Search

Two experiments were carried out in the municipality of Coronel Pacheco, Minas Gerais State, Brazil in 2020 and 2021 to identify additional herbicide options for weed control during early elephant grass pasture establishment. Thirteen pre-emergence herbicides were compared to weed-free and weedy controls in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. Forage yield losses were significant as a result of weed interference throughout the entire crop cycle. The most phytotoxic treatments were trifluralin and diuron + hexazinone. Weed control was effective for all treatments, except for trifluralin applied alone. Elephant grass dry matter yield was not influenced by diuron, ametryne, flumioxazin and metribuzin, identifying them as potential pre-emergence herbicides for weed control in elephant grass pastures.

Summary: Transcriptional activation domains (ADs) of gene activators have remained enigmatic for decades as short, extremely variable, and structurally disordered sequences. Using a rational design and high throughput in vivo experimentation, we determine the grammar rules and exceptions for the language of ADs. According to identified rules, billions of highly active ADs can be composed of balanced amounts of acidic/aromatic amino acids, with either mixed composition of aromatic residues, or using only one aromatic residue mixed with acidic residues. However, equally active sequences can be composed of only aliphatic leucine and aspartic acid residues. The much rarer LD exceptions have a higher ratio of hydrophobic/acidic balance and display a specific LDL(L/D)DLL motif. For aromatic/acidic Ads, the intermixing of proline residues in context of amphipathic α-helix structures significantly increases the AD activity. The identified grammar rules and exceptions are interpreted in application to the biochemistry of AD function and eukaryotic gene expression.

The glacier ice algae Ancylonema alaskanum and Ancylonema nordenskiöldii grow in harsh dynamic environments on bare ice surfaces. In these environments, they contribute to the continuous darkening of the ice surface, which in turn accelerates the ice melt. However, investigation into their adaptation and resilience in these environments is necessary in order to understand their robustness and potential for increasing the intensity of blooms. In this study, it was examined how variations in environmental parameters such as pH, salinity, light and temperature impacted the photophysiology of the glacier ice algae during a bloom in Greenland. Through in situ incubations and pulse-amplitude-modulation (PAM) fluorometric measurements, the photophysiological responses of algal cells were assessed. Results suggest that light intensity significantly influences glacier ice algae photophysiology, with cells exhibiting better performance (in terms of a higher theoretical maximum light coefficient and maximum quantum efficiency) under lower light intensity. Moreover, while light emerges as the primary driver of photophysiology, glacier ice algae demonstrate tolerance to a broad range of pH and temperatures four times higher than those experienced during Greenland’s summer.

Recent advancements in quantum computing and quantum-inspired algorithms have sparked renewed interest in binary optimization. These hardware and software innovations promise to revolutionize solution times for complex problems. In this work, we propose a novel method for solving linear systems. Our approach leverages binary optimization, making it particularly well-suited for problems with large condition numbers. We transform the linear system into a binary optimization problem, drawing inspiration from the geometry of the original problem and resembling the conjugate gradient method. This approach employs conjugate directions that significantly accelerate the algorithm’s convergence rate. Furthermore, we demonstrate that by leveraging partial knowledge of the problem’s intrinsic geometry, we can decompose the original problem into smaller, independent sub-problems. These sub-problems can be efficiently tackled using either quantum or classical solvers. Although determining the problem’s geometry introduces some additional computational cost, this investment is outweighed by the substantial performance gains compared to existing methods.

Additively manufactured complex geometries from copper alloys with high thermal and mechanical properties have drawn the attention of researchers. The present contribution explores the additive manufacturing (AM) of copper-based alloys from powder particles intended for heat sink and heat exchange applications. Selective laser melting (SLM) parameters featuring low laser beam power (160 W), moderate scanning speed (320 mm/s), and high energy density (200 J/mm³) were employed to fabricate dense components from CuSn10 particles. The present work deal with structural analysis and precision investigation of microfabrication, particularly in Struts, Tubes, and Fins. Mechanical properties (compression and hardness) for Strut structure, differential pressure evaluations for Tube structure, and analyses of thermal and electrical conductivities for Fin structure were investigated. The results showed an improvement in strength compared to those of pure copper, facilitating ease of AM. The obtained results affirm the feasibility of AM, demonstrating the successful creation of complex and combined solid-porous structures using SLM process from Cu alloys. A comprehensive structural investigation and characterization of the Cu–Sn alloy is presented here, aiming to establish a standardized approach for analysing Cu alloys. The results indicate that small-scaled structures fabricated via CuSn10 alloy exhibits a thermal conductivity of 34.3 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, an electrical conductivity of 4.72×10⁶ S/m, a hardness of 119 HV-50, a uniform surface roughness of 6 µm, and can withstand a force loading of 1 kN.

Abstract Background T-cell membrane scaffold proteins are pivotal in T cell function, acting as versatile signaling hubs. While CD6 forms a large intracellular signalosome, it is distinguished from typical scaffolds like LAT or PAG by possessing a substantial ectodomain that binds CD166, a well-characterized ligand expressed on most antigen-presenting cells (APC), through the third domain (d3) of the extracellular region. Although the intact form of CD6 is the most abundant in T cells, an isoform lacking d3 (CD6∆d3) is transiently expressed on activated T cells. Still, the precise character of the signaling transduced by CD6, whether costimulatory or inhibitory, and the influence of its ectodomain on these activities are unclear. Methods We expressed CD6 variants with extracellular deletions or cytosolic mutations in Jurkat cells containing eGFP reporters for NF-κB and NF-AT transcription factor activation. Cell activation was assessed by eGFP flow cytometry following Jurkat cell engagement with superantigen-presenting Raji cells. Using imaging flow cytometry, we evaluated the impact of the CD6-CD166 pair on cell adhesiveness during the antigen-dependent and -independent priming of T cells. We also examined the role of extracellular or cytosolic sequences on CD6 translocation to the immunological synapse, using immunofluorescence-based imaging. Results Our investigation dissecting the functions of the extracellular and cytosolic regions of CD6 revealed that CD6 was trafficked to the immunological synapse and exerted tonic inhibition wholly dependent on its cytosolic tail. Surprisingly, however, translocation to the synapse occurred independently of the extracellular d3 and of engagement to CD166. On the other hand, CD6 binding to CD166 significantly increased T cell:APC adhesion. However, this activity was most evident in the absence of APC priming with superantigen, and thus, in the absence of TCR engagement. Conclusions Our study identifies CD6 as a novel ‘on/off’ scaffold-receptor capable of modulating responsiveness in two ways. Firstly, and independently of ligand binding, it establishes signaling thresholds through tonic inhibition, functioning as a membrane-bound scaffold. Secondly, CD6 has the capacity for alternative splicing-dependent variable ligand engagement, modulating its checkpoint-like activity.

