Climate change alters fish community size-structure, requiring adaptive policy targets

Size‐based indicators are used worldwide in research that supports the management of commercially exploited wild fish populations, because of their responsiveness to fishing pressure. Observational and experimental data, however, have highlighted the deeply rooted links between fish size and environmental conditions that can drive additional, interannual changes in these indicators. Here, we have used biogeochemical and mechanistic niche modelling of commercially exploited demersal fish species to project time series to the end of the 21st century for one such indicator, the large fish indicator (LFI), under global CO2 emissions scenarios. Our modelling results, validated against survey data, suggest that the LFI's previously proposed policy target may be unachievable under future climate change. In turn, our results help to identify what may be achievable policy targets for demersal fish communities experiencing climate change. While fisheries modelling has grown as a science, climate change modelling is seldom used specifically to address policy aims. Studies such as this one can, however, enable a more sustainable exploitation of marine food resources under changes unmanageable by fisheries control. Indeed, such studies can be used to aid resilient policy target setting by taking into account climate‐driven effects on fish community size‐structure

Looking Ahead: Health Impact Assessment of Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling Schema as a Public Health Measure

This study aimed to describe the underlying process, used methods and major recommendations emerging from a comprehensive and prospective health impact assessment of the endorsement of a front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOP-NL) system by the Portuguese health authorities. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather information on the impact of four FOP-NL schemes on consumers' selection of food products according to the perception of their nutritional quality, combining a systematic literature review, focus groups (FG), in-depth individual interviews, and an open-label crossover randomized controlled study. The relevance of FOP-NL as a public health promotion policy has emerged as a consensual idea among either FGs' participants (i.e., consumers and experts), or interviewed stakeholders. Although all of the evaluated FOP-NLs result better than no system on promoting the choice of the healthiest product, the effectiveness of easy-to-interpret FOP-NL among vulnerable groups raised concerns related to the need of integrating specific nutritional information to promote a better self-management of chronic diseases, and related to the level of literacy of consumers, which could impair the usage of FOP-NL. Educational campaigns addressing skills to use FOP-NL is recommended. Furthermore, a monitoring strategy should be considered to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of this policy in promoting healthier food choices, and in reducing diet-related non-communicable diseases burden

Prevalence of 35delG and Met34Thr GJB2 variants in Portuguese samples

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of 35delG and Met34Thr variants in a Portuguese children's community sample and to compare these frequencies with nonsyndromic hearing-loss patients. Methods: 502 children were randomly selected among the 8647 participants of the Portuguese birth cohort Generation XXI, and screened for Met34Thr and 35delG variants in the GJB2 gene. These variants were also studied on 89 index-cases, observed in the Clinic of “Hereditary Hearing-loss” in Saint John's Hospital Center, presenting a mild to profound nonsyndromic hearing-loss. Results: Among the 502 children from Generation XXI, 10 were heterozygous for the 35delG variant (95% Confidence Interval 1.03–3.68) and 1 homozygous (95% Confidence Interval 0.01–1.24). Other 10 children presented heterozygosity for the Met34Thr variant (95% Confidence Interval 1.03–3.68). No homozygous for the Met34Thr or compound heterozygotes (35delG/Met34Thr) were found. In the total of 89 nonsyndromic hearing-loss patients, 5 (95% Confidence Interval 2.11–12.8) were heterozygous and 7 (95% Confidence Interval 3.61–15.6) were homozygous for the 35delG variant. The Met34Thr variant was found in 4 patients, 2 heterozygous (95% Confidence Interval 0.13–8.31) and 2 homozygous (95% Confidence Interval 0.13–8.31). Conclusion: The carrier frequency of 35delG and Met34Thr variants in a Portuguese sample was 1 in 50. Our data suggests that the 35delG mutation has an association with deafness. For the Met34Thr variant, no association was observed. However, Met34Thr seemed to conform to an additive model in hearing-loss

The Noncommutative Harmonic Oscillator based in Simplectic Representation of Galilei Group

In this work we study symplectic unitary representations for the Galilei group. As a consequence the Schr\"odinger equation is derived in phase space. The formalism is based on the non-commutative structure of the star-product, and using the group theory approach as a guide a physical consistent theory in phase space is constructed. The state is described by a quasi-probability amplitude that is in association with the Wigner function. The 3D harmonic oscillator and the noncommutative oscillator are studied in phase space as an application, and the Wigner function associated to both cases are determined.Comment: 7 pages,no figure

