The water-land-food-energy-climate nexus for a resource efficient Europe.

Α novel methodology for addressing policy inconsistencies and knowledge gaps that hinder the transition to a greater resource efficiency Europe is proposed. We focus on the integration of all different sectors that interact and influence each other, namely the “water- energy- food- land use- climate nexus” and we develop tools for identifying and quantifying their complex interlinkages under the influence of climate change. In order to achieve this, we employ a series of sophisticated models (referred to as “thematic models”), each of which addresses a different nexus dimension, or a combination of a few, while none addresses all nexus dimensions in an integrative manner. We use dynamic systems modeling and other complexity science techniques in order to “merge” different thematic model outputs in a single coherent result, which is presented to the user in an easyto-comprehend Serious Game environment. This way, the effect of policies that are designed to affect one field (nexus dimension) on others can be quantified and simulated, thus informing policy-makers for the unintended consequences of their policies, reducing uncertainties, covering knowledge gaps and leading to a resource efficient Europe faste

Photodynamic inactivation of mammalian viruses and bacteriophages

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) has been used to inactivate microorganisms through the use of photosensitizers. The inactivation of mammalian viruses and bacteriophages by photosensitization has been applied with success since the first decades of the last century. Due to the fact that mammalian viruses are known to pose a threat to public health and that bacteriophages are frequently used as models of mammalian viruses, it is important to know and understand the mechanisms and photodynamic procedures involved in their photoinactivation. The aim of this review is to (i) summarize the main approaches developed until now for the photodynamic inactivation of bacteriophages and mammalian viruses and, (ii) discuss and compare the present state of the art of mammalian viruses PDI with phage photoinactivation, with special focus on the most relevant mechanisms, molecular targets and factors affecting the viral inactivation process.publishe

Cigarette Smoke-Related Hydroquinone Dysregulates MCP-1, VEGF and PEDF Expression in Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Vitro and in Vivo

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in the elderly population. Debris (termed drusen) below the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have been recognized as a risk factor for dry AMD and its progression to wet AMD, which is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The underlying mechanism of how drusen might elicit CNV remains undefined. Cigarette smoking, oxidative damage to the RPE and inflammation are postulated to be involved in the pathophysiology of the disease. To better understand the cellular mechanism(s) linking oxidative stress and inflammation to AMD, we examined the expression of pro-inflammatory monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), pro-angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and anti-angiogenic pigment epithelial derived factor (PEDF) in RPE from smoker patients with AMD. We also evaluated the effects of hydroquinone (HQ), a major pro-oxidant in cigarette smoke on MCP-1, VEGF and PEDF expression in cultured ARPE-19 cells and RPE/choroids from C57BL/6 mice.MCP-1, VEGF and PEDF expression was examined by real-time PCR, Western blot, and ELISA. Low levels of MCP-1 protein were detected in RPE from AMD smoker patients relative to controls. Both MCP-1 mRNA and protein were downregulated in ARPE-19 cells and RPE/choroids from C57BL/6 mice after 5 days and 3 weeks of exposure to HQ-induced oxidative injury. VEGF protein expression was increased and PEDF protein expression was decreased in RPE from smoker patients with AMD versus controls resulting in increased VEGF/PEDF ratio. Treatment with HQ for 5 days and 3 weeks increased the VEGF/PEDF ratio in vitro and in vivo.We propose that impaired RPE-derived MCP-1-mediated scavenging macrophages recruitment and phagocytosis might lead to incomplete clearance of proinflammatory debris and infiltration of proangiogenic macrophages which along with increased VEGF/PEDF ratio favoring angiogenesis might promote drusen accumulation and progression to CNV in smoker patients with dry AMD

Tempo and Pattern of Avian Brain Size Evolution

Relative brain sizes in birds can rival those of primates, but large-scale patterns and drivers of avian brain evolution remain elusive. Here, we explore the evolution of the fundamental brain-body scaling relationship across the origin and evolution of birds. Using a comprehensive dataset sampling> 2,000 modern birds, fossil birds, and theropod dinosaurs, we infer patterns of brain-body co-variation in deep time. Our study confirms that no significant increase in relative brain size accompanied the trend toward miniaturization or evolution of flight during the theropod-bird transition. Critically, however, theropods and basal birds show weaker integration between brain size and body size, allowing for rapid changes in the brain-body relationship that set the stage for dramatic shifts in early crown birds. We infer that major shifts occurred rapidly in the aftermath of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction within Neoaves, in which multiple clades achieved higher relative brain sizes because of a reduction in body size. Parrots and corvids achieved the largest brains observed in birds via markedly different patterns. Parrots primarily reduced their body size, whereas corvids increased body and brain size simultaneously (with rates of brain size evolution outpacing rates of body size evolution). Collectively, these patterns suggest that an early adaptive radiation in brain size laid the foundation for subsequent selection and stabilization