Abstract Background Dark pigmented snow and glacier ice algae on glaciers and ice sheets contribute to accelerating melt. The biological controls on these algae, particularly the role of viruses, remain poorly understood. Giant viruses, classified under the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) supergroup (phylum Nucleocytoviricota), are diverse and globally distributed. NCLDVs are known to infect eukaryotic cells in marine and freshwater environments, providing a biological control on the algal population in these ecosystems. However, there is very limited information on the diversity and ecosystem function of NCLDVs in terrestrial icy habitats. Results In this study, we investigate for the first time giant viruses and their host connections on ice and snow habitats, such as cryoconite, dark ice, ice core, red and green snow, and genomic assemblies of five cultivated Chlorophyta snow algae. Giant virus marker genes were present in almost all samples; the highest abundances were recovered from red snow and the snow algae genomic assemblies, followed by green snow and dark ice. The variety of active algae and protists in these GrIS habitats containing NCLDV marker genes suggests that infection can occur on a range of eukaryotic hosts. Metagenomic data from red and green snow contained evidence of giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes from the orders Imitervirales, Asfuvirales, and Algavirales. Conclusion Our study highlights NCLDV family signatures in snow and ice samples from the Greenland ice sheet. Giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes (GVMAGs) were found in red snow samples, and related NCLDV marker genes were identified for the first time in snow algal culture genomic assemblies; implying a relationship between the NCLDVs and snow algae. Metatranscriptomic viral genes also aligned with metagenomic sequences, suggesting that NCLDVs are an active component of the microbial community and are potential “top-down” controls of the eukaryotic algal and protistan members. This study reveals the unprecedented presence of a diverse community of NCLDVs in a variety of glacial habitats dominated by algae.

Abstract Sepsis results from systemic, dysregulated inflammatory responses to infection, culminating in multiple organ failure. Here, we demonstrate the utility of CD5L for treating experimental sepsis caused by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We show that CD5L’s important features include its ability to enhance neutrophil recruitment and activation by increasing circulating levels of CXCL1, and to promote neutrophil phagocytosis. CD5L-deficient mice exhibit impaired neutrophil recruitment and compromised bacterial control, rendering them susceptible to attenuated CLP. CD5L-/- peritoneal cells from mice subjected to medium-grade CLP exhibit a heightened pro-inflammatory transcriptional profile, reflecting a loss of control of the immune response to the infection. Intravenous administration of recombinant CD5L (rCD5L) in immunocompetent C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) mice significantly ameliorates measures of disease in the setting of high-grade CLP-induced sepsis. Furthermore, rCD5L lowers endotoxin and damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) levels, and protects WT mice from LPS-induced endotoxic shock. These findings warrant the investigation of rCD5L as a possible treatment for sepsis in humans.

Abstract Introduction Because of the co‐location of critical organs at risk, base of skull tumours require steep dose gradients to achieve the prescribed dosimetric criteria. When available, proton beam therapy (PBT) is often considered a desirable modality for these cases, but in many instances, compromises in target coverage are still required to achieve critical organ at risk (OAR) tolerance doses. A number of techniques have been proposed to further improve the penumbra of PBT. In the current study, we propose a novel, collimator‐free treatment planning technique that combines high‐energy shoot‐through proton beams with conventional Bragg peak spot placement. The small spot size of the high‐energy pencil beams provides a sharp penumbra at the target boundary, and the Bragg peak spots provide a higher linear energy transfer (LET) boost to the target centre. Methods Three base of skull chordoma patients were retrospectively planned with three different PBT treatment planning techniques: (1) conventional intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT); (2) high‐energy proton arc therapy (HE‐PAT); and (3) the novel technique combining HE‐PAT and IMPT, referred to as single high‐energy arc with Bragg peak boost (SHARP). The Monaco 6 treatment planning system was used. Results SHARP was found to improve the PBT penumbra in the plane perpendicular to the HE‐PAT beams. Minimal penumbra differences were observed in the plane of the HE‐PAT beams. SHARP reduced dose‐averaged LET to surrounding organs at risk. Conclusion A novel PBT treatment planning technique was successfully implemented. Initial results indicate the potential for SHARP to improve the penumbra of PBT treatments for base of skull tumours.

ABSTRACT: Heartworm disease is a zoonosis caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a nematode parasite of worldwide distribution and considered one of the most virulent of dogs, which are definitive and infected hosts during the blood meal of vector mosquitoes (Aedes sp., Anopheles sp. and Culex sp.). The disease has a worldwide prevalence, with a higher incidence in tropical and subtropical climate areas, and affects animals of any breed, sex, and age group. Most animals are asymptomatic, but the disease can cause various cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms. The pathophysiology is related to vessel obstruction and an intense inflammatory reaction in the lung parenchyma, with cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms leading to signs that can be severe and lead to the death of the host. It can be diagnosed through blood tests, and chest X-rays are used to assess the severity of clinical signs and help establish a prognosis. Cardiovascular alterations appear as an increase in vascular caliber, an increase in the right heart silhouette, and pulmonary patterns compatible with infection. This study aimed to describe the conditional radiographic changes caused by the parasite in the lungs, intrathoracic vessels and heart in 30 dogs, independent of breed and sex, with an average age of 9.9 years and an average weight of 10.25kg, originating from routine care at a veterinary hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, from January 2022 to December 2022. All animals were diagnosed with a positive heartworm infection and cardiorespiratory symptoms as essential conditions for participation in the study. The animals were x-rayed and had their lung patterns evaluated, in addition to measuring their vascular caliber and cardiac indices using vertebral-heart size (VHS), manubrium-heart size (MHS) and sphericity index (CSI). Most animals presented pulmonary patterns such as bronchoalveolar and bronchial and increased VHS and MHS indices. Increased and borderline values of CSI measurements were found in half of the patients, demonstrating that the parasite can trigger significant radiographic changes or present potential further worsening.

ABSTRACT: In this study we developed an allometric model to predict the total biomass of the tropical tree of economic value Aniba rosaeodora to manage the sustainable use of natural populations through the use of branches and leaves, in the same way that allows us to evaluate the potential for its domestication and develop plantations. For this, 15 trees were sampled with an average diameter at breast height (DBH) of 9 cm (σ = 7.5 cm, CV = 44 %), height (Th) of 17.6 m (σ = 5.5 m, CV = 31 %), an average total biomass of 277.7 kg (σ = 203.9 kg, CV = 73 %), resulting in an average of 4.5 l of essential oil (σ = 3.3 l, CV = 75 %), and with an oil yield of 1.51 % (σ = 0.34 %, CV = 22.3 %). Thus, 29 allometric models were selected to estimate biomass of the stem (Cb), biomass of green branches (Pb), biomass of secondary branches (Sb), leaf biomass (Lb), total tree biomass (Tb) and essential oil, from variables of easy measurement (diameter) and strong correlation (Spearman's Rho 0.63–0.99; P < 0.05). From the tests, the models with the best correlation coefficients, R2 and R2aj were selected to estimate the biomass and essential oil content of each tree. Thus, the equations whose predictor variable is the D50 was the best fit, where Tb=(-1.73388+0.835102D50)2, ρ = 0.96; R2aj = 0.962 and Oil=exp(-6.4554+2.54862ln(D50)), ρ = 0.82; R2aj = 0.930, but by an indirect method using total tree biomass (Tb) a better fit can be obtained for essential oil, Oil=1/(-0.0793641+82.2948/Tb), ρ = 0.84; R2aj = 0.998.

