Carbon budget and national gross domestic product in the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement

In 2015 an unprecedented effort was made in Paris by the countries adhering to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to decrease the CO2 emissions due to the close relationships of greenhouse gases with global warming. Under the previous Kyoto Protocol, only advanced countries were committed to reduce greenhouse emissions while under the Paris Climate Agreement all countries were committed to fight against global warming. The urgency of real action has been prompted by extreme events like bushfires, heatwaves, and the ongoing pandemic. Given the strong commitments, it looks interesting, seen that all countries are involved, to verify if any sustainability pattern is evident. Our approach is encouraging, as the downward emission trend shows a high increase in sustainability between 2027 and 2037. Without exacerbating the climate discussion, we used the national gross domestic product (hereafter: GDP) as environmental indicator to propose for the first time an allometric ranking of countries that need to change drastically their energy policy to meet their climate commitments. Any sustainability downturn in one country, especially if advanced, might rationally bring concern about the actual prospects of other countries which are all committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. But the departure from the annual allometric model GDP−CO2 may be much greater than can be accounted for by statistical expectations, as for Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan that are entering a sustainable condition where their CO2 emissions will be lower than they would have been without the Paris Climate Agreement

The SseC translocon component in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is chaperoned by SscA

Background: Salmonella enterica is a causative agent of foodborne gastroenteritis and the systemic disease known as typhoid fever. This bacterium uses two type three secretion systems (T3SSs) to translocate protein effectors into host cells to manipulate cellular function. Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI)-2 encodes a T3SS required for intracellular survival of the pathogen. Genes in SPI-2 include apparatus components, secreted effectors and chaperones that bind to secreted cargo to coordinate their release from the bacterial cell. Although the effector repertoire secreted by the SPI-2 T3SS is large, only three virulence-associated chaperones have been characterized. Results: Here we report that SscA is the chaperone for the SseC translocon component. We show that SscA and SseC interact in bacterial cells and that deletion of sscA results in a loss of SseC secretion, which compromises intracellular replication and leads to a loss of competitive fitness in mice. Conclusions: This work completes the characterization of the chaperone complement within SPI-2 and identifies SscA as the chaperone for the SseC translocon

Detection Rats Technology for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in High-Risk Populations

Prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) in prisoners in Tanzania and other sub-Saharan African countries is considered to be higher than in other populations thus prisons are important source of TB transmission. Control of TB in prisons through appropriate screening and diagnosis is challenging in most low-income countries such as Tanzania that is among world’s 22 countries with high burden of TB. Commonly used TB diagnostic test (smear microscopy) have low sensitivity, and most advanced GeneXpert method is rather expensive for developing countries. SUA-APOPO TB detection rats’ technology is most promising and increases TB case detection by over 40% in hospitals in Dar es Salaam Tanzania and Maputo Mozambique. This paper reports on improved TB detection in a selected prison in Tanzania using TB detection rats. Sputum samples (n = 11,424) were collected from 5,840 patients whom 3,491 were men, 2,349 were women. Of these, 386 patients were children altogether seeking diagnosis of TB at Ukonga prison dispensary from January 2013 to October 2015) and Keko prison dispensary from February to October 2015). Samples were routinely examined by Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining and later tested by rats APOPO TB laboratory, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro. Rats’ positive samples were concentrated and confirmed by fluorescent microscopy (LED-FM) or ZN microscopy. A total of 709 individuals (12%) were diagnosed as smearpositive TB by the prison hospital, whereas rats detected an additional 302 TB patients. This increased the case detection in the prison population by 43%. The use of rats’ technology increased the prevalence of smear-positive TB in prisons from 12% to 17.3% (n = 1,011) that is higher than prevalence reported in prisons elsewhere using microscopy. This finding shows that detection rats’ technology can help reduce the burden of TB in developing countries. There is need to expand application of this technology to other risk populations including miners.This technology can improve workforce, livelihood and socio-economy by reducing TB related expenses

