Further, a morphology

Further, a morphology PARP inhibitor review graph is constituted with vertices as elements of morphology set and edges specifying conditions for transformations between morphologies. These conditions form a polyhedral cone, which will be called a morphology domain, in the

space of h-vectors. The dynamics of crystal morphology is given by the trajectories of the h-vector inside this morphology domain. The evolution of morphology distributions due to crystal growth inside the morphology domain is described by a morphological-population balance model (M-PBM) which readily submits to solution by the method of characteristics. The methodology, illustrated in controlling crystal morphologies of potassium acid phthalate using additives, paves the way for model-based control of shape control of crystallization processes.”
“We present a generic spatially explicit modeling framework to estimate carbon emissions from deforestation (INPE-EM). The framework incorporates the temporal dynamics related to the deforestation process and accounts for the biophysical and socioeconomic heterogeneity of the region under study. We build an emission model for the Brazilian Amazon combining

annual maps of new clearings, four maps of biomass, and a set of alternative parameters based on the recent literature. The most important results are as follows: (a) Using different biomass maps leads to large differences in estimates of emission; for the entire region of the Brazilian Amazon in the last decade, emission estimates MK-2206 in vitro of primary forest deforestation range from 0.21 to 0.26 similar to Pg similar to C similar to yr-1. (b) Secondary vegetation growth presents a small impact on emission balance because

of the short duration of secondary vegetation. In average, the balance is only 5% smaller than the primary forest deforestation emissions. (c) Deforestation rates decreased significantly in the Brazilian Amazon in recent years, from 27 similar to Mkm2 in 2004 to 7 similar Flavopiridol research buy to Mkm2 in 2010. INPE-EM process-based estimates reflect this decrease even though the agricultural frontier is moving to areas of higher biomass. The decrease is slower than a non-process instantaneous model would estimate as it considers residual emissions (slash, wood products, and secondary vegetation). The average balance, considering all biomass, decreases from 0.28 in 2004 to 0.15 similar to Pg similar to C similar to yr-1 in 2009; the non-process model estimates a decrease from 0.33 to 0.10 similar to Pg similar to C similar to yr-1. We conclude that the INPE-EM is a powerful tool for representing deforestation-driven carbon emissions. Biomass estimates are still the largest source of uncertainty in the effective use of this type of model for informing mechanisms such as REDD+.

This can impair DNA stability and viability of tumor stromal cell

This can impair DNA stability and viability of tumor stromal cells, undermine homeostatic capacity of tumor microenvironment and facilitate tumor progression.”
“The hemodialysis vascular access surveillance Selleck Fosbretabulin controversy provides

a case study of how enthusiasm for a new test or treatment can lead to adoption of a false paradigm. Paradigms are the beliefs and assumptions shared by those in a field of knowledge, and are commonly included in clinical practice guidelines. The guidelines of the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative recommend that arteriovenous vascular accesses undergo routine surveillance for detection and correction of stenosis. This recommendation is based on the paradigm that surveillance of access blood flow

or dialysis venous pressure combined with correction of stenosis improves access outcomes. However, the quality selleck products of evidence that supports this paradigm has been widely criticized. We tested the validity of the surveillance paradigm by applying World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for evaluating screening tests to a literature review of published vascular access studies. These criteria include four components: undesired condition, screening test, intervention, and desired outcome. The WHO criteria show that surveillance as currently practiced fails all four components and provides little or no significant benefit, suggesting that surveillance is a false paradigm. Once a paradigm is established, however, challenges to its validity are usually resisted even as new evidence indicates the paradigm is not valid. Thus, it is paramount to apply rigorous criteria when developing guidelines. Regulators may help promote needed changes in paradigms when cost and safety considerations coincide.”
“Depression and negative symptoms can be difficult to distinguish in schizophrenia. Assessments for negative symptoms usually account for AZD7762 in vitro the longitudinal nature of these symptoms, whereas instruments available to measure depression mainly assess current or recent symptoms. This construct difference may confound comparison of depressive and

negative symptoms in schizophrenia because both domains may have trait-like aspects. We developed an instrument to measure both longitudinal “trait” as well as recent “state” symptoms of depression and tested this instrument (Maryland Trait and State Depression [MTSD] scale) in a sample of 98 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 115 community participants without psychotic illness. Exploratory factor analysis of the MTSD revealed 2 factors accounting for 73.4% of the variance; these 2 factors corresponded with “trait” and “state” depression inventory items. Neither MTSD-state nor MTSD-trait was correlated with negative symptoms as measured with the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (r =.07 and -.06, respectively) in schizophrenia patients.

