Presumed killers? Vultures, stakeholders, misperceptions, and fake news

Vultures and condors are among the most threatened avian species in the world due to the impacts of human activities. Negative perceptions can contribute to these threats as some vulture species have been historically blamed for killing livestock. This perception of conflict has increased in recent years, associated with a viral spread of partial and biased information through social media and despite limited empirical support for these assertions. Here, we highlight that magnifying infrequent events of livestock being injured by vultures through publically shared videos or biased news items negatively impact efforts to conserve threatened populations of avian scavengers. We encourage environmental agencies, researchers, and practitioners to evaluate the reliability, frequency, and context of reports of vulture predation, weighing those results against the diverse and valuable contributions of vultures to environmental health and human well-being. We also encourage the development of awareness campaigns and improved livestock management practices, including commonly available nonlethal deterrence strategies, if needed. These actions are urgently required to allow the development of a more effective conservation strategy for vultures worldwide.Peer reviewe

Teclistamab impairs humoral immunity in patients with heavily pretreated myeloma:importance of immunoglobulin supplementation

Teclistamab and other B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have substantial activity in patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma (MM) but are associated with a high rate of infections. BCMA is also expressed on normal plasma cells and mature B cells, which are essential for the generation of a humoral immune response. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the impact of BCMA-targeting BsAbs on humoral immunity. The impact of teclistamab on polyclonal immunoglobulins and B cell counts was evaluated in patients with MM who received onceweekly teclistamab 1.5 mg/kg subcutaneously. Vaccination responses were assessed in a subset of patients. Teclistamabinduced rapid depletion of peripheral blood B cells in patients with MM and eliminated normal plasma cells in ex vivo assays. In addition, teclistamab reduced the levels of polyclonal immunoglobulins (immunoglobulin G [IgG], IgA, IgE, and IgM), without recovery over time while receiving teclistamab therapy. Furthermore, response to vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type B, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was severely impaired in patients treated with teclistamab compared with vaccination responses observed in patients with newly diagnosed MM or relapsed/refractory MM. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) use was associated with a significantly lower risk of serious infections among patients treated with teclistamab (cumulative incidence of infections at 6 months: 5.3% with IVIG vs 54.8% with observation only [P &lt; .001]). In conclusion, our data show severe defects in humoral immunity induced by teclistamab, the impact of which can be mitigated by the use of immunoglobulin supplementation. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT04557098.</p

Teclistamab impairs humoral immunity in patients with heavily pretreated myeloma:importance of immunoglobulin supplementation

Teclistamab and other B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have substantial activity in patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma (MM) but are associated with a high rate of infections. BCMA is also expressed on normal plasma cells and mature B cells, which are essential for the generation of a humoral immune response. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the impact of BCMA-targeting BsAbs on humoral immunity. The impact of teclistamab on polyclonal immunoglobulins and B cell counts was evaluated in patients with MM who received onceweekly teclistamab 1.5 mg/kg subcutaneously. Vaccination responses were assessed in a subset of patients. Teclistamabinduced rapid depletion of peripheral blood B cells in patients with MM and eliminated normal plasma cells in ex vivo assays. In addition, teclistamab reduced the levels of polyclonal immunoglobulins (immunoglobulin G [IgG], IgA, IgE, and IgM), without recovery over time while receiving teclistamab therapy. Furthermore, response to vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type B, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was severely impaired in patients treated with teclistamab compared with vaccination responses observed in patients with newly diagnosed MM or relapsed/refractory MM. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) use was associated with a significantly lower risk of serious infections among patients treated with teclistamab (cumulative incidence of infections at 6 months: 5.3% with IVIG vs 54.8% with observation only [P &lt; .001]). In conclusion, our data show severe defects in humoral immunity induced by teclistamab, the impact of which can be mitigated by the use of immunoglobulin supplementation. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT04557098.</p

Functional traits driving species role in the structure of terrestrial vertebrate scavenger networks