Vertebral Pneumaticity in the Ornithomimosaur Archaeornithomimus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) Revealed by Computed Tomography Imaging and Reappraisal of Axial Pneumaticity in Ornithomimosauria

Among extant vertebrates, pneumatization of postcranial bones is unique to birds, with few known exceptions in other groups. Through reduction in bone mass, this feature is thought to benefit flight capacity in modern birds, but its prevalence in non-avian dinosaurs of variable sizes has generated competing hypotheses on the initial adaptive significance of postcranial pneumaticity. To better understand the evolutionary history of postcranial pneumaticity, studies have surveyed its distribution among non-avian dinosaurs. Nevertheless, the degree of pneumaticity in the basal coelurosaurian group Ornithomimosauria remains poorly known, despite their potential to greatly enhance our understanding of the early evolution of pneumatic bones along the lineage leading to birds. Historically, the identification of postcranial pneumaticity in non-avian dinosaurs has been based on examination of external morphology, and few studies thus far have focused on the internal architecture of pneumatic structures inside the bones. Here, we describe the vertebral pneumaticity of the ornithomimosaur Archaeornithomimus with the aid of X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging. Complementary examination of external and internal osteology reveals (1) highly pneumatized cervical vertebrae with an elaborate configuration of interconnected chambers within the neural arch and the centrum; (2) anterior dorsal vertebrae with pneumatic chambers inside the neural arch; (3) apneumatic sacral vertebrae; and (4) a subset of proximal caudal vertebrae with limited pneumatic invasion into the neural arch. Comparisons with other theropod dinosaurs suggest that ornithomimosaurs primitively exhibited a plesiomorphic theropod condition for axial pneumaticity that was extended among later taxa, such as Archaeornithomimus and large bodied Deinocheirus. This finding corroborates the notion that evolutionary increases in vertebral pneumaticity occurred in parallel among independent lineages of bird-line archosaurs. Beyond providing a comprehensive view of vertebral pneumaticity in a non-avian coelurosaur, this study demonstrates the utility and need of CT imaging for further clarifying the early evolutionary history of postcranial pneumaticity

Modelling the Water‐Energy‐Food‐Land Use‐Climate Nexus: The Nexus Tree Approach

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has established the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, implying that the three commodities are inextricably linked forming a complex system of interrelations. Perceiving water, energy and food as a system variable with dependencies rather than a singularity suggests an approach of a more holistic view that can offer a sustainable plan for managing resources. In this article, the already established three-way Nexus is expanded to include two more dimensions, namely land use and climate and a framework for modelling the interlinkages among these dimensions is presented

The water-land-food-energy-climate nexus for a resource efficient Europe.

Α novel methodology for addressing policy inconsistencies and knowledge gaps that hinder the transition to a greater resource efficiency Europe is proposed. We focus on the integration of all different sectors that interact and influence each other, namely the “water- energy- food- land use- climate nexus” and we develop tools for identifying and quantifying their complex interlinkages under the influence of climate change. In order to achieve this, we employ a series of sophisticated models (referred to as “thematic models”), each of which addresses a different nexus dimension, or a combination of a few, while none addresses all nexus dimensions in an integrative manner. We use dynamic systems modeling and other complexity science techniques in order to “merge” different thematic model outputs in a single coherent result, which is presented to the user in an easyto-comprehend Serious Game environment. This way, the effect of policies that are designed to affect one field (nexus dimension) on others can be quantified and simulated, thus informing policy-makers for the unintended consequences of their policies, reducing uncertainties, covering knowledge gaps and leading to a resource efficient Europe faste

A method for mapping morphological convergence on three-dimensional digital models: the case of the Mammalian Sabre-Tooth