The monomorphic type was the most common, with diffuse large B-ce

The monomorphic type was the most common, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma as the origin. The most frequent presentation was fever. Four in five patients had Epstein-Barr related PTLD. All patients received various regimens PI3K inhibitor of immunosuppression reduction (IR), with 4 converting CNI to mTOR inhibitor (imTOR). Subsequent treatment (when needed) was chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. The maximum follow-up time was 6.7 years, with a 50% mortality rate that occurred at a median time of 3.5 months (2 died with functioning kidney). All 4 patients who were in remission

at the end of follow-up had CNI conversion to imTOR, and none lost the allograft. Conclusions. Despite the small number of cases, our results confirm the high PTLD impact in overall and allograft survival. Our PTLD type distribution is in accord with the literature. First-line PTLD treatment is IR, but the best method is still unknown; our results may suggest a beneficial effect of CNI conversion to imTOR.”
“Cell-to-cell communication, or quorum sensing (QS), enables cell CYT387 manufacturer density-dependent regulation of bacterial gene expression which can be exploited for the autonomous-signal-guided expression of recombinant proteins (C. Y. Tsao, S. Hooshangi, H.

C. Wu, J. J. Valdes, and W. E. Bentley, Metab. Eng. 12:291-297, 2010). Earlier observations that the metabolic potential of Escherichia coli is conveyed via the QS signaling molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) suggested that the capacity for protein synthesis could also be affected by AI-2 signaling (M. P. DeLisa, J. J. Valdes, and W. E. Bentley, J. Bacteriol. 183:2918-2928, 2001). In this work, we found that simply adding conditioned medium containing high levels of selleck chemical AI-2 at the same time as inducing the synthesis of recombinant proteins doubled the yield of active product. We have hypothesized that AI-2 signaling “conditions” cells as a natural consequence of cell-to-cell communication and that this could tweak the signal transduction

cascade to alter the protein synthesis landscape. We inserted luxS (AI-2 synthase) into vectors which cosynthesized proteins of interest (organophosphorus hydrolase [OPH], chloramphenicol acetyltransferase [CAT], or UV-variant green fluorescent protein [GFPuv]) and evaluated the protein expression in luxS-deficient hosts. In this way, we altered the level of luxS in the cells in order to “tune” the synthesis of AI-2. We found conditions in which the protein yield was dramatically increased. Further studies demonstrated coincident upregulation of the chaperone GroEL, which may have facilitated higher yields and is shown for the first time to be positively regulated at the posttranscriptional level by AI-2. This report is the first to demonstrate that the protein synthesis capacity of E. coli can be altered by rewiring quorum sensing circuitry.

Resumen Introduccionla caracterizacion molecular de los acaros De

Resumen Introduccionla caracterizacion molecular de los acaros Demodex esta siendo utilizada para identificar especies de acaros en perros. Esta tecnica esta siendo ahora aplicada a las especies de gatos, permitiendo una mejor caracterizacion de los

acaros. Hipotesis/Objetivosel diagnostico molecular clarificara Nutlin-3 la posible existencia de diversas especies de acaros identificados con diferente morfologia. Animalesun gato con de demodicosis generalizada secundaria al tratamiento cronico con esteroides frente a displasia eritroide. Metodoslos raspados de piel demostraron gran numero de acaros foliculares consistentes con Demodex cati, asi como un acaro morfologicamente diferente de tipo Demodex con un abdomen redondeado. Se amplifico el DNA del gen 16S rRNA mediante PCR, se secuencio y se comparo con las secuencias existentes de Demodex, incluidos D.cati, D.gatoi, y una especie de Demodex aun sin nombre. Resultadosse obtuvo un solo producto de PCR, cuya secuencia de DNA fue exacta a la de Demodex cati. Conclusiones e importancia clinicael

