CEUSPEC — a computerized system for fetal home telemetry

We have developed a computerized system whereby the fetal heart rate can be recorded telemetrically from patients' homes, transmitted over conventional public telephone lines, and then computer-processed in real time in the obstetric unit.     

Deciding on a new home: how do honeybees agree?

A swarm of honeybees (Apis mellifera) is capable of selecting one nest-site when faced with a choice of several. We adapt classical mathematical models of disease, information and competing beliefs to such decision-making processes. We show that the collective decision may be arrived at without the necessity for any bee to make any comparison between sites.     

“Pollination” of a fungus by a fly

Summary The mechanism resulting in fertilization of Epichloë typhina, a heterothallic ascomycete that is an endophytic pathogen of grasses, has now been discovered. Conidia of one mating type are produced in stromata and are then transferred by insects to individuals of the opposite mating type. One insect, Phorbia phrenione, is a particularly important vector of conidia. Once conidia of the opposite mating type have been transferred to a stroma, the life cycle continues with the formation of perithecia.     

Aliens at home?

If we ponder how alien life might look like on other planets, we don''t have to go far, Simon Conway Morris argues, since life forms on Earth have already pushed life to the limits.When in 1609 Galileo first saw the moons of Jupiter, he must have been spellbound. I was certainly so enrapt when I saw Europa and her three companions strung like a line of jewels. Galileo may have appreciated the irony that my guide was a Jesuit priest, and the somewhat antiquated telescope we used was but a few yards from the Papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. Galileo prized open the door and before long, scientific imagination was fired by the prospect of innumerable inhabited worlds. As the centuries progressed, imagination raced ahead of facts, with the Moon optimistically colonized by Selenites, and Mars transformed by immense canals to supply the parched regions of a planet plunging into desertification. From this dying planet H.G. Wells propelled his aliens to terrorize southern England with immense tripods housing sinister octopoids.Now we might be closer to knowing if Wells was in any sense on the right track. The spectacular success in detecting extrasolar planets has produced a roster in excess of 450, and this technology potentially allows us to detect Earth-like planets. Even if many of the known planets are too large to be habitable and lie, for the most part, beyond the inferred ‘habitable zones'', before long we will get some clues as to how densely our galaxy is inhabited. The consensus points in two directions. First, life is a universal. Second, our biosphere will be of almost no use when it comes to comparisons. Let me draw your attention to a remarkably unappreciated fact: if you want to understand aliens, stay at home.Am I serious? After all it is already clear that extrasolar planetary systems are vastly different to our Solar System. Immense planets orbit their suns every few days, their surfaces far more torrid than that of Venus. Other planets most likely possess giant oceans, hundreds of kilometres deep. The diversity of moons and planets in our Solar System is a reminder of what may await us light years from Earth. Even among our neighbours, a case can be made for possible life in the clouds of Venus and Jupiter, the oceans of Europa and hydrocarbon lakes of Titan, and—with perennial optimism—in the permafrost of Mars. We might assume, therefore, that the range of environments available to life, its ‘habitation box'', is gigantic, and that Earth''s biosphere just nestles in one tiny corner. Oddly enough the evidence is exactly the opposite. Life on Earth has reached the limits of what is possible—anywhere.Temperature? The current limit on Earth is 122 °C. Plunging in the opposite direction the evidence is just as remarkable. At temperatures well below freezing, life carries on cheerfully. Even far beyond the eutectic, in which free water cannot form, organisms remain in a state of suspended animation with rates of damage and repair almost precisely matched. What of extreme desiccation? Evidently life has reached the limits of water activity. Entertainingly some of the hardiest forms are fungi that inhabit the weird alien world of Blue Stilton cheese. So, too, the bright colouration of salt pans is a familiar sight, and these osmotic extremes not only host rich microbial faunas but life that can flourish in the most bitter of brines. What of the extremes of pH—bleach versus battery acid? Once again, alkaliphiles and acidophiles disport themselves in ponds and streams that would have the Health and Safety officers in a state of panic. Pressure, either crushingly high or extremely attenuated? Life, of course, exists in the deepest oceanic trenches, but how much deeper might be viable? The weakest link seems to be the pressure sensitivity of the phospholipid membranes, suggesting that even on planets with titanic oceans life won''t survive much deeper than in the Mariana Trench. The same argument applies to the deep crust: at about 5 km the crushingly high pressures also coincide with the thermal limits imposed by the geothermal gradient. Shall we look to the skies? Clouds carry bacteria, but even at quite modest heights it seems to be accidental freight rather than a nebulous ecosystem.Terrestrial life has conquered nearly all of the ‘habitation box'' and its evolution begs so many questions. Are some forms, such as the hyperthermophiles, survivors from the Earth''s apocalyptic beginnings? Maybe, but most have clearly been reinvented several times. Getting to the limits of life isn''t that difficult, but how do extremophiles not only survive but flourish in these environments? Often the adaptations seem minor, which merely means they are more subtle than we might realize. What of the future? So far as the Earth is concerned it must cope with ever increasing solar luminosity: the last men will long predecease the last microbe. Possibly long before, we will engage in the first great galactic diaspora; but wherever our biologists journey they may find that life ‘out there'' got no further than the blue jewel that is Earth.     

