THE GLOBAL WOOD SPECIES PRIORITY LIST: A LIVING DATABASE OF TREE SPECIES MOST AT RISK FOR ILLEGAL LOGGING, UNSUSTAINABLE DEFORESTATION, AND HIGH RATES OF TRADE GLOBALLY

The illegal timber trade is one of the most impactful natural wildlife crimes, affecting the live- lihood of local communities, naturalresource availability, and the associated carbon storage and biodiver- sity. Many timber species are highly sought after and are atrisk of exhaustion and subsequent extinction. Although several initiatives exist to indicate tree species risk and conservation status, there is no single resource, or prioritized list, that qualifies the most high-risk and highly traded species across the globe. Organizations end up creating their own priority species lists to meet this lack of aggregated information, requiring hours of independent research and resulting in the recreation of similar lists. To provide a one- stop-shop for similar initiatives, World Forest ID developed the Global Priority Wood Species List (GPWSL) to synthesize existing information. Currently, the GPWSLharbors 270 species most at risk for illegal logging, unsustainable deforestation, and high rates of international trade. The database contains rel- evant information on each species; such as natural distribution, conservation listings, and countries of import. Here,we present the list, the methods used in its development, and its potential applications for the wood industry as a whol

Emergency remote teaching in process simulation using DWSIM: a case study from DIQ-UMAG, Chilean Patagonia / Enseñanza remota de emergencia en simulación de procesos con DWSIM: un caso estudio DIQ-UMAG, Patagonia Chilena

Due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Chilean universities were forced to transition from face-to-face classes to online instruction. In response, the Department of Chemical Engineering (DIQ) at the University of Magallanes sought alternative strategies for remote teaching. This article reports on their experience of delivering technical process simulation skills to their final-year undergraduate chemical engineering students. Due to difficulties connecting with the commercial software Aspen HYSYS, which was housed at the university, the department turned to the open-source software, DWSIM, as an alternative. The material content was adapted, and video tutorials were created to meet learning objectives. The software was taught in a new module within the Project Engineering course to develop the skills needed for students to design and simulate a chemical plant. Positive feedback and constructive criticism were received from the students through anonymous surveys and discussion forums. In response, DIQ launched its YouTube channel, DIQ_DWSIM, which has had a positive impact on Spanish-speaking individuals seeking to learn DWSIM. Additionally, two universities have used the channel as support material for their process simulation courses. A second survey of the YouTube audience has further solidified the value of this open online educational resource for higher education learning

A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007

We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy, particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access area to figures, tables at https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000

Characteristics of the nuclear (18S, 5.8S, 28S and 5S) and mitochondrial (12S and 16S) rRNA genes of Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera): structure, organization, and retrotransposable elements

As an accompanying manuscript to the release of the honey bee genome, we report the entire sequence of the nuclear (18S, 5.8S, 28S and 5S) and mitochondrial (12S and 16S) ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-encoding gene sequences (rDNA) and related internally and externally transcribed spacer regions of Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apocrita). Additionally, we predict secondary structures for the mature rRNA molecules based on comparative sequence analyses with other arthropod taxa and reference to recently published crystal structures of the ribosome. In general, the structures of honey bee rRNAs are in agreement with previously predicted rRNA models from other arthropods in core regions of the rRNA, with little additional expansion in non-conserved regions. Our multiple sequence alignments are made available on several public databases and provide a preliminary establishment of a global structural model of all rRNAs from the insects. Additionally, we provide conserved stretches of sequences flanking the rDNA cistrons that comprise the externally transcribed spacer regions (ETS) and part of the intergenic spacer region (IGS), including several repetitive motifs. Finally, we report the occurrence of retrotransposition in the nuclear large subunit rDNA, as R2 elements are present in the usual insertion points found in other arthropods. Interestingly, functional R1 elements usually present in the genomes of insects were not detected in the honey bee rRNA genes. The reverse transcriptase products of the R2 elements are deduced from their putative open reading frames and structurally aligned with those from another hymenopteran insect, the jewel wasp Nasonia (Pteromalidae). Stretches of conserved amino acids shared between Apis and Nasonia are illustrated and serve as potential sites for primer design, as target amplicons within these R2 elements may serve as novel phylogenetic markers for Hymenoptera. Given the impending completion of the sequencing of the Nasonia genome, we expect our report eventually to shed light on the evolution of the hymenopteran genome within higher insects, particularly regarding the relative maintenance of conserved rDNA genes, related variable spacer regions and retrotransposable elements

Differences in the prevalence of nocturnal polyuria in the U.S. by definition : results from the Epidemiology of Nocturnal Polyuria study

Purpose: Prevalence data on nocturnal polyuria (NP), nocturia caused by overproduction of urine during sleep, is primarily limited to men and varies by NP definition. This U.S.-representative epidemiological study of men and women ≥30 years old assessed the prevalence of NP. Materials and Methods: Consenting participants completed the baseline EpiNP (Epidemiology of Nocturnal Polyuria) survey (eg Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Tool, comorbidities). All reporting ≥2 voids/night and a target of 100 random respondents reporting 0 or 1 void/night were asked to complete 3-day bladder diaries. NP was defined as nocturnal polyuria index (NPI) >0.33 (NPI33) and nocturnal urine production >90 ml/hour (NUP90). Extrapolated prevalence was stratified by sex and subgroups: idiopathic (without underlying causes), associated with overactive bladder (NPOAB), bladder outlet obstruction (NPBOO; men) and comorbidities. Voided volumes and timing, including first uninterrupted sleep period, were assessed by subgroup. Results: A total of 10,190 individuals completed the baseline survey; mean age (range) was 54.4 (30–95). A total of 3,938 individuals were invited to complete the diary; 1,763 (49.3%) completed 3-day bladder diaries. Urine production (maximum nighttime volume, total volume, nocturnal urine production, nocturia index) was higher in both men and women with idiopathic NP and comorbidities. The median number of nighttime voids was greatest for NPBOO in men and NPOAB in women. Bother associated with nighttime voiding differed by NP subgroup but was highest in NPBOO for men (NPI33: 69.6%; NUP90: 71.1%) and NPOAB for women (NPI33: 67.5%; NUP90: 66.0%). Conclusions: This population-based NP prevalence study including men and women characterizes NP subgroups and provides insights into nocturia treatment by emphasizing factors influencing urine production versus factors influencing bladder capacity