Asymmetrical nature of the Trollius-Chiastocheta interaction: insights into the evolution of nursery pollination systems

The mutualistic versus antagonistic nature of an interaction is defined by costs and benefits of each partner, which may vary depending on the environment. Contrasting with this dynamic view, several pollination interactions are considered as strictly obligate and mutualistic. Here, we focus on the interaction between Trollius europaeus and Chiastocheta flies, considered as a specialized and obligate nursery pollination system - the flies are thought to be exclusive pollinators of the plant and their larvae develop only in T.europaeus fruits. In this system, features such as the globelike flower shape are claimed to have evolved in a coevolutionary context. We examine the specificity of this pollination system and measure traits related to offspring fitness in isolated T.europaeus populations, in some of which Chiastocheta flies have gone extinct. We hypothesize that if this interaction is specific and obligate, the plant should experience dramatic drop in its relative fitness in the absence of Chiastocheta. Contrasting with this hypothesis, T.europaeus populations without flies demonstrate a similar relative fitness to those with the flies present, contradicting the putative obligatory nature of this pollination system. It also agrees with our observation that many other insects also visit and carry pollen among T.europaeus flowers. We propose that the interaction could have evolved through maximization of by-product benefits of the Chiastocheta visits, through the male flower function, and selection on floral traits by the most effective pollinator. We argue this mechanism is also central in the evolution of other nursery pollination systems.

Mir-21-Sox2 Axis Delineates Glioblastoma Subtypes with Prognostic Impact.

UNLABELLED: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive human brain tumor. Although several molecular subtypes of GBM are recognized, a robust molecular prognostic marker has yet to be identified. Here, we report that the stemness regulator Sox2 is a new, clinically important target of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in GBM, with implications for prognosis. Using the MiR-21-Sox2 regulatory axis, approximately half of all GBM tumors present in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and in-house patient databases can be mathematically classified into high miR-21/low Sox2 (Class A) or low miR-21/high Sox2 (Class B) subtypes. This classification reflects phenotypically and molecularly distinct characteristics and is not captured by existing classifications. Supporting the distinct nature of the subtypes, gene set enrichment analysis of the TCGA dataset predicted that Class A and Class B tumors were significantly involved in immune/inflammatory response and in chromosome organization and nervous system development, respectively. Patients with Class B tumors had longer overall survival than those with Class A tumors. Analysis of both databases indicated that the Class A/Class B classification is a better predictor of patient survival than currently used parameters. Further, manipulation of MiR-21-Sox2 levels in orthotopic mouse models supported the longer survival of the Class B subtype. The MiR-21-Sox2 association was also found in mouse neural stem cells and in the mouse brain at different developmental stages, suggesting a role in normal development. Therefore, this mechanism-based classification suggests the presence of two distinct populations of GBM patients with distinguishable phenotypic characteristics and clinical outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Molecular profiling-based classification of glioblastoma (GBM) into four subtypes has substantially increased our understanding of the biology of the disease and has pointed to the heterogeneous nature of GBM. However, this classification is not mechanism based and its prognostic value is limited. Here, we identify a new mechanism in GBM (the miR-21-Sox2 axis) that can classify ∼50% of patients into two subtypes with distinct molecular, radiological, and pathological characteristics. Importantly, this classification can predict patient survival better than the currently used parameters. Further, analysis of the miR-21-Sox2 relationship in mouse neural stem cells and in the mouse brain at different developmental stages indicates that miR-21 and Sox2 are predominantly expressed in mutually exclusive patterns, suggesting a role in normal neural development.

A New Outlook on Mental Illnesses: Glial Involvement Beyond the Glue.

Mental illnesses have long been perceived as the exclusive consequence of abnormalities in neuronal functioning. Until recently, the role of glial cells in the pathophysiology of mental diseases has largely been overlooked. However recently, multiple lines of evidence suggest more diverse and significant functions of glia with behavior-altering effects. The newly ascribed roles of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia have led to their examination in brain pathology and mental illnesses. Indeed, abnormalities in glial function, structure and density have been observed in postmortem brain studies of subjects diagnosed with mental illnesses. In this review, we discuss the newly identified functions of glia and highlight the findings of glial abnormalities in psychiatric disorders. We discuss these preclinical and clinical findings implicating the involvement of glial cells in mental illnesses with the perspective that these cells may represent a new target for treatment.