Species assemblages often have a non-random nested organization, which in vertebrate scavenger (carrion-consuming) assemblages is thought to be driven by facilitation in competitive environments. However, not all scavenger species play the same role in maintaining assemblage structure, as some species are obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures) and others are facultative, scavenging opportunistically. We used a database with 177 vertebrate scavenger species from 53 assemblages in 22 countries across five continents to identify which functional traits of scavenger species are key to maintaining the scavenging network structure. We used network analyses to relate ten traits hypothesized to affect assemblage structure with the role of each species in the scavenging assemblage in which it appeared. We characterized the role of a species in terms of both the proportion of monitored carcasses on which that species scavenged, or scavenging breadth (i.e., the species normalized degree), and the role of that species in the nested structure of the assemblage (i.e., the species paired nested degree), therefore identifying possible facilitative interactions among species. We found that species with high olfactory acuity, social foragers, and obligate scavengers had the widest scavenging breadth. We also found that social foragers had a large paired nested degree in scavenger assemblages, probably because their presence is easier to detect by other species to signal carcass occurrence. Our study highlights differences in the functional roles of scavenger species and can be used to identify key species for targeted conservation to maintain the ecological function of scavenger assemblages

Economic Impacts of the Expansion of Renewable Energy: The Experience at the County and National Level

This dissertation examines the impact of the expansion of renewable technology at both national and local level, through distinct essays. At the national level, the first paper analyzes the effects of economic and distributional impacts of climate mitigation policy, in the context of a developing country, to understand the interactions between the energy system and the macroeconomic environment. In the case of the local level, the second paper uses synthetic control method, to estimate the effect at the county level of utility scale wind in the development indicators for two counties in the U.S. The first paper assesses the economic and distributional impacts of Nicaragua’s commitments to limit future greenhouse gas emissions in the context of the Paris Agreement, known as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The analysis relies on two distinct models. The first is a top-down approach based on a single-country computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, known as the Mitigation, Adaptation and New Technologies Applied General Equilibrium (MANAGE) Model. The second is a bottom-up approach based on the OpenSource energy Modeling System (OSeMOSYS), which is technology rich energy model. The combined model is calibrated to an updated social accounting matrix for Nicaragua, which disaggregates households into 20 representative types: 10 rural and 10 urban households. For the household disaggregation we have used information from the 2014 Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) for Nicaragua. Our analysis focuses on the distributional impacts of meeting the NDCs as well as additional scenarios—in a dynamic framework as the MANAGE model is a (recursive) dynamic model. The results show that a carbon tax has greatest potential for reduction in emissions, with modest impact in macro variables. An expansion of the renewable sources in the electricity matrix also leads to significant reduction in emissions. Only a carbon tax achieves a reduction in emissions consistent with keeping global warming below 2°C. Nicaragua’s NDC alone would not achieve the target and mitigation instruments are needed. An expansion of generation from renewable sources, does not lead to a scenario consistent with a 2°C pathway. The second paper measures the impact of wind generation on county level outcomes through the use of the Synthetic Control Method (SCM). SCM avoids the pitfalls of other methods such as input-output models and project level case studies that do not provide county level estimates. We find that the local per capita income effect of utility wind scale is 6 percent (translate into an increase of $1,511 in per capita income for 2019) for Benton County and 8 percent for White county in Indiana (an increase of$2,100 in per capita income for 2019). The per capita income effect measures the average impact, which includes the gains in rents from capital, land, and labor from wind power in these counties. Moreover, we find that most of the rents from wind power accrue to the owners of capital and labor. Even assuming the lowest projections of electricity prices and the highest reasonable cost we still find a 10 percent minimum rate of return to capital for both Benton and White counties’ wind power generators. Furthermore, we find that there are excess rents that could be taxed and redistributed at the county, state, or federal level without disincentivizing investment in wind power

The Many Faces of Interleukin-4 in Homeostasis and Disease

Intensive study of interleukin-4 for more than three decades has revealed multiple functions of this cytokine in diverse processes. Nevertheless, the wide distribution of Interleukin-4 suggests the possibility of unexplored roles. Indeed, in here we present a novel role of IL-4 for the maintenance of different populations of stromal cells in peripheral lymph nodes at homeostasis and describe a role of IL-4 in the expansion of these stromal populations following antigen challenge. In consequence, IL-4 is fundamental for mounting an appropriate humoral response to a primary immunization, and absence of this cytokine is detrimental for the development of a Type 2 response. Furthermore, we describe the role of IL-4 in the immune responses of offspring antenatally exposed to Schistosoma mansoni antigens. Diminished IL-4 production is linked to reduced cellular T and B cells responses in offspring derived from infected mothers, which is of critical relevance to understand vaccination failure. Finally, we describe the protective role of Schistosomiasis infection in atherosclerosis and propose possible mechanism that helps explain the athero-protection. This will contribute to the discovery of novel pathways inducing protection from cardiovascular disease and help to identify possible targets for novel treatments

