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Maternal mental health during different stages of life can have a significant impact on a child's cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal CMD at two distinct stages of the offspring's life (at 3 months and 11 years) and their IQ scores at 6 and 18 years across two birth cohorts. The study utilized data from two Brazilian birth cohorts: the 1993 cohort (full sample: N = 3719, subsample: N = 436), and the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort (N = 3440). IQ assessments were conducted at ages 18 and 6, employing the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, third version (WAIS-III), and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, third version (WISC-III), respectively. The presence of maternal CMD at 3 months and 11 years of age was evaluated using the Brazilian version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). After adjustment, participants whose mothers experienced CMD at 3 months had average IQ scores 1.74 (95 % CI: −2.83 to −0.67) and 2.79 (95 % CI: −5.54 to −0.04) points lower at ages 6 (2004 cohort) and 18 (1993 cohort subsample), respectively. Furthermore, in the 1993 cohort (both full and subsample), maternal CMD at 11 years was associated with lower IQ scores at age 18. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this association, emphasized by these findings, is crucial for promoting children's cognitive development, educational achievement, and overall well-being. • An association was observed between maternal common mental disorders (CMD) and the children's IQ scores. • Offspring of mothers with CMD at 3 months had lower IQ scores at ages 6 and 18. • Offspring of mothers with CMD at 11 years had lower mean IQ at 18 than those whose mothers did not have CMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning (DL) methods have recently garnered attention from the climate change community for being an innovative approach to downscaling climate variables from Earth system and global climate models (ESGCMs) with horizontal resolutions still too coarse to represent regional- to local-scale phenomena. In the context of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6), ESGCM simulations were conducted for the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at resolutions ranging from 0.70 to 3.75 ∘. Here, four convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures were evaluated for their ability to downscale, to a resolution of 0.1 ∘ , seven CMIP6 ESGCMs over the Iberian Peninsula – a known climate change hotspot, due to its increased vulnerability to projected future warming and drying conditions. The study is divided into three stages: (1) evaluating the performance of the four CNN architectures in predicting mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures, as well as daily precipitation, trained using ERA5 data and compared with the Iberia01 observational dataset; (2) downscaling the CMIP6 ESGCMs using the trained CNN architectures and further evaluating the ensemble against Iberia01; and (3) constructing a multi-model ensemble of CNN-based downscaled projections for temperature and precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula at 0.1 ∘ resolution throughout the 21st century under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios. Upon validation and satisfactory performance evaluation, the DL downscaled projections demonstrate overall agreement with the CMIP6 ESGCM ensemble in magnitude for temperature projections and sign for the projected temperature and precipitation changes. Moreover, the advantages of using a high-resolution DL downscaled ensemble of ESGCM climate projections are evident, offering substantial added value in representing regional climate change over Iberia. Notably, a clear warming trend is observed in Iberia, consistent with previous studies in this area, with projected temperature increases ranging from 2 to 6 ∘ C, depending on the climate scenario. Regarding precipitation, robust projected decreases are observed in western and southwestern Iberia, particularly after 2040. These results may offer a new tool for providing regional climate change information for adaptation strategies based on CMIP6 ESGCMs prior to the next phase of the European branch of the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (EURO-CORDEX) experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggression can be seen as a behavior that arranges conditions that functions as aversive for other organisms. The Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) is a laboratory task designed to measure this phenomenon with human participants. Different versions of the PSAP program contingencies that may differentially interfere in the measurement of aggressive behavior. This article aims to identify the contingencies embedded in these versions and to suggest areas for future investigations. The literature was systematically searched, and six PSAP versions were identified. Three of these versions have added contingencies to the aggression task that may have confounded the measure of aggression with other positive and negative reinforcement processes. The PSAP versions may be organized into one or two aggressive response options, presence or absence of control response for the responding measured as aggressive, and availability of an independent escape response. These settings potentially establish various overlapping behavioral processes. Empirical solutions are suggested to improve the analysis of aggressive and other behaviors in the task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 Related Long-Term Taste Impairment (CRLTTI) is a condition that can be expressed after COVID-19 contagion, lasting for months or even years, affecting the routine and quality of life of individuals. Participants expressing CRLTTI, with a minimum of 2 months, attested by PCR-RT test were assessed for taste and smell, and underwent experimental treatments in 6 distinct groups: Photobiomodulation (PBM) in tongue dorsum and lateral (660 nm, 808 nm, association of 660 and 808 nm), Transmucosal Laser Irradiation of Blood (TLIB)—ventral surface of tongue (660 nm), B complex supplementation, and Sham laser. No intergroup statistical differences were observed at the final evaluation, despite the tendencies of better results with PBM and TLIB observed. PBM, TLIB, and B complex might be treatment options in the management of CRLTTI, despite the lack of total remission of taste and smell perception after 8 sessions (PBM and TLIB) or 30 days of B complex supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the association of social activities with cognitive performance in older adults in the southern area of Brazil, considering the important moderating role of physical vulnerability. A prospective population-based study was conducted in the rural area of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Self-reported social activities were collected at baseline. Cognitive performance and physical vulnerability were measured in the second wave of data collection. The association of social activities with cognitive performance was determined using robust generalized linear models. In adjusted analysis, the social activities were positively associated with cognitive performance in physically vulnerable older adults. However, this association was not found in those who were nonvulnerable. Our findings may contribute to future investigations of possible explanatory avenues for the association between social activities and cognitive performance as well as the development of interventions aimed at improving cognitive skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. is one of the worst agricultural weeds and invasive species in the world, being widely established in many countries. Despite its impact on agriculture and the growing awareness of authorities and consumers about the consequences of synthetic herbicides, alternative control methods for this weed have been poorly reviewed. A systematic review of the literature published over the last 50 years was used to assess the most studied control methods of C. dactylon (excluding synthetic herbicides) and to summarize the trends and knowledge gaps. The major findings are as follows: (1) the number of publications that studied alternative methods to synthetic chemical control in C. dactylon management has been increasing exponentially since 1972; (2) most of the studies were made under controlled conditions (57%) and lack observations under real production conditions; (3) most of the field experiments were carried out in Asia (42%), under temperate subtropical and arid climates; (4) the publication of articles studying allelopathy stands out significantly (50% of the papers found), with two species from the Poaceae family, rice (Oryza sativa L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), showing very high allelopathic inhibitory effects (often above 80%), especially under open field conditions; and (5) preventive soil tillage is the most studied treatment among indirect weed control treatments, and although there is a high risk of propagation, the results indicate that tillage can significantly contribute to control C. dactylon, when compared to no-tillage treatments. Further research is needed to optimize treatments and methods so that they can be applied by farmers under real production conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Molecular docking is an important and rapid tool that provides a comprehensive view of different molecular mechanisms. It is often used to verify the binding interactions of many pairs of molecules and is much faster than more rigorous approaches. However, its application requires carefully preprocessing each molecule and selecting a series of simulation parameters, which is not always done correctly. We show how preprocessing and simulation parameters can positively or negatively impact molecular docking performance. For example, the inclusion of hydrogen atoms leads to better redocking scores, but molecular dynamics simulations must be performed under certain constraints; otherwise, it may worsen performance rather than improve it. This study clarifies the importance and influence of these different parameters in the simulation results. Methods: We analyzed the influence of different parameters on the predictive ability of molecular docking techniques using two software packages: AutoDock Vina and AutoDock-GPU. Thus, 90 receptor-ligand complexes were redocked, evaluating the root mean square deviation (RMSD) between the original position of the ligand (receptor-ligand complex obtained experimentally) and that obtained by the software for every analysis. We investigated the influence of hydrogen atoms (on the receptor and on the