Phylogeography of competing sexual and parthenogenetic forms of a freshwater flatworm: patterns and explanations

Background: Models of the maintenance of sex predict that one reproductive strategy, sexual or parthenogenetic, should outcompete the other. Distribution patterns may reflect the outcome of this competition as well as the effect of chance and historical events. We review the distribution data of sexual and parthenogenetic biotypes of the planarian Schmidtea polychroa. Results: S. polychroa lives in allopatry or sympatry across Europe except for Central and North-Western Europe, where sexual individuals have never been reported. A phylogenetic relationship between 36 populations based on a 385 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene revealed that haplotypes were often similar over large geographic distances. In North Italian lakes, however, diversity was extreme, with sequence differences of up to 5% within the same lake in both sexuals and parthenogens. Mixed populations showed "endemic" parthenogenetic lineages that presumably originated from coexisting sexuals, and distantly related ones that probably result from colonization by parthenogens independent from sexuals. Conclusions: Parthenogens originated repeatedly from sexuals, mainly in Italy, but the same may apply to other Mediterranean regions (Spain, Greece). The degree of divergence between populations suggests that S. polychroa survived the ice ages in separate ice-free areas in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe and re-colonised Europe after the retreat of the major glaciers. Combining these results with those based on nuclear markers, the data suggest that repeated hybridisation between sexuals and parthenogenetic lineages in mixed populations maintains high levels of genetic diversity in parthenogens. This can explain why parthenogens persist in populations that were originally sexual. Exclusive parthenogenesis in central and western populations suggests better colonisation capacity, possibly because of inbreeding costs as well

Revenu de base inconditionnel, valeur, domination

L'article propose une défense et légitimation du RBI. Son introduction, montre-t-il, constituerait un changement de paradigme politique : il substituerait à la régulation de plus en plus exclusive des intérêts par le marché, une forme assurant à chacun·e l'assurance des moyens de son intégration sociale. Dans le cadre capitaliste contemporain caractérisé par l'accélération de la substitution du travail mort au travail vivant, il permettrait de libérer l'activité en mettant fin au chantage conditionnant l'accès à l'argent à l'obtention d'un emploi sur le marché du travail. En sorte que le RBI s'avère ainsi, hic et nunc, condition de liberté pour l'immense majorité d'entre nous.

Trophic versus geographic structure in stable isotope signatures of pelagic seabirds breeding in the northeast Atlantic

Feeding ecology and geographic location are 2 major factors influencing animal stable isotope signatures, but their relative contributions are poorly understood, which limits the usefulness of stable isotope analysis in the study of animal ecology. To improve our knowledge of the main sources of isotopic variability at sea, we determined δ15N and δ13C signatures in the first primary feather of adult birds from 11 Procellariiform species (n = 609) across 16 northeast Atlantic localities, from Cape Verde (20°N) to Iceland (60°N). Post-breeding areas (where the studied feather is thought to be grown) were determined using light-level geolocation for 6 of the 11 species. Isotopic variability was geographically unstructured within the mid-northeast Atlantic (Macaronesian archipelagos), but trophically structured according to species and regardless of the breeding location, presumably as a result of trophic segregation among species. Indeed, the interspecific isotopic overlap resulting from combining δ15N and δ13C signatures of seabirds was low, which suggests that most species exploited exclusive trophic resources consistently across their geographic range. Species breeding in north temperate regions (Iceland, Scotland and Northern Ireland) showed enriched δ15N compared to the same or similar species breeding in tropical and subtropical regions, suggesting some differences in baseline levels between these regions. The present study illustrates a noticeable trophic segregation of northeast Atlantic Procellariiformes. Our results show that the isotopic approach has limited applicability for the study of animal movements in the northeast Atlantic at a regional scale, but is potentially useful for the study of long-distance migrations between large marine systems

Nitração aromática: substituição eletrofílica ou reação com transferência de elétrons?

Aromatic nitration is one of the most relevant class of reactions in organic chemistry. It has been intensively studied by both experimental, including works in the condensed as well as in the gas phase, and theoretical procedures. However, the published results do not seem to converge to an unique mechanism. Electrophilic substitution and electron transfer, in an exclusive way, are both proposed as the main mechanism for the reaction. We review these proposals and discuss the most recent findings.

Inserção C-H de carbenóides de ródio em água e reutilização do catalisador

A five-session laboratory experiment is described for the synthesis of a beta-lactam via Rh(II) catalysed intramolecular C-H insertion of a alpha-diazo-alpha-ethoxycarbonylacetamide. The metallo-carbene, responsible for the C-H bond activation, was generated from the diazo substrate and the catalyst Rh2(OAc)4. The high stability and solubility of the catalyst and the exclusive C-H insertion of the Rh-carbene allows the synthesis of this important heterocycle in water and the catalyst reutilization.

