Spatial selection and local adaptation jointly shape life-history evolution during range expansion

In the context of climate change and species invasions, range shifts increasingly gain attention because the rates at which they occur in the Anthropocene induce rapid changes in biological assemblages. During range shifts, species experience multiple selection pressures. For poleward expansions in particular, it is difficult to interpret observed evolutionary dynamics because of the joint action of evolutionary processes related to spatial selection and to adaptation toward local climatic conditions. To disentangle the effects of these two processes, we integrated stochastic modeling and data from a common garden experiment, using the spider mite Tetranychus urticae as a model species. By linking the empirical data with those derived form a highly parameterized individual-based model, we infer that both spatial selection and local adaptation contributed to the observed latitudinal life-history divergence. Spatial selection best described variation in dispersal behavior, while variation in development was best explained by adaptation to the local climate. Divergence in life-history traits in species shifting poleward could consequently be jointly determined by contemporary evolutionary dynamics resulting from adaptation to the environmental gradient and from spatial selection. The integration of modeling with common garden experiments provides a powerful tool to study the contribution of these evolutionary processes on life-history evolution during range expansion

Lymph node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary in the upper and middle neck: impact of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) imaging for detection of the primary tumor and its impact on treatment planning in patients presenting with cancer of unknown primary and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-positive cervical lymph nodes of the upper and middle neck. Methods: The study population consisted of 18 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven SCC involving lymph nodes of the upper and middle neck region and negative conventional diagnostic procedures with regard to the location of the primary. All patients underwent FDG-PET/CT according to a standard procedure in search for the primary, unidentified tumor. Results: In none of the patients FDG-PET/CT was able to indicate a primary tumor localization. Although FDGPET/CT did identify all sites of known lymph node involvement, neither additional sites of lymph node involvement nor sites of distant metastases were identified. Accordingly, FDG-PET/CT did not impact patient treatment planning. Conclusions: In this series, including patients suffering from lymph node metastases by an SCC of unknown primary in the upper and middle neck, FDG-PET/CT was unable to identify a primary tumor. In addition, FDGPET/CT did not modify the treatment planning in any of the patients studied

Oral strength in subjects with unilateral cleft lip and palate

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Exploitation, dissemination, education and outreach in the frame of the COST action ES0803 "developing space weather products and services in Europe"

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is one of the longest-running European frameworks supporting cooperation among scientists and researchers across Europe. Its action ES0803 "Developing Space Weather Products and Services in Europe" involves the task "Exploitation, Dissemination, Education and Outreach". To meet the objectives of this task, we describe how we developed and maintained the Space Weather Portal, initiated the electronic Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate, took care of the scientific organization of the annual European Space Weather Week conference and of two schools for scientists and students from the space weather community. We also describe several dissemination projects supported by the action, which target the non-specialist in the field of space weather

Brain-Machine Interfaces: The Perception-Action Closed Loop

A brain-machine interface (BMI) is about transforming neural activity into action and sensation into perception (Figure 1). In a BMI system, neural signals recorded from the brain are fed into a decoding algorithm that translates these signals into motor outputs to control a variety of practical devices for motor-disabled people [1]-[5]. Feedback from the prosthetic device, conveyed to the user either via normal sensory pathways or directly through brain stimulation, establishes a closed control loop