“Doing a Lynndie”: Iconography of a Gesture

In the fall of 2003, Lynndie England gave thumbs-up with one hand and lock-and-load with the other to a group of naked Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, when facing a camera. Soon after the Abu Ghraib tortures became public knowledge, and Lynndie England became an iconic “Hillbilly” who tortures for fun, hundreds of people around the world, prompted by a British blog named Bad Gas, took up Lynndie's gesture and transformed it into a humorous everyday practice. This article attempts to illuminate the processes that transform iconic images into embodied commonsense cultural practices by tracing the life of Lynndie's gesture across a varied and complex media landscape. It poses questions about the role that popular media played in providing mainstream discursive frameworks about the Abu Ghraib tortures and about the role of social media in transforming these discourses into humorous practices.     

Foraminifera and Cercozoa are related in actin phylogeny: two orphans find a home?

In recent years, the increased sampling of protein-coding genes from diverse eukaryotes has revealed that many aspects of each gene tree are at odds with other phylogenies. This has led to the belief that each gene tree has unique strengths and weaknesses, suggesting that an accurate picture of eukaryotic relationships will be achieved only through comparative phylogeny using several different genes. To this end, actin genes were characterized from two genera of chlorarachniophytes, Chlorarachnion and Lotharella, and three species of the cercomonad flagellate Cercomonas: Phylogenetic trees including these new actin genes confirm the recently proposed relationship between chlorarachniophytes and cercomonads (Cercozoa) and, more importantly, also show a close relationship between Cercozoa and Foraminifera. Both of these are major eukaryotic groups encompassing extremely diverse organisms, yet there is no strong evidence for the evolutionary position of either from morphological or molecular data. The union of Cercozoa and Foraminifera suggested by actin phylogeny represents a novel step in the long process of determining the broad relationships between all major eukaryotic groups.     

Turning a rock shelter into a home. Neanderthal use of space in Abric Romaní levels M and O

Abstract

Bone refits can be a useful tool to understand the archaeological assemblages. From a taphonomic point of view, they have been used to reinforce some aspects related to the formation processes of the sites. However, they can be used to check some palaeoeconomic and social interpretations of the assemblages as well, providing accurate temporal relationships between the objects. For all these reasons, bone refits are relevant to study the settlement dynamics and the intra-site behaviour of past human groups. The main aim of this work is to present the faunal refits data obtained from two different archaeological assemblages (M and O) of the Abric Romaní site (Capellades, Spain), dated around 55 ka. The study also includes taxonomic, anatomical, taphonomic and spatial analyses. The spatio-temporal proxy allows us to interpret the activities carried out by the Neanderthal groups in different areas during different moments. From here, it is possible to interpret site structure, using ethnoarchaeological data as a referent. The comparison between these two archaeological layers, and between them and other assemblages, both from Abric Romaní and from other sites, can contribute significantly to the knowledge of the intra-site behaviour and settlement patterns at the end of the Middle Palaeolithic.     

What makes a good home for hermits? Assessing gastropod shell density and relative strength

The survival and reproductive success of hermit crabs is intrinsically linked to the quality of their domicile shells. Because damaged or eroded shells can result in greater predation, evaluating shell structure may aid our understanding of population dynamics. We assessed the structural attributes of Cerithium atratum shells through assessments of (a) density using a novel approach involving computed tomography and (b) tolerance to compressive force. Our goal was to investigate factors that may influence decision making in hermit crabs, specifically those that balance the degree of protection afforded by a shell (i.e. density and strength) with the energetic costs of carrying such resources. We compared the density and relative strength (i.e. using compression tests) of shells inhabited by live gastropods, hermit crabs (Pagurus criniticornis) and those found empty in the environment. Results failed to show any relationship between density and shell size, but there was a notable effect of shell density among treatment groups (gastropod/empty/hermit crab). There was also a predictable effect of shell size on maximum compressive force, which was consistent among occupants. Our results suggest that hermit crabs integrate multiple sources of information, selecting homes that while less dense (i.e. reducing the energy costs of carrying these resources), still offer sufficient resistance to compressive forces (e.g. such as those inflicted by shell-breaking predators). Lastly, we show that shell size generally reflects shell strength, thus explaining the motivation of hermit crabs to search for and indeed fight over the larger homes.     

