Adaptive colour change and background choice behaviour in peppered moth caterpillars is mediated by extraocular photoreception

Light sensing by tissues distinct from the eye occurs in diverse animal groups, enabling circadian control and phototactic behaviour. Extraocular photoreceptors may also facilitate rapid colour change in cephalopods and lizards, but little is known about the sensory system that mediates slow colour change in arthropods. We previously reported that slow colour change in twig-mimicking caterpillars of the peppered moth (Biston betularia) is a response to achromatic and chromatic visual cues. Here we show that the perception of these cues, and the resulting phenotypic responses, does not require ocular vision. Caterpillars with completely obscured ocelli remained capable of enhancing their crypsis by changing colour and choosing to rest on colour-matching twigs. A suite of visual genes, expressed across the larval integument, likely plays a key role in the mechanism. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that extraocular colour sensing can mediate pigment-based colour change and behaviour in an arthropod

PULMONARY FUNCTION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATED WITH LOW-DOSE METHOTREXATE: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Lung volumes and gas exchange were investigated prospectively in 96 patients with rheumatoid arthritis selected without regard to pulmonary disorders and treated with i.m. methotrexate (MTX) injections [mean weekly dose 13.0 mg (5th-95th percentile (5-95 PC) 7.6-20.8)]. Individual changes over time during MTX treatment [mean duration 2.9 yr (5-95 PC 0.4-5.3)] were assessed by regression analyses in each individual. Forced vital capacity (FVQ remained stable in the majority of patients [mean annual change +0.8% (5-95 PC −8.1 to +14.0) of calculated normal value]. In addition, transfer factor using the indicator gas CO (TLCO) was unaltered in most patients [mean annual change − 2.1% (5-95 PC −16.2 to +11.8) of predicted value]. However, there were significant decreases in the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) before and after inhalation of 0.2 mg salbutamol [mean annual change - 0.8% (5-;95 PC −8.4 to +3.2) and −1.3% (5-95 PC −7.8 to +3.9) of the FVC measured, respectively]. In addition, there were significant increases in alveolar-arterial Po2, gradients (P(A-a), O2) at rest and after exercise [mean annual change +1.7 mmHg (5-;95 PC −5.2 to +12.2) and +1.8 mmHg (5-95 PC −3.5 to 9.0), respectively]. Nevertheless, the amounts were small in view of the reliability of the methods applied and reflect, at least in part, the normal process of ageing. The annual change in FEV1 /FVC was negatively correlated with FEV1 /FVC at baseline (Rs = − 0.46, P < 0.001). The annual change in TL, co was also negatively correlated with TL, co at baseline (Rs = − 0.31, P = 0.028). No other risk factors for deterioration of lung volumes or gas exchange were found, including mean weekly MTX dose, age, gender, smoking, presence of rheumatoid factor and pulmonary function at baseline. We conclude that MTX has no major effect on pulmonary function in the majority of patients and that there is no evidence that patients with pre-existing pulmonary disease are at increased risk for further deterioration of lung functio

Connecting Terminals and 2-Disjoint Connected Subgraphs

Given a graph $G=(V,E)$ and a set of terminal vertices $T$ we say that a superset $S$ of $T$ is $T$-connecting if $S$ induces a connected graph, and $S$ is minimal if no strict subset of $S$ is $T$-connecting. In this paper we prove that there are at most ${|V \setminus T| \choose |T|-2} \cdot 3^{\frac{|V \setminus T|}{3}}$ minimal $T$-connecting sets when $|T| \leq n/3$ and that these can be enumerated within a polynomial factor of this bound. This generalizes the algorithm for enumerating all induced paths between a pair of vertices, corresponding to the case $|T|=2$. We apply our enumeration algorithm to solve the {\sc 2-Disjoint Connected Subgraphs} problem in time $O^*(1.7804^n)$, improving on the recent $O^*(1.933^n)$ algorithm of Cygan et al. 2012 LATIN paper.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figur

Schadevoorziening bij brand- en bouwveiligheid: een evenwichtig systeem?

Het stelsel van schadevoorziening binnen de brand- en bouwveiligheid betreft de verdeling van aansprakelijkheid voor schade over burgers, bedrijven en de overheid, de mogelijkheden voor verzekering en de prikkels voor het tegengaan van schade. Hoofdvragen van dit onderzoek zijn wie er opdraait voor de schade van bouwongevallen en van brand en welke prikkels er van de schadeverdeling uitgaan: prikkels om schade te voorkomen, de gevolgen van schade te beperken en om schade af te dekken. Meer specifiek is de vraag of er verbeteringen zijn aan te geven in het huidige stelsel. De analyses in dit rapport leveren geen beeld op van vele of grote belemmeringen voor een evenwichtige schadevoorziening. Een vraag is wel of bedrijven zich voldoende bewust zijn van de risico’s op faillissement door bedrijfsschade en door aansprakelijkheid voor schade aan derden. Beslissingen met betrekking tot aansprakelijkheidsverzekeringen kunnen consequenties hebben voor derden. Een verplichte aansprakelijkheidsverzekering voor bedrijven is evenwel een vérgaand overheidsinstrument. Dit rapport vindt geen aanwijzingen voor averechtse prikkels met betrekking tot preventie, maar sluit ook niet uit dat er sprake kan zijn van ontbrekende prikkels, bijvoorbeeld bij particuliere brandpreventie of bij de naleving van wetten en regels door bedrijven

