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Studying positional behaviors is important for understanding how animals interact with their immediate environment. This is particularly important in arboreal species since arboreal milieus are primarily characterized by three‐dimensional problems that arboreal species must overcome to efficiently access resources. Similarly, a fundamental aspect of an animal's ecology is its daily activity pattern. This information is important for understanding the basic ecology of animal species and their eco‐evolutionary dynamics. This study sought to understand the habitat use and nocturnal lifestyle of the highly arboreal kinkajou (Potos flavus) by documenting variation in positional behaviors and activity patterns using 2223 photographs obtained from 27 camera traps in French Guiana. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kernel density estimation (KDE), and Gantt charts. Our results indicate that kinkajous show a strictly nocturnal activity pattern beginning from 19:00 h to 05:57 h, with peak active periods between 01:00 h and 02:00 h. The most frequent activities were scanning (48.33%) and traveling (47.13%). Quadrupedal walking (95.43%) was the main locomotor behavior during traveling. However, when crossing gaps between two substrates, kinkajous would either bridge (42.22%), leap (33.33%), or drop (26.67%) across gaps. Inactive periods were characterized by grooming (77.32%) and resting (27.84%) while mostly assuming a sitting (90.67%) or a catlike body curl posture (92.59%), interchangeably. This study highlights the broad array of positional behaviors displayed by kinkajous, further providing information to understand its basic ecology and eco‐evolutionary dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this systematic review update was to determine the average effect of massage for adults with neck pain (NP) contrasted against another standard treatment. Randomised controlled trials comparing massage to standard treatments were included; placebo/no treatment comparisons were excluded. Databases were searched (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ICL, trial registries) from inception to Oct-1-2023. We used the standard Cochrane methodological procedures: rated Risk of Bias 1.0, abstracted mean differences (MD), meta-analysed data, and rated the level of certainty (GRADE). We included 42 studies (2656 participants; 67% high RoB) contrasted against 10 unique treatments. Trials studied ages 18–70, 70% female, and mean pain severity 52 Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Very-low to moderate-certainty evidence for pain (MD VAS 0–100, 95% CI) at ≤12 weeks follow-up follows. The pre-stated minimal important difference margin was 10 VAS points. Massage was 1. Favoured over an education-booklet (MD -4.80, −9.17 to −0.43), traction (MD -19.10, −31.07 to −7.13), and higher over lower dose (MD -17.40, −25.40 to −9.40). 2. Likely comparable to acupuncture (MD 2.09, −1.13 to 5.30), exercise (MD -2.50, −6.41 to 1.41), and ultrasound (MD -12.80, −26.43 to 0.83). 3. Not favoured (less effective) when compared to kinesiotaping (MD 9.59, 0.68 to 18.51), manipulation-mobilisation (MD 7.93, 0.01 to 15.85), and mobilisation-plus-exercise (not reported). Massage may not increase risks of minor adverse events: RR 0.37 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.61). For subacute-chronic NP, pain reduction varied by comparison. The evidence was limited by imprecision and high RoB. Focused planning for adequately dosed longer-term trials is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the moderating role of pragmatic language skills in the relationship between perceived prosociality and gender among children in two different educational contexts and age groups (n = 108 children in childcare centres, age 4-5; n = 113 children in kindergarten, age 5-6). In line with many other studies, the results showed that boys were perceived by their ECEs and kindergarten teachers as being less prosocial than girls. In seeking to explain this gender gap, the moderating role played by perceived pragmatics in the prosociality of girls and boys as perceived by their ECEs and teachers was investigated and tended to be supported. These results are discussed in terms of gender stereotypes and their implications for promoting egalitarian relationships between boys and girls in educational contexts.