Effects of GM potato Modena on soil microbial activity and litter decomposition fall within the range of effects found for two conventional cultivars

Plant roots have a profound effect on soil microbial activity, particularly in the rhizosphere. Hence, it is important to understand the potential effects of genetically modified (GM) crops on soil microbial activity and related processes such as litter decomposition. In this study, we compared the effects of GM potato Modena on soil microbial activity and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization to effects induced by Modena’s parental isoline (Karnico) and a conventional potato cultivar (Aventra). A field experiment was conducted at two sites to assess microbial catabolic diversity (using MicroRespTM) in the rhizosphere and in bulk soil, during flowering and senescence of the potato plants. In a laboratory experiment with soil and potato litter from the field experiment, we investigated whether the cultivars had modified the activity of soil microbial communities to such an extent that this affected C and N mineralization. Results of the field experiment showed no GM-induced effects on microbial catabolic diversity, while effects of field site location and sampling date were significant. Multivariate analysis including plant traits and soil characteristics revealed that microbial catabolic activities in rhizosphere soil were strongly correlated with soil organic matter and tuber sucrose content, whereas in bulk soil, they were primarily correlated with soil moisture. In the laboratory experiment, we found that Modena induced a "home-field advantage" in N mineralization, yet this effect was inconsistent across locations and was also observed for other cultivars. Based on our data and results from previous studies, we conclude that the effects of GM cultivar Modena on soil microbial activity and litter decomposition fall within the normal range of effects found for conventional potato cultivars

SPH Simulations of Galactic Gaseous Disk with Bar: Distribution and Kinematic Structure of Molecular Clouds toward the Galactic Center

We have performed Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations to study the response of molecular clouds in the Galactic disk to a rotating bar and their subsequent evolution in the Galactic Center (GC) region. The Galactic potential in our models is contributed by three axisymmetric components (massive halo, exponential disk, compact bulge) and a non-axisymmetric bar. These components are assumed to be invariant in time in the frame corotating with the bar. Some noticeable features such as an elliptical outer ring, spiral arms, a gas-depletion region, and a central concentration have been developed due to the influence of the bar. The rotating bar induces non-circular motions of the SPH particles, but hydrodynamic collisions tend to suppress the random components of the velocity. The velocity field of the SPH particles is consistent with the kinematics of molecular clouds observed in HCN (1-0) transition; these clouds are thought to be very dense clouds. However, the l-v diagram of the clouds traced by CO is quite different from that of our SPH simulation, being more similar to that obtained from simulations using collisionless particles. The $l-v$ diagram of a mixture of collisional and collisionless particles gives better reproduction of the kinematic structures of the GC clouds observed in the CO line. The fact that the kinematics of HCN clouds can be reproduced by the SPH particles suggests that the dense clouds in the GC are formed via cloud collisions induced by rotating bar.Comment: 31 pages, 10 pigures, accepted for publication in Ap

Ultraviolet Signposts of Resonant Dynamics in the Starburst-Ringed Sab Galaxy, M94 (NGC 4736)

M94 (NGC 4736) is investigated using images from the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (FUV-band), Hubble Space Telescope (NUV-band), Kitt Peak 0.9-m telescope (H-alpha, R, and I bands), and Palomar 5-m telescope (B-band), along with spectra from the International Ultraviolet Explorer and Lick 1-m telescopes. The wide-field UIT image shows FUV emission from (a) an elongated nucleus, (b) a diffuse inner disk, where H-alpha is observed in absorption, (c) a bright inner ring of H II regions at the perimeter of the inner disk (R = 48 arcsec. = 1.1 kpc), and (d) two 500-pc size knots of hot stars exterior to the ring on diametrically opposite sides of the nucleus (R= 130 arcsec. = 2.9 kpc). The HST/FOC image resolves the NUV emission from the nuclear region into a bright core and a faint 20 arcsec. long ``mini-bar'' at a position angle of 30 deg. Optical and IUE spectroscopy of the nucleus and diffuse inner disk indicates an approximately 10^7 or 10^8 yr-old stellar population from low-level starbirth activity blended with some LINER activity. Analysis of the H-alpha, FUV, NUV, B, R, and I-band emission along with other observed tracers of stars and gas in M94 indicates that most of the star formation is being orchestrated via ring-bar dynamics involving the nuclear mini-bar, inner ring, oval disk, and outer ring. The inner starburst ring and bi-symmetric knots at intermediate radius, in particular, argue for bar-mediated resonances as the primary drivers of evolution in M94 at the present epoch. Similar processes may be governing the evolution of the ``core-dominated'' galaxies that have been observed at high redshift. The gravitationally-lensed ``Pretzel Galaxy'' (0024+1654) at a redshift of approximately 1.5 provides an important precedent in this regard.Comment: revised figure 1 (corrected coordinate labels on declination axis); 19 pages of text + 19 figures (jpg files); accepted for publication in A

