Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz

About: Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz is a education organization based out in Bydgoszcz, Poland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Luminescence. The organization has 1109 authors who have published 2923 publications receiving 19548 citations. The organization is also known as: Casimir the Great University & Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy.

Gene Flow, Spatial Structure, Local Adaptation, and Assisted Migration in Trees

Abstract: Gene flow is a process of transferring and exchanging genetic material among groups of organisms and is an important evolutionary factor that greatly affects genetic variation and differentiation in trees. Gene flow within and among populations of forest trees plays an important role in forest tree improvement, conservation genetics, and containment of genetically modified trees (GM trees). Although trees are a very diverse group of woody plants, they share many common life traits that affect gene flow, which we discuss in this review. Some unfavorable processes in current forest tree ecosystems, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, increased environmental stress due to global climate change, introgression from domesticated trees into their wild relatives, introduction of maladapted germplasm during reforestation, etc., may badly affect naturally established balance between gene flow, isolation, and local adaptation. Therefore, estimation of gene flow becomes increasingly important for monitoring these processes and developing the best possible strategy to manage and protect forest ecosystems. Here, we review what has been done in this area recently and the methods and approaches currently used to measure gene flow in forest tree populations.

Evaluation of different parameterizations of temperature dependences of the line-shape parameters based on ab initio calculations: Case study for the HITRAN database

Abstract: Temperature dependences of molecular line-shape parameters are important for the spectroscopic studies of the atmospheres of the Earth and other planets. A number of analytical functions have been proposed as candidates that may approximate the actual temperature dependences of the line-shape parameters. In this article, we use our ab initio collisional line-shape calculations for several molecular systems to compare the four temperature ranges (4TR) representation, adopted in the HITRAN database [J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 2017;203:3] in 2016, with the double-power-law (DPL) representation. Besides the collisional broadening and shift parameters, we consider also the most important line-shape parameters beyond Voigt, i.e., the speed dependence of broadening and shift parameters, and real and imaginary parts of the complex Dicke parameter. We demonstrate that DPL gives better overall approximation of the temperature dependencies than 4TR. It should be emphasized that DPL requires fewer parameters and its structure is much simpler and more self-consistent than the structure of 4TR. We recommend the usage of DPL representation in HITRAN, and present DPL parametrization for Voigt and beyond-Voigt line profiles that will be adopted in the HITRAN database. We also discuss the problem of the Hartmann-Tran profile parametrization in which the correlation parameter, η, and frequency of the velocity-changing collisions parameter, νvc, diverges to infinity when collisional shift crosses zero; we recommend a simple solution for this problem.

Morphological differentiation supports the genetic pattern of the geographic structure of Juniperus thurifera (Cupressaceae)

Abstract: Juniperus thurifera is an important component of woodland communities of dry sites within the West Mediterranean region and is characterised by a strongly disjunctive geographic range. Two subspecies were recognised, subsp. thurifera in Europe and subsp. africana in Africa. The aim of the study was the comparison of phenetic diversity to the pattern of AFLP geographic differentiation of the species described in the literature. The examination of phenetic diversity was based on the biometrical analysis of 17 populations using 12 morphological characters of cone and seed. The differences among populations were analysed using Student’s t test, analysis of discrimination, UPGMA agglomeration and hierarchical analysis of variance. The majority of morphological characters differentiated at a statistically significant level between populations and between J. thurifera subsp. thurifera and subsp. africana. Three groups of populations were detected using multivariate statistical analyses. The first, well separated, is subsp. africana, while the following two concern subsp. thurifera. The morphological differentiation of populations appeared similar to that described on the AFLP. The Gibraltar Straight appeared to be the most important barrier.

NMπ-improved re-implementation of NM+, a software for estimating gene dispersal and mating patterns.

Abstract: This study introduces the NMπ computer program designed for estimation of plant mating system and seed and pollen dispersal kernels. NMπ is a re-implementation of the NM+ program and provides new features such as support for multicore processors, explicit treatment of dioecy, the possibility of incorporating uniparentally cytoplasmic markers, the possibility of assessing assortative mating due to phenotypic similarity and inference about offspring genealogies. The probability model of parentage (the neighbourhood model) accounts for missing data and genotyping errors, which can be estimated along with regular parameters of the mating system. The program has virtually no restrictions with respect to a number of individuals, markers or phenotypic characters. A console version of NMπ can be run under a wide variety of operating systems, including Windows, Linux or Mac OS. For Windows users, a graphical user interface is provided to facilitate operating the software. The program, user manual and example data are available on http://www.ukw.edu.pl/pracownicy/plik/igor_chybicki/3694/.

Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Comparison of Eyes of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma, and Preperimetric Glaucoma and Healthy Controls.

Abstract: BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess and compare peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), preperimetric glaucoma (PPG), and healthy controls with the use of Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT). MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty patients with AD, 30 patients with POAG, 30 patients with PPG, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Only 1 randomly selected eye of each patient was analyzed. Every subject underwent a thorough ophthalmological examination and OCT of the optic disc. The peripapillary RNFL thickness in each of the 6 sectors and globally was analyzed. RESULTS The RNFL was thinnest in patients with POAG. The mean RNFL thickness value was 60.97±12.97 µm and it was significantly lower than in healthy controls (106.30±8.95 µm), patients with PPG (93.20±12.04 µm), and AD patients (95.73±13.52 µm). Mean RNFL thickness in patients with AD was significantly lower when compared to healthy controls, and was higher compared to eyes with POAG, while there were no significant differences compared to patients with PPG. CONCLUSIONS Neuronal damage in the central nervous system (CNS) also affects to retinal axons. A major problem is to distinguish the cause for a moderate decrease in the RNFL thickness. This is particularly true for patients with glaucoma who have not been diagnosed with changes in the visual field. It is not possible to distinguish the cause of a mild decrease in the RNFL thickness based on the SD-OCT. This may result in misdiagnosis of glaucoma, unnecessary use of anti-glaucoma eye drops, and a delayed diagnosis of AD.