Homeotic Evolution in the Mammalia: Diversification of Therian Axial Seriation and the Morphogenetic Basis of Human Origins

Despite the rising interest in homeotic genes, little has been known about the course and pattern of evolution of homeotic traits across the mammalian radiation. An array of emerging and diversifying homeotic gradients revealed by this study appear to generate new body plans and drive evolution at a large scale.This study identifies and evaluates a set of homeotic gradients across 250 extant and fossil mammalian species and their antecedents over a period of 220 million years. These traits are generally expressed as co-linear gradients along the body axis rather than as distinct segmental identities. Relative position or occurrence sequence vary independently and are subject to polarity reversal and mirroring. Five major gradient modification sets are identified: (1)--quantitative changes of primary segmental identity pattern that appeared at the origin of the tetrapods ; (2)--frame shift relation of costal and vertebral identity which diversifies from the time of amniote origins; (3)--duplication, mirroring, splitting and diversification of the neomorphic laminar process first commencing at the dawn of mammals; (4)--emergence of homologically variable lumbar lateral processes upon commencement of the radiation of therian mammals and ; (5)--inflexions and transpositions of the relative position of the horizontal septum of the body and the neuraxis at the emergence of various orders of therian mammals. Convergent functional changes under homeotic control include laminar articular engagement with septo-neural transposition and ventrally arrayed lumbar transverse process support systems.Clusters of homeotic transformations mark the emergence point of mammals in the Triassic and the radiation of therians in the Cretaceous. A cluster of homeotic changes in the Miocene hominoid Morotopithecus that are still seen in humans supports establishment of a new "hominiform" clade and suggests a homeotic origin for the human upright body plan

Mourning and melancholia revisited: correspondences between principles of Freudian metapsychology and empirical findings in neuropsychiatry

Freud began his career as a neurologist studying the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system, but it was his later work in psychology that would secure his place in history. This paper draws attention to consistencies between physiological processes identified by modern clinical research and psychological processes described by Freud, with a special emphasis on his famous paper on depression entitled 'Mourning and melancholia'. Inspired by neuroimaging findings in depression and deep brain stimulation for treatment resistant depression, some preliminary physiological correlates are proposed for a number of key psychoanalytic processes. Specifically, activation of the subgenual cingulate is discussed in relation to repression and the default mode network is discussed in relation to the ego. If these correlates are found to be reliable, this may have implications for the manner in which psychoanalysis is viewed by the wider psychological and psychiatric communities

Practical application of browns and grays based on a vector concept : the practical strength the asymmetrical Munsell color space

A comparison was done regarding tertiary students' response between the symmetrical color wheel—The Itten Color Wheel developed by Johanne Itten at Bauhaus School and the asymmetrical Munsell Color Space developed by Professor Albert Munsell. One of the significant differences was the students' response on the representation of browns and grays. Students realized the Itten Color Wheel did not indicate these less chromatic browns and grays in relation to their pure hues while the Munsell Color Space arranged these browns and grays progressively in accurate vector length from one hue to another. The Munsell Color Space was first developed with watercolor paint representing the true practical range of each hue with its transitional tertiary colors, namely the intermediate browns and grays within the color space. The practical range between any two or more hues could be visualized with the help of these intermediate browns and grays. To investigate further the importance of the asymmetrical structure of the Munsell Color Space and the practical advantage through representing browns and grays in the color space, this article will present a vector approach of color planning. This approach further enhances the learning of color theory based on the Munsell Color Space. A few practical examples are also shown in this article to illustrate how this vector approach may help in learning and planning color applications.Accepted versio