A phylogenetic classification of the world’s tropical forests

Knowledge about the biogeographic affinities of the world’s tropical forests helps to better understand regional differences in forest structure, diversity, composition and dynamics. Such understanding will enable anticipation of region specific responses to global environmental change. Modern phylogenies, in combination with broad coverage of species inventory data, now allow for global biogeographic analyses that take species evolutionary distance into account. Here we present the first classification of the world’s tropical forests based on their phylogenetic similarity. We identify five principal floristic regions and their floristic relationships: (1) Indo-Pacific, (2) Subtropical, (3) African, (4) American, and (5) Dry forests. Our results do not support the traditional Neo- versus Palaeo-tropical forest division, but instead separate the combined American and African forests from their Indo-Pacific counterparts. We also find indications for the existence of a global dry forest region, with representatives in America, Africa, Madagascar and India. Additionally, a northern hemisphere Subtropical forest region was identified with representatives in Asia and America, providing support for a link between Asian and American northern hemisphere forests

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Relationship of triglycerides/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol index with antioxidant defense and outstanding association with high sensitive c-reactive protein in Mexican subjects

"The TriGlycerides/High-Density Lipoprotein- Cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio is a new index that has been proposed to estimate CardioVascular Risk (CVR). However, the relationship between this index with the antioxidant defense and inflammation is unknown. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the TG/HDL-C index with antioxidant defense and inflammation marker in Mexican subjects. Materials and Methods: In the study, Mexican subjects participated who were anthropometrically, biochemically, and clinically characterized. The TG/HDL-C index was calculated by dividing TG levels by HDL-C levels; a cut-off point >3 was considered CVR. The study subjects were divided into three groups: 1) subjects without CVR; 2) subjects with CVR, and 3) subjects with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). In the subjects, we evaluated antioxidant defense by determine SuperOxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) activities, and high sensitive C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) as inflammation marker"

Relationship of triglycerides/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol index with antioxidant defense and outstanding association with high sensitive C-reactive protein in Mexican subjects

"Background: The TriGlycerides/High-Density Lipoprotein- Cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio is a new index that has been proposed to estimate CardioVascular Risk (CVR). However, the relationship between this index with the antioxidant defense and inflammation is unknown. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the TG/HDL-C index with antioxidant defense and inflammation marker in Mexican subjects"

Analyzing Typical Mobile Gestures in mHealth Applications for Users with Down Syndrome

Mobile technology has provided many advantages for all members of the Information Society. Communication, Organization, Transportation, Health, and Entertainment are just a few areas of mobile technology application. Nevertheless, there are still some people who find difficulties using it. Although there are a lot of applications of mHealth available for almost any kind of mobile device, there is still a lack of understanding and attending users’ needs, especially those of users with disabilities. People with Down syndrome have the potential to function as active members of our society, taking care of themselves and their own, having jobs, voting, and so on, but their physical limitations prevent them from handling correctly technological tools that could enhance their performance, including mobile technology. In this paper, we had analyzed how suitable the mHealth applications are for users with Down syndrome. We tested 24 users and analyzed their physical performance in fine-motor movements while developing a set of tasks over a mHealth application. Results showed that the design of a mHealth application for users with Down syndrome must center its interaction with simple gestures as tap and swipe avoiding more complex ones as spread and rotate. This research is a starting point to understand the fundamentals of people with Down syndrome interacting with mobile technology

Genomic adaptations and evolutionary history of the extinct scimitar-toothed cat, Homotherium latidens

Homotherium was a genus of large-bodied scimitar-toothed cats, morphologically distinct from any extant felid species, that went extinct at the end of the Pleistocene [1, 2, 3, 4]. They possessed large, saber-form serrated canine teeth, powerful forelimbs, a sloping back, and an enlarged optic bulb, all of which were key characteristics for predation on Pleistocene megafauna [5]. Previous mitochondrial DNA phylogenies suggested that it was a highly divergent sister lineage to all extant cat species [6, 7, 8]. However, mitochondrial phylogenies can be misled by hybridization [9], incomplete lineage sorting (ILS), or sex-biased dispersal patterns [10], which might be especially relevant for Homotherium since widespread mito-nuclear discrepancies have been uncovered in modern cats [10]. To examine the evolutionary history of Homotherium, we generated a ∼7x nuclear genome and a ∼38x exome from H. latidens using shotgun and target-capture sequencing approaches. Phylogenetic analyses reveal Homotherium as highly divergent (∼22.5 Ma) from living cat species, with no detectable signs of gene flow. Comparative genomic analyses found signatures of positive selection in several genes, including those involved in vision, cognitive function, and energy consumption, putatively consistent with diurnal activity, well-developed social behavior, and cursorial hunting [5]. Finally, we uncover relatively high levels of genetic diversity, suggesting that Homotherium may have been more abundant than the limited fossil record suggests [3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14]. Our findings complement and extend previous inferences from both the fossil record and initial molecular studies, enhancing our understanding of the evolution and ecology of this remarkable lineage