| 1. |
- Bortolan, Lorenzo, et al.
(författare)
-
Ski Mountaineering : Perspectives on a Novel Sport to Be Introduced at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in Physiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-042X. ; 12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ski mountaineering is a rapidly growing winter sport that involves alternately climbing and descending slopes and various racing formats that differ in length and total vertical gain, as well as their distribution of downhill and uphill sections. In recent years, both participation in and media coverage of this sport have increased dramatically, contributing, at least in part, to its inclusion in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. Here, our aim has been to briefly describe the major characteristics of ski mountaineering, its physiological and biomechanical demands, equipment, and training/testing, as well as to provide some future perspectives. Despite its popularity, research on this discipline is scarce, but some general characteristics are already emerging. Pronounced aerobic capacity is an important requirement for success, as demonstrated by positive correlations between racing time and maximal oxygen uptake and oxygen uptake at the second ventilatory threshold. Moreover, due to the considerable mechanical work against gravity on demanding uphill terrain, the combined weight of the athlete and equipment is inversely correlated with performance, prompting the development of both lighter and better equipment in recent decades. In ski mountaineering, velocity uphill is achieved primarily by more frequent (rather than longer) strides due primarily to high resistive forces. The use of wearable technologies, designed specifically for analysis in the field (including at elevated altitudes and cold temperatures) and more extensive collaboration between researchers, industrial actors, and coaches/athletes, could further improve the development of this sport.
|
|
| 2. |
- Lupi, Claudia, et al.
(författare)
-
Do sample preparation techniques affect the relative abundance of Florisphaera profunda?
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Marine Micropaleontology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0377-8398 .- 1872-6186. ; 127, s. 42-49
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigated which method among smearing, settling, filtration, and random settling is the most accurate for determining the relative abundance of Florisphaera profunda. This species is included in paleoproductivity indices because it is one of the most important deep-water dwellers. Therefore, an accurate assessment of its relative abundance is key to monitoring variations in thermocline and nutricline depths. The low birefringence and flat polygonal shape of F. profunda may lead to inaccurate estimates of its relative abundance as it is poorly visible under light microscopy (LM), and different sample preparation may affect the number of specimens on each slide. We studied eight samples from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1209B (Shatslcy Rise, NW Pacific) from the last 450 kyr. Each sample was prepared five times using each technique for a total of 160 slides. Through a rigorous analytical and statistical approach, we demonstrated the high reproducibility of each method and showed good agreement among techniques at low percentages of F. profunda. When the percentage of this species increases, the random settling technique differs from the others. Filtration and random settling preparation techniques were calibrated by spiking samples with microbeads. The ratio of microbeads observed in slides prepared using these two methods reflects bias due to loss of particles in the filtration technique. In addition, a hydrodynamic model for a fluttering and tumbling plate - such as F. profunda nannoliths - is proposed here along with calculated sinking velocities. These findings confirmed the efficiency of the long decantation time proposed for the random settling technique. The analysis of replicates, the validation with microbeads and the estimation of settling velocity of nannofossils in the tube convinced us that the higher relative abundance recorded by the random technique is not due to an imprecision of this method but, on the contrary, reflects the fact that it is more effective.
|
|
| 3. |
- Michaelides, Sozos N., et al.
(författare)
-
Loss of genetic diversity and increased embryonic mortality in non-native lizard populations
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Molecular Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0962-1083. ; 25:17, s. 4113-4125
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many populations are small and isolated with limited genetic variation and high risk of mating with close relatives. Inbreeding depression is suspected to contribute to extinction of wild populations, but the historical and demographic factors that contribute to reduced population viability are often difficult to tease apart. Replicated introduction events in non-native species can offer insights into this problem because they allow us to study how genetic variation and inbreeding depression are affected by demographic events (e.g. bottlenecks), genetic admixture and the extent and duration of isolation. Using detailed knowledge about the introduction history of 21 non-native populations of the wall lizard Podarcis muralis in England, we show greater loss of genetic diversity (estimated from microsatellite loci) in older populations and in populations from native regions of high diversity. Loss of genetic diversity was accompanied by higher embryonic mortality in non-native populations, suggesting that introduced populations are sufficiently inbred to jeopardize long-term viability. However, there was no statistical correlation between population-level genetic diversity and average embryonic mortality. Similarly, at the individual level, there was no correlation between female heterozygosity and clutch size, infertility or hatching success, or between embryo heterozygosity and mortality. We discuss these results in the context of human-mediated introductions and how the history of introductions can play a fundamental role in influencing individual and population fitness in non-native species.
|
|
| 4. |
- Miñano, Maravillas Ruiz, et al.
