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Central America and the Caribbean are regularly battered by megadroughts, heavy rainfall, heat waves, and tropical cyclones. Although 21st‐century climate change is expected to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of these extreme weather events (EWEs), their incidence in regional protected areas (PAs) remains poorly explored. We examined historical and projected EWEs across the region based on 32 metrics that describe distinct dimensions (i.e., intensity, duration, and frequency) of heat waves, cyclones, droughts, and rainfall and compared trends in PAs with trends in unprotected lands. From the early 21st century onward, exposure to EWEs increased across the region, and PAs were predicted to be more exposed to climate extremes than unprotected areas (as shown by autoregressive model coefficients at p < 0.05 significance level). This was particularly true for heat waves, which were projected to have a significantly higher average (tested by Wilcoxon tests at p < 0.01) intensity and duration, and tropical cyclones, which affected PAs more severely in carbon‐intensive scenarios. PAs were also predicted to be significantly less exposed to droughts and heavy rainfall than unprotected areas (tested by Wilcoxon tests at p < 0.01). However, droughts that could threaten connectivity between PAs are increasingly common in this region. We estimated that approximately 65% of the study area will experience at least one drought episode that is more intense and longer lasting than previous droughts. Collectively, our results highlight that new conservation strategies adapted to threats associated with EWEs need to be tailored and implemented promptly. Unless urgent action is taken, significant damage may be inflicted on the unique biodiversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complete avoidance of milk is the usual management for IgE‐mediated cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA). A baked milk ladder is a method of dietary advancement therapy in IgE‐mediated CMPA in Ireland, while in Spain, avoidance of milk awaiting natural tolerance acquisition through an oral food challenge (OFC) is employed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of dietary advancement therapy using a milk ladder compared with complete avoidance of milk for managing IgE‐mediated CMPA. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of 371 pediatric patients from the population who have been treated for IgE‐mediated CMPA between 2011 and 2020, with the milk ladder (Ireland) or complete avoidance followed by an OFC (Spain). The main outcome was the introduction of cow's milk. Results: Milk ladder patients were 3.67 times more likely to succeed in comparison with milk avoidance (p <.001). Anaphylaxis during the treatment period occurred in 34 patients in the milk avoidance groups, while three patients in the milk ladder group experienced anaphylaxis due to accidental exposure to milk (p <.001). Failure to complete treatment was associated with a higher skin prick test in the milk avoidance group and a raised specific IgE in the milk ladder group. Conclusion: This is the first study that compares outcomes of dietary advancement therapy to complete avoidance for CMPA management, demonstrating that cow's milk can be successfully and safely reintroduced using dietary advancement therapy using a milk ladder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying past community dynamics can provide valuable insights for anticipating future changes in the world's biota. However, the existing fossil record is too sparse to enable continuous temporal reconstructions of wholesale community dynamics. In this study, we utilise machine learning to reconstruct Late Quaternary community structure, leveraging the climate–trophic structure relationship. We followed a four‐stage approach: 1) identify and map trophic structure units (TSUs) at the global scale based on the guild richness and composition of terrestrial mammal species weighing over 3 kg; 2) train a random forest classifier to predict the observed distribution of TSUs based on contemporary climatic conditions; 3) hindcast the global distribution of TSUs using climatic conditions as reconstructed over the past 120 000 years; and 4) compare TSU hindcasts against elements of community structure as estimated with the fossil record. Models project significant shifts in the geographical distribution of community trophic structures, with more pronounced changes occurring during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. These shifts exhibit regional variations, particularly in Eurasia and North America, where the models project reductions in the distribution of less‐complex trophic structures over the last 24 000 years. Hindcasts partially identified the alterations in community structure seen in the fossil record, demonstrating a match between the observed and predicted times of change in mammal community structure (between 24 and 8 ka BP). However, projections of trophic guilds diverged from fossil records during the Holocene. While the fossil record indicated a decrease in the number of grazers and carnivores, our models projected an increase in these numbers. Characterising community‐wide responses to climatic changes is essential to address key questions about past and future impacts of such changes. Although further research is needed to refine the models, our approach offers a perspective for addressing the complex interactions among climate and trophic structures and model their distributions over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a multidimensional phenomenon. As such, no single metric can capture all trajectories of change and associated impacts. While numerous metrics exist to measure climate change, they tend to focus on central tendencies and neglect the multidimensionality of extreme weather events (EWEs). EWEs differ in their frequency, duration, and intensity, and can be described for temperature, precipitation, and wind speed, while considering different thresholds defining “extremeness.” We review existing EWE metrics and outline a framework for classifying and interpreting them in light of their foreseeable impacts on biodiversity. Using an example drawn from the Caribbean and Central America, we show that metrics reflect unequal spatial patterns of exposure across the region. Based on available evidence, we discuss how such patterns relate to threats to biological populations, empirically demonstrating how ecologically informed metrics can help relate EWEs to biological processes such as mangrove recovery. Unveiling the complexity of EWE trajectories affecting biodiversity is only possible through mobilisation of a plethora of climate change metrics. The proposed framework represents a step forward over assessments using single dimensions or averages of highly variable time series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of molecules in exoplanetary atmospheres is only possible thanks to the availability of high-resolution molecular spectroscopic data. However, due to its intensive and time-consuming generation process, at present, only 100 molecules have high-resolution spectroscopic data available, limiting new molecular detections. Using routine quantum chemistry calculations (i.e. scaled harmonic frequency calculations using the B97-1/def2-TZVPD model chemistry with median errors of 10 cm−1), here we present a complementary high-throughput approach to rapidly generate approximate vibrational spectral data for 2743 molecules made from the biologically most important elements C, H, N, O, P, and S. Though these data are not accurate enough to enable definitive molecular detections and do not seek to replace the need for high-resolution data, it has powerful applications in identifying potential molecular candidates responsible for unknown spectral features. We explore this application for the |$4.1\,\mu{\rm m}$| (2439 cm−1) feature in the atmospheric spectrum of WASP-39b, listing potential alternative molecular species responsible for this spectral line, together with SO2. Further applications of this big data compilation also include identifying molecules with strong absorption features that are likely detectable at quite low abundances and providing a training set for machine learning predictions of vibrational frequencies. Characterizing exoplanetary