The Shiranish Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian) was studied in two surface sections (Diana and Garuta) in Erbil Governorate. Both sections lie within the High Folded Zone of Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt ...in Iraq. Stratigraphically, the formation is divided into three lithostratigraphic units depending on the field characteristics with varied thicknesses of the formation in both sections. The lower unit (Unit A) consists of blue to grey well-bedded marly massive limestone, the middle unit (Unit B) is composed of blue to grey marl, marly limestone and stratified shale, and finally, the upper unit (Unit C) is composed of grey limestone and blue marly limestone. The lower contact of the formation is unconformable with the Bekhme Formation in the Diana section and conformable with the Kometan Formation in the Garuta section, while the upper contact is conformable with both Tanjero and Kolosh formations in Diana and Garuta sections respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis has revealed that calcite is the main mineralogical component with less of quartz and clay minerals as represented by chlorite and illite. Four lithofacies were distinguished (Marl facies (Sml), Shale facies (Ssl), Conglomerate limestone facies (Scl)) and red clay layers (Srl), whereas, three main microfacies were recognized; Fossiliferous Lime Mudstone Microfacies (Sml), Lime Wackestone Microfacies (Sw) and the Packstone Lime Microfacies (Sp), which in turn were subdivided into seven secondary facies, according to their components, which are; Planktonic Foraminiferal Lime Wackestone Submicrofacies (Sw1), Keeled Planktonic Foraminiferal Lime Wackestone Submicrofacies (Sw2), Calcispheres Lime Wackestone Submicrofacies (Sw3), Bioclastic Lime Wackestone Submicrofacies (Sw4), Benthonic Foraminiferal Lime Wackestone Submicrofacies (Sw5), Keeled Planktonic Foraminiferal lime Packstone Submicrofacies (Sp1) and Planktonic Foraminiferal Globular Chamber Packstone Submicrofacies (Sp2 ). Based on these facies, the formation was deposited in a relatively deep marine environment and within two secondary environments; the outer shelf and upper bathyal environments as a result of the widespread transgression in the beginning of the Campanian.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by neovascularization, immune cell infiltration, and synovial hyperplasia, which leads to degradation of articular cartilage ...and bone, and subsequent functional disability. Dysregulated angiogenesis, synovial hypoxia, and immune cell infiltration result in a 'bioenergetic crisis' in the inflamed joint which further exacerbates synovial invasiveness. Several studies have examined this vicious cycle between metabolism, immunity, and inflammation and the role metabolites play in these interactions. To add to this complexity, the inflamed synovium is a multicellular tissue with many cellular subsets having different metabolic requirements. Metabolites can shape the inflammatory phenotype of immune cell subsets during disease and act as central signalling hubs. In the RA joint, the increased energy demand of stromal and immune cells leads to the accumulation of metabolites such as lactate, citrate, and succinate as well as adipocytokines which can regulate downstream signalling pathways. Transcription factors such as HIF1ɑ and mTOR can act as metabolic sensors to activate synovial cells and drive pro-inflammatory effector function, thus perpetuating chronic inflammation further. These metabolic intermediates may be potential therapeutic targets and so understanding the complex interplay between metabolites and synovial cells in RA may allow for identification of novel therapeutic strategies but also may provide significant insight into the underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.
Territorial threat is costly and variable across contexts and behavioural flexibility is favoured to maximize any cost/benefit ratio. This is well illustrated in how animals react to familiar or ...unfamiliar outgroup members. In some situations, neighbours are better tolerated than strangers, resulting in a ‘dear-enemy effect’; in other situations, the pattern is reversed, resulting in a ‘nasty-neighbour effect’. Typically, the effects are species-specific traits, although both can also occur within the same species. Here, we investigated wild Diana monkeys of Taï Forest (Ivory Coast) in their reactions to outgroup individuals using playbacks of both familiar and unfamiliar male alarm calls to eagles. We found that groups living in primary forest (high group density, high food availability and low predation pressure) followed a ‘nasty neighbour’ strategy whereas groups living in secondary forest (low group density, low resources and high predation risk) followed a ‘dear enemy’ strategy, suggesting that group density, predation pressure and food availability can impact how hostile behaviour is displayed in nonhuman primates. Our results confirm a high behavioural flexibility in primate relationships between conspecifics of different identities depending on ecological traits of the habitat.
•Familiarity with the caller has an impact on Diana monkey male's vocal response.•Diana monkeys can either follow a nasty-neighbour or a dear-enemy strategy.•Hostility between conspecifics of different identities is habitat dependent.•Group density, food availability and predation pressure impact this hostile behaviour.•Primates have a high behavioural flexibility in their relationships with conspecifics.
The wing shape of butterflies can be used as a character to measure individual butterfly and population-level differences in adult forms. We conducted a geometric morphometric analysis of wing shape ...for Speyeria diana (Cramer & Stoll 1777) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), a species currently threatened by extirpation across portions of its range. We photographed and digitized 243 pinned S. diana specimens from natural history museums in North America and Europe to compare wing shape and size across the historical and current distribution. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to compare variation in landmarks on forewings and hind wings. We used the principal component scores in a multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) to test for differences, and interactions, between male and female specimens, eastern and western specimens, low and high elevation specimens, and specimens collected before and after 1950. We found significant differences between wing shape in male and female specimens, with male forewings being narrower and more elongated, possibly making them well suited for patrolling behavior. Female forewings were more rounded and wider, possibly reflecting their life history, because much of their life is spent on the forest floor in search of oviposition sites. We found significant regional differences in male forewing shape, reflecting the long-term geographic and genetic separation between these groups. We also found significant differences in female forewing shape between low and high elevation sites. Speyeria diana female forewings from high elevation populations were narrower than low elevation populations, indicating that these females may be more mobile than those from low elevations with wider forewings. There were no effects of yr since capture of specimens. The wing shape of western populations of S. diana appears to be adapted for low dispersal, supporting other recent findings that also indicate western populations of S. diana are both spatially and genetically isolated. We conclude that the future of S. diana will require the thoughtful preservation of well-connected high elevation habitats, especially in the western distribution where dispersal is more limited than in the east.
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