Predation risk modifies behaviour by shaping the response of identified brain neurons

Interpopulation comparisons in species that show behavioural variations associated with particular ecological disparities offer good opportunities for assessing how environmental factors may foster specific functional adaptations in the brain. Yet, studies on the neural substrate that can account for interpopulation behavioural adaptations are scarce. Predation is one of the strongest driving forces for behavioural evolvability and, consequently, for shaping structural and functional brain adaptations. We analysed the escape response of crabs Neohelice granulata from two isolated populations exposed to different risks of avian predation. Individuals from the high-risk area proved to be more reactive to visual danger stimuli (VDS) than those from an area where predators are rare. Control experiments indicate that the response difference was specific for impending visual threats. Subsequently, we analysed the response to VDS of a group of giant brain neurons that are thought to play a main role in the visually guided escape response of the crab. Neurons from animals of the population with the stronger escape response were more responsive to VDS than neurons from animals of the less reactive population. Our results suggest a robust linkage between the pressure imposed by the predation risk, the response of identified neurons and the behavioural outcome.Fil: Magani, Fiorella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Luppi, Tomas Atilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Nuñez, Jesus Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Tomsic, Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; Argentin

Screening of Cowpea Genotypes for Their Reactions to Alectra Vogelii (Benth.) in the Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

Field experiments were conducted at Garkawa, Plateau State, Nigeria (08o52’N; 09o34’E) during the rainy seasons of 2011 and 2012 to evaluate the reactions of cowpea genotypes to Alectrra infestations. The treatments consisted of eleven cowpea genotypes laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Five varieties (IT97K-499-35, IT98K573-1-1, IT03K-338-1, IT98K-205-8 and UAM 11D, 24-55-3) were confirmed resistant to Alectra in the study area.  The Gazum local variety, Banjar, Borno brown, and TVX3236 were found to be very susceptible to Alectra; while IT84S-246-4 and IT98KD-391 recorded moderate infestation of Alectra.  The combined year effect on days to Alectra emergence showed that Gazum local, TVX3236, Banjar and Borno brown supported significantly the earliest emergence of Alectra; while the genotypes IT89KD-373-1-1 and IT84S-246-4 delayed the emergence of Alectra by 6 and 4 days , respectively. Gazum local recorded the highest number of crop plants infested with Alectra. Similarly, Alectra shoot counts were highest in Gazum local and TVX 3236.  Apart from IT84S-246-4 in 2011, pod number, pod weight and 1000 seed weights were significantly higher in the Alectra free genotypes against lower values in the Alectra infested genotypes. Also, the Alectra infested genotypes recorded significantly more crop damaged syndrome score compared with the resistant genotypes which were healthier.   It may be concluded from this investigation that IT97K-499-35, IT98K-573-1-1, IT03K-338-1, IT98K-205-8 and UAM 11D-24-55-3 that were found to be resistant to Alectra infestation which gave relatively higher grain yields are recommended for cultivation by farmers in the study area. Keywords: key words, Cowpea genotypes,  Alectra  vogelii, Resistance/ Tolerance, Guinea Savannah

Common External Tariffs and Trade Efficiency: Lessons for Cross-listed Firms in the East African Community

The East African Community’s trading bloc has attracted a lot of investment from the member countries yet it has not lived to its expectations. Some of the region’s members have fallen out in the past and even re-considered their membership in EAC. Among other areas of focus on the region’s integration is the implementation of common external tariffs and protection of the region’s members in regional and global market spheres. However, trade efficiency still lags behind in the region compared to global benchmarks. There exists flimsy evidence in literature on whether the implementation of common external tariffs revitalizes trade efficiency in the region. This paper, therefore, propounds the relationship between the implementation of common external tariffs and cross-border trade efficiency within the EAC considering experiences from other regional blocs and the implications for cross-listed Kenyan firms. The paper analyzes secondary data for Kenyan imports and exports from World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) and the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) as well as Economic review reports from the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and EAC. The analysis covering the financial years: 1995 to 2017 shows a number of factors, other than tariffs, that drive trade and trade efficiency. The study also reveals non-tariff barriers, inward-looking trade policies, protectionist policies, redundant trading rules across border, increasing cost of trading among other shortcomings to regional trade that arise from implementation of common external tariffs. Statistical evidence also indicate that trade efficiency is independent of the implementation of common external tariffs. In addition, empirical evidence shows prolonged trade deficit not only in the developed countries, but in the developing world as well. The study concludes that tariffs are good for trade regulation to the detriment cross-border trading even beyond the regional bloc. However, besides macroeconomic correlates, factors other than common external tariffs influence regional and cross-border trade efficiency. This calls for comprehensive in-region trade policy review, revitalization and commitment by the member states even as individual trading entities pursue advanced competitiveness in the regional and global markets