Multinet : enabler for next generation enterprise wireless services

Wireless communications are currently experiencing a fast migration toward the beyond third-generation (B3G)/fourth generation (4G) era. This represents a generational change in wireless systems: new capabilities related to mobility and new services support is required and new concepts as individual-centric, user-centric or ambient-aware communications are included. One of the main restrictions associated to wireless technology is mobility management, this feature was not considered in the design phase; for this reason, a complete solution is not already found, although different solutions are proposed and are being proposed. In MULTINET project, features as mobility and multihoming are applied to wireless network to provide the necessary network and application functionality enhancements for seamless data communication mobility considering end-user scenario and preferences. The aim of this paper is to show the benefits of these functionalities from the Service Providers and final User point of view

Recurrence in 2D Inviscid Channel Flow

I will prove a recurrence theorem which says that any $H^s$ ($s>2$) solution to the 2D inviscid channel flow returns repeatedly to an arbitrarily small $H^0$ neighborhood. Periodic boundary condition is imposed along the stream-wise direction. The result is an extension of an early result of the author [Li, 09] on 2D Euler equation under periodic boundary conditions along both directions

Shared Genetic Risk Factors of Intracranial, Abdominal, and Thoracic Aneurysms

Background Intracranial aneurysms (IAs), abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), and thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) all have a familial predisposition. Given that aneurysm types are known to co‐occur, we hypothesized that there may be shared genetic risk factors for IAs, AAAs, and TAAs. Methods and Results We performed a mega‐analysis of 1000 Genomes Project‐imputed genome‐wide association study (GWAS) data of 4 previously published aneurysm cohorts: 2 IA cohorts (in total 1516 cases, 4305 controls), 1 AAA cohort (818 cases, 3004 controls), and 1 TAA cohort (760 cases, 2212 controls), and observed associations of 4 known IA, AAA, and/or TAA risk loci (9p21, 18q11, 15q21, and 2q33) with consistent effect directions in all 4 cohorts. We calculated polygenic scores based on IA‐, AAA‐, and TAA‐associated SNPs and tested these scores for association to case‐control status in the other aneurysm cohorts; this revealed no shared polygenic effects. Similarly, linkage disequilibrium–score regression analyses did not show significant correlations between any pair of aneurysm subtypes. Last, we evaluated the evidence for 14 previously published aneurysm risk single‐nucleotide polymorphisms through collaboration in extended aneurysm cohorts, with a total of 6548 cases and 16 843 controls (IA) and 4391 cases and 37 904 controls (AAA), and found nominally significant associations for IA risk locus 18q11 near RBBP8 to AAA (odds ratio [OR]=1.11; P=4.1×10−5) and for TAA risk locus 15q21 near FBN1 to AAA (OR=1.07; P=1.1×10−3). Conclusions Although there was no evidence for polygenic overlap between IAs, AAAs, and TAAs, we found nominally significant effects of two established risk loci for IAs and TAAs in AAAs. These two loci will require further replicatio

Protocol for a feasibility study of group-based focused psychosocial support to improve the psychosocial well-being and functioning of adults affected by humanitarian crises in Nepal: Group Problem Management Plus (PM+)

Background The prevalence of common mental disorders increases in humanitarian emergencies while access to services to address them decreases. Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a brief five-session trans-diagnostic psychological WHO intervention employing empirically supported strategies that can be delivered by non-specialist lay-providers under specialist supervision to adults impaired by distress. Two recent randomized controlled trials in Pakistan and Kenya demonstrated the efficacy of individuallydelivered PM+. To make PM+ more scalable and acceptable in different contexts, it is important to develop a group version as well, with 6–8 participants in session. A study is needed to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of both the intervention in a new cultural context and the procedures to evaluate Group PM+ in a cluster randomized controlled trial. Go to: Methods This protocol describes a feasibility trial to Group PM+ in Sindhuli, Nepal. This study will evaluate procedures for a cluster randomized controlled trial (c-RCT) with Village Development Committees (VDCs), which are the second smallest unit of government administration, as the unit of randomization. Adults with high levels of psychological distress and functional impairment will receive either Group PM+ (n = 60) or enhanced usual care (EUC; n = 60). Psychological distress, functional impairment, depression symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and perceived problems will be measured during screening, pre-treatment baseline, and 7–10 days after the intervention. Qualitative data will be collected from beneficiaries, their families, local stakeholders, and staff to support quantitative data and to identify themes reporting that those involved and/or effected by Group PM+ perceived it as being acceptable, feasible, and useful. The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention; to identify issues around implementation of local adaptation methods, training, supervision, and outcomes measures; and to assure that procedures are adequate for a subsequent effectiveness c-RCT. Go to: Discussion Outcomes from this trial will contribute to optimizing feasibility and acceptability through cultural adaptation and contextualization of the intervention as well as refining the design for a c-RCT, which will evaluate the effectiveness of Group PM+ in Nepal. Go to: Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03359486 Keywords: Low- and middle-income countries, Mental health, Non-specialists, Group interventions, Humanitarian emergencie