Extra-pair copulation(EPC)can potentially maximize individual reproductive fitness,and this process may involve sexual selection of male and female traits that reflect individual quality.Previous studies have implied ...Extra-pair copulation(EPC)can potentially maximize individual reproductive fitness,and this process may involve sexual selection of male and female traits that reflect individual quality.Previous studies have implied that adult characteristics are associated with the probability of extra-pair paternity(EPP),but it differs between species.Moreover,there are relatively few examples of the adaptive rationale for females’engagement in EPCs based on an examination of these more traditionally recorded traits,in combination with female flight-mediated traits such as wing length.We investigated whether EPP existed in the wild Chestnut Thrush(Turdus rubrocanus)population during three breeding seasons(2019–2021),and whether paternity was related to morphological traits of males and females.Eight highly variable microsatellite loci were used to identify paternity,and generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the relationship between paternity and morphological traits.We found that EPP existed in the Chestnut Thrush.53.3%(N=41/77)of the broods contained at least one extra-pair offspring(EPO),and 34.6%(N=72/208)of the nestlings were EPO.We also found that male wing length was negatively associated with the probability of EPP and the proportion of EPO.Female body length was positively related to the probability of EPP.Both female body condition and mass were negatively associated with the proportion of EPO.While other traits of male and female did not relate to the probability of EPP or the proportion of EPO.Extra-pair males had better body condition compared to the males they cuckolded.EPO did not differ from their half-siblings in terms of body size or body condition.The results suggest that body size and body condition were associated with EPP in the Chestnut Thrush.This study provides fundamental information for further studies on the evolution and maintenance of EPP in the Chestnut Thrush,and it is also useful for the comparison of EPP among Turdus species.展开更多
To estimate the efficiency of microsatellite markers in paternity testing among Chinese Holstein, 30 microsatellite loci were used to differentiate 330 Chinese Holstein genotypes, according to the calculation of the a...To estimate the efficiency of microsatellite markers in paternity testing among Chinese Holstein, 30 microsatellite loci were used to differentiate 330 Chinese Holstein genotypes, according to the calculation of the allele frequency, number of alleles, effective number of alleles, genetic heterozygosity, polymorphic information content （PIC）, and the exclusion probability in this cattle population. The results demonstrated that the exclusion probability ranged from 0.620 in locus BM1818 to 0.265 in locus INRA005 with the average of 0.472 and 11 microsatellite markers exceeding 0.5. The combined exclusion probability of nine microsatellite markers was over 0.99. The result showed that paternity testing of Chinese Holstein was basically resolved using the nine microsatellite markers selected.展开更多
Background:Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds.Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity.But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian popu...Background:Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds.Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity.But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian population.Methods:From 2012 to 2019,we explored the extra-pair paternity of Marsh Tits(Poecile palustris)in Xianrendong National Nature Reserve,Liaoning Province,China.During the study,adult Marsh Tits were captured with mist nets and parental birds,with nest-box traps.Blood samples were taken from the brachial vein.Parentage analyses were carried out using nine highly variable microsatellite loci through Cervus 3.0 software and maximum likelihood approach.Results:Forty-nine offspring(15.08%)from 20 nests(45.45%)were the results of extra-pair fertilization out of a total of 325 offspring in 44 nests.The average extra-pair offspring ratio was 33.54%,with a set varying from 11.11 to 71.43%.Nine extra-pair fathers had been successfully identified,four of whom were the close neighbors of the focus nest while the nests of the remaining five were relatively far.No significant difference was found in the genetic similarity between the social and extra-pair mates of the female,nor in the heterozygosis among the maternal half-siblings.Conclusions:In general,our study proved that the extra-pair paternity in Marsh Tits and its extra-pair mating is independent of the genetic compatibility hypothesis.This complements the understudied bird's extra-pair paternity in Asian area and contributes to the comprehensive insight of birds'extra-pair paternity behaviors.展开更多
The crocodile lizard （Shinisaurus croeodilurus） is an ovoviviparoug lizard belonging to a monotypic family that originated during the end of the quaternary ice age. A rare species in the wild, the crocodile lizard w...The crocodile lizard （Shinisaurus croeodilurus） is an ovoviviparoug lizard belonging to a monotypic family that originated during the end of the quaternary ice age. A rare species in the wild, the crocodile lizard was listed in CITES Appendix II. Knowledge of the reproductive biology and mating system of this species is important for designing conservation strategies and improving genetic variation. To investigate the paternity of the crocodile lizards and to interpret their reproductive behaviour, we collected saliva from females, potential fathers and offspring in a semi- natural enclosure experiment and analyzed the paternity of the crocodile lizard using 12 microsatellite genetic loci. The overall observed incidence of multiple paternity was 42.9% （6 of 14 clutches） and Fis was 0.089 ± 0.056. These results indicate that the primary mating mode of the crocodile lizard is that males are polygynous while with females are polyandrous, and there is multiple paternity among offspring of the same mother.展开更多
