Multi-drug resistance profiles and the genetic features of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Bolivia

Introduction: Acinetobacter baumannii is opportunistic in debilitated hospitalised patients. Because information from some South American countries was previously lacking, this study examined the emergence of multi-resistant A. baumannii in three hospitals in Cochabamba, Bolivia, from 2008 to 2009. Methodology: Multiplex PCR was used to identify the main resistance genes in 15 multi-resistant A. baumannii isolates. RT-PCR was used to measure gene expression. The genetic environment of these genes was also analysed by PCR amplification and sequencing. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined for key antibiotics and some were determined in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor, 1-(1-napthylmethyl) piperazine. Results: Fourteen strains were found to be multi-resistant. Each strain was found to have the bla(OXA-58) gene with the ISAba3-like element upstream, responsible for over-expression of the latter and subsequent carbapenem resistance. Similarly, ISAba1, upstream of the bla(ADC) gene caused over-expression of the latter and cephalosporin resistance; mutations in the gyrA(Ser83 to Leu) and parC (Ser-80 to Phe) genes were commensurate with fluoroquinolone resistance. In addition, the adeA, adeB efflux genes were over-expressed. All 15 isolates were positive for at least two aminoglycoside resistance genes. Conclusion: This is one of the first reports analyzing the multi-drug resistance profile of A. baumannii strains isolated in Bolivia and shows that the over-expression of thebla(OXA-58), bla(ADC) and efflux genes together with aminoglycoside modifying enzymes and mutations in DNA topoisomerases are responsible for the multi-resistance of the bacteria and the subsequent difficulty in treating infections caused by them.

Prognostic Role of Host Cyclooxygenase and Cytokine Genotypes in a Caucasian Cohort of Patients with Gastric Adenocarcinoma

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全球变化的植被——环境相关性：中国和东北样带（NECT）研究

