First GIS analysis of modern stone tools used by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Bossou, Guinea, West Africa

Stone tool use by wild chimpanzees of West Africa offers a unique opportunity to explore the evolutionary roots of technology during human evolution. However, detailed analyses of chimpanzee stone artifacts are still lacking, thus precluding a comparison with the earliest archaeological record. This paper presents the first systematic study of stone tools used by wild chimpanzees to crack open nuts in Bossou (Guinea-Conakry), and applies pioneering analytical techniques to such artifacts. Automatic morphometric GIS classification enabled to create maps of use wear over the stone tools (anvils, hammers, and hammers/anvils), which were blind tested with GIS spatial analysis of damage patterns identified visually. Our analysis shows that chimpanzee stone tool use wear can be systematized and specific damage patterns discerned, allowing to discriminate between active and passive pounders in lithic assemblages. In summary, our results demonstrate the heuristic potential of combined suites of GIS techniques for the analysis of battered artifacts, and have enabled creating a referential framework of analysis in which wild chimpanzee battered tools can for the first time be directly compared to the early archaeological record.Leverhulme Trust [IN-052]; MEXT [20002001, 24000001]; JSPS-U04-PWS; FCT-Portugal [SFRH/BD/36169/2007]; Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Researc

Критерии оценки когнитивных нарушений после инсульта

Резюмированы определенные современные вопросы, с которыми сталкиваются неврологи и семейные врачи при выявлении и оказании помощи больным, у которых наблюдается ухудшение неврологического состояния в виде прогрессирования когнитивной дисфункции после развития инсульта.Резюмовано окремі сучасні питання, з якими стикаються неврологи і сімейні лікарі при виявленні та наданні допомоги хворим, у яких спостерігається погіршення неврологічного стану у вигляді прогресування когнітивної дисфункції після розвитку інсульту.Some urgent issues faced by neurologists and general practitioners when revealing and rendering medical aid to the patients with aggravation of the neurological state in the form of progression of post−stroke cognitive dysfunction are summarized

The Ecm11-Gmc2 complex promotes synaptonemal complex formation through assembly of transverse filaments in budding yeast

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair at close proximity to form the synaptonemal complex (SC). This association is mediated by transverse filament proteins that hold the axes of homologous chromosomes together along their entire length. Transverse filament proteins are highly aggregative and can form an aberrant aggregate called the polycomplex that is unassociated with chromosomes. Here, we show that the Ecm11-Gmc2 complex is a novel SC component, functioning to facilitate assembly of the yeast transverse filament protein, Zip1. Ecm11 and Gmc2 initially localize to the synapsis initiation sites, then throughout the synapsed regions of paired homologous chromosomes. The absence of either Ecm11 or Gmc2 substantially compromises the chromosomal assembly of Zip1 as well as polycomplex formation, indicating that the complex is required for extensive Zip1 polymerization. We also show that Ecm11 is SUMOylated in a Gmc2-dependent manner. Remarkably, in the unSUMOylatable ecm11 mutant, assembly of chromosomal Zip1 remained compromised while polycomplex formation became frequent. We propose that the Ecm11-Gmc2 complex facilitates the assembly of Zip1 and that SUMOylation of Ecm11 is critical for ensuring chromosomal assembly of Zip1, thus suppressing polycomplex formation

Chronic non-transmural infarction has a delayed recovery of function following revascularization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The time course of regional functional recovery following revascularization with regards to the presence or absence of infarction is poorly known. We studied the effect of the presence of chronic non-transmural infarction on the time course of recovery of myocardial perfusion and function after elective revascularization.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighteen patients (mean age 69, range 52-84, 17 men) prospectively underwent cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), delayed contrast enhanced MRI and rest/stress 99m-Tc-tetrofosmin single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) before, one and six months after elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Dysfunctional myocardial segments (n = 337/864, 39%) were classified according to the presence (n = 164) or absence (n = 173) of infarction. Infarct transmurality in dysfunctional segments was largely non-transmural (transmurality = 31 ± 22%). Quantitative stress perfusion and wall thickening increased at one month in dysfunctional segments without infarction (p < 0.001), with no further improvement at six months. Despite improvements in stress perfusion at one month (p < 0.001), non-transmural infarction displayed a slower and lesser improvement in wall thickening at one (p < 0.05) and six months (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dysfunctional segments without infarction represent repetitively stunned or hibernating myocardium, and these segments improved both perfusion and function within one month after revascularization with no improvement thereafter. Although dysfunctional segments with non-transmural infarction improved in perfusion at one month, functional recovery was mostly seen between one and six months, possibly reflecting a more severe ischemic burden. These findings may be of value in the clinical assessment of regional functional recovery in the time period after revascularization.</p