After a rape, woman who is pregnamt often elect to abort the fetus.The authors describe 2 cases witers genetic markers ABO, MN,Rh,PGM1,EsD,ACP,GLOI,GPT,HP,Cc and HLA-A,-B were tasted on the aborted fetal material to p...After a rape, woman who is pregnamt often elect to abort the fetus.The authors describe 2 cases witers genetic markers ABO, MN,Rh,PGM1,EsD,ACP,GLOI,GPT,HP,Cc and HLA-A,-B were tasted on the aborted fetal material to provide evidence of the genetic constitution of the rapist The results showed that this type of testing is possible for prenatal paternity identification.展开更多
Background:Extra-pair paternity(EPP)in birds provides benefits in terms of more offspring,and characteristics for maintenance of this behaviour have been the subject of investigation.Microorganisms are known to be tra...Background:Extra-pair paternity(EPP)in birds provides benefits in terms of more offspring,and characteristics for maintenance of this behaviour have been the subject of investigation.Microorganisms are known to be transmitted during mating,especially when mating with multiple partners,and factors reducing this cost of multiple mating are expected.Further,plumage brightness and colour intensity have been shown to be important traits to benefits from multiple mating as predicted by sexual selection.The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the rate of extra-pair paternity and the relative size of the uropygial gland at the interspecific level,as the uropygial gland is an exocrine gland hypothesized to produce antiparasitic substances and further identified to affect plumage brightness.Because of the expected benefits of large uropygial gland in scenarios of sexual selection,we predicted a positive correlation with EPP.Methods:We collected information from the literature of uropygial gland size and frequency of extra-pair paternity of 60 avian species of different families and explored the predicted positive correlation between them.We did so with means of comparative analyses that considered phylogenetic relationship as random factor and included body mass as covariate.We used Markov chain Monte Carlo generalized linear mixed models that were weighted by number of nests used to estimate extra-pair paternity.Results:We detected a positive relationship between level of extra-pair paternity and uropygial gland size at an interspecific level.This finding is consistent with the prediction.Conclusions:We discuss the importance of this result in scenarios of sexual selection and argue that the detected relationship may have arisen by utilizing antiparasitic secretions through secondary sexual characters indicating parasite resistance.展开更多
12 cattle microsatellite DNA markers were used for establishing the paternity of 4 Datong Yak calves.The results indicated that paternity can be assigned by use of exclusion method directely when the mother is clearly...12 cattle microsatellite DNA markers were used for establishing the paternity of 4 Datong Yak calves.The results indicated that paternity can be assigned by use of exclusion method directely when the mother is clearly known and data of all likely sires were obtained. The more the alleles of a locus possessed, the more effectively the paternity can be assigned. Not only the microsatellite DNA marker is a promising tool in establishment of yak detail pedigrees, but also can provide us information of reproductive efficiency of the bull(s) based on the numbers of calves it produced in the herd, which will be useful in speeding up the processes of yak genetics improvement.展开更多
Investigation into the paternity of four abaca （Musa textilis L, Nee） hybrids was done to ascertain the mode of transmission of selected morpho-agronomic traits and to detect possible heterosis. In situ morphologica...Investigation into the paternity of four abaca （Musa textilis L, Nee） hybrids was done to ascertain the mode of transmission of selected morpho-agronomic traits and to detect possible heterosis. In situ morphological characterization was undertaken using twenty five qualitative and six quantitative characters. Results revealed that a great majority of the qualitative traits were shared by both parents and their hybrids. For the rest, the qualitative traits were inherited from one or the other parent though some variant phenotypes （i.e. chimerism） were also noted in the hybrids. Cases ofheterosis were also observed and this could be exploited to increase fiber yield in the hybrids. Though inconclusive due to factors such as the heterogenous nature of abaca plants in the field and the susceptibility of morphological traits to environmental fluctuations, this study has provided baseline information on abaca hybridity that can be verified using more robust technologies as molecular markers.展开更多
Extra-pair paternity(EPP)benefits to improve the reproductive success via extra-pair fertilizations without the costs of parental care in males and through improved offspring quality with additional food and parental c...Extra-pair paternity(EPP)benefits to improve the reproductive success via extra-pair fertilizations without the costs of parental care in males and through improved offspring quality with additional food and parental care in females among species of birds.Variations in the EPP appear to link to behavioral and ecological factors and sexual selection.According to the“relationship intelligence hypothesis”,the cognitive abilities of the birds play an important role in maintaining long-term relationships.Here,we undertook thefirst comparative test of the relationships between extra-pair paternity and brain size,testis size,and life histories among 315 species of birds using phylogenetically controlled comparative analyses and path analysis.After controlling for the effects of shared ancestry and body mass,the frequency of EPP was negatively correlated with relative brain size,but positively with testis size across species of birds.However,the frequency of EPP was not linked to life-history traits(e.g.incubation period,fledging period,clutch size,egg mass,and longevity).Ourfindings suggest that large-brained birds associated with enhanced cognitive abilities are more inclined to maintain long-term stable relationships with their mates and to mutualism with them than to increase the frequency of EPP.展开更多
Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded(FFPE)tissues provide a wealth of pathological information crucial for clinical and forensic examinations.Formalin induces robust complexes between DNA and proteins,impacting DNA ex...Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded(FFPE)tissues provide a wealth of pathological information crucial for clinical and forensic examinations.Formalin induces robust complexes between DNA and proteins,impacting DNA extraction and complicating short tandem repeat(STR)typing for personal identification and paternity testing.Here,we present a case of paternity testing involving one FFPE tissue and one blood specimen.We compared four DNA extraction methods and analyzed the obtained products from the most successful approach.To ensure robust statistical support,we used a combination of three STR kits for the analysis.This case demonstrates the viability of using multiple kits in tandem for STR profiling of FFPE tissues.展开更多
Extra-pair paternity(EPP)is commonly found in socially monogamous birds,especially in small passerine birds,and there are interspecific and intraspecific variations in the extent of EPP.The Chestnut-vented Nuthatch(Si...Extra-pair paternity(EPP)is commonly found in socially monogamous birds,especially in small passerine birds,and there are interspecific and intraspecific variations in the extent of EPP.The Chestnut-vented Nuthatch(Sitta nagaensis)is a socially monogamous passerine bird,and verifying whether this species has EPP relies on parentage testing-S.nagaensis is not known to have EPP.In this study,we developed SNP markers of this species that are informative for parentage analysis from double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing(ddRAD-seq)data.A panel consisting of 50 SNP markers,with a mean heterozygosity of 0.343,was used to resolve 95% of nestlings to fathers.The combined exclusion probabilities for the first parent and second parent were 0.991 and 0.9999,respectively.This panel of SNP markers is a powerful tool for parentage assignments in S.nagaensis.In addition,we found that three offspring(7.9%)from three nests(23.1%)were the result of extra-pair fertilization out of 38 offspring in 13 nests.Our study provided information on parentage analysis that has not been reported before in S.nagaensis.It also supplemented the understudied EPP behavior of birds in Asia,contributing to a general understanding of the EPP behaviors of birds.展开更多
Paternity leave,a social policy first implemented in China some twenty years ago,has a direct bearing on fatherhood.It marks a preliminary attempt to promote the transition from fathers’lack of involvement to engagem...Paternity leave,a social policy first implemented in China some twenty years ago,has a direct bearing on fatherhood.It marks a preliminary attempt to promote the transition from fathers’lack of involvement to engagement founded on cultural recognition and economic and political redistribution.The intergenerational continuity of the absent father,the reproduction of this absence through the extended family,the limited fatherhood created by employers through a consensus about human feelings,and the way local governments are taking the lead in paternity leave,ahead of the central government,jointly build the mainstream model of the absent father.Fathers should indeed provide day-to-day care for their children,but only as helpers;this means that short-term paternity leave is an appropriate way for new fathers to take on their responsibilities.This notion,however,not only fails to meet the new needs,responsibilities and rights of some fathers who wish to actively care for and bond with their children,but also further consolidates the gender division of labor(in which men are innately breadwinners and women homemakers),a division that is inextricably linked with people’s interests,ethics and emotions in contemporary China.The low fertility in today’s world calls for a significant change in the gender division of labor.Actively embracing a caring role is not only a work right and an emotional right for fathers,but also heralds emerging civil rights and marks a new development in social emotions.In this sense,the transition to care-giving fathers should not be that difficult.展开更多
Most birds engage in extrapair copulations despite great differences across and within species. Besides cost and benefit considerations of the two sex environmental factors have been found to alter mating strategies w...Most birds engage in extrapair copulations despite great differences across and within species. Besides cost and benefit considerations of the two sex environmental factors have been found to alter mating strategies within or between populations and/or over time. For socially monogamous species, the main advantage that females might gain from mating with multiple males is probably increasing their offspring＇s genetic fitness. Since male （genetic） quality is mostly not directly meas- urable for female birds, （extrapair） mate choice is based on male secondary traits. In passerines male song is such a sexual ornament indicating male phenotypic and/or genetic quality and song repertoires seem to affect female mate choice in a number of species. Yet their role in extrapair mating behavior is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the proportion of extrapair paternity （EPP） in a population of common nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos. We found that EPP rate was rather high （21.5% of all offspring tested） for a species without sexual dimorphism and high levels of paternal care. Furthermore, the occurrence of EPP was strongly related to the spatial distribution of male territories with males settling in densely occupied areas having higher proportions of extrapair young within their own brood. Also, song repertoire size affected EPP： here larger repertoires of social mates were negatively related to the probability of being cuck- olded. When directly comparing repertoires sizes of social and extrapair mates, extrapair mates tended to have larger repertoires. We finally discuss our results as a hint for a flexible mating strat- egy in nightingales where several factors--including ecological as well as male song features-- need to be considered when studying reproductive behavior in monogamous species with complex song.展开更多
