Mathematical analysis of Numic languages

The objective of this bachelor’s thesis is to confirm or falsify hypotheses on the diffusion of Numic languages in the north-western United States. The theoretical part of the thesis provides an overview of the mathematical methods used to calculate phonetical difference and determine the genealogical classification of different language groups. The main part focuses on the implementation of these approaches on the Numic languages database and the evaluation of the results with regard to hypotheses found in articles on the linguistic diffusion of the Numic languages

Causal effect of incarceration history on HIV susceptibility among people who inject drugs: an individual-level meta-analysis

The objective of this master’s thesis is to describe the causal effect of ever being imprisoned on the probability of having human immunodeficiency virus among people who inject drugs. Here, we meta-analyse individual-level patient data that has been collected throughout Europe. Firstly, we provide an overview of the individual patient data and the process of merging the data sets into a complete analysis data set. Subsequently, we provide an overview of the bias reduction and causal inference and modelling methods such as propensity score matching and generalised linear mixed model. Finally, the thesis focuses on applying these practices on the merged data set. As a result, the thesis confirms the existence of a risk-increasing effect of ever imprisonment to the probability of having human immunodeficiency virus

Microcircuitry and afferent connectivity of the deep layers of the medial entorhinal cortex

The ability to navigate the environment and to remember and learn from past experiences is essential for an organism’s survival. In the mammalian brain, these functions rely on an interplay between the hippocampal formation and the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) which use multimodal sensory information to generate internal representations of the external world. Detailed spatial maps of the environment are first created by neurons in superficial layers of MEC. Hippocampal circuits subsequently combine the spatial information into complex representations that correspond to specific memory episodes. The mnemonic representations are finally consolidated in neocortical networks, requiring signals to be transmitted through neuronal populations in MEC deep layers V (LV) and VI (LVI). Recent structural and functional insights have forced the classical view of MEC deep layers as a simple hippocampal-neocortical relay station to be greatly revised. LV can be divided into sublayers Va and Vb with contrasting roles – while cells in LVa mediate the canonical transfer of hippocampal representations to the neocortex, cells in LVb project locally to superficial MEC layers. Conversely, LVI neurons project back to all hippocampal subfields and help stabilize hippocampal representations. Although these findings suggest a capacity for sophisticated information processing within the MEC deep layer network, detailed understanding of this processing has remained incomplete due to poor knowledge of hippocampal innervation of individual deep layers and crosstalk between layers V and VI. The present study combines anatomical tracing and in vitro electrophysiology to systematically characterize the functional organization of the hippocampal output pathway to MEC deep layers and the integration of LVI neurons into the MEC deep layer network. We confirm direct hippocampal projections to both layers V and VI and demonstrate the preferential targeting of LV neurons. Importantly, we discover a novel ventral hippocampal projection to LVa cells that uniquely distributes along the entire MEC dorsoventral axis. Simultaneously, we verify that dorsal hippocampal outputs mainly target LVb neurons. These sublayer-specific connectivity patterns set important constraints for the flow of hippocampal information to different downstream networks. We further examine interlaminar connectivity of LVI neurons, finding minimal excitatory and relatively common inhibitory connections between cells in layers VI and V. Overall, our results establish organizational principles for the hippocampal-medial entorhinal output pathway and suggest that MEC deep layers process signals largely independently in parallel streams of activity