Comparison of herbarium label data and published medicinal use: herbaria as an underutilized source of ethnobotanical information

The use of herbarium specimens as vouchers to support ethnobotanical surveys is well established. However, herbaria may be underutilized resources for ethnobotanical research that depends on the analysis of large datasets compiled across multiple sites. Here, we compare two medicinal use datasets, one sourced from published papers and the other from online herbaria to determine whether herbarium and published data are comparable and to what extent herbarium specimens add new data and fill gaps in our knowledge of geographical extent of plant use. Using Brazilian legumes as a case study, we compiled 1400 use reports from 105 publications and 15 Brazilian herbaria. Of the 319 species in 107 genera with cited medicinal uses, 165 (51%) were recorded only in the literature and 55 (17%) only on herbarium labels. Mode of application, plant part used, or therapeutic use was less often documented by herbarium specimen labels (17% with information) than publications (70%). However, medicinal use of 21 of the 128 species known from only one report in the literature was substantiated from independently collected herbarium specimens, and 58 new therapeutic applications, 25 new plant parts, and 16 new modes of application were added for species known from the literature. Thus, when literature reports are few or information-poor, herbarium data can both validate and augment these reports. Herbarium data can also provide insights into the history and geographical extent of use that are not captured in publications

Associação do reflexo vermelho em recém-nascidos com variáveis neonatais

Objetivou-se investigar o resultado do teste do reflexo vermelho, conhecido como teste do olhinho, e associar as impressões do reflexo com variáveis neonatais. Este é um estudo descritivo, quantitativo, realizado com 190 recém-nascidos de uma maternidade pública, dos quais 187 apresentaram resultado não alterado e três suspeitos. Observaram-se diferentes nuances de coloração do reflexo: em 50 (26,3%) a coloração do reflexo apresentou-se vermelha; 34 (17,9%) laranja-avermelhado; 92 (48,4%) alaranjado; 11 (5,8%) amarelo claro e três (1,6%) com manchas esbranquiçadas. Encontraram-se associações estatisticamente significantes entre o instrumento gradiente de cores e variáveis neonatais: peso (p=0,03), idade gestacional (p=0,019) e oxigenoterapia (p=0,024). Enfermeiros capacitados para prática e avaliação desse teste podem se tornar profissionais em potencial para a prevenção da cegueira infantil.The aim of this study was to investigate the results of the red reflex test and to associate these results with neonatal variables. This descriptive study was conducted with 190 newborns in a public maternity hospital. A total of 187 infants presented no alteration and three presented suspect results. Different shades of reflex color were observed: 50 (26.3%) presented red; 34 (17.9%) orange-red, 92 (48.4%) orange, 11 (5.8%) light yellow and three (1.6%) milky white spots. Statistically significant associations between the color gradient instrument and neonatal variables were found: weight (p=0.03), gestational age (p=0.019) and oxygen therapy (p=0.024). Nurses trained to practice and evaluate this test may become professionals in the potential for the prevention of childhood blindness.Se objetivó investigar el resultado de la prueba del reflejo rojo, conocido como prueba del ojito, y asociar las impresiones del reflejo con variables neonatales. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo, cuantitativo, realizado con 190 recién nacidos de una maternidad pública; de los cuales 187 presentaron resultados no alterados y tres sospechosos. Se observaron diferentes matices de coloración del reflejo: en 50 (26,3%) se presentó rojo; 34 (17,9%) naranja rojizo; 92 (48,4%) anaranjado; 11 (5,8%) amarillo claro y tres (1,6%) con manchas blanquecinas. Se encontraron asociaciones estadísticamente significativas entre el instrumento gradiente de colores y las variables neonatales: peso (p=0,03), edad de gestación (p=0,019) y oxigenoterapia (p=0,024). Enfermeros capacitados para la práctica y evaluación de esa prueba pueden tornarse profesionales en potencial para la prevención de la ceguera infantil