Introduction paper

contribution to session 5 Member States shall establish certificate systems for mutual recognition of the certificates (according article 8/6

Conclusions of session 5

contribution to session 5 Member States shall establish certificate systems for mutual recognition of the certificates (according article 8/6

Tools and Termites: Implications for the Foraging Behavior of the Swartkrans Hominids.

Termites have recently become a subject of interest for paleoanthropologists. In 2001, Backwell and d’Errico reported evidence of termite foraging by the Swartkrans hominids as seen in the wear patterns on bone tools from the site. This conclusion has been credited by some to be a plausible explanation for unexpected carbon isotope signatures present in South African hominid teeth that suggest the diet was different from that of extant non-human great apes, consisting of a significant amount of resources not from woody plants. Grass-eating termites such as the genus Trinervitermes are one potential resource that could contribute to the carbon signature. However, not all termites forage for grass, and in fact, Macrotermes, the termites most widely consumed by chimpanzees and by many present-day human populations, almost exclusively forage on the remains of woody plants and therefore would not contribute to the signature. This dissertation focuses on how the bone tools were being used in order to address which termites were being consumed and their nutritional role in the hominid diet. One possibility is that they were used in a manner similar to “perforating,” a complex action utilized by the chimpanzees of the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo, to use a stick to reopen the exit/entry holes created by termites on their mounds. After analyzing observations of this action, the task was recreated with experimental bone tools and the wear patterns compared to those on the ends of the Swartkrans bone tools. Digging into Trinervitermes mounds was also investigated. The wear pattern analyses were inconclusive, and the best support for which termites would have been consumed comes from behavioral and ethnographic data. Termites of the genus Macrotermes may be the most likely resource for Plio-Pleistocene hominids since they are highly selected by both chimpanzees and humans. These termites would not contribute to the surprising carbon isotope signature, but if both the soldiers and alates were being consumed, they would provide a reliable source of protein and fat, which are valuable for larger brained hominids navigating the South African savanna.Ph.D.AnthropologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89755/1/lesnikju_1.pd

Polarization of Lambda^0 hyperons in nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energies

The measurement of Lambda^0 hyperons polarization in nucleus-nucleus collisions is considered as one of possible tools to study the phase transition. Fixed target and collider experiments are discussed for the case of Lambda^0's production from Au-Au central collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}} of several GeV.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Preference versus performance: Investigating the dissociation between objective measures and subjective ratings of usability for schematic metro maps and intuitive theories of design

Three experiments are reported in which objective measures and subjective ratings of schematic metro map usability were investigated. Experiment 1 used a within-subjects design to compare octolinear and curvilinear Paris Metro maps. This replicated and extended Roberts et al. (2013); the curvilinear map was associated with faster journey planning times, and yet preference between the two was unrelated to this measure. In Experiment 2, nine matched versions of the London Underground map were rated for usability and attractiveness, and a clear octolinear bias was displayed. It was also possible to identify individuals who held a simplicity theory of effective design, versus an octolinearity theory. Experiment 3 investigated the relationship between usability ratings and journey planning times for three Berlin network maps, all optimized for simplicity of line trajectories. No differences in times were found, and yet usability ratings after experience at using the maps differed significantly, in line with the findings for the London designs in Experiment 2. Overall, the dissociation between objective measures of performance and subjective ratings of usability is robust, and appears to reflect expectations and prejudices concerning effective design. The octolinearity as a gold standard conjecture for achieving optimum usability continues to be refuted

Adipocyte ATP-binding cassette G1 promotes triglyceride storage, fat mass growth, and human obesity

The role of ATP-binding Cassette G1 (ABCG1) transporter in human pathophysiology is still largely unknown. Indeed, beyond its role in mediating free cholesterol efflux to HDL, ABCG1 transporter equally promotes lipid accumulation in a triglyceride (TG)-rich environment through regulation of the bioavailability of Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL).As both ABCG1 and LPL are expressed in adipose tissue, we hypothesize that ABCG1 is implicated in adipocyte TG storage and could be then a major actor in adipose tissue fat accumulation.Silencing of Abcg1 expression by RNAi in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes compromised LPL-dependent TG accumulation during initial phase of differentiation. Generation of stable Abcg1 Knockdown 3T3-L1 adipocytes revealed that Abcg1 deficiency reduces TG storage and diminishes lipid droplet size through inhibition of Pparγ expression. Strikingly, local inhibition of adipocyte Abcg1 in adipose tissue from mice fed a high fat diet led to a rapid decrease of adiposity and weight gain. Analysis of two frequent ABCG1 SNPs (rs1893590 (A/C) and rs1378577 (T/G)) in morbidly obese individuals indicated that elevated ABCG1 expression in adipose tissue was associated with an increased PPARγ expression and adiposity concomitant to an increased fat mass and BMI (haplotype AT>GC). The critical role of ABCG1 regarding obesity was further confirmed in independent populations of severe obese and diabetic obese individuals.For the first time, this study identifies a major role of adipocyte ABCG1 in adiposity and fat mass growth and suggests that adipose ABCG1 might represent a potential therapeutic target in obesity

Hyperon polarization and single spin left-right asymmetry in inclusive production processes at high energies

It is shown that the polarization of hyperons observed in high energy collisions using unpolarized hadron beams and unpolarized nucleon or nuclear targets is closely related to the left-right asymmetries observed in single spin inclusive hadron production processes. The relationship is most obvious for the production of the hyperons which have only one common valence quark with the projectile. Examples of this kind are given. Further implications of the existence of large polarization for hyperon which has two valence quarks in common with the projectile and their consequences are discussed. A comparison with the available data is made. Further tests are suggested.Comment: REVTeX, 12 pages, 2 figures embedde

Genome-wide genotyping demonstrates a polygenic risk score associated with white matter hyperintensity volume in CADASIL

Background and Purpose—White matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI are a quantitative marker for sporadic cerebral small vessel disease and are highly heritable. To date, large-scale genetic studies have identified only a single locus influencing WMH burden. This might in part relate to biological heterogeneity of sporadic WMH. The current study searched for genetic modifiers of WMH volume in cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), a monogenic small vessel disease. Methods—We performed a genome-wide association study to identify quantitative trait loci for WMH volume by combining data from 517 CADASIL patients collected through 7 centers across Europe. WMH volumes were centrally analyzed and quantified on fluid attenuated inversion recovery images. Genotyping was performed using the Affymetrix 6.0 platform. Individuals were assigned to 2 distinct genetic clusters (cluster 1 and cluster 2) based on their genetic background. Results—Four hundred sixty-six patients entered the final genome-wide association study analysis. The phenotypic variance of WMH burden in CADASIL explained by all single nucleotide polymorphisms in cluster 1 was 0.85 (SE=0.21), suggesting a substantial genetic contribution. Using cluster 1 as derivation and cluster 2 as a validation sample, a polygenic score was significantly associated with WMH burden (P=0.001) after correction for age, sex, and vascular risk factors. No single nucleotide polymorphism reached genome-wide significance. Conclusions—We found a polygenic score to be associated with WMH volume in CADASIL subjects. Our findings suggest that multiple variants with small effects influence WMH burden in CADASIL. The identification of these variants and the biological pathways involved will provide insights into the pathophysiology of white matter disease in CADASIL and possibly small vessel disease in general