atmospheres through molecular spectroscopy is essential to understanding the planet's physico-chemical processes and likelihood of hosting life. Our rapidly generated quantum chemistry big data set will play a crucial role in supporting this understanding by giving directions into possible initial identifications of the more unusual molecules to emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the hypothetical scenario of prescribing propranolol, a beta blocker, to an infant at risk of anaphylaxis who is also prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors. The concern is that the opposing effects of epinephrine and propranolol may have negative consequences. However, there is no evidence that patients on beta blockers require increased doses of epinephrine for anaphylaxis. In the event of anaphylaxis, it is important to administer epinephrine as quickly as possible, and if there is a suboptimal response, glucagon administration could be considered. Fatal outcomes from anaphylaxis in infants are extremely rare, and symptoms tend to be less severe in infants than in older children. The authors provide guidance on managing the prescription of propranolol and epinephrine auto-injectors in infants with food allergies. [Extracted from the article]

A characterization of the trophic groups of the invertebrate communities in three streams and channels of the alluvial plains of the Colombian Orinoquia is presented. The sampling of the communities was carried out in three streams during July (2016), October (2016), and January (2017). Physicochemical [temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen (mg l-1 O2), pH, conductivity (μS cm-1), ammonia (μg l-1 NH4+), and phosphates (μg l-1PO4-)] and hydrological (flow m3 s-1) variables were measured. In 50 m reaches of each sampling site, five samples of macroinvertebrates were taken in rocky substrates. Organisms were identified, and diversity was determined using the Shannon index. The comparison between sampling points was made using the Morisita-Horn index and the multivariate analysis between temporality, physicochemical variables, and organisms was performed with the Redundancy Analysis (RDA). The stomach contents of the collected individuals were identified for the more representative genera, and each genus was assigned to a specific trophic group according to their intestinal contents and mouthparts. The Collectors-Gatherers were the most abundant group in the three streams, and their high number was maintained during all the samplings. However, their abundance and richness reached their maximum peak during the dry season. The RDA indicated that water flow and temperature partially explain the temporal variation in the occurrence and abundance of the different trophic groups. In general, the findings show that organisms adapt their diet to the offer available in their environment, and therefore it is important to classify them trophically in the different ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly designed multicomponent light alloys are giving rise to non-conventional microstructures that need to be thoroughly studied before determining their potential applications. In this study, the novel Al58Zn28Si8Mg6 alloy, previously studied with CALPHAD methods, was cast and heat-treated under several conditions. An analysis of the phase evolution was carried out with in situ X-ray diffraction supported by differential scanning calorimetry and electron microscopy. A total of eight phases were identified in the alloy in the temperature range from 30 to 380 °C: α-Al, α'-Al, Zn, Si, Mg2Si, MgZn2, Mg2Zn11, and SrZn13. Several thermal transitions below 360 °C were determined, and the natural precipitation of the Zn phase was confirmed after nine months. The study showed that the thermal history can strongly affect the presence of the MgZn2 and Mg2Zn11 phases. The combination of X-ray thermo-diffraction with CALPHAD methods, differential scanning calorimetry, and electron microscopy offered us a satisfactory understanding of the alloy behavior at different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Internationally, the COVID‐19 pandemic severely curtailed access to hospital facilities for those awaiting elective/semi‐elective procedures. For allergic children in Ireland, already waiting up to 4 years for an elective oral food challenge (OFC), the restrictions signified indefinite delay. At the time of the initiative, there were approx 900 children on the Children's Health Ireland (CHI) waiting list. In July 2020, a project was facilitated by short‐term (6 weeks) access to an empty COVID stepdown facility built, in a hotel conference centre, commandeered by the Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland. The aim of this study was to achieve the rapid roll‐out of an offsite OFC service, delivering high throughput of long waiting patients, while aligning with existing hospital policies and quality standards, international allergy guidelines and national social distancing standards. Methods: The working group engaged key stakeholders to rapidly develop an offsite OFC facility. Consultant paediatric allergists, consultant paediatricians, trainees and allergy clinical nurse specialists were seconded from other duties. The facility was already equipped with hospital beds, bedside monitors (BP, pulse and oxygen saturation) and bedside oxygen. All medication and supplies had to be brought from the base hospital. Daily onsite consultant anaesthetic cover was resourced and a resuscitation room equipped. Standardized food challenge protocols were created. Access to the onsite hotel chef facilitated food preparation. A risk register was established. Results: After 6 weeks of planning, the remote centre became operational on 7/9/2020, with the capacity of 27 OFC/day. 474 challenges were commenced: 465 (98%) were completed and 9 (2%) were inconclusive. 135 (29%) OFCs were positive, with 25 (5%) causing anaphylaxis. No child required advanced airway intervention. 8 children were transferred to the base hospital. The CHI allergy waiting list was reduced by almost 60% in only 24 days. Conclusions: Oral food challenges remain a vital tool in the care of allergic children, with their cost saving and quality‐of‐life benefits negatively affected by a delay in their delivery. This project has shown it is possible to have huge impacts on a waiting list efficiently, effectively and safely with good planning and staff buy‐in—even in a pandemic. Adoption of new, flexible and efficient models of service delivery will be important for healthcare delivery in the post–COVID‐19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many affective computing studies have developed automatic emotion recognition models, mostly using emotional images, audio and videos. In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been also used as a method to elicit emotions in laboratory environments. However, there is still a need to analyse the validity of VR in order to extrapolate the results it produces and to assess the similarities and differences in physiological responses provoked by real and virtual environments. We investigated the cardiovascular oscillations of 60 participants during a free exploration of a real museum and its virtualisation viewed through a head-mounted display. The differences between the heart rate variability features in the high and low arousal stimuli conditions were analysed through statistical hypothesis testing; and automatic arousal recognition models were developed across the real and the virtual conditions using a support vector machine algorithm with recursive feature selection. The subjects' self-assessments suggested that both museums elicited low and high arousal levels. In addition, the real museum showed differences in terms of cardiovascular responses, differences in vagal activity, while arousal recognition reached 72.92% accuracy. However, we did not find the same arousal-based autonomic nervous system change pattern during the virtual museum exploration. The results showed that, while the direct virtualisation of a real environment might be self-reported as evoking psychological arousal, it does not necessarily evoke the same cardiovascular changes as a real arousing elicitation. These contribute to the understanding of the use of VR in emotion recognition research; future research is needed to study arousal and emotion elicitation