Improved Ultra Wideband Communication System through Adaptive Modulation and Spatial Diversity

PhDAdvances in Multimedia communications have shown the need for high data rate wireless links over short distances. This is to enhance flexibility, accessibility, portability and mobility of devices in home and enterprise environment thereby making users more productive. In 2004, the WiMedia group proposed the Multiband Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex Ultra Wideband (MB-OFDM UWB) system with a target of delivering data rate of 480Mbps over 3 metres. However, by now no existing commercial UWB product can meet this proposed specification. The project aims to investigate the reason why UWB technology has failed to realise its potential by carrying out detailed analysis and to seek ways of solving the technical problems. Detailed system analyses were carried out on the UWB technology using a commercial UWB product and a MB-OFDM UWB Evaluation kit. UWB channel measurements of different scenarios were carried out in order to characterise both time varying and time invariant channels. The scenarios are the realistic environments where UWB devices are operating with human subjects in various movement patterns. It gives insight into the effects of human object blocking on the MB-OFDM system performance and estimates an acceptable feedback rate in a UWB time varying channel when implementing an adaptive modulation. The adaptive modulation was proposed and implemented in the MB-OFDM system model to demonstrate the improved Bit Error Rate (BER) performance. Modulating bits are varied across the sub-channels depending on the signal to noise ratio (SNR). Sub-channels experiencing severe fading employ lower or no bit-loading while sub-channels with little or no fading utilise higher bit-loading to maintain a constant system data rate. Spatial diversity was employed to exploit different properties of the radio channel to improve performance. Good diversity gain of two receiving diversity systems using maximal ratio combining and antenna selection techniques is demonstrated in the measurements with the different antenna orientations. An antenna selection circuit is designed and implemented working together with AT90CAP9 UWB Evaluation kit, verifying an improved performance of the UWB system in an indoor environment. The maximal ratio combining technique is also implemented and demonstrated to give a better system performance on a test bed after post-processing

The Relationship of The Discipline And Motivation On Performance Employees

A company certainly has a goal to develop its business, one of them by having a professional human resources and competent in the field. To achieve the company's goals, one of the things employee must do is apply the rules and regulations. In addition to building discipline, the role of a leader is also very important to give confidence to employees in carrying out their duties and pay attention to employees who complete the work exceeds the established standards. The quality of the work becomes an evaluation for the leaders and employees in the division. Discipline and motivation are closely related to employee performance for the progress of a company.Keywords : Company, Human Resources, Employee Performanc

Effects of varying levels of Parkia biglobosa pulp for the control of Striga genesnerioides (WILD) in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata(L) WALP)

The implication of this is that there will be depletion of seed bank build up for future infestation, thereby ensuring control of Striga over time

Case-control diagnostic accuracy study of a non-sputum CD38-based TAM-TB test from a single milliliter of blood

