scholarly journals Same father, same face: deep-learning reveals paternally-derived signalling of kinship in a wild primate

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie JE Charpentier ◽  
Mélanie Harté ◽  
Clémence Poirotte ◽  
Jade Meric de Bellefon ◽  
Benjamin Laubi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAnimal faces convey important information such as individual health status1 or identity2,3. Human and nonhuman primates rely on highly heritable facial traits4,5 to recognize their kin6–8. However, whether these facial traits have evolved for this specific function of kin recognition remains unknown. We present the first unambiguous evidence that inter-individual facial similarity has been selected to signal kinship using a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence approach based on deep neural networks and long-term data on a natural population of nonhuman primates. The typical matrilineal society of mandrills, is characterized by an extreme male’s reproductive skew with one male generally siring the large majority of offspring born into the different matrilines each year9. Philopatric females are raised and live throughout their lives with familiar maternal half-sisters (MHS) but because of male’s reproductive monopolization, they also live with unfamiliar paternal half-sisters (PHS). Because kin selection predicts differentiated interactions with kin rather than nonkin10 and that PHS largely outnumber MHS in a mandrills’ social group, natural selection should favour mechanisms to recognize PHS. Here, we first show that PHS socially interact with each other as much as MHS do, both more than nonkin. Second, using artificial intelligence trained to recognize individual mandrills from a database of 16k portrait pictures, we demonstrate that facial similarity increases with genetic relatedness. However, PHS resemble more to each other than MHS do, despite both kin categories sharing similar degrees of genetic relatedness. We propose genomic imprinting as a plausible genetic mechanism to explain paternally-derived facial similarity among PHS selected to improve kin recognition. This study further highlights the potential of artificial intelligence to study evolutionary mechanisms driving variation between phenotypes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (22) ◽  
pp. eaba3274 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. E. Charpentier ◽  
M. Harté ◽  
C. Poirotte ◽  
J. Meric de Bellefon ◽  
B. Laubi ◽  
...  

Many animals rely on facial traits to recognize their kin; however, whether these traits have been selected specifically for this function remains unknown. Using deep learning for face recognition, we present the first evidence that interindividual facial resemblance has been selected to signal paternal kinship. Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) live in matrilineal societies, in which females spend their entire lives not only with maternal half-sisters (MHS) but also with paternal half-sisters (PHS). We show that PHS have more differentiated social relationships compared to nonkin, suggesting the existence of kin recognition mechanisms. We further demonstrate that facial resemblance increases with genetic relatedness. However, PHS resemble each other visually more than MHS do, despite both kin categories sharing similar degrees of genetic relatedness. This paternally derived facial resemblance among PHS indicates selection to facilitate kin recognition. This study also highlights the potential of artificial intelligence to study phenotypic evolution.


Author(s):  
Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo

This study presents a hydrogeochemical analysis of spring responses (2013-2017) in the tropical mountainous region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The isotopic distribution of δ18O and δ2H in rainfall resulted in a highly significant meteoric water line: δ2H = 7.93×δ18O + 10.37 (r2=0.97). Rainfall isotope composition exhibited a strong dependent seasonality. The isotopic variation (δ18O) of two springs within the Barva aquifer was simulated using the FlowPC program to determine mean transit times (MTTs). Exponential-piston and dispersion distribution functions provided the best-fit to the observed isotopic composition at Flores and Sacramento springs, respectively. MTTs corresponded to 1.23±0.03 (Sacramento) and 1.42±0.04 (Flores) years. The greater MTT was represented by a homogeneous geochemical composition at Flores, whereas the smaller MTT at Sacramento is reflected in a more variable geochemical response. The results may be used to enhance modelling efforts in central Costa Rica, whereby scarcity of long-term data limits water resources management plans.


Author(s):  
L. Vesnina ◽  
G. Lukerina ◽  
T. Ronzhina ◽  
A. Savos’kin ◽  
D. Surkov

The long-term data from morphometric studies of Artemia males from bisexual and parthenogenetic populations from hyperhaline reservoirs of the Altai region (Bolshoe Yarovoe Lake, Maloe Shklo Lake, and the Tanatar Lakes system) is analyzed in this paper. The description of signs of sexual dimorphism and sexual structure in different populations is given. The influence of brine salinity and hydrogen index on morphometric parameters of males was analyzed. There are differences in the sexual structure of the Artemia population: in the lakes Maloe Shklo and the thanatar system, the populations are bisexual (the share of males is 28.5 — 75.0 %), in the lake Bolshoe yarovoe — parthenogenetic (the share of males on average does not exceed 3 %). At the same time, sexual dimorphism is typical for both types of populations: females are larger than males, males have a larger head (the distance between the eyes is greater by 15.5 %, the diameter of the eye is 26.1 %, the length of the antenna is 22.3 %) and a larger number of bristles (36.1 %). The greatest variability is observed in the parameters of the Furka structure associated with the salinity of water by feedback and the pH — line indicator. Significant differences between the samples of males were revealed. The largest number of significant differences in morphometric indicators was found between samples of males from bisexual populations (lake thanatar and lake Maloe Shklo), the smallest — between males from the parthenogenetic population of lake Bolshoe yarovoe and males from lake Maloe Shklo.