acaro corto sin nombre no Milciclib es una especie diferente en este caso, sino una variacion morfologica de Demodex cati. Este articulo demuestra la utilidad del diagnostico molecular para clarificar la identidad de los acaros con diferente morfologia. Zusammenfassung HintergrundDie molekulare Charakterisierung von Demodex Milben wird verwendet, um Milbenspezies bei Hunden zu identifizieren. Diese Technik wird nun auch bei Demodex Spezies der Katzen angewandt, was eine bessere Charakterisierung der Milben erlaubt. Hypothese/ZieleDie molekulare Diagnostik wird das Vorkommen verschiedener Demodex Milben,

die morphologisch identifiziert werden konnen, verdeutlichen. TiereEine Katze mit generalisierter Demodikose, die sekundar nach chronischer Steroidbehandlung wegen erythroider Dysplasie auftrat. MethodenHautgeschabsel zeigten eine gro ss e Anzahl an Follikelmilben, die wie Demodex cati aussahen, sowie eine morphologisch unterschiedliche Demodex Milbe mit einem stumpfen Bauch. Die 16S rRNA DNA wurde mittels PCR amplifiziert, KU-55933 supplier sequenziert und mit vorhandenen Demodex Sequenzen, die Demodex cati, Demodex gatoi und eine unbenannte Demodex sp beinhalteten, verglichen. ErgebnisseEs wurde ein einziges PCR Produkt gewonnen, deren DNA Sequenz mit der von D.cati exakt ubereinstimmte. Schlussfolgerungen und klinische BedeutungIn diesem Fall war die kurzere unbenannte Milbe nicht eine unterschiedliche Spezies, sondern eine unterschiedliche morphologische Form von D.cati. Dieser Bericht zeigt die Verwendung von Molekulardiagnostik, um die Identitat von Milben abzuklaren, die sich morphologisch unterscheiden.

67, p < 0 05) was observed between MRI-estimated endothelial p

67, p < 0.05) was observed between MRI-estimated endothelial permeability and VEGF immunoreactivity.\n\nConclusion: Correlation of MRI assays of endothelial permeability to a MMCM and VEGF immunoreactivity of tumors support the hypothesis that VEGF is a

major contributor to increased macromolecular permeability in cancers. When applied clinically, the MMCM-enhanced MRI approach could help to optimize the appropriate application of VEGF-inhibiting therapy on an individual patient basis. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background: The mucin MUC16 expresses the repeating peptide epitope CA125 that has been known for decades to be a well-validated cancer marker that is overexpressed on the

CH5424802 manufacturer cell surface of ovarian GSK2126458 cancers and other malignant tumors. In spite of recent efforts to make mouse monoclonal antibodies to MUC16 to treat ovarian cancer, a human monoclonal antibody against this mucin has not been described. MUC16 interacts with mesothelin, a protein that mediates heterotypic cancer cell adhesion, indicating that MUC16 and mesothelin play an important role in the peritoneal implantation and metastasis of ovarian tumors. Therefore, a suitable candidate for therapeutic targeting of MUC16 would functionally block the interaction of MUC16 and mesothelin.\n\nMethodology/Principal Findings: Here we report the generation of a novel immunoadhesin, HN125, against MUC16 that consists of a functional MUC16 binding domain of mesothelin (IAB) and the Fc portion of a human buy 5-Fluoracil antibody IgG1. The yield for purified HN125 proteins is over 100 mu g/mL of HEK-293 culture supernatant. We show that HN125 has high and specific affinity for MUC16-expressing cancer cells by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. HN125 has the ability to disrupt the heterotypic cancer

cell adhesion mediated by the MUC16-mesothelin interaction. Moreover, it elicits strong antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity against MUC16-positive cancer cells in vitro.\n\nConclusion/Significance: This report describes a novel human immunotherapeutic agent highly specific for MUC16 with potential for treating ovarian cancer and other MUC16-expressing tumors. Because of its lower immunogenicity in patients, a fully human protein is the most desirable format for clinical applications. We believe that the methods developed here may apply to the generation of other tumor-targeting immunoadhesins when it is difficult to obtain a human monoclonal antibody to a given antigen for clinical applications. The resultant immunoadhesins can have advantages usually found in monoclonal antibodies such as ease of purification, high binding affinity and effector functions.”
“No standard definition exists for surveillance and characterization of the epidemiology of bloodstream infections (BSIs) after cardiac catheterization (CC) procedures.