Background: CD4 T cell phenotyping-based blood assays have the potential to meet WHO target product profiles (TPP) of non-sputum-biomarker-based tests to diagnose tuberculosis (TB). Yet, substantial refinements are required to allow their implementation in clinical settings. This study assessed the real time performance of a simplified T cell activation marker (TAM)-TB assay to detect TB in adults from one millilitre of blood with a 24h turnaround time. Methods: We recruited 479 GeneXpert® positive cases and 108 symptomatic but GeneXpert® negativecontrols from presumptive adult TB patients in the Temeke District of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. TAM-TB assay accuracy was assessed by comparison with a composite reference standard comprising GeneXpert® and solid culture. A single millilitre of fresh blood was processed to measure expression of CD38 or CD27 by CD4 T cells producing INF-γ and/or TNF-α in response to a synthetic peptide pool covering the sequences of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) ESAT-6, CFP-10 and TB10.4 antigens on a 4-color FACSCalibur apparatus. Results: Significantly superior to CD27 in accurately diagnosing TB, the CD38-based TAM-TB assay specificity reached 93.4% for a sensitivity of 82.2% with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.87 (95% CI 0.84-0.91). The assay performance was not significantly affected by HIV status. Conclusions: Wesuccessfully implemented TAM-TB immunoassay routine testing with a 24h turnaround time at district level in a resource limited setting. Starting from one millilitre of fresh blood and being not influenced by HIV status, TAM-TB assay format and performance appears closely compatible with the optimal TPP accuracy criteria defined by WHO for a non-sputum confirmatory TB test

Reconocimiento de objetos por color en ratones mus musculus cepa C57BL/6J

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of the mice Mus musculus C57BL/6J strain to form and evoke a visual recognition memory of objects that differ only by their color. In order to do this, we use the paradigm of novel objet recognition (NOR), which takes advantage of the innate tendency of mice to explore a novel object longer than a familiar one. The present study is the first to show preliminary results on the ability to form long-term memories of visual recognition by color in this mouse strain. In addition, this work suggests this mouse strain as a model to be used in further research on the study of the formation of recognition memory based on color.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la capacidad de los ratones Mus musculus cepa C57BL/6J de formar y evocar una memoria de reconocimiento visual de objetos que difieren exclusivamente por su color. Para ello, empleamos el paradigma de reconocimiento de objeto novedoso (novel objet recognition, NOR), el cual toma ventaja de la tendencia innata de los ratones a explorar más tiempo un objeto novedoso que uno familiar. El presente estudio es el primero en mostrar resultados preliminares acerca de la capacidad de formar memorias de reconocimiento visual por color y de largo término en esta cepa de ratón. Además, este trabajo sugiere a esta cepa de ratón como modelo a utilizar en investigaciones sobre los procesos de formación de memorias de reconocimiento por color

Foreign rule?: transnational, national, and local perspectives on Venice and Venetia within the “multinational” empire

The history of the Habsburg Empire in the post-Napoleonic era is frequently approached from the perspective of its various component nationalities. These were traditionally portrayed in the historiography as engaged in more-or-less open struggle with control from Vienna. This article argues that the over-privileging of such national categories can distort the picture. By looking at a number of case studies – the naming of Lombardy-Venetia, the Biblioteca italiana, the Panteon veneto – the relationship between Venice (and its Terraferma) and Habsburg rule during the second Austrian domination is examined. It will be argued that it is more profitable to see Venetian identities (municipal, local, Italian, and as part of a wider transnational European culture) as capable of working for as well as against the empire, and that Habsburg policy was as often concerned with managing potential local rivalries (notably between Lombards and Venetians) as with controlling a perceived Italian threat. It is also suggested that, while cultivation of local identity was often used to reinforce the national, the Austrian authorities were also happy to annex both to further imperial interests

Revisiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve in a Global Economy

The present study deals with an empirical investigation between CO2 emissions, energy intensity, economic growth and globalization using annual data over the period of 1970-2010 for Turkish economy. We applied unit root test and cointegration approach in the presence of structural breaks. The direction of causality between the variables is investigated by applying the VECM Granger causality approach. Our results confirmed the existence of cointegration between the series. The empirical evidence reported that energy intensity, economic growth (globalization) increase (condense) CO2 emissions. The results also validated the presence of Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). The causality analysis shows bidirectional causality between economic growth and CO2 emissions. This implies that economic growth can be boosted at the cost of environment