Cryptostylis species (Orchidaceae) from a broad geographic and habitat range associate with a phylogenetically narrow lineage of Tulasnellaceae fungi

While many Australian terrestrial orchids have highly specialized mycorrhizal associations, we tested the hypothesis that the geographically widespread orchid genus Cryptostylis associates with a diversity of fungal species. Using fungal isolation and molecular approaches, we investigated the mycorrhizal associations of five Australian Cryptostylis species (27 sites sampled) and included limited sampling from three Asiatic Cryptostylis species (two sites). Like related orchid genera, Tulasnellaceae formed the main fungal associations of the Cryptostylis species we sampled, although some ectomycorrhizal, ericoid and saprotrophic fungi were detected infrequently. Each species of Australian Cryptostylis associated with three to seven Tulasnella Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), except for C. hunteriana where only one Tulasnella OTU was detected. In total, eleven Tulasnella OTUs associated with Australian Cryptostylis. The Asiatic Cryptostylis associated with four different Tulasnella OTUs belonging to the same lineage as the Australian species. While five Tulasnella OTUs (T. australiensis, T. prima, T. warcupii, T. densa, and T. punctata) were used by multiple species of Australian Cryptostylis, the most commonly used OTU differed between orchid species. The association with different Tulasnella fungi by Cryptostylis species co-occurring at the same site suggests that in any given environmental condition, Cryptostylis species may intrinsically favour different fungal OTUs.     

Distributed Biomedical Scheme for Controlled Recovery of Medical Encrypted Images

With an advancement in biomedical applications, many images are communicated over the public networks. Therefore, these medical images are prone to various security threats. Development of end to end secure communication protocol for these medical images is found to be a challenging task. Therefore, many researchers have proposed various image medica image encryption techniques to provide end to end security of medical images. However, the existing approaches of block-based recovery of the secret through progressive sharing paradigm have support for limited threshold value of the chosen blocks out of the total number of the blocks during the communication of the image. Most of the suggested scheme has fixed threshold value for the blocks during recovery of secret; works good for a limited threshold (k) value out of number of blocks (n) in which secret has been divided for security. A novel threshold based (any value of k and n) blockwide recovery of secret in progressive secret sharing has been introduced and analyzed for distributed environment. The proposed threshold block wise splitting using progressive visual secret sharing (T-BPVSS) achieves any general higher value of threshold for recovery of secret medical images. Proposed scheme is tested based on various parameters such as varying values of threshold for recovery of secret during enhanced security scenario, as well as changing dimensions of the images and introducing noise in the images. A detailed distributed computing recovery solution is also suggested for the original secret by using distribution technique of shares across the networks of computers. The scheme satisfies for perfect security condition in distributed environment using at least minimum decided threshold numbers of participants (k) before revealing any of the blocks of secret medical image.     

Combining data sharing with the master–worker paradigm in the common component architecture

Software component technologies are being accepted as an adequate solution for handling the complexity of applications. However, existing software component models tend to be specialized to some types of resource architectures (e.g. in-process, distributed environments, etc.) and/or do not provide a very high level of abstraction. This paper focuses on handling data sharing on operation invocations between components as a solution allowing applications to be efficiently executed on all kinds of resources. In particular, the data sharing pattern appears in master–worker applications, when workers need to access only a part of a large piece of data, either in read or write mode. This approach is applied to the Common Component Architecture model. Its benefits are discussed using an image rendering application.

Salivary oxytocin increases concurrently with testosterone and time away from home among returning Tsimane’ hunters

Oxytocin, testosterone and cortisol can have opposing effects on social behaviour, yet few studies have examined their interactions. We measured changes in salivary oxytocin, testosterone and cortisol among Tsimane’ men returning home after hunting, an ancient context of male status competition, parental investment and cooperation. Contra normal diurnal rhythm, oxytocin increased relative to baseline and this increase was positively associated with duration of the hunt and change in testosterone, but not cortisol, social context, hunting outcome or physical activity. The concurrent increase in endogenous peripheral oxytocin and testosterone is unexpected given their opposing independent effects on social cognition and behaviour, and has not been observed before. We discuss the potential significance of these effects for the biology of pair-bonding, parenting and social foraging in humans and other species.     

Gene-Trait Similarity Regression for Multimarker-Based Association Analysis

Summary .  We propose a similarity-based regression method to detect associations between traits and multimarker genotypes. The model regresses similarity in traits for pairs of "unrelated" individuals on their haplotype similarities, and detects the significance by a score test for which the limiting distribution is derived. The proposed method allows for covariates, uses phase-independent similarity measures to bypass the needs to impute phase information, and is applicable to traits of general types (e.g., quantitative and qualitative traits). We also show that the gene-trait similarity regression is closely connected with random effects haplotype analysis, although commonly they are considered as separate modeling tools. This connection unites the classic haplotype sharing methods with the variance-component approaches, which enables direct derivation of analytical properties of the sharing statistics even when the similarity regression model becomes analytically challenging.     