Abstract The formation of a stable complex between proteins lies at the core of a wide variety of biological processes and has been the focus of countless experiments. The huge amount of information contained in the protein structural interactome in the Protein Data Bank can now be used to characterise and classify the existing biological interfaces. We here introduce ARCTIC-3D, a fast and user-friendly data mining and clustering software to retrieve data and rationalise the interface information associated with the protein input data. We demonstrate its use by various examples ranging from showing the increased interaction complexity of eukaryotic proteins, 20% of which on average have more than 3 different interfaces compared to only 10% for prokaryotes, to associating different functions to different interfaces. In the context of modelling biomolecular assemblies, we introduce the concept of “recognition entropy”, related to the number of possible interfaces of the components of a protein-protein complex, which we demonstrate to correlate with the modelling difficulty in classical docking approaches. The identified interface clusters can also be used to generate various combinations of interface-specific restraints for integrative modelling. The ARCTIC-3D software is freely available at github.com/haddocking/arctic3d and can be accessed as a web-service at wenmr.science.uu.nl/arctic3d.

Dunaliella salina is a green microalga extensively explored for β-carotene production, while knowledge of its lipid composition is still limited and poorly investigated. Among lipids, polar lipids have been highlighted as bioactive phytochemicals with health-promoting properties. This research aimed to provide an in-depth lipidome profiling of D. salina using liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The lipid content was 6.8%, including phospholipids, glycolipids, betaine lipids, sphingolipids, triglycerides, diglycerides, and pigments. Among the total esterified fatty acids, 13.6% were 18:3 omega-3 and 14.7% were 18:1 omega-9. The lipid extract of D. salina showed anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 activity at 100 µg/mL, dose-dependent antioxidant scavenging activity, and antidiabetic activity by inhibiting α-glucosidase activity at 25 and 125 µg/mL. In conclusion, the lipid extract of D. salina has the potential to be used as a functional food ingredient or in the nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries.

Background: The present study investigated the effects of pulsed and continuous ultrasound (USP and USC) in edema and hyperalgesia after chronic inflammatory process induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant-CFA and analyzing the relationship of the application frequency of ultrasound, in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production. Methods: Forty-five animals were divided into 9 groups; all animals from groups 2 to 9 were subjected to a persistent inflammation model induced by CFA in mice. We report the effects and the underlying action mechanisms of USP and USC in the animals which were irradiated two, three or five times a week on the left hind paw. The analyses performed in this study were: evaluation of hind paw edema through the plethysmometer, evaluation of thermal hyperalgesia through withdrawal test using a water container at 44.5°C (± 0.5°C), and the plantar region of the left paw which was removed for analysis of cytokines. Results: Our results showed that USP and USC consistently reduced paw edema, and pulsed ultrasound showed a higher significant effect than the continuous mode. Moreover, groups with irradiation frequency of five times a week presented an inhibition of the edema, and groups with frequency of three or two times a week reduced mainly hyperalgesia, in comparison with the control group. The beneficial effects of the US then seem to be associated with upregulation of anti- and pro-inflammatory mediators, such as IL-10 and IL-6, respectively. Conclusion: This study provided evidence that ultrasound constitutes an important non-pharmacological intervention for the management of inflammatory and pain states.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) can provide the necessary nitrogen for bean crops; however, for this to occur, important limitations involving the inoculant application technology need to be overcome.The use of co-inoculation is a management technique used to obtain benefits and increase the potential of N2 fixation from the association between bacteria from the rhizobia group, such as R. tropici, and bacteria that promote plant growth, such as A. brasilense, in association with the addition of nutrients that allow greater efficiency of bacteria fixing atmospheric N2. This study aimed to evaluate the bean response to the reinoculation of R. tropici in co-inoculation with A. brasilense in a mixture with the micronutrients Co/Mo, in the winter season of 2021, in Anápolis-GO, Brazil. A randomized block design was used, with four replications, and the following treatments (TRs) were studied: TR1—reinoculation with R. tropici; TR2—reinoculation with co-inoculation of R. tropici + A. brasilense; TR3—reinoculation of R. tropici + Mo/Co micronutrients; TR4—reinoculation with co-inoculation R. tropici + A. brasilense + Mo/Co micronutrients; TR5—inoculation via seed, without reinoculation; TR6—mineral N fertilization in the sowing furrow and topdressing; TR7—control, without any N source. At stage R6, nodulation characteristics (number and dry mass of nodules) and the morphophysiological parameters of the plants (main root length, root dry mass, plant height, shoot dry mass, leaf area, and leaf N content in the shoot) were evaluated. At harvest, the final plant stand and components (number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, and average weight of one hundred grains) were determined, in addition to grain yield. It was concluded that inoculation followed by reinoculation in topdressing with R. tropici in co-inoculation with A. brasilense plus Mo/Co, compared to mineral nitrogen fertilization, improves the efficiency of the nodulation process and the morphophysiological characteristics of the common bean crop. Seed inoculation and topdressing application with R. tropici, associated with co-inoculation with A. brasilense + Mo and Co, have the potential to completely replace mineral nitrogen fertilization in common bean crops.

The focus of this work is on small municipalities (population below 50 thousand inhabitants) that cover around 87% of the territory of the Brazilian Legal Amazon (BLA). Based on a comprehensive integrated analysis approach using the three components hazard (climate extremes from CMIP6 future scenarios), exposure (directly affected population), and vulnerability (subdimensions of susceptibility and coping/adaptive capacity by using multidimensional indicators), the latter two using current datasets provided by the official Census IBGE 2022, we document a quantitative assessment of the risk R of natural disasters in the BLA region. We evidenced a worrying and imminent intensification of the curve of R in most Amazonian municipalities over the next two 25-year periods. The overall results of the highest proportions of R (total municipalities affected) pointed out the Amazonas, Roraima, Pará, and Maranhão as the main states, presenting projected categories of R high in the near future (2015 to 2039) and very high in the far future (2040 to 2064). The detailed assessment of the susceptibility and coping/adaptive capacity allowed us to elucidate the principal indicators that aggravate the degree of vulnerability: economy, the precariousness of urban infrastructure, medical services, communication, and urban mobility, whose combined factors, unfortunately, reveal a widespread poverty profile along the small Amazonian municipalities. Our scientific findings can assist decision makers in targeted strategies planning and public policies to minimize and mitigate ongoing and future climate change.

As digitalization expands across all sectors, the economic toll of software defects on the U.S. economy reaches up to $2.41 trillion annually. High-profile incidents like the Boeing 787-Max 8 crash have shown the devastating potential of these defects, highlighting the critical importance of software testing within quality assurance frameworks. However, due to its complexity and resource intensity, the exhaustive nature of comprehensive testing often surpasses budget constraints. This research utilizes a machine learning (ML) model to enhance software testing decisions by pinpointing areas most susceptible to defects and optimizing scarce resource allocation. Previous studies have shown promising results using cost-sensitive training to refine ML models, improving predictive accuracy by reducing false negatives through addressing class imbalances in defect prediction datasets. This approach facilitates more targeted and effective testing efforts. Nevertheless, these models’ in-company generalizability across different projects (cross-project) and programming languages (cross-language) remained untested. This study validates the approach’s applicability across diverse development environments by integrating various datasets from distinct projects into a unified dataset, using a more interpretable ML technique. The results demonstrate that ML can support software testing decisions, enabling teams to identify up to 7× more defective modules compared to benchmark with the same testing effort.

