A generalized light-driven model of community transitions along coral reef depth gradients

Aim: Coral reefs shift between distinct communities with depth throughout the world. Yet, despite over half a century of research on coral reef depth gradients, researchers have not addressed the driving force of these patterns. We present a theoretical, process-based model of light’s influence on the shallow to mesophotic reef transition as a single quantitative framework. We also share an interactive web application. Moving beyond depth as an ecological proxy will enhance research conducted on deeper coral reefs. Location: Global; subtropical and tropical coral reefs, oligotrophic and turbid coastal waters. Time period: Present day (2020). Major taxa: Scleractinia. Methods: We constructed ordinary differential equations representing the preferred light environments of shallow and mesophotic Scleractinia. We projected these as depth bands using light attenuation coefficients from around the world, and performed a sensitivity analysis. Results: We found light relationships alone are sufficient to capture major ecological features across coral reef depth gradients. Our model supports the depth limits currently used in coral reef ecology, predicting a global range for the shallow-upper mesophotic boundary at 36.1 m ± 5.6 and the upper-lower mesophotic boundary at 61.9 m ± 9.6. However, our model allows researchers to move past these fixed depth limits, and quantitatively predict the depths of reef zones in locations around the world. Main conclusions: The use of depth as a proxy for changes in coral reef communities offers no guidance for environmental variation between sites. We have shown it is possible to use light to predict the depth boundaries of reef zones as a continuous variable, and to accommodate this variability. Predicting the depths of reef zones in unusual light environments suggests that shallow-water turbid reefs should be considered as mesophotic coral ecosystems. Nonetheless, the current depth-based heuristics are relatively accurate at a global level

Retrosternal Percutaneous Tracheostomy: An Approach for Predictably Impossible Classic Tracheostomy

Percutaneous tracheostomy is a routine procedure in intensive care units. In cases of very low position of the larynx, cervical spine deformation, morbid obesity, or neck tumor, performance of the classic tracheostomy is inapplicable. Retrosternal approach to tracheostomy in such 20 patients is herein reported. After preoperative neck computerized tomography to define the neck anatomy, a small suprasternal incision followed by a short retrosternal tissue dissection to expose the trachea was done; the trachea was then catheterized at the level of the 2nd ring in the usual tracheostomy manner. The immediate and late (≥6 months) outcomes were similar to that of the standard tracheostomy. Thus, percutaneous retrosternal tracheostomy is safe in patients with abnormal positioning of the trachea or neck constitution. It is a bedside applicable technique, that, however, requires caution to avoid hazardous vascular complications

The effect of vitamin C on upper respiratory infections in adolescent swimmers: A randomized trial

The risk of upper respiratory infections (URIs) is increased in people who are under heavy physical stress, including recreational and competitive swimmers. Additional treatment options are needed, especially in the younger age group. The aim of this study was to determine whether 1 g/day vitamin C supplementation affects the rate, length, or severity of URIs in adolescent swimmers. We carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial during three winter months, among 39 competitive young swimmers (mean age 13.8 ± 1.6 years) in Jerusalem, Israel. Vitamin C had no effect on the incidence of URIs (rate ratio = 1.01; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.70-1.46). The duration of respiratory infections was 22% shorter in vitamin C group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, we found a significant interaction between vitamin C effect and sex, so that vitamin C shortened the duration of infections in male swimmers by 47% (95% CI: -80% to -14%), but had no effect on female swimmers (difference in duration: +17%; 95% CI: -38% to +71%). The effect of vitamin C on the severity of URIs was also different between male and female swimmers, so that vitamin C was beneficial for males, but not for females. Our study indicates that vitamin C does not affect the rate of respiratory infections in competitive swimmers. Nevertheless, we found that vitamin C decreased the duration and severity of respiratory infections in male swimmers, but not in females. This finding warrants further research.Peer reviewe

RETRACTED: Induction of a Homeostatic Circuit in Lung Tissue by Microbial Compounds

This article has been retracted at the request of the inhouse Editor, Peter Lee, and the authors. The text below has been agreed between Peter Lee and the corresponding author. Please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).Reason: The authors discovered that a duplication of several gel images occurred during the preparation of the above manuscript. Specifically, the gel images in Figure 2A were duplicated within Figure 2A, and in Figures 5F and 6B. These figures are important in showing the amount of Smad 2/3 as an indicator of alveolar macrophage-epithelial cell interactions, which explains the mechanism of the proposed homeostatic circuit in the lungs, and thus we are retracting the manuscript. The authors stand by the validity of the other figures, and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this retraction