receptor-ligand complex), partial charges (QEq, QTPIE, EEM, EEM2015ha, MMFF94, Gasteiger-Marsili, and no charge), search boxes (size and exhaustiveness), ligand characteristics (size and number of torsions), and the use of molecular dynamics (of the receptor or the receptor-ligand complex) before docking analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning (DL) methods have recently garnered attention from the climate change community, as an innovative approach for downscaling climate variables from Earth System and Global Climate Models (ESGCMs) with horizontal resolutions still too coarse to represent regional-to-local-scale phenomena. In the context of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6), ESGCMs simulations were conducted for the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), at resolutions ranging from 0.70° to 3.75°. Here, four Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architectures were evaluated for their ability to downscale, to a resolution of 0.1°, seven CMIP6 ESGCMs over the Iberian Peninsula - a known climate change hotspot, due to its increased vulnerability to projected future warming and drying conditions. The study is divided into three stages: (1) evaluating the performance of the four CNN architectures in predicting mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures, as well as daily precipitation, trained using ERA5 data, and compared with the Iberia01 observational dataset; (2) downscaling the CMIP6 ESGCMs using the trained CNN architectures and further evaluating the ensemble against Iberia01; and (3) constructing a multi-model ensemble of CNNbased downscaled projections for temperature and precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula at 0.1° resolution throughout the 21st century, under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios. Upon validation and satisfactory performance evaluation, the DL downscaled projections demonstrate overall agreement with the CMIP6 ESGCM ensemble in terms of temperature and precipitation projections. Moreover, the advantages of using a high-resolution DL downscaled ensemble of ESGCM climate projections are evident, offering substantial added value in representing regional climate change over Iberia. Notably, a clear warming trend is observed, consistent with previous studies in this area, with projected temperature increases ranging from 2°C to 6°C depending on the climate scenario. Regarding precipitation, robust projected decreases are observed in western and southwestern Iberia, particularly after 2040. These results may offer a new tool for providing regional climate change information for adaptation strategies based on CMIP6 ESGCMs prior to the next phase of the European branch from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (EURO-CORDEX) experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iberian Peninsula is a known climate change hotspot. In the last decades, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) has allowed for thousands of Global Climate Model (GCM) simulations to be conducted, an important tool to assess and understand future changes in Earth's climate. The comparison of past future projections with observations provides a robust evaluation of the models' skill according to different emission scenarios. Here, a comprehensive performance assessment of GCM‐simulated mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures, and accumulated precipitation is conducted for Iberia, by retrospectively comparing historical simulations and past future projections from CMIPs 1 to 6 with reference datasets. From means to extremes, and multi‐year intra‐annual cycles to inter‐annual trends, GCM simulations are compared with Iberia0.1 and E‐OBS observational gridded datasets, and ERA5 reanalysis. The matching between the variables' distributions is assessed through the distribution added values (DAVs), a measure of gain or loss in performance between CMIPs. Results show relevant improvements in the description of the Iberian climate throughout the CMIP effort, for historical and past future periods. While the representation of intra‐annual cycles (inter‐annual trends) is enhanced after CMIP3 (CMIP2), GCMs from all CMIPs are generally able to depict the observed warming trend. Nevertheless, until 2021, a slight detrimental effect in the performance of CMIP6 models is found, in comparison with CMIP5 ones, with positive DAVs obtained only for past future temperature projections (less than 2%). A continuous monitorization of modelling accuracy for Iberia is needed, considering the increasing relevance of climate change information for adaptation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavernous sinus and superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis is a rare clinical condition, and little described in the literature. The clinical presentation is nonspecific and highly variable, and symptoms may include red eye, ophthalmoplegia, coma, and death. The main etiology results from infection of the paranasal sinuses. The final diagnosis must be made through imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging. We describe a case of cavernous sinus and superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis after COVID-19 infection in a 64-year-old patient with persistent ocular hyperemia and pain on eye movement. Ophthalmological examination showed preserved visual acuity, conjunctival hyperemia, dilation of episcleral vessels and retinal vascular tortuosity in the right eye. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis. The association with the COVID-19 was raised, excluding other infectious causes. Enoxaparin and Warfarin were started with significant improvement in the ocular clinical presentation and maintenance of initial visual acuity after 12 months of follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) exhibits high wear resistance, low coefficient of friction (COF), and high impact strength. The operating conditions can influence the performance of the UHMWPE in specific applications. Graphene is applied as reinforcement to the UHMWPE matrix in order to improve the tribological and mechanical properties. In the present work, the effects of the test parameters on the hardness and tribological behavior of nanocomposites are evaluated. The Vickers microhardness of the UHMWPE/rGO nanocomposites increases by up to 25% at 0.50 wt% of rGO, regardless of the indentation applied load. Pin‐on‐disc tests are performed for the polymer at several sliding speeds and applied normal loads to get information about friction responses. Once the most suitable parameters have been defined, the pin‐on‐disc tests of the UHMWPE/rGO nanocomposites are performed, resulting in a decrease of up to 48% of the COF at 0.25 wt% of rGO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymicrogyria (PMG) is a malformation of cortical development that occurs mostly in the perisylvian region bilaterally (60–70%), most often presenting with epilepsy. Unilateral cases are much rarer with hemiparesis being the predominant symptom. We report a case of a 71-year-old man with right perirolandic PMG with ipsilateral hypoplasia and contralateral hyperplasia of the brainstem, with only non-progressive left-sided mild spastic hemiparesis. This imaging pattern is thought to occur due to the normal process of withdrawal of the axons of the corticospinal tract (CST) connected to aberrant cortex, possibly with compensatory contralateral CST hyperplasia. However, the majority of cases is additionally present with epilepsy. We believe it is worthwhile to investigate imaging patterns of PMG with symptoms' correlation, particularly with the help of techniques such as advanced brain imaging to assist in the study of cortical development along with adaptive somatotopic organization of the cerebral cortex in MCD with possible clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop-livestock integration plays a key role in the sustainability of organic agriculture systems, where the reduction of inputs is central to farms performance. The existing literature has focused on the general dynamics of crop-livestock systems without exploring the specificities of each animal species. Egg production significantly contributes to the world food market and it is expected to continue due to its versatility. At the same time, consumption of organic products has increased in recent years, due to enhanced consumers' awareness. This work reviews the complex web of relationships between various elements of organic agriculture systems with integrated laying hens. The major findings about the integration of laying hens with crops in organic systems are as follows: 1) contributes to the reduction of inputs (less feed and fertilizers) and a diversified production; 2) supports ecosystem services shaping the landscape toward biodiversity and contributing to a healthier environment; and 3) improves farmers' livelihood, especially in developing countries. Its benefits will be increased by using mobile systems to ensure a better distribution of manure and in synchronization with canopy cover species, such as fruit and forest trees. However, more research is needed to find further contributions to this system sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ventral hernia surgery (VHS) has the intent to promote a better quality of life (QoL). VHS results were evaluated by recurrence incidence in the past, however the concept of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures has changed this scenario. SF-36 is a generic questionnaire with some limitations on the hernioplasty postoperative evaluation. Disease-specific surveys such Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes) and Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS) were developed to improve specificity. The aim of this study was to validate a Brazilian version of the CCS as a QoL questionnaire for patients undergoing VHS in Brazil.The study consists of a retrospective cohort that reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ventral hernia surgery for incisional hernias in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between January 2019 to December 2020. Participants answered both the HerQles questionnaire and the CCS, then we compared the patients’ scores between scales. In-personal evaluations or surveys applied by telemedicine were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the consistency of the agreement between the HerQLes and CCS scales.A sample of 80 patients were evaluated. Most were male (70%), mean age 61.11 years and BMI 28.4. The most common comorbidity was systemic arterial hypertension, one third were smokers and 77.5% of cases were ASA 2. The average HerQLes score was 30.40 and the CCS was 15.46 (SD: 21.81), with an intraclass coefficient of 0.68.This study suggests that CCS is a good and robust tool for assessing ventral hernia. Tools to measure QoL are increasingly used in the literature, as QoL seems to be important data to assess surgical success, since it shows the perception of the patient about the results of their surgery. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be performed to confirm our findings.Materials and methods: Ventral hernia surgery (VHS) has the intent to promote a better quality of life (QoL). VHS results were evaluated by recurrence incidence in the past, however the concept of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures has changed this scenario. SF-36 is a generic questionnaire with some limitations on the hernioplasty postoperative evaluation. Disease-specific surveys such Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes) and Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS) were developed to improve specificity. The aim of this study was to validate a Brazilian version of the CCS as a QoL questionnaire for patients undergoing VHS in Brazil.The study consists of a retrospective cohort that reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ventral hernia surgery for incisional hernias in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between January 2019 to December 2020. Participants answered both the HerQles questionnaire and the CCS, then we compared the patients’ scores between scales. In-personal evaluations or surveys applied by telemedicine were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the consistency of the agreement between the HerQLes and CCS scales.A sample of 80 patients were evaluated. Most were male (70%), mean age 61.11 years and BMI 28.4. The most common comorbidity was systemic arterial hypertension, one third were smokers and 77.5% of cases were ASA 2. The average HerQLes score was 30.40 and the CCS was 15.46 (SD: 21.81), with an intraclass coefficient of 0.68.This study suggests that CCS is a good and robust tool for assessing ventral hernia. Tools to measure QoL are increasingly used in the literature, as QoL seems to be important data to assess surgical success, since it shows the perception of the patient about the results of their surgery. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be performed to confirm our findings.Results: Ventral hernia surgery (VHS) has the intent to promote a better quality of life (QoL). VHS results were evaluated by recurrence incidence in the past, however the concept of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures has changed this scenario. SF-36 is a generic questionnaire with some limitations on the hernioplasty postoperative evaluation. Disease-specific surveys such Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes) and Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS) were developed to improve specificity. The aim of this study was to validate a Brazilian version of the CCS as a QoL questionnaire for patients undergoing VHS in Brazil.The study consists of a retrospective cohort that reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ventral hernia surgery for incisional hernias in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between January 2019 to December 2020. Participants answered both the HerQles questionnaire and the CCS, then we compared the patients’ scores between scales. In-personal evaluations or surveys applied by telemedicine were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the consistency of the agreement between the HerQLes and CCS scales.A sample of 80 patients were evaluated. Most were male (70%), mean age 61.11 years and BMI 28.4. The most common comorbidity was systemic arterial hypertension, one third were smokers and 77.5% of cases were ASA 2. The average HerQLes score was 30.40 and the CCS was 15.46 (SD: 21.81), with an intraclass coefficient of 0.68.This study suggests that CCS is a good and robust tool for assessing ventral hernia. Tools to measure QoL are increasingly used in the literature, as QoL seems to be important data to assess surgical success, since it shows the perception of the patient about the results of their surgery. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be performed to confirm our findings.Conclusion: Ventral hernia surgery (VHS) has the intent to promote a better quality of life (QoL). VHS results were evaluated by recurrence incidence in the past, however the concept of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures has changed this scenario. SF-36 is a generic questionnaire with some limitations on the hernioplasty postoperative evaluation. Disease-specific surveys such Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes) and Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS) were developed to improve specificity. The aim of this study was to validate a Brazilian version of the CCS as a QoL questionnaire for patients undergoing VHS in Brazil.The study consists of a retrospective cohort that reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ventral hernia surgery for incisional hernias in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between January 2019 to December 2020. Participants answered both the HerQles questionnaire and the CCS, then we compared the patients’ scores between scales. In-personal evaluations or surveys applied by telemedicine were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the consistency of the agreement between the HerQLes and CCS scales.A sample of 80 patients were evaluated. Most were male (70%), mean age 61.11 years and BMI 28.4. The most common comorbidity was systemic arterial hypertension, one third were smokers and 77.5% of cases were ASA 2. The average HerQLes score was 30.40 and the CCS was 15.46 (SD: 21.81), with an intraclass coefficient of 0.68.This study suggests that CCS is a good and robust tool for assessing ventral hernia. Tools to measure QoL are increasingly used in the literature, as QoL seems to be important data to assess surgical success, since it shows the perception of the patient about the results of their surgery. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be performed to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent ECMWF (European Centre of Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts) reanalysis product (ERA5) is a 3D‐atmospheric dataset of unparalleled value to advance the characterization and understanding of the main global coastal low‐level jet (CLLJ) systems, due to its finer resolution (horizontal and vertical) and hourly output. Regional climate studies have revealed the added value of higher spatial and temporal resolutions of models and reanalyses for the representation of CLLJs, which play an important role in the definition of the regional climate along the Eastern Boundary Current Systems. ERA5 reveals an improvement in the representation of the wind speed and temperature vertical profiles within the boundary layer in CLLJ regions. This improvement enables a better representation of CLLJs and therefore a new view on their features. ERA5 show larger CLLJ frequencies of occurrence and larger wind speed intensities, when compared with previous reanalysis. The maximum frequency of occurrence ranges from 20% in the West Australian and 73% in the Oman CLLJs, in the summer season, which constitutes an increase of 10% compared to ERA‐Interim. Moreover, a shift for higher wind speeds is also found, where the maximum wind speed approach 30 m·s−1. Typically, CLLJs are found below 500 m above sea level, where the finer vertical discretization results clearly in a better description of the CLLJ peak height. Regarding the diurnal cycles of CLLJs frequency of occurrence, ERA5 exposes higher peaks and larger amplitudes, where the maximum hourly frequency is about 38% in the Oman CLLJ and the diurnal amplitude can vary between 7 and 14%. The diurnal maximum and minimum frequency of CLLJ occurrence can be found between 1900 and 2200 UTC, and between 1000 and 1400 LST, respectively. The momentum and temperature budget profiles reveal significant differences between CLLJ regions and emphasize the relevance of local processes in its occurrences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous gaseous mediator that plays an important role in maintaining gastrointestinal (GI) tract homeostasis, acting in mucosal defense, and providing negative modulation of pathophysiological markers of clinical conditions. Recent Advances: Preclinical studies using animal models and/or cell culture show that CO can modulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in GI mucosal injuries and pathological conditions, reducing proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, while increasing antioxidant defense mechanisms. Critical Issues: CO has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The defense mechanisms of the GI tract are subject to aggression by different chemical agents (e.g., drugs and ethanol) as well as complex and multifactorial diseases, with inflammation and oxidative stress as strong triggers for the deleterious effects. Thus, it is possible that CO acts on a variety of molecules involved in the inflammatory and oxidative signaling cascades, as well as reinforcing several defense mechanisms that maintain GI homeostasis. Future Directions: CO-based therapies are promising tools for the treatment of GI disorders, such as gastric and intestinal injuries, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatitis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop safe and selective CO-releasing agents and/or donor drugs to facilitate effective treatments and methods for analysis of CO levels that are simple and inexpensive. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 98–114. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional climate simulations with high horizontal resolutions are becoming increasingly common and although model development has continually enhanced the representation of atmospheric phenomena, the model improvements are variable, region and time scale‐dependant. The high computational costs of increasingly smaller grid‐spacing underline the need for a robust assessment of the benefits or losses associated to the dynamical downscaling of coarser resolution models (reanalysis, global climate models or ~tenths km runs), that is, quantitative added value evaluation. In the current study, a probability density function (PDF) matching score is used to determine the distribution added value (DAV) of the EURO‐CORDEX maximum and minimum temperatures from the hindcast simulations at 0.44° and 0.11° resolutions. The gridded maximum and minimum temperatures from European Climate Assessment & Dataset (E‐Obs) were used as benchmarks for the matching scores and DAVs were determined for the 0.44° and 0.11° simulations individually against ERA‐Interim as well as against each other. Temperature added value against ERA‐Interim is difficult to find due to the assimilation of surface temperatures in the reanalysis. Nonetheless, there is positive added value in Tmax for half of the models at the yearly time scale, and the increase in resolution also implies positive DAV in half of the models, with DAVs between 0.1 and 3.8%. More importantly, the benefits of downscaling are significantly visible in the extreme end tail of Tmax, where all models have high added value at all resolutions and seasons except in summer (from ~1 to ~21%). In minimum temperature there is added value in winter and autumn at both resolutions. The Mediterranean and the British Isles are the regions where larger positive DAV values for both variables and resolutions are identified. In Tmax, added value is also associated to the increase in resolution (from 50 to 10 km) for half of the models in all regions. Scandinavia, the Alps, and eastern Europe are regions where negative added value is clearly linked with the highest mountain peaks for both variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent past, an increase in computation resources led to the development of regional climate models with increasing domains and resolutions, spanning larger temporal periods. A good example is the World Climate Research Program – Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment for the European domain (EURO-CORDEX). This set of regional models encompasses the entire European continent for a 130-year common period until the end of the 21st century, while having a 12 km horizontal resolution. Such simulations are computationally demanding, while at the same time not always showing added value. This study considers a recently proposed metric in order to assess the added value of the EURO-CORDEX hindcast (1989–2008) and historical (1971–2005) simulations for the maximum and minimum temperature over the Iberian Peninsula. This approach allows an evaluation of the higher against the driving lower resolutions relative to the performance of the whole or partial probability density functions by having an observational regular gridded dataset as a reference. Overall, the gains for maximum temperature are more relevant in comparison to minimum temperature, partially due to known problems derived from the snow–albedo–atmosphere feedback. For more local scales, areas near the coast reveal higher added value in comparison with the interior, which displays limited gains and sometimes notable detrimental effects with values around - 30 %. At the same time, the added value for temperature extremes reveals a similar range, although with larger gains in coastal regions and in locations from the interior for maximum temperature, contrasting with the losses for locations in the interior of the domain for the minimum temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, higher-resolution regional climate model simulations have emerged owing to the large increase in computational resources. The 12 km resolution from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment for the European domain (EURO-CORDEX) is a reference, which includes a larger multi-model ensemble at a continental scale while spanning at least a 130-year period. These simulations are computationally demanding but do not always reveal added value. In this study, a recently developed regular gridded dataset and a new metric for added value quantification, the distribution added value (DAV), are used to assess the precipitation of all available EURO-CORDEX hindcast (1989–2008) and historical (1971–2005) simulations. This approach enables a direct comparison between the higher-resolution regional model runs against their forcing global model or ERA-Interim reanalysis with respect to their probability density functions. This assessment is performed for the Iberian Peninsula. Overall, important gains are found for most cases, particularly in precipitation extremes. Most hindcast models reveal gains above 15 %, namely for wintertime, while for precipitation extremes values above 20 % are reached for the summer and autumn. As for the historical models, although most pairs display gains, regional models forced by two general circulation models (GCMs) reveal losses, sometimes around - 5 % or lower, for the entire year. However, the spatialization of the DAV is clear in terms of added value for precipitation, particularly for precipitation extremes with gains well above 100 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether the factors underlying potential differences between two birth cohorts, born in 1982 and 1993, influence the changes in IQ over time.Data from two Brazilian birth cohorts were used (1993 and 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohorts). The IQ scores were assessed using the WAIS-III test.Results showed that women born in 1993 had a higher average IQ score than those born in 1982, but no difference was found among men. The increase in IQ scores was only limited to participants from families with an income ranging from 1.1 to 3 times the minimum wage at the time of birth. The mean IQ score of participants born to mothers below the age of 20 remained stable over time, but increase for participants whose mothers were 20 years of age or older at the time of birth.This study emphasizes the importance of considering socio-economic and demographic factors when examining differences in IQ scores over time. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of these findings.Methods: This study aimed to determine whether the factors underlying potential differences between two birth cohorts, born in 1982 and 1993, influence the changes in IQ over time.Data from two Brazilian birth cohorts were used (1993 and 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohorts). The IQ scores were assessed using the WAIS-III test.Results showed that women born in 1993 had a higher average IQ score than those born in 1982, but no difference was found among men. The increase in IQ scores was only limited to participants from families with an income ranging from 1.1 to 3 times the minimum wage at the time of birth. The mean IQ score of participants born to mothers below the age of 20 remained stable over time, but increase for participants whose mothers were 20 years of age or older at the time of birth.This study emphasizes the importance of considering socio-economic and demographic factors when examining differences in IQ scores over time. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of these findings.Results: This study aimed to determine whether the factors underlying potential differences between two birth cohorts, born in 1982 and 1993, influence the changes in IQ over time.Data from two Brazilian birth cohorts were used (1993 and 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohorts). The IQ scores were assessed using the WAIS-III test.Results showed that women born in 1993 had a higher average IQ score than those born in 1982, but no difference was found among men. The increase in IQ scores was only limited to participants from families with an income ranging from 1.1 to 3 times the minimum wage at the time of birth. The mean IQ score of participants born to mothers below the age of 20 remained stable over time, but increase for participants whose mothers were 20 years of age or older at the time of birth.This study emphasizes the importance of considering socio-economic and demographic factors when examining differences in IQ scores over time. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of these findings.Conclusions: This study aimed to determine whether the factors underlying potential differences between two birth cohorts, born in 1982 and 1993, influence the changes in IQ over time.Data from two Brazilian birth cohorts were used (1993 and 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohorts). The IQ scores were assessed using the WAIS-III test.Results showed that women born in 1993 had a higher average IQ score than those born in 1982, but no difference was found among men. The increase in IQ scores was only limited to participants from families with an income ranging from 1.1 to 3 times the minimum wage at the time of birth. The mean IQ score of participants born to mothers below the age of 20 remained stable over time, but increase for participants whose mothers were 20 years of age or older at the time of birth.This study emphasizes the importance of considering socio-economic and demographic factors when examining differences in IQ scores over time. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of our systematic review was to update the current evidence on the association between slow walking speed (WS) and mortality, expanding the current knowledge available in the literature.Methods: A systematic review of the published data on the association of WS and mortality was carried out by searching on PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge databases.Results: From a title and abstract analysis, 61 articles were included that met the prespecified criteria. After a full-text analysis, 6 articles were excluded and the remaining articles accounted for 120,838 patients and > 25,148 deaths were registered. The duration of follow-ups ranged between 2 and 21 years. In general, studies have shown a consistent association between WS and mortality from all causes.Conclusions: WS showed continuous and consistent evidence to be a good predictor of mortality. As such, our study supports the use of this tool in clinical practice as a way to improve health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water has a sensitive role in shaping both urban landscape and social life in Belem. In contrast, Belem's urban history is dominated by discourses and public policies responsible for creating an antinomy between city and water. This denial of the relationship with water unfolds, in part, interventions over city lowlands which were historically habitated by poor migrants from the countryside or other states. This article focuses on everyday practices related to water from inhabitants of the areas known as baixadas after the conclusion of a massive urban development program in the Una River Basin. Data was built through ethnographic research specially walks along the river basin channel, participant observation, interviews, and informal conversations with residents from areas affected by the Una River Basin Project. The relationship of these residents with hydric landscapes is altered by urbanization, but last in time through memory, since water articulates with their collective and individual trajectories. Thus, Belem's river margins must be considered not only as objects of intervention, but also as spaces of sociability in which everyday practices