Enhancing Dissemination and Implementation Research Using Systems Science Methods

Dissemination and implementation (D&I) research seeks to understand and overcome barriers to adoption of behavioral interventions that address complex problems; specifically interventions that arise from multiple interacting influences crossing socio-ecological levels. It is often difficult for research to accurately represent and address the complexities of the real world, and traditional methodological approaches are generally inadequate for this task. Systems science methods, expressly designed to study complex systems, can be effectively employed for an improved understanding about dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions

A correlation analysis of Light Microscopy and X-ray MicroCT imaging methods applied to archaeological plant remains’ morphological attributes visualization

In this work, several attributes of the internal morphology of drupaceous fruits found in the archaeological site Monte Castelo (Rondonia, Brazil) are analyzed by means of two different imaging methods. The aim is to explore similarities and differences in the visualization and analytical properties of the images obtained via High Resolution Light Microscopy and X-ray micro-computed tomography (X-ray MicroCT) methods. Both provide data about the three-layered pericarp (exo-, meso- and endocarp) of the studied exemplars, defined by cell differentiation, vascularisation, cellular contents, presence of sclerenchyma cells and secretory cavities. However, it is possible to identify a series of differences between the information that can be obtained through each of the methods. These variations are related to the definition of contours and fine details of some characteristics, their spatial distribution, size attributes, optical properties and material preservation. The results obtained from both imaging methods are complementary, contributing to a more exhaustive morphological study of the plant remains. X-ray MicroCT in phase-contrast mode represents a suitable non-destructive analytic technique when sample preservation is required

Benthic megafauna of the western Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Pacific Ocean

There is a growing interest in the exploitation of deep-sea mineral deposits, particularly on the abyssal seafloor of the central Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), which is rich in polymetallic nodules. In order to effectively manage potential exploitation activities, a thorough understanding of the biodiversity, community structure, species ranges, connectivity, and ecosystem functions across a range of scales is needed. The benthic megafauna plays an important role in the functioning of deep-sea ecosystems and represents an important component of the biodiversity. While megafaunal surveys using video and still images have provided insight into CCZ biodiversity, the collection of faunal samples is needed to confirm species identifications to accurately estimate species richness and species ranges, but faunal collections are very rarely carried out. Using a Remotely Operated Vehicle, 55 specimens of benthic megafauna were collected from seamounts and abyssal plains in three Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI 1, APEI 4, and APEI 7) at 3100–5100 m depth in the western CCZ. Using both morphological and molecular evidence, 48 different morphotypes belonging to five phyla were found, only nine referrable to known species, and 39 species potentially new to science. This work highlights the need for detailed taxonomic studies incorporating genetic data, not only within the CCZ, but in other bathyal, abyssal, and hadal regions, as representative genetic reference libraries that could facilitate the generation of species inventories

An extended multisensory temporal binding window in autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) form a continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by deficits in communication and reciprocal social interaction, as well as by repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Sensory disturbances are also frequently reported in clinical and autobiographical accounts. However, surprisingly few empirical studies have characterized the fundamental features of sensory and multisensory processing in ASD. The current study is structured to test for potential differences in multisensory temporal function in ASD by making use of a temporally dependent, low-level multisensory illusion. In this illusion, the presentation of a single flash of light accompanied by multiple sounds often results in the illusory perception of multiple flashes. By systematically varying the temporal structure of the audiovisual stimuli, a “temporal window” within which these stimuli are likely to be bound into a single perceptual entity can be defined. The results of this study revealed that children with ASD report the flash-beep illusion over an extended range of stimulus onset asynchronies relative to children with typical development, suggesting that children with ASD have altered multisensory temporal function. These findings provide valuable new insights into our understanding of sensory processing in ASD and may hold promise for the development of more sensitive diagnostic measures and improved remediation strategies

Evidence of human occupation in Mexico around the Last Glacial Maximum

The initial colonization of the Americas remains a highly debated topic1 , and the exact timing of the frst arrivals is unknown. The earliest archaeological record of Mexico—which holds a key geographical position in the Americas—is poorly known and understudied. Historically, the region has remained on the periphery of research focused on the frst Americanpopulations2 . However, recent investigations provide reliable evidence of a human presence in the northwest region of Mexico3,4 , the Chiapas Highlands5 , Central Mexico6 and the Caribbean coast7–9 during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs. Here we present results of recent excavations at Chiquihuite Cave—a high-altitude site in central-northern Mexico—that corroborate previous fndings in the Americas10–17of cultural evidence that dates to the Last Glacial Maximum (26,500–19,000years ago)18, and which push back dates for human dispersal to the region possibly as early as 33,000–31,000years ago. The site yielded about 1,900stone artefacts within a 3-m-deep stratifed sequence, revealing a previously unknown lithic industry that underwent only minor changes over millennia. More than 50radiocarbon and luminescence dates provide chronological control, and genetic, palaeoenvironmental and chemical data document the changing environments in which the occupants lived. Our results provide new evidence for the antiquity of humans in the Americas, illustrate the cultural diversity of the earliest dispersal groups (which predate those of the Clovis culture) and open new directions of research

Evidence confirms an anthropic origin of Amazonian Dark Earths.

Arising from: Silva et al. Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20184-2 (2021

Domestication of the Amazonian fruit tree cupuaçu may have stretched over the past 8000 years.

Amazonia, one of the largest and most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, is a significant yet less-known arena for ancient plant domestication. Here, we traced the origins of ( ), an Amazonian tree crop closely related to cacao ( ), cherished for its flavorful seed-pulp, by employing an extensive genomic analysis based on data from four sites in Brazil. Our results indicate that is a domesticated variant of its wild relative, ( ), probably originating from the Middle-Upper Rio Negro basin. A first phase of domestication is observed through a genetic bottleneck that we estimated to have occurred 5000–8000 years before the present. Moreover, we found further reductions in genetic diversity that we estimated to have occurred during the modern era. This is consistent with a second phase of domestication that was accompanied by an increase in the geographic distribution of over the last two centuries. Unraveling ’s origins adds it to the roster of plants domesticated by Amazonian indigenous people in the early to mid-Holocene. Our results suggest that Amazonia’s current patterns of genetic diversity and distribution of domesticated plants were influenced by both pre-Columbian and modern histories

Direct archaeological evidence for Southwestern Amazonia as an early plant domestication and food production centre.

Southwestern Amazonia is considered an early centre of plant domestication in the New World, but most of the evidence for this hypothesis comes from genetic data since systematic archaeological fieldwork in the area is recent. This paper provides first-hand archaeobotanical evidence of food production from early and middle Holocene (ca. 9,000-5000 cal. BP) deposits at Teotonio, an open-air site located on a 40 m-high bluff on the south bank of the Madeira river. Such evidence includes the presence of local and exotic domesticates such as manioc (Manihot esculenta), squash (Cucurbita sp.) and beans (Phaseolus sp.), alongside edible fruits such as pequiá (Caryocar sp.) and guava (Psidium sp.) that point to the beginnings of landscape domestication. The results contribute to an ever-growing number of studies that posit southwest Amazonia as an important centre for early crop domestication and experimentation, and which highlight the longue-durée of human impacts on tropical forest biodiversity around the world

Relative frequency diagram of extended phytolith (non-palm) counts in Unit 1.

<p>A-hor = A horizon, M = Massangana, G = Girau. Crosses are used instead of bars to highlight taxa with low frequencies.</p