全球变化与陆地生态系统(GCTE)的研究一直是国际地圈一生物圈计划(IGBP)．全球变化研究的焦点之一，其中植被与环境，尤其是气候的关系研究，虽然古老却又包含许多新的涵义，而陆地样带(Terrestrial Transect)则是近年来发起于GCTE，并拓展到IGBP其它核心项目的研究热点．博士后研究的主要工作有：将全球变化作为主线，以单个树种青冈(Cyclobalanopsisgtauco)为对象，研究其过去、现在和将来的地理分布与气候的关系;分别利用气温和降水指标，拓展Kira指标形成生物热量指数和干湿度指数，以及建立水热积指数，在宏观尺度上研究了中国植被与气候的关系;结合生物群区和植物功能型概念的发展以及生物多样性的研究，进行了以生物多样性保育为目的的我国生态地理区划;在熟悉IGBP陆地样带的科学计划并总结其最新发展动态的基础上，分析了中国东北样带的基本生态地理特征;最后，粗略分析r生物性多样保育与自然保护区建设和管理的关系问题。 1.植被一环境（气候）分类：指标、系统和模型 植被一气候关系是一个古老的命题，但在当今的全球变化研究中成为最基础和最具活力的工作。从单一因子的或多因子简单组合的分类指标，如Koppen，Box指标等，到以可能蒸散为基础的综合分类指标，如Penman，Thornthwaite, Holdridge，Budyko，Kira指标等，科学家们发展了众多的植被一气候分类系统和模型，如Koppen．Thornthwaite，Holdridge. Kira. Box. Neilson.Woodward, Budyko, Prentice系统，以及Holdridge，Uvardy，Matthews. Olson. Bailey．Woodward.Prentice. Box模型，为现今植被一气候关系的研究以及全球变化对陆地生态系统的影响，和大气C02增加对潜在植被变化的响应预测奠定了良好的基础。 2.基于物种的植被一气候关系研究：中国青冈的地理分布与气候的关系 在广泛收集青冈[Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Thunb.) Oerst.]地理分布资料的基础上，利用目前国际上比较流行的研究植被与气候相互关系的指标和方法，包括Kira的水热指标、Penman的公式、Thomthwaite的指标和气候分类、Holdridge的生命地带分类系统指标， 以及年平均气温(TEMP). 1月均温(Tl)、’7月均温(T7)、极端最高气温(TMAX)、极端最低气温(TMIN).≥10℃积温(AT)和年降水量(PREC)，研究了青冈在中国的地理分布与气候的关系，讨论了青冈垂直分布的上限、下限以及北界的Kira热量指标状况。根据孢粉资料和历史文献，探讨r历史时期青冈在中国大陆的分布与变迁及其与气候的关系，并利用Holdridge生命地带分类系统指标预测了C02浓度倍增条件下中国青冈分布区的可能变化。 3.宏观尺度上的中国植被一气候关系 1）用气温、降水指标研究中国植被一气候关系 能够在气象台站直接、方便地测试到的年平均气温、降水量指标，与其它水热气候因子有显著的相关性，用它们来研究中国植被与气候的关系是可行且有用的。利用全国689个气象站点的气象记录，计算得出了中国各植被地带、亚地带的年平均气温，年降水量指标和温雨系数，利用生态信息系统EIS作出了各气候指标在中国的分布，并将年平均气温和降水量作散点图，均较好地表现了中国各植被类型与气候指标的关系和格局。总结可得中国各植被地带的气候指标范围及界限。综合孢粉，古生物等资料信息，前人确定在全新世中期中国存在一个大暖期，其中稳定暖湿的鼎盛阶段在7.2—6,0 Ka．B.P.，其时中国境内大部分地区的年平均气温比现在高2℃左右，年降水平均高于现在100 mm，通过数学处理，利用生态信息系统恢复重建了全新世大暖期中国大陆的气温和降水分布状况．