in immersive VR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between weather and crime in Barranquilla, Colombia, a city in the Torrid Zone, which in contrast to more commonly studied temperate zones is hot and humid year-round. Our analysis is based on daily variations in four weather variables (temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, and wind speed) and two indicators of criminal activity, namely, homicides and interpersonal violence. To help identify statistical links, we add controls for temporal variables. Using count data models in the estimations, we do not find any statistically significant relationship between weather patterns and homicides. However, we find that weather can be an important predictor of interpersonal violence in this area. These findings draw attention to the importance of considering weather factors when designing a long-run urban security policy in one of the world's most vulnerable regions to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Contemporary dispersal constraints and environmental conditions are broadly recognized as significant drivers of beta diversity patterns. However, beta diversity patterns may also reflect the legacy of past climatic and geological events. In this study, we investigated the relative importance of historical and contemporary factors as drivers of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic beta diversity in Neotropical stream communities. Location: The Colombian Orinoco basin. Taxon: Diatoms and insects. Methods: We estimated taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional beta diversity using Baselga's (BAS) and Podani's (POD) frameworks. Following both frameworks, we further partitioned every biodiversity facet into turnover and nestedness or richness difference components. Then, we used generalized linear models (GLM) to relate each biodiversity facet with environmental, spatial and historical factors. Results: We found that both historical and contemporary factors affected current patterns of beta diversity. Historical factors and water pH and temperature had the strongest effect on beta diversity patterns, particularly for taxonomic and phylogenetic facets. GLM models performed better for insects than for diatoms in all three facets. Within communities, our analysis also revealed a partial congruence between BAS‐ and POD‐based results. Main conclusions: Due to their past geological history and contemporary environmental gradients, tropical montane streams are natural laboratories for disentangling the joint effects of ecological and biogeographical factors on biodiversity patterns. Our study reveals that present‐day distribution patterns cannot be fully explained without accounting for the effects of past geological and climatic events on mountain landscapes. In the Neotropics, montane geology sets the stage for speciation and landscape formation, with which ecological (e.g., dispersal limitation) and environmental factors interact to generate spatial variation in species turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have revealed that beta-diversity patterns are tightly coupled to differences in habitat heterogeneity and the spatial distance among headwaters. However, addressing the relative role of these factors over time is yet to be done, particularly in those factors acting at the local scale. Here, we investigated the temporal responses of stream invertebrate communities to habitat simplification and flow variability in two stretches of a high-Andean stream: an undisturbed and a channelized stretch. Both stretches were sampled every month in two hydrologically different years: a "regular year" and a year under the influence of the La Niña phenomenon. Using four types of beta diversity (Jaccard, Percentage difference, Raup-Crick, and Gower), we tested two hypotheses: (H1) the temporal flow dynamics affect beta diversity, increasing its temporal variability. (H2) The effect of flow temporal dynamics would change because of the habitat simplification, being the temporal variability of beta diversity higher in the simplified (channelized) stretch. Contrarily to our expectations, we observed a significant mismatch between beta diversity metrics: while some indicated an increase, others indicated a decrease in the temporal variability. Nevertheless, taken together and interpreted in an ecological context, our results indicate that habitat simplification changes the temporal patterns of beta diversity. Specifically, our findings suggest that habitat simplification induces the functional homogenization of the community and diminishes the extent of change in community composition between sampling occasions. At the channelized stretch, we found that the community comprised species with adaptations to flow-related constraints primarily whose occurrence varied little among sampling occasions. These findings are relevant to Andean streams' bioassessment, as certain programs rely on taking a 'snapshot" to assess the ecosystem's health or the effect of an anthropogenic stressor. Our study suggests that this snapshot may be biased if both the habitat heterogeneity and the history of high-flow events are not explicitly considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the relative influence of ecoregional features in explaining diatom distribution in the Orinoco river basin. Ecoregions in the Colombian Orinoco can be seen as imprints of the evolutionary history of the basin, for their current biodiversity and physiographic features are the result of the geological and climatic shifts that have occurred since the Tertiary. Thus, they represent an ideal testing ground for studying the interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes shaping diversity patterns of microorganisms, such as diatoms, in the present day. To study this interplay, we compared diatom community composition variance within and among seven ecoregions and assessed the explanatory power of environmental, spatial and historical drivers. This was done by a combination of correlation analyses, multivariate methods and constrained ordinations. We also deconstructed the whole community data set into ecological guilds (low‐ and high‐profile, and motile) to explore their individual response to the contemporary and historical drivers. Taken together, these analyses indicated that contemporary constraints to species occurrence and dispersal, as well as the legacies of historical events, can provide an explanation for the contemporary distribution of diatoms in the Colombian Orinoco. Specifically, we provided evidence showing that both historical legacies and contemporary environmental conditions (temperature, pH, and phosphorus concentration) are interacting to determine diatoms' distribution. Our results suggest the need to consider ecoregional gradients for unraveling the mechanisms shaping tropical diversity as well as for designing conservation plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify and characterize the distribution of invertebrate taxa in the Orinoco basin and how their distribution affects the metacommunity structure along the river network. Location: Meta and Guaviare sub‐basins, Orinoco basin, Colombia, South America. Methods: We characterized the invertebrate communities and environmental characteristics of 25 streams from six ecoregions in the Orinoco basin. The ecoregions present different historical evolution, altitude, slope, climate and vegetation features. We used multiplicative diversity partitioning to compare the contributions of riffle (α and β1), stream (β2) and ecoregional (β3) scales to the overall gamma diversity of the basin. We also applied the Elements of Metacommunity Structure framework to delineate metacommunity types and a distance‐based redundancy analysis to assess the relative relevance of environmental, spatial and ecoregional drivers in species compositions of invertebrate communities. Results: Streams showed significant differences in community composition among the ecoregions. Several discrete pools of invertebrate taxa occurred in the basin that largely matched the distribution of the ecoregions. Consequently, the metacommunity in the basin resembled a Clementsian idealized structure. The species composition of invertebrate communities was mostly explained by ecoregion type and its interaction with the local environment, particularly its physiographic features. Main conclusions: Historical and evolutionary processes have resulted in species pools differing between the ecoregions of the Orinoco basin. At the basin scale, the metacommunity structure seems to be constrained by ecoregional features rather than by spatial structure or the local environment. Hence, using the basin as a unit for biodiversity conservation and river management would not adequately reflect the diversity and distribution patterns in highly heterogeneous basins such as the Orinoco basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Meningiomas are the most common primary tumors, although most are benign, their location in the central nervous system can cause severe morbidity and mortality. Around the world this type of neoplasia has an incidence of 7.7 per 100,000 inhabitants and presenting a variable incidence in each region, being 3.8% in the middle fossa, 10% in the posterior fossa and in general 36% of all intracranial tumors. Their development will depend on several risk factors that are associated with both genetic to environmental causes. Interpretation: Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors and both its size and location differs, causing symptoms by mass effect therefore, in the middle fossa, the affectation is visual, while in posterior fossa vestibular symptoms, and even though the histological benign nature of this tumors, patients suffer from neurological symptoms and will require treatment; Being the surgery the primary treatment in all the cases which are accessible, on the other hand, radiation can be used as a primary treatment or, therefore, for recurrent or inaccessible lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality is a powerful tool in human behaviour research. However, few studies compare its capacity to evoke the same emotional responses as in real scenarios. This study investigates psycho-physiological patterns evoked during the free exploration of an art museum and the museum virtualized through a 3D immersive virtual environment (IVE). An exploratory study involving 60 participants was performed, recording electroencephalographic and electrocardiographic signals using wearable devices. The real vs. virtual psychological comparison was performed using self-assessment emotional response tests, whereas the physiological comparison was performed through Support Vector Machine algorithms, endowed with an effective feature selection procedure for a set of state-of-the-art metrics quantifying cardiovascular and brain linear and nonlinear dynamics. We included an initial calibration phase, using standardized 2D and 360° emotional stimuli, to increase the accuracy of the model. The self-assessments of the physical and virtual museum support the use of IVEs in emotion research. The 2-class (high/low) system accuracy was 71.52% and 77.08% along the arousal and valence dimension, respectively, in the physical museum, and 75.00% and 71.08% in the virtual museum. The previously presented 360° stimuli contributed to increasing the accuracy in the virtual museum. Also, the real vs. virtual classifier accuracy was 95.27%, using only EEG mean phase coherency features, which demonstrates the high involvement of brain synchronization in emotional virtual reality processes. These findings provide an important contribution at a methodological level and to scientific knowledge, which will effectively guide future emotion elicitation and recognition systems using virtual reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experiments were performed using immersive virtual environments. • The combined effect of illuminance and colour temperature was analysed at a psychological level. • Memory performance was analysed using psychological metrics. • The lighting combination of 100 lx and 6500 K produced the best memory performance. • Higher illuminance and colour temperature produced poorer memory performance. The global energy crisis has created an urgent demand to decrease the energy that buildings consume. In universities, the situation is complicated as campuses need to have a high level of comfort and, therefore, consume more energy than other building types. Lighting accounts for a high percentage of this energy expenditure and urgent measures are required to reduce this consumption and, thus, costs. A further complication is that lighting has been shown to have an important influence on cognitive learning processes. One such process is memory, which has a fundamental influence on modern society. In this study, we analyse the psychological responses of 143 students in a memory task in a virtual classroom using three illuminance levels (100 lx, 300 lx and 500 lx) and four colour temperatures (3000 K, 4000 K, 6500 K and 10500 K). The results showed that lighting conditions influence memory. The combination of 100 lx and 6500 K produced the best memory performance. The results showed that varying lighting parameters can significantly reduce the energy expenditure of educational centres and, in turn, provide better cognitive outcomes for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of environmental simulations depends on their capacity to replicate responses produced in physical environments. However, very few studies validate navigation differences in immersive virtual environments, even though these can radically condition space perception and therefore alter the various evoked responses. The objective of this paper is to validate environmental simulations using 3D environments and head-mounted display devices, at behavioural level through navigation. A comparison is undertaken between the free exploration of an art exhibition in a physical museum and a simulation of the same experience. As a first perception validation, the virtual museum shows a high degree of presence. Movement patterns in both 'museums' show close similarities, and present significant differences at the beginning of the exploration in terms of the percentage of area explored and the time taken to undertake the tours. Therefore, the results show there are significant time-dependent differences in navigation patterns during the first 2 minutes of the tours. Subsequently, there are no significant differences in navigation in physical and virtual museums. These findings support the use of immersive virtual environments as empirical tools in human behavioural research at navigation level. Research highlights The latest generation HMDs show a high degree of presence. There are significant differences in navigation patterns during the first 2 minutes of a tour. Adaptation time need to be considered in future research. Training rooms need to be realistic, to avoid the 'wow' effect in the main experiment. Results support the use of Virtual Reality and the latest HMDs as empirical tools in human behavioural research at navigation level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have explored the ecology and interrelationship with other organisms of the many endangered freshwater turtle species inhabiting the Neotropical region. The focus of the current study was to shed light on the relationship between Neotropical turtle carapaces and primary producers, insofar as the surface of former constitutes a suitable substrate for the colonization and establishment of the latter. The under-explored relationship between turtle carapaces and the diatom assemblages inhabiting them was investigated and characterized in terms of taxonomic and biological traits (bio-volume, life-form, and attachment). The carapaces of seven native turtle species were surveyed. Among these carapaces, a total of 45 diatom taxa were found, and diatom taxa varied among turtle species. Podocnemis vogli and Podocnemis expansa supported more diverse diatom assemblages than Podocnemis lewyana, Rhinoclemmys diademata, and Rhinoclemmys melanosterna, which were dominated by Navicula spp. Analysis, further showed that carapace size did not explain differences in diatom diversity. However, a trait-based analysis suggests that both carapace roughness and an assemblage's successional stage might explain the differences in assemblage composition. Because turtles can serve as dispersal vectors, characterizing their epibiont diatom assemblages may contribute to our understanding of diatom distribution on larger scales, as well as, give us some clues as to the auto-ecology of turtles that help us to effectively determine conservation areas for these endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work summarizes the experimental and numerical activities done in a molten carbonate cell operated in reversible mode using a single cell with an electrodes-electrolyte interface area of 80 cm 2 . The experimental activity is divided into two sets. Firstly, running the cell only in fuel cell mode in order to compare five electrochemical zero-dimensional models available in literature and choose the one with the smallest deviation with respect to the experimental data, which is applied later in electrolysis mode. The second experimental set is focused on studying the cell working in reversible mode by varying the gas composition entering the fuel electrode and oxygen electrode, the ratio of the flow rate of the oxygen electrode to the fuel electrode and the cell temperature. The results indicate that molten carbonate cells present lower polarization losses in electrolysis mode than in fuel cell mode. According to the parameter variations, a lower cell temperature decreases the performance in both modes; besides, in the fuel electrode the results indicate carbon dioxide reduction apart from the reduction of water; moreover, the oxygen electrode is strongly sensible to the high presence of carbon dioxide that could cause a faster nickel oxide dissolution accelerating the degradation. Throughout the experimental campaign the molten carbonate cell presents a quite high degradation, contrary to previous results of reversible molten carbonate cells carried out using button cells where an improvement was found instead of a degradation. Electrolyte refilling was tried at the end of the second experimental campaign obtaining a significant decrease of internal resistance with a difference of only 20.6% with respect to the initial condition. According to the experimental activity, the fitted model gives a good prediction of the performance in fuel cell mode; however, in electrolysis mode the prediction is weak mainly attributed to the differences in the diffusive phenomena between both operative modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, exergetic, environmental and economic (3E) analyses have been performed in order to provide sustainability indicators from resource extraction to the final product of stationary power Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) systems (500 kW). Two environmental life cycle impact assessment methods have been selected: the ReCiPe 2016 hierarchical midpoint and endpoint, and the Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment (CEENE). The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) under technology cost and performance parameters was calculated to analyze the system from the economic point of view. The global warming potential (GWP) is estimated to be 0.549 kg CO 2 -eq/kWh while acidification (5.06e−4 kg SO 2 -eq/kWh), eutrophication (9.81e−4 kg P-eq. freshwater/kWh), ozone layer depletion (4.11e−6 kg CFC-11-eq/kWh) and human toxicity (1.07 kg 1,4-DB-eq/kWh). Aggregated CEENE was estimated to be about 8.55 MJ ex /kWh. Results show that majority of impacts are dominated by fuel supply, while some others are dominated by manufacturing of system. GWP is the only impact category dominated by system operation. Due to potentially high electrical efficiency, MCFC energy systems can lead to lower CEENE and improvements of global warming, fossil fuel and resource scarcity, and photochemical oxidant formation potential with respect to other conventional energy conversion systems. Advances in longer lifetimes of the MCFC stack can help trigger innovation in manufacturing processes and will lead to less resource use of electricity, metal, and minerals, thus less resource scarcity and toxicity related burdens. The baseline LCOE is calculated 0.1265 €/kWh being comparable with the Italian grid (0.15–0.16 €/kWh). The costing results indicate that the unit decreasing the system capital cost could potentially reduce the LCOE by around 25%. Advancing the use of life-cycle thinking in MCFC industry with site-specific data raise systems credibility and enables clarifying the trade-offs between the sustainability pillars, thus designing more sustainable products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste management in many cities of developing countries is not environmentally sustainable. People traditionally dispose of their solid waste in unsuitable urban areas like sidewalks and satellite dumpsites. This situation nowadays has become a serious public health problem in big Latin American conurbations. Among these densely-populated urban spaces, the Colombia's capital and main city stands out as a special case. In this study, we aim to identify the factors that shape the attitudes towards source-separated recycling among households in Bogotá. Using data from the Colombian Department of Statistics and Bogotá's multi-purpose survey, we estimated a multivariate Probit model. In general, our results show that the higher the household's socioeconomic class, the greater its effort for separating solid wastes. Likewise, our findings also allowed us to characterize household profiles regarding solid waste separation and considering each socioeconomic class. Among these profiles, we found that at lower socioeconomic classes, the attitudes towards solid waste separation are influenced by the use of Internet, the membership to an environmentalist organization, the level of education of the head of household and the homeownership. Hence, increasing the education levels within the poorest segment of the population, promoting affordable housing policies and facilitating Internet access for the vulnerable population could reinforce households' attitudes towards a greater source-separated recycling effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological research into human factors frequently uses simulations to study the relationship between human behaviour and the environment. Their validity depends on their similarity with the physical environments. This paper aims to validate three environmental-simulation display formats: photographs, 360° panoramas, and virtual reality. To do this we compared the psychological and physiological responses evoked by simulated environments set-ups to those from a physical environment setup; we also assessed the users' sense of presence. Analysis show that 360° panoramas offer the closest to reality results according to the participants' psychological responses, and virtual reality according to the physiological responses. Correlations between the feeling of presence and physiological and other psychological responses were also observed. These results may be of interest to researchers using environmental-simulation technologies currently available in order to replicate the experience of physical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal movement characteristics are not species-specific traits, but rather individual features that respond to various selective pressures. To understand patterns of animal movements, it is especially important to explore how they are affected by differences in landscape and habitat configuration. This paper presents an analysis of the movement patterns of a species of conservation concern in Northwest Amazon, the lowland tapir ( Tapirus terrestris ), in relation to landscape elements identified as resource concentration areas (palm stands and natural salt licks). We identify the structure of the movement behavior of a sub-adult male lowland tapir using Behavioral Change Point Analysis (BCPA) and a set of metrics capturing velocity and variance. We also estimate this tapir’s Utilization Distribution (UD) using the dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Model (dBBMM) in order to better understand its trajectories and space-use patterns. Our results provide insights about this animal’s movement, making it possible to differentiate between foraging behaviors, characterized by long trips and selective resource use, and explorative behaviors, characterized by short displacements and a notable decrease in the usage of resource areas and its trajectories. The high influence of landscape elements on movement characteristics suggest that tapirs may perceive the Amazonian forest as heterogeneous rather than homogeneous mosaics. Therefore, the study of movement characteristics proves to be useful for the development of future studies and conservation plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great technological evolution of architectural rendering resources over the last few decades has opened up a new range of possibilities to visualise the non-built space. The spatial immersion systems, developed by the videogame industry, have entered in the sceptical area of architectural rendering, offering a series of undeniable advantages including enhancing the understanding of spaces to inexpert people. In order to study the benefits of these new virtual tools, an experimental study was carried out so as to compare the user response to technological and graphic supports. With a simple of 84 individuals, the obtained data reveal significant differences in the space perception depending on the format and support used to their representation. The results of this study allow us to reflect on new means of architectural rendering in the professional and teaching field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial cellulase production has increased in recent years and consistent research has been carried out to improve levels of β-glucosidase. Bioprocesses have been successfully adapted to produce this enzyme, with solid-state fermentations as the best-suited technique involving fungi. The aim of this study was to use leaves of tarbush ( Flourensia cernua), an abundant shrub of the Chihuahuan Desert, as a carbon source for β-glucosidase production by Aspergillus niger. During the solid bioprocess, this enzyme reached its peak production at 36 h of culture with 3876.6 U/L. There is a particular interest in the substrate composition because of the possibility of phenolic glycosides having an important role in β-glucosidase production. HPLC-MS analyses showed that glycosides were present with the highest accumulation at 36 h of fungal culture. Luteolin and apigenin glycosides [1.8 and 2.4 absorbance units, respectively] were also detected and showed their highest point of detection alongside the highest β-glucosidase activity. No apparent changes in cellulose were observed, while hemicellulose content decreased, which could be related to production and activity of β-glucosidase. This study shows that leaves of F. cernua are an important raw material for β-glucosidase production and give a source of compounds of added value which also may have an important role for β-glucosidase production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elasto-plastic energies and the RID parameter (Relative Indentation Depth β=hmax/t), defined as the ratio between the maximum indentation depth and the coating thickness, were used to evaluate the ability of the ceramic coated systems to withstand load. The study was conducted on M2 and 304L steels coated with titanium nitride by PAPVD. Both substrates were coated with TiN of about 2,0 and 3,0 µm thickness. The hardness vs. (β) and the ratio of plastic to total energy (Wp/Wt) vs. (β) graphs were analyzed. There were found correlations between the indentation depths at which the transition from mechanical response due to the coating to the mechanical response of substrate-coating and to substrate dominated behavior and the depths at which the efficiency of using the coating falls 33% and 50%. Results show that it is possible to get useful information from the energy taken from the mechanical response of the coated systems to avoid the Oliver and Pharr method for measuring the hardness and elastic modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) measure the performance of an enterprise relative to its objectives thereby enabling corrective action where there are deviations. In current practice, KPIs are manually integrated within dashboards and scorecards used by decision makers. This practice entails various shortcomings. First, KPIs are not related to their business objectives and strategy. Consequently, decision makers often obtain a scattered view of the business status and business concerns. Second, while KPIs are defined by decision makers, their implementation is performed by IT specialists. This often results in discrepancies that are difficult to identify. In this paper, we propose an approach that provides decision makers with an integrated view of strategic business objectives and conceptual data warehouse KPIs. The main benefit of our proposal is that it links strategic business models to the data for monitoring and assessing them. In our proposal, KPIs are defined using a modeling language where decision makers specify KPIs using business terminology, but can also perform quick modifications and even navigate data while maintaining a strategic view. This enables monitoring and what-if analysis, thereby helping analysts to compare expectations with reported results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The object of this article is to identify the set of affective and emotional factors behind users’ assessments of a space in a neonatology unit and to propose design guidelines based on these. Background: The importance of the neonatology service and the variety of users place great demands on the space at all levels. Despite the repercussions, the emotional aspects of the environment have received less attention. Methods: To avoid incurring limitations in the user mental scheme, this study uses two complementary methodologies: focus group and semantic differential. The (qualitative) focus group methodology provides exploratory information and concepts. The (quantitative) semantic differential methodology then uses these concepts to extract the conceptual structures that users employ in their assessment of the space. Of the total 175 subjects, 31 took part in focus groups and 144 in semantic differential. Results: Five independent concepts were identified: privacy, functionality and professional nature, spaciousness, lighting, and cleanliness. In relation to the importance of the overall positive assessment of the space, the perception of privacy and sensations of dominance and pleasure are fundamental. Six relevant design aspects were also identified: provide spacious surroundings, facilitate sufficient separation between the different posts or cots, use different colors from those usually found in health-care centers, as some aversion was found to white and especially green, design areas with childhood themes, use warm artificial light, and choose user-friendly equipment. Conclusions: Results provide design recommendations of interest and show the possibilities offered by combining both systems to analyze user response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermoeconomic analysis of a MCFC/MGT operating at 600 °C and 650 °C. • Thermoeconomic analysis of a SOFC/MGT operating at 600 °C and 650 °C. • The higher exergy destruction in both MCFC/MGT and SOFC/MGT at 600 °C and 650 °C is in the catalytic burner. • The LCOE for the SOFC/MGT system is 0.339–0.402$/kWh and for the MCFC/MGT system is 0.875–0.897$/kWh. • The amount of CO 2 expelled by the MCFC/MGT and SOFC/MGT system is 479.4–495.1 kg/year and 429.0–443.6 kg/year, respectively. This study presents a comparative evaluation of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) and Solid Oxide Fuel cell (SOFC) stacks coupled with a micro gas turbine (MGT). For the analysis, it is assumed that the fuel supply to the stacks is constant in all the analyzed conditions. The components of the system have been sized using the first law of thermodynamics to meet the thermal conditions required to maintain fuel cell stack operation, while an exergetic analysis has been implemented in order to assess the components in terms of irreversibilities. Furthermore, an economic analysis to estimate the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) has been carried out to indicate the most feasible option between the two analyzed systems. The capacity of the fuel cell stacks is 500kW dc operating at 350 kPa and 600 °C/650 °C. The results indicate that MCFC stacks are more efficient than SOFC stacks, but are considerably more expensive. Nevertheless, the SOFC/MGT system has a global efficiency higher than that of the MCFC/MGT; also its Total Capital Investment (TCI) is 2.5–3.5 times lower, thus making the SOFC/MGT coupling more attractive. The only product considered coming out from the systems to determine the LCOE is electricity. The LCOE for the SOFC/MGT system is 0.339–0.402$/kWh and for the MCFC/MGT is 0.875–0.897$/kWh, which for both