This study investigated selective pressures associated with encephalization in mammals and discussed broader implications. Relative brain size as measured by EQ (Encephalization Quotient) was compared between ecological categories. Omnivores had higher average EQ than ecological specialists. Since specialists are disproportionately affected by extinction events, selection for ecological generalism is proposed as encephalization mechanism. This mechanism may reinforce the more widely known Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH)—the idea that possessing relatively large brains has buffered lineages against environmental change. CBH is tested here by comparing EQs in Procyon lotor (raccoon) in urban and rural environments. CBH predicts that raccoons in the most radically altered environment, the city, experience the strongest selection for encephalization. Urban raccoons studied here exhibit a higher EQ. Although results are preliminary, data suggest that encephalization is accelerated during abrupt periods of environmental change. Finally, implications for the evolution of biological complexity more generally are discussed.

The recurrence in the use of enclosed courtyards and porches where people sat in the shade, back against the wall, and with platforms accessible only by ramps or stairs, are unique characteristics found in late period Andean structures. This particularity as well as some another features make difficult to understand the functions and uses of monumental architecture in the ancient Central Andes. The recent discussion about these architectural features found in prehispanic Andean palaces proves the common disagreements even with substantial archaeological evidence where seems not easy to distinct between governors main residences and temples. The investigations carried out at Pueblo Viejo-Pucará, "Lomas de Lurín" Archaeological Project-Field School, Convenio Cementos Lima S.A.-Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, under the direction of Krzysztof Makowski from 1999 to present, have provided valuable information to this topic. The excavations covers more than 6000 square meters of architectonic evidence in four of its five sections, including two residential structures of the elite, with palace features, and one temple located at the top of a mountain. Comparing the hypothetical households of two curacas, two residential elite homes and other residential units excavated in Pueblo Viejo-Pucara, show the common use of a central patio with wide open kitchens and areas of entertainment, such as structures next to the patio and porches facing it; which differentiate the elite ones from the commoners’ homes. The patio is the central area of public activity where offers were made during banquets and the food was served in a festive manner, including camelid and cervid meats, chicha served in fine ceramic ware. The main palace is differentiated from the rest of the residences, based on the presence of an ushnu with funerary chambers and two plazas that are related with the cult of two huancas and at least one rocky outcrop seen as a sacred huaca, with offerings of Spondylus princeps, gold and silver. / La recurrencia de patios cercados (canchas), "audiencias" y pórticos, lugares destinados para albergar largas filas de personas sentadas de manera cómoda a la sombra de techo y de espaldas a una pared, así como la presencia de plataformas accesibles por medio de rampas o escaleras cuentan entre los rasgos que definen el carácter peculiar de la arquitectura de los periodos tardíos en los Andes, un aspecto difícil de interpretar desde el punto de vista de la función. Recientes discusiones sobre las características de la arquitectura palaciega en los Andes prehispánicos han puesto en evidencia los problemas con los que tropiezan los intentos de hacer el deslinde formal y funcional entre la residencia principal del gobernante y el templo a partir de las evidencias arqueológicas. Las investigaciones realizadas en Pueblo Viejo-Pucará desde 1999 hasta el presente en el marco del Proyecto Arqueológico-Taller de Campo "Lomas de Lurín", Convenio Cementos Lima S.A.-Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, bajo la dirección de Krzysztof Makowski, aportan datos valiosos a la discusión del tema dado que han abarcado más de 6000 metros cuadrados de superficie excavada en cuatro de los cinco sectores del sitio, incluidas dos estructuras residenciales de elite de carácter palaciego y un templo que corona una elevación, denominado "Templo de la Cima". La comparación entre las hipotéticas moradas de dos curacas, dos residencias de elite y las demás unidades residenciales excavadas en Pueblo Viejo-Pucará deja en claro que la presencia del patio central con amplias cocinas y áreas de agasajo en forma de recintos anexos y pórticos constituye la principal diferencia entre la residencia de elite y la casa común. El patio es el área central de la vida pública, donde, de manera frecuente, se ofrecen banquetes con comida de carácter festivo, rica en la preciada carne de camélidos y de cérvidos, así como en chicha, la que se sirve en vasijas finas ejecutadas en estilos de prestigio. El palacio principal difiere de las demás residencias por la presencia de un ushnu con cámaras funerarias adosadas, dos plazas relacionadas con el culto de dos huancas y de, por lo menos, un afloramiento rocoso con ofrendas de conchas Spondylus princeps, oro y plata, el que habría sido venerado como huaca.

Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections play an important role in the progress of lung disease in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). Recent studies indicate that polymicrobial microbiome profiles in the airway are associated with less inflammation. Thus, the hypothesis was raised that certain commensal bacteria might protect the host from inflammation. We therefore performed a screening study with commensals isolated from CF airway microbiome samples to identify potential beneficial commensals. We isolated more than 80 aerobic or facultative anaerobic commensal strains, including strains from genera Streptococcus, Neisseria, Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Dermabacter, Micrococcus and Rothia. Through a screening experiment of co-infection in human epithelial cell lines, we identified multiple commensal strains, especially strains belonging to Streptococcus mitis, that reduced P. aeruginosa triggered inflammatory responses. The results were confirmed by co-infection experiments in ex-vivo precision cut lung slices (PCLS) from mice. The underlying mechanisms of the complex host-pathogen-commensal crosstalk were investigated from both the host and the bacterial sides with a focus on S. mitis. Transcriptome changes in the host in response to co-infection and mono-infection were evaluated, and the results indicated that several signalling pathways mediating inflammatory responses were downregulated by co-infection with S. mitis and P. aeruginosa compared to P. aeruginosa mono-infection, such as neutrophil extracellular trap formation. The genomic differences among S. mitis strains with and without protective effects were investigated by whole genome sequencing, revealing genes only present in the S. mitis strains showing protective effects. In summary, through both in vitro and ex vivo studies, we could identify a variety of commensal strains that may reduce host inflammatory responses induced by P. aeruginosa infection. These findings support the hypothesis that CF airway commensals may protect the host from inflammation.

Recent research shows, that gut microbiome can influence various functions of the organism and is able to communicate with the brain. The data also show that changes in the composition of gut microbiome can influence behavior and stress reactions and vice versa, psychological state of the organism can cause changes in gut microbiome. The aim of this master's thesis was to examine changes of HPA activation and local metabolism of glucocorticoids caused by stress in the presence or absence of gut microbiome. We therefore used germ-free mice and studied the effect of stress in pituitary, adrenal gland, colon and spleen. We found that, stress has different impact on gene expression in adrenal gland, colon and spleen in the presence or absence of gut microbiome. In contrast, there wasn't any significant effect of stress on pituitary in germ free mice and their conventionaly colonized counterparts.

Les mycotoxines sont des métabolites secondaires des moisissures qui peuvent naturellement contaminer de nombreux supports (céréales, fruits, papiers peints, compost). Dans ces travaux de thèse, nous avons focalisé notre intérêt sur deux mycotoxines produites principalement par les champignons du genre Fusarium, appartenant toutes deux au même groupe des trichothécènes, le déoxynivalénol (DON) et la toxine T-2 (T-2). Les objectifs de cette thèse ont été de déterminer les effets de ces deux toxines sur la mise en place des réponses immunitaires au sein de la muqueuse respiratoire et intestinale. L’ensemble de ces études a été réalisé chez le porc, espèce cible de ces contaminants et animal modèle pour l’Homme. Les résultats de ces travaux ont montré que ces deux toxines affectent la réponse immunitaire. Au niveau du tractus respiratoire, une faible dose de toxine T-2 altère l’activation des macrophages alvéolaires lorsqu’ils sont stimulés par les agonistes des TLRs -4, -2/6 (lipopolysaccharides et acides lipoteichoïques, respectivement) en diminuant la synthèse du composé antimicrobien NO et des cytokines pro-inflammatoires IL-1β et TNF-α. Cette immunosuppression pourrait alors conduire à une susceptibilité plus accrue des porcs à des infections opportunistes. Au niveau du tractus intestinal, à l’état basal, nous avons mis en évidence que le DON comme la toxine T-2 induit une forte réponse inflammatoire innée associée à la stimulation de la voie IL-17 en inhibant le développement des cellules T régulatrices. Des études mécanistiques ont permis de déterminer que les cytokines associées à la voie IL-17 suite à une exposition aux trichothécènes, sont produites par une des sous-populations de cellules T innées, les cellules Tγδ productrices d’IL-17. La troisième partie de ce travail a porté sur l’utilisation de la souche Lactobacillus sobrius DSM 16698T dans le but de lutter contre les effets immunomodulateurs générés lors d’une exposition aux trichothécènes. Les résultats de ce travail ont montré que cette souche bactérienne est capable de réduire les effets inflammatoires IL-17 et de rétablir les paramètres impliqués dans les fonctions de la barrière intestinale, suite à une exposition ex vivo et in vivo au DON. En revanche, cette souche a peu d’effet contre la toxine T-2. L’ensemble de ce travail de thèse suggère donc qu’une exposition à de faibles doses de trichothécènes pourrait accroître la susceptibilité des animaux aux perturbations de nature infectieuse ou inflammatoire. / Mycotoxins are fungi secondary metabolites that can contaminate a lot of environments worldwild such as cereals, fruits, wallpapers, and compost heaps. Throughout this phD work, we focused on two mycotoxins mainly produced by Fusarium species, both belonging to the trichothecenes group: the deoxynivalenol (DON) and the T-2 toxin (T-2). The aims of this study were to determine the effects of these two toxins on the immune response implementation in respiratory and intestinal mucosa. Studies were performed on swine being a target species of these contaminants and a model species for Humans. The results of these works proved that these two mycotoxins can affect the immune response. In the respiratory tract, a low dose of T-2 toxin alters the activation of the alveolar macrophages when they are stimulated by the agonists of TLRs -4 and -2/6 (lipopolysaccharides and lipoteichoic acids, respectively). This alteration is due to the decrease of the synthesis of the anti-microbial compound NO and the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-α. This immunosuppression can induce the emergence of opportunist infections in pig. In the intestinal tract, in background level, we demonstrated that DON as well as T-2 toxin induces a strong inflammatory immune response associated with stimulation of IL-17 pathway by inhibiting of the development of regulatory T cells. Mechanistic studies were used to determine the production origin of the cytokin associated to the IL-17 pathway. This cytokine is produced by one of the subpopulations of Tregs, the Tγδ cells IL-17 producing when exposed to trichothecenes. The third part of this work was about the use of Lactobacillus sobrius DSM 16698T strain to counteract the immunomodulatory effects induced after trichothecen exposure. The results of this study showed that this bacterial strain is able to reduce IL-17 inflammatory effect and is also able to re-etablish the parameters involved in the intestinal barrier functions in ex vivo and in vivo response to DON. Nevertheless, this strain is less effective against the T-2 toxin. Taken together, results of this phD suggest that an exposure to low doses of trichothecens could be intensify the susceptibility of animal to infectious or inflammatory disease.