Size distribution of atmospheric particulate ionic species at a coastal site in Portugal

A Berner impactor was used to collect size-differentiated aerosol samples from March to August 2003 in the city of Aveiro, on the Portuguese west coast. The samples were analysed for the main water-soluble ion species. The average concentration of sulphate, nitrate, chloride and ammonium was 6.38, 3.09, 1.67 and 1.27 µg m-3, respectively. The results show that SO4(2-) and NH4+ were consistently present in the fine fraction < 1 µm, which represents, on average, 72 and 89% of their total atmospheric concentrations, respectively. The NO3-particles were concentrated in the coarse size. Chloride presented the characteristic coarse mode for marine aerosols. During some spring/summer events, an ammonium surplus was observed (NH4+/SO4(2-) molar ratios > 2), possibly due to greater availability of ammonia coming from agricultural activities or from the neighbouring chemical industrial complex. During the remaining periods, the aerosol was found to be somewhat acidic and predominantly in the form of ammonium bisulphate (NH4+/SO4(2-) molar ratios = 0.5-1.25). Samples collected under a major or exclusive influence of maritime air masses were essentially constituted by coarse particles with enrichment in sea salt, while for air masses of continental origin the contribution of water-soluble ionic species in the fine mode was more pronounced.

Realització d'una aplicació de gestió de xarxes per a la xarxa sensefils de Manresa GuifiBages

En els últims anys, la popularitat de les xarxes sensefils (WIFI) ha anat en augment a un ritme incansable. Des de petits aparells instal•lats a les cases amb aquesta tecnologia com a complement dels routers d’accés a internet instal•lats per diverses companyies, fins a empreses fent petits desplegaments per comunicar entre si les seves seus. Al marge d’aquests escenaris, s’ha produït un fenomen social d’acolliment d’aquesta tecnologia a nivell mundial, en forma del que coneixem com a xarxes ciutadanes / xarxes lliures / xarxes socials. Aquestes xarxes han estat possibles gràcies a diverses raons que han fet assequible a col•lectius de persones, tant els aparells com els coneixements necessaris per dur a terme aquestes actuacions. Dintre d’aquest marc, al Bages, concretament a Manresa, es va començar a desenvolupar una d’aquestes xarxes. Les decisions d’aquesta xarxa d’utilitzar exclusivament hardware i software de codi obert, i determinats aspectes tècnics de la xarxa, ha comportat que la xarxa fos incompatible amb algunes de les aplicacions de gestió de xarxes existents desenvolupades per comunicats com gufi.net a Osona. És per això que per garantir el creixement, la supervivència i l’èxit d’aquesta xarxa en el temps, és indispensable poder comptar amb una eina de gestió que s’adigui a les característiques de GuifiBages. L’objectiu principal d’aquest treball és dotar a la xarxa GuifiBages de les eines necessàries per poder gestionar tota la informació referent a l’estructura de la seva xarxa, tant per facilitar l’accés a nous usuaris sense molts coneixements tècnics, com per facilitar nous desplegaments / reparacions / modificacions de la xarxa d’una manera automàtica. Com a conclusió d’aquest treball, podem afirmar que les avantatges que proporciones tecnologies com Plone, faciliten enormement la creació d’aplicacions de gestió de continguts en entorn web. Alhora, l’ús de noves tècniques de programació com AJAX o recursos com els que ofereix Google, permeten desenvolupar aplicacions web que no tenen res a envejar al software tradicional. D’altra banda, voldríem destacar l’ús exclusiu de programari lliure tant en els paquets de software necessaris pel desenvolupament, com en el sistema operatiu i programes dels ordinadors on s’ha dut a terme, demostrant que es poden desenvolupar sistemes de qualitat sense dependre de programari privatiu.

Comparison Structure Analysis

This study presents an automatic, computer-aided analytical method called Comparison Structure Analysis (CSA), which can be applied to different dimensions of music. The aim of CSA is first and foremost practical: to produce dynamic and understandable representations of musical properties by evaluating the prevalence of a chosen musical data structure through a musical piece. Such a comparison structure may refer to a mathematical vector, a set, a matrix or another type of data structure and even a combination of data structures. CSA depends on an abstract systematic segmentation that allows for a statistical or mathematical survey of the data. To choose a comparison structure is to tune the apparatus to be sensitive to an exclusive set of musical properties. CSA settles somewhere between traditional music analysis and computer aided music information retrieval (MIR). Theoretically defined musical entities, such as pitch-class sets, set-classes and particular rhythm patterns are detected in compositions using pattern extraction and pattern comparison algorithms that are typical within the field of MIR. In principle, the idea of comparison structure analysis can be applied to any time-series type data and, in the music analytical context, to polyphonic as well as homophonic music. Tonal trends, set-class similarities, invertible counterpoints, voice-leading similarities, short-term modulations, rhythmic similarities and multiparametric changes in musical texture were studied. Since CSA allows for a highly accurate classification of compositions, its methods may be applicable to symbolic music information retrieval as well. The strength of CSA relies especially on the possibility to make comparisons between the observations concerning different musical parameters and to combine it with statistical and perhaps other music analytical methods. The results of CSA are dependent on the competence of the similarity measure. New similarity measures for tonal stability, rhythmic and set-class similarity measurements were proposed. The most advanced results were attained by employing the automated function generation – comparable with the so-called genetic programming – to search for an optimal model for set-class similarity measurements. However, the results of CSA seem to agree strongly, independent of the type of similarity function employed in the analysis.