Morphological convergence can be assessed using a variety of statistical methods. None of the methods proposed to date enable the visualization of convergence. All are based on the assumption that the phenotypes either converge, or donot. However, between species, morphologically similar regions of a larger structure may behave differently. Previous approaches do not identify these regions within the larger structures or quantify the degree to which they may contribute to overall convergence. Here, we introduce a new method to chart patterns of convergence on three-dimensional models using the R function conv.map. The convergence between pairs of models is mapped onto them to visualize and quantify the morphological convergence. We applied conv.map to a wellknown case study, the sabre-tooth morphotype, which has evolved independently among distinct mammalian clades from placentals to metatherians. Although previous authors have concluded that sabre-tooths kill using a stabbing ‘bite’ to the neck, others have presented different interpretations for specific taxa, including the iconic Smilodon and Thylacosmilus. Our objective was to identify any shared morphological features among the sabre-tooths that may underpin similar killing behaviours. From a sample of 49 placental and metatherian carnivores, we found stronger convergence among sabre-tooths than for any other taxa. The morphological convergence is most apparent in the rostral and posterior parts of the cranium. The extent of this convergence suggests similarity in function among these phylogenetically distant species. In our view, this function is most likely to be the killing of relatively large prey using a stabbing bite.We are grateful to Stephan Lautenschlager and an anonymous reviewer for providing important advice. 79 specimens included in the present study are from the PhD database of DT, whose PhD project received support from the ‘Avvio alla Ricerca 2019’ funding which is financed by the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’. DT also received support from the SYNTHESYS Access programme that is financed by the European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 (ES-TAF-2750 awarded to DT). LMW acknowledges support from the United States National Science Foundation (IOB-0517257, IOS-1050154, IOS-1456503).Peer reviewe

A method for mapping morphological convergence on three‐dimensional digital models: the case of the mammalian sabre‐tooth

Morphological convergence can be assessed using a variety of statistical methods. None of the methods proposed to date enable the visualization of convergence. All are based on the assumption that the phenotypes either converge, or donot. However, between species, morphologically similar regions of a larger structure may behave differently. Previous approaches do not identify these regions within the larger structures or quantify the degree to which they may contribute to overall convergence. Here, we introduce a new method to chart patterns of convergence on three-dimensional models using the R function conv.map. The convergence between pairs of models is mapped onto them to visualize and quantify the morphological convergence. We applied conv.map to a wellknown case study, the sabre-tooth morphotype, which has evolved independently among distinct mammalian clades from placentals to metatherians. Although previous authors have concluded that sabre-tooths kill using a stabbing ‘bite’ to the neck, others have presented different interpretations for specific taxa, including the iconic Smilodon and Thylacosmilus. Our objective was to identify any shared morphological features among the sabre-tooths that may underpin similar killing behaviours. From a sample of 49 placental and metatherian carnivores, we found stronger convergence among sabre-tooths than for any other taxa. The morphological convergence is most apparent in the rostral and posterior parts of the cranium. The extent of this convergence suggests similarity in function among these phylogenetically distant species. In our view, this function is most likely to be the killing of relatively large prey using a stabbing bite.We are grateful to Stephan Lautenschlager and an anonymous reviewer for providing important advice. 79 specimens included in the present study are from the PhD database of DT, whose PhD project received support from the ‘Avvio alla Ricerca 2019’ funding which is financed by the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’. DT also received support from the SYNTHESYS Access programme that is financed by the European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 (ES-TAF-2750 awarded to DT). LMW acknowledges support from the United States National Science Foundation (IOB-0517257, IOS-1050154, IOS-1456503).Peer reviewe

Accurate and reproducible diagnosis of peanut allergy using epitope mapping

BACKGROUND: Accurate diagnosis of peanut allergy is a significant clinical challenge. Here, a novel diagnostic blood test using the peanut bead‐based epitope assay (“peanut BBEA”) was developed utilizing the LEAP cohort and then validated using two independent cohorts. METHODS: The development of the peanut BBEA diagnostic test followed the National Academy of Medicine's established guidelines with discovery performed on 133 subjects from the non‐interventional arm of the LEAP trial and an independent validation performed on 82 subjects from the CoFAR2 and 84 subjects from the POISED study. All samples were analyzed using the peanut BBEA methodology, which measures levels of IgE to two Ara h 2 sequential (linear) epitopes and compares their combination to a threshold pre‐specified in the model development phase. When a patient has an inconclusive outcome by skin prick testing (or sIgE), IgE antibody levels to this combination of two epitopes can distinguish