Bumblebees exposed to PepMV infected D stramonium, S ptycanthum

Bumblebees exposed to PepMV infected D. stramonium, S. ptycanthum, and S. sarrachoides successfully transmitted the virus back into the tomato. No over wintering perennial weed species were found to be natural hosts of

PepMV, and build up of inoculum in the field is unlikely. Weeds do not appear to represent a significant role in the epidemiology of this disease in Ontario.”
“The concept of central insulin resistance and dysfunctional insulin signaling in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has been developed by Siegfried Hoyer in 1985-2000. It is widely recognized that the mechanisms underlying neuronal energy deficiency and in particular to elucidate insulin/insulin receptor cascade deficiencies are some of the most relevant proximate characteristics of sporadic AD. The imbalance between cerebral oxygen utilization and cerebral glucose utilization may cause rise AMN-107 in reactive oxygen species production and this might be causal SB273005 in vivo for synapse degeneration. This concept has been substantiated by work on postmortem

Alzheimer brains and has been translated back into the streptozotozin animal model, which has stimulated much further research by other researchers. Finally, the insulin hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease has currently advanced into a potential therapeutic avenue.”
“Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) affects neurons at both cortical and subcortical levels. The subcortical effects involve several descending motor systems but appeared to be relatively weak, as only small increases in the amplitude of subcortically initiated descending volleys and a minute shortening of latencies of these volleys were found. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate the consequences of facilitation

of these volleys on the ensuing muscle activation. The experiments were carried out on deeply anaesthetized rats without neuromuscular blockade. Effects of tDCS were tested on EMG potentials recorded from neck muscles evoked by weak (20-60 mu A) single, double or triple stimuli applied in the medial longitudinal fascicle (MLF) or in the red nucleus Selleck GS-7977 (RN). Short latencies of these potentials were compatible with monosynaptic or disynaptic actions of reticulospinal and disynaptic or trisynaptic actions of rubrospinal neurons on neck motoneurons. Despite only weak effects on indirect descending volleys, the EMG responses from both the MLF and the RN were potently facilitated by cathodal tDCS and depressed by anodal tDCS. Both the facilitation and the depression developed relatively rapidly (within the first minute) but both outlasted tDCS and were present for up to 1 h after tDCS.

56 (95% CI: 5 37-5 73) for risk variant carriers (CC+CT) and was

56 (95% CI: 5.37-5.73) for risk variant carriers (CC+CT) and was 5.48 (95% CI: 5.36-5.61) for noncarriers (TT) (p = 0.56). rs2118181 was not associated with TAA or TAAD. rs10519177 was not associated with TAD, TAA, or TAAD in the Yale study. Thus, the Yale study provided further support for the association of the FBN-1 rs2118181SNP with TAD.”
“Following intense overfishing in the 1970s, the western stock of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) experienced

a long period of depressed abundance, which has been attributed to failure of the population to periodically produce large numbers of juveniles, the western stock mixing with the more highly exploited eastern stock (fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea), and regime shift in the population’s ecosystem resulting in lower replacement rates. To evaluate the presence selleck of relatively strong years of juvenile production, we analyzed age structure from a recent sample of otoliths (ear stones) Selleck Adriamycin collected from the western stock (2011-2013, North Carolina, U.S.A., winter fishery). Mixing levels for the recent sample were analyzed using otolith stable isotopes to test whether age structure might be biased through immigration of eastern stock bluefin tuna. Age structure from historical samples collected from United States and Canadian fisheries (1975-1981) was