Probiotic interventions in infancy: Benefit and Safety Assessment of Extended Applications

Immaturity of the gut barrier system in the newborn has been seen to underlie a number of chronic diseases originating in infancy and manifesting later in life. The gut microbiota and breast milk provide the most important maturing signals for the gut-related immune system and reinforcement of the gut mucosal barrier function. Recently, the composition of the gut microbiota has been proposed to be instrumental in control of host body weight and metabolism as well as the inflammatory state characterizing overweight and obesity. On this basis, inflammatory Western lifestyle diseases, including overweight development, may represent a potential target for probiotic interventions beyond the well documented clinical applications. The purpose of the present undertaking was to study the efficacy and safety of perinatal probiotic intervention. The material comprised two ongoing, prospective, double-blind NAMI (Nutrition, Allergy, Mucosal immunology and Intestinal microbiota) probiotic interventions. In the mother-infant nutrition and probiotic study altogether 256 women were randomized at their first trimester of pregnancy into a dietary intervention and a control group. The intervention group received intensive dietary counselling provided by a nutritionist, and were further randomized at baseline, double-blind, to receive probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium lactis) or placebo. The intervention period extended from the first trimester of pregnancy to the end of exclusive breastfeeding. In the allergy prevention study altogether 159 women were randomized, double-blind, to receive probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) or placebo 4 weeks before expected delivery, the intervention extending for 6 months postnatally. Additionally, patient data on all premature infants with very low birth weight (VLBW) treated in the Department of Paediatrics, Turku University Hospital, during the years 1997 - 2008 were utilized. The perinatal probiotic intervention reduced the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the mothers and perinatal dietary counselling reduced that of fetal overgrowth in GDM-affected pregnancies. Early gut microbiota modulation with probiotics modified the growth pattern of the child by restraining excessive weight gain during the first years of life. The colostrum adiponectin concentration was demonstrated to be dependent on maternal diet and nutritional status during pregnancy. It was also higher in the colostrum received by normal-weight compared to overweight children at the age of 10 years. The early perinatal probiotic intervention and the postnatal probiotic intervention in VLBW infants were shown to be safe. To conclude, the findings in this study provided clinical evidence supporting the involvement of the initial microbial and nutritional environment in metabolic programming of the child. The manipulation of early gut microbial communities with probiotics might offer an applicable strategy to impact individual energy homeostasis and thus to prevent excessive body-weight gain. The results add weight to the hypothesis that interventions aiming to prevent obesity and its metabolic consequences later in life should be initiated as early as during the perinatal period.

