The sponge genetree server—providing a phylogenetic backbone for poriferan evolutionary studies

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1939 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
DIRK ERPENBECK ◽  
OLIVER VOIGT ◽  
MEHMET GÜLTAS ◽  
GERT WÖRHEIDE

Unravelling the phylogenetic relationships of sponges (Phylum Porifera) is an important as well as challenging task. It helps the understanding of character evolution among early branching metazoans but also aids in bioprospecting for valuable bioactive sponge compounds. However, the phylogenetic relationships among Porifera are largely unsolved, because the simple poriferan bauplan frequently prevents unambiguous taxonomic species assignment and a clear definition of morphological synapomorphies is difficult (see e.g. Boury-Esnault 2006). DNA sequence markers are frequently employed to overcome morphological shortcomings in phylogeny (e.g. Kelly Borges et al. 1991) and taxonomy (e.g. DNA barcoding, see Wörheide & Erpenbeck 2007). However, some DNA markers suffer from insufficient phylogenetic signal (see e.g. Duran et al. 2004 and Wörheide 2006 on CO1 in population studies) and unequal evolutionary rates among taxa (see e.g. Erpenbeck et al. 2004 on 28S in Haplosclerida). Therefore, a careful evaluation and selection of molecular markers for each individual project is required.

Author(s):  
P. M. Lowrie ◽  
W. S. Tyler

The importance of examining stained 1 to 2μ plastic sections by light microscopy has long been recognized, both for increased definition of many histologic features and for selection of specimen samples to be used in ultrastructural studies. Selection of specimens with specific orien ation relative to anatomical structures becomes of critical importance in ultrastructural investigations of organs such as the lung. The uantity of blocks necessary to locate special areas of interest by random sampling is large, however, and the method is lacking in precision. Several methods have been described for selection of specific areas for electron microscopy using light microscopic evaluation of paraffin, epoxy-infiltrated, or epoxy-embedded large blocks from which thick sections were cut. Selected areas from these thick sections were subsequently removed and re-embedded or attached to blank precasted blocks and resectioned for transmission electron microscopy (TEM).


Author(s):  
Maria Ciaramella ◽  
Nadia Monacelli ◽  
Livia Concetta Eugenia Cocimano

AbstractThis systematic review aimed to contribute to a better and more focused understanding of the link between the concept of resilience and psychosocial interventions in the migrant population. The research questions concerned the type of population involved, definition of resilience, methodological choices and which intervention programmes were targeted at migrants. In the 90 articles included, an heterogeneity in defining resilience or not well specified definition resulted. Different migratory experiences were not adequately considered in the selection of participants. Few resilience interventions on migrants were resulted. A lack of procedure’s descriptions that keep in account specific migrants’ life-experiences and efficacy’s measures were highlighted.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 525
Author(s):  
Emily von Scheven ◽  
Bhupinder K. Nahal ◽  
Rosa Kelekian ◽  
Christina Frenzel ◽  
Victoria Vanderpoel ◽  
...  

Promoting hope was identified in our prior work as the top priority research question among patients and caregivers with diverse childhood-onset chronic conditions. Here, we aimed to construct a conceptual model to guide future research studies of interventions to improve hope. We conducted eight monthly virtual focus groups and one virtual workshop with patients, caregivers, and researchers to explore key constructs to inform the model. Discussions were facilitated by Patient Co-Investigators. Participants developed a definition of hope and identified promotors and inhibitors that influence the experience of hope. We utilized qualitative methods to analyze findings and organize the promotors and inhibitors of hope within three strata of the socio-ecologic framework: structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Participants identified three types of interventions to promote hope: resources, navigation, and activities to promote social connection. The hope conceptual model can be used to inform the selection of interventions to assess in future research studies aimed at improving hope and the specification of outcome measures to include in hope research studies. Inclusion of the health care system in the model provides direction for identifying strategies for improving the system and places responsibility on the system to do better to promote hope among young patients with chronic illness and their caregivers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 1602-1618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibault Robin ◽  
Julien Mariethoz ◽  
Frédérique Lisacek