The pandemic caused millions of deaths around the world and forced governments to take drastic measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus. Understanding the impact of social distancing measures on urban mobility and the number of COVID-19 cases allows governments to change public policies according to the evolution of the pandemic and plan ahead. Given the increasing rates of vaccination worldwide, immunization data may also represent an important predictor of COVID-19 cases. This study investigates the impact of urban mobility and vaccination upon COVID-19 cases in Belo Horizonte, Brazil using Prophet and ARIMA models to predict future outcomes. The developed models generated projections fairly close to real numbers, and some inferences were drawn through experimentation. Brazil became the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic shortly after the first case was officially registered on February 25th, 2020. In response, several municipalities adopted lockdown (total or partial) measures to minimize the risk of new infections. Here, we propose prediction models which take into account mobility and vaccination data to predict new COVID-19 cases.

The Greenland Ice Sheet is a biome which is mainly microbially driven. Several different niches can be found within the glacial biome for those microbes able to withstand the harsh conditions, e.g., low temperatures, low nutrient conditions, high UV radiation in summer, and contrasting long and dark winters. Eukaryotic algae can form blooms during the summer on the ice surface, interacting with communities of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Cryoconite holes and snow are also habitats with their own microbial community. Nevertheless, the microbiome of supraglacial habitats remains poorly studied, leading to a lack of representative genomes from these environments. Under-investigated extremophiles, like those living on the Greenland Ice Sheet, may provide an untapped reservoir of chemical diversity that is yet to be discovered. In this study, an inventory of the biosynthetic potential of these organisms is made, through cataloging the presence of biosynthetic gene clusters in their genomes. There were 133 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and 28 whole genomes of bacteria obtained from samples of the ice sheet surface, cryoconite, biofilm, and snow using culturing-dependent and -independent approaches. AntiSMASH and BiG-SCAPE were used to mine these genomes and subsequently analyze the resulting predicted gene clusters. Extensive sets of predicted Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs) were collected from the genome collection, with limited overlap between isolates and MAGs. Additionally, little overlap was found in the biosynthetic potential among different environments, suggesting specialization of organisms in specific habitats. The median number of BGCs per genome was significantly higher for the isolates compared to the MAGs. The most talented producers were found among Proteobacteria. We found evidence for the capacity of these microbes to produce antimicrobials, carotenoid pigments, siderophores, and osmoprotectants, indicating potential survival mechanisms to cope with extreme conditions. The majority of identified BGCs, including those in the most prevalent gene cluster families, have unknown functions, presenting a substantial potential for bioprospecting. This study underscores the diverse biosynthetic potential in Greenland Ice Sheet genomes, revealing insights into survival strategies and highlighting the need for further exploration and characterization of these untapped resources.

Abstract Global, continental and regional maps of concentrations, stocks and fluxes of natural resources provide baseline data to assess how ecosystems respond to human disturbance and global warming. They are also used as input to numerous modelling efforts. But these maps suffer from multiple error sources and, hence, it is good practice to report estimates of the associated map uncertainty so that users can evaluate their fitness for use. We explain why quantification of uncertainty of spatial aggregates is more complex than uncertainty quantification at point support because it must account for spatial autocorrelation of the map errors. Unfortunately, this is not done in a number of recent high‐profile studies. We describe how spatial autocorrelation of map errors can be accounted for with block kriging, a method that requires geostatistical expertise. Next, we propose a new, model‐based approach that avoids the numerical complexity of block kriging and is feasible for large‐scale studies where maps are typically made using machine learning. Our approach relies on Monte Carlo integration to derive the uncertainty of the spatial average or total from point support prediction errors. We account for spatial autocorrelation of the map error by geostatistical modelling of the standardized map error. We show that the uncertainty strongly depends on the spatial autocorrelation of the map errors. In a first case study, we used block kriging to show that the uncertainty of the predicted topsoil organic carbon in France decreases when the support increases. In a second case study, we estimated the uncertainty of spatial aggregates of a machine learning map of the above‐ground biomass in Western Africa using Monte Carlo integration. We found that this uncertainty was small because of the weak spatial autocorrelation of the standardized map errors. We present a tool to get realistic estimates of the uncertainty of spatial averages and totals of natural resource maps. The method presented in this paper is essential for parties that need to evaluate whether differences in aggregated environmental variables or natural resources between regions or over time are statistically significant.

Pigmented microalgae inhabiting snow and ice environments lower the albedo of glacier and ice-sheet surfaces, significantly enhancing surface melt. Our ability to accurately predict their role in glacier and ice-sheet surface mass balance is limited by the current lack of empirical data to constrain their representation in predictive models. Here we present new empirical optical properties for snow and ice algae and incorporate them in a radiative transfer model to investigate their impact on snow and ice surface albedo. We found ice algal cells to be more efficient absorbers than snow algal cells, but their blooms had comparable impact on surface albedo due to the different photic conditions of their habitats. We then used the model to reconstruct the effect of ice algae on bare ice albedo spectra collected at our field site in southern Greenland, where blooms dropped the albedo locally by between 3 and 43%, equivalent to 1–10 L m$^{-2}$ d$^{-1}$ of melted ice. Using the newly parametrized model, future studies could investigate biological albedo reduction and algal quantification from remote hyperspectral and multispectral imagery.

الملخص: أهداف البحث: لا تزال الالتهابات السنية الحادة تشكل تحديا لجراحي الوجه والفكين. الهدف من هذا العمل هو مراجعة الأدبيات حول هذا الموضوع وتحديث المعرفة حول هذا الموضوع. طرق البحث: تم إجراء مراجعة شاملة بواسطة : ''بب ميد” / ''ميدلاين” و ''شبكة العلوم” و ''المجلة الأفريقية على الانترنت” باستخدام الاستراتيجية (الالتهابات السنية الشديدة). لم تطبق قيود لغوية. تم استرداد خيارات العلاج فقط. تم تضمين مقالات من السنوات الخمسين الماضية. النتائج: تم تضمين ما مجموعه 84 مقالة من 39 دولة مختلفة حول العالم. الإصابات الحادة ذات المنشأ السني ليست فريدة من نوعها في البلدان المنخفضة والمتوسطة الدخل. حتى في البلدان المتقدمة، هذا وضع صعب. تمت مناقشة الإدارة الجراحية والعلاج بالمضادات الحيوية لهذا النوع من العدوى. بعض المرضى الذين يعانون من نقص المناعة لديهم مخاطر أعلى للإصابة بمضاعفات ومعدل وفيات أعلى. تم إنشاء خريطة العالم للمنشورات حول هذا الموضوع. الاستنتاجات: تمت مناقشة العديد من الجوانب الهامة لإدارة الالتهابات السنية الحادة. تمت مناقشة بعض تنبؤات الشدة بالإضافة إلى اختيار المضادات الحيوية الموصى بها. داء السكري هو مؤشر تنبؤي ضعيف للعدوى ذات المنشأ السني. Abstract: Objectives: Severe odontogenic infections remain a challenge for maxillofacial surgeons. The aim of this work is to review the literature to provide an update of knowledge on the topic. Methods: A comprehensive review of articles in PubMed, Web of Science and Africa Journals Online was performed through searching for “severe odontogenic infections.” No language restrictions were applied. Only articles pertaining to treatment options were retrieved. Articles from the past 50 years were included. Results: A total of 84 articles from 39 countries worldwide were included. Severe odontogenic infections are not unique to low- and middle-income countries but also pose challenges in developed countries. Surgical management and antibiotic therapy for this type of infection is discussed. Some immunocompromised patients have high risks of complications and mortality rates. A world map of publications on the topic is provided. Conclusions: Several important aspects of managing severe odontogenic infections are discussed. Predictors of severity in addition to recommended antibiotic choice have been debated. Diabetes mellitus is a poor predictor of the prognosis of odontogenic infections.