Rahatalous

Suomen Pankin kirjaston rahatalouden kokoelma on maan kattavin ja monipuolisin rahatalouteen ja rahoitusmarkkinoihin painottunut kokoelma. Kokoelmaan kuuluu merkittävä määrä nimekkeitä, joita ei ole hankittu muihin suomalaisiin kirjastoihin. Rahatalouden kokoelma koostuu monografioista, painetuista kausijulkaisuista ja elektronisista lehtitietokannoista. Kokoelma on painottunut tieteelliseen kirjallisuuteen, joka tukee pankissa tehtävää tutkimusta. Lisäksi aineistossa on huomattava määrä yleistajuista kirjallisuutta rahatalouden eri aihealueilta. Rahatalouden kokoelmaan kuuluu monografioita n. 9000 nimekettä (joulukuu 2010). Kokoelma käsittää nimekkeitä useilta eri aihealueilta, kuten rahapolitiikka ja rahateoria (n. 900), valuutat, valuuttajärjestelmät ja valuuttakurssit (n. 1100), pankkitoiminta ja keskuspankit (n. 1300), rahoitusmarkkinat (n. 1700), yleinen talousteoria ja oppihistoria (n. 1300), talouspolitiikka ja -historia (n. 450), hyöty- ja hintateoriat (n. 300), taloudellinen kasvu ja kansantulo (n. 700), suhdanteet (n. 250), julkinen talous ja verotus (n. 400) ja ekonometria (n. 600). Lehtiä kokoelmaan kuuluu n. 300 nimekettä, joista edelleen tilataan 200 nimekettä. Osa lehdistä löytyy painettuna ja osa on käytettävissä kirjastoon hankittujen elektronisten lehtitietokantojen kautta. Kokoelma karttuu pääosin ostojen kautta ja uutta aineistoa hankitaan jatkuvasti. Kokoelmaa on kartutettu systemaattisesti 1950-luvulta lähtien, minkä vuoksi siihen kuuluu merkittävästi vanhempaa aineistoa. Kokoelmaan kuuluvista kirjoista n. 26 % on julkaistu 2000-luvulla ja n. 21 % 1990-luvulla. Varsin suuri osa kirjoista, n. 29 %, on julkaistu 1970- ja 1980-luvulla. Ennen vuotta 1950 julkaistua aineistoa on n. 10 % kokoelmasta. Aineisto on valtaosin englanninkielistä, mutta kokoelmaan kuuluu myös suomen-, ruotsin- ja saksankielisiä nimekkeitä. Monografiat on luokiteltu Suomen Pankin kirjaston oman luokitusjärjestelmän mukaan. Kokoelmaa säilytetään Suomen Pankin kirjaston tiloissa jaettuna avokokoelmaan ja varastokokoelmaan. Aineiston ensisijaisia käyttäjiä ovat pankin oma henkilökunta, mutta kirjasto on avoinna myös kaikille ulkoisille asiakkaille. Kokoelma on lainattavissa muutamia poikkeuksia lukuun ottamatta.

Siirtymätalouksien tutkimuslaitoksen (BOFIT) kokoelma

Suomen Pankin kirjastolla on erilliskokoelma Siirtymätalouksien tutkimuslaitoksessa, BOFITissa. Kokoelma on painottunut siirtymätalouksia käsittelevään tieteelliseen kirjallisuuteen, tilasto- ja kausijulkaisuihin. Kokoelmaa on kartutettu 1980-luvulta lähtien ja siihen sisältyy merkittävä määrä nimekkeitä, joita ei ole hankittu muihin suomalaisiin kirjastoihin. Kokoelmaa on rajattu sekä aihepiireiltään että maantieteellisesti kulloistenkin tutkimuspainopisteiden mukaisesti. Kokoelman keskeinen aihealue on makrotalous ja erityisinä painopisteinä ovat rahatalous, talouspolitiikka ja talousuudistukset. Paljon kirjallisuutta löytyy myös raha- ja valuuttapolitiikasta, pankkitoiminnasta ja kansainvälisistä taloussuhteista. Maantieteellisinä painopisteinä ovat tällä hetkellä erityisesti Venäjä ja Kiina. Vanhempaa aineistoa löytyy myös Baltian sekä Itä-Euroopan maista, Neuvostoliitosta sekä Suomen idänkaupasta. Kirjakokoelma sisältää n. 5300 nimekettä, lehtikokoelma n. 150 nimekettä. Artikkeliviitteitä löytyy n. 2300 vuodesta 1990 lähtien. Kokoelma sisältää tiedot myös kaikesta BOFITin omasta julkaisutuotannosta. Suurin osa kokoelmasta on englanninkielistä.

Structural aspects and floristic similarity among tropical dry forest fragments with different management histories in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

In order to produce useful knowledge to the initiatives of protection and management of forest fragments, more specifically for tropical dry forests which suffer with frequent anthropic activities, and due to the lack of specific studies, this article aimed describe the structure and the floristic similarity among three areas of dry forest with different management histories. The study was developed in Capitão Enéas municipality, Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, where three fragments were evaluated, being one in regeneration for 30 years, another submitted to occasional fire and the third with selective cut in small scale. The sampling was developed through the point quarter method considering all the alive phanerophyte individuals with circumference at breast height (CBH) > 15 cm. In the three fragments, 512 individuals, distributed in 60 species, 47 genera, and 23 families were sampled. The most representative families were Fabaceae (26), Anacardiaceae (4), Bignoniaceae (3) and Combretaceae (3). However, fourteen families were represented by only one species. Only eight species were common to all fragments - Myracrodruon urundeuva standed out with 26.9% of all sampled individuals - while a great number of species were exclusive of each fragment. The floristic and structural differences between the fragments are possibly related to the history and intensity of management in each area besides the topography variations and the presence or absence of limestone outcrops. These results show the importance of each fragment, indicating that the loss of anyone would cause negative impacts on the regional flora and consequently to the associated biodiversity.