scholarly journals Epidemiological transitions in human evolution and the richness of viruses, helminths, and protozoa

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-148
Author(s):  
Caroline R Amoroso ◽  
Charles L Nunn
Keyword(s):  
Human Evolution ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Parasite Richness ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Epidemiological Transitions ◽  
High Level ◽  
High Degree

Abstract Background and objectives In absolute terms, humans are extremely highly parasitized compared to other primates. This may reflect that humans are outliers in traits correlated with parasite richness: population density, geographic range area, and study effort. The high degree of parasitism could also reflect amplified disease risk associated with agriculture and urbanization. Alternatively, controlling for other variables, cultural and psychological adaptations could have reduced parasitism in humans over evolutionary time. Methodology We predicted the number of parasites that would infect a nonhuman primate with human phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic position, and then compared observed parasitism of humans in eight geopolitical countries to the predicted distributions. The analyses incorporated study effort, phylogeny, and drivers of parasitism in 33 primate species. Results Analyses of individual countries were not supportive of either hypothesis. When analyzed collectively, however, human populations showed consistently lower than expected richness of protozoa and helminths, but higher richness of viruses. Thus, human evolutionary innovations and new parasite exposures may have impacted groups of parasites in different ways, with support for both hypotheses in the overall analysis. Conclusions and implications The high level of parasitism observed in humans only applies to viruses, and was not extreme in any of our tests of individual countries. In contrast, we find consistent reductions in protozoa and helminths across countries, suggesting reduced parasitism by these groups during human evolution. We propose that hygienic and technological advances might have extinguished fecal-orally or indirectly transmitted parasites like helminths, whereas higher human densities and host-shifting potential of viruses have supported increased virus richness. Lay Summary Vastly more parasite species infect humans than any other primate host. Controlling for factors that influence parasite richness, such as the intensity of study effort and body mass, we find that humans may have more viruses, but fewer helminths and protozoa, than expected based on evolutionary analyses of parasitism in other primates.

ANTICYTOKINE ACTIVITY OF THE PROTOZOA BLASTOCYSTIS SPP

2020 ◽  
pp. 44-48
Author(s):  
Bugero N.V. ◽  
Ilyina N.A. ◽  
Aleksandrova S.M.
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Ulcer Disease ◽  
Cytokine Balance ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Blastocystis Spp ◽  
High Level ◽  
Eukaryotic Organisms ◽  
High Degree

In addition to the classical pathogens, which are well understood and well identified, new pathogens with the potential to spread epidemiologically are being identified. Some of these little-known organisms are the simplest Blastocystis spp. blastocystostosis. The clinical significance of Blastocystis spp. and its pathogenicity are still under discussion. This parasite belongs to a group of single-celled eukaryotic organisms living in the colon of the human intestine. Blastocystis spp. is known to be found both in people with reduced immune status and in individuals without any clinical manifestation. It has been established that a sufficiently high degree of invasiveness is observed in persons with gastrointestinal tract diseases, dermatosis, allergic reactions, in patients with carriers of the human immunodeficiency virus, etc. Possessing persistence factors, protozoa blastocysts contribute to the inactivation of host defensive mechanisms, providing a stable anthogonistic effect. In recent years, many works have been devoted to the characteristics of the persistent properties of Blastocystis spr., however, individual properties of blastocysts, in particular, anticytokine activity (ACA), have not yet been studied. In this regard, the work studied the anticytokine activity of microorganisms isolated from healthy subjects and patients with gastrointestinal tract diseases. A high prevalence of the studied characteristic in the subjects was shown. The expression of anticytokine activity in the obtained isolates of blastocysts was the highest in the group of persons with gastric ulcer disease, which decreased in the order of duodenal ulcer, chronic cholecystitis, chronic gastritis, etc. The data obtained in this work on the high level of ACA expression in blastocyst isolates obtained from individuals with gastrointestinal diseases as compared with the control group enables to conclude that their exometabolites may influence the local cytokine balance [1], which supports the inflammatory process.