A key point in achieving accurate intact glycopeptide identification is the definition of the glycan composition file that is used to match experimental with theoretical masses by a glycoproteomics search engine. At present, these files are mainly built from searching the literature and/or querying data sources focused on posttranslational modifications. Most glycoproteomics search engines include a default composition file that is readily used when processing MS data. We introduce here a glycan composition visualizing and comparative tool associated with the GlyConnect database and called GlyConnect Compozitor. It offers a web interface through which the database can be queried to bring out contextual information relative to a set of glycan compositions. The tool takes advantage of compositions being related to one another through shared monosaccharide counts and outputs interactive graphs summarizing information searched in the database. These results provide a guide for selecting or deselecting compositions in a file in order to reflect the context of a study as closely as possible. They also confirm the consistency of a set of compositions based on the content of the GlyConnect database. As part of the tool collection of the Glycomics@ExPASy initiative, Compozitor is hosted at https://glyconnect.expasy.org/compozitor/ where it can be run as a web application. It is also directly accessible from the GlyConnect database.


2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Poli ◽  
Nicholas Freitag McPhee

This paper is the second part of a two-part paper which introduces a general schema theory for genetic programming (GP) with subtree-swapping crossover (Part I (Poli and McPhee, 2003)). Like other recent GP schema theory results, the theory gives an exact formulation (rather than a lower bound) for the expected number of instances of a schema at the next generation. The theory is based on a Cartesian node reference system, introduced in Part I, and on the notion of a variable-arity hyperschema, introduced here, which generalises previous definitions of a schema. The theory includes two main theorems describing the propagation of GP schemata: a microscopic and a macroscopic schema theorem. The microscopic version is applicable to crossover operators which replace a subtree in one parent with a subtree from the other parent to produce the offspring. Therefore, this theorem is applicable to Koza's GP crossover with and without uniform selection of the crossover points, as well as one-point crossover, size-fair crossover, strongly-typed GP crossover, context-preserving crossover and many others. The macroscopic version is applicable to crossover operators in which the probability of selecting any two crossover points in the parents depends only on the parents' size and shape. In the paper we provide examples, we show how the theory can be specialised to specific crossover operators and we illustrate how it can be used to derive other general results. These include an exact definition of effective fitness and a size-evolution equation for GP with subtree-swapping crossover.


2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Green ◽  
Christopher P.M. Waters

For self-defence actions to be lawful, they must be directed at military targets. The absolute prohibition on non-military targeting under the jus in bello is well known, but the jus ad bellum also limits the target selection of states conducting defensive operations. Restrictions on targeting form a key aspect of the customary international law criteria of necessity and proportionality. In most situations, the jus in bello will be the starting point for the definition of a military targeting rule. Yet it has been argued that there may be circumstances when the jus ad bellum and the jus in bello do not temporally or substantively overlap in situations of self-defence. In order to address any possible gaps in civilian protection, and to bring conceptual clarity to one particular dimension of the relationship between the two regimes, this article explores the independent sources of a military targeting rule. The aim is not to displace the jus in bello as the ‘lead’ regime on how targeting decisions must be made, or to undermine the traditional separation between the two ‘war law’ regimes. Rather, conceptual light is shed on a sometimes assumed but generally neglected dimension of the jus ad bellum’s necessity and proportionality criteria that may, in limited circumstances, have significance for our understanding of human protection during war.


