Geosciences Roadmap for Research Infrastructures 2025 - 2028 by the Swiss Geosciences Community

This roadmap is the product of a grassroots effort by the Swiss Geosciences community. It is the first of its kind, outlining an integrated approach to research facilities for the Swiss Geosciences. It spans the planning period 2025-2028. Swiss Geoscience is by its nature leading or highly in-volved in research on many of the major national and global challenges facing society such as climate change and meteorological extreme events, environmental pol-lution, mass movements (land- and rock-slides), earth-quakes and seismic hazards, global volcanic hazards, and energy and other natural resources. It is essential to under- stand the fundamentals of the whole Earth system to pro-vide scientific guidelines to politicians, stakeholders and society for these pressing issues. Here, we strive to gain efficiency and synergies through an integrative approach to the Earth sciences. The research activities of indivi- dual branches in geosciences were merged under the roof of the 'Integrated Swiss Geosciences'. The goal is to facilitate multidisciplinary synergies and to bundle efforts for large research infrastructural (RI) requirements, which will re-sult in better use of resources by merging sectorial acti- vities under four pillars. These pillars represent the four key RIs to be developed in a synergistic way to improve our understanding of whole-system processes and me- chanisms governing the geospheres and the interactions among their components. At the same time, the roadmap provides for the required transition to an infrastructure adhering to FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) data principles by 2028.The geosciences as a whole do not primarily profit from a single large-scale research infrastructure investment, but they see their highest scientific potential for ground-break-ing new findings in joining forces in establishing state-of-the-art RI by bringing together diverse expertise for the benefit of the entire geosciences community. Hence, the recommendation of the geoscientific community to policy makers is to establish an integrative RI to support the ne- cessary breadth of geosciences in their endeavor to ad-dress the Earth system across the breadth of both temporal and spatial scales. It is also imperative to include suffi-cient and adequately qualified personnel in all large RIs. This is best achieved by fostering centers of excellence in atmospheric, environmental, surface processes, and deep Earth projects, under the roof of the 'Integrated Swiss Geosciences'. This will provide support to Swiss geo-sciences to maintain their long standing and internatio- nally well-recognized tradition of observation, monitor-ing, modelling and understanding of geosciences process-es in mountainous environments such as the Alps and beyond

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Biodiversity and Noncanonical Notch Signaling

Early genetics in flies revealed that Notch is a complex pleiotropic locus. We now know that Notch is a receptor that plays prominent roles during development and functions locally in many tissues to instruct cell fate decisions. Drosophila has been an excellent model to identify genetically the elements that contribute to the canonical Notch signaling transduction machinery defined as DSL-Notch-CSL-MAML axis. This core pathway is required in many biological events in all animals. Though the canonical Notch pathway is relatively simple, and as the steps of the events are now more deeply understood, an increasing number of reports in the last decade show that many other molecules can influence Notch signaling, some by competing with a given element of the cascade. This may occur at any step bringing more diversity and plasticity to the Notch pathway. Most of these regulatory molecules act in a context-specific manner and/or are themselves key regulators in other pathways, providing increasing examples of how connections among distinct pathway modulate each other ("cross talk"). The noncanonical signals discussed in this chapter are broadly defined and correspond to the following: DSL-independent activations, interactions with non-DSL ligands, CSL-independent signaling, signal transduction without cleavage, differential posttranslational modifications, competition/protection for a cofactor, and cross talk with other signaling pathways [Wnt, bone morphogenic protein (BMP), NF-kappaB, etc.]. Though some deemed controversial, these events may impact human diseases. Understanding the molecular nature of these events will allow avoidance of adverse effects during possible clinical treatments. In this review, we will focus on some noncanonical Notch activities and their in vivo significance during developmental and pathological processes

On the Origin of Cultivated Roses: DNA Authentication of the Bourbon Rose Founding Pedigree

Rose flowers have been cultivated for their fragrance and their garden value since ancient times. Very ancient cultivars became famous locally for their specific use, and competitive horticultural activities progressively established, leading, with time, to landraces with limited polymorphism. The most famous examples are the oil-bearing Damask roses from Iran and the Yueyue Fen garden strain from China. In 1817, a new rose, allegedly a hybrid from the two previous lineages, was discovered at Reunion. From this plant, as early as the 1820s, a new founder group, the Bourbon roses, was developed in France, which immediately stirred up deep passions among botanists and skilled enthusiasts. Today, more than 30,000 named cultivars have been raised either as garden and landscape plants for the cut rose market or as indoor pot plants. The market handles billions of euros a year, making the rose the most economically important crop worldwide. Following the inheritance of SSR DNA markers, we here propose a reconstitution of the very early lineage of Bourbon roses, clarifying one of the major steps, if not the major one, that links these very ancient heritage roses to modern roses

The Drosophila LIM-homeodomain protein Islet antagonizes proneural cell specification in the peripheral nervous system

AbstractThe pattern of the external sensory organs (SO) in Drosophila depends on the activity of the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcriptional activators Achaete/Scute (Ac/Sc) that are expressed in clusters of cells (proneural clusters) and provide the cells with the potential to develop a neural fate. In the mesothorax, the GATA1 transcription factor Pannier (Pnr), together with its cofactor Chip, activates ac/sc genes directly through binding to the dorsocentral enhancer (DC) of ac/sc. We identify the LIM-homeodomain (LIM-HD) transcription factor Islet (Isl) by genetic screening and investigate its role in the thoracic prepatterning. We show that isl loss-of-function mutations result in expanded Ac expression in DC and scutellar (SC) proneural clusters and formation of ectopic sensory organs. Overexpression of Isl decreases proneural expression and suppresses bristle development. Moreover, Isl is coexpressed with Pnr in the posterior region of the mesothorax. In the DC proneural cluster, Isl antagonizes Pnr activity both by dimerization with the DNA-binding domain of Pnr and via competitive inhibition of the Chip–bHLH interaction. We propose that sensory organ prepatterning relies on the antagonistic activity of individual Chip-binding factors. The differential affinities of these binding-factors and their precise stoichiometry are crucial in specifying prepatterns within the different proneural clusters