informed by memory reshape the public policies on water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent past, the increase of computation resources led to the appearance of regional climate models with increasing domains and resolutions, spamming larger temporal periods. A good example is the World Climate Research Program - Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment for the European domain (EURO-CORDEX). This set of regional models encompass the entire European continent, for a 130-year common period until the end of the 21st century, while having a 12 Km horizontal resolution. Such simulations are computationally demanding, while at the same time, not always showing added value. This study considers a recently proposed metric in order to assess the added value of the EURO-CORDEX Hindcast (1989-2008) and Historical (1971-2005) simulations, for the maximum and minimum temperature over the Iberian Peninsula. This approach allows an evaluation of the higher against the driving lower resolutions relative to the performance of the whole or partial probability density functions, by having an observational regular gridded dataset as reference. Overall, the gains for maximum temperature are more relevant in comparison to minimum temperature, partially owed to known problems derived from the snow-albedo-atmosphere feedback. For more local scales, areas near the coast reveal significant added value in comparison with the interior, which displays limited gains and sometimes significant detrimental effects around −30 %. Nevertheless, the added value for temperature extremes reveals a similar range, although with stronger gains in coastal regions and in locations from the interior for maximum temperature, contrasting with the losses for locations in the interior of the domain for the minimum temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years higher resolution Regional Climate Model simulations have emerged owing to the large increase in computational resources. The 12 Km resolution from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment for the European domain (EURO-CORDEX) is a reference, which includes a larger multi-model ensemble at a continental scale while spanning at least a 130-year period. These simulations are computationally demanding but not always revealing added value. In this study, a recently developed regular gridded dataset (Iberia0.1) and a new metric for added value quantification, the distribution added value (DAV), are used to assess the precipitation of all available EURO-CORDEX Hindcast (1989-2008) and Historical (1971-2005) simulations. This approach enables a direct assessment between the higher resolution regional model runs against their forcing Global model or ERA-Interim reanalysis, with respect to their PDFs. This assessment is performed for the Iberian Peninsula. Overall, important gains are found for most cases, particularly in precipitation extremes. Most Hindcast models reveal gains above 15 %, namely for wintertime, while for precipitation extremes values above 20 % are reached for the summer and autumn. As for the Historical models, although most pairs display gains, regional models forced by 2 GCMs reveal losses, sometimes around −5 % or stronger, for the entire year. However, the spatialization of the DAV is clear in terms of added value for precipitation, particularly precipitation extremes with significant gains, above 100 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to propose and validate an interval taekwondo-specific cardiopulmonary exercise test (ITKDtest) and compare it with running cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and a continuous taekwondospecific cardiopulmonary exercise test (CTKDtest). Fifteen athletes (age 22 ± 4 years; body mass 71.1 ± 10.2 kg; height 178.14 ± 8.3 cm; and body mass index 22.4 ± 2.4 kg·m-2) performed CPET, CTKDtest, and ITKDtest on a counterbalanced order. Oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR), and ventilatory thresholds (VTs 1 and 2) were measured during the 3 tests. ITKDtest started at 30 kicks per minute and increased 10 kicks each 2 minutes, with a period of passive recovery, lasting 1 minute. Interval protocol design simulated the temporal structure of an official taekwondo fight. Significant difference between specific tests was found for VO2 VT1 (p = 0.03), VO2 VT1 (%VO2peak) (p = 0.009), VO2 VT2 (p = 0.005), and VO2 VT2 (%VO2peak) (p = 0.013). Reliability was considered “excellent” for VO2peak (a = 0.902; SEM = 0.179), “good” for VO2 VT1 (a = 0.708; SEM = 3.823) and HRpeak (a = 0.803; SEM = 2.987), and “fair” for VO2 VT2 (a = 0.659; SEM = 4.498) and HR VT2 (a = 0.580; SEM = 8.868). Bland- Altman analyses reported a mean difference of 2.9 ± 6.6 ml$kg21$min21 (CPET-ITKDtest) and 1.4 ± 6.1 ml$kg21$min21 (CTKDtest-ITKDtest). ITKDtest may be used for measurement of cardiorespiratory variables commonly used in exercise prescription, whereas CTKDtest seems to be a more appropriate method to assess VO2 and HR at VTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the effects of excessive screen time on Working Memory (WM) in adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between measures of screen time in adolescence and Working Memory. Data from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study were analyzed (N = 3625). Self-reported screen time was collected at ages 11, 15 and 18. Working Memory performance (Digit Span backward score) was examined at age 22. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the associations between three screen time measures (television, video game and computer time) for each age and WM at age 22. We also evaluated the direct and indirect effect by mediation analysis, using the intelligence quotient (IQ) at 18 years as mediator. In men, television and video game time at 11 years and computer at ages 11 and 15 years had a positive effect on WM. Also, these effects were mediated through IQ. In women there was no significant association between screen time measures at ages 11, 15, and 18 and WM. This study provides new insights about the relationship between television, videogame, and computer time with WM in adolescents, by exploring the paths of these associations and considering the important mediating role of IQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine Heatwave (MHW) events have been increasing all around the world, causing severe impacts on marine ecosystems and on the economy of the aquaculture, fishing and tourism industries. In this study, the occurrence and characteristics of MHW events in the North Atlantic are analyzed for a recent period (1971–2000) and the two future periods (2041–2070 and 2071–2100). The analysis is based on Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data obtained from observations and from Global Climate Models (GCM) in the CMIP5 archieve. The results show that the GCMs present significant shortcomings in reproducing the SST and MHWs. The model results regarding the recent trends in MHW are in agreement with the ones observed, although they underestimate the values of MHW intensity and overestimate the values of both frequency and duration of events. The MHWs observed occur at a mean frequency of 1.90 events per year and are characterized by ~ 13 days of mean duration and 0.37 ºC of mean intensity, while the multi-model ensemble mean characterizes the events with 12 additional days and 0.15 ºC less intensity. Under climate change scenarios, when considering a stationary threshold, the models project noticeable increases in MHW event intensity that could reach 2 ºC above the 90th percentile and a quasi-permanent state of MHW by the end of the century. When a non-stationary threshold is considered, the characteristics of the events are similar to those obtained during the historical period. The GCMs significant biases in simulating the SST and leading to extremes like MHWs highlight the importance of improving GCM performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, offshore wind harvesting has increased enormously, and is seen as a renewable energy resource with great potential in many regions of the world. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how this resource will evolve in a warming climate. In the present study, offshore wind resource in the Southwestern African region is analysed for the present and future climates. A ROM (REMO-OASIS-MPIOM) climate simulation in uncoupled and coupled atmosphere–ocean mode, at 25 km horizontal resolution, and a multi-model ensemble built with a set of regional climate models from the CORDEX-Africa experiment at 0.44° resolution were used. The projected changes of the offshore wind energy density throughout the twenty-first century are examined following the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Characterised by strong coastal-parallel winds, the Southwestern African offshore region shows high values of wind energy density at 100 m, up to 1500 Wm−2 near the coast, particularly offshore Namibia and west South Africa. Conversely, along Angola's coast the available offshore wind energy density is lower. Throughout the twenty-first century, for the weaker climate mitigation scenario (RCP8.5), an increase of the offshore wind resource is projected to occur along Namibia and South African western coasts, more pronounced at the end of the century (+ 24%), while a decrease is projected along Angola's coasts, reaching a negative anomaly of about − 32%. Smaller changes but with the same pattern are projected for the stronger climate mitigation scenario (RCP4.5). The future deployment of offshore floating hub turbines placed at higher heights may allow higher production of energy in this region. Along offshore Namibia and west South Africa, the wind energy density at 250 m showed differences that range between 30 and 50% relative to wind energy density at 100 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is the second most common cause of death among young individuals (10–25 years). The risk of first occurrence of suicidal behavior increases significantly at the start of adolescence, highlighting the importance of research regarding the association between early life factors, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and suicidal behaviors. To assess if ACEs are prospectively associated with lifetime suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts at young adulthood. Participants and Setting: Data from 3050 young adults from the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort. Discrimination (of any type), financial hardship, maternal common mental disorders (CMD – SRQ-20), parental death, parental divorce and physical abuse were assessed at the 11-year follow-up. Data regarding suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt was assessed at 22 