Postcrania and the specific mate recognition system

The Recognition Concept of Species is examined for its potential usefulness in discriminating speciation events in the hominid fossil record. Controversies over species-specific characteristics amongHomo erectus and archaicHomo sapiens have centred on traits of the skull, largely because this element is most commonly preserved. Modern humans have an intuitive knowledge of their own Specific Mate Recognition System (SMRS), and therefore have the opportunity to compare their own SMRS to that of fossil hominids and the extent pongids. Such comparison suggests that our own skeletal SMRS may depend less on features of the skull than on the morphology of the postcranial anatomy. We propose that these components be further examined in this regard. We tentatively conclude that examination of the Recognition Concept of Species indicates that from lateHomo erectus onwards, the same SMRS has been shared in common by all hominids, including modernHomo sapiens. This suggests that, following the SMRS criterion, none of these forms can be categorized as separate species.     

Solution structure of a core peptide derived from scyllatoxin

An analysis of the sequences of scyllatoxin and charybdotoxin suggested that it would be possible to design a core peptide sequence which would still fold to give the β-hairpin and helix seen in the toxins, but which would eliminate one disulfide and connecting residues. The core sequence was modeled, then synthesized and purified. The cysteines oxidize in air to give the same disulfide pairings as seen in the parent toxins as the major product. The three-dimensional structure of the core sequence peptide, termed Max, was determined using proton NMR spectroscopy and found to be identical in secondary structure to the toxins. However differences were found in the relative orientation of the β-hairpin and helix. The use of this structural motif, found in many insect toxins, as a disulfide framework for exploring sequence/structure/activity relationships is discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Methane diffusion mechanism in catenated metal–organic frameworks

In this work, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the gas diffusion mechanism in catenated metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), for which methane was adopted as a probe and two catenated IRMOFs with interwoven structure, IRMOF-11 and IRMOF-13, were considered. This work reveals that the diffusion pathways of methane molecules in catenated MOFs are mainly governed by the strong confinement in catenation regions, leading to a 3D diffusion along the sheets formed by the A-regions (xy-direction) as well as from one A-region to another by crossing a B-region (z-direction). In addition, the present work shows that the effect of catenation on methane diffusivity is very large, much larger than that on hydrogen diffusivity at room temperature, and that both adsorption selectivity and dynamic selectivity of gas mixtures may be enhanced largely in catenated MOFs, indicating that catenation is a good strategy to improve the overall performance of a material as a membrane in separation applications.     

Choosing Optimal Microcarcinoma Patients for Active Surveillance Study (Compass): Effectiveness Evaluation of a Preoperative Clinical Framework

ObjectiveActive surveillance (AS) is a management alternative for patients with low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). To decide the best candidates for AS, clinicians can use a framework to classify PTMC patients as ideal, appropriate, or inappropriate. This study aimed to explore the correlation between the framework categories and surgical pathology.MethodsThis multicenter retrospective study was conducted between 2014 and 2016. We included 1997 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for the first time due to suspected PTMC and were confirmed as PTMC by postoperative pathology. The consistency of modified preoperative risk stratification and the pathologic condition were evaluated using a consistency ratio and the Kappa coefficient. Stratified analysis was also performed to test consistency in different age groups.ResultsBased on the decision-making framework, 558 (27.9%) patients could receive AS while 810 (40.6%) patients did not require immediate surgery according to the actual postoperative pathology. The sensitivity, false-positive rate, specificity, false-negative rate, and consistency rate were 82.39%, 56.91%, 43.09%, 17.61%, and 66.45%, respectively. The Kappa value was 0.268. Stratified analysis showed that the sensitivity was 87.7% among patients aged 18 to 59 years. In the group aged ≥60 years, the specificity was up to 87.5%, but the sensitivity was low.ConclusionThe results of the modified risk-stratified clinical decision-making framework did not have a high consistency with the postoperative results. However, the framework showed a good effect in selecting patients for immediate surgery in the younger group and patients for AS in the older group.     

A Framework for Social Life Cycle Impact Assessment (10 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background To enhance the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a tool in business decision-making, a methodology for Social life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is being developed. Social LCA aims at facilitating companies to conduct business in a socially responsible manner by providing information about the potential social impacts on people caused by the activities in the life cycle of their product. The development of the methodology has been guided by a business perspective accepting that companies, on the one hand, have responsibility for the people affected by their business activities, but, on the other hand, must also be able to compete and make profit in order to survive in the marketplace. Methods A combined, bottom-up and top-down approach has been taken in the development of the Social LCIA. Universal consensus documents regarding social issues as well as consideration for the specific business context of companies has guided the determination of damage categories, impact categories and category indicators. Results Discussion, and Conclusion. The main results are the following: (1) Impacts on people are naturally related to the conduct of the companies engaged in the life cycle rather than to the individual industrial processes, as is the case in Environmental LCA. Inventory analysis is therefore focused on the conduct of the companies engaged in the life cycle. A consequence of this view is that a key must be determined for relating the social profiles of the companies along the life cycle to the product. This need is not present in Environmental LCA, where we base the connection on the physical link which exists between process and product. (2) Boundaries of the product system are determined with respect to the influence that the product manufacturer exerts over the activities in the product chain. (3) A two-layer Social LCA method with an optional and an obligatory set of impact categories is suggested to ensure both societal and company relevance of the method. The obligatory set of impact categories encompasses the minimum expectations to a company conducting responsible business. (4) A new area of protection, Human dignity and Well-being, is defined and used to guide the modelling of impact chains. (5) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights serves as normative basis for Social LCA, together with local or country norms based on socio-economic development goals of individual countries. The International Labour Organisation's Conventions and Recommendations, and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, support development of the impact pathway top-down, starting from the normative basis. (6) The obligatory part of Social LCA addresses the main stakeholder groups, employees, local community and society. Recommendations and Outlook Social LCA is still in its infancy and a number of further research tasks within this new area are identified.