Bifurcation into functional niches in adaptation

One of the central questions in evolutionary biology concerns the dynamics of adaptation and diversification. This issue can be addressed experimentally if replicate populations adapting to identical environments Call be investigated in detail. We have studied 501 such replicas Using digital organisms adapting to at least two fundamentally different functional niches (survival strategies) present in the same environment: one in which fast replication is the way to live, and another where exploitation of the environment's complexity leads to complex organisms with longer life spans and smaller replication rates. While these two modes of survival are closely analogous to those expected to emerge in so-called r and K selection scenarios respectively, the bifurcation of evolutionary histories according to these functional niches occurs in identical environments, under identical selective pressures. We find that the branching occurs early, and leads to drastic phenotypic differences (in fitness, sequence length, and gestation time) that are permanent and irreversible. This study confirms an earlier experimental effort using microorganisms, in that diversification can be understood at least in part in terms of bifurcations on saddle points leading to peak shifts, as in the picture drawn by Sewall Wright

Detection and genotyping of human Papillomavirus in urine samples from unvaccinated male and female adolescents in Italy

The introduction of vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in adolescent girls in 2006 has focused virological surveillance on this age group. As few studies have evaluated HPV infections in young populations, further data are needed in order to improve and extend prophylactic policy and to monitor epidemiological changes. The present study aimed at evaluating overall and type-specific HPV prevalence in both female and male adolescents in Italy. HPV DNA detection and genotyping was performed on urine samples collected from 870 unvaccinated adolescents (369 females, 501 males, 11-18 years of age) in five cities in Italy. Following DNA extraction by means of a commercial kit (NucliSENS®-miniMAG®, bioMérieux), the L1 gene fragment was PCR amplified and genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. HPV DNA was detected in 1.5% of all samples, and in 3% and 0.4% of samples from females and males, respectively. In approximately 70% of HPV DNA positive adolescents, the infection was due to a single genotype, with 88.9% of genotypes belonging to the HR-clade. The only two HPV-positive boys (14 and 18 years old) had HPV-70 genotype. Only one of the 11 HPV-infected girls was in the 11-14 age-group. HPV prevalence was 4.2% in girls aged 15-18 years and 60% of infections were due to vaccine types HPV-16 or HPV-6/-11. This is one of the few studies, the first conducted in Italy, on HPV infection in adolescents. Urine testing is the easier way of detecting HPV infection in younger populations. Our data revealed a very low HPV prevalence, and no infections were observed in the 12-year-old vaccine target population. The majority of infections were seen in females aged 15-18 years. Overall, more than 50% and 30% of the potentially persistent HPV infections detected in this group could have been prevented by the quadrivalent and the bivalent vaccines, respectively

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FEMALE AND MALE ENTREPRENEURS IN A TRANSITION CONTEXT: EVIDENCE FROM BULGARIA

The aim of this paper is to examine similarities and differences between Bulgarian female and male entrepreneurs with regard to a number of personal characteristics, characteristics of their ventures, and characteristics of the environmental context, in which they operate. A sample of 501 companies (282 maleowned and 219 female-owned) with a single owner is used in the present study. Data have been analyzed using a binary logistic regression. The differences in entrepreneurship identified in this paper are strikingly similar to those reported in the literature in Western countries. This could be explained with the presence of similar gender inequalities and deeply structured processes of female subordination in capitalist, command and transition economies.gender, entrepreneurship, women, Bulgaria

Connection between electrical conductivity and diffusion coefficient of a conductive porous material filled with electrolyte

The paper focuses on the cross-property connection between the effective electrical conductivity and the overall mass transfer coefficient of a two phase material. The two properties are expressed in terms of the tortuosity parameter which generalized to the case of a material with two conductive phases. Elimination of this parameter yields the cross-property connection. The theoretical derivation is verified by comparison with computer simulation

Reliability analysis of a newly developed questionnaire for quality control of follow-up visits in polyiran study

