Joint analysis of species and genetic variation to quantify the role of dispersal and environmental constraints in community turnover

Spatial turnover of biological communities is determined by both dispersal and environmental constraints. However, we lack quantitative predictions about how these factors interact and influence turnover across genealogical scales. In this study, we have implemented a predictive framework based on approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to quantify the signature of dispersal and environmental constraints in community turnover. First, we simulated the distribution of haplotypes, intra-specific lineages and species in biological communities under different strengths of dispersal and environmental constraints. Our simulations show that spatial turnover rate is invariant across genealogical scales when dispersal limitation determines the species ranges. However, when environmental constraint limits species ranges, spatial turnover rates vary across genealogical scales. These simulations were used in an ABC framework to quantify the role of dispersal and environmental constraints in 16 empirical biological communities sampled from local to continental scales, including several groups of insects (both aquatic and terrestrial), molluscs and bats. In seven datasets, the observed genealogical invariance of spatial turnover, assessed with distance–decay curves, suggests a dispersal-limited scenario. In the remaining datasets, the variance in distance–decay curves across genealogical scales was best explained by various combinations of dispersal and environmental constraints. Our study illustrates how modelling spatial turnover at multiple genealogical scales (species and intraspecific lineages) provides relevant insights into the relative role of dispersal and environmental constraints in community turnover

Living biointerfaces based on non-pathogenic bacteria to direct cell differentiation

Genetically modified Lactococcus lactis, non-pathogenic bacteria expressing the FNIII7-10 fibronectin fragment as a protein membrane have been used to create a living biointerface between synthetic materials and mammalian cells. This FNIII7-10 fragment comprises the RGD and PHSRN sequences of fibronectin to bind α5β1 integrins and triggers signalling for cell adhesion, spreading and differentiation. We used L. lactis strain to colonize material surfaces and produce stable biofilms presenting the FNIII7-10 fragment readily available to cells. Biofilm density is easily tunable and remains stable for several days. Murine C2C12 myoblasts seeded over mature biofilms undergo bipolar alignment and form differentiated myotubes, a process triggered by the FNIII7-10 fragment. This biointerface based on living bacteria can be further modified to express any desired biochemical signal, establishing a new paradigm in biomaterial surface functionalisation for biomedical applications

Climate and Dispersal: Black-Winged Stilts Disperse Further in Dry Springs

Climate affects the abundance and distribution of many species of wildlife. Nevertheless, the potential effects of climate on dispersive behaviour remain unstudied. Here, I combine data from (i) a long-term Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) monitoring program, (ii) a capture-recapture marking program in Doñana, and (iii) reports from the Rare Birds Committee in the United Kingdom to analyse at different geographical scales the relationship between climate, survival, philopatry, and dispersive behaviour. Black-winged Stilt populations varied in size in consonance with changes in both the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and local rainfall during the breeding season. Changes in population size are related to changes in philopatry and increases in dispersal beyond the traditional range of the species. The results indicate that climatic conditions influence the dispersive behaviour of individual birds, explaining rapid changes in the local population of this species breeding in unstable Mediterranean wetlands

BMN vacua, superstars and non-abelian T-duality

Acting with non-Abelian T-duality on the $S^3$ inside the $AdS_5$ subspace of $AdS_5\times S^5$ with $N$ units of flux, we generate a new half-BPS solution with $SU(2|4)$ symmetry that belongs to the Lin-Lunin-Maldacena class of geometries. The analysis of the asymptotics, quantised charges and probe branes in this geometry suggests an interpretation as the gravity dual to the Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase Plane Wave Matrix Model, in a particular vacuum associated to a partition of $N$, in which the multiplicity of each $SU(2)$ irreducible representation is equal to its dimension. This vacuum is interpreted in M-theory in terms of giant gravitons backreacting in the maximally supersymmetric pp-wave geometry. Consistently with this, we show that the non-Abelian T-dual solution exactly agrees with the Penrose limit of the superstar solution in $AdS_7\times S^4$. This suggests an interesting global completion of the non-Abelian T-dual solution in terms of an M5-brane geometry.Comment: 28 pages, discussion in section 5.1 improved, results unchanged, reference added. Matches published versio

New insights from a structural economic dynamic approach to balance of payments constrained growth

In this paper it is shown that once-for-all variations in the level of the exchange rate may play an important role in the sectoral composition of the economy and this fact has important implications in terms of a disaggregated version of the Thirlwall’s law even if the argument of the quantitative unimportance of relative price movements holds. The growth rate of a country is then shown to be affected by once-for-all movements in the level of nominal exchange rates and the concept of a natural exchange rate is introduced

Confiabilidad de un instrumento para clasificar al recién nacido de acuerdo con la complejidad de la atención