SFMN GeoSearch: An interactive approach to the visualization and exchange of point-based ecological data

Recent advances in computer networks and information technologies have created exciting new possibilities for sharing and analyzing scientific research data. Although individual datasets can be studied efficiently, many scientists are still largely limited to considering data collected by themselves, their students, or closely affiliated research groups. Increasingly widespread high-speed network connections and the existence of large, coordinated research programs suggest the potential for scientists to access and learn from data from outside their immediate research circle. We are developing a web-based application that facilitates the sharing of scientific data within a research network using the now-common “virtual globe” in combination with advanced visualization methods designed for geographically distributed scientific data. Two major components of the system enable the rapid assessment of geographically distributed scientific data: a database built from information submitted by network members, and a module featuring novel and sophisticated geographic data visualization techniques. By enabling scientists to share results with each other and view their shared data through a common virtual-globe interface, the system provides a new platform for important meta-analyses and the analysis of broad-scale patterns. Here we present the design and capabilities of the SFMN GeoSearch platform for the Sustainable Forest Management Network, a pan-Canadian network of forest researchers who have accumulated data for more than a decade. Through the development and dissemination of this new tool, we hope to help scientists, students, and the general public to understand the depth and breadth of scientific data across potentially large areas.     

Tolerant food sharing and reciprocity is precluded by despotism among bonobos but not chimpanzees

Tolerant food sharing among human foragers can largely be explained by reciprocity. In contrast, food sharing among chimpanzees and bonobos may not always reflect reciprocity, which could be explained by different dominance styles: in egalitarian societies reciprocity is expressed freely, while in more despotic groups dominants may hinder reciprocity. We tested the degree of reciprocity and the influence of dominance on food sharing among chimpanzees and bonobos in two captive groups. First, we found that chimpanzees shared more frequently, more tolerantly, and more actively than bonobos. Second, among chimpanzees, food received was the best predictor of food shared, indicating reciprocal exchange, whereas among bonobos transfers were mostly unidirectional. Third, chimpanzees had a shallower and less linear dominance hierarchy, indicating that they were less despotic than bonobos. This suggests that the tolerant and reciprocal sharing found in chimpanzees, but not bonobos, was made possible by the absence of despotism. To investigate this further, we tested the relationship between despotism and reciprocity in grooming using data from an additional five groups and five different study periods on the main groups. The results showed that i) all chimpanzee groups were less despotic and groomed more reciprocally than bonobo groups, and ii) there was a general negative correlation between despotism and grooming reciprocity across species. This indicates that an egalitarian hierarchy may be more common in chimpanzees, at least in captivity, thus fostering reciprocal exchange. We conclude that a shallow dominance hierarchy was a necessary precondition for the evolution of human‐like reciprocal food sharing. Am J Phys Anthropol 143:41–51, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

YOU CAN USE MY NAME; YOU DON'T HAVE TO STEAL MY STORY – A CRITIQUE OF ANONYMITY IN INDIGENOUS STUDIES

Our claim in this paper is that not being identified as the data source might cause harm to a person or group. Therefore, in some cases the default of anonymisation should be replaced by a careful deliberation, together with research subjects, of how to handle the issues of identification and confidentiality. Our prime example in this article is community participatory research and similar endeavours on indigenous groups. The theme, content and aim of the research, and the question of how to handle property rights and ownership of research results, as well as who should be in charge of the research process, including the process of creating anonymity, should all be answered, before anonymity is accepted.     

Hypothesis testing with the similarity index

Multilocus DNA fingerprinting methods have been used extensively to address genetic issues in wildlife populations. Hypotheses concerning population subdivision and differing levels of diversity can be addressed through the use of the similarity index (S), a band-sharing coefficient, and many researchers construct hypothesis tests with S based on the work of Lynch. It is shown in the present study, through mathematical analysis and through simulations, that estimates of the variance of a mean S based on Lynch's work are downwardly biased. An unbiased alternative is presented and mathematically justified. It is shown further, however, that even when the bias in Lynch's estimator is corrected, the estimator is highly imprecise compared with estimates based on an alternative approach such as 'parametric bootstrapping' of allele frequencies. Also discussed are permutation tests and their construction given the interdependence of Ss which share individuals. A simulation illustrates how some published misuses of these tests can lead to incorrect conclusions in hypothesis testing.