Abstract We introduce a new dataset of high-resolution gridded total soil organic carbon content data produced at 30 m × 30 m and 90 m × 90 m resolutions across Australia. For each product resolution, the dataset consists of six maps of soil organic carbon content along with an estimate of the uncertainty represented by the 90% prediction interval. Soil organic carbon maps were produced up to a depth of 200 cm, for six intervals: 0–5 cm, 5–15 cm, 15–30 cm, 30–60 cm, 60–100 cm and 100–200 cm. The maps were obtained through interpolation of 90,025 depth-harmonized organic carbon measurements using quantile regression forest and a large set of environmental covariates. Validation with 10-fold cross-validation showed that all six maps had relatively small errors and that prediction uncertainty was adequately estimated. The soil carbon maps provide a new baseline from which change in future carbon stocks can be monitored and the influence of climate change, land management, and greenhouse gas offset can be assessed.

The valorization of the large amount of crude glycerol formed from the biodiesel industry is of primordial necessity. One possible direction with high interest to the biorefinery sector is the production of fuel additives such as solketal, through the acetalization of glycerol with acetone. This is a chemical process that conciliates high sustainability and economic interest, since solketal contributes to the fulfillment of a Circular Economy Model through its use in biodiesel blends. The key to guarantee high efficiency and high sustainability for solketal production is the use of recovery and recyclable heterogeneous catalysts. Reported works indicate that high yields are attributed to catalyst acidity, mainly the ones containing Brönsted acidic sites. On the other hand, the catalyst stability and its recycling capacity are completely dependent of the support material and the acidic sites incorporation methodology. This review intends to conciliate the information spread on this topic and indicate the most assertive strategies to achieve high solketal production in short reaction time during various reaction cycles.

A method has been proposed for creating an operationally durable copper coating with antimicrobial properties for the buttons of electrical switches based on the gas dynamic spray deposition of copper on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic. It is shown that during the coating process, a polymer film is formed on top of the copper layer. Comparative in situ studies of microbial contamination have shown that the copper-coated buttons have a significant antimicrobial effect compared to standard buttons. Analysis of swabs over a 22-week study in a hospital environment showed that the frequency of contamination for a copper-coated button with various microorganisms was 2.7 times lower than that of a control button. The presented results allow us to consider the developed copper coating for plastic switches an effective alternative method in the fight against healthcare-associated infections.

This work presents a state-of-the-art review of micro-combustion flame dynamics and micro propulsion systems. In the initial section, we focus in on the different challenges of micro-combustion, investigating the typical length and time scales involved in micro-combustion and some critical phenomena such as flammability limits and the quenching diameter.We present an extensive collection of studies on the principal types of micro-flame dynamics, including flashback, blow-off, steady versus non-steady flames, mild combustion, stable flames, flames with repetitive extinction, and ignition and pulsatory flame burst. In the final part of this review, we focus on micropropulsion systems, their performance metrics, conventional manufacturing methods, and the advancements in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems manufacturing.

The significance of polymer processing techniques cannot be overstated in the production of polymer components [...]

Abstract The current COVID-19 vaccines protect against severe disease, but are not effective in controlling replication of the Variants of Concern (VOCs). Here, we used the existing pre-clinical models of severe and moderate COVID-19 to evaluate the efficacy of a Spike-based DNA vaccine (pCTV-WS) for protection against different VOCs. Immunization of transgenic (K18-hACE2) mice and hamsters induced significant levels of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) to Wuhan and Delta isolates, but not to the Gamma and Omicron variants. Nevertheless, the pCTV-WS vaccine offered significant protection to all VOCs. Consistently, protection against lung pathology and viral load to Wuhan or Delta was mediated by nAbs, whereas in the absence of nAbs, T cells controlled viral replication, disease and lethality in mice infected with either the Gamma or Omicron variants. Hence, considering the conserved nature of CD4 and CD8 T cell epitopes, we corroborate the hypothesis that induction of effector T-cells should be a main goal for new vaccines against the emergent SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

Phytobenthos, major primary producers in freshwater, may be periodically exposed to herbicides through runoff, spray drift, and leaching, but experimental work on their response to herbicides is limited. Outdoor flumes were used to measure the recovery of intact phytobenthic biofilms, following a short-term pulse to a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) and chlorotoluron (CLT), singly or as a mixture (GBHC). Two days following the removal of the herbicides, significant declines in biomass and rates of areal gross maximum photosynthesis were recorded in GBH and GBHC-treated flumes. Herbicide pulses negatively impacted the biomass of phytobenthos, measured as chlorophyll a, which in turn may have alleviated resource limitation, evidenced by significant increases in biomass-specific rates of gross maximum photosynthesis. After 4.5 days, biomass concentrations were similar in controls and treatments, indicating biofilm recovery in the GBH and GBHC biofilms, though the proportion of green algae relative to diatoms was significantly higher in GBH and GBHC-impacted biofilms. Significant increases were recorded in the Trophic Diatom Index (TDI), indicating benthic diatom development along different trajectories, following the herbicide pulse. Collectively, these results indicate greater insights into herbicide impacts on phytobenthos may be gained by working with the whole phytobenthic community.

The presence of bioaccessible potentially-toxic elements in five different brands of temporary tattoos (packaged with bubble gums) aimed at children and three product brands used by young and adult audiences were analyzed in accordance with the Brazilian Organization of Technical Standards (ABNT) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for toy’s safety standards. Bioaccessible barium, copper and strontium were found in the concentration range between 1.78-11.1 μg g-1, 0.0364-0.875 μg g-1, 0.155-9.9 μg g-1, respectively. Bioaccessible lead (2.6 ± 0.1 μg g-1 - 4.36 ± 0.06 μg g-1) and boron (2.14 ± 0.07 - 3.54 ± 0.07 μg g-1) were found in two samples whereas chromium (0.403 ± 0.004 μg g-1) in one sample aimed at children. Bioaccessible aluminum was found in six samples, mostly at products used by children. Other elements whose bioaccessibility was evaluated were Mo (< LOD), Cd (< LOD), V (0.148 ± 0.003 μg g-1) and Co (0.003 - 1.756 μg g-1). All samples met the upper limits permitted by the national toy safety standard, however, chromium, lead, cobalt and barium presented higher bioaccessibility levels than the allowed values by cosmetic regulation that controls products applied directly to the skin.