Na maioria das maternidades, a classificação, a avaliação e a definição da unidade a encaminhar o recém-nascido (RN) após o nascimento são realizadas pelo médico. A\ud avaliação ocorre na sala de parto considerando: peso ao nascer; idade gestacional;\ud condutas que definem quadro clínico e doença. Este estudo observacional teve\ud como objetivo avaliar a confiabilidade de um instrumento de classificação de RN. A pesquisa foi realizada no berçário de um hospital público, São Paulo. Nove enfermeiras\ud aplicaram o instrumento a 63 RN, sendo duas simultaneamente em cada um dos\ud cinco setores do berçário. Verificou-se que o nível de concordância Kappa entre as enfermeiras foi excelente para a maioria das áreas de cuidado (69,0%). Concluiu-se que houve consenso e concordância das enfermeiras quanto ao instrumento ser completo, de fácil entendimento e aplicável, porém despende muito tempo. As enfermeiras reconhecem a importância do instrumento para o dimensionamento dos profissionais, organização e planejamento do cuidado.In most maternity units, the physician classifies, evaluates, and determines which unit will receive the newborn (NB) after birth. Evaluation occurs in the delivery room, taking into consideration the following factors: birth weight, gestational age, and behaviors that define the clinical picture and disease. This observational study evaluates the reliability of an NB classification instrument. The study was conducted at the nursery of a public hospital in São Paulo. Nine nurses applied the instrument to 63 NB, with two of the nurses working simultaneously in each of the nursery’s fi ve sectors. The Kappa level of agreement among the nurses was found to be excellent for most care areas\ud (69.0%). It was concluded that there was a consensus and agreement among the\ud nurses that the instrument was complete, easy to understand and applicable, but was\ud very time consuming. The nurses recognize the instrument’s importance for the allocation of professionals, organization, and care planning.En la mayoría de las maternidades la clasificación, la evaluación y la definición de la unidad para referir el recién nacido (RN), son realizadas por el médico. La evaluación se realiza en la sala de parto, considerando: peso al nacer, edad gestacional y conductas que definen el cuadro clínico y la enfermedad. Este estudio observacional tuvo como objetivo evaluar la confiabilidad de un instrumento de clasificación del RN. Fue realizada en el servicio de neonatología de un hospital público en Sao Paulo. Nueve enfermeras\ud aplicaron el instrumento a 63 RN, siendo aplicados dos de forma simultánea en los cinco sectores de la unidad neonatal. El nivel de concordancia Kappa fue excelente para la mayoría de las áreas de atención (69,0%). Se concluyó que hubo consenso y\ud concordancia entre las enfermeras, quienes expresaron que el instrumento es completo, fácil de entender y de aplicar, pero se necesita mucho tempo. Las enfermeras reconocen la importancia de este instrumento para dimensionar el número de profesionales, la organización y la planificación de la atención

A new interministerial strategy for the promotion of healthy eating in Portugal: implementation and initial results

ObjectiveTo describe the implementation, main intervention areas and initial results of the Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (EIPAS) in Portugal.MethodsEIPAS was published as a Law, in December of 2017, as a result of a collaboration between several ministries, including the Finance, Internal Affairs, Education, Health, Economy, Agriculture, and Sea Ministries, aiming at improving the dietary habits of the Portuguese population. The working group, led by the Ministry of Health, developed this strategy for over a year. The framework produced was based on WHO and European Commission recommendations as well as on relevant data from the last Portuguese dietary intake survey (2015/2016). EIPAS also reflects the results of a public hearing, including the food industry, among others, and the experience gathered, since 2012, through the National Programme for the Promotion of Healthy Eating. It considers the health in all policies' challenge set by WHO and has four different strategic areas, namely (1) creation of healthier food environments, (2) improvement of the quality and accessibility of healthy food choices for consumers, (3) promotion and development of literacy, in order to encourage healthy food choices, and (4) promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship. In order to achieve these goals, a set of 51 actions was established and assigned to the seven ministries involved.ResultsUnder the scope of this strategy, Portugal has already implemented several actions, including (1) definition of standards for food availability at all public healthcare institutions; (2) implementation of a sugar tax on sweetened beverages; (3) implementation of a voluntary agreement with the food industry sector for food reformulation (work in progress); (4) design of a proposal for an interpretative model of front-of-pack food labelling; (5) improvement of the nutritional quality of food aid programmes for low-income groups; and (6) regulation of marketing of unhealthy foods to children.ConclusionsFor the first time, Portugal has a nutrition policy based on the WHO concept of health in all policies' and on the national data on food intake. The implementing process of all 51 actions and the inherent complexities and difficulties found so far have made this process be an authentic political and social laboratory that deserves to be followed