compared with more recent samples (1996-2007) to examine

whether demographic changes had occurred to the western stock that might have disrupted juvenile production. Relatively high juvenile production occurred in 2003, 2005, selleck chemical and 2006. Otolith stable isotope analysis showed that these recruitments were mostly of western stock origin. However, these high recruitments were bigger than 2-fold less than historical recruitment. We found substantial age truncation in the sampled fisheries. Half the historical sample was bigger than 20 years old (mean age = 20.1 [SD 3.7]; skewness = -0.3), whereas smaller than 5% of the recent sample was bigger than 20 years old (mean age = 13.4 [SD 3.8]; skewness = 1.3). Loss of age structure is consistent with changes in fishing selectivity and trends in the stock assessment used for management. We propose that fishing, as a forcing variable, brought about a threshold shift in the western stock toward lower biomass and production, a shift that emulates the regime shift hypothesis. An abbreviated reproductive life span compromised resilience by reducing the period over which adults spawn and thereby curtailing the stock’s ability to sample year-to-year variability in conditions that favor offspring survival (i.e., storage effect). Because recruitment dynamics by the western stock exhibit threshold dynamics, returning it to a higher production state will entail greater reductions in exploitation rates.


“Background: ZAP70 gene expression is associated with poor


“Background: ZAP70 gene expression is associated with poor prognosis in B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders especially chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) but its role in adult B-ALL has not been established. On diagnostic samples from 76 patients with adult ALL (65 with B-ALL and 11 with T-ALL) ZAP70 mRNA expression levels were studied by real time-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis.\n\nFindings: A broad distribution of ZAP70 expression Vactosertib concentration was observed in ALL, ranging from 0.002 to 5.3 fold that of the ZAP70 positive Jurkat reference cell line. No association was

observed between expression levels and the presence of specific cytogenetic abnormalities. Five cases, including one case of T-ALL, had ZAP70 expression above the level of the Jurkat reference cell line.\n\nConclusions: Our results confirm the frequent expression of ZAP70 in adult ALL. Limited comparisons made did highlight poor-risk patients with high ZAP70 expression, but due to lack of clinical information on patient samples we were unable to directly assess the impact on disease prognosis. ZAP-70 may be

an important laboratory assay in adult ALL and further studies are warranted selleck chemical to study a potential correlation with cytogenetic and other genetic markers.”
“To identify the independent risk factors, based on available evidence in the literature, for patients developing surgical site infections (SSI) after spinal surgery.\n\nNon-interventional studies evaluating the independent risk factors for patients developing SSI following spinal surgery were searched in Medline, Embase, Sciencedirect and OVID. The quality of the included studies was assessed by a modified quality assessment Sapanisertib tool that had been previously designed for observational studies. The effects of studies were combined with the study quality score using a best-evidence synthesis model.\n\nThirty-six observational studies involving 2,439 patients

with SSI after spinal surgery were identified. The included studies covered a wide range of indications and surgical procedures. These articles were published between 1998 and 2012. According to the quality assessment criteria for included studies, 15 studies were deemed to be high-quality studies, 5 were moderate-quality studies, and 16 were low-quality studies. A total of 46 independent factors were evaluated for risk of SSI. There was strong evidence for six factors, including obesity/BMI, longer operation times, diabetes, smoking, history of previous SSI and type of surgical procedure. We also identified 8 moderate-evidence, 31 limited-evidence and 1 conflicting-evidence factors.\n\nAlthough there is no conclusive evidence for why postoperative SSI occurs, these data provide evidence to guide clinicians in admitting patients who will have spinal operations and to choose an optimal prophylactic strategy.

Brazilian subtype C sequences contained an additional NF-kappa B

Brazilian subtype C sequences contained an additional NF-kappa B biding site, as previously described for the majority of subtype C isolates. The high level

of LTR polymorphisms identified in this study might be important Semaxanib solubility dmso for viral fitness.”
“We sought to determine whether mitral annular calcium (MAC) is associated with inducible myocardial ischemia and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in ambulatory patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). MAC is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population, but its association with CVD outcomes in patients with CAD has not been evaluated. We examined the association of MAC with inducible ischemia and subsequent cardiovascular events in 1,020 ambulatory patients with CAD who were enrolled in the Heart and Soul Study. We used logistic regression to determine the association of MAC with inducible ischemia and Cox proportional hazards models to determine the association with CVD events (myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, transient ischemic attack or death). Models were adjusted for age, gender, race, smoking, history of heart failure, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Of the 1,020 participants

