Search results for "adaptation"

2017

Adaptation to local conditions is a fundamental process in evolution; however, mechanisms maintaining local adaptation despite high gene flow are still poorly understood. Marine ecosystems provide a wide array of diverse habitats that frequently promote ecological adaptation even in species characterized by strong levels of gene flow. As one example, populations of the marine fish Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are highly connected due to immense dispersal capabilities but nevertheless show local adaptation in several key traits. By combining population genomic analyses based on 12K single nucleotide polymorphisms with larval dispersal patterns inferred using a biophysical ocean model, we show…

The Interplay between Nutrition, Innate Immunity, and the Commensal Microbiota in Adaptive Intestinal Morphogenesis

2021

The gastrointestinal tract is a functionally and anatomically segmented organ that is colonized by microbial communities from birth. While the genetics of mouse gut development is increasingly understood, how nutritional factors and the commensal gut microbiota act in concert to shape tissue organization and morphology of this rapidly renewing organ remains enigmatic. Here, we provide an overview of embryonic mouse gut development, with a focus on the intestinal vasculature and the enteric nervous system. We review how nutrition and the gut microbiota affect the adaptation of cellular and morphologic properties of the intestine, and how these processes are interconnected with innate immunit…

Polar solar panels: Arctic and Antarctic microbiomes display similar taxonomic profiles

2018

Solar panels located on high (Arctic and Antarctic) latitudes combine the harshness of the climate with that of the solar exposure. We report here that these polar solar panels are inhabited by similar microbial communities in taxonomic terms, dominated by Hymenobacter spp., Sphingomonas spp. and Ascomycota. Our results suggest that solar panels, even on high latitudes, can shape a microbial ecosystem adapted to irradiation and desiccation.

Exercise Training Protocols in Rabbits Applied in Cardiovascular Research

2020

Simple Summary Several animal models have been used to understand the physiological adaptations produced by exercise training in the healthy and diseased cardiovascular system. Among those, the protocols for acute and chronic exercise in rabbits present several advantages compared to other large animal models. In addition, the rabbit model has important physiological similarities with humans. On the other hand, the design of the training protocol is a key factor to induce the physiological adaptations. Here, we review the different training protocols used in rabbits and the different physiological adaptations produced in the cardiovascular system, in normal and pathological conditions. Abst…

Expert Opinion on Three Phage Therapy Related Topics: Bacterial Phage Resistance, Phage Training and Prophages in Bacterial Production Strains

2018

Phage therapy is increasingly put forward as a "new" potential tool in the fight against antibiotic resistant infections. During the "Centennial Celebration of Bacteriophage Research" conference in Tbilisi, Georgia on 26-29 June 2017, an international group of phage researchers committed to elaborate an expert opinion on three contentious phage therapy related issues that are hampering clinical progress in the field of phage therapy. This paper explores and discusses bacterial phage resistance, phage training and the presence of prophages in bacterial production strains while reviewing relevant research findings and experiences. Our purpose is to inform phage therapy stakeholders such as po…

Ocular Clocks: Adapting Mechanisms for Eye Functions and Health

2018

Vision is a highly rhythmic function adapted to the extensive changes in light intensity occurring over the 24-hour day. This adaptation relies on rhythms in cellular and molecular processes, which are orchestrated by a network of circadian clocks located within the retina and in the eye, synchronized to the day/night cycle and which, together, fine-tune detection and processing of light information over the 24-hour period and ensure retinal homeostasis. Systematic or high throughput studies revealed a series of genes rhythmically expressed in the retina, pointing at specific functions or pathways under circadian control. Conversely, knockout studies demonstrated that the circadian clock re…

Genome-wide scan of fat-tail sheep identifies signals of selection for fat deposition and adaptation

2018

Fat tail in sheep represents a valuable energy reserve for facing future climate changes. The identification of genes with a role in the fat-tail phenotype may contribute to understanding the physiology of fat deposition and the mechanisms of adaptation. Genotypic data obtained with the OvineSNP50K array in 13 thin-tail sheep breeds from Italy were used to identify selection signatures of fat tail through pairwise thin- versus fat-tail sheep breed comparisons, with the following fat-tail breeds of the Mediterranean area: two unique Italian fat-tail breeds (Barbaresca and Laticauda), a Barbary sheep breed from Libya, Ossimi breed from Egypt, Cyprus Fat-Tail and Chios from the Greek islands …

Constrained evolvability of interferon suppression in an RNA virus.

2016

AbstractInnate immunity responses controlled by interferon (IFN) are believed to constitute a major selective pressure shaping viral evolution. Viruses encode a variety of IFN suppressors, but these are often multifunctional proteins that also play essential roles in other steps of the viral infection cycle, possibly limiting their evolvability. Here, we experimentally evolved a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) mutant carrying a defect in the matrix protein (M∆51) that abolishes IFN suppression and that has been previously used in the context of oncolytic virotherapy. Serial transfers of this virus in normal, IFN-secreting cells led to a modest recovery of IFN blocking capacity and to weak …

Sleep, alertness and alertness management among commercial airline pilots on short-haul and long-haul flights

2016

Item does not contain fulltext Airline pilots' sleep and on-duty alertness are important focus areas in commercial aviation. Until now, studies pertaining to this topic have mainly focused on specific characteristics of flights and thus a comprehensive picture of the matter is not well established. In addition, research knowledge of what airline pilots actually do to maintain their alertness while being on duty is scarce. To address these gaps in research knowledge, we conducted a field study on a representative sample of the airline pilots of a medium-sized airline. The sample consisted of 90 pilots, of whom 30 flew long-haul (LH) routes, 30 short-haul (SH) routes, and 30 flew both. A tota…

The best way to assess visually induced motion sickness in a fixed-base driving simulator

2017

Abstract Objective Driving simulator usage is becoming more widespread, yet many users still experience substantial motion sickness-like symptoms induced by optical flow, called visually induced motion sickness (VIMS). The Fast Motion sickness Scale (FMS) allows for continuous on-line assessment of VIMS. Using mixed models for ordinal data, this study investigated how to optimally analyze FMS data, and then used the resulting models to examine the development of symptoms over time in detail. Additionally, the study explored the impact of specific VIMS-inducing road elements. Methods Twenty-eight healthy young adults without prior simulator experience completed six courses on two days in a f…