Of the three major groups in Matthew's gospel, the disciples, the Jewish leaders and the crowds, it is the last of these, the crowds, which is most ambiguous. While the disposition of the disciples and the Jewish leaders toward Jesus is readily apparent, it is less so with the crowds. They have been characterized as ambivalent in their relationship to Jesus, and this ambivalence is borne out by the fact that some scholars have readily interpreted them in a negative light, others in a more positive light. As neither of these interpretations is especially compelling, the problem of the crowds has reached a critical impasse. It is the intention of this work to resolve this impasse, and explain the ambiguities of Matthew's portrayal, by offering a full-fledged examination of Matthew's understanding of the ὄχλοι. It begins by analyzing Matthew's use of the word ὄχλος, and determines that this word alone is used to refer to the crowds, and denotes a specific group. Matthew does rely on his sources for his portrayal of the crowds, but he has both clarified and stylized the portrayal. When Matthew's contradictory mission directives are analyzed, it emerges that the crowds are Jewish. After defining the crowds, it goes on to examine the crowds' actions and statements. It begins with a discussion of the crowds following of Jesus, and determines that the crowds follow Jesus not out of a "qualitative allegiance", but because they are needy. The crowds' astonishment in the face of Jesus' words and deeds does not indicate commitment on their part, but rather an incipient favourable response to Jesus. Their use of the title "Son of David" indicates a growing insight into Jesus' true nature, but one that ultimately fails to develop. Their designation of Jesus as "a prophet" indicates the inadequacy of their perceptions. It also adumbrates their final rejection of Jesus, a rejection which culminates in their joining with their leaders to accept responsibility for Jesus' death. The reproaches levelled against the crowds by Jesus in chapter 13 do not readily fit in with this portrayal of the crowds of Jesus' day, and are best seen as referring to the experience of Matthew's church. When the crowds are examined in the timeframe of Matthew's church, they are best regarded as Jews, and not members of Matthew's church. They are attracted to the church because of its authority to heal and forgive sins. They attach themselves to the community in large numbers, listen to the church's kerygma, but ultimately fall away when the church loses its thaumaturgic ability. Persecution by the Jewish leaders, particularly the Pharisees, may have provoked this crisis. After this, the crowds no longer heed the community's message, and appear to fall back under the sway of the Pharisees. Matthew's church reproaches the crowd for its obduracy, and embarks on its mission to all nations. The ambiguity in Matthew's depiction of the crowds is the result of two factors. In his portrayal of the crowds of Jesus' day, the ὄχλοι are used with two contradictory intentions in mind. On the one hand, they are used christologically to enhance the picture of Jesus, and to represent the side of Israel which welcomes its messiah. On the other hand, they are used apologetically, to show how Israel missed its messiah and ended up putting him to death. The second reason for the ambiguity of Matthew's account, is that the crowds sometimes, particularly in Matthew 13, represent the crowds of Matthew's day. This juxtaposition of the two temporal levels produces a refracted picture of the crowds, which also makes them appear ambiguous.

