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Simple Summary: During overwintering diapause, the gynes of paper wasps (Polistes sp.) are mainly dormant in sheltered hibernacles, protecting them against predators and adverse weather conditions but hardly against low temperatures. By measuring the temperature inside hibernacles occupied by species from both Mediterranean (Italian; P. dominula, P. gallicus) and temperate (Austrian; P. dominula) climates (mean hibernacle temperatures: 8.5 °C and 3.2 °C, respectively), we were able to calculate the energetic demand of overwintering. The cumulative energetic costs differed between the populations. Costs were lowest for the P. dominula population from the cooler Austrian winter climate and significantly higher in P. dominula and P. gallicus from the warmer Italian climate. The lower costs of the temperate species were a result of the lower winter temperature and physiological acclimation processes. Energetic calculations with an assumed temperature increase of up to 3 °C due to climate change predict a dramatic increase of up to 40% in overwintering costs in all species. Gynes of paper wasps (Polistes sp.) spend the cold season in sheltered hibernacles. These hibernacles protect against predators and adverse weather conditions but offer only limited protection against low temperatures. During overwintering diapause, wasps live on the energy they store. We investigated the hibernacles' microclimate conditions of species from the Mediterranean (Italy, P. dominula, P. gallicus) and temperate (Austria, P. dominula) climates in order to describe the environmental conditions and calculate the energetic demand of overwintering according to standard metabolic rate functions. The temperatures at the hibernacles differed significantly between the Mediterranean and temperate habitats (average in Austria: 3.2 ± 5.71 °C, in Italy: 8.5 ± 5.29 °C). In both habitats, the hibernacle temperatures showed variance, but the mean hibernacle temperature corresponded closely to the meteorological climate data. Cumulative mass-specific energetic costs over the studied period were the lowest for the temperate P. dominula population compared with both Mediterranean species. The lower costs of the temperate species were a result of the lower hibernacle temperature and acclimation to lower environmental temperatures. Model calculations with an increased mean temperature of up to 3 °C due to climate change indicate a dramatic increase of up to 40% in additional costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an Extreme Value Analysis (EVA) of the hourly still water level (SWL) record at Key West, Florida dating back to 1913 to understand the statistical likelihood of the combination of high predicted tides and the more dynamic influences (predominantly hurricane induced storm surges) that can drive ocean water levels higher at the coast. The impact of hurricane 'Wilma' in 2005 dominates the records, producing a super-elevation of the SWL above Mean Sea Level (MSL) of 1155 mm with an estimated return period of around 147 years. This paper explores the duality of increasing risks of oceanic inundation due to extreme events and increasing mean sea level over time, whilst also providing a range of recommendations for ensuring improved predictive model fitting and robustness of EVA for SWLs measured at tide gauges. When integrated with future IPCC AR6 sea level projections, the return level plots from the EVA provide decision makers with key guidance for design, strategic planning and climate change adaptation purposes at Key West, Florida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT)-based occupational exposure limits (OELs) were developed from steady exposures to heat stress at constant WBGT and metabolic rate (M). The exposure limits were based on compensable heat stress exposures at the upper limit of the prescriptive zone for most healthy people. Professional practice allows for using time-weighted averages (TWAs) of WBGT and M to account for heterogeneous heat stress exposures. The purpose of the current paper was to report on the effectiveness of time-weighted averaging to assess occupational heat stress using published studies. Our hypothesis was using TWA-WBGT and TWA-M was as protective as the recommended OELs for steady exposures. The current paper reports on 62 observations of work that alternate between at least two heat stress conditions (usually work and recovery) reported in 16 papers. The TWA-WBGT and TWA-M were determined for all observations. ΔLimit was the observed TWA-WBGT minus the exposure limit at the TWA-M based on acclimatization state. The observations were then classified as above or below ΔLimit = 0. Each observation was also classified as uncompensable if the mean core temperature for the group was greater than 38°C or a less tolerant individual was above 38.5°C. When comparing exposure classifications to outcome classifications using 2 × 2 tables, the sensitivity and specificity for all observations were 0.72 and 0.73, respectively. The sensitivity was much less than the expected value near 1.0, and the large difference called into question the ability of TWAs to represent actual heat stress. There was some suspicion that there were differences between acclimatized and unacclimatized observations. Before any of these findings are embedded in policy or practice, a more careful evaluation of TWAs is required. In conclusion, we believe that the use of TWAs for heat stress analysis was not fully evaluated, and we proposed a framework for evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the number of quality management procedures being currently applied, construction defects in the domestic sector are acknowledged to contribute to the energy performance gap of buildings. This paper investigates the limitations and challenges to the implementation of project quality plans (PQPs) and their impact on the achievement of expected thermal performance in the UK social housing projects. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach, guided by grounded theory, was used in this research. This methodology provided the structure for systematic data analysis iterations, enabling cross-case analysis. An analytic induction process was designed to seek the explanation of the targeted phenomenon and required data collection until no new ideas and concepts emerged from the research iterations. This study collected data from five social housing projects through interviews, site observations and project documentation. Findings: Multiple limitations and challenges were identified in the implementation of PQP to deliver thermal efficient social housing. Generally, there is the need for more objective quality compliance procedures based on required evidence. When investigating the root of the challenges, it was concluded that the adoption of statutory approval as the main quality compliance procedure led to the dilution of the responsibility for prevention and appraisal of defects that compromised the effectiveness of PQP devised by housing associations (HA) and contractors. Originality/value: This study identifies the shortcomings of PQP in addressing quality issues with potential to undermine the thermal performance of social housing projects. The findings could be used by HA, contractors and policymakers as steppingstones to improve the energy efficiency in the domestic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the responses of terrestrial ecosystem carbon to future global change strongly relies on our ability to model accurately the underlying processes at a global scale. However, terrestrial biosphere models representing the carbon and nitrogen cycles and their interactions remain subject to large uncertainties, partly because of unknown or poorly constrained parameters. Parameter estimation is a powerful tool that can be used to optimise these parameters by confronting the model with observations. In this paper, we identify sensitive model parameters from a recent version of the ORgainzing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems (ORCHIDEE) land surface model that includes the nitrogen cycle. These sensitive parameters include ones involved in parameterisations controlling the impact of the nitrogen cycle on the carbon cycle and, in particular, the limitation of photosynthesis due to leaf nitrogen availability. We optimise these ORCHIDEE parameters against carbon flux data collected on sites from the FLUXNET network. However, optimising against present-day observations does not automatically give us confidence in future projections of the model, given that environmental conditions are likely to shift compared to the present day. Manipulation experiments give us a unique look into how the ecosystem may respond to future environmental changes. One such type of manipulation experiment, the Free Air CO 2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment, provides a unique opportunity to assess vegetation response to increasing CO 2 by providing data under ambient and elevated CO 2 conditions. Therefore, to better capture the ecosystem response to increased CO 2 , we add the data from two FACE sites to our optimisations, in addition to the FLUXNET data. We use data from both CO 2 conditions of FACE, which allows us to gain extra confidence in the model simulations using this set of parameters. We find that we are able to improve the magnitude of modelled productivity. Although we are unable to correct the interannual variability fully, we start to simulate possible progressive nitrogen limitation at one of the sites. Using an idealised simulation experiment based on increasing atmospheric CO 2 by 