参考孢粉、古植物和他人研究资料及现代植被气候关系，恢复编制了大暖期鼎盛阶段中国大陆的植被区划图，与现代植被区划相比较，东部各个植被带在大暖期盛时表现出明显的北迁，温带植被的迁移幅度大于亚热带和热带植被;西部的植被带出现了经向西迁，西北部的草原范围扩张，荒漠缩小;青藏高原地区高寒半荒漠和荒漠植被的范围大大缩小，而且植被带仍有不同程度向北迁移的表现。这可为预测与阐明未来的气候变化和植被变迁提供有力的证据． 2）KIRA指标的拓展及其在中国植被与气候关系研究中的应用 根据Kira以月平均气温5℃为界的热量指数和干湿度指数概念，提出了以月平均气温10℃为界的生物热量指数，包括生物温暖指数BWI和生物寒冷指数BCI，并修正其干湿度指数为生物干湿度指数BK。利用中国689个标准气象台站的资料，分析我国主要植被类型分布与热量因子和干湿度因子的关系，得出两者之间有较好的相关性，生物温暖指数、寒冷指数和干湿度指数的散点图，较好地表现了中国各植被类型与气候指标的关系和格局。并得出中国各植被地带的气候指标范围及界限，以1 0℃为界的生物温暖指数不仅对我国森林植被的地理分布和温度气候带的划分具有较好的指示作用，而且对西南部高山、亚高山地区的植被与气候关系指示性较强;生物寒冷指数则对亚热带和热带的指示性很好，能够较好区分亚热带南部及热带地区;由热量指数和降水量综合得出的生物干湿度指数，对中国西北部干旱、半干旱区以至全国的植被分布与水分、热量因子的关系分析有较好的应用价值。 3）水热积指数的估算及其在中国植被与气候关系研究中的应用 试图利用大气年平均气温、年降水量、可能蒸散和土壤水分平衡之间的关系建立一个水热积指数，并应用年平均气温．水分盈亏值和水热积指数三个气候变量来限定植物群落组合，构成一个圆形的生命-气候图式．根据全国689个标准气象台站的气候资料，计算了中国8个植被地带和26个亚地带的年平均气温、年水分盈亏和水热积指数，绘制了各气候指标在中国的分布图及散点图，较好表现了中国各植被类型与气候指标的关系和格局，包括寒温带针叶林、冷温带针阔叶混交林、暖温带落叶阔叶林、亚热带常绿阔叶林、热带雨林和季雨林、温带草原、温带荒漠、青藏高原高寒植被，并得到了中国各植被地带的气候指标范围及界限。通过分析可以看出，年平均气温的等值线较好地反映了中国大陆的热量梯度，经度和纬度方向的区分均较明显;土壤水分盈亏曲线的等值线则比较零乱;综合了热量和水分差异的水热积指数，其等值线与热量梯度和水分梯度均有一定的对应性，与植被类型的对应也较好。这是在宏观尺度上进行的植被与气候关系研究的一种尝试，有待于增加机理性的内容，使其得到进一步的改进。 4.生物多样性保育和全球变化研究中的陆地生物群区类型 Biome(生物群区)是当今生物多样性保育和全球变化研究中的一个重要概念，根据此概念及植物功能型概念的发展，评述了9个重要的世界陆地生物群区分类系统，并根据中国的植被分类和区划，尝试划分了在中国的生物多样性保育和全球变化研究中所需要的陆地生物群区类型。 5.中国生物多样性的生态地理区划 利用各种生态地理因子，包括气候指标如与植物耐寒性有关的绝对最低温度(TMrN)，最冷月平均气温(TJAN)，最冷月日平均温度的最大值(MXT)和最小值(MIT);与需热性有关的植物生长季积温(AT);年降水量的季节分配，包括最冷月降水(PJAN)，最热月降水(PJUL)，年降水量，年降水的统计标准差(PSD)和变异系数(年变率PCV);植被指标如植被类型(VEGET)、，植被区划类型(VEGED)、植被的净第一性生产力(NPP)、植物区系类型(FLORA)、动物区系类型(FA UNA).植物特有属的丰富度(EDGENUS)以及度量植物多样性的植物种丰富度(属数GENUS、种数SPECIES);土壤指标如土壤类型(SOILT)，土壤理化性质如土壤酸碱度(SOILPH)、土壤表层阳离子交换量(SOILEXC)等;地形和地貌特征如经度(LONG)、纬度(LAT)和海拔高度(ALT)，利用模糊聚类的手段，综合进行了中国生物多样性的生态地理区划。