The ionization energy of lithium as an impurity in single-crystal silicon has recently been determined by optical means to be dependent upon the amount of oxygen in the silicon. It was found that for float-zone crystals, having a relatively low oxygen content (less than 10¹⁶ cm⁻³), the ionization energy was about 32 meV, whereas for a pulled-crucible crystal, having a higher oxygen concentration (approximately 10¹⁸ cm⁻³), the ionization energy was 39 meV. Previous measurements by means of Hall effect studies had indicated that the ionization energy in a pulled crucible sample was about 33 meV which seemed to agree with the optical float-zone value. In an attempt to clarify the situation, Hall effect measurements were made on pulled-crucible and float-zone silicon samples containing lithium as an impurity, and ionization energies were calculated. It was found that this new Hall effect data seemed to show the same dependency on oxygen content as the optical data had shown with the ionization energy, being 37 meV for the pulled crucible sample and 29.5 meV for the float-zone / Master of Science

The mechanisms which regulate the growth fraction of the haemopoietic stem cell (CFU-S) and granulocyte macrophage progenitor cell (GM-CFC) have been investigated. In normal murine bone marrow (NMBM) a small proportion of the CFU-S are synthesising DNA (-10%). In contrast, in the bone marrow from mice regenerating after treatment with cytotoxic drugs and in developing haemopoietic tissues such as murine fetal liver a large proportion of the CFU-S (-40%) are synthesising DNA. Medium conditioned by normal murine and human bone marrow cells inhibited the proliferation of rapidly cycling CFU-S from regenerating bone marrow. This inhibitor was contained in a 50-100K daltons ultrafiltration fraction. In contra-distinction medium conditioned by human fetal liver cells stimulated the proliferation of CFU-S from NMBM. The stimulator was produced by adherent cells and was contained in a 30-50K daltons ultrafiltration fraction. An alternative assay for the humoral regulators of CFU-S proliferation was developed. Different numbers of haemopoietic cells were injected into lethally irradiated mice. Five days later they were injected with 2iCi of 125IUdR and sacrificed 2 hours later. There was a linear relationship between the log 125IUdR uptake into the spleen and femur and the log cell dose injected. Pre-treatment of haemopoietic cells with an S-phase specific cytotoxic drug resulted in a reduction in the 125IUdR incorporation into the spleen. This enabled the kinetic properties of a haemopoietic stem cell population to be assessed and the humoral 111 factors which modulate the growth fraction of these cells to be investigated. At early stages of gestation (11-14 weeks) in human fetal liver few GM-CFC are synthesising DNA, whereas later in gestation (>14 weeks) a large proportion of GM-CFC are in S-phase, Moore and Williams (1973b). Incubation of NMBM GM-CFC (approx 40% in DNA synthesis) with a supernatant from an early human fetal liver (11-14 weeks) reduced the proportion synthesising DNA to <5%. In contrast, the proportion of murine GM-CFC synthesising DNA was not affected by incubation with a supernatant from a late human fetal liver (>14 weeks). GM-CFC that had been switched out of cycle by incubation with a supernatant from an early gestation human fetal liver were switched back into cycle following incubation with a late human fetal liver supernatant. The inhibitor and stimulator of GM-CFC proliferation were both produced by non-adherent cells and were contained in >100K and 30-50K daltons ultrafiltration fractions repectively. It is likely that changes in the relative levels of a proliferation inhibitor and stimulator throughout gestation might control the proportion of GM-CFC in cycle.

David Elmer Cox's thesis is a form critical study of the salvation/deliverance/hope poetic, prophetic oracles of the Hebrew Scriptures. Beginning with the archaeological concepts of pottery dating and stratigraphic analysis, Cox presents a methodology he classifies "Gattungen dating". Just as pottery forms are able to be used for dating purposes because of the continuous and measurable changes which developed in pottery as the needs and living circumstances of people changed, Cox proposes that the Gattungen utilized by the prophets of Israel proclaiming poetic salvation/ deliverance/hope oracles might also be used as a dating device because of continuous and measurable changes in oral address. Just as with pottery forms, Cox subjects the poetic salvation/deliverance/hope oracles of the Hebrew Scriptures to typological classification and chronological ordering. Isolating the salvation/deliverance/hope oracles outside of Jeremiah into pre-exilic, exilic and post-exilic period categories, Cox presents an evolutionary pattern of development within the salvation/deliverance/hope poetic, prophetic announcements (chapter two). Then, examining two passages scholars consider authentic Jeremiah (3:12b-13; 4:1-2), he applies the Gattungen dating methodology to determine that Jeremiah's salvation/deliverance/hope speeches reflected the concerns and Gattungen of the pre-exilic prophets (chapter three). Cox then examines the central nucleus of poetic salvation/deliverance/hope material within Jeremiah, 30(37):5-31(38):22, a section much debated as to its dating and Sitz im Leben. He determines that the Gattungen utilized by the poetic consolation collection are from a time later than Jeremiah of Anathoth. Through Gattungen dating procedure and historical-critical methodology, Cox proposes that 30(37):5-31(38):22 was a separate poetic collection which attained a recognizable textual shape in the early post-exilic period (chapter four). Cox proposes that the poetic consolation collection is an example of deutero-prophetic activity (chapter five).