Abstract Background CD6 is one of many cell surface receptors known to regulate signal transduction upon T cell activation. However, whether CD6 mediates costimulatory or inhibitory signals is controversial. When T cells engage with antigen presenting cells (APCs), CD6 interacts with its ligand CD166 at the cell–cell interface while the cytosolic tail assembles a complex signalosome composed of adaptors and effector enzymes, that may either trigger activating signaling cascades, or instead modulate the intensity of signaling. Except for a few cytosolic adaptors that connect different components of the CD6 signalosome, very little is known about the mechanistic effects of the cytosolic effectors that bind CD6. Methods Jurkat model T cells were transfected to express wild-type (WT) CD6, or a cytoplasmic truncation, signaling-disabled mutant, CD6Δcyt. The two resulting cell lines were directly activated by superantigen (sAg)-loaded Raji cells, used as APCs, to assess the net signaling function of CD6. The Jurkat cell lines were further adapted to express a FRET-based unimolecular HRas biosensor that reported the activity of this crucial GTPase at the immunological synapse. Results We show that deletion of the cytosolic tail of CD6 enhances T-cell responses, indicating that CD6 restrains T-cell activation. One component of the CD6-associated inhibitory apparatus was found to be the GTPase activating protein of Ras (RasGAP), that we show to associate with CD6 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. The FRET HRas biosensor that we developed was demonstrated to be functional and reporting the activation of the T cell lines. This allowed to determine that the presence of the cytosolic tail of CD6 results in the down-regulation of HRas activity at the immunological synapse, implicating this fundamental GTPase as one of the targets inhibited by CD6. Conclusions This study provides the first description of a mechanistic sequence of events underlying the CD6-mediated inhibition of T-cell activation, involving the modulation of the MAPK pathway at several steps, starting with the coupling of RasGAP to the CD6 signalosome, the repression of the activity of Ras, and culminating in the reduction of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and of the expression of the T-cell activation markers CD69 and IL-2R α chain. Video abstract

Mutations in PPARγ lead to lipodystrophy, but the mechanisms by which the mutations affect the activity in chromatin is unknown. Here, Madsen, Broekema et al. showed that mutations affecting two intermolecular interactions compromise chromatin remodeling.

Electron transfer between mitochondrial cytochrome c and subunit of cytochrome bc 1 can proceed at long distance. Here the authors investigate further the mechanism and show phosphorylation regulation of the interactions between the protein partners in the electron transport chain.

Application of polyfunctional water-repelling coatings for high voltage outdoor power lines wires, insulators, and line supports recently gathered large interest due to their ability to substantially boost performance. Such functionalization can mitigate the accumulation of water precipitates and atmospheric pollutions, decrease leakage current, increase flashover and corona ignition voltage. However, harsh conditions concomitant to a high voltage such as high energy ions and electrons, high ozone concentration, UV radiation impose strict requirements on the durability of applied coatings. In this paper, we focus on the analysis of the durability of superhydrophobic coatings (SHC) and slippery liquid infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) under prolonged exposure to industrial grade alternating current corona discharge. Reported results show that in contrast to previously reported low resilience of polymer-based SHC, proper metal-based SHC withstands many hours of exposure without notable degradation. The obtained data on the stability of SLIPS under corona discharge show notable degradation related to the high rate of infused layer depletion. Overall, reported results broaden the understanding of the effect of corona exposure on functional materials and reinforce the optimistic view on the applicability of SHC and SLIPS coatings in the power transmission industry.

Abstract Blooms of pigmented algae darken the surface of glaciers and ice sheets, thereby enhancing solar energy absorption and amplifying ice and snow melt. The impacts of algal pigment and community composition on surface darkening are still poorly understood. Here, we characterise glacier ice and snow algal pigment signatures on snow and bare ice surfaces and study their role in photophysiology and energy absorption on three glaciers in Southeast Greenland. Purpurogallin and astaxanthin esters dominated the glacier ice and snow algal pigment pools (mass ratios to chlorophyll a of 32 and 56, respectively). Algal biomass and pigments impacted chromophoric dissolved organic matter concentrations. Despite the effective absorption of astaxanthin esters at wavelengths where incoming irradiance peaks, the cellular energy absorption of snow algae was 95% lower than anticipated from their pigmentation, due to pigment packaging. The energy absorption of glacier ice algae was consequently ~ 5 × higher. On bare ice, snow algae may have locally contributed up to 13% to total biological radiative forcing, despite contributing 44% to total biomass. Our results give new insights into the impact of algal community composition on bare ice energy absorption and biomass accumulation during snow melt.

The surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet is darkening, which accelerates its surface melt. The role of glacier ice algae in reducing surface albedo is widely recognised but not well quantified and the feedbacks between the algae and the weathering crust remain poorly understood. In this letter, we summarise recent advances in the study of the biological darkening of the Greenland Ice Sheet and highlight three key research priorities that are required to better understand and forecast algal-driven melt: (i) identifying the controls on glacier ice algal growth and mortality, (ii) quantifying the spatio-temporal variability in glacier ice algal biomass and processes involved in cell redistribution and (iii) determining the albedo feedbacks between algal biomass and weathering crust characteristics. Addressing these key research priorities will allow us to better understand the supraglacial ice-algal system and to develop an integrated model incorporating the algal and physical controls on ice surface albedo.

IntroductionThe role of myocardial strain in risk prediction for acute myocarditis (AMC) patients, measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), deserves further investigation. Our objective was to evaluate the association between myocardial strain measured by CMR and clinical events in AMC patients.Material and methodsThis was a prospective single-center study of patients with AMC. We included 100 patients with AMC with CMR confirmation. The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause mortality, heart failure and AMC recurrence in 24 months. A subgroup analysis was performed on a sample of 36 patients who underwent a second CMR between 6 and 18 months. The association between strain measures and clinical events or an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was explored using Cox regression analysis. Global peak radial, circumferential and longitudinal strain in the left and right ventricles was assessed. ROC curve analysis was performed to identify cutoff points for clinical event prediction.ResultsThe mean follow-up was 18.7 ± 2.3 months, and the composite primary outcome occurred in 26 patients. The median LVEF at CMR at baseline was 57.5% (14.6%). LV radial strain (HR = 0.918, 95% CI: 0.858–0.982, p = 0.012), LV circumferential strain (HR = 1.177, 95% CI: 1.046–1.325, p = 0.007) and LV longitudinal strain (HR = 1.173, 95% CI: 1.031–1.334, p = 0.015) were independently associated with clinical event occurrence. The areas under the ROC curve for clinical event prediction were 0.80, 0.79 and 0.80 for LV radial, circumferential, and longitudinal strain, respectively. LV longitudinal strain was independently correlated with prognosis (HR = 1.282, CI 95%: 1.022–1.524, p = 0.007), even when analyzed together with ejection fraction and delayed enhancement. LV and right ventricle (RV) strain were not associated with an increase in LVEF. Finally, when the initial CMR findings were compared with the follow-up CMR findings, improvements in the measures of LV and RV myocardial strain were observed.ConclusionMeasurement of myocardial strain by CMR can provide prognostic information on AMC patients. LV radial, circumferential and longitudinal strain were associated with long-term clinical events in these patients.