Abstract Background This consensus statement was developed because there are concerns about the appropriate use of opioids for acute pain management, with opposing views in the literature. Consensus statement on policies for system-level interventions may help inform organisations such as management structures, government agencies and funding bodies. Methods We conducted a multi-stakeholder survey using a modified Delphi methodology focusing on policies, at the system level, rather than at the prescriber or patient level. We aimed to provide consensus statements for current developments and priorities for future developments. Results Twenty-five experts from a variety of fields with experience in acute pain management were invited to join a review panel, of whom 23 completed a modified Delphi survey of policies designed to improve the safety and quality of opioids prescribing for acute pain in the secondary care setting. Strong agreement, defined as consistent among> 75% of panellists, was observed for ten statements. Conclusions Using a modified Delphi study, we found agreement among a multidisciplinary panel, including patient representation, on prioritisation of policies for system-level interventions, to improve governance, pain management, patient/consumers care, safety and engagement.

We demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of using a Green's functions estimation approach for adjusting uncertain parameters in an Earth system model (ESM). This estimation approach has previously been applied to an intermediate-complexity climate model and to individual ESM components, e.g., ocean, sea ice, or carbon cycle components. Here, the Green's functions approach is applied to a state-of-the-art ESM that comprises a global atmosphere/land configuration of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) coupled to an ocean and sea ice configuration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm). Horizontal grid spacing is approximately 110 km for GEOS and 37–110 km for MITgcm. In addition to the reference GEOS-MITgcm simulation, we carried out a series of model sensitivity experiments, in which 20 uncertain parameters are perturbed. These “control” parameters can be used to adjust sea ice, microphysics, turbulence, radiation, and surface schemes in the coupled simulation. We defined eight observational targets: sea ice fraction, net surface shortwave radiation, downward longwave radiation, near-surface temperature, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and ocean temperature and salinity at 300 m. We applied the Green's functions approach to optimize the values of the 20 control parameters so as to minimize a weighted least-squares distance between the model and the eight observational targets. The new experiment with the optimized parameters resulted in a total cost reduction of 9 % relative to a simulation that had already been adjusted using other methods. The optimized experiment attained a balanced cost reduction over most of the observational targets. We also report on results from a set of sensitivity experiments that are not used in the final optimized simulation but helped explore options and guided the optimization process. These experiments include an assessment of sensitivity to the number of control parameters and to the selection of observational targets and weights in the cost function. Based on these sensitivity experiments, we selected a specific definition for the cost function. The sensitivity experiments also revealed a decreasing overall cost as the number of control variables was increased. In summary, we recommend using the Green's functions estimation approach as an additional fine-tuning step in the model development process. The method is not a replacement for modelers' experience in choosing and adjusting sensitive model parameters. Instead, it is an additional practical and effective tool for carrying out final adjustments of uncertain ESM parameters.

The interplay between superconductivity and competing orders in multi-layered cuprates can shed light on the nature of the superconducting pairing. Here, the authors report on the coexistence of antiferromagnetic and charge orders in different CuO2 planes in a tri-layer cuprate, pointing to a magnetically-mediated mechanism.

High perchlorate/chloride ratios at the Phoenix landing site in the Martian northern polar region could have formed by specific relative humidity and temperature conditions coupled with dust transport, according to experiments and thermodynamic modeling.

Abstract Background We expect a difference in drug cost between private drug plans and the Public Drug Plan (PDP) because the dispensing fee is fixed and regulated by the PDP for publicly insured patients, whereas it is determined freely by the pharmacy owner for privately insured patients. This study compared the drug cost of Quebec residents covered by private drug plans with those covered by PDP. Methods We used a sample of prescriptions filled between 1 January 2015 and 23 May 2019 selected from reMed, a database of Quebecers’ drug claims. We created strata of prescriptions filled by privately insured patients and matched them with strata of prescriptions filled by publicly insured patients based on the Drug Identification Number, quantity dispensed, number of days of supply, pharmacy identifier, and a date corresponding to the publication of List of Medications of Régie de l’Assurance Maladie du Québec. The differences in drug cost between private plans and the PDP were analyzed with linear regression models using prescription strata as the unit of analysis. Results Based on 38 896 prescription strata, we observed that privately insured patients payed $9·35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5·58; 13·01) more on average per drug prescription than publicly insured patients, representing a difference of 17·6%. Conclusions This study showed that, on average, drug cost is substantially higher for privately insured Quebecers. Knowing that adherence to treatment is affected by drug cost, these results will help public health authorities to make informed decisions about drug policies.