Mutations might challenge the paternity index calculation in forensic identification.While many studies have focussed on the autosomal short tandem repeats(A-STR),the mutation status of sex chromosomes and single nucl...Mutations might challenge the paternity index calculation in forensic identification.While many studies have focussed on the autosomal short tandem repeats(A-STR),the mutation status of sex chromosomes and single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)remain blank.Next generation sequencing(NGS),known as high throughput and large sequence polymorphism,is a promising tool for forensic genetics.To describe the mutation landscapes in the paternity cases with genetic inconsistencies,a total of 63 parentage confirmed paternity cases contained at least one mismatched locus have been collected.The mutations were subsequently evaluated using Verogen’s MPSForenSeqTM DNASignature Kit and a microsatellite instability(MSI)detection kit.The result showed 98.41%(62/63)of the cases had no additional autosomal mutations even when the number of A-STRs increased to 27.As for the sex chromosomes,about 11.11%(7/63)of the cases exhibited either X-STR or Y-STR mutations.D2S1338,FGAand Penta Ewere the most frequent altered STRs,which suggested they might be the mutation hotspots.In addition,a male with sex chromosome abnormality was observed accidently,whose genotype might be 47,XXY,rather than MSI.Nearly 56.90%of the STR loci possessed isoalleles,which might result in higher STR polymorphisms.No Mendelian incompatibility was detected among the SNP markers,which indicated that SNP was a more reliable genetic marker in the genetic-inconsistent paternity cases.展开更多
<strong>Purpose</strong><strong>:</strong> The purpose is to identify what difficulties fathers have with the roles of fatherhood during pregnancy and early infancy, and to make apparent what t...<strong>Purpose</strong><strong>:</strong> The purpose is to identify what difficulties fathers have with the roles of fatherhood during pregnancy and early infancy, and to make apparent what their educational support needs are. <strong>Methods:</strong> This study follows a qualitative descriptive design. The subjects were new first-time fathers of Japanese nationality. Subjects participated in semi-structured interviews administered according to interview guidelines. <strong>Results:</strong> There were 15 subjects in total. The average age of the subjects’ children was 5.5 months. Fathers’ difficulties with their new roles were abstracted in to five main categories: < Difficulties during early engagement with child >, < Difficulties related to child crying >, < Difficulties arising after getting through the early engagement stage >, < Difficulties related to support of partner >, and < Mental burdens associated with childrearing >. Additionally, the types of support fathers requested to help maintain their mental health after the birth of their infants were abstracted into three main categories: < Support with childcare knowledge/acquiring skills >, < Support in building a positive marital relationship >, and < Support in maintaining own mental health >. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> 1) The stress experienced by fathers from the birth of their child through early infancy, originating in two elements of fatherhood (engagement with the child and spousal support), placed a great mental burden upon them in a multi-layered structure;2) The support that needs fathers expressed to maintain their mental health pre- and postpartum is based on the difficulties they experienced with paternal roles;3) There is a disparity between the needs of fathers expressed through the results of this study and current paternal support practices in Japan. The supplementation and revision of existing paternal support practices is an issue that merits further consideration. Furthermore, the existing group interview method suffers from low attendance, and attending has become increasingly difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading throughout Japan. It is necessary to consider alternative methods of educational support moving forward.展开更多
The inheritance of plastid DNA in Pharbitis was studied by the method of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP).Experimental results showed that plastid DNA from Pharbitis was paternally inherited in recipro...The inheritance of plastid DNA in Pharbitis was studied by the method of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP).Experimental results showed that plastid DNA from Pharbitis was paternally inherited in reciprocal crosses,P. nil ×P. limbata and P. limbata×P. nil hybrids.But,in the cross of P. limbata×P. nil,the possibility of biparental inheritance of plastid DNA could not be roled out in our preliminary experiment.Thus Pharbitis became the third genus among angiosperms characterized with male plastid transmission.The mechanisms of paternal plastids DNA inheritance in Pharbitis is unclear.The authors proposed that dilution,exclusion and/or degeneration of maternal plastid,including their DNA,after fertilization should be considered.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project 32070452).