The concept of God as it is set forth in Charles Hartshorne's panentheism is undoubtedly influenced by the work of Alfred North Whitehead. This is generally acknowledged. What is not fully appreciated, or at least has not been systematized, is that Whitehead's philosophy was not radically novel, but belonged to a particular philosophical perspective, namely British neo-realism. Whitehead's roots in British neo-realism can be demonstrated by a comparative study which includes contemporaries of Whitehead who also belonged to the neo-realistic school. Such a study demonstrates that Samuel Alexander, C. Lloyd Morgan and Whitehead all had similar viewpoints concerning such matters as ultimate reality, a theory of emergence, the dipolarity of nature, and God. Thus, an affinity of thought in these philosophers can be clearly seen. It is therefore the case that Whitehead's influence on Hartshorne was not merely the influence of one man but was also the influence of the philosophical perspective to which that one man belonged, namely British neo-realism. Consequently, Whitehead's influence on Hartshorne resulted in an affinity of thought not only in two men, but also in two philosophies, British neo-realism and American panentheism This research systematically sets forth this affinity in these two schools of thought. Both British neo-realism and American panentheism belong to the wider context of Anglo-American process philosophy. This philosophical perspective is found under examination to be a synthesis of realism and idealism. Thus the British neo-realists, Alexander, Morgan and Whitehead qualify their realism by retaining the concept of "mind" as central to their cosmology. All three philosophers expound a pan-psychistic view of the universe. In America, Hartshorne's panentheism is likewise panpsychistic in viewpoint, and is also a synthesis of realism and idealism. The major influences on Hartshorne were Whitehead and William Ernest Hocking, the American idealist. Hartshorne's panentheism may then best be understood as a synthesis of British neo-realism (from Whitehead) and American idealism (from Hocking). On the basis of the metaphysical principles of process philosophy, we must conclude that the God who is presented is finite. In conjunction with this, while the process concept of God allows explanation for the temporal process, it allows no explanation for temporal or contingent existence. While such must be regarded as a deficiency, nonetheless the process philosophers rightly remind us of the importance of the topic concerning the nature of God.

In this thesis we examine properties and constructions of graph automatic semigroups, a generalisation of both automatic semigroups and finitely generated FA-presentable semigroups. We consider the properties of graph automatic semigroups, showing that they are independent of the choice of generating set, have decidable word problem, and that if we have a graph automatic structure for a semigroup then we can find one with uniqueness. Semigroup constructions and their effect on graph automaticity are considered. We show that finitely generated direct products, free products, finitely generated Rees matrix semigroup constructions, zero unions, and ordinal sums all preserve unary graph automaticity, and examine when the converse also holds. We also demonstrate situations where semidirect products, Bruck-Reilly extensions, and semilattice constructions preserve graph automaticity, and consider the conditions we may impose on such constructions in order to ensure that graph automaticity is preserved. Unary graph automatic semigroups, that is semigroups which have graph automatic structures over a single letter alphabet, are also examined. We consider the form of an automaton recognising multiplication by generators in such a semigroup, and use this to demonstrate various properties of unary graph automatic semigroups. We show that infinite periodic semigroups are not unary graph automatic, and show that we may always find a uniform set of normal forms for a unary graph automatic semigroup. We also determine some necessary conditions for a semigroup to be unary graph automatic, and use this to provide examples of semigroups which are not unary graph automatic. Finally we consider semigroup constructions for unary graph automatic semigroups. We show that the free product of two semigroups is unary graph automatic if and only if both semigroups are trivial; that direct products do not always preserve unary graph automaticity; and that Bruck-Reilly extensions are never unary graph automatic.

