Effect of inbreeding and heritability of sperm competition success in the bulb mite Rhizoglyphus robini

Sperm competition is a potent evolutionary force shaping the reproductive biology of most animal species. Here, we estimated the heritability of sperm competition success in the promiscuous bulb mite Rhizoglyphus robini. Sperm competition success was measured with the sterile male technique as the proportion of eggs fertilised by the second of three males mated with a single female. Sperm competition success responded significantly to selection. The heritability estimated from the response to five generations of selection was 0.13. We also estimated the effect of inbreeding on sperm competition success. Males produced by sib-mating (F=0.25) had a significantly lower sperm competition success than outbred males. The estimated coefficient of inbreeding depression was 0.53. Such high inbreeding depression together with moderately low heritability is consistent with the view that sperm competitive ability is under strong directional selection and strongly influences the reproductive success of males

With Malice Toward One? – Defining Nondischargeability of Debts For Willful and Malicious Injury Under Section 523(a)(6) of the Bankrupcy Code

The federal bankruptcy system strikes a balance between the rights of debtors seeking a fresh start and the rights of creditors seeking repayment for debt. While many areas of the Bankruptcy Code provide examples of this balancing act, perhaps no area of the Code embodies this balance better than discharge of debt. Discharge of debt provides the fresh start for debtors on which the bankruptcy system rests, but the Code also protects the interests of creditors who would otherwise have their claims against the debtor discharged. Section 523(a)(6) excepts from discharge any debt for willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another entity or to the property of another entity. Clearly, this section prohibits discharge for debts that result from a bad act of the debtor, and serves a punitive function by not allowing a debtor to use the bankruptcy system to avoid debts when the debtor acted wrongfully in incurring those debts. While the Supreme Court has had the opportunity to consider the definition of willful and malicious injury, it has done so only in the context of a tort claim, leaving courts to determine the applicability of § 523(a)(6) in the context of breach of contract claims. This article merges traditional tort doctrine regarding levels of intent to harm, traditional contract doctrine of efficient breach, and modern developments recognizing punitive damages in contract actions to conclude that § 523(a)(6) should permit nondischargeability of intentional breaches of contract that lack business justification

Simulation of Demographic Change in Palestinian Territories

Mortality, birth rates and retirement play a major role in demographic changes. In most cases, mortality rates decreased in the past century without noticeable decrease in fertility rates, this leads to a significant increase in population growth. In many poor countries like Palestinian territories the number of births has fallen and the life expectancy increased. In this article we concentrate on measuring, analyzing and extrapolating the age structure in Palestine a few decades ago into future. A Fortran program has been designed and used for the simulation and analysis of our statistical data. This study of demographic change in Palestine has shown that Palestinians will have in future problems as the strongest age cohorts are the above-60-year olds. We therefore recommend the increase of both the retirement age and women employment.Comment: For Int. J. Mod. Phys. C 18, issue 11; 9 pages including figures and progra

Strong association between a single gene and fertilization efficiency of males and fecundity of their mates in the bulb mite.

Although variation in male fertilization efficiency has been shown to have a genetic basis in several species, the genes responsible for the effect are generally unknown. Here, we show a strong association between the fertilization success of males and their phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (Pgdh) genotype in the bulb mite Rhizoglyphus robini. Males homozygous for the slow (S) allele fathered a significantly greater proportion of offspring when competing with males homozygous for the fast (F) allele. There was no evidence that female fecundity was influenced by their Pgdh genotype. The fecundity of FF females did not differ significantly from the fecundity of SS females but female fecundity was significantly influenced by the genotype of their mate. Females paired with SS males laid significantly fewer eggs than females paired with FF males. Altogether these data show a trade-off, with the male SS genotype associated with their higher fertilization efficiency but at the cost of a negative impact on the fecundity of females mating with them

Dual mode nanoparticles: CdS coated iron nanoparticles

Reverse micelles can be used in a sequential fashion to make core-shell nanoparticles. Using this technique it is possible to make a magnetic quantum dot, by coating an iron core with a cadmium sulfide shell. Transmission electron microscopy indicated core-shell morphology and narrow size distribution of the obtained particles. Collectively, x-ray powder diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the presence of cadmium sulfide on the surface of the nanoparticles. Optical properties of the coated particles were demonstrated using fluorescence spectroscopy. A vibrating sample magnetometer was used to determine magnetic properties. Dual mode cadmium sulfide coatediron core-shell nanoparticles make unique candidates for the use in biomedical applications