Framework for Study of Supplier Relationships in Indian Automotive Supply Chains

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Souresh Bhattacharya ◽  
D. Mukhopadhyay ◽  
Sunil Giri
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Supplier Management ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Management Orientation ◽  
High Level ◽  
Supplier Partnerships ◽  
Automotive Supply ◽  
Supplier Relationship

Indian automotive industry has increasingly adopted global supply chain best practices including supplier relationship as a management imperative, in the last two decades. Increased competition, globalization, wide-spread outsourcing, use of information technology and rapid technological advances have contributed in supplier relationship development with the objective to achieve competitive advantage and a high level of performance. It is evident that only if mutual benefits accrue to both Vehicle Assemblers (VA) and their suppliers, the partnership between them would be meaningful and effective. Also, VAs have necessarily, to invest considerable resources and effort in achieving collaboration with their suppliers and cost-effectiveness becomes an issue which leads to supply base rationalization and a segmented approach. Therefore understanding the issues involved and identifying focus areas for successful supplier relationships becomes an imperative. This paper, based on an exploratory study, delves into the VA-supplier interface in Indian automobile supply chains, examines various theoretical and practical dimensions, in order to identify strategic imperatives (key impact drivers), Supplier Management Orientation (SMO) of VAs, adoption of Supplier Development Practices, extent of VA-supplier partnerships and mutual benefits accruing to both entities. Based on this a framework for holistically studying the VA-supplier interface is proposed.

CSim 2

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-46
Author(s):  
David Sanan ◽  
Yongwang Zhao ◽  
Shang-Wei Lin ◽  
Liu Yang
Keyword(s):  
Programming Languages ◽  
Concurrent Systems ◽  
Theorem Prover ◽  
Compositional Techniques ◽  
Machine Code ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Hol Theorem Prover ◽  
High Level ◽  
High Degree

To make feasible and scalable the verification of large and complex concurrent systems, it is necessary the use of compositional techniques even at the highest abstraction layers. When focusing on the lowest software abstraction layers, such as the implementation or the machine code, the high level of detail of those layers makes the direct verification of properties very difficult and expensive. It is therefore essential to use techniques allowing to simplify the verification on these layers. One technique to tackle this challenge is top-down verification where by means of simulation properties verified on top layers (representing abstract specifications of a system) are propagated down to the lowest layers (that are an implementation of the top layers). There is no need to say that simulation of concurrent systems implies a greater level of complexity, and having compositional techniques to check simulation between layers is also desirable when seeking for both feasibility and scalability of the refinement verification. In this article, we present CSim 2 a (compositional) rely-guarantee-based framework for the top-down verification of complex concurrent systems in the Isabelle/HOL theorem prover. CSim 2 uses CSimpl, a language with a high degree of expressiveness designed for the specification of concurrent programs. Thanks to its expressibility, CSimpl is able to model many of the features found in real world programming languages like exceptions, assertions, and procedures. CSim 2 provides a framework for the verification of rely-guarantee properties to compositionally reason on CSimpl specifications. Focusing on top-down verification, CSim 2 provides a simulation-based framework for the preservation of CSimpl rely-guarantee properties from specifications to implementations. By using the simulation framework, properties proven on the top layers (abstract specifications) are compositionally propagated down to the lowest layers (source or machine code) in each concurrent component of the system. Finally, we show the usability of CSim 2 by running a case study over two CSimpl specifications of an Arinc-653 communication service. In this case study, we prove a complex property on a specification, and we use CSim 2 to preserve the property on lower abstraction layers.

scholarly journals Automatic Target Recognition for Low Resolution Foliage Penetrating SAR Images Using CNNs and GANs

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
David Vint ◽  
Matthew Anderson ◽  
Yuhao Yang ◽  
Christos Ilioudis ◽  
Gaetano Di Caterina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Recognition ◽  
Automatic Target Recognition ◽  
Generative Adversarial Networks ◽  
Low Resolution ◽  
Sar Images ◽  
Adversarial Networks ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Dataset Size ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
High Level

In recent years, the technological advances leading to the production of high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images has enabled more and more effective target recognition capabilities. However, high spatial resolution is not always achievable, and, for some particular sensing modes, such as Foliage Penetrating Radars, low resolution imaging is often the only option. In this paper, the problem of automatic target recognition in Low Resolution Foliage Penetrating (FOPEN) SAR is addressed through the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) able to extract both low and high level features of the imaged targets. Additionally, to address the issue of limited dataset size, Generative Adversarial Networks are used to enlarge the training set. Finally, a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC)-based post-classification decision approach is used to reduce classification errors and measure the capability of the classifier to provide a reliable output. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated through the use of real SAR FOPEN data.