Nowadays those who live or work in the countryside have increasingly access to technologies that favor the development of their daily activities. Smartphones and tablets with android operating systems, which are every day more accessible to the farmers, offer opportunities for the use of applications that support them in decisionmaking. These new tools are available to the rural man, rural extension and/or technical assistance professionals, and can be used to increase the competitiveness of their properties. This study aimed to assess the C7 Milk II application to find out its strengths and weaknesses, as well as to contribute to the provision of a free management system, which is efficient and easy for the farmers and technicians to use, positively influencing the management of dairy farming properties. Thus we tested the use of this application in two family farms: one in the city of Alto Alegre/RS and another in the city of Espumoso/RS. We accompanied the development of the activities related to the tool use, and recorded the farmers´ perceptions on it. We also used contacts and questionnaires to find out the perception of field technicians who work in the region in order to identify the potential and limitations of the use of the applications among the rural men. At the end of the study, we found out that the application has potential as a tool to give greater precision to the dairy management, since it has several strengths. However, it also has some weaknesses, which need to be improved to have greater acceptance by farmers and technicians. Among the limitations of the application use, there are some difficulties for the farmers to adopt a notes routine about the activity, as well as their lack of ability to work with new technologies. These aspects impair their use in a big scale as a complementary tool in the management of dairy farming. The agility and the mobility of the tool; the generating of information for decision-making with low cost access and application service; and the farmer´s thinking on his activity have being considered potential factors. / Atualmente quem mora ou trabalha na zona rural tem cada vez mais acesso a tecnologias que favorecem o desenvolvimento das atividades. Os aparelhos smartphones e tablets com sistema operacional android, cada dia mais acessíveis ao homem do campo, oferecem oportunidades para utilização de aplicativos que auxiliam o produtor (a) rural na tomada de decisões. Estas novas ferramentas disponíveis ao homem do campo, profissionais da extensão rural e/ou assistência técnica podem ser utilizadas para aumentar a competitividade dessas propriedades. Este trabalho buscou avaliar o aplicativo C7 Leite II, seus pontos fortes e a melhorar, com isso, contribuir para a disponibilização de um sistema gerencial gratuito, eficiente e de fácil utilização por parte de produtores e técnicos, influenciando positivamente no gerenciamento de propriedades rurais que trabalham na atividade leiteira. Para esta avaliação foi testado a utilização do aplicativo em duas propriedades rurais da agricultura familiar, uma no município de Alto Alegre/RS e outra em Espumoso/RS, sendo acompanhado o desenvolvimento das atividades de utilização da ferramenta e registro das percepções dos produtores. Também foi levantado através de contatos e aplicação de questionários, a percepção de técnicos de campo que atuam na região de estudo, tentando identificar os potenciais e os limitantes da utilização de aplicativos junto ao seu público assistido. Ao final verificou-se que o aplicativo tem potencial como ferramenta para dar maior precisão no gerenciamento leiteiro, por apresentar vários pontos fortes, mas também precisa melhorar em outros pontos para que tenha maior aceitação pelos produtores e técnicos. Entre os limitantes do uso do aplicativo, aparecem com maior força as dificuldades dos produtores adotarem uma rotina de anotações sobre a atividade, e a falta de habilidade em trabalhar com as novas tecnologias, aspectos que comprometem até certo ponto o uso em maior escala de aplicativos como ferramenta complementar no gerenciamento da atividade leiteira. Já como potenciais aparecem a agilidade e mobilidade da ferramenta, geração de informações para tomada de decisão com baixo custo de acesso e manutenção do aplicativo, e a reflexão gerada no produtor (a) sobre como vem conduzindo sua atividade.