采用四级区划，即：生物大区(biodomain) -生物亚区(subbiodomain) -生物群区(biome) -生物区(bioregion).全国划分为5个生物大区，7个生物亚区和1 8个生物群区。 I北方森林大区 I A欧亚北方森林亚区 I Al南泰加山地寒温针叶林 IA2北亚针阔叶混交林 II北方草原荒漠大区 II B欧亚草原亚区 II Bl内亚温带高草草原 II B2黄土高原森林草原（灌木草原） il C亚非荒漠亚区 II Cl中亚温带荒漠 ⅡC2蒙古／内亚温带荒漠 III东亚大区 III D东亚落叶阔叶林亚区 m DI东亚落叶阔叶林 III E东亚常绿阔叶林亚区 III El东亚落叶•常绿阔叶混交林 III E2东亚常绿阔叶林 ⅡI E3东亚季风常绿阔叶林 III E4西部山地常绿阔叶林 IV旧热带大区 IV F印度一马来热带森林亚区 IV Fl北热带雨林、季雨林 IV F2热带海岛植被 V亚洲高原大区 vG青藏高原亚区V Gl青藏高寒灌丛草甸V G2青藏高寒草原V G3青藏高寒荒漠V G4青藏温性草原V Gs青藏温性荒漠IGBP陆地样带：科学计划与最新进展 作为国际地圈一生物圈计划(IGBP)的交叉项目(Interproject)的陆地样带(Terrestrial Transect)，已成为IGBP的全球变化研究中最引人重视的发展和新研究方法之一。它以一系列综合性的全球变化研究计划为基础，是由沿着一个主要全球变化驱动因素（如温度、降水、土地利用强度等）的梯度上的一系列研究站点所构成研究区域，并配合以模型模拟和综合分析，其地理范围为1000 km或更大的长度，数百公里的宽度，以涵盖大气环流模型(GCM)运作的最小单元。本节论述了IGBP陆地样带的概念和研究的意义，样带的类型、一般设计和选择标准，国际上IGBP样带的初步设置，包括①经受土地利用变化的潮湿热带系统;②从北方森林到冻原的高纬度地区;③从干旱森林到灌丛的半干旱热带地区;④从森林或灌丛过渡到草地的中纬度半干旱地区，以及其它的一些样带和PAGES核心计划中的PEP样带，主要内容有样带设置的原因、研究内容和主要样带特点等，并总结了样带的最新研究进展和动态． 6.中国东北样带(N ECT)的生态地理特征分析 陆地样带研究已成为国际地圈-生物圈计划(IGBP):全球变化研究的重要手段与热点。中国东北森林-草原样带(NECT)已被列为IGBP国际全球变化陆地样带之一。该样带在东经1120与130030’之间沿北纬43030’设置，长约l 600 km，是一条中纬度温带以降水为驱动因素的梯度，具有由温带针阔叶混交林向温带草原的3个亚地带：草甸草原、典型草原与荒漠草原过渡的空间系列。本文给出了样带的基本生态地理特征及其梯度分析，包括其地理位置、设置意义、地形地貌、气候梯度、土壤类型、土地利用格局、植被类型、主要优势种和群落类型的生态地理特征以及全新世适宜期（大暖期）的植被分布格局。NECT将成为我国全球变化与陆地生态系统(GCTE)与其它IGBP核心项目研究的前沿阵地。 7.自然保护区的作用、建设和管理及其与生物多样性的关系 一般而言，“就地保护”是保护生物多样性的主要措施和最根本的途径，生境的“就地保护”是生物多样性保护最为有力和最为高效的保护方法，而就地保护的措施就是建立自然保护区，通过对自然保护区的建设和有效管理，使生物多样性得到切实有效的人为保护。从自然保护区定义和类型划分及生物多样性的定义本身可以看出，自然保护区的主要保护对象是世界上丰富多彩的生物多样性，自然保护区是生物多样性就地保护的重要基地，是物种多样性的基因库，是留给野生动植物的宝贵栖息地，应把保护区的建设和生物多样性的保护与持续利用密切结合起来，合理开发利用自然资源，促进生物多样性的可持续发展。