1 % yr -1 over 100 years, we find that optimising against only FLUXNET data tends to imply a large fertilisation effect, whereas optimising against FLUXNET and FACE data (with information about nutrient limitation and acclimation of plants) decreases it significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are an emerging technology for wastewater treatment and resource recovery. These systems facilitate electron transfer between microorganisms and electrodes, enabling their application in various fields, such as electricity production, bioremediation, biosensors, and biocatalysis. However, electrode biofilms, which play a critical role in BESs, face several challenges (e.g., a long acclimation period, low attached biomass, high electron transfer resistance, and poor tolerance and stability) that limit the development of this technology. Quorum sensing (QS) is a communication method among microorganisms that can enhance the performance of BESs by regulating electrode biofilms. QS regulation can positively impact electrode biofilms by enhancing extracellular electron transfer (EET), biofilm formation, cellular activity, the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and the construction of microbial community. In this paper, the characteristics of anode electrogenic biofilms and cathode electrotrophic biofilms in BESs, EET mechanisms, and the main factors affecting biofilm formation were summarized. Additionally, QS regulation mechanisms for biofilm formation, strategies for enhancing and inhibiting QS, and the application of QS regulation for electrode biofilms in BESs were systematically reviewed and discussed. This paper provides valuable background information and insights for future research and development of BES platforms based on QS regulation of electrode biofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine elderly smallholder farmers' perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change in the Offinso Municipality, Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed with frequencies and chi-square tests, whereas qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Findings: The results showed that elderly smallholder farmers' knowledge of climate variability and climate change were based on their sex, level of formal education and experience in farming. Elderly smallholder farmers adopted both on-farm and off-farm strategies to cope with climate change and variability. The vulnerability of elderly smallholder farmers to climate change calls for social protection mechanisms such as a pension scheme that guarantees access to monthly cash transfers. Such a scheme will ease constraints to livelihood and ensure improved well-being. Originality/value: Elderly smallholder farmers have remained invisible in discourses on perceptions and adaptation to climate change despite the surge in number of this category of farmers. This paper therefore represents an attempt to highlight the experiences of elderly smallholder farmers with climate variability and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal environment deterioration has seriously threatened urban habitat quality and urban sustainable development. The evolution of the urban built environment (UBE) is an important cause for urban thermal environment variation. However, the dynamic effect of the UBE on the land surface temperature (LST) is rarely studied by combining the local climate zone (LCZ) theory and spatio-temporal heterogeneity. Based on a case study of Beilin District in Xi'an, China, this paper identified LCZ types of Beilin District in 2010, 2015, and 2020 using the GIS method. It also analyzed the spatial–temporal characteristics of the LST in summer based on the remote sensing retrieval method and explored the effects of the built environment on the LST by Geodetector and geographically weighted regression (GWR). The results showed the following: (1) The area share of dense building zones in Beilin District was greater than that of open building zones and natural surface zones, while the share of mid- and high-rise dense building zones continued to increase and the share of low-rise dense building zones continued to decrease during the study period. (2) The LST of different LCZ types in Beilin District was obviously different, and the LST of dense building zones was generally higher than that of open building zones and natural surface zones. Meanwhile, the LST of mid- and low-rise dense building zones increased gradually, and the LST of high-rise open building zones decreased gradually, but the overall warming area was obviously more than the cooling area. (3) The effects of the UBE factors on the LST varied greatly, with their interaction having an enhancement effect. The direct and interactive influence of the two-dimensional (2D) UBE indicators on the LST were greater than those of the three-dimensional (3D) indicators, but there was a gradual decrease in the force of the 2D indicators and a simultaneous diminution, enhancement, and invariance of the force of the 3D indicators. (4) Vegetation cover (VC) and floor area ratio (FAR) acted negatively, and the building height (BH) was changing from a positive to a negative role, with the average action intensity of VC changing from −0.27 to −0.15, FAR from −0.20 to −0.16, and BH from 0.05 to −0.04. The impervious surface area (ISA), building area (BA), and space congestion (SC) acted positively, with the average action intensity of the ISA changing from 0.12 to 0.20, BA from 0.12 to 0.19, and SC was stable at 0.04. The framework enables a deeper portrayal of LST changes in different LCZs, reflecting the direct and interactive effects of different UBE indicators on LST, as well as local variations in the impact effects and provides a basis for urban managers or planners to improve urban heat resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights  With their predominantly coastal geographies, rapidly growing populations, and emissions-intensive activities, cities are highly vulnerable and major contributors to climate change. Their role as cultural centers, and commerce and innovation hubs, means they are also promising sources of solutions. Taken together, these factors demand a closer examination of the progress and solutions that cities are making to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts. However, research on the extent and effectiveness of cities' implementation efforts is underdeveloped. There is a need to better understand if and how cities are rolling out effective implementation measures, what effects (intended and unintended) such measures are having, and whether their implementation efforts are achieving the transformational changes needed to realize a low carbon, climate-resilient future. This editorial introduces the special issue by exploring these issues and reflecting perspectives from a variety of disciplines both within and outside academia, and in relation to diverse cities in the Global North and South. To better understand the practical dimensions of implementation, and the various obstacles and opportunities faced by public and private sector actors in progressing climate action targets and goals, the editors invited submissions reflective of co-produced research. Though not all took this form, some did and helped to foreground the experiences of those actors who arguably have the most power and responsibility to advance implementation measures, and seed the very institutional arrangements needed for deeper, multisectoral climate action. Collectively, the content of the special issue points to a need for significant investment, policy change, social innovation, and cooperation across societal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal Work Limit (TWL) recommends a maximum metabolic rate for a given environmental condition, clothing ensemble, and acclimatization state so that thermal equilibrium can be sustained at or below the limiting metabolic rate. The purpose of this paper was to assess the ability of TWL to recommend maximum sustainable levels of heat stress using an existing database of progressive heat stress trials using four levels of clothing (woven clothing, particle barrier, water barrier, and vapor barrier), three levels of relative humidity, and three levels of metabolic rate. Each trial had a compensable and an uncompensable observation plus and observation at the transition point from compensable to uncompensable. Each observation was classified as a case (steady increase in rectal temperature) or non-case (steady rectal temperature). The data were used to compare the difference between the observed metabolic rate (Mobs) and the limiting metabolic rate of TWL (i.e. ∆LimitTWL = Mobs − TWL), where ∆LimitTWL > 0 was above the TWL limit. The sensitivity and specificity for each of the four clothing ensembles were about 0.96 and about 0.20, respectively. Logistic regression for all the data found that ∆LimitTWL, clothing, metabolic rate, and water vapor pressure were significant predictors of outcome. The ln(odds) equations for each clothing ensemble predicted a probability of an uncompensable exposure. The probability of an uncompensable outcome (case) when ∆LimitTWL = 0 was 0.14 for work clothes and particle barrier, and 0.22 for water barrier and vapor barrier. The probability of a case at ∆LimitTWL = 0 was greater than the probability of a case for the wet bulb globe temperature-based exposure limits where the probability of a case was 0.01. That is, the TWL was less restrictive than WBGT but with higher risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the history of the Soviet human acclimatization project in the North and Siberia, which spanned