Abstract Background Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is associated with significantly reduced cumulative postoperative morphine consumption in comparison with opioid-based anesthesia (OBA). Whether OFA is feasible and may improve outcomes in pancreatic surgery remains unclear. Methods Perioperative data from 77 consecutive patients who underwent pancreatic resection were included and retrospectively reviewed. Patients received either an OBA with intraoperative remifentanil (n = 42) or an OFA (n = 35). OFA included a combination of continuous infusions of dexmedetomidine, lidocaine, and esketamine. In OBA, patients also received a single bolus of intrathecal morphine. All patients received intraoperative propofol, sevoflurane, dexamethasone, diclofenac, neuromuscular blockade. Postoperative pain management was achieved by continuous wound infiltration and patient-controlled morphine. The primary outcome was postoperative pain (Numerical Rating Scale, NRS). Opioid consumption within 48 h after extubation, length of stay, adverse events within 90 days, and 30-day mortality were included as secondary outcomes. Episodes of bradycardia and hypotension requiring rescue medication were considered as safety outcomes. Results Compared to OBA, NRS (3 [2–4] vs 0 [0–2], P

Autism is characterized by atypical social communication and stereotyped behaviors. Mutations in the gene encoding the synaptic scaffolding protein SHANK3 are detected in 1–2% of patients with autism and intellectual disability, but the mechanisms underpinning the symptoms remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized the behavior of Shank3Δ11/Δ11 mice from 3 to 12 months of age. We observed decreased locomotor activity, increased stereotyped self-grooming and modification of socio-sexual interaction compared to wild-type littermates. We then used RNAseq on four brain regions of the same animals to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs were identified mainly in the striatum and were associated with synaptic transmission (e.g., Grm2, Dlgap1), G-protein-signaling pathways (e.g., Gnal, Prkcg1, and Camk2g), as well as excitation/inhibition balance (e.g., Gad2). Downregulated and upregulated genes were enriched in the gene clusters of medium-sized spiny neurons expressing the dopamine 1 (D1-MSN) and the dopamine 2 receptor (D2-MSN), respectively. Several DEGs (Cnr1, Gnal, Gad2, and Drd4) were reported as striosome markers. By studying the distribution of the glutamate decarboxylase GAD65, encoded by Gad2, we showed that the striosome compartment of Shank3Δ11/Δ11 mice was enlarged and displayed much higher expression of GAD65 compared to wild-type mice. Altogether, these results indicate altered gene expression in the striatum of Shank3-deficient mice and strongly suggest, for the first time, that the excessive self-grooming of these mice is related to an imbalance in the striatal striosome and matrix compartments.

ABSTRACTLittle is known about the impact of military conflict on sex work from the perspective of sex workers. We attempt to explore the meaning of conflict on sex work by asking women about the changes that they have experienced in their lives and work since the beginning of the 2014 military conflict in eastern Ukraine. The findings in this article are based on qualitative interviews with 43 cisgender women living and practicing sex work in Dnipro, eastern Ukraine. Our analysis highlights the meanings that sex workers have linked to the conflict, with financial concerns emerging as a dominant theme. The conflict therefore functions as a way of understanding changing economic circumstances with both individual and broader impacts. By better understanding the meaning of conflict as expressed by sex workers, we can begin to adapt our response to address emerging, and unmet, needs of the community.