years with Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), version 5.0. Crude and adjusted logistic regression models were estimated. In the adjusted model, those who suffered financial hardship (OR 2.51; 95 % CI 1.66–3.79), parental divorce (OR 1.44; 95 % CI 1.02–2.04) and maternal CMD (OR 1.72; 95 % CI 1.21–2.46) at 11 years were more likely to report suicidal thoughts at 22 years. Also, those who experienced financial hardship (OR 1.71; 95 % CI 1.13–2.58), physical abuse (OR 1.48; 95 % CI 1.08–2.04), discrimination (OR 1.74; 95 % CI 1.20–2.51), maternal CMD (OR 1.67; 95 % CI 1.20–2.32), or parental divorce (OR 1.41; 95 % CI 1.02–1.94) were more likely to report a lifetime suicide attempt. There was a strong association between financial hardship, maternal CMD and divorce during childhood, and suicidal thoughts, such as suicidal ideation or planning, at the beginning of adulthood. Financial hardship, discrimination, divorce, maternal CMD and physical abuse were associated with suicide attempt. These findings demonstrate that mental health support must be available following certain ACEs during childhood, alongside with ACEs prevention. More research is needed on the association between discrimination and suicide attempts, differentiating the nature and impact of each type of discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Case report: we present the case of a 44-year-old male who presented with uncontrollable diarrhea, severe protein-calorie malnutrition and multiple vitamin deficiencies, along with peripheral neuropathy ten years after classic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). He underwent nutritional support and had the surgery converted to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with an uneventful outcome. The histopathology of the resected bowel revealed lipofuscinosis of the muscular layer compatible with brown bowel syndrome. Discussion: brown bowel syndrome is a rare complication of malnutrition that can be observed after BPD. It is associated with vitamin E deficiency. After recovery with nutritional support, a reoperation that elongates the common channel, and thus minimizes the degree of malabsorption, should be indicated in these cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ositive pressure ventilation (PPV) can increase exercise performance in cyclists, but its effects are unclear in other exercise modes, especially those using large muscle mass. The aim of this study was to compare the exercise performance and postexercise inspiratory muscles' strength with and without PPV (NO-PPV) during rowing. Nine male rowers (19 ± 1 year) participated in 3 experimental days (M1, M2, and M3) separated by 1 week. In M1, rowers performed a 2,000-m test (2k) on a rowing ergometer to obtain average power (W2k). In M2 and M3, the rowers performed 4 minutes' workouts at 55, 65, 75, and 85% W2k, respectively, separated by 1 minute of recovery, with PPV and NO-PPV application in randomized order. Blood lactate (La) was measured during intervals. After submaximal exercises, with 10 minutes of "cool down," the rowers performed a maximal performance test of 4 minutes (4-minute all-out rowing). Traveled distance was computed and correlated with maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) changes from pretest to posttest (Δ). Positive pressure ventilation application increased the traveled distance in relation to NO-PPV exercise (1,210.7 ± 45.5 vs. 1,199.8 ± 43.4 m, p ≤ 0.05). The ΔMIP (cmH2O) was lower in PPV as compared to NO-PPV exercise (-19.1 ± 10.2 vs. -26.3 ± 7.9 cmH2O, p ≤ 0.05). The [La] showed no significant difference between PPV and NO-PPV exercises (p > 0.05). Therefore, the PPV during whole-body rowing exercise improved the exercise performance and attenuated the inspiratory postexercise fatigue. These findings suggest that inspiratory muscles' strength plays a role during high-intensity exercise with large muscle mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider homogeneous coupled cell networks with asymmetric inputs. We obtain general results concerning codimension-one steady-state bifurcations for networks with any number of cells and any number of asymmetric inputs. These results rely solely on the network adjacency matrices eigenvalue structure and the existence, or not, of network synchrony subspaces. For networks with three cells, we describe the possible lattices of synchrony subspaces annotated with the eigenvalues on each synchrony subspace. Applying the previous results, we classify the synchrony-breaking steady-state bifurcations that can occur for three-cell minimal networks with one, two or six asymmetric inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium bovis is the pathogenic agent responsible for bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a zoonotic disease affecting mostly cattle, but also transmittable to humans and wildlife. Genetic studies on M. bovis allow to detect possible routes of bTB transmission and the identification of genetic reservoirs that may provide an essential framework for public health action. We used a database with 1235 M. bovis genotypes collected from different regions in Africa with 45 new Mozambican samples. Our analyses, based on phylogeographic and population genetics' approaches, allowed to identify two clear trends. First, the genetic diversity of M. bovis is geographically clustered across the continent, with the only incidences of long-distance sharing of genotypes, between South Africa and Algeria, likely due to recent European introductions. Second, there is a broad gradient of diversity from Northern to Southern Africa with a diversity focus on the proximity to the Near East, where M. bovis likely emerged with animal domestication in the last 10,000 years. Diversity indices are higher in Eastern Africa, followed successively by Northern, Central, Southern and Western Africa, roughly correlating with the regional archaeological records of introduction of animal domesticates. Given this scenario M. bovis in Africa was probably established millennia ago following a concomitant spread with cattle, sheep and goat. Such scenario could translate into long-term locally adapted lineages across Africa. This work describes a novel scenario for the spread of M. bovis in Africa using the available genetic data, opening the field to further studies using higher resolution genomic data. Author summary: We describe the genetic diversity distribution in Africa of the pathogen Mycobacterium bovis, the responsible for bovine tuberculosis, mostly present in cattle but also transmittable to other animals including humans. This diversity is geographically clustered within the African continent meaning that the genetic diversity was established through independent evolution within different areas. Higher diversity values of M. bovis are found in Eastern and Northern Africa, followed by Central Africa, with Western and Southern Africa displaying the lowest diversity. These levels of diversity correlate well with the introduction of domesticated livestock in the different regions of Africa, following their domestication in the Near East 10,000 ago. We hypothesize that M. bovis emerged in the Near East and it was carried across Africa together with domesticated animals and people that developed herding practices and biological tolerance for digesting milk in adulthood. Such scenario implies a strong evolution and co-evolution of M. bovis across Africa leading to locally adapted strains that could prove a challenge for public health actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North African coastal low-level jet (NACLLJ) lies over the cold Canary current and is synoptically linked to the Azores Anticyclone and to the continental thermal low over the Sahara Desert. Although being one of the most persistent and horizontally extended coastal wind jets, this is the first high resolution modelling effort to investigate the NACLLJ climate. The current study uses a ROM atmospheric hindcast simulation with ~ 25 km resolution, for the period 1980–2014. Additionally, the underlying surface wind features are also scrutinized using the CORDEX-Africa runs. These runs allow the building of a multi-model ensemble for the coastal surface flow. The ROM and the CORDEX-Africa simulations are extensively evaluated showing a good ability to represent the surface winds. The NACLLJ shows a strong seasonal cycle, but, unlike most coastal wind jets, e.g. the California one, it is significantly present all year round, with frequencies of occurrence above 20%. In spring and autumn, the maxima frequencies are around 50%, and reach values above 60% in summer. The location of maximum frequency of occurrence migrates meridionally from season to season, being in winter and spring upwind of Cap-Vert, and in summer and autumn offshore the Western Sahara. Analogously, the lowest jet wind speeds occur in winter, when the median is below 15 m/s. In summer, the jet wind speed median values are ~ 20 m/s and the maxima are above 30 m/s. The jet occurs at heights ~ 360 m. A momentum balance is pursued disclosing that the regional flow is almost geostrophic, dominated by the pressure gradient and Coriolis force. Over the jet areas the ageostrophy is responsible for the jet acceleration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study uses a new methodology where the assessment of building cooling demand savings is obtained through a redefined concept of the Climatic Cooling Potential (CCP). This concept allows for the direct estimation of energy savings in buildings by the use of different passive cooling systems at a large spatiotemporal scale. In this paper, we apply this method to assess the impact of climate change on the future potential of Direct Ventilation and Evaporative Cooling. To do so, a set of high resolution climate simulations for the Iberian Peninsula for present and future climate, performed using the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF), were used. Three passive cooling simulations were conducted: the first one employs the hindcast simulation where WRF is forced by the reanalysis ERA-Interim for the 1989–1999 period (hindcast); the second employs the EC-EARTH forced historical run ranging from 1970 to 2000 (historical) and the third also forced EC-EARTH but for 2070–2100 (future). An eleven-year period was extracted from the historical run and validated against the first, the hindcast. The similitude of the results provided confidence on the ability of the EC-EARTH forced runs to correctly simulate climate and thus allowing the assessment of the effect of climate change in the outcome of the passive systems and cooling demand savings in buildings. The results show that the CCP conserves its spatial heterogeneity for both historical and future, but presents