from medical experiments in Stalin's forced labor camps to the subsequent wave of industrialization in the region. The author argues that human acclimatization in the North was a settler colonial science project aimed at facilitating Russian administrators and engineers in asserting control over the territory and its resources, while creating a new homogeneous 'indigenous population' in Siberia and the North. This envisioned population, referred to as Homo Polaris by the author, was intended to emerge through a two-way transformation: the adaptation of Indigenous peoples into Soviet ideologies and practices, and the acclimatization of settlers coming from the European part of the country to the Arctic environment. Although the administrators and medical doctors were unable to achieve this biopolitical objective, the complexities and dialogues surrounding these transformations shed light on the late Soviet settler-colonial ideologies and their impact on social life in Siberia from the 1950s to the 1980s. The research is based on a comprehensive analysis of both published and archival works by scholars involved in the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) is a type of MFC without a proton exchange membrane. However, SMFC have had problems with low-power production performance. In this paper, the effects of native bacteria (K1) in oily sludge and their electro-oil-induced domestication on the power generation and oil removal performance of SMFC were studied. The results showed that K1 belonged to Ochrobactrum intermedium. During the domestication process, an upward trend was shown in the OD600 and ORP values in the culture medium, and it grown best at 0.7 V. Ochrobactrum intermedium K1 significantly increased the average output voltage, electromotive force, and maximum power density of SMFC and reduced the apparent internal resistance of the battery. The maximum power density was 169.43 mW/m3, which was 8.59 times higher than that of the control group. Ochrobactrum intermedium K1 improved the degradation of crude oil by SMFC. Ochrobactrum intermedium K1 enhanced the degradation of high-carbon alkanes and even-carbon alkanes in n-alkanes. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry tests showed that after acclimation, Ochrobactrum intermedium K1 improved the extracellular electron transfer efficiency (EET) mediated by c-Cyts and flavin by increasing the surface protein redox potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kale (Brassica oleracea convar. acephala var. sabellica) is one of the oldest Brassica vegetable varieties with the highest nutritional value and stress resistance. This work aimed to establish an efficient kale micropropagation protocol. Shoot tips were used as explants during axillary shoots multiplication. The most effective cytokinin (6 and 10 shoots per explant after the 1st and 2nd passage, respectively) was 2.5 mg dm−3 6-benzylaminopurine. Rooting was the most effective on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg dm−3 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA; 95% rooted shoots). The highest survival rate during acclimatization to ex vitro conditions occurred when plantlets were planted in a soil and perlite mixture. No changes in DNA content were detected using flow cytometry. This paper additionally emphasizes problems associated with the abnormal development of some multiplied Brassicaceae shoots. Nevertheless, the results confirmed that kale micropropagation was successful without any phenotypic aberration. Key message: An effective and successful kale micropropagation procedure was developed. Kale is one of the oldest Brassica oleracea varieties and obtaining a stable culture is highly desirable for further research, especially for focused stress response and resistance studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of prolonged trophic acclimation on the subsequent growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii batch cultures was studied. The mixotrophic (light + acetate) acclimation stimulated subsequent growth at both mixotrophy and autotrophy conditions and altered the expression profile of genes encoding enzymes of primary metabolism and plastid transporters. Besides the trophic effect, the influence of Chlamydomonas culture growth stage on gene expression was determined. Under mixotrophic conditions, this effect was most pronounced in the first half of the exponential growth with partial retention of the previous acclimation period traits. The autotrophy acclimation effect was more complex and its significance was enhanced at the end of the growth and in the stationary phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home schooled without a science education, Mabel Purefoy FitzGerald (1872-1973) attended physiology lectures at Oxford in 1897, even though the school was closed to women. She found work as a researcher, published early noted papers and earned the active respect and support of senior scientists of her day. Her laboratory work with the physiologist J. S. Haldane saw her invited to the join the Pikes Peak Expedition in 1911. While the male team members measured the physiological effects of long-term residency at 14101 feet, as the sole woman FitzGerald took measurements of haemoglobin and alveolar air from herself and from mining staff and families at altitudes from 6000 to 12500 feet, travelling to remote mining communities in the Colorado Rockies. A subsequent expedition collected data at lower altitudes. Recorded in two papers, the results presented pioneering evidence of the role of oxygen in breathing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings based on over 40 hrs of rich, phenomenological narrative interview data in which five Syrian refugees describe their experiences of transitioning to a new life in Brazil. Using the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC) as a framework for examining the relationship between a period of vulnerability, multiple social identities and wellbeing, interviews were combined with a "talking stones" technique. Key themes of identity "recovery" and "discovery" were consistent with the identity "gain" and "continuity" components of SIMIC. A theme of "adaptation" suggested that a process of continual identity construction and reconstruction is central to both outcomes. Further, themes relating to identity "constraint" suggests how some contexts can actively freeze identities, thus undermining agency and compromising wellbeing. The refugee stories analysed in this paper demonstrate how the SIMIC is a robust model for capturing many of the identity complexities within post‐migration life. Please refer to the supplementary material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Leaf phosphorus (P) comprises four major fractions: inorganic phosphate (Pi), nucleic acids, phospholipids, P‐containing metabolites and a residual fraction. In this review paper, we investigated whether allocation of P fractions varies among groups of terrestrial vascular plants, and is indicative of a species' strategy to use P efficiently. We found that as leaf total P concentration increases, the Pi fraction increases the most, without a plateau, while other fractions plateau. Variability of the concentrations of leaf P fractions is greatest among families > species(family) > regions > plant life forms. The percentage of total P allocated to nucleic acid‐P (20–35%) and lipid‐P (14–34%) varies less among families/species. High photosynthetic P‐use efficiency is associated with low concentrations of all P fractions, and preferential allocation of P to metabolite‐P and mesophyll cells. Sequential resorption of P from senescing leaves starts with Pi, followed by metabolite‐P, and then other organic P fractions. Allocation of P to leaf P fractions varies with season. Leaf phytate concentrations vary considerably among species, associated with variation in photosynthesis and defence. Plasticity of P allocation to its fractions is important for acclimation to low soil P availability, and species‐specific P allocation is needed for co‐occurrence with other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operational leverage measures the level of fixed costs in the company's total expense and has a significant impact on the profitability of a company, especially in activities where large initial investment is necessary, and long acclimatization timeframes and high levels of revenue are needed to reach the profitability threshold. Fixed costs do not grow linearly with revenue growth and thus negatively affect profit with an insufficient level of total revenue. The paper explores the possibilities of using an operational leverage in combination with commercial policy in order to create a profit multiplier. Research has been conducted in companies in the Republic of Croatia that operate in continuity with low levels of profitability, up to 5% of net profit. In the research, the main hypothesis of work is set, by which the operational leverage is defined as a profit multiplier under the conditions of even the smallest organic growth of the enterprise in case it also operates with a high level of fixed costs. The paper begins with the fact that the effect of the operational leverage is of particular importance in certain segments of the economy that are constrained by the impossibility of entering into part of fixed costs and that their increase in profitability depends solely on the level of healthy organic growth. Accordingly, a model is considered in which an operational leverage has the ability to progressively leverage profitability, which in combination with the adequate application of commercial policy measures