(författare)
-
Climate shapes the geographic distribution and introgressive spread of color ornamentation in common wall lizards
- 2021
-
Ingår i: American Naturalist. - : University of Chicago Press. - 0003-0147 .- 1537-5323. ; 198:3, s. 379-393
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate can exert an effect on the strength of sexual selection, but empirical evidence is limited. Here, we tested whether climate predicts the geographic distribution and introgressive spread of sexually selected male color ornamentation across 114 populations of the common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis. Coloration was highly structured across the landscape and did not reflect genetic differentiation. Instead, color ornamentation was consistently exaggerated in hot and dry environments, suggesting that climate-driven selection maintains geographic variation in spite of gene flow. Introgression of color ornamentation into a distantly related lineage appears to be ongoing and was particularly pronounced in warm climates with wet winters and dry summers. Combined, these results suggest that sexual ornamentation is consistently favored in climates that allow a prolonged reproductive season and high and reliable opportunities for lizard activity. This pattern corroborates theoretical predictions that such climatic conditions reduce the temporal clustering of receptive females and increase male-male competition, resulting in strong sexual selection. In summary, we provide compelling evidence for the importance of climate for the evolution of color ornamentation, and we demonstrate that geographic variation in the strength of sexual selection influences introgression of this phenotype.
|
|
| 5. |
- Munoz-Gama, Jorge, et al.
(författare)
-
Process mining for healthcare : Characteristics and challenges
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Journal of Biomedical Informatics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1532-0464 .- 1532-0480. ; 127
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Process mining techniques can be used to analyse business processes using the data logged during their execution. These techniques are leveraged in a wide range of domains, including healthcare, where it focuses mainly on the analysis of diagnostic, treatment, and organisational processes. Despite the huge amount of data generated in hospitals by staff and machinery involved in healthcare processes, there is no evidence of a systematic uptake of process mining beyond targeted case studies in a research context. When developing and using process mining in healthcare, distinguishing characteristics of healthcare processes such as their variability and patient-centred focus require targeted attention. Against this background, the Process-Oriented Data Science in Healthcare Alliance has been established to propagate the research and application of techniques targeting the data-driven improvement of healthcare processes. This paper, an initiative of the alliance, presents the distinguishing characteristics of the healthcare domain that need to be considered to successfully use process mining, as well as open challenges that need to be addressed by the community in the future.
|
|
| 6. |
- Ullah, Hammad, et al.
(författare)
-
Efficacy of a food supplement based on S-adenosyl methionine and probiotic strains in subjects with subthreshold depression and mild-to-moderate depression : A monocentric, randomized, cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0753-3322 .- 1950-6007. ; 156
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Depression is one of the most serious chronic psychiatric disorders affecting people worldwide. Subthreshold depression (SD) is a form of subclinical depression with increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients diagnosed with SD may not be eligible for antidepressant drugs and, particularly in the case of MDD, these antidepressants may have adverse effects which outweigh their therapeutic effects, leading to discontinuation of therapy. Food supplements could provide an alternative strategy. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of a food supplement based on a combination of S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe, 200 mg/day) and probiotics (Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell®−52, Bifidobacterium longum Rosell®−175, 3 ×109 CFU/day) in reducing depression symptoms in a monocentric, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial. 80 Subjects were recruited and offered the food supplement or placebo daily for three months, according to a cross-over clinical trial design, followed by a six-week follow-up period. The efficacy of the food supplement was measured by means of the “Hamilton Depression Rating Scale” (HAM-D) and "Patient Health Questionnaire-9" (PHQ-9), using a mixed analysis of variance model, with random intercept, for statistical analysis. The food supplement showed a significant decrease of PHQ-9 and HAM-D scores resulting in reduced SD and MDD symptoms as compared to placebo. In conclusion, the daily intake of the food supplement based on SAMe and probiotic strains for a period of three months is effective in improving the quality of life of SD subjects who are not eligible for antidepressant therapies, and patients suffering from mild-to-moderate depression who are not sensitive or cannot tolerate conventional drugs.
|
|
| 7. |
- While, Geoffrey M, et al.
(författare)
-
Sexual selection drives asymmetric introgression in wall lizards.
