled and can be adapted to digitize pictures. Scanner geometry is discussed. An appendix gives equipment details. The control program in ATOM BASIC and 6502 machine code is available from the authors. (JM)

[Monsters of Phlegon--hermaphrodites, sex-changers and other strange beings in Phlegon's marvellous stories].

PubMed

Pataricza, Dóra

2010-01-01

The 1st-2nd century greek writer, Phlegon was a representative of the genre "paradoxography". In his book entitled Peri thaumasion (Book of wonders) he collected 35 extraordinary stories among which he described hermaphrodites, sex-changers and strange births. Phlegon's stories are only a part of the more than 79 ancient writings from Greek and Roman literature that describe children born with congenital defects. The article discusses the aspects of hermaphroditism in ancient times as well as ancient teratology. These stories might have had a core of truth. Although it is extremely difficult to identify a single potential cause for it, already ancient writers tried to give an explanation. With the help of modern teratology sciences many teratogenous causes can be partly identified. A part of the most probable factors among these were the same as today: malnutrition, viruses, alcohol, vitamin deficiencies etc., but lead poisoning has also be taken into account as a principal cause.

Origin and domestication of papaya Yh chromosome.

PubMed

VanBuren, Robert; Zeng, Fanchang; Chen, Cuixia; Zhang, Jisen; Wai, Ching Man; Han, Jennifer; Aryal, Rishi; Gschwend, Andrea R; Wang, Jianping; Na, Jong-Kuk; Huang, Lixian; Zhang, Lingmao; Miao, Wenjing; Gou, Jiqing; Arro, Jie; Guyot, Romain; Moore, Richard C; Wang, Ming-Li; Zee, Francis; Charlesworth, Deborah; Moore, Paul H; Yu, Qingyi; Ming, Ray

2015-04-01

Sex in papaya is controlled by a pair of nascent sex chromosomes. Females are XX, and two slightly different Y chromosomes distinguish males (XY) and hermaphrodites (XY(h)). The hermaphrodite-specific region of the Y(h) chromosome (HSY) and its X chromosome counterpart were sequenced and analyzed previously. We now report the sequence of the entire male-specific region of the Y (MSY). We used a BAC-by-BAC approach to sequence the MSY and resequence the Y regions of 24 wild males and the Y(h) regions of 12 cultivated hermaphrodites. The MSY and HSY regions have highly similar gene content and structure, and only 0.4% sequence divergence. The MSY sequences from wild males include three distinct haplotypes, associated with the populations' geographic locations, but gene flow is detected for other genomic regions. The Y(h) sequence is highly similar to one Y haplotype (MSY3) found only in wild dioecious populations from the north Pacific region of Costa Rica. The low MSY3-Y(h) divergence supports the hypothesis that hermaphrodite papaya is a product of human domestication. We estimate that Y(h) arose only ∼ 4000 yr ago, well after crop plant domestication in Mesoamerica >6200 yr ago but coinciding with the rise of the Maya civilization. The Y(h) chromosome has lower nucleotide diversity than the Y, or the genome regions that are not fully sex-linked, consistent with a domestication bottleneck. The identification of the ancestral MSY3 haplotype will expedite investigation of the mutation leading to the domestication of the hermaphrodite Y(h) chromosome. In turn, this mutation should identify the gene that was affected by the carpel-suppressing mutation that was involved in the evolution of males. © 2015 VanBuren et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Boltzmann sampling for an XY model using a non-degenerate optical parametric oscillator network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Y.; Tamate, S.; Yamamoto, Y.; Takesue, H.; Inagaki, T.; Utsunomiya, S.

2018-01-01

We present an experimental scheme of implementing multiple spins in a classical XY model using a non-degenerate optical parametric oscillator (NOPO) network. We built an NOPO network to simulate a one-dimensional XY Hamiltonian with 5000 spins and externally controllable effective temperatures. The XY spin variables in our scheme are mapped onto the phases of multiple NOPO pulses in a single ring cavity and interactions between XY spins are implemented by mutual injections between NOPOs. We show the steady-state distribution of optical phases of such NOPO pulses is equivalent to the Boltzmann distribution of the corresponding XY model. Estimated effective temperatures converged to the setting values, and the estimated temperatures and the mean energy exhibited good agreement with the numerical simulations of the Langevin dynamics of NOPO phases.

Bigger testes increase paternity in a simultaneous hermaphrodite, independently of the sperm competition level.

PubMed

Vellnow, N; Marie-Orleach, L; Zadesenets, K S; Schärer, L

2018-02-01

Hermaphroditic animals face the fundamental evolutionary optimization problem of allocating their resources to their male vs. female reproductive function (e.g. testes and sperm vs. ovaries and eggs), and this optimal sex allocation can be affected by both pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection. For example, local sperm competition (LSC) - the competition between related sperm for the fertilization of a partner's ova - occurs in small mating groups and can favour a female-biased sex allocation, because, under LSC, investment into sperm production is predicted to show diminishing fitness returns. Here, we test whether higher testis investment increases an individual's paternity success under sperm competition, and whether the strength of this effect diminishes when LSC is stronger, as predicted by sex allocation theory. We created two subsets of individuals of the simultaneously hermaphroditic flatworm Macrostomum lignano - by sampling worms from either the highest or lowest quartile of the testis investment distribution - and estimated their paternity success in group sizes of either three (strong LSC) or eight individuals (weak LSC). Specifically, using transgenic focal individuals expressing a dominant green-fluorescent protein marker, we showed that worms with high testis investment sired 22% more offspring relative to those with low investment, corroborating previous findings in M. lignano and other species. However, the strength of this effect was not significantly modulated by the experienced group size, contrasting theoretical expectations of more strongly diminishing fitness returns under strong LSC. We discuss the possible implications for the evolutionary maintenance of hermaphroditism in M. lignano. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Redescription and biology of Diopatra neapolitana (Annelida: Onuphidae), a protandric hermaphrodite with external spermaducal papillae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arias, Andrés; Paxton, Hannelore; Budaeva, Nataliya

2016-06-01

A one-year study of the reproductive biology of a population of Diopatra neapolitana at Villaviciosa estuary, northern Spain, was undertaken. Field observations together with a histological study of monthly collected individuals revealed that the population was iteroparous, had a discontinuous reproductive season with a resting period during August and September and a spawning season from March to July. The study showed that D. neapolitana was not dioecious as previously suggested but consisted of protandric sequential hermaphrodites, pure males and pure females with a male biased sex ratio of 3:1. During the peak reproductive period from May to August we observed simultaneous hermaphrodites with two dorsal papillae per segment in the branchial region. Histological studies demonstrated that the papillae were acting as seminal vesicles, storing own sperm, and also as sperm ducts, providing an exit route; hence we termed them 'spermaducal papillae'. The papillae are not the only sperm repositories as the coelom of males and simultaneous hermaphrodites in smaller size classes is also filled with sperm. The worms are broadcast spawners with a brief pelagic larval stage as previously reported but the finer points of this unusual fertilisation system need still to be elaborated. Diopatra cryptornata was recently described as a new species, supposedly differing from D. neapolitana in chaetal detail and the possession of the papillae. We have shown conclusively with morphological and genetical studies that the former species is a junior synonym of the latter. In the absence of type material we are here designating a neotype from recently collected material from Naples.

Mechanism of self-sterility in a hermaphroditic chordate.

PubMed

Harada, Yoshito; Takagaki, Yuhei; Sunagawa, Masahiko; Saito, Takako; Yamada, Lixy; Taniguchi, Hisaaki; Shoguchi, Eiichi; Sawada, Hitoshi

2008-04-25

Hermaphroditic organisms avoid inbreeding by a system of self-incompatibility (SI). A primitive chordate (ascidian) Ciona intestinalis is an example of such an organism, but the molecular mechanism underlying its SI system is not known. Here, we show that the SI system is governed by two gene loci that act cooperatively. Each locus contains a tightly linked pair of polycystin 1-related receptor (s-Themis) and fibrinogen-like ligand (v-Themis) genes, the latter of which is located in the first intron of s-Themis but transcribed in the opposite direction. These genes may encode male- and female-side self-recognition molecules. The SI system of C. intestinalis has a similar framework to that of flowering plants but utilizing different molecules.

Incidence, Prevalence, Diagnostic Delay, and Clinical Presentation of Female 46,XY Disorders of Sex Development.

PubMed

Berglund, Agnethe; Johannsen, Trine H; Stochholm, Kirstine; Viuff, Mette H; Fedder, Jens; Main, Katharina M; Gravholt, Claus H

2016-12-01

The prevalence of phenotypic females with a 46,XY karyotype is low, thus current knowledge about age and clinical presentation at diagnosis is sparse even for the most frequent conditions, androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS), and gonadal dysgenesis. To estimate incidence, prevalence, age at diagnosis, and clinical presentation at diagnosis in 46,XY females. A nationwide study covering all known females with a 46,XY karyotype in Denmark since 1960. The diagnosis of 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) was determined by medical record evaluation, data from the Danish National Patient Registry, and genetic testing, if available. A total of 166 females registered as 46,XY females in the Danish Cytogenetic Central Registry were identified. A total of 124 females were classified as having 46,XY DSD, 78 with AIS and 25 with gonadal dysgenesis, whereas the remaining subjects had a variety of different diagnoses. The prevalence of 46,XY females was 6.4 per 100 000 live born females, and for AIS and gonadal dysgenesis, it was 4.1 and 1.5 per 100 000, respectively. Median age at diagnosis was 7.5 years (95% confidence interval, 4.0-13.5; range, 0-34 y) in AIS and 17.0 years (95% confidence interval, 15.5-19.0; range, 0-28 y) in gonadal dysgenesis (P = .001). Clinical presentation was dependent on cause of DSD. The first estimate on prevalence of 46,XY females is 6.4 per 100 000 live born females. The presentation of AIS and gonadal dysgenesis is distinctly different, with AIS being diagnosed during childhood and gonadal dysgenesis during pubertal years. The presenting phenotype is dependent on the cause of 46,XY DSD.

MoXy fiber with active cooling cap for bovine prostate vaporization with high power 200W 532 nm laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Steven Y.; Kang, Hyun Wook; Pirzadeh, Homa; Stinson, Douglas

2011-03-01

A novel MoXyTM fiber delivery device with Active Cooling Cap (ACCTM) is designed to transmit up to 180W of 532 nm laser light to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Under such high power tissue ablation, effective cooling is key to maintaining fiber power transmission and ensuring the reliability of the fiber delivery device To handle high power and reduce fiber degradation, the MoXy fiber features a larger core size (750 micrometer) and an internal fluid channel to ensure better cooling of the fiber tip to prevent the cap from burning, detaching, or shattering during the BPH treatment. The internal cooling channel was created with a metal cap and tubing that surrounds the optical fiber. In this study MoXy fibers were used to investigate the effect of power levels of 120 and 200 W on in-vitro bovine prostate ablation using a 532 nm XPSTM laser system. For procedures requiring more than 100 kJ, the MoXy fiber at 200W removed tissue at twice the rate of the current HPS fiber at 120W. The fiber maintained a constant tissue vaporization rate during the entire tissue ablation process. The coagulation at 200W was about 20% thicker than at 120W. In conclusion, the new fibers at 200W doubled the tissue removal rate, maintained vaporization efficiency throughout delivery of 400kJ energy, and induced similar coagulation to the existing HPS fiber at 120W.

FGFR2 mutation in 46,XY sex reversal with craniosynostosis

PubMed Central

Bagheri-Fam, Stefan; Ono, Makoto; Li, Li; Zhao, Liang; Ryan, Janelle; Lai, Raymond; Katsura, Yukako; Rossello, Fernando J.; Koopman, Peter; Scherer, Gerd; Bartsch, Oliver; Eswarakumar, Jacob V.P.; Harley, Vincent R.

2015-01-01

Patients with 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (GD) exhibit genital anomalies, which range from hypospadias to complete male-to-female sex reversal. However, a molecular diagnosis is made in only 30% of cases. Heterozygous mutations in the human FGFR2 gene cause various craniosynostosis syndromes including Crouzon and Pfeiffer, but testicular defects were not reported. Here, we describe a patient whose features we would suggest represent a new FGFR2-related syndrome, craniosynostosis with XY male-to-female sex reversal or CSR. The craniosynostosis patient was chromosomally XY, but presented as a phenotypic female due to complete GD. DNA sequencing identified the FGFR2c heterozygous missense mutation, c.1025G>C (p.Cys342Ser). Substitution of Cys342 by Ser or other amino acids (Arg/Phe/Try/Tyr) has been previously reported in Crouzon and Pfeiffer syndrome. We show that the ‘knock-in’ Crouzon mouse model Fgfr2cC342Y/C342Y carrying a Cys342Tyr substitution displays XY gonadal sex reversal with variable expressivity. We also show that despite FGFR2c-Cys342Tyr being widely considered a gain-of-function mutation, Cys342Tyr substitution in the gonad leads to loss of function, as demonstrated by sex reversal in Fgfr2cC342Y/− mice carrying the knock-in allele on a null background. The rarity of our patient suggests the influence of modifier genes which exacerbated the testicular phenotype. Indeed, patient whole exome analysis revealed several potential modifiers expressed in Sertoli cells at the time of testis determination in mice. In summary, this study identifies the first FGFR2 mutation in a 46,XY GD patient. We conclude that, in certain rare genetic contexts, maintaining normal levels of FGFR2 signaling is important for human testis determination. PMID:26362256

seXY: a tool for sex inference from genotype arrays.

PubMed

Qian, David C; Busam, Jonathan A; Xiao, Xiangjun; O'Mara, Tracy A; Eeles, Rosalind A; Schumacher, Frederick R; Phelan, Catherine M; Amos, Christopher I

2017-02-15

Checking concordance between reported sex and genotype-inferred sex is a crucial quality control measure in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, limited insights exist regarding the true accuracy of software that infer sex from genotype array data. We present seXY, a logistic regression model trained on both X chromosome heterozygosity and Y chromosome missingness, that consistently demonstrated >99.5% sex inference accuracy in cross-validation for 889 males and 5,361 females enrolled in prostate cancer and ovarian cancer GWAS. Compared to PLINK, one of the most popular tools for sex inference in GWAS that assesses only X chromosome heterozygosity, seXY achieved marginally better male classification and 3% more accurate female classification. https://github.com/Christopher-Amos-Lab/seXY. Christopher.I.Amos@dartmouth.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Randomly diluted xy and resistor networks near the percolation threshold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, A. B.; Lubensky, T. C.

1987-05-01

A formulation based on that of Stephen for randomly diluted systems near the percolation threshold is analyzed in detail. By careful consideration of various limiting procedures, a treatment of xy spin models and resistor networks is given which shows that previous calculations (which indicate that these systems having continuous symmetry have the same crossover exponents as the Ising model) are in error. By studying the limit wherein the energy gap goes to zero, we exhibit the mathematical mechanism which leads to qualitatively different results for xy-like as contrasted to Ising-like systems. A distinctive feature of the results is that there is an infinite sequence of crossover exponents needed to completely describe the probability distribution for R(x,x'), the resistance between sites x and x'. Because of the difference in symmetry between the xy model and the resistor network, the former has an infinite sequence of crossover exponents in addition to those of the resistor network. The first crossover exponent φ1=1+ɛ/42 governs the scaling behavior of R(x,x') with ||x-x'||≡r: [R(x,x')]c~xφ1/ν, where [ ]c indicates a conditional average, subject to x and x' being in the same cluster, ν is the correlation length exponent for percolation, and ɛ=6-d, where d is the spatial dimensionality. We give a detailed analysis of the scaling properties of the bulk conductivity and the anomalous diffusion constant introduced by Gefen et al. Our results show conclusively that the Alexander-Orbach conjecture, while numerically quite accurate, is not exact, at least in high spatial dimension. We also evaluate various amplitude ratios associated with susceptibilities, χn involving the nth power of the resistance R(x,x'), e.g., &χ2χ0/χ21=2[1+(19ɛ/420)]. In an appendix we outline how the calculation can be extended to treat the diluted m-component spin model for m>2. As expected, the results for φ1 remain valid for m>2. The techniques described here have led to several

High-precision control of LSRM based X-Y table for industrial applications.

PubMed

Pan, J F; Cheung, Norbert C; Zou, Yu

2013-01-01

The design of an X-Y table applying direct-drive linear switched reluctance motor (LSRM) principle is proposed in this paper. The proposed X-Y table has the characteristics of low cost, simple and stable mechanical structure. After the design procedure is introduced, an adaptive position control method based on online parameter identification and pole-placement regulation scheme is developed for the X-Y table. Experimental results prove the feasibility and its priority over a traditional PID controller with better dynamic response, static performance and robustness to disturbances. It is expected that the novel two-dimensional direct-drive system find its applications in high-precision manufacture area. Copyright © 2012 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender identity and gender of rearing in 46 XY disorders of sexual development

PubMed Central

Gangaher, Arushi; Chauhan, Vasundhera; Jyotsna, Viveka P.; Mehta, Manju

2016-01-01

Background: Disorders of sexual development (DSD) may pose a challenge to live as a fully-functioning male or female. In this study, we prospectively assessed eleven 46 XY DSD patients who were being treated at our center over the last 8 months for gender dysphoria. Materials and Methods: To determine gender dysphoria, age-appropriate gender identity (GI) questionnaires were used. For patients, 12 years and below, parent report GI questionnaire for children was used and for those above 12 years of age, GI/gender dysphoria questionnaire for adolescents and adults was administered. Results: Of 11 patients with 46 XY DSD, three were diagnosed with 5 alpha reductase deficiency (5aRD), two with partial gonadal dysgenesis, three with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome, one each with ovotesticular, complete gonadal dysgenesis, and complete androgen insensitivity. Gender assigned at birth was female in eight and male in three patients. Among the eight reared as female, gender had been reassigned as male in three patients well before the present study was conducted. None of the eleven patients had gender dysphoria at the time of this study. Conclusion: Early gender of rearing was seen to be a critical indicator of present GI in our patients except in cases of 5aRD. PMID:27366722

Evidence for costs of mating and self-fertilization in a simultaneous hermaphrodite with hypodermic insemination, the Opisthobranch Alderia willowi.

PubMed

Smolensky, Nicole; Romero, Melissa R; Krug, Patrick J

2009-04-01

Simultaneous hermaphrodites offer the chance to study antagonistic coevolution between the sexes when individuals function in both roles. Traumatic mating by hypodermic insemination has repeatedly evolved in hermaphroditic taxa, but evidence for the fitness costs of such male-advantage traits is lacking. When reared in isolation, specimens of the sea slug Alderia willowi (Opisthobranchia: Sacoglossa) initially laid clutches of unfertilized eggs but 4 days later began self-fertilizing; this is only the third report of selfing in an opisthobranch. Hypodermic insemination may allow selfing in Alderia if penetration of the body wall bypasses internal mechanisms that promote outcrossing. Selfing specimens and slugs reared in pairs had reduced fecundity compared to isolated slugs laying unfertilized clutches, suggesting that hypodermic insemination imposes a cost of mating. Egg production increased for field-caught slugs separated after mating compared to slugs held in pairs, a further indication that accessibility to mates imposes a fitness cost to the female function. Such antagonism can confer a competitive advantage to slugs mating in the male role but diminish reproduction in the female role among hermaphrodites capable of long-term sperm storage. Alderia willowi is also a rare case of poecilogony, with adults producing either planktotrophic or lecithotrophic larvae. Our rearing studies revealed that most slugs switched between expressed development modes at some point; such reproductive flexibility within individuals is unprecedented, even among poecilogonous species.

Increased HDL cholesterol levels in mice with XX versus XY sex chromosomes

PubMed Central

Link, Jenny C.; Chen, Xuqi; Prien, Christopher; Borja, Mark S.; Hammerson, Bradley; Oda, Michael N.; Arnold, Arthur P.; Reue, Karen

2015-01-01

Objective The molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in dyslipidemia are poorly understood. We aimed to distinguish genetic and hormonal regulators of sex differences in plasma lipid levels. Approach and Results We assessed the role of gonadal hormones and sex chromosome complement on lipid levels using the Four Core Genotypes mouse model (XX females, XX males, XY females, and XY males). In gonadally intact mice fed a chow diet, lipid levels were influenced by both male–female gonadal sex and XX–XY chromosome complement. Gonadectomy of adult mice revealed that the male–female differences are dependent on acute effects of gonadal hormones. In both intact and gonadectomized animals, XX mice had higher HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels than XY mice, regardless of male–female sex. Feeding a cholesterol-enriched diet produced distinct patterns of sex differences in lipid levels compared to a chow diet, revealing the interaction of gonadal and chromosomal sex with diet. Notably, under all dietary and gonadal conditions, HDL-C levels were higher in mice with two X chromosomes compared to mice with an X and Y chromosome. By generating mice with XX, XY and XXY chromosome complements, we determined that the presence of two X chromosomes, and not the absence of the Y chromosome, influences HDL-C concentration. Conclusions We demonstrate that having two X chromosomes versus an X and Y chromosome complement drives sex differences in HDL-C. It is conceivable that increased expression of genes escaping X-inactivation in XX mice regulates downstream processes to establish sexual dimorphism in plasma lipid levels. PMID:26112012

Morbidity, Mortality, and Socioeconomics in Females With 46,XY Disorders of Sex Development: A Nationwide Study.

PubMed

Berglund, Agnethe; Johannsen, Trine H; Stochholm, Kirstine; Viuff, Mette H; Fedder, Jens; Main, Katharina M; Gravholt, Claus H

2018-04-01

Little is known about long-term health outcomes in phenotypic females with 46,XY disorders of sex development (XY females), and the socioeconomic profile has not been described in detail. To describe morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic status in XY females in a comparison to the general population. Nationwide registry study with complete follow-up. Uniform public health care system. A total of 123 XY females karyotyped in Denmark during 1960 to 2012 and a randomly selected age-matched control cohort of 12,300 females and 12,300 males from the general population. Overall mortality and morbidity as well as cause-specific morbidity; medicine use and socioeconomics (education, income, cohabitation, motherhood, and retirement). Compared with female controls, overall morbidity was increased in XY females [hazard ratio (HR), 1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.43 to 2.08] but not when excluding diagnoses associated with the specific disorder of sex development (DSD) diagnosis or pregnancy and birth (HR, 1.13; CI, 0.93 to 1.37). Mortality was similar to controls (HR, 0.79; CI, 0.35 to 1.77). Cohabitation (HR, 0.44; CI, 0.33 to 0.58) and motherhood (HR, 0.10; CI, 0.05 to 0.18) were reduced in XY females but education (HR, 0.92; CI, 0.61 to 1.37) was similar to controls. Income was higher than among controls in the older years. Morbidity was not increased in XY females when excluding diagnoses associated to the DSD condition per se. Judged on education and income, XY females perform well in the labor market. However, DSD seems to impact on the prospects of family life.

Graphical Representation of Complex Solutions of the Quadratic Equation in the "xy" Plane

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Todd

2006-01-01

This paper presents a visual representation of complex solutions of quadratic equations in the xy plane. Rather than moving to the complex plane, students are able to experience a geometric interpretation of the solutions in the xy plane. I am also working on these types of representations with higher order polynomials with some success.

Sexually Antagonistic Male Signals Manipulate Germline and Soma of C. elegans Hermaphrodites.

PubMed

Aprison, Erin Z; Ruvinsky, Ilya

2016-10-24

Males and females pursue different reproductive strategies, which often bring them into conflict-many traits exist that benefit one sex at a cost to another [1]. Decreased female survival following mating dramatically demonstrates one aspect of this phenomenon [2-5]. Particularly intriguing is the evidence that secreted compounds can shorten lifespan of members of the opposite sex in Drosophila [6] and Caenorhabditid nematodes [7] even without copulation taking place. The purpose of such signals is not clear, however. While it is possible that they could limit subsequent mating with competitors or hasten post-reproductive demise, thus decreasing competition for resources, they are also likely to harm unmated individuals. Why would a system exist that reduces the vigor of potential mates prior to mating? Addressing this question could provide insights into mechanisms and evolution of sexual conflict and reveal sensory inputs that regulate aging. Here, we describe two distinct ways in which Caenorhabditis elegans males cause faster somatic aging of hermaphrodites but also manipulate different aspects of their reproductive physiology. The first, mediated by conserved ascaroside pheromones, delays the loss of germline progenitor cells. The second accelerates development, resulting in faster sexual maturation. These signals promote male reproductive strategy and the effects harmful to hermaphrodites appear to be collateral damage rather than the goal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimentally evolved and phenotypically plastic responses to enforced monogamy in a hermaphroditic flatworm.

PubMed

Janicke, T; Sandner, P; Ramm, S A; Vizoso, D B; Schärer, L

2016-09-01

Sexual selection is considered a potent evolutionary force in all sexually reproducing organisms, but direct tests in terms of experimental evolution of sexual traits are still lacking for simultaneously hermaphroditic animals. Here, we tested how evolution under enforced monogamy affected a suite of reproductive traits (including testis area, sex allocation, genital morphology, sperm morphology and mating behaviour) in the outcrossing hermaphroditic flatworm Macrostomum lignano, using an assay that also allowed the assessment of phenotypically plastic responses to group size. The experiment comprised 32 independent selection lines that evolved under either monogamy or polygamy for 20 generations. While we did not observe an evolutionary shift in sex allocation, we detected effects of the selection regime for two male morphological traits. Specifically, worms evolving under enforced monogamy had a distinct shape of the male copulatory organ and produced sperm with shorter appendages. Many traits that did not evolve under enforced monogamy showed phenotypic plasticity in response to group size. Notably, individuals that grew up in larger groups had a more male-biased sex allocation and produced slightly longer sperm than individuals raised in pairs. We conclude that, in this flatworm, enforced monogamy induced moderate evolutionary but substantial phenotypically plastic responses. © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Phase diagram and quench dynamics of the cluster-XY spin chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montes, Sebastián; Hamma, Alioscia

2012-08-01

We study the complete phase space and the quench dynamics of an exactly solvable spin chain, the cluster-XY model. In this chain, the cluster term and the XY couplings compete to give a rich phase diagram. The phase diagram is studied by means of the quantum geometric tensor. We study the time evolution of the system after a critical quantum quench using the Loschmidt echo. The structure of the revivals after critical quantum quenches presents a nontrivial behavior depending on the phase of the initial state and the critical point.

Phase diagram and quench dynamics of the cluster-XY spin chain.

PubMed

Montes, Sebastián; Hamma, Alioscia

2012-08-01

We study the complete phase space and the quench dynamics of an exactly solvable spin chain, the cluster-XY model. In this chain, the cluster term and the XY couplings compete to give a rich phase diagram. The phase diagram is studied by means of the quantum geometric tensor. We study the time evolution of the system after a critical quantum quench using the Loschmidt echo. The structure of the revivals after critical quantum quenches presents a nontrivial behavior depending on the phase of the initial state and the critical point.

XY females do better than the XX in the African pygmy mouse, Mus minutoides.

PubMed

Saunders, Paul A; Perez, Julie; Rahmoun, Massilva; Ronce, Ophélie; Crochet, Pierre-André; Veyrunes, Frédéric

2014-07-01

All therian mammals have a similar XY/XX sex-determination system except for a dozen species. The African pygmy mouse, Mus minutoides, harbors an unconventional system in which all males are XY, and there are three types of females: the usual XX but also XX* and X*Y ones (the asterisk designates a sex-reversal mutation on the X chromosome). The long-term evolution of such a system is a paradox, because X*Y females are expected to face high reproductive costs (e.g., meiotic disruption and loss of unviable YY embryos), which should prevent invasion and maintenance of a sex-reversal mutation. Hence, mechanisms for compensating for the costs could have evolved in M. minutoides. Data gathered from our laboratory colony revealed that X*Y females do compensate and even show enhanced reproductive performance in comparison to the XX and XX*; they produce significantly more offspring due to (i) a higher probability of breeding, (ii) an earlier first litter, and (iii) a larger litter size, linked to (iv) a greater ovulation rate. These findings confirm that rare conditions are needed for an atypical sex-determination mechanism to evolve in mammals, and provide valuable insight into understanding modifications of systems with highly heteromorphic sex chromosomes. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Linkage mapping and molecular diversity at the flower sex locus in wild and cultivated grapevine reveal a prominent SSR haplotype in hermaphrodite plants.

PubMed

Battilana, Juri; Lorenzi, Silvia; Moreira, Flavia M; Moreno-Sanz, Paula; Failla, Osvaldo; Emanuelli, Francesco; Grando, M Stella

2013-07-01

Cultivars used for wine and table grape have self-fertile hermaphrodite flowers whereas wild European vines and American and Asian species are dioecious, having either male or female flowers. Consistent with previous studies, the flower sex trait was mapped as a single major locus on chromosome 2 based on a pure Vitis vinifera population segregating for hermaphrodite and female progeny, and a hybrid population producing all three flower sex types. The sex locus was placed between the same SSR and SNP markers on both genetic maps, although abnormal segregation hampered to fine map the genomic region. From a total of 55 possible haplotypes inferred for three SSR markers around the sex locus, in a population of 132 V. sylvestris accessions and 171 V. vinifera cultivars, one of them accounted for 66 % of the hermaphrodite individuals and may be the result of domestication. Specific size variants of the VVIB23 microsatellite sequence within the 3'-UTR of a putative YABBY1 gene were found to be statistically significantly associated with the sex alleles M, H and f; these markers can provide assistance in defining the status of wild grapevine germplasm.

Effects of increasing temperature due to aquatic climate change on the self-fertility and the sexual development of the hermaphrodite fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus.

PubMed

Park, Chang-Beom; Kim, Young Jun; Soyano, Kiyoshi

2017-01-01

In order to assess the effects of increasing temperature on the reproductive performance of fish, different thermal conditions (i.e., 25.0, 26.5, 27.5, 28.5, 30.0 °C) were used in this study and the self-fertilizing hermaphrodite fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, was exposed to these different thermal conditions. During an exposure period of 30 to 150 days, the gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonadal development, the levels of plasma 17β-estradial (E2) and testosterone (T), hepatic vitellogenin (VTG) mRNA abundance, and the number of self-fertilized eggs were analyzed. This study confirmed that a high water temperature above 27.5 °C led to the suppression of self-fertility of hermaphroditic fish from 30 days after exposure. The oocyte quality and maturation would be affected by the disruption of hepatic VTG synthesis at a high water temperature of 30 °C, which resulted in the reduced the self-fertility in K. marmoratus. Consequently, this study suggests that elevated water temperature due to aquatic climate change prior to sexual maturation and the onset of spawning can lead to the reproductive dysfunction of hermaphroditic K. marmoratus.

Sexual dimorphic expression of dnd in germ cells during sex reversal and its requirement for primordial germ cell survival in protogynous hermaphroditic grouper.

PubMed

Sun, Zhi-Hui; Zhou, Li; Li, Zhi; Liu, Xiao-Chun; Li, Shui-Sheng; Wang, Yang; Gui, Jian-Fang

2017-06-01

Dead end (dnd), vertebrate-specific germ cell marker, had been demonstrated to be essential for primordial germ cell (PGC) migration and survival, and the link between PGC number and sex change had been revealed in some teleost species, but little is known about dnd in hermaphroditic vertebrates. In the present study, a protogynous hermaphroditic orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) dnd homologue (Ecdnd) was identified and characterized. Quantitative real-time PCR and in situ hybridization analysis revealed a dynamic and sexually dimorphic expression pattern in PGCs and germ cells of gonads. During sex changing, the Ecdnd transcript sharply increased in early transitional gonad, reached the highest level at late transitional gonad stage, and decreased after testis maturation. Visualization of zebrafish PGCs by injecting with RFP-Ecdnd-3'UTR RNA and GFP-zfnanos3-3'UTR RNA confirmed importance of Ecdnd 3'UTR for the PGC distribution. In addition, knockdown of EcDnd by using antisense morpholinos (MO) caused the ablation of PGCs in orange-spotted grouper. Therefore, the current data indicate that Ecdnd is essential for PGCs survival and may serve as a useful germ cell marker during gametogenesis in hermaphroditic grouper. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AmgRS-mediated envelope stress-inducible expression of the mexXY multidrug efflux operon of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PubMed Central

Lau, Calvin Ho-Fung; Krahn, Thomas; Gilmour, Christie; Mullen, Erin; Poole, Keith

2015-01-01

AmgRS is an envelope stress-responsive two-component system and aminoglycoside resistance determinant in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that is proposed to protect cells from membrane damage caused by aminoglycoside-generated mistranslated polypeptides. Consistent with this, a ΔamgR strain showed increased aminoglycoside-promoted membrane damage, damage that was largely absent in AmgRS-activated amgS-mutant strains. Intriguingly, one such mutation, V121G, while providing for enhanced resistance to aminoglycosides, rendered P. aeruginosa susceptible to several ribosome-targeting nonaminoglycoside antimicrobials that are inducers and presumed substrates of the MexXY-OprM multidrug efflux system. Surprisingly, the amgSV121G mutation increased mexXY expression threefold, suggesting that export of these nonaminoglycosides was compromised in the amgSV121G mutant. Nonetheless, a link was established between AmgRS activation and mexXY expression and this was confirmed in studies showing that aminoglycoside-promoted mexXY expression is dependent on AmgRS. While nonaminoglycosides also induced mexXY expression, this was not AmgRS-dependent, consistent with these agents not generating mistranslated polypeptides and not activating AmgRS. The aminoglycoside inducibility of mexXY was abrogated in a mutant lacking the AmgRS target genes htpX and PA5528, encoding a presumed cytoplasmic membrane-associated protease and a membrane protein of unknown function, respectively. Thus, aminoglycoside induction of mexXY is a response to membrane damage and activation of the AmgRS two-component system. PMID:25450797

Nematode Tango Milonguero - the C. elegans male's search for the hermaphrodite vulva.

PubMed

Sherlekar, Amrita L; Lints, Robyn

2014-09-01

The vulva search corresponds to the first step of mating in Caenorhabditis elegans wherein the male recognizes a potential mate through contact and commences a systematic, contact-based search of her surface for the vulva. During this 'dance' the male presses his tail genitalia firmly against the hermaphrodite surface and moves backward, modulating tail posture to effect changes in search trajectory. Upon sensing the vulva, the male pauses and the insemination phase of mating begins. External tail sensilla, the rays, induce and guide the male's search by registering hermaphrodite surface cues. C. elegans male mating behavior, like many other animate interactions (such as predator-prey interactions or intrasexual aggression), is performed at close quarters and requires that participants constantly adjust their movement with respect to one another on a moment-by-moment basis. The design features of the supporting circuitry explain simultaneously the robustness, speed and acuity of the male's behavior and its male-specific nature. Processing at all levels of the circuitry appears to be distributed. Cellular components exhibit both partial redundancy (thus conferring robustness in output) and subtle functional differences (predicted to confer acuity). Surprisingly, gender-shared cell types feature prominently in the circuitry. Male-specific components form sensory pathways that render downstream gender-shared circuits responsive to mate cues, while other male cells act to augment gender-shared cell activity. Overall, the attributes of the vulva search circuitry provide insight into principles guiding the design and operation of circuits supporting dynamic social behaviors expressed by more complex and less tractable animal species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A High Rigidity and Precision Scanning Tunneling Microscope with Decoupled XY and Z Scans

PubMed Central

Chen, Xu; Guo, Tengfei; Hou, Yubin; Zhang, Jing

2017-01-01

A new scan-head structure for the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is proposed, featuring high scan precision and rigidity. The core structure consists of a piezoelectric tube scanner of quadrant type (for XY scans) coaxially housed in a piezoelectric tube with single inner and outer electrodes (for Z scan). They are fixed at one end (called common end). A hollow tantalum shaft is coaxially housed in the XY-scan tube and they are mutually fixed at both ends. When the XY scanner scans, its free end will bring the shaft to scan and the tip which is coaxially inserted in the shaft at the common end will scan a smaller area if the tip protrudes short enough from the common end. The decoupled XY and Z scans are desired for less image distortion and the mechanically reduced scan range has the superiority of reducing the impact of the background electronic noise on the scanner and enhancing the tip positioning precision. High quality atomic resolution images are also shown. PMID:29270242

A High Rigidity and Precision Scanning Tunneling Microscope with Decoupled XY and Z Scans.

PubMed

Chen, Xu; Guo, Tengfei; Hou, Yubin; Zhang, Jing; Meng, Wenjie; Lu, Qingyou

2017-01-01

A new scan-head structure for the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is proposed, featuring high scan precision and rigidity. The core structure consists of a piezoelectric tube scanner of quadrant type (for XY scans) coaxially housed in a piezoelectric tube with single inner and outer electrodes (for Z scan). They are fixed at one end (called common end). A hollow tantalum shaft is coaxially housed in the XY -scan tube and they are mutually fixed at both ends. When the XY scanner scans, its free end will bring the shaft to scan and the tip which is coaxially inserted in the shaft at the common end will scan a smaller area if the tip protrudes short enough from the common end. The decoupled XY and Z scans are desired for less image distortion and the mechanically reduced scan range has the superiority of reducing the impact of the background electronic noise on the scanner and enhancing the tip positioning precision. High quality atomic resolution images are also shown.

Global quantum discord and quantum phase transition in XY model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Si-Yuan; Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190; Zhang, Yu-Ran, E-mail: yrzhang@iphy.ac.cn

We study the relationship between the behavior of global quantum correlations and quantum phase transitions in XY model. We find that the two kinds of phase transitions in the studied model can be characterized by the features of global quantum discord (GQD) and the corresponding quantum correlations. We demonstrate that the maximum of the sum of all the nearest neighbor bipartite GQDs is effective and accurate for signaling the Ising quantum phase transition, in contrast, the sudden change of GQD is very suitable for characterizing another phase transition in the XY model. This may shed lights on the study ofmore » properties of quantum correlations in different quantum phases.« less

Evidence for Female-Biased Dispersal in the Protandrous Hermaphroditic Asian Seabass, Lates calcarifer

PubMed Central

Yue, Gen Hua; Xia, Jun Hong; Liu, Feng; Lin, Grace

2012-01-01

Movement of individuals influences individual reproductive success, fitness, genetic diversity and relationships among individuals within populations and gene exchange among populations. Competition between males or females for mating opportunities and/or local resources predicts a female bias in taxa with monogamous mating systems and a male-biased dispersal in polygynous species. In birds and mammals, the patterns of dispersal between sexes are well explored, while dispersal patterns in protandrous hermaphroditic fish species have not been studied. We collected 549 adult individuals of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) from four locations in the South China Sea. To assess the difference in patterns of dispersal between sexes, we genotyped all individuals with 18 microsatellites. Significant genetic differentiation was detected among and within sampling locations. The parameters of population structure (F ST), relatedness (r) and the mean assignment index (mAIC), in combination with data on tagging-recapture, supplied strong evidences for female-biased dispersal in the Asian seabass. This result contradicts our initial hypothesis of no sex difference in dispersal. We suggest that inbreeding avoidance of females, female mate choice under the condition of low mate competition among males, and male resource competition create a female-biased dispersal. The bigger body size of females may be a cause of the female-biased movement. Studies of dispersal using data from DNA markers and tagging-recapture in hermaphroditic fish species could enhance our understanding of patterns of dispersal in fish. PMID:22701591

Phylogeny determines flower size-dependent sex allocation at flowering in a hermaphroditic family.

PubMed

Teixido, A L; Guzmán, B; Staggemeier, V G; Valladares, F

2017-11-01

In animal-pollinated hermaphroditic plants, optimal floral allocation determines relative investment into sexes, which is ultimately dependent on flower size. Larger flowers disproportionally increase maleness whereas smaller and less rewarding flowers favour female function. Although floral traits are considered strongly conserved, phylogenetic relationships in the interspecific patterns of resource allocation to floral sex remain overlooked. We investigated these patterns in Cistaceae, a hermaphroditic family. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among Cistaceae species and quantified phylogenetic signal for flower size, dry mass and nutrient allocation to floral structures in 23 Mediterranean species using Blomberg's K-statistic. Lastly, phylogenetically-controlled correlational and regression analyses were applied to examine flower size-based allometry in resource allocation to floral structures. Sepals received the highest dry mass allocation, followed by petals, whereas sexual structures increased nutrient allocation. Flower size and resource allocation to floral structures, except for carpels, showed a strong phylogenetic signal. Larger-flowered species allometrically allocated more resources to maleness, by increasing allocation to corollas and stamens. Our results suggest a major role of phylogeny in determining interspecific changes in flower size and subsequent floral sex allocation. This implies that flower size balances the male-female function over the evolutionary history of Cistaceae. While allometric resource investment in maleness is inherited across species diversification, allocation to the female function seems a labile trait that varies among closely related species that have diversified into different ecological niches. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Evidence for female-biased dispersal in the protandrous hermaphroditic Asian Seabass, Lates calcarifer.

PubMed

Yue, Gen Hua; Xia, Jun Hong; Liu, Feng; Lin, Grace

2012-01-01

Movement of individuals influences individual reproductive success, fitness, genetic diversity and relationships among individuals within populations and gene exchange among populations. Competition between males or females for mating opportunities and/or local resources predicts a female bias in taxa with monogamous mating systems and a male-biased dispersal in polygynous species. In birds and mammals, the patterns of dispersal between sexes are well explored, while dispersal patterns in protandrous hermaphroditic fish species have not been studied. We collected 549 adult individuals of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) from four locations in the South China Sea. To assess the difference in patterns of dispersal between sexes, we genotyped all individuals with 18 microsatellites. Significant genetic differentiation was detected among and within sampling locations. The parameters of population structure (F(ST)), relatedness (r) and the mean assignment index (mAIC), in combination with data on tagging-recapture, supplied strong evidences for female-biased dispersal in the Asian seabass. This result contradicts our initial hypothesis of no sex difference in dispersal. We suggest that inbreeding avoidance of females, female mate choice under the condition of low mate competition among males, and male resource competition create a female-biased dispersal. The bigger body size of females may be a cause of the female-biased movement. Studies of dispersal using data from DNA markers and tagging-recapture in hermaphroditic fish species could enhance our understanding of patterns of dispersal in fish.

Divergent Expression Patterns and Function Implications of Four nanos Genes in a Hermaphroditic Fish, Epinephelus coioides.

PubMed

Sun, Zhi-Hui; Wang, Yang; Lu, Wei-Jia; Li, Zhi; Liu, Xiao-Chun; Li, Shui-Sheng; Zhou, Li; Gui, Jian-Fang

2017-03-23

Multiple nanos genes have been characterized in several fishes, but the functional implications of their various expression patterns remain unclear. In this study, we identified and characterized four nanos genes from a hermaphroditic fish orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides . Ecnanos1a and Ecnanos1b show divergent expression patterns, and the dynamic expression change of Ecnanos1a in pituitaries during sex change is associated with testis differentiation and spermatogenesis. Ecnanos2 and Ecnanos3 might be germline stem cells (GSCs) and primordial germ cells (PGCs)-specific markers, respectively. Significantly, Ecnanos3 3'-untranslated region (UTR) is necessary for PGC specific expression, where a non-canonical "GCACGTTT" sequence is required for miR-430-mediated repression of Ecnanos3 RNA. Furthermore, grouper Dead end (Dnd) can relieve miR-430 repression in PGCs by associating with a 23 bp U-rich region (URR) in Ecnanos3 3'-UTR. The current study revealed the functional association of multiple nanos genes with PGC formation and germ cell development in orange-spotted grouper, and opened up new possibilities for developing biotechnologies through utilizing the associations between Ecnanos3 and PGCs or between Ecnanos2 and GSCs in the hermaphroditic fish.

The Discovery of XY Sex Chromosomes in a Boa and Python.

PubMed

Gamble, Tony; Castoe, Todd A; Nielsen, Stuart V; Banks, Jaison L; Card, Daren C; Schield, Drew R; Schuett, Gordon W; Booth, Warren

2017-07-24

For over 50 years, biologists have accepted that all extant snakes share the same ZW sex chromosomes derived from a common ancestor [1-3], with different species exhibiting sex chromosomes at varying stages of differentiation. Accordingly, snakes have been a well-studied model for sex chromosome evolution in animals [1, 4]. A review of the literature, however, reveals no compelling support that boas and pythons possess ZW sex chromosomes [2, 5]. Furthermore, phylogenetic patterns of facultative parthenogenesis in snakes and a sex-linked color mutation in the ball python (Python regius) are best explained by boas and pythons possessing an XY sex chromosome system [6, 7]. Here we demonstrate that a boa (Boa imperator) and python (Python bivittatus) indeed possess XY sex chromosomes, based on the discovery of male-specific genetic markers in both species. We use these markers, along with transcriptomic and genomic data, to identify distinct sex chromosomes in boas and pythons, demonstrating that XY systems evolved independently in each lineage. This discovery highlights the dynamic evolution of vertebrate sex chromosomes and further enhances the value of snakes as a model for studying sex chromosome evolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

xyZET: A Simulation Program for Physics Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartel, Hermann

2000-01-01

Discusses xyZET, a simulation program that allows 3D-space in numerous experiments in basic mechanics and electricity and was developed to support physics teaching. Tests course material for 11th grade at German high schools under classroom conditions and reports on their stability and effectiveness. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/YDS)

High-glucose diets have sex-specific effects on aging in C. elegans: toxic to hermaphrodites but beneficial to males.

PubMed

Liggett, Marjorie R; Hoy, Michael J; Mastroianni, Michael; Mondoux, Michelle A

2015-06-01

Diet and sex are important determinants of lifespan. In humans, high sugar diets, obesity, and type 2 diabetes correlate with decreased lifespan, and females generally live longer than males. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a classical model for aging studies, and has also proven useful for characterizing the response to high-glucose diets. However, studies on male animals are lacking. We found a surprising dichotomy: glucose regulates lifespan and aging in a sex-specific manner, with beneficial effects on males compared to toxic effects on hermaphrodites. High-glucose diet resulted in greater mobility with age for males, along with a modest increase in median lifespan. In contrast, high-glucose diets decrease both lifespan and mobility for hermaphrodites. Understanding sex-specific responses to high-glucose diets will be important for determining which evolutionarily conserved glucose-responsive pathways that regulate aging are "universal" and which are likely to be cell-type or sex-specific.

Increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in mice with XX versus XY sex chromosomes.

PubMed

Link, Jenny C; Chen, Xuqi; Prien, Christopher; Borja, Mark S; Hammerson, Bradley; Oda, Michael N; Arnold, Arthur P; Reue, Karen

2015-08-01

The molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in dyslipidemia are poorly understood. We aimed to distinguish genetic and hormonal regulators of sex differences in plasma lipid levels. We assessed the role of gonadal hormones and sex chromosome complement on lipid levels using the four core genotypes mouse model (XX females, XX males, XY females, and XY males). In gonadally intact mice fed a chow diet, lipid levels were influenced by both male-female gonadal sex and XX-XY chromosome complement. Gonadectomy of adult mice revealed that the male-female differences are dependent on acute effects of gonadal hormones. In both intact and gonadectomized animals, XX mice had higher HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels than XY mice, regardless of male-female sex. Feeding a cholesterol-enriched diet produced distinct patterns of sex differences in lipid levels compared with a chow diet, revealing the interaction of gonadal and chromosomal sex with diet. Notably, under all dietary and gonadal conditions, HDL-C levels were higher in mice with 2 X chromosomes compared with mice with an X and Y chromosome. By generating mice with XX, XY, and XXY chromosome complements, we determined that the presence of 2 X chromosomes, and not the absence of the Y chromosome, influences HDL-C concentration. We demonstrate that having 2 X chromosomes versus an X and Y chromosome complement drives sex differences in HDL-C. It is conceivable that increased expression of genes escaping X-inactivation in XX mice regulates downstream processes to establish sexual dimorphism in plasma lipid levels. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

XY (SRY-positive) Ovarian Disorder of Sex Development in Cattle.

PubMed

De Lorenzi, Lisa; Arrighi, Silvana; Rossi, Elena; Grignani, Pierangela; Previderè, Carlo; Bonacina, Stefania; Cremonesi, Fausto; Parma, Pietro

2018-06-13

In mammals, the sex of the embryo depends on the SRY gene. In the presence of at least one intact and functional copy of this genetic factor (XY embryo) undifferentiated gonads will develop as testicles that subsequently determine the male phenotype. When this factor is not present, i.e., in subjects with 2 X chromosomes, an alternative pathway induces the development of ovaries, hence a female phenotype. In this case study, we describe a female cattle affected by a disorder of sex development (DSD). The subject, despite having a chromosomal XY constitution, did not develop testicles but ovaries, although they were underdeveloped. Moreover, genetic analysis highlighted the presence of the SRY gene with a normal coding region in both blood- and tissue-derived DNA. A chimeric condition was excluded in blood by sexing more than 350 cells and by allele profile investigation of 18 microsatellite markers. Array CGH analysis showed the presence of a not yet described 99-kb duplication (BTA18), but its relationship with the phenotype remains to be demonstrated. Gonadal histology demonstrated paired ovaries: the left one containing a large corpus luteum and the right one showing an underdeveloped aspect and very few early follicles. To our knowledge, we describe the first case of XY (SRY+) DSD in cattle with a normal SRY gene coding sequence. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An X-Y Platform for Randsight-Type Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clewett, R. W.; And Others

A hand-operated mechanical device, called an X-Y Platform because of its ability to undergo orthogonal planar motions reminiscent of X and Y coordinates, permits design simplifications and lower costs when used with RANDSIGHT-type closed circuit television to enable the partially sighted to read and write. This paper presents a detailed discussion…

Differential lactate and cholesterol synthetic activities in XY and XX Sertoli cells.

PubMed

Shishido, Yurina; Baba, Takashi; Sato, Tetsuya; Shima, Yuichi; Miyabayashi, Kanako; Inoue, Miki; Akiyama, Haruhiko; Kimura, Hiroshi; Kanai, Yoshiakira; Ishihara, Yasuhiro; Haraguchi, Shogo; Miyazaki, Akira; Rozman, Damjana; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Choi, Man-Ho; Ohkawa, Yasuyuki; Suyama, Mikita; Morohashi, Ken-Ichirou

2017-02-02

SRY, a sex-determining gene, induces testis development in chromosomally female (XX) individuals. However, mouse XX Sertoli cells carrying Sry (XX/Sry Sertoli cells) are incapable of fully supporting germ cell development, even when the karyotype of the germ cells is XY. While it has therefore been assumed that XX/Sry Sertoli cells are not functionally equivalent to XY Sertoli cells, it has remained unclear which specific functions are affected. To elucidate the functional difference, we compared the gene expression of XY and XX/Sry Sertoli cells. Lactate and cholesterol metabolisms, essential for nursing the developing germ cells, were down-regulated in XX/Sry cells, which appears to be caused at least in part by the differential expression of histone modification enzymes SMCX/SMCY (H3K4me3 demethylase) and UTX/UTY (H3K27me3 demethylase) encoded by the sex chromosomes. We suggest that down-regulation of lactate and cholesterol metabolism that may be due to altered epigenetic modification affects the nursing functions of XX/Sry Sertoli cells.

Differential lactate and cholesterol synthetic activities in XY and XX Sertoli cells

PubMed Central

Shishido, Yurina; Baba, Takashi; Sato, Tetsuya; Shima, Yuichi; Miyabayashi, Kanako; Inoue, Miki; Akiyama, Haruhiko; Kimura, Hiroshi; Kanai, Yoshiakira; Ishihara, Yasuhiro; Haraguchi, Shogo; Miyazaki, Akira; Rozman, Damjana; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Choi, Man-Ho; Ohkawa, Yasuyuki; Suyama, Mikita; Morohashi, Ken-ichirou

2017-01-01

SRY, a sex-determining gene, induces testis development in chromosomally female (XX) individuals. However, mouse XX Sertoli cells carrying Sry (XX/Sry Sertoli cells) are incapable of fully supporting germ cell development, even when the karyotype of the germ cells is XY. While it has therefore been assumed that XX/Sry Sertoli cells are not functionally equivalent to XY Sertoli cells, it has remained unclear which specific functions are affected. To elucidate the functional difference, we compared the gene expression of XY and XX/Sry Sertoli cells. Lactate and cholesterol metabolisms, essential for nursing the developing germ cells, were down-regulated in XX/Sry cells, which appears to be caused at least in part by the differential expression of histone modification enzymes SMCX/SMCY (H3K4me3 demethylase) and UTX/UTY (H3K27me3 demethylase) encoded by the sex chromosomes. We suggest that down-regulation of lactate and cholesterol metabolism that may be due to altered epigenetic modification affects the nursing functions of XX/Sry Sertoli cells. PMID:28150810

Equine disorders of sexual development in 17 mares including XX, SRY-negative, XY, SRY-negative and XY, SRY-positive genotypes.

PubMed

Villagómez, D A F; Lear, T L; Chenier, T; Lee, S; McGee, R B; Cahill, J; Foster, R A; Reyes, E; St John, E; King, W A

2011-01-01

We described the clinical, cytogenetic and molecular findings of 17 clinical equine cases presented for abnormal sexual development and infertility. Six horses with an enlarged clitoris had an XX, SRY-negative genotype, which displayed male-like behavior (adult individuals). Bilateral ovotestes were noted in 2 of those cases, while another case showed increased levels of circulating testosterone. Six horses with a female phenotype, including normal external genitalia, had an XY, SRY-negative genotype. These individuals had small gonads and an underdeveloped internal reproductive tract. Four horses with normal appearing external genitalia had an XY, SRY-positive genotype, 3 of them had hypoplastic testes and male-like behavior. In addition, one young filly with enlarged clitoris and hypoplastic testes had the same genotype but did not show male-like behavior due to her age. Three of these horses were related with 2 being siblings. These findings demonstrate the diversity of disorders of sexual development seen in the horse. Furthermore, they emphasize the need for further research to identify genes involved in abnormal sex determination and differentiation in the horse. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Divergent Expression Patterns and Function Implications of Four nanos Genes in a Hermaphroditic Fish, Epinephelus coioides

PubMed Central

Sun, Zhi-Hui; Wang, Yang; Lu, Wei-Jia; Li, Zhi; Liu, Xiao-Chun; Li, Shui-Sheng; Zhou, Li; Gui, Jian-Fang

2017-01-01

Multiple nanos genes have been characterized in several fishes, but the functional implications of their various expression patterns remain unclear. In this study, we identified and characterized four nanos genes from a hermaphroditic fish orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides. Ecnanos1a and Ecnanos1b show divergent expression patterns, and the dynamic expression change of Ecnanos1a in pituitaries during sex change is associated with testis differentiation and spermatogenesis. Ecnanos2 and Ecnanos3 might be germline stem cells (GSCs) and primordial germ cells (PGCs)-specific markers, respectively. Significantly, Ecnanos3 3′-untranslated region (UTR) is necessary for PGC specific expression, where a non-canonical “GCACGTTT” sequence is required for miR-430-mediated repression of Ecnanos3 RNA. Furthermore, grouper Dead end (Dnd) can relieve miR-430 repression in PGCs by associating with a 23 bp U-rich region (URR) in Ecnanos3 3′-UTR. The current study revealed the functional association of multiple nanos genes with PGC formation and germ cell development in orange-spotted grouper, and opened up new possibilities for developing biotechnologies through utilizing the associations between Ecnanos3 and PGCs or between Ecnanos2 and GSCs in the hermaphroditic fish. PMID:28333083

Cytogenetic analysis of somatic and germinal cells from 38,XX/38,XY phenotypically normal boars.

PubMed

Barasc, Harmonie; Ferchaud, Stéphane; Mary, Nicolas; Cucchi, Marie Adélaïde; Lucena, Amalia Naranjo; Letron, Isabelle Raymond; Calgaro, Anne; Bonnet, Nathalie; Dudez, Anne Marie; Yerle, Martine; Ducos, Alain; Pinton, Alain

2014-01-15

Many chromosomal abnormalities have been reported to date in pigs. Most of them have been balanced structural rearrangements, especially reciprocal translocations. A few cases of XY/XX chimerism have also been diagnosed within the national systematic chromosomal control program of young purebred boars carried out in France. Until now, this kind of chromosomal abnormality has been mainly reported in intersex individuals. We investigated 38,XY/38,XX boars presenting apparently normal phenotypes to evaluate the potential effects of this particular chromosomal constitution on their reproductive performance. To do this, we analyzed (1) the chromosomal constitution of cells from different organs in one boar; (2) the aneuploidy rates for chromosomes X, Y, and 13 in sperm nuclei sampled from seven XY/XX boars. 2n = 38,XX cells were identified in different nonhematopoietic tissues including testis (frequency, <8%). Similar aneuploidy rates were observed in the sperm nuclei of XY/XX and normal individuals (controls). Altogether, these results suggest that the presence of XX cells had no or only a very limited effect on the reproduction abilities of the analyzed boars. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic plasticity in sex allocation for a simultaneously hermaphroditic coral reef fish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, M. K.; Svoboda, A.; Mancilla Cortez, D.

2011-06-01

Phenotypic plasticity can facilitate reproductive strategies that maximize mating success in variable environments and lead to differences in sex allocation among populations. For simultaneous hermaphrodites with sperm competition, including Serranus tortugarum a small coral reef fish, proportional male allocation (testis in total gonad) is often greater where local density or mating group size is higher. We tested whether S. tortugarum reduced male allocation when transplanted from a higher density site to a lower density site. After 4 months, transplants mirrored the sex-allocation patterns of the resident population on their new reef. Transplants had significantly lower male allocation than representatives from their source population, largely as a result of reduced testis mass relative to body size.

[The banishment of the marvellous. Hermaphrodites and sexual mutants in Enlightenment Spain].

PubMed

Vásquez, Francisco; Cleminson, Richard

2011-01-01

This article presents a historical synthesis in order to trace how the collective belief in the existence of hermaphrodites and sex-changes was slowly eroded in the changing medical and cultural context of Enlightenment Spain. In order to explain this change, three interlinked processes are outlined. First, the naturalization of the monster and the disappearance of the "marvellous" in Enlightenment science. Second, the consolidation of modern legal or forensic science and the rise of the medical specialist as the relevant authority in the determination of sexual identity. Third, the emergence of the notion of fundamental biological differences between the sexes. The article concludes by discussing the consequences of these shifts for early nineteenth-century Spanish medicine.

Sex determination in flowering plants: papaya as a model system.

PubMed

Aryal, Rishi; Ming, Ray

2014-03-01

Unisexuality in flowering plants evolved from a hermaphrodite ancestor. Transition from hermaphrodite to unisexual flowers has occurred multiple times across the different lineages of the angiosperms. Sexuality in plants is regulated by genetic, epigenetic and physiological mechanisms. The most specialized mechanism of sex determination is sex chromosomes. The sex chromosomes ensure the stable segregation of sexual phenotypes by preventing the recombination of sex determining genes. Despite continuous efforts, sex determining genes of dioecious plants have not yet been cloned. Concerted efforts with various model systems are necessary to understand the complex mechanism of sex determination in plants. Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a tropical fruit tree with three sex forms, male, hermaphrodite, and female. Sexuality in papaya is determined by an XY chromosome system that is in an early evolutionary stage. The male and hermaphrodite of papaya are controlled by two different types of Y chromosomes: Y and Y(h). Large amounts of information in the area of genetics, genomics, and epigenetics of papaya have been accumulated over the last few decades. Relatively short lifecycle, small genome size, and readily available genetic and genomic resources render papaya an excellent model system to study sex determination and sex chromosomes in flowering plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

TriXY-Homogeneous genetic sexing of highly degraded forensic samples including hair shafts.

PubMed

Madel, Maria-Bernadette; Niederstätter, Harald; Parson, Walther

2016-11-01

Sexing of biological evidence is an important aspect in forensic investigations. A routinely used molecular-genetic approach to this endeavour is the amelogenin sex test, which is integrated in most commercially available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits for human identification. However, this assay is not entirely effective in respect to highly degraded DNA samples. This study presents a homogeneous PCR assay for robust sex diagnosis, especially for the analysis of severely fragmented DNA. The introduced triplex for the X and Y chromosome (TriXY) is based on real-time PCR amplification of short intergenic sequences (<50bp) on both gonosomes. Subsequent PCR product examination and molecular-genetic sex-assignment rely on high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis. TriXY was optimized using commercially available multi-donor human DNA preparations of either male or female origin and successfully evaluated on challenging samples, including 46 ancient DNA specimens from archaeological excavations and a total of 16 DNA samples extracted from different segments of eight hair shafts of male and female donors. Additionally, sensitivity and cross-species amplification were examined to further test the assay's utility in forensic investigations. TriXY's closed-tube format avoids post-PCR sample manipulations and, therefore, distinctly reduces the risk of PCR product carry-over contamination and sample mix-up, while reducing labour and financial expenses at the same time. The method is sensitive down to the DNA content of approximately two diploid cells and has proven highly useful on severely fragmented and low quantity ancient DNA samples. Furthermore, it even allowed for sexing of proximal hair shafts with very good results. In summary, TriXY facilitates highly sensitive, rapid, and costeffective genetic sex-determination. It outperforms existing sexing methods both in terms of sensitivity and minimum required template molecule lengths. Therefore, we feel confident

Skew information in the XY model with staggered Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Liang; Quan, Dongxiao; Pan, Fei; Liu, Zhi

2017-06-01

We study the performance of the lower bound of skew information in the vicinity of transition point for the anisotropic spin-1/2 XY chain with staggered Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction by use of quantum renormalization-group method. For a fixed value of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, there are two saturated values for the lower bound of skew information corresponding to the spin-fluid and Néel phases, respectively. The scaling exponent of the lower bound of skew information closely relates to the correlation length of the model and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction shifts the factorization point. Our results show that the lower bound of skew information can be a good candidate to detect the critical point of XY spin chain with staggered Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.

Program Aids Creation Of X-Y Plots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeletic, James F.

1993-01-01

VEGAS computer program enables application programmers to create X-Y plots in various modes through high-level subroutine calls. Modes consist of passive, autoupdate, and interactive modes. In passive mode, VEGAS takes input data, produces plot, and returns control to application program. In autoupdate mode, forms plots and automatically updates them as more information received. In interactive mode, displays plot and provides popup menus for user to alter appearance of plot or to modify data. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Testing the recent theories for the origin of the hermaphrodite flower by comparison of the transcriptomes of gymnosperms and angiosperms.

PubMed

Tavares, Raquel; Cagnon, Mathilde; Negrutiu, Ioan; Mouchiroud, Dominque

2010-08-03

Different theories for the origin of the angiosperm hermaphrodite flower make different predictions concerning the overlap between the genes expressed in the male and female cones of gymnosperms and the genes expressed in the hermaphrodite flower of angiosperms. The Mostly Male (MM) theory predicts that, of genes expressed primarily in male versus female gymnosperm cones, an excess of male orthologs will be expressed in flowers, excluding ovules, while Out Of Male (OOM) and Out Of Female (OOF) theories predict no such excess. In this paper, we tested these predictions by comparing the transcriptomes of three gymnosperms (Ginkgo biloba, Welwitschia mirabilis and Zamia fisheri) and two angiosperms (Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa), using EST data. We found that the proportion of orthologous genes expressed in the reproductive organs of the gymnosperms and in the angiosperms flower is significantly higher than the proportion of orthologous genes expressed in the reproductive organs of the gymnosperms and in the angiosperms vegetative tissues, which shows that the approach is correct. However, we detected no significant differences between the proportion of gymnosperm orthologous genes expressed in the male cone and in the angiosperms flower and the proportion of gymnosperm orthologous genes expressed in the female cone and in the angiosperms flower. These results do not support the MM theory prediction of an excess of male gymnosperm genes expressed in the hermaphrodite flower of the angiosperms and seem to support the OOM/OOF theories. However, other explanations can be given for the 1:1 ratio that we found. More abundant and more specific (namely carpel and ovule) expression data should be produced in order to further test these theories.

Testing the recent theories for the origin of the hermaphrodite flower by comparison of the transcriptomes of gymnosperms and angiosperms

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Different theories for the origin of the angiosperm hermaphrodite flower make different predictions concerning the overlap between the genes expressed in the male and female cones of gymnosperms and the genes expressed in the hermaphrodite flower of angiosperms. The Mostly Male (MM) theory predicts that, of genes expressed primarily in male versus female gymnosperm cones, an excess of male orthologs will be expressed in flowers, excluding ovules, while Out Of Male (OOM) and Out Of Female (OOF) theories predict no such excess. Results In this paper, we tested these predictions by comparing the transcriptomes of three gymnosperms (Ginkgo biloba, Welwitschia mirabilis and Zamia fisheri) and two angiosperms (Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa), using EST data. We found that the proportion of orthologous genes expressed in the reproductive organs of the gymnosperms and in the angiosperms flower is significantly higher than the proportion of orthologous genes expressed in the reproductive organs of the gymnosperms and in the angiosperms vegetative tissues, which shows that the approach is correct. However, we detected no significant differences between the proportion of gymnosperm orthologous genes expressed in the male cone and in the angiosperms flower and the proportion of gymnosperm orthologous genes expressed in the female cone and in the angiosperms flower. Conclusions These results do not support the MM theory prediction of an excess of male gymnosperm genes expressed in the hermaphrodite flower of the angiosperms and seem to support the OOM/OOF theories. However, other explanations can be given for the 1:1 ratio that we found. More abundant and more specific (namely carpel and ovule) expression data should be produced in order to further test these theories. PMID:20682074

Sex determination in plants.

PubMed

Monéger, Françoise

2007-05-01

Most dioecious plant species are believed to derive from hermaphrodite ancestors. The regulatory pathways that have been modified during evolution of the hermaphrodite ancestors and led to the emergence of dioecious species (with separate sexes) still remain unknown. Silene latifolia is a dioecious plant species harbouring XY sex chromosomes. To identify the molecular mechanisms involved in female organ suppression in male flowers of S. latifolia, we looked for genes potentially involved in the establishment of floral organ and whorl boundaries. We identified Arabidopsis thaliana homologs of SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM) and CUP SHAPED COTYLEDON 1 (CUC1) and CUC2 genes in S. latifolia. Our phylogenetic analyses suggest that we identified true orthologs for both types of genes. Detailed expression analyses showed a conserved expression pattern for these genes between S. latifolia and A. thaliana, suggesting a conserved function of the corresponding proteins. Both orthologs showed clear differences in their expression pattern between males and females or hermaphrodites suggesting their possible involvement in the sex determination pathway in S. latifolia.

Inverting x,y grid coordinates to obtain latitude and longitude in the vanderGrinten projection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubincam, D. P.

1980-01-01

The latitude and longitude of a point on the Earth's surface are found from its x,y grid coordinates in the vanderGrinten projection. The latitude is a solution of a cubic equation and the longitude a solution of a quadratic equation. Also, the x,y grid coordinates of a point on the Earth's surface can be found if its latitude and longitude are known by solving two simultaneous quadratic equations.

The X linked recessive form of XY gonadal dysgenesis with a high incidence of gonadal germ cell tumours: clinical and genetic studies.

PubMed

Mann, J R; Corkery, J J; Fisher, H J; Cameron, A H; Mayerová, A; Wolf, U; Kennaugh, A A; Woolley, V

1983-08-01

Five phenotypic females in one family had the genotype 46,XY and all had gonadal germ cell tumours. Studies of the family pedigree suggest that this form of XY gonadal dysgenesis is inherited in an X linked recessive manner. G banding of elongated metaphase chromosomes from two subjects with XY gonadal dysgenesis and a female carrier showed no aberrations of the X chromosome. The titres of H-Y antigen in three girls with XY gonadal dysgenesis were in the male control range. Thus it appears that, in the X linked form, XY gonadal dysgenesis may be caused by a point deletion or mutation of a gene on the X chromosome, which controls the gonad specific receptor for the H-Y antigen. Studies of Xg blood groups were uninformative about linkage of Xg with the X borne gene causing the XY gonadal dysgenesis. Dermatoglyphic studies in the girls with XY gonadal dysgenesis and female carriers revealed high a-b palmar ridge counts and a tendency for the A mainline to terminate in the thenar area. Both of these features have been described in patients with Turner's syndrome.

Microsatellite analysis of genetic diversity and population structure of hermaphrodite ridge gourd (Luffa hermaphrodita).

PubMed

Pandey, Sudhakar; Ansari, W A; Choudhary, B R; Pandey, Maneesh; Jena, S N; Singh, A K; Dubey, R K; Singh, Bijendra

2018-01-01

Out of 103 microsatellite markers used for studying the genetic diversity among local landraces of Luffa species, 56 were found polymorphic, including 38 gSSR and 18 eSSR, respectively. A total of 197 amplification products were obtained. The mean number of alleles per locus was 3.52. The PIC ranged from 0.037 to 0.986, while size of amplified product ranged from 105 to 500 bp. Cucumber-derived SSRs were amplified within L. acutangula (68%), L. aegyptiaca (61.16%), and L. hermaphrodita (60.2%), with an average of 63.12% cross-transferability. The Jaccard's coefficient ranged from 0.66 to 0.97, with an average of 0.81. High genetic variability was observed for node of 1st hermaphrodite flower (6.4-17), days to 1st hermaphrodite flower (38-52.1), days to 1st fruit harvest (43-65), number of fruit per cluster (1-5.9), fruit length (3.9-25 cm), fruit weight (18.4-175 g), number of fruit per plant (20-147.5), and yield per plant (2.2-4.7 kg). Two sub-populations were identified including 21 genotypes (sub-population I) and 06 genotypes (sub-population II), these two sub-populations showed 0.608-0.395% of the ancestral relationship to each other. This study provides information for future exploration, collection, and utilization of Luffa genotypes, as well as the polymorphic markers identified could be available for the study of landmarks in linkages, genomic structures, evolutionary ecology, and marker-assisted selection (MAS) in Luffa species.

Sex steroid levels in XY males and sex-reversed XX males, of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), during the reproductive cycle.