Phenomenological Constraints on Extended Quark Sectors

We study the flavor physics in two extensions of the quark sector of the Standard Model (SM): a four generation model and a model with a single vector--like down--type quark (VDQ). In our analysis we take into account the experimental constraints from tree--level charged current processes, rare Kaon decay processes, rare B decay processes, the $Z\to b \bar{b}$ decay, $K$, $B$ and $D$ mass differences, and the CP violating parameters \frac \epsilon^\prime}{\epsilon}, $\epsilon_K$ and $a_{\psi K}$. All the constraints are taken at two sigma. We find bounds on parameters which can be used to represent the New Physics contributions in these models ($\lambda_{t^ \prime}^{bd}$, $\lambda_{t^ \prime}^{bs}$ and $\lambda_{t^ \prime}^{sd}$ in the four--generation model, and $U_{bd}$, $U_{bs}$ and $U_{sd}$ in the VDQ model) due to all the above constraints. In both models the predicted ranges for $a_{SL}$ (the CP asymmetry in semi-leptonic decays), $\Delta M_D$, $B(K^+\to\pi^+ \nu \bar{\nu})$, $B(K_L\to\pi^0 \nu \bar{\nu})$ and $B(K_L\to \mu \bar{\mu})_{SD}$ can be significantly higher than the predictions of the SM, while the allowed ranges for $a_{\psi K}$ and for $\Delta m_{B_S}$ are consistent with the SM prediction.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures (v3: added a reference, updated a reference, added missing units

Isolation and Phylogenetic Grouping of Equine Encephalosis Virus in Israel

During 2008–2009 in Israel, equine encephalosis virus (EEV) caused febrile outbreaks in horses. Phylogenetic analysis of segment 10 of the virus strains showed that they form a new cluster; analysis of segment 2 showed ≈92% sequence identity to EEV-3, the reference isolate. Thus, the source of this emerging EEV remains uncertain

Towards empathic neurofeedback for interactive storytelling

Interactive Narrative is a form of digital entertainment based on AI techniques which support narrative generation and user interaction. Despite recent progress in the field, there is still a lack of unified models integrating narrative generation, user response and interaction. This paper addresses this issue by revisiting existing Interactive Narrative paradigms, granting explicit status to users’ disposition towards story characters. We introduce a novel Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) design, which attempts to capture empathy for the main character in a way that is compatible with filmic theories of emotion. Results from two experimental studies with a fully-implemented system demonstrate the effectiveness of a neurofeedback-based approach, showing that subjects can successfully modulate their emotional support for a character who is confronted with challenging situations. A preliminary fMRI analysis also shows activation during user interaction, in regions of the brain associated with emotional control

The Effect of Gentamicin-Induced Readthrough on a Novel Premature Termination Codon of CD18 Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Patients

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency 1 (LAD1) is an inherited disorder of neutrophil function. Nonsense mutations in the affected CD18 (ITB2) gene have rarely been described. In other genes containing such mutations, treatments with aminoglycoside types of antibiotics (e.g., gentamicin) were reported to partially correct the premature protein termination, by induction of readthrough mechanism.Genetic analysis was performed on 2 LAD1 patients. Expression, functional and immunofluorescence assays of CD18 in the patients were used to determine the in-vivo and in-vitro effects of gentamicin-induced readthrough. A theoretical modeling of the corrected CD18 protein was developed to predict the protein function.We found a novel premature termination codon, C562T (R188X), in exon 6 of the CD18 gene that caused a severe LAD1 phenotype in two unrelated Palestinian children. In-vivo studies on these patients' cells after gentamicin treatment showed abnormal adhesion and chemotactic functions, while in-vitro studies showed mislocalization of the corrected protein to the cytoplasm and not to the cell surface. A theoretical modeling of the corrected CD18 protein suggested that the replacement of the wild type arginine by gentamicin induced tryptophan at the position of the nonsense mutation, although enabled the expression of the entire CD18 protein, this was not sufficient to stabilize the CD18/11 heterodimer at the cell surface.A novel nonsense mutation in the CD18 gene causing a complete absence of CD18 protein and severe LAD1 clinical phenotype is reported. Both in vivo and in vitro treatments with gentamicin resulted in the expression of a corrected full-length dysfunctional or mislocalized CD18 protein. However, while the use of gentamicin increased the expression of CD18, it did not improve leukocyte adhesion and chemotaxis. Moreover, the integrity of the CD18/CD11 complex at the cell surface was impaired, due to abnormal CD18 protein and possibly lack of CD11a expression