Introduction: Handheld echocardiography (echo) is the tool of choice for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) screening. We aimed to assess the agreement between screening and standard echo for latent RHD diagnosis in schoolchildren from an endemic setting. Methods: Over 14 months, 3 nonphysicians used handheld machines and the 2012 WHF Criteria to determine RHD prevalence in consented schoolchildren from Brazilian low-income public schools. Studies were interpreted by telemedicine by 3 experts (Brazil, US). RHD-positive children (borderline/definite) and those with congenital heart disease (CHD) were referred for standard echo, acquired and interpreted by a cardiologist. Agreement between screening and standard echo, by WHF subgroups, was assessed. Results: 1390 students were screened in 6 schools, with 110 (7.9%, 95% CI 6.5–9.5) being screen positive (14 ± 2 years, 72% women). Among 16 cases initially diagnosed as definite RHD, 11 (69%) were confirmed, 4 (25%) reclassified to borderline, and 1 to normal. Among 79 cases flagged as borderline RHD, 19 (24%) were confirmed, 50 (63%) reclassified to normal, 8 (10%) reclassified as definite RHD, and 2 had mild CHD. Considering the 4 diagnostic categories, kappa was 0.18. In patients with borderline RHD reclassified to non-RHD, the most frequent WHF criterion was B (isolated mitral regurgitation, 64%), followed by A (2 mitral valve morphological features, 31%). In 1 patient with definite RHD reclassified to normal, the WHF criterion was D (borderline RHD in aortic and mitral valves). After standard echo, RHD prevalence was 3.2% (95% CI 2.3–4.2). Conclusions: Although practical, RHD screening with handheld devices tends to overestimate prevalence.

As extreme event attribution (EEA) matures, explaining the impacts of extreme events has risen to be a key focus for attribution scientists. Studies of this type usually assess the contribution of anthropogenic climate change to observed impacts. Other scientific communities have developed tools to assess how human activities influence impacts of extreme weather events on ecosystems and societies. For example, the disaster risk reduction (DRR) community analyses how the structure of human societies affects exposure, vulnerability, and ultimately the impacts of extreme weather events, with less attention to the role of anthropogenic climate change. In this perspective, we argue that adapting current practice in EEA to also consider other causal factors in attribution of extreme weather impacts would provide richer and more comprehensive insight into the causes of disasters. To this end, we propose a framework for EEA that would generate a more complete picture of human influences on impacts and bridge the gap between the EEA and DRR communities. We provide illustrations for five case studies: the 2021–2022 Kenyan drought; the 2013–2015 marine heatwave in the northeast Pacific; the 2017 forest fires in Portugal; Acqua Alta (flooding) events in Venice and evaluation of the efficiency of the Experimental Electromechanical Module, an ensemble of mobile barriers that can be activated to mitigate the influx of seawater in the city; and California droughts and the Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations system as an adaptation strategy.

The global spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) hospital-acquired pathogens is a serious problem for healthcare units. The challenge of the spreading of nosocomial infections, also known as hospital-acquired pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, must be addressed not only by developing effective drugs, but also by improving preventive measures in hospitals, such as passive bactericidal coatings deposited onto the touch surfaces. In this paper, we studied the antibacterial activity of superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic copper surfaces against the P. aeruginosa strain PA103 and its four different polyresistant clinical isolates with MDR. To fabricate superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic coatings, we subjected the copper surfaces to laser processing with further chemosorption of fluorooxysilane to get a superhydrophobic substrate. The antibacterial activity of superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic copper surfaces was shown, with respect to both the collection strain PA103 and polyresistant clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, and the evolution of the decontamination of a bacterial suspension is presented and discussed. The presented results indicate the promising potential of the exploitation of superhydrophilic coatings in the manufacture of contact surfaces for healthcare units, where the risk of infection spread and contamination by hospital-acquired pathogens is extremely high.

Aberrant expression of the oncogenic retrotransposon LINE-1 is a hallmark of various cancer types, including non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Here, we present proof-of-principle evidence that LINE-1 analytes in extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as tools for molecular diagnostics of NSCLC, with LINE-1 status in tumor cells and tissues mirroring the LINE-1 mRNA and ORF1p cargos of EVs from lung cancer cell culture conditioned media or human plasma. The levels of LINE-1 analytes in plasma EVs from ostensibly healthy individuals were higher in females than males. While the profiles of LINE-1 mRNA and ORF1p in African Americans compared to Hispanics were not significantly different, African Americans showed slightly higher ORF1p content, and 2–3 times greater ranges of LINE-1 values compared to Hispanics. Whole plasma ORF1p levels correlated with EV ORF1p levels, indicating that most of the circulating LINE-1 protein is contained within EVs. EV LINE-1 mRNA levels were elevated in patients with advanced cancer stages and in select patients with squamous cell carcinoma and metastatic tumors compared to adenocarcinomas. The observed EV LINE-1 mRNA profiles paralleled the patterns of ORF1p expression in NSCLC tissue sections suggesting that LINE-1 analytes in plasma EVs may serve to monitor the activity of LINE-1 retroelements in lung cancer.

Worldwide, governmental organizations are restructuring energy policies, making them cleaner, encouraging transformation and energy transition by integrating renewable sources, engaging in environmental preservation, and, notably, meeting the growing demand for sustainable energy models, such as solar and wind energy. In the electricity sector, reducing carbon emissions is crucial to facilitating the integration of microgrids (MGs) with renewable sources and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs). This work constitutes a systematic review that thoroughly analyzes the sizing of MGs with BESSs. The unpredictability and variability of renewable sources justify the complexity of this analysis and the loads connected to the system. Additionally, the sizing of a BESS depends primarily on the application, battery technology, and the system’s energy demand. This review mapped and identified existing computational and optimization methodologies for structured sizing in technical indicators of an MG with a BESS based on articles published between 2017 and 2021. A protocol was defined in which articles were filtered in multiple stages, undergoing strategic refinements to arrive at the final articles to address the Research Questions (RQs). The final number of articles was 44, and within these, technical indicators related to the RQs were addressed, covering the most relevant works and comparing them technically, including how each explains the objective and result of their work. The rejected articles did not meet the criteria established by the defined protocol, such as exclusion criteria, quality criteria, and RQs. In conclusion, studies employing the integration of machine learning coupled with optimization techniques exhibit a significant contribution to results, as historical data can aid machine learning for data prediction.

