Determining how risk effects predator-prey interactions of marine communities in the nearshore environment of South Bimini, The Bahamas

Predators often have strong top-down effects on ecosystems and are considered a priority for conservation and management. Predator activity can influence prey distribution, abundance, and foraging behaviors and are likely to influence habitat by impacting ecological and environmental characteristics as well as presence of competitor species. There are knowledge gaps of the functional diversity of fish assemblages, non-consumptive predator effects, and environmental effects on fish assemblages. With this study, effects of top marine predators, such as sharks and great barracuda, on diversity and abundance of prey communities were examined in putative low (north side of South Bimini = lagoon) and high-risk (south side of South Bimini = flat) areas around South Bimini, The Bahamas. Baited remote underwater video surveys (BRUVs) deployed in the nearshore habitat captured abundance and potential predator-prey interactions. Predator and prey abundances at each site were compared to determine potential risk affect within high and low risk environments. A general baseline of predator and prey species was established throughout six months of observation (January- June 2018). Results showed a difference in prey communities between high and low risk habitats. Teleost abundance was highest on the south side of South Bimini. There were no differences in flight behavior of prey from predator (sharks vs barracuda). Longitude, depth, temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen were significantly linked to biotic assemblages. The identification of significant factors influencing predator-prey interaction is important in understanding community composition and for future implementation of conservation and management practices pertaining to nearby mangrove and seagrass habitats

WTEC panel report on research submersibles and undersea technologies

This report covers research submersibles and related subsea technologies in Finland, France, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Manned, teleoperated, and autonomous submersibles were of interest. The panel found that, in contrast to the United States, Europe is making substantial progress in cooperative and coordinated research in subsea technology, including the development of standards. France is a leader in autonomous vehicle technology. Because much less was known a priori about the technologies in Russia and Ukraine, there were more new findings in those countries than in those Western European nations visited. However, Russia and Ukraine have a sizeable (and currently underutilized) infrastructure in this field, including a highly educated and experienced manpower pool, impressive (in some cases unique) facilities for physical testing, extensive fleets of seagoing research vessels capable of long voyages, and state-of-the-art facilities for conducting oceanographic investigations. The panel visited newly-formed commercial companies associated with long-standing submersible R&D and production centers in Russia and Ukraine. So far, these new efforts are undercapitalized, and as such represent opportunities at very low cost for Western nations, as detailed in the site reports

Anthracene-based thiol-ene networks with thermo-degradable and photo-reversible properties

Reversible networks based on an alkenefunctionalized dimer of 9-anthracenemethanol were synthesized by photoinitiated radical thiol ene polyaddition, using either a poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-propylmercaptomethylsiloxane) or a novel aliphatic trithiol synthesized from 1,2,4trivinylcyclohexane in a simple two-step procedure. The obtained networks were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, polarization microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and (photo)rheology. The two types of networks showed weak endothermic transitions between 50 and 60 degrees C, which proved to originate either from melting of a crystalline anthracene-dimer phase (trithiol network) or from a liquid crystalline phase (PDMS network) based on X-ray diffraction and polarization microscopy. Using rheology, both types of networks were shown to cleanly decompose into multifunctional anthracene monomers at temperatures above 180 degrees C. Irradiation of these anthracene monomers resulted in the formation of networks having similar physical properties as the original materials

An Inside Perspective on Magma Intrusion: Quantifying 3D Displacement and Strain in Laboratory Experiments by Dynamic X-Ray Computed Tomography

Magma intrusions grow to their final geometries by deforming the Earth's crust internally and by displacing the Earth's surface. Interpreting the related displacements in terms of intrusion geometry is key to forecasting a volcanic eruption. While scaled laboratory models enable us to study the relationships between surface displacement and intrusion geometry, past approaches entailed limitations regarding imaging of the laboratory model interior or simplicity of the simulated crustal rheology. Here we apply cutting-edge medical wide beam X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) to quantify in 4D the deformation induced in laboratory models by an intrusion of a magma analog (golden syrup) into a rheologically-complex granular host rock analog (sand and plaster). We extract the surface deformation and we quantify the strain field of the entire experimental volume in 3D over time by using Digital Volume Correlation (DVC). By varying the strength and height of the host material, and intrusion velocity, we observe how intrusions of contrasting geometries grow, and induce contrasting strain field characteristics and surface deformation in 4D. The novel application of CT and DVC reveals that distributed strain accommodation and mixed-mode (opening and shear) fracturing dominates in low-cohesion material overburden, and leads to the growth of thick cryptodomes or cup-shaped intrusions. More localized strain accommodation and opening-mode fracturing dominates in high-cohesion material overburden, and leads to the growth of cone sheets or thin dikes. The results demonstrate how the combination of CT and DVC can greatly enhance the utility of optically non-transparent crustal rock analogs in obtaining insights into shallow crustal deformation processes. This unprecedented perspective on the spatio-temporal interaction of intrusion growth coupled with host material deformation provides a conceptual framework that can be tested by field observations at eroded volcanic systems and by the ever increasing spatial and temporal resolution of geodetic data at active volcanoes