PubMed

Espinosa, E; Josa, A; Gil, L; González, N

2011-02-01

In this study, the annual cycle of the gonadal steroids testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), 17β-oestradiol (E2) and 17α, 20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) was determined using radioimmunoassay and then compared, for XY males (n=35) and sex-reversed XX males (n=27) rainbow trout, to establish possible endocrinology differences. Both in XY males and sex-reversed XX males, significant correlation was shown between body weight and T (r=0.5046 and 0.34078, respectively; p<0.0001) or KT (r=0.52494 and 0.43545, respectively; p<0.0001) concentrations. Plasma androgen levels in XY and sex-reversed XX males were similar and showed an intense seasonal variation. The highest levels for T and 11-KT were detected from December to April with a peak in January (51.67 ± 5.11 and 61.95 ± 4.25 ng/ml, for XY males and 57.1 ± 5.82 and 59.27 ± 4.84 ng/ml, respectively, for XX males). In addition, there was a positive correlation (p<0.0001) between T and 11-KT levels for XY males (r=0.7533) and sex-reversed XX males (r=0.6019). Concentrations of DHP in XY males also showed seasonal variation with a peak in February (25.18 ± 12.99 ng/ml). However, DHP levels in sex-reversed XX males were undetectable (<0.1 ng/ml) over the year. Levels of E2 were undetectable through the year in both groups of trout. In conclusion, the androgenic and oestrogenic profiles of sex-reversed XX males were similar to those observed in XY males. The only difference in the annual gonadal steroid cycle between XY and sex-reversed XX males was in the DHP profile. © 2009 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Transient effects of methyltestosterone injection on different reproductive parameters of the hermaphrodite fish Kryptolebias marmoratus.

PubMed

Park, Chang-Beom; Soyano, Kiyoshi; Kiros, Solomon; Kitamura, Tomokazu; Minamiyama, Mizuhiko; Suzuki, Yutaka

2013-09-01

To elucidate the action mechanism of environmental androgenic chemicals on fish reproductive activity by transient stimulation in heavily polluted areas, individuals of the hermaphrodite fish Kryptolebias marmoratus were injected once with six concentrations of methyltestosterone (MT) (0.1, 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 μg/g BW) intraperitoneally. The fish were sampled at intervals of 7, 15, and 30 days after a single injection. At 7 days after injection, mature oocytes were not observed in the MT-exposed groups except for the group exposed to 0.1 μg MT, while testicular development was not remarkably different between any of the groups. Also, at 7 days after injection, hepatic estrogen receptor α (ERα) and vitellogenin (VTG) mRNA abundance decreased significantly in the MT-exposed groups despite no significant difference in plasma 17β-estradiol (E2) levels between any of the groups. This significant difference in VTG mRNA between the control and the MT-exposed groups persisted until 30 days after injection, although ERα mRNA abundance was not statistically different between any groups at 30 days after injection. Our results clearly show that a single injection of MT inhibits ovarian development rather than testicular development in the hermaphroditic gonad of K. marmoratus. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that a single injection of MT interfered with hepatic VTG mRNA synthesis mediated by the suppression of hepatic ERα mRNA transcription.

46,XY female sex reversal syndrome with bilateral gonadoblastoma and dysgerminoma.

PubMed

DU, Xue; Zhang, Xuhong; Li, Yongmei; Han, Yukun

2014-10-01

Sex reversal syndrome is a rare congenital condition of complete or disordered gonadal development leading to discordance between the genetic, gonadal and phenotypic sexes, including 46,XX and 46,XY. The gonadoblastoma on the Y-chromosome (GBY) region is associated with an increased risk of developing type II germ cell tumors/cancer. The present study reports a unique case of a phenotypically normal female (age 17 years), presenting with primary amenorrhea and later diagnosed with 46,XY female sex reversal syndrome. Following bilateral gonadectomy, bilateral gonadoblastoma and dysgerminoma were diagnosed. Thus, estrogen replacement therapy was administered periodically to promote the development of secondary sexual characteristics and menstruation, and to prevent osteoporosis. A four year follow-up showed no tumor recurrence and a regular menstrual cycle in this patient.

Sex determination in dioecious Mercurialis annua and its close diploid and polyploid relatives

PubMed Central

Russell, J R W; Pannell, J R

2015-01-01

Separate sexes have evolved on numerous independent occasions from hermaphroditic ancestors in flowering plants. The mechanisms of sex determination is known for only a handful of such species, but, in those that have been investigated, it usually involves alleles segregating at a single locus, sometimes on heteromorphic sex chromosomes. In the genus Mercurialis, transitions between combined (hermaphroditism) and separate sexes (dioecy or androdioecy, where males co-occur with hermaphrodites rather than females) have occurred more than once in association with hybridisation and shifts in ploidy. Previous work has pointed to an unusual 3-locus system of sex determination in dioecious populations. Here, we use crosses and genotyping for a sex-linked marker to reject this model: sex in diploid dioecious M. annua is determined at a single locus with a dominant male-determining allele (an XY system). We also crossed individuals among lineages of Mercurialis that differ in their ploidy and sexual system to ascertain the extent to which the same sex-determination system has been conserved following genome duplication, hybridisation and transitions between dioecy and hermaphroditism. Our results indicate that the male-determining element is fully capable of determining gender in the progeny of hybrids between different lineages. Specifically, males crossed with females or hermaphrodites always generate 1:1 male:female or male:hermaphrodite sex ratios, respectively, regardless of the ploidy levels involved (diploid, tetraploid or hexaploid). Our results throw further light on the genetics of the remarkable variation in sexual systems in the genus Mercurialis. They also illustrate the almost identical expression of sex-determining alleles in terms of sexual phenotypes across multiple divergent backgrounds, including those that have lost separate sexes altogether. PMID:25335556

Sex determination in dioecious Mercurialis annua and its close diploid and polyploid relatives.

PubMed

Russell, J R W; Pannell, J R

2015-03-01

Separate sexes have evolved on numerous independent occasions from hermaphroditic ancestors in flowering plants. The mechanisms of sex determination is known for only a handful of such species, but, in those that have been investigated, it usually involves alleles segregating at a single locus, sometimes on heteromorphic sex chromosomes. In the genus Mercurialis, transitions between combined (hermaphroditism) and separate sexes (dioecy or androdioecy, where males co-occur with hermaphrodites rather than females) have occurred more than once in association with hybridisation and shifts in ploidy. Previous work has pointed to an unusual 3-locus system of sex determination in dioecious populations. Here, we use crosses and genotyping for a sex-linked marker to reject this model: sex in diploid dioecious M. annua is determined at a single locus with a dominant male-determining allele (an XY system). We also crossed individuals among lineages of Mercurialis that differ in their ploidy and sexual system to ascertain the extent to which the same sex-determination system has been conserved following genome duplication, hybridisation and transitions between dioecy and hermaphroditism. Our results indicate that the male-determining element is fully capable of determining gender in the progeny of hybrids between different lineages. Specifically, males crossed with females or hermaphrodites always generate 1:1 male:female or male:hermaphrodite sex ratios, respectively, regardless of the ploidy levels involved (diploid, tetraploid or hexaploid). Our results throw further light on the genetics of the remarkable variation in sexual systems in the genus Mercurialis. They also illustrate the almost identical expression of sex-determining alleles in terms of sexual phenotypes across multiple divergent backgrounds, including those that have lost separate sexes altogether.

Intersexuality associated with XX/XY mosaicism in a horned goat.

PubMed

Bongso, T A; Thavalingam, M; Mukherjee, T K

1982-01-01

Anatomical, histological, and cytogenetic studies were undertaken on a horned intersex goat kid and three of its normal litter mates. The intersex had male type horns, male beard, vestigial mammary glands, female external genitalia, and an enlarged peniform clitoris, exuded a pungent male odor, had a male bleat, and came into estrus every 20 days. At laparotomy and subsequent slaughter, an ovotestes was observed on the right side and a testis and epididymal remnants on the left side. Uterine horn segments, cervix, vagina, and enlarged clitoris (2 cm) were also present. Histologically, spermatogenesis was not observed in either testis, but active Leydig cells were present. The ovary contained mature follicles. Chromosome analysis revealed 60XX/60XY cell populations in blood, bone marrow, and skin. Lymphocytic metaphases from the male and female cosibs showed single populations of 60XY and 60XX, respectively. Mosaicism associated with the horned condition in the intersex goat was established.

Oscilloscope used as X-Y plotter or two-dimensional analyzer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, D.; Roy, N.

1967-01-01

Oscilloscope used as an X-Y plotter or two-dimensional analyzer tags each point with a yes or no, depending on a third parameter. The usual square-wave pulse is replaced on the scope by a single information-bearing dot which lengthens to a dash in response to a simultaneous event.

Clinical aspects of 49 infertile males with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism karyotype: A case series.

PubMed

Mohammadpour Lashkari, F; Sadighi Gilani, M A; Ghaheri, A; Zamanian, M R; Borjian Boroujeni, P; Mohseni Meybodi, A; Sabbaghian, M

2018-06-01

Disorders of sex development (DSD) are congenital abnormalities as an atypical development process in either gonadal or chromosomal structure. It is the cause of the abnormality in phenotype and characteristics. Chromosomal analysis plays an important role in the DSD determination. 45,X/46,XY mosaicism is a rare karyotype, and its prevalence is about 1.5 in 10,000 newborns. It affects the growth, hormonal balance, gonad development and histology. All data such as height, male general appearance, testis size and volume, external genitalia, spermogram and hormonal levels, testis pathology, Y chromosome microdeletion and karyotype, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome were recorded based on patients profile and history. We investigated 64 infertile males with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism. Fifteen cases who had structural abnormalities in Y chromosome were excluded. From 49 available spermogram, 21 cases reported as azoospermic men, while 28 of them classified as nonazoospermic patients in which four of them displayed normal spermogram. According to hormonal evaluation, there were no significant differences between azoospermic and nonazoospermic groups. In azoospermia, only three couples underwent an ART cycle in which all of them failed. From 14 nonazoospermic cases who entered into the ART cycle, three cases experienced a successful pregnancy that one of the prosperous outcomes was twins. In 45,X/46,XY cases, both 45,X and 46,XY cell lines are seen. Various distributions of both cell lines can reflect a wide range of phenotypes that may be the most comprehensive evaluation in infertile males with 45,X/46,XY karyotype. It assumes that karyotyping as a main diagnostic test can enable us to find these rare cases. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Comparison of growth-related traits and gene expression profiles between the offspring of neomale (XX) and normal male (XY) rainbow trout.

PubMed

Kocmarek, Andrea L; Ferguson, Moira M; Danzmann, Roy G

2015-04-01

All-female lines of fish are created by crossing sex reversed (XX genotype) males with normal females. All-female lines avoid the deleterious phenotypic effects that are typical of precocious maturation in males. To determine whether all-female and mixed sex populations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) differ in performance, we compared the growth and gene expression profiles in progeny groups produced by crossing a XX male and a XY male to the same five females. Body weight and length were measured in the resulting all-female (XX) and mixed sex (XX/XY) offspring groups. Microarray experiments with liver and white muscle were used to determine if the gene expression profiles of large and small XX offspring differ from those in large and small XX/XY offspring. We detected no significant differences in body length and weight between offspring groups but XX offspring were significantly less variable in the value of these traits. A large number of upregulated genes were shared between the large XX and large XX/XY offspring; the small XX and small XX/XY offspring also shared similar expression profiles. No GO category differences were seen in the liver or between the large XX and large XX/XY offspring in the muscle. The greatest differences between the small XX and small XX/XY offspring were in the genes assigned to the "small molecule metabolic process" and "cellular metabolic process" GO level 3 categories. Similarly, genes within these categories as well as the category "macromolecule metabolic process" were more highly expressed in small compared to large XX fish.

Reduced mate availability leads to evolution of self-fertilization and purging of inbreeding depression in a hermaphrodite.

PubMed

Noël, Elsa; Chemtob, Yohann; Janicke, Tim; Sarda, Violette; Pélissié, Benjamin; Jarne, Philippe; David, Patrice

2016-03-01

Basic models of mating-system evolution predict that hermaphroditic organisms should mostly either cross-fertilize, or self-fertilize, due to self-reinforcing coevolution of inbreeding depression and outcrossing rates. However transitions between mating systems occur. A plausible scenario for such transitions assumes that a decrease in pollinator or mate availability temporarily constrains outcrossing populations to self-fertilize as a reproductive assurance strategy. This should trigger a purge of inbreeding depression, which in turn encourages individuals to self-fertilize more often and finally to reduce male allocation. We tested the predictions of this scenario using the freshwater snail Physa acuta, a self-compatible hermaphrodite that preferentially outcrosses and exhibits high inbreeding depression in natural populations. From an outbred population, we built two types of experimental evolution lines, controls (outcrossing every generation) and constrained lines (in which mates were often unavailable, forcing individuals to self-fertilize). After ca. 20 generations, individuals from constrained lines initiated self-fertilization earlier in life and had purged most of their inbreeding depression compared to controls. However, their male allocation remained unchanged. Our study suggests that the mating system can rapidly evolve as a response to reduced mating opportunities, supporting the reproductive assurance scenario of transitions from outcrossing to selfing. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

What Does f[subscript xx]f[subscript yy] - f[superscript 2][subscript xy] Greater than 0 "Really" Mean?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCartin, Brian J.

2008-01-01

This note presents geometric and physical interpretations of the sufficient condition for a critical point to be a strict relative extremum: f[subscript xx]f[subscript yy] - f[superscript 2][subscript xy] greater than 0. The role of the double derivative f[subscript xy] in this inequality will be highlighted in these interpretations. (Contains 14…

Identification of genes expressed in the hermaphrodite germ line of C. elegans using SAGE

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin; Zhao, Yongjun; Wong, Kim; Ehlers, Peter; Kohara, Yuji; Jones, Steven J; Marra, Marco A; Holt, Robert A; Moerman, Donald G; Hansen, Dave

2009-01-01

Background Germ cells must progress through elaborate developmental stages from an undifferentiated germ cell to a fully differentiated gamete. Some of these stages include exiting mitosis and entering meiosis, progressing through the various stages of meiotic prophase, adopting either a male (sperm) or female (oocyte) fate, and completing meiosis. Additionally, many of the factors needed to drive embryogenesis are synthesized in the germ line. To increase our understanding of the genes that might be necessary for the formation and function of the germ line, we have constructed a SAGE library from hand dissected C. elegans hermaphrodite gonads. Results We found that 4699 genes, roughly 21% of all known C. elegans genes, are expressed in the adult hermaphrodite germ line. Ribosomal genes are highly expressed in the germ line; roughly four fold above their expression levels in the soma. We further found that 1063 of the germline-expressed genes have enriched expression in the germ line as compared to the soma. A comparison of these 1063 germline-enriched genes with a similar list of genes prepared using microarrays revealed an overlap of 460 genes, mutually reinforcing the two lists. Additionally, we identified 603 germline-enriched genes, supported by in situ expression data, which were not previously identified. We also found >4 fold enrichment for RNA binding proteins in the germ line as compared to the soma. Conclusion Using multiple technological platforms provides a more complete picture of global gene expression patterns. Genes involved in RNA metabolism are expressed at a significantly higher level in the germ line than the soma, suggesting a stronger reliance on RNA metabolism for control of the expression of genes in the germ line. Additionally, the number and expression level of germ line expressed genes on the X chromosome is lower than expected based on a random distribution. PMID:19426519

Universality and robustness of revivals in the transverse field XY model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häppölä, Juho; Halász, Gábor B.; Hamma, Alioscia

2012-03-01

We study the structure of the revivals in an integrable quantum many-body system, the transverse field XY spin chain, after a quantum quench. The time evolutions of the Loschmidt echo, the magnetization, and the single-spin entanglement entropy are calculated. We find that the revival times for all of these observables are given by integer multiples of Trev≃L/vmax, where L is the linear size of the system and vmax is the maximal group velocity of quasiparticles. This revival structure is universal in the sense that it does not depend on the initial state and the size of the quench. Applying nonintegrable perturbations to the XY model, we observe that the revivals are robust against such perturbations: they are still visible at time scales much larger than the quasiparticle lifetime. We therefore propose a generic connection between the revival structure and the locality of the dynamics, where the quasiparticle speed vmax generalizes into the Lieb-Robinson speed vLR.

Sexual selection and maintenance of sex: evidence from comparisons of rates of genomic accumulation of mutations and divergence of sex-related genes in sexual and hermaphroditic species of Caenorhabditis.

PubMed

Artieri, Carlo G; Haerty, Wilfried; Gupta, Bhagwati P; Singh, Rama S

2008-05-01

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the persistence of dioecy despite the reproductive advantages conferred to hermaphrodites, including greater efficiency at purging deleterious mutations in the former. Dioecy can benefit from both mutation purging and accelerated evolution by bringing together beneficial mutations in the same individual via recombination and shuffling of genotypes. In addition, mathematical treatment has shown that sexual selection is also capable of mitigating the cost of maintaining separate sexes by increasing the overall fitness of sexual populations, and genomic comparisons have shown that sexual selection can lead to accelerated evolution. Here, we examine the advantages of dioecy versus hermaphroditism by comparing the rate of evolution in sex-related genes and the rate of accumulation of deleterious mutations using a large number of orthologs (11,493) in the dioecious Caenorhabditis remanei and the hermaphroditic Caenorhabditis briggsae. We have used this data set to estimate the deleterious mutation rate per generation, U, in both species and find that although it is significantly higher in hermaphrodites, both species are at least 2 orders of magnitude lower than the value required to explain the persistence of sex by efficiency at purging deleterious mutations alone. We also find that genes expressed in sperm are evolving rapidly in both species; however, they show a greater increase in their rate of evolution relative to genes expressed in other tissues in C. remanei, suggesting stronger sexual selection pressure acting on these genes in dioecious species. Interestingly, the persistence of a signal of rapid evolution of sperm genes in C. briggsae suggests a recent evolutionary origin of hermaphrodism in this lineage. Our results provide empirical evidence of increased sexual selection pressure in dioecious animals, supporting the possibility that sexual selection may play an important role in the maintenance of sexual

The effect of flower position on variation and covariation in floral traits in a wild hermaphrodite plant

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Floral traits within plants can vary with flower position or flowering time. Within an inflorescence, sexual allocation of early produced basal flowers is often female-biased while later produced distal flowers are male-biased. Such temporal adjustment of floral resource has been considered one of the potential advantages of modularity (regarding a flower as a module) in hermaphrodites. However, flowers are under constraints of independent evolution of a given trait. To understand flower diversification within inflorescences, here we examine variation and covariation in floral traits within racemes at the individual and the maternal family level respectively in an alpine herb Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae). Results We found that floral traits varied significantly with flower position and among families, and position effects were family-specific. Most of the variance of floral traits was among individuals rather than among flowers within individuals or among families. Significant phenotypic correlations between traits were not affected by position, indicating trait integration under shared developmental regulation. In contrast, positive family-mean correlations in floral traits declined gradually from basal to distal flowers (nine significant correlations among floral traits in basal flowers and only three in distal flowers), showing position-specificity. Therefore, the pattern and magnitude of genetic correlations decreased with flower position. Conclusions This finding on covariation pattern in floral reproductive structures within racemes has not been revealed before, providing insights into temporal variation and position effects in floral traits within plants and the potential advantages of modularity in hermaphrodites. PMID:20482889

The effect of flower position on variation and covariation in floral traits in a wild hermaphrodite plant.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhi-Gang; Du, Guo-Zhen; Huang, Shuang-Quan

2010-05-20

Floral traits within plants can vary with flower position or flowering time. Within an inflorescence, sexual allocation of early produced basal flowers is often female-biased while later produced distal flowers are male-biased. Such temporal adjustment of floral resource has been considered one of the potential advantages of modularity (regarding a flower as a module) in hermaphrodites. However, flowers are under constraints of independent evolution of a given trait. To understand flower diversification within inflorescences, here we examine variation and covariation in floral traits within racemes at the individual and the maternal family level respectively in an alpine herb Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae). We found that floral traits varied significantly with flower position and among families, and position effects were family-specific. Most of the variance of floral traits was among individuals rather than among flowers within individuals or among families. Significant phenotypic correlations between traits were not affected by position, indicating trait integration under shared developmental regulation. In contrast, positive family-mean correlations in floral traits declined gradually from basal to distal flowers (nine significant correlations among floral traits in basal flowers and only three in distal flowers), showing position-specificity. Therefore, the pattern and magnitude of genetic correlations decreased with flower position. This finding on covariation pattern in floral reproductive structures within racemes has not been revealed before, providing insights into temporal variation and position effects in floral traits within plants and the potential advantages of modularity in hermaphrodites.

AB020. Chromosome rearrangement in patients with 46,XY disorders of sex development

PubMed Central

Vu, Dung Chi; Nguyen, Khanh Ngoc; Can, Ngoc Bich; Bui, Thao Phuong; Fukami, Maki

2017-01-01

Background Disorders of sex development (DSD) is defined by congenital conditions in which development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical. Causative mutations have not been identified in more than 50% 46,XY DSD cases. We aimed to identify chromosomal rearrangement in the development of 46,XY DSD in Vietnamese patients. Methods Case series report including clinical presentations and data from array-based comparative genomic hybridization analysis for six genetic males with genital abnormalities combines with mental disability and other congenital anomalies. Results Heterozygous submicroscopic deletions and/or duplications were identified in six cases. A 7.2 Mb terminal deletion at chromosome 9 including deletion of DMRT1 gene and a 2.7 Mb terminal duplication at chromosome 17 were detected in case 1 that presented with prematurity, dysmorphism and ambiguous genitalia. A terminal deletion affects DMRT1-3 at 9p22-23 was identified in case 2 with ambiguous genitalia, mental disability and dysmorphism. An 18 Mb terminal duplication at chromosome 5 was detected in case 3 with DSD, growth retardation, microcephaly and dysmorphism, ptosis, ventricular septal defect and craniosynostosis. An interstitial deletion including deletions of WT1, PAX6, and PRRG4 genes at chromosome 11 was detected in case 4 with WAGR syndrome. A terminal duplication at chromosome 7 was detected in case 5 with DSD, severe hypospadias, small phallus size (1 cm at 3 years of age), and no testis found clinically. A 5 Mb terminal deletion at chromosome 4 and a 6 Mb terminal duplication of chromosome 16 were detected in case 6 with severe motor-mental retardation, microcephaly (head circumference −3.5 SD), micrognathia, and DSD. Conclusions The results indicate that chromosomal rearrangements constitute an important part of the molecular bases of 46,XY DSD and that submicroscopic deletions and/or duplication can lead to various types of 46,XY DSD combined with other congenital

Molecular Identification of XY Sex-Reversed Female and YY Male Channel Catfish

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Production of channel catfish leads U.S. aquaculture, and monosex culture may provide higher production efficiencies. Determination of phenotypic sex is labor intensive and not practical for large scale culture. Catfish have an X-Y sex determination system with monomorphic sex chromosomes. Hormonal...

XX/XY Sex Chromosomes in the South American Dwarf Gecko (Gonatodes humeralis).

PubMed

Gamble, Tony; McKenna, Erin; Meyer, Wyatt; Nielsen, Stuart V; Pinto, Brendan J; Scantlebury, Daniel P; Higham, Timothy E

2018-05-11

Sex-specific genetic markers identified using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, or RADseq, permits the recognition of a species' sex chromosome system in cases where standard cytogenetic methods fail. Thus, species with male-specific RAD markers have an XX/XY sex chromosome system (male heterogamety) while species with female-specific RAD markers have a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome (female heterogamety). Here, we use RADseq data from 5 male and 5 female South American dwarf geckos (Gonatodes humeralis) to identify an XX/XY sex chromosome system. This is the first confidently known sex chromosome system in a Gonatodes species. We used a low-coverage de novo G. humeralis genome assembly to design PCR primers to validate the male-specificity of a subset of the sex-specific RADseq markers and describe how even modest genome assemblies can facilitate the design of sex-specific PCR primers in species with diverse sex chromosome systems.

Origin and domestication of papaya Yh chromosome

PubMed Central

VanBuren, Robert; Zeng, Fanchang; Chen, Cuixia; Zhang, Jisen; Wai, Ching Man; Han, Jennifer; Aryal, Rishi; Gschwend, Andrea R.; Wang, Jianping; Na, Jong-Kuk; Huang, Lixian; Zhang, Lingmao; Miao, Wenjing; Gou, Jiqing; Arro, Jie; Guyot, Romain; Moore, Richard C.; Wang, Ming-Li; Zee, Francis; Charlesworth, Deborah; Moore, Paul H.; Yu, Qingyi; Ming, Ray

2015-01-01

Sex in papaya is controlled by a pair of nascent sex chromosomes. Females are XX, and two slightly different Y chromosomes distinguish males (XY) and hermaphrodites (XYh). The hermaphrodite-specific region of the Yh chromosome (HSY) and its X chromosome counterpart were sequenced and analyzed previously. We now report the sequence of the entire male-specific region of the Y (MSY). We used a BAC-by-BAC approach to sequence the MSY and resequence the Y regions of 24 wild males and the Yh regions of 12 cultivated hermaphrodites. The MSY and HSY regions have highly similar gene content and structure, and only 0.4% sequence divergence. The MSY sequences from wild males include three distinct haplotypes, associated with the populations’ geographic locations, but gene flow is detected for other genomic regions. The Yh sequence is highly similar to one Y haplotype (MSY3) found only in wild dioecious populations from the north Pacific region of Costa Rica. The low MSY3-Yh divergence supports the hypothesis that hermaphrodite papaya is a product of human domestication. We estimate that Yh arose only ∼4000 yr ago, well after crop plant domestication in Mesoamerica >6200 yr ago but coinciding with the rise of the Maya civilization. The Yh chromosome has lower nucleotide diversity than the Y, or the genome regions that are not fully sex-linked, consistent with a domestication bottleneck. The identification of the ancestral MSY3 haplotype will expedite investigation of the mutation leading to the domestication of the hermaphrodite Yh chromosome. In turn, this mutation should identify the gene that was affected by the carpel-suppressing mutation that was involved in the evolution of males. PMID:25762551

Familial 46,XY sex reversal without campomelic dysplasia caused by a deletion upstream of the SOX9 gene

PubMed Central

Layman, Lawrence C.; Ullmann, Reinhard; Shen, Yiping; Ha, Kyungsoo; Rehman, Khurram; Looney, Stephen; McDonough, Paul G.; Kim, Hyung-Goo; Carr, Bruce R.

2014-01-01

Background 46,XY sex reversal is a rare disorder and familial cases are even more rare. The purpose of the present study was to determine the molecular basis for a family with three affected siblings who had 46,XY sex reversal. Methods DNA was extracted from three females with 46,XY sex reversal, two normal sisters, and both unaffected parents. All protein coding exons of the SRY and NR5A1 genes were subjected to PCR-based DNA sequencing. In addition, array comparative genomic hybridization was performed on DNA from all seven family members. A deletion was confirmed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Expression of SOX9 gene was quantified using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results A 349kb heterozygous deletion located 353kb upstream of the SOX9 gene on the long arm of chromosome 17 was discovered in the father and three affected siblings, but not in the mother. The expression of SOX9 was significantly decreased in the affected siblings. Two of three affected sisters had gonadoblastomas. Conclusion This is the first report of 46,XY sex reversal in three siblings who have a paternally inherited deletion upstream of SOX9 associated with reduced SOX9 mRNA expression. PMID:24907458

Novel Familial Variant of the Desert Hedgehog Gene: Clinical Findings in Two Sisters with 46,XY Gonadal Dysgenesis or 46,XX Karyotype and Literature Review.

PubMed

Baldinotti, Fulvia; Cavallaro, Tiziana; Dati, Eleonora; Baroncelli, Giampiero I; Bertini, Veronica; Valetto, Angelo; Massart, Francesco; Fabrizi, Gian Maria; Zanette, Giampietro; Peroni, Diego; Bertelloni, Silvano

2018-01-01

In humans, Desert Hedgehog (DHH) gene mutations are a very rare cause of 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (GD), eventually associated with peripheral neuropathy. Clinical records of 12 patients with 46,XY GD and unknown genetic background were reviewed and a 46,XY woman with peripheral neuropathy was individuated. Her 46,XX sister affected by similar neuropathy was also investigated. Genomic DNA was extracted and DHH exons sequenced and analyzed. A comparative genomic hybridization array was also performed. In both the 46,XY and 46,XX sisters, a homozygous c.554C>A mutation in exon 2 of the DHH gene was found, determining a premature termination codon (p.Ser 185*). Heterozygous consanguineous carrier parents showed neither reproductive problems nor peripheral neuropathy. In the proband and her sister, a 499-kb duplication in 9p22.1 was also found. A 46,XY European woman with 46,XY GD and a novel homozygous DHH pathogenic variant is reported, confirming that this gene plays a key role in male gonadal development. Her 46,XX sister, harboring the same mutation, showed normal internal and external female phenotype. Thus, DHH seems not to be involved in the ovarian development pathway or its postpubertal function. Homozygous DHH mutations cause a specific peripheral neuropathy in humans with both 46,XY and 46,XX karyotypes. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The direct cost of traumatic secretion transfer in hermaphroditic land snails: individuals stabbed with a love dart decrease lifetime fecundity

PubMed Central

Kimura, Kazuki; Chiba, Satoshi

2015-01-01

Several taxa of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails exhibit a conspicuous mating behaviour, the so-called shooting of love darts. During mating, such land snail species transfer a specific secretion by stabbing a mating partner's body with the love dart. It has been shown that sperm donors benefit from this traumatic secretion transfer, because the secretions manipulate the physiology of a sperm recipient and increase the donors' fertilization success. However, it is unclear whether reception of dart shooting is costly to the recipients. Therefore, the effect of sexual conflict and antagonistic arms races on the evolution of traumatic secretion transfer in land snails is still controversial. To examine this effect, we compared lifetime fecundity and longevity between the individuals that received and did not receive dart shooting from mating partners in Bradybaena pellucida. Our experiments showed that the dart-receiving snails suffered reduction in lifetime fecundity and longevity. These results suggest that the costly mating behaviour, dart shooting, generates conflict between sperm donors and recipients and that sexually antagonistic arms races have contributed to the diversification of the morphological and behavioural traits relevant to dart shooting. Our findings also support theories suggesting a violent escalation of sexual conflict in hermaphroditic animals. PMID:25761713

The direct cost of traumatic secretion transfer in hermaphroditic land snails: individuals stabbed with a love dart decrease lifetime fecundity.

PubMed

Kimura, Kazuki; Chiba, Satoshi

2015-04-07

Several taxa of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails exhibit a conspicuous mating behaviour, the so-called shooting of love darts. During mating, such land snail species transfer a specific secretion by stabbing a mating partner's body with the love dart. It has been shown that sperm donors benefit from this traumatic secretion transfer, because the secretions manipulate the physiology of a sperm recipient and increase the donors' fertilization success. However, it is unclear whether reception of dart shooting is costly to the recipients. Therefore, the effect of sexual conflict and antagonistic arms races on the evolution of traumatic secretion transfer in land snails is still controversial. To examine this effect, we compared lifetime fecundity and longevity between the individuals that received and did not receive dart shooting from mating partners in Bradybaena pellucida. Our experiments showed that the dart-receiving snails suffered reduction in lifetime fecundity and longevity. These results suggest that the costly mating behaviour, dart shooting, generates conflict between sperm donors and recipients and that sexually antagonistic arms races have contributed to the diversification of the morphological and behavioural traits relevant to dart shooting. Our findings also support theories suggesting a violent escalation of sexual conflict in hermaphroditic animals. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Thermal quantum coherence and correlation in the extended XY spin chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sha, Ya-Ting; Wang, Yue; Sun, Zheng-Hang; Hou, Xi-Wen

2018-05-01

Quantum coherence and correlation of thermal states in the extended XY spin chain are studied in terms of the recently proposed l1 norm, skew information, and Bures distance of geometry discord (BGD), respectively. The entanglement measured via concurrence is calculated for reference. A two-dimensional susceptibility is introduced to explore their capability in highlighting the critical lines associated with quantum phase transitions in the model. It is shown that the susceptibility of the skew information and BGD is a genuine indicator of quantum phase transitions, and characterizes the factorization. However, the l1 norm is trivial for the factorization. An explicit scaling law of BGD is captured at low temperature in the XY model. In contrast to the entanglement, quantum coherence reveals a kind of long-range nonclassical correlation. Moreover, the obvious relation among model parameters is extracted for the factorized line in the extended model. Those are instructive for the understanding of quantum coherence and correlation in the theory of quantum information, and quantum phase transitions and factorization in condensed-matter physics.

Phase diagram for a two-dimensional, two-temperature, diffusive XY model.

PubMed

Reichl, Matthew D; Del Genio, Charo I; Bassler, Kevin E

2010-10-01

Using Monte Carlo simulations, we determine the phase diagram of a diffusive two-temperature conserved order parameter XY model. When the two temperatures are equal the system becomes the equilibrium XY model with the continuous Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) vortex-antivortex unbinding phase transition. When the two temperatures are unequal the system is driven by an energy flow from the higher temperature heat-bath to the lower temperature one and reaches a far-from-equilibrium steady state. We show that the nonequilibrium phase diagram contains three phases: A homogenous disordered phase and two phases with long range, spin texture order. Two critical lines, representing continuous phase transitions from a homogenous disordered phase to two phases of long range order, meet at the equilibrium KT point. The shape of the nonequilibrium critical lines as they approach the KT point is described by a crossover exponent φ=2.52±0.05. Finally, we suggest that the transition between the two phases with long-range order is first-order, making the KT-point where all three phases meet a bicritical point.

Gender role behavior in children with XY karyotype and disorders of sex development.

PubMed

Jürgensen, Martina; Hiort, Olaf; Holterhus, Paul-Martin; Thyen, Ute

2007-03-01

Children exhibit gender-typical preferences in play, toys, activities and interests, and playmates. Several studies suggest that high concentrations of pre- and postnatal androgens contribute to male-typical behavior development, whereas female-typical behavior develops in the absence of high androgens levels. This study aims to explore the consequences of hypoandrogenization on gender-typical behavior in children who have an XY karyotype and disorder of sex development (DSD). Participants included 33 children (ages 2-12 years) with an XY karyotype and DSD; 21 reared as girls and 12 reared as boys. Children's preferred activities and interests and playmate preferences were assessed with parent report questionnaires, a structured free-play task, and choice of a toy to keep as a gift. Participant's responses were compared to those of children recruited in a pre-school and elementary school survey (N=166). In this study, the degree of hypoandrogenization as indicated by genital stage and diagnosis showed a significant relationship to nearly all of the gender-related behaviors assessed, supporting the hypothesis that masculinization of gender role behavior is a function of prenatal androgen exposure. Despite the fact that children with partial androgen effects reared as girls showed increased "boyish" behaviors, they did not show increased signs of gender identity confusion or instability on a group level. We conclude that androgen exposure plays a decisive role in the development of gender-typical behavior in children with XY karyotype and DSD conditions.

XX/XY System of Sex Determination in the Geophilomorph Centipede Strigamia maritima

PubMed Central

Green, Jack E.; Dalíková, Martina; Sahara, Ken; Marec, František; Akam, Michael

2016-01-01

We show that the geophilomorph centipede Strigamia maritima possesses an XX/XY system of sex chromosomes, with males being the heterogametic sex. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of sex chromosomes in any geophilomorph centipede. Using the recently assembled Strigamia genome sequence, we identified a set of scaffolds differentially represented in male and female DNA sequence. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we confirmed that three candidate X chromosome-derived scaffolds are present at approximately twice the copy number in females as in males. Furthermore, we confirmed that six candidate Y chromosome-derived scaffolds contain male-specific sequences. Finally, using this molecular information, we designed an X chromosome-specific DNA probe and performed fluorescent in situ hybridization against mitotic and meiotic chromosome spreads to identify the Strigamia XY sex-chromosome pair cytologically. We found that the X and Y chromosomes are recognizably different in size during the early pachytene stage of meiosis, and exhibit incomplete and delayed pairing. PMID:26919730

Acne in Klinefelter Syndrome-46XY/47XXY Mosaicism?

PubMed

Lakshmi, Chembolli; Swarnalakshimi, Selvaraj

2015-01-01

Klinefelter syndrome (KFS) is the most common non-heritable sex chromosome anomaly caused by nondisjunction during cell division and contains two or more X chromosomes. More than two third of all cases are homogenous (47XXY) and the remaining are mosaic (46XY/47XXY). Lower limb ulcers are frequently observed and attributed to impaired fibrinolysis. A case of KFS with post acne scars and leg ulcers is presented. The rarity of acne in this syndrome is explained by the phenomenon of mosaicism.

Selected clinical features of the head and neck in women with Turner syndrome and the 45,X/46,XY karyotype.

PubMed

Frelich, Agnieszka; Frelich, Jakub; Jeż, Wacław; Irzyniec, Tomasz

2017-01-01

A 45,X/46,XY karyotype in women with Turner syndrome (TS) is very rare. The presence of a Y chromosome in the karyotype causes phenotypic differences and increased risk for neoplastic disease, compared to TS-women with other karyotypes. Our study addresses an issue: non-genital phenotypic differences between TS-patients with a Y-chromosome of their karyotype and TS-women without it. Results from patient history/physical examinations of the head and neck of eight TS-women and the 45,X/46,XY karyotype were compared with those observed in 164 TS-women and 30 controls. The heights of TS-groups: 142.5 ± 7.2 and 144.9 ± 7.2 cm were lower than controls (165.2 ± 6.6 cm). Participants were examined from 1995 to 2014. Among 28 study parameters, 15 were more frequently observed in TS women with the 45,X/46,XY karyotype compared to controls. Only abnormalities in the oral cavity and a history of childhood lymphoedema, differed significantly in the TS groups. With respect to the head and neck, the patient history and physical examination results of TS-women and the 45,X/46,XY karyotype and TS and other karyotypes revealed similar differences compared to controls. Compared to others TS patients, 45,X/46,XY individuals might more frequently have oral cavity soft tissue abnormalities and more rarely a history of childhood lymphoedema. (Endokrynol Pol 2017; 68 (1): 47-52).

Evidence That Intergenic Spacer Repeats of Drosophila Melanogaster Rrna Genes Function as X-Y Pairing Sites in Male Meiosis, and a General Model for Achiasmatic Pairing

PubMed Central

McKee, B. D.; Habera, L.; Vrana, J. A.

1992-01-01

In Drosophila melanogaster males, X-Y meiotic chromosome pairing is mediated by the nucleolus organizers (NOs) which are located in the X heterochromatin (Xh) and near the Y centromere. Deficiencies for Xh disrupt X-Y meiotic pairing and cause high frequencies of X-Y nondisjunction. Insertion of cloned rRNA genes on an Xh(-) chromosome partially restores normal X-Y pairing and disjunction. To map the sequences within an inserted, X-linked rRNA gene responsible for stimulating X-Y pairing, partial deletions were generated by P element-mediated destabilization of the insert. Complete deletions of the rRNA transcription unit did not interfere with the ability to stimulate X-Y pairing as long as most of the intergenic spacer (IGS) remained. Within groups of deletions that lacked the entire transcription unit and differed only in length of residual IGS material, pairing ability was proportional to the dose of 240-bp intergenic spacer repeats. Deletions of the complete rRNA transcription unit or of the 28S sequences alone blocked nucleolus formation, as determined by binding of an antinucleolar antibody, yet did not interfere with pairing ability, suggesting that X-Y pairing may not be mechanistically related to nucleolus formation. A model for achiasmatic pairing in Drosophila males based upon the combined action of topoisomerase I and a strand transferase is proposed. PMID:1330825

Acne in Klinefelter Syndrome-46XY/47XXY Mosaicism?

PubMed Central

Lakshmi, Chembolli; Swarnalakshimi, Selvaraj

2015-01-01

Klinefelter syndrome (KFS) is the most common non-heritable sex chromosome anomaly caused by nondisjunction during cell division and contains two or more X chromosomes. More than two third of all cases are homogenous (47XXY) and the remaining are mosaic (46XY/47XXY). Lower limb ulcers are frequently observed and attributed to impaired fibrinolysis. A case of KFS with post acne scars and leg ulcers is presented. The rarity of acne in this syndrome is explained by the phenomenon of mosaicism. PMID:26538700

Wide spectrum of NR5A1-related phenotypes in 46,XY and 46,XX individuals.

PubMed

Domenice, Sorahia; Machado, Aline Zamboni; Ferreira, Frederico Moraes; Ferraz-de-Souza, Bruno; Lerario, Antonio Marcondes; Lin, Lin; Nishi, Mirian Yumie; Gomes, Nathalia Lisboa; da Silva, Thatiana Evelin; Silva, Rosana Barbosa; Correa, Rafaela Vieira; Montenegro, Luciana Ribeiro; Narciso, Amanda; Costa, Elaine Maria Frade; Achermann, John C; Mendonca, Berenice Bilharinho

2016-12-01

Steroidogenic factor 1 (NR5A1, SF-1, Ad4BP) is a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in adrenal and gonadal development and function. Mutations in NR5A1 have been among the most frequently identified genetic causes of gonadal development disorders and are associated with a wide phenotypic spectrum. In 46,XY individuals, NR5A1-related phenotypes may range from disorders of sex development (DSD) to oligo/azoospermia, and in 46,XX individuals, from 46,XX ovotesticular and testicular DSD to primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). The most common 46,XY phenotype is atypical or female external genitalia with clitoromegaly, palpable gonads, and absence of Müllerian derivatives. Notably, an undervirilized external genitalia is frequently seen at birth, while spontaneous virilization may occur later, at puberty. In 46,XX individuals, NR5A1 mutations are a rare genetic cause of POI, manifesting as primary or secondary amenorrhea, infertility, hypoestrogenism, and elevated gonadotropin levels. Mothers and sisters of 46,XY DSD patients carrying heterozygous NR5A1 mutations may develop POI, and therefore require appropriate counseling. Moreover, the recurrent heterozygous p.Arg92Trp NR5A1 mutation is associated with variable degrees of testis development in 46,XX patients. A clear genotype-phenotype correlation is not seen in patients bearing NR5A1 mutations, suggesting that genetic modifiers, such as pathogenic variants in other testis/ovarian-determining genes, may contribute to the phenotypic expression. Here, we review the published literature on NR5A1-related disease, and discuss our findings at a single tertiary center in Brazil, including ten novel NR5A1 mutations identified in 46,XY DSD patients. The ever-expanding phenotypic range associated with NR5A1 variants in XY and XX individuals confirms its pivotal role in reproductive biology, and should alert clinicians to the possibility of NR5A1 defects in a variety of phenotypes presenting with gonadal dysfunction

The XX sex chromosome complement in mice is associated with increased spontaneous lupus compared with XY.

PubMed

Sasidhar, Manda V; Itoh, Noriko; Gold, Stefan M; Lawson, Gregory W; Voskuhl, Rhonda R

2012-08-01

Many autoimmune diseases are characterised by a female predominance. This may be caused by sex hormones, sex chromosomes or both. This report uses a transgenic mouse model to investigate how sex chromosome complement, not confounded by differences in gonadal type, might contribute to lupus pathogenesis. Transgenic NZM2328 mice were created by deletion of the Sry gene from the Y chromosome, thereby separating genetic from gonadal sex. Survival, renal histopathology and markers of immune activation were compared in mice carrying the XX versus the XY(-) sex chromosome complement, with each genotype being ovary bearing. Mice with XX sex chromosome complement compared with XY(-) exhibited poorer survival rates and increased kidney pathology. Splenic T lymphocytes from XX mice demonstrated upregulated X-linked CD40 ligand expression and higher levels of activation markers ex vivo. Increased MMP, TGF and IL-13 production was found, while IL-2 was lower in XX mice. An accumulation of splenic follicular B cells and peritoneal marginal zone B cells was observed, coupled with upregulated costimulatory marker expression on B cells in XX mice. These data show that the XX sex chromosome complement, compared with XY(-), is associated with accelerated spontaneous lupus.

Gender Development in 46,XY DSD: Influences of Chromosomes, Hormones, and Interactions with Parents and Healthcare Professionals

PubMed Central

Wisniewski, Amy B.

2012-01-01

Variables that impact gender development in humans are difficult to evaluate. This difficulty exists because it is not usually possible to tease apart biological influences on gender from social variables. People with disorders of sex development, or DSD, provide important opportunities to study gender within individuals for whom biologic components of sex can be discordant with social components of gender. While most studies of gender development in people with 46,XY DSD have historically emphasized the importance of genes and hormones on gender identity and gender role, more recent evidence for a significant role for socialization exists and is considered here. For example, the influence of parents' perceptions of, and reactions to, DSD are considered. Additionally, the impact of treatments for DSD such as receiving gonadal surgeries or genitoplasty to reduce genital ambiguity on the psychological development of people with 46,XY DSD is presented. Finally, the role of multi-disciplinary care including access to peer support for advancing medical, surgical and psychosexual outcomes of children and adults with 46,XY DSD, regardless of sex of rearing, is discussed. PMID:24278745

Breeding system in the dichogamous hermaphrodite Silene acutifolia (Caryophyllaceae).

PubMed

Buide, M L; Guitian, J

2002-12-01

The breeding system of the dichogamous hermaphrodite species Silene acutifolia, endemic to north-west Spain and north and central Portugal, is examined. Pollen germinability and style-stigma receptivity were analysed to determine whether protandry is a barrier to self-fertilization. By 48 h after anthesis, pollen germinability had declined to approx. 10 %. The short straight styles are not receptive when flowers first open. They gradually elongate and curve outwards, develop stigma papillae and become receptive. There is no clear separation between stigma and style: the stigma papillae appear in a line along the length of the style. Fruit set is high regardless of pollen source; however, seed set is significantly reduced after both spontaneous and facilitated autogamy. Seed set following spontaneous autogamy was 30 % (86 % in controls) in 1998 and 33 % (87 % in controls) in 1999. Seed set following facilitated autogamy was 62 % (86 % in controls) in 1998 and 67 % (89 % in controls) in 1999. Thus, separation of the male and female phases does not prevent production of seeds by self-pollination, although it does reduce the likelihood of this. Furthermore, results of the present experiments indicate that this species has no self-incompatibility mechanisms (self-compatibility index = 0.98). The selfing rate in the study population was 0.41, which is supported by the lack of self-incompatibility systems and by the incomplete protandry. Copyright 2002 Annals of Botany Company

Particle parameter analyzing system. [x-y plotter circuits and display

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, D. O.; Roy, N. L. (Inventor)

1969-01-01

An X-Y plotter circuit apparatus is described which displays an input pulse representing particle parameter information, that would ordinarily appear on the screen of an oscilloscope as a rectangular pulse, as a single dot positioned on the screen where the upper right hand corner of the input pulse would have appeared. If another event occurs, and it is desired to display this event, the apparatus is provided to replace the dot with a short horizontal line.

Mutation of Gonadal soma-derived factor induces medaka XY gonads to undergo ovarian development.

PubMed

Imai, Takuto; Saino, Kentaro; Matsuda, Masaru

2015-11-06

Gonochoristic species have a bipotential gonad that develops into a testis or an ovary. In species whose sex is determined by a genetic factor, the expression of a sex-determining gene is the first cue that directs the development of a bipotential gonad. Subsequent expression of downstream genes induces the gonad to develop into a testis or an ovary. The TGF-ß family member Gonadal soma-derived factor (Gsdf) is thought to be an important gene for gonadal development in teleost fish, and it is expressed at higher levels in the testis than in the ovary from early to mature stages. However, there is little functional information about the gene. In this study, we targeted the Gsdf coding region in the medaka fish Oryzias latipes using transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and studied the phenotypes of the Gsdf mutant medaka. Although normal and heterozygous XY gonads developed into a testis, all XY gonads with a homozygous mutation in Gsdf developed into an ovary at early developmental stages. However, two-thirds of Gsdf mutant XY gonads developed into testes in the adult stages. These results demonstrate that although a gonad can develop into a complete testis in the absence of Gsdf, Gsdf function is critical for directing the bipotential gonad at early developmental stages. Therefore, Gsdf is an endogenous inducer of testicular development similar to a master sex-determining gene. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The electronic and optical properties of quaternary GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y alloy lattice-matched to GaAs: a first-principles study.

PubMed

Ma, Xiaoyang; Li, Dechun; Zhao, Shengzhi; Li, Guiqiu; Yang, Kejian

2014-01-01

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory have been performed for the quaternary GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y alloy lattice-matched to GaAs. Using the state-of-the-art computational method with the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) hybrid functional, electronic, and optical properties were obtained, including band structures, density of states (DOSs), dielectric function, absorption coefficient, refractive index, energy loss function, and reflectivity. It is found that the lattice constant of GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y alloy with y/x =1.718 can match to GaAs. With the incorporation of N and Bi into GaAs, the band gap of GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y becomes small and remains direct. The calculated optical properties indicate that GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y has higher optical efficiency as it has less energy loss than GaAs. In addition, it is also found that the electronic and optical properties of GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y alloy can be further controlled by tuning the N and Bi compositions in this alloy. These results suggest promising applications of GaAs1-x-y N x Bi y quaternary alloys in optoelectronic devices.

Traceable X,Y self-calibration at single nm level of an optical microscope used for coherence scanning interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekberg, Peter; Mattsson, Lars

2018-03-01

Coherence scanning interferometry used in optical profilers are typically good for Z-calibration at nm-levels, but the X,Y accuracy is often left without further notice than typical resolution limits of the optics, i.e. of the order of ~1 µm. For the calibration of metrology tools we rely on traceable artefacts, e.g. gauge blocks for traditional coordinate measurement machines, and lithographically mask made artefacts for microscope calibrations. In situations where the repeatability and accuracy of the measurement tool is much better than the uncertainty of the traceable artefact, we are bound to specify the uncertainty based on the calibration artefact rather than on the measurement tool. This is a big drawback as the specified uncertainty of a calibrated measurement may shrink the available manufacturing tolerance. To improve the uncertainty in X,Y we can use self-calibration. Then, we do not need to know anything more than that the artefact contains a pattern with some nominal grid. This also gives the opportunity to manufacture the artefact in-house, rather than buying a calibrated and expensive artefact. The self-calibration approach we present here is based on an iteration algorithm, rather than the traditional mathematical inversion, and it leads to much more relaxed constrains on the input measurements. In this paper we show how the X,Y errors, primarily optical distortions, within the field of view (FOV) of an optical coherence scanning interferometry microscope, can be reduced with a large factor. By self-calibration we achieve an X,Y consistency in the 175  ×  175 µm2 FOV of ~2.3 nm (1σ) using the 50×  objective. Besides the calibrated coordinate X,Y system of the microscope we also receive, as a bonus, the absolute positions of the pattern in the artefact with a combined uncertainty of 6 nm (1σ) by relying on a traceable 1D linear measurement of a twin artefact at NIST.

CUDA programs for the GPU computing of the Swendsen-Wang multi-cluster spin flip algorithm: 2D and 3D Ising, Potts, and XY models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komura, Yukihiro; Okabe, Yutaka

2014-03-01

We present sample CUDA programs for the GPU computing of the Swendsen-Wang multi-cluster spin flip algorithm. We deal with the classical spin models; the Ising model, the q-state Potts model, and the classical XY model. As for the lattice, both the 2D (square) lattice and the 3D (simple cubic) lattice are treated. We already reported the idea of the GPU implementation for 2D models (Komura and Okabe, 2012). We here explain the details of sample programs, and discuss the performance of the present GPU implementation for the 3D Ising and XY models. We also show the calculated results of the moment ratio for these models, and discuss phase transitions. Catalogue identifier: AERM_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AERM_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 5632 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 14688 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C, CUDA. Computer: System with an NVIDIA CUDA enabled GPU. Operating system: System with an NVIDIA CUDA enabled GPU. Classification: 23. External routines: NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit 3.0 or newer Nature of problem: Monte Carlo simulation of classical spin systems. Ising, q-state Potts model, and the classical XY model are treated for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional lattices. Solution method: GPU-based Swendsen-Wang multi-cluster spin flip Monte Carlo method. The CUDA implementation for the cluster-labeling is based on the work by Hawick et al. [1] and that by Kalentev et al. [2]. Restrictions: The system size is limited depending on the memory of a GPU. Running time: For the parameters used in the sample programs, it takes about a minute for each program. Of course, it depends on the system size, the number of Monte Carlo steps, etc. References: [1] K

Wide spectrum of NR5A1‐related phenotypes in 46,XY and 46,XX individuals

PubMed Central

Domenice, Sorahia; Machado, Aline Zamboni; Ferreira, Frederico Moraes; Ferraz‐de‐Souza, Bruno; Lerario, Antonio Marcondes; Lin, Lin; Nishi, Mirian Yumie; Gomes, Nathalia Lisboa; da Silva, Thatiana Evelin; Silva, Rosana Barbosa; Correa, Rafaela Vieira; Montenegro, Luciana Ribeiro; Narciso, Amanda; Costa, Elaine Maria Frade; Achermann, John C

2016-01-01

Steroidogenic factor 1 (NR5A1, SF‐1, Ad4BP) is a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in adrenal and gonadal development and function. Mutations in NR5A1 have been among the most frequently identified genetic causes of gonadal development disorders and are associated with a wide phenotypic spectrum. In 46,XY individuals, NR5A1‐related phenotypes may range from disorders of sex development (DSD) to oligo/azoospermia, and in 46,XX individuals, from 46,XX ovotesticular and testicular DSD to primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). The most common 46,XY phenotype is atypical or female external genitalia with clitoromegaly, palpable gonads, and absence of Müllerian derivatives. Notably, an undervirilized external genitalia is frequently seen at birth, while spontaneous virilization may occur later, at puberty. In 46,XX individuals, NR5A1 mutations are a rare genetic cause of POI, manifesting as primary or secondary amenorrhea, infertility, hypoestrogenism, and elevated gonadotropin levels. Mothers and sisters of 46,XY DSD patients carrying heterozygous NR5A1 mutations may develop POI, and therefore require appropriate counseling. Moreover, the recurrent heterozygous p.Arg92Trp NR5A1 mutation is associated with variable degrees of testis development in 46,XX patients. A clear genotype‐phenotype correlation is not seen in patients bearing NR5A1 mutations, suggesting that genetic modifiers, such as pathogenic variants in other testis/ovarian‐determining genes, may contribute to the phenotypic expression. Here, we review the published literature on NR5A1‐related disease, and discuss our findings at a single tertiary center in Brazil, including ten novel NR5A1 mutations identified in 46,XY DSD patients. The ever‐expanding phenotypic range associated with NR5A1 variants in XY and XX individuals confirms its pivotal role in reproductive biology, and should alert clinicians to the possibility of NR5A1 defects in a variety of phenotypes presenting with gonadal

Molecular Diagnosis of 5α-Reductase Type II Deficiency in Brazilian Siblings with 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development

PubMed Central

de Calais, Flávia Leme; Soardi, Fernanda Caroline; Petroli, Reginaldo José; Lusa, Ana Letícia Gori; de Paiva e Silva, Roberto Benedito; Maciel-Guerra, Andréa Trevas; Guerra-Júnior, Gil; de Mello, Maricilda Palandi

2011-01-01

The steroid 5α-reductase type II enzyme catalyzes the conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and its deficiency leads to undervirilization in 46,XY individuals, due to an impairment of this conversion in genital tissues. Molecular analysis in the steroid 5α-reductase type II gene (SRD5A2) was performed in two 46,XY female siblings. SRD5A2 gene sequencing revealed that the patients were homozygous for p.Gln126Arg missense mutation, which results from the CGA > CAA nucleotide substitution. The molecular result confirmed clinical diagnosis of 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) for the older sister and directed the investigation to other family members. Studies on SRD5A2 protein structure showed severe changes at NADPH binding region indicating that structural modeling analysis can be useful to evaluate the deleterious role of a mutation as causing 5α-reductase type II enzyme deficiency. PMID:22272144

XY sex chromosome complement, compared with XX, in the CNS confers greater neurodegeneration during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

PubMed Central

Du, Sienmi; Itoh, Noriko; Askarinam, Sahar; Hill, Haley; Arnold, Arthur P.; Voskuhl, Rhonda R.

2014-01-01

Women are more susceptible to multiple sclerosis (MS) and have more robust immune responses than men. However, men with MS tend to demonstrate a more progressive disease course than women, suggesting a disconnect between the severity of an immune attack and the CNS response to a given immune attack. We have previously shown in an MS model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, that autoantigen-sensitized XX lymph node cells, compared with XY, are more encephalitogenic. These studies demonstrated an effect of sex chromosomes in the induction of immune responses, but did not address a potential role of sex chromosomes in the CNS response to immune-mediated injury. Here, we examined this possibility using XX versus XY bone marrow chimeras reconstituted with a common immune system of one sex chromosomal type. We found that experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice with an XY sex chromosome complement in the CNS, compared with XX, demonstrated greater clinical disease severity with more neuropathology in the spinal cord, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex. A candidate gene on the X chromosome, toll-like receptor 7, was then examined. Toll-like receptor 7 expression in cortical neurons was higher in mice with XY compared with mice with XX CNS, consistent with the known neurodegenerative role for toll-like receptor 7 in neurons. These results suggest that sex chromosome effects on neurodegeneration in the CNS run counter to effects on immune responses, and may bear relevance to the clinical enigma of greater MS susceptibility in women but faster disability progression in men. This is a demonstration of a direct effect of sex chromosome complement on neurodegeneration in a neurological disease. PMID:24550311

XY sex chromosome complement, compared with XX, in the CNS confers greater neurodegeneration during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

PubMed

Du, Sienmi; Itoh, Noriko; Askarinam, Sahar; Hill, Haley; Arnold, Arthur P; Voskuhl, Rhonda R

2014-02-18

Women are more susceptible to multiple sclerosis (MS) and have more robust immune responses than men. However, men with MS tend to demonstrate a more progressive disease course than women, suggesting a disconnect between the severity of an immune attack and the CNS response to a given immune attack. We have previously shown in an MS model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, that autoantigen-sensitized XX lymph node cells, compared with XY, are more encephalitogenic. These studies demonstrated an effect of sex chromosomes in the induction of immune responses, but did not address a potential role of sex chromosomes in the CNS response to immune-mediated injury. Here, we examined this possibility using XX versus XY bone marrow chimeras reconstituted with a common immune system of one sex chromosomal type. We found that experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice with an XY sex chromosome complement in the CNS, compared with XX, demonstrated greater clinical disease severity with more neuropathology in the spinal cord, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex. A candidate gene on the X chromosome, toll-like receptor 7, was then examined. Toll-like receptor 7 expression in cortical neurons was higher in mice with XY compared with mice with XX CNS, consistent with the known neurodegenerative role for toll-like receptor 7 in neurons. These results suggest that sex chromosome effects on neurodegeneration in the CNS run counter to effects on immune responses, and may bear relevance to the clinical enigma of greater MS susceptibility in women but faster disability progression in men. This is a demonstration of a direct effect of sex chromosome complement on neurodegeneration in a neurological disease.

PlotXY: A High Quality Plotting System for the Herschel Interactive Processing Environment (HIPE) and the Astronomical Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panuzzo, P.; Li, J.; Caux, E.

2012-09-01

The Herschel Interactive Processing Environment (HIPE) was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with NASA and the Herschel Instrument Control Centres, to provide the astronomical community a complete environment to process and analyze the data gathered by the Herschel Space Observatory. One of the most important components of HIPE is the plotting system (named PlotXY) that we present here. With PlotXY it is possible to produce easily high quality publication-ready 2D plots. It provides a long list of features, with fully configurable components, and interactive zooming. The entire code of HIPE is written in Java and is open source released under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 3. A new version of PlotXY is being developed to be independent from the HIPE code base; it is available to the software development community for the inclusion in other projects at the URL http://code.google.com/p/jplot2d/.

Single-cell analysis of peptide expression and electrophysiology of right parietal neurons involved in male copulation behavior of a simultaneous hermaphrodite.

PubMed

El Filali, Z; de Boer, P A C M; Pieneman, A W; de Lange, R P J; Jansen, R F; Ter Maat, A; van der Schors, R C; Li, K W; van Straalen, N M; Koene, J M

2015-12-01

Male copulation is a complex behavior that requires coordinated communication between the nervous system and the peripheral reproductive organs involved in mating. In hermaphroditic animals, such as the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis, this complexity increases since the animal can behave both as male and female. The performance of the sexual role as a male is coordinated via a neuronal communication regulated by many peptidergic neurons, clustered in the cerebral and pedal ganglia and dispersed in the pleural and parietal ganglia. By combining single-cell matrix-assisted laser mass spectrometry with retrograde staining and electrophysiology, we analyzed neuropeptide expression of single neurons of the right parietal ganglion and their axonal projections into the penial nerve. Based on the neuropeptide profile of these neurons, we were able to reconstruct a chemical map of the right parietal ganglion revealing a striking correlation with the earlier electrophysiological and neuroanatomical studies. Neurons can be divided into two main groups: (i) neurons that express heptapeptides and (ii) neurons that do not. The neuronal projection of the different neurons into the penial nerve reveals a pattern where (spontaneous) activity is related to branching pattern. This heterogeneity in both neurochemical anatomy and branching pattern of the parietal neurons reflects the complexity of the peptidergic neurotransmission involved in the regulation of male mating behavior in this simultaneous hermaphrodite.

Breeding System in the Dichogamous Hermaphrodite Silene acutifolia (Caryophyllaceae)

PubMed Central

BUIDE, M. L.; GUITIÁN, J.

2002-01-01

The breeding system of the dichogamous hermaphrodite species Silene acutifolia, endemic to north‐west Spain and north and central Portugal, is examined. Pollen germinability and style–stigma receptivity were analysed to determine whether protandry is a barrier to self‐fertilization. By 48 h after anthesis, pollen germinability had declined to approx. 10 %. The short straight styles are not receptive when flowers first open. They gradually elongate and curve outwards, develop stigma papillae and become receptive. There is no clear separation between stigma and style: the stigma papillae appear in a line along the length of the style. Fruit set is high regardless of pollen source; however, seed set is significantly reduced after both spontaneous and facilitated autogamy. Seed set following spontaneous autogamy was 30 % (86 % in controls) in 1998 and 33 % (87 % in controls) in 1999. Seed set following facilitated autogamy was 62 % (86 % in controls) in 1998 and 67 % (89 % in controls) in 1999. Thus, separation of the male and female phases does not prevent production of seeds by self‐pollination, although it does reduce the likelihood of this. Furthermore, results of the present experiments indicate that this species has no self‐incompatibility mechanisms (self‐compatibility index = 0·98). The selfing rate in the study population was 0·41, which is supported by the lack of self‐incompatibility systems and by the incomplete protandry. PMID:12451024

Development of X-Y servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuators for position control with high response, large stroke and nanometer accuracy.

PubMed

Chiang, Mao-Hsiung

2010-01-01

This study aims to develop a X-Y dual-axial intelligent servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuator for position control with high response, large stroke (250 mm, 200 mm) and nanometer accuracy (20 nm). In each axis, the rodless pneumatic actuator serves to position in coarse stroke and the piezoelectric actuator compensates in fine stroke. Thus, the overall control systems of the single axis become a dual-input single-output (DISO) system. Although the rodless pneumatic actuator has relatively larger friction force, it has the advantage of mechanism for multi-axial development. Thus, the X-Y dual-axial positioning system is developed based on the servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuator. In addition, the decoupling self-organizing fuzzy sliding mode control is developed as the intelligent control strategies. Finally, the proposed novel intelligent X-Y dual-axial servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuators are implemented and verified experimentally.

Development of X-Y Servo Pneumatic-Piezoelectric Hybrid Actuators for Position Control with High Response, Large Stroke and Nanometer Accuracy

PubMed Central

Chiang, Mao-Hsiung

2010-01-01

This study aims to develop a X-Y dual-axial intelligent servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuator for position control with high response, large stroke (250 mm, 200 mm) and nanometer accuracy (20 nm). In each axis, the rodless pneumatic actuator serves to position in coarse stroke and the piezoelectric actuator compensates in fine stroke. Thus, the overall control systems of the single axis become a dual-input single-output (DISO) system. Although the rodless pneumatic actuator has relatively larger friction force, it has the advantage of mechanism for multi-axial development. Thus, the X-Y dual-axial positioning system is developed based on the servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuator. In addition, the decoupling self-organizing fuzzy sliding mode control is developed as the intelligent control strategies. Finally, the proposed novel intelligent X-Y dual-axial servo pneumatic-piezoelectric hybrid actuators are implemented and verified experimentally. PMID:22319266

Case of 46,XX/47,XY, +21 chimerism in a newborn infant with ambiguous genitalia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sawai, Tomoko; Yoshimoto, Masaaki; Kinoshita, Ei-ichi

The authors describe the whole-body chimerism in a newborn infant with small phallus, pseudo-vaginal perineal hypospadias, and a bifid scrotum containing gonads. The human testis determining factor gene (SRY) was detected by PCR amplification. GTG-banding chromosome analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes and cultured fibroblasts derived from right cubital skin showed a 46,XX/47,XY, +21 karyotype. Their ratios in each cell line were 294:5 and 178:7, respectively. QFQ-banding chromosome analysis documented 3 heteromorphic satellites on trisomic chromsomes 21 in the 47,XY,+21 cell line and a homozygous satellite pattern in the 46,XX cell line. Heteromorphic patterns of chromsomes 4, 13, 14, and 22more » were also different between the two cell lines. To our knowledge, such disomy/trisomy chimeras have not been described previously. 10 refs., 3 figs.« less

A novel hybrid actuation mechanism based XY nanopositioning stage with totally decoupled kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Wu-Le; Zhu, Zhiwei; Guo, Ping; Ju, Bing-Feng

2018-01-01

This paper reports the design, analysis and testing of a parallel two degree-of-freedom piezo-actuated compliant stage for XY nanopositioning by introducing an innovative hybrid actuation mechanism. It mainly features the combination of two Scott-Russell and a half-bridge mechanisms for double-stage displacement amplification as well as moving direction modulation. By adopting the leaf-type double parallelogram (LTDP) structures at both input and output ends of the hybrid mechanism, the lateral stiffness and dynamic characteristics are significantly improved while the parasitic motions are greatly eliminated. The XY nanopositioning stage is constructed with two orthogonally configured hybrid mechanisms along with the LTDP mechanisms for totally decoupled kinematics at both input and output ends. An analytical model was established to describe the complete elastic deformation behavior of the stage, with further verification through the finite element simulation. Finally, experiments were implemented to comprehensively evaluate both the static and dynamic performances of the proposed stage. Closed-loop control of the piezoelectric actuators (PEA) by integrating strain gauges was also conducted to effectively eliminate the nonlinear hysteresis of the stage.

New Anomalous Lieb-Robinson Bounds in Quasiperiodic XY Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damanik, David; Lemm, Marius; Lukic, Milivoje; Yessen, William

2014-09-01

We announce and sketch the rigorous proof of a new kind of anomalous (or sub-ballistic) Lieb-Robinson (LR) bound for an isotropic XY chain in a quasiperiodic transversal magnetic field. Instead of the usual effective light cone |x|≤v|t|, we obtain |x|≤v|t|α for some 0<α <1. We can characterize the allowed values of α exactly as those exceeding the upper transport exponent αu+ of a one-body Schrödinger operator. To our knowledge, this is the first rigorous derivation of anomalous quantum many-body transport. We also discuss anomalous LR bounds with power-law tails for a random dimer field.

Screening and Familial Characterization of Copy-Number Variations in NR5A1 in 46,XY Disorders of Sex Development and Premature Ovarian Failure

PubMed Central

Harrison, Steven M.; Campbell, Ian M.; Keays, Melise; Granberg, Candace F.; Villanueva, Carlos; Tannin, Grace; Zinn, Andrew R.; Castrillon, Diego H.; Shaw, Chad A.; Stankiewicz, Paweł; Baker, Linda A.

2013-01-01

The NR5A1 gene encodes for steroidogenic factor 1, a nuclear receptor that regulates proper adrenal and gonadal development and function. Mutations identified by NR5A1 sequencing have been associated with disorders of sex development (DSD), ranging from sex reversal to severe hypospadias in 46,XY patients and premature ovarian failure (POF) in 46,XX patients. Previous reports have identified four families with a history of both 46,XY DSD and 46,XX POF carrying segregating NR5A1 sequence mutations. Recently, three 46,XY DSD sporadic cases with NR5A1 microdeletions have been reported. Here, we identify the first NR5A1 microdeletion transmitted in a pedigree with both 46,XY DSD and 46,XX POF. A 46,XY individual with DSD due to gonadal dysgenesis was born to a young mother who developed POF. Array CGH analysis revealed a maternally inherited 0.23 Mb microdeletion of chromosome 9q33.3, including the NR5A1 gene. Based on this finding, we screened patients with unexplained 46,XY DSD (n=11), proximal hypospadias (n=21) and 46,XX POF (n=36) for possible NR5A1 copy-number variations (CNVs) via multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), but did not identify any additional CNVs involving NR5A1. These data suggest that NR5A1 CNVs are an infrequent cause of these disorders but that array CGH and MLPA are useful genomic screening tools to uncover the genetic basis of such unexplained cases. This case is the first report of a familial NR5A1 CNV transmitting in a pedigree, causing both the male and female phenotypes associated with NR5A1 mutations, and the first report of a NR5A1 CNV associated with POF. PMID:23918653

Botanical smuts and hermaphrodites: Lydia Becker, Darwin's botany, and education reform.

PubMed

Gianquitto, Tina

2013-06-01

In 1868, Lydia Becker (1827-1890), the renowned Manchester suffragist, announced in a talk before the British Association for the Advancement of Science that the mind had no sex. A year later, she presented original botanical research at the BAAS, contending that a parasitic fungus forced normally single-sex female flowers of Lychnis diurna to develop stamens and become hermaphroditic. This essay uncovers the complex relationship between Lydia Becker's botanical research and her stance on women's rights by investigating how her interest in evolutionary theory, as well as her correspondence with Charles Darwin, critically informed her reform agendas by providing her with a new vocabulary for advocating for equality. One of the facts that Becker took away from her work on Lychnis was that even supposedly fixed, dichotomous categories such as biological sex became unfocused under the evolutionary lens. The details of evolutionary theory, from specific arguments on structural adaptations to more encompassing theories on heredity (i.e., pangenesis), informed Becker's understanding of human physiology. At the same time, Becker's belief in the fundamental equality of the sexes enabled her to perceive the distinction between inherent, biological differences and culturally contingent ones. She applied biological principles to social constructs as she asked: Do analogous evolutionary forces act on humans?

Performance Evaluation of a M/Geo[xy]/1 Queue with varying probabilities of success which Treats Two Like Jobs As a Single Entity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gowrishankar, Lavanya; Bhaskar, Vidhyacharan; Sundarammal, K.

2018-04-01

The developed model comprises of a single server capable of handling two different job types X and Y type job. Job Y takes more time for execution than job X. The objective is to construct a single server which would replace the standard M/M/2 queuing model The method used to find the relative measures involves the cost equation. The properties of the service distribution are discussed in detail. The maximum likelihood estimates for the parameters are obtained. The results are analytically derived for the M/Geo[xy]/1 model. A comparison is done between the model proposed and the standard M/M/2 queue. From the numerical results, it is observed that the waiting time in queue increases as the number of cycles is increased but however it is more economical than the M/M/2 model with restriction on the number of time slices.