<p dir="ltr">ABSTRACT</p><p dir="ltr">Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) poses a significant challenge in the dairy and beef industry, contributing to high mortality, morbidity, and economic costs. Extensive research has aimed to enhance BRD diagnosis, focusing on various factors such as predisposition, environment, and epidemiology. While diverse methods have been developed for BRD detection, including clinical signs, behavioral changes, lung consolidation assessment via ultrasonography, and molecular techniques for microbiome analysis, accurate diagnosis remain inconsistent. Notably, many studies lack exploration of microbial interactions (fungi, viruses, and bacteria) within BRD-affected animals compared to healthy ones. Moreover, the impact of age, disease, and antibiotic treatment on the microbiome community remains understudied. Thus, additional analysis is crucial to understand the relationships between these factors and BRD development. This dissertation is divided into two parts, each addressing specific conditions. The first part focuses on characterizing the nasopharyngeal (NP) microbiome of dairy calves, pre-weaned and post-transported, and those diagnosed with BRD within the first two weeks of life. The objective is to identify NP microbiome changes as indicators of disease development, considering antibiotic treatment effects on NP alpha and beta diversity. The second part delves into characterizing the fungal and bacterial nasal cavity among BRD-affected and healthy cattle within the same pen. This section, presented in three chapters, explores the bovine nasal mycobiome in beef cattle, as well as the nasal microbiome in both dairy and beef cattle. The overarching goals of these studies are to evaluate differences in the nasal mycobiome or microbiome community between BRD-affected and healthy cattle, focusing on alpha, beta, and community compositions as potential disease indicators. Additionally, the aim is to determine if BRD-affected cattle exhibit higher abundance of BRD-pathobionts (fungi and bacteria) in the nasal cavity compared to healthy pen-mates. In conclusion, findings from this research emphasize the importance of incorporating both mycobiome and microbiome analyses in understanding BRD development. Future studies should consider geographical influences on nasal microbiome structure, highlighting the need for separate investigations in dairy and beef calves due to breed variations. Ultimately, studying mycobiome and microbiome ecology offers insights into microbial transitions from commensal to pathogenic farms in the bovine upper respiratory tract, supporting advancements in BRD prevention or mitigation strategies.</p>

Surveys and vegetation analyses were used to determine the known distribution and the characteristics of the habitat utilised by Anolis sagrei in Taiwan. Sampled lizards were used for morphological comparisons, and to investigate the reproductive biology of this species in Taiwan. The results of this study indicate that the distribution of A. sagrei in Taiwan is extensive (≥237 ha) in Chiayi City and County (southwestern study site) and scattered (≥8 ha) in Hualien City and County (eastern study site). These lizards were mostly found in open sunny degraded man-made habitats. Although some variations were noted in the comparisons between the A. sagrei collected from the two study sites, it was concluded that the two populations likely have the same founder population. The reproductive biology study indicated that photoperiod and the associated temperatures determine the reproductive cycles in A. sagrei. It also demonstrated that reproduction in this species is energetically demanding. / Nature Conservation / MSc.(Nature Conservation)

Surveys and vegetation analyses were used to determine the known distribution and the characteristics of the habitat utilised by Anolis sagrei in Taiwan. Sampled lizards were used for morphological comparisons, and to investigate the reproductive biology of this species in Taiwan. The results of this study indicate that the distribution of A. sagrei in Taiwan is extensive (≥237 ha) in Chiayi City and County (southwestern study site) and scattered (≥8 ha) in Hualien City and County (eastern study site). These lizards were mostly found in open sunny degraded man-made habitats. Although some variations were noted in the comparisons between the A. sagrei collected from the two study sites, it was concluded that the two populations likely have the same founder population. The reproductive biology study indicated that photoperiod and the associated temperatures determine the reproductive cycles in A. sagrei. It also demonstrated that reproduction in this species is energetically demanding. / Nature Conservation / MSc.(Nature Conservation)

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