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X. ; 18:12, s. 1366-1375
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Hybridisation is increasingly recognised as an important cause of diversification and adaptation. Here, we show how divergence in male secondary sexual characters between two lineages of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) gives rise to strong asymmetries in male competitive ability and mating success, resulting in asymmetric hybridisation upon secondary contact. Combined with no negative effects of hybridisation on survival or reproductive characters in F1-hybrids, these results suggest that introgression should be asymmetric, resulting in the displacement of sexual characters of the sub-dominant lineage. This prediction was confirmed in two types of secondary contact, across a natural contact zone and in two introduced populations. Our study illustrates how divergence in sexually selected traits via male competition can determine the direction and extent of introgression, contributing to geographic patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity.
|
|
| 8. |
- Yang, Weizhao, et al.
(författare)
-
Genomic evidence for asymmetric introgression by sexual selection in the common wall lizard
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Molecular Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0962-1083.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Strongly selected characters can be transferred from one lineage to another with limited genetic exchange, resulting in asymmetric introgression and a mosaic genome in the receiving population. However, systems are rarely sufficiently well studied to link the pattern of introgression to its underlying process. Male common wall lizards in western Italy exhibit exaggeration of a suite of sexually selected characters that make them outcompete males from a distantly related lineage that lack these characters. This results in asymmetric hybridization and adaptive introgression of the suite of characters following secondary contact. We developed genomewide markers to infer the demographic history of gene flow between different genetic lineages, identify the spread of the sexually selected syndrome, and test the prediction that introgression should be asymmetric and heterogeneous across the genome. Our results show that secondary contact was accompanied by gene flow in both directions across most of the genome, but with approximately 3% of the genome showing highly asymmetric introgression in the predicted direction. Demographic simulations reveal that this asymmetric gene flow is more recent than the initial secondary contact, and the data suggest that the exaggerated male sexual characters originated within the Italian lineage and subsequently spread throughout this lineage before eventually reaching the contact zone. These results demonstrate that sexual selection can cause a suite of characters to spread throughout both closely and distantly related lineages with limited gene flow across the genome at large.
|
|
| 9. |
- Yang, Weizhao, et al.
(författare)
-
Population Genomics of Wall Lizards Reflects the Dynamic History of the Mediterranean Basin
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 39:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Mediterranean Basin has experienced extensive change in geology and climate over the past six million years. Yet, the relative importance of key geological events for the distribution and genetic structure of the Mediterranean fauna remains poorly understood. Here, we use population genomic and phylogenomic analyses to establish the evolutionary history and genetic structure of common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). This species is particularly informative because, in contrast to other Mediterranean lizards, it is widespread across the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan Peninsulas, and in extra-Mediterranean regions. We found strong support for six major lineages within P. muralis, which were largely discordant with the phylogenetic relationship of mitochondrial DNA. The most recent common ancestor of extant P. muralis was likely distributed in the Italian Peninsula, and experienced an "Out-of-Italy" expansion following the Messinian salinity crisis (∼5 Mya), resulting in the differentiation into the extant lineages on the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan Peninsulas. Introgression analysis revealed that both inter- and intraspecific gene flows have been pervasive throughout the evolutionary history of P. muralis. For example, the Southern Italy lineage has a hybrid origin, formed through admixture between the Central Italy lineage and an ancient lineage that was the sister to all other P. muralis. More recent genetic differentiation is associated with the onset of the Quaternary glaciations, which influenced population dynamics and genetic diversity of contemporary lineages. These results demonstrate the pervasive role of Mediterranean geology and climate for the evolutionary history and population genetic structure of extant species.
|
|
| 10. |
- Yang, Weizhao, et al.
(författare)
-
Spatial variation in gene flow across a hybrid zone reveals causes of reproductive isolation and asymmetric introgression in wall lizards
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Evolution. - : Wiley. - 0014-3820 .- 1558-5646. ; 74:7, s. 1289-1300
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hybrid zones provide insights into the evolution of reproductive isolation. Sexual selection can contribute to the evolution of reproductive barriers, but it remains poorly understood how sexual traits impact gene flow in secondary contact. Here, we show that a recently evolved suite of sexual traits that function in male-male competition mediates gene flow between two lineages of wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). Gene flow was relatively low and asymmetric in the presence of exaggerated male morphology and coloration compared to when the lineages share the ancestral phenotype. Putative barrier loci were enriched in genomic regions that were highly differentiated between the two lineages and showed low concordance between the transects. The exception was a consistently low genetic exchange around ATXN1, a gene that modulates social behavior. We suggest that this gene may contribute to the male mate preferences that are known to cause lineage-assortative mating in this species. Although female choice modulates the degree of reproductive isolation in a variety of taxa, wall lizards demonstrate that both male-male competition and male mate choice can contribute to the extent of gene flow between lineages.
|
|