内蒙古锡林河流域空间生态学研究

本文从物种和景观两个组织水平上研究了气候、土壤、地形等自然环境因子和人类活动因子对生物空间分布格局的影响。基于锡林河流域地理信息系统各环境因子的专题数据，利用空间异质性分析方法研究了锡林河流域环境因子的空间分布格局;基于锡林河流域野外调查数据，运用空间异质性分析方法研究了重要物种的空间分布格局，并采用典范对应分析(Canomc Correspondence Analvsis，CCA)方法分析了物种分布与环境因子的关系：基于锡林河流域地理信息系统各环境因子的专题数据，研究了锡林河流域植被斑块的空间格局特征及其与环境因子的关系，并采用典范对应分析方法分析了植被类型组成与环境因子的关系：基于内蒙古草原生态系统定位研究站放牧样地的样方调查数据．采用空间异质性分析方法，研究了放牧压力对物种空间分布格局的影响：基于多年的卫星遥感数据，采用建模和对比等方法，研究了定居放牧方式下植被状况空间变化规律及植被状况时空变化与人类活动、社会经济发展的关系。通过上述分析，得到的主要结论如下： 1、锡林河流域各个环境因子都具有自己的空间特征尺度，共同形成多尺度等级体系，按特征尺度的大小可以分为如下3个组： ·小尺度组(15km左右)：有机暖、全N的较小的特征尺度 ·中尺度组(30～50km)：T1，碳酸钙含量．PER、全N和海拔高度的较小的特征尺度 ·大尺度组(100km左右)：ANNR，PER、全N和海拔高度的较大的特征尺度多尺度等级的生态学意义是它反映生态变量异质斑块的镶嵌和包含特征，环境因子多尺度等级体系反映共性，具有普遍性：反映生态关系，具有生态学意义。 2、对物种空间异质性的Mantel检验和半方差分析得到了一致的结果产即羊草、糙隐子草和星毛萎菱菜在锡林河流域的空间分布呈现随机特征，而大针茅和冷蒿则表现为十分显著的格局特征。按分布格局的显著程度从大到小排列为冷蒿>大针茅>星毛萎菱菜>糙隐子草>羊草。理论半方差图显示大针茅和冷蒿的空间自相关域分别为30．447公里和30公里。物种空间分布格局是受自然条件、人类活动以及它们自身的生理生态特征综合决定的，物种自身的生理生态特征决定了它们对外界环境变化的适应性反应机制，而自然与人类活动这两种因素在空间的交错配置决定了物种适应性反应的方向和程度，从而综合导致物种空间分布格局的形成。 3、对锡林河流域物种分布与环境因子关系的CCA分析和交叉半方差方法分析显示：1)气候因子(11个指标)、土壤性状因子(3个指标)和地形因子(3个指标)对物种分布的贡献率分别为11．2％、9．5％和11％，三者总和为31．7％。2)各个环境因子对物种分布空间作用方向具有一致性，物种分布与环境因子几乎都在135。和157．5。两个方向上具有相对明显的相关性，从锡林河流域来看，这两个方向反映了气候、土壤以及地形从东南往西北的变化梯度方向。 4、对锡林河流域14个植被景观指数进行的PCA分析表明，锡林河流域植被斑块空间分布的物理特征主要表现在斑块的数目和大小方面，其次是在斑块的多样性方面，并可将它们分为4个组，分别反映锡林河流域植被斑块的不同特征： ·第一组：NP、PRD、LPI、MPS、PSSD和TE，主要反映景观斑块在数量和大小方面的特征; ·第二组：SHDI、SIDI、SHEI和SIEI，主要反映景观斑块的多样性特征; ·第三组：PSCV和[J]．主要反映景观斑块之间的相互邻接程度; ·第四组：MSI和AWMSI，主要反映景观斑块的形状特征。 MPS和PSSD两个指数与环境因子无论是在相关系数的性质还是显著程度上都保持了很好的一致性，它们与纬度(LAT)及可能蒸散率(PER)呈极显著的正相关关系，而与经度(LNG)、海拔高度(ALT)、年平均降水量(ANNR)及土壤有机质含量(0RG)呈极显著的负相关关系：平均形状指数(MSI)只与LAT呈显著的正相关关系;多样性指数和扩散毗连指数与任何一个环境因子都没有表现出显著的相关性。 5、锡林河流域植被分布与环境因子的关系CCA排序方法分析表明，气候因子(11个指标)、土壤性状因子(3个指标)和地形因子(3个指标)对植被分布的贡献率分别为19.8%、11.1%和14.5%，三者总和为45.4％。环境因子在植被和物种两个水平上的贡献率表现了相似的特点，自然环境因子不能完全解释植被的空间分布，人类活动的影响应该受到重视。 6、放牧压力对物种空间分布格局的研究表明： ·牧压对温带典型草原物种的空间分布格局有明显的影响。随着牧云的增大，属于原生群落物种的羊草与大针茅空间分布的随机性减小，空间自相关尺度逐渐增大;而对于退化过程中的入侵物种冷蒿和星毛萎菱菜，其空间分布的随机性逐渐增大．空间自相关尺度也呈增大趋势。在牧压胁迫超过一定水平时，冷蒿空间分布的自相关尺度开始下降，而星毛萎菱菜的空间分布格局则表现出强烈的随机性。 ·物种空间格局的变化是反映群落演替过程较为稳定的特征，适用于不同放牧条件下 群落之间的比较。 7、利用遥感数据对人类活动对植被影响的研究表明： ·定居放牧方式下，NDVI随定居点距离的变化格局经历了3个阶段。第一阶段，草场处于原生阶段，NDVI不随距离变化;第二阶段，定居点附近开始局部退化，NDVI随距离增加而增大：第三阶段，退化区域扩大，NDVI不随距离变化。 ·在草场局部退化阶段，NDVI随距离的变化呈对数函数规律，定居点的放牧区具有放牧半径、原生NDVI值、NDVI变化率等特征。根据这些特征、NDVI对数规律以及NDVI与地上生物量的关系可以推测定居点的总载畜量。 ·锡林河流域从87年到85年NDVI值降低最大的区域为流域的中部和南部，这与这一区域人类活动强度以及社会经济发展具有密切关系。

