New early Eocene tapiromorph perissodactyls from the Ghazij Formation of Pakistan, with implications for mammalian biochronology in Asia

Early Eocene mammals from Indo-Pakistan have only recently come under study. Here we describe the first tapiromorph perissodactyls from the subcontinent. Gandheralophus minor n. gen. and n. sp. and G. robustus n. sp. are two species of Isectolophidae differing in size and in reduction of the anterior dentition. Gandheralophus is probably derived from a primitive isectolophid such as Orientolophus hengdongensis from the earliest Eocene of China, and may be part of a South Asian lineage that also contains Karagalax from the middle Eocene of Pakistan. Two specimens are referred to a new, unnamed species of Lophialetidae. Finally, a highly diagnostic M3 and a molar fragment are described as the new eomoropid chalicothere Litolophus ghazijensis sp. nov. The perissodactyls described here, in contrast to most other mammalian groups published from the early Eocene of Indo-Pakistan, are most closely related to forms known from East and Central Asia. Tapiromorpha are diverse and biochronologically important in the Eocene there and our results allow the first biochronological correlation between early Eocene mammal faunas in Indo-Pakistan and the rest of Asia. We suggest that the upper Ghazij Formation of Pakistan is best correlated with the middle or late part of the Bumbanian Asian Land-Mammal Age, while the Kuldana and Subathu Formations of Pakistan and India are best correlated with the Arshantan Asian Land-Mammal Age

A New Omomyid Primate from the Earliest Eocene of Southern England: First Phase of Microchoerine Evolution

Hooker, J.J. 2012. A new omomyid primate from the earliest Eocene of southern England: First phase of microchoerin

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Linking the Wasatchian/Bridgerian Boundary to the Cenozoic Global Climate Optimum: New Magnetostratigraphic and Isotopic Results from South Pass, Wyoming

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148643/1/Clyde_et_al_2001_Palaeo-3-EECO_geochronology_in_Wyoming.pd

An aberrant amphicyonid mammal from the latest Eocene of the Bose Basin, Guangxi, China

A new genus and species of an amphicyonid from the Bose Basin of Guangxi, south China, is short−jawed with relatively bunodont cheek teeth that are characterized by reduction in cusp number. This taxon is the oldest record of an amphicyonid from south Asia and possibly for all of Asia. Despite its antiquity, it is derived in the development of brachygnathy and differs from other early amphicyonids that have shortened faces. Evidently brachygnathy was established in this species without loss of p1–2 or m2–3, which became single−rooted from a primitive double−rooted condition

Hábito de crescimento de Colletotrichum gossypii e C. gossypii var. Cephalosporioides em sementes de algodoeiro Growth habit of Colletotrichum gossypii and C. Gossypii var. Cephalosporioides on cotton seeds

Observações sobre o hábito de crescimento de Colletotrichum gossypii e C. gossypii var. cephalosporioides em sementes de algodoeiro, inoculadas artificialmente e incubadas a 20-22°C durante cinco a sete dias, evidenciaram as seguintes características: (a) em raízes: acérvulos isolados ou em grupos, massa conidial cor branco-suja, alaranjada ou salmão (mais freqüente), setas marrom-escuras, muitas vezes encobertas pela matriz gelatinosa; conídios produzidos também no micélio aéreo ou nas extremidades das setas, onde ficam aderidos, formando pequenos aglomerados; (b) na superfície das sementes: conídios produzidos nos ápices de setas que emergem diretamente do tegumento, ficando aderidos uns aos outros, formando cachos, semelhantes a cadeias, que são vistos brilhantes sob a luz, em estereomicroscópio. As setas férteis são formadas também no micélio aéreo que recobre as sementes, geralmente após cinco dias de incubação. Os acérvulos com massa conidial raramente são visíveis, exceto em sementes danificadas ou mortas. Como característica de C. gossypii, observou-se que as sementes exibem, de modo geral, uma coloração rosada, em decorrência da abundante esporulação; a ausência ou escassez de micélio aéreo e as setas curtas resultam em um crescimento rente ao tegumento e aspecto compacto. Comparativamente, nas sementes com C. gossypii var. cephalosporioides, as setas são mais longas e menos densas; o micélio aéreo com setas férteis ocorre com mais freqüência, conferindo às sementes tonalidades acinzentadas e aspecto solto. A constatação de setas férteis em lesões foliares de ramulose evidencia que, no campo, essas estruturas podem funcionar como autênticos conidióforos, desempenhando um importante papel epidemiológico, ao possibilitar a disseminação dos esporos pelos ventos, a longas distâncias.<br>The growth habit of Colletotrichum gossypii and C. gossypii var. cephalosporioides on artificially inoculated cotton seeds and incubated at 20-22°C during 5 to 7 days, showed the following characteristics: (a) on roots: single or coalesced acervuli, conidial mass dirty white, orange or salmon (frequently), dark brown setae, often covered by the gelatinous matrix; conidia also produced from the aerial mycelium or from the apex of the setae, where some of them remain bound to each other, forming small heads; (b) seed surface: the setae arise directly from the seed coat, bearing conidia in the apex. These conidia are seen slicked together, forming clusters resembling chains, bright under stereomicroscope light. The fertile setae are also produced from the aerial mycelium that cover the seeds, generally 5 days after incubation. The acervuli with conidial matrix are rarely visible, except for the embrionary tissues, under the damaged seed coat or for dead seeds. The seeds with C. gossypii show generally a light pink shade due to the abundant sporulation that cover the setae. The mycelium over the seeds is scanty or absent and the short setae appear flat on the seeds, resulting in a compact growth. In contrast, on seeds with C. gossypii var. cephalosporioides, the setae are taller and less dense. The aerial mycelium with fertile setae is frequent, giving to the seed a grayish and loose, fluffy appearance. The presence of fertile setae also could be seen on foliar lesions of ramulosis. This fact suggest that under field conditions these structures have a function of authentic conidiophores, which play an important epidemiological role on long distance spore dissemination by the wind