Immunogenetic novelty confers a selective advantage in host–pathogen coevolution

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is crucial to the adaptive immune response of vertebrates and is among the most polymorphic gene families known. Its high diversity is usually attributed to selection imposed by fast-evolving pathogens. Pathogens are thought to evolve to escape recognition by common immune alleles, and, hence, novel MHC alleles, introduced through mutation, recombination, or gene flow, are predicted to give hosts superior resistance. Although this theoretical prediction underpins host–pathogen “Red Queen” coevolution, it has not been demonstrated in the context of natural MHC diversity. Here, we experimentally tested whether novel MHC variants (both alleles and functional “supertypes”) increased resistance of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to a common ectoparasite (Gyrodactylus turnbulli). We used exposure-controlled infection trials with wild-sourced parasites, and Gyrodactylus-naïve host fish that were F2 descendants of crossed wild populations. Hosts carrying MHC variants (alleles or supertypes) that were new to a given parasite population experienced a 35–37% reduction in infection intensity, but the number of MHC variants carried by an individual, analogous to heterozygosity in single-locus systems, was not a significant predictor. Our results provide direct evidence of novel MHC variant advantage, confirming a fundamental mechanism underpinning the exceptional polymorphism of this gene family and highlighting the role of immunogenetic novelty in host–pathogen coevolution

A Reflection on Women Attire in the Quran; a Study on Ayat Al-Hijāb

Hijab, jilbab or khimar known as a piece of garment which usually worn by Muslim women in order to obey their God. It becomes a symbol that shows their identity. Besides, Hijab has a particular meaning according to multiple perspectives which resulted variant styles and types of hijab in one community, with or without syari\u27ah compliance. Fashion trends also plays the role in modifying women attire and the issue about this seems more complicated since the guidelines were avoided. This paper will goes through the commentaries of Qur\u27an to examine the requirements of proper women attire as mentioned specifically on ayat al-hijab. It results that Qur\u27an already put some guidelines on proper attire for Muslim women such as: the garments used to cover body parts is must be long, wide and thick enough. Not being overdressed also included as a requirement

Issues on Women and Problems in Workplace From Islamic Point of View

Perkembangan zaman dan meningkatnya pergerakan ekonomi membuka peluang seluas-luasnya bagi perempuan untuk turut andil di dalamnya. Tenaga perempuan yang turut diberdayakan dalam berbagai sektor yang kemudian fenomena ini ternyata berdampak positif dan negative pada lini kehidupan lainnya seperti sisi ekonomi, sosial, pendidikan dan pembangunan. Islam sendiri memiliki jawaban atas kendala sosial yang disandarkan kepada keterlibatan perempuan di ranah publik. Maka kajian ini bertujuan untuk memaparkan beberapa konflik yang terjadi ketika perempuan terjun ke dunia pekerjaan dan bagaimana Islam menyediakan aturan yang murni bertujuan untuk melindungi perempuan agar tetap berada pada fitrahnya namun tetap menyelarasi keperluan perempuan seiring berkembangnya zama

Inbreeding alters intersexual fitness correlations in Drosophila simulans.

PublishedJournal ArticleIntralocus sexual conflict results from sexually antagonistic selection on traits shared by the sexes. This can displace males and females from their respective fitness optima, and negative intersexual correlations (r mf) for fitness are the unequivocal indicator of this evolutionary conflict. It has recently been suggested that intersexual fitness correlations can vary depending on the segregating genetic variation present in a population, and one way to alter genetic variation and test this idea is via inbreeding. Here, we test whether intersexual correlations for fitness vary with inbreeding in Drosophila simulans isolines reared under homogenous conditions. We measured male and female fitness at different times following the establishment of isofemale lines and found that the sign of the association between the two measures varied with time after initial inbreeding. Our results are consistent with suggestions that the type of genetic variation segregating within a population can determine the extent of intralocus sexual conflict and also support the idea that sexually antagonistic alleles segregate for longer in populations than alleles with sexually concordant effects.Foundation for Polish Science (FNP)NER