Abstract Human‐wildlife cooperation is a type of mutualism in which a human and a wild, free‐living animal actively coordinate their behaviour to achieve a common beneficial outcome. While other cooperative human‐animal interactions involving captive coercion or artificial selection (including domestication) have received extensive attention, we lack integrated insights into the ecology and evolution of human‐wildlife cooperative interactions. Here, we review and synthesise the function, mechanism, development, and evolution of human‐wildlife cooperation. Active cases involve people cooperating with greater honeyguide birds and with two dolphin species, while historical cases involve wolves and orcas. In all cases, a food source located by the animal is made available to both species by a tool‐using human, coordinated with cues or signals. The mechanisms mediating the animal behaviours involved are unclear, but they may resemble those underlying intraspecific cooperation and reduced neophobia. The skills required appear to develop at least partially by social learning in both humans and the animal partners. As a result, distinct behavioural variants have emerged in each type of human‐wildlife cooperative interaction in both species, and human‐wildlife cooperation is embedded within local human cultures. We propose multiple potential origins for these unique cooperative interactions, and highlight how shifts to other interaction types threaten their persistence. Finally, we identify key questions for future research. We advocate an approach that integrates ecological, evolutionary and anthropological perspectives to advance our understanding of human‐wildlife cooperation. In doing so, we will gain new insights into the diversity of our ancestral, current and future interactions with the natural world. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Conventional methods that are commonly used for the preparation of microbubble delivery systems include sonication, high-shear emulsification, and membrane emulsification. However, these methods present significant disadvantages, namely, poor control over the particle size and distribution. To date, engineering core-shell microparticles remains a challenging task. Thus, there is a demand for new techniques that can enable control over the size, composition, stability, and uniformity of microparticles. Microfluidic techniques offer great advantages in the fabrication of microparticles over the conventional processes because they require mild and inert processing conditions. In this work, we present a numerical study based on the finite volume method, for the development of capsules by considering the rheological properties of three phases, air, a perfluorohexane (C6 F14) and a polymeric solution constituted of a solution of 0.25% w/v alginate. This methodology allows studying the stability and behavior of microparticles under different processing conditions.

Abstract Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are long, narrow synoptic scale weather features important for Earth’s hydrological cycle typically transporting water vapor poleward, delivering precipitation important for local climates. Understanding ARs in a warming climate is problematic because the AR response to climate change is tied to how the feature is defined. The Atmospheric River Tracking Method Intercomparison Project (ARTMIP) provides insights into this problem by comparing 16 atmospheric river detection tools (ARDTs) to a common data set consisting of high resolution climate change simulations from a global atmospheric general circulation model. ARDTs mostly show increases in frequency and intensity, but the scale of the response is largely dependent on algorithmic criteria. Across ARDTs, bulk characteristics suggest intensity and spatial footprint are inversely correlated, and most focus regions experience increases in precipitation volume coming from extreme ARs. The spread of the AR precipitation response under climate change is large and dependent on ARDT selection.

Summary: Portugal is regularly affected by destructive wildfires that have severe social, economic, and ecological impacts. The total burnt area in 2017 (∼540,000 ha) marked the all-time record value since 1980 with a tragic toll of 114 fatalities that occurred in June and October events. The local insurance sector declared it was the costliest natural disaster in Portugal with payouts exceeding USD295 million. Here, the 2017 October event, responsible for more than 200,000 ha of burnt area and 50 fatalities is analyzed from a compound perspective. A prolonged drought led to preconditioned cumulative hydric stress of vegetation in October 2017. In addition, on 15 October 2017, two other major drivers played a critical role: 1) the passage of hurricane Ophelia off the Coast of Portugal, responsible for exceptional meteorological conditions and 2) the human agent, responsible for an extremely elevated number of negligent ignitions. This disastrous combination of natural and anthropogenic drivers led to the uncontrolled wildfires observed on 15 October.

Summary: Consideration of compound drivers and impacts are often missing from applications within the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) cycle, leading to poorer understanding of risk and benefits of actions. The need to include compound considerations is known, but lack of guidance is prohibiting practitioners from including these considerations. This article makes a step toward practitioner guidance by providing examples where consideration of compound drivers, hazards, and impacts may affect different application domains within disaster risk management. We discern five DRR categories and provide illustrative examples of studies that highlight the role of “compound thinking” in early warning, emergency response, infrastructure management, long-term planning, and capacity building. We conclude with a number of common elements that may contribute to the development of practical guidelines to develop appropriate applications for risk management.

Abstract Background Systemic arterial hypertension (HTN) is the leading risk factor of cardiovascular disease death. Lifestyle changes are key for the prevention and management of HTN. Regular aerobic exercise training is recommended as part of the management of HTN, and dynamic resistance exercise should be prescribed as an adjuvant to aerobic training. Recent evidence points to the potential benefits of isometric resistance training in reducing blood pressure (BP). Yet, the hypotensive effect of isometric exercise in prehypertensive and hypertensive individuals is not fully understood. Thus, we will examine the effect of isometric exercise in prehypertensive and hypertensive individuals through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods Our systematic review study will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) selected from the electronic databases MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane, LILACS, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PEDro published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese languages. We will follow the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) and PICOS framework. Our search will involve studies with both male and female participants aged 18 years or more diagnosed with prehypertension or HTN performing one session of isometric exercise (acute effect) or isometric exercise training (chronic effect) compared to a control group (no exercise). We will use the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool to evaluate the quality of the studies and RStudio software (v1.3.959 for Windows) for statistical analyses. Discussion A meta-analysis of a homogeneous sample of prehypertensive and hypertensive individuals involving isometric handgrip exercise alone can further support previous findings and improve our understanding and recommendations for the management of these populations. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020213081.

الملخص: تعتبر جراحة تقويم الفكين ذات تأثير وظيفي لا يمكن إنكاره. ومع ذلك، يجب عدم تجاهل الجانب الجمالي لجراحة تقويم الفكين، حيث يستشير العديد من المرضى الجراحين على وجه التحديد للحصول على علاج جمالي ويتجاهلون فوائدها العملية. تناقش هذه الورقة العلاج المثالي الذي يجمع بين التحسينات الوظيفية وجماليات الوجه في جراحة تقويم الفكين. من أجل التنبؤ بالعجز الجمالي الذي قد يحدث، من الضروري إجراء تحليل للوجه. رغم دقة التخطيط الافتراضي، لا يوجد حتى الآن إمكانية للتنبؤ الدقيق بسلوك الأنسجة الرخوة. حيث يمكن لبعض الإجراءات غير الجراحية أن تساعد الجراحين في تحقيق نتيجة تلبي توقعات المرضى عن كثب. تعد فحوصات التصوير، والصور وتحليلات الوجه، وشكاوى المرضى ضرورية لتقييم إمكانية أي تعديلات بعد الجراحة. كما يجب مناقشة التخطيط الجراحي بالكامل مع المريض ويجب أن تكون إمكانية التعديل بعد الجراحة جزءا لا يتجزأ من خطة العلاج. يركز الجراحون بشكل أساسي على التصحيح الوظيفي لتشوه الوجه السني، ولكن النتيجة الجمالية مهمة للمريض. تشير نتائج هذه الدراسة إلى أنه يجب مراعاة التحسين كجزء من خطة العلاج. Abstract: Orthognathic surgery has an undeniable functional effect, but the aesthetic result must not be disregarded, especially since many patients visit the surgeon precisely because of an aesthetic complaint and ignore the practical benefits. The aim of this paper is to discuss about an ideal treatment that combines this functional improvement with facial aesthetics and improves it after the operation. In order to predict which aesthetic deficits may occur, a facial analysis is essential. As precise as the virtual planning may be, there is still no exact predictability of soft tissue behavior. Some non-surgical procedures can help the surgeon achieve a result that better meets the patients' expectations. Imaging exams, photographs, facial analyzes, and patient complaints are essential to assess the possibility of any postoperative refinement. The entire surgical planning is discussed with the patient; the possibility of refinement must be part of the treatment plan. The surgeon's focus is on the functional correction of the dentofacial deformity, but the aesthetic outcome is essential for the patient. The results of this study suggest that refinement should be part of the treatment plan.