Chromosomal evidence for a putative cryptic species in the Gymnotus carapo species-complex (Gymnotiformes, Gymnotidae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In this study we examined the karyotypes of morphologically indistinguishable populations of the electric knifefish <it>Gymnotus carapo sensu stricto </it>from the Eastern Amazon of Brazil. These were identified unambiguously on the basis of external morphology, meristics, and pigmentation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Specimens from one of five localities exhibited a karyotype previously not documented for <it>Gymnotus </it>species in the Amazon basin: 2n = 40 (34M/SM+6ST/A). Samples from the other four localities exhibited a different karyotype: 2n = 42 (30M/SM+12ST/A), which we had previously described. Specimens from all five localities presented constitutive heterochromatin in the centromeric region of almost all chromosomes, including in the distal and interstitial regions. Staining with 4'6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole revealed C-positive banding. In both karyotypes the Nucleolar Organizer Region (NOR) was located on the short arm of pair 20, and Chromomycin A₃stained the NORs. Fluorescent <it>in situ </it>hybridization with telomeric probes showed an Interstitial Telomeric Sequence (ITS) in the proximal short arm of a metacentric pair in the 2n = 40 karyotype.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The difference between the two karyotypes on the diploid number and chromosome morphology can be explained by rearrangements of the fusion-fission type and also by pericentric inversions. The presence of ITS in a metacentric pair of the 2n = 40 karyotype suggests that the difference in the diploid number of the karyotypes results from a fusion. The consistent 2n = 42 karyotype at four localities suggests an interbreeding population. However, because fusion-fission and pericentric inversions of this nature typically result in reproductive isolation, we speculate that the form with the 2n = 40 karyotype is a different species to that of the 2n = 42 form. Nonetheless, we did not observe evident differences in external morphology, meristics and pigmentation between the two forms, which suggest that they represent cryptic sympatric species in the <it>G. carapo </it>species complex. We speculate that the chromosomal speciation occurred recently, allowing insufficient time for the fixation of other differences following post-zygotic isolation.</p

Imaging shear stress distribution and evaluating the stress concentration factor of the human eye.

Healthy eyes are vital for a better quality of human life. Historically, for man-made materials, scientists and engineers use stress concentration factors to characterise the effects of structural non-homogeneities on their mechanical strength. However, such information is scarce for the human eye. Here we present the shear stress distribution profiles of a healthy human cornea surface in vivo using photo-stress analysis tomography, which is a non-intrusive and non-X-ray based method. The corneal birefringent retardation measured here is comparable to that of previous studies. Using this, we derive eye stress concentration factors and the directional alignment of major principal stress on the surface of the cornea. Similar to thermometers being used for monitoring the general health in humans, this report provides a foundation to characterise the shear stress carrying capacity of the cornea, and a potential bench mark for validating theoretical modelling of stresses in the human eye in future

Hybrid Approach in Microscale Transport Phenomena: Application to Biodiesel Synthesis in Micro-reactors

A hybrid engineering approach to the study of transport phenomena, based on the synergy among computational, analytical, and experimental methodologies is reviewed. The focus of the chapter is on fundamental analysis and proof of concept developments in the use of nano- and micro-technologies for energy efficiency and heat and mass transfer enhancement applications. The hybrid approach described herein combines improved lumped-differential modeling, hybrid numericalanalytical solution methods, mixed symbolic-numerical computations, and advanced experimental techniques for micro-scale transport phenomena. An application dealing with micro-reactors for continuous synthesis of biodiesel is selected to demonstrate the instrumental role of the hybrid approach in achieving improved design and enhanced performance

Designing a course model for distance-based online bioinformatics training in Africa: the H3ABioNet experience

Africa is not unique in its need for basic bioinformatics training for individuals from a diverse range of academic backgrounds. However, particular logistical challenges in Africa, most notably access to bioinformatics expertise and internet stability, must be addressed in order to meet this need on the continent. H3ABioNet (www.h3abionet.org), the Pan African Bioinformatics Network for H3Africa, has therefore developed an innovative, free-of-charge "Introduction to Bioinformatics" course, taking these challenges into account as part of its educational efforts to provide on-site training and develop local expertise inside its network. A multiple-delivery±mode learning model was selected for this 3-month course in order to increase access to (mostly) African, expert bioinformatics trainers. The content of the course was developed to include a range of fundamental bioinformatics topics at the introductory level. For the first iteration of the course (2016), classrooms with a total of 364 enrolled participants were hosted at 20 institutions across 10 African countries. To ensure that classroom success did not depend on stable internet, trainers pre-recorded their lectures, and classrooms downloaded and watched these locally during biweekly contact sessions. The trainers were available via video conferencing to take questions during contact sessions, as well as via online "question and discussion" forums outside of contact session time. This learning model, developed for a resource-limited setting, could easily be adapted to other settings.IS