文摘Extra-pair copulation(EPC)can potentially maximize individual reproductive fitness,and this process may involve sexual selection of male and female traits that reflect individual quality.Previous studies have implied that adult characteristics are associated with the probability of extra-pair paternity(EPP),but it differs between species.Moreover,there are relatively few examples of the adaptive rationale for females’engagement in EPCs based on an examination of these more traditionally recorded traits,in combination with female flight-mediated traits such as wing length.We investigated whether EPP existed in the wild Chestnut Thrush(Turdus rubrocanus)population during three breeding seasons(2019–2021),and whether paternity was related to morphological traits of males and females.Eight highly variable microsatellite loci were used to identify paternity,and generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the relationship between paternity and morphological traits.We found that EPP existed in the Chestnut Thrush.53.3%(N=41/77)of the broods contained at least one extra-pair offspring(EPO),and 34.6%(N=72/208)of the nestlings were EPO.We also found that male wing length was negatively associated with the probability of EPP and the proportion of EPO.Female body length was positively related to the probability of EPP.Both female body condition and mass were negatively associated with the proportion of EPO.While other traits of male and female did not relate to the probability of EPP or the proportion of EPO.Extra-pair males had better body condition compared to the males they cuckolded.EPO did not differ from their half-siblings in terms of body size or body condition.The results suggest that body size and body condition were associated with EPP in the Chestnut Thrush.This study provides fundamental information for further studies on the evolution and maintenance of EPP in the Chestnut Thrush,and it is also useful for the comparison of EPP among Turdus species.
文摘To estimate the efficiency of microsatellite markers in paternity testing among Chinese Holstein, 30 microsatellite loci were used to differentiate 330 Chinese Holstein genotypes, according to the calculation of the allele frequency, number of alleles, effective number of alleles, genetic heterozygosity, polymorphic information content （PIC）, and the exclusion probability in this cattle population. The results demonstrated that the exclusion probability ranged from 0.620 in locus BM1818 to 0.265 in locus INRA005 with the average of 0.472 and 11 microsatellite markers exceeding 0.5. The combined exclusion probability of nine microsatellite markers was over 0.99. The result showed that paternity testing of Chinese Holstein was basically resolved using the nine microsatellite markers selected.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31872231)to DWthe Youth Foundation of Liaoning University(Grant No.A251901012)to JW。
文摘Background:Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds.Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity.But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian population.Methods:From 2012 to 2019,we explored the extra-pair paternity of Marsh Tits(Poecile palustris)in Xianrendong National Nature Reserve,Liaoning Province,China.During the study,adult Marsh Tits were captured with mist nets and parental birds,with nest-box traps.Blood samples were taken from the brachial vein.Parentage analyses were carried out using nine highly variable microsatellite loci through Cervus 3.0 software and maximum likelihood approach.Results:Forty-nine offspring(15.08%)from 20 nests(45.45%)were the results of extra-pair fertilization out of a total of 325 offspring in 44 nests.The average extra-pair offspring ratio was 33.54%,with a set varying from 11.11 to 71.43%.Nine extra-pair fathers had been successfully identified,four of whom were the close neighbors of the focus nest while the nests of the remaining five were relatively far.No significant difference was found in the genetic similarity between the social and extra-pair mates of the female,nor in the heterozygosis among the maternal half-siblings.Conclusions:In general,our study proved that the extra-pair paternity in Marsh Tits and its extra-pair mating is independent of the genetic compatibility hypothesis.This complements the understudied bird's extra-pair paternity in Asian area and contributes to the comprehensive insight of birds'extra-pair paternity behaviors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31360522)
文摘The crocodile lizard （Shinisaurus croeodilurus） is an ovoviviparoug lizard belonging to a monotypic family that originated during the end of the quaternary ice age. A rare species in the wild, the crocodile lizard was listed in CITES Appendix II. Knowledge of the reproductive biology and mating system of this species is important for designing conservation strategies and improving genetic variation. To investigate the paternity of the crocodile lizards and to interpret their reproductive behaviour, we collected saliva from females, potential fathers and offspring in a semi- natural enclosure experiment and analyzed the paternity of the crocodile lizard using 12 microsatellite genetic loci. The overall observed incidence of multiple paternity was 42.9% （6 of 14 clutches） and Fis was 0.089 ± 0.056. These results indicate that the primary mating mode of the crocodile lizard is that males are polygynous while with females are polyandrous, and there is multiple paternity among offspring of the same mother.