Random isotropic one-dimensional XY-model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonçalves, L. L.; Vieira, A. P.

1998-01-01

The 1D isotropic s = ½XY-model ( N sites), with random exchange interaction in a transverse random field is considered. The random variables satisfy bimodal quenched distributions. The solution is obtained by using the Jordan-Wigner fermionization and a canonical transformation, reducing the problem to diagonalizing an N × N matrix, corresponding to a system of N noninteracting fermions. The calculations are performed numerically for N = 1000, and the field-induced magnetization at T = 0 is obtained by averaging the results for the different samples. For the dilute case, in the uniform field limit, the magnetization exhibits various discontinuities, which are the consequence of the existence of disconnected finite clusters distributed along the chain. Also in this limit, for finite exchange constants J A and J B, as the probability of J A varies from one to zero, the saturation field is seen to vary from Γ A to Γ B, where Γ A(Γ B) is the value of the saturation field for the pure case with exchange constant equal to J A(J B) .

46,XY hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and myasthenia gravis.

PubMed

Lichiardopol, Corina; Herlea, V; Ioan, Virginia; Tomulescu, V; Mixich, F

2006-01-01

Both hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and myasthenia gravis can be parts of type II autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome and association between the two disorders has been reported in few cases. A 14 year old male patient with a personal history of bilateral cryptorchidism and ptosis was referred for delayed puberty. Clinical examination revealed eunuchoid habitus, small, soft testes, gynecomastia, ptosis, a myasthenic deficit score of 22.5 points and an IQ of 84 points. Decreased testosterone (0.064 ng/mL) and elevated LH (64.5 mUI/mL) were consistent with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and karyotype was normal: 46,XY. Thyroid function, haematologic evaluation, BUN, electrolytes, and glycemia were in the normal range. Therapy consisted of anticholinesterase inhibitors, immunosuppressants, corticotherapy, testosterone; thoracoscopic thymectomy was performed showing thymic lymphoid hyperplasia on histopathologic examination. Myasthenic score improved (12.5 points), progressive virilization occurred, and a year later the patient presented with cushingoid features and obesity.

Genetics of dioecy and causal sex chromosomes in plants.

PubMed

Kumar, Sushil; Kumari, Renu; Sharma, Vishakha

2014-04-01

Dioecy (separate male and female individuals) ensures outcrossing and is more prevalent in animals than in plants. Although it is common in bryophytes and gymnosperms, only 5% of angiosperms are dioecious. In dioecious higher plants, flowers borne on male and female individuals are, respectively deficient in functional gynoecium and androecium. Dioecy is inherited via three sex chromosome systems: XX/XY, XX/X0 and WZ/ZZ, such that XX or WZ is female and XY, X0 or ZZ are males. The XX/XY system generates the rarer XX/X0 and WZ/ZZ systems. An autosome pair begets XY chromosomes. A recessive loss-of-androecium mutation (ana) creates X chromosome and a dominant gynoecium-suppressing (GYS) mutation creates Y chromosome. The ana/ANA and gys/GYS loci are in the sex-determining region (SDR) of the XY pair. Accumulation of inversions, deleterious mutations and repeat elements, especially transposons, in the SDR of Y suppresses recombination between X and Y in SDR, making Y labile and increasingly degenerate and heteromorphic from X. Continued recombination between X and Y in their pseudoautosomal region located at the ends of chromosomal arms allows survival of the degenerated Y and of the species. Dioecy is presumably a component of the evolutionary cycle for the origin of new species. Inbred hermaphrodite species assume dioecy. Later they suffer degenerate-Y-led population regression. Cross-hybridization between such extinguishing species and heterologous species, followed by genome duplication of segregants from hybrids, give rise to new species.

Range-Wide Sex-Chromosome Sequence Similarity Supports Occasional XY Recombination in European Tree Frogs (Hyla arborea)

PubMed Central

Brelsford, Alan; Perrin, Nicolas

2014-01-01

In contrast with mammals and birds, most poikilothermic vertebrates feature structurally undifferentiated sex chromosomes, which may result either from frequent turnovers, or from occasional events of XY recombination. The latter mechanism was recently suggested to be responsible for sex-chromosome homomorphy in European tree frogs (Hyla arborea). However, no single case of male recombination has been identified in large-scale laboratory crosses, and populations from NW Europe consistently display sex-specific allelic frequencies with male-diagnostic alleles, suggesting the absence of recombination in their recent history. To address this apparent paradox, we extended the phylogeographic scope of investigations, by analyzing the sequences of three sex-linked markers throughout the whole species distribution. Refugial populations (southern Balkans and Adriatic coast) show a mix of X and Y alleles in haplotypic networks, and no more within-individual pairwise nucleotide differences in males than in females, testifying to recurrent XY recombination. In contrast, populations of NW Europe, which originated from a recent postglacial expansion, show a clear pattern of XY differentiation; the X and Y gametologs of the sex-linked gene Med15 present different alleles, likely fixed by drift on the front wave of expansions, and kept differentiated since. Our results support the view that sex-chromosome homomorphy in H. arborea is maintained by occasional or historical events of recombination; whether the frequency of these events indeed differs between populations remains to be clarified. PMID:24892652

Nonequilibrium Phase Transition in a Periodically Driven XY Spin Chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosen, Tomaž; Ilievski, Enej

2011-08-01

We present a general formulation of Floquet states of periodically time-dependent open Markovian quasifree fermionic many-body systems in terms of a discrete Lyapunov equation. Illustrating the technique, we analyze periodically kicked XY spin-(1)/(2) chain which is coupled to a pair of Lindblad reservoirs at its ends. A complex phase diagram is reported with reentrant phases of long range and exponentially decaying spin-spin correlations as some of the system’s parameters are varied. The structure of phase diagram is reproduced in terms of counting nontrivial stationary points of Floquet quasiparticle dispersion relation.

One-norm geometric quantum discord and critical point estimation in the XY spin chain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Chang-Cheng; Wang, Yao; Guo, Jin-Liang, E-mail: guojinliang80@163.com

2016-11-15

In contrast with entanglement and quantum discord (QD), we investigate the thermal quantum correlation in terms of Schatten one-norm geometric quantum discord (GQD) in the XY spin chain, and analyze their capabilities in detecting the critical point of quantum phase transition. We show that the one-norm GQD can reveal more properties about quantum correlation between two spins, especially for the long-range quantum correlation at finite temperature. Under the influences of site distance, anisotropy and temperature, one-norm GQD and its first derivative make it possible to detect the critical point efficiently for a general XY spin chain. - Highlights: • Comparingmore » with entanglement and QD, one-norm GQD is more robust versus the temperature. • One-norm GQD is more efficient in characterization of long-range quantum correlation between two distant qubits. • One-norm GQD performs well in highlighting the critical point of QPT at zero or low finite temperature. • One-norm GQD has a number of advantages over QD in detecting the critical point of the spin chain.« less

True hermaphroditism in a 46, XY individual, caused by a postzygotic somatic point mutation in the male gonadal sex-determining locus (SRY): Molecular genetics and histological findings in a sporadic case

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Braun, A.; Kammerer, S.; Cleve, H.

1993-03-01

Recently, the gene for the determination of maleness has been identified in the sex-determining region on the short arm of the Y chromosome (SRY) between the Y-chromosomal pseudoautosomal boundary (PABY) and the ZFY gene locus. Experiments with transgenic mice confirmed that SRY is a part of the testis-determining factor (TDF). The authors describe a sporadic case of a patient with intersexual genitalia and the histological finding of ovotestes in the gonad, which resembles the mixed type of gonadal tissue without primordial follicle structures. The karyotype of the patient was 46,XY. By PCR amplification, they tested for the presence of SRYmore » by using DNA obtained from histological gonadal slices. The SRY products of both DNA preparations were further analyzed by direct sequencing. All three parts of the sex-determining region of the Y chromosome could be amplified from leukocytic DNA. The patient's and the father's SRY sequences were identical with the published sequence. In the SRY PCR product of gonadal DNA, the wild-type and two point mutations were present in the patient's sequence, simulating a heterozygous state of a Y-chromosomal gene: one of the mutations was silent, while the other encoded for a nonconservative amino acid substitution from leucine to histidine. Subcloning procedures showed that the two point mutations always occurred together. The origin of the patient's intersexuality is a postzygotic mutation of the SRY occurring in part of the gonadal tissue. This event caused the loss of the testis-determining function in affected cells. 37 refs., 6 figs.« less

Chromosome banding in Amphibia. XXVI. Coexistence of homomorphic XY sex chromosomes and a derived Y-autosome translocation in Eleutherodactylus maussi (Anura, Leptodactylidae).

PubMed

Schmid, M; Feichtinger, W; Steinlein, C; Haaf, T; Schartl, M; Visbal García, R; Manzanilla Pupo, J; Fernández Badillo, A

2002-01-01

A 15-year cytogenetic survey on one population of the leaf litter frog Eleutherodactylus maussi in northern Venezuela confirmed the existence of multiple XXAA male symbol /XAA(Y) female symbol sex chromosomes which originated by a centric (Robertsonian) fusion between the original Y chromosome and an autosome. 95% of the male individuals in this population are carriers of this Y-autosome fusion. In male meiosis the XAA(Y) sex chromosomes pair in the expected trivalent configuration. In the same population, 5% of the male animals still possess the original, free XY sex chromosomes. In a second population of E. maussi analyzed, all male specimens are characterized by these ancestral XY chromosomes which form normal bivalents in meiosis. E. maussi apparently represents the first vertebrate species discovered in which a derived Y-autosome fusion still coexists with the ancestral free XY sex chromosomes. The free XY sex chromosomes, as well as the multiple XA(Y) sex chromosomes are still in a very primitive (homomorphic) stage of differentiation. With no banding technique applied it is possible to distinguish the Y from the X. DNA flow cytometric measurements show that the genome of E. maussi is among the largest in the anuran family Leptodactylidae. The present study also supplies further data on differential chromosome banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments in this amphibian species. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Ultraprecision XY stage using a hybrid bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasonic linear motor for continuous motion.

PubMed

Lee, Dong-Jin; Lee, Sun-Kyu

2015-01-01

This paper presents a design and control system for an XY stage driven by an ultrasonic linear motor. In this study, a hybrid bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasonic linear motor was manufactured and then operated at the resonance frequency of the third longitudinal and the sixth lateral modes. These two modes were matched through the preload adjustment and precisely tuned by the frequency matching method based on the impedance matching method with consideration of the different moving weights. The XY stage was evaluated in terms of position and circular motion. To achieve both fine and stable motion, the controller consisted of a nominal characteristics trajectory following (NCTF) control for continuous motion, dead zone compensation, and a switching controller based on the different NCTFs for the macro- and micro-dynamics regimes. The experimental results showed that the developed stage enables positioning and continuous motion with nanometer-level accuracy.

Gender Identity and Coping in Female 46, XY Adults with Androgen Biosynthesis Deficiency (Intersexuality/DSD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweizer, Katinka; Brunner, Franziska; Schutzmann, Karsten; Schonbucher, Verena; Richter-Appelt, Hertha

2009-01-01

Individuals living with an intersex condition have not received much attention in counseling psychology, although a high need for psychosocial care is obvious. Using a mixed-methods multiple case study with qualitative and quantitative data, the authors explore coping and gender experiences in seven 46, XY intersexual persons with deficiencies of…

Simultaneously hermaphroditic shrimp use lipophilic cuticular hydrocarbons as contact sex pheromones.

PubMed

Zhang, Dong; Terschak, John A; Harley, Maggy A; Lin, Junda; Hardege, Jörg D

2011-04-20

Successful mating is essentially a consequence of making the right choices at the correct time. Animals use specific strategies to gain information about a potential mate, which is then applied to decision-making processes. Amongst the many informative signals, odor cues such as sex pheromones play important ecological roles in coordinating mating behavior, enabling mate and kin recognition, qualifying mate choice, and preventing gene exchange among individuals from different populations and species. Despite overwhelming behavioral evidence, the chemical identity of most cues used in aquatic organisms remains unknown and their impact and omnipresence have not been fully recognized. In many crustaceans, including lobsters and shrimps, reproduction happens through a cascade of events ranging from initial attraction to formation of a mating pair eventually leading to mating. We examined the hypothesis that contact pheromones on the female body surface of the hermaphroditic shrimp Lysmata boggessi are of lipophilic nature, and resemble insect cuticular hydrocarbon contact cues. Via chemical analyses and behavioural assays, we show that newly molted euhermaphrodite-phase shrimp contain a bouquet of odor compounds. Of these, (Z)-9-octadecenamide is the key odor with hexadecanamide and methyl linoleate enhancing the bioactivity of the pheromone blend. Our results show that in aquatic systems lipophilic, cuticular hydrocarbon contact sex pheromones exist; this raises questions on how hydrocarbon contact signals evolved and how widespread these are in the marine environment.

Sexual selection in hermaphrodites, sperm and broadcast spawners, plants and fungi

PubMed Central

Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel

2016-01-01

Darwin was the first to recognize that sexual selection is a strong evolutionary force. Exaggerated traits allow same-sex individuals to compete over access to mates and provide a mechanism by which mates are selected. It is relatively easy to appreciate how inter- and intrasexual selection work in organisms with the sensory capabilities to perceive physical or behavioural traits that signal mate quality or mate compatibility, and to assess the relative quality of competitors. It is therefore not surprising that most studies of sexual selection have focused on animals with separate sexes and obvious adaptations that function in the context of reproductive competition. Yet, many sexual organisms are both male and female at the same time, often lack sexual dimorphism and never come into direct contact at mating. How does sexual selection act in such species, and what can we learn from them? Here, we address these questions by exploring the potential for sexual selection in simultaneous hermaphrodites, sperm- and broadcast spawners, plants and fungi. Our review reveals a range of mechanisms of sexual selection, operating primarily after gametes have been released, which are common in many of these groups and also quite possibly in more familiar (internally fertilizing and sexually dimorphic) organisms. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Weird sex: the underappreciated diversity of sexual reproduction’. PMID:27619704

Sexual selection in hermaphrodites, sperm and broadcast spawners, plants and fungi.

PubMed

Beekman, Madeleine; Nieuwenhuis, Bart; Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel; Evans, Jonathan P

2016-10-19

Darwin was the first to recognize that sexual selection is a strong evolutionary force. Exaggerated traits allow same-sex individuals to compete over access to mates and provide a mechanism by which mates are selected. It is relatively easy to appreciate how inter- and intrasexual selection work in organisms with the sensory capabilities to perceive physical or behavioural traits that signal mate quality or mate compatibility, and to assess the relative quality of competitors. It is therefore not surprising that most studies of sexual selection have focused on animals with separate sexes and obvious adaptations that function in the context of reproductive competition. Yet, many sexual organisms are both male and female at the same time, often lack sexual dimorphism and never come into direct contact at mating. How does sexual selection act in such species, and what can we learn from them? Here, we address these questions by exploring the potential for sexual selection in simultaneous hermaphrodites, sperm- and broadcast spawners, plants and fungi. Our review reveals a range of mechanisms of sexual selection, operating primarily after gametes have been released, which are common in many of these groups and also quite possibly in more familiar (internally fertilizing and sexually dimorphic) organisms.This article is part of the themed issue 'Weird sex: the underappreciated diversity of sexual reproduction'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Performance of Multiplexed XY Resistive Micromegas detectors in a high intensity beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, D.; Burtsev, V.; Chumakov, A.; Cooke, D.; Depero, E.; Dermenev, A. V.; Donskov, S. V.; Dubinin, F.; Dusaev, R. R.; Emmenegger, S.; Fabich, A.; Frolov, V. N.; Gardikiotis, A.; Gninenko, S. N.; Hösgen, M.; Karneyeu, A. E.; Ketzer, B.; Kirsanov, M. M.; Konorov, I. V.; Kramarenko, V. A.; Kuleshov, S. V.; Levchenko, E.; Lyubovitskij, V. E.; Lysan, V.; Mamon, S.; Matveev, V. A.; Mikhailov, Yu. V.; Myalkovskiy, V. V.; Peshekhonov, V. D.; Peshekhonov, D. V.; Polyakov, V. A.; Radics, B.; Rubbia, A.; Samoylenko, V. D.; Tikhomirov, V. O.; Tlisov, D. A.; Toropin, A. N.; Vasilishin, B.; Arenas, G. Vasquez; Ulloa, P.; Crivelli, P.

2018-02-01

We present the performance of multiplexed XY resistive Micromegas detectors tested in the CERN SPS 100 GeV/c electron beam at intensities up to 3 . 3 × 105e- /(s ṡcm2) . So far, all studies with multiplexed Micromegas have only been reported for tests with radioactive sources and cosmic rays. The use of multiplexed modules in high intensity environments was not explored due to the effect of ambiguities in the reconstruction of the hit point caused by the multiplexing feature. For the specific mapping and beam intensities analyzed in this work with a multiplexing factor of five, more than 50% level of ambiguity is introduced due to particle pile-up as well as fake clusters due to the mapping feature. Our results prove that by using the additional information of cluster size and integrated charge from the signal clusters induced on the XY strips, the ambiguities can be reduced to a level below 2%. The tested detectors are used in the CERN NA64 experiment for tracking the incoming particles bending in a magnetic field in order to reconstruct their momentum. The average hit detection efficiency of each module was found to be ∼96% at the highest beam intensities. By using four modules a tracking resolution of 1.1% was obtained with ∼85% combined tracking efficiency.

45,X/47,XXX/47,XX, del(Y)(p?)/46,XX mosaicism causing true hermaphroditism.

PubMed

Nieto, Karem; Peña, Rocío; Palma, Icela; Dorantes, Luis M; Eraña, Luis; Alvarez, Rebeca; García-Cavazos, Ricardo; Kofman-Alfaro, Susana; Queipo, Gloria

2004-10-15

Sex differentiation in humans depends on the presence of the Y-linked gene SRY, which is activated in the pre-Sertoli cells of the developing gonadal primordium to trigger testicular differentiation. Occasionally testicular formation can take place in subjects lacking a Y chromosome resulting in a 46,XX sex reversal condition. True hermaphroditism (TH) is a rare form of intersexuality characterized by the presence of testicular and ovarian tissue in the same individual. Genetic heterogeneity has been proposed as a cause of dual gonadal development in some cases and recently, hidden mosaicism was reported to cause TH in some 46,XX SRY negative patients. Here we report a TH case in which hidden mosaicism for the Y and X chromosome was detected by PCR and FISH in peripheral blood and gonadal tissue, supporting the fact that mosaicism may cause TH and that molecular analysis of gonadal tissue should be performed in all 46,XX cases.

Multigeneration Inheritance through Fertile XX Carriers of an NR0B1 (DAX1) Locus Duplication in a Kindred of Females with Isolated XY Gonadal Dysgenesis

PubMed Central

Barbaro, Michela; Cook, Jackie; Lagerstedt-Robinson, Kristina; Wedell, Anna

2012-01-01

A 160 kb minimal common region in Xp21 has been determined as the cause of XY gonadal dysgenesis, if duplicated. The region contains the MAGEB genes and the NR0B1 gene; this is the candidate for gonadal dysgenesis if overexpressed. Most patients present gonadal dysgenesis within a more complex phenotype. However, few independent cases have recently been described presenting with isolated XY gonadal dysgenesis caused by relatively small NR0B1 locus duplications. We have identified another NR0B1 duplication in two sisters with isolated XY gonadal dysgenesis with an X-linked inheritance pattern. We performed X-inactivation studies in three fertile female carriers of three different small NR0B1 locus duplications identified by our group. The carrier mothers did not show obvious skewing of X-chromosome inactivation, suggesting that NR0B1 overexpression does not impair ovarian function. We furthermore emphasize the importance to investigate the NR0B1 locus also in patients with isolated XY gonadal dysgenesis. PMID:22518125

GATA4 Variants in Individuals With a 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) May or May Not Be Associated With Cardiac Defects Depending on Second Hits in Other DSD Genes.

PubMed

Martinez de LaPiscina, Idoia; de Mingo, Carmen; Riedl, Stefan; Rodriguez, Amaia; Pandey, Amit V; Fernández-Cancio, Mónica; Camats, Nuria; Sinclair, Andrew; Castaño, Luis; Audi, Laura; Flück, Christa E

2018-01-01

Disorders of sex development (DSD) consist of a wide range of conditions involving numerous genes. Nevertheless, about half of 46,XY individuals remain genetically unsolved. GATA4 gene variants, mainly related to congenital heart defects (CHD), have also been recently associated with 46,XY DSD. In this study, we characterized three individuals presenting with 46,XY DSD with or without CHD and GATA4 variants in order to understand the phenotypical variability. We studied one patient presenting CHD and 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis, and two patients with a history of genetically unsolved 46,XY DSD, also known as male primary hypogonadism. Mutation analysis was carried out by candidate gene approach or targeted gene panel sequencing. Functional activity of GATA4 variants was tested in vitro on the CYP17 promoter involved in sex development using JEG3 cells. We found two novel and one previously described GATA4 variants located in the N-terminal zinc finger domain of the protein. Cys238Arg variant lost transcriptional activity on the CYP17 promoter reporter, while Trp228Cys and Pro226Leu behaved similar to wild type. These results were in line with bioinformatics simulation studies. Additional DSD variations, in the LRP4 and LHCGR genes, respectively, were identified in the two 46,XY individuals without CHD. Overall, our study shows that human GATA4 mutations identified in patients with 46,XY DSD may or may not be associated with CHD. Possible explanations for phenotypical variability may comprise incomplete penetrance, variable sensitivity of partner genes, and oligogenic mechanisms.

GATA4 Variants in Individuals With a 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) May or May Not Be Associated With Cardiac Defects Depending on Second Hits in Other DSD Genes

PubMed Central

Martinez de LaPiscina, Idoia; de Mingo, Carmen; Riedl, Stefan; Rodriguez, Amaia; Pandey, Amit V.; Fernández-Cancio, Mónica; Camats, Nuria; Sinclair, Andrew; Castaño, Luis; Audi, Laura; Flück, Christa E.

2018-01-01

Disorders of sex development (DSD) consist of a wide range of conditions involving numerous genes. Nevertheless, about half of 46,XY individuals remain genetically unsolved. GATA4 gene variants, mainly related to congenital heart defects (CHD), have also been recently associated with 46,XY DSD. In this study, we characterized three individuals presenting with 46,XY DSD with or without CHD and GATA4 variants in order to understand the phenotypical variability. We studied one patient presenting CHD and 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis, and two patients with a history of genetically unsolved 46,XY DSD, also known as male primary hypogonadism. Mutation analysis was carried out by candidate gene approach or targeted gene panel sequencing. Functional activity of GATA4 variants was tested in vitro on the CYP17 promoter involved in sex development using JEG3 cells. We found two novel and one previously described GATA4 variants located in the N-terminal zinc finger domain of the protein. Cys238Arg variant lost transcriptional activity on the CYP17 promoter reporter, while Trp228Cys and Pro226Leu behaved similar to wild type. These results were in line with bioinformatics simulation studies. Additional DSD variations, in the LRP4 and LHCGR genes, respectively, were identified in the two 46,XY individuals without CHD. Overall, our study shows that human GATA4 mutations identified in patients with 46,XY DSD may or may not be associated with CHD. Possible explanations for phenotypical variability may comprise incomplete penetrance, variable sensitivity of partner genes, and oligogenic mechanisms. PMID:29670578

A Genetic Linkage Map of the Hermaphrodite Teleost Fish Sparus aurata L.

PubMed Central

Franch, Rafaella; Louro, Bruno; Tsalavouta, Matina; Chatziplis, Dimitris; Tsigenopoulos, Costas S.; Sarropoulou, Elena; Antonello, Jenny; Magoulas, Andonis; Mylonas, Constantinos C.; Babbucci, Massimiliano; Patarnello, Tomaso; Power, Deborah M.; Kotoulas, Giorgos; Bargelloni, Luca

2006-01-01

The gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) is a marine fish of great importance for fisheries and aquaculture. It has also a peculiar sex-determination system, being a protandrous hermaphrodite. Here we report the construction of a first-generation genetic linkage map for S. aurata, based on 204 microsatellite markers. Twenty-six linkage groups (LG) were found. The total map length was 1241.9 cM. The ratio between sex-specific map lengths was 1:1.2 (male:female). Comparison with a preliminary radiation hybrid (RH) map reveals a good concordance, as all markers located in a single LG are located in a single RH group, except for Ad-25 and CId-31. Comparison with the Tetraodon nigroviridis genome revealed a considerable number of evolutionary conserved regions (ECRs) between the two species. The mean size of ECRs was 182 bp (sequence identity 60–90%). Forty-one ECRs have a known chromosomal location in the pufferfish genome. Despite the limited number of anchoring points, significant syntenic relationships were found. The linkage map presented here provides a robust comparative framework for QTL analysis in S. aurata and is a step toward the identification of genetic loci involved both in the determination of economically important traits and in the individual timing of sex reversal. PMID:16951080

Copy number variation of two separate regulatory regions upstream of SOX9 causes isolated 46,XY or 46,XX disorder of sex development.

PubMed

Kim, Gwang-Jin; Sock, Elisabeth; Buchberger, Astrid; Just, Walter; Denzer, Friederike; Hoepffner, Wolfgang; German, James; Cole, Trevor; Mann, Jillian; Seguin, John H; Zipf, William; Costigan, Colm; Schmiady, Hardi; Rostásy, Moritz; Kramer, Mildred; Kaltenbach, Simon; Rösler, Bernd; Georg, Ina; Troppmann, Elke; Teichmann, Anne-Christin; Salfelder, Anika; Widholz, Sebastian A; Wieacker, Peter; Hiort, Olaf; Camerino, Giovanna; Radi, Orietta; Wegner, Michael; Arnold, Hans-Henning; Scherer, Gerd

2015-04-01

SOX9 mutations cause the skeletal malformation syndrome campomelic dysplasia in combination with XY sex reversal. Studies in mice indicate that SOX9 acts as a testis-inducing transcription factor downstream of SRY, triggering Sertoli cell and testis differentiation. An SRY-dependent testis-specific enhancer for Sox9 has been identified only in mice. A previous study has implicated copy number variations (CNVs) of a 78 kb region 517-595 kb upstream of SOX9 in the aetiology of both 46,XY and 46,XX disorders of sex development (DSD). We wanted to better define this region for both disorders. By CNV analysis, we identified SOX9 upstream duplications in three cases of SRY-negative 46,XX DSD, which together with previously reported duplications define a 68 kb region, 516-584 kb upstream of SOX9, designated XXSR (XX sex reversal region). More importantly, we identified heterozygous deletions in four families with SRY-positive 46,XY DSD without skeletal phenotype, which define a 32.5 kb interval 607.1-639.6 kb upstream of SOX9, designated XY sex reversal region (XYSR). To localise the suspected testis-specific enhancer, XYSR subfragments were tested in cell transfection and transgenic experiments. While transgenic experiments remained inconclusive, a 1.9 kb SRY-responsive subfragment drove expression specifically in Sertoli-like cells. Our results indicate that isolated 46,XY and 46,XX DSD can be assigned to two separate regulatory regions, XYSR and XXSR, far upstream of SOX9. The 1.9 kb SRY-responsive subfragment from the XYSR might constitute the core of the Sertoli-cell enhancer of human SOX9, representing the so far missing link in the genetic cascade of male sex determination. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Critical behavior of the XY-rotor model on regular and small-world networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Nigris, Sarah; Leoncini, Xavier

2013-07-01

We study the XY rotors model on small networks whose number of links scales with the system size Nlinks˜Nγ, where 1≤γ≤2. We first focus on regular one-dimensional rings in the microcanonical ensemble. For γ<1.5 the model behaves like a short-range one and no phase transition occurs. For γ>1.5, the system equilibrium properties are found to be identical to the mean field, which displays a second-order phase transition at a critical energy density ɛ=E/N,ɛc=0.75. Moreover, for γc≃1.5 we find that a nontrivial state emerges, characterized by an infinite susceptibility. We then consider small-world networks, using the Watts-Strogatz mechanism on the regular networks parametrized by γ. We first analyze the topology and find that the small-world regime appears for rewiring probabilities which scale as pSW∝1/Nγ. Then considering the XY-rotors model on these networks, we find that a second-order phase transition occurs at a critical energy ɛc which logarithmically depends on the topological parameters p and γ. We also define a critical probability pMF, corresponding to the probability beyond which the mean field is quantitatively recovered, and we analyze its dependence on γ.

2d affine XY-spin model/4d gauge theory duality and deconfinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anber, Mohamed M.; Poppitz, Erich; Ünsal, Mithat

2012-04-01

We introduce a duality between two-dimensional XY-spin models with symmetry-breaking perturbations and certain four-dimensional SU(2) and SU(2)/ {{Z}_2} gauge theories, compactified on a small spatial circle {{R}^{{^{{{1},{2}}}}}} × {{S}^{{^{{1}}}}} , and considered at temperatures near the deconfinement transition. In a Euclidean set up, the theory is defined on {{R}^{{^{{2}}}}} × {{T}^{{^{{2}}}}} . Similarly, thermal gauge theories of higher rank are dual to new families of "affine" XY-spin models with perturbations. For rank two, these are related to models used to describe the melting of a 2d crystal with a triangular lattice. The connection is made through a multi-component electric-magnetic Coulomb gas representation for both systems. Perturbations in the spin system map to topological defects in the gauge theory, such as monopole-instantons or magnetic bions, and the vortices in the spin system map to the electrically charged W-bosons in field theory (or vice versa, depending on the duality frame). The duality permits one to use the two-dimensional technology of spin systems to study the thermal deconfinement and discrete chiral transitions in four-dimensional SU( N c ) gauge theories with n f ≥1 adjoint Weyl fermions.

Ultraprecision XY stage using a hybrid bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasonic linear motor for continuous motion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Dong-Jin; Lee, Sun-Kyu, E-mail: skyee@gist.ac.kr

2015-01-15

This paper presents a design and control system for an XY stage driven by an ultrasonic linear motor. In this study, a hybrid bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasonic linear motor was manufactured and then operated at the resonance frequency of the third longitudinal and the sixth lateral modes. These two modes were matched through the preload adjustment and precisely tuned by the frequency matching method based on the impedance matching method with consideration of the different moving weights. The XY stage was evaluated in terms of position and circular motion. To achieve both fine and stable motion, the controller consisted of amore » nominal characteristics trajectory following (NCTF) control for continuous motion, dead zone compensation, and a switching controller based on the different NCTFs for the macro- and micro-dynamics regimes. The experimental results showed that the developed stage enables positioning and continuous motion with nanometer-level accuracy.« less

Aetiological diagnosis of male sex ambiguity: a collaborative study.

PubMed

Morel, Yves; Rey, Rodolfo; Teinturier, Cécile; Nicolino, Marc; Michel-Calemard, Laurence; Mowszowicz, Irène; Jaubert, Francis; Fellous, Marc; Chaussain, Jean-Louis; Chatelain, Pierre; David, Michel; Nihoul-Fékété, Claire; Forest, Maguelone G; Josso, Nathalie

2002-01-01

A collaborative study, supported by the Biomed2 Programme of the European Community, was initiated to optimise the aetiological diagnosis in genetic or gonadal males with intersex disorders, a total of 67 patients with external sexual ambiguity, testicular tissue and/or a XY karyotype. In patients with gonadal dysgenesis or true hermaphroditism, the incidence of vaginal development was 100%, a uterus was present in 60%; uni or bilateral cryptorchidism was seen in nearly all cases of testicular dysgenesis (99%) but in only 57% of true hermaphrodites. Mean serum levels of anti-mullerian hormone and of serum testosterone response to chorionic gonadotropin stimulation were significantly decreased in both conditions, by comparison with patients with unexplained male pseudohermaphroditism or partial androgen insensitivity (PAIS). Mutations in the androgen receptor, 90% within exons 2-8, were detected in patients with PAIS. Clinically, a vaginal pouch was present in 90%, cryptorchidism in 36%. In 52% of cases, no diagnosis could be reached, despite an exhaustive clinical and laboratory work-up, including routine sequencing of exons 2-8 of the androgen receptor. By comparison with PAIS, unexplained male pseudohermaphroditism was characterised by a lower incidence of vaginal pouch (55%) and cryptorchidism (22%) but a high incidence of prematurity/intrauterine growth retardation (30%) or mild malformations (14%). reaching an aetiological diagnosis in cases of male intersex is difficult because of the variability of individual cases. Hormonal tests may help to discriminate between partial androgen insensitivity and gonadal dysgenesis/true hermaphroditism but are of less use for differentiating from unexplained male pseudohermaphroditism. Sequencing of exons 2-8 of the androgen receptor after study of testosterone precursors following human chorionic gonadotrophin stimulation is recommended when gonadal dysgenesis and true hermaphroditism can be excluded.

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer with reduced relaxation losses by use of the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furrer, Julien; Kramer, Frank; Marino, John P.; Glaser, Steffen J.; Luy, Burkhard

2004-01-01

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer is one of the most important building blocks in modern high-resolution NMR. It constitutes a very efficient transfer element for the assignment of proteins, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides. Nevertheless, in macromolecules exceeding ˜10 kDa TOCSY-experiments can show decreasing sensitivity due to fast transverse relaxation processes that are active during the mixing periods. In this article we propose the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence, originally developed for efficient TOCSY transfer through residual dipolar couplings, as a homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn sequence with improved relaxation properties. A theoretical analysis of the coherence transfer via scalar couplings and its relaxation behavior as well as experimental transfer curves for MOCCA-XY16 relative to the well-characterized DIPSI-2 multiple pulse sequence are given.

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer with reduced relaxation losses by use of the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence.

PubMed

Furrer, Julien; Kramer, Frank; Marino, John P; Glaser, Steffen J; Luy, Burkhard

2004-01-01

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer is one of the most important building blocks in modern high-resolution NMR. It constitutes a very efficient transfer element for the assignment of proteins, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides. Nevertheless, in macromolecules exceeding approximately 10 kDa TOCSY-experiments can show decreasing sensitivity due to fast transverse relaxation processes that are active during the mixing periods. In this article we propose the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence, originally developed for efficient TOCSY transfer through residual dipolar couplings, as a homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn sequence with improved relaxation properties. A theoretical analysis of the coherence transfer via scalar couplings and its relaxation behavior as well as experimental transfer curves for MOCCA-XY16 relative to the well-characterized DIPSI-2 multiple pulse sequence are given.

Effective equilibrium picture in the xy model with exponentially correlated noise.

PubMed

Paoluzzi, Matteo; Marconi, Umberto Marini Bettolo; Maggi, Claudio

2018-02-01

We study the effect of exponentially correlated noise on the xy model in the limit of small correlation time, discussing the order-disorder transition in the mean field and the topological transition in two dimensions. We map the steady states of the nonequilibrium dynamics into an effective equilibrium theory. In the mean field, the critical temperature increases with the noise correlation time τ, indicating that memory effects promote ordering. This finding is confirmed by numerical simulations. The topological transition temperature in two dimensions remains untouched. However, finite-size effects induce a crossover in the vortices proliferation that is confirmed by numerical simulations.

A variant Klinefelter syndrome patient with an XXY/XX/XY karyotype studied by GTG-banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization.

PubMed

Mark, H F; Bai, H; Sotomayor, E; Mark, S; Zolnierz, K; Airall, E; Sigman, M

1999-09-01

Klinefelter syndrome is the first human sex chromosomal abnormality to be reported. The majority of Klinefelter syndrome patients have the XXY karyotype. Approximately 15% of Klinefelter patients, however, are mosaics with variable phenotypes. Among the variant Klinefelter genotypes are such karyotypes as XY/XXY and XX/XXY. The variation in phenotypes most likely depends on the number of abnormal cells and their location in body tissues. In this paper we report the case of a 42-year-old patient with Klinefelter syndrome and a rare variant mosaic XXY/XX karyotype initially identified by GTG-banding. This was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using a dual-color X/Y probe. The patient presented with erectile dysfunction and few other physical findings. Thus, this case illustrates a rare variant of Klinefelter syndrome with a relatively mild phenotype. It also illustrates the utility of FISH as an adjunct to conventional cytogenetics in assessing the chromosome copy number in each cell line of a mosaic. In our case, FISH also detected the presence of a small population of cells with the XY karyotype not previously detected in the initial 30-cell GTG-banding analysis. Thus, through a combination of GTG-banding and FISH, the patient was determined to be an XXY/XX/XY mosaic. Given that most individuals with Klinefelter syndrome are infertile, and that these individuals may wish to reproduce with the aid of modern reproductive technology, such as testicular fine needle aspiration and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, it is important that accurate estimation of the frequency of abnormal cells be obtained for accurate risk estimation and genetic counseling, as recent studies in patients with mosaic Klinefelter syndrome revealed that germ cells with sex chromosomal abnormalities were nevertheless capable of completing meiosis. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Realizing various approximate quantum cloning with XY-type exchange interactions of flux qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Na; Ye, Liu

2014-03-01

In this paper, we realize all kinds of 1 → 2 approximate quantum cloning, including optimal 1 → 2 symmetric (or asymmetric) universal quantum cloning (UQC) and phase-covariant cloning (PCC), symmetric economical phase-covariant cloning (EPCC) and real state quantum cloning, with the XY-type exchange interactions of the flux qubits which are coupled by dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). It is shown that our schemes can be realized with the current experimental technology.

High frequency fo X-Y chromosome dissociation in primary spermatocytes of F1 hybrids between Japanese wild mice (Mus musculus molossinus) and inbred laboratory mice.

PubMed

Imai, H T; Matsuda, Y; Shiroishi, T; Moriwaki, K

1981-01-01

In the hybrids between Japanese wild mice (Mus musculus molossinus) and inbred laboratory mice (BALB/c and B10.BR, which were probably derived from M. m. domesticus), the X and Y chromosomes dissociated precociously at the first meiotic metaphase in some 70% of spermatocytes; that percentage was only 8.9% in inbred laboratory mice and 21.1% in wild mice. X-Y dissociation began at least at early diakinesis and continued during metaphase I (MI). Some autosomes of the hybrid (10.1%) and BALB/c (10.6%) mice also dissociated precociously, but there was no distinctive correlation between X-Y and autosomal dissociation. In B10 or B6 congenic lines with a Y chromosome from wild M. m. molossinus, there was an apparent tendency for the percentage of precocious X-Y dissociation to decrease with an increasing number of back cross generations. Based on these observations we concluded that: 1. the X-Y dissociation found is genetically controlled, perhaps by multiple genes; 2. these genes are located on autosomes and are active only when they are heterozygous; 3. the frequent dissociation of the sex chromosomes neither affects male fertility nor induces non-disjunction of the X and Y chromosomes, though it significantly reduces testes weight.

Substrate Specificities of MexAB-OprM, MexCD-OprJ, and MexXY-OprM Efflux Pumps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PubMed Central

Masuda, Nobuhisa; Sakagawa, Eiko; Ohya, Satoshi; Gotoh, Naomasa; Tsujimoto, Hideto; Nishino, Takeshi

2000-01-01

To find the exact substrate specificities of three species of tripartite efflux systems of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MexAB-OprM, MexCD-OprJ, and MexXY-OprM, we constructed a series of isogenic mutants, each of which constitutively overproduced one of the three efflux systems and lacked the other two, and their isogenic mutants, which lacked all these systems. Comparison of the susceptibilities of the constructed mutants to 52 antimicrobial agents belonging to various groups suggested the following substrate specificities. All of the efflux systems extrude a wide variety of antimicrobial agent groups, i.e., quinolones, macrolides, tetracyclines, lincomycin, chloramphenicol, most penicillins (all but carbenicillin and sulbenicillin), most cephems (all but cefsulodin and ceftazidime), meropenem, and S-4661, but none of them extrude polymyxin B or imipenem. Extrusion of aminoglycosides is specific to MexXY-OprM, and extrusion of a group of the β-lactams, i.e., carbenicillin, sulbenicillin, ceftazidime, moxalactam, and aztreonam, is specific to MexAB-OprM. Moreover, MexAB-OprM and MexCD-OprJ extrude novobiocin, cefsulodin, and flomoxef, while MexXY-OprM does not. These substrate specificities are distinct from those reported previously. PMID:11083635

Sex Reversal in C57BL/6J XY Mice Caused by Increased Expression of Ovarian Genes and Insufficient Activation of the Testis Determining Pathway

PubMed Central

Correa, Stephanie M.; Washburn, Linda L.; Kahlon, Ravi S.; Musson, Michelle C.; Bouma, Gerrit J.; Eicher, Eva M.; Albrecht, Kenneth H.

2012-01-01

Sex reversal can occur in XY humans with only a single functional WT1 or SF1 allele or a duplication of the chromosome region containing WNT4. In contrast, XY mice with only a single functional Wt1, Sf1, or Wnt4 allele, or mice that over-express Wnt4 from a transgene, reportedly are not sex-reversed. Because genetic background plays a critical role in testis differentiation, particularly in C57BL/6J (B6) mice, we tested the hypothesis that Wt1, Sf1, and Wnt4 are dosage sensitive in B6 XY mice. We found that reduced Wt1 or Sf1 dosage in B6 XYB6 mice impaired testis differentiation, but no ovarian tissue developed. If, however, a YAKR chromosome replaced the YB6 chromosome, these otherwise genetically identical B6 XY mice developed ovarian tissue. In contrast, reduced Wnt4 dosage increased the amount of testicular tissue present in Sf1+/− B6 XYAKR, Wt1+/− B6 XYAKR, B6 XYPOS, and B6 XYAKR fetuses. We propose that Wt1B6 and Sf1B6 are hypomorphic alleles of testis-determining pathway genes and that Wnt4B6 is a hypermorphic allele of an ovary-determining pathway gene. The latter hypothesis is supported by the finding that expression of Wnt4 and four other genes in the ovary-determining pathway are elevated in normal B6 XX E12.5 ovaries. We propose that B6 mice are sensitive to XY sex reversal, at least in part, because they carry Wt1B6 and/or Sf1B6 alleles that compromise testis differentiation and a Wnt4B6 allele that promotes ovary differentiation and thereby antagonizes testis differentiation. Addition of a “weak” Sry allele, such as the one on the YPOS chromosome, to the sensitized B6 background results in inappropriate development of ovarian tissue. We conclude that Wt1, Sf1, and Wnt4 are dosage-sensitive in mice, this dosage-sensitivity is genetic background-dependant, and the mouse strains described here are good models for the investigation of human dosage-sensitive XY sex reversal. PMID:22496664

Novel mutations of the SRD5A2 and AR genes in Thai patients with 46, XY disorders of sex development.

PubMed

Ittiwut, Chupong; Pratuangdejkul, Jaturong; Supornsilchai, Vichit; Muensri, Sasipa; Hiranras, Yodporn; Sahakitrungruang, Taninee; Watcharasindhu, Suttipong; Suphapeetiporn, Kanya; Shotelersuk, Vorasuk

2017-01-01

Abnormalities of dihydrotestosterone conversion [5α-reductase deficiency: online Mendelian inheritance in man (OMIM) 607306] or actions of androgens [partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS): OMIM 312300] during the 8th-12th weeks of gestation cause varying degrees of undervirilized external genitalia in 46, XY disorders of sex development (DSD) with increased testosterone production. The objective of the study was to determine clinical and genetic characteristics of Thai patients with 46, XY DSD. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 46, XY DSD with increased testosterone production (n=43) evaluated by a human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation test or clinical features consistent with 5α-reductase deficiency or PAIS. PCR sequencing of the entire coding regions of the SRD5A2 and AR genes was performed. Molecular modeling analysis of the androgen receptor-ligand-binding domain (AR-LBD) of a novel mutation was constructed. Mutations were found in seven patients (16.3%): five (11.6%) and two (4.7%) patients had mutations in SRD5A2 and AR, respectively. Two novel mutations, SRD5A2 c.383A>G (p.Y128C) and AR c.2176C>T (p.R726C), were identified. Dimensional structural analysis of the novel mutated AR (p.R726C) revealed that it affected the co-activator binding [binding function-3 (BF-3)], not the testosterone binding site. Short phallus length was associated with 5α-reductase deficiency. Around 16.3% of our patients with 46, XY DSD had 5α-reductase deficiency or PAIS. Two novel mutations of SRD5A2 and AR were identified. The novel mutated AR (p.R726C) might affect the co-activator binding (BF-3), not the testosterone binding site.

Local conservation laws in spin-\\frac{1}{2} XY chains with open boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fagotti, Maurizio

2016-06-01

We revisit the conserved quantities of the spin-\\frac{1}{2} XY model with open boundary conditions. In the absence of a transverse field, we find new families of local charges and show that half of the seeming conservation laws are conserved only if the number of sites is odd. In even chains the set of noninteracting charges is abelian, like in the periodic case when the number of sites is odd. In odd chains the set is doubled and becomes non-abelian, like in even periodic chains. The dependence of the charges on the parity of the chain’s size undermines the common belief that the thermodynamic limit of diagonal ensembles exists. We consider also the transverse-field Ising chain, where the situation is more ordinary. The generalization to the XY model in a transverse field is not straightforward and we propose a general framework to carry out similar calculations. We conjecture the form of the bulk part of the local charges and discuss the emergence of quasilocal conserved quantities. We provide evidence that in a region of the parameter space there is a reduction of the number of quasilocal conservation laws invariant under chain inversion. As a by-product, we study a class of block-Toeplitz-plus-Hankel operators and identify the conditions that their symbols satisfy in order to commute with a given block-Toeplitz.

An Unusual Presentation of 46,XY Pure Gonadal Dysgenesis: Spontaneous Breast Development and Menstruation.

PubMed

Çatlı, Gönül; Alparslan, Caner; Can, P Şule; Akbay, Sinem; Kelekçi, Sefa; Atik, Tahir; Özyılmaz, Berk; Dündar, Bumin N

2015-06-01

46,XY pure gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer syndrome) is characterized by normal female genitalia at birth. It usually first becomes apparent in adolescence with delayed puberty and amenorrhea. Rarely, patients can present with spontaneous breast development and/or menstruation. A fifteen-year-old girl presented to our clinic with the complaint of primary amenorrhea. On physical examination, her external genitals were completely female. Breast development and pubic hair were compatible with Tanner stage V. Hormonal evaluation revealed a hypergonadotropic state despite a normal estrogen level. Chromosome analysis revealed a 46,XY karyotype. Pelvic ultrasonography showed small gonads and a normal sized uterus for age. SRY gene expression was confirmed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Direct sequencing on genomic DNA did not reveal a mutation in the SRY, SF1 and WT1 genes. After the diagnosis of Swyer syndrome was made, the patient started to have spontaneous menstrual cycles and therefore failed to attend her follow-up visits. After nine months, the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. Frozen examination of multiple biopsies from gonad tissues revealed gonadoblastoma. With this report, we emphasize the importance of performing karyotype analysis, which is diagnostic for Swyer syndrome, in all cases with primary or secondary amenorrhea even in the presence of normal breast development. We also suggest that normal pubertal development in patients with Swyer syndrome may be associated with the presence of a hormonally active tumor.

Variants in congenital hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism genes identified in an Indonesian cohort of 46,XY under-virilised boys.

PubMed

Ayers, Katie L; Bouty, Aurore; Robevska, Gorjana; van den Bergen, Jocelyn A; Juniarto, Achmad Zulfa; Listyasari, Nurin Aisyiyah; Sinclair, Andrew H; Faradz, Sultana M H

2017-02-16

Congenital hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (CHH) and Kallmann syndrome (KS) are caused by disruption to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (H-P-G) axis. In particular, reduced production, secretion or action of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is often responsible. Various genes, many of which play a role in the development and function of the GnRH neurons, have been implicated in these disorders. Clinically, CHH and KS are heterogeneous; however, in 46,XY patients, they can be characterised by under-virilisation phenotypes such as cryptorchidism and micropenis or delayed puberty. In rare cases, hypospadias may also be present. Here, we describe genetic mutational analysis of CHH genes in Indonesian 46,XY disorder of sex development patients with under-virilisation. We present 11 male patients with varying degrees of under-virilisation who have rare variants in known CHH genes. Interestingly, many of these patients had hypospadias. We postulate that variants in CHH genes, in particular PROKR2, PROK2, WDR11 and FGFR1 with CHD7, may contribute to under-virilisation phenotypes including hypospadias in Indonesia.

Retracted: Aetiology and clinical profile of children with 46, XY differences of sex development at an Indian referral centre.

PubMed

Chauhan, V; Dada, R; Jain, V

2017-11-01

Retraction: 'Aetiology and clinical profile of children with 46, XY differences of sex development at an Indian referral centre' by Vasundhera Chauhan, Rima Dada, Vandana Jain The above article, published online on 8 August 2016 in Wiley Online Library (http://wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the Journal Editors-in-Chief, Wolf-Bernhard Schill and Ralf Henkel, and Blackwell Verlag GmbH. The retraction has been agreed as the result of an unresolved dispute between the first author and a colleague research fellow due to the inclusion of data from patients who were simultaneously enrolled in two studies being conducted separately by the two parties. Reference Chauhan, V., Dada, R. and Jain, V. (2016), Aetiology and clinical profile of children with 46, XY differences of sex development at an Indian referral centre. Andrologia. doi:10.1111/and.12663. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Lifetime inbreeding depression, purging, and mating system evolution in a simultaneous hermaphrodite tapeworm.

PubMed

Benesh, Daniel P; Weinreich, Friederike; Kalbe, Martin; Milinski, Manfred

2014-06-01

Classical theory on mating system evolution suggests that simultaneous hermaphrodites should either outcross if they have high inbreeding depression (ID) or self-fertilize if they have low ID. However, a mixture of selfing and outcrossing persists in many species. Previous studies with the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus have found worms to self-fertilize some of their eggs despite ID. The probability for selfing to spread depends on the relative fitness of selfers, as well as the genetic basis for ID and whether it can be effectively purged. We bred S. solidus through two consecutive generations of selfing and recorded several fitness correlates over the whole life cycle. After one round of selfing, ID was pronounced, particularly in early-life traits, and the conservatively estimated lifetime fitness of selfed progeny was only 9% that of the outcrossed controls. After a second generation of selfing, ID remained high but was significantly reduced in several traits, which is consistent with the purging of deleterious recessive alleles (the estimated load of lethal equivalents dropped by 48%). Severe ID, even if it can be rapidly purged, likely prevents transitions toward pure selfing in this parasite, although we also cannot exclude the possibility that low-level selfing has undetected benefits. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Broad phenotypes in heterozygous NR5A1 46,XY patients with a disorder of sex development: an oligogenic origin?

PubMed

Camats, Núria; Fernández-Cancio, Mónica; Audí, Laura; Schaller, André; Flück, Christa E

2018-06-11

SF-1/NR5A1 is a transcriptional regulator of adrenal and gonadal development. NR5A1 disease-causing variants cause disorders of sex development (DSD) and adrenal failure, but most affected individuals show a broad DSD/reproductive phenotype only. Most NR5A1 variants show in vitro pathogenic effects, but not when tested in heterozygote state together with wild-type NR5A1 as usually seen in patients. Thus, the genotype-phenotype correlation for NR5A1 variants remains an unsolved question. We analyzed heterozygous 46,XY SF-1/NR5A1 patients by whole exome sequencing and used an algorithm for data analysis based on selected project-specific DSD- and SF-1-related genes. The variants detected were evaluated for their significance in literature, databases and checked in silico using webtools. We identified 19 potentially deleterious variants (one to seven per patient) in 18 genes in four 46,XY DSD subjects carrying heterozygous NR5A1 disease-causing variants. We constructed a scheme of all these hits within the landscape of currently known genes involved in male sex determination and differentiation. Our results suggest that the broad phenotype in these heterozygous NR5A1 46,XY DSD subjects may well be explained by an oligogenic mode of inheritance, in which multiple hits, individually non-deleterious, may contribute to a DSD phenotype unique to each heterozygous SF-1/NR5A1 individual.

Evolutionary stability of egg trading and parceling in simultaneous hermaphrodites: the chalk bass revisited.

PubMed

Crowley, Philip H; Hart, Mary K

2007-06-07

Several species of simultaneously hermaphroditic seabasses living on coral reefs mate by alternating male and female roles with a partner. This is known as egg trading, one of the classic and most widely cited examples of social reciprocity among animals. Some of the egg-trading seabass species, including the chalk bass, Serranus tortugarum, switch mating roles repeatedly, having subdivided their clutch of eggs into parcels offered to the partner for fertilization. Here we attempt to understand these dynamics as a pair of evolutionary games, modifying some previous approaches to better reflect the biological system. We find that the trading of egg clutches is evolutionarily stable via byproduct mutualism and resistant to invasion by rare individuals that take the male role exclusively. We note why and how parceling may reflect sexual conflict between individuals in the mating pair. We estimate evolutionarily stable parcel numbers and show how they depend on parameter values. Typically, two or more sequential parcel numbers are evolutionarily stable, though the lowest of these yields the highest fitness. Assuming that parcel numbers are adjusted to local conditions, we predict that parcel numbers in nature are inversely related both to mating group density (except at low density) and predation risk.

Frequency doubling of a tunable ytterbium-doped fibre laser in KTP crystals phase-matched in the XY and YZ planes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akulov, V A; Kablukov, S I; Babin, Sergei A

2012-02-28

This paper presents an experimental study of frequency doubling of a tunable ytterbium-doped fibre laser in KTP crystals phase-matched in the XY and YZ planes. In the XY plane, we obtained continuous tuning in the range 528 - 540 nm through intracavity frequency doubling. The second-harmonic power reached 450 mW for 18 W of multimode diode pump power, which was five times higher in comparison with single-pass frequency doubling. In a single-pass configuration in the YZ plane, we obtained a wide tuning range (527 - 551 nm) in the green spectral region and a second-harmonic power of {approx}10 mW. Themore » tuning range was only limited by the mechanical performance of the fibre Bragg grating and can potentially be extended to the entire lasing range of the ytterbium-doped fibre laser.« less

Familial ring (18) mosaicism in a 23-year-old young adult with 46,XY,r(18) (::p11→q21::)/46,XY karyotype, intellectual disability, motor retardation and single maxillary incisor and in his phenotypically normal mother, karyotype 47,XX,+r(18)(::p11→q21::)/46,XX.

PubMed

Balci, Sevim; Tümer, Celal; Karaca, Ciğdem; Bartsch, Oliver

2011-05-01

We report on a 23-year-old man with craniofacial findings of the holoprosencephaly spectrum disorder (microcephaly, hypotelorism, depressed nasal bridge, single median maxillary central incisor), fusion of C2-C3 vertebrae, intellectual disability, and severe sleep apnea. Chromosome analysis of blood lymphocytes showed 75% ring (18) cells and 25% normal cells, karyotype mos 46,XY,r(18)(::p11→q21::)[75]/46,XY[25]. His mother was phenotypically normal except for a double ureter and bifid renal pelvis as in his son. She had a supernumerary ring (18) in 10% of blood lymphocytes, karyotype mos 47,XX,+r(18)(::p11→q21::)[10]/46,XX[90]. Familial ring (18) is a rare cytogenetic abnormality. This is the first report of a mother with a supernumerary ring (18) and a son with ring (18) mosaicism. Interestingly, the son showed a true mosaicism (mixoploidy) of ring (18) and normal cells. The mother's 46,XX cells could be easily explained by mitotic instability and ring loss during cell division. However, the coexistence of ring (18) and normal cells in the son is unusual. Possibly, during early postzygotic divisions of a 47,XY,+r(18) zygote, two (possibly subsequent) genetic events could have occurred, one when one normal chromosome 18 was lost (resulting in a cell line with ring 18), and one when the ring 18 was lost (resulting in a cell line without ring, "escape to normal"). Alternatively, the zygote of the son could have been 46,XY,r(18), and postzygotic loss of the ring 18 could have resulted in monosomy 18 cells followed by duplication of chromosome 18 in these cells (a rare mechanism for cell survival previously described as "compensatory" isodisomy). Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Human Sex Determination at the Edge of Ambiguity: INHERITED XY SEX REVERSAL DUE TO ENHANCED UBIQUITINATION AND PROTEASOMAL DEGRADATION OF A MASTER TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR.

PubMed

Racca, Joseph D; Chen, Yen-Shan; Yang, Yanwu; Phillips, Nelson B; Weiss, Michael A

2016-10-14

A general problem is posed by analysis of transcriptional thresholds governing cell fate decisions in metazoan development. A model is provided by testis determination in therian mammals. Its key step, Sertoli cell differentiation in the embryonic gonadal ridge, is initiated by SRY, a Y-encoded architectural transcription factor. Mutations in human SRY cause gonadal dysgenesis leading to XY female development (Swyer syndrome). Here, we have characterized an inherited mutation compatible with either male or female somatic phenotypes as observed in an XY father and XY daughter, respectively. The mutation (a crevice-forming substitution at a conserved back surface of the SRY high mobility group box) markedly destabilizes the domain but preserves specific DNA affinity and induced DNA bend angle. On transient transfection of diverse human and rodent cell lines, the variant SRY exhibited accelerated proteasomal degradation (relative to wild type) associated with increased ubiquitination; in vitro susceptibility to ubiquitin-independent ("default") cleavage by the 20S core proteasome was unchanged. The variant's gene regulatory activity (as assessed in a cellular model of the rat embryonic XY gonadal ridge) was reduced by 2-fold relative to wild-type SRY at similar levels of mRNA expression. Chemical proteasome inhibition restored native-like SRY expression and transcriptional activity in association with restored occupancy of a sex-specific enhancer element in principal downstream gene Sox9, demonstrating that the variant SRY exhibits essentially native activity on a per molecule basis. Our findings define a novel mechanism of impaired organogenesis, accelerated ubiquitin-directed proteasomal degradation of a master transcription factor leading to a developmental decision poised at the edge of ambiguity. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The Distribution and Cellular Lineages of XX and XY Cells in Gonads Associated with Ovotesticular Disorder of Sexual Development.

PubMed

Nishina-Uchida, Noriko; Fukuzawa, Ryuji; Ishii, Tomohiro; Anaka, Matthew R; Hasegawa, Tomonobu; Hasegawa, Yukihiro

2016-01-01

Individuals with a 46,XX/46,XY karyotype are categorized as ovotesticular disorder of sexual development (ODSD) and have gonads with either an ovary on one side and a testis on the other side or a mixed ovotestis. To examine the distribution of 46,XX and 46,XY cells in gonads of 3 patients with ODSD, FISH for X and Y chromosomes and immunohistochemistry for SOX9 and FOXL2 were carried out. FISH analysis showed that XX signals were present in Sertoli cells in the seminiferous tubules, while cells containing Y signals were seen in epithelia of ovarian follicles. The immunolabeling of SOX9 and FOXL2 in the seminiferous tubules and ovarian follicles was mutually exclusive, irrespective of the presence of reversed sex chromosomes. We therefore suggest that the fate of individual gonadal epithelial cells is determined not only by the sex chromosomes but also by local environmental factors. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An Unusual Presentation of 46,XY Pure Gonadal Dysgenesis: Spontaneous Breast Development and Menstruation

PubMed Central

Çatlı, Gönül; Alparslan, Caner; Can, P. Şule; Akbay, Sinem; Kelekçi, Sefa; Atik, Tahir; Özyılmaz, Berk; Dündar, Bumin N.

2015-01-01

46,XY pure gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer syndrome) is characterized by normal female genitalia at birth. It usually first becomes apparent in adolescence with delayed puberty and amenorrhea. Rarely, patients can present with spontaneous breast development and/or menstruation. A fifteen-year-old girl presented to our clinic with the complaint of primary amenorrhea. On physical examination, her external genitals were completely female. Breast development and pubic hair were compatible with Tanner stage V. Hormonal evaluation revealed a hypergonadotropic state despite a normal estrogen level. Chromosome analysis revealed a 46,XY karyotype. Pelvic ultrasonography showed small gonads and a normal sized uterus for age. SRY gene expression was confirmed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Direct sequencing on genomic DNA did not reveal a mutation in the SRY, SF1 and WT1 genes. After the diagnosis of Swyer syndrome was made, the patient started to have spontaneous menstrual cycles and therefore failed to attend her follow-up visits. After nine months, the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. Frozen examination of multiple biopsies from gonad tissues revealed gonadoblastoma. With this report, we emphasize the importance of performing karyotype analysis, which is diagnostic for Swyer syndrome, in all cases with primary or secondary amenorrhea even in the presence of normal breast development. We also suggest that normal pubertal development in patients with Swyer syndrome may be associated with the presence of a hormonally active tumor. PMID:26316442

Chromosome banding in Amphibia. XXVIII. Homomorphic XY sex chromosomes and a derived Y-autosome translocation in Eleutherodactylus riveroi (Anura, Leptodactylidae).

PubMed

Schmid, M; Feichtinger, W; Steinlein, C; Visbal García, R; Fernández Badillo, A

2003-01-01

Extensive cytogenetic analyses on a population of the leptodactylid frog Eleutherodactylus riveroi in northern Venezuela revealed the existence of multiple XXAA male/XYAA female/XAA(Y) female sex chromosomes. The XAA(Y) karyotype originated by a centric (Robertsonian) fusion between the original, free Y chromosome and an autosome. 46.2% of the male individuals in this population are carriers of this Y-autosome fusion. In male meiosis the XAA(Y) sex chromosomes pair in the expected trivalent configuration. In the same population 53.8% of the male animals still possess the original, free XY sex chromosomes. E. riveroi is only the second vertebrate species discovered in which a derived Y-autosome fusion coexists with the ancestral free XY sex chromosomes. The free XY sex chromosomes, as well as the multiple XA(Y) sex chromosomes are still in a very primitive (homomorphic) stage of differentiation. With no banding technique applied it is possible to distinguish the Y from the X. Various banding techniques and in situ hybridizations have been carried out to characterize the karyotypes. DNA flow cytometric measurements show that the genome size of E. riveroi resembles that of other Eleutherodactylus species. The cytogenetic data obtained in E. riveroi are compared with those of the sole other vertebrate known to possess the extremely rare, multiple XXAA male/XYAA female/XAA(Y) female sex chromosomes. Surprisingly enough, this vertebrate again is a frog belonging to the genus Eleutherodactylus [E. ((maussi) biporcatus] which lives exactly in the same habitat in northern Venezuela as does E. riveroi. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

A long serendipitous XMM-Newton observation of the intermediate polar XY Ari1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zengin Ćamurdan, D.; Balman, Ş.; Burwitz, V.

2018-07-01

XY Ari is one of the few known eclipsing intermediate polars. We present results from a detailed analysis of an unpublished archival observation using XMM-Newton EPIC pn and MOS data in a quiescent state of XY Ari. The X-ray orbital modulation and spin-pulse variations were investigated for energy-dependent modulations in different energy bands. The broad orbital modulation observed with various observations was confirmed with XMM-Newton in the hard X-ray (>1.6 keV). The EPIC light curves folded at the spin phases show a double-peak profile, as expected from two-pole accretion. The pulse profile is found to be energy-dependent. Hardness-ratio variations and energy modulation depth during spin modulation can be explained by photoelectric absorption. The simultaneously fitted EPIC spectra with a multi-temperature plasma emission model (CEVMKL) model yield a maximum plasma temperature of 28^{+3.1}_{-2.9} keV with an iron abundance Fe/Fe_{⊙}=0.37^{+0.06}_{-0.05}. We find two intrinsic partial covering absorption columns of 6.2^{+1.0}_{-0.9} × 10^{22} and 105.3^{+35.4}_{-30.4} × 10^{22} cm^{-2} with covering fractions of 0.53^{+0.05}_{-0.04}, 0.41^{+0.14}_{-0.13}, respectively. In addition, a Gaussian emission line at 6.43^{+0.01}_{-0.02} keV with an equivalent width of 51^{+12}_{-10} eV is required to account for fluorescent emission from neutral iron. The X-ray luminosity of the source is 4.2 × 1032 erg s-1 in the 0.2-10.0 keV energy band.

Quantum critical singularities in two-dimensional metallic XY ferromagnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varma, Chandra M.; Gannon, W. J.; Aronson, M. C.; Rodriguez-Rivera, J. A.; Qiu, Y.

2018-02-01

An important problem in contemporary physics concerns quantum-critical fluctuations in metals. A scaling function for the momentum, frequency, temperature, and magnetic field dependence of the correlation function near a 2D-ferromagnetic quantum-critical point (QCP) is constructed, and its singularities are determined by comparing to the recent calculations of the correlation functions of the dissipative quantum XY model (DQXY). The calculations are motivated by the measured properties of the metallic compound YFe2Al10 , which is a realization of the DQXY model in 2D. The frequency, temperature, and magnetic field dependence of the scaling function as well as the singularities measured in the experiments are given by the theory without adjustable exponents. The same model is applicable to the superconductor-insulator transitions, classes of metallic AFM-QCPs, and as fluctuations of the loop-current ordered state in hole-doped cuprates. The results presented here lend credence to the solution found for the 2D-DQXY model and its applications in understanding quantum-critical properties of diverse systems.

Energy allocation and reproductive investment in a temperate protogynous hermaphrodite, the ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villegas-Ríos, David; Alonso-Fernández, Alexandre; Domínguez-Petit, Rosario; Saborido-Rey, Fran

2014-02-01

Energy allocation is an important component of life-history variation since it determines the tradeoff between growth and reproduction. In this study we investigated the state-dependent and sex-specific energy allocation pattern and the reproductive investment of a protogynous hermaphrodite fish with parental care. Individuals of Labrus bergylta, a temperate wrasse displaying two main different colour patterns (plain and spotted), were obtained from the fish markets in NW Spain between 2009 and 2012. Total energy of the gonad, liver, mesenteric fat and muscle (obtained by calorimetric analysis) and gut weight (as a proxy of feeding intensity) were modelled in relation to the reproductive phase of the individuals. A decrease in the energy stored as mesenteric fat from prespawning to spawning paralleled the increase in the gonad total energy in the same period. The predicted reduction in stored total energy over the reproductive cycle was higher than the energy required to develop the ovaries for the full range of female sizes analysed, suggesting a capital breeding strategy. Males stored less energy over a season and invested fewer resources in gamete production than females. Reproductive investment (both fecundity and energy required to produce the gonads) was higher in plain than in spotted females, which is in agreement with the different growth patterns described for the species.

Tumor risk of children with 45,X/46,XY gonadal dysgenesis in relation to their clinical presentations: Further insights into the gonadal management.

PubMed

Tam, Yuk Him; Wong, Yuen Shan; Pang, Kristine Kit Yi; To, Ka Fai; Yiu, Alice Ka Wah; Wong, Hei Yi; Tsui, Siu Yan; Mou, Jennifer Wai Cheung; Chan, Kin Wai; Lee, Kim Hung

2016-09-01

To investigate the risk of gonadal germ cell neoplasms (GCN) in children with 45,X/46,XY gonadal dysgenesis and its relation to the clinical presentations. We conducted a retrospective study reviewing the clinical and gonadal features of all consecutive children with 45,X/46,XY gonadal dysgenesis who received gonadal management in a tertiary center from 1985 to 2015. Study subjects were divided into Group I(significant genitalia anomaly), Group II(female phenotype) and Group III(male phenotype). 21 children were studied (Group I=8; Group II=11; Group III=2). All 19 children of Group I and II eventually underwent bilateral gonadectomy. One patient of Group III underwent gonadal biopsy which showed increase in fibrous tissue in the testes without any GCN. 3/8(37.5%) and 6/11(54.5%) of patients in Group I and II respectively had either gonadoblastoma (GB) or carcinoma-in-situ (CIS) or both affecting one or both gonads. Among Group I patients, the 4 dysgenetic testes affected by CIS in 3 patients were intraabdominal (n=1), inguinal (n=1) and scrotal (n=2) in positions. Among Group II patients, 6/20 streak gonads had GB and 2/2 dysgenetic testes had GB or CIS. 45,X/46,XY children with significant genitalia anomaly or female phenotype are both at high risk of gonadal GCN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human MAMLD1 Gene Variations Seem Not Sufficient to Explain a 46,XY DSD Phenotype.

PubMed

Camats, Núria; Fernández-Cancio, Mónica; Audí, Laura; Mullis, Primus E; Moreno, Francisca; González Casado, Isabel; López-Siguero, Juan Pedro; Corripio, Raquel; Bermúdez de la Vega, José Antonio; Blanco, José Antonio; Flück, Christa E

2015-01-01

MAMLD1 is thought to cause disordered sex development in 46,XY patients. But its role is controversial because some MAMLD1 variants are also detected in normal individuals, several MAMLD1 mutations have wild-type activity in functional tests, and the male Mamld1-knockout mouse has normal genitalia and reproduction. Our aim was to search for MAMLD1 variations in 108 46,XY patients with disordered sex development, and to test them functionally. We detected MAMDL1 variations and compared SNP frequencies in controls and patients. We tested MAMLD1 transcriptional activity on promoters involved in sex development and assessed the effect of MAMLD1 on androgen production. MAMLD1 expression in normal steroid-producing tissues and mutant MAMLD1 protein expression were also assessed. Nine MAMLD1 mutations (7 novel) were characterized. In vitro, most MAMLD1 variants acted similarly to wild type. Only the L210X mutation showed loss of function in all tests. We detected no effect of wild-type or MAMLD1 variants on CYP17A1 enzyme activity in our cell experiments, and Western blots revealed no significant differences for MAMLD1 protein expression. MAMLD1 was expressed in human adult testes and adrenals. In conclusion, our data support the notion that MAMLD1 sequence variations may not suffice to explain the phenotype in carriers and that MAMLD1 may also have a role in adult life.

Human MAMLD1 Gene Variations Seem Not Sufficient to Explain a 46,XY DSD Phenotype

PubMed Central

Audí, Laura; Mullis, Primus E.; Moreno, Francisca; González Casado, Isabel; López-Siguero, Juan Pedro; Corripio, Raquel; Bermúdez de la Vega, José Antonio; Blanco, José Antonio; Flück, Christa E.