Recent measurements of methane (CH4) by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) now confront us with robust data that demand interpretation. Thus far, the MSL data have revealed a baseline level of CH4 (∼0.4 parts per billion by volume [ppbv]), with seasonal variations, as well as greatly enhanced spikes of CH4 with peak abundances of ∼7 ppbv. What do these CH4 revelations with drastically different abundances and temporal signatures represent in terms of interior geochemical processes, or is martian CH4 a biosignature? Discerning how CH4 generation occurs on Mars may shed light on the potential habitability of Mars. There is no evidence of life on the surface of Mars today, but microbes might reside beneath the surface. In this case, the carbon flux represented by CH4 would serve as a link between a putative subterranean biosphere on Mars and what we can measure above the surface. Alternatively, CH4 records modern geochemical activity. Here we ask the fundamental question: how active is Mars, geochemically and/or biologically? In this article, we examine geological, geochemical, and biogeochemical processes related to our overarching question. The martian atmosphere and surface are an overwhelmingly oxidizing environment, and life requires pairing of electron donors and electron acceptors, that is, redox gradients, as an essential source of energy. Therefore, a fundamental and critical question regarding the possibility of life on Mars is, "Where can we find redox gradients as energy sources for life on Mars?" Hence, regardless of the pathway that generates CH4 on Mars, the presence of CH4, a reduced species in an oxidant-rich environment, suggests the possibility of redox gradients supporting life and habitability on Mars. Recent missions such as ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter may provide mapping of the global distribution of CH4. To discriminate between abiotic and biotic sources of CH4 on Mars, future studies should use a series of diagnostic geochemical analyses, preferably performed below the ground or at the ground/atmosphere interface, including measurements of CH4 isotopes, methane/ethane ratios, H2 gas concentration, and species such as acetic acid. Advances in the fields of Mars exploration and instrumentation will be driven, augmented, and supported by an improved understanding of atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, deep subsurface biogeochemistry, astrobiology, planetary geology, and geophysics. Future Mars exploration programs will have to expand the integration of complementary areas of expertise to generate synergistic and innovative ideas to realize breakthroughs in advancing our understanding of the potential of life and habitable conditions having existed on Mars. In this spirit, we conducted a set of interdisciplinary workshops. From this series has emerged a vision of technological, theoretical, and methodological innovations to explore the martian subsurface and to enhance spatial tracking of key volatiles, such as CH4.

Introduction: Although the fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) seems to be an ideal technique for femoral neck and shaft fractures occurring in resource-poor settings, it has been unclear how effective it is when used by emergency physicians (EP) with little training in the technique, using equipment, medications and methods that differ from those commonly available in developed countries. This series was designed to demonstrate that EPs in a resource-poor setting can provide effective analgesia for femur fractures with anatomic landmark-guided FICBs, clinician-compounded lidocaine-epinephrine (1:100,000), and a standard injection needle.Methods: Over a three-month period, patients ≥12 years old presenting to the emergency department with hip or femur fractures and a Likert visual analogue scale >4 had an EP-administered FICB. EPs used a standard intramuscular needle and a lidocaine-epinephrine solution they compounded at the bedside and located the injection site using only anatomic landmarks. EPs evaluated the patient’s pain level at 30 minutes and at two hours post-FICB. We also reviewed articles since 2016 that describe the FICB.Results: We enrolled a non-consecutive sample of 10 patients in the case series. Five had femoral neck (hip) fractures and five had femoral shaft fractures. All patients had a reduction in their pain levels after the FICB. On average, the block took effect about three minutes after injection. At 30 minutes all patients reported clinically meaningful pain reduction. The analgesic effect of the compounded agent lasted approximately 200 minutes. No adverse effects were reported. No published journal articles about FICB since 2016 were from resource-poor settings, and only one was from a developing country.Conclusion: This series suggests that the FICB is effective even when performed with the minimal materials that are usually available in resource-poor settings. Methods such as this, which use simplified clinical tests and techniques applicable in resource-poor settings, can assist global emergency medicine (EM). We can assist global EM by similarly finding methods to simplify useful clinical tests and techniques that can be used in resource-poor settings.

Long-term, continuous in situ observations of the near-surface atmospheric boundary layer are critical for many weather and climate applications. Although there is a proliferation of surface stations globally, especially in and around populous areas, there are notably fewer tall meteorological towers with multiple instrumented levels. This is particularly true in remote and extreme environments such as the East Antarctic plateau. In the article, we present and analyze 10 years of data from six levels of meteorological instrumentation mounted on a 42 m tower located at Dome C, East Antarctica, near the Concordia research station, producing a unique climatology of the near-surface atmospheric environment (Genthon et al., 2021a, b). Monthly temperature and wind data demonstrate the large seasonal differences in the near-surface boundary layer dynamics, depending on the presence or absence of solar surface forcing. Strong vertical temperature gradients (inversions) frequently develop in calm, winter conditions, while vertical convective mixing occurs in the summer, leading to near-uniform temperatures along the tower. Seasonal variation in wind speed is much less notable at this location than the temperature variation as the winds are less influenced by the solar cycle; there are no katabatic winds as Dome C is quite flat. Harmonic analysis confirms that most of the energy in the power spectrum is at diurnal, annual and semi-annual timescales. Analysis of observational uncertainty and comparison to reanalysis data from the latest generation of ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) reanalyses (ERA5) indicate that wind speed is particularly difficult to measure at this location. Data are distributed on the PANGAEA data repository at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.932512 (Genthon et al., 2021a) and https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.932513 (Genthon et al., 2021b).