文摘After a rape, woman who is pregnamt often elect to abort the fetus.The authors describe 2 cases witers genetic markers ABO, MN,Rh,PGM1,EsD,ACP,GLOI,GPT,HP,Cc and HLA-A,-B were tasted on the aborted fetal material to provide evidence of the genetic constitution of the rapist The results showed that this type of testing is possible for prenatal paternity identification.
基金JJS received financial support by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia,Innovación y Universidades and European(FEDER)funds(CGL2017-83103-P).
文摘Background:Extra-pair paternity(EPP)in birds provides benefits in terms of more offspring,and characteristics for maintenance of this behaviour have been the subject of investigation.Microorganisms are known to be transmitted during mating,especially when mating with multiple partners,and factors reducing this cost of multiple mating are expected.Further,plumage brightness and colour intensity have been shown to be important traits to benefits from multiple mating as predicted by sexual selection.The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the rate of extra-pair paternity and the relative size of the uropygial gland at the interspecific level,as the uropygial gland is an exocrine gland hypothesized to produce antiparasitic substances and further identified to affect plumage brightness.Because of the expected benefits of large uropygial gland in scenarios of sexual selection,we predicted a positive correlation with EPP.Methods:We collected information from the literature of uropygial gland size and frequency of extra-pair paternity of 60 avian species of different families and explored the predicted positive correlation between them.We did so with means of comparative analyses that considered phylogenetic relationship as random factor and included body mass as covariate.We used Markov chain Monte Carlo generalized linear mixed models that were weighted by number of nests used to estimate extra-pair paternity.Results:We detected a positive relationship between level of extra-pair paternity and uropygial gland size at an interspecific level.This finding is consistent with the prediction.Conclusions:We discuss the importance of this result in scenarios of sexual selection and argue that the detected relationship may have arisen by utilizing antiparasitic secretions through secondary sexual characters indicating parasite resistance.
文摘12 cattle microsatellite DNA markers were used for establishing the paternity of 4 Datong Yak calves.The results indicated that paternity can be assigned by use of exclusion method directely when the mother is clearly known and data of all likely sires were obtained. The more the alleles of a locus possessed, the more effectively the paternity can be assigned. Not only the microsatellite DNA marker is a promising tool in establishment of yak detail pedigrees, but also can provide us information of reproductive efficiency of the bull(s) based on the numbers of calves it produced in the herd, which will be useful in speeding up the processes of yak genetics improvement.
文摘Investigation into the paternity of four abaca （Musa textilis L, Nee） hybrids was done to ascertain the mode of transmission of selected morpho-agronomic traits and to detect possible heterosis. In situ morphological characterization was undertaken using twenty five qualitative and six quantitative characters. Results revealed that a great majority of the qualitative traits were shared by both parents and their hybrids. For the rest, the qualitative traits were inherited from one or the other parent though some variant phenotypes （i.e. chimerism） were also noted in the hybrids. Cases ofheterosis were also observed and this could be exploited to increase fiber yield in the hybrids. Though inconclusive due to factors such as the heterogenous nature of abaca plants in the field and the susceptibility of morphological traits to environmental fluctuations, this study has provided baseline information on abaca hybridity that can be verified using more robust technologies as molecular markers.
基金Financial support was provided by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(31772451,31970393)the Science and Technology Youth Innovation Team of Sichuan Province(19DTTD0012)+1 种基金the Innovation Project of Guangxi Graduate Education(YCSW2021116)the project of Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology,Guangxi Normal University(18-A-02-04).