lower values for the future due to the increase in temperatures. Nevertheless, this reduction is mostly below 20% over the entire Iberian Peninsula along the annual cycle, for both Direct Ventilation and Evaporative Cooling. This means that even in the context of a changing climate, these kind of systems can still offer valuable reductions on the cooling demand of buildings. Furthermore, most of the reductions in the CCP, caused by the increase in temperatures, can be surpassed by increasing the flow rate or can even be compensated by the increase in Cooling Demand as a consequence of the rising temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North African Coastal Low-Level Jet (NACLLJ) is a semi-permanent feature offshore the north western African coast, linked to the cold nearshore upwelling of the Canary Eastern Boundary Current system. Its main synoptic drivers are the Azores Anticyclone over the ocean and the inland Sahara thermal low. The coastal jet events occur in one of the world's most productive fisheries region, thus the evaluation of the effects of global warming in its properties is imperative. This study proposes an analysis of the annual and intra-annual attributes of the NACLLJ for two time periods 1976–2005 (historical) and 2070–2199 (future), resorting to coupled and uncoupled atmosphere–ocean simulations with the ROM model, as well as near surface offshore wind speed from the CORDEX-Africa ensemble. The future simulations follow the RCP8.5 greenhouse gas emissions scenario. Overall, the ROM coupled simulation presents the best performance in reproducing the present-climate near surface wind speed, offshore northwest Africa, compared to the remaining RCM simulations. The higher SST resolution in the coupled simulations favours much localised colder upwelling strips near the coast and consequently stronger jets. In future climate, a small increase in the surface wind speed is projected, mainly linked to the regions of coastal jet presence. The NACLLJ is projected to be more frequent and intense, encompassing larger areas. An increase of the jet seasonal frequencies of occurrence is projected for all seasons, which is larger from spring to autumn (up to 15, 16 and 22% more frequent, respectively). However, in some offshore areas the winter NACLLJ persistency is likely to double, relatively to present-climate. Higher inter-annual variability is also projected for the future NACLLJ seasonal frequencies. The strengthening of the coastal jet speeds is also significant, between 5 and 12% in all seasons. Additionally, the jet's diurnal cycle shows an increase in jet occurrence across the day, particularly in the mid and late afternoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed evaluation of wind energy density (WED) over Portugal, based on the EURO-CORDEX database of high-resolution regional climate model (RCM) simulations. Most RCMs showed reasonable accuracy in reproducing the observed near-surface wind speed. The climatological patterns of WED displayed large sub-regional heterogeneity, with higher values over coastal regions and steep orography. Subsequently, we investigated the future changes of WED throughout the twenty-first century, considering mid- and end-century periods, and two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). On the yearly average, the multi-model ensemble WED changes were below 10% (15%) under RCP4.5 (RCP8.5). However, the projected WED anomalies displayed strong seasonality, dominated by low positive values in summer (< 10% for both scenarios), negative values in winter and spring (up to − 10% (− 20%) under RCP4.5 (RCP8.5)), and stronger negative anomalies in autumn (up to − 25% (− 35%) under RCP4.5 (RCP8.5)). These projected WED anomalies displayed large sub-regional variability. The largest reductions (and lowest increases) are linked to the northern and central-eastern elevated terrain, and the southwestern coast. In contrast, the largest increases (and lowest reductions) are linked to the central-western orographic features of moderate elevation. The projections also showed changes in inter-annual variability of WED, with small increases for annual averages, but with distinct behavior when considering year-to-year variability over a specific season: small increases in winter, larger increases in summer, slight decrease in autumn, and no relevant change in spring. The changes in inter-annual variability also displayed strong dependence on the underlying terrain. Finally, we found significant model spread in the magnitude of projected WED anomalies and inter-annual variability, affecting even the signal of the changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When divided by a given mutation rate, the ρ (rho) statistic provides a simple estimator of the age of a clade within a phylogenetic tree by averaging the number of mutations from each sample in the clade to its root. However, a long-standing critique of the use of ρ in genetic dating has been quite often cited. Here we show that the critique is unfounded. We demonstrate by a formal mathematical argument and illustrate with a simulation study that ρ estimates are unbiased and also that ρ and maximum likelihood estimates do not differ in any systematic fashion. We also demonstrate that the claim that the associated confidence intervals commonly estimate the uncertainty inappropriately is flawed since it relies on a means of calculating standard errors that is not used by any other researchers, whereas an established expression for the standard error is largely unproblematic. We conclude that ρ dating, alongside approaches such as maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference, remains a useful tool for genetic dating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses urban flooding in the Una Watershed in the city of Belém through a Political Ecology lens, which means considering the production and social distribution of environmental risks, as well as its impacts. To do so, the analysis stems from the concrete experiences of city inhabitants, which are interpreted using concepts such as risk, adaptation and vulnerability, situating these experiences in the context of urbanization under capitalism. In contrast with mass media framings, which blames the poor population and represent flooding as a natural phenomenon, this work discusses that environmental risks in Belém are related to infrastructural deficiencies and to impacts of large scale urbanization projects. Thus, urban flooding results from historic processes of land occupation, exclusion, and marginalization of the poor in Belém, which remains unchanged even after massive investments in drainage and sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large temperature spatio-temporal gradients are a common feature of Mediterranean climates. The Portuguese complex topography and coastlines enhances such features, and in a small region large temperature gradients with high interannual variability is detected. In this study, the EURO-CORDEX high-resolution regional climate simulations (0.11° and 0.44° resolutions) are used to investigate the maximum and minimum temperature projections across the twenty-first century according to RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. An additional WRF simulation with even higher resolution (9 km) for RCP8.5 scenario is also examined. All simulations for the historical period (1971-2000) are evaluated against the available station observations and the EURO-CORDEX model results are ranked in order to build multi-model ensembles. In present climate models are able to reproduce the main topography/coast related temperature gradients. Although there are discernible differences between models, most present a cold bias. The multi-model ensembles improve the overall representation of the temperature. The ensembles project a significant increase of the maximum and minimum temperatures in all seasons and scenarios. Maximum increments of 8 °C in summer and autumn and between 2 and 4 °C in winter and spring are projected in RCP8.5. The temperature distributions for all models show a significant increase in the upper tails of the PDFs. In RCP8.5 more than half of the extended summer (MJJAS) has maximum temperatures exceeding the historical 90th percentile and, on average, 60 tropical nights are projected for the end of the century, whilst there are only 7 tropical nights in the historical period. Conversely, the number of cold days almost disappears. The yearly average number of heat waves increases by seven to ninefold by 2100 and the most frequent length rises from 5 to 22 days throughout the twenty-first century. 5% of the longest events will last for more than one month. The amplitude is overwhelming larger, reaching values which are not observed in the historical period. More than half of the heat waves will be stronger than the extreme heat wave of 2003 by the end of the century. The future heatwaves will also enclose larger areas, approximately 100 events in the 2071-2100 period (more than 3 per year) will cover the whole country. The RCP4.5 scenario has in general smaller magnitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wind fields along the five eastern boundary currents (EBC) systems (California, Canary, Humboldt, Benguela, and West Australia) are highly seasonal. This seasonality is mostly determined by the position of the semi-permanent high pressure cells over the ocean. During summer these high pressure cells, with a thermal low pressure systems inland, are the synoptic drivers of along coast winds. These strong summer winds, along the EBC systems, off-shore mid-latitude continental coasts, generate waves that can be rather extreme, considering that these areas can be seen as limited fetch wave fields. A qualitative analysis of the wave climate over the mid-latitudes western coastal areas, along the five EBC systems, based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis wave data, is presented. The influence of coastal wind speed intensification processes in these areas, like the occurrence of coastal low-level jets, and expansion fans in the lee of headlands and capes, on the local wave field is studied. It is shown that, despite the distance between the five EBC systems, their wave fields, particularly during summer, are very similar when the wind sea and swell characteristics are balanced. In summer locally generated wave heights and energy content, along EBC areas, are comparable or even higher than swell ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thioamide substitution influences hydrogen bond and n → π ∗ interactions involved in the conformational stability of protein secondary structures and oligopeptides. Hydroxyproline is the key recognition element of small molecules targeting the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) E3 