Paikkondliku rahvarõivanõuandekoja tegevuspõhimõtted. Saaremaa nõuandekoja näide

Käesoleva magistritöö “Paikkondliku rahvarõivanõuandekoja tegevuspõhimõtted. Saaremaa nõuandekoja näide” eesmärk oli paikkondlike rahvarõivanõuandekodade tegevuspõhimõtete väljatöötamine. Uurimist alustades oli Eestis vaid kaks suuremat rahvarõiva nõuandekeskust: ERMi Rahvakultuuri teabe- ja koolituskeskus ning MTÜ Rahvarõiva juures tegutsev Nõuandekoja koolituskeskus. Puudusid väiksemad paikkondades töötavad nõuandekojad, kust huvilised saaksid esmase informatsiooni oma paikkonna rahvarõivaste kohta. Magistritöö uurimisküsimused olid: milline on olnud Eestis rahvarõivaste kohta käiv nõustamistöö 20. sajandi algusest tänapäevani; millega tegeletakse lähiriikide rahvarõivanõuandekeskustes; millisena näevad rahvarõivanõuandekoda rahvarõivameistrid ja rahvarõivaste kandjad ning millised ootused neil nõuandekojale on; milline võiks olla rahvarõivanõuandekoja tegevusmudel. Käesolev magistritöö on kvalitatiivne uurimistöö, milles uurimismeetoditena kasutasin kirjeldavat vaatlust, dialoogilist intervjuud ja avatud ning valikvastustega küsitlust. Fookusgruppe oli kolm: muuseumiteadurid-nõustajad, rahvarõivaste valmistajad ja meistrid ning rahvarõivaste kandjad ehk tulevased nõuandekodade kliendid. Analüüsides vaatlusi, intervjuude ja küsitluse vastuseid tegin järgmised järeldused. Paikkondlik rahvarõivanõuandekoda on mingis kindlas paikkonnas rahvarõivaste kohta käivat informatsiooni andev institutsioon. Paikkonna nõuandekoja vajaduse on loonud huvilised, kes moodustavad neli sihtgruppi: rahvakunstihuvilised, isetegijad, rahvarõivaste tellijad ja rahvarõivameistrid. Paikkondliku nõuandekoja tegevused jagunevad põhi- ja kõrvaltegevusteks. Põhitegevusteks on: rahvarõivaalase info koondamine ja süstematiseerimine; rahvarõivaste uurimine ja dokumenteerimine; rahvarõivaste üldine tutvustamine ja nõustamine. Nõustamine on nõuandekoja tähtsaim tegevus, mille alla kuuluvad nii konsultatsioonide andmine, komplektide koostamine kui ka ekspertiisi tegemine. Ilma nende põhitegevusteta ei olegi tegemist nõuandekojaga. Nõuandekoja kõrvaltegevusteks on: koolituste korraldamine ja selleks vajaliku õppematerjali koostamine; rahvarõivaste valmistamine või selle töö vahendamine ning müügitegevus. Põhi- ja kõrvaltegevuste tööd toetavad rahvarõivanõuandekojas valmistatud metoodilised materjalid.http://www.ester.ee/record=b5143629*es

Time-restricted flight ability influences dispersal and colonization rates in a group of freshwater beetles

Variation in the ability to fly or not is a key mechanism for differences in local species occurrences. It is increasingly acknowledged that physiological or behavioral mechanisms rather than morphological differences may drive flight abilities. However, our knowledge on the seasonal variability and stressors creating nonmorphological differences in flight abilities and how it scales to local and regional occurrences is very limited particularly for small, short‐lived species such as insects. Here, we examine how flight ability might vary across seasons and between two closely related genera of freshwater beetles with similar geographical ranges, life histories, and dispersal‐related morphology. By combining flight experiments of >1,100 specimens with colonization rates in a metacommunity of 54 ponds in northern and eastern Europe, we have analyzed the relationship between flight ability and spatio‐environmental distribution of the study genera. We find profound differences in flight ability between the two study genera across seasons. High flight ability for Acilius (97% of the tested individuals flew during the experiments) and low for Graphoderus (14%) corresponded to the different colonization rates of newly created ponds. Within a 5‐year period, 81 and 31% of the study ponds were colonized by Acilius and Graphoderus, respectively. While Acilius dispersed throughout the season, flight activity in Graphoderus was restricted to stressed situations immediately after the emergence of adults. Regional colonization ability of Acilius was independent of spatial connectivity and mass effect from propagule sources. In contrast, Graphoderus species were closely related to high connectivity between ponds in the landscape. Our data suggest that different dispersal potential can account for different local occurrences of Acilius and Graphoderus. In general, our findings provide some of the first insights into the understanding of seasonal restrictions in flight patterns of aquatic beetles and their consequences for species distributions

Incarceration history is associated with HIV infection among community-recruited people who inject drugs in Europe : A propensity-score matched analysis of cross-sectional studies

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Society for the Study of Addiction.Aims: We measured the association between a history of incarceration and HIV positivity among people who inject drugs (PWID) across Europe. Design, Setting and Participants: This was a cross-sectional, multi-site, multi-year propensity-score matched analysis conducted in Europe. Participants comprised community-recruited PWID who reported a recent injection (within the last 12 months). Measurements: Data on incarceration history, demographics, substance use, sexual behavior and harm reduction service use originated from cross-sectional studies among PWID in Europe. Our primary outcome was HIV status. Generalized linear mixed models and propensity-score matching were used to compare HIV status between ever- and never-incarcerated PWID. Findings: Among 43 807 PWID from 82 studies surveyed (in 22 sites and 13 countries), 58.7% reported having ever been in prison and 7.16% (n = 3099) tested HIV-positive. Incarceration was associated with 30% higher odds of HIV infection [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09–1.59]; the association between a history of incarceration and HIV infection was strongest among PWID, with the lowest estimated propensity-score for having a history of incarceration (aOR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.47–2.16). Additionally, mainly injecting cocaine and/or opioids (aOR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.33–3.53), increased duration of injecting drugs (per 8 years aOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.16–1.48), ever sharing needles/syringes (aOR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.59–2.28) and increased income inequality among the general population (measured by the Gini index, aOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.18–1.51) were associated with a higher odds of HIV infection. Older age (per 8 years aOR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.76–0.94), male sex (aOR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.65–0.91) and reporting pharmacies as the main source of clean syringes (aOR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.59–0.88) were associated with lower odds of HIV positivity. Conclusions: A history of incarceration appears to be independently associated with HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Europe, with a stronger effect among PWID with lower probability of incarceration.Peer reviewe

