The dynamics of the Afromontane forest remnants in the Southwestern Cape

This thesis identifies the major forest types present in the southwestern Cape and investigates the floristic and structural changes in vegetation composition across the indigenous forest ecotone. The dynamics of forest-fynbos boundaries of differing post-fire age are compared and patterns of vegetation change from forest to fynbos are related to environmental constraints and disturbance history. Riparian forest and Scree forest were identified, and differences in the structure a.nd composition of the two forest types and their ecotonal communities were evident at both the recently burnt site of Swartboskloof and the fire-protected catchment of Orange · Kloof. Soil moisture, soil depth and the amount of rock cover were. key factors influencing the dynamics of the forest-fynbos ecdtone, with fbrest composition and the consequent availability of seed also important. The analysis of post-fire regeneration strategies indicated that seedling production and coppice growth were best represented in the igirnediate post-fire condition, thus supporting the initial floristic composition (IFC) hypothesis. This implies that coppice production is an immediate, reactionary mode of regeneration following disturbance, and that most seedling establishment and subsequent growth of saplings occurs soon after the disturbance event. The absence of seedlings in scree fynbos areas at Orange Kloof suggests an episodic recruitment strategy which is influenced by local species composition and seed production

A user-friendly tool using systems biology models to infer cell functions from omics

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Life course outcomes and developmental pathways for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviour

Most outcome studies for children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour have focused on sexual recidivism as their primary outcome measure. Relatively little is known about broader life outcomes for children displaying such behaviours, nor about the processes involved with longer-term developmental success or failure. This paper examines long-term life course outcomes for 69 adults in the UK who presented with abusive sexual behaviour as children. Between 10 and 20 years after their childhood sexual behaviour problems, few in the sample had sexually reoffended, but general life course outcomes were much less positive. A range of individual, relational and social/environmental factors appeared to be associated with successful and unsuccessful outcomes. Successful outcomes were associated with stable partner relationships, wider supportive relationships, and educational opportunity and achievement. The findings highlight the importance of broad-based, developmental interventions in assisting those with childhood sexual behaviour problems to live successfully

7000 éves dél-magyarországi tuberkulózis esetek oszteológiai és molekuláris biológiai vizsgálata

This study derives from the macroscopic analysis of a Late Neolithic population from southern Hungary. Remains were recovered from a tell settlement at Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa from graves within the settlement as well as pits, ditches, houses and as stray finds. Pathological analysis of the 71 individuals revealed numerous cases of infections and non-specific stress indicators, metabolic diseases, and evidence of trauma and mechanical changes. Several cases showed potential signs of tuberculosis and further analyses were undertaken, including biomolecular studies. The five individuals were all very young adults and included a striking case of hypertrophic pulmonary osteopathy. The initial macroscopic diagnosis of these five cases was confirmed by lipid biomarker analyses, and three of them were corroborated by DNA analysis. At present, these 7000-year-old individuals are among the oldest palaeopathological and palaeomicrobiological cases of tuberculosis worldwide

What does a cell need for efficient protein secretion: Deciphering, modeling, and augmenting the CHO machinery

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DOENÇA RENAL: DETECÇÃO PRECOCE EM GRUPOS DE HIPERDIA

Esta pesquisa faz parte do Projeto Renal que teve por objetivo diagnosticar a doença renal em estágio inicial nos grupos de Hiperdia de dez municípios do Meio Oeste de Santa Catarina. Participaram do projeto 1.486 pessoas, sendo que 448 coletaram exame de urina para análise de proteinúria, e compõe a amostra deste estudo. Dos 448 diabéticos e hipertensos participantes, 64,5% são do sexo feminino, média de idade 63,1±12 anos, 21,8% diabéticos, 83,9% hipertensos, sendo que 5,8% apresentavam as duas patologias. Centro e dez pessoas (24,5%) estavam com a Taxa de Filtração Glomerular inferior a 60ml/min e a proteinúria foi identificada em 70 pessoas (15,6%). Valores de creatinina e ureia apresentaram correlação inversa com a TFG. O elevado número de pessoas com TFG abaixo de 60 e o número de pessoas com proteinuria confirma a importância da detecção precoce, principalmente nos grupos de risco, além da orientação e acompanhamento dos hipertensos e diabéticos, com foco na prevenção e promoção da saúde

Osteological and Biomolecular Evidence of a 7000-Year Old Case of Hypertrophic Pulmonary Osteopathy Secondary to Tuberculosis from Neolithic Hungary

Seventy-one individuals from the late Neolithic population of the 7000-year-old site of Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa were examined for their skeletal palaeopathology. This revealed numerous cases of infections and non-specific stress indicators in juveniles and adults, metabolic diseases in juveniles, and evidence of trauma and mechanical changes in adults. Several cases showed potential signs of tuberculosis, particularly the remains of the individual HGO-53. This is an important finding that has significant implications for our understanding of this community. The aim of the present study was to seek biomolecular evidence to confirm this diagnosis. HGO-53 was a young male with a striking case of hypertrophic pulmonary osteopathy (HPO), revealing rib changes and cavitations in the vertebral bodies. The initial macroscopic diagnosis of HPO secondary to tuberculosis was confirmed by analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex specific cell wall lipid biomarkers and corroborated by ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis. This case is the earliest known classical case of HPO on an adult human skeleton and is one of the oldest palaeopathological and palaeomicrobiological tuberculosis cases to date