Abstract Inbreeding depression (ID), the reduction in fitness due to inbreeding, is typically measured by the regression of the phenotypic values of individuals for a particular trait on their corresponding inbreeding coefficients ( F ). While genealogical records can provide these coefficients, they may be unavailable or incomplete, making molecular markers a useful alternative. The power to detect ID and its accuracy depend on the variation of F values of individuals, the sample sizes available, and the accuracy in the estimation of individual fitness traits and F values. In this study, we used Drosophila melanogaster to evaluate the effectiveness of molecular markers in estimating ID under suboptimal conditions. We generated two sets of 100 pairs of unrelated individuals from a large panmictic population and mated them for two generations to produce non‐inbred and unrelated individuals ( F = 0) and inbred individuals (full‐sib progeny; F = 0.25). Using these expected genealogical F values, we calculated inbreeding depression for two fitness‐related traits, pupae productivity and competitive fitness. We then sequenced the males from 17 non‐inbred pairs and 17 inbred pairs to obtain their genomic inbreeding coefficients and estimate ID for the two traits. The scenario assumed was rather restrictive in terms of estimation of ID because: (1) the individuals belonged to the same generation of a large panmictic population, leading to low variation in individual F coefficients; (2) the sample sizes were small; and (3) the traits measured depended on both males and females while only males were sequenced. Despite the challenging conditions of our study, we found that molecular markers provided estimates of ID that were comparable to those obtained from simple pedigree estimations with larger sample sizes. The results therefore suggest that genomic measures of inbreeding are useful to provide estimates of inbreeding depression even under very challenging scenarios.
The apoptotic effects of natural (n‐) and synthetic (s‐) DADS (diallyl disulfide; 3,3′‐thiobisprop‐1‐ene) on human breast‐cancer MCF‐7 cells were investigated in vitro . 5‐Fu (5‐fluorouracil) and CTX (cyclophosphamide; Cytoxan) were used as comparative control anticancer agents. After MCF‐7 cells had been treated with the drugs, cell viability, morphological change, apoptosis and changes in the cell cycle were measured. The results indicated that s‐ and n‐DADS had similar cytotoxicities towards human breast‐cancer MCF‐7 cells and showed dose‐dependent and time‐dependent inhibitory effects. Morphological observations and flow‐cytometric results showed that the four drugs (s‐DADS, n‐DADS, CTX and 5‐Fu) induced apoptosis in MCF‐7 cells to different extents. The apoptotic effects of s‐ and n‐DADS were superior to those of 5‐Fu and CTX.
Ruditapes decussatus (L.) seed, 1.6 mm in length, was reared in an open-flow system for 28 days at different concentrations of food: 15, 50, 100, 200 and 300 Isochrysis galbana, clone T-ISO, cells μL−1. Rates of ingestion, absorption, and respiration were measured during the experiment and used to calculate the energy balance. Rate of ingestion and absorption efficiency were the primary physiological processes governing seed growth. Ingestion rates increased with food concentration, up to a maximum of 100 cells μL−1. Greater increases in concentration resulted in a decrease in ingestion. Clearance rates were inversely correlated to food concentration. Absorption efficiency, estimated using the Conover method, also decreased with increasing concentrations of food. Respiration rates were independent of food concentration. Potential growth rates were lower than actual growth rates for each of the concentrations tested, although the effect of food concentration on actual and potential growth was equal, with maximum growth occurring at a concentration of 50 cells μL−1. Thus, SFG (‘scope for growth’) is a good qualitative estimator of actual growth, but a poor quantitative estimator.
The prognostic value of clinic and ambulatory BP in predicting incident CKD and whether CKD risk reduction associates with progressive treatment–induced decrease of clinic, awake, or asleep BP are unknown. We prospectively evaluated 2763 individuals without CKD, 1343 men and 1420 women (mean±SD age: 51.5±14.3 years old), with baseline ambulatory BP ranging from normotension to hypertension. On recruitment and annually thereafter (more frequently if hypertension treatment was adjusted on the basis of ambulatory BP), we simultaneously monitored BP and physical activity (wrist actigraphy) for 48 hours to accurately derive individualized mean awake and asleep BP. During a median 5.9-year follow-up, 404 participants developed CKD. Mean asleep systolic BP was the most significant predictor of CKD in a Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for age, diabetes, serum creatinine concentration, urinary albumin concentration, previous cardiovascular event, and hypertension treatment time (on awakening versus at bedtime; per 1-SD elevation: hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.31 to 1.56; P <0.001). The predictive values of mean clinic BP and mean awake or 48-hour ambulatory BP was not significant when corrected by mean asleep BP. Analyses of BP changes during follow-up revealed 27% reduction in the risk of CKD per 1-SD decrease in mean asleep systolic BP, independent of changes in mean clinic BP or awake ambulatory BP. In conclusion, sleep-time BP is a highly significant independent prognostic marker for CKD. Furthermore, progressive treatment–induced decrease of asleep BP, a potential therapeutic target requiring ambulatory BP evaluation, might be a significant method for reducing CKD risk.
The interactions between polyphenols, especially flavonoids and plasma proteins, have attracted great interest among researchers. Few papers, however, have focused on the structure-affinity relationship of polyphenols on their affinities for plasma proteins. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the research reports on the characterization, influence on the bioactivity, and the structure-affinity relationship for studying the affinities between polyphenols and plasma proteins. The molecular properties that influence the affinities of polyphenols for plasma proteins are the following: 1) One or more hydroxyl groups in the B-ring (e.g., 3',4' dihydroxylated B ring catechol group) of flavonoids enhanced the binding affinities to proteins. However, the hydroxyl group in the C-ring will weaken the binding interaction. 2) The presence of an unsaturated 2,3-bond in conjugation with a 4-carbonyl group, characteristic of flavonols structure, has been associated with stronger binding affinity with plasma proteins; 3) The glycosylation of flavonoids decreases the affinities for plasma proteins by 1-3 orders of magnitude depending on the conjugation site and the class of sugar moiety; 4) The methylation of hydroxyl groups in flavonoids slightly enhanced the affinities for plasma proteins by 2-16 times; 5) The galloylated catechins have higher binding affinities for plasma proteins than do non-galloylated catechins and the pyrogallol-type catechins have higher affinities than do the catechol-type catechins. The affinity of the catechin with 2,3-trans structure was lower than those of the catechin with 2,3-cis structure; 6) The gallotannins with more gallol groups presented a much higher percentage of binding to plasma proteins. α-D-Gallotannin showed a greater affinity for plasma proteins than does the natural stereoisomer, β-D-gallotannin; 7) The binding degree of chlorogenic acid with only one caffeoyl group was lower than the binding degrees of caffeoyl quinic acids with more caffeoyl groups. The methylation of phenolic acid decreased the affinity for BSA.