2015-01-01

MAMLD1 is thought to cause disordered sex development in 46,XY patients. But its role is controversial because some MAMLD1 variants are also detected in normal individuals, several MAMLD1 mutations have wild-type activity in functional tests, and the male Mamld1-knockout mouse has normal genitalia and reproduction. Our aim was to search for MAMLD1 variations in 108 46,XY patients with disordered sex development, and to test them functionally. We detected MAMDL1 variations and compared SNP frequencies in controls and patients. We tested MAMLD1 transcriptional activity on promoters involved in sex development and assessed the effect of MAMLD1 on androgen production. MAMLD1 expression in normal steroid-producing tissues and mutant MAMLD1 protein expression were also assessed. Nine MAMLD1 mutations (7 novel) were characterized. In vitro, most MAMLD1 variants acted similarly to wild type. Only the L210X mutation showed loss of function in all tests. We detected no effect of wild-type or MAMLD1 variants on CYP17A1 enzyme activity in our cell experiments, and Western blots revealed no significant differences for MAMLD1 protein expression. MAMLD1 was expressed in human adult testes and adrenals. In conclusion, our data support the notion that MAMLD1 sequence variations may not suffice to explain the phenotype in carriers and that MAMLD1 may also have a role in adult life. PMID:26580071

46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) due to 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 deficiency.

PubMed

Mendonca, Berenice B; Gomes, Nathalia Lisboa; Costa, Elaine M F; Inacio, Marlene; Martin, Regina M; Nishi, Mirian Y; Carvalho, Filomena Marino; Tibor, Francisco Denes; Domenice, Sorahia

2017-01-01

17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 deficiency consists of a defect in the last phase of steroidogenesis, in which androstenedione is converted into testosterone and estrone into estradiol. External genitalia range from female-like to atypical genitalia and most affected males are raised as females. Virilization in subjects with 17β-HSD3 deficiency occurs at the time of puberty and several of them change to male social sex. In male social sex patients, testes can be safely maintained, as long as they are positioned inside the scrotum The phenotype of 46,XY DSD due to 17β-HSD3 deficiency is extremely variable and clinically indistinguishable from other causes of 46,XY DSD such as partial androgen insensitivity syndrome and 5α-reductase 2 deficiency. Laboratory diagnosis is based on a low testosterone/androstenedione ratio due to high serum levels of androstenedione and low levels of testosterone. The disorder is caused by a homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the HSD17B3 gene that encodes the 17β-HSD3 isoenzyme leading to an impairment of the conversion of 17-keto into 17-hydroxysteroids. Molecular genetic testing confirms the diagnosis and provides the orientation for genetic counseling. Our proposal in this article is to review the previously reported cases of 17β-HSD3 deficiency adding our own cases. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Low X/Y divergence in four pairs of papaya sex-linked genes.

PubMed

Yu, Qingyi; Hou, Shaobin; Feltus, F Alex; Jones, Meghan R; Murray, Jan E; Veatch, Olivia; Lemke, Cornelia; Saw, Jimmy H; Moore, Richard C; Thimmapuram, Jyothi; Liu, Lei; Moore, Paul H; Alam, Maqsudul; Jiang, Jiming; Paterson, Andrew H; Ming, Ray

2008-01-01

Sex chromosomes in flowering plants, in contrast to those in animals, evolved relatively recently and only a few are heteromorphic. The homomorphic sex chromosomes of papaya show features of incipient sex chromosome evolution. We investigated the features of paired X- and Y-specific bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), and estimated the time of divergence in four pairs of sex-linked genes. We report the results of a comparative analysis of long contiguous genomic DNA sequences between the X and hermaphrodite Y (Y(h)) chromosomes. Numerous chromosomal rearrangements were detected in the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY), including inversions, deletions, insertions, duplications and translocations, showing the dynamic evolutionary process on the MSY after recombination ceased. DNA sequence expansion was documented in the two regions of the MSY, demonstrating that the cytologically homomorphic sex chromosomes are heteromorphic at the molecular level. Analysis of sequence divergence between four X and Y(h) gene pairs resulted in a estimated age of divergence of between 0.5 and 2.2 million years, supporting a recent origin of the papaya sex chromosomes. Our findings indicate that sex chromosomes did not evolve at the family level in Caricaceae, and reinforce the theory that sex chromosomes evolve at the species level in some lineages.

First analysis of eight Algol-type binaries: EI Aur, XY Dra, BP Dra, DD Her, VX Lac, WX Lib, RZ Lyn, and TY Tri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zasche, P.

2016-01-01

The available photometry from the online databases were used for the first light curve analysis of eight eclipsing binary systems EI Aur, XY Dra, BP Dra, DD Her, VX Lac, WX Lib, RZ Lyn, and TY Tri. All these stars are of Algol-type, having the detached components and the orbital periods from 0.92 to 6.8 days. For the systems EI Aur and BP Dra the large amount of the third light was detected during the light curve solution. Moreover, 468 new times of minima for these binaries were derived, trying to identify the period variations. For the systems XY Dra and VX Lac the third bodies were detected with the periods 17.7, and 49.3 years, respectively.

Assessing the putative roles of X-autosome and X-Y interactions in hybrid male sterility of the Drosophila bipectinata species complex.

PubMed

Mishra, Paras Kumar; Singh, Bashisth Narayan

2007-07-01

Interspecific F1 hybrid males of the Drosophila bipectinata species complex are sterile, while females are fertile, following Haldane's rule. A backcross scheme involving a single recessive visible marker on the X chromosome has been used to assess the putative roles of X-autosome and X-Y interactions in hybrid male sterility in the D. bipectinata species complex. The results suggest that X-Y interactions are playing the major role in hybrid male sterility in the crosses D. bipectinata x D. parabipectinata and D. bipectinata x D. pseudoananassae, while X-autosome interactions are largely involved in hybrid male sterility in the crosses D. malerkotliana x D. bipectinata and D. malerkotliana x D. parabipectinata. However, by using this single marker it is not possible to rule out the involvement of autosome-autosome interactions in hybrid male sterility. These findings also lend further support to the phylogenetic relationships among 4 species of the D. bipectinata complex.

Isolated 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis in two sisters caused by a Xp21.2 interstitial duplication containing the DAX1 gene.

PubMed

Barbaro, Michela; Oscarson, Mikael; Schoumans, Jacqueline; Staaf, Johan; Ivarsson, Sten A; Wedell, Anna

2007-08-01

Testis development is a tightly regulated process that requires an efficient and coordinated spatiotemporal action of many factors, and it has been shown that several genes involved in gonadal development exert a dosage effect. Chromosomal imbalances have been reported in several patients presenting with gonadal dysgenesis as part of severe dysmorphic phenotypes. We screened for submicroscopic DNA copy number variations in two sisters with an apparent normal 46,XY karyotype and female external genitalia due to gonadal dysgenesis, and in which mutations in known candidate genes had been excluded. By high-resolution tiling bacterial artificial chromosome array comparative genome hybridization, a submicroscopic duplication at Xp21.2 containing DAX1 (NR0B1) was identified. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, multiple ligation probe amplification, and PCR, the rearrangement was further characterized. This revealed a 637-kb tandem duplication that in addition to DAX1 includes the four MAGEB genes, the hypothetical gene CXorf21, GK, and part of the MAP3K7IP3 gene. Sequencing and analysis of the breakpoint boundaries and duplication junction suggest that the duplication originated through a coupled homologous and nonhomologous recombination process. This represents the first duplication on Xp21.2 identified in patients with isolated gonadal dysgenesis because all previously described XY subjects with Xp21 duplications presented with gonadal dysgenesis as part of a more complex phenotype, including mental retardation and/or malformations. Thus, our data support DAX1 as a dosage sensitive gene responsible for gonadal dysgenesis and highlight the importance of considering DAX1 locus duplications in the evaluation of all cases of 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis.

Duality-mediated critical amplitude ratios for the (2 + 1)-dimensional S = 1XY model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishiyama, Yoshihiro

2017-09-01

The phase transition for the (2 + 1)-dimensional spin-S = 1XY model was investigated numerically. Because of the boson-vortex duality, the spin stiffness ρs in the ordered phase and the vortex-condensate stiffness ρv in the disordered phase should have a close relationship. We employed the exact diagonalization method, which yields the excitation gap directly. As a result, we estimate the amplitude ratios ρs,v/Δ (Δ: Mott insulator gap) by means of the scaling analyses for the finite-size cluster with N ≤ 22 spins. The ratio ρs/ρv admits a quantitative measure of deviation from selfduality.

Case of successful IVF treatment of an oligospermic male with 46,XX/46,XY chimerism.

PubMed

Laursen, R J; Alsbjerg, B; Vogel, I; Gravholt, C H; Elbaek, H; Lildballe, D L; Humaidan, P; Vestergaard, E M

2018-04-30

We present a case of an infertile male with 46,XX/46,XYchimerism fathering a child after ICSI procedure. Conventional cytogenetic analysis on chromosomes, derived from lymphocytes, using standard Q-banding procedures with a 450-550-band resolution and short-tandem-repeat analysis of 14 loci. Analysis of 20 metaphases from lymphocytes indicated that the proband was a karyotypic mosaic with an almost equal distribution between male and female cell lines. In total, 12 of 20 (60%) metaphases exhibited a normal female karyotype 46,XX, while 8 of 20 (40%) metaphases demonstrated a normal male karyotype 46,XY. No structural chromosomal abnormalities were present. Out of 14 STR loci, two loci (D18S51 and D21S11) showed four different alleles in peripheral blood, buccal mucosal cells, conjunctival mucosal cells, and seminal fluid. In three loci (D2S1338, D7S820, and vWA), three alleles were detected with quantitative differences that indicated presence of four alleles. In DNA extracted from washed semen, four alleles were detected in one locus, and three alleles were detected in three loci. This pattern is consistent with tetragametic chimerism. There were no quantitative significant differences in peak heights between maternal and paternal alleles. STR-analysis on DNA from the son confirmed paternity. We report a unique case with 46,XX/46,XY chimerism confirmed to be tetragametic, demonstrated in several tissues, with male phenotype and no genital ambiguity with oligospermia fathering a healthy child after IVF with ICSI procedure.

Aetiological bases of 46,XY disorders of sex development in the Hong Kong Chinese population.

PubMed

Chan, Angel O K; But, W M; Lee, C Y; Lam, Y Y; Ng, K L; Loung, P Y; Lam, Aimen; Cheng, C W; Shek, C C; Wong, W S; Wong, K F; Wong, M Y; Tse, W Y

2015-12-01

Disorders of sex development are due to congenital defects in chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex development. The objective of this study was to determine the aetiology of this group of disorders in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Five public hospitals in Hong Kong. Patients with 46,XY disorders of sex development under the care of paediatric endocrinologists between July 2009 and June 2011. Measurement of serum gonadotropins, adrenal and testicular hormones, and urinary steroid profiling. Mutational analysis of genes involved in sexual differentiation by direct DNA sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Overall, 64 patients were recruited for the study. Their age at presentation ranged from birth to 17 years. The majority presented with ambiguous external genitalia including micropenis and severe hypospadias. A few presented with delayed puberty and primary amenorrhea. Baseline and post-human chorionic gonadotropin-stimulated testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels were not discriminatory in patients with or without AR gene mutations. Of the patients, 22 had a confirmed genetic disease, with 11 having 5α-reductase 2 deficiency, seven with androgen insensitivity syndrome, one each with cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme deficiency, Frasier syndrome, NR5A1-related sex reversal, and persistent Müllerian duct syndrome. Our findings suggest that 5α-reductase 2 deficiency and androgen insensitivity syndrome are possibly the two most common causes of 46,XY disorders of sex development in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Since hormonal findings can be unreliable, mutational analysis of the SRD5A2 and AR genes should be considered the first-line tests for these patients.

Defect engineering of complex semiconductor alloys: Cu2-2xMxO1-yXy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lany, Stephan; Stevanovic, Vladan

2013-03-01

The electrical properties of semiconductors are generally controlled via doping, i.e., the incorporation of dilute concentrations of aliovalent impurity atoms, whereas the band structure properties (gap, effective masses, optical properties) are manipulated by alloying, i.e., the incorporation of much larger amounts of isovalent elements. Theoretical approaches usually address either doping or alloying, but rarely both problems at the same time. By combining defect supercell calculations, GW quasi-particle energy calculation, and thermodynamic modeling, we study the range of electrical and band structure properties accessible by alloying aliovalent cations (M = Mg, Zn, Cd) and isovalent anions (X = S, Se) in Cu2O. In order to extend dilute defect models to higher concentrations, we take into account the association/dissociation of defect pairs and complexes, as well as the composition dependence of the band gap and the band edge energies. Considering a composition window for the Cu2-2xMxO1-yXy alloys of 0 <= (x,y) <= 0.2, we predict a wide range of possible band gaps from 1.7 to 2.6 eV, and net doping concentrations between p = 1019 cm-3 and n = 1017cm-3, notably achieving type conversion from p- to n-type at Zn or Cd compositions around x = 0.1. This work is supported as part of the SunShot initiative by the U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 to NREL.

Insulin and IGF1 Receptors Are Essential for XX and XY Gonadal Differentiation and Adrenal Development in Mice

PubMed Central

Romero, Yannick; Conne, Béatrice; Truong, Vy; Papaioannou, Marilena D.; Schaad, Olivier; Docquier, Mylène; Herrera, Pedro Luis; Wilhelm, Dagmar; Nef, Serge

2013-01-01

Mouse sex determination provides an attractive model to study how regulatory genetic networks and signaling pathways control cell specification and cell fate decisions. This study characterizes in detail the essential role played by the insulin receptor (INSR) and the IGF type I receptor (IGF1R) in adrenogenital development and primary sex determination. Constitutive ablation of insulin/IGF signaling pathway led to reduced proliferation rate of somatic progenitor cells in both XX and XY gonads prior to sex determination together with the downregulation of hundreds of genes associated with the adrenal, testicular, and ovarian genetic programs. These findings indicate that prior to sex determination somatic progenitors in Insr;Igf1r mutant gonads are not lineage primed and thus incapable of upregulating/repressing the male and female genetic programs required for cell fate restriction. In consequence, embryos lacking functional insulin/IGF signaling exhibit (i) complete agenesis of the adrenal cortex, (ii) embryonic XY gonadal sex reversal, with a delay of Sry upregulation and the subsequent failure of the testicular genetic program, and (iii) a delay in ovarian differentiation so that Insr;Igf1r mutant gonads, irrespective of genetic sex, remained in an extended undifferentiated state, before the ovarian differentiation program ultimately is initiated at around E16.5. PMID:23300479

Successive magnetic phase transitions in α -RuCl3 : XY-like frustrated magnet on the honeycomb lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubota, Yumi; Tanaka, Hidekazu; Ono, Toshio; Narumi, Yasuo; Kindo, Koichi

2015-03-01

The layered compound α -RuCl3 is composed of a honeycomb lattice of magnetic Ru3 + ions with the 4 d5 electronic state. We have investigated the magnetic properties of α -RuCl3 via magnetization and specific heat measurements using single crystals. It was observed that α -RuCl3 undergoes a structural phase transition at Tt≃150 K accompanied by fairly large hysteresis. This structural phase transition is expected to be similar to that observed in closely related CrCl3. The magnetizations and magnetic susceptibilities are strongly anisotropic, which mainly arise from the anisotropic g factors, i.e., ga b≃2.5 and gc≃0.4 for magnetic fields parallel and perpendicular to the a b plane, respectively. These g factors and the obtained entropy indicate that the effective spin of Ru3 + is one-half, which results from the low-spin state. Specific heat data show that magnetic ordering occurs in four steps at zero magnetic field. The successive magnetic phase transitions should be ascribed to the competition among exchange interactions. The magnetic phase diagram for H ∥a b is obtained. We discuss the strongly anisotropic g factors in α -RuCl3 and deduce that the exchange interaction is strongly XY-like. α -RuCl3 is magnetically described as a three-dimensionally coupled XY-like frustrated magnet on a honeycomb lattice.

High Fill-out, Extreme Mass Ratio Overcontact Binary Systems. X. The Newly Discovered Binary XY Leonis Minoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, S.-B.; Liu, L.; Zhu, L.-Y.; He, J.-J.; Yang, Y.-G.; Bernasconi, L.

2011-05-01

The newly discovered short-period close binary star, XY LMi, has been monitored photometrically since 2006. Its light curves are typical EW-type light curves and show complete eclipses with durations of about 80 minutes. Photometric solutions were determined through an analysis of the complete B, V, R, and I light curves using the 2003 version of the Wilson-Devinney code. XY LMi is a high fill-out, extreme mass ratio overcontact binary system with a mass ratio of q = 0.148 and a fill-out factor of f = 74.1%, suggesting that it is in the late evolutionary stage of late-type tidal-locked binary stars. As observed in other overcontact binary stars, evidence for the presence of two dark spots on both components is given. Based on our 19 epochs of eclipse times, we found that the orbital period of the overcontact binary is decreasing continuously at a rate of dP/dt = -1.67 × 10-7 days yr-1, which may be caused by mass transfer from the primary to the secondary and/or angular momentum loss via magnetic stellar wind. The decrease of the orbital period may result in the increase of the fill-out, and finally, it will evolve into a single rapid-rotation star when the fluid surface reaches the outer critical Roche lobe.

Topological transitions and freezing in XY models and Coulomb gases with quenched disorder: renormalization via traveling waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpentier, David; Le Doussal, Pierre

2000-11-01

We study the two dimensional XY model with quenched random phases and its Coulomb gas formulation. A novel renormalization group (RG) method is developed which allows to study perturbatively the glassy low temperature XY phase and the transition at which frozen topological defects (vortices) proliferate. This RG approach is constructed both from the replicated Coulomb gas and, equivalently without the use of replicas, using the probability distribution of the local disorder (random defect core energy). By taking into account the fusion of environments (i.e., charge fusion in the replicated Coulomb gas) this distribution is shown to obey a Kolmogorov's type (KPP) non linear RG equation which admits traveling wave solutions and exhibits a freezing phenomenon analogous to glassy freezing in Derrida's random energy models. The resulting physical picture is that the distribution of local disorder becomes broad below a freezing temperature and that the transition is controlled by rare favorable regions for the defects, the density of which can be used as the new perturbative parameter. The determination of marginal directions at the disorder induced transition is shown to be related to the well studied front velocity selection problem in the KPP equation and the universality of the novel critical behaviour obtained here to the known universality of the corrections to the front velocity. Applications to other two dimensional problems are mentioned at the end.

Optimize of shrink process with X-Y CD bias on hole pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koike, Kyohei; Hara, Arisa; Natori, Sakurako; Yamauchi, Shohei; Yamato, Masatoshi; Oyama, Kenichi; Yaegashi, Hidetami

2017-03-01

Gridded design rules[1] is major process in configuring logic circuit used 193-immersion lithography. In the scaling of grid patterning, we can make 10nm order line and space pattern by using multiple patterning techniques such as self-aligned multiple patterning (SAMP) and litho-etch- litho-etch (LELE)[2][3][4] . On the other hand, Line cut process has some error parameters such as pattern defect, placement error, roughness and X-Y CD bias with the decreasing scale. We tried to cure hole pattern roughness to use additional process such as Line smoothing[5] . Each smoothing process showed different effect. As the result, CDx shrink amount is smaller than CDy without one additional process. In this paper, we will report the pattern controllability comparison of EUV and 193-immersion. And we will discuss optimum method about CD bias on hole pattern.

SU-E-I-48: Comparison of CTDIw and Averaged CTDI Over X-Y Plane.

PubMed

Liang, Y; Emerson, S; Schultz, C

2012-06-01

The goal of this study is to investigate the accuracy of using CTDIw to estimate the averaged CTDI over x-y plane. We used a Siemens Sensation 16 slice scanner, a nested 3 piece CTDI phantom with diameters of 10, 16, and 32 cm for each piece, a CT pencil ion chamber, and aluminum oxide OSL dosimeters. In axial mode, we measured the exposure with ion chamber at the 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock positions at distances of 4, 7, and 15 cm from the center of a 32 cm CTDI phantom, as well as at the center of the phantom. Measurements were performed at 80, 100, 120, and 140 kVp on the adult abdomen, adult head, and pediatric body phantom, using only the distances of 0, 4, and 7 cm from the phantom center for the smaller 16 cm diameter phantom. We did similar measurements using nanoDot dosimeters and the 32 cm phantom at 120 kVp in helical mode using a pitch of 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2. The data obtained at four different outer clock positions was averaged and three models (linear, quadratic, and exponential) were used to fit exposure as a function of distance to the phantom center. We calculated the average CTDI over the x- y plane mathematically using the above models and compared the results with traditional CTDIw. In axial mode, the difference is within 6% for 32 cm phantom, with a slight increase in variance at low kVp, while the difference is within 1% for the 16 cm phantom. In helical mode with OSLs, the difference is within 2.5% for pitch 0.8-1.2. The current CTDIw provides an accurate estimate of the averaged CTDI over the x-y plane for both axial and helical modes. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Construction of physical maps for the sex-specific regions of papaya sex chromosomes.

PubMed

Na, Jong-Kuk; Wang, Jianping; Murray, Jan E; Gschwend, Andrea R; Zhang, Wenli; Yu, Qingyi; Navajas-Pérez, Rafael; Feltus, F Alex; Chen, Cuixia; Kubat, Zdenek; Moore, Paul H; Jiang, Jiming; Paterson, Andrew H; Ming, Ray

2012-05-08

Papaya is a major fruit crop in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It is trioecious with three sex forms: male, female, and hermaphrodite. Sex determination is controlled by a pair of nascent sex chromosomes with two slightly different Y chromosomes, Y for male and Yh for hermaphrodite. The sex chromosome genotypes are XY (male), XYh (hermaphrodite), and XX (female). The papaya hermaphrodite-specific Yh chromosome region (HSY) is pericentromeric and heterochromatic. Physical mapping of HSY and its X counterpart is essential for sequencing these regions and uncovering the early events of sex chromosome evolution and to identify the sex determination genes for crop improvement. A reiterate chromosome walking strategy was applied to construct the two physical maps with three bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries. The HSY physical map consists of 68 overlapped BACs on the minimum tiling path, and covers all four HSY-specific Knobs. One gap remained in the region of Knob 1, the only knob structure shared between HSY and X, due to the lack of HSY-specific sequences. This gap was filled on the physical map of the HSY corresponding region in the X chromosome. The X physical map consists of 44 BACs on the minimum tiling path with one gap remaining in the middle, due to the nature of highly repetitive sequences. This gap was filled on the HSY physical map. The borders of the non-recombining HSY were defined genetically by fine mapping using 1460 F2 individuals. The genetically defined HSY spanned approximately 8.5 Mb, whereas its X counterpart extended about 5.4 Mb including a 900 Kb region containing the Knob 1 shared by the HSY and X. The 8.5 Mb HSY corresponds to 4.5 Mb of its X counterpart, showing 4 Mb (89%) DNA sequence expansion. The 89% increase of DNA sequence in HSY indicates rapid expansion of the Yh chromosome after genetic recombination was suppressed 2-3 million years ago. The genetically defined borders coincide with the common

Stigma receptivity over the lifetime of the hermaphroditic flower of Elsholtzia rugulosa was negatively correlated with pollen viability.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin-Min; Wolfe, Lorne M

2016-12-01

Dichogamy is generally thought to be a mechanism that prevents self-fertilization in flowering plants. This study aims to investigate the relationships between floral age and stigma receptivity, style length and pollen viability, and define how floral characters avoid self-pollination in a gynodioecious Chinese plant, Elsholtzia rugulosa. We assessed the relationships between flower age and style length, stigma receptivity, and pollen viability in E. rugulosa. This species produces 2 forms with plants bearing either hermaphrodite flowers (H) or female flowers (F). Corolla length in F flowers was shorter than the corolla length of H flowers and produced no pollen. H flowers were protandrous, pollen release of H flowers occurred before stigma receptivity. Stigma receptivity was significantly positively correlated with style length in both F flowers and H flowers. Pollen viability in H flowers declined significantly with floral age. Our results suggest that self-pollination in H flowers is likely reduced by dichogamy because stigma receptivity and pollen viability were effectively separated in time. However, because H inflorescences typically have multiple flowers open at the same time means that geitonogamous selfing is not avoided.

{Γ}-Convergence Analysis of a Generalized XY Model: Fractional Vortices and String Defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badal, Rufat; Cicalese, Marco; De Luca, Lucia; Ponsiglione, Marcello

2018-03-01

We propose and analyze a generalized two dimensional XY model, whose interaction potential has n weighted wells, describing corresponding symmetries of the system. As the lattice spacing vanishes, we derive by {Γ}-convergence the discrete-to-continuum limit of this model. In the energy regime we deal with, the asymptotic ground states exhibit fractional vortices, connected by string defects. The {Γ}-limit takes into account both contributions, through a renormalized energy, depending on the configuration of fractional vortices, and a surface energy, proportional to the length of the strings. Our model describes in a simple way several topological singularities arising in Physics and Materials Science. Among them, disclinations and string defects in liquid crystals, fractional vortices and domain walls in micromagnetics, partial dislocations and stacking faults in crystal plasticity.

Phase Diagram of Spin-1/2 Alternating Ferromagnetic Chain with XY-Like Anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, Satoru; Okamoto, Kiyomi

1989-12-01

By the use of the numerical method we investigate the ground state phase diagram of spin-1/2 alternating ferromagnetic chain. We numerically diagonalized the Hamiltonian of finite systems (up to 20 spins) and analyzed the numerical data for various physical quantities using the finite size scaling and the extrapolation methods. The ground state is either the effective singlet (ES) state or the spin fluid (SF) state depending on the value of the alternation parameter δ and the anisotropy parameter \\varDelta{\\equiv}Jz/J\\bot(\\varDelta{=}{-}1 for the isotropic ferromagnetic case and \\varDelta{=}0 for the XY case). The phase diagram obtained in this work strongly stupports the theoretical studies of Kohmoto-den Nijs-Kadanoff and Okamoto-Sugiyama. We also discuss the critical properties near the ES-SF transition line.

Reproductive impacts of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) in the hermaphroditic freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis.

PubMed

Giusti, Arnaud; Barsi, Alpar; Dugué, Maël; Collinet, Marc; Thomé, Jean-Pierre; Joaquim-Justo, Célia; Roig, Benoit; Lagadic, Laurent; Ducrot, Virginie

2013-07-01

Tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) are emblematic endocrine disruptors, which have been mostly studied in gonochoric prosobranchs. Although both compounds can simultaneously occur in the environment, they have mainly been tested separately for their effects on snail reproduction. Because large discrepancies in experimental conditions occurred in these tests, the present study aimed to compare the relative toxicity of TBT and TPT under similar laboratory conditions in the range of 0 ng Sn/L to 600 ng Sn/L. Tests were performed on the simultaneous hermaphrodite Lymnaea stagnalis, a freshwater snail in which effects of TPT were unknown. Survival, shell length, and reproduction were monitored in a 21-d semistatic test. Frequency of abnormal eggs was assessed as an additional endpoint. Triphenyltin hampered survival while TBT did not. Major effects on shell solidity and reproduction were observed for both compounds, reproductive outputs being more severely hampered by TBT than by TPT. Considering the frequency of abnormal eggs allowed increasing test sensitivity, because snail responses to TBT could be detected at concentrations as low as 19 ng Sn/L. However, the putative mode of action of the 2 compounds could not be deduced from the structure of the molecules or from the response of apical endpoints. Sensitivity of L. stagnalis to TBT and TPT was compared with the sensitivity of prosobranch mollusks with different habitats and different reproductive strategies. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

Whole-genome sequencing reveals the extent of heterozygosity in a preferentially self-fertilizing hermaphroditic vertebrate.

PubMed

Lins, Luana S F; Trojahn, Shawn; Sockell, Alexandra; Yee, Muh-Ching; Tatarenkov, Andrey; Bustamante, Carlos D; Earley, Ryan L; Kelley, Joanna L

2018-04-01

The mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus, is one of only two self-fertilizing hermaphroditic fish species and inhabits mangrove forests. While selfing can be advantageous, it reduces heterozygosity and decreases genetic diversity. Studies using microsatellites found that there are variable levels of selfing among populations of K. marmoratus, but overall, there is a low rate of outcrossing and, therefore, low heterozygosity. In this study, we used whole-genome data to assess the levels of heterozygosity in different lineages of the mangrove rivulus and infer the phylogenetic relationships among those lineages. We sequenced whole genomes from 15 lineages that were completely homozygous at microsatellite loci and used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to determine heterozygosity levels. More variation was uncovered than in studies using microsatellite data because of the resolution of full genome sequencing data. Moreover, missense polymorphisms were found most often in genes associated with immune function and reproduction. Inferred phylogenetic relationships suggest that lineages largely group by their geographic distribution. The use of whole-genome data provided further insight into genetic diversity in this unique species. Although this study was limited by the number of lineages that were available, these data suggest that there is previously undescribed variation within lineages of K. marmoratus that could have functional consequences and (or) inform us about the limits to selfing (e.g., genetic load, accumulation of deleterious mutations) and selection that might favor the maintenance of heterozygosity. These results highlight the need to sequence additional individuals within and among lineages.

Quantum Correlation in the XY Spin Model with Anisotropic Three-Site Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yao; Chai, Bing-Bing; Guo, Jin-Liang

2018-05-01

We investigate pairwise entanglement and quantum discord (QD) in the XY spin model with anisotropic three-site interaction at zero and finite temperatures. For both the nearest-neighbor spins and the next nearest-neighbor spins, special attention is paid to the dependence of entanglement and QD on the anisotropic parameter δ induced by the next nearest-neighbor spins. We show that the behavior of QD differs in many ways from entanglement under the influences of the anisotropic three-site interaction at finite temperatures. More important, comparing the effects of δ on the entanglement and QD, we find the anisotropic three-site interaction plays an important role in the quantum correlations at zero and finite temperatures. It is found that δ can strengthen the quantum correlation for both the nearest-neighbor spins and the next nearest-neighbor spins, especially for the nearest-neighbor spins at low temperature.

Unexpected ethical dilemmas in sex assignment in 46,XY DSD due to 5-alpha reductase type 2 deficiency.

PubMed

Byers, Heather M; Mohnach, Lauren H; Fechner, Patricia Y; Chen, Ming; Thomas, Inas H; Ramsdell, Linda A; Shnorhavorian, Margarett; McCauley, Elizabeth A; Amies Oelschlager, Anne-Marie E; Park, John M; Sandberg, David E; Adam, Margaret P; Keegan, Catherine E

2017-06-01

Sex assignment at birth remains one of the most clinically challenging and controversial topics in 46,XY disorders of sexual development (DSD). This is particularly challenging in deficiency of 5-alpha reductase type 2 given that external genitalia are typically undervirilized at birth but typically virilize at puberty to a variable degree. Historically, most individuals with 5-alpha reductase deficiency were raised females. However, reports that over half of patients who underwent a virilizing puberty adopted an adult male gender identity have challenged this practice. Consensus guidelines on assignment of sex of rearing at birth are equivocal or favor male assignment in the most virilized cases. While a male sex of rearing assignment may avoid lifelong hormonal therapy and/or allow the potential for fertility, female sex assignment may be more consistent with external anatomy in the most severely undervirilized cases. Herein, we describe five patients with 46,XY DSD due 5-alpha-reductase type 2 deficiency, all with a severe phenotype. An inter-disciplinary DSD medical team at one of two academic centers evaluated each patient. This case series illustrates the complicated decision-making process of assignment of sex of rearing at birth in 5-alpha reductase type 2 deficiency and the challenges that arise when the interests of the child, parental wishes, recommendations of the medical team, and state law collide. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gender role across development in adults with 46,XY disorders of sex development including perineoscrotal hypospadias and small phallus raised male or female.

PubMed

Pappas, Kara B; Wisniewski, Amy B; Migeon, Claude J

2008-07-01

Self-rated degree of femininity and masculinity across development were evaluated for 40 adults affected by 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSDs) who presented at birth with a small phallus and perineoscrotal hypospadias, raised either male (n = 22) or female (n = 18). Most participants were confirmed or presumed to be affected by partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (n = 14), partial gonadal dysgenesis (n = 11), or were considered to have a poorly defined case of 46,XY DSD including ambiguous external genitalia (n = 15). Participants retrospectively evaluated their degree of masculinity and femininity during their childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and in the past 12 months of filling out a questionnaire pertaining to their psychosexual development. Participants raised male reported more masculinity than those raised female due to an increase in masculinization during adolescence and adulthood. Participants raised male also reported less femininity than those raised female throughout development. Participants raised female reported more femininity than those raised male due to an increase in feminization during adolescence and adulthood. Participants raised female also reported less masculinity than those raised male throughout development. These data support the proposition that some aspects of gender role (GR), such as masculinity and femininity, are capable of proceeding along female- or male-typic patterns depending on sex of rearing among individuals affected by specific types of 46,XY DSD. Furthermore, regardless of male or female rearing, GR increasingly corresponds with assigned sex as individuals proceed through sexual maturity and into adulthood. These results are consistent with the idea that socialization/learning contributes to GR development in humans in addition to data from others demonstrating endocrine influences.

Spin supercurrent and effect of quantum phase transition in the two-dimensional XY model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, L. S.

2018-04-01

We have verified the influence of quantum phase transition on spin transport in the spin-1 two-dimensional XY model on the square lattice, with easy plane, single ion and exchange anisotropy. We analyze the effect of the phase transition from the Néel phase to the paramagnetic phase on the AC spin conductivity. Our results show a bit influence of the quantum phase transition on the conductivity. We also obtain a conventional spin transport for ω > 0 and an ideal spin transport in the limit of DC conductivity and therefore, a superfluid spin transport for the DC current in this limit. We have made the diagrammatic expansion for the Green-function with objective to include the effect exciton-exciton scattering on the results.

Effects of Sm3+ on Luminescent Properties of LiEu(0.55-x)Y0.45 (WO4)2Smx Red Phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zailani, N. S.; Ghazli, M. F.; Hussin, R.; Rahim, S. Z. Abd; Mat Saad, M. N.

2018-06-01

Phosphor materials have been widely applied in lighting and displays. Rare earth elements are amongst important elements in giving luminescent properties to the phosphor. The needs to reduce rare earth element in phosphor is of interest due to cost and environmental issue. The red phosphor LiEu(0.55-x)Y0.45(WO4)2 were synthesized by substituting Sm3+ in the lattice using solid-state reaction. The effect on the substitution of Sm3+ which acts as an activator will be analysed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL). The structure of the compound was found to be as a monoclinic which referred to the reference patterns. The optimum amount was recorded for the activator to be obtained in the host lattice for replacing the Eu3+ place as well as enhancing the intensity of the emission. The findings reveal that LiEu(0.55-x)Y0.45(MoO4)2Smx can be a more efficient red phosphor candidate used white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) applications.

Sperm quality analysis in XX, XY and YY males of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

PubMed

Gennotte, V; François, E; Rougeot, C; Ponthier, J; Deleuze, S; Mélard, C

2012-07-01

In Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), individuals with atypical sexual genotype are commonly used in farming (use of YY males to produce all-male offspring), but they also constitute major tools to study sex determinism mechanisms. In other species, sexual genotype and sex reversal procedures affect different aspects of biology, such as growth, behavior and reproductive success. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of sexual genotype on sperm quality in Nile tilapia. Milt characteristics were compared in XX (sex-reversed), XY and YY males in terms of gonadosomatic index, sperm count, sperm motility and duration of sperm motility. Sperm motility was measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) quantifying several parameters: total motility, progressive motility, curvilinear velocity, straight line velocity, average path velocity and linearity. None of the sperm traits measured significantly differed between the three genotypes. Mean values of gonadosomatic index, sperm concentration and sperm motility duration of XX, XY and YY males, respectively ranged from 0.92 to 1.33%, from 1.69 to 2.22 ×10(9) cells mL(-1) and from 18'04″ to 27'32″. Mean values of total motility and curvilinear velocity 1 min after sperm activation, respectively ranged from 53 to 58% and from 71 to 76 μm s(-1) for the three genotypes. After 3 min of activity, all the sperm motility and velocity parameters dropped by half and continued to slowly decrease thereafter. Seven min after activation, only 9 to 13% of spermatozoa were still progressive. Our results prove that neither sexual genotype nor hormonal sex reversal treatments affect sperm quality in male Nile tilapias with atypical sexual genotype. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance Characterization of an xy-Stage Applied to Micrometric Laser Direct Writing Lithography

PubMed Central

Jaramillo, Juan; Zarzycki, Artur; Galeano, July; Sandoz, Patrick

2017-01-01

This article concerns the characterization of the stability and performance of a motorized stage used in laser direct writing lithography. The system was built from commercial components and commanded by G-code. Measurements use a pseudo-periodic-pattern (PPP) observed by a camera and image processing is based on Fourier transform and phase measurement methods. The results report that the built system has a stability against vibrations determined by peak-valley deviations of 65 nm and 26 nm in the x and y directions, respectively, with a standard deviation of 10 nm in both directions. When the xy-stage is in movement, it works with a resolution of 0.36 µm, which is an acceptable value for most of research and development (R and D) microtechnology developments in which the typical feature size used is in the micrometer range. PMID:28146126

Bioactive steroids and sorbicillinoids isolated from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma sp. Xy24.

PubMed

Zhao, Jin-Lian; Zhang, Min; Liu, Ji-Mei; Tan, Zhen; Chen, Ri-Dao; Xie, Ke-Bo; Dai, Jun-Gui

2017-10-01

A new steroid glucoside (1), along with nine known steroids (2-10) and four known sorbicillinoids (11-14), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma sp. Xy24. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data analyses and by comparison with reported data. Compounds 3, 5-7, 9, 10, and 13 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on HIV-1 virus with IC 50 values ranging 1.9-9.3 μM; compounds 10, 13, and 14 showed potent inhibitory activity on LPS-induced NO production in BV2 microglia cells with inhibitory rates of 108.2, 100, and 75.1% at 10 μM, respectively. In addition, compound 10 displayed moderate cytotoxicity against BCG823 and HePG2 cell lines with IC 50 values of 11.1 and 17.7 μM, respectively.

Performance Characterization of an xy-Stage Applied to Micrometric Laser Direct Writing Lithography.

PubMed

Jaramillo, Juan; Zarzycki, Artur; Galeano, July; Sandoz, Patrick

2017-01-31

This article concerns the characterization of the stability and performance of a motorized stage used in laser direct writing lithography. The system was built from commercial components and commanded by G-code. Measurements use a pseudo-periodic-pattern (PPP) observed by a camera and image processing is based on Fourier transform and phase measurement methods. The results report that the built system has a stability against vibrations determined by peak-valley deviations of 65 nm and 26 nm in the x and y directions, respectively, with a standard deviation of 10 nm in both directions. When the xy-stage is in movement, it works with a resolution of 0.36 μm, which is an acceptable value for most of research and development (R and D) microtechnology developments in which the typical feature size used is in the micrometer range.

Copy Number Variation in Patients with Disorders of Sex Development Due to 46,XY Gonadal Dysgenesis

PubMed Central

White, Stefan; Ohnesorg, Thomas; Notini, Amanda; Roeszler, Kelly; Hewitt, Jacqueline; Daggag, Hinda; Smith, Craig; Turbitt, Erin; Gustin, Sonja; van den Bergen, Jocelyn; Miles, Denise; Western, Patrick; Arboleda, Valerie; Schumacher, Valerie; Gordon, Lavinia; Bell, Katrina; Bengtsson, Henrik; Speed, Terry; Hutson, John; Warne, Garry; Harley, Vincent; Koopman, Peter; Vilain, Eric; Sinclair, Andrew

2011-01-01

Disorders of sex development (DSD), ranging in severity from mild genital abnormalities to complete sex reversal, represent a major concern for patients and their families. DSD are often due to disruption of the genetic programs that regulate gonad development. Although some genes have been identified in these developmental pathways, the causative mutations have not been identified in more than 50% 46,XY DSD cases. We used the Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0 to analyse copy number variation in 23 individuals with unexplained 46,XY DSD due to gonadal dysgenesis (GD). Here we describe three discrete changes in copy number that are the likely cause of the GD. Firstly, we identified a large duplication on the X chromosome that included DAX1 (NR0B1). Secondly, we identified a rearrangement that appears to affect a novel gonad-specific regulatory region in a known testis gene, SOX9. Surprisingly this patient lacked any signs of campomelic dysplasia, suggesting that the deletion affected expression of SOX9 only in the gonad. Functional analysis of potential SRY binding sites within this deleted region identified five putative enhancers, suggesting that sequences additional to the known SRY-binding TES enhancer influence human testis-specific SOX9 expression. Thirdly, we identified a small deletion immediately downstream of GATA4, supporting a role for GATA4 in gonad development in humans. These CNV analyses give new insights into the pathways involved in human gonad development and dysfunction, and suggest that rearrangements of non-coding sequences disturbing gene regulation may account for significant proportion of DSD cases. PMID:21408189

MYB transcription factor gene involved in sex determination in Asparagus officinalis.

PubMed

Murase, Kohji; Shigenobu, Shuji; Fujii, Sota; Ueda, Kazuki; Murata, Takanori; Sakamoto, Ai; Wada, Yuko; Yamaguchi, Katsushi; Osakabe, Yuriko; Osakabe, Keishi; Kanno, Akira; Ozaki, Yukio; Takayama, Seiji

2017-01-01

Dioecy is a plant mating system in which individuals of a species are either male or female. Although many flowering plants evolved independently from hermaphroditism to dioecy, the molecular mechanism underlying this transition remains largely unknown. Sex determination in the dioecious plant Asparagus officinalis is controlled by X and Y chromosomes; the male and female karyotypes are XY and XX, respectively. Transcriptome analysis of A. officinalis buds showed that a MYB-like gene, Male Specific Expression 1 (MSE1), is specifically expressed in males. MSE1 exhibits tight linkage with the Y chromosome, specific expression in early anther development and loss of function on the X chromosome. Knockout of the MSE1 orthologue in Arabidopsis induces male sterility. Thus, MSE1 acts in sex determination in A. officinalis. © 2016 Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Brain responses to sexual images in 46,XY women with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome are female-typical.

PubMed

Hamann, Stephan; Stevens, Jennifer; Vick, Janice Hassett; Bryk, Kristina; Quigley, Charmian A; Berenbaum, Sheri A; Wallen, Kim

2014-11-01

Androgens, estrogens, and sex chromosomes are the major influences guiding sex differences in brain development, yet their relative roles and importance remain unclear. Individuals with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) offer a unique opportunity to address these issues. Although women with CAIS have a Y chromosome, testes, and produce male-typical levels of androgens, they lack functional androgen receptors preventing responding to their androgens. Thus, they develop a female physical phenotype, are reared as girls, and develop into women. Because sexually differentiated brain development in primates is determined primarily by androgens, but may be affected by sex chromosome complement, it is currently unknown whether brain structure and function in women with CAIS is more like that of women or men. In the first functional neuroimaging study of (46,XY) women with CAIS, typical (46,XX) women, and typical (46, XY) men, we found that men showed greater amygdala activation to sexual images than did either typical women or women with CAIS. Typical women and women with CAIS had highly similar patterns of brain activation, indicating that a Y chromosome is insufficient for male-typical human brain responses. Because women with CAIS produce male-typical or elevated levels of testosterone which is aromatized to estradiol these results rule out aromatization of testosterone to estradiol as a determinate of sex differences in patterns of brain activation to sexual images. We cannot, however, rule out an effect of social experience on the brain responses of women with CAIS as all were raised as girls. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of electrical transport properties of (U 1- xY x)RuP 2Si 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radha, S.; Park, J.-G.; Roy, S. B.; Coles, B. R.; Nigam, A. K.; McEwen, K. A.

1996-02-01

Electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance ( {δϱ}/{ϱ}) measurements on a series of (U 1- xY x)Ru 2Si 2 (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.9) compounds in the temperature range 4.2-300 K and in magnetic fields up to 45 kOe are reported. The resistivity measurements do not show any signature of antiferromagnetism for x > 0.5. The compound URu 2Si 2 exhibits a large, positive ( {δϱ}/{ϱ}) presumably due to destruction of Kondo coherence as well as due to antiferromagnetism. The presence of even 5% Y at U-site weakens the Kondo coherence and reduces the magnetoresistance considerably.

Localization in a random XY model with long-range interactions: Intermediate case between single-particle and many-body problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burin, Alexander L.

2015-09-01

Many-body localization in an XY model with a long-range interaction is investigated. We show that in the regime of a high strength of disordering compared to the interaction an off-resonant flip-flop spin-spin interaction (hopping) generates the effective Ising interactions of spins in the third order of perturbation theory in a hopping. The combination of hopping and induced Ising interactions for the power-law distance dependent hopping V (R ) ∝R-α always leads to the localization breakdown in a thermodynamic limit of an infinite system at α <3 d /2 where d is a system dimension. The delocalization takes place due to the induced Ising interactions U (R ) ∝R-2 α of "extended" resonant pairs. This prediction is consistent with the numerical finite size scaling in one-dimensional systems. Many-body localization in an XY model is more stable with respect to the long-range interaction compared to a many-body problem with similar Ising and Heisenberg interactions requiring α ≥2 d which makes the practical implementations of this model more attractive for quantum information applications. The full summary of dimension constraints and localization threshold size dependencies for many-body localization in the case of combined Ising and hopping interactions is obtained using this and previous work and it is the subject for the future experimental verification using cold atomic systems.

Historical ecology and the conservation of large, hermaphroditic fishes in Pacific Coast kelp forest ecosystems

PubMed Central

Braje, Todd J.; Rick, Torben C.; Szpak, Paul; Newsome, Seth D.; McCain, Joseph M.; Elliott Smith, Emma A.; Glassow, Michael; Hamilton, Scott L.

2017-01-01

The intensive commercial exploitation of California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher) has become a complex, multimillion-dollar industry. The fishery is of concern because of high harvest levels and potential indirect impacts of sheephead removals on the structure and function of kelp forest ecosystems. California sheephead are protogynous hermaphrodites that, as predators of sea urchins and other invertebrates, are critical components of kelp forest ecosystems in the northeast Pacific. Overfishing can trigger trophic cascades and widespread ecological dysfunction when other urchin predators are also lost from the system. Little is known about the ecology and abundance of sheephead before commercial exploitation. Lack of a historical perspective creates a gap for evaluating fisheries management measures and marine reserves that seek to rebuild sheephead populations to historical baseline conditions. We use population abundance and size structure data from the zooarchaeological record, in concert with isotopic data, to evaluate the long-term health and viability of sheephead fisheries in southern California. Our results indicate that the importance of sheephead to the diet of native Chumash people varied spatially across the Channel Islands, reflecting modern biogeographic patterns. Comparing ancient (~10,000 calibrated years before the present to 1825 CE) and modern samples, we observed variability and significant declines in the relative abundance of sheephead, reductions in size frequency distributions, and shifts in the dietary niche between ancient and modern collections. These results highlight how size-selective fishing can alter the ecological role of key predators and how zooarchaeological data can inform fisheries management by establishing historical baselines that aid future conservation. PMID:28164155

An XXX male resulting from paternal X-Y interchange and maternal X-X nondisjunction.

PubMed Central

Annerén, G; Andersson, M; Page, D C; Brown, L G; Berg, M; Läckgren, G; Gustavson, K H; de la Chapelle, A

1987-01-01

A 2-year-old boy was found to have a 47,XXX karyotype. Restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism analysis showed that, of his three X chromosomes, one is of paternal and two are of maternal origin. The results of Y-DNA hybridization were reminiscent of those in XX males in two respects. First, hybridization to Southern transfers revealed the presence in this XXX male of sequences derived from the Y-chromosomal short arm. Second, in situ hybridization showed that this Y DNA was located on the tip of the X-chromosomal short arm. We conclude that this XXX male resulted from the coincidence of X-X nondisjunction during maternal meiosis and aberrant X-Y interchange either during or prior to paternal meiosis. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 PMID:2889356

46,XY/47,XYY/48,XYYY karyotype in a 3-year-old boy ascertained because of radioulnar synostosis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, C.; Robson, L.; Jackson, J.

Chromosome analysis was performed on a 3-year-old boy because of bilateral radioulnar synostosis and demonstrated a mosaic karyotype 46,XY/47,XYY/48,XYYY. He had minor facial anomalies and mild intellectual delay. He appears to be the youngest patient reported with this rare chromosome complement. His father, mother, and brother had normal chromosomes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on the propositus and his father with the Y chromosome heterochromatic probe (pHY3.4) to add to the evaluation of mosaicism. 17 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Simulation calculations of efficiencies and silicon consumption for CH3NH3PbI3-x-y Br x Cl y /crystalline silicon tandem solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lili; Xie, Ziang; Tian, Fuyang; Qin, Guogang

2017-04-01

Much attention has been paid to two-subcell tandem solar cells (TSCs) with crystalline silicon (c-Si) as the bottom cell (TSC-Si). Previous works have pointed out that the optimal band gap, E g, of the top cell material for a TSC-Si is around 1.75 eV. With a tunable E g and better stability than MAPbI3 (MA  =  CH3NH3), MAPbI3-x-y Br x Cl y is a promising candidate for the top cell material of a TSC-Si. In this work, calculations concerning the E g, refractive index and extinction coefficient of MAPbI3-x-y Br x Cl y are performed using first-principles calculations including the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect. MAPbI3-x-y Br x Cl y with five sets of x and y, which have a E g around 1.75 eV, are obtained. On this basis, absorption of the perovskite top cell is calculated applying the Lambert-Beer model (LBM) and the transfer matrix model (TMM), respectively. Considering the Auger recombination in the c-Si bottom cell and radiation coupling between the two subcells, the efficiencies for MAPbI3-x-y Br x Cl y /c-Si TSCs with the five sets of x and y are calculated. Among them, the MAPbI2.375Br0.5Cl0.125/c-Si TSC achieves the highest efficiency of 35.1% with a 440 nm thick top cell and 50 µm thick c-Si when applying the LBM. When applying the TMM, the highest efficiency of 32.5% is predicted with a 580 nm thick MAPbI2.375Br0.5Cl0.125 top cell and 50 µm thick c-Si. Compared with the limiting efficiency of 27.1% for a 190 µm thick c-Si single junction solar cell (SC), the MAPbI2.375Br0.5Cl0.125/c-Si TSC shows a superior performance of high efficiency and low c-Si consumption.

Sequencing papaya X and Yh chromosomes reveals molecular basis of incipient sex chromosome evolution

PubMed Central

Wang, Jianping; Na, Jong-Kuk; Yu, Qingyi; Gschwend, Andrea R.; Han, Jennifer; Zeng, Fanchang; Aryal, Rishi; VanBuren, Robert; Murray, Jan E.; Zhang, Wenli; Navajas-Pérez, Rafael; Feltus, F. Alex; Lemke, Cornelia; Tong, Eric J.; Chen, Cuixia; Man Wai, Ching; Singh, Ratnesh; Wang, Ming-Li; Min, Xiang Jia; Alam, Maqsudul; Charlesworth, Deborah; Moore, Paul H.; Jiang, Jiming; Paterson, Andrew H.; Ming, Ray

2012-01-01

Sex determination in papaya is controlled by a recently evolved XY chromosome pair, with two slightly different Y chromosomes controlling the development of males (Y) and hermaphrodites (Yh). To study the events of early sex chromosome evolution, we sequenced the hermaphrodite-specific region of the Yh chromosome (HSY) and its X counterpart, yielding an 8.1-megabase (Mb) HSY pseudomolecule, and a 3.5-Mb sequence for the corresponding X region. The HSY is larger than the X region, mostly due to retrotransposon insertions. The papaya HSY differs from the X region by two large-scale inversions, the first of which likely caused the recombination suppression between the X and Yh chromosomes, followed by numerous additional chromosomal rearrangements. Altogether, including the X and/or HSY regions, 124 transcription units were annotated, including 50 functional pairs present in both the X and HSY. Ten HSY genes had functional homologs elsewhere in the papaya autosomal regions, suggesting movement of genes onto the HSY, whereas the X region had none. Sequence divergence between 70 transcripts shared by the X and HSY revealed two evolutionary strata in the X chromosome, corresponding to the two inversions on the HSY, the older of which evolved about 7.0 million years ago. Gene content differences between the HSY and X are greatest in the older stratum, whereas the gene content and order of the collinear regions are identical. Our findings support theoretical models of early sex chromosome evolution. PMID:22869747

Sequencing papaya X and Yh chromosomes reveals molecular basis of incipient sex chromosome evolution.

PubMed

Wang, Jianping; Na, Jong-Kuk; Yu, Qingyi; Gschwend, Andrea R; Han, Jennifer; Zeng, Fanchang; Aryal, Rishi; VanBuren, Robert; Murray, Jan E; Zhang, Wenli; Navajas-Pérez, Rafael; Feltus, F Alex; Lemke, Cornelia; Tong, Eric J; Chen, Cuixia; Wai, Ching Man; Singh, Ratnesh; Wang, Ming-Li; Min, Xiang Jia; Alam, Maqsudul; Charlesworth, Deborah; Moore, Paul H; Jiang, Jiming; Paterson, Andrew H; Ming, Ray

2012-08-21

Sex determination in papaya is controlled by a recently evolved XY chromosome pair, with two slightly different Y chromosomes controlling the development of males (Y) and hermaphrodites (Y(h)). To study the events of early sex chromosome evolution, we sequenced the hermaphrodite-specific region of the Y(h) chromosome (HSY) and its X counterpart, yielding an 8.1-megabase (Mb) HSY pseudomolecule, and a 3.5-Mb sequence for the corresponding X region. The HSY is larger than the X region, mostly due to retrotransposon insertions. The papaya HSY differs from the X region by two large-scale inversions, the first of which likely caused the recombination suppression between the X and Y(h) chromosomes, followed by numerous additional chromosomal rearrangements. Altogether, including the X and/or HSY regions, 124 transcription units were annotated, including 50 functional pairs present in both the X and HSY. Ten HSY genes had functional homologs elsewhere in the papaya autosomal regions, suggesting movement of genes onto the HSY, whereas the X region had none. Sequence divergence between 70 transcripts shared by the X and HSY revealed two evolutionary strata in the X chromosome, corresponding to the two inversions on the HSY, the older of which evolved about 7.0 million years ago. Gene content differences between the HSY and X are greatest in the older stratum, whereas the gene content and order of the collinear regions are identical. Our findings support theoretical models of early sex chromosome evolution.

Critical properties of the classical XY and classical Heisenberg models: A renormalization group study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Sousa, J. Ricardo; de Albuquerque, Douglas F.

1997-02-01

By using two approaches of renormalization group (RG), mean field RG (MFRG) and effective field RG (EFRG), we study the critical properties of the simple cubic lattice classical XY and classical Heisenberg models. The methods are illustrated by employing its simplest approximation version in which small clusters with one ( N‧ = 1) and two ( N = 2) spins are used. The thermal and magnetic critical exponents, Yt and Yh, and the critical parameter Kc are numerically obtained and are compared with more accurate methods (Monte Carlo, series expansion and ε-expansion). The results presented in this work are in excellent agreement with these sophisticated methods. We have also shown that the exponent Yh does not depend on the symmetry n of the Hamiltonian, hence the criteria of universality for this exponent is only a function of the dimension d.

Loss of p300 and CBP disrupts histone acetylation at the mouse Sry promoter and causes XY gonadal sex reversal

PubMed Central

Carré, Gwenn-Aël; Siggers, Pam; Xipolita, Marilena; Brindle, Paul; Lutz, Beat; Wells, Sara; Greenfield, Andy

2018-01-01

Abstract CREB-binding protein (CBP, CREBBP, KAT3A) and its closely related paralogue p300 (EP300, KAT3B), together termed p300/CBP, are histone/lysine acetyl-transferases that control gene expression by modifying chromatin-associated proteins. Here, we report roles for both of these chromatin-modifying enzymes in mouse sex determination, the process by which the embryonic gonad develops into a testis or an ovary. By targeting gene ablation to embryonic gonadal somatic cells using an inducible Cre line, we show that gonads lacking either gene exhibit major abnormalities of XY gonad development at 14.5 dpc, including partial sex reversal. Embryos lacking three out of four functional copies of p300/Cbp exhibit complete XY gonadal sex reversal and have greatly reduced expression of the key testis-determining genes Sry and Sox9. An analysis of histone acetylation at the Sry promoter in mutant gonads at 11.5 dpc shows a reduction in levels of the positive histone mark H3K27Ac. Our data suggest a role for CBP/p300 in testis determination mediated by control of histone acetylation at the Sry locus and reveal a novel element in the epigenetic control of Sry and mammalian sex determination. They also suggest possible novel causes of human disorders of sex development (DSD). PMID:29145650

Theory X/Y in the Health Care Setting: Employee Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behaviors.

PubMed

Prottas, David J; Nummelin, Mary Rogers

Douglas McGregor's conceptualization of Theory X and Theory Y has influenced management practices for almost six decades, despite the relative paucity of empirical support. This empirical study examined the relationships between health care employees' perceptions of (1) manager Theory Y and Theory X orientations; (2) work unit psychological safety, organizational citizenship behavior, and service quality; and (3) the employing entity. The study used survey data from more than 3500 employees of a large US health care system and analyzed them using confirmatory factor and hierarchical regression analyses. Results indicate that McGregor's conceptualization is best considered as two separate constructs-Theory Y and Theory X-rather than as one-dimensional X/Y construct. This study's three dependent variables were positively related to Theory Y and negatively related to Theory X, with larger Theory Y effect sizes. Psychological safety partially mediated the relationship between Theory Y and the dependent variables Y. Practical implications are presented.

A Case of Two Sisters Suffering from 46,XY Gonadal Dysgenesis and Carrying a Mutation of a Novel Candidate Sex-Determining Gene STARD8 on the X Chromosome.

PubMed

Ilaslan, Erkut; Calvel, Pierre; Nowak, Dominika; Szarras-Czapnik, Maria; Slowikowska-Hilczer, Jolanta; Spik, Anna; Sararols, Pauline; Nef, Serge; Jaruzelska, Jadwiga; Kusz-Zamelczyk, Kamila

2018-06-08

Identification of novel genes involved in sexual development is crucial for understanding disorders of sex development (DSD). Here, we propose a member of the START domain family, the X chromosome STARD8, as a DSD candidate gene. We have identified a missense mutation of this gene in 2 sisters with 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis, inherited from their heterozygous mother. Gonadal tissue of one of the sisters contained Leydig cells overloaded with cholesterol droplets, i.e., structures previously identified in 46,XY DSD patients carrying mutations in the STAR gene encoding another START domain family member, which is crucial for steroidogenesis. Based on the phenotypes of our patients, we propose a dual role of STARD8 in sexual development, namely in testes determination and testosterone synthesis. However, further studies are needed to confirm the involvement of STARD8 in sexual development. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Magnetic properties of Ce xY 1-xPt compared to Ce xLa 1-xPt ones

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ocko, M.; Zadro, K.; Drobac, D.

In this paper, we have investigated the magnetic properties of the Ce xY 1-xPt Kondo ferromagnetic alloy system in the temperature range from 1.8 K to 320 K. The results of these investigations can be summarized as follows: dc-susceptibility can be described by the Curie-Weiss law at higher temperatures down to about 100 K, but also at low temperatures above the ferromagnetic phase transition. At higher temperatures, the extracted Curie-Weiss parameter, θ p, is negative and at low temperature θ C is positive. The extracted effective magnetic moment above 100 K increases with the Ce content up to almost themore » theoretical value of the isolated Ce 3+ ion, μ = 2.54 μ B, for CePt. This suggests an increase of the hybridization with decreasing Ce content, or said equivalently, it means that the increase of the Kondo interaction diminishes effective magnetic moment. These observations confirm the main conclusions inferred from an earlier transport properties investigation of this alloy system. The corresponding θ C differs within 1 K from the Curie temperature, T C, which is determined by the resistivity measurements. The most intriguing result of the investigation of Ce xY 1-xPt is the linear concentration dependence of T C vs. x and, moreover, it is the same as in Ce xLa 1-xPt although in the former system the hybridization diminishes considerably the effective magnetic moment per Ce ion, while in the latter system, hybridization is minor and independent of x. Finally, we offer the explanations of these intriguing experimental results.« less

Magnetic properties of Ce xY 1-xPt compared to Ce xLa 1-xPt ones

DOE PAGES

Ocko, M.; Zadro, K.; Drobac, D.; ...

2017-12-05

In this paper, we have investigated the magnetic properties of the Ce xY 1-xPt Kondo ferromagnetic alloy system in the temperature range from 1.8 K to 320 K. The results of these investigations can be summarized as follows: dc-susceptibility can be described by the Curie-Weiss law at higher temperatures down to about 100 K, but also at low temperatures above the ferromagnetic phase transition. At higher temperatures, the extracted Curie-Weiss parameter, θ p, is negative and at low temperature θ C is positive. The extracted effective magnetic moment above 100 K increases with the Ce content up to almost themore » theoretical value of the isolated Ce 3+ ion, μ = 2.54 μ B, for CePt. This suggests an increase of the hybridization with decreasing Ce content, or said equivalently, it means that the increase of the Kondo interaction diminishes effective magnetic moment. These observations confirm the main conclusions inferred from an earlier transport properties investigation of this alloy system. The corresponding θ C differs within 1 K from the Curie temperature, T C, which is determined by the resistivity measurements. The most intriguing result of the investigation of Ce xY 1-xPt is the linear concentration dependence of T C vs. x and, moreover, it is the same as in Ce xLa 1-xPt although in the former system the hybridization diminishes considerably the effective magnetic moment per Ce ion, while in the latter system, hybridization is minor and independent of x. Finally, we offer the explanations of these intriguing experimental results.« less

Neo-sex chromosome inheritance across species in Silene hybrids.

PubMed

Weingartner, L A; Delph, L F

2014-07-01

Neo-sex chromosomes, which form through the major restructuring of ancestral sex chromosome systems, have evolved in various taxa. Such restructuring often consists of the fusion of an autosome to an existing sex chromosome, resulting in novel sex chromosome formations (e.g. X1X2Y or XY1Y2.). Comparative studies are often made between restructured sex chromosome systems of closely related species, and here we evaluate the consequences of variable sex chromosome systems to hybrids. If neo-sex chromosomes are improperly inherited across species, this could lead to aberrant development and reproductive isolation. In this study, we examine the fate of neo-sex chromosomes in hybrids of the flowering plants Silene diclinis and Silene latifolia. Silene diclinis has a neo-sex chromosome system (XY1Y2) that is thought to have evolved from an ancestral XY system that is still present in S. latifolia. These species do not hybridize naturally, and improper sex chromosome inheritance could contribute to reproductive isolation. We investigated whether this major restructuring of sex chromosomes prevents their proper inheritance in a variety of hybrid crosses, including some F2 - and later-generation hybrids, with sex chromosome-linked, species-specific, polymorphic markers and chromosome squashes. We discovered that despite the differences in sex chromosomes that exist between these two species, proper segregation had occurred in hybrids that made it to flowering, including later-generation hybrids, indicating that neo-sex chromosome formation alone does not result in complete reproductive isolation between these two species. Additionally, hybrids with aberrant sex expression (e.g. neuter, hermaphrodite) also inherited the restructured sex chromosomes properly, highlighting that issues with sexual development in hybrids can be caused by intrinsic genetic incompatibility rather than improper sex chromosome inheritance. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014

Anomalous diffusion analysis of the lifting events in the event-chain Monte Carlo for the classical XY models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Kenji; Higuchi, Saburo

2017-11-01

We introduce a novel random walk model that emerges in the event-chain Monte Carlo (ECMC) of spin systems. In the ECMC, the lifting variable specifying the spin to be updated changes its value to one of its interacting neighbor spins. This movement can be regarded as a random walk in a random environment with a feedback. We investigate this random walk numerically in the case of the classical XY model in 1, 2, and 3 dimensions to find that it is superdiffusive near the critical point of the underlying spin system. It is suggested that the performance improvement of the ECMC is related to this anomalous behavior.

Infinite number of solvable generalizations of XY-chain, with cluster state, and with central charge c = m/2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minami, Kazuhiko

2017-12-01

An infinite number of spin chains are solved and it is derived that the ground-state phase transitions belong to the universality classes with central charge c = m / 2, where m is an integer. The models are diagonalized by automatically obtained transformations, many of which are different from the Jordan-Wigner transformation. The free energies, correlation functions, string order parameters, exponents, central charges, and the phase diagram are obtained. Most of the examples consist of the stabilizers of the cluster state. A unified structure of the one-dimensional XY and cluster-type spin chains is revealed, and other series of solvable models can be obtained through this formula.

Deformation of products cut on AWJ x-y tables and its suppression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hlaváč, L. M.; Hlaváčová, I. M.; Plančár, Š.; Krenický, T.; Geryk, V.

2018-02-01

The aim of this study is namely investigation of the abrasive water jet (AWJ) cutting of column pieces on commercial x-y cutting machines with AWJ. The shape deformation in curved and/or stepped parts of cutting trajectories caused by both the trailback (declination angle) and the taper (inclination of cut walls) can be calculated from submitted analytical model. Some of the results were compared with data measured on samples cut on two types of commercial tables. The main motivation of this investigation is determination of the percentage difference between predicted and real distortion of cutting product, i.e. accuracy of prepared analytical model. Subsequently, the possibility of reduction of the distortion can be studied through implementation of the theoretical model into the control systems of the cutting machines with the system for cutting head tilting. Despite some limitations of the used AWJ machines the comparison of calculated dimensions with the real ones shows very good correlation of model and experimental data lying within the range of measurement uncertainty. Results on special device demonstrated that the shape deformation in curved parts of the cutting trajectory can be substantially reduced through tilting of the cutting head.

Quality of life in a large cohort of adult Brazilian patients with 46,XX and 46,XY disorders of sex development from a single tertiary centre.

PubMed

Cassia Amaral, Rita; Inacio, Marlene; Brito, Vinicius N; Bachega, Tania A S S; Oliveira, Ari A; Domenice, Sorahia; Denes, Francisco T; Sircili, Maria Helena; Arnhold, Ivo J P; Madureira, Guiomar; Gomes, Larissa; Costa, Elaine M F; Mendonca, Berenice B

2015-02-01

Few studies have focused on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with disorders of sex development (DSD). Our aim was to evaluate QoL in DSD patients with defined diagnoses followed until adulthood in a single tertiary centre. Adult patients with DSD (56 patients with 46,XX DSD - 49 with female social sex and 7 with male social sex as well as 88 patients with 46,XY DSD - 54 with female social sex and 34 with male social sex). QoL using WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire. Both patients with 46,XX DSD and patients with 46,XY DSD had similar QoL scores on the WHOQOL-Bref, comparable to the scores of the Brazilian general population. The chronological age at the start of treatment was negatively and significantly associated with general QoL score. Patients with male social sex DSD had better scores on the psychological domain than patients with female social sex DSD, as found in the Brazilian general population. In addition, among the 46,XY DSD group, the male social sex patients had better QoL compared with the female social sex patients. There was a positive and significant correlation between sexual performance and general QoL, although it explained only 4% of the variability of the general QoL score. The most influencing variables were general health, positive feelings and spirituality, religion and personal beliefs, each of them contributing with 18% of the variability of the general QoL score. Our large cohort of adult patients with DSD, which was followed by a multidisciplinary team in a single tertiary centre, had good QoL in adulthood; in addition, late treatment compromised the QoL of patients with DSD, whereas sexual performance has little influence on QoL. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Entanglement of two qubits coupled to an XY spin chain: Role of energy current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ben-Qiong; Shao, Bin; Zou, Jian

2009-12-01

We investigate the entanglement dynamics of a two-qubit system which interacts with a Heisenberg XY spin chain constrained to carry an energy current. We show an explicit connection between the decoherence factor and entanglement, and numerically and analytically study the dynamical process of entanglement in both weak- and strong-coupling cases for two initial states, the general pure state and the mixed Werner state. We provide results that the entanglement evolution depends not only on the energy current, the anisotropy parameter and the system-environment couplings but also on the size of degrees of freedom of environment. In particular, our results imply that entanglement will be strongly suppressed by the introduction of energy current on the environmental spin chain in the weak-coupling region while it is not sensitive to the energy current in the strong-coupling region. We also observe the sudden death of entanglement in the system and show how the energy current affects the phenomenon.

An infant with mos45,X/46,XY/47,XYY/48,XYYY: Genetic and clinical findings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, J.; Blumenthal, D.; Brock, W.

1994-09-01

We report on an infant with mos45,X/46,XY/47,XYY/48,XYYY who presented with ambiguous genitalia. The patient was the 2,637 gram product of a 38 week gestation and elective repeat C-section born to a 35 year old G3P2 mother. The pregnancy was complicated by placenta previa. There was no history of maternal health problems or drug or steroid use. At birth bilateral epicanthal folds and overfolded helices were noted without webbing of the neck or lymphedema. There was a phallic structure measuring 1.5 cm with dorsal hood and midline cleft with a normal female introitus, urethra, and vagina. Congenital adrenal hyperplaxia was excluded.more » Renal ultrasound was normal. Periperal blood chromosomes revealed a mos45,X(38%)/47,XYY(29%)/48,XYYY(33%) karyotype. Echocardiography revealed coarctation of the aorta and a bicuspid aortic valve. An additional cell line, 46,XY, was identified in aortic tissue obtained at the time of surgery. At age 15 months she was 25% in height and weight and had bilateral ptosis. Her development was within normal limits, but no words except {open_quotes}Mama{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}Dada{close_quotes} were spoken. A left intraabdominal testis with epididymis and dilated tubules and bilateral Fallopian tubes were removed at laparoscopy/reconstruction. Cell cultures were initiated from gonadal tissue, and karyotypes are pending. Patients with mosaic Y chromosome aneuploidy involving 2 Y chromosomes are rare. Eighteen patients with 45,X/47,XYY have been described; prenatally diagnosed cases appeared to be normal male whereas cases diagnosed postnally presented with ambiguous genitalia and/or other anomalies. The phenotype of Y chromosome aneuploidy with 3 Y chromosomes is even more unpredictable due to the paucity of reported cases. To our knowledge this is the first patient described with this unusual karyotype, thus adding to the limited information of patients with rare mosaic Y chromosome aneuploidy.« less

Benford's law gives better scaling exponents in phase transitions of quantum XY models.

PubMed

Rane, Ameya Deepak; Mishra, Utkarsh; Biswas, Anindya; Sen De, Aditi; Sen, Ujjwal

2014-08-01

Benford's law is an empirical law predicting the distribution of the first significant digits of numbers obtained from natural phenomena and mathematical tables. It has been found to be applicable for numbers coming from a plethora of sources, varying from seismographic, biological, financial, to astronomical. We apply this law to analyze the data obtained from physical many-body systems described by the one-dimensional anisotropic quantum XY models in a transverse magnetic field. We detect the zero-temperature quantum phase transition and find that our method gives better finite-size scaling exponents for the critical point than many other known scaling exponents using measurable quantities like magnetization, entanglement, and quantum discord. We extend our analysis to the same system but at finite temperature and find that it also detects the finite-temperature phase transition in the model. Moreover, we compare the Benford distribution analysis with the same obtained from the uniform and Poisson distributions. The analysis is furthermore important in that the high-precision detection of the cooperative physical phenomena is possible even from low-precision experimental data.