Does Covid-19 make consumers discriminate Chinese products? – Evidence from Amazon

Covid-19 has tremendously affected all areas of our lives and our online shopping choices have not been immune. Country of origin (COO) is an important characteristic used by global marketers to influence customer decisions (Agrawal and Kamakura, 1999), with the COO being used by the consumers to make “quality judgments of a product”. Even though there is no valid reason to avoid Chinese products, our research shows that a significant number of consumers around the world now try to avoid buying products manufactured in China and that there has been a rise in discriminatory online review ratings for Chinese products, especially with regards to personal protective equipment (PPE), specifically facemasks. According to WHO, the spread of Covid-19 through international products is extremely unlikely. However, given that China was the first country to report cases of Covid-19, it has led many to associate Covid-19 and China. To make matters worse, there have been prominent political leaders that have used language to stigmatize China with blame and fear around Covid-19. Such language stigmatizes Chinese products with unfounded health concerns and encourages unfair discrimination based on false blame and unwarranted distrust. Discrimination against Chinese products could result in significant shifts in trade patterns, especially in the United States where China is the largest importer of goods. In 2019, China exports to the United States totaled $451.7 billion. To study this question, we compiled data from Amazon on all facemask products sold on the site between September 10th and 24th, including the seller, review rating, sales data, price, product features, and every review. We find that facemasks manufactured in China are generally priced lower than facemasks made in the United States even with practically identical products

Nicaragua’s Climate Mitigation Policy: Sectoral and Inter-Household Effects

The objective of this paper is to develop a CGE model for a developing country that disaggregates households and studies the impact of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) commitments. The model disaggregates the representative household into 20 representative households, 10 rural and 10 urban households. For the household disaggregation we have used the information from the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) 2014 for Nicaragua. The households disaggregation allows to study the impact of achieving the NDC commitments for the country; and determine which households are expected to win and which households. Since Mitigation, Adaptation and New Technologies Applied General Equilibrium (MANAGE) model is a dynamic model we also model the evolution of the households to these shocks

Nicaragua’s Climate Mitigation Policy: Sectoral and Inter-Household Effects

The objective of this paper is to develop a CGE model for a developing country that disaggregates households and studies the impact of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) commitments. The model disaggregates the representative household into 20 representative households, 10 rural and 10 urban households. For the household disaggregation we have used the information from the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) 2014 for Nicaragua. The households disaggregation allows to study the impact of achieving the NDC commitments for the country; and determine which households are expected to win and which households. Since Mitigation, Adaptation and New Technologies Applied General Equilibrium (MANAGE) model is a dynamic model we also model the evolution of the households to these shocks

Frecuencia de parásitos intestinales en expendedores de alimentos ubicados en los recintos de la UNAN-León

Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal en expendedores de alimentos ubicados en los recintos de la UNAN-León para determinar la frecuencia de parásitos intestinales. Durante los meses de Mayo a Julio se estudiaron un total de 40 individuos a cada uno se le tomó una muestra fecal y se le realizó una encuesta para medir el grado de conocimiento sobre los mecanismos de transmisión de parásitos intestinales. Las muestras fueron analizadas en el laboratorio del departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, UNAN-León, utilizando el método con solución salina y lugol, y concentración de Ritchie. Los resultados demuestran una tasa de prevalencia global de parásitos intestinales del 38%. Entamoeba coli fue el parásito de mayor prevalencia con un 39%, seguido de Endolimax nana (22%), Giardia lamblia (17%), Entamoeba histolytica (11%), Entamoeba hartmani (5%), e Iodamoeba büstchilli (5%). El nivel de conocimiento de la población sobre transmisión de Amebas y Ascaris lumbricoides fue relativamente satisfactorio en contraste con G. lamblia en el que la población conocía muy poco sobre las distintas formas de adquirir la infección