determines the dynamic character or processes that generate a multiplication effect even in the case of very small revenue growth. In this and such context, we are talking about the significant effect of operational leverage on company's profitability even when neglected revenue growth affects the level of fixed cost reduction in relation to total revenue, thereby increasing profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of France's colonial enterprises in the eighteenth century was to acclimatize nutmeg, native to the Maluku islands, in the French colony of Isle de France (today's Mauritius). Exploring the acclimatization of nutmeg as a practice, this paper reveals the practical challenges of transferring knowledge between Indo-Pacific islands in the second half of the eighteenth century. This essay will look at the process through which knowledge was created – including ruptures and fractures – as opposed to looking at the mere circulation of knowledge. I argue that nutmeg cultivation on Isle de France was a complex process of creolizing expertise originating from the local populations of the plants' native islands with the horticultural knowledge of colonists, settlers, labourers and slaves living on Isle de France. In this respect, creolization describes a process of knowledge production rather than a form of knowledge. Once on Isle de France, nutmeg took root in climate and soil conditions which were different from those of its native South East Asian islands. It was cultivated by slaves and colonists who lacked prior experience with the cultivation of this particular spice. Experienced horticulturalists experimented with their own traditions. While they relied on old assumptions, they also came to question them. By examining cultivation as an applied practice, this paper argues that the creolization of knowledge was a critical aspect in French colonial botany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the current issues that involve environmental changes in Nigeria and environmental threats within the country. The fundamental aim of scientific knowledge in environmental studies is to reconcile climate change and environmental sustainability with developmental goals. Therefore, information on impact adaptation to climate change and vulnerability research is required to develop specific, action-oriented, interdisciplinary, successful, sociopolitical and democratic reform for the entire population of a country. This condition requires large inclusion of environmental researchers, institutions, re-inventing of research structures and ideas to dominate the global environmental change research and the critical analysis of present decision making, power, structure and related information structures. This review presents the effect of climate change in Nigeria and encourages adaptation research with challenging innovation, such as the use of energy-efficient renewable energy sources to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper also highlighted the need for researchers to become detailed, action oriented and multiscalar and to attend communications structure problems in enhancing the environmental activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, many biogas plants process cattle dung (CD). At the same time, an excessive amount of litter of leaves is swept and burnt. The paper investigates small-scale integration of leaf litter of neem (LLN) to the operational CD-based biogas plant under mesophilic conditions. The introduction of LLN at the volatile solid ratio of 1:4 (LLN:CD) respectively increased daily biogas production, specific methane yield, and the resultant electrical energy by 13.11, 15.26, and 15.02% and reduced the proportion of CO2 by 5.85%. However, because of the energy required to pulverize the LLN in CD-LLN–based, the net percentage increase of the electrical energy dropped to 13.59%. CD-LLN–based reactor also produced 56.34% higher electrical energy per organic substrate added and performed well by 15.0% in terms of CO2 emission compared to CD-based. Digester performance was seriously unaffected during the transition stage. The study highlights another way of managing LLN and shifting anaerobic reactors from one feedstock to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on acclimatization to heat as one of the preventive measures against heat stroke in working environments. Especially workers are forced to work outdoors in the summer due to climate change, the aging of workers and global warming. Mainly the new evaluation program develop for the purpose of the considering hospitality related to individual attributes, health care and vital checking. And the system can be expected to be highly effective in preventing heat stroke. Furthermore, it will be simulated as the evaluation program for applying not only acclimatization to heat acclimation but also acclimatization to cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we used experimental ecology methods and third-generation transcriptome sequencing to see the differences in growth, development, and reproduction of three strains of Daphniopsis tibetana Sars, 1903 from different locations in Tibet (Lake Namukacuo, NMKC; Lake Pengcuo, PC; and Lake Zigetangcuo, ZGTC). We also wanted to determine if the genes had changed after seawater-domesticated D. tibetana was reared in a laboratory. The results showed that at 15–16 ppt salinity and 15 ± 0.5 °C, the NMKC strain exhibited the highest survival rate of 26 d, and the ZGTC strain had the lowest survival rate at 53 days of culture. The body length was observed in NMKC (153.6 ± 12.1%), followed by PC (136.4 ± 16.1%), and then ZGTC (86.2 ± 7.6%). Combined, wild-type and seawater-acclimated D. tibetana produced 7252 DEGs, of which 4146 were up-regulated and 3106 were down-regulated. DEGs were subjected to gene ontology enrichment analysis. The DEGs were mainly enriched in single-organism localization, transporter activity, macromolecule localization, and organic substance transport. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis was also performed and revealed that the RNA transport, protein digestion and absorption, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathways were highly enriched. The data mined can provide a reference for follow-up research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands in Indonesia are one of the world's largest carbon sinks, helping to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Lophostemon suaveolens is a relatively unexplored plant found in Papua's endemic peat ecosystem that grows well in wet areas with low fertility. It is geographically dispersed and has the potential for peatland rehabilitation. Seed is one of materials for the reproduction of L. suaveolens. However, the difficulty in seed collection and the limitation in seed production has become a current problem for its cultivation. Seed multiplication by using an in vitro method would be one of the mechanisms to overcome the problem. We present an efficient and reproducible protocol for in vitro multiplication of plantlets using nodal segments and shoot apices collected from plantlets. After 3 months of the culture initiation stage, the elongated axillary shoots were separated from the clumps and further multiplied using Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with (1) BAP (0.5 mL/L) as single PGR, (2) NAA (0.1 mL/L) as a single PGR, and (3) a combination of two types of PGR BAP (0.5 mL/L) and NAA (0.1 mL/L). Up to an incubation period of 6 months, the efficiency of leaf axillary shoot propagation was determined by counting the number of nodule multiplication coefficient (NMC), shoot length, root length, and number of leaves (six consecutive subcultures). The higher the NMC, the higher the plantlets obtained, increasing shoot regeneration from nodules physiologically increasing evapotranspiration in vitro. The highest of NMC (8.4) was observed in MS medium with a combination of 0.5 mL/L BAP and 0.1 mL/L NAA (double PGRs), with the longest shoots (5.91 cm), the longest root length (8.83 cm), and the most leaves (32). When a combination of BAP and NAA were used simultaneously, the plantlets during acclimatization were the highest survived. It was concluded that MS in combination with 0.5 mL/L BAP and 0.1 mL/L NAA is the most appropriate protocol for the success of in vitro multiplication of L. suaveolens. This is the first report of L. suaveolens in vitro multiplication, and the protocol could be used to propagate this peatland species on a large scale. The authors acknowledge the limitations of the experimental work and recommend further work to increase the sample size and complete the field-testing phase to help verify the initial findings presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a chilling-sensitive staple food crop, and thus, low temperature significantly affects rice growth and yield. Many studies have focused on the cold shock of rice although chilling acclimation is more likely to happen in the field. In this paper, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to identify the genes that participated in cold stress and chilling accumulation. A total of 235 significantly associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. Among them, we detected 120 and 88 SNPs for the relative shoot fresh weight under cold stress and chilling acclimation, respectively. Furthermore, 11 and 12 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for cold stress and chilling acclimation, respectively, by integrating the co-localized SNPs. Interestingly, we identified 10 and 15 candidate genes in 11 and 12 QTLs involved in cold stress and chilling acclimation, respectively, and