Cognition from the bottom up: on biological inspiration, body morphology, and soft materials.

Traditionally, in cognitive science the emphasis is on studying cognition from a computational point of view. Studies in biologically inspired robotics and embodied intelligence, however, provide strong evidence that cognition cannot be analyzed and understood by looking at computational processes alone, but that physical system-environment interaction needs to be taken into account. In this opinion article, we review recent progress in cognitive developmental science and robotics, and expand the notion of embodiment to include soft materials and body morphology in the big picture. We argue that we need to build our understanding of cognition from the bottom up; that is, all the way from how our body is physically constructed.

Self-stabilization and behavioral diversity of embodied adaptive locomotion

Locomotion is of fundamental importance in understanding adaptive behavior. In this paper we present two case studies of robot locomotion that demonstrate how higher level of behavioral diversity can be achieved while observing the principle of cheap design. More precisely, it is shown that, by exploiting the dynamics of the system-environment interaction, very simple controllers can be designed which is essential to achieve rapid locomotion. Special consideration must be given to the choice of body materials. We conclude with some speculation about the importance of locomotion for understanding cognition. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004.

Genes and the ageing muscle: a review on genetic association studies

Western populations are living longer. Ageing decline in muscle mass and strength (i.e. sarcopenia) is becoming a growing public health problem, as it contributes to the decreased capacity for independent living. It is thus important to determine those genetic factors that interact with ageing and thus modulate functional capacity and skeletal muscle phenotypes in older people. It would be also clinically relevant to identify 'unfavourable' genotypes associated with accelerated sarcopenia. In this review, we summarized published information on the potential associations between some genetic polymorphisms and muscle phenotypes in older people. A special emphasis was placed on those candidate polymorphisms that have been more extensively studied, i.e. angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene I/D, α-actinin-3 (ACTN3) R577X, and myostatin (MSTN) K153R, among others. Although previous heritability studies have indicated that there is an important genetic contribution to individual variability in muscle phenotypes among old people, published data on specific gene variants are controversial. The ACTN3 R577X polymorphism could influence muscle function in old women, yet there is controversy with regards to which allele (R or X) might play a 'favourable' role. Though more research is needed, up-to-date MSTN genotype is possibly the strongest candidate to explain variance among muscle phenotypes in the elderly. Future studies should take into account the association between muscle phenotypes in this population and complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions.

Rodent models for resolving extremes of exercise and health

The extremes of exercise capacity and health are considered a complex interplay between genes and the environment. In general, the study of animal models has proven critical for deep mechanistic exploration that provides guidance for focused and hypothesis driven discovery in humans. Hypotheses underlying molecular mechanisms of disease, and gene/tissue function can be tested in rodents in order to generate sufficient evidence to resolve and progress our understanding of human biology. Here we provide examples of three alternative uses of rodent models that have been applied successfully to advance knowledge that bridges our understanding of the connection between exercise capacity and health status. Firstly we review the strong association between exercise capacity and all-cause morbidity and mortality in humans through artificial selection on low and high exercise performance in the rat and the consequent generation of the "energy transfer hypothesis". Secondly we review specific transgenic and knock-out mouse models that replicate the human disease condition and performance. This includes human glycogen storage diseases (McArdle and Pompe) and α-actinin-3 deficiency. Together these rodent models provide an overview of the advancements of molecular knowledge required for clinical translation. Continued study of these models in conjunction with human association studies will be critical to resolving the complex gene-environment interplay linking exercise capacity, health, and disease.