Telomerase as a “stemness” enzyme

Pluripotent or multipotent stem cells are involved in development and tissue homeostasis;they have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into various types of functional cells.To maintain these properties,stem cells must undergo sustained or unlimited proliferation that requires the stabilization of telomeres,which are essential for chromosome end protection.Telomerase,an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase,synthesizes telomeric DNA.Through the lengthening of telomeres the lifespans of cells are extended,or indefinite proliferation is conferred;this is intimately associated with stem cell phenotype.This review highlights our current understanding of telomerase as a"stemness"enzyme and discusses the underlying implications.     

“Enmity Rather Than a Competition”

The sorts of great minds capable of major scientific breakthroughs often come with oversized and confrontational personalities. Both Ivan Pavlov and Vladimir Bekhterev had such personalities. What started as reasoned contention between two talented scholars grew into a heated rivalry that boiled over into science and public life as outright enmity. Using memoirs of their contemporaries, this article examines Pavlov's and Bekhterev's personal and scientific relationships against the backdrop of Russian science of their day. Pavlov's possible role in the decision not to grant the 1912 Nobel Prize for science is also described.     

Is Her Majesty at home?

When Queen Elizabeth is at home in Buckingham Palace, tradition has it that the Royal Standard is raised, so that all may know the fact. Although it is not crucial for most of us to know whether Her Majesty is home, it is in social insects. Endler et al. have recently shown how an ant queen signals her presence to her remote workers: she marks her eggs. This is significant because it provides insight into how queens maintain reproductive monopoly within their colonies.     

Escaping the endoplasmic reticulum: why does a molecular chaperone leave home for greener pastures?

Molecular chaperones reside in nearly every organelle within a eukaryotic cell, and in each of these compartments, they ensure that protein homeostasis (or proteostasis) is maintained. In this issue, Wiseman and colleagues find that an ER lumenal chaperone escapes this compartment when a specific stress pathway is activated. The chaperone, an Hsp40 homolog known as ERdj3, transits through the secretory pathway to the extracellular space. During this journey, ERdj3 can escort an aggregation‐prone protein or it can identify aggregation‐prone proteins extracellularly, thereby functioning outside of its normal environment.     

What determines variation in home range size across spatiotemporal scales in a large browsing herbivore?

1. Most studies of intraspecific variation in home range size have investigated only a single or a few factors and often at one specific scale. However, considering multiple spatial and temporal scales when defining a home range is important as mechanisms that affect variation in home range size may differ depending on the scale under investigation. 2. We aim to quantify the relative effect of various individual, forage and climatic determinants of variation in home range size across multiple spatiotemporal scales in a large browsing herbivore, the moose (Alces alces), living at the southern limit of its distribution in Norway. 3. Total home range size and core home range areas were estimated for daily to monthly scales in summer and winter using both local convex hull (LoCoH) and fixed kernel home range methods. Variance in home range size was analysed using linear mixed-effects models for repeated measurements. 4. Reproductive status was the most influential individual-level factor explaining variance in moose home range size, with females accompanied by a calf having smaller summer ranges across all scales. Variation in home range size was strongly correlated with spatiotemporal changes in quantity and quality of natural food resources. Home range size decreased with increasing browse density at daily scales, but the relationship changed to positive at longer temporal scales. In contrast, browse quality was consistently negatively correlated with home range size except at the monthly scale during winter when depletion of high-quality forage occurs. Local climate affected total home range size more than core areas. Temperature, precipitation and snow depth influenced home range size directly at short temporal scales. 5. The relative effects of intrinsic and extrinsic determinants of variation in home range size differed with spatiotemporal scale, providing clear evidence that home range size is scale dependent in this large browser. Insight into the behavioural responses of populations to climatic stochasticity and forage variability is essential in view of current and future climate change, especially for populations with thermoregulatory restrictions living at the southern limit of their distribution.     

Operations management in the home care services: a heuristic for the caregivers’ routing problem

Home Care Services (HCS) aim at providing complex coordinated health care for patients at their homes. This paper addresses the challenges of routing and scheduling HCS caregivers under precedence and coordination constraints, with patients receiving multiple caregivers. Moreover, the visits are performed simultaneously and possibly in a predefined order. The routing problem involves a fleet of vehicles to serve a number of customers at different locations. The objective is to find the minimal round for vehicle, while satisfying all the customers and without violating customers’ time windows. It has been proved that the complexity of the caregivers routing problem is linked to both (1) the number of care activities per caregiver ratio and (2) the temporal dependencies rate. Given the poor performance of the mathematical modeling based on exact approaches, a heuristic approach called the Caregivers Routing Heuristic (CRH) has been developed and tested using real size instances. In fact, the exact approaches are not able to solve real size instances. The performance of the CRH has been evaluated using real size instances. The numerical results show that the CRH is very efficient in terms of computation times. Otherwise, the CRH is less sensitive than the exact approaches to both complexity axes: the temporal dependencies constraints and the ratio of the number of care activities per caregiver.