Magnetic helices as metastable states of finite XY ferromagnetic chains: An analytical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, Alexander P.; Pini, Maria Gloria

2018-04-01

We investigated a simple but non trivial model, consisting of a chain of N classical XY spins with nearest neighbor ferromagnetic interaction, where each of the two end-point spins is assumed to be exchange-coupled to a fully-pinned fictitious spin. In the mean field approximation, the system might be representative of a soft ferromagnetic film sandwiched between two magnetically hard layers. We show that, while the ground state is ferromagnetic and collinear, the system can attain non-collinear metastable states in the form of magnetic helices. The helical solutions and their stability were studied analytically in the absence of an external magnetic field. There are four possible classes of solutions. Only one class is metastable, and its helical states contain an integer number of turns. Among the remaining unstable classes, there is a class of helices which contain an integer number of turns. Therefore, an integer number of turns in a helical configuration is a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition for metastability. These results may be useful to devise future applications of metastable magnetic helices as energy-storing elements.

Do plants adjust their sex allocation and secondary sexual morphology in response to their neighbours?

PubMed Central

Vilas, Julia Sánchez; Pannell, John R.

2012-01-01

Background and aims Changes in the sex allocation (i.e. in pollen versus seed production) of hermaphroditic plants often occur in response to the environment. In some homosporous ferns, gametophytes choose their gender in response to chemical cues sent by neighbours, such that spores develop as male gametophytes if they perceive a female or hermaphrodite nearby. Here it is considered whether a similar process might occur in the androdioecious angiosperm species Mercurialis annua, in which males co-occur with hermaphrodites; previous work on a Spanish population of M. annua found that individuals were more likely to develop as males at high density. Methods Using a novel approach to treat plants with leachate from pots containing males or hermaphrodites of M. annua, the hypothesis that individuals assess their mating opportunities, and adjust their sex expression accordingly, was tested through an exchange of chemical cues through the soil. Key Results For the population under study, from Morocco, no evidence was found for soil-signal-dependent sex expression: neither sex ratios nor sex allocation differed among experimental treatments. Conclusions The results imply either that the Moroccan population under study behaves differently from that previously studied in Spain (pointing to potential geographical variation in plasticity for sex expression), or that our method failed to capture the signals used by M. annua for adjustment of sex expression. PMID:22899829

System simulation application for determining the size of daily raw material purchases at PT XY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napitupulu, H. L.

2018-02-01

Every manufacturing company needs to implement green production, including PT XY as a marine catchment processing industry in Sumatera Utara Province. The company is engaged in the processing of squid for export purposes. The company’s problem relates to the absence of a decision on the daily purchase amount of the squid. The purchase of daily raw materials in varying quantities has caused companies to face the problem of excess raw materials or otherwise the lack of raw materials. The low purchase of raw materials will result in reduced productivity, while large purchases will lead to increased cooling costs for storage of excess raw materials, as well as possible loss of damage raw material. Therefore it is necessary to determine the optimal amount of raw material purchases every day. This can be determined by applying simulation. Application of system simulations can provide the expected optimal amount of raw material purchases.

A missense mutation in the human cytochrome b5 gene causes 46,XY disorder of sex development due to true isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency.

PubMed

Idkowiak, Jan; Randell, Tabitha; Dhir, Vivek; Patel, Pushpa; Shackleton, Cedric H L; Taylor, Norman F; Krone, Nils; Arlt, Wiebke

2012-03-01

Isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency is commonly defined by apparently normal 17α-hydroxylase activity but severely reduced 17,20 lyase activity of the bifunctional enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme 17A1 (CYP17A1), resulting in sex steroid deficiency but normal glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid reserve. Cytochrome b5 (CYB5A) is thought to selectively enhance 17,20 lyase activity by facilitating the allosteric interaction of CYP17A1 with its electron donor P450 oxidoreductase (POR). We investigated a large consanguineous family including three siblings with 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) presenting with isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency. We investigated the clinical and biochemical phenotype, conducted genetic analyses, and functionally characterized the identified CYB5A mutation in cell-based CYP17A1 coexpression assays. All three siblings presented with 46,XY DSD, sex steroid deficiency, normal mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, and a urine steroid metabolome suggestive of isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency. CYP17A1 and POR sequences were normal, but we detected a homozygous CYB5A missense mutation (g.28,400A→T; p.H44L). Functional in vitro analysis revealed normal CYP17A1 17α-hydroxylase activity but severely impaired 17,20 lyase activity. In silico analysis suggested the disruption of CYB5A heme binding by p.H44L. We have identified the first human CYB5A missense mutation as the cause of isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency in three individuals with 46,XY DSD. Detailed review of previously reported cases with apparently isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency due to mutant CYP17A1 and POR reveals impaired 17α-hydroxylase activity as assessed by steroid metabolome analysis and short cosyntropin testing. This suggests that truly isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency is observed only in individuals with inactivating CYB5A mutations.

Magnetic phase boundaries of CsMnF3: XY-to-Ising crossover and the virtual bicritical point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapira, Y.; Oliveira, N. F., Jr.; Chang, T. S.

1980-02-01

The ordering temperature Tc of the easy-plane hexagonal antiferromagnet CsMnF3 was measured as a function of magnetic field H, up to 120 kOe. Tc was determined from the thermal expansion anomaly at constant H. At H=0, TN≡Tc(0)=51.4 K. When H--> is in the hexagonal plane, the boundary Tc(H) is bow shaped: with increasing H, Tc first increases, then passes through a maximum, and later decreases. The maximum Tc is ~37 mK above TN, and it occurs at H≅29.5 kOe. The bow-shaped phase boundary is attributed to the XY-to-Ising crossover which is induced by the magnetic field, as discussed by Fisher, Nelson, and Kosterlitz. Fits to the phase boundary Tc(H) give a crossover exponent φ=1.185+/-0.03 for one sample and φ=1.184+/-0.025 for another, compared to the theoretical value φ(n=2)=1.175+/-0.015. When H--> is perpendicular to the hexagonal plane, Tc decreases monotonically with increasing H, but the decrease is not in accordance with mean-field theory, which predicts a decrease proportional to H2. The deviation from mean-field behavior is attributed to a virtual bicritical point (VBP) with Heisenberg symmetry, which exists mathematically at a negative value of H2. Although the VBP cannot be observed directly, it affects the behavior in the observable region of H2>=0. Physically, a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the easy plane enhances the Heisenberg-to-XY symmetry breaking, which at H=0 is solely due to the weak easy-plane uniaxial anisotropy. The enhanced symmetry breaking causes a non-mean-field dependence of Tc on H. An equation derived on this basis gives a good description of the phase boundary Tc(H). This equation contains three adjustable parameters, two of which can also be estimated without recourse to the phase boundary Tc(H). The values for these two parameters obtained from a best fit to Tc(H) agree with the independent estimates.

XY vs X Mixer in Quantum Alternating Operator Ansatz for Optimization Problems with Constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Zhihui; Rubin, Nicholas; Rieffel, Eleanor G.

2018-01-01

Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm, further generalized as Quantum Alternating Operator Ansatz (QAOA), is a family of algorithms for combinatorial optimization problems. It is a leading candidate to run on emerging universal quantum computers to gain insight into quantum heuristics. In constrained optimization, penalties are often introduced so that the ground state of the cost Hamiltonian encodes the solution (a standard practice in quantum annealing). An alternative is to choose a mixing Hamiltonian such that the constraint corresponds to a constant of motion and the quantum evolution stays in the feasible subspace. Better performance of the algorithm is speculated due to a much smaller search space. We consider problems with a constant Hamming weight as the constraint. We also compare different methods of generating the generalized W-state, which serves as a natural initial state for the Hamming-weight constraint. Using graph-coloring as an example, we compare the performance of using XY model as a mixer that preserves the Hamming weight with the performance of adding a penalty term in the cost Hamiltonian.

Male-specific DNA markers provide genetic evidence of an XY chromosome system, a recombination arrest and allow the tracing of paternal lineages in date palm.

PubMed

Cherif, Emira; Zehdi, Salwa; Castillo, Karina; Chabrillange, Nathalie; Abdoulkader, Sabira; Pintaud, Jean-Christophe; Santoni, Sylvain; Salhi-Hannachi, Amel; Glémin, Sylvain; Aberlenc-Bertossi, Frédérique

2013-01-01

Whether sex chromosomes are differentiated is an important aspect of our knowledge of dioecious plants, such as date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). In this crop plant, the female individuals produce dates, and are thus the more valuable sex. However, there is no way to identify the sex of date palm plants before reproductive age, and the sex-determining mechanism is still unclear. To identify sex-linked microsatellite markers, we surveyed a set of 52 male and 55 female genotypes representing the geographical diversity of the species. We found three genetically linked loci that are heterozygous only in males. Male-specific alleles allowed us to identify the gender in 100% of individuals. These results confirm the existence of an XY chromosomal system with a nonrecombining XY-like region in the date palm genome. The distribution of Y haplotypes in western and eastern haplogroups allowed us to trace two male ancestral paternal lineages that account for all known Y diversity in date palm. The very low diversity associated with Y haplotypes is consistent with clonal paternal transmission of a nonrecombining male-determining region. Our results establish the date palm as a biological model with one of the most ancient sex chromosomes in flowering plants. © 2012 IRD. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Impact of X/Y genes and sex hormones on mouse neuroanatomy.

PubMed

Vousden, Dulcie A; Corre, Christina; Spring, Shoshana; Qiu, Lily R; Metcalf, Ariane; Cox, Elizabeth; Lerch, Jason P; Palmert, Mark R

2018-06-01

Biological sex influences brain anatomy across many species. Sex differences in brain anatomy have classically been attributed to differences in sex chromosome complement (XX versus XY) and/or in levels of gonadal sex steroids released from ovaries and testes. Using the four core genotype (4CG) mouse model in which gonadal sex and sex chromosome complement are decoupled, we previously found that sex hormones and chromosomes influence the volume of distinct brain regions. However, recent studies suggest there may be more complex interactions between hormones and chromosomes, and that circulating steroids can compensate for and/or mask underlying chromosomal effects. Moreover, the impact of pre vs post-pubertal sex hormone exposure on this sex hormone/sex chromosome interplay is not well understood. Thus, we used whole brain high-resolution ex-vivo MRI of intact and pre-pubertally gonadectomized 4CG mice to investigate two questions: 1) Do circulating steroids mask sex differences in brain anatomy driven by sex chromosome complement? And 2) What is the contribution of pre- versus post-pubertal hormones to sex-hormone-dependent differences in brain anatomy? We found evidence of both cooperative and compensatory interactions between sex chromosomes and sex hormones in several brain regions, but the interaction effects were of low magnitude. Additionally, most brain regions affected by sex hormones were sensitive to both pre- and post-pubertal hormones. This data provides further insight into the biological origins of sex differences in brain anatomy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanocrystalline Ce 1- xY xO 2- x/2 (0≤ x≤0.35) Oxides via Carbonate Precipitation: Synthesis and Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ji-Guang; Ikegami, Takayasu; Wang, Yarong; Mori, Toshiyuki

2002-10-01

A novel carbonate (co)precipitation method, employing nitrates as the starting salts and ammonium carbonate as the precipitant, has been used to synthesize nanocrystalline CeO 2 and Ce 1- xY xO 2- x/2 ( x≤0.35) solid-solutions. The resultant powders are characterized by elemental analysis, differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry (DTA/TG), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). Due to the direct formation of carbonate solid-solutions during precipitation, Ce 1- xY xO 2- x/2 solid-solution oxides are formed directly during calcination at a very low temperature of ˜300°C for 2 h. The thus-produced oxide nanopowders are essentially non-agglomerated, as revealed by BET in conjunction with XRD analysis. The solubility of YO 1.5 in CeO 2 is determined via XRD to be somewhere in the range from 27 to 35 mol%, from which a Y 2O 3-related type-C phase appears in the final product. Y 3+-doping promotes the formation of spherical nanoparticles, retards thermal decomposition of the precursors, and suppresses significantly crystallite coarsening of the oxides during calcination. The activation energy for crystallite coarsening increases gradually from 68.7 kJ mol -1 for pure CeO 2 to 138.6 kJ mol -1 for CeO 2 doped with 35 mol% YO 1.5. The dopant effects on crystallite coarsening is elaborated from the view point of solid-state chemistry.

Transverse spin correlation function of the one-dimensional spin- {1}/{2} XY model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonegawa, Takashi

1981-12-01

The transverse spin pair correlation function pxn=< SxmSxm+ n>=< SxmSxm+ n> is calculated exactly in the thermodynamic limit of the system described by the one-dimensional, isotropic, spin- {1}/{2}, XY Hamiltonian H=-2J limit∑l=1N(S xlS xl+1+S ylS yl+1) . It is found that at absolute zero temperature ( T = 0), the correlation function ρ xn for n ≥ 0 is given by ρ x2p= {1}/{4}{2}/{π}2plimitΠj=1p-1{4j 2}/{4j 2-1 }2p-2jif n=2p , ρ x2p+1=± {1}/{4}{2}/{π}2p+1limitΠj=1p{4j 2}/{4j 2-1 }2p+2jif n=2p+1 , where the plus sign applies when J is positive and the minus sign applies when J is negative. From these the asymptotic behavior as n → ∞ of |ϱ xn| at T = 0 is derived to be |ρ xn| ˜ {a}/{n} with a = 0.147088⋯. For finite temperatures, ρ xn is calculated numerically. By using the results for ϱ xn, the transverse inverse correlation length and the wavenumber dependent transverse spin pair correlation function are also calculated exactly.

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of the dioecious Cannabis sativa with an XY chromosome sex determination system.

PubMed

Divashuk, Mikhail G; Alexandrov, Oleg S; Razumova, Olga V; Kirov, Ilya V; Karlov, Gennady I

2014-01-01

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was karyotyped using by DAPI/C-banding staining to provide chromosome measurements, and by fluorescence in situ hybridization with probes for 45 rDNA (pTa71), 5S rDNA (pCT4.2), a subtelomeric repeat (CS-1) and the Arabidopsis telomere probes. The karyotype has 18 autosomes plus a sex chromosome pair (XX in female and XY in male plants). The autosomes are difficult to distinguish morphologically, but three pairs could be distinguished using the probes. The Y chromosome is larger than the autosomes, and carries a fully heterochromatic DAPI positive arm and CS-1 repeats only on the less intensely DAPI-stained, euchromatic arm. The X is the largest chromosome of all, and carries CS-1 subtelomeric repeats on both arms. The meiotic configuration of the sex bivalent locates a pseudoautosomal region of the Y chromosome at the end of the euchromatic CS-1-carrying arm. Our molecular cytogenetic study of the C. sativa sex chromosomes is a starting point for helping to make C. sativa a promising model to study sex chromosome evolution.

Universality of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless type of phase transition in the dipolar XY-model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliev, A. Yu; Tarkhov, A. E.; Menshikov, L. I.; Fedichev, P. O.; Fischer, Uwe R.

2014-05-01

We investigate the nature of the phase transition occurring in a planar XY-model spin system with dipole-dipole interactions. It is demonstrated that a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) type of phase transition always takes place at a finite temperature separating the ordered (ferro) and the disordered (para) phases. The low-temperature phase corresponds to an ordered state with thermal fluctuations, composed of a ‘gas’ of bound vortex-antivortex pairs, which would, when considered isolated, be characterized by a constant vortex-antivortex attraction force which is due to the dipolar interaction term in the Hamiltonian. Using a topological charge model, we show that small bound pairs are easily polarized, and screen the vortex-antivortex interaction in sufficiently large pairs. Screening changes the linear attraction potential of vortices to a logarithmic one, and leads to the familiar pair dissociation mechanism of the BKT type phase transition. The topological charge model is confirmed by numerical simulations, in which we demonstrate that the transition temperature slightly increases when compared with the BKT result for short-range interactions.

Contrasting patterns of X/Y polymorphism distinguish Carica papaya from other sex chromosome systems.

PubMed

Weingartner, Laura A; Moore, Richard C

2012-12-01

The sex chromosomes of the tropical crop papaya (Carica papaya) are evolutionarily young and consequently allow for the examination of evolutionary mechanisms that drive early sex chromosome divergence. We conducted a molecular population genetic analysis of four X/Y gene pairs from a collection of 45 wild papaya accessions. These population genetic analyses reveal striking differences in the patterns of polymorphism between the X and Y chromosomes that distinguish them from other sex chromosome systems. In most sex chromosome systems, the Y chromosome displays significantly reduced polymorphism levels, whereas the X chromosome maintains a level of polymorphism that is comparable to autosomal loci. However, the four papaya sex-linked loci that we examined display diversity patterns that are opposite this trend: the papaya X alleles exhibit significantly reduced polymorphism levels, whereas the papaya Y alleles maintain greater than expected levels of diversity. Our analyses suggest that selective sweeps in the regions of the X have contributed to this pattern while also revealing geographically restricted haplogroups on the Y. We discuss the possible role sexual selection and/or genomic conflict have played in shaping the contrasting patterns of polymorphism found for the papaya X and Y chromosomes.

The SU(3)/Z3 QCD(adj) deconfinement transition via the gauge theory/"affine" XY-model duality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anber, Mohamed M.; Collier, Scott; Poppitz, Erich

2013-01-01

Earlier, two of us and M. Ünsal [1] showed that a class of 4d gauge theories, when compactified on a small spatial circle of size L and considered at temperatures β-1 near the deconfinement transition, are dual to 2d "affine" XY-spin models. We exploit this duality to study the deconfinement phase transition in SU(3)/{{{Z}}_3} gauge theories with n f > 1 massless adjoint Weyl fermions, QCD(adj) on {{{R}}^2}× {S}_{β}^1× {S}_L^1 . The dual "affine" XY-model describes two "spins" — compact scalars taking values in the SU(3) root lattice. The spins couple via nearest-neighbor interactions and are subject to an "external field" perturbation preserving the topological {Z}_3^t and a discrete {Z}_3^{{{d_{\\upchi}}}} subgroup of the anomaly-free chiral symmetry of the 4d gauge theory. The equivalent Coulomb gas representation of the theory exhibits electric-magnetic duality, which is also a high-/low-temperature duality. A renormalization group analysis suggests — but is not convincing, due to the onset of strong coupling — that the self-dual point is a fixed point, implying a continuous deconfinement transition. Here, we study the nature of the transition via Monte Carlo simulations. The {Z}_3^t× {Z}_3^{{{d_{\\upchi}}}} order parameter, its susceptibility, the vortex density, the energy per spin, and the specific heat are measured over a range of volumes, temperatures, and "external field" strengths (in the gauge theory, these correspond to magnetic bion fugacities). The finite-size scaling of the susceptibility and specific heat we find is characteristic of a first-order transition. Furthermore, for sufficiently large but still smaller than unity bion fugacity (as can be achieved upon an increase of the {S}_L^1 size), at the critical temperature we find two distinct peaks of the energy probability distribution, indicative of a first-order transition, as has been seen in earlier simulations of the full 4d QCD(adj) theory. We end with discussions of the global

Differential expression of conserved germ line markers and delayed segregation of male and female primordial germ cells in a hermaphrodite, the leech helobdella.

PubMed

Cho, Sung-Jin; Vallès, Yvonne; Weisblat, David A

2014-02-01

In sexually reproducing animals, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are often set aside early in embryogenesis, a strategy that minimizes the risk of genomic damage associated with replication and mitosis during the cell cycle. Here, we have used germ line markers (piwi, vasa, and nanos) and microinjected cell lineage tracers to show that PGC specification in the leech genus Helobdella follows a different scenario: in this hermaphrodite, the male and female PGCs segregate from somatic lineages only after more than 20 rounds of zygotic mitosis; the male and female PGCs share the same (mesodermal) cell lineage for 19 rounds of zygotic mitosis. Moreover, while all three markers are expressed in both male and female reproductive tissues of the adult, they are expressed differentially between the male and female PGCs of the developing embryo: piwi and vasa are expressed preferentially in female PGCs at a time when nanos is expressed preferentially in male PGCs. A priori, the delayed segregation of male and female PGCs from somatic tissues and from one another increases the probability of mutations affecting both male and female PGCs of a given individual. We speculate that this suite of features, combined with a capacity for self-fertilization, may contribute to the dramatically rearranged genome of Helobdella robusta relative to other animals.

Differential Expression of Conserved Germ Line Markers and Delayed Segregation of Male and Female Primordial Germ Cells in a Hermaphrodite, the Leech Helobdella

PubMed Central

Cho, Sung-Jin; Vallès, Yvonne; Weisblat, David A.

2014-01-01

In sexually reproducing animals, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are often set aside early in embryogenesis, a strategy that minimizes the risk of genomic damage associated with replication and mitosis during the cell cycle. Here, we have used germ line markers (piwi, vasa, and nanos) and microinjected cell lineage tracers to show that PGC specification in the leech genus Helobdella follows a different scenario: in this hermaphrodite, the male and female PGCs segregate from somatic lineages only after more than 20 rounds of zygotic mitosis; the male and female PGCs share the same (mesodermal) cell lineage for 19 rounds of zygotic mitosis. Moreover, while all three markers are expressed in both male and female reproductive tissues of the adult, they are expressed differentially between the male and female PGCs of the developing embryo: piwi and vasa are expressed preferentially in female PGCs at a time when nanos is expressed preferentially in male PGCs. A priori, the delayed segregation of male and female PGCs from somatic tissues and from one another increases the probability of mutations affecting both male and female PGCs of a given individual. We speculate that this suite of features, combined with a capacity for self-fertilization, may contribute to the dramatically rearranged genome of Helobdella robusta relative to other animals. PMID:24217283

Proteomic analysis of the reproductive organs of the hermaphroditic gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis exposed to different endocrine disrupting chemicals.

PubMed

Giusti, Arnaud; Leprince, Pierre; Mazzucchelli, Gabriel; Thomé, Jean-Pierre; Lagadic, Laurent; Ducrot, Virginie; Joaquim-Justo, Célia

2013-01-01

Many studies have reported perturbations of mollusc reproduction following exposure to low concentrations (ng/L range) of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, the mechanisms of action of these molecules on molluscs are still poorly understood. Investigation of the modifications of protein expression in organisms exposed to chemicals using proteomic methods can provide a broader and more comprehensive understanding of adverse impacts of pollution on organisms than conventional biochemical biomarkers (e.g., heat-shock proteins, metallothioneins, GST, EROD). In this study we have investigated the impacts of four chemicals, which exhibit different endocrine disrupting properties in vertebrates, on the proteome of the hermaphroditic freshwater pulmonate gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis after 21 days of exposure. Testosterone, tributyltin, chlordecone and cyproterone acetate were chosen as tested compounds as they can induce adverse effects on the reproduction of this snail. The 2D-DIGE method was used to identify proteins whose expression was affected by these compounds. In addition to modifying the expression of proteins involved in the structure and function of the cytoskeleton, chemicals had impacts on the expression of proteins involved in the reproduction of L. stagnalis. Exposure to 19.2 µg/L of chlordecone increased the abundance of ovipostatin, a peptide transmitted during mating through seminal fluid, which reduces oviposition in this species. The expression of yolk ferritin, the vitellogenin equivalent in L. stagnalis, was reduced after exposure to 94.2 ng Sn/L of tributyltin. The identification of yolk ferritin and the modification of its expression in snails exposed to chemicals were refined using western blot analysis. Our results showed that the tested compounds influenced the abundance of yolk ferritin in the reproductive organs. Alteration in proteins involved in reproductive pathways (e.g., ovipostatin and yolk ferritin) could constitute relevant

Proteomic Analysis of the Reproductive Organs of the Hermaphroditic Gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis Exposed to Different Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

PubMed Central

Giusti, Arnaud; Leprince, Pierre; Mazzucchelli, Gabriel; Thomé, Jean-Pierre; Lagadic, Laurent; Ducrot, Virginie; Joaquim-Justo, Célia

2013-01-01

Many studies have reported perturbations of mollusc reproduction following exposure to low concentrations (ng/L range) of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, the mechanisms of action of these molecules on molluscs are still poorly understood. Investigation of the modifications of protein expression in organisms exposed to chemicals using proteomic methods can provide a broader and more comprehensive understanding of adverse impacts of pollution on organisms than conventional biochemical biomarkers (e.g., heat-shock proteins, metallothioneins, GST, EROD). In this study we have investigated the impacts of four chemicals, which exhibit different endocrine disrupting properties in vertebrates, on the proteome of the hermaphroditic freshwater pulmonate gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis after 21 days of exposure. Testosterone, tributyltin, chlordecone and cyproterone acetate were chosen as tested compounds as they can induce adverse effects on the reproduction of this snail. The 2D-DIGE method was used to identify proteins whose expression was affected by these compounds. In addition to modifying the expression of proteins involved in the structure and function of the cytoskeleton, chemicals had impacts on the expression of proteins involved in the reproduction of L. stagnalis. Exposure to 19.2 µg/L of chlordecone increased the abundance of ovipostatin, a peptide transmitted during mating through seminal fluid, which reduces oviposition in this species. The expression of yolk ferritin, the vitellogenin equivalent in L. stagnalis, was reduced after exposure to 94.2 ng Sn/L of tributyltin. The identification of yolk ferritin and the modification of its expression in snails exposed to chemicals were refined using western blot analysis. Our results showed that the tested compounds influenced the abundance of yolk ferritin in the reproductive organs. Alteration in proteins involved in reproductive pathways (e.g., ovipostatin and yolk ferritin) could constitute relevant

Superaging and Subaging Phenomena in a Nonequilibrium Critical Behavior of the Structurally Disordered Two-Dimensional XY Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prudnikov, V. V.; Prudnikov, P. V.; Popov, I. S.

2018-03-01

A Monte Carlo numerical simulation of the specific features of nonequilibrium critical behavior is carried out for the two-dimensional structurally disordered XY model during its evolution from a low-temperature initial state. On the basis of the analysis of the two-time dependence of autocorrelation functions and dynamic susceptibility for systems with spin concentrations of p = 1.0, 0.9, and 0.6, aging phenomena characterized by a slowing down of the relaxation system with increasing waiting time and the violation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT) are revealed. The values of the universal limiting fluctuation-dissipation ratio (FDR) are obtained for the systems considered. As a result of the analysis of the two-time scaling dependence for spin-spin and connected spin autocorrelation functions, it is found that structural defects lead to subaging phenomena in the behavior of the spin-spin autocorrelation function and superaging phenomena in the behavior of the connected spin autocorrelation function.

Craig's XY distribution and the statistics of Lagrangian power in two-dimensional turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandi, Mahesh M.; Connaughton, Colm

2008-03-01

We examine the probability distribution function (PDF) of the energy injection rate (power) in numerical simulations of stationary two-dimensional (2D) turbulence in the Lagrangian frame. The simulation is designed to mimic an electromagnetically driven fluid layer, a well-documented system for generating 2D turbulence in the laboratory. In our simulations, the forcing and velocity fields are close to Gaussian. On the other hand, the measured PDF of injected power is very sharply peaked at zero, suggestive of a singularity there, with tails which are exponential but asymmetric. Large positive fluctuations are more probable than large negative fluctuations. It is this asymmetry of the tails which leads to a net positive mean value for the energy input despite the most probable value being zero. The main features of the power distribution are well described by Craig’s XY distribution for the PDF of the product of two correlated normal variables. We show that the power distribution should exhibit a logarithmic singularity at zero and decay exponentially for large absolute values of the power. We calculate the asymptotic behavior and express the asymmetry of the tails in terms of the correlation coefficient of the force and velocity. We compare the measured PDFs with the theoretical calculations and briefly discuss how the power PDF might change with other forcing mechanisms.

Craig's XY distribution and the statistics of Lagrangian power in two-dimensional turbulence.

PubMed

Bandi, Mahesh M; Connaughton, Colm

2008-03-01

We examine the probability distribution function (PDF) of the energy injection rate (power) in numerical simulations of stationary two-dimensional (2D) turbulence in the Lagrangian frame. The simulation is designed to mimic an electromagnetically driven fluid layer, a well-documented system for generating 2D turbulence in the laboratory. In our simulations, the forcing and velocity fields are close to Gaussian. On the other hand, the measured PDF of injected power is very sharply peaked at zero, suggestive of a singularity there, with tails which are exponential but asymmetric. Large positive fluctuations are more probable than large negative fluctuations. It is this asymmetry of the tails which leads to a net positive mean value for the energy input despite the most probable value being zero. The main features of the power distribution are well described by Craig's XY distribution for the PDF of the product of two correlated normal variables. We show that the power distribution should exhibit a logarithmic singularity at zero and decay exponentially for large absolute values of the power. We calculate the asymptotic behavior and express the asymmetry of the tails in terms of the correlation coefficient of the force and velocity. We compare the measured PDFs with the theoretical calculations and briefly discuss how the power PDF might change with other forcing mechanisms.

Loss of function mutation in the palmitoyl-transferase HHAT leads to syndromic 46,XY disorder of sex development by impeding Hedgehog protein palmitoylation and signaling.

PubMed

Callier, Patrick; Calvel, Pierre; Matevossian, Armine; Makrythanasis, Periklis; Bernard, Pascal; Kurosaka, Hiroshi; Vannier, Anne; Thauvin-Robinet, Christel; Borel, Christelle; Mazaud-Guittot, Séverine; Rolland, Antoine; Desdoits-Lethimonier, Christèle; Guipponi, Michel; Zimmermann, Céline; Stévant, Isabelle; Kuhne, Françoise; Conne, Béatrice; Santoni, Federico; Lambert, Sandy; Huet, Frederic; Mugneret, Francine; Jaruzelska, Jadwiga; Faivre, Laurence; Wilhelm, Dagmar; Jégou, Bernard; Trainor, Paul A; Resh, Marilyn D; Antonarakis, Stylianos E; Nef, Serge

2014-05-01

The Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins act as morphogens to control embryonic patterning and development in a variety of organ systems. Post-translational covalent attachment of cholesterol and palmitate to Hh proteins are critical for multimerization and long range signaling potency. However, the biological impact of lipid modifications on Hh ligand distribution and signal reception in humans remains unclear. In the present study, we report a unique case of autosomal recessive syndromic 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) with testicular dysgenesis and chondrodysplasia resulting from a homozygous G287V missense mutation in the hedgehog acyl-transferase (HHAT) gene. This mutation occurred in the conserved membrane bound O-acyltransferase (MBOAT) domain and experimentally disrupted the ability of HHAT to palmitoylate Hh proteins such as DHH and SHH. Consistent with the patient phenotype, HHAT was found to be expressed in the somatic cells of both XX and XY gonads at the time of sex determination, and Hhat loss of function in mice recapitulates most of the testicular, skeletal, neuronal and growth defects observed in humans. In the developing testis, HHAT is not required for Sertoli cell commitment but plays a role in proper testis cord formation and the differentiation of fetal Leydig cells. Altogether, these results shed new light on the mechanisms of action of Hh proteins. Furthermore, they provide the first clinical evidence of the essential role played by lipid modification of Hh proteins in human testicular organogenesis and embryonic development.

Loss of Function Mutation in the Palmitoyl-Transferase HHAT Leads to Syndromic 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development by Impeding Hedgehog Protein Palmitoylation and Signaling

PubMed Central

Makrythanasis, Periklis; Bernard, Pascal; Kurosaka, Hiroshi; Vannier, Anne; Thauvin-Robinet, Christel; Borel, Christelle; Mazaud-Guittot, Séverine; Rolland, Antoine; Desdoits-Lethimonier, Christèle; Guipponi, Michel; Zimmermann, Céline; Stévant, Isabelle; Kuhne, Françoise; Conne, Béatrice; Santoni, Federico; Lambert, Sandy; Huet, Frederic; Mugneret, Francine; Jaruzelska, Jadwiga; Faivre, Laurence; Wilhelm, Dagmar; Jégou, Bernard; Trainor, Paul A.; Resh, Marilyn D.; Antonarakis, Stylianos E.; Nef, Serge

2014-01-01

The Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins act as morphogens to control embryonic patterning and development in a variety of organ systems. Post-translational covalent attachment of cholesterol and palmitate to Hh proteins are critical for multimerization and long range signaling potency. However, the biological impact of lipid modifications on Hh ligand distribution and signal reception in humans remains unclear. In the present study, we report a unique case of autosomal recessive syndromic 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) with testicular dysgenesis and chondrodysplasia resulting from a homozygous G287V missense mutation in the hedgehog acyl-transferase (HHAT) gene. This mutation occurred in the conserved membrane bound O-acyltransferase (MBOAT) domain and experimentally disrupted the ability of HHAT to palmitoylate Hh proteins such as DHH and SHH. Consistent with the patient phenotype, HHAT was found to be expressed in the somatic cells of both XX and XY gonads at the time of sex determination, and Hhat loss of function in mice recapitulates most of the testicular, skeletal, neuronal and growth defects observed in humans. In the developing testis, HHAT is not required for Sertoli cell commitment but plays a role in proper testis cord formation and the differentiation of fetal Leydig cells. Altogether, these results shed new light on the mechanisms of action of Hh proteins. Furthermore, they provide the first clinical evidence of the essential role played by lipid modification of Hh proteins in human testicular organogenesis and embryonic development. PMID:24784881

Chimera and other fertilization errors.

PubMed

Malan, V; Vekemans, M; Turleau, C

2006-11-01

The finding of a mixture of 46,XX and 46,XY cells in an individual has been rarely reported in literature. It usually results in individuals with ambiguous genitalia. Approximately 10% of true human hermaphrodites show this type of karyotype. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. It may be the result of mosaicism or chimerism. By definition, a chimera is produced by the fusion of two different zygotes in a single embryo, while a mosaic contains genetically different cells issued from a single zygote. Several mechanisms are involved in the production of chimera. Stricto sensu, chimerism occurs from the post-zygotic fusion of two distinct embryos leading to a tetragametic chimera. In addition, there are other entities, which are also referred to as chimera: parthenogenetic chimera and chimera resulting from fertilization of the second polar body. Furthermore, a particular type of chimera called 'androgenetic chimera' recently described in fetuses with placental mesenchymal dysplasia and in rare patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome is discussed. Strategies to study mechanisms leading to the production of chimera and mosaics are also proposed.

Radiological Evaluation of Ambiguous Genitalia with Various Imaging Modalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi, N.; Bindushree, Kadakola

2012-07-01

Disorders of sex development (DSDs) are congenital conditions in which the development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex is atypical. These can be classified broadly into four categories on the basis of gonadal histologic features: female pseudohermaphroditism (46,XX with two ovaries); male pseudohermaphroditism (46,XY with two testes); true hermaphroditism (ovotesticular DSD) (both ovarian and testicular tissues); and gonadal dysgenesis, either mixed (a testis and a streak gonad) or pure (bilateral streak gonads). Imaging plays an important role in demonstrating the anatomy and associated anomalies. Ultrasonography is the primary modality for demonstrating internal organs and magnetic resonance imaging is used as an adjunct modality to assess for internal gonads and genitalia. Early and appropriate gender assignment is necessary for healthy physical and psychologic development of children with ambiguous genitalia. Gender assignment can be facilitated with a team approach that involves a pediatric endocrinologist, geneticist, urologist, psychiatrist, social worker, neonatologist, nurse, and radiologist, allowing timely diagnosis and proper management. We describe case series on ambiguous genitalia presented to our department who were evaluated with multiple imaging modalities.

Refined mapping and YAC contig construction of the X-linked cleft palate and ankyloglossia locus (CPX) including the proximal X-Y homology breakpoint within Xq21.3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forbes, S.A.; Brennan, L.; Richardson, M.

1996-01-01

The gene for X-linked cleft palate (CPX) has previously been mapped in an Icelandic kindred between the unordered proximal markers DXS1002/DXS349/DXS95 and the distal marker DXYS1X, which maps to the proximal end of the X-Y homology region in Xq21.3. Using six sequence-tagged sites (STSs) within the region, a total of 91 yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones were isolated and overlapped in a single contig that spans approximately 3.1 Mb between DXS1002 and DXYS1X. The order of microsatellite and STS markers in this was established as DXS1002-DXS1168-DXS349-DXS95-DXS364-DXS1196-DXS472-DXS1217-DXYS1X. A long-range restriction map of this region was created using eight nonchimeric, overlapping YACmore » clones. Analysis of newly positioned polymorphic markers in recombinant individuals from the Icelandic family has enabled us to identify DXS1196 and DXS1217 as the flanking markers for CPX. The maximum physical distance containing the CPX gene has been estimated to be 2.0 Mb, which is spanned by a minimum set of five nonchimeric YAC clones. In addition, YAC end clone and STS analyses have pinpointed the location of the proximal boundary of the X-Y homology region within the map. 40 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Global entanglement and quantum phase transitions in the transverse XY Heisenberg chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radgohar, Roya; Montakhab, Afshin

2018-01-01

We provide a study of various quantum phase transitions occurring in the XY Heisenberg chain in a transverse magnetic field using the Meyer-Wallach (MW) measure of (global) entanglement. Such a measure, while being readily evaluated, is a multipartite measure of entanglement as opposed to more commonly used bipartite measures. Consequently, we obtain analytic expression of the measure for finite-size systems and show that it can be used to obtain critical exponents via finite-size scaling with great accuracy for the Ising universality class. We also calculate an analytic expression for the isotropic (XX) model and show that global entanglement can precisely identify the level-crossing points. The critical exponent for the isotropic transition is obtained exactly from an analytic expression for global entanglement in the thermodynamic limit. Next, the general behavior of the measure is calculated in the thermodynamic limit considering the important role of symmetries for this limit. The so-called oscillatory transition in the ferromagnetic regime can only be characterized by the thermodynamic limit where global entanglement is shown to be zero on the transition curve. Finally, the anisotropic transition is explored where it is shown that global entanglement exhibits an interesting behavior in the finite-size limit. In the thermodynamic limit, we show that global entanglement shows a cusp singularity across the Ising and anisotropic transition, while showing non-analytic behavior at the XX multicritical point. It is concluded that global entanglement, despite its relative simplicity, can be used to identify all the rich structure of the ground-state Heisenberg chain.

X-y interactions underlie sperm head abnormality in hybrid male house mice.

PubMed

Campbell, Polly; Nachman, Michael W

2014-04-01

The genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in house mice is complex, highly polygenic, and strongly X linked. Previous work suggested that there might be interactions between the Mus musculus musculus X and the M. m. domesticus Y with a large negative effect on sperm head morphology in hybrid males with an F1 autosomal background. To test this, we introgressed the M. m. domesticus Y onto a M. m. musculus background and measured the change in sperm morphology, testis weight, and sperm count across early backcross generations and in 11th generation backcross males in which the opportunity for X-autosome incompatibilities is effectively eliminated. We found that abnormality in sperm morphology persists in M. m. domesticus Y introgression males, and that this phenotype is rescued by M. m. domesticus introgressions on the X chromosome. In contrast, the severe reductions in testis weight and sperm count that characterize F1 males were eliminated after one generation of backcrossing. These results indicate that X-Y incompatibilities contribute specifically to sperm morphology. In contrast, X-autosome incompatibilities contribute to low testis weight, low sperm count, and sperm morphology. Restoration of normal testis weight and sperm count in first generation backcross males suggests that a small number of complex incompatibilities between loci on the M. m. musculus X and the M. m. domesticus autosomes underlie F1 male sterility. Together, these results provide insight into the genetic architecture of F1 male sterility and help to explain genome-wide patterns of introgression across the house mouse hybrid zone.

Experimental evidence for frequency dependent self-fertilization in the gynodioecious plant, Silene vulgaris.

PubMed

Miyake, Keiko; Olson, Matthew S

2009-06-01

After over a half century of empirical and theoretical research regarding the evolution and maintenance of gynodioecy in plants, unexplored factors influencing the relative fitnesses of females and hermaphrodites remain. Theoretical studies suggest that hermaphrodite self-fertilization (selfing) rate influences the maintenance of gynodioecy and we hypothesized that population sex ratio may influence hermaphrodite selfing rate. An experimental test for frequency-dependent self-fertilization was conducted using replicated populations constructed with different sex ratios of the gynodioecious plant Silene vulgaris. We found that hermaphrodite selfing increased with decreased hermaphrodite frequency, whereas evidence for increased inbreeding depression was equivocal. We argue that incorporation of context dependent inbreeding into future models of the evolution of gynodioecy is likely to yield novel insights into sex ratio evolution.

Chemical and Physical Defense Traits in Two Sexual Forms of Opuntia robusta in Central Eastern Mexico

PubMed Central

Janczur, Mariusz Krzysztof; León Solano, Héctor Javier; Solache Rámos, Lupita Tzenyatze; Mendoza Reyes, Citlalli Hypatia; Oro Cerro, María del Carmen; Mariezcurrena Berasain, María Dolores; Rivas Manzano, Irma Victoria; Manjarrez, Javier; Villareal Benitez, José Luis; Czarnoleski, Marcin

2014-01-01

Sexually dimorphic plants provide an excellent opportunity for examining the differences in the extent of their defense against herbivores because they exhibit sex-related differences in reproductive investment. Such differences enable comparison of the sex with high reproduction expenses with the sex that expends less. The more costly sex is usually also better defended against herbivores. Generally, females are considered more valuable than hermaphrodites in terms of fitness; however, hermaphrodites are more valuable if they can produce seed by autonomous selfing, provided that the inbreeding depression is low and pollen is limited. We studied a gynodioecious population of Opuntia robusta from Central-Eastern Mexico, which has been reported to be trioecious, dioecious, or hermaphrodite, and addressed the following questions: 1) Is the hermaphrodite's reproductive output higher than the female's, and are hermaphrodites thus better defended? 2) Are plant tissues differentially defended? 3) Do trade-offs exist among different physical defense traits? and 4) among physical and chemical defense traits? We found that 1) hermaphrodites had a higher seed output and more spines per areola than females and that their spines contained less moisture. Non-reproductive hermaphrodite cladodes contained more total phenolic compounds (TPCs) than female ones. In addition, 2) hermaphrodite reproductive cladodes bore more spines than female cladodes, and 3) and 4) we found a negative relationship between spine number per areola and areola number per cladode and a positive relationship between spine number per areola per plant and TPC concentration per plant. Non-reproductive hermaphrodite cladodes contained a higher concentration of TPCs than female cladodes, and parental cladodes contained fewer TPCs than both reproductive and empty cladodes. PMID:24599143

Evolutionary consequence of a change in life cycle complexity: A link between precocious development and evolution toward female-biased sex allocation in a hermaphroditic parasite.

PubMed

Kasl, Emily L; McAllister, Chris T; Robison, Henry W; Connior, Matthew B; Font, William F; Criscione, Charles D

2015-12-01

The evolutionary consequences of changes in the complex life cycles of parasites are not limited to the traits that directly affect transmission. For instance, mating systems that are altered due to precocious sexual maturation in what is typically regarded as an intermediate host may impact opportunities for outcrossing. In turn, reproductive traits may evolve to optimize sex allocation. Here, we test the hypothesis that sex allocation evolved toward a more female-biased function in populations of the hermaphroditic digenean trematode Alloglossidium progeneticum that can precociously reproduce in their second hosts. In these precocious populations, parasites are forced to self-fertilize as they remain encysted in their second hosts. In contrast, parasites in obligate three-host populations have more opportunities to outcross in their third host. We found strong support that in populations with precocious development, allocation to male resources was greatly reduced. We also identified a potential phenotypically plastic response in a body size sex allocation relationship that may be driven by the competition for mates. These results emphasize how changes in life cycle patterns that alter mating systems can impact the evolution of reproductive traits in parasites. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Sexual phenotype drives variation in endocrine responses to social challenge in a quasi-clonal animal

PubMed Central

Huang, Shu-Ping; Garcia, Mark; Fuller, Adam

2018-01-01

In many species, males tend to behave more aggressively than females and female aggression often occurs during particular life stages such as maternal defence of offspring. Though many studies have revealed differences in aggression between the sexes, few studies have compared the sexes in terms of their neuroendocrine responses to contest experience. We investigated sex differences in the endocrine response to social challenge using mangrove rivulus fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus. In this species, sex is determined environmentally, allowing us to produce males and hermaphrodites with identical genotypes. We hypothesized that males would show elevated androgen levels (testosterone and 11-ketotestosterone) following social challenge but that hermaphrodite responses might be constrained by having to maintain both testicular and ovarian tissue. To test this hypothesis, we staged fights between males and between hermaphrodites, and then compared contest behaviour and hormone responses between the sexes. Hermaphrodites had significantly higher oestradiol but lower 11-ketotestosterone than males before contests. Males took longer to initiate contests but tended to fight more aggressively and sustain longer fights than hermaphrodites. Males showed a dramatic post-fight increase in 11-ketotestosterone but hermaphrodites did not. Thus, despite being genetically identical, males and hermaphrodites exhibit dramatically different fighting strategies and endocrine responses to contests. PMID:29765691

Nitrogen-related intermediate band in P-rich GaN xP yAs 1-x-y alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zelazna, K.; Gladysiewicz, M.; Polak, M. P.

The electronic band structure of phosphorus-rich GaN xP yAs 1-x-y alloys (x ~ 0.025 and y ≥ 0.6) is studied experimentally using optical absorption, photomodulated transmission, contactless electroreflectance, and photoluminescence. Here, it is shown that incorporation of a few percent of N atoms has a drastic effect on the electronic structure of the alloys. The change of the electronic band structure is very well described by the band anticrossing (BAC) model in which localized nitrogen states interact with the extended states of the conduction band of GaAsP host. The BAC interaction results in the formation of a narrow intermediate bandmore » (E - band in BAC model) with the minimum at the Γ point of the Brillouin zone resulting in a change of the nature of the fundamental band gap from indirect to direct. The splitting of the conduction band by the BAC interaction is further confirmed by a direct observation of the optical transitions to the E + band using contactless electroreflectance spectroscopy.« less

Defined Combinations of Cryomedia and Thawing Extenders Influence the Viable X-Y Boar Sperm Ratio in Vitro.

PubMed

Korchunjit, W; Kaeoket, K; Kitiyanant, Y; Taylor, J; Wongtawan, T

It is believed that plasma membrane X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm are different; therefore the freezing and thawing process may affect X- and Y-sperm differently. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cryomedia and thawing extenders on the survival of X and Y-sperm. Three different cryomedia and thawing extenders were compared. Viable motile sperm were separated using a swim-up technique. Real-time PCR was used to identify the sperm type. Using CryoA for freezing and Beltsville-Thawing-Solution (BTS) as the thawing extender yielded significantly higher numbers of viable motile Y sperm (64 percent) than control (48 percent) (P < 0.01). Conversely, semen freezing with CryoC and thawing with Androstar Plus gave a significantly lower number of viable motile Y sperm (32 percent) than control (51 percent). Our results revealed that defined combinations of cryomedia and thawing extenders significantly altered the survival ratio of frozen-thawed X-Y sperm in vitro, which has potential implications for artificial insemination.

Nitrogen-related intermediate band in P-rich GaN xP yAs 1-x-y alloys

DOE PAGES

Zelazna, K.; Gladysiewicz, M.; Polak, M. P.; ...

2017-11-16

The electronic band structure of phosphorus-rich GaN xP yAs 1-x-y alloys (x ~ 0.025 and y ≥ 0.6) is studied experimentally using optical absorption, photomodulated transmission, contactless electroreflectance, and photoluminescence. Here, it is shown that incorporation of a few percent of N atoms has a drastic effect on the electronic structure of the alloys. The change of the electronic band structure is very well described by the band anticrossing (BAC) model in which localized nitrogen states interact with the extended states of the conduction band of GaAsP host. The BAC interaction results in the formation of a narrow intermediate bandmore » (E - band in BAC model) with the minimum at the Γ point of the Brillouin zone resulting in a change of the nature of the fundamental band gap from indirect to direct. The splitting of the conduction band by the BAC interaction is further confirmed by a direct observation of the optical transitions to the E + band using contactless electroreflectance spectroscopy.« less

GTG mutation in the start codon of the androgen receptor gene in a family of horses with 64,XY disorder of sex development.

PubMed

Révay, T; Villagómez, D A F; Brewer, D; Chenier, T; King, W A

2012-01-01

Genetic sex in mammals is determined by the sex chromosomal composition of the zygote. The X and Y chromosomes are responsible for numerous factors that must work in close concert for the proper development of a healthy sexual phenotype. The role of androgens in case of XY chromosomal constitution is crucial for normal male sex differentiation. The intracellular androgenic action is mediated by the androgen receptor (AR), and its impaired function leads to a myriad of syndromes with severe clinical consequences, most notably androgen insensitivity syndrome and prostate cancer. In this paper, we investigated the possibility that an alteration of the equine AR gene explains a recently described familial XY, SRY + disorder of sex development. We uncovered a transition in the first nucleotide of the AR start codon (c.1A>G). To our knowledge, this represents the first causative AR mutation described in domestic animals. It is also a rarely observed mutation in eukaryotes and is unique among the >750 entries of the human androgen receptor mutation database. In addition, we found another quiet missense mutation in exon 1 (c.322C>T). Transcription of AR was confirmed by RT-PCR amplification of several exons. Translation of the full-length AR protein from the initiating GTG start codon was confirmed by Western blot using N- and C-terminal-specific antibodies. Two smaller peptides (25 and 14 amino acids long) were identified from the middle of exon 1 and across exons 5 and 6 by mass spectrometry. Based upon our experimental data and the supporting literature, it appears that the AR is expressed as a full-length protein and in a functional form, and the observed phenotype is the result of reduced AR protein expression levels. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A Novel Four-Way Complex Variant Translocation Involving Chromosome 46,XY,t(4;9;19;22)(q25:q34;p13.3;q11.2) in a Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient

PubMed Central

Asif, Muhammad; Jamal, Mohammad Sarwar; Khan, Abdul Rehman; Naseer, Muhammad Imran; Hussain, Abrar; Choudhry, Hani; Malik, Arif; Khan, Shahida Aziz; Mahmoud, Maged Mostafa; Ali, Ashraf; Iram, Saima; Kamran, Kashif; Iqbal, Asim; Abduljaleel, Zainularifeen; Pushparaj, Peter Natesan; Rasool, Mahmood

2016-01-01

Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome (9;22)(q34;q11) is well established in more than 90% of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, and the remaining 5–8% of CML patients show variant and complex translocations, with the involvement of third, fourth, or fifth chromosome other than 9;22. However, in very rare cases, the fourth chromosome is involved. Here, we found a novel case of four-way Ph+ chromosome translocation involving 46,XY,t(4;9;19;22)(q25:q34;p13.3;q11.2) with CML in the chronic phase. Complete blood cell count of the CML patient was carried out to obtain total leukocytes count, hemoglobin, and platelets. Fluorescence in situ hybridization technique was used for the identification of BCR–ABL fusion gene, and cytogenetic test for the confirmation of Ph (9;22)(q34;q11) and the mechanism of variant translocation in the bone marrow. The patient is successfully treated with a dose of 400 mg/day imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). We observed a significant decrease in white blood cell count of 11.7 × 109/L after 48-month follow-up. Patient started feeling better generally. There was a reduction in the swelling of the body, fatigue, and anxiety. PMID:27303656

Topical dihydrotestosterone to treat micropenis secondary to partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) before, during, and after puberty - a case series.

PubMed

Becker, David; Wain, Lisa M; Chong, Yih Harng; Gosai, Sonal J; Henderson, Nina K; Milburn, Jacqui; Stott, Victoria; Wheeler, Benjamin J

2016-02-01

X-linked partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) causes under-virilization at all stages of development. In two thirds of males, this results in micropenis. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a potent androgen that is critical for male genital development, which when applied topically, has been shown to increase penile length with micropenis of varying etiologies. We present the first case series using topical DHT gel to treat micropenis in 46,XY males with PAIS, before, during, and after puberty. Three related 46,XY males with confirmed p.L712F androgen receptor mutations exhibited varying degrees of micropenis post-surgical correction. They were of pre-pubertal, peri-pubertal and adult ages, respectively. Following baseline clinical and laboratory assessments all completed a 4-month course of daily DHT gel 2.5% (androstanolone) topically to penis (0.3 mg/kg body weight), with monitoring for adverse effects. Primary outcome was change in stretched penile length (SPL) following treatment. Mixed results were obtained following topical DHT therapy. In the pre- and peri- pubertal patients, SPL changed from 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm (+40%), and 3.5 cm to 5.7 cm (+63%), respectively. In the adult patient with 1 year of prior high-dose weekly testosterone therapy, no additional change in SPL was seen. No adverse effects of topical DHT were reported or observed throughout the 4 months of treatment. Topical DHT treatment appears to be a safe and well-tolerated method of virilising micropenis both prior to and during puberty in children with PAIS. Questions remain about long-term outcomes into adulthood, and efficacy in adults with prior lengthy exposure to high-dose testosterone.

46,XY disorder of sex development due to 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 deficiency: a plea for timely genetic testing.

PubMed

Grimbly, Chelsey; Caluseriu, Oana; Metcalfe, Peter; Jetha, Mary M; Rosolowsky, Elizabeth T

2016-01-01

17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17βHSD3) deficiency is a rare cause of disorder of sex development (DSD) due to impaired conversion of androstenedione to testosterone. Traditionally, the diagnosis was determined by βHCG-stimulated ratios of testosterone:androstenedione < 0.8. An otherwise phenotypically female infant presented with bilateral inguinal masses and a 46,XY karyotype. βHCG stimulation (1500 IU IM for 2 days) suggested 17βHSD3 deficiency although androstenedione was only minimally stimulated (4.5 nmol/L to 5.4 nmol/L). Expedient genetic testing for the HSD17B3 gene provided the unequivocal diagnosis. We advocate for urgent genetic testing in rare causes of DSD as indeterminate hormone results can delay diagnosis and prolong intervention.

Theory for n-type doped, tensile-strained Ge-Si(x)Ge(y)Sn1-x-y quantum-well lasers at telecom wavelength.

PubMed

Chang, Guo-En; Chang, Shu-Wei; Chuang, Shun Lien

2009-07-06

We propose and develop a theoretical gain model for an n-doped, tensile-strained Ge-Si(x)Ge(y)Sn(1-x-y) quantum-well laser. Tensile strain and n doping in Ge active layers can help achieve population inversion in the direct conduction band and provide optical gain. We show our theoretical model for the bandgap structure, the polarization-dependent optical gain spectrum, and the free-carrier absorption of the n-type doped, tensile-strained Ge quantum-well laser. Despite the free-carrier absorption due to the n-type doping, a significant net gain can be obtained from the direct transition. We also present our waveguide design and calculate the optical confinement factors to estimate the modal gain and predict the threshold carrier density.

Structural, electronic and vibrational properties of small GaxNy (x+y = 2 5) nanoclusters: a B3LYP-DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, P. S.; Yadav, R. K.; Agrawal, B. K.

2007-02-01

An ab initio study of the stability, structural and electronic properties has been made for 49 gallium nitride nanoclusters, GaxNy (x+y = 2-5). Among the various configurations corresponding to a fixed x+y = n value, the configuration possessing the maximum value of binding energy (BE) is named as the most stable structure. The vibrational and optical properties have been investigated only for the most stable structures. A B3LYP-DFT/6-311G(3df) method has been employed to optimize the geometries of the nanoclusters fully. The binding energies (BEs), highest-occupied and lowest-unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gaps and the bond lengths have been obtained for all the clusters. We have considered the zero-point energy (ZPE) corrections ignored by the earlier workers. The adiabatic and vertical ionization potentials (IPs) and electron affinities (EAs), charge on atoms, dipole moments, vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities (IR Int.), relative infrared intensities (Rel. IR Int.) and Raman scattering activities have been investigated for the most stable structures. The configurations containing the N atoms in majority are seen to be the most stable structures. The strong N-N bond has an important role in stabilizing the clusters. For clusters containing one Ga atom and all the others as N atoms, the BE increases monotonically with the number of the N atoms. The HOMO-LUMO gap and IP fluctuate with the cluster size n, having larger values for the clusters containing odd number of N atoms. On the other hand, the EA decreases with the cluster size up to n = 3, and shows slow fluctuations thereafter for the larger clusters. In general, the adiabatic IP (EA) is smaller (greater) than the vertical IP (EA) because of the lower energies of the most stable ground state of the cationic (anionic) clusters. The optical absorption spectrum or electron energy loss spectrum (EELS) is unique for every cluster, and may be used to characterize a specific cluster. All the

Nectar Sugar Production across Floral Phases in the Gynodioecious Protandrous Plant Geranium sylvaticum

PubMed Central

Varga, Sandra; Nuortila, Carolin; Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit

2013-01-01

Many zoophilous plants attract their pollinators by offering nectar as a reward. In gynodioecious plants (i.e. populations are composed of female and hermaphrodite individuals) nectar production has been repeatedly reported to be larger in hermaphrodite compared to female flowers even though nectar production across the different floral phases in dichogamous plants (i.e. plants with time separation of pollen dispersal and stigma receptivity) has rarely been examined. In this study, sugar production in nectar standing crop and secretion rate were investigated in Geranium sylvaticum, a gynodioecious plant species with protandry (i.e. with hermaphrodite flowers releasing their pollen before the stigma is receptive). We found that flowers from hermaphrodites produced more nectar than female flowers in terms of total nectar sugar content. In addition, differences in nectar production among floral phases were found in hermaphrodite flowers but not in female flowers. In hermaphrodite flowers, maximum sugar content coincided with pollen presentation and declined slightly towards the female phase, indicating nectar reabsorption, whereas in female flowers sugar content did not differ between the floral phases. These differences in floral reward are discussed in relation to visitation patterns by pollinators and seed production in this species. PMID:23614053

Nectar sugar production across floral phases in the Gynodioecious Protandrous Plant Geranium sylvaticum [corrected].

PubMed

Varga, Sandra; Nuortila, Carolin; Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit

2013-01-01

Many zoophilous plants attract their pollinators by offering nectar as a reward. In gynodioecious plants (i.e. populations are composed of female and hermaphrodite individuals) nectar production has been repeatedly reported to be larger in hermaphrodite compared to female flowers even though nectar production across the different floral phases in dichogamous plants (i.e. plants with time separation of pollen dispersal and stigma receptivity) has rarely been examined. In this study, sugar production in nectar standing crop and secretion rate were investigated in Geranium sylvaticum, a gynodioecious plant species with protandry (i.e. with hermaphrodite flowers releasing their pollen before the stigma is receptive). We found that flowers from hermaphrodites produced more nectar than female flowers in terms of total nectar sugar content. In addition, differences in nectar production among floral phases were found in hermaphrodite flowers but not in female flowers. In hermaphrodite flowers, maximum sugar content coincided with pollen presentation and declined slightly towards the female phase, indicating nectar reabsorption, whereas in female flowers sugar content did not differ between the floral phases. These differences in floral reward are discussed in relation to visitation patterns by pollinators and seed production in this species.

Co-expression of antioxidant enzymes with expression of p53, DNA repair, and heat shock protein genes in the gamma ray-irradiated hermaphroditic fish Kryptolebias marmoratus larvae.

PubMed

Rhee, Jae-Sung; Kim, Bo-Mi; Kim, Ryeo-Ok; Seo, Jung Soo; Kim, Il-Chan; Lee, Young-Mi; Lee, Jae-Seong

2013-09-15

To investigate effects of gamma ray irradiation in the hermaphroditic fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus larvae, we checked expression of p53, DNA repair, and heat shock protein genes with several antioxidant enzyme activities by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and biochemical methods in response to different doses of gamma radiation. As a result, the level of gamma radiation-induced DNA damage was initiated after 4Gy of radiation, and biochemical and molecular damage became substantial from 8Gy. In particular, several DNA repair mechanism-related genes were significantly modulated in the 6Gy gamma radiation-exposed fish larvae, suggesting that upregulation of such DNA repair genes was closely associated with cell survival after gamma irradiation. The mRNA expression of p53 and most hsps was also significantly upregulated at high doses of gamma radiation related to cellular damage. This finding indicates that gamma radiation can induce oxidative stress with associated antioxidant enzyme activities, and linked to modulation of the expression of DNA repair-related genes as one of the defense mechanisms against radiation damage. This study provides a better understanding of the molecular mode of action of defense mechanisms upon gamma radiation in fish larvae. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid sex identification of papaya (Carica papaya) using multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP).

PubMed

Hsu, Te-Hua; Gwo, Jin-Chywan; Lin, Kuan-Hung

2012-10-01

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is established as a cash crop throughout the tropical and subtropical regions due to its easy adaptation to diverse agricultural conditions, high yields, and prompt returns. The sex types of papaya plants are hermaphrodite, male, and female. Among them, hermaphroditic plants are the major type in papaya production, because the fruit has commercial advantages over that of the other sexes. Sex inheritance in papaya is determined by the M and M(h) dominant alleles in males and hermaphrodites, respectively, and a recessive m allele in females. Currently, all hermaphrodite seeds are not available due to the lethality of dominant homozygosity. Therefore, in this study, six male-hermaphrodite-specific markers were developed for a rapid sex identification using multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) to efficiently and precisely select hermaphroditic individuals in the seedling or early growth stage. The LM1-LAMP assay consisted of two sex-LAMP reactions for amplifying two male-specific markers (T12 and Cpsm90) in one reaction, and showed several advantages in terms of a rapid reaction time (<1 h), isothermal conditions (less equipment required), a high efficiency (0.5 ng of DNA required in the reaction mixture), and an economical reaction system (5 μl in volume). The established method can be easily performed in the field by visual inspection and facilitates the selection of all hermaphroditic individuals in papaya production.

Evidence for three-dimensional XY critical properties in underdoped YBa2Cu3O7-δ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, T.

2007-05-01

We perform a detailed analysis of the reversible magnetization data of Salem-Sugui and Babíc of underdoped and optimally doped YBa2Cu3O7-δ single crystals. Near the zero field transition temperature we observe extended consistency with the properties of the three-dimensional XY universality class, even though the attained critical regime is limited by an inhomogeneity induced finite size effect. Nevertheless, as Tc falls from 93.5to41.5K , the critical amplitude of the in-plane correlation length ξab0 , the anisotropy γ=ξab0/ξc0 and the critical amplitude of the in-plane penetration depth λab0 increase substantially, while the critical amplitude of the c -axis correlation length ξc0 does not change much. As a consequence, the correlation volume Vcorr- increases and the critical amplitude of the specific heat singularity A- decreases dramatically, while the rise of λab0 reflects the behavior of the zero temperature counterpart. Conversely, although ξab0 and λab0 increase with reduced Tc , the ratio λab0/ξab0- , corresponding to the Ginzburg-Landau parameter κab , decreases substantially and YBa2Cu3O7-δ crosses over from an extreme to a weak type-II superconductor.

Stoichiometry patterns in the androdioecious Acer tegmentosum

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xinna; Yao, Jie; Fan, Chunyu; Tan, Lingzhao; Zhang, Chunyu; Wang, Juan; Zhao, Xiuhai; von Gadow, Klaus

2016-01-01

This study evaluates stoichiometry patterns in the androdioecious Acer tegmentosum, a species characterized by a rare reproductive system where males and hermaphrodites coexist. Altogether 31 hermaphrodites and 29 male plants were harvested and samples of leaves, current-year shoots, branches and coarse roots were analyzed to explore gender differences in biomass, C, N and P concentrations of these four components. The nitrogen to phosphorus relationship of each component was examined using SMA estimates. Males had significantly greater amounts of leaf and coarse root dry matter content than hermaphrodites. C, N and P stoichiometry differed significantly between genders, especially in the newly emerging vegetative components (leaves and shoots). Males had higher C/N and C/P ratios in current-year shoots and lower C/P ratios in leaves and branches. Hermaphrodites had higher N/P ratios in the leaves and branches. Males had higher rates of increase in leaf P content than hermaphrodites. This study suggests that stoichiometry patterns may be significantly affected by gender. PMID:27725739

Size-dependent gender modification in Lilium apertum (Liliaceae): does this species exhibit gender diphasy?

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhi-Qiang; Zhu, Xing-Fu; Sun, Hang; Yang, Yong-Ping; Barrett, Spencer C. H.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Variation in the relative female and male reproductive success of flowering plants is widespread, despite the fundamental hermaphroditic condition of the majority of species. In many hermaphroditic populations, environmental conditions and their influence on development and size can influence the gender expression of individuals through the formation of hermaphroditic and unisexual flowers. This study investigates the hypothesis that the bulbous, animal-pollinated, perennial Lilium apertum (Liliaceae) exhibits a form of size-dependent gender modification known as gender diphasy, in which the sexual expression of individuals depends on their size, with plants often changing sex between seasons. Methods Variation in floral traits was examined in relation to their size using marked individuals in natural populations, and also under glasshouse conditions. Measurements were taken of the height, flower number, floral sex expression, flower size, flower biomass and pollen production of individuals over consecutive years between 2009 and 2012 in seven populations in south-west China. Key Results Flowers of L. apertum are either perfect (hermaphroditic) or staminate (male) and, in any given season, plants exhibit one of three sex phenotypes: only hermaphrodite flowers, a mixture of hermaphroditic and male flowers, or only male flowers. Transitions between each of these sex phenotypes were observed over consecutive years and were commonly size-dependent, particularly transitions from small plants bearing only male flowers to those that were taller with hermaphroditic flowers. Hermaphroditic flowers were significantly larger, heavier and produced more pollen than male flowers. Conclusions The results for L. apertum are consistent with the ‘size advantage hypothesis’ developed for animal species with sex change. The theory predicts that when individuals are small they should exhibit the sex for which the costs of reproduction are less, and this usually

The evolution of males: support for predictions from sex allocation theory using mating arrays of sagittaria latifolia (alismataceae).

PubMed

Perry, Laura E; Dorken, Marcel E

2011-10-01

Investment in male function should often yield diminishing fitness returns, subjecting the evolution of male phenotypes to substantial constraints. In plants, the subdivision of male function via the gradual presentation of pollen might minimize these constraints by preventing the saturation of receptive stigmas. Here, we report on an investigation of (1) patterns of investment in male function by plants in hermaphroditic (monoecious) and dioecious populations of Sagittaria latifolia, and (2) patterns of siring success by males versus hermaphrodites in experimental mating arrays. We show that in natural populations, males from dioecious populations had greater investment in male function than hermaphrodites in monoecious populations. However, as a proportion of total flower production, males presented substantially fewer flowers at once than hermaphrodites. In comparison with hermaphrodites, therefore, males prolonged the period over which they presented pollen. In mating arrays comprised of females, males, and hermaphrodites, siring success by males increased linearly with flower production. This finding is consistent with the existence of a linear gain curve for male function in S. latifolia and supports the idea that the gradual deployment of male function enables plants to avoid diminishing returns on the investment in male function. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Paternal effects on functional gender account for cryptic dioecy in a perennial plant.

PubMed Central

Verdú, Miguel; Montilla, Ana I.; Pannell, John R.

2004-01-01

Natural selection operates on the mating strategies of hermaphrodites through their functional gender, i.e. their relative success as male versus female parents. Because functional gender will tend to be strongly influenced by sex allocation, it is often estimated in plants by counting seeds and pollen grains. However, a plant's functional gender must also depend on the fate of the seeds and pollen grains it produces. We provide clear evidence of a paternal effect on the functional gender of a plant that is independent of the resources invested in pollen. In the Mediterranean tree Fraxinus ornus, males coexist with hermaphrodites that disperse viable pollen and that sire seeds; the population would thus appear to be functionally androdioecious. However, we found that seedlings sired by hermaphrodites grew significantly less well than those sired by males, suggesting that hermaphrodites may be functionally less male than they seem. The observed 1 : 1 sex ratios in F. ornus, which have hitherto been difficult to explain in the light of the seed-siring ability of hermaphrodites, support our interpretation that this species is cryptically dioecious. Our results underscore the importance of considering progeny quality when estimating gender, and caution against inferring androdioecy on the basis of a siring ability of hermaphrodites alone. PMID:15451691

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation using Clostridium acetobutylicum XY16 and in situ recovery by PDMS/ceramic composite membrane.

PubMed

Wu, Hao; Chen, Xiao-Peng; Liu, Gong-Ping; Jiang, Min; Guo, Ting; Jin, Wan-Qin; Wei, Ping; Zhu, Da-Wei

2012-09-01

PDMS/ceramic composite membrane was directly integrated with acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation using Clostridium acetobutylicum XY16 at 37 °C and in situ removing ABE from fermentation broth. The membrane was integrated with batch fermentation, and approximately 46 % solvent was extracted. The solvent in permeates was 118 g/L, and solvent productivity was 0.303 g/(L/h), which was approximately 33 % higher compared with the batch fermentation without in situ recovery. The fed-batch fermentation with in situ recovery by pervaporation continued for more than 200 h, 61 % solvent was extracted, and the solvent in penetration was 96.2 g/L. The total flux ranged from 0.338 to 0.847 kg/(m(2)/h) and the separation factor of butanol ranged from 5.1 to 27.1 in this process. The membrane was fouled by the active fermentation broth, nevertheless the separation performances were partially recovered by offline membrane cleaning, and the solvent productivity was increased to 0.252 g/(L/h), which was 19 % higher compared with that in situ recovery process without membrane cleaning.

Targeted sections in either XY or XZ plane with dual-axes confocal endomicroscope (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gaoming; Li, Haijun; Duan, Xiyu; Zhou, Quan; Zhou, Juan; Oldham, Kenn R.; Wang, Thomas D.

2017-02-01

We demonstrate a dual axes confocal architecture, which can be used to collect horizontal(XY-plane) or vertical cross-sectional(XZ-plane) images for tissue. This scanner head is 5.5mm in outer diameter(OD), and integrates a 3D MEMS scanner with a compact chip size of 3.2×2.9mm2. To realize the miniaturization, there are some obstacles of the small size of 3D MEMS scanner, MEMS wire bundle, the air pressure effect for MEMS motion, the processing of parabolic mirror, and optical alignment to come over. In our probe, separation mechanical structure for optical alignment was adopted and a step shape MEMS holder was designed to deal with the difficult of MEMS wire bundle. Peptides have been demonstrated tremendous potential for in vivo use to detect colonic dysplasia. This class of in vivo molecular probe can be labeled with near-infrared (NIR) dyes for visualizing the full depth of the epithelium in small animals. To confirm our probe performance, we take use of USAF 1951 resolution target to test its lateral and axial resolution. It has lateral and axial resolution of 2.49um and 4.98um, respectively. When we collect the fluorescence imaging of colon, it shows that the field of view are 1000um×1000um (horizontal) and 1000um×430um (vertical). The horizontal and vertical cross-sectional images of fresh mouse colonic mucosa demonstrate imaging performance with this miniature instrument.