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Attachment as a framework to facilitate empowerment for people with severe mental illness

Objectives:  Recovery and empowerment have evolved into key objectives in the treatment and care of people with severe mental illness (SMI), and interest has grown in the role of social relationships in recovery. This study is the first to explore whether attachment styles are related to levels of empowerment, and secondly, whether attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance are associated with lower empowerment levels, independently of quality and frequency of social contact.  Design:  We used a cross-sectional design. Methods: In a sample of 157 participants with SMI in outpatient care, associations between attachment (Revised Adult Attachment Scale), self-reported social functioning, and empowerment (Netherlands Empowerment List) were assessed.  Results:  Attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were both associated with lower levels of empowerment. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the prediction of empowerment was significantly improved by adding attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance to quality and frequency of social contact. Attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and quality of social contact were significant predictors; frequency of social contact was not.  Conclusions:  Although our design does not allow causal conclusions, our results highlight the importance of interpersonal processes and behaviours as routes to improving empowerment for people with SMI. A promising approach might thus consist of securing attachment bonds with significant others so that the self and the other are perceived as reliable resources. Our findings also feature the importance of reciprocity and equality in social relationships. Taken together, our study emphasizes the value of social, contextualized interventions in recovery work for people with SMI.  Practitioner points:  Working towards attachment safety in interpersonal relations may be important in recovery-oriented treatment and care for people with severe mental illness (SMI). Helping people with SMI to recognize and change how they tend to relate themselves to others may promote engagement and effectiveness of recovery-oriented treatment and care. Reciprocity and equality in social relationships as vital complements to the more one-sided nature of ‘standing alongside’ and offering support may be important requisites for empowerment

Adult Attachment and Personal Recovery in Clients With a Psychotic Disorder

Background: Personal recovery has become a key objective in the treatment of clients with a psychotic disorder. So far it has been established that the two attachment dimensions, ie, anxious and avoidant, are negatively associated with subjective well-being, self-esteem and hope. This study is the first to explore whether attachment styles are related to personal recovery in this population. Aims: To study the effects of anxious and avoidant attachment on personal recovery in a population with a psychotic disorder. Method: This cross-sectional study is part of the UP's multicenter cohort study on recovery from psychotic disorders, in which 265 participants are currently included. Attachment was assessed using the Psychosis Attachment Measure, including the anxious and avoidant attachment dimensions. Personal recovery was measured using the Recovering Quality of Life-10 (ReQOL-10) and the Individual Recovery Outcomes Counter (I.ROC). Regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of attachment on personal recovery. Results: We found negative effects of the anxious attachment style on the total scores of the ReQoL-10 (b = -4.54, SE = 0.69, β = β0.37) and the I.ROC (b = -5.21, SE = 0.89, β = -0.32). Although there were also negative effects of the avoidant attachment style on the total scores of the ReQoL-10 (b = -3.08, SE = 0.93, β = -0.18) and the I.ROC (b = -4.24, SE = 1.24, β = -0.19), these were less pronounced. Conclusion: Results show that both forms of insecure attachment (anxious and avoidant) are related to poorer personal recovery in clients with a psychotic disorder.</p