two new candidate genes (LOC_Os01g62410, LOC_Os12g24490) were obviously up-regulated under chilling acclimation. Furthermore, OsMYB3R-2 (LOC_Os01g62410) that encodes a R1R2R3 MYB gene was associated with cold tolerance, while a new C3HC4-type zinc finger protein-encoding gene LOC_Os12g24490 was found to function as a putative E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase in rice. Moreover, haplotype, distribution, and Wright's fixation index (FST) of both genes showed that haplotype 3 of LOC_Os12g24490 is more stable in chilling acclimation, and the SNP (A > T) showed a difference in latitudinal distribution. FST analysis of SNPs in OsMYB3R-2 (LOC_Os01g62410) and LOC_Os12g24490 indicated that several SNPs were under selection in rice indica and japonica subspecies. This study provided new candidate genes in genetic improvement of chilling acclimation response in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity of extreme heat and drought events has drastically risen in recent decades and will likely continue throughout the century. Northern forests have already seen increases in tree mortality and a lack of new recruitment, which is partially attributed to these extreme events. Boreal species, such as paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and white spruce (Picea glauca), appear to be more sensitive to these changes than lower-latitude species. Our objectives were to investigate the effects of repeated heatwaves and drought on young paper birch and white spruce trees by examining (i) responses in leaf gas exchange and plant growth and (ii) thermal acclimation of photosynthetic and respiratory traits to compare ecophysiological responses of two co-occurring, yet functionally dissimilar species. To address these objectives, we subjected greenhouse-grown seedlings to two consecutive summers of three 8-day long, +10 °C heatwaves in elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions with and without water restriction. The data show that heatwave stress reduced net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and growth—more severely so when combined with drought. Acclimation of both photosynthesis and respiration did not occur in either species. The combination of heat and drought stress had a similar total effect on both species, but each species adjusted traits differently to the combined stress. Birch experienced greater declines in gas exchange across both years and showed moderate respiratory but not photosynthetic acclimation to heatwaves. In spruce, heatwave stress reduced the increase in basal area in both experimental years and had a minor effect on photosynthetic acclimation. The data suggest these species lack the ability to physiologically adjust to extreme heat events, which may limit their future distributions, thereby altering the composition of boreal forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat-related mortality tends to be associated with heatwaves that do not allow for sufficient acclimatisation to hot temperatures. In contrast, damage functions and most heatwave emergency response plans do not account for acclimatisation. Using an excess heat measure that accounts for acclimatisation, this paper produces estimates of temperature-related mortality for the five largest Australian capital cities. Fixed effects panel threshold regressions are applied to establish the thresholds that coincide with heightened mortality during extreme temperature events. The estimated parameters associated with these thresholds are then used to develop hindcast estimates for cold temperatures, moderate temperatures, hot temperatures and extreme heat. The estimated thresholds coincide with a notable impact of hot temperatures on mortality, but a limited cold temperature impact. This shows that the burden of risk associated with mortality related to future temperatures and climate change within Australia coincides with heatwaves rather than coldwaves. This is in contrast to recent studies that found that cold temperature-related mortality within Australian capital cities has and will continue to be notable. These studies also found a net benefit from climate change in Australia due to reduced cold temperature deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research on climate change adaptation in cities highlights the role of local governments in facilitating adaptation actions, but rarely assesses whether (and if so, how) local communities organise around emerging climate priorities to affect political change. This paper explores changing state–society relationships through the reconstitution of community collectives and advocacy organisations for advancing climate change adaptation in the Indian city of Indore. The paper shows that communities are indeed recognising the need for adaptation but are, at the same time, integrating adaptation actions with existing strategies for advocating development rights. Communities are also rebuilding alliances between municipal and local institutions for public service and infrastructure provision, which point to the centrality of community politics in urban climate adaptation processes. However, such mobilisations are often dependent on existing political networks and a legacy of advocacy around poverty alleviation needs, which sideline more transformative agendas around inclusiveness, equity, and resilient urban futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calla lily (Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook.) Baill.) is an herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennial grown from rhizomes. It is commonly named "Spotted Arum". Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) are found in all known organisms and are known for being functionally equivalent in all of them. A completely new in vitro culture protocol was applied to Z. albomaculata with two hormones, 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and kinetin, to obtain full growth and multiplication. Due to their highly conserved sequences, the analysis of small-subunit rRNAs (16S–18S rRNAs) can provide precise statistical evaluation of a wide variety of phylogenetic connections. As a result, the plant's 18S rRNA gene allowed for identification and partial sequencing. Also, the traditional floral method and the novel application technique for identification were applied to Z. albomaculata. In this paper we systemically describe the structural strategies of the plant's adaptation to the surroundings at the morphological, physiological, and anatomical scale. Most the essential oils and fatty acids found in Z. albomaculata are omega fatty acids, octadecenoic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid. All these fatty acids have industrial, medicinal, and pharmaceutical applications. The significant findings are the spadix sheathing leaves, and the precipitation of raphides calcium oxalate. The mitotic index showing the division activity was recorded, and it was 17.4%. The antimicrobial activity of Z. albomaculata ethanol extract was performed via the well diffusion method. This extract has shown high activity against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, compared to its lower activity against Bacillus cereus. By defining these characteristics and in vitro culture conditions, we will be able to acclimatize the plant in greenhouses, and then transfer it to the open field. The findings of this work identified the general characteristics of Zantedeschia albomaculata as an ornamental and medicinal plant in order to acclimatize this plant for cultivation in the Mediterranean climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of micropropagated plants in plant-tissue-culture laboratories and nurseries is the most important method for propagation of many economic plants. Micropropagation based on tissue-culture technology involves large-scale propagation, as it allows multiplication of a huge number of true-to-type propagules in a very short time and in a very limited space, as well as all year round, regardless of the climate. However, applying plant-tissue-culture techniques for the commercial propagation of plants may face a lot of obstacles or troubles that could result from technical, biological, physiological, and/or genetical reasons, or due to overproduction or the lack of facilities and professional technicians, as shown in the current study. Moreover, several disorders and abnormalities are discussed in the present review. This study aims to show the most serious problems and obstacles of plant micropropagation, and their solutions from both scientific and technical sides. This review, as a first report, includes different challenges in plant micropropagation (i.e., contamination, delay of subculture, burned plantlets, browning, in vitro rooting difficulty, somaclonal variations, hyperhydricity, shoot tip necrosis, albino plantlets, recalcitrance, shoot abnormalities, in vitro habituation) in one paper. Most of these problems are related to scientific and/or technical reasons, and they could be avoided by following the micropropagation protocol suitable for each plant species. The others are dominant in plant-tissue-culture laboratories, in which facilities are often incomplete, or due to poor infrastructure and scarce funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of language on the experiences and acclimation of non-native English-speaking immigrants in the United States. Using Language Socialization Theory, the paper addresses stories of these immigrant participants in a focus group study to illuminate their aspirations, access to power, and issues of identity in their bid for acclimatization. Results indicate that no