Author(s):  
Dang Thi Thu Hien ◽  
Hoang Xuan Huan ◽  
Le Xuan Minh Hoang

Radial Basis Function (RBF) neuron network is being applied widely in multivariate function regression. However, selection of neuron number for hidden layer and definition of suitable centre in order to produce a good regression network are still open problems which have been researched by many people. This article proposes to apply grid equally space nodes as the centre of hidden layer. Then, the authors use k-nearest neighbour method to define the value of regression function at the center and an interpolation RBF network training algorithm with equally spaced nodes to train the network. The experiments show the outstanding efficiency of regression function when the training data has Gauss white noise.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Akhmad Roja Badrus Zaman ◽  
Mahin Muqaddam Assarwani

Advances in technology and information provide new opportunities for preachers to be able to take part in spreading Islamic teachings through various social media platforms. One of the preachers who took the role to preach through social media was Habib Husein Jafar al-Hadar. This article examines Habib Husein Jafar’s missionary activities on the social media platform he uses, Youtube. The researcher analyzes the data by observing virtually and visually (virtual ethnography) on the da’wa content displayed by Habib Husein Jafar through Youtube. The study shows that: 1) the attention to the spiritual enlightenment efforts of the younger generation is the basis of the selection of the social media platform Youtube - because based on previous research, the users of this social media platform are 18-29 years of age; 2) starting from the da’wa consumers who are primarily young people, the content they present is suitable to their needs and lifestyle and 3) by using the concept of the circuit of culture analysis, Habib Husein Jafar in various ranges can reconstruct people’s perception of one’s definition of holiness. It is not limited based on normative appearance - cloaked and sacrificed, for example - but more on the substantive side, namely by behaving and having knowledgeable skills. With the variety of content, he could visualize himself as a pious young man by not abandoning his social status as a young person.


Author(s):  
Dorota Kuchta

Purpose – research on R&D projects implemented at universities shows that many researchers feel that the requirements set on R&D project definition in the process of calls for projects brake the innovativeness and the freedom of research. Thus, the objective of the paper is to propose a soft, fuzzy set based method of R&D project definition, which would allow to evaluate projects in the stage of project calls, but at the same time would not act contrary to the research ideas of the most ingenious and innovative researchers. Research methodology – the proposal is based on the results of over 70 structured interviews with R&D project managers from Polish and French universities. The respondents expressed their critical opinion about the required definition of R&D projects in the application stage of most calls, suggested which elements should be improved and in which way. Most of them criticised the required detail level of projects description and emphasized the uncertainty present in their research. Then we propose to model this uncertainty by means of fuzzy sets. Findings – the result of the research presented in the paper is a new way of R&D project definition, based on the fuzzy theory, adjustable to each R&D project type. The new method of project definition will express the actual uncertainty and innovative potential of each R&D project and thus allow a selection of R&D projects which would maximise their contribution to the university and science development. Research limitations – the proposed approach needs to be validated and verified on the basis of a big sample of a real world R&D project, with the participation of a representative sample of researchers. Another limitation is a highly probable resistance against such an approach among the researchers and research funding institutions, as it requires a deep analysis of the planned research and its context. Practical implications – it is proposed that the method will be used by research funding institutions in project calls. This will increase the efficiency of financial resources spent on research, in terms of value-added per one dollar invested in the research. Originality/Value – the proposed method is the first approach to project definition based on fuzzy numbers and one of very few existing approaches to project definition taking uncertainty into account


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-78
Author(s):  
Olena Kotykova ◽  
Mykola Babych

An effective implementation of the sustainable use of agricultural land program is impossible without reliable results of the current state of the problem. In this sense, the correct selection of indicators and methods for determining the level of stability is important. The authors proposes the definition of the agricultural land use sustainability integral indicator based on three methodological approaches: the construction of the indicators system, each of them reflects some aspects of the land use sustainability at the macro level (according to the specific issues); the construction of the integral indicator for comparing the countries’ land use sustainability. According to the given methods it has been proved that agricultural land use in the countries of the post-socialist camp has a positive dynamics, but the sustainability indicators for all indicators have not achieved yet. This study was supported in part by the Erasmus SUPPA program – Jean Monnet Associations Application No 611556-EPP-1-2019-1-UA-EPPJMO-SUPPA.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document