Addiction and schizophrenia

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Batel
Keyword(s):  
Epidemiologic Studies ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Addictive Disorders ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
Dependency Type ◽  
Active Research ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
High Level ◽  
Environmental Hypothesis ◽  
High Degree

SummaryEpidemiologic studies in the general population and those based on the clinical assessment of schizophrenic populations have revealed a high degree of overlap between schizophrenia and addictive disorders. The abuse of psychoactive substances (including alcohol) throughout life is so frequent (50%) that the possibility of a specific link inevitably arises. Various hypotheses have been suggested to explain the high co-morbidity between schizophrenia and addiction: 1) The social-environmental hypothesis has been developed but studies have provided poor evidence to validate it. 2) The possible shared biological vulnerability between schizophrenia and addictions led researchers to explore common genetic determinants and study the involvement of the dopaminergic and opioid systems in the aetiology of both schizophrenia and the abuse of and dependence on psychoactive drugs. 3) Finally, the theory of self-medication suggests that schizophrenics may be attempting to counter the deficit linked to their disorders by using the substances they take or their dependency-type behaviour to cope with their emotional problems. The clinical profile of schizophrenic addicts does seem to display some distinctive features, such as the high level of depressive co-morbidity, very high nicotine and alcohol dependence, with a very poor prognosis. These patients are difficult to manage; the possibility of pharmacologic interactions between the substances they are taking and neuroleptic medication calls for prudence, and their compliance is also poor. Addictive disorders in schizophrenics are currently a topic of active research intended to lead to identifying specific treatments. The early identification of addictive disorders in schizophrenics should make it possible to limit their development and improve the prognosis.

Living in the end times: a short course addressing end of life issues for older people in an English parish church setting

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 140-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Collicutt
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
End Times ◽  
High Level ◽  
High Degree

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report a pilot study that evaluated an innovative practice in a faith community context designed to help older people live well at the end of life and prepare for death. Design/methodology/approach – A simple audit of the intervention using a contemporaneous journal kept by the author, and a follow up questionnaire completed by participants. Findings – Rich findings on the process are reported. These indicate a high degree of engagement by participants, the establishment of a high degree of group intimacy and trust, a high level of articulation of wisdom, the emergence of significant anxiety in some isolated cases, and the use made of tea and cake to manage the transition between the existentially demanding nature of the discussions and normal life. The outcome indicated very high levels of appreciation and increased confidence in relation to issues of death and dying. Practical implications – The findings of the pilot have been used to inform training of clergy in the principles of working in this area (e.g. in ways of managing group dynamics and anxiety, pacing, tuning in to archetypes and the natural symbols that people use to talk about death and dying, self-care and supervision of the programme leader/facilitator). Originality/value – The paper adds to knowledge in terms of an in depth description of processes at work in a group of older people working on spiritual and practical issues in relation to death, and offers ideas for supporting older people in this process, some of which are specific to the Christian tradition, and some of which are more widely applicable to people of all faiths and none. It gives a specific worked example of what “spiritual care” in this area might look like.

scholarly journals Individual synaptic vesicles mediate stimulated exocytosis from cochlear inner hair cells

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (50) ◽  
pp. 12811-12816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad Paul Grabner ◽  
Tobias Moser
Keyword(s):  
Hair Cells ◽  
Synaptic Vesicles ◽  
Basolateral Membrane ◽  
Mean Amplitude ◽  
Auditory Pathway ◽  
Inner Hair Cell ◽  
Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents ◽  
High Level ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Channel Type

Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) measured from the first synapse in the mammalian auditory pathway reach a large mean amplitude with a high level of variance (CV between 0.3 and 1). This has led some to propose that each inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon-type active zone (AZ), on average, releases ∼6 synaptic vesicles (SVs) per sEPSC in a coordinated manner. If true, then the predicted change in membrane capacitance (Cm) for such multivesicular fusion events would equate to ∼300 attofarads (aF). Here, we performed cell-attached Cm measurements to directly examine the size of fusion events at the basolateral membrane of IHCs where the AZs are located. The frequency of events depended on the membrane potential and the expression of Cav1.3, the principal Ca2+-channel type of IHCs. Fusion events averaged 40 aF, which equates to a normal-sized SV with an estimated diameter of 37 nm. The calculated SV volumes showed a high degree of variance (CV > 0.6). These results indicate that SVs fused individually with the plasma membrane during spontaneous and evoked release and SV volume may contribute more variability in EPSC amplitude than previously assumed.