ligase, which are of interest as probes of hypoxia signaling and ligands for PROTAC conjugation. We hypothesized that VHL ligands could be a privileged model system to evaluate the contribution of these interactions to protein:ligand complex formation. Herein we report the synthesis of VHL ligands bearing thioamide substitutions at the central hydroxyproline moiety, and characterize their binding by fluorescence polarization, isothermal titration calorimetry, X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling. In spite of a conserved binding mode, the substitution pattern had a pronounced impact on the ligand affinities. Together the results underscore the role of hydrogen bond and n → π ∗ interactions in fine tuning hydroxyproline recognition by VHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional climate models (RCMs) are used with increasing resolutions seeking to represent in an improved way regional to local-scale atmospheric phenomena. The EURO-CORDEX simulations at 0.11° and simulations exploiting finer grid spacing approaching the convective-permitting regimes are representative examples. These climate runs are computationally very demanding and do not always show improvements, which depend on the region, variable and object of study. The gains or losses associated with the use of higher resolution in relation to the forcing model (global climate model or reanalysis), or to different resolution RCM simulations, are widely known as added value. Its characterization is a long-standing issue, and many different added-value measures have been proposed. In the current study, a new method is proposed to assess the added value of finer-resolution simulations, in comparison to its forcing data or coarser-resolution counterparts. This approach builds on a probability density function (PDF) matching score, giving a normalized measure of the difference between diverse resolution PDFs, mediated by the observational ones. The distribution added value (DAV) is an objective added-value measure that can be applied to any variable, region or temporal scale, from hindcast or historical (non-synchronous) simulations. The DAVs metric and its application to the EURO-CORDEX hindcast daily precipitation data are presented here. Generally, the EURO-CORDEX simulations at both resolutions (0.44° and 0.11°) display a clear added value in relation to ERA-Interim, with maximum values around 30% in summer and 20% in the intermediate seasons. When both RCM resolutions are directly compared, only three of five models (0.11°) show added value, with a maximum of ∼10%. The regions with the larger DAVs are areas where convection is relevant, e.g. Alps and Iberia. When looking at the extreme PDF tail, the higher-resolution improvement is generally greater than the low resolution for seasons and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global reanalyses are powerful tools to study the recent climate. They are built by combining forecast models with observations through data assimilation, which provide complete spatial and temporal information of observable and unobservable parameters. The reanalyses constitute very valuable threedimensional data of the atmosphere, which make it possible to investigate a panoply of atmospheric processes, such as coastal low-level jets (CLLJs). In the present study, three global reanalyses, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim), the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55), and the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2), are used to build an ensemble of reanalyses for a period encompassing 1980-2016 with 6-hourly output. A detailed global climatology of CLLJs is presented based on this ensemble of reanalyses. This reanalysis ensemble makes it possible to explore the ability of reanalysis to represent the CLLJs mitigating its uncertainty and adding robustness. The annual and diurnal cycle as well as the interannual variability are analyzed in order to evaluate the temporal variability of frequency of occurrence of CLLJ. The ensemble mean displays a good representation of the seasonal spatial variability of frequency of occurrence of coastal jets. The Oman and Benguela CLLJs show, respectively, a decrease and increase of frequency of occurrence in the studied period, which are statistically significant during boreal summer and austral spring. The coastal jets have higher mean frequencies of occurrences during late afternoon and early evening. During the season where each CLLJ has higher mean frequency of occurrence, the Oman CLLJ is the most intense and occurs at higher altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein is the substrate binding subunit of the VHL E3 ubiquitin ligase, which targets hydroxylated α subunit of hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) for ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation. VHL is a potential target for treating anemia and ischemic diseases, motivating the development of inhibitors of the VHL:HIF-α protein-protein interaction. Additionally, bifunctional proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) containing a VHL ligand can hijack the E3 ligase activity to induce degradation of target proteins. We report the structure-guided design and group-based optimization of a series of VHL inhibitors with low nanomolar potencies and improved cellular permeability. Structure-activity relationships led to the discovery of potent inhibitors 10 and chemical probe VH298, with dissociation constants <100 nM, which induced marked HIF-1α intracellular stabilization. Our study provides new chemical tools to probe the VHL-HIF pathways and new VHL ligands for next-generation PROTACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a major challenge for the energy sector, particularly for wind energy onshore and offshore. Climate models are the only tool which is able to produce physical-based projections of future changes in response to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study, the Western Iberian offshore wind resource is analysed for present and future climates, using a set of regional climate models (RCMs) simulations produced in the framework of the CORDEX experiment at 0.11° resolution (∼12 km), and a regional climate simulation produced with the WRF model at higher resolution (9 km). All these simulations are firstly, evaluated against wind buoy measurements and Cross-Calibrated Multi-Platform (CCMP) wind data, and used to generate two high quality multi-model ensembles based on the individual model’s performance. The results of the WRF simulation and of the two multi-model ensembles are then used to describe the wind resource both for the present and future climates, according to the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios. This allows the assessment of the climate change signal on the offshore wind and to provide an uncertainty measure of these projections. The vast majority of climate models project reductions of wind speed and wind power for all seasons, with the exception of summer. For the RCP8.5 emission scenario the multi-model ensembles project reductions in power density of around 7% for winter, 4% for spring and 12% for autumn, and increases of 5% for summer. In the latter, and increase up to 20% in power density is forecasted for the Iberian northwest coast. This is sufficient to offset the yearly balance, in as much as no change is expected at a yearly scale for this area. For the remaining west Iberian coast, a yearly reduction of less than 5% is estimated. These results are shared by the two multi-model ensembles and by WRF higher resolution simulation (9 km). The projected changes have the consequence of reducing the annual cycle of power density availability and of its yearly mean values. Finally, for the less aggressive scenario, RCP4.5, the changes have the same signal but with smaller values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled cell systems are dynamical systems associated to a network and synchrony subspaces, given by balanced colorings of the network, are invariant subspaces for every coupled cell systems associated to that network. Golubitsky and Lauterbach [SIAM J. Appl. Dyn. Syst., 8 (2009), pp. 40-75] prove an analogue of the equivariant branching lemma in the context of regular networks. We generalize this result proving the generic existence of steady-state bifurcation branches for regular networks with maximal synchrony. We also give necessary and sucient conditions for the existence of steady- state bifurcation branches with some submaximal synchrony. Those conditions only depend on the network structure, but the lattice structure of the balanced colorings is not sufficient to decide which synchrony subspaces support a steady-state bifurcation branch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portugal, which is located in the west limit of the Mediterranean subtropics, is a small region with a complex orography with large precipitation gradients and interannual variability. In this study, the newer and higher resolution regional climate simulations, covering Portugal, are evaluated in present climate and used to investigate the rainfall projections for the end of the twenty-first century, following the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios. The EURO-CORDEX historical simulations, at 0.11° and at 0.44° resolution, are evaluated against gridded observations of precipitation, which allows the assembly of four multi-model ensembles. An extra simulation, at even higher resolution (9 km) with WRF is also analysed. In present climate, the models are able to describe the precipitation temporal and spatial patterns as well its distributions, although there is a large spread and an overestimation of larger rainfall quantiles. The multi-model ensembles show that selecting the best performing models adds quality to the overall representation of rainfall. The high-resolution simulations augment the spatial details of precipitation, but objectively do not seem to add value with respect to the coarse resolution. Regarding the RCP8.5 scenario, WRF and the multi-model ensembles consistently predict important losses of precipitation in Portugal in spring, summer and autumn, ranging from −10% and −50%. For all seasons, the changes are more severe in the southern basins. The precipitation distributions show, for all models, important reductions of the contribution from low to moderate/high precipitation bins and augments of days with strong rainfall. Furthermore, a prominent growth of high-ranking percentiles is predicted reaching values over 70% in some regions. Generally, the changes associated with the RCP4.5 scenario have the same signal and features, but with smaller magnitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]