Background: The PolyIran study is a large-scale pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial of fixed-dose combination therapy (Polypill) for prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Iran. The PolyIran Quality Control Program (PIQCP) including a new questionnaire was developed to assess the quality of data collection during follow-up visits. The aim of this study was to assess the inter-rater reliability of PIQCP questionnaire. Methods: The study was conducted in 26 (11%) randomly selected clusters (from a total of 236 PolyIran clusters). All participants within these 26 clusters were enrolled. The quality scores were measured according to the PIQCP guidelines by two independent raters. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were measured. In addition, the quality scores were categorized into good (370%) and poor (<70%). The kappa coefficient was used to assess inter-rater agreement for this categorical quality scores. Results: A total number of 945 PolyIran participants were enrolled of which, 501 (53%) were from intervention arm. In 934 participants (98.8%), the quality score could be successfully identified by both raters. The ICC (95%CI) ofthe overall quality scores was 0.985 (0.983-0.987). It was 0.976 (0.972-0.980) and 0.988 (0.986-0.990) in intervention and control arms, respectively. We found excellent agreement between the two raters in identifying participants with good and poor quality scores (kappa = 0.988, P < 0.001). The kappa values were 0.972 (P < 0.001) and 1.000 (P < 0.001) in intervention and control arms, respectively. Discussion: Our results suggested that the PIQCP questionnaire is a reliable tool for assessing quality of data collection in PolyIran follow-up visits. Using this measure will help us in efficient monitoring of the PolyIran follow-ups and may ensure high quality data. © 2016, Academy of Medical Sciences of I.R. Iran. All rights reserved

Parametric study for influence of input parameters for analysis of fibre reinforced concrete slab-soil interaction

For geotechnical engineering and design of foundation elements of structures is important to properly determine the stress-deformation state of the subsoil. The calculation is most often done using the finite element method and the computational models. This article includes the parametric study for the selected type of concrete foundation structures. The article focuses attention to the calculation of the deformation of the slab with respect to the influences of individual input parameters (e.g. stiffness of concrete and subsoil, boundary condition, size of elements). Calculations are performed for two concrete types and three soil variants

Blackspot analysis of road traffic crashes in Surabaya - Manyar Toll Road, East Java

Traffic crashes are one of the problems that cannot be prevented, especially on toll roads. Knowing the crash element, including crash number, type, factor, and fatality, could lead the investigation to set crash solving and prevention by finding the blackspot point. Surabaya-Manyar toll roads were reported as crash-prone locations, with 149 crashes from 2014-2018. This research concerns the impact on a specific period obtained by PT. Margabumi Matrajaya was ranging from 2014-2018 at Surabaya-Manyar toll road. The objectives aim to analyze the crash element using submitted data from PT. Margabumi Matrajaya to find the blackspot at each line. The collected data were the primary data from field observation and documentation and secondary data, consisting of crash data, road length, time of the crash, what types of vehicles were involved in the crash, and wound victim data. The locations of crash-prone points (Blackspots) on the Surabaya - Manyar Toll road are as follows: The locations of crash-prone points (Blackspots) on the Surabaya Toll road - Manyar line mostly occurred at Km 9 + 925 - 16 + 400 mostly in 2018, on the Romokalisari - Kebomas section, and for Manyar - Surabaya line, occurred at Km 3 + 500 - 0 + 000 mostly in 2016, on the Tandes - Dupak section. Therefore, to decrease the crash number in Surabaya - Manyar toll road, PT. Margabumi Matrajaya should add traffic sign as blackspot area, speed trap, warning sign like slippery road ahead warning, crossroad, and merging traffic

Effects of Freezing on Soil Temperature, Freezing Front Propagation and Moisture Redistribution in Peat: Laboratory Investigations

There are not many studies that report water movement in freezing peat. Soil column studies under controlled laboratory settings can help isolate and understand the effects of different factors controlling freezing of the active layer in organic covered permafrost terrain. In this study, four peat Mesocosms were subjected to temperature gradients by bringing the Mesocosm tops in contact with subzero air temperature while maintaining a continuously frozen layer at the bottom (proxy permafrost). Soil water movement towards the freezing front (from warmer to colder regions) was inferred from soil freezing curves, liquid water content time series and from the total water content of frozen core samples collected at the end of freezing cycle. A substantial amount of water, enough to raise the upper surface of frozen saturated soil within 15 cm of the soil surface at the end of freezing period appeared to have moved upwards during freezing. Diffusion under moisture gradients and effects of temperature on soil matric potential, at least in the initial period, appear to drive such movement as seen from analysis of freezing curves. Freezing front (separation front between soil zones containing and free of ice) propagation is controlled by latent heat for a long time during freezing. A simple conceptual model describing freezing of an organic active layer initially resembling a variable moisture landscape is proposed based upon the results of this study. The results of this study will help in understanding, and ultimately forecasting, the hydrologic response of wetland-dominated terrain underlain by discontinuous permafrost