文摘Extra-pair paternity(EPP)benefits to improve the reproductive success via extra-pair fertilizations without the costs of parental care in males and through improved offspring quality with additional food and parental care in females among species of birds.Variations in the EPP appear to link to behavioral and ecological factors and sexual selection.According to the“relationship intelligence hypothesis”,the cognitive abilities of the birds play an important role in maintaining long-term relationships.Here,we undertook thefirst comparative test of the relationships between extra-pair paternity and brain size,testis size,and life histories among 315 species of birds using phylogenetically controlled comparative analyses and path analysis.After controlling for the effects of shared ancestry and body mass,the frequency of EPP was negatively correlated with relative brain size,but positively with testis size across species of birds.However,the frequency of EPP was not linked to life-history traits(e.g.incubation period,fledging period,clutch size,egg mass,and longevity).Ourfindings suggest that large-brained birds associated with enhanced cognitive abilities are more inclined to maintain long-term stable relationships with their mates and to mutualism with them than to increase the frequency of EPP.
基金supported by the Chengdu Science and Technology Program(No.2022-YF05-02026-SN).
文摘Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded(FFPE)tissues provide a wealth of pathological information crucial for clinical and forensic examinations.Formalin induces robust complexes between DNA and proteins,impacting DNA extraction and complicating short tandem repeat(STR)typing for personal identification and paternity testing.Here,we present a case of paternity testing involving one FFPE tissue and one blood specimen.We compared four DNA extraction methods and analyzed the obtained products from the most successful approach.To ensure robust statistical support,we used a combination of three STR kits for the analysis.This case demonstrates the viability of using multiple kits in tandem for STR profiling of FFPE tissues.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Project of Yunnan(202101AT070040)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U23A20162)+1 种基金the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education Fund for Scientific Research Project(2023Y0722)the First Class Forestry Academic Subject in Yunnan Province.
文摘Extra-pair paternity(EPP)is commonly found in socially monogamous birds,especially in small passerine birds,and there are interspecific and intraspecific variations in the extent of EPP.The Chestnut-vented Nuthatch(Sitta nagaensis)is a socially monogamous passerine bird,and verifying whether this species has EPP relies on parentage testing-S.nagaensis is not known to have EPP.In this study,we developed SNP markers of this species that are informative for parentage analysis from double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing(ddRAD-seq)data.A panel consisting of 50 SNP markers,with a mean heterozygosity of 0.343,was used to resolve 95% of nestlings to fathers.The combined exclusion probabilities for the first parent and second parent were 0.991 and 0.9999,respectively.This panel of SNP markers is a powerful tool for parentage assignments in S.nagaensis.In addition,we found that three offspring(7.9%)from three nests(23.1%)were the result of extra-pair fertilization out of 38 offspring in 13 nests.Our study provided information on parentage analysis that has not been reported before in S.nagaensis.It also supplemented the understudied EPP behavior of birds in Asia,contributing to a general understanding of the EPP behaviors of birds.
文摘Paternity leave,a social policy first implemented in China some twenty years ago,has a direct bearing on fatherhood.It marks a preliminary attempt to promote the transition from fathers’lack of involvement to engagement founded on cultural recognition and economic and political redistribution.The intergenerational continuity of the absent father,the reproduction of this absence through the extended family,the limited fatherhood created by employers through a consensus about human feelings,and the way local governments are taking the lead in paternity leave,ahead of the central government,jointly build the mainstream model of the absent father.Fathers should indeed provide day-to-day care for their children,but only as helpers;this means that short-term paternity leave is an appropriate way for new fathers to take on their responsibilities.This notion,however,not only fails to meet the new needs,responsibilities and rights of some fathers who wish to actively care for and bond with their children,but also further consolidates the gender division of labor(in which men are innately breadwinners and women homemakers),a division that is inextricably linked with people’s interests,ethics and emotions in contemporary China.The low fertility in today’s world calls for a significant change in the gender division of labor.Actively embracing a caring role is not only a work right and an emotional right for fathers,but also heralds emerging civil rights and marks a new development in social emotions.In this sense,the transition to care-giving fathers should not be that difficult.