Abstract Background No comparisons between mortality from opioids in children and teenagers and opioid prescription patterns have been made in England. Aim To investigate if an association exists between mortality rates from opioid poisoning in persons aged 19 years old and under and community opioid prescription in England. Methods A retrospective analysis was undertaken for 2016 to 2019, comparing community opioid prescriptions and mortality rates from opioid poisoning. Results The number of opioid prescriptions decreased over the study period (− 2.4%, p 0.05). Conclusion Despite the reduction in community opioid prescriptions, there was no decrease in the number of deaths in children and teenagers due to opioid poisoning.

Abstract Background Not all research findings are translated to clinical practice. Reasons for lack of applicability are varied, and multiple frameworks and criteria exist to appraise the general applicability of epidemiological and clinical research. In this two-part study, we identify, map, and synthesize frameworks and criteria; we develop a framework to assist clinicians to appraise applicability specifically from a clinical perspective. Methods We conducted a literature search in PubMed and Embase to identify frameworks appraising applicability of study results. Conceptual thematic analysis was used to synthesize frameworks and criteria. We carried out a framework development process integrating contemporary debates in epidemiology, findings from the literature search and synthesis, iterative pilot-testing, and brainstorming and consensus discussions to propose a concise framework to appraise clinical applicability. Results Of the 4622 references retrieved, we identified 26 unique frameworks featuring 21 criteria. Frameworks and criteria varied by scope and level of aggregation of the evidence appraised, target user, and specific area of applicability (internal validity, clinical applicability, external validity, and system applicability). Our proposed Framework Appraising the Clinical Applicability of Studies (FrACAS) classifies studies in three domains (research, practice informing, and practice changing) by examining six criteria sequentially: Validity, Indication-informativeness, Clinical relevance, Originality, Risk-benefit comprehensiveness, and Transposability (VICORT checklist). Conclusions Existing frameworks to applicability vary by scope, target user, and area of applicability. We introduce FrACAS to specifically assess applicability from a clinical perspective. Our framework can be used as a tool for the design, appraisal, and interpretation of epidemiological and clinical studies.

Abstract Arboreal camera trapping is a burgeoning method providing a novel and effective technique to answer research questions across a variety of ecosystems, and it has the capacity to improve our understanding of a wide range of taxa. However, while terrestrial camera trapping has received much attention, there is little guidance for dealing with the unique challenges of working in the arboreal realm. Our review draws on the expertise of researchers from six continents and the broader literature to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of arboreal camera trapping, and challenges to consider when using this technology. We also include mini‐guides with detailed information on the current arboreal camera trap literature, mounts used to install arboreal cameras, tree climbing pointers and safety tips, methods for deploying cameras without climbing, and tips for managing interference with camera function. We find that arboreal camera traps have been most commonly used in the study of mammals in forests; however, there is potential for this method to be applied to a broad range of habitats including urban areas, and taxa such as birds, amphibians, invertebrates, and plants. Methods in arboreal camera trapping could be improved by developing a greater understanding of the factors affecting detection of species. The most common challenges of arboreal camera trapping are camera placement and camera site access. These can be overcome by understanding correct camera orientation, managing potential sources of interference in front of cameras, utilizing appropriate cameras mounts and training researchers properly. Given the benefits and opportunities presented by arboreal camera trapping, it is likely to become an ever‐more popular method of studying arboreal species and systems. The information synthesized in this review provides guidance for future studies to help direct more reliable and robust ecological inferences from arboreal camera trapping.