matter how desperately the demarcation is sought between language and social realities, the debate involves a deeper complexity of human relationships and comes muddled with many more inter-related and complicated factors. Given that the fluidity and constant evolution of a language is largely dependent on its users, I propose that speakers of English language should accommodate its widened user-base to provide a balanced power shift that enables free expression to all [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation to heat stress and hypoxia are relevant for athletes participating in Tour de France or similar cycling races taking place during the summertime in landscapes with varying altitude. Both to minimize detrimental performance effects associated with arterial desaturation occurring at moderate altitudes in elite athletes, respectively, reduce the risk of hyperthermia on hot days, but also as a pre‐competition acclimatization strategy to boost blood volume in already highly adapted athletes. The hematological adaptations require weeks of exposure to manifest, but are attractive as an augmented hemoglobin mass may improve arterial oxygen delivery and hence benefit prolonged performances. Altitude training camps have in this context a long history in exercise physiology and are still common practice in elite cycling. However, heat‐acclimation training provides an attractive alternative for some athletes either as a stand‐alone approach or in combination with altitude. The present paper provides an update and practical perspectives on the potential to utilize hypoxia and heat exposure to optimize hematological adaptations. Furthermore, we will consider temporal aspects both in terms of onset and decay of the adaptations relevant for improved thermoregulatory capacity and respiratory adaptations to abate arterial desaturation during altitude exposure. From focus on involved physiological mechanisms, time course, and responsiveness in elite athletes, we will provide guidance based on our experience from practical implementation in cyclists preparing for prolonged stage races such as the Tour de France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical regions contain ecologically and socio‐economically important habitats, and are home to about 3.8 billion people, many of which directly depend on tropical coastal waters for their well‐being. At the basis of these ecosystems are biogeochemical processes. Climate change is expected to have a greater impact in the tropics compared to temperate regions because of the relatively stable environmental conditions found there. However, it was surprising to find only 660 research articles published focusing on the impact of climate change on the biogeochemistry of coastal tropical waters compared to 4823 for temperate waters. In this perspective, we highlight important topics in need of further research. Specifically, we suggest that in tropical regions compared to temperate counterparts climate change stressors will be experienced differently, that organisms have a lower acclimation capacity, and that long‐term baseline biogeochemical datasets useful for quantifying future changes are lacking. The low number of research papers on the impacts of climate change in coastal tropical regions is likely due to a mix of reasons including limited resources for research and limited number of long time series in many developing tropical countries. Finally, we propose some action points that we hope will stimulate more studies in tropical coastal waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High altitude can be a hostile environment and a paradigm of how environmental factors can determine illness when human biological adaptability is exceeded. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of high-altitude sickness, including its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatments. The first section of our work defines high altitude and considers the mechanisms of adaptation to it and the associated risk factors for low adaptability. The second section discusses the main high-altitude diseases, highlighting how environmental factors can lead to the loss of homeostasis, compromising important vital functions. Early recognition of clinical symptoms is important for the establishment of the correct therapy. The third section focuses on high-altitude pulmonary edema, which is one of the main high-altitude diseases. With a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of high-altitude diseases, as well as a reasoned approach to environmental or physical factors, we examine the main high-altitude diseases. Such an approach is critical for the effective treatment of patients in a hostile environment, or treatment in the emergency room after exposure to extreme physical or environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calliptamus italicus is a dominant species in the desert and semi-desert grassland. It is widely distributed throughout many regions such as Asia, Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean, and has enormous destructive potential for agriculture and animal husbandry. The C. italicus overwintering as eggs in the soil through diapause, and the cold tolerance of locust eggs is the key to their ability to survive the winter smoothly to maintain the population. Results: Transcriptome analysis of C. italicus eggs was carried out in this paper in constant low temperature acclimation, natural low temperature acclimation and room temperature. The differentially expressed genes related to cold tolerance were screened out, the differences in expression patterns under different low temperature acclimation were analyzed, and the genes in the significantly up-regulated pathways may play an important role in cold tolerance. The results show that different domestication modes can induce C. italicus eggs to express a large number of genes to alleviate low temperature damage, but C. italicus eggs are more sensitive to changes in temperature. Compared with the control, there are 8689 DEGs at constant low temperature and 14,994 DEGs at natural low temperature. KEGG analysis showed that DEGs were mainly enriched in pathways related to metabolism and biological systems under constant low temperature, and were mainly enriched in pathways related to biological systems and environmental information processing under natural low temperature. In addition, RNAi technology was used to further verify the regulation of genes in the significantly enriched up-regulated pathways on C. italicus eggs, and it was confirmed that the hatching rate of C. italicus eggs at low temperature was significantly reduced after interference. Conclusions: Transcriptome analysis of C. italicus eggs treated at different temperatures provided a theoretical basis for further understanding the adaptation mechanism of C. italicus eggs to low temperature. In addition, four potential RNAi target genes were verified in the eggs of C. italicus for the first time, providing new ideas for effective control of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lungs are the primary interface between the atmosphere and working tissues and act as the primary metabolic machinery of the body. The gas exchange that occurs inside the lungs through alveoli ensures adequate supply of oxygen to the tissues and determines the physical and physiological well beingness of the individuals. Barometric pressure decreases as altitude increases and individuals performing physically taxing activities in hypobaric hypoxic conditions need oxygen supplement due to reduced partial pressure of oxygen unless fully acclimatized. The physical activities at high altitude need more oxygen (partial pressure) to compensate for reduced barometric pressure. High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO) is a deadly and fatal condition that can manifest in sojourners, mountaineers, scientific expedition teams or military personnel at high altitude. This paper while providing an insight into HAPO conditions, describes the principles behind design and safety of military customised fabric chamber developed by authors for field treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worsening climate change impacts and environmental degradation are increasingly supporting policies and plans in framing a linear understanding of resilience building and vulnerability reduction. However, adaptations to different but interacting drivers of change are unclear in the mix of opportunities and threats related to increasing connections, emerging technologies, new patterns of dependency and possible lock-in effects. This paper discusses a more open-ended understanding of the relationship between resilience and vulnerability, highlighting emerging trade-offs among adaptive capacities and exposures to different (and new) threats as they relate to social-ecological sustainability. The transition of the Southern Bolivian Altiplano, from being a remote rural area of subsistence farming to a global leader in quinoa production and exportation, has been taken as a study case. Results from 18 workshops organised within different communities provide insights about a range of trade-offs between community resilience attributes and social-ecological vulnerability induced from land use changes, livestock strategies, communities' behavioural change and institutions' emerging policies. The main theoretical advances of the paper relate to the need for critically framing multiple threat exposures and adaptive capacity trade-offs, contributing to arguing the usually positive meaning of resilience, and taking into account 'to whom or to what is positive which adaptation' and 'which trade-off