文摘Most birds engage in extrapair copulations despite great differences across and within species. Besides cost and benefit considerations of the two sex environmental factors have been found to alter mating strategies within or between populations and/or over time. For socially monogamous species, the main advantage that females might gain from mating with multiple males is probably increasing their offspring＇s genetic fitness. Since male （genetic） quality is mostly not directly meas- urable for female birds, （extrapair） mate choice is based on male secondary traits. In passerines male song is such a sexual ornament indicating male phenotypic and/or genetic quality and song repertoires seem to affect female mate choice in a number of species. Yet their role in extrapair mating behavior is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the proportion of extrapair paternity （EPP） in a population of common nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos. We found that EPP rate was rather high （21.5% of all offspring tested） for a species without sexual dimorphism and high levels of paternal care. Furthermore, the occurrence of EPP was strongly related to the spatial distribution of male territories with males settling in densely occupied areas having higher proportions of extrapair young within their own brood. Also, song repertoire size affected EPP： here larger repertoires of social mates were negatively related to the probability of being cuck- olded. When directly comparing repertoires sizes of social and extrapair mates, extrapair mates tended to have larger repertoires. We finally discuss our results as a hint for a flexible mating strat- egy in nightingales where several factors--including ecological as well as male song features-- need to be considered when studying reproductive behavior in monogamous species with complex song.
基金This study was supported by grants from the National Youth Top-notch Talent of Ten Thousand Program(WRQB2019)the Youth Science and Technology Innovation Leader of Ten Thousand Program(2018RA2102).
文摘Mutations might challenge the paternity index calculation in forensic identification.While many studies have focussed on the autosomal short tandem repeats(A-STR),the mutation status of sex chromosomes and single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)remain blank.Next generation sequencing(NGS),known as high throughput and large sequence polymorphism,is a promising tool for forensic genetics.To describe the mutation landscapes in the paternity cases with genetic inconsistencies,a total of 63 parentage confirmed paternity cases contained at least one mismatched locus have been collected.The mutations were subsequently evaluated using Verogen’s MPSForenSeqTM DNASignature Kit and a microsatellite instability(MSI)detection kit.The result showed 98.41%(62/63)of the cases had no additional autosomal mutations even when the number of A-STRs increased to 27.As for the sex chromosomes,about 11.11%(7/63)of the cases exhibited either X-STR or Y-STR mutations.D2S1338,FGAand Penta Ewere the most frequent altered STRs,which suggested they might be the mutation hotspots.In addition,a male with sex chromosome abnormality was observed accidently,whose genotype might be 47,XXY,rather than MSI.Nearly 56.90%of the STR loci possessed isoalleles,which might result in higher STR polymorphisms.No Mendelian incompatibility was detected among the SNP markers,which indicated that SNP was a more reliable genetic marker in the genetic-inconsistent paternity cases.
文摘<strong>Purpose</strong><strong>:</strong> The purpose is to identify what difficulties fathers have with the roles of fatherhood during pregnancy and early infancy, and to make apparent what their educational support needs are. <strong>Methods:</strong> This study follows a qualitative descriptive design. The subjects were new first-time fathers of Japanese nationality. Subjects participated in semi-structured interviews administered according to interview guidelines. <strong>Results:</strong> There were 15 subjects in total. The average age of the subjects’ children was 5.5 months. Fathers’ difficulties with their new roles were abstracted in to five main categories: < Difficulties during early engagement with child >, < Difficulties related to child crying >, < Difficulties arising after getting through the early engagement stage >, < Difficulties related to support of partner >, and < Mental burdens associated with childrearing >. Additionally, the types of support fathers requested to help maintain their mental health after the birth of their infants were abstracted into three main categories: < Support with childcare knowledge/acquiring skills >, < Support in building a positive marital relationship >, and < Support in maintaining own mental health >. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> 1) The stress experienced by fathers from the birth of their child through early infancy, originating in two elements of fatherhood (engagement with the child and spousal support), placed a great mental burden upon them in a multi-layered structure;2) The support that needs fathers expressed to maintain their mental health pre- and postpartum is based on the difficulties they experienced with paternal roles;3) There is a disparity between the needs of fathers expressed through the results of this study and current paternal support practices in Japan. The supplementation and revision of existing paternal support practices is an issue that merits further consideration. Furthermore, the existing group interview method suffers from low attendance, and attending has become increasingly difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading throughout Japan. It is necessary to consider alternative methods of educational support moving forward.
文摘The inheritance of plastid DNA in Pharbitis was studied by the method of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP).Experimental results showed that plastid DNA from Pharbitis was paternally inherited in reciprocal crosses,P. nil ×P. limbata and P. limbata×P. nil hybrids.But,in the cross of P. limbata×P. nil,the possibility of biparental inheritance of plastid DNA could not be roled out in our preliminary experiment.Thus Pharbitis became the third genus among angiosperms characterized with male plastid transmission.The mechanisms of paternal plastids DNA inheritance in Pharbitis is unclear.The authors proposed that dilution,exclusion and/or degeneration of maternal plastid,including their DNA,after fertilization should be considered.