Food intake, milk production, and tissue changes of Holstein-Friesian and Jersey x Holstein-Friesian dairy cows within a medium-input grazing system and a high-input total confinement system

Although interest in crossbreeding within dairy systems has increased, the role of Jersey crossbred cows within high concentrate input systems has received little attention. This experiment was designed to examine the performance of Holstein-Friesian (HF) and Jersey x Holstein-Friesian (J x HF) cows within a high concentrate input total confinement system (CON) and a medium concentrate input grazing system (GRZ). Eighty spring-calving dairy cows were used in a 2 (cow genotype) x 2 (milk production system) factorial design experiment. The experiment commenced when cows calved and encompassed a full lactation. With GRZ, cows were offered diets containing grass silage and concentrates [70:30 dry matter (DM) ratio] until turnout, grazed grass plus 1.0 kg of concentrate/day during a 199-d grazing period, and grass silage and concentrates (75:25 DM ratio) following rehousing and until drying-off. With CON, cows were confined throughout the lactation and offered diets containing grass silage and concentrates (DM ratio; 40:60, 50:50, 40:40, and 75:25 during d 1 to 100, 101 to 200, 201 to 250, and 251 until drying-off, respectively). Full-lactation concentrate DM intakes were 791 and 2,905 kg/cow for systems GRZ and CON, respectively. Although HF cows had a higher lactation milk yield than J x HF cows, the latter produced milk with a higher fat and protein content, so that solids-corrected milk yield (SCM) was unaffected by genotype. Somatic cell score was higher with the J x HF cows. Throughout lactation, HF cows were on average 37 kg heavier than J x HF cows, whereas the J x HF cows had a higher body condition score. Within each system, food intake did not differ between genotypes, whereas full-lactation yields of milk, fat plus protein, and SCM were higher with CON than with GRZ. A significant genotype x environment interaction was observed for milk yield, and a trend was found for an interaction with SCM. Crossbred cows on CON gained more body condition than HF cows, and overall pregnancy rate was unaffected by either genotype or management system. In summary, milk and SCM yields were higher with CON than with GRZ, whereas genotype had no effect on SCM. However, HF cows exhibited a greater milk yield response and a trend toward a greater SCM yield response with increasing concentrate levels compared with the crossbred cows.

Linear Optics Simulation of Quantum Non-Markovian Dynamics

The simulation of open quantum dynamics has recently allowed the direct investigation of the features of system-environment interaction and of their consequences on the evolution of a quantum system. Such interaction threatens the quantum properties of the system, spoiling them and causing the phenomenon of decoherence. Sometimes however a coherent exchange of information takes place between system and environment, memory effects arise and the dynamics of the system becomes non-Markovian. Here we report the experimental realisation of a non-Markovian process where system and environment are coupled through a simulated transverse Ising model. By engineering the evolution in a photonic quantum simulator, we demonstrate the role played by system-environment correlations in the emergence of memory effects.

Genetic polymorphisms and kidney transplant outcomes

Purpose of review: Gene polymorphism studies are growing at a quasiexponential rate and aim to improve immediate and long-term outcomes in renal transplantation. This review highlights recent evidence and potential future directions for genetic research studies.

Recent findings: Studies are largely based on immunity, inflammation and pharmacogenetics, investigating mostly 'surrogate' outcomes with sometimes conflicting results. However, the last 12 months has also heralded the emergence of important genome-wide association studies on transplantation, more robust replicated multicentre analyses of candidate gene variants, meta-analyses, and an increasing interest in copy number variation and donor genetics.