Population distribution, host-switching, and chemical sensing in the symbiotic shrimp Lysmata pederseni: implications for its mating system in a changing reef seascape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baeza, J. Antonio; Guéron, Rodrigo; Simpson, Lunden; Ambrosio, Louis J.

2016-12-01

Lysmata pederseni, a protandric simultaneously hermaphroditic shrimp that inhabits the tube sponge Callyspongia vaginalis, is monogamous in the central and southeastern Caribbean Sea. We tested the null hypothesis of monogamy in a northern Caribbean population. In the Florida Keys, shrimps did not inhabit host individuals in pairs with a frequency greater than expected by chance alone. Hermaphrodites inhabited sponges solitarily and often brooded embryos. Hermaphrodites do not store sperm and need to be inseminated shortly after molting to fertilize a new batch of eggs. Thus, males and/or other hermaphrodites are likely switching among host individuals in search of sexual partners. Field experiments demonstrated low shrimp host fidelity. Host residence time was 2 times shorter for males than for hermaphrodites. We inferred a polygynandrous mating system in L. pederseni from the Florida Keys, with male-role and young hermaphrodites often moving among sponges in search of older, more sedentary, female-role hermaphrodites. We expected shrimps to use water-borne chemical cues originating from conspecifics or sponges to locate sexual partners. Experiments demonstrated that shrimps were attracted to water-borne cues originating from sponges but not conspecifics. We have described the mating system of a reef-associated shrimp in a fast-pace shifting seascape increasingly dominated by sponges and vanishing stony corals. In the central and southeastern Caribbean Sea, with greater coral cover and lower sponge abundance than in the Florida Keys, the same species is monogamous. Whether or not similar shifts in the social organization of other coral reef-dwelling marine organisms are occurring due to contemporary changes in seascapes is a relevant topic that deserves further attention.

Williams' paradox and the role of phenotypic plasticity in sexual systems.

PubMed

Leonard, Janet L

2013-10-01

As George Williams pointed out in 1975, although evolutionary explanations, based on selection acting on individuals, have been developed for the advantages of simultaneous hermaphroditism, sequential hermaphroditism and gonochorism, none of these evolutionary explanations adequately explains the current distribution of these sexual systems within the Metazoa (Williams' Paradox). As Williams further pointed out, the current distribution of sexual systems is explained largely by phylogeny. Since 1975, we have made a great deal of empirical and theoretical progress in understanding sexual systems. However, we still lack a theory that explains the current distribution of sexual systems in animals and we do not understand the evolutionary transitions between hermaphroditism and gonochorism. Empirical data, collected over the past 40 years, demonstrate that gender may have more phenotypic plasticity than was previously realized. We know that not only sequential hermaphrodites, but also simultaneous hermaphrodites have phenotypic plasticity that alters sex allocation in response to social and environmental conditions. A focus on phenotypic plasticity suggests that one sees a continuum in animals between genetically determined gonochorism on the one hand and simultaneous hermaphroditism on the other, with various types of sequential hermaphroditism and environmental sex determination as points along the spectrum. Here I suggest that perhaps the reason we have been unable to resolve Williams' Paradox is because the problem was not correctly framed. First, because, for example, simultaneous hermaphroditism provides reproductive assurance or dioecy ensures outcrossing does not mean that there are no other evolutionary paths that can provide adaptive responses to those selective pressures. Second, perhaps the question we need to ask is: What selective forces favor increased versus reduced phenotypic plasticity in gender expression? It is time to begin to look at the question

Molecular phylogeny of broken-back shrimps (genus Lysmata and allies): a test of the 'Tomlinson-Ghiselin' hypothesis explaining the evolution of hermaphroditism.

PubMed

Baeza, J Antonio

2013-10-01

The 'Tomlinson-Ghiselin' hypothesis (TGh) predicts that outcrossing simultaneous hermaphroditism (SH) is advantageous when population density is low because the probability of finding sexual partners is negligible. In shrimps from the family Lysmatidae, Bauer's historical contingency hypothesis (HCh) suggests that SH evolved in an ancestral tropical species that adopted a symbiotic lifestyle with, e.g., sea anemones and became a specialized fish-cleaner. Restricted mobility of shrimps due to their association with a host, and hence, reduced probability of encountering mating partners, would have favored SH. The HCh is a special case of the TGh. Herein, I examined within a phylogenetic framework whether the TGh/HCh explains the origin of SH in shrimps. A phylogeny of caridean broken-back shrimps in the families Lysmatidae, Barbouriidae, Merguiidae was first developed using nuclear and mitochondrial makers. Complete evidence phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) demonstrated that Lysmatidae+Barbouriidae are monophyletic. In turn, Merguiidae is sister to the Lysmatidae+Barbouriidae. ML and BI ancestral character-state reconstruction in the resulting phylogenetic trees indicated that the ancestral Lysmatidae was either gregarious or lived in small groups and was not symbiotic. Four different evolutionary transitions from a free-living to a symbiotic lifestyle occurred in shrimps. Therefore, the evolution of SH in shrimps cannot be explained by the TGh/HCh; reduced probability of encountering mating partners in an ancestral species due to its association with a sessile host did not favor SH in the Lysmatidae. It is proposed that two conditions acting together in the past; low male mating opportunities and brooding constraints, might have favored SH in the ancestral Lysmatidae+Barbouridae. Additional studies on the life history and phylogenetics of broken-back shrimps are needed to understand the evolution of SH in the

Superconducting and magnetic properties of Bi 2Sr 2Ca 1- xY xCu 2O y (0≦ x≦1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshizaki, R.; Saito, Y.; Abe, Y.; Ikeda, H.

1988-07-01

The effect of substitution of Y atoms for Ca atoms has been studied in the Bi 2Sr 2Ca 1- xY xCu 2O y compound system. For x<0.5, superconductivity is observed and its fractional volume is reduced with increasing x, though the transition temperature of about 85 K is maintained. For x≧0.5 samples, the electrical resistivity behavior can be well described by the three-dimensional variable range hopping conduction, indicating that the system is essentially insulating. In this range of x, magnetic susceptibility shows spin-glass-type cusp at 13 K in the heating process after zero-field cooling and an enhanced cusp at 11 K in the field-cooling process. In the temperature range above about 150 K the Curie-Weiss dependence holds well with a positive paramagnetic Curie temperature, which increases to 40 K with increasing x in the insulating region.

A new case of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with an 11p15 duplication of paternal origin [46,XY,-21,+der(21), t(11;21)(p15.2;q22.3)pat].

PubMed

Krajewska-Walasek, M; Gutkowska, A; Mospinek-Krasnopolska, M; Chrzanowska, K

1996-01-01

We present a new case of 11p15 duplication (trisomy 11p15) in a boy (46,XY,-21,+der(21), t(11;21)(p15.2;q22.3)] suffering from Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), whose phenotypically normal father carries a balanced translocation between chromosomes 11 and 21[46,XY, t(11;21)(p15.2;q22.3)]. The paternal grandmother has the same balanced translocation and is also clinically normal. BWS was suspected when the boy was 6 months old because of gigantism, macroglossia, visceromegaly, ear lobe creases and abdominal distention. Apart from the characteristic BWS phenotype, the boy has other features which are almost exclusively observed in 11p trisomy (high forehead with frontal upsweep of hair, wide central nose bridge, slightly beaked nose, chubby cheeks and severe mental retardation). So far, at least eight cases of 11p15 duplication have been described as patients with BWS. In six of these, the duplication was due to inheritance of a translocated or rearranged paternal chromosome. This was also the case in our patient. In the two other previously published cases, the 11p15 duplications were de novo, but in one of these, DNA analysis has subsequently shown that the duplication was of paternal origin. We discuss our observations in relation to the above-mentioned previous cases of 11p15 duplication and the possible role of genomic imprinting in the etiology of BWS.

XY pair associates with the synaptonemal complex of autosomal male-sterile translocations in pachytene spermatocytes of the mouse (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Forejt, J; Gregorová, S; Goetz, P

1981-01-01

Analysis of the chromosome behaviour at pachytene has been performed by means of the silver staining technique visualizing the synaptonemal complexes (SCs) in male mice heterozygous for the male-sterile translocations T(5;12)31Hm T(16;17)43H and T(7;19)145H, respectively. the T(9;17)138Ca male heterozygotes and T43H/T43H homozygous males were used as fertile controls. The sterile mice displayed a high frequency (about 60%) of pachytene spermatocytes with autosomal translocation configuration located in close vicinity of the XY pair. The dense round body (XAB), normally located near the X-chromosome axis in fertile males, exhibited abnormal affinity to translocation configuration in the sterile translocation heterozygotes. The incomplete synapsis of autosomes involved in translocation configuration was observed in more than 70% of the pachytene spermatocytes with the male-sterile translocations but less than 20% of the cells from T138Ca fertile male.s. A hypothesis relating the spermatogenic arrest of carriers of male-sterile rearrangements to the presumed interference with X chromosome inactivation in male meiosis is discussed.

X-Chromosome dosage compensation.

PubMed

Meyer, Barbara J

2005-06-25

In mammals, flies, and worms, sex is determined by distinctive regulatory mechanisms that cause males (XO or XY) and females (XX) to differ in their dose of X chromosomes. In each species, an essential X chromosome-wide process called dosage compensation ensures that somatic cells of either sex express equal levels of X-linked gene products. The strategies used to achieve dosage compensation are diverse, but in all cases, specialized complexes are targeted specifically to the X chromosome(s) of only one sex to regulate transcript levels. In C. elegans, this sex-specific targeting of the dosage compensation complex (DCC) is controlled by the same developmental signal that establishes sex, the ratio of X chromosomes to sets of autosomes (X:A signal). Molecular components of this chromosome counting process have been defined. Following a common step of regulation, sex determination and dosage compensation are controlled by distinct genetic pathways. C. elegans dosage compensation is implemented by a protein complex that binds both X chromosomes of hermaphrodites to reduce transcript levels by one-half. The dosage compensation complex resembles the conserved 13S condensin complex required for both mitotic and meiotic chromosome resolution and condensation, implying the recruitment of ancient proteins to the new task of regulating gene expression. Within each C. elegans somatic cell, one of the DCC components also participates in the separate mitotic/meiotic condensin complex. Other DCC components play pivotal roles in regulating the number and distribution of crossovers during meiosis. The strategy by which C. elegans X chromosomes attract the condensin-like DCC is known. Small, well-dispersed X-recognition elements act as entry sites to recruit the dosage compensation complex and to nucleate spreading of the complex to X regions that lack recruitment sites. In this manner, a repressed chromatin state is spread in cis over short or long distances, thus establishing the

Spontaneous magnetization of quantum XY spin model in joint presence of quenched and annealed disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bera, Anindita; Rakshit, Debraj; SenDe, Aditi; Sen, Ujjwal

2017-06-01

We investigate equilibrium statistical properties of the isotropic quantum XY spin-1/2 model in an external magnetic field when the interaction and field parts are subjected to quenched or annealed disorder or both. The randomness present in the system are termed annealed or quenched depending on the relation between two different time scales—the time scale associated with the equilibration of the randomness and the time of observation. Within a mean-field framework, we study the effects of disorders on spontaneous magnetization, both by perturbative and numerical techniques. Our primary interest is to understand the differences between quenched and annealed cases, and also to investigate the interplay when both of them are present in a system. We find that the magnetization survives in the presence of a unidirectional random field, irrespective of its nature, i.e., whether it is quenched or annealed. However, the field breaks the circular symmetry of the magnetization, and the system magnetizes in specific directions, parallel or transverse to the applied magnetic field. Interestingly, while the transverse magnetization is affected by the annealed disordered field, the parallel one remains unfazed by the same. Moreover, the annealed disorder present in the interaction term does not affect the system's spontaneous magnetization and the corresponding critical temperature, irrespective of the presence or absence of quenched or annealed disorder in the field term. We carry out a comparative study of these and all other different combinations of the disorders in the interaction and field terms, and point out their generic features.

Segregation of male-sterility alleles across a species boundary.

PubMed

Weller, S G; Sakai, A K; Culley, T M; Duong, L; Danielson, R E

2014-02-01

Hybrid zones may serve as bridges permitting gene flow between species, including alleles influencing the evolution of breeding systems. Using greenhouse crosses, we assessed the likelihood that a hybrid zone could serve as a conduit for transfer of nuclear male-sterility alleles between a gynodioecious species and a hermaphroditic species with very rare females in some populations. Segregation patterns in progeny of crosses between rare females of hermaphroditic Schiedea menziesii and hermaphroditic plants of gynodioecious Schiedea salicaria heterozygous at the male-sterility locus, and between female S. salicaria and hermaphroditic plants from the hybrid zone, were used to determine whether male-sterility was controlled at the same locus in the parental species and the hybrid zone. Segregations of females and hermaphrodites in approximately equal ratios from many of the crosses indicate that the same nuclear male-sterility allele occurs in the parent species and the hybrid zone. These rare male-sterility alleles in S. menziesii may result from gene flow from S. salicaria through the hybrid zone, presumably facilitated by wind pollination in S. salicaria. Alternatively, rare male-sterility alleles might result from a reversal from gynodioecy to hermaphroditism in S. menziesii, or possibly de novo evolution of male sterility. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that some species of Schiedea have probably evolved separate sexes independently, but not in the lineage containing S. salicaria and S. menziesii. High levels of selfing and expression of strong inbreeding depression in S. menziesii, which together should favour females in populations, argue against a reversal from gynodioecy to hermaphroditism in S. menziesii. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Transport properties of the Ce xY 1-x Pt alloy system: Unusual concenration dependence of the Curie temperature

DOE PAGES

Očko, M.; Zadro, K.; Drobac, Đ.; ...

2016-11-16

Here, in order to study Kondo ferromagnetism of CePt, we have investigated the transport properties, resistivity and thermopower, of the Ce xY 1-xPt alloy system from 2 K to 320 K. The extracted magnetic contribution to the total resistivity cannot be scaled to the concentration and is much higher than in the Ce xLa 1-xPt alloy system. The maximum of the magnetic contribution of the resistivity moves to lower temperatures with decreasing the Ce content while the temperature of the minimum of the thermopower does not change with concentration. These two facts seem to be in contradiction. Usually one assumesmore » that these extrema represent the Kondo temperature. To the contrary, we show that the Kondo temperature increases with decreasing Ce content. The most intriguing observation in this alloy system is the linear relationship between the Curie temperature and the concentration of the Ce ions and, moreover, that it is the same as in Ce xLa 1-xPt. Lastly, this fact is in contradiction with the conventional picture of small moment Kondo magnetism.« less

Functional androdioecy in critically endangered Gymnocladus assamicus (Leguminosae) in the Eastern Himalayan Region of Northeast India.

PubMed

Choudhury, Baharul Islam; Khan, Mohammed Latif; Dayanandan, Selvadurai

2014-01-01

Gymnocladus assamicus is a critically endangered tree species endemic to Northeast India, and shows sexual dimorphism with male and hermaphrodite flowers on separate trees. We studied phenology, reproductive biology and mating system of the species. The flowers are small, tubular, odorless and last for about 96 hours. Pollen grains in both morphs were viable and capable of fertilization leading to fruit and seed set. Scanning electron micrographs revealed morphologically similar pollen in both male and hermaphrodite flowers. The fruit set in open pollinated flowers was 43.61 percent, while controlled autogamous and geitonogamous pollinations yielded 76.81 and 65.58 percent fruit set respectively. Xenogamous pollinations between male and hermaphrodite flowers resulted in 56.85 percent fruit set and pollinations between hermaphrodite flowers yielded 67.90 percent fruit set. This indicates a functionally androdioecious mating system and pollination limited fruit set in G. assamicus. Phylogenetic analyses of Gymnocladus and the sister genus Gleditsia are needed to assess if the androdioecious mating system in G. assamicus evolved from dioecy as a result of selection for hermaphrodites for reproductive assurance during colonization of pollination limited high altitude ecosystems.

Quantum criticality of a spin-1 XY model with easy-plane single-ion anisotropy via a two-time Green function approach avoiding the Anderson-Callen decoupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mercaldo, M. T.; Rabuffo, I.; De Cesare, L.; Caramico D'Auria, A.

2016-04-01

In this work we study the quantum phase transition, the phase diagram and the quantum criticality induced by the easy-plane single-ion anisotropy in a d-dimensional quantum spin-1 XY model in absence of an external longitudinal magnetic field. We employ the two-time Green function method by avoiding the Anderson-Callen decoupling of spin operators at the same sites which is of doubtful accuracy. Following the original Devlin procedure we treat exactly the higher order single-site anisotropy Green functions and use Tyablikov-like decouplings for the exchange higher order ones. The related self-consistent equations appear suitable for an analysis of the thermodynamic properties at and around second order phase transition points. Remarkably, the equivalence between the microscopic spin model and the continuous O(2) -vector model with transverse-Ising model (TIM)-like dynamics, characterized by a dynamic critical exponent z=1, emerges at low temperatures close to the quantum critical point with the single-ion anisotropy parameter D as the non-thermal control parameter. The zero-temperature critic anisotropy parameter Dc is obtained for dimensionalities d > 1 as a function of the microscopic exchange coupling parameter and the related numerical data for different lattices are found to be in reasonable agreement with those obtained by means of alternative analytical and numerical methods. For d > 2, and in particular for d=3, we determine the finite-temperature critical line ending in the quantum critical point and the related TIM-like shift exponent, consistently with recent renormalization group predictions. The main crossover lines between different asymptotic regimes around the quantum critical point are also estimated providing a global phase diagram and a quantum criticality very similar to the conventional ones.

Dynamic distribution and tissue tropism of avian encephalomyelitis virus isolate XY/Q-1410 in experimentally infected Korean quail.

PubMed

Fan, Lili; Li, Zhijun; Huang, Jiali; Yang, Zengqi; Xiao, Sa; Wang, Xinglong; Dang, Ruyi; Zhang, Shuxia

2017-11-01

Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) is an important infectious poultry disease worldwide that is caused by avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV). However, to date, the dynamic distribution of AEV in quails has not been well described. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were used to investigate the dynamic distribution and tissue tropism of AEV in experimentally infected Korean quail. AEV was detected in the cerebrum, cerebellum, proventriculus, intestine, liver, pancreas, spleen, bursa, lung and kidney as early as 3 days post-infection (dpi). The viral loads in the proventriculus, intestine, spleen and bursa were relatively higher than in other tissues. According to the qPCR results, AEV XY/Q-1410 infection lasted for at least 60 days in infected Korean quail. Immunohistochemistry-positive staining signals of AEV antigen were analysed by Image-Pro Plus software. A positive correlation between qPCR and IHC results was identified in most tissues. Our results provide an insight into the dynamic distribution of AEV in various tissues after infection. The distinct dynamic distribution of the viral genome in Korean quail in the early and late stages of infection suggests that AEV replication is affected by antibody levels and the maturity of the immune system of the host.

Surgical, medical and psychological dilemmas of sex reassignment: report of a 46,XY patient assigned female at birth.

PubMed

Lee, Peter A; Houk, Christopher P

2006-02-01

This is a report of a 16 year-old 46,XY male who was reassigned female and had feminizing surgery during infancy because of what was judged to be inadequate genital masculinization. This patient had a dysgenetic testis that was shown to be producing testosterone during infancy. Although initially the reassignment appeared to be successful, psychological problems became progressively more severe during childhood to incapacitation by age 10 years. After it was verified that he had a male sexual identity, reassignment as male began, initially by living as a boy, then with testosterone therapy. Staged phalloplasty surgery was begun at age 16 years. Currently he has an adult-sized penis, although its function is not yet clear. Sadly, none of the steps to align his sex assignment to his perception as male has significantly alleviated his psychological issues and he continues to be severely impaired and socially compromised. Major issues include the crippling psychiatric disease that is resistant to psychotherapy and surgical problems with phalloplasty after surgery at infancy that involved reduction of the phallus with recession of the glans to the typical clitoral location. The glans was left intact at the anterior base of the phallus. Genital responsiveness during sexual activity and satisfaction are as yet unknown.

Nematogalectin, a nematocyst protein with GlyXY and galectin domains, demonstrates nematocyte-specific alternative splicing in Hydra

PubMed Central

Hwang, Jung Shan; Takaku, Yasuharu; Momose, Tsuyoshi; Adamczyk, Patrizia; Özbek, Suat; Ikeo, Kazuho; Khalturin, Konstantin; Hemmrich, Georg; Bosch, Thomas C. G.; Holstein, Thomas W.; David, Charles N.; Gojobori, Takashi

2010-01-01

Taxonomically restricted genes or lineage-specific genes contribute to morphological diversification in metazoans and provide unique functions for particular taxa in adapting to specific environments. To understand how such genes arise and participate in morphological evolution, we have investigated a gene called nematogalectin in Hydra, which has a structural role in the formation of nematocysts, stinging organelles that are unique to the phylum Cnidaria. Nematogalectin is a 28-kDa protein with an N-terminal GlyXY domain (glycine followed by two hydrophobic amino acids), which can form a collagen triple helix, followed by a galactose-binding lectin domain. Alternative splicing of the nematogalectin transcript allows the gene to encode two proteins, nematogalectin A and nematogalectin B. We demonstrate that expression of nematogalectin A and B is mutually exclusive in different nematocyst types: Desmonemes express nematogalectin B, whereas stenoteles and isorhizas express nematogalectin B early in differentiation, followed by nematogalectin A. Like Hydra, the marine hydrozoan Clytia also has two nematogalectin transcripts, which are expressed in different nematocyte types. By comparison, anthozoans have only one nematogalectin gene. Gene phylogeny indicates that tandem duplication of nematogalectin B exons gave rise to nematogalectin A before the divergence of Anthozoa and Medusozoa and that nematogalectin A was subsequently lost in Anthozoa. The emergence of nematogalectin A may have played a role in the morphological diversification of nematocysts in the medusozoan lineage. PMID:20937891

Characterization of Atrazine-Induced Gonadal Malformations in African Clawed Frogs (Xenopus laevis) and Comparisons with Effects of an Androgen Antagonist (Cyproterone Acetate) and Exogenous Estrogen (17β-Estradiol): Support for the Demasculinization/Feminization Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Hayes, Tyrone B.; Stuart, A. Ali; Mendoza, Magdalena; Collins, Atif; Noriega, Nigel; Vonk, Aaron; Johnston, Gwynne; Liu, Roger; Kpodzo, Dzifa

2006-01-01

Atrazine is a potent endocrine disruptor that both chemically castrates and feminizes male amphibians. It depletes androgens in adult frogs and reduces androgen-dependent growth of the larynx in developing male larvae. It also disrupts normal gonadal development and feminizes the gonads of developing males. Gonadal malformations induced by atrazine include hermaphrodites and males with multiple testes [single sex polygonadism (SSP)], and effects occur at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppb (μg/L). Here, we describe the frequencies at which these malformations occur and compare them with morphologies induced by the estrogen, 17β-estradiol (E2), and the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate, as a first step in testing the hypothesis that the effects of atrazine are a combination of demasculinization and feminization. The various forms of hermaphroditism did not occur in controls. Nonpigmented ovaries, which occurred at relatively high frequencies in atrazine-treated larvae, were found in four individuals out of more than 400 controls examined (1%). Further, we show that several types of gonadal malformations (SSP and three forms of hermaphroditism) are produced by E2 exposure during gonadal differentiation, whereas a final morphology (nonpigmented ovaries) appears to be the result of chemical castration (disruption of androgen synthesis and/or activity) by atrazine. These experimental findings suggest that atrazine-induced gonadal malformations result from the depletion of androgens and production of estrogens, perhaps subsequent to the induction of aromatase by atrazine, a mechanism established in fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals (rodents and humans). PMID:16818259

Comparative genetic mapping in Fragaria virginiana reveals autosomal origin of sex chromosome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although most flowering plants are hermaphrodite, separate sexes (dioecy) have evolved repeatedly. The evolution of sex chromosomes from autosomes can often, but not always, accompany this transition. Thus, many have argued that plant genera that contain both hermaphroditic and dioecious members pro...

Thermochemistry of rare earth doped uranium oxides LnxU1-xO2-0.5x+y (Ln = La, Y, Nd)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2015-10-01

Lanthanum, yttrium, and neodymium doped uranium dioxide samples in the fluorite structure have been synthesized, characterized in terms of metal ratio and oxygen content, and their enthalpies of formation measured by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. For oxides doped with 10-50 mol % rare earth (Ln) cations, the formation enthalpies from constituent oxides (LnO1.5, UO2 and UO3 in a reaction not involving oxidation or reduction) become increasingly exothermic with increasing rare earth content, while showing no significant dependence on the varying uranium oxidation state. The oxidation enthalpy of LnxU1-xO2-0.5x+y is similar to that of UO2 to UO3 for all three rare earth doped systems. Though this may suggest that the oxidized uranium in these systems is energetically similar to that in the hexavalent state, thermochemical data alone can not constrain whether the uranium is present as U5+, U6+, or a mixture of oxidation states. The formation enthalpies from elements calculated from the calorimetric data are generally consistent with those from free energy measurements.

RANBP17 is localized to the XY body of spermatocytes and interacts with SPEM1 on the manchette of elongating spermatids

PubMed Central

Bao, Jianqiang; Wu, Qiuxia; Song, Rui; Jie, Zhang; Zheng, Huili; Xu, Chen; Yan, Wei

2010-01-01

We identified Ran-binding protein 17 (RANBP17) as one of the interacting partners of sperm maturation 1 (SPEM1) using yeast 2-hybrid screening and immunoprecipitation assays. Expression profiling analyses suggested that RANBP17 was preferentially expressed in the testis. Immunofluorescent confocal microscopy revealed a dynamic localization pattern of RANBP17 during spermatogenesis. In primary spermatocytes RANBP17 was mainly localized to the XY body. In the subsequent spermiogenesis, RANBP17 was first observed in the nuclei of round spermatids (steps1–7) and then confined to the manchette of elongating spermatids (steps 8–14) together with its interacting partner SPEM1. In the Spem1-null testes, levels of RANBP17 were significantly elevated. As a member of a large protein family involved in the nucleocytoplasmic transport, RANBP17 may have a role in sex chromosome inactivation during the meiotic phase of spermatogenesis, and also in the intramanchette transport during spermiogenesis. Interactions between RANBP17 and SPEM1, for the first time, point to a potential function of SPEM1 in the RANBP17-mediated nucleocytoplasmic transport. PMID:21184802

Parthenogenesis maintains male sterility in a gynodioecious orchid.

PubMed

Huang, Shuang-Quan; Lu, Yang; Chen, Ying-Zhuo; Luo, Yi-Bo; Delph, Lynda F

2009-10-01

The invasion of male-sterile (female) individuals into hermaphroditic populations, leading to gynodioecy, is common in flowering plants. Both theoretical and empirical studies have shown that as the frequency of females increases in a population, pollen limitation reduces seed production more in females than in hermaphrodites, leading to higher fitness for hermaphrodites and a consequent decrease in female frequency. Here we show that contrary to this expectation, females of the gynodioecious orchid Satyrium ciliatum are maintained only in populations that experience high pollen limitation caused by low pollinator service and high pollen herbivory. This species avoids the typical problem of pollen limitation for seed production and can therefore maintain high frequencies of females in pollen-limited populations because females produce more seeds than hermaphrodites via facultative parthenogenesis in the absence of pollinia. Our results therefore demonstrate that parthenogenesis is a novel mechanism favoring the maintenance of gynodioecy.

Polygamy or subdioecy? The impact of diallelic self-incompatibility on the sexual system in Fraxinus excelsior (Oleaceae).

PubMed

Saumitou-Laprade, Pierre; Vernet, Philippe; Dowkiw, Arnaud; Bertrand, Sylvain; Billiard, Sylvain; Albert, Béatrice; Gouyon, Pierre-Henri; Dufay, Mathilde

2018-02-28

How flowering plants have recurrently evolved from hermaphroditism to separate sexes (dioecy) is a central question in evolutionary biology. Here, we investigate whether diallelic self-incompatibility (DSI) is associated with sexual specialization in the polygamous common ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ), which would ultimately facilitate the evolution towards dioecy. Using interspecific crosses, we provide evidence of strong relationships between the DSI system and sexual phenotype. The reproductive system in F. excelsior that was previously viewed as polygamy (co-occurrence of unisexuals and hermaphrodites with varying degrees of allocation to the male and female functions) and thus appears to actually behave as a subdioecious system. Hermaphrodites and females belong to one SI group and functionally reproduce as females, whereas males and male-biased hermaphrodites belong to the other SI group and are functionally males. Our results offer an alternative mechanism for the evolution of sexual specialization in flowering plants. © 2018 The Author(s).

Unusual positional effects on flower sex in an andromonoecious tree: Resource competition, architectural constraints, or inhibition by the apical flower?

PubMed

Granado-Yela, Carlos; Balaguer, Luis; Cayuela, Luis; Méndez, Marcos

2017-04-01

Two, nonmutually exclusive, mechanisms-competition for resources and architectural constraints-have been proposed to explain the proximal to distal decline in flower size, mass, and/or femaleness in indeterminate, elongate inflorescences. Whether these mechanisms also explain unusual positional effects such as distal to proximal declines of floral performance in determinate inflorescences, is understudied. We tested the relative influence of these mechanisms in the andromonoecious wild olive tree, where hermaphroditic flowers occur mainly on apical and the most proximal positions in determinate inflorescences. We experimentally increased the availability of resources for the inflorescences by removing half of the inflorescences per twig or reduced resource availability by removing leaves. We also removed the apical flower to test its inhibitory effect on subapical flowers. The apical flower had the highest probability of being hermaphroditic. Further down, however, the probability of finding a hermaphroditic flower decreased from the base to the tip of the inflorescences. An experimental increase of resources increased the probability of finding hermaphroditic flowers at each position, and vice versa. Removal of the apical flower increased the probability of producing hermaphroditic flowers in proximal positions but not in subapical positions. These results indicate an interaction between resource competition and architectural constraints in influencing the arrangement of the hermaphroditic and male flowers within the inflorescences of the wild olive tree. Subapical flowers did not seem to be hormonally suppressed by apical flowers. The study of these unusual positional effects is needed for a general understanding about the functional implications of inflorescence architecture. © 2017 Botanical Society of America.

Gain-of-function mutations of fem-3, a sex-determination gene in Caenorhabditis elegans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barton, M.K.; Schedl, T.B.; Kimble, J.

1987-01-01

The authors have isolated nine gain-of-function (gf) alleles of the sex-determination gene fem-3 as suppressors of feminizing mutations in fem-1 and fem-2. The wild type fem-3 gene is needed for spermatogenesis in XX self-fertilizing hermaphrodites and for male development in both soma and germ line of XO animals. Loss-of-function alleles of fem-3 transform XX and XO animals into females (spermless hermaphrodites). In contrast, fem-3 (gf) alleles masculinize only one tissue, the hermaphrodite germ line. Thus, XX fem-3 (gf) mutant animals have a normal hermaphrodite soma, but the germ line produces a vast excess of sperm and no oocytes. All ninemore » fem-3 (gf) alleles are temperature sensitive. The temperature-sensitive period is from late L4 to early adult, a period just preceding the first signs of oogenesis. The finding of gain-of-function alleles which confer a phenotype opposite to that of loss-of-function alleles supports the idea that fem-3 plays a critical role in germ-line sex determination. Furthermore, the germ-line specificity of the fem-3 (gf) mutant phenotype and the late temperature-sensitive period suggest that, in the wild-type XX hermaphrodite, fem-3 is negatively regulated so that the hermaphrodite stops making sperm and starts making oocytes. Temperature shift experiments also show that, in the germ line, sexual commitment appears to be a continuing process. Spermatogenesis can resume even after oogenesis has begun, and oogenesis can be initiated much later than normal.« less

A comparative analysis of sex change in Labridae supports the size advantage hypothesis.

PubMed

Kazancioğlu, Erem; Alonzo, Suzanne H

2010-08-01

The size advantage hypothesis (SAH) predicts that the rate of increase in male and female fitness with size (the size advantage) drives the evolution of sequential hermaphroditism or sex change. Despite qualitative agreement between empirical patterns and SAH, only one comparative study tested SAH quantitatively. Here, we perform the first comparative analysis of sex change in Labridae, a group of hermaphroditic and dioecious (non-sex changer) fish with several model sex-changing species. We also estimate, for the first time, rates of evolutionary transitions between sex change and dioecy. Our analyses support SAH and indicate that the evolution of hermaphroditism is correlated to the size advantage. Furthermore, we find that transitions from sex change to dioecy are less likely under stronger size advantage. We cannot determine, however, how the size advantage affects transitions from dioecy to sex change. Finally, contrary to what is generally expected, we find that transitions from dioecy to sex change are more likely than transitions from sex change to dioecy. The similarity of sexual differentiation in hermaphroditic and dioecious labrids might underlie this pattern. We suggest that elucidating the developmental basis of sex change is critical to predict and explain patterns of the evolutionary history of sequential hermaphroditism.

Linear σ-hole⋯CO⋯σ-hole intermolecular interactions between carbon monoxide and dihalogen molecules XY (X, Y=Cl, Br).

PubMed

Yang, Xing; Yang, Fan; Wu, Rui-Zhi; Yan, Chao-Xian; Zhou, Da-Gang; Zhou, Pan-Pan; Yao, Xiaojun

2017-09-01

Carbon monoxide can interact with two dihalogen molecules XY (X, Y=Cl, Br) in the form of X(Y)⋯COX(Y)⋯CO⋯X(Y)X(Y) trimeric complex, and their nature and characteristics were investigated at MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level without and with counterpoise method, together with single point calculations at CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The optimized geometries, stretching modes and interaction energies of a series of X(Y)⋯COX(Y)⋯CO⋯X(Y)X(Y) trimeric complexes were obtained and discussed. The cooperativity in these complexes was evaluated. EDA analyses reveal that the electrostatic interaction is the dominant net driving force in each trimer, but the contributions of other interactions like exchange, dispersion and polarization interactions are also important. QTAIM and NCI analyses confirm the existence of attractive halogen-bonding interactions. Additionally, EDDMF analysis was employed for the component dimers of these trimers, which indicates that the formation of halogen-bonding interactions is closely related to the charge shift and the rearrangement of electronic density in the formation of these complexes. The results would provide valuable insight into for these linear halogen bonds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anterior pituitary failure (panhypopituitarism) with balanced chromosome translocation 46,XY,t(11;22)(q24;q13).

PubMed

Yang, C Y; Chou, C W; Chen, S Y; Cheng, H M

2001-04-01

Hypopituitarism is the clinical syndrome that results from failure of the anterior pituitary gland to produce its hormones. Hypopituitarism can result from: (1) intrinsic or primary pituitary disease; (2) intrinsic hypothalamic or secondary pituitary disease; or (3) extrinsic extrasellar or parasellar disease. The etiologies of primary hypopituitarism are miscellaneous. The dominant clinical picture of hypopituitarism in the adult is that of hypogonadism. Reports have associated hypopituitarism with anti-pituitary-antibodies, hereditary syndrome and chromosome defects, but hypopituitarism has rarely been associated with balanced chromosome translocation (11;22)(q24;q13). Here, we describe a case of anterior pituitary failure with balanced chromosome translocation. A 19-year-old Chinese teenager presented with failure of pubertal development and sexual infantilism. On examination, the patient had the classic appearance of hypogonadism. Endocrine studies and three combined pituitary function tests revealed panhypopituitarism. A chromosomal study revealed 46,XY,t(11;22)(q24;q13), a balanced translocation between 11q24 and 22q13. Chest films showed delayed fusion of bilateral humeral head epiphyses and bilateral acromions. Scrotal sonography revealed testes were small bilaterally. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sella revealed pituitary dwarfism. The patient received 19 months replacement therapy, including steroids (prednisolone 5 mg each day), L-thyroxine (Eltroxin 100 ug each day), and testosterone enanthate 250 mg every two weeks. His height increased 4 cm with secondary sexual characteristics developed, and muscle power increased.

The development of functional mapping by three sex-related loci on the third whorl of different sex types of Carica papaya L.

PubMed Central

Lin, Hui-Jun; Viswanath, Kotapati Kasi; Lin, Chih-Peng; Chang, Bill Chia-Han; Chiu, Pei-Hsun; Chiu, Chan-Tai; Wang, Ren-Huang; Chin, Shih-Wen; Chen, Fure-Chyi

2018-01-01

Carica papaya L. is an important economic crop worldwide and is used as a model plant for sex-determination research. To study the different flower sex types, we screened sex-related genes using alternative splicing sequences (AS-seqs) from a transcriptome database of the three flower sex types, i.e., males, females, and hermaphrodites, established at 28 days before flowering using 15 bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) of C. papaya L. After screening, the cDNA regions of the three sex-related loci, including short vegetative phase-like (CpSVPL), the chromatin assembly factor 1 subunit A-like (CpCAF1AL), and the somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase (CpSERK), which contained eight sex-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the different sex types of C. papaya L., were genotyped using high-resolution melting (HRM). The three loci were examined regarding the profiles of the third whorl, as described below. CpSVPL, which had one SNP associated with the three sex genotypes, was highly expressed in the male and female sterile flowers (abnormal hermaphrodite flowers) that lacked the fourth whorl structure. CpCAF1AL, which had three SNPs associated with the male genotype, was highly expressed in male and normal hermaphrodite flowers, and had no AS-seqs, whereas it exhibited low expression and an AS-seqs in intron 11 in abnormal hermaphrodite flowers. Conversely, carpellate flowers (abnormal hermaphrodite flowers) showed low expression of CpSVPL and AS-seqs in introns 5, 6, and 7 of CpSERK, which contained four SNPs associated with the female genotype. Specifically, the CpSERK and CpCAF1AL loci exhibited no AS-seq expression in the third whorl of the male and normal hermaphrodite flowers, respectively, and variance in the AS-seq expression of all other types of flowers. Functional mapping of the third whorl of normal hermaphrodites indicated no AS-seq expression in CpSERK, low CpSVPL expression, and, for CpCAF1AL, high expression and no AS-seq expression

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS). Change 6

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-24

Exception to general exclusion. 4-31c b. Limitations. 4-32 7. Transsexualism or hermaphroditism. 4-32 8. Cosmetic, reconstructive, or plastic surgery. 4... Transsexualism or hermaphroditism. 4-49 30. Sexual dysfunctions or inadequacies. 4-49 31. Corns, calluses, and toenails. 4-49 32. Dyslexia. 4-49 33

Sex-biased oviposition by a nursery pollinator on a gynodioecious host plant: Implications for breeding system evolution and evolution of mutualism.

PubMed

Doubleday, Laura A D; Adler, Lynn S

2017-07-01

Dioecy, a breeding system where individual plants are exclusively male or female, has evolved repeatedly. Extensive theory describes when dioecy should arise from hermaphroditism, frequently through gynodioecy, where females and hermaphrodites coexist, and when gynodioecy should be stable. Both pollinators and herbivores often prefer the pollen-bearing sex, with sex-specific fitness effects that can affect breeding system evolution. Nursery pollination, where adult insects pollinate flowers but their larvae feed on plant reproductive tissues, is a model for understanding mutualism evolution but could also yield insights into plant breeding system evolution. We studied a recently established nursery pollination interaction between native Hadena ectypa moths and introduced gynodioecious Silene vulgaris plants in North America to assess whether oviposition was biased toward females or hermaphrodites, which traits were associated with oviposition, and the effect of oviposition on host plant fitness. Oviposition was hermaphrodite-biased and associated with deeper flowers and more stems. Sexual dimorphism in flower depth, a trait also associated with oviposition on the native host plant ( Silene stellata ), explained the hermaphrodite bias. Egg-receiving plants experienced more fruit predation than plants that received no eggs, but relatively few fruits were lost, and egg receipt did not significantly alter total fruit production at the plant level. Oviposition did not enhance pollination; egg-receiving flowers usually failed to expand and produce seeds. Together, our results suggest that H. ectypa oviposition does not exert a large fitness cost on host plants, sex-biased interactions can emerge from preferences developed on a hermaphroditic host species, and new nursery pollination interactions can arise as negative or neutral rather than as mutualistic for the plant.

Method for measuring integrated sensitivity of solar cells and multielement photoconverters using an X-Y scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumov, V. V.; Grebenshchikov, O. A.; Zalesskii, V. B.

2006-09-01

We describe a method for automated measurement of the integrated sensitivity of solar cells (SCs) and multielement photoconverters (MPCs) using an experimental apparatus including a Pentium III personal computer (PC), an HP-34401A digital multimeter (DM), a stabilized radiation source (SRS), a controllable focusing system, an X-Y positioning device based on CD-RW optical disk storage devices. The method provides high accuracy in measuring the size of photosensitive areas of the solar cells and multielement photoconverters and inhomogeneities in their active regions, which makes it possible to correct the production process in the development stage and during fabrication of test prototypes for the solar cells and multielement photoconverters. The radiation power from the stabilized radiation source was ≤1 W; the ranges of the scanning steps along the X, Y coordinates were 10 100 µm, the range of the transverse cross sectional diameters of the focused radiation beam was 10 100 µm, the measurable photocurrents were 10-9 A to 2 A; scanning rate along the X, Y coordinates, ≤100 mm/sec; relative mean-square error (RMSE) for measurement of the integrated sensitivity of the solar cells, 0.2 ≤ γS int ≤ 0.9% in the ranges of measurable photocurrents 1 mA ≤ Iph ≤ 750 mA and areas 0.1 ≤ A ≤ 25 cm2 for number of measurements equal to ≤ 2· 105; instability of the radiation power (luminosity) ≤ 0.08% for 1 h or ≤ 0.4% for 8 h continuous operation; stabilized power range for the stabilized radiation source, 10-2 102 W. The software was written in Delphi 7.0.

Multiparameter Investigation of a 46,XX/46,XY Tetragametic Chimeric Phenotypical Male Patient with Bilateral Scrotal Ovotestes and Ovulatory Activity.

PubMed

van Bever, Yolande; Wolffenbuttel, Katja P; Brüggenwirth, Hennie T; Blom, Eric; de Klein, Annelies; Eussen, Bert H J; van der Windt, Florijn; Hannema, Sabine E; Dessens, Arianne B; Dorssers, Lambert C J; Biermann, Katharina; Hersmus, Remko; de Rijke, Yolanda B; Looijenga, Leendert H J

2018-01-01

We report on an adult male initially presenting with gynecomastia and a painless scrotal mass without additional genital anomalies. Hyperpigmentation of the skin following the Blaschko's lines was identified. He underwent gonadectomy because of suspected cancer. Histological analyses revealed an ovotestis with ovulatory activity confirmed by immunohistochemistry with multiple markers. Karyotyping of cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes and a buccal smear revealed a 46,XX/46,XY chimeric constitution with different percentages. Multiple molecular analyses as well as blood typing implied a tetragametic origin. After the unilateral gonadectomy, the patient developed recurrent painful cystic swellings of the remaining gonad. Because of the wish to preserve hormonal activity as well as future fertility, the patient underwent surgical resection of a cystic gonadal area. The removed tissue showed ovulation-related features in addition to both testicular and ovarian tissue, diagnosed as an ovotestis. Testosterone therapy was initiated to suppress the persistently elevated gonadotropins and thereby suppress ovarian activity. During treatment, the recurrent pain complaints and cystic swellings ceased, although gonadotropin levels were not fully suppressed. Based on these observations, the importance of a detailed genetic and pathological diagnosis and the clinical dilemmas including the pros and cons of personalized treatment with gonadal preservative surgery are discussed. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Challenging Texts: How Teaching "Middlesex" Challenged Students' Paradigms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderburg, Robert

2009-01-01

"Middlesex" is a book about undiagnosed hermaphrodite coming to terms with his/her socially determined sexuality and his/her choice of sexuality. The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Calliope Stephanides, is raised as a girl because he/she presented feminine genitalia at birth. When Calliope realizes he/she is a hermaphrodite--a realization…

Commutativity of nonassociative rings with identities in the center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhusudhan Reddy, K.

2017-11-01

Let R be a nonassociative ring with center U. In this paper, it is shown that nonassociative ring R of char. ≠ 2 with unity is commutative if it satisfies any one of the following identities: (i) (xy)x + x(xy) + y∈ U, (ii) (xy)2 - x2 y - xy2 - xy∈ U, (iii) (xy)2 - x2 y - xy2 - yx∈ U (iv) (xy)2- xy2∈ U, (v) (xy)2- y2 x ∈ U, (vi) (x2y2)z2 - (xy)z ∈ U, (vii) (x2y2)z2-(xy)z ∈ U for all x, y, and for fixed z in R.

The sensitive period for male-to-female sex reversal begins at the embryonic stage in the Nile tilapia and is associated with the sexual genotype.

PubMed

Gennotte, Vincent; Mélard, Charles; D'Cotta, Helena; Baroiller, Jean-François; Rougeot, Carole

2014-12-01

In this study, we sought to determine the mechanism of early sex reversal in a teleost by applying 4 hr feminization treatments to XY (17α-ethynylestradiol 2000 μg L(-1) ) and YY (6500 μg L(-1) ) Nile tilapia embryos on the first day post-fertilization (dpf). We then searched for changes in the expression profiles of some sex-differentiating genes in the brain (cyp19a1b, foxl2, and amh) and in sex steroids (testosterone, 17β-estradiol, and 11-ketotestosterone) concentrations during embryogenesis and gonad differentiation. No sex reversal was observed in YY individuals, whereas sex-reversal rates in XY progeny ranged from 0-60%. These results, together with the clearance profile of 17α-ethynylestradiol, confirmed the existence of an early sensitive period for sex determination that encompasses embryonic and larval development and is active prior to any sign of gonad differentiation. Estrogen treatment induced elevated expression of cyp19a1b and higher testosterone and 17β-estradiol concentrations at 4 dpf in both XY and YY individuals. foxl2 and amh were repressed at 4 dpf and their expression levels were not different between treated and control groups at 14 dpf, suggesting that foxl2 did not control cyp19a1b in the brains of tilapia embryos. Increased cyp19a1b expression in treated embryos could reflect early brain sexualization, although this difference alone cannot account for the observed sex reversal as the treatment was ineffective in YY individuals. The differential sensitivity of XY and YY genotypes to embryonic induced-feminization suggests that a sex determinant on the sex chromosomes, such as a Y repressor or an X activator, may influence sex reversal during the first steps of tilapia embryogenesis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Carbonitride based phosphors and light emitting devices using the same

DOEpatents

Li, Yuanqiang; Tian, Yongchi; Romanelli, Michael Dennis

2013-08-20

Disclosed herein is a novel group of carbidonitride phosphors and light emitting devices which utilize these phosphors. In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to a novel family of carbidonitride-based phosphors expressed as follows: Ca.sub.1-xAl.sub.x-xySi.sub.1-x+xyN.sub.2-x-xyC.sub.xy:A; (1) Ca.sub.1-x-zNa.sub.zM(III).sub.x-xy-zSi.sub.1-x+xy+zN.sub.2-x-xyC.sub.xy:- A; (2) M(II).sub.1-x-zM(I).sub.zM(III).sub.x-xy-zSi.sub.1-x+xy+zN.sub.2-x- -xyC.sub.xy:A; (3) M(II).sub.1-x-zM(I).sub.zM(III).sub.x-xy-zSi.sub.1-x+xy+zN.sub.2-x-xy-2w/- 3C.sub.xyO.sub.w-v/2H.sub.v:A; and (4) M(II).sub.1-x-zM(I).sub.zM(III).sub.x-xy-zSi.sub.1-x+xy+zN.sub.2-x-xy-2w/- 3-v/3C.sub.xyO.sub.wH.sub.v:A, (4a) wherein 0xy+z, and 0xy-z<1, M(II) is at least one divalent cation, M(I) is at least one monovalent cation, M(III) is at least one trivalent cation, H is at least one monovalent anion, and A is a luminescence activator doped in the crystal structure.

Variable mycorrhizal benefits on the reproductive output of Geranium sylvaticum, with special emphasis on the intermediate phenotype.

PubMed

Varga, S; Kytöviita, M-M

2014-03-01

In several gynodioecious species, intermediate sex between female and hermaphrodite has been reported, but few studies have investigated fitness parameters of this intermediate phenotype. Here, we examined the interactions between plant sex and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal species affecting the reproductive output of Geranium sylvaticum, a sexually polymorphic plant species with frequent intermediate sexes between females and hermaphrodites, using a common garden experiment. Flowering phenology, AM colonisation levels and several plant vegetative and reproductive parameters, including seed and pollen production, were measured. Differences among sexes were detected in flowering, fruit set, pollen production and floral size. The two AM species used in the present work had different effects on plant fitness parameters. One AM species increased female fitness through increasing seed number and seed mass, while the other species reduced seed mass in all sexes investigated. AM fungi did not affect intermediate and hermaphrodite pollen content in anthers. The three sexes in G. sylvaticum did not differ in their reproductive output in terms of total seed production, but hermaphrodites had potentially larger fathering ability than intermediates due to higher anther number. The ultimate female function--seed production--did not differ among the sexes, but one of the AM fungi used potentially decreased host plant fitness. In addition, in the intermediate sex, mycorrhizal symbiosis functioned similarly in females as in hermaphrodites. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

The three-dimensional organization of polytene nuclei in male Drosophila melanogaster with compound XY or ring X chromosomes.

PubMed

Mathog, D; Sedat, J W

1989-02-01

The three-dimensional organization of polytene chromosomes within nuclei containing rearranged X chromosomes was examined in male Drosophila melanogaster. Salivary glands of third instar larvae containing either an inverted X chromosome (YSX.YL, In(1)EN/O) or a ring X chromosome (R(1) 2/BSYy+) were fixed, embedded, and serially sectioned. The nuclei in contiguous groups of cells were modeled and analyzed. We find that for both genotypes the three-dimensional behavior at each euchromatic locus is independent of the orientation of the chromosome on which it resides, independent of the behavior of loci not closely linked to it, and not similar in neighboring cells. The preference for right-handed chromosome coiling noted in previous studies is shown to be independent of homologous pairing. However, a relation between the extent of chromosome curvature and the handedness of chromosome coiling is present only in homologously paired chromosomes. The attached-XY chromosome has two previously undescribed behaviors: a nearly invariant association of the euchromatic side of the proximal heterochromatin/euchromatin junction with the nucleolus and a frequent failure of this site to attach to the chromocenter. The relative chromosome arm positions are often similar in several neighboring cells. The size of these patches of cells, assuming that they represent clones, indicates that such arrangements are at best quasi-stable: they may be maintained over at least one, but less than four, cell divisions. The observed nuclear organization in salivary glands is inconsistent with the idea that position in the polytene nucleus plays a major role in the normal genetic regulation of euchromatic loci.

Biochemical analyses and molecular modeling explain the functional loss of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 mutant G133R in three Tunisian patients with 46, XY Disorders of Sex Development.

PubMed

Engeli, Roger T; Rhouma, Bochra Ben; Sager, Christoph P; Tsachaki, Maria; Birk, Julia; Fakhfakh, Faiza; Keskes, Leila; Belguith, Neila; Odermatt, Alex

2016-01-01

Mutations in the HSD17B3 gene resulting in 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3) deficiency cause 46, XY Disorders of Sex Development (46, XY DSD). Approximately 40 different mutations in HSD17B3 have been reported; only few mutant enzymes have been mechanistically investigated. Here, we report novel compound heterozygous mutations in HSD17B3, composed of the nonsense mutation C206X and the missense mutation G133R, in three Tunisian patients from two non-consanguineous families. Mutants C206X and G133R were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in HEK-293 cells. The truncated C206X enzyme, lacking part of the substrate binding pocket, was moderately expressed and completely lost its enzymatic activity. Wild-type 17β-HSD3 and mutant G133R showed comparable expression levels and intracellular localization. The conversion of Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione (androstenedione) to testosterone was almost completely abolished for mutant G133R compared with wild-type 17β-HSD3. To obtain further mechanistic insight, G133 was mutated to alanine, phenylalanine and glutamine. G133Q and G133F were almost completely inactive, whereas G133A displayed about 70% of wild-type activity. Sequence analysis revealed that G133 on 17β-HSD3 is located in a motif highly conserved in 17β-HSDs and other short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzymes. A homology model of 17β-HSD3 predicted that arginine or any other bulky residue at position 133 causes steric hindrance of cofactor NADPH binding, whereas substrate binding seems to be unaffected. The results indicate an essential role of G133 in the arrangement of the cofactor binding pocket, thus explaining the loss-of-function of 17β-HSD3 mutant G133R in the patients investigated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex differences in body composition, fat storage, and gene expression profile in Caenorhabditis elegans in response to dietary restriction.

PubMed

Miersch, Claudia; Döring, Frank

2013-07-02

The metabolic and health-promoting effects of dietary restriction (DR) have been extensively studied in several species. The response to DR with respect to sex is essentially unknown. To address this question, we used the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to analyze body composition and gene expression in males and hermaphrodites in response to DR. Unexpectedly, DR increased the fat-to-fat-free mass ratio and enlarged lipid droplets in both sexes to a similar extent. These effects were linked to a downregulation of the lipase-like 5 (lipl-5) gene in both sexes at two developmental stages. By contrast, the reductions in body size, protein content, and total RNA content in response to DR were more pronounced in hermaphrodites than in males. Functional enrichment analysis of gene expression data showed a DR-induced downregulation of several embryogenesis-associated genes concomitant with an ongoing expression of sperm-associated genes in hermaphrodites. In conclusion, DR increases fat stores in both sexes of C. elegans in the form of large and possibly lipolysis-resistant lipid droplets and markedly alters the reproductive program in hermaphrodites but not in males.

Evolution of breeding systems and fruits in New World Galium and relatives (Rubiaceae).

PubMed

Soza, Valerie L; Olmstead, Richard G

2010-10-01

Dioecy occurs in only about 6% of angiosperms, yet it has evolved many times from hermaphroditism. Polygamy is an even more uncommon condition within angiosperms, in which both unisexual and bisexual flowers occur within a species. Polygamy, dioecy, and hermaphroditism all occur within a New World clade of Galium (Rubiaceae), in which dioecy is hypothesized to have evolved from hermaphroditism via polygamy. At least five sections of Galium as traditionally defined by fruit morphology occur within this group. We tested the monophyly of sections defined by fruit morphology and sought to determine origins and pathways of breeding systems within this group. • We obtained chloroplast (rpoB-trnC, trnC-psbM, trnL-ndhJ) and nuclear ribosomal (external transcribed spacer) DNA sequences for 89 taxa from the Cruciata-Galium-Valantia (CGV) clade to estimate the phylogeny. Ancestral states for breeding systems, fruit types, and fruit hairs were reconstructed using parsimony and likelihood analyses. • We identified nine well-supported lineages of New World Galium taxa. However, none of the sections traditionally defined by fruit morphology are monophyletic. Dioecy is inferred to have arisen at least three times from hermaphroditism; polygamy is inferred to have arisen at least twice from dioecy and at least six times from hermaphroditism. • Polygamy appears to be a terminal condition in the CGV clade and not a pathway to dioecy. Fruit characters traditionally used in the taxonomy of this group have arisen multiple times within this clade of Galium and are not reliable indicators of shared evolutionary history.

The female advantage in natural populations of gynodioecious Plantago coronopus: seed quantity vs. offspring quality.

PubMed

van der Meer, Sascha; Sebrechts, Thomas; Vanderstraeten, Sylvette; Jacquemyn, Hans

2017-12-01

In gynodioecious plant species, females can only persist when they have a reproductive advantage in comparison with hermaphrodites. However, several studies have shown that females do not necessarily produce more seeds than hermaphrodites, since seed production can be affected by population characteristics, such as female frequency or population size. The aim of this study was to quantify the female advantage across a large number of natural populations, examine its relationship with population sex ratio and size, and to assess the role of competition on the magnitude of the female advantage. We sampled 27 populations of Plantago coronopus (nuclear-cytoplasmic gynodioecy) along the Belgian and Dutch coast. In each population, we estimated population sex ratio and size, and assessed seed production per flower and seed production per plant. Subsequently, germination, growth, and competition experiments were performed in the greenhouse to determine the female advantage regarding offspring quality. Females produced fewer seeds per plant than hermaphrodites (FA = 0.90), and seed production was negatively related to female frequency. Since both sex morphs were equally affected by pollen availability, the female advantage was not related to population sex ratio. On the other hand, offspring of females showed higher germination and growth rates, resulting in higher competitive abilities when seeds of a female and a hermaphrodite were grown together. Overall, these results indicate that differences in competitive abilities between the offspring of females and hermaphrodites may have contributed to the maintenance of females in relatively high frequencies in populations of this short-lived gynodioecious plant species.

Double-inversion mechanisms of the X⁻ + CH₃Y [X,Y = F, Cl, Br, I] SN2 reactions.

PubMed

Szabó, István; Czakó, Gábor

2015-03-26

The double-inversion and front-side attack transition states as well as the proton-abstraction channels of the X(-) + CH3Y [X,Y = F, Cl, Br, I] reactions are characterized by the explicitly correlated CCSD(T)-F12b/aug-cc-pVTZ(-PP) level of theory using small-core relativistic effective core potentials and the corresponding aug-cc-pVTZ-PP bases for Br and I. In the X = F case the double-inversion classical(adiabatic) barrier heights are 28.7(25.6), 15.8(13.4), 13.2(11.0), and 8.6(6.6) kcal mol(-1) for Y = F, Cl, Br, and I, respectively, whereas the barrier heights are in the 40-90 kcal mol(-1) range for the other 12 reactions. The abstraction channels are always above the double-inversion saddle points. For X = F, the front-side attack classical(adiabatic) barrier heights, 45.8(44.8), 31.0(30.3), 24.7(24.2), and 19.5(19.3) kcal mol(-1) for Y = F, Cl, Br, and I, respectively, are higher than the corresponding double-inversion ones, whereas for the other systems the front-side attack saddle points are in the 35-70 kcal mol(-1) range. The double-inversion transition states have XH···CH2Y(-) structures with Cs point-group symmetry, and the front-side attack saddle points have either Cs (X = F or X = Y) or C1 symmetry with XCY angles in the 78-88° range. On the basis of the previous reaction dynamics simulations and the minimum energy path computations along the inversion coordinate of selected XH···CH2Y(-) systems, we suggest that the double inversion may be a general mechanism for SN2 reactions.

Studies of malformation syndromes in man XXXX: multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome or variant familial developmental pattern; differential diagnosis and description of the McDonough syndrome (with XXY son from XY/XXY father).

PubMed

Neuhäuser, G; Opitz, J M

1975-11-13

The McDonough syndrome is a "new" MCA/MR syndrome which was found in 3 children (1 girl, 2 boys) of non-consanguineous parents. The affected children were mentally retarded (IQ 47--67) and had congenital heart defect, sternal deformity, kyphosis and craniofacila anomalies (anteverted auricles, upward slanted palpebral fissures, squint); cryptorchidism was present in the 2 boys. In addition a possible VFDP is postulated as the explanation for similar features in affected and unaffected siblings and parents. However, the McDonough syndrome may be an autosomal recessive trait with minor manifestations in heterozygotes. The klinefelter syndrome in one affected boy and a 46,XY/47,XXY chromosome constitution in the father was a coincidental finding.

The Three-Dimensional Organization of Polytene Nuclei in Male Drosophila Melanogaster with Compound Xy or Ring X Chromosomes

PubMed Central

Mathog, D.; Sedat, J. W.

1989-01-01

The three-dimensional organization of polytene chromosomes within nuclei containing rearranged X chromosomes was examined in male Drosophila melanogaster. Salivary glands of third instar larvae containing either an inverted X chromosome (Y(S)X·Y(L), In(1)EN/O) or a ring X chromosome (R(1) 2/B(S)Yy(+)) were fixed, embedded, and serially sectioned. The nuclei in contiguous groups of cells were modeled and analyzed. We find that for both genotypes the three-dimensional behavior at each euchromatic locus is independent of the orientation of the chromosome on which it resides, independent of the behavior of loci not closely linked to it, and not similar in neighboring cells. The preference for right-handed chromosome coiling noted in previous studies is shown to be independent of homologous pairing. However, a relation between the extent of chromosome curvature and the handedness of chromosome coiling is present only in homologously paired chromosomes. The attached-XY chromosome has two previously undescribed behaviors: a nearly invariant association of the euchromatic side of the proximal heterochromatin/euchromatin junction with the nucleolus and a frequent failure of this site to attach to the chromocenter. The relative chromosome arm positions are often similar in several neighboring cells. The size of these patches of cells, assuming that they represent clones, indicates that such arrangements are at best quasi-stable: they may be maintained over at least one, but less than four, cell divisions. The observed nuclear organization in salivary glands is inconsistent with the idea that position in the polytene nucleus plays a major role in the normal genetic regulation of euchromatic loci. PMID:2499510

Profile of patients with genitourinary anomalies treated in a clinical genetics service in the Brazilian unified health system

PubMed Central

Gazzaneo, Ilanna Fragoso Peixoto; de Queiroz, Camila Maia Costa; Goes, Larissa Clara Vieira; Lessa, Victor José Correia; de Omena, Reinaldo Luna; do Nascimento, Diogo Lucas Lima; Petroli, Reginaldo José; Zanotti, Susane Vasconcelos; Monlleó, Isabella Lopes

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: To describe the profile of patients with genitourinary abnormalities treated at a tertiary hospital genetics service. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 1068 medical records of patients treated between April/2008 and August/2014. A total of 115 cases suggestive of genitourinary anomalies were selected, regardless of age. A standardized clinical protocol was used, as well as karyotype, hormone levels and genitourinary ultrasound for basic evaluation. Laparoscopy, gonadal biopsy and molecular studies were performed in specific cases. Patients with genitourinary malformations were classified as genitourinary anomalies (GUA), whereas the others, as Disorders of Sex Differentiation (DSD). Chi-square, Fisher and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis and comparison between groups. Results: 80 subjects met the inclusion criteria, 91% with DSD and 9% with isolated/syndromic GUA. The age was younger in the GUA group (p<0.02), but these groups did not differ regarding external and internal genitalia, as well as karyotype. Karyotype 46,XY was verified in 55% and chromosomal aberrations in 17.5% of cases. Ambiguous genitalia occurred in 45%, predominantly in 46,XX patients (p<0.006). Disorders of Gonadal Differentiation accounted for 25% and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, for 17.5% of the sample. Consanguinity occurred in 16%, recurrence in 12%, lack of birth certificate in 20% and interrupted follow-up in 31% of cases. Conclusions: Patients with DSD predominated. Ambiguous genitalia and abnormal sexual differentiation were more frequent among infants and prepubertal individuals. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia was the most prevalent nosology. Younger patients were more common in the GUA group. Abandonment and lower frequency of birth certificate occurred in patients with ambiguous or malformed genitalia. These characteristics corroborate the literature and show the biopsychosocial impact of genitourinary anomalies. PMID:26522823

Androgen induces gonadal soma-derived factor, Gsdf, in XX gonads correlated to sex-reversal but not Dmrt1 directly, in the teleost fish, northern medaka (Oryzias sakaizumii).

PubMed

Horie, Yoshifumi; Myosho, Taijun; Sato, Tadashi; Sakaizumi, Mitsuru; Hamaguchi, Satoshi; Kobayashi, Tohru

2016-11-15

In the inbred HNI-II strain of Oryzias sakaizumii, Dmy and Gsdf are expressed in XY gonads from Stages 35 and 36, respectively, similarly to the inbred Hd-rR strain of Oryzias latipes. However, Dmrt1 respectively becomes detectable at Stage 36 and 5 days post hatching (dph) in the two strains. In XX HNI-II embryos, 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) induces Gsdf mRNA from Stage 36, accompanied by complete sex-reversal in all treated individuals (MT, 10 ng/mL), while Dmrt1 mRNA was first detectable at 5 dph. In XX d-rR, MT induced Gsdf mRNA expression and sex-reversal in only some of the treated individuals. Together, these results suggest the testis differentiation cascade in XY individuals differs between the HNI-II and Hd-rR strains. In addition, it is suggested that androgen-induced XX sex-reversal proceeds via an androgen-Gsdf-Dmrt1 cascade and that Gsdf plays an important role in sex-reversal in medaka. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex- and Gamete-Specific Patterns of X Chromosome Segregation in a Trioecious Nematode.

PubMed

Tandonnet, Sophie; Farrell, Maureen C; Koutsovoulos, Georgios D; Blaxter, Mark L; Parihar, Manish; Sadler, Penny L; Shakes, Diane C; Pires-daSilva, Andre

2018-01-08

Three key steps in meiosis allow diploid organisms to produce haploid gametes: (1) homologous chromosomes (homologs) pair and undergo crossovers; (2) homologs segregate to opposite poles; and (3) sister chromatids segregate to opposite poles. The XX/XO sex determination system found in many nematodes [1] facilitates the study of meiosis because variation is easily recognized [2-4]. Here we show that meiotic segregation of X chromosomes in the trioecious nematode Auanema rhodensis [5] varies according to sex (hermaphrodite, female, or male) and type of gametogenesis (oogenesis or spermatogenesis). In this species, XO males exclusively produce X-bearing sperm [6, 7]. The unpaired X precociously separates into sister chromatids, which co-segregate with the autosome set to generate a functional haplo-X sperm. The other set of autosomes is discarded into a residual body. Here we explore the X chromosome behavior in female and hermaphrodite meioses. Whereas X chromosomes segregate following the canonical pattern during XX female oogenesis to yield haplo-X oocytes, during XX hermaphrodite oogenesis they segregate to the first polar body to yield nullo-X oocytes. Thus, crosses between XX hermaphrodites and males yield exclusively male progeny. During hermaphrodite spermatogenesis, the sister chromatids of the X chromosomes separate during meiosis I, and homologous X chromatids segregate to the functional sperm to create diplo-X sperm. Given these intra-species, intra-individual, and intra-gametogenesis variations in the meiotic program, A. rhodensis is an ideal model for studying the plasticity of meiosis and how it can be modulated. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Sex Change in Clownfish: Molecular Insights from Transcriptome Analysis.

PubMed

Casas, Laura; Saborido-Rey, Fran; Ryu, Taewoo; Michell, Craig; Ravasi, Timothy; Irigoien, Xabier

2016-10-17

Sequential hermaphroditism is a unique reproductive strategy among teleosts that is displayed mainly in fish species living in the coral reef environment. The reproductive biology of hermaphrodites has long been intriguing; however, very little is known about the molecular pathways underlying their sex change. Here, we provide the first de novo transcriptome analyses of a hermaphrodite teleost´s undergoing sex change in its natural environment. Our study has examined relative gene expression across multiple groups-rather than just two contrasting conditions- and has allowed us to explore the differential expression patterns throughout the whole process. Our analysis has highlighted the rapid and complex genomic response of the brain associated with sex change, which is subsequently transmitted to the gonads, identifying a large number of candidate genes, some well-known and some novel, involved in the process. The present study provides strong evidence of the importance of the sex steroidogenic machinery during sex change in clownfish, with the aromatase gene playing a central role, both in the brain and the gonad. This work constitutes the first genome-wide study in a social sex-changing species and provides insights into the genetic mechanism governing social sex change and gonadal restructuring in protandrous hermaphrodites.

Sex Change in Clownfish: Molecular Insights from Transcriptome Analysis

PubMed Central

Casas, Laura; Saborido-Rey, Fran; Ryu, Taewoo; Michell, Craig; Ravasi, Timothy; Irigoien, Xabier

2016-01-01

Sequential hermaphroditism is a unique reproductive strategy among teleosts that is displayed mainly in fish species living in the coral reef environment. The reproductive biology of hermaphrodites has long been intriguing; however, very little is known about the molecular pathways underlying their sex change. Here, we provide the first de novo transcriptome analyses of a hermaphrodite teleost´s undergoing sex change in its natural environment. Our study has examined relative gene expression across multiple groups—rather than just two contrasting conditions— and has allowed us to explore the differential expression patterns throughout the whole process. Our analysis has highlighted the rapid and complex genomic response of the brain associated with sex change, which is subsequently transmitted to the gonads, identifying a large number of candidate genes, some well-known and some novel, involved in the process. The present study provides strong evidence of the importance of the sex steroidogenic machinery during sex change in clownfish, with the aromatase gene playing a central role, both in the brain and the gonad. This work constitutes the first genome-wide study in a social sex-changing species and provides insights into the genetic mechanism governing social sex change and gonadal restructuring in protandrous hermaphrodites. PMID:27748421

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-01

lenses, or other optical devices. 4-31c a. Exception to general exclusion. 4-31c b. Limitations. 4-32 7. Transsexualism or hermaphroditism. 4-32 8...psychological reasons. 4-48 26. Electrolysis. 4-49 27. Dental care. 4-49 28. Obesity, weight red iction. 4-49 29. Transsexualism or hermaphroditism. 4-4’ 30...subject to specific medical review. 7. Transsexualism or such other conditions as eýner dyssphoria. All services and supplies directly or indirectly

The Role of Staminate Flowers in the Breeding System of Olea europaea (Oleaceae): an Andromonoecious, Wind‐pollinated Taxon

PubMed Central

CUEVAS, JULIÁN; POLITO, VITO S.