Το συμπλήρωμα είναι βασικός παράγοντας της φυσικής ανοσίας (innate immunity) και αποτελεί γέφυρα για την ενεργοποίηση της ειδικής ανοσίας (adaptive immunity). Αποτελείται από ένα σύστημα πρωτεϊνών, που συναντώνται ως ανενεργά προένζυμα και ενεργοποιούνται μέσω πρωτεόλυσης πυροδοτώντας έναν καταρράκτη αντιδράσεων. Οι οδοί ενεργοποίησης του συμπληρώματος καταλήγουν στον σχηματισμό ενός λυτικού συμπλόκου (Membrane Attack Complex – MAC) που καταστρέφει τους παθογόνους μικροοργανισμούς. Οι πρωτεΐνες, συστατικά του συμπλόκου, ανήκουν στην οικογένεια MACPF (MAC – Perforin). Σημαντικό ρόλο στη λειτουργία τους παίζει η πρωτεϊνική περιοχή (module) FIMAC (Factor I Membrane Attack Complex). Η περιοχή αυτή υπάρχει στα συστατικά C6 (Complement component 6) και C7 (Complement component 7) του συμπλόκου MAC και φαίνεται να είναι η περιοχή πρόσδεσής τους με την περιοχή C345C του C5b. Επιπλέον, η περιοχή FIMAC υπάρχει και στον παράγοντα Ι του Συμπληρώματος (Complement Factor I, CFI), ο οποίος συμμετέχει στην αποσταθεροποίηση της κομβερτάσης C3/C5, μέσω του καρβοξυτελικού άκρου της FIMAC που φαίνεται να συνδέεται αλλοστερικά με την πρωτεϊνική περιοχή SP (Serine Protease), που αποτελεί την ενεργή του περιοχή. Το μοντέλο, για την ανάλυση της περιοχής FIMAC βασίστηκε στην περιοχή της πρωτεΐνης φολιστατίνη (follistatin, FS) FD (follistatin Domain), η οποία αναλύθηκε πρόσφατα κρυσταλλογραφικά και με την οποία εμφανίζει ομοιότητα στην αλληλουχία της. Η δομή FD αποτελεί ένα υβρίδιο μιας αμινοτελικής περιοχής EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) και μίας καρβοξυτελικής περιοχής του ωοβλεννοειδούς (ovomucoid) που ομοιάζουν με τις πρωτεϊνικές περιοχές KAZAL και συναντώνται σε πολλούς αναστολείς σερινικών πρωτεασών. Η περιοχή FD περιέχεται, επίσης, στην πρωτεΐνη αγκρίνη (agrin, AGRN) που αποτελεί συστατικό της βασικής μεμβράνης και παίζει σημαντικό ρόλο στην νευρομυϊκή σύναψη. Η μελέτη των πρωτεϊνικών περιοχών FIMAC και KAZAL αναφορικά με την λειτουργία, την δομή και την εξέλιξή τους αποτέλεσε το αντικείμενο της παρούσας εργασίας. Για την εκπόνηση αυτής της μελέτης χρησιμοποιήθηκαν δεδομένα από βάσεις βιολογικών δεδομένων και εργαλεία βιοπληροφορικής ανάλυσης. Πρωτογενές υλικό της μελέτης αποτέλεσαν οι νουκλεοτιδικές και αμινοξικές αλληλουχίες των γονιδίων C6, C7, CFI, AGRN και FS σε όλους τους οργανισμούς που βρέθηκαν (σπονδυλωτά και ασπόνδυλα), και πιο συγκεκριμένα οι αλληλουχίες που αντιστοιχούν στις πρωτεϊνικές περιοχές FIMAC και KAZAL. Οι πρωτοταγείς δομές των FIMAC ( ̴ 78αα) και KAZAL ( ̴ 55αα) διαφέρουν ως προς το μήκος τους, με μερικές εξαιρέσεις που αφορούν περιοχές KAZAL των πρωτεϊνών AGRN και FS (>80αα). Οι δευτεροταγείς δομές των FIMAC και KAZAL παρουσιάζουν μεγάλη ομοιότητα, φέροντας δομές α – έλικας και β – πτυχωτής επιφάνειας στην αλληλουχία τους. Τέλος, τα μοντέλα προσομοίωσης τριτοταγούς δομής και των δύο περιοχών FIMAC και KAZAL οπτικοποιούν τη διαμόρφωση των δομών της α – έλικας και των β – πτυχωτών επιφανειών στον χώρο. Αξιοσημείωτη είναι η παρουσία σημαντικού αριθμού κυστεϊνικών καταλοίπων στις αλληλουχίες των περιοχών FIMAC (8 – 10 Cys), με μεγαλύτερη συγκέντρωση στο αμινοτελικό άκρο, και KAZAL (4 – 6 Cys) με ομοιόμορφη κατανομή. Εξελικτικά, η εμφάνιση γονιδίων που συμμετέχουν και στις τρεις οδούς ενεργοποίησης του συμπληρώματος και καταλήγουν στη διαμόρφωση του συμπλόκου MAC συνοδεύεται με την εμφάνιση των χονδριχθύων. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, όσον αφορά τα γονίδια του συμπληρώματος που περιλαμβάνουν τις περιοχές FIMAC και KAZAL, ο CFI πρωτοεμφανίζεται στα άγναθα, το C6 στους χονδριχθείς και το C7 στους οστεϊχθείς. Η παρουσία των γονιδίων AGRN και FS έχει πιστοποιηθεί νωρίτερα εξελικτικά στο στάδιο των κεφαλοχορδωτών καθώς και στους πλατυέλμινθες των πρωτοστομίων. Έτσι, φαίνεται ότι η περιοχή KAZAL στις πρωτεΐνες AGRN και FS στα ασπόνδυλα αποτελεί προγονική περιοχή όλων των FIMAC και KAZAL που υπάρχουν σήμερα. Ωστόσο, νέες πρωτεϊνικές περιοχές KAZAL εμφανίστηκαν και αργότερα κατά την εξέλιξη των ειδών. Η συντηρητικότητα και των δύο περιοχών FIMAC και KAZAL στο επίπεδο της γονιδιακής τους κληρονόμησης είναι μεγάλη. Όλα τα intron phases των εξονίων που κωδικοποιούν τις περιοχές KAZAL και FIMAC σε όλα τα γονίδια όπου συναντώνται είναι 1, εκτός από τα αντίστοιχα εξόνια για την περιοχή FIMAC της γραμμικής θέσης 1 στις πρωτεΐνες C6 και C7 (intron phase 2), που φαίνεται να είναι εξελικτικά μεταγενέστερες περιοχές, και δημιουργήθηκαν με διπλασιασμό εξονίου, σε μεταγενέστερα εξελικτικά στάδια. / The complement system is a key component of the innate immune system and links the innate and adaptive immunity. It consists of more than 35 soluble and membrane proteins that initially are found as inactivated proenzymes and they can be activated by a proteolytic cascade. All three pathways that activate the complement leads to the formation of a Membrane Attack Complex (MAC) that lyses the pathogenic microorganisms. Proteins that participate in the formation of MAC, belongs to the MACPF (MAC – Perforin) family. The FIMAC (Factor I Membrane Attack Complex) module plays significant role in the function of MACPF proteins. The Complement proteins 6 (C6) and 7 (C7) that are components of the MAC, include the FIMAC module in their sequences and it seems that this module is their binding region with C345C of C5b. Moreover, the FIMAC module exists in Complement Factor I (CFI), which is a serine protease (SP) and degrades C4b and C3b molecules. The carboxyl - terminal of FIMAC module binds allosteric with the SP region in CFI and seems to be important for the function of CFI as a serine protease. The model for the analysis of FIMAC module was based in Follistatin Domain (FD) of follistatin (FS) protein, which has been analyzed by crystallography. FIMAC and FD modules seem to have homologous sequences. The FD structure is a hybrid of an amino – terminal EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) subdomain and of a carboxyl – terminal similar to ovomucoid subdomain, which is called KAZAL and is present in many serine protease inhibitors. The FD module is also present in the Agrin (AGRN) protein. AGRN is an extracellular matrix molecule released by the nerve and is critical for the formation of the neuromuscular junction. The subject of this work was the study of FIMAC and KAZAL modules concerning their function, structure and evolution. There were used data from biological databases and bioinformatic tools for analysis. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of C6, C7, CFI, AGRN and FS genes from the organisms that were found (vertebrates and invertebrates), and more specific, FIMAC and KAZAL sequences, were the primary material of this study. There are differences in the length of the primary structures of FIMAC ( ̴ 78aa) and KAZAL ( ̴ 55aa) modules, except for some KAZAL modules of AGRN and FS proteins (>80aa). The secondary structures of FIMAC and KAZAL modules seem to be similar as both of them contain α-helix and β-sheet conformations. Simulation models of tertiary structure of both FIMAC and KAZAL modules revealed a common conformation of α-helix and β-sheet in space. The