Aggregative life cycles are characterized by alternating phases of unicellular growth and multicellular development. Their multiple, independent evolutionary emergence suggests that they may have coopted pervasive properties of single-celled ancestors. Primitive multicellular aggregates, where coordination mechanisms were less efficient than in extant aggregative microbes, must have faced high levels of conflict between different co-aggregating populations. Such conflicts within a multicellular body manifest in the differential reproductive output of cells of different types. Here, we study how heterogeneity in cell motility affects the aggregation process and creates a mismatch between the composition of the population and that of self-organized groups of active adhesive particles. We model cells as self-propelled particles and describe aggregation in a plane starting from a dispersed configuration. Inspired by the life cycle of aggregative model organisms such as Dictyostelium discoideum or Myxococcus xanthus, whose cells interact for a fixed duration before the onset of chimeric multicellular development, we study finite-time configurations for identical particles and in binary mixes. We show that co-aggregation results in three different types of frequency-dependent biases, one of which is associated to evolutionarily stable coexistence of particles with different motility. We propose a heuristic explanation of such observations, based on the competition between delayed aggregation of slower particles and detachment of faster particles. Unexpectedly, despite the complexity and non-linearity of the system, biases can be largely predicted from the behavior of the two corresponding homogenous populations. This model points to differential motility as a possibly important factor in driving the evolutionary emergence of facultatively multicellular life-cycles.

The study examines the dynamics between oil price, exchange rate, and stock market performance in South Africa using DCC-GARCH, time-varying VAR, and multivariate Markov regime switching models. Monthly data on oil price, exchange rate, and market capitalization as a measure of stock performance from 2003(01) to 2019(7) were employed. The results of DCC-GARCH model show that dynamic conditional correlation among the variable was stable with few exceptionalities. The empirical findings from time-varying VAR show existence of feedbacks from stock market to oil price. Markov regime switching VAR model results show that exchange rate and market capitalization have significant effects on oil price in booming period. The study concludes that stock market performance provides an important policy help in stemming the erratic fluctuations in oil price. Appropriate knowledge of the linkage between oil price, exchange rate and stock market performance in South African economy is important because of her heavy reliance on oil importation. The upward change in oil price has so many overlapping effects on many sectors of the economy in form of increase in cost of goods and services (inflation) and lower standard of living among others. Hike in oil price is believed to also worsen the external value of Rands. This could send some dangerous signals to foreign investors in the stock market, which may undermine the performance of the stock market. Empirical knowledge of this dynamic could assist the policy makers to come up with mitigating policies to reduce the effects of oil price volatility on other economic fundamentals.

Determinants of international capital inflow differ from one country to another, and as such country-specific studies are important in assisting each economy to understand cutting-edge policies which can be implemented to attain and retain desired capital inflow. The purpose of the present empirical effort is to examine the determinants of international capital inflow into the South African economy with special focus on the role of global uncertainty. The study investigated the determinants of portfolio inflow, direct capital inflow and total inflow using time series quarterly data from 1960(Q1) to 2021(Q3). The study employed the Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC GARCH) to investigate time-varying correlation among the variables in the light of more current data and Bayesian Linear Regression Model given its ability to deal with the problem of volatility. The overall picture that emerges from the study is that global uncertainty does not significantly correlate or affect portfolio inflow; while on the other hand, it negatively correlates and impacts direct capital inflow and total inflow. The implication is that government and South African policymakers should pay a closer attention to measures to mitigate global uncertainties in attempt to increase direct capital investment flow.

The study examines the effect of financial sector development on macroeconomic volatility in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region for the period 1980–2018 employing the Cross-Sectionally Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) model. The empirical findings show that banking variables have a negative and significant effect on growth volatility in the SADC countries. Also, stock market capitalisation, which is a measure of capital market development, was also found to have a negative effect on macroeconomic volatility when looking at the whole financial sector. The results suggest that a well-developed capital market where both the stock market and banking sector are thriving mitigates macroeconomic volatility. The empirical results however reveal that when the stock market is dominant, there is bound to be macroeconomic volatility. The results imply that pursuing the development of the overall financial system reduces macroeconomic volatility in a country as well as the region. Authorities should therefore ensure that policies geared towards development of the entire financial system are pursued.

