Developing Resilience Online: Evaluation of Synchronous and Asynchronous Resilience Interventions for Filipino College Students

This study evaluated two forms of a resilience intervention amongst college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilising a randomised controlled trial design; it examined the impact of a synchronous and asynchronous resilience interventions versus a control group that did a journaling intervention. Outcomes measured included coping behaviour; non-reactivity; wellbeing; stress; depression and anxiety. Participants consisted of Filipino college students randomly assigned to three groups: synchronous online resilience group (n = 135); asynchronous resilience group (n = 121) and control group (n = 127). Results revealed that students who went through the online synchronous resilience reported a significant reduction in depression at post-intervention compared to those who went through an asynchronous intervention. Post-intervention scores for nonreactivity were also higher in the synchronous group compared to both asynchronous and journaling groups. Effect sizes were small to moderate. This study suggests that online resilience interventions are viable means to address the mental health needs of students; especially in countries with limited mental health resources

Distribución espacial del chinche invasor \u3ci\u3eBrachyplatys subaeneus\u3c/i\u3e (Westwood, 1837) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) en Panamá

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) is a species of true bug native to Asia that was reported in 2016 for the first time in Panama and the Americas. This species is an invasive organism considered as a potential pest for pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) and other legume crops. As no additional research has been done on this bug since the original report, this study seeks to generate additional information regarding its spatial distribution in Panama, focusing along the Pacific coast from Torti, East Panama, to Chitre, Herrera province. Despite this distribution, we suspect that this invasive species may have a wide range in Panama because it has a high rate of reproduction and colonization. Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) es una especie de chinche originaria de Asia que fue reportada en 2016 por primera vez en Panamá y las Américas. Dicha especie es un organismo invasor considerado como una plaga potencial para los cultivos de guandú (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) y otras leguminosas. Debido a que no se había trabajado más en este chinche desde su reporte, este estudio busca generar información respecto a su distribución geográfica en el país, focalizada a lo largo de la costa Pacífica de Panamá, desde Tortí, Panamá Este, hasta la región de Chitré, provincia de Herrera. A pesar de presentar esta distribución consideramos que esta especie invasora puede tener ámbitos de distribución más amplios en Panamá, tomando en cuenta el hecho de que es una especie con una alta tasa de reproducción y colonización

Distribución espacial del chinche invasor \u3ci\u3eBrachyplatys subaeneus\u3c/i\u3e (Westwood, 1837) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) en Panamá

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) is a species of true bug native to Asia that was reported in 2016 for the first time in Panama and the Americas. This species is an invasive organism considered as a potential pest for pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) and other legume crops. As no additional research has been done on this bug since the original report, this study seeks to generate additional information regarding its spatial distribution in Panama, focusing along the Pacific coast from Torti, East Panama, to Chitre, Herrera province. Despite this distribution, we suspect that this invasive species may have a wide range in Panama because it has a high rate of reproduction and colonization. Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) es una especie de chinche originaria de Asia que fue reportada en 2016 por primera vez en Panamá y las Américas. Dicha especie es un organismo invasor considerado como una plaga potencial para los cultivos de guandú (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) y otras leguminosas. Debido a que no se había trabajado más en este chinche desde su reporte, este estudio busca generar información respecto a su distribución geográfica en el país, focalizada a lo largo de la costa Pacífica de Panamá, desde Tortí, Panamá Este, hasta la región de Chitré, provincia de Herrera. A pesar de presentar esta distribución consideramos que esta especie invasora puede tener ámbitos de distribución más amplios en Panamá, tomando en cuenta el hecho de que es una especie con una alta tasa de reproducción y colonización

Maternal γδ T cells shape offspring pulmonary type 2 immunity in a microbiota-dependent manner.

Immune development is profoundly influenced by vertically transferred cues. However, little is known about how maternal innate-like lymphocytes regulate offspring immunity. Here, we show that mice born from γδ T cell-deficient (TCRδ-/-) dams display an increase in first-breath-induced inflammation, with a pulmonary milieu selectively enriched in type 2 cytokines and type 2-polarized immune cells, when compared with the progeny of γδ T cell-sufficient dams. Upon helminth infection, mice born from TCRδ-/- dams sustain an increased type 2 inflammatory response. This is independent of the genotype of the pups. Instead, the offspring of TCRδ-/- dams harbors a distinct intestinal microbiota, acquired during birth and fostering, and decreased levels of intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as pentanoate and hexanoate. Importantly, exogenous SCFA supplementation inhibits type 2 innate lymphoid cell function and suppresses first-breath- and infection-induced inflammation. Taken together, our findings unravel a maternal γδ T cell-microbiota-SCFA axis regulating neonatal lung immunity

Birds and bioenergy within the americas: A cross‐national, social–ecological study of ecosystem service tradeoffs

Although renewable energy holds great promise in mitigating climate change, there are socioeconomic and ecological tradeoffs related to each form of renewable energy. Forest‐related bioenergy is especially controversial, because tree plantations often replace land that could be used to grow food crops and can have negative impacts on biodiversity. In this study, we examined public perceptions and ecosystem service tradeoffs between the provisioning services associated with cover types associated with bioenergy crop (feedstock) production and forest habitat‐related supporting services for birds, which themselves provide cultural and regulating services. We combined a social survey‐based assessment of local values and perceptions with measures of bioenergy feedstock production impacts on bird habitat in four countries: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA. Respondents in all countries rated birds as important or very important (83–99% of respondents) and showed lower enthusiasm for, but still supported, the expansion of bioenergy feedstocks (48–60% of respondents). Bioenergy feedstock cover types in Brazil and Argentina had the greatest negative impact on birds but had a positive impact on birds in the USA. In Brazil and Mexico, public perceptions aligned fairly well with the realities of the impacts of potential bioenergy feedstocks on bird communities. However, in Argentina and the USA, perceptions of bioenergy impacts on birds did not match well with the data. Understanding people’s values and perceptions can help inform better policy and management decisions regarding land use changes

A large scale hearing loss screen reveals an extensive unexplored genetic landscape for auditory dysfunction

The developmental and physiological complexity of the auditory system is likely reflected in the underlying set of genes involved in auditory function. In humans, over 150 non-syndromic loci have been identified, and there are more than 400 human genetic syndromes with a hearing loss component. Over 100 non-syndromic hearing loss genes have been identified in mouse and human, but we remain ignorant of the full extent of the genetic landscape involved in auditory dysfunction. As part of the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium, we undertook a hearing loss screen in a cohort of 3006 mouse knockout strains. In total, we identify 67 candidate hearing loss genes. We detect known hearing loss genes, but the vast majority, 52, of the candidate genes were novel. Our analysis reveals a large and unexplored genetic landscape involved with auditory function

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file