presence of cysteine residues are very conserved and seem to be important in FIMAC (8 – 10 Cys) and KAZAL (4 – 6 Cys) modules, although the concentration of cysteine residues in FIMAC modules are denser in amino – terminal region compared with their corresponding concentration in KAZALs, where they follow an equable distribution. Evolutionary, the genes that participate in all three pathways of complement activation and result in MAC formation, first appeared on chondrichthyes. Moreover, FIMAC and KAZAL modules included in CFI sequence found firstly on agnatha, on chondrichthyes in C6 sequences and on osteichthyes in C7 sequences. The presence of AGRN and FS genes were certified earlier in evolution on cephalochordates and platyelminthes of protostomes. As a result, it seems that the KAZAL modules of AGRN and FS proteins in invertebrates are the ancestors of all FIMAC and KAZAL modules. Nevertheless, new KAZAL modules appeared later during evolution of species. At the genomic level, exons corresponding to the FIMAC and KAZAL modules are highly conserved in different taxa. Intron phases of all exons corresponding to the FIMAC and KAZAL modules in all genes are 1, except for exons of FIMAC modules in first position of C6 and C7 genes (phase 2) that seem to be evolutionary posterior and were emerged by exon duplication, later in evolution.

In this thesis, I use a Darwinian approach to explore the role of sexual-dimorphism in human behaviour across development and into early adulthood, and its impact on adult mating-strategies. In Studies 1-2, I explore the importance of heredity and developmental stability of facial characteristics in light of theories of sexual selection. Using family photos, judgements of faces of parents and offspring revealed that facial sexual-dimorphism is passed on from father to son and mother to daughter, while inheritance of attractiveness is apparent only in daughters. I also examine the stability of facial appearance across development (infancy, childhood, young-adult), and find that sexual-dimorphism remains stable for both sexes, while attractiveness is stable only in females. Feminine characteristics are perceived as attractive in infant faces, and feminine characteristics have been perceived as looking more neotenous. In light of these data, I develop a theory for increased preferences for neoteny in human infants (Chapter 4). In studies 3-4, I examine the developmental milestones, puberty and first sexual intercourse in relationship to adult mate-choice strategies. Women who experience first coitus early prefer increased facial-masculinity in potential mates. In men, both early coitus and early puberty relate to increased preferences for facial-femininity in potential mates. In study 5, I look at attributions of peri-pubertal children (aged 11-12 years) to peer faces manipulated on sexually-dimorphic features. Children's attractiveness judgements show evidence of adult-like preferences, with boys preferring feminine girls' faces and girls preferring feminised boys' faces. Both girls and boys attribute the negative stereotype of bullying to more masculinised boys' faces. Study 6 concerns the relationship between two modalities of sexual-dimorphism, pheromones and facial characteristics. Adults indicate preferences from a continuum of sexually-dimorphic face-shapes, in addition to rating sex-specific pheromones on pleasantness. Individuals who prefer sex-typical facial characteristics in opposite-sex faces also judged the sex-typical pheromone as more pleasant.

No description available.