Morphological and molecular assessment of Lithophyllum okamurae with the description of L. neo-okamurae sp. nov. (Corallinales, Rhodophyta)

Lithophyllum okamurae has been widely reported in the Pacific Ocean with identification based on morpho-anatomical observations. Two infraspecific taxa, L. okamurae f. okamurae and f. angulare, described from Japan, have been recorded in the temperate region of Japan. We assessed branched Lithophyllum samples morphologically referable to L. okamurae using morpho-anatomical data and DNA sequences (psbA, rbcL and partial LSU rDNA) obtained from herbarium specimens, including type material, as well as recently field-collected material in Japan. The molecular analyses showed that these ‘L. okamurae’ samples contained two species: L. okamurae and a cryptic new species which we describe as L. neo-okamurae sp. nov. Because the holotype of L. okamurae f. angulare was conspecific with original material cited in the protologue of L. okamurae, it is a heterotypic synonym of L. okamurae f. okamurae. Lithophyllum okamurae and L. neo-okamurae were morphologically similar in having warty, lumpy and fruticose thalli and in often forming rhodoliths. Lithophyllum okamurae can be morpho-anatomically distinguished from L. neo-okamurae by the thallus with tapering or plate-like protuberances (knobby protuberances in the latter) and by having smaller tetrasporangial conceptacle chambers (167–314 μm; 248–380 μm in L. neo-okamurae). Our LSU rDNA sequence data from L. okamurae f. angulare (=L. okamurae f. okamurae) was identical to that of the type of L. margaritae, which has nomenclatural priority over L. okamurae. However, considering that psbA and rbcL sequences of L. margaritae type material could not be generated in the present study, we refrain, for the moment, from proposing the taxonomic synonymy between these two taxa until the status of L. margaritae and its synonyms from the type locality (Gulf of California) are clarified.This research was mainly supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 26850123, 17K07908) to AK

The Effect of Passive Exoskeleton on Shoulder Muscles Activity during Different Static Tasks

In this study we used the bipolar surface electromyography to investigate whether a passive exoskeleton reduces the degree of activity of shoulder muscles. Twelve young healthy volunteers participated in the study. Subjects were asked to hold four different static postures: (P1) shoulder abducted at 90°, elbow flexed at 90°, elbow pronated at 90°; (P2) shoulder flexed at 90°, elbow flexed at 90°, elbow pronated at 90°; (P3) shoulder flexed at 90°, elbow pronated at 90°; (P4) shoulder abducted at 90°, elbow pronated at 90°. Subjects maintained each posture for 20 seconds five consecutive times, with a rest time in-between of 20 seconds. Surface EMG signals were collected from anterior, medial and posterior deltoids and upper trapezius muscles. Our main statistical results showed a significant (p < 0.05) attenuation effect of exoskeleton on the RMS amplitude computed for all muscles evaluated, though not for all postures. For the anterior, medial deltoids and upper trapezius a lower level of activity was observed in all postures with than without exoskeleton, while for posterior deltoid only for P2-P3 and P1-P4 respectively. These findings suggest the passive exoskeleton evaluated in this study attenuates the shoulder muscles’ effort during static work-related tasks, with implications on the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders

Obese mice exposed to psychosocial stress display cardiac and hippocampal dysfunction associated with local brain-derived neurotrophic factor depletion

Introduction: Obesity and psychosocial stress (PS) co-exist in individuals of Western society. Nevertheless, how PS impacts cardiac and hippocampal phenotype in obese subjects is still unknown. Nor is it clear whether changes in local brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) account, at least in part, for myocardial and behavioral abnormalities in obese experiencing PS. Methods: In adult male WT mice, obesity was induced via a high-fat diet (HFD). The resident-intruder paradigm was superimposed to trigger PS. In vivo left ventricular (LV) performance was evaluated by echocardiography and pressure-volume loops. Behaviour was indagated by elevated plus maze (EPM) and Y-maze. LV myocardium was assayed for apoptosis, fibrosis, vessel density and oxidative stress. Hippocampus was analyzed for volume, neurogenesis, GABAergic markers and astrogliosis. Cardiac and hippocampal BDNF and TrkB levels were measured by ELISA and WB. We investigated the pathogenetic role played by BDNF signaling in additional cardiac-selective TrkB (cTrkB) KO mice. Findings: When combined, obesity and PS jeopardized LV performance, causing prominent apoptosis, fibrosis, oxidative stress and remodeling of the larger coronary branches, along with lower BDNF and TrkB levels. HFD/PS weakened LV function similarly in WT and cTrkB KO mice. The latter exhibited elevated LV ROS emission already at baseline. Obesity/PS augmented anxiety-like behaviour and impaired spatial memory. These changes were coupled to reduced hippocampal volume, neurogenesis, local BDNF and TrkB content and augmented astrogliosis. Interpretation: PS and obesity synergistically deteriorate myocardial structure and function by depleting cardiac BDNF/TrkB content, leading to augmented oxidative stress. This comorbidity triggers behavioral deficits and induces hippocampal remodeling, potentially via lower BDNF and TrkB levels. Fund: J.A. was in part supported by Rotary Foundation Global Study Scholarship. G.K. was supported by T32 National Institute of Health (NIH) training grant under award number 1T32AG058527. S.C. was funded by American Heart Association Career Development Award (19CDA34760185). G.A.R.C. was funded by NIH (K01HL133368-01). APB was funded by a Grant from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region entitled: “Heart failure as the Alzheimer disease of the heart; therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities”. M.C. was supported by PRONAT project (CNR). N.P. was funded by NIH (R01 HL136918) and by the Magic-That-Matters fund (JHU). V.L. was in part supported by institutional funds from Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (Pisa, Italy), by the TIM-Telecom Italia (WHITE Lab, Pisa, Italy), by a research grant from Pastificio Attilio Mastromauro Granoro s.r.l. (Corato, Italy) and in part by ETHERNA project (Prog. n. 161/16, Fondazione Pisa, Italy). Funding source had no such involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis, interpretation of data, in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication

Effects of Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors on Fucalean Brown Seaweeds Across Different Spatial Scales in the Mediterranean Sea

Algal habitat-forming forests composed of fucalean brown seaweeds (Cystoseira, Ericaria, and Gongolaria) have severely declined along the Mediterranean coasts, endangering the maintenance of essential ecosystem services. Numerous factors determine the loss of these assemblages and operate at different spatial scales, which must be identified to plan conservation and restoration actions. To explore the critical stressors (natural and anthropogenic) that may cause habitat degradation, we investigated (a) the patterns of variability of fucalean forests in percentage cover (abundance) at three spatial scales (location, forest, transect) by visual estimates and or photographic sampling to identify relevant spatial scales of variation, (b) the correlation between semi-quantitative anthropogenic stressors, individually or cumulatively (MA-LUSI index), including natural stressors (confinement, sea urchin grazing), and percentage cover of functional groups (perennial, semi-perennial) at forest spatial scale. The results showed that impacts from mariculture and urbanization seem to be the main stressors affecting habitat-forming species. In particular, while mariculture, urbanization, and cumulative anthropogenic stress negatively correlated with the percentage cover of perennial fucalean species, the same stressors were positively correlated with the percentage cover of the semi-perennial Cystoseira compressa and C. compressa subsp. pustulata. Our results indicate that human impacts can determine spatial patterns in these fragmented and heterogeneous marine habitats, thus stressing the need of carefully considering scale-dependent ecological processes to support conservation and restoration

Is it worth reducing GHG emissions? Exploring the effect on the cost of debt financing

Notwithstanding the proliferation of papers dealing with the corporate finance implications of the so-called “carbon risk”, very few studies analysed in depth the relationship between the firm's environmental risk profile and the cost of debt financing. We contribute to this stream of research by inspecting the relationship between EuroStoxx 600 companies' carbon emissions and cost of debt financing. We argue that lenders mitigate the impact of borrowers' GHG emissions on their future cash flows primarily requiring firms with higher carbon emissions intensity to pay significantly higher costs for financing their operations through indebtedness. We also found statistically significant evidence to support the conclusion that the positive effect of carbon emissions reduction on the cost of debt financing is relevant both for high and low emitting industries. Finally, we postulated that high emitting firms pay, on average, a higher cost of debt financing than less polluting firms but are less penalized if an increase in their carbon intensity occurs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first study to directly document the impact of carbon emissions on the cost of debt financing for non-financial European industries, substantially enriching the existing environmental financial literature

Big data application: Analyzing real-time electric meter data

New electricity metering devices operating within the distribution networks originate data flows. Metering data are created at remote locations and processed somewhere else. The term “Data” denotes a substance, almost all useful data are “given” to us either by nature, as a reward for careful observation of physical processes, or by other people, usually inadvertently. By the term “Big Data,” we mean the enormous volume, velocity, and type of data that come from different application fields and have the potential to be turned into business value. More and more companies store great amounts of data and its volume is expanding at a terrifying rate in today’s hyperconnected world where people and businesses are creating more and more data every day. For example, very frequent metering—up to subsecond sampling—depicts the true picture about the energy dynamics in power system. Big Data issue concerns: (a) complexity within the data set; (b) amount of value that can be derived from optimized and not analysis techniques; and (c) support data for the analysis. One could describe “big” in terms of the number of useful permutations of sources making useful querying difficult (such as the sensors in an aircraft) and complex interrelationships making cleaning data difficult. We can consider two primary attributes. However, the term “Big” refers to big complexity rather than big volume. Usually relevant and complex data sets of this sort tend to grow rapidly and so Big Data quickly becomes truly astronomical