Drosophila C-terminal binding protein, dCtBP is required for sensory organ prepattern and sharpens proneural transcriptional activity of the GATA factor Pnr

AbstractThe peripheral nervous system is required for animals to detect and to relay environmental stimuli to central nervous system for the information processing. In Drosophila, the precise spatial and temporal expression of two proneural genes achaete (ac) and scute (sc), is necessary for development of the sensory organs. Here we present an evidence that the transcription co-repressor, dCtBP acts as a negative regulator of sensory organ prepattern. Loss of dCtBP function mutant exhibits ectopic sensory organs, while overexpression of dCtBP results in a dramatic loss of sensory organs. These phenotypes are correlated with mis-emerging of sensory organ precursors and perturbated expression of proneural transcription activator Ac. Mammalian CtBP-1 was identified via interaction with the consensus motif PXDLSX(K/R) of adenovirus E1A oncoprotein. We demonstrated that dCtBP binds directly to PLDLS motif of Drosophila Friend of GATA-1 protein, U-shaped and sharpens the adult sensory organ development. Moreover, we found that dCtBP mediates multivalent interaction with the GATA transcriptional activator Pannier and acts as a direct co-repressor of the Pannier-mediated activation of proneural genes. We demonstrated that Pannier genetically interacts with dCtBP-interacting protein HDAC1, suggesting that the dCtBP-dependent regulation of Pannier activity could utilize a repressive mechanism involving alteration of local chromatine structure

Drosophila dLMO-PA isoform acts as an early activator of achaete/scute proneural expression

AbstractThe Drosophila bHLH proneural factors Achaete (Ac) and Scute (Sc) are expressed in clusters of cells (proneural clusters), providing the cells with the potential to develop a neural fate. Mediodorsal proneural patterning is mediated through the GATA transcription factor Pannier (Pnr) that activates ac/sc directly through binding to the dorsocentral (DC) enhancer of ac/sc. Besides, the Gfi transcription factor Senseless (Sens), a target of Ac/Sc, synergizes with ac/sc in the presumptive sensory organ precursors (SOPs). Here we investigate, through new genetic tools, the function of dLMO, the Drosophila LIM only transcription factor that was already known to control wing development. We show that dLMO gene encodes two isoforms, dLMO-RA and dLMO-RB. dLMO null and dLMO-RA− deletions have similar phenotypes, lacking thoracic and wing margin sensory organs (SO), while dLMO-RB− deletion has normal SOs. At early stages, dLMO-RA is expressed in proneural clusters, however later it is excluded from the SOPs. We found that dLMO functions as a Pnr coactivator to promote ac/sc expression. In the late SOPs, where dLMO-PA is not expressed, Pnr participates to the Sens-dependent regulation of ac/sc. Taken together these results suggest that dLMO-PA is the major isoform that is required for early activation of ac/sc expression

Enhancer–promoter communication mediated by Chip during Pannier-driven proneural patterning is regulated by Osa

The GATA factor Pannier activates proneural achaete/scute (ac/sc) expression during development of the sensory organs of Drosophila through enhancer binding. Chip bridges Pannier with the (Ac/Sc)–Daughterless heterodimers bound to the promoter and facilitates the enhancer–promoter communication required for proneural development. We show here that this communication is regulated by Osa, which is recruited by Pannier and Chip. Osa belongs to Brahma chromatin remodeling complexes and we show that Osa negatively regulates ac/sc. Consequently, Pannier and Chip also play an essential role during repression of proneural gene expression. Our study suggests that altering chromatin structure is essential for regulation of enhancer–promoter communication

Drosophila mir-9a regulates wing development via fine-tuning expression of the LIM only factor, dLMO

AbstractMicroRNAs are short non-coding endogenous RNAs that are implicated in regulating various aspects of plants and animal development, however their functions in organogenesis are largely unknown. Here we report that mir-9a belonging to the mir-9 family, regulates Drosophila wing development through a functional target site in the 3′ untranslated region of the Drosophila LIM only protein, dLMO. dLMO is a transcription cofactor, that directly inhibits the activity of Apterous, the LIM-HD factor required for the proper dorsal identity of the wings. Deletions of the 3′ untranslated region, including the mir-9a site, generate gain-of-function dLMO mutants (Beadex) associated with high levels of dLMO mRNA and protein. Beadex mutants lack wing margins, a phenotype also observed in null mir-9a mutants. We found that mir-9a and dLMO are co-expressed in wing discs and interact genetically for controlling wing development. Lack of mir-9a results in overexpression of dLMO, while gain-of-function mir-9a mutant suppresses dLMO expression. These data indicate that a function of mir-9a is to ensure the appropriate stoichiometry of dLMO during Drosophila wing development. The mir-9a binding site is conserved in the human counterpart LMO2, the T-cell acute leukemia oncogene, suggesting that mir-9 might apply a similar strategy to maintain LMO2 expression under a detrimental threshold