Four-wave mixing processes are ubiquitous in ultrafast optics and the determination of the coefficients of the χ(3) tensor is thus essential. We introduce a novel time-resolved ultrafast spectroscopic method to characterize the third-order nonlinearity on the femtosecond time-scale. This approach, coined as “nonlinear chirped interferometry,” makes use of the variation of the optical group delay of a transmitted probe under the effect of an intense pump pulse in the nonlinear medium of interest. The observable is the spectral interference between the probe and a reference pulse sampled upstream and the metric is the transient swing of the probe group delay. We show that the detected signal is enhanced when the pulses are weakly chirped, and that, although interferometric, the method is intrinsically less sensitive to environmental phase fluctuations and drifts. By chirping adequately the reference pulse, the transient frequency shift of the probe pulses is also detected in the time domain and the detected nonlinear signal is enhanced. Nonlinear phase shifts as low as 10 mrad, corresponding to a frequency shift of 30 GHz, i.e., 0.01% of the carrier frequency, are detected without heterodyne detection or active phase-stabilization. The diagonal and/or non-diagonal terms of reference glasses (SiO2) and crystals (Al2O3, BaF2, CaF2) are characterized. The method is finally applied to measure the soft vibration mode of KTiOAsO4 (KTA).

Grapevine curettage was re-introduced in France in the early 2000s, and is important for facilitating recovery of plants from esca disease. This surgical practice involves removal of deadwood of vines with leaf symptoms, focusing on white rot generally observed at the centres of grapevine trunks. Assessment of the efficacy of this practice was initiated in the Bordeaux region in 2014. One ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ vineyard severely affected by esca was initially surveyed in the summer of 2014, to identify and treat vines with esca foliar symptoms. Annually thereafter, from 2014 to 2018, selected vine stocks were curetted. Two other ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ vineyards also displaying high levels of esca damage were added to the study in 2015 and 2016. Curettage treatments ceased in 2018, resulting in 11 trials (vineyard × year combinations). In total, 856 vines (422 curetted and 434 control vines) were then surveyed annually up to 2021, for assessments and comparisons of esca development. At each site, plants with esca symptoms recovered well after curettage: on average 85% of all curetted vines became asymptomatic the year immediately after the treatment. Six years after treatment, for curettage campaigns carried out in 2014 and 2015, more than half of the curetted vines were symptom-free, whereas

The aim of this systematic review is to provide an update on the occurrence and co-occurrence of selected non-regulated mycotoxins and provide an overview of current regulations. Fifteen non-regulated mycotoxins were found in 19 food categories worldwide. On top of that, 38 different combinations of non-regulated mycotoxins were found, with mixtures varying from binary combinations up to 12 mycotoxins. Taking into consideration the amount of evidence regarding the prevalence and co-occurrence of non-regulated mycotoxins, future steps should be taken considering continuous monitoring, scientific exchange, and generation of high-quality data. To enhance data quality, guidelines outlining the minimum quality criteria for both occurrence data and metadata are needed. By doing so, we can effectively address concerns related to the toxicity of non-regulated mycotoxins. Furthermore, obtaining more data concerning the co-occurrence of both regulated and non-regulated mycotoxins could aid in supporting multiple chemical risk assessment methodologies. Implementing these steps could bolster food safety measures, promote evidence-based regulations, and ultimately safeguard public health from the potential adverse effects of non-regulated mycotoxins.

This article addresses, in different types of protected areas in the French Alps, the environmental transition through the production, consumption and potential impacts of various renewable energies. It also questions energy sobriety through “starry sky” initiatives and the night-time extinction of public lighting. Some protected mountain areas are poorly connected to the national electricity grid, which encourages the search for autonomous energy solutions leading to technical, social and legislative innovations. In this condition, actors have invented devices such as individual or collective self-consumption projects in isolated sites or Village Photovoltaic Plants born in the natural regional parks of the former Rhône-Alpes region. As such, protected spaces appear as uneven places for energy experimentation towards models of environmental transition.