Summary: These studies set the scene for further investigation, aiming to understand pathways of disease and biomarkers of risk, and are leading to a greater understanding of the biology of transplantation. Future studies will require focus on donor : recipient and gene : environment interactions, and an integrated approach of 'transplantomics' to evaluate long-term outcomes in multinational collaborations.

Lead in rice: Analysis of baseline lead levels in market and field collected rice grains

In a large scale survey of rice grains from markets (13 countries) and fields (6 countries), a total of 1578 rice grain samples were analysed for lead. From the market collected samples, only 0.6% of the samples exceeded the Chinese and EU limit of 0.2 μg g− 1 lead in rice (when excluding samples collected from known contaminated/mine impacted regions). When evaluating the rice grain samples against the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) provisional total tolerable intake (PTTI) values for children and pregnant women, it was found that only people consuming large quantities of rice were at risk of exceeding the PTTI from rice alone. Furthermore, 6 field experiments were conducted to evaluate the proportion of the variation in lead concentration in rice grains due to genetics. A total of 4 of the 6 field experiments had significant differences between genotypes, but when the genotypes common across all six field sites were assessed, only 4% of the variation was explained by genotype, with 9.5% and 11% of the variation explained by the environment and genotype by environment interaction respectively. Further work is needed to identify the sources of lead contamination in rice, with detailed information obtained on the locations and environments where the rice is sampled, so that specific risk assessments can be performed.

Living in the Landscape: Essays in Honour of Graeme Barker

This edited volume reflects on the multitude of ways by which humans shape and are shaped by the natural world, and how Archaeology and its cognate disciplines recover this relationship. The structure and content of the book recognize Graeme Barker’s pioneering contribution to the scientific study of human-environment interaction, and form a secondary dialectic between his many colleagues and past students and the academic vista which he has helped define. The volume comprises 22 thematic papers, arranged chronologically, each a presentation of front-line research in their respective fields. They mirror the scope of Barker’s legacy through a focus on transitions in the human-environment relationship, how they are enacted and perceived. The assembled chapters illustrate how climate, demographic, subsistence, social and ecological change have affected cultures from the Palaeolithic to Historical, from North Africa and West-Central Eurasia to Southeast Asia and China. They also chronicle the innovations and renegotiated relations that communities have devised to meet and exploit the many shifting realities involved with Living in the Landscape.

O meio envolvente como um contributo para a ação pedagógica

Relatório da Prática Profissional Supervisionada Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar

Top Three Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Applications at the Nexus of Renal Pathophysiology and Cardiovascular Medicine.

Pharmacogenomics is a field with origins in the study of monogenic variations in drug metabolism in the 1950s. Perhaps because of these historical underpinnings, there has been an intensive investigation of 'hepatic pharmacogenes' such as CYP450s and liver drug metabolism using pharmacogenomics approaches over the past five decades. Surprisingly, kidney pathophysiology, attendant diseases and treatment outcomes have been vastly under-studied and under-theorized despite their central importance in maintenance of health, susceptibility to disease and rational personalized therapeutics. Indeed, chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents an increasing public health burden worldwide, both in developed and developing countries. Patients with CKD suffer from high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which is mainly attributable to cardiovascular events before reaching end-stage renal disease. In this paper, we focus our analyses on renal function before end-stage renal disease, as seen through the lens of pharmacogenomics and human genomic variation. We herein synthesize the recent evidence linking selected Very Important Pharmacogenes (VIP) to renal function, blood pressure and salt-sensitivity in humans, and ways in which these insights might inform rational personalized therapeutics. Notably, we highlight and present the rationale for three applications that we consider as important and actionable therapeutic and preventive focus areas in renal pharmacogenomics: 1) ACE inhibitors, as a confirmed application, 2) VDR agonists, as a promising application, and 3) moderate dietary salt intake, as a suggested novel application. Additionally, we emphasize the putative contributions of gene-environment interactions, discuss the implications of these findings to treat and prevent hypertension and CKD. Finally, we conclude with a strategic agenda and vision required to accelerate advances in this under-studied field of renal pharmacogenomics with vast significance for global public health.