should be accepted, and why'. Framing adaptive pathways through these questions would serve as a tool for addressing sustainable development goals, while avoiding lock-ins or unsustainable path dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the hot climate of Saudi Arabia, people living year‐round in air‐conditioned spaces are likely to develop high expectations for homogeneity and cool temperatures, becoming potentially more sensitive if thermal conditions deviate from the comfort zone they expect. This paper presents the results from a field intervention investigating the association between participants' thermal sensations with cognitive performance in a female university in Saudi Arabia. The climatic context plays a key role in choosing Saudi Arabia, whereas the total reliance on air‐conditioners (AC) for cooling is believed to have significant effects on occupants' perceptions of the comfort temperature. Results reveal discrepancies in the actual thermal sensations between the Saudi and non‐Saudi participants which affected their performances. "Cool" and "Slightly Cool" sensations versus neutral were associated with significant lower percentage of errors and significant higher speed for all participants independently of any association with ethnicity and acclimatization. The estimates remained significant even after adjusting for ethnicity and the number of years spent in the country and the set temperature of AC at home. Implications of the study suggest a preference for staying cool when working independently of acclimatization status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gross primary production (GPP) is partitioned to autotrophic respiration (R a) and net primary production (NPP), the latter being used to build plant tissues and synthesize non-structural and secondary compounds. Waring et al. (1998; Net primary production of forests: a constant fraction of gross primary production? Tree Physiol 18:129–134) suggested that a NPP:GPP ratio of 0.47 ± 0.04 (SD) is universal across biomes, tree species and stand ages. Representing NPP in models as a fixed fraction of GPP, they argued, would be both simpler and more accurate than trying to simulate R a mechanistically. This paper reviews progress in understanding the NPP:GPP ratio in forests during the 20 years since the Waring et al. paper. Research has confirmed the existence of pervasive acclimation mechanisms that tend to stabilize the NPP:GPP ratio and indicates that R a should not be modelled independently of GPP. Nonetheless, studies indicate that the value of this ratio is influenced by environmental factors, stand age and management. The average NPP:GPP ratio in over 200 studies, representing different biomes, species and forest stand ages, was found to be 0.46, consistent with the central value that Waring et al. proposed but with a much larger standard deviation (±0.12) and a total range (0.22–0.79) that is too large to be disregarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Norway spruce is one of the most cultivated tree species in Nordic countries. However, intermittent shortages of improved seeds occur. As a powerful vegetative propagation technology, somatic embryogenesis (SE) could provide an alternative solution for this problem and also shorten the time required to obtain breeding gains. However, there are still large bottlenecks in SE, e.g. in the germination and acclimatization phases, which greatly affect the final outcome of somatic embryo plants (emblings). In this work, we examined the effects of in vitro embryo storage and germination treatments and ex vitro growing techniques on the survival and growth of emblings. The study comprised 32 genotypes from 18 full-sib families in four experiments, testing two different cold storage methods, three durations of in vitro germination, lower inorganic nitrogen content in the germination medium, and two plant-growing techniques. The best treatment combination—cold storage on filter paper, lower nitrogen content in the germination medium and one-week in vitro germination—resulted in an 88% higher survival and 28% higher growth compared to the poorest, reference treatment in the same test year. These emblings could be planted after a nursery period one year sooner than that of the control emblings. The results indicate that Norway spruce emblings germinated for one week in vitro can be transplanted and grown in nurseries without any additional treatments or environmental control differing from seedlings, which is a prerequisite to reach standards for forest regeneration material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histopathological image analysis is an examination of tissue under a light microscope for cancerous disease diagnosis. Computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) systems work well by diagnosing cancer from histopathology images. However, stain variability in histopathology images is inevitable due to the use of different staining processes, operator ability, and scanner specifications. These stain variations present in histopathology images affect the accuracy of the CAD systems. Various stain normalization techniques have been developed to cope with inter-variability issues, allowing standardizing the appearance of images. However, in stain normalization, these methods rely on the single reference image rather than incorporate color distributions of the entire dataset. In this paper, we design a novel machine learning-based model that takes advantage of whole dataset distributions as well as color statistics of a single target image instead of relying only on a single target image. The proposed deep model, called stain acclimation generative adversarial network (SA-GAN), consists of one generator and two discriminators. The generator maps the input images from the source domain to the target domain. Among discriminators, the first discriminator forces the generated images to maintain the color patterns as of target domain. While second discriminator forces the generated images to preserve the structure contents as of source domain. The proposed model is trained using a color attribute metric, extracted from a selected template image. Therefore, the designed model not only learns dataset-specific staining properties but also image-specific textural contents. Evaluated results on four different histopathology datasets show the efficacy of SA-GAN to acclimate stain contents and enhance the quality of normalization by obtaining the highest values of performance metrics. Additionally, the proposed method is also evaluated for multiclass cancer type classification task, showing a 6.9% improvement in accuracy on ICIAR 2018 hidden test data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message Anthropic and natural disturbances in Pine pinaster forests may induce changes in tree wind exposure and resource availability. The wind acclimation has consequences on P. pinaster growth comparable to resource acquisition after sudden changes in micro-environmental conditions. Context More disturbances occur within the forest, resulting in the creation of inter-tree space. This increases resource availability for the remaining trees but also their wind exposure. Trees have the ability to acclimate to these changes in their micro-environmental conditions by modifying their development. Increase in both resource availability and wind-induced deformations (strains) are known to promote tree radial growth but their relative importance has not been previously analysed in field conditions. Aims This paper aims to study the Pinus pinaster growth in response to a sudden change in wind loading in comparison to a rapid increase in resource availability. Methods An experiment was established in a 16-year-old P. pinaster to create different conditions of wind loading and resources by guying trees with wires and removing their neighbours. The increase in trunk volume below 4 m was monitored for 3 years by measuring the stem radial growth at three stem heights. Results Acclimation to wind has important consequences for stem growth, comparable to that of the effect of greater resource availability after an increase in inter-tree spacing. The increase in trunk volume below 4 m induced by wind and by having more resources were quantitatively close and were equivalent after 3 years of treatment, to the trunk volume increase during the year before experiment. The observed wind acclimation was interpreted in terms of tree mechanical reinforcement by calculating the gain in the stem flexural rigidity: mechanical strength gains of 13.8 and 20.3% of swaying trees were observed in comparison to guyed trees for both high and low resource levels, respectively. Our analysis suggests that the relative effects of wind loading or higher resource are not modified over time by seasonable growth modulation. Both the effects of the wind acclimation and the higher resource were found to be independent and are likely to be cumulative. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of considering wind acclimation in the regulation of growth in forests after a sudden change in environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—In this paper we focus on a meta-analysis where the data from studies using rat models are combined to evaluate the effects of hypothermia and hyperthermia on the cardiovascular function. For this meta-analysis, 25 articles from the PubMed database were selected. The research aim of these reports was to investigate how whole-body hypothermia and hyperthermia in normotensive conscious adult rats affect hemodynamic parameters (systemic blood pressure and heart rate). The effects of short-term severe hyperthermia (40–43°C), prolonged moderate hyperthermia (32–34°C), and short-term and prolonged hypothermia (4–9°C, sudden and gradual, with and without any changes in photoperiod) were investigated. It has been shown that the blood pressure and heart rate patterns in normotensive conscious rats in response to a change in the ambient temperature are determined according not only to the vector field showing the direction of temperature change, but also to the amplitude, suddenness, duration of the change, and concomitant conditions (e.g., the duration of photoperiod). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many methods are available to support adaptation planning. Yet there is little guidance on their selection. A recently developed diagnostic framework offers a structured set of criteria to choose research methods for specific adaptation questions. It has been derived from science-driven cases mostly. This paper offers the first application to a policy-driven case. Thus, it aims to (1) assess the descriptive quality of the framework for adaptation planning and (2) reflect on its value in supporting method selection. The paper focuses on the research commissioned for adaptation policymaking by the Dutch Delta Programme in the Wadden region. It compares the research methods used in the Delta Programme with those suggested by the diagnostic framework. It concludes that the selection of methods in the adaptation planning process can be described quite well by the decision trees of the diagnostic framework. Deviations occurred mostly for pragmatic reasons when the selection is informed by practical limitations of the policymaking process, such as available resources, time constraints and experience of the involved experts. It is recommended to enrich the diagnostic framework with methods from adaptation practice and consult it in climate adaptation studies at an early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acclimation to temperature is one of the survival strategies used by organisms to adapt to changing environmental temperatures. Caenorhabditis elegans' cold tolerance is altered by previous cultivation temperature, and similarly, past low-temperature induces a longer lifespan. Temperature is thought to cause a large shift in homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and reproduction in the organism because it is a direct physiological factor during chemical events. This paper will share and discuss what we know so far about the neural and molecular mechanisms that control cold tolerance and lifespan by altering lipid metabolism and physiological characteristics. We hope that this will contribute to a better understanding of how organisms respond to temperature changes. • Cold tolerance of C. elegans is gained or lost by cultivation temperature changes. • Cold tolerance and longevity are promoted by low temperatures. • Temperature acclimation is associated in lipid metabolism. • Neuroendocrine signals regulate temperature acclimation through lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing multifunctional bioregenerative technologies may provide mission carbon loop closure while simultaneously addressing multiple environmental control and life support system requirements. This paper proposes using water-based algal medium for thermal control of the spacecraft cabin, while taking advantage of the algae's photosynthetic activity for air revitalization. Consequently, this could expose the algal culture to transient thermal environments fluctuating between +4 °C and +30 °C, in the span of minutes, reflecting the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) internal thermal control and cabin system. This paper presents an initial investigation of the metabolic response of Chlorella vulgaris to transient environmental temperatures, reflecting temperature ranges and cycling frequency of the ISS cooling loop (+9 °C to +27 °C, 30 min). The constant 19 °C control represented the time-averaged temperature of the cycled condition. Growth and acclimation were observed in both tested conditions through pH, dissolved oxygen, optical density, and photosynthetic quantum yield measurements. However, there was significant reduction in the oxygen production rate, measured pH, and optical density for the cycled temperature condition when compared to the control (cycled temperature = 0.95 gO 2 L−1 d−1, pH = 6.75, OD = 0.05; control = 1.17 gO 2 L−1 d−1, pH = 8.20, OD = 0.08). No significant reduction in growth rate or photosynthetic quantum yield were recorded between the two tested conditions. Growth rate of the cycled temperature condition reflected those of psychrotolerant algae, suggesting some amount of culture acclimation to the rapidly dynamic environment. Results suggest that while C. vulgaris was viable within the tested temperature environment reflecting the ISS thermal control loop and cabin, there was a measurable reduction in the oxygen production rate. • A photobioreactor for simultaneous spacecraft thermal control and air revitalization. • Chlorella survive extreme thermal profile of spacecraft thermal control. • Oxygen production rate significantly less for cycled temperature algae. • Minimal cellular stress documented for steady and cycled temperature algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive capacity, one of the three determinants of vulnerability to climate change, is defined as the capacity of species to persist in their current location by coping with novel environmental conditions through acclimation and/or evolution. Although studies have identified indicators of adaptive capacity, few have assessed this capacity in a quantitative way that is comparable across tree species. Yet, such multispecies assessments are needed by forest management and conservation programs to refine vulnerability assessments and to guide the choice of adaptation measures. In this paper, we propose a framework to quantitatively evaluate five key components of tree adaptive capacity to climate change: individual adaptation through phenotypic plasticity, population phenotypic diversity as influenced by genetic diversity, genetic exchange within populations, genetic exchange between populations, and genetic exchange between species. For each component, we define the main mechanisms that underlie adaptive capacity and present associated metrics that can be used as indices. To illustrate the use of this framework, we evaluate the relative adaptive capacity of 26 northeastern North American tree species using values reported in the literature. Our results show adaptive capacity to be highly variable among species and between components of adaptive capacity, such that no one species ranks consistently across all components. On average, the conifer Picea glauca and the broadleaves Acer rubrum and A. saccharinum show the greatest adaptive capacity among the 26 species we documented, whereas the conifers Picea rubens and Thuja occidentalis, and the broadleaf Ostrya virginiana possess the lowest. We discuss limitations that arise when comparing adaptive capacity among species, including poor data availability and comparability issues in metrics derived from different methods or studies. The breadth of data required for such an assessment exemplifies the multidisciplinary nature of adaptive capacity and the necessity of continued cross‐collaboration to better anticipate the impacts of a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singapore's global aspirations have, since the turn of the 21st century, led to the consolidation of a range of new institutions—arts research centers, degree granting programs in universities, museums, festivals— with affiliated experts, to prepare the ground for an emergent arts scene that is aligned with the norms of contemporary western art practice. As neoliberal instrumentation competes with the communitarian logic of the traditional arts, dance forms such as Indian classical, Javanese court and Malay folk dances, which once sought to link the ancient past and perpetuity for ethnic communities of spectatorship, are constricted within narrowly defined categories of the regional performing arts market. To avoid becoming mere touristic spectacles, a new generation of traditionally trained artists reinvent their respective forms to accommodate the near future of contemporary culture in Singapore. Such adaptations unsettle the once cohesive universe of traditional dance, resulting in unfinished and unsettling works that betray, to quote Nicholas Bourriard, "countless forms of melancholy", This paper looks at two recent works of contemporary dance staged in Singapore—January Low's Reclaim (2019), Raka Maitra's Pallavi Series (2015-2018). I consider dance emerging from this latter discourse as articulating an aesthetic of acclimatization, sustained by political, communal and institutional attachments that emerge in a climate of overwhelming crises and adjustment. As the traditional dance world in Singapore enters a state of slow death, I identify projects that embark on experiments of partial recuperation, which "stay with the trouble," as Donna Harraway suggests, making-with and getting-on with what remains of traditional dance and its embodied practices. I suggest that these projects extend the life of traditional dance as a minor, mutated species in an early evolutionary stage that nevertheless transforms the ecology they acclimate to. In remaining selectively porous to neoliberal and biopolitical operations, and receptive to novel artistic regimes, can the aesthetic of acclimatization allow traditional dance to escape its totalization within neoliberal calculations? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]