scholarly journals Intergeneric Relationships within the Early-Diverging Angiosperm Family Nymphaeaceae Based on Chloroplast Phylogenomics

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dingxuan He ◽  
Andrew Gichira ◽  
Zhizhong Li ◽  
John Nzei ◽  
Youhao Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Structure ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Basal Angiosperm ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Plastid Genomes ◽  
Chloroplast Genomes ◽  
Gene Data ◽  
High Degree

The order Nymphaeales, consisting of three families with a record of eight genera, has gained significant interest from botanists, probably due to its position as a basal angiosperm. The phylogenetic relationships within the order have been well studied; however, a few controversial nodes still remain in the Nymphaeaceae. The position of the Nuphar genus and the monophyly of the Nymphaeaceae family remain uncertain. This study adds to the increasing number of the completely sequenced plastid genomes of the Nymphaeales and applies a large chloroplast gene data set in reconstructing the intergeneric relationships within the Nymphaeaceae. Five complete chloroplast genomes were newly generated, including a first for the monotypic Euryale genus. Using a set of 66 protein-coding genes from the chloroplast genomes of 17 taxa, the phylogenetic position of Nuphar was determined and a monophyletic Nymphaeaceae family was obtained with convincing statistical support from both partitioned and unpartitioned data schemes. Although genomic comparative analyses revealed a high degree of synteny among the chloroplast genomes of the ancient angiosperms, key minor variations were evident, particularly in the contraction/expansion of the inverted-repeat regions and in RNA-editing events. Genome structure, and gene content and arrangement were highly conserved among the chloroplast genomes. The intergeneric relationships defined in this study are congruent with those inferred using morphological data.

Genetic variability in the natural populations of Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), detected by RAPD markers and by esterase isozymes

2015 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Coelho-Bortolo ◽  
C.A. Mangolin ◽  
A.S. Lapenta
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Random Amplified Polymorphic Dna ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Electrophoretic Analysis ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Lasioderma Serricorne ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Dried Fruit ◽  
High Level ◽  
High Degree

AbstractLasioderma serricorne (F.) is a small cosmopolitan beetle regarded as a destructive pest of several stored products such as grains, flour, spices, dried fruit and tobacco. Chemical insecticides are one of the measures used against the pest. However, intensive insecticide use has resulted in the appearance of resistant insect populations. Therefore, for the elaboration of more effective control programs, it is necessary to know the biological aspects of L. serricorne. Among these aspects, the genetic variability knowledge is very important and may help in the development of new control methods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic variability of 11 natural populations of L. serricorne collected respectively in three and four towns in the states of Paraná and São Paulo, Brazil, using 20 primers random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and polymorphisms of esterases. These primers produced 352 polymorphic bands. Electrophoretic analysis of esterases allowed the identification of four polymorphic loci (Est-2, Est-4, Est-5 and Est-6) and 18 alleles. Results show that populations are genetically differentiated and there is a high level of genetic variability within populations. The high degree of genetic differentiation is not directly correlated to geographical distance. Thus, our data indicate that movement of infested commodities may contribute to the dissemination of L. serricorne, facilitating gene flow.

scholarly journals An Ancient Baboon Genome Demonstrates Long-Term Population Continuity in Southern Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain Mathieson ◽  
Federico Abascal ◽  
Lasse Vinner ◽  
Pontus Skoglund ◽  
Cristina Pomilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Nonhuman Primates ◽  
Demographic History ◽  
Structured Populations ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Papio Ursinus ◽  
Anthropological Research ◽  
Population Continuity ◽  
High Degree

Abstract Baboons are one of the most abundant large nonhuman primates and are widely studied in biomedical, behavioral, and anthropological research. Despite this, our knowledge of their evolutionary and demographic history remains incomplete. Here, we report a 0.9-fold coverage genome sequence from a 5800-year-old baboon from the site of Ha Makotoko in Lesotho. The ancient baboon is closely related to present-day Papio ursinus individuals from southern Africa—indicating a high degree of continuity in the southern African baboon population. This level of population continuity is rare in recent human populations but may provide a good model for the evolution of Homo and other large primates over similar timespans in structured populations throughout Africa.

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