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims Andromonoecy, as a breeding system, has generated a considerable body of theory in terms of sexual selection, but extended records comparing the performance of pollen grains from staminate versus hermaphrodite flowers are still sparse. The objective in this study was to elucidate the role of staminate flowers in the andromonoecious breeding system of olive (Olea europaea). • Methods To determine the meaning of staminate flowers, an evaluation was made of resource allocation to, and phenology of, staminate and hermaphrodite flowers in the cultivar ‘Mission’, and a comparison was made of the male function between both kinds of flowers. • Key Results Dry weight of hermaphrodite flowers was 19 % greater than dry weight of staminate flowers arising in comparable positions of the panicle. This difference was mainly due to pistil and petal weight; there were no significant differences in stamen weight. There were no significant differences between staminate and hermaphrodite flowers in either amount of pollen per anther, or pollen quality as determined by pollen viability, germinability or ability to fertilize other flowers. There was no significant link between gender and time of anthesis. However, position of the flower within the panicle correlated with time of anthesis and gender. Flowers at the apex and at primary pedicels tended to be hermaphrodite and open earlier, whereas flowers arising in secondary pedicels were mainly staminate and were commonly the last to reach anthesis. • Conclusions It is proposed that the main advantage provided by production of staminate flowers in olive is to enhance male fitness by increasing pollen output at the whole plant level, although a relict function of attracting pollinators cannot be completely discarded. PMID:15037451

The Identification of Two Arabinosyltransferases from Tomato Reveals Functional Equivalency of Xyloglucan Side Chain Substituents1[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Schultink, Alex; Cheng, Kun; Park, Yong Bum; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Pauly, Markus

2013-01-01

Xyloglucan (XyG) is the dominant hemicellulose present in the primary cell walls of dicotyledonous plants. Unlike Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) XyG, which contains galactosyl and fucosyl substituents, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) XyG contains arabinofuranosyl residues. To investigate the biological function of these differing substituents, we used a functional complementation approach. Candidate glycosyltransferases were identified from tomato by using comparative genomics with known XyG galactosyltransferase genes from Arabidopsis. These candidate genes were expressed in an Arabidopsis mutant lacking XyG galactosylation, and two of them resulted in the production of arabinosylated XyG, a structure not previously found in this plant species. These genes may therefore encode XyG arabinofuranosyltransferases. Moreover, the addition of arabinofuranosyl residues to the XyG of this Arabidopsis mutant rescued a growth and cell wall biomechanics phenotype, demonstrating that the function of XyG in plant growth, development, and mechanics has considerable flexibility in terms of the specific residues in the side chains. These experiments also highlight the potential of reengineering the sugar substituents on plant wall polysaccharides without compromising growth or viability. PMID:23893172

Evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes in the order Aulopiformes.

PubMed

Ota, K; Kobayashi, T; Ueno, K; Gojobori, T

2000-12-23

The fish order Aulopiformes contains both synchronously hermaphroditic and gonochoristic species. From the cytogenetic viewpoint, few reports show that gonochoristic Aulopiformes have heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Because fish in this order give us a unique opportunity to elucidate the evolution of sex chromosomes, it is important to examine a phylogenetic relationship in Aulopiformes by both molecular evolutionary and cytogenetic methods. Thus, we conducted molecular phylogenetic and cytogenetic studies of six Aulopiform species. Our results suggested that hermaphroditic species were evolutionarily derived from gonochoristic species. It follows that the hermaphroditic species might have lost the heteromorphic sex chromosomes during evolution. Here, we suggest a possibility that heteromorphic sex chromosomes can disappear from the genome, even if they have appeared once in evolution. Taking into account Ohno's hypothesis that heteromorphic sex chromosomes might have emerged from autosomes, we propose the hypothesis that heteromorphic sex chromosomes may have undergone repeated events of appearance and disappearance during the course of fish evolution.

Correlated evolution of sex and reproductive mode in corals (Anthozoa: Scleractinia).

PubMed

Kerr, Alexander M; Baird, Andrew H; Hughes, Terry P

2011-01-07

Sexuality and reproductive mode are two fundamental life-history traits that exhibit largely unexplained macroevolutionary patterns among the major groups of multicellular organisms. For example, the cnidarian class Anthozoa (corals and anemones) is mainly comprised of gonochoric (separate sex) brooders or spawners, while one order, Scleractinia (skeleton-forming corals), appears to be mostly hermaphroditic spawners. Here, using the most complete phylogeny of scleractinians, we reconstruct how evolutionary transitions between sexual systems (gonochorism versus hermaphrodism) and reproductive modes (brooding versus spawning) have generated large-scale taxonomic patterns in these characters. Hermaphrodites have independently evolved in three large, distantly related lineages consisting of mostly reef-building species. Reproductive mode in corals has evolved at twice the rate of sexuality, while the evolution of sexuality has been heavily biased: gonochorism is over 100 times more likely to be lost than gained, and can only be acquired by brooders. This circuitous evolutionary pathway accounts for the prevalence of hermaphroditic spawners among reef-forming scleractinians, despite their ancient gonochoric heritage.

Adaptive evolution of sexual systems in pedunculate barnacles

PubMed Central

Yusa, Yoichi; Yoshikawa, Mai; Kitaura, Jun; Kawane, Masako; Ozaki, Yuki; Yamato, Shigeyuki; Høeg, Jens T.

2012-01-01

How and why diverse sexual systems evolve are fascinating evolutionary questions, but few empirical studies have dealt with these questions in animals. Pedunculate (gooseneck) barnacles show such diversity, including simultaneous hermaphroditism, coexistence of dwarf males and hermaphrodites (androdioecy), and coexistence of dwarf males and females (dioecy). Here, we report the first phylogenetically controlled test of the hypothesis that the ultimate cause of the diverse sexual systems and presence of dwarf males in this group is limited mating opportunities for non-dwarf individuals, owing to mating in small groups. Within the pedunculate barnacle phylogeny, dwarf males and females have evolved repeatedly. Females are more likely to evolve in androdioecious than hermaphroditic populations, suggesting that evolution of dwarf males has preceded that of females in pedunculates. Both dwarf males and females are associated with a higher proportion of solitary individuals in the population, corroborating the hypothesis that limited mating opportunities have favoured evolution of these diverse sexual systems, which have puzzled biologists since Darwin. PMID:21881138

Correlated evolution of sex and reproductive mode in corals (Anthozoa: Scleractinia)

PubMed Central

Kerr, Alexander M.; Baird, Andrew H.; Hughes, Terry P.

2011-01-01

Sexuality and reproductive mode are two fundamental life-history traits that exhibit largely unexplained macroevolutionary patterns among the major groups of multicellular organisms. For example, the cnidarian class Anthozoa (corals and anemones) is mainly comprised of gonochoric (separate sex) brooders or spawners, while one order, Scleractinia (skeleton-forming corals), appears to be mostly hermaphroditic spawners. Here, using the most complete phylogeny of scleractinians, we reconstruct how evolutionary transitions between sexual systems (gonochorism versus hermaphrodism) and reproductive modes (brooding versus spawning) have generated large-scale taxonomic patterns in these characters. Hermaphrodites have independently evolved in three large, distantly related lineages consisting of mostly reef-building species. Reproductive mode in corals has evolved at twice the rate of sexuality, while the evolution of sexuality has been heavily biased: gonochorism is over 100 times more likely to be lost than gained, and can only be acquired by brooders. This circuitous evolutionary pathway accounts for the prevalence of hermaphroditic spawners among reef-forming scleractinians, despite their ancient gonochoric heritage. PMID:20659935

Sensory regulation of C. elegans male mate-searching behaviour

PubMed Central

Barrios, Arantza; Nurrish, Stephen; Emmons, Scott W.

2009-01-01

Summary How do animals integrate internal drives and external environmental cues to coordinate behaviours? We address this question studying mate-searching behaviour in C. elegans. C. elgans males explore their environment in search of mates (hermaphrodites) and will leave food if mating partners are absent. However, when mates and food coincide, male exploratory behaviour is suppressed and males are retained on the food source. We show that the drive to explore is stimulated by male specific neurons in the tail, the ray neurons. Periodic contact with the hermaphrodite detected through ray neurons changes the male’s behaviour during periods of no contact and prevents the male from leaving the food source. The hermaphrodite signal is conveyed by male-specific interneurons that are post-synaptic to the rays and that send processes to the major integrative center in the head. This study identifies key parts of the neural circuit that regulates a sexual appetitive behaviour in C. elegans. PMID:19062284

Development of a High Strength Isothermally Heat-Treated Nodular Iron Road Wheel Arm

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-31

capacity load cell was calibrated using a Satec Universal Test System and a Hewlett-Packard X,Y Plotter to record the calibrated curve. The load cell...12e 1,3- 0 s0 3 I I r~ I I Il.1660 119 13. 30 1 3,1ý4-514 1 1 o36 1~~ 123 1, d 51 7 4~ 14 ~ 3.• 3I 2k i 7, G 0 se, y 2 es I Q.~ 141/ 14( 13.0130 1B14...LOT BAR QCH YIELD TESS. ELON(. Rc Rc 0HNCARPY LENGTH CaVNT. Nio. No. TIME .000 1O..O % ýMa-crol~licrd IFt Lb INCH~ ES IOU 2-77 •,3~-341.4___ 1 79 7,o

Anomalous Nernst and Hall effects in magnetized platinum and palladium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, G. Y.; Niu, Q.; Nagaosa, N.

2014-06-01

We study the anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) and anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in proximity-induced ferromagnetic palladium and platinum which is widely used in spintronics, within the Berry phase formalism based on the relativistic band-structure calculations. We find that both the anomalous Hall (σxyA) and Nernst (αxyA) conductivities can be related to the spin Hall conductivity (σxyS) and band exchange splitting (Δex) by relations σxyA=ΔexeℏσxyS(EF)' and αxyA=-π23kB2TΔexℏσxys(μ )'', respectively. In particular, these relations would predict that the σxyA in the magnetized Pt (Pd) would be positive (negative) since the σxyS(EF)' is positive (negative). Furthermore, both σxyA and αxyA are approximately proportional to the induced spin magnetic moment (ms) because the Δex is a linear function of ms. Using the reported ms in the magnetized Pt and Pd, we predict that the intrinsic anomalous Nernst conductivity (ANC) in the magnetic platinum and palladium would be gigantic, being up to ten times larger than, e.g., iron, while the intrinsic anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) would also be significant.

Colonization of an empty island: how does a plant with a plastic gender system respond?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philipp, M.; Adsersen, H.

2014-12-01

Honckenya peploides is the most common plant species on the island of Surtsey. It arrived in 1967 and after a juvenile period of 4 years it produced seeds and had increased its number from below 100 to several millions. Most populations had the individuals distributed in a regular or random pattern, suggesting that intraspecific competition is important. H. peploides has a subdioecious reproductive system consisting of pistillate plants producing capsules, and staminate plants delivering pollen. Some of the latter are in addition producing capsules and are denoted hermaphrodites. Populations at the south coast of Iceland had around equal numbers of pistillate and staminate plants. At Surtsey we found more pistillate plants, probably due to their higher water stress tolerance. We also found a tendency to a higher frequency of hermaphrodite plants with a higher number of seeds per capsule compared to populations at the south coast of Iceland and the nearby island of Heimaey. We suggest that this arises from the time right after the colonization of Surtsey where population size was small and the small generalist pollinators were not able to deposit sufficient pollen on pistillate plants, causing the hermaphrodites to have an advantage by being able to set seed after selfing. The result of this initial advantage of the hermaphrodites in combination with the inheritance of the sexes can still be seen due to the longevity of individuals. A generalized account of the colonization history of H. peploides is given.

Phylogenetic patterns and phenotypic plasticity of molluscan sexual systems.

PubMed

Collin, Rachel

2013-10-01

Molluscs show a wide diversity of sexual systems and strategies. There are both gastropod and bivalve families that are each primarily dioecious, simultaneous hermaphrodites, or sequential hermaphrodites, and other families in which almost every sexual strategy occurs. The multiple evolutionary transitions of sexual systems within molluscs would allow comparative analyses of the associated ecological factors, but data on all but a few groups are too sparse to draw many solid conclusions. The phylogenetic distribution of sexual systems in the Mollusca shows that gastropods and bivalves demonstrate different patterns, possibly associated with the presence/absence of copulation. The distribution of change of sex suggests that, in gastropods, sequential hermaphrodites do not evolve from simultaneous hermaphrodites, and that sex reversal (flip-flopping) occurs in free-spawners but not in copulators. Three well-studied protandrous gastropod groups (calyptraeids, coralliophilids, and patellogastropods) show similar responses to environmental conditions and associations with conspecifics. They all have the following attributes: (1) they are sedentary, (2) they live in groups, patches, or aggregates, and (3) size at sex change varies among sites and among aggregates. In addition the available experimental evidence suggests that (4) the presence of females or large individuals represses growth and sex change of males, and (5) behavior seems to mediate the repressive influence of large females. Available data from other species tend to support these patterns. Finally, the repression of growth of males by females in protandry likely facilitates the evolution of dwarf males.

Absence of sex differential plasticity to light availability during seed maturation in Geranium sylvaticum.

PubMed

Varga, Sandra; Laaksonen, Ester; Siikamäki, Pirkko; Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit

2015-01-01

Sex-differential plasticity (SDP) hypothesis suggests that since hermaphrodites gain fitness through both pollen and seed production they may have evolved a higher degree of plasticity in their reproductive strategy compared to females which achieve fitness only through seed production. SDP may explain the difference in seed production observed between sexes in gynodioecious species in response to resource (nutrients or water) availability. In harsh environments, hermaphrodites decrease seed production whereas females keep it relatively similar regardless of the environmental conditions. Light availability can be also a limiting resource and thus could theoretically affect differently female and hermaphrodite seed output even though this ecological factor has been largely overlooked. We tested whether the two sexes in the gynodioecious species Geranium sylvaticum differ in their tolerance to light limitation during seed maturation in the field. We used a fully factorial block experiment exposing female and hermaphrodite plants to two different light environments (control and shade) after their peak flowering period. Specifically, we measured fruit and seed production in response to decreased light availability and compared it between the sexes. Shading reduced the number of fruits and seeds produced, but the decrease was similar between the sexes. Furthermore, shading delayed seed production by three days in both sexes, but did not affect seed mass, seed P content, or the probability of re-flowering the following year. Our results give no evidence for reproductive SDP in response to light during seed maturation.

Colonization of an empty island: how does a plant with a plastic gender system respond?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philipp, M.; Adsersen, H.

2014-07-01

Honckenya peploides is the most common plant species on the island of Surtsey. It arrived in 1967 and after a juvenile period of 4 years it produced seeds and has increased its number from below 100 to several millions. Most populations have the individuals distributed in a regular or random pattern, suggesting that intraspecific competition is important. H. peploides has a subdioecious reproductive system consisting of pistillate plants producing capsules, and staminate plants delivering pollen and some in addition are producing capsules and are denoted hermaphrodites. Populations at the south coast of Iceland had around fifty-fifty pistillate to staminate plants. At Surtsey we found more pistillate plants probably due to the higher water stress tolerance by pistillate plants. We also found a tendency to a higher frequency of hermaphrodite plants with a higher number of seeds per capsule compared to populations at the south coast of Iceland + Heimaey. We suggest that this is a reminiscence from the time right after the colonization of Surtsey where population size was small and the small generalist pollinators were not able to deposit sufficient pollen on pistillate plants causing the hermaphrodites to have an advantage by being able to set seed after selfing. The result of this initial advantage of the hermaphrodites in combination with the inheritance of the sexes can still be seen due to the longevity of the individuals. A generalized account of the colonization history of H. peploides is given.

Construction of a high-density genetic map and the X/Y sex-determining gene mapping in spinach based on large-scale markers developed by specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq).

PubMed

Qian, Wei; Fan, Guiyan; Liu, Dandan; Zhang, Helong; Wang, Xiaowu; Wu, Jian; Xu, Zhaosheng

2017-04-04

Cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is one of the most widely cultivated types of leafy vegetable in the world, and it has a high nutritional value. Spinach is also an ideal plant for investigating the mechanism of sex determination because it is a dioecious species with separate male and female plants. Some reports on the sex labeling and localization of spinach in the study of molecular markers have surfaced. However, there have only been two reports completed on the genetic map of spinach. The lack of rich and reliable molecular markers and the shortage of high-density linkage maps are important constraints in spinach research work. In this study, a high-density genetic map of spinach based on the Specific-locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing (SLAF-seq) technique was constructed; the sex-determining gene was also finely mapped. Through bio-information analysis, 50.75 Gb of data in total was obtained, including 207.58 million paired-end reads. Finally, 145,456 high-quality SLAF markers were obtained, with 27,800 polymorphic markers and 4080 SLAF markers were finally mapped onto the genetic map after linkage analysis. The map spanned 1,125.97 cM with an average distance of 0.31 cM between the adjacent marker loci. It was divided into 6 linkage groups corresponding to the number of spinach chromosomes. Besides, the combination of Bulked Segregation Analysis (BSA) with SLAF-seq technology(super-BSA) was employed to generate the linkage markers with the sex-determining gene. Combined with the high-density genetic map of spinach, the sex-determining gene X/Y was located at the position of the linkage group (LG) 4 (66.98 cM-69.72 cM and 75.48 cM-92.96 cM), which may be the ideal region for the sex-determining gene. A high-density genetic map of spinach based on the SLAF-seq technique was constructed with a backcross (BC 1 ) population (which is the highest density genetic map of spinach reported at present). At the same time, the sex-determining gene X/Y was

A conserved neuronal DAF-16/FoxO plays an important role in conveying pheromone signals to elicit repulsion behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Park, Donha; Hahm, Jeong-Hoon; Park, Saeram; Ha, Go; Chang, Gyeong-Eon; Jeong, Haelim; Kim, Heekyeong; Kim, Sunhee; Cheong, Eunji; Paik, Young-Ki

2017-08-03

Animals use pheromones as a conspecific chemical language to respond appropriately to environmental changes. The soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans secretes ascaroside pheromones throughout the lifecycle, which influences entry into dauer phase in early larvae, in addition to sexual attraction and aggregation. In adult hermaphrodites, pheromone sensory signals perceived by worms usually elicit repulsion as an initial behavioral signature. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal pheromone sensory process from perception to repulsion in adult hermaphrodites remain poorly understood. Here, we show that pheromone signals perceived by GPA-3 is conveyed through glutamatergic neurotransmission in which neuronal DAF-16/FoxO plays an important modulatory role by controlling glutaminase gene expression. We further provide evidence that this modulatory role for DAF-16/FoxO seems to be conserved evolutionarily by electro-physiological study in mouse primary hippocampal neurons that are responsible for glutamatergic neurotransmission. These findings provide the basis for understanding the nematode pheromone signaling, which seems crucial for adaptation of adult hermaphrodites to changes in environmental condition for survival.

Sexually dimorphic differentiation of a C. elegans hub neuron is cell-autonomously controlled by a conserved transcription factor

PubMed Central

Serrano-Saiz, Esther; Oren-Suissa, Meital; Bayer, Emily A.; Hobert, Oliver

2018-01-01

SUMMARY Functional and anatomical sexual dimorphisms in the brain are either the result of cells that are generated only in one sex, or a manifestation of sex-specific differentiation of neurons present in both sexes. The PHC neurons of the nematode C. elegans differentiate in a strikingly sex-specific manner. While in hermaphrodites the PHC neurons display a canonical pattern of synaptic connectivity similar to that of other sensory neurons, PHC differentiates into a densely connected hub sensory/interneuron in males, integrating a large number of male-specific synaptic inputs and conveying them to both male-specific and sex-shared circuitry. We show that the differentiation into such a hub neuron involves the sex-specific scaling of several components of the synaptic vesicle machinery, including the vesicular glutamate transporter eat-4/VGLUT, induction of neuropeptide expression, changes in axonal projection morphology and a switch in neuronal function. We demonstrate that these molecular and anatomical remodeling events are controlled cell-autonomously by the phylogenetically conserved Doublesex homolog dmd-3, which is both required and sufficient for sex-specific PHC differentiation. Cellular specificity of dmd-3 action is ensured by its collaboration with non-sex specific terminal selector-type transcription factors whereas sex-specificity of dmd-3 action is ensured by the hermaphrodite-specific, transcriptional master regulator of hermaphroditic cell identity, tra-1, which represses transcription of dmd-3 in hermaphrodite PHC. Taken together, our studies provide mechanistic insights into how neurons are specified in a sexually dimorphic manner. PMID:28065609

Andromonoecy and developmental plasticity in Chaerophyllum bulbosum (Apiaceae–Apioideae)

PubMed Central

Reuther, Kerstin; Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine

2013-01-01

Background and Aims Andromonoecy, the presence of hermaphrodite and male flowers in the same individual, is genetically fixed or induced, e.g. by fruit set. Little is known about the forces triggering andromonoecy in the Apiaceae. In the present study, a natural population of the protandrous Chaerophyllum bulbosum was investigated to elucidate architectural constraints and effects of resource reallocation. Methods Three sets of plants (each n = 15) were treated by hand pollination, pollinator exclusion and removal of low-order inflorescences. Fifteen untreated plants were left as controls. Key Results Untreated plants produce umbels up to the third branch order, with increasing proportions of male flowers from 15 % (terminal umbel) to 100 % (third-order umbels). Fruit set correspondingly decreases from 70% (terminal umbel) to <10 % (second-order umbels). Insignificant differences from hand-pollinated plants do not reveal any sign of pollinator limitation at the study site. Bagged individuals show the same increase in male flowers with age as untreated plants, indicating that the presence of andromonoecy is not induced by fruit set. After umbel removal, individuals tend to present a higher number of hermaphrodite flowers and fruits in the umbels of second and third order. Three plants (25 %) produced an additional branch order composed of 100 % male umbels. Conclusions Inherited andromonoecy and the plastic response to environmental conditions are interpreted as a self-regulating system saving investment costs and optimizing fruit set at the same time. PMID:23585495

Structural, electronic and vibrational properties of GexCy (x+y=2-5) nanoclusters: A B3LYP-DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goswami, Sohini; Saha, Sushmita; Yadav, R. K.

2015-11-01

An ab-initio study of the stability, structural and electronic properties has been made for 84 germanium carbide nanoclusters, GexCy (x+y=2-5). The configuration possessing the maximum value of final binding energy (FBE), among the various configurations corresponding to a fixed x+y=n value, is named as the most stable structure. The vibrational and optical properties have been investigated only for the most stable structures. A B3LYP-DFT/6-311G(3df) method has been employed to optimize fully the geometries of the nanoclusters. The binding energies (BE), highest-occupied and lowest-unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gaps have been obtained for all the clusters and the bond lengths have been reported for the most stable clusters. We have considered the zero point energy (ZPE) corrections. The adiabatic and vertical ionization potentials (IPs) and electron affinities (EAs), charge on atoms, dipole moments, vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities (IR Int.), relative infrared intensities (Rel. IR Int.) and Raman scattering activities have also been investigated for the most stable structures. The configurations containing the carbon atoms in majority are seen to be the most stable structures. The strong C-C bond has important role in stabilizing the clusters. For the clusters containing one germanium atom and all the other as carbon atoms, the BE increases monotonically with the number of the carbon atoms. The HOMO-LUMO gap, IPs and EAs fluctuates with increase in the number of atoms. The nanoclusters containing even number of carbon atoms have large HOMO-LUMO gaps and IPs, whereas the nanoclusters containing even number of carbon atoms have small EAs. In general, the adiabatic IP (EA) is smaller (greater) than the vertical IP (EA). The optical absorption spectrum or electron energy loss spectrum (EELS) is unique for every cluster, and may be used to characterize a specific cluster. All the predicted physical quantities are in good agreement with the

An Unusual Accumulation of Ribosomal Multigene Families and Microsatellite DNAs in the XX/XY Sex Chromosome System in the Trans-Andean Catfish Pimelodella cf. chagresi (Siluriformes:Heptapteridae).

PubMed

Conde-Saldaña, Cristhian Camilo; Barreto, Cynthia Aparecida Valiati; Villa-Navarro, Francisco Antonio; Dergam, Jorge Abdala

2018-02-01

This work constitutes the first cytogenetic characterization of a trans-Andean species of Heptapteridae. The catfish Pimelodella cf. chagresi from the Upper Rio Magdalena was studied, applying standard cytogenetic techniques (Giemsa, C-banding, and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region [Ag-NOR]) and fluorescence in situ hybridization techniques using repetitive DNA probes: microsatellites (CA 15 and GA 15 ) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) multigene families (18S and 5S recombinant DNA [rDNA] probes). The species showed a unique diploid chromosome number 2n = 50 (32m [metacentrics] +14sm [submetacentrics] +4st [subtelocentrics]) and a XX/XY sex chromosomal system, where the heteromorphic Y-chromosome revealed a conspicuous accumulation of all the assayed domains of repetitive DNA. P. cf. chagresi karyotype shares common features with other Heptapteridae, such as the predominance of metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes, and one pair of subtelomeric nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). These results reflect an independent karyological identity of a trans-Andean species and the relevance of repetitive DNA sequences in the process of sex chromosome differentiation in fish; it is the first case of syntenic accumulation of rRNA multigene families (18S and 5S rDNA) and microsatellite sequences (CA 15 and GA 15 ) in a differentiated sex chromosome in Neotropical fish.

Synthesis and Characterization of New Poly(alkyl/arylphosphazenes)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-11-26

substituted (silylamino) phosphines , 7, (eq 4) in good yields as thermally stable, distillable liquids. Subsequent oxidative halogenation to 8a, followed by...have been prepared simply by treating the anion with aldehydes or ketones, including those with potentially electroactive groups such as ferrocene 2 1...i.e., x:y = 2:1), but is as high as 45% for the ferrocene and thiophene derivatives. The T values of the alcohol derivatives show the expected

Fluidized bed heat treating system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ripley, Edward B; Pfennigwerth, Glenn L

Systems for heat treating materials are presented. The systems typically involve a fluidized bed that contains granulated heat treating material. In some embodiments a fluid, such as an inert gas, is flowed through the granulated heat treating medium, which homogenizes the temperature of the heat treating medium. In some embodiments the fluid may be heated in a heating vessel and flowed into the process chamber where the fluid is then flowed through the granulated heat treating medium. In some embodiments the heat treating material may be liquid or granulated heat treating material and the heat treating material may be circulatedmore » through a heating vessel into a process chamber where the heat treating material contacts the material to be heat treated. Microwave energy may be used to provide the source of heat for heat treating systems.« less

Sex-biased miRNAs in gonad and their potential roles for testis development in yellow catfish.

PubMed

Jing, Jing; Wu, Junjie; Liu, Wei; Xiong, Shuting; Ma, Wenge; Zhang, Jin; Wang, Weimin; Gui, Jian-Fang; Mei, Jie

2014-01-01

Recently, YY super-male yellow catfish had been created by hormonal-induced sex reversal and sex-linked markers, which provides a promising research model for fish sex differentiation and gonad development, especially for testis development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been revealed to play crucial roles in the gene regulation and gonad development in vertebrates. In this study, three small RNA libraries constructed from gonad tissues of XX female, XY male and YY super-male yellow catfish were sequenced. The sequencing data generated a total of 384 conserved miRNAs and 113 potential novel miRNAs, among which 23, 30 and 14 miRNAs were specifically detected in XX ovary, XY testis, and YY testis, respectively. We observed relative lower expression of several miR-200 family members, including miR-141 and miR-429 in YY testis compared with XY testis. Histological analysis indicated a higher degree of testis maturity in YY super-males compared with XY males, as shown by larger spermatogenic cyst, more spermatids and fewer spermatocytes in the spermatogenic cyst. Moreover, five miR-200 family members were significantly up-regulated in testis when treated by 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), high dose of which will impair testis development and cell proliferation. The down-regulation of miR-141 and 429 coincides with the progression of testis development in both yellow catfish and human. At last, the expression pattern of nine arbitrarily selected miRNAs detected by quantitative RT-PCR was consistent with the Solexa sequencing results. Our study provides a comprehensive miRNA transcriptome analysis for gonad of yellow catfish with different sex genotypes, and identifies a number of sex-biased miRNAs, some of that are potentially involved in testis development and spermatogenesis.

Changes in inflorescence protein during advanced stages of floret development in Buchloe dactyloides (Poaceae).

PubMed

Zhou, Y-J; Xue, J-G; Wang, X-G; Zhang, X-Q

2012-11-12

Buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides, is a dioecious species native to the Great Plains of North America. The florets at the early stages of development possess both gynoecium and androecium organ primordia but later become unisexual. Very little is known about the proteomic changes that occur when the florets change from hermaphroditism to unisexuality. We compared the protein composition of florets at the hermaphroditic stage with that at the unisexual stage. The development stage of the floret was determined by stereomicroscopic observation. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to separate the proteins extracted from female and male inflorescences. Stage- specific protein maps, with an average of about 400 spots per map, were analyzed with the protein analysis software. Eighteen spots were found to be differentially expressed between the hermaphrodite and unisexual stages. Of these, 12 were present at both stages but with a different expression value. Four specific spots appeared at the hermaphrodite stage and disappeared at the unisexual stage. Two specific protein spots were associated with female and male floret differentiation. One appears to be associated with contabescence in the female floret and the final protein appears to lead to the abortion of gynoecium in the male floret. The MALDI TOF/TOF technique was used for peptide mass fingerprinting of the differentially expressed proteins and the MASCOT software was used to search the protein database. However, only two protein spots were identified from the database. These were aldolase1 and Os05g0574400 (similar to malate dehydrogenase). This type of proteomic study can help to identify novel protein products and determine the mechanisms involved in the floral sex differentiation process in buffalo grass.

Sex-specific markers developed by next-generation sequencing confirmed an XX/XY sex determination system in bighead carp (Hypophthalmichehys nobilis) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix).

PubMed

Liu, Haiyang; Pang, Meixia; Yu, Xiaomu; Zhou, Ying; Tong, Jingou; Fu, Beide

2018-01-05

Sex-specific markers are powerful tools for identifying sex-determination system in various animals. Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichehys nobilis) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) are two of the most important edible fish in Asia, which have a long juvenility period that can lasts for 4-5 years. In this study, we found one sex-specific marker by next-generation sequencing together with bioinformatics analysis in bighead carp. The male-specific markers were used to perform molecular sexing in the progenies of artificial gynogenetic diploids and found all progenies (n = 160) were females. Meanwhile, around 1 : 1 sex ratio was observed in a total of 579 juvenile offspring from three other families. To further extend the male-specific region, we performed genome walking and got a male-specific sequence of 8,661 bp. Five pairs of primers were designed and could be used to efficiently distinguish males from females in bighead carp and silver carp. The development of these male-specific markers and results of their molecular sexing in different populations provide strong evidence for a sex determination system of female homogametry or male heterogametry (XX/XY) in bighead carp and silver carp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of effective sex-specific markers in these two large carp species. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Anaerobic Oxidation of o-Xylene, m-Xylene, and Homologous Alkylbenzenes by New Types of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

PubMed Central

Harms, Gerda; Zengler, Karsten; Rabus, Ralf; Aeckersberg, Frank; Minz, Dror; Rosselló-Mora, Ramon; Widdel, Friedrich

1999-01-01

Various alkylbenzenes were depleted during growth of an anaerobic, sulfate-reducing enrichment culture with crude oil as the only source of organic substrates. From this culture, two new types of mesophilic, rod-shaped sulfate-reducing bacteria, strains oXyS1 and mXyS1, were isolated with o-xylene and m-xylene, respectively, as organic substrates. Sequence analyses of 16S rRNA genes revealed that the isolates affiliated with known completely oxidizing sulfate-reducing bacteria of the δ subclass of the class Proteobacteria. Strain oXyS1 showed the highest similarities to Desulfobacterium cetonicum and Desulfosarcina variabilis (similarity values, 98.4 and 98.7%, respectively). Strain mXyS1 was less closely related to known species, the closest relative being Desulfococcus multivorans (similarity value, 86.9%). Complete mineralization of o-xylene and m-xylene was demonstrated in quantitative growth experiments. Strain oXyS1 was able to utilize toluene, o-ethyltoluene, benzoate, and o-methylbenzoate in addition to o-xylene. Strain mXyS1 oxidized toluene, m-ethyltoluene, m-isoproyltoluene, benzoate, and m-methylbenzoate in addition to m-xylene. Strain oXyS1 did not utilize m-alkyltoluenes, whereas strain mXyS1 did not utilize o-alkyltoluenes. Like the enrichment culture, both isolates grew anaerobically on crude oil with concomitant reduction of sulfate to sulfide. PMID:10049854

Direct LAMP Assay without Prior DNA Purification for Sex Determination of Papaya.

PubMed

Tsai, Chi-Chu; Shih, Huei-Chuan; Ko, Ya-Zhu; Wang, Ren-Huang; Li, Shu-Ju; Chiang, Yu-Chung

2016-09-24

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an economically important tropical fruit tree with hermaphrodite, male and female sex types. Hermaphroditic plants are the major type used for papaya production because their fruits have more commercial advantages than those of female plants. Sex determination of the seedlings, or during the early growth stages, is very important for the papaya seedling industry. Thus far, the only method for determining the sex type of a papaya at the seedling stage has been DNA analysis. In this study, a molecular technique-based on DNA analysis-was developed for detecting male-hermaphrodite-specific markers to examine the papaya's sex type. This method is based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and does not require prior DNA purification. The results show that the method is an easy, efficient, and inexpensive way to determine a papaya's sex. This is the first report on the LAMP assay, using intact plant materials-without DNA purification-as samples for the analysis of sex determination of papaya. We found that using high-efficiency DNA polymerase was essential for successful DNA amplification, using trace intact plant material as a template DNA source.

A transcriptomics investigation into pine reproductive organ development.

PubMed

Niu, Shihui; Yuan, Huwei; Sun, Xinrui; Porth, Ilga; Li, Yue; El-Kassaby, Yousry A; Li, Wei

2016-02-01

The development of reproductive structures in gymnosperms is still poorly studied because of a lack of genomic information and useful genetic tools. The hermaphroditic reproductive structure derived from unisexual gymnosperms is an even less studied aspect of seed plant evolution. To extend our understanding of the molecular mechanism of hermaphroditism and the determination of sexual identity of conifer reproductive structures in general, unisexual and bisexual cones from Pinus tabuliformis were profiled for gene expression using 60K microarrays. Expression patterns of genes during progression of sexual cone development were analysed using RNA-seq. The results showed that, overall, the transcriptomes of male structures in bisexual cones were more similar to those of female cones. However, the expression of several MADS-box genes in the bisexual cones was similar to that of male cones at the more juvenile developmental stage, while despite these expression shifts, male structures of bisexual cones and normal male cones were histologically indistinguishable and cone development was continuous. This study represents a starting point for in-depth analysis of the molecular regulation of cone development and also the origin of hermaphroditism in pine. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Direct LAMP Assay without Prior DNA Purification for Sex Determination of Papaya

PubMed Central

Tsai, Chi-Chu; Shih, Huei-Chuan; Ko, Ya-Zhu; Wang, Ren-Huang; Li, Shu-Ju; Chiang, Yu-Chung

2016-01-01

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an economically important tropical fruit tree with hermaphrodite, male and female sex types. Hermaphroditic plants are the major type used for papaya production because their fruits have more commercial advantages than those of female plants. Sex determination of the seedlings, or during the early growth stages, is very important for the papaya seedling industry. Thus far, the only method for determining the sex type of a papaya at the seedling stage has been DNA analysis. In this study, a molecular technique—based on DNA analysis—was developed for detecting male-hermaphrodite-specific markers to examine the papaya’s sex type. This method is based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and does not require prior DNA purification. The results show that the method is an easy, efficient, and inexpensive way to determine a papaya’s sex. This is the first report on the LAMP assay, using intact plant materials-without DNA purification-as samples for the analysis of sex determination of papaya. We found that using high-efficiency DNA polymerase was essential for successful DNA amplification, using trace intact plant material as a template DNA source. PMID:27669237

Spermatozoan ultrastructure of scleractinian corals from the eastern Pacific: Pocilloporidae and Agariciidae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, S. C. C.; Cortés, J.

1996-06-01

Spermatozoa of Pocillopora damicornis, Pocillopora elegans (Astrocoeniina, Pocilloporidae) and Pavona gigantea (Fungiina, Agariciidae) from the eastern Pacific (Isla del Caño, Costa Rica) were examined using transmission electron microscopy. The hermaphroditic pocilloporids P. damicornis and P. elegans are spermiomorphologically very similar to hermaphroditic acroporids, being characterized by bullet-shaped nuclei and elongated mitochondria. Such traits have not been found in other families. Thus, the suborder Astrocoeniina, including pocilloporids and acroporids, can clearly be distinguished from other scleractinian suborders. This separation underlines the isolated position of the Astrocoeniina within the order Scleractinia following the evolutionary scheme of Wells. A conical sperm type, known from gonochoric species (sexes separate) from all families except Acroporidae and Pocilloporidae, was found in the gonochoric agariciid Pavona gigantea. This supports previous findings that gonochoric corals share a unique and common sperm structure regardless of which family they belong to. However, no gonochoric Astrocoeniina have ever been examined. Hence, the question whether the sperm type common to gonochorists is also represented in Astrocoeniina, which would undermine the ultrastructural distinction of Astrocoeniina and other suborders seen among hermaphrodites, as well as the systematic value of sperm structure within scleractinian corals, remains open.

The DM domain transcription factor MAB-3 regulates male hypersensitivity to oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Inoue, Hideki; Nishida, Eisuke

2010-07-01

Sex differences occur in most species and involve a variety of biological characteristics. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans consists of two sexes, self-fertile hermaphrodites (XX) and males (XO). Males differ from hermaphrodites in morphology, behavior, and life span. Here, we find that male C. elegans worms are much more sensitive than hermaphrodites to oxidative stress and show that the DM domain transcription factor MAB-3 plays a pivotal role in determining this male hypersensitivity. The hypersensitivity to oxidative stress does not depend on the dosage of X chromosomes but is determined by the somatic sex determination pathway. Our analyses show that the male hypersensitivity is controlled by MAB-3, one of the downstream effectors of the master terminal switch TRA-1 in the sex determination pathway. Moreover, we find that MAB-3 suppresses expression of several transcriptional target genes of the ELT-2 GATA factor, which is a global regulator of transcription in the C. elegans intestine, and show that RNA interference (RNAi) against elt-2 increases sensitivity to oxidative stress. These results strongly suggest that the DM domain protein MAB-3 regulates oxidative stress sensitivity by repressing transcription of ELT-2 target genes in the intestine.

Does energy availability predict gastropod reproductive strategies?

PubMed Central

McClain, Craig R.; Filler, Ryan; Auld, Josh R.

2014-01-01

The diversity of reproductive strategies in nature is shaped by a plethora of factors including energy availability. For example, both low temperatures and limited food availability could increase larval exposure to predation by slowing development, selecting against pelagic and/or feeding larvae. The frequency of hermaphroditism could increase under low food availability as population density (and hence mate availability) decreases. We examine the relationship between reproductive/life-history traits and energy availability for 189 marine gastropod families. Only larval type was related to energy availability with the odds of having planktotrophic larvae versus direct development decreasing by 1% with every one-unit increase in the square root of carbon flux. Simultaneous hermaphroditism also potentially increases with carbon flux, but this effect disappears when accounting for evolutionary relationships among taxa. Our findings are in contrast to some theory and empirical work demonstrating that hermaphroditism should increase and planktotrophic development should decrease with decreasing productivity. Instead, they suggest that some reproductive strategies are too energetically expensive at low food availabilities, or arise only when energy is available, and others serve to capitalize on opportunities for aggregation or increased energy availability. PMID:25009058

Spike phase synchronization in multiplex cortical neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalili, Mahdi

2017-01-01

In this paper we study synchronizability of two multiplex cortical networks: whole-cortex of hermaphrodite C. elegans and posterior cortex in male C. elegans. These networks are composed of two connection layers: network of chemical synapses and the one formed by gap junctions. This work studies the contribution of each layer on the phase synchronization of non-identical spiking Hindmarsh-Rose neurons. The network of male C. elegans shows higher phase synchronization than its randomized version, while it is not the case for hermaphrodite type. The random networks in each layer are constructed such that the nodes have the same degree as the original network, thus providing an unbiased comparison. In male C. elegans, although the gap junction network is sparser than the chemical network, it shows higher contribution in the synchronization phenomenon. This is not the case in hermaphrodite type, which is mainly due to significant less density of gap junction layer (0.013) as compared to chemical layer (0.028). Also, the gap junction network in this type has stronger community structure than the chemical network, and this is another driving factor for its weaker synchronizability.

Sex Pheromones of C. elegans Males Prime the Female Reproductive System and Ameliorate the Effects of Heat Stress

PubMed Central

Aprison, Erin Z.; Ruvinsky, Ilya

2015-01-01

Pheromones are secreted molecules that mediate animal communications. These olfactory signals can have substantial effects on physiology and likely play important roles in organismal survival in natural habitats. Here we show that a blend of two ascaroside pheromones produced by C. elegans males primes the female reproductive system in part by improving sperm guidance toward oocytes. Worms have different physiological responses to different ratios of the same two molecules, revealing an efficient mechanism for increasing coding potential of a limited repertoire of molecular signals. The endogenous function of the male sex pheromones has an important side benefit. It substantially ameliorates the detrimental effects of prolonged heat stress on hermaphrodite reproduction because it increases the effectiveness with which surviving gametes are used following stress. Hermaphroditic species are expected to lose female-specific traits in the course of evolution. Our results suggest that some of these traits could have serendipitous utility due to their ability to counter the effects of stress. We propose that this is a general mechanism by which some mating-related functions could be retained in hermaphroditic species, despite their expected decay. PMID:26645097

Repellent-Treated Clothing

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA regulates the pesticide permethrin to pre-treat clothing. We evaluate the safety and effectiveness of such insecticide uses, by exposure scenarios and risk assessment. Read and follow the label directions for use of permethrin-treated clothing.

Subtractive and differential hybridization molecular analyses of Ceratitis capitata XX/XY versus XX embryos to search for male-specific early transcribed genes.

PubMed

Salvemini, Marco; D'Amato, Rocco; Petrella, Valeria; Ippolito, Domenica; Ventre, Giuseppe; Zhang, Ying; Saccone, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

The agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, is a fruit crop pest of very high economic relevance in different continents. The strategy to separate Ceratitis males from females (sexing) in mass rearing facilities is a useful step before the sterilization and release of male-only flies in Sterile Insect Technique control programs (SIT). The identification of genes having early embryonic male-specific expression, including Y-linked genes, such as the Maleness factor, could help to design novel and improved methods of sexing in combination with transgenesis, aiming to confer conditional female-specific lethality or female-to-male sexual reversal. We used a combination of Suppression Subtractive Hybrydization (SSH), Mirror Orientation Selection (MOS) anddifferential screening hybridization (DSH) techniques to approach the problem of isolating corresponding mRNAs expressed in XX/XY embryos versus XX-only embryos during a narrow developmental window (8-10 hours after egg laying, AEL ). Here we describe a novel strategy we have conceived to obtain relatively large amounts of XX-only embryos staged at 8-10 h AEL and so to extract few micrograms of polyA+ required to apply the complex technical procedure. The combination of these 3 techniques led to the identification of a Y-linked putative gene, CcGm2, sharing high sequence identity to a paralogous gene, CcGm1, localized either on an autosome or on the X chromosome. We propose that CcGm2 is a first interesting putative Y-linked gene which could play a role in sex determination. The function exterted by this gene should be investigated by novel genetic tools, such as CRISPR-CAS9, which will permit to target only the Y-linked paralogue, avoiding to interfere with the autosomal or X-linked paralogue function.

Subtractive and differential hybridization molecular analyses of Ceratitis capitata XX/XY versus XX embryos to search for male-specific early transcribed genes

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, is a fruit crop pest of very high economic relevance in different continents. The strategy to separate Ceratitis males from females (sexing) in mass rearing facilities is a useful step before the sterilization and release of male-only flies in Sterile Insect Technique control programs (SIT). The identification of genes having early embryonic male-specific expression, including Y-linked genes, such as the Maleness factor, could help to design novel and improved methods of sexing in combination with transgenesis, aiming to confer conditional female-specific lethality or female-to-male sexual reversal. We used a combination of Suppression Subtractive Hybrydization (SSH), Mirror Orientation Selection (MOS) and differential screening hybridization (DSH) techniques to approach the problem of isolating corresponding mRNAs expressed in XX/XY embryos versus XX-only embryos during a narrow developmental window (8-10 hours after egg laying, AEL ). Here we describe a novel strategy we have conceived to obtain relatively large amounts of XX-only embryos staged at 8-10 h AEL and so to extract few micrograms of polyA+ required to apply the complex technical procedure. The combination of these 3 techniques led to the identification of a Y-linked putative gene, CcGm2, sharing high sequence identity to a paralogous gene, CcGm1, localized either on an autosome or on the X chromosome. We propose that CcGm2 is a first interesting putative Y-linked gene which could play a role in sex determination. The function exterted by this gene should be investigated by novel genetic tools, such as CRISPR-CAS9, which will permit to target only the Y-linked paralogue, avoiding to interfere with the autosomal or X-linked paralogue function. PMID:25472628

A discrete genetic locus confers xyloglucan metabolism in select human gut Bacteroidetes.

PubMed

Larsbrink, Johan; Rogers, Theresa E; Hemsworth, Glyn R; McKee, Lauren S; Tauzin, Alexandra S; Spadiut, Oliver; Klinter, Stefan; Pudlo, Nicholas A; Urs, Karthik; Koropatkin, Nicole M; Creagh, A Louise; Haynes, Charles A; Kelly, Amelia G; Cederholm, Stefan Nilsson; Davies, Gideon J; Martens, Eric C; Brumer, Harry

2014-02-27

A well-balanced human diet includes a significant intake of non-starch polysaccharides, collectively termed 'dietary fibre', from the cell walls of diverse fruits and vegetables. Owing to the paucity of alimentary enzymes encoded by the human genome, our ability to derive energy from dietary fibre depends on the saccharification and fermentation of complex carbohydrates by the massive microbial community residing in our distal gut. The xyloglucans (XyGs) are a ubiquitous family of highly branched plant cell wall polysaccharides whose mechanism(s) of degradation in the human gut and consequent importance in nutrition have been unclear. Here we demonstrate that a single, complex gene locus in Bacteroides ovatus confers XyG catabolism in this common colonic symbiont. Through targeted gene disruption, biochemical analysis of all predicted glycoside hydrolases and carbohydrate-binding proteins, and three-dimensional structural determination of the vanguard endo-xyloglucanase, we reveal the molecular mechanisms through which XyGs are hydrolysed to component monosaccharides for further metabolism. We also observe that orthologous XyG utilization loci (XyGULs) serve as genetic markers of XyG catabolism in Bacteroidetes, that XyGULs are restricted to a limited number of phylogenetically diverse strains, and that XyGULs are ubiquitous in surveyed human metagenomes. Our findings reveal that the metabolism of even highly abundant components of dietary fibre may be mediated by niche species, which has immediate fundamental and practical implications for gut symbiont population ecology in the context of human diet, nutrition and health.

Radar Imaging with a Network of Digital Noise Radar Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

This chapter develops the theoretical foundations of noise radar technology. Comprehensive theoretical models are developed for UWB noise radar, digital...Power to the Antenna +23 dBm Polarization HH Antenna Gain 6 dB ADC 8 Bits Sampling Rate 1.5 GHz/per channel Dynamic Range (0.8 Pd, 0.2 Pf ) 20 dB Range...from Eq. 3.25, can be found by solving Eq. 3.23 for E[XY ]. µrXY = E[XY ] = 〈xy〉 = ρσ2 (3.26) σrXY , from Eq. 3.25 can be derived through the

The Ethylene Biosynthesis Gene CitACS4 Regulates Monoecy/Andromonoecy in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

PubMed Central

Manzano, Susana; Aguado, Encarnación; Martínez, Cecilia; Megías, Zoraida; García, Alicia; Jamilena, Manuel

2016-01-01

Monoecious and andromonoecious cultivars of watermelon are characterised by the production of male and female flower or male and hermaphrodite flowers, respectively. The segregation analysis in the offspring of crosses between monoecious and andromonoecious lines has demonstrated that this trait is controlled by a single gene pair, being the monoecious allele M semi-dominant to the andromonoecious allele A. The two studied F1 hybrids (MA) had a predominantly monoecious phenotype since both produced not only female flowers, but also bisexual flowers with incomplete stamens, and hermaphrodite flowers with pollen. Given that in other cucurbit species andromonoecy is conferred by mutations in the ethylene biosynthesis genes CmACS7, CsACS2 and CpACS27A we have cloned and characterised CitACS4, the watermelon gene showing the highest similarity with the formers. CitACS4 encoded for a type ACS type III enzyme that is predominantly expressed in pistillate flowers of watermelon. In the andromonoecious line we have detected a missense mutation in a very conserved residue of CitACS4 (C364W) that cosegregates with the andromonoecious phenotype in two independent F2 populations, concomitantly with a reduction in ethylene production in the floral buds that will develop as hermaphrodite flowers. The gene does not however co-segregates with other sex expression traits regulated by ethylene in this species, including pistillate flowering transition and the number of pistillate flowers per plant. These data indicate that CitAC4 is likely to be involved in the biosynthesis of the ethylene required for stamen arrest during the development of female flowers. The C364W mutation would reduce the production of ethylene in pistillate floral buds, promoting the conversion of female into hermaphrodite flowers, and therefore of monoecy into andromonoecy. PMID:27149159

Similar Gender Dimorphism in the Costs of Reproduction across the Geographic Range of Fraxinus ornus

PubMed Central

Verdú, Miguel; Spanos, Kostas; čaňová, Ingrid; Slobodník, Branko; Paule, Ladislav

2007-01-01

Background and Aims The reproductive costs for individuals with the female function have been hypothesized to be greater than for those with the male function because the allocation unit per female flower is very high due to the necessity to nurture the embryos until seed dispersal occurs, while the male reproductive allocation per flower is lower because it finishes once pollen is shed. Consequently, males may invest more resources in growth than females. This prediction was tested across a wide geographical range in a tree with a dimorphic breeding system (Fraxinus ornus) consisting of males and hermaphrodites functioning as females. The contrasting ecological conditions found across the geographical range allowed the evaluation of the hypothesis that the reproductive costs of sexual dimorphism varies with environmental stressors. Methods By using random-effects meta-analysis, the differences in the reproductive and vegetative investment of male and hermaphrodite trees of F. ornus were analysed in 10 populations from the northern (Slovakia), south-eastern (Greece) and south-western (Spain) limits of its European distribution. The variation in gender-dimorphism with environmental stress was analysed by running a meta-regression between these effect sizes and the two environmental stress indicators: one related to temperature (the frost-free period) and another related to water availability (moisture deficit). Key Results Most of the effect sizes showed that males produced more flowers and grew more quickly than hermaphrodites. Gender differences in reproduction and growth were not minimized or maximized under adverse climatic conditions such as short frost-free periods or severe aridity. Conclusions The lower costs of reproduction for F. ornus males allow them to grow more quickly than hermaphrodites, although such differences in sex-specific reproductive costs are not magnified under stressful conditions. PMID:17098751

Frequency-dependent pollinator discrimination acts against female plants in the gynodioecious Geranium maculatum.

PubMed

Van Etten, Megan L; Chang, Shu-Mei

2014-12-01

Gynodioecy, the co-occurrence of female and hermaphroditic individuals, is thought to be an intermediate step between hermaphroditism and separate sexes, a major transition in flowering plants. Because retaining females in a population requires that they have increased seed fitness (to compensate for the lack of pollen fitness), factors that affect seed fitness are of great importance to the evolution of this mating system and have often been studied. However, factors negatively affecting female fitness are equally important and have been largely neglected. One such factor stems from female flowers being less attractive to insects than hermaphrodite flowers, thereby decreasing their relative fitness. To test the severity and consequences of this type of pollinator discrimination in Geranium maculatum, experimental populations with the range of sex ratios observed in nature were created, ranging from 13 % to 42 % females. Pollinators were observed in order to measure the strength of discrimination, and pollen deposition and seed production of both sexes were measured to determine the fitness consequences of this discrimination. Additionally a comparison was made across the sex ratios to determine whether discrimination was frequency-dependent. It was found that female flowers, on average, were visited at half of the rate of hermaphrodite flowers, which decreased their pollen receipt and seed production. Additionally, females were most discriminated against when rare, due to both changes in the pollinators' behaviour and a shift in pollinator composition. The results suggest that pollinator discrimination negatively affects females' relative fitness when they are rare. Thus, the initial spread of females in a population, the first step in the evolution of gynodioecy, may be made more difficult due to pollinator discrimination. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions

One «Both» Sex«es»: Observations, suppositions, and airy speculations on fetal sex anatomy in British scientific literature, 1794-1871.

PubMed

Brooks, Ross

2015-01-01

The hegemony of the two-sex paradigm in the European scientific imagination and wider culture did not automatically equate to the hegemony of two discrete genders. In fact, two sexes facilitated a variety of gender choices: two singular and a number of double or otherwise intersexed (most commonly referred to as "hermaphrodite" or "bisexual" in its anatomical sense). This article explores some key British medical and allied scientific texts, with reference to associated Continental literature, as a means of illustrating the complexity of the two-sex paradigm and the unexpected transformation of gender possibilities that it helped produce through the early and middle decades of the nineteenth century. Discourses surrounding the first direct observations of the earliest development of fetal urinogenital anatomy were pivotal. The prevailing view that the incipient embryo was sexually undifferentiated (a paragon of the one-sex paradigm) was challenged by the Edinburgh anatomist Robert Knox, initially as he sought to bolster his professional reputation at the height of the Burke and Hare "body-snatching" scandal. Knox suggested that every embryo began life in an essentially dual-sexed state, an individual's sex anatomy depending on the greater or lesser development of component female and male structures. Greater clarification on the contested status of the homology-hermaphrodite distinction was achieved with the discovery of the early co-existence of the excretory duct of the Wolffian body (mesonephric duct) and the Müllerian duct (paramesonephric duct), an observation that made anatomical bisexuality difficult to ignore. The nineteenth-century's greatest champion of primordial hermaphroditism was Charles Darwin who was pivotal in phylogenizing the principle and establishing the premise that (in his own words) "Every man & woman is hermaphrodite," a foundation stone of late-nineteenth-century sexology. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All

Characterization of Gonadal Transcriptomes from Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reveals Differentially Expressed Genes

PubMed Central

Sun, Yunlv; Yang, Shijie; Li, Minghui; Zeng, Sheng; Huang, Baofeng; Wang, Deshou

2013-01-01

Four pairs of XX and XY gonads from Nile tilapia were sequenced at four developmental stages, 5, 30, 90, and 180 days after hatching (dah) using Illumina HiseqTM technology. This produced 28 Gb sequences, which were mapped to 21,334 genes. Of these, 259 genes were found to be specifically expressed in XY gonads, and 69 were found to be specific to XX gonads. Totally, 187 XX- and 1,358 XY-enhanced genes were identified, and 2,978 genes were found to be co-expressed in XX and XY gonads. Almost all steroidogenic enzymes, including cyp19a1a, were up-regulated in XX gonads at 5 dah; but in XY gonads these enzymes, including cyp11b2, were significantly up-regulated at 90 dah, indicating that, at a time critical to sex determination, the XX fish produced estrogen and the XY fish did not produce androgens. The most pronounced expression of steroidogenic enzyme genes was observed at 30 and 90 dah for XX and XY gonads, corresponding to the initiation of germ cell meiosis in the female and male gonads, respectively. Both estrogen and androgen receptors were found to be expressed in XX gonads, but only estrogen receptors were expressed in XY gonads at 5 dah. This could explain why exogenous steroid treatment induced XX and XY sex reversal. The XX-enhanced expression of cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b at all stages suggests an important role for estrogen in female sex determination and maintenance of phenotypic sex. This work is the largest collection of gonadal transcriptome data in tilapia and lays the foundation for future studies into the molecular mechanisms of sex determination and maintenance of phenotypic sex in non-model teleosts. PMID:23658843

Pharmacotherapeutic approaches for treating psoriasis in difficult-to-treat areas.

PubMed

Kivelevitch, Dario; Frieder, Jillian; Watson, Ian; Paek, So Yeon; Menter, M Alan

2018-04-01

Despite great therapeutic advancements in psoriasis, four notable difficult-to-treat areas including the scalp, nails, intertriginous (including genitals), and palmoplantar regions, pose a challenge to both physicians and patients. Localized disease of these specific body regions inflicts a significant burden on patients' quality of life and requires an adequate selection of treatments. Areas covered: This manuscript discusses appropriate therapies and important treatment considerations for these difficult-to-treat areas based on the available clinical data from the literature. Expert opinion: Clinical trials assessing therapies for the difficult-to-treat areas have been inadequate. With the first biological clinical trial for genital psoriasis pending publication, it is with hope that other biological agents will be evaluated for region-specific psoriasis. A greater understanding of the genetic and immunologic aspects of regional psoriasis, as well as identification of unique biomarkers, will further guide management decisions. For example, the recent discovery of the IL-36 receptor gene for generalized pustular psoriasis may prove valuable for other forms of psoriasis. Ultimately, identification of the most beneficial treatments for each psoriasis subtype and difficult-to-treat area will provide patients with maximal quality of life.

Purification and characterization of xylitol dehydrogenase with l-arabitol dehydrogenase activity from the newly isolated pentose-fermenting yeast Meyerozyma caribbica 5XY2.

PubMed

Sukpipat, Wiphat; Komeda, Hidenobu; Prasertsan, Poonsuk; Asano, Yasuhisa

2017-01-01

Meyerozyma caribbica strain 5XY2, which was isolated from an alcohol fermentation starter in Thailand, was found to catabolize l-arabinose as well as d-glucose and d-xylose. The highest production amounts of ethanol from d-glucose, xylitol from d-xylose, and l-arabitol from l-arabinose were 0.45 g/g d-glucose, 0.60 g/g d-xylose, and 0.61 g/g l-arabinose with 21.7 g/L ethanol, 20.2 g/L xylitol, and 30.3 g/l l-arabitol, respectively. The enzyme with l-arabitol dehydrogenase (LAD) activity was purified from the strain and found to exhibit broad specificity to polyols, such as xylitol, d-sorbitol, ribitol, and l-arabitol. Xylitol was the preferred substrate with K m =16.1 mM and k cat /K m =67.0 min -1 mM -1 , while l-arabitol was also a substrate for the enzyme with K m =31.1 mM and k cat /K m =6.5 min -1  mM -1 . Therefore, this enzyme from M. caribbica was named xylitol dehydrogenase (McXDH). McXDH had an optimum temperature and pH at 40°C and 9.5, respectively. The McXDH gene included a coding sequence of 1086 bp encoding a putative 362 amino acid protein of 39 kDa with an apparent homopentamer structure. Native McXDH and recombinant McXDH exhibited relative activities toward l-arabitol of approximately 20% that toward xylitol, suggesting the applicability of this enzyme with the functions of XDH and LAD to the development of pentose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The reuse of treated wood

Treesearch

Robert L. Smith; David Bailey; Delton R. Alderman; Philip A. Araman

2006-01-01

The primary goals of this book chapter are to identify barriers to the reuse of treated lumber, to describe the physical properties of spent chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated lumber coming from residential decks and to identify potential products and markets that can use spent treated lumber. The primary focus will be on CCA-treated lumber because it has been the...

Caenorhabditis elegans Male Copulation Circuitry Incorporates Sex-Shared Defecation Components To Promote Intromission and Sperm Transfer

PubMed Central

LeBoeuf, Brigitte; Garcia, L. Rene

2016-01-01

Sexual dimorphism can be achieved using a variety of mechanisms, including sex-specific circuits and sex-specific function of shared circuits, though how these work together to produce sexually dimorphic behaviors requires further investigation. Here, we explore how components of the sex-shared defecation circuitry are incorporated into the sex-specific male mating circuitry in Caenorhabditis elegans to produce successful copulation. Using behavioral studies, calcium imaging, and genetic manipulation, we show that aspects of the defecation system are coopted by the male copulatory circuitry to facilitate intromission and ejaculation. Similar to hermaphrodites, male defecation is initiated by an intestinal calcium wave, but circuit activity is coordinated differently during mating. In hermaphrodites, the tail neuron DVB promotes expulsion of gut contents through the release of the neurotransmitter GABA onto the anal depressor muscle. However, in the male, both neuron and muscle take on modified functions to promote successful copulation. Males require calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion (CAPS)/unc-31, a dense core vesicle exocytosis activator protein, in the DVB to regulate copulatory spicule insertion, while the anal depressor is remodeled to promote release of sperm into the hermaphrodite. This work shows how sex-shared circuitry is modified in multiple ways to contribute to sex-specific mating. PMID:28031243

'Inconstant males' and the maintenance of labile sex expression in subdioecious plants.

PubMed

Ehlers, Bodil K; Bataillon, Thomas

2007-01-01

* Here, we evaluate the role of pollen limitation and selfing in the maintenance of labile sex expression in subdioecious plant species. * We used a literature survey to explore which factors correlated with a significant occurrence of hermaphrodites in dioecious species. We developed models to explore the selective maintenance of labile sex expression. The models had similar ecological assumptions but differed in the genetic basis of sex lability. * We found that a significant frequency of hermaphrodites was associated with animal pollination, and that hermaphrodites were 'inconstant' males with perfect flowers, suggesting evolution through the gynodioecious pathway. Models showed that a modifier converting pure males into inconstant males could be maintained under a wide range of reduction in both male and female fitness. Pollen limitation and self-fertilization facilitated invasion of the modifier. Depending on the genetics of sex determination, we found pure dioecy, stable subdioecy (trioecy), and situations where inconstant males coexisted with either pure females or pure males. Under selfing and pollen limitation, certain conditions selected for inconstant males which will drive populations to extinction. * We discuss our results in relation to the evolution towards, and the breakdown of, dioecy, and the ecological and evolutionary implications of labile sex expression.

Multilocus Sex Determination Revealed in Two Populations of Gynodioecious Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata

PubMed Central

Ashman, Tia-Lynn; Tennessen, Jacob A.; Dalton, Rebecca M.; Govindarajulu, Rajanikanth; Koski, Matthew H.; Liston, Aaron

2015-01-01

Gynodioecy, the coexistence of females and hermaphrodites, occurs in 20% of angiosperm families and often enables transitions between hermaphroditism and dioecy. Clarifying mechanisms of sex determination in gynodioecious species can thus illuminate sexual system evolution. Genetic determination of gynodioecy, however, can be complex and is not fully characterized in any wild species. We used targeted sequence capture to genetically map a novel nuclear contributor to male sterility in a self-pollinated hermaphrodite of Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata from the southern portion of its range. To understand its interaction with another identified locus and possibly additional loci, we performed crosses within and between two populations separated by 2000 km, phenotyped the progeny and sequenced candidate markers at both sex-determining loci. The newly mapped locus contains a high density of pentatricopeptide repeat genes, a class commonly involved in restoration of fertility caused by cytoplasmic male sterility. Examination of all crosses revealed three unlinked epistatically interacting loci that determine sexual phenotype and vary in frequency between populations. Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata represents the first wild gynodioecious species with genomic evidence of both cytoplasmic and nuclear genes in sex determination. We propose a model for the interactions between these loci and new hypotheses for the evolution of sex determining chromosomes in the subdioecious and dioecious Fragaria. PMID:26483011

A reconstruction of sexual modes throughout animal evolution.

PubMed

Sasson, Daniel A; Ryan, Joseph F

2017-12-06

Although most extant animals have separate sexes, simultaneous hermaphrodites can be found in lineages throughout the animal kingdom. However, the sexual modes of key ancestral nodes including the last common ancestor (LCA) of all animals remain unclear. Without these data, it is difficult to infer the reproductive-state transitions that occurred early in animal evolution, and thus a broad understanding of the evolution of animal reproduction remains elusive. In this study, we use a composite phylogeny from four previously published studies, two alternative topologies (ctenophores or sponges as sister to the rest of animals), and multiple phylogenetic approaches to conduct the most extensive analysis to date of the evolution of animal sexual modes. Our analyses clarify the sexual mode of many ancestral animal nodes and allow for sound inferences of modal transitions that have occurred in animal history. Our results also indicate that the transition from separate sexes to hermaphroditism has been more common in animal history than the reverse. These results provide the most complete view of the evolution of animal sexual modes to date and provide a framework for future inquiries into the correlation of these transitions with genes, behaviors, and physiology. These results also suggest that mutations promoting hermaphroditism have historically been more likely to invade gonochoristic populations than vice versa.

Non-coding RNA may be associated with cytoplasmic male sterility in Silene vulgaris

PubMed Central

Stone, James D.; Koloušková, Pavla; Sloan, Daniel B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a widespread phenomenon in flowering plants caused by mitochondrial (mt) genes. CMS genes typically encode novel proteins that interfere with mt functions and can be silenced by nuclear fertility-restorer genes. Although the molecular basis of CMS is well established in a number of crop systems, our understanding of it in natural populations is far more limited. To identify CMS genes in a gynodioecious plant, Silene vulgaris, we constructed mt transcriptomes and compared transcript levels and RNA editing patterns in floral bud tissue from female and hermaphrodite full siblings. The transcriptomes from female and hermaphrodite individuals were very similar overall with respect to variation in levels of transcript abundance across the genome, the extent of RNA editing, and the order in which RNA editing and intron splicing events occurred. We found only a single genomic region that was highly overexpressed and differentially edited in females relative to hermaphrodites. This region is not located near any other transcribed elements and lacks an open-reading frame (ORF) of even moderate size. To our knowledge, this transcript would represent the first non-coding mt RNA associated with CMS in plants and is, therefore, an important target for future functional validation studies. PMID:28369520

Treating chancroid with enoxacin.

PubMed Central

Naamara, W; Kunimoto, D Y; D'Costa, L J; Ndinya-Achola, J O; Nsanze, H; Ronald, A R; Plummer, F A

1988-01-01

Increasing resistance of Haemophilus ducreyi to antimicrobials necessitates further trials of new antimicrobial agents for treating chancroid. Enoxacin has excellent in vitro activity against H ducreyi, and a randomised clinical trial of three doses of enoxacin 400 mg at intervals of 12 hours compared with a single dose of trimethoprim/sulphametrole (TMP/SMT) 640/3200 mg was therefore conducted. Of 169 men enrolled in the study, 86 received enoxacin and 83 received TMP/SMT. Ulcers were improved or cured in 65/73 men treated with enoxacin and 57/70 men treated with TMP/SMT. This difference was not significant. At 72 hours after treatment, H ducreyi was eradicated from ulcers of 72/77 men treated with enoxacin and of 67/74 of those treated with TMP/SMT. Patients with buboes responded equally well to both treatments. Of 100 H ducreyi strains tested, all were susceptible to both 0.25 mg/l enoxacin and the combination of 0.25 mg/l TMP and 5 mg/l SMT. Although most men treated with either regimen were cured, neither regimen appeared to be the optimum treatment for chancroid. This study shows the efficacy of enoxacin for a soft tissue infection caused by Gram negative organisms. PMID:3044978

Patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants: to treat or not to treat?

PubMed

Mohamed, M A; El-Dib, M; Alqahtani, S; Alyami, K; Ibrahim, A N; Aly, H

2017-06-01

Closing patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a widely accepted approach in the management of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Our objective is to test the hypothesis that conservative management (no treatment) of PDA will not affect survival without chronic lung diseases (CLD). This retrospective study utilizes a prospectively collected database to compare two cohorts of VLBW infants. Infants in the first group (2001 to 2009) had their PDA treated with pharmacological and if necessary with surgical ligation. PDA in the second group (2010 to 2014) was not treated with medical or surgical intervention. The primary outcome was survival without oxygen requirement at 36 weeks. Pulmonary and non-pulmonary morbidities were also compared. Logistic regression analyses were performed to control for confounders. This study included 643 VLBW infants, of them 415 infants in the Treat group and 228 in the No-Treat group. The rate of survival without CLD did not differ between Treat and No-Treat groups (78.4% vs 83.9%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.72, confidence interval (CI): 0.92 to 3.23, P=0.09). Mortality declined in No-Treat group (15.2% vs 10.5%, aOR=0.51, CI: 0.25 to 0.99, P=0.049), but the two groups did not differ in the incidence of CLD among survivors (5.8% vs 5.0%,=P0.47). Pulmonary complications and non-pulmonary morbidities did not differ between groups. Conservative management (no treatment) of PDA may not compromise survival without CLD and is not associated with increased morbidities in VLBW infants. Prospective physiological studies are needed to determine the sector of VLBW infants, if any, who could benefit from PDA treatment.

Optimal sensor fusion for land vehicle navigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morrow, J.D.

1990-10-01

Position location is a fundamental requirement in autonomous mobile robots which record and subsequently follow x,y paths. The Dept. of Energy, Office of Safeguards and Security, Robotic Security Vehicle (RSV) program involves the development of an autonomous mobile robot for patrolling a structured exterior environment. A straight-forward method for autonomous path-following has been adopted and requires digitizing'' the desired road network by storing x,y coordinates every 2m along the roads. The position location system used to define the locations consists of a radio beacon system which triangulates position off two known transponders, and dead reckoning with compass and odometer. Thismore » paper addresses the problem of combining these two measurements to arrive at a best estimate of position. Two algorithms are proposed: the optimal'' algorithm treats the measurements as random variables and minimizes the estimate variance, while the average error'' algorithm considers the bias in dead reckoning and attempts to guarantee an average error. Data collected on the algorithms indicate that both work well in practice. 2 refs., 7 figs.« less

XY Needs in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neidlinger, Jennifer

2011-01-01

This project examined the unique needs of boys in education. Biologically and physically, male students' developmental needs differ from their female counterparts. As a result, their educational needs are typically underserved and misunderstood in the standard co-educational classroom. This misunderstanding has led to a gap in educational…

77 FR 47820 - Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-10

... Science, will hold a workshop entitled ``Modeling Protogynous Hermaphrodite Fishes.'' DATES: The workshop... discuss data needs and modeling strategies. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may...

Treating Bronchiolitis in Infants

MedlinePlus

... before giving any other cold medicines. To prevent dehydration: Make sure your baby drinks lots of fluid . ... treated in a hospital for breathing problems or dehydration. Breathing problems may need to be treated with ...

Treating the Problem Prostate

MedlinePlus

... this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Prostate Enlargement Treating the Problem Prostate Past Issues / Winter 2017 ... Don't put it off." Read More "Prostate Enlargement" Articles Treating the Problem Prostate / Understanding Prostate Enlargement / ...

A dispermic chimera was identified in a healthy man with mixed field agglutination reaction in ABO blood grouping and mosaic 46, XY/46, XX karyotype.