192 (19%) had MAC. Participants with MAC were more likely than those without MAC to have inducible ischemia (adjusted odds ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval 1.41 to 3.01, p = 0.0002). During an average of 6.26 +/- 2.11 years of follow-up, there were 310 deaths, buy AG-881 161 hospitalizations for heart failure, 118 myocardial infarctions, and 55 cerebrovascular events. MAC was associated with an increased rate of cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.79, p = 0.01). In conclusion, we found that MAC was associated with inducible ischemia and subsequent CVD events in ambulatory patients with CAD. MAC may indicate a high atherosclerotic burden and identify patients at increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Published by Elsevier Inc. (Am J Cardiol 2012;109:1092-1096)”
“Due

to the fact that the number of deaths due Alzheimer is increasing, the scientists have a strong interest in early stage diagnostic of this disease. Alzheimer’s https://www.selleckchem.com/products/BMS-777607.html patients show different kind of brain alterations, such as morphological, biochemical, functional, etc. Currently, using magnetic resonance imaging techniques is possible to obtain a huge amount of biomarkers; being difficult to appraise which of them can explain more properly how the pathology evolves instead of the normal ageing.\n\nMachine Learning methods facilitate an efficient analysis of complex data and can be used to discover which biomarkers are more informative. Moreover, automatic models can learn from historical data to suggest the diagnostic of new patients. Social Network Analysis (SNA) views social relationships in terms of network theory consisting of nodes and connections.

It suggests that exposure to different peers can alter the abuse

It suggests that exposure to different peers can alter the abuse potential of opioids and potentially other illicit drugs.”
“Brazil southern region is characterized by wide range of climatic and soil conditions. Cultivars performance varies, usually with the environments, so that a genotype is rarely the best under all cultivation conditions. The aim was to evaluate the maize genotypes adaptability and stability in Southern Brazil. selleck compound The experiment was conducted in 2008/2009 crop season, 24 mayze hybrids were

evaluated in seven Municipal Districts in the states of Parana (PR), Santa Catarina (SC) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Experiment was a randomized block design with three replications. Each plot consisted of two crop lines of 5 m. Evaluated parameters were constituted by final stand, humidity and grain yield adjusted to 13% moisture. Hybrids 9, 17, 3, 2, 10 and 20 showed high adaptability and stability. Adaptability of hybrid 11 was best in the environment of Capinzal, SC.”
“A well-known tenet of murine tooth development is that BMP4 and FGF8 antagonistically initiate odontogenesis, but whether this tenet is conserved across amniotes is largely unexplored. Moreover, changes in BMP4-signaling have previously been selleck kinase inhibitor implicated in evolutionary tooth loss in Aves. Here we demonstrate that Bmp4, Msx1, and Msx2 expression is limited

proximally in the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta) mandible at stages equivalent to those at which odontogenesis is initiated in mice, a similar finding to previously reported results in chicks. To address

whether the limited domains in the turtle and the chicken indicate an evolutionary molecular parallelism, or whether the domains simply constitute an ancestral phenotype, we assessed gene expression in a toothed reptile (the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis) and a toothed non-placental mammal (the gray short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica). We demonstrate that the Tipifarnib in vivo Bmp4 domain is limited proximally in M. domestica and that the Fgf8 domain is limited distally in A. mississippiensis just preceding odontogenesis. Additionally, we show that Msx1 and Msx2 expression patterns in these species differ from those found in mice. Our data suggest that a limited Bmp4 domain does not necessarily correlate with edentulism, and reveal that the initiation of odontogenesis in non-murine amniotes is more complex than previously imagined. Our data also suggest a partially conserved odontogenic program in T. scripta, as indicated by conserved Pitx2, Pax9, and Barx1 expression patterns and by the presence of a Shh-expressing palatal epithelium, which we hypothesize may represent potential dental rudiments based on the Testudinata fossil record. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 324B: 255-269, 2015. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.