Environmental detection of Penicillium marneffei and growth in soil microcosms in competition with Talaromyces stipitatus

Accepted versio

Improved detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii in upper and lower respiratory tract specimens from children with suspected pneumocystis pneumonia using real-time PCR: a prospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Pneumocystis </it>pneumonia (PCP) is a major cause of hospitalization and mortality in HIV-infected African children. Microbiologic diagnosis relies predominantly on silver or immunofluorescent staining of a lower respiratory tract (LRT) specimens which are difficult to obtain in children. Diagnosis on upper respiratory tract (URT) specimens using PCR has been reported useful in adults, but data in children are limited. The main objectives of the study was (1) to compare the diagnostic yield of PCR with immunofluorescence (IF) and (2) to investigate the usefulness of upper compared to lower respiratory tract samples for diagnosing PCP in children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Children hospitalised at an academic hospital with suspected PCP were prospectively enrolled. An upper respiratory sample (nasopharyngeal aspirate, NPA) and a lower respiratory sample (induced sputum, IS or bronchoalveolar lavage, BAL) were submitted for real-time PCR and direct IF for the detection of <it>Pneumocystis </it><it>jirovecii</it>. A control group of children with viral lower respiratory tract infections were investigated with PCR for PCP.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>202 children (median age 3.3 [inter-quartile range, IQR 2.2 - 4.6] months) were enrolled. The overall detection rate by PCR was higher than by IF [180/349 (52%) vs. 26/349 (7%) respectively; p < 0.0001]. PCR detected more infections compared to IF in lower respiratory tract samples [93/166 (56%) vs. 22/166 (13%); p < 0.0001] and in NPAs [87/183 (48%) vs. 4/183 (2%); p < 0.0001]. Detection rates by PCR on upper (87/183; 48%) compared with lower respiratory tract samples (93/166; 56%) were similar (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.46 - 1.11). Only 2/30 (6.6%) controls were PCR positive.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Real-time PCR is more sensitive than IF for the detection of <it>P. jirovecii </it>in children with PCP. NPA samples may be used for diagnostic purposes when PCR is utilised. Wider implementation of PCR on NPA samples is warranted for diagnosing PCP in children.</p

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Diagnostic Options for Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)

Diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is challenging, particularly in developing countries. Highly sensitive diagnostic methods are costly, while less expensive methods often lack sensitivity or specificity. Cost-effectiveness comparisons of the various diagnostic options have not been presented.We compared cost-effectiveness, as measured by cost per life-years gained and proportion of patients successfully diagnosed and treated, of 33 PCP diagnostic options, involving combinations of specimen collection methods [oral washes, induced and expectorated sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)] and laboratory diagnostic procedures [various staining procedures or polymerase chain reactions (PCR)], or clinical diagnosis with chest x-ray alone. Our analyses were conducted from the perspective of the government payer among ambulatory, HIV-infected patients with symptoms of pneumonia presenting to HIV clinics and hospitals in South Africa. Costing data were obtained from the National Institutes of Communicable Diseases in South Africa. At 50% disease prevalence, diagnostic procedures involving expectorated sputum with any PCR method, or induced sputum with nested or real-time PCR, were all highly cost-effective, successfully treating 77-90% of patients at $26-51 per life-year gained. Procedures using BAL specimens were significantly more expensive without added benefit, successfully treating 68-90$189-232 per life-year gained. A relatively cost-effective diagnostic procedure that did not require PCR was Toluidine Blue O staining of induced sputum ($25 per life-year gained, successfully treating 68$109 per life-year gained) compared with several molecular diagnostic options.For diagnosis of PCP, use of PCR technologies, when combined with less-invasive patient specimens such as expectorated or induced sputum, represent more cost-effective options than any diagnostic procedure using BAL, or chest x-ray alone

Réflexions sur le consentement de l'adolescent hospitalisé en psychiatrie

LYON1-BU Santé (693882101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Testing New Solutions for Self Inspection and Quality Checks in the Real World Workshop

This workshop carries on a series of workshops presented at Sustainable Places in 2015 and 2016 building upon the discussions surrounding the innovation within the project. ACCEPT. ACCEPT is now in its third year meaning that the ideas have been progressed to an advanced stage. This workshop focuses on the emerging technological prototypes and the piloting program including initial results, successes and failures providing an opportunity to have an open discussion with an opportunity for delegates to gain useful insights that may assist other projects