PubMed

Hong, Xiaozhen; Ying, Yanlin; Xu, Xianguo; Liu, Ying; Chen, Zhimei; Lan, Xiaofei; Ma, Kairong; He, Ji; Zhu, Faming; Lv, Hangjun; Yan, Lixing

2013-04-01

Chimerism is the presence of two or more genetically distinct cell populations in one organism. Here, we reported the identification of dispermic chimerism in a 25-year-old male. Blood grouping was performed with standard gel centrifugation test cards. ABO and HLA-A,-B,-C,-DRB1 and -DQB1 loci genotyping was determined with PCR sequence-based typing. A quantitative analysis of dual red cells populations was measured by flow cytometer. The karyotype was analyzed by G-banded chromosomes. Short tandem repeat (STR) analysis was performed on blood, buccal mucosal and hair shafts samples. A mixed-field agglutination with anti-B antibody was observed with gel centrifugation tests, which showed a double populations of O and B groups RBCs. Two groups RBCs were also observed by flow cytometer with nearly 90% O group cells and 10% B group cells. The normal O01,O02,B101 alleles were identified in DNA sample of the proband. STR analysis revealed three alleles for D8S1179,D3S1358,TH01,D13S317,D16S539,D2S1338,D19S433,TPOX and D18S51 loci. HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 loci had three alleles and a karyotypic mosaic was found with 60% 46, XY and 40% 46, XX karyotype in the proband. In all studies, the third allele was attributable to a dual paternal contribution. A individual with dispermic chimerism was identified, which would generate by fertilization of an oocyte and the corresponding second polar body by two different sperms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reusing remediated CCA-treated wood

Treesearch

Carol A. Clausen

2003-01-01

Options for recycling and reusing chromated-copper-arsenate- (CCA) treated material include dimensional lumber and round wood size reduction, composites, and remediation. Size reduction by remilling, shaving, or resawing CCA-treated wood reduces the volume of landfilled waste material and provides many options for reusing used treated wood. Manufacturing composite...

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumor - role of surgical staging and gonadal dysgenesis.

PubMed

Lin, Ken Y; Bryant, Stefanie; Miller, David S; Kehoe, Siobhan M; Richardson, Debra L; Lea, Jayanthi S

2014-07-01

To evaluate the effect of comprehensive surgical staging and gonadal dysgenesis on the outcomes of patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumor. We performed a retrospective review of patients with ovarian germ cell tumors who were treated at our institution between 1976 and 2012. Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs) were identified in 50 females. The median age was 24 years (range 13 to 49). Of all MOGCT patients, 42% had dysgerminoma, 20% immature teratoma, 16% endodermal sinus tumor, and 22% mixed germ cell tumor. Univariate analyses revealed that the lack of surgical staging (p=0.048) and endodermal sinus tumor (p=0.0085) were associated with disease recurrence, while age at diagnosis, ethnicity, and stage of the disease were not. Multivariate analyses revealed that the lack of surgical staging (p=0.029) and endodermal sinus tumor (p=0.016) were independently associated with disease recurrence. In addition, 7 patients (14%) had 46 XY karyotype, including 6 with pure dysgerminoma and 1 with mixed germ cell tumor. Five had Swyer syndrome and 2 had complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. Concurrent gonadoblastoma was found in 5 of the patients. No difference was found in the mean age at presentation, stage distribution, or recurrence rate for MOGCT patients with or without XY phenotype. Comprehensive surgical staging was associated with a lower rate of recurrence. Fourteen percent of phenotypic females with MOGCT and 29% of those with dysgerminoma had XY karyotype. The clinical outcome of these patients is similar to that of MOGCT patients with XX karyotype. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Comparison of removal torques between laser-treated and SLA-treated implant surfaces in rabbit tibiae

PubMed Central

Kang, Nam-Seok; Li, Lin-Jie

2014-01-01

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare removal torques and surface topography between laser treated and sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) treated implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Laser-treated implants (experimental group) and SLA-treated implants (control group) 8 mm in length and 3.4 mm in diameter were inserted into both sides of the tibiae of 12 rabbits. Surface analysis was accomplished using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM; Hitachi S-4800; Japan) under ×25, ×150 and ×1,000 magnification. Surface components were analyzed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Rabbits were sacrificed after a 6-week healing period. The removal torque was measured using the MGT-12 digital torque meter (Mark-10 Co., Copiague, NY, USA). RESULTS In the experimental group, the surface analysis showed uniform porous structures under ×25, ×150 and ×1,000 magnification. Pore sizes in the experimental group were 20-40 mm and consisted of numerous small pores, whereas pore sizes in the control group were 0.5-2.0 mm. EDS analysis showed no significant difference between the two groups. The mean removal torque in the laser-treated and the SLA-treated implant groups were 79.4 Ncm (SD = 20.4; range 34.6-104.3 Ncm) and 52.7 Ncm (SD = 17.2; range 18.7-73.8 Ncm), respectively. The removal torque in the laser-treated surface implant group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=.004). CONCLUSION In this study, removal torque values were significantly higher for laser-treated surface implants than for SLA-treated surface implants. PMID:25177474

Multiscale spectral nanoscopy

DOEpatents

Yang, Haw; Welsher, Kevin

2016-11-15

A system and method for non-invasively tracking a particle in a sample is disclosed. The system includes a 2-photon or confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM) and a particle-holding device coupled to a stage with X-Y and Z position control. The system also includes a tracking module having a tracking excitation laser, X-Y and Z radiation-gathering components configured to detect deviations of the particle in an X-Y and Z directions. The system also includes a processor coupled to the X-Y and Z radiation gathering components, generate control signals configured to drive the stage X-Y and Z position controls to track the movement of the particle. The system may also include a synchronization module configured to generate LSM pixels stamped with stage position and a processing module configured to generate a 3D image showing the 3D trajectory of a particle using the LSM pixels stamped with stage position.

Documentation for subroutine REDUC3, an algorithm for the linear filtering of gridded magnetic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blakely, Richard J.

1977-01-01

Subroutine REDUC3 transforms a total field anomaly h1(x,y) , measured on a horizontal and rectangular grid, into a new anomaly h2(x,y). This new anomaly is produced by the same source as h1(x,y) , but (1) is observed at a different elevation, (2) has a source with a different direction of magnetization, and/or (3) has a different direction of residual field. Case 1 is tantamount to upward or downward continuation. Cases 2 and 3 are 'reduction to the pole', if the new inclinations of both the magnetization and regional field are 90 degrees. REDUC3 is a filtering operation applied in the wave-number domain. It first Fourier transforms h1(x,y) , multiplies by the appropriate filter, and inverse Fourier transforms the result to obtain h2(x,y). No assumptions are required about the shape of the source or how the intensity of magnetization varies within it.

Treat-early and treat-mild: role of fast vs. slow escalation of headaches.

PubMed

Ng-Mak, D S; Ma, L; Hu, X H; Chen, Y-T

2009-04-01

This prospective, multi-center, observational study aimed to examine patients' early treatment decision process. Specifically, we assessed if the association between mild headache pain at treatment initiation and early treatment differed by the speed of headache escalation. Patients (n = 168) were instructed to collect information on their headache experience during the study period via an electronic diary over 30 consecutive days after enrollment. At the time of treatment, patients who treated early were 2.3 times as likely to experience mild headache pain as those who treated late. Controlling for the effect of escalation of headache, patients who treated early were three times as likely to report mild headache pain at dosing as those who treated late. The interaction between fast escalation of headache and mild pain was not statistically significant. Early treatment is associated with mild pain, regardless of the speed of headache escalation.

[Isolation and identification of electrochemically active microorganism from micro-aerobic environment].

PubMed

Wu, Song; Xiao, Yong; Zheng, Zhi-Yong; Zheng, Yue; Yang, Zhao-Hui; Zhao, Feng

2014-10-01

Extracellular electron transfer of electrochemically active microorganism plays vital role in biogeochemical cycling of metals and carbon and in biosynthesis of bioenergy. Compared to anaerobic anode, micro-aerobic anode captures more energy from microbial fuel cell. However, most of previous researches focused on functioning bacteria in anaerobic anode, functioning bacteria in micro-aerobic anode was rarely studied. Herein, we used the traditional aerobic screening technology to isolate functioning bacteria from a micro-aerobic anode. Three pure cultures Aeromonas sp. WS-XY2, Citrobacter sp. WS-XY3 and Bacterium strain WS-XY4 were obtained. WS-XY2 and WS-XY3 were belonged to Proteobacteria, whereas WS-XY4 was possibly a new species. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry analysis demonstrated all of them showed the electrochemical activity by direct extracellular electron transfer, and micro-aerobic anode could select bacteria that have similar electrochemical activity to proliferate on the anode. We further conclude that functioning bacteria in micro-aerobic anode are more efficient than that of anaerobic anode may be the reason that micro-aerobic anode has better performance than anaerobic anode. Therefore, a thorough study of functioning bacteria in micro-aerobic anode will significantly promote the energy recovery from microbial fuel cell.

Self-duality and a Hall-insulator phase near the superconductor-to-insulator transition in indium-oxide films.

PubMed

Breznay, Nicholas P; Steiner, Myles A; Kivelson, Steven Allan; Kapitulnik, Aharon

2016-01-12

We combine measurements of the longitudinal (ρxx) and Hall (ρxy) resistivities of disordered 2D amorphous indium-oxide films to study the magnetic-field tuned superconductor-to-insulator transition (H-SIT) in the T --> 0 limit. At the critical field, Hc, the full resistivity tensor is T independent with ρxx(Hc) = h/4e(2) and ρxy(Hc) = 0 within experimental uncertainty in all films (i.e., these appear to be "universal" values); this is strongly suggestive that there is a particle-vortex self-duality at H = Hc. The transition separates the (presumably) superconducting state at H < Hc from a "Hall-insulator" phase in which ρxx --> ∞ as T --> 0 whereas ρxy approaches a nonzero value smaller than its "classical value" H/nec; i.e., 0 < ρxy < H/nec. A still higher characteristic magnetic field, Hc* > Hc, at which the Hall resistance is T independent and roughly equal to its classical value, ρxy ≈ H/nec, marks an additional crossover to a high-field regime (probably to a Fermi insulator) in which ρxy > H/nec and possibly diverges as T --> 0. We also highlight a profound analogy between the H-SIT and quantum-Hall liquid-to-insulator transitions (QHIT).

Heterotaxy in Caenorhabditis: widespread natural variation in left–right arrangement of the major organs

PubMed Central

Callander, Davon C.; López-Santos, Agustín; Torres Cleuren, Yamila N.; Santure, Anna W.

2016-01-01

Although the arrangement of internal organs in most metazoans is profoundly left–right (L/R) asymmetric with a predominant handedness, rare individuals show full (mirror-symmetric) or partial (heterotaxy) reversals. While the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is known for its highly determinate development, including stereotyped L/R organ handedness, we found that L/R asymmetry of the major organs, the gut and gonad, varies among natural isolates of the species in both males and hermaphrodites. In hermaphrodites, heterotaxy can involve one or both bilaterally asymmetric gonad arms. Male heterotaxy is probably not attributable to relaxed selection in this hermaphroditic species, as it is also seen in gonochoristic Caenorhabditis species. Heterotaxy increases in many isolates at elevated temperature, with one showing a pregastrulation temperature-sensitive period, suggesting a very early embryonic or germline effect on this much later developmental outcome. A genome-wide association study of 100 isolates showed that male heterotaxy is associated with three genomic regions. Analysis of recombinant inbred lines suggests that a small number of loci are responsible for the observed variation. These findings reveal that heterotaxy is a widely varying quantitative trait in an animal with an otherwise highly stereotyped anatomy, demonstrating unexpected plasticity in an L/R arrangement of the major organs even in a simple animal. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Provocative questions in left–right asymmetry’. PMID:27821534

Untangling the Contributions of Sex-Specific Gene Regulation and X-Chromosome Dosage to Sex-Biased Gene Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Kramer, Maxwell; Rao, Prashant; Ercan, Sevinc

2016-01-01

Dosage compensation mechanisms equalize the level of X chromosome expression between sexes. Yet the X chromosome is often enriched for genes exhibiting sex-biased, i.e., imbalanced expression. The relationship between X chromosome dosage compensation and sex-biased gene expression remains largely unexplored. Most studies determine sex-biased gene expression without distinguishing between contributions from X chromosome copy number (dose) and the animal’s sex. Here, we uncoupled X chromosome dose from sex-specific gene regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans to determine the effect of each on X expression. In early embryogenesis, when dosage compensation is not yet fully active, X chromosome dose drives the hermaphrodite-biased expression of many X-linked genes, including several genes that were shown to be responsible for hermaphrodite fate. A similar effect is seen in the C. elegans germline, where X chromosome dose contributes to higher hermaphrodite X expression, suggesting that lack of dosage compensation in the germline may have a role in supporting higher expression of X chromosomal genes with female-biased functions in the gonad. In the soma, dosage compensation effectively balances X expression between the sexes. As a result, somatic sex-biased expression is almost entirely due to sex-specific gene regulation. These results suggest that lack of dosage compensation in different tissues and developmental stages allow X chromosome copy number to contribute to sex-biased gene expression and function. PMID:27356611

Functional Monoecy Due to Delayed Anther Dehiscence: A Novel Mechanism in Pseuduvaria mulgraveana (Annonaceae)

PubMed Central

Pang, Chun-Chiu; Scharaschkin, Tanya; Su, Yvonne C. F.; Saunders, Richard M. K.

2013-01-01

Unlike most genera in the early-divergent angiosperm family Annonaceae, Pseuduvaria exhibits a diversity of floral sex expression. Most species are structurally andromonoecious (or possibly androdioecious), although the hermaphroditic flowers have been inferred to be functionally pistillate, with sterile staminodes. Pseuduvaria presents an ideal model for investigating the evolution of floral sex in early-divergent angiosperms, although detailed empirical studies are currently lacking. The phenology and pollination ecology of the Australian endemic species Pseuduvaria mulgraveana are studied in detail, including evaluations of floral scent chemistry, pollen viability, and floral visitors. Results showed that the flowers are pollinated by small diurnal nitidulid beetles and are protogynous. Pollen from both hermaphroditic and staminate flowers are shown to be equally viable. The structurally hermaphroditic flowers are nevertheless functionally pistillate as anther dehiscence is delayed until after petal abscission and hence after the departure of pollinators. This mechanism to achieve functional unisexuality of flowers has not previously been reported in angiosperms. It is known that protogyny is widespread amongst early-divergent angiosperms, including the Annonaceae, and is effective in preventing autogamy. Delayed anther dehiscence represents a further elaboration of this, and is effective in preventing geitonogamy since very few sexually mature flowers occur simultaneously in an individual. We highlight the necessity for field-based empirical interpretations of functional floral sex expression prior to evaluations of evolutionary processes. PMID:23555844

Multilocus Sex Determination Revealed in Two Populations of Gynodioecious Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata.

PubMed

Ashman, Tia-Lynn; Tennessen, Jacob A; Dalton, Rebecca M; Govindarajulu, Rajanikanth; Koski, Matthew H; Liston, Aaron

2015-10-19

Gynodioecy, the coexistence of females and hermaphrodites, occurs in 20% of angiosperm families and often enables transitions between hermaphroditism and dioecy. Clarifying mechanisms of sex determination in gynodioecious species can thus illuminate sexual system evolution. Genetic determination of gynodioecy, however, can be complex and is not fully characterized in any wild species. We used targeted sequence capture to genetically map a novel nuclear contributor to male sterility in a self-pollinated hermaphrodite of Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata from the southern portion of its range. To understand its interaction with another identified locus and possibly additional loci, we performed crosses within and between two populations separated by 2000 km, phenotyped the progeny and sequenced candidate markers at both sex-determining loci. The newly mapped locus contains a high density of pentatricopeptide repeat genes, a class commonly involved in restoration of fertility caused by cytoplasmic male sterility. Examination of all crosses revealed three unlinked epistatically interacting loci that determine sexual phenotype and vary in frequency between populations. Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata represents the first wild gynodioecious species with genomic evidence of both cytoplasmic and nuclear genes in sex determination. We propose a model for the interactions between these loci and new hypotheses for the evolution of sex determining chromosomes in the subdioecious and dioecious Fragaria. Copyright © 2015 Ashman et al.

Molecular basis of the copulatory plug polymorphism in C. elegans

PubMed Central

Palopoli, Michael F.; Rockman, Matthew V.; TinMaung, Aye; Ramsay, Camden; Curwen, Stephen; Aduna, Andrea; Laurita, Jason; Kruglyak, Leonid

2008-01-01

Heritable variation is the raw material for evolutionary change, and understanding its genetic basis is one of the central problems in modern biology. We investigated the genetic basis of a classic phenotypic dimorphism in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Males from many natural isolates deposit a copulatory plug after mating, whereas males from other natural isolates—including the standard wild-type strain (N2 Bristol) that is used in most research laboratories—do not deposit plugs1. The copulatory plug is a gelatinous mass that covers the hermaphrodite vulva, and its deposition decreases the mating success of subsequent males2. We show that the plugging polymorphism results from the insertion of a retrotransposon into an exon of a novel mucin-like gene, plg-1, whose product is a major structural component of the copulatory plug. The gene is expressed in a subset of secretory cells of the male somatic gonad, and its loss has no evident effects beyond the loss of male mate-guarding. Although C. elegans descends from an obligate-outcrossing, male-female ancestor3, 4, it occurs primarily as self-fertilizing hermaphrodites5–7. The reduced selection on male-male competition associated with the origin of hermaphroditism may have permitted the global spread of a loss-of-function mutation with restricted pleiotropy. PMID:18633349

Intra-plant floral variation in Cleome viscosa L. and its possible significance in breeding system.

PubMed

Saroop, Shveta; Kaul, Veenu

2015-07-01

Cleome viscosa L., an annual rainy season weed, is cosmopolitan in distribution. Two naturally growing populations of C. viscosa from Jammu, J & K, India have been studied for floral variation at an intra-plant level and its possible role in its life cycle. Plants of both the populations bear flowers which exhibit tremendous intra-plant variation in size (large and small) and sex (hermaphrodite, staminate and pistillate). The average number of flowers per plant varied significantly and so did their structural and functional details. Greater propensity, however, was towards hermaphroditism at both plant and flower levels. The large and small sized flowers differed in their morphology and reproductive features; the former were significantly larger than the latter. Anthesis, anther dehiscence and stigma receptivity were coupled in all flower types. This functional aspect along with the structural proximity between stamens at two lengths and pistil further facilitated self-pollination. However, conspicuous floral display attracted diverse pollinator fauna (Apis dorsata, Halictus albescens, Nomia curvipes and N. elliotii) which in turn mediated cross pollination. Nevertheless, each floral type contributed towards plant's fitness in its own way. Hermaphrodite flowers exhibited both self and cross pollination and assured survival by setting fruits and seeds with the large sized counterparts more productive. All these floral variations seemed to impart flexibility to the pollination system and provide fitness over the short flowering season.

Psychosexual development: an examination of the role of prenatal hormones.

PubMed

Ehrhardt, A A; Meyer-Bahlburg, H F

Naturally occurring endocrine syndromes and the offspring from steroid-treated pregnancies are the major sources of evidence for a role of prenatal hormones in psychosexual development in man. Effects of prenatal androgens have been established for the sex-dimorphic behaviour clusters of energy expenditure (increased), parenting rehearsal (decreased), peer associations (shifted to male), and grooming-related behaviour (decreased); most of the information was obtained on the syndrome of congenital adrenal hyperplasia and in progestin-induced female hermaphroditism. Studies of children and adults exposed prenatally to exogenous oestrogens and/or progestagens suggest slight demasculinizing effects but cannot yet be considered conclusive. Gender identity is largely dependent on the sex of rearing; a direct role of prenatal hormones in its formation has not been shown. The evidence for the role of prenatal hormones in the development of sexual orientation is inconclusive.

Bacillus vanillea sp. nov., Isolated from the Cured Vanilla Bean.

PubMed

Chen, Yong-gan; Gu, Feng-lin; Li, Ji-hua; Xu, Fei; He, Shu-zhen; Fang, Yi-ming

2015-02-01

A Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain XY18(T), was isolated from a cured vanilla bean in Hainan province, China. Cells were rod-shaped, endospore producing, and peritrichous flagella. Strain XY18(T) grew at salinities of 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally 1-4 %), pH 4.0-8.0 (optimally 5.0-7.0 %) and temperature range 20-45 °C (optimally 28-35 °C). The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, and iso-C17:0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain XY18(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus, and closely related to B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) and B. siamensis PD-A10(T), with 99.1 and 99.2 % sequence similarity, respectively. However, the DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain XY18(T) and B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) was 35.7 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain XY18(T) was 46.4 mol%, significantly differed from B. siamensis PD-A10(T) (41.4 %), which was higher than the range of 4 % indicative of species. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic study, including phenotypic features, chemotaxonomy, and phylogenetic analyses, strain XY18(T) represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus vanillea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY18(T) (=CGMCC 8629 = NCCB 100507).

Quantitative Trait Loci Involved in Sex Determination and Body Growth in the Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata L.) through Targeted Genome Scan

PubMed Central

Loukovitis, Dimitrios; Sarropoulou, Elena; Tsigenopoulos, Costas S.; Batargias, Costas; Magoulas, Antonios; Apostolidis, Apostolos P.; Chatziplis, Dimitrios; Kotoulas, Georgios

2011-01-01

Among vertebrates, teleost fish exhibit a considerably wide range of sex determination patterns that may be influenced by extrinsic parameters. However even for model fish species like the zebrafish Danio rerio the precise mechanisms involved in primary sex determination have not been studied extensively. The zebrafish, a gonochoristic species, is lacking discernible sex chromosomes and the sex of juvenile fish is difficult to determine. Sequential protandrous hermaphrodite species provide distinct determination of the gender and allow studying the sex determination process by looking at the mechanism of sex reversal. This is the first attempt to understand the genetic basis of phenotypic variation for sex determination and body weight in a sequential protandrous hermaphrodite species, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). This work demonstrates a fast and efficient strategy for Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) detection in the gilthead sea bream, a non-model but target hermaphrodite fish species. Therefore a comparative mapping approach was performed to query syntenies against two other Perciformes, the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a gonochoristic species and the Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) a protandrous hermaphrodite. In this manner two significant QTLs, one QTL affecting both body weight and sex and one QTL affecting sex, were detected on the same linkage group. The co-segregation of the two QTLs provides a genomic base to the observed genetic correlation between these two traits in sea bream as well as in other teleosts. The identification of QTLs linked to sex reversal and growth, will contribute significantly to a better understanding of the complex nature of sex determination in S. aurata where most individuals reverse to the female sex at the age of two years through development and maturation of the ovarian portion of the gonad and regression of the testicular area. [Genomic sequences reported in this manuscript have been submitted to Gen

Gender inequality in predispersal seed predation contributes to female seed set advantage in a gynodioecious species.

PubMed

Clarke, Gretel L; Brody, Alison K

2015-05-01

Most flowering plants are hermaphrodites. However, in gynodioecious species, some members of the population are male-sterile and reproduce only by setting seed, while others gain fitness through both male and female function. How females compensate for the loss of male function remains unresolved for most gynodioecious species. Here, as with many plants, fitness differences may be influenced by interactions with multiple species. However, whether multiple species interactions result in gender-specific fitness differences remains unknown. Using observational data from 2009-2010, we quantified seed set of the two sex morphs of Polemonium foliosissimu and asked how it is affected by pollination, and seed predation from a dipteran predispersal seed predator (Anthomyiidae: Hylemya sp.). We assessed seed production and losses to predation in 27 populations for one year and in six populations for a second year. Females set significantly more seed than did hermaphrodites in both years. Of the fitness components we assessed, including the number of flowers per plant, fruit set, seeds/fruit, and proportion of fruits destroyed by Hylemya, only fruit destruction differed significantly between the sexes. In one year, seeds/fruit and predation had a stronger effect on seed set for hermaphrodites than for females. Because predispersal seed predators do not pollinate flowers, their effects may depend on successful pollination of flowers on which they oviposit. To examine if genders differed in pollen limitation and seed predation and/or their interactive effects, in 2011 we hand-pollinated flowers and removed seed predator eggs in a fully factorial design. Both sexes were pollen limited, but their degree of pollen limitation did not differ. However, predation reduced.seed set more for hermaphrodites than for females. We found no significant interaction between hand pollen and seed predation, and no interaction between hand pollination and gender. Our results suggest that while

Cryptic dioecy in Mussaenda pubescens (Rubiaceae): a species with stigma-height dimorphism.

PubMed

Li, Ai-Min; Wu, Xiao-Qin; Zhang, Dian-Xiang; Barrett, Spencer C H

2010-10-01

Evolutionary transitions from heterostyly to dioecy have been proposed in several angiosperm families, particularly in Rubiaceae. These transitions involve the spread of male and female sterility mutations resulting in modifications to the gender of ancestral hermaphrodites. Despite sustained interest in the gender strategies of plants, the structural and developmental bases for transitions in sexual systems are poorly understood. Here, floral morphology, patterns of fertility, pollen-tube growth and floral development are investigated in two populations of the scandent shrub Mussaenda pubescens (Rubiaceae), native to southern China, by means of experimental and open-pollinations, light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy combined with paraffin sectioning. Mussaenda pubescens has perfect (hermaphroditic) flowers and populations with two style-length morphs but only weak differentiation in anther position (stigma-height dimorphism). Experimental pollinations demonstrated that despite morphological hermaphroditism, the species is functionally dioecious. The long-styled (L) morph possesses sterile pollen and functions as a female, whereas the short-styled (S) morph is female sterile and functions as a male. Self- and intra-morph pollinations of the S-morph were consistent with those expected from dimorphic incompatibility. The two populations investigated were both S-morph (male) biased. Investigations of early stages of floral development indicated patterns typical of hermaphroditic flowers, with no significant differences in organ growth between the floral morphs. Meiosis of microspore mother cells was of the simultaneous type with tetrads isobilateral in shape. The tapetal cells in anther walls of the L-morph became vacuolized during meiosis I, ahead of the uninucleate microspore stage in the S-morph. In the L-morph, the microspore nucleus degenerated at the tetrad stage resulting in male sterility. Microsporogenesis and male

Imaging electron wave functions inside open quantum rings.

PubMed

Martins, F; Hackens, B; Pala, M G; Ouisse, T; Sellier, H; Wallart, X; Bollaert, S; Cappy, A; Chevrier, J; Bayot, V; Huant, S

2007-09-28

Combining scanning gate microscopy (SGM) experiments and simulations, we demonstrate low temperature imaging of the electron probability density |Psi|(2)(x,y) in embedded mesoscopic quantum rings. The tip-induced conductance modulations share the same temperature dependence as the Aharonov-Bohm effect, indicating that they originate from electron wave function interferences. Simulations of both |Psi|(2)(x,y) and SGM conductance maps reproduce the main experimental observations and link fringes in SGM images to |Psi|(2)(x,y).

To treat or not to treat: should psychologists treat tobacco use disorder?

PubMed

Bodie, Linda P

2014-08-01

The author presented this Presidential Address for Divison 18, Psychologists in Public Service, at the 2012 American Psychological Association Convention in Orlando, Florida. The address challenges public service psychologists to reduce the tobacco disease burden through their roles as researchers, leaders, educators, and practitioners and explains why treating tobacco use disorder is important and relevant for psychologists. The address discusses the prevalence and the resulting mortality and morbidity rates of tobacco use disorder, which call for effective evidence-based interventions that can be integrated by psychologists into other ongoing treatments. Treatment of the underserved populations, including those with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders, presents many barriers. In addition, education and training for tobacco use disorder in undergraduate and graduate clinical psychology programs present further barriers for psychology trainees. However, progress is being made because of the numerous resources and psychology leaders who are advocates for tobacco use disorder treatment and research. Challenges for the future include increasing awareness of the importance of treatment for tobacco use disorder, finding innovative ways to increase access to comprehensive evidence-based treatment, and acknowledging that psychologists can make a difference in reducing the tobacco use disorder disease burden. Psychologists have an ethical and professional responsibility to treat tobacco use disorder.

Demographic Variation between Colour Patterns in a Temperate Protogynous Hermaphrodite, the Ballan Wrasse Labrus bergylta

PubMed Central

Villegas-Ríos, David; Alonso-Fernández, Alexandre; Fabeiro, Mariña; Bañón, Rafael; Saborido-Rey, Fran

2013-01-01

Fish populations are often treated as homogeneous units in typical fishery management, thereby tacitly ignoring potential intraspecific variation which can lead to imprecise management rules. However, intraspecific variation in life-history traits is widespread and related to a variety of factors. We investigated the comparative age-based demography of the two main colour patterns of Labrus bergylta (plain and spotted, which coexist in sympatry), a commercially valuable resource in the NE Atlantic. Individuals were aged based on otolith readings after validating the annual periodicity of annuli deposition. The relationships between the otolith weight and fish age and between otolith length and fish length were strong but differed between colour patterns. The fit of the growth models to the age and length data resulted in divergent growth curves between colour morphotypes and between sexes. Males and spotted individuals attained larger mean asymptotic sizes (Linf) than females and plain individuals, respectively, but converged to them more slowly (smaller k). Estimates of mortality based on catch curves from two independent datasets provided a global total mortality (Z) of 0.35 yr–1, although Z was larger in plain and female individuals. Overall, the results of this research have direct implications for management of L. bergylta and, as a precautionary measure, we recommend considering both colour patterns as two different management units. PMID:24058404

On the total irregularity strength of caterpillar with each internal vertex has degree three

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indriati, Diari; Rosyida, Isnaini; Widodo

2018-04-01

Let G be a simple, connected and undirected graph with vertex set V and edge set E. A total k-labeling f:V \\cup E\\to \\{1,2,\\ldots,k\\} is defined as totally irregular total k-labeling if the weights of any two different both vertices and edges are distinct. The weight of vertex x is defined as wt(x)=f(x)+{\\sum }xy\\in Ef(xy), while the weight of edge xy is wt(xy)=f(x)+f(xy)+f(y). A minimum k for which G has totally irregular total k-labeling is mentioned as total irregularity strength of G and denoted by ts(G). This paper contains investigation of totally irregular total k-labeling and determination of their total irregularity strengths for caterpillar graphs with each internal vertex between two stars has degree three. The results are ts({S}n,3,n)=\\lceil \\frac{2n}{2}\\rceil, ts({S}n,3,3,n)=\\lceil \\frac{2n+1}{2}\\rceil and ts({S}n,3,3,3,n)=\\lceil \\frac{2n+2}{2}\\rceil for n > 4:

Sex-chromosome differentiation parallels postglacial range expansion in European tree frogs (Hyla arborea).

PubMed

Dufresnes, Christophe; Bertholet, Youna; Wassef, Jérôme; Ghali, Karim; Savary, Romain; Pasteur, Baptiste; Brelsford, Alan; Rozenblut-Kościsty, Beata; Ogielska, Maria; Stöck, Matthias; Perrin, Nicolas

2014-12-01

Occasional XY recombination is a proposed explanation for the sex-chromosome homomorphy in European tree frogs. Numerous laboratory crosses, however, failed to detect any event of male recombination, and a detailed survey of NW-European Hyla arborea populations identified male-specific alleles at sex-linked loci, pointing to the absence of XY recombination in their recent history. Here, we address this paradox in a phylogeographic framework by genotyping sex-linked microsatellite markers in populations and sibships from the entire species range. Contrasting with postglacial populations of NW Europe, which display complete absence of XY recombination and strong sex-chromosome differentiation, refugial populations of the southern Balkans and Adriatic coast show limited XY recombination and large overlaps in allele frequencies. Geographically and historically intermediate populations of the Pannonian Basin show intermediate patterns of XY differentiation. Even in populations where X and Y occasionally recombine, the genetic diversity of Y haplotypes is reduced below the levels expected from the fourfold drop in copy numbers. This study is the first in which X and Y haplotypes could be phased over the distribution range in a species with homomorphic sex chromosomes; it shows that XY-recombination patterns may differ strikingly between conspecific populations, and that recombination arrest may evolve rapidly (<5000 generations). © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Chromatin configuration and epigenetic landscape at the sex chromosome bivalent during equine spermatogenesis

PubMed Central

Baumann, Claudia; Daly, Christopher M.; McDonnell, Sue M.; Viveiros, Maria M.; De La Fuente, Rabindranath

2011-01-01

Pairing of the sex chromosomes during mammalian meiosis is characterized by the formation of a unique heterochromatin structure at the XY body. The mechanisms underlying the formation of this nuclear domain are reportedly highly conserved from marsupials to mammals. In this study, we demonstrate that in contrast to all eutherian species studied to date, partial synapsis of the heterologous sex chromosomes during pachytene stage in the horse is not associated with the formation of a typical macrochromatin domain at the XY body. While phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX) and macroH2A1.2 are present as a diffuse signal over the entire macrochromatin domain in mouse pachytene spermatocytes, γH2AX, macroH2A1.2, and the cohesin subunit SMC3 are preferentially enriched at meiotic sex chromosome cores in equine spermatocytes. Moreover, although several histone modifications associated with this nuclear domain in the mouse such as H3K4me2 and ubH2A are conspicuously absent in the equine XY body, prominent RNA polymerase II foci persist at the sex chromosomes. Thus, the localization of key marker proteins and histone modifications associated with the XY body in the horse differs significantly from all other mammalian systems described. These results demonstrate that the epigenetic landscape and heterochromatinization of the equine XY body might be regulated by alternative mechanisms and that some features of XY body formation may be evolutionary divergent in the domestic horse. We propose equine spermatogenesis as a unique model system for the study of the regulatory networks leading to the epigenetic control of gene expression during XY body formation. PMID:21274552

A Variational Nodal Approach to 2D/1D Pin Resolved Neutron Transport for Pressurized Water Reactors

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Tengfei; Lewis, E. E.; Smith, M. A.; ...

2017-04-18

A two-dimensional/one-dimensional (2D/1D) variational nodal approach is presented for pressurized water reactor core calculations without fuel-moderator homogenization. A 2D/1D approximation to the within-group neutron transport equation is derived and converted to an even-parity form. The corresponding nodal functional is presented and discretized to obtain response matrix equations. Within the nodes, finite elements in the x-y plane and orthogonal functions in z are used to approximate the spatial flux distribution. On the radial interfaces, orthogonal polynomials are employed; on the axial interfaces, piecewise constants corresponding to the finite elements eliminate the interface homogenization that has been a challenge for method ofmore » characteristics (MOC)-based 2D/1D approximations. The angular discretization utilizes an even-parity integral method within the nodes, and low-order spherical harmonics (P N) on the axial interfaces. The x-y surfaces are treated with high-order P N combined with quasi-reflected interface conditions. Furthermore, the method is applied to the C5G7 benchmark problems and compared to Monte Carlo reference calculations.« less

A Variational Nodal Approach to 2D/1D Pin Resolved Neutron Transport for Pressurized Water Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Tengfei; Lewis, E. E.; Smith, M. A.

A two-dimensional/one-dimensional (2D/1D) variational nodal approach is presented for pressurized water reactor core calculations without fuel-moderator homogenization. A 2D/1D approximation to the within-group neutron transport equation is derived and converted to an even-parity form. The corresponding nodal functional is presented and discretized to obtain response matrix equations. Within the nodes, finite elements in the x-y plane and orthogonal functions in z are used to approximate the spatial flux distribution. On the radial interfaces, orthogonal polynomials are employed; on the axial interfaces, piecewise constants corresponding to the finite elements eliminate the interface homogenization that has been a challenge for method ofmore » characteristics (MOC)-based 2D/1D approximations. The angular discretization utilizes an even-parity integral method within the nodes, and low-order spherical harmonics (P N) on the axial interfaces. The x-y surfaces are treated with high-order P N combined with quasi-reflected interface conditions. Furthermore, the method is applied to the C5G7 benchmark problems and compared to Monte Carlo reference calculations.« less

Akodon sex reversed females: the never ending story.

PubMed

Bianchi, N O

2002-01-01

The existence of fertile A. azarae females with a chromosome sex pair indistinguishable from that of males was reported more than 35 years ago. These heterogametic females were initially thought to occur due to an extreme process of dosage compensation in which X inactivation was restricted to Xp and complemented by a deletion of Xq (Xx females). Later on, a C-banding analysis of A. mollis variant females showed that these specimens were in fact XY* sex reversed and not Xx females. The finding of positive testing for Zfy and Sry multiple-copy genes in Akodon males and heterogametic females confirmed the XY* assumption. At the present time, XY* sex reversed females have been found to exist in nine Akodon species. Akodon heterogametic females produce X and Y* oocytes, which upon sperm fertilization give rise to viable XX (female), XY* (female), and XY (male) embryos, and to non-viable Y*Y zygotes. Heterozygous females exhibit a better reproductive performance than XX females in order to compensate the Y*Y zygote wastage. XY* sex reversed females are assumed to occur due to a deficient Sry expression resulting in the development of ovaries instead of testes. Moreover, the appearance of Y* elements is a highly recurrent event. It is proposed that homozygosity for an autosomal or pseudoautosomal recessive mutation (s-) inhibits Sry expression giving rise to XY* embryos with ovary development. Location of the Y* chromosome in the female germ cell lineage produces an ovary-specific imprinting of the Sry* gene maintaining its defective expression through generations independently from the presence or absence of s- homozygosity. By escaping the ovary-specific methylation some Y* chromosomes turn back to normal Ys producing Y oocytes capable of generating normal male embryos when fertilized by an X sperm. Fluctuations in the rate of variant females in field populations and in laboratory colonies of Akodon depend on the balance between the appearance of new variant females (s

[Urinary tract infections in pregnancy: when to treat, how to treat, and what to treat with].

PubMed

Kladenský, J

2012-04-01

Urinary tract infections (UTI) in pregnant women are a relatively frequent occurrence and the spectrum of these infections ranges from lower urinary tract disease (asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis) to upper urinary tract disease (acute pyelonephritis). Anatomical and functional changes in the urinary tract in pregnancy result in significantly higher susceptibility to progression of the infection from asymptomatic bacteriuria to the stage of acute pyelonephritis. Untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy leads, in as much as 40%, to the development of acute pyelonephritis with all the subsequent negative effects not only for the woman herself, but particularly for the fetus. Bacteriuria in pregnancy accounts for a significantly higher number of newborns with a low birth weight, low gestational age and higher neonatal mortality rate. Therefore, it is necessary to perform screening for bacteriuria in pregnant women and, when the finding is positive, to treat this bacteriuria. The selection of an appropriate antimicrobial agent to treat urinary tract infection in pregnancy is limited by the safety of a given drug not only for the woman, but particularly for the fetus. The article provides an overview of medications that can be safely used throughout the pregnancy or only in certain stages of pregnancy. The selection of an appropriate antibiotic should always be preceded by the result of urine culture. The article presents the principles and rules for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis and acute pyelonephritis in pregnant women.

Does Marijuana Help Treat Glaucoma?

MedlinePlus

... Ophthalmologist Patient Stories Español Eye Health / Tips & Prevention Marijuana Sections Does Marijuana Help Treat Glaucoma? Why Eye ... Don't Recommend Marijuana for Glaucoma Infographic Does Marijuana Help Treat Glaucoma? Leer en Español: La marihuana ...

Treating Sludges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Josephson, Julian

1978-01-01

Discussed are some of the ways to handle municipal and industrial wastewater treatment sludge presented at the 1978 American Chemical Society meeting. Suggestions include removing toxic materials, recovering metals, and disposing treated sewage sludge onto farm land. Arguments for and against land use are also given. (MA)

The Caenorhabditis elegans Female-Like State: Decoupling the Transcriptomic Effects of Aging and Sperm Status.

PubMed

Angeles-Albores, David; Leighton, Daniel H W; Tsou, Tiffany; Khaw, Tiffany H; Antoshechkin, Igor; Sternberg, Paul W

2017-09-07

Understanding genome and gene function in a whole organism requires us to fully comprehend the life cycle and the physiology of the organism in question. Caenorhabditis elegans XX animals are hermaphrodites that exhaust their sperm after 3 d of egg-laying. Even though C. elegans can live for many days after cessation of egg-laying, the molecular physiology of this state has not been as intensely studied as other parts of the life cycle, despite documented changes in behavior and metabolism. To study the effects of sperm depletion and aging of C. elegans during the first 6 d of adulthood, we measured the transcriptomes of first-day adult hermaphrodites and sixth-day sperm-depleted adults, and, at the same time points, mutant fog-2(lf) worms that have a feminized germline phenotype. We found that we could separate the effects of biological aging from sperm depletion. For a large subset of genes, young adult fog-2(lf) animals had the same gene expression changes as sperm-depleted sixth-day wild-type hermaphrodites, and these genes did not change expression when fog-2(lf) females reached the sixth day of adulthood. Taken together, this indicates that changing sperm status causes a change in the internal state of the worm, which we call the female-like state. Our data provide a high-quality picture of the changes that happen in global gene expression throughout the period of early aging in the worm. Copyright © 2017 Angeles-Albores et al.

Suppression of F1 Male-Specific Lethality in Caenorhabditis Hybrids by cbr-him-8.

PubMed

Ragavapuram, Vaishnavi; Hill, Emily Elaine; Baird, Scott Everet

2015-12-31

Haldane's Rule and Darwin's Corollary to Haldane's Rule are the observations that heterogametic F1 hybrids are frequently less fit than their homogametic siblings, and that asymmetric results are often obtained from reciprocal hybrid crosses. In Caenorhabditis, Haldane's Rule and Darwin's Corollary have been observed in several hybrid crosses, including crosses of Caenorhabditis briggsae and C. nigoni. Fertile F1 females are obtained from reciprocal crosses. However, F1 males obtained from C. nigoni mothers are sterile and F1 males obtained from C. briggsae die during embryogenesis. We have identified cbr-him-8 as a recessive maternal-effect suppressor of F1 hybrid male-specific lethality in this combination of species. This result implicates epigenetic meiotic silencing in the suppression of F1 male-specific lethality. It is also shown that F1 males bearing a C. briggsae X chromosome are fertile. When crossed to C. briggsae hermaphrodites or F1 females derived from C. briggsae hermaphrodites, viable F2 and backcross (B2) progeny were obtained. Sibling males that possessed a C. nigoni X chromosome were sterile. Therefore, the sterility of F1 males bearing a C. nigoni X chromosome must result from dysgenic interactions between the X chromosome of C. nigoni and the autosomes of C. briggsae. The fertility of F1 males bearing a C. briggsae X chromosome provides an opportunity to identify C. nigoni loci that prevent spermatogenesis, and hence hermaphroditic reproduction, in diplo-X hybrids. Copyright © 2016 Ragavapuram et al.

Intersex

MedlinePlus

... appear to be female or male. This condition used to be called true hermaphroditism. In most people with true gonadal intersex, the underlying cause is unknown, although in some animal studies it has been linked to exposure to ...

Hybrid options for treating cardiac disease.

PubMed

Umakanthan, Ramanan; Leacche, Marzia; Zhao, David X; Gallion, Anna H; Mishra, Prabodh C; Byrne, John G

2011-01-01

The options for treating heart disease have greatly expanded during the course of the last 2 1/2 decades with the advent of hybrid technology. The hybrid option for treating cardiac disease implies using the technology of both interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery to treat cardiac disease. This rapidly developing technology has given rise to new and creative techniques to treat cardiac disease involving coronary artery disease, coronary artery disease and cardiac valve disease, and atrial fibrillation. It has also led to the establishment of new procedural suites called hybrid operating rooms that facilitate the integration of technologies of interventional cardiology catheterization laboratories with those of cardiac surgery operating rooms. The development of hybrid options for treating cardiac disease has also greatly augmented teamwork and collaboration between interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biological mechanisms associated with increased perseveration and hyperactivity in a genetic mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorder

PubMed Central

Trent, Simon; Dean, Rachel; Veit, Bonnie; Cassano, Tommaso; Bedse, Gaurav; Ojarikre, Obah A.; Humby, Trevor; Davies, William

2013-01-01

Summary Chromosomal deletions at Xp22.3 appear to influence vulnerability to the neurodevelopmental disorders attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. 39,XY*O mice, which lack the murine orthologue of the Xp22.3 ADHD candidate gene STS (encoding steroid sulfatase), exhibit behavioural phenotypes relevant to such disorders (e.g. hyperactivity), elevated hippocampal serotonin (5-HT) levels, and reduced serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Here we initially show that 39,XY*O mice are also deficient for the recently-characterised murine orthologue of the Xp22.3 autism candidate gene ASMT (encoding acetylserotonin-O-methyltransferase). Subsequently, to specify potential behavioural correlates of elevated hippocampal 5-HT arising due to the genetic lesion, we compared 39,XY*O MF1 mice to 40,XY MF1 mice on behavioural tasks taxing hippocampal and/or 5-HT function (a ‘foraging’ task, an object-location task, and the 1-choice serial reaction time task of impulsivity). Although Sts/Asmt deficiency did not influence foraging behaviour, reactivity to familiar objects in novel locations, or ‘ability to wait’, it did result in markedly increased response rates; these rates correlated with hippocampal 5-HT levels and are likely to index behavioural perseveration, a frequent feature of neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, we show that whilst there was no systematic relationship between serum DHEA levels and hippocampal 5-HT levels across 39,XY*O and 40,XY mice, there was a significant inverse linear correlation between serum DHEA levels and activity. Our data suggest that deficiency for genes within Xp22.3 could influence core behavioural features of neurodevelopmental disorders via dissociable effects on hippocampal neurochemistry and steroid hormone levels, and that the mediating neurobiological mechanisms may be investigated in the 39,XY*O model. PMID:23276394

X and Y Chromosome Complement Influence Adiposity and Metabolism in Mice

PubMed Central

Chen, Xuqi; McClusky, Rebecca; Itoh, Yuichiro; Reue, Karen

2013-01-01

Three different models of MF1 strain mice were studied to measure the effects of gonadal secretions and sex chromosome type and number on body weight and composition, and on related metabolic variables such as glucose homeostasis, feeding, and activity. The 3 genetic models varied sex chromosome complement in different ways, as follows: 1) “four core genotypes” mice, comprising XX and XY gonadal males, and XX and XY gonadal females; 2) the XY* model comprising groups similar to XO, XX, XY, and XXY; and 3) a novel model comprising 6 groups having XO, XX, and XY chromosomes with either testes or ovaries. In gonadally intact mice, gonadal males were heavier than gonadal females, but sex chromosome complement also influenced weight. The male/female difference was abolished by adult gonadectomy, after which mice with 2 sex chromosomes (XX or XY) had greater body weight and percentage of body fat than mice with 1 X chromosome. A second sex chromosome of either type, X or Y, had similar effects, indicating that the 2 sex chromosomes each possess factors that influence body weight and composition in the MF1 genetic background. Sex chromosome complement also influenced metabolic variables such as food intake and glucose tolerance. The results reveal a role for the Y chromosome in metabolism independent of testes and gonadal hormones and point to a small number of X–Y gene pairs with similar coding sequences as candidates for causing these effects. PMID:23397033

Effects of 17α-Methyltestosterone and Aromatase Inhibitor Letrozole on Sex Reversal, Gonadal Structure, and Growth in Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco.

PubMed

Shen, Zhi-Gang; Fan, Qi-Xue; Yang, Wei; Zhang, Yun-Long; Wang, Han-Ping

2015-04-01

Monosex populations are in demand in many fish species with sexual dimorphism, e.g., better growth performance, higher gonad value, superior ornamental value. From the point of view of research, a monosex population is one of the best materials for investigating sex-determining mechanisms, sex differentiation, and sex-linked markers. Sex reversal of females (phenotypic reversal from XX female to XX male) is the first step in all-female production in species with an XX/XY system for sex determination. In the present study, masculinization of yellow catfish, a species with XX/XY sex determination, was investigated by oral administration of various doses of 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) or an aromatase inhibitor (AI) letrozole (LZ); effects on survival, growth performance, sex ratio, and changes in gonadal structure were evaluated. Three doses (20, 50, and 100 mg kg(-1) diet) of oral MT or LZ were administered to fry from 10 days post-hatching (DPH) to 59 DPH. Oral administration of MT at all doses did not significantly change the ratio of males (45.8%, 33.3%, and 50.0% respectively) compared to the control group (37.5%), while yielding intersex fish at all doses (4.2% to 8.3%). Oral administration of LZ produced a significantly higher proportion of males in all doses (75.5%, 83.3%, and 75.0%, respectively). Additionally, the lowest dose of LZ improved the growth of treated fish compared to the control, and all doses of LZ enhanced spermatogenesis in treated males. © 2015 Marine Biological Laboratory.

Onset and progress of meiotic prophase in the oocytes in the B6.YTIR sex-reversed mouse ovary.

PubMed

Park, E-H; Taketo, T

2003-12-01

When the Y chromosome of a Mus musculus domesticus male mouse (caught in Tirano, Italy) is placed on a C57BL/6J genetic background, approximately half of the XY (B6.YTIR) progeny develop into normal-appearing but infertile females. We have previously reported that the primary cause of infertility can be attributed to their oocytes. To identify the primary defect in the XY oocyte, we examined the onset and progress of meiotic prophase in the B6.YTIR fetal ovary. Using bromo-deoxyuridine incorporation and culture, we determined that the germ cells began to enter meiosis at the developmental ages and in numbers comparable to those in the control XX ovary. Furthermore, the meiotic prophase appeared to progress normally until the late zygotene stage. However, the oocytes that entered meiosis early in the XY ovary failed to complete the meiotic prophase. On the other hand, a considerable number of oocytes entered meiosis at late developmental stages and completed the meiotic prophase in the XY ovary. We propose that the timing of entry into meiosis and the XY chromosomal composition influence the survival of oocytes during meiotic prophase in the fetal ovary.

X inactivation in a mammal species with three sex chromosomes.

PubMed

Veyrunes, Frédéric; Perez, Julie

2018-06-01

X inactivation is a fundamental mechanism in eutherian mammals to restore a balance of X-linked gene products between XY males and XX females. However, it has never been extensively studied in a eutherian species with a sex determination system that deviates from the ubiquitous XX/XY. In this study, we explore the X inactivation process in the African pygmy mouse Mus minutoides, that harbours a polygenic sex determination with three sex chromosomes: Y, X, and a feminizing mutant X, named X*; females can thus be XX, XX*, or X*Y, and all males are XY. Using immunofluorescence, we investigated histone modification patterns between the two X chromosome types. We found that the X and X* chromosomes are randomly inactivated in XX* females, while no histone modifications were detected in X*Y females. Furthermore, in M. minutoides, X and X* chromosomes are fused to different autosomes, and we were able to show that the X inactivation never spreads into the autosomal segments. Evaluation of X inactivation by immunofluorescence is an excellent quantitative procedure, but it is only applicable when there is a structural difference between the two chromosomes that allows them to be distinguished.

[Medical mythology and etymologies].

PubMed

Albou, Philippe

2006-01-01

The lecture is an allusion to Sournia's work and his book "Mythologies de la médecine moderne". (P.U.F 1969). The author evokes the origins of medical terms such as psyche, hermaphrodite, nymphomania, aphrodisiac, marcissism, hypnotism, etc.

Spacing distribution functions for 1D point island model with irreversible attachment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Diego; Einstein, Theodore; Pimpinelli, Alberto

2011-03-01

We study the configurational structure of the point island model for epitaxial growth in one dimension. In particular, we calculate the island gap and capture zone distributions. Our model is based on an approximate description of nucleation inside the gaps. Nucleation is described by the joint probability density p xy n (x,y), which represents the probability density to have nucleation at position x within a gap of size y. Our proposed functional form for p xy n (x,y) describes excellently the statistical behavior of the system. We compare our analytical model with extensive numerical simulations. Our model retains the most relevant physical properties of the system. This work was supported by the NSF-MRSEC at the University of Maryland, Grant No. DMR 05-20471, with ancillary support from the Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials (CNAM).

Insight and psychopathology in never-treated schizophrenia.

PubMed

Tirupati, Srinivasan; Padmavati, Raman; Thara, Rangaswamy; McCreadie, Robin G

2007-01-01

Insight is a feature of schizophrenia related to psychopathology, which could be modified by treatment. The real relationship will be more evident in the never-treated state. This study compared insight and its relationship to psychopathology in 143 never-treated patients with chronic schizophrenia with 183 treated patients. The treated patients had not received any structured intervention for improvement of insight. The item on insight and judgment from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for schizophrenia was used as a measure of insight. Never-treated patients were more ill and poorer in insight than the TT group. Sex, age, duration of illness, negative symptoms related to insight only in the TT group. Positive symptoms score correlated with insight in both the groups, but negative symptoms correlated with insight only among the treated patients. Delusions, uncooperativeness, and poor attention predicted 27% of variation in the level of insight in the never-treated, whereas age; duration of illness; and symptoms of emotional withdrawal, difficulty in abstract thinking, and uncooperativeness predicted 30.3% of variation in insight of the TT group. The observed differences between the never-treated and treated subjects were due to influence of treatment on the association between insight and psychopathology. A subgroup of patients with a treatment-resistant trait of negative symptoms associated with poor insight was hypothesized.

Electrolyte Concentrates Treat Dehydration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Wellness Brands Inc. of Boulder, Colorado, exclusively licensed a unique electrolyte concentrate formula developed by Ames Research Center to treat and prevent dehydration in astronauts returning to Earth. Marketed as The Right Stuff, the company's NASA-derived formula is an ideal measure for athletes looking to combat dehydration and boost performance. Wellness Brands also plans to expand with products that make use of the formula's effective hydration properties to help treat conditions including heat stroke, altitude sickness, jet lag, and disease.

x-y curvature wavefront sensor.

PubMed

Cagigal, Manuel P; Valle, Pedro J

2015-04-15

In this Letter, we propose a new curvature wavefront sensor based on the principles of optical differentiation. The theoretically modeled setup consists of a diffractive optical mask placed at the intermediate plane of a classical two-lens coherent optical processor. The resulting image is composed of a number of local derivatives of the entrance pupil function whose proper combination provides the wavefront curvature. In contrast to the common radial curvature sensors, this one is able to provide the x and y wavefront curvature maps simultaneously. The sensor offers other additional advantages like having high spatial resolution, adjustable dynamic range, and not being sensitive to misalignment.

Preventing and treating homesickness.

PubMed

Thurber, Christopher A; Walton, Edward A

2007-10-01

Homesickness is a normative pathology that ranges from benign to severe. It is defined as the distress or impairment caused by an actual or anticipated separation from home and attachment objects. Symptoms of homesickness, including preoccupying thoughts of home, can be predicted, prevented, and treated. This article summarizes the latest clinical research and practice surrounding homesickness in children and adolescents. Equipped with this knowledge, health care providers can train and consult with summer camp directors and staff to properly prepare and treat new and returning campers.

Bioprocessing preservative-treated waste wood

Treesearch

Barbara L. Illman; Vina W. Yang; Les Ferge

2000-01-01

Disposal of preservative-treated waste wood is a growing problem worldwide. Bioprocessing the treated wood offers one approach to waste management under certain conditions. One goal is to use wood decay fungi to reduce the volume of waste with an easily managed system in a cost-effective manner. Wood decay fungi were obtained from culture collections in the Mycology...

Trisomy 13 as a primary chromosome aberration in acute leukemia.

PubMed

Mertens, F; Sallerfors, B; Heim, S; Johansson, B; Kristoffersson, U; Malm, C; Mitelman, F

1991-10-01

Four patients with acute leukemia displayed trisomy 13 as the primary chromosome abnormality. The two patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia FAB-type M1 (ANLL-M1) had the karyotypes 47,XY,+13/48,XY,+13,+13 and 47,XX,+13, a patient with the hypogranular form of ANLL M3 had 47,XX,+13, and the fourth patient, who had acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL), had the karyotype 47,XY,+13/48,XY,+8,+13. Including these four cases, a total of 24 hematologic neoplasms with an extra chromosome 13 as the sole aberration have now been reported. Except for the AUL, all have been of myeloid origin--20 ANLL, one myelodysplastic syndrome, and two chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Trisomy 13 as the sole acquired karyotypic abnormality therefore seems to be strongly associated with myeloid differentiation of the neoplastic cells and with a differentiation block leading to acute leukemia.

Process for treating biomass

DOEpatents

Campbell, Timothy J; Teymouri, Farzaneh

2015-11-04

This invention is directed to a process for treating biomass. The biomass is treated with a biomass swelling agent within the vessel to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass. A portion of the swelling agent is removed from a first end of the vessel following the treatment. Then steam is introduced into a second end of the vessel different from the first end to further remove swelling agent from the vessel in such a manner that the swelling agent exits the vessel at a relatively low water content.

Process for treating biomass

DOEpatents

Campbell, Timothy J.; Teymouri, Farzaneh

2015-08-11

This invention is directed to a process for treating biomass. The biomass is treated with a biomass swelling agent within the vessel to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass. A portion of the swelling agent is removed from a first end of the vessel following the treatment. Then steam is introduced into a second end of the vessel different from the first end to further remove swelling agent from the vessel in such a manner that the swelling agent exits the vessel at a relatively low water content.

Process for treating biomass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, Timothy J.; Teymouri, Farzaneh

This invention is directed to a process for treating biomass. The biomass is treated with a biomass swelling agent within the vessel to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass. A portion of the swelling agent is removed from a first end of the vessel following the treatment. Then steam is introduced into a second end of the vessel different from the first end to further remove swelling agent from the vessel in such a manner that the swelling agent exits the vessel at a relatively low water content.

Novel functions for the RNA-binding protein ETR-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans reproduction and engulfment of germline apoptotic cell corpses

PubMed Central

Boateng, Ruby; Nguyen, Ken C.Q.; Hall, David H.; Golden, Andy; Allen, Anna K.

2017-01-01

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are essential regulators of gene expression that act through a variety of mechanisms to ensure the proper post-transcriptional regulation of their target RNAs. RBPs in multiple species have been identified as playing crucial roles during development and as having important functions in various adult organ systems, including the heart, nervous, muscle, and reproductive systems. ETR-1, a highly conserved ELAV-Type RNA-binding protein belonging to the CELF/Bruno protein family, has been previously reported to be involved in C. elegans muscle development. Animals depleted of ETR-1 have been previously characterized as arresting at the two-fold stage of embryogenesis. In this study, we show that ETR-1 is expressed in the hermaphrodite somatic gonad and germ line, and that reduction of ETR-1 via RNA interference (RNAi) results in reduced hermaphrodite fecundity. Detailed characterization of this fertility defect indicates that ETR-1 is required in both the somatic tissue and the germ line to ensure wild-type reproductive levels. Additionally, the ability of ETR-1 depletion to suppress the published WEE-1.3-depletion infertility phenotype is dependent on ETR-1 being reduced in the soma. Within the germline of etr-1(RNAi) hermaphrodite animals, we observe a decrease in average oocyte size and an increase in the number of germline apoptotic cell corpses as evident by an increased number of CED-1::GFP and acridine orange positive apoptotic germ cells. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) studies confirm the significant increase in apoptotic cells in ETR-1-depleted animals, and reveal a failure of the somatic gonadal sheath cells to properly engulf dying germ cells in etr-1(RNAi) animals. Through investigation of an established engulfment pathway in C. elegans, we demonstrate that co-depletion of CED-1 and ETR-1 suppresses both the reduced fecundity and the increase in the number of apoptotic cell corpses observed in etr-1(RNAi) animals. Combined

Physician Satisfaction in Treating Medically Unexplained Symptoms.

PubMed

Brauer, Simon G; Yoon, John D; Curlin, Farr A

2017-05-01

To determine whether treating conditions having medically unexplained symptoms is associated with lower physician satisfaction and higher ascribed patient responsibility, and to determine whether higher ascribed patient responsibility is associated with lower physician satisfaction in treating a given condition. We surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1504 US primary care physicians. Respondents were asked how responsible patients are for two conditions with more-developed medical explanations (depression and anxiety) and two conditions with less-developed medical explanations (chronic back pain and fibromyalgia), and how much satisfaction they experienced in treating each condition. We used Wald tests to compare mean satisfaction and ascribed patient responsibility between medically explained conditions and medically unexplained conditions. We conducted single-level and multilevel ordinal logistic models to test the relation between ascribed patient responsibility and physician satisfaction. Treating medically unexplained conditions elicited less satisfaction than treating medically explained conditions (Wald P < 0.001). Physicians attribute significantly more patient responsibility to the former (Wald P < 0.005), although the magnitude of the difference is small. Across all four conditions, physicians reported experiencing less satisfaction when treating symptoms that result from choices for which patients are responsible (multilevel odds ratio 0.57, P = 0.000). Physicians experience less satisfaction in treating conditions characterized by medically unexplained conditions and in treating conditions for which they believe the patient is responsible.

Both nuclear and cytoplasmic components are defective in oocytes of the B6.Y(TIR) sex-reversed female mouse.

PubMed

Amleh, A; Smith, L; Chen, H; Taketo, T

2000-03-15

In the mammalian gonadal primordium, activation of the Sry gene on the Y chromosome initiates a cascade of genetic events leading to testicular organization whereas its absence results in ovarian differentiation. An exception occurs when the Y chromosome of Mus musculus domesticus from Tirano, Italy (Y(TIR)), is placed on the C57BL/6J (B6) genetic background. The B6.Y(TIR) progeny develop only ovaries or ovotestes despite Sry transcription in fetal life. Consequently, the XY offspring with bilateral ovaries develop into apparently normal females, but their eggs fail to develop after fertilization. Our previous studies have shown that the primary cause of infertility can be attributed to oocytes rather than their surrounding somatic cells in the XY ovary. This study attempted to identify the defects in oocytes from the B6.Y(TIR) female mouse. We examined the developmental potential of embryos from XY and XX females after exchanging their nuclear components by microsurgery following in vitro maturation and fertilization. The results suggest that both nuclear and cytoplasmic components are defective in oocytes from XY females. In the XY fetal ovary, most germ cells entered meiosis and their autosomes appeared to synapse normally while the X and Y chromosomes remained unpaired during meiotic prophase. This lack of X-Y pairing probably caused aneuploidy in some secondary oocytes following in vitro maturation. However, normal numbers of chromosomes in the rest of the secondary oocytes indicate that aneuploidy alone can not explain the nuclear defect in oocytes. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

In vivo characterization of a bigenic fluorescent mouse model of Alzheimer's disease with neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Crowe, Sarah E; Ellis-Davies, Graham C R

2013-07-01

The loss of cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is strongly correlated with the loss of neurons in various regions of the brain. We have created a new fluorescent bigenic mouse model of AD by crossing "H-line" yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) mice with the 5xFAD mouse model, which we call the 5XY mouse model. The 5xFAD mouse has been shown to have significant loss of L5 pyramidal neurons by 12 months of age. These neurons are transgenically labeled with YFP in the 5XY mouse, which enable longitudinal imaging of structural changes. In the 5XY mice, we observed an appearance of axonal dystrophies, with two distinct morphologies in the early stages of the disease progression. Simple swelling dystrophies are transient in nature and are not directly associated with amyloid plaques. Rosette dystrophies are more complex structures that remained stable throughout all imaging sessions, and always surrounded an amyloid plaque. Plaque growth was followed over 4 weeks, and significant growth was seen between weekly imaging sessions. In addition to axonal dystrophy appearance and plaque growth, we were able to follow spine stability in 4-month old 5XY mice, which revealed no significant loss of spines. 5XY mice also showed a striking shrinkage of the neocortex at older ages (12-14 months). The 5XY mouse model may be a valuable tool for studying specific events in the degeneration of the neocortex, and may suggest new avenues for therapeutic intervention. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Heat treating of manufactured components

DOEpatents

Ripley, Edward B [Knoxville, TN

2012-05-22

An apparatus for heat treating manufactured components using microwave energy and microwave susceptor material is disclosed. The system typically includes an insulating vessel placed within a microwave applicator chamber. A moderating material is positioned inside the insulating vessel so that a substantial portion of the exterior surface of each component for heat treating is in contact with the moderating material.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treating Epilepsy

MedlinePlus

... and their FAMILIES VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOR TREATING EPILEPSY This information sheet is provided to help you ... how vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may help treat epilepsy. The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is the ...

Trick or Treat and Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buratti, Bonnie J.; Meinke, Bonnie K.; Schmude, Richard W.

2017-10-01

Based on an activity that DPS member Richard Schmude Jr. has been doing for years, with over 5000 children reached, DPS initiated in 2016 a pilot program entitled “Trick-or-Treat and Telescopes.” DPS encouraged its members to put out their telescopes during trick-or-treat time on Halloween, in their own lawns or in a neighbor’s lawn with better viewing (or more traffic). The program will be continued in 2017. This year should offer good viewing with a waxing gibbous moon and Saturn visible. The program was also advertised though the Night Sky Network, a consortium of astronomy clubs. The following website gives advice and connections to resources.https://dps.aas.org/education/trick-or-treat-and-telescopes acknowledged.

The Romans and ritual murder.

PubMed

Schultz, Celia E

2010-01-01

The Roman abhorrence of human sacrifice presented by ancient literary sources stands in contrast to the frequency of rites requiring the death of a human being performed by the Romans during the Republic (509-44 BCE). After examining the ways our sources talk about ritual murder, especially as it was practiced by foreign peoples and subversive or tyrannical elements within Roman society, this discussion turns to the issue of the forms of ritual murder performed by the Romans. Of these various rites, the only one clearly identified by them as human sacrifice, that is, as an offering to the gods of a human life, is the live interment of Gauls and Greeks. Other forms of ritual murder-the burial of unchaste Vestal Virgins and the drowning of hermaphroditic children-were not, in Roman opinion, sacrifice. This distinction made the disposal of Vestal Virgins and hermaphrodites acceptable.

Intense Sperm-Mediated Sexual Conflict Promotes Reproductive Isolation in Caenorhabditis Nematodes

PubMed Central

Leung, Gemma; Shin, Na-Ra; Cutter, Asher D.; Haag, Eric S.

2014-01-01

Conflict between the sexes over reproductive interests can drive rapid evolution of reproductive traits and promote speciation. Here we show that inter-species mating between Caenorhabditis nematodes sterilizes maternal individuals. The principal effectors of male-induced harm are sperm cells, which induce sterility and shorten lifespan by displacing conspecific sperm, invading the ovary, and sometimes breaching the gonad to infiltrate other tissues. This sperm-mediated harm is pervasive across species, but idiosyncrasies in its magnitude implicate both independent histories of sexually antagonistic coevolution within species and differences in reproductive mode (self-fertilizing hermaphrodites versus females) in determining its severity. Consistent with this conclusion, in androdioecious species the hermaphrodites are more vulnerable, the males more benign, or both. Patterns of assortative mating and a low incidence of invasive sperm occurring with conspecific mating are indicative of ongoing intra-specific sexual conflict that results in inter-species reproductive incompatibility. PMID:25072732

Self-duality and a Hall-insulator phase near the superconductor-to-insulator transition in indium-oxide films

PubMed Central

Breznay, Nicholas P.; Steiner, Myles A.; Kivelson, Steven Allan; Kapitulnik, Aharon

2016-01-01

We combine measurements of the longitudinal (ρxx) and Hall (ρxy) resistivities of disordered 2D amorphous indium-oxide films to study the magnetic-field tuned superconductor-to-insulator transition (H-SIT) in the T→0 limit. At the critical field, Hc, the full resistivity tensor is T independent with ρxx(Hc)=h/4e2 and ρxy(Hc)=0 within experimental uncertainty in all films (i.e., these appear to be “universal” values); this is strongly suggestive that there is a particle–vortex self-duality at H=Hc. The transition separates the (presumably) superconducting state at Hxy approaches a nonzero value smaller than its “classical value” H/nec; i.e., 0<ρxyHc, at which the Hall resistance is T independent and roughly equal to its classical value, ρxy≈H/nec, marks an additional crossover to a high-field regime (probably to a Fermi insulator) in which ρxy>H/nec and possibly diverges as T→0. We also highlight a profound analogy between the H-SIT and quantum-Hall liquid-to-insulator transitions (QHIT). PMID:26712029

Structural dissection of a complex Bacteroides ovatus gene locus conferring xyloglucan metabolism in the human gut.

PubMed

Hemsworth, Glyn R; Thompson, Andrew J; Stepper, Judith; Sobala, Łukasz F; Coyle, Travis; Larsbrink, Johan; Spadiut, Oliver; Goddard-Borger, Ethan D; Stubbs, Keith A; Brumer, Harry; Davies, Gideon J

2016-07-01

The human gastrointestinal tract harbours myriad bacterial species, collectively termed the microbiota, that strongly influence human health. Symbiotic members of our microbiota play a pivotal role in the digestion of complex carbohydrates that are otherwise recalcitrant to assimilation. Indeed, the intrinsic human polysaccharide-degrading enzyme repertoire is limited to various starch-based substrates; more complex polysaccharides demand microbial degradation. Select Bacteroidetes are responsible for the degradation of the ubiquitous vegetable xyloglucans (XyGs), through the concerted action of cohorts of enzymes and glycan-binding proteins encoded by specific xyloglucan utilization loci (XyGULs). Extending recent (meta)genomic, transcriptomic and biochemical analyses, significant questions remain regarding the structural biology of the molecular machinery required for XyG saccharification. Here, we reveal the three-dimensional structures of an α-xylosidase, a β-glucosidase, and two α-l-arabinofuranosidases from the Bacteroides ovatus XyGUL. Aided by bespoke ligand synthesis, our analyses highlight key adaptations in these enzymes that confer individual specificity for xyloglucan side chains and dictate concerted, stepwise disassembly of xyloglucan oligosaccharides. In harness with our recent structural characterization of the vanguard endo-xyloglucanse and cell-surface glycan-binding proteins, the present analysis provides a near-complete structural view of xyloglucan recognition and catalysis by XyGUL proteins. © 2016 The Authors.

The PorX Response Regulator of the Porphyromonas gingivalis PorXY Two-Component System Does Not Directly Regulate the Type IX Secretion Genes but Binds the PorL Subunit

PubMed Central

Vincent, Maxence S.; Durand, Eric; Cascales, Eric

2016-01-01

The Type IX secretion system (T9SS) is a versatile multi-protein complex restricted to bacteria of the Bacteriodetes phylum and responsible for the secretion or cell surface exposition of diverse proteins that participate to S-layer formation, gliding motility or pathogenesis. The T9SS is poorly characterized but a number of proteins involved in the assembly of the secretion apparatus in the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis have been identified based on genome substractive analyses. Among these proteins, PorY, and PorX encode typical two-component system (TCS) sensor and CheY-like response regulator respectively. Although the porX and porY genes do not localize at the same genetic locus, it has been proposed that PorXY form a bona fide TCS. Deletion of porX in P. gingivalis causes a slight decrease of the expression of a number of other T9SS genes, including sov, porT, porP, porK, porL, porM, porN, and porY. Here, we show that PorX and the soluble cytoplasmic domain of PorY interact. Using electrophoretic mobility shift, DNA-protein co-purification and heterologous host expression assays, we demonstrate that PorX does not bind T9SS gene promoters and does not directly regulate expression of the T9SS genes. Finally, we show that PorX interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of PorL, a component of the T9SS membrane core complex and propose that the CheY-like PorX protein might be involved in the dynamics of the T9SS. PMID:27630829