2021 ◽  
pp. 102562
Author(s):  
Laura Ursella ◽  
Sara Pensieri ◽  
Enric Pallàs-Sanz ◽  
Sharon Z. Herzka ◽  
Roberto Bozzano ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Medina-Inojosa ◽  
A Ladejobi ◽  
Z Attia ◽  
M Shelly-Cohen ◽  
B Gersh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We have demonstrated that artificial intelligence interpretation of ECGs (AI-ECG) can estimate an individual's physiologic age and that the gap between AI-ECG and chronologic age (Age-Gap) is associated with increased mortality. We hypothesized that Age-Gap would predict long-term atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and that Age-Gap would refine the ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations' (PCE) predictive abilities. Methods Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) we evaluated a community-based cohort of consecutive patients seeking primary care between 1998–2000 and followed through March 2016. Inclusion criteria were age 40–79 and complete data to calculate PCE. We excluded those with known ASCVD, AF, HF or an event within 30 days of baseline.A neural network, trained, validated, and tested in an independent cohort of ∼ 500,000 independent patients, using 10-second digital samples of raw, 12 lead ECGs. PCE was categorized as low<5%, intermediate 5–9.9%, high 10–19.9%, and very high≥20%. The primary endpoint was ASCVD and included fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke; the secondary endpoint also included coronary revascularization [Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) or Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)], TIA and Cardiovascular mortality. Events were validated in duplicate. Follow-up was truncated at 10 years for PCE analysis. The association between Age-Gap with ASCVD and expanded ASCVD was assessed with cox proportional hazard models that adjusted for chronological age, sex and risk factors. Models were stratified by PCE risk categories to evaluate the effect of PCE predicted risk. Results We included 24,793 patients (54% women, 95% Caucasian) with mean follow up of 12.6±5.1 years. 2,366 (9.5%) developed ASCVD events and 3,401 (13.7%) the expanded ASCVD. Mean chronologic age was 53.6±11.6 years and the AI-ECG age was 54.5±10.9 years, R2=0.7865, p<0.0001. The mean Age-Gap was 0.87±7.38 years. After adjusting for age and sex, those considered older by ECG, compared to their chronologic age had a higher risk for ASCVD when compared to those with <−2 SD age gap (considered younger by ECG). (Figure 1A), with similar results when using the expanded definition of ASCVD (data not shown). Furthermore, Age-Gap enhanced predicted capabilities of the PCE among those with low 10-year predicted risk (<5%): Age and sex adjusted HR 4.73, 95% CI 1.42–15.74, p-value=0.01 and among those with high predicted risk (>20%) age and sex adjusted HR 6.90, 95% CI 1.98–24.08, p-value=0.0006, when comparing those older to younger by ECG respectively (Figure 1B). Conclusion The difference between physiologic AI-ECG age and chronologic age is associated with long-term ASCVD, and enhances current risk calculators (PCE) ability to identify high and low risk individuals. This may help identify individuals who should or should not be treated with newer, expensive risk-reducing therapies. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Mayo Clinic


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 307
Author(s):  
Yong Bok Seo ◽  
You Suk Suh ◽  
Ji In Ryu ◽  
Hwanhee Jang ◽  
Hanseul Oh ◽  
...  

The unprecedented and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2) has motivated the need for a rapidly producible and scalable vaccine. Here, we developed a synthetic soluble SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) DNA-based vaccine candidate, GX-19. In mice, immunization with GX-19 elicited not only S-specific systemic and pulmonary antibody responses but also Th1-biased T cell responses in a dose-dependent manner. GX-19-vaccinated nonhuman primates seroconverted rapidly and exhibited a detectable neutralizing antibody response as well as multifunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Notably, when the immunized nonhuman primates were challenged at 10 weeks after the last vaccination with GX-19, they had reduced viral loads in contrast to non-vaccinated primates as a control. These findings indicate that GX-19 vaccination provides a durable protective immune response and also support further development of GX-19 as a vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2.


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