Liigikaitseliselt oluliste ranna-alade kaitsemeetmed - väärtuste hinnang ja lahendused

Suur osa meie kunagistest avatud looduslikest rohumaadest on eelmise sajandi keskpaigast alates kas täielikult metsastunud või siis olulisel määral puudest/põõsastest killustatud. See on toimunud nii loodusliku protsessina niitude majandamise lõppemisel kui ka eelmise sajandi teises pooles toimunud põllumajanduslikult väheväärtuslike maade metsastamiskampaania tulemusena. Poollooduslike koosluste pindala on selle tulemusena oluliselt vähenenud (Luhamaa, Ikonen, Kukk 2001; Helm, Toussaint 2020) ning kaasajal kuuluvad nad koos oma elustikuga ühtede ohustatuimate koosluste hulka. Nende hoidmiseks ja taastamiseks makstakse looduskaitse alustel maadel niitude majandamiseks ja taastamiseks toetusi. Antud toetused eeldavad niidukoosluse olemasolu või selle taastumise potentsiaali. Samas on looduskaitse alustel maadel võimalik saada toetusi seal asuva metsamaa säilitamiseks. Metsatoetuse saamise ainsaks kriteeriumiks on metsamaaks kvalifitseeruva puistu paiknemine Natura kaitsealade võrgustikku kuuluval alal ning kaitsealuste metsaelupaigatüüpide olemasolu ei ole vajalik. Nende kahe toetuse rakendamise tulemusena on paljudes kohtades tekkinud olukord, kus niitudel asuvatele noortele sekundaarsetele puistutele makstakse metsa säilitamiseks toetusi. Kuna niidukoosluste jaoks (nagu enamuse koosluste jaoks) on oluline koosluse suurus ning vähene fragmenteeritus, siis on metsatoetusel otsene negatiivne mõju poollooduslike koosluste majandamise toetusele, kuna kitsad, metsatukkade ja põõsastikega killustunud niidud ei paku avatud niiduelupaikadega kohastunud liikidele (nt kahlajad, kõre) kvaliteetset elupaika (Rannap, Lõhmus, Jakobson 2007; Rannap jt 2017; Żmihorski jt 2016) ja nii ongi kaasajaks suur osa avatud niiduelupaikadest sõltuvatest liikidest Eestis jätkuvalt langeva arvukusega (Kuresoo, Mägi 2005; Elts jt 2013; Leito jt 2014). Käesoleva projekti eesmärgiks oli selgitada välja ranniku lähedal olevatel niitudel paiknevate puistute looduskaitseline väärtus ning hinnata nende mõju ümbritsevate niidualade looduskaitselisele väärtusele.Viitamine: Luhamaa, H., Pehlak, H., Rannap, R., Tali, K. 2020. Liigikaitseliselt oluliste ranna-alade kaitsemeetmed - väärtuste hinnag ja lahendused. "Liigikaitseliselt oluliste ranna-alade kaitsemeetmed - väärtuste hinnang ja lahendused (1.02.2019-10.12.2020)" projekti lõpparuanne.Uuringu koostamist toetas: Keskkonnainvesteeringute Keskuse keskkonnaprogrammi looduskaitse alamprogramm (projekt nr 15419

Relating Habitat and Climatic Niches in Birds

Predicting species' responses to the combined effects of habitat and climate changes has become a major challenge in ecology and conservation biology. However, the effects of climatic and habitat gradients on species distributions have generally been considered separately. Here, we explore the relationships between the habitat and thermal dimensions of the ecological niche in European common birds. Using data from the French Breeding Bird Survey, a large-scale bird monitoring program, we correlated the habitat and thermal positions and breadths of 74 bird species, controlling for life history traits and phylogeny. We found that cold climate species tend to have niche positions in closed habitats, as expected by the conjunction of the biogeographic history of birds' habitats, and their current continent-scale gradients. We also report a positive correlation between thermal and habitat niche breadths, a pattern consistent with macroecological predictions concerning the processes shaping species' distributions. Our results suggest that the relationships between the climatic and habitat components of the niche have to be taken into account to understand and predict changes in species' distributions