configurations is still higher than the current electricity prices. One aspect that increases the investment and consequently the LCOE is the high cost of the stacks and their replacements which is around 19 % and 10 % of the total Purchased Equipment Cost (PEC) for MCFC and SOFC stacks, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish sufficient conditions for the existence of local solutions for a class of Cauchy type problems with arbitrary fractional order. The results are established by the application of the contraction mapping principle and Schaefer's fixed point theorem. An example is provided to illustrate the applicability of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to identify and analyze the paleoenvironmental and biostratigraphic aspects of the diatoms, in the sediments of the Mesa La Misión outcrop. The Mesa La Misión in Baja California is an outcrop of the Member Los Indios, part of the Rosarito Beach Formation. This formation consists of a volcanoclastic sequence with abundant and diverse vertebrate fauna named “La Misión Local Fauna”. The presence of 15 different diatom species were found in samples taken from four stratigraphic levels of the Mesa La Misión outcrop. Deposition of the Los Indios Member occurred in a marine progradational platform. Benthic diatoms are abundant in the lower part of the sequence and become less abundant at higher stratigraphic levels. Most of the diatom species found indicate temperate waters. However, mixing of water may have been present due to some tropical and cold water specimens that were found. An increase of the deposition depth towards the top of the section was found. This was due to the occurrence of diatoms from different temperature gradients, combined with the reduction of benthic diatoms towards the top of the section. This sea level can be associated with the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum. It may correspond to the global cycle TM 2.2. In addition, the presence of Actynocyclus ingens var. nodus, a biostratigraphical taxon, places the deposition of the sediments during the middle Miocene. More specifically, between 15.6 and 13.0 million years (middle Langhian). This age correlates with the radiometric dating of the underlaying and overlaying basalts dated 16.1 ± 2.1 and 14.3 ± 2.6, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of channel complexity in maintaining biological integrity and ecosystem functioning has been addressed by several researchers. In spite of this, High-Andean streams are being channelized without regard to the effect that channelization might have on stream communities. To attempt to determine these effects, the present study evaluated how caddisfly assemblages respond to channelization in a High-Andean stream. A trait-based approach was used to compare trait-based responses, and the degree of functional homogenization caused by channelization. A total of seven traits are described: (i) 'Food,' (ii) 'Feeding habits,' (iii) 'Maximum body size,' (iv) 'Adaptation to flow constrains,' (v) 'Body flexibility,' (vi) 'Case-material,' and (vii) 'Case-shape.' Both the functional structure of the assemblages and the channel complexity of the channelized site were characterized and compared to those of two undisturbed sites. The results suggest that certain genera become dominant as a result of the environmental changes caused by partial channelization. Specifically, assemblages underwent significant specialization in 'Food,' 'Feeding habits,' and 'Case-shape,' and this was linked to the homogenization in mesohabitat type and in hydraulic variability. The trends evident in the trait-based responses may serve as a basis for proposing and assessing strategies to restore the hydromorphological integrity of High-Andean streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every day Pharmacovigilance becomes increasingly important to patient health. There are some gaps and limitations in the current Latin American Pharmacovigilance framework which could be addressed to have a better system to correctly and promptly identify suspected adverse drug reactions (ADR). Considering this context, Vigilantia was born as an initiative to foster Pharmacovigilance both scientifically and educationally, and enhance all aspects of the safe and proper use of medicines, across all Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow regulation can alter the structure and dynamics of lotic communities, especially in rivers with unpredictable high-flow events, such as those flowing through the Páramo, an endemic ecosystem of the high-altitude Neotropical Andes. This study evaluated how flow regulation affects invertebrate assemblage structure in a Páramo river. In both the wet and dry seasons, the study assessed flow history, water chemistry and mesohabitat characteristics in their relation to assemblage structures upstream (undisturbed reach) and downstream (disturbed reach) of a water diversion structure. The elimination of spates through flow regulation did not lead to a complete change in the assemblage components at the disturbed reach. Instead, it led to an assemblage structure with a greater genera-richness, a lower genera-evenness and a greater occurrence of certain genera, e.g., Pristina, Alotanypus, Polypedilum and Austrolimnius. These genera lacked resistance-resilience adaptations, which would allow them to survive in mesohabitat conditions resulting from increased hydromorphological stability, namely higher fine sediment retention, higher benthic organic matter (BOM) and lower hydraulic stress. Overall, the results of this study reinforce the assertion that, in Páramo rivers, the temporal dynamics of the natural flow regime significantly control the structure of invertebrate assemblages. Thus, to preserve these rivers' biotic assemblages, it will be necessary to implement new regulation plans that mimic their natural flow histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roasted carob powder is produced from the pulp of carob fruit (Ceratonia siliqua L.). In this study, the roasting process was optimized using a central composite design of the response surface methodology in order to maximize the product quality and minimize processing temperature (100–160 °C) and time (5–60 min). Analysis of variance qualified the effect of roasting with different types of models: first, linear models for dry matter, glucose, and ABTS scavenging activity; then, correlative models for proteins, total dietary fibers (TDF), and polyphenols; and last, quadratic models for total flavonoids, flavonols, and DPPH scavenging activity (all significant at p < 0.05). The process increased the antioxidant activity, TDF, and total polyphenol contents, while the concentration of the other components decreased. The optimal conditions for carob roasting were 100 °C for 37.32 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conceptual modeling continues to evolve as researchers and practitioners reflect on the challenges of modeling and implementing data-intensive problems that appear in business and in science. These challenges of data modeling and representation are well-recognized in contemporary applications of big data, ontologies, and semantics, along with traditional efforts associated with methodologies, tools, and theory development. This introduction contains a review of some current research in conceptual modeling and identifies emerging themes. It also introduces the articles that comprise this special issue of papers from the 32 nd International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2013). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is concerned with existence of mild solution of evolution equation with Hilfer fractional derivative which generalized the famous Riemann–Liouville fractional derivative. By noncompact measure method, we obtain some sufficient conditions to ensure the existence of mild solution. Our results are new and more general to known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a new approach to compute the impulse response of fractional order linear time invariant systems. By applying a general approach to decompose a Laplace transform into a Laurent like series, we obtain a power series that generalizes the Taylor and MacLaurin series. The algorithm is applied to the computation of the impulse response of causal linear fractional order systems. In particular for the commensurate case we propose a table to obtain the coefficients of the MacLaurin series. Through what we call the correspondence principle we show that it is possible to obtain a fractional order Laplace transform solution from the integer one. Some examples are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chironomidae is a cosmopolitan family of Nematoceran flies with more than 20 000 species described. However the diversity of genera and species of the family in the Andean region beyond the 2000m.a.s.l are scarcely known. We conducted faunal surveys and biomonitoring research in different streams of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru from May 2005 to October 2011. Based on specimens collections, a taxonomic key was developed to identify pupae and pupal exuviae of 46 genera of midges (Diptera, Chironomidae) collected from streams at high altitude areas on the Andean tropical mountains. We included illustrations and brief taxonomic descriptions for all genera, of which several ones have not yet been formally described; in this latter case we used the nomenclature of Roback & Coffman (1983). For two genera, Cricotopus and Genus 1, keys to the most common morphospecies were provided. Results showed that in this area the chironomid assemblages are dominated by the members of the subfamily Orthocladiinae (22 genera) followed by the Chironominae (13). Six genera of Tanypodinae were identified, while only three and two genera were present from subfamilies Podonominae and Diamesinae. This key may be very useful for both studies about drift in streams, and for biomonitoring purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Developing a data warehouse is an ongoing task where new requirements are constantly being added. A widely accepted approach for developing data warehouses is the hybrid approach, where requirements and data sources must be accommodated to a reconciliated data warehouse model. During this process, relationships between conceptual elements specified by user requirements and those supplied by the data sources are lost, since no traceability mechanisms are included. As a result, the designer wastes additional time and effort to update the data warehouse whenever user requirements or data sources change. In this paper, we propose an approach to preserve traceability at conceptual level for data warehouses. Our approach includes a set of traces and their formalization, in order to relate the multidimensional elements specified by user requirements with the concepts extracted from data sources. Therefore, we can easily identify how changes should be incorporated into the data warehouse, and derive it according to the new configuration. In order to minimize the effort required, we define a set of general Query/View/Transformation rules to automate the derivation of traces along with data warehouse elements. Finally, we describe a CASE tool that supports our approach and provide a detailed case study to show the applicability of the proposal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Land use policies and planning in Latin America have been partially successful in halting deforestation yet have not stopped forest degradation. Here, we study the different stakeholders' perspectives of the drivers of forest degradation. We use Colombia as a case study for understanding synergies and trade-offs of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and analyzed what the most important causes are, to whom it matters, and their regional contribution. We identified a common perception, but miscommunication and misunderstandings occur between local- and national-level actors in terms of their views on responsibilities and rates of change. The results are a call for action. Cross-scale governance is necessary to improve the design and implementation of policies for forest management at the subnational and local levels and to ensure that we move toward sustainable development without worsening existing inequalities. It is essential that countries provide the enabling conditions to develop a coherent governing framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an extension of the classical elastic law. The main objective of this new law is to represent linear and non-linear behaviour for computational metal forming purposes. The extension of the model is built by means of a stress–strain relationship given by an integral equation, its kernel characterising the mentioned complex behaviour. A specific application is presented for a TRIP 700 steel. Using experimental data obtained from elastoplasticity tests, the kernel of the model is formulated by means of a specific computational curve fitting procedure. The excellent agreement between experimental data and fitted model results validates the proposed model. Furthermore, a V-bending test is simulated, springback being represented by means of three different models: elastic, linear elastic with variable elastic modulus and extended elastic models. From the results differences between extended elastic law and the classical one are around 50%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This work presents a hybrid visual-based SLAM architecture that aims to take advantage of the strengths of each of the two main methodologies currently available for implementing visual-based SLAM systems, while at the same time minimizing some of their drawbacks. The main idea is to implement a local SLAM process using a filter-based technique, and enable the tasks of building and maintaining a consistent global map of the environment, including the loop closure problem, to use the processes implemented using optimization-based techniques. Different variants of visual-based SLAM systems can be implemented using the proposed architecture. This work also presents the implementation case of a full monocular-based SLAM system for unmanned aerial vehicles that integrates additional sensory inputs. Experiments using real data obtained from the sensors of a quadrotor are presented to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging diagnosis of HCC has become increasingly important, not only because of the scarcity of symptoms and signs in patients with this tumor, but also because of the growth of knowledge about the biological behavior of these tumors. This has led to various imaging techniques becoming mainstays of the diagnostic algorithm for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electric fields in non-local media with power-law spatial dispersion are discussed. Equations involving a fractional Laplacian in the Riesz form that describe the electric fields in such non-local media are studied. The generalizations of Coulomb’s law and Debye’s screening for power-law non-local media are characterized. We consider simple models with anomalous behavior of plasma-like media with power-law spatial dispersions. The suggested fractional differential models for these plasma-like media are discussed to describe non-local properties of power-law type. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A unique cryo-electron microscopy facility has been designed and constructed at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) to study the three-dimensional organization of viruses and bacteria classified as select agents at biological safety level (BSL)-3, and their interactions with host cells. A 200keV high-end cryo-electron microscope was installed inside a BSL-3 containment laboratory and standard operating procedures were developed and implemented to ensure its safe and efficient operation. We also developed a new microscope decontamination protocol based on chlorine dioxide gas with a continuous flow system, which allowed us to expand the facility capabilities to study bacterial agents including spore-forming species. The new unified protocol does not require agent-specific treatment in contrast to the previously used heat decontamination. To optimize the use of the cryo-electron microscope and to improve safety conditions, it can be remotely controlled from a room outside of containment, or through a computer network world-wide. Automated data collection is provided by using JADAS (single particle imaging) and SerialEM (tomography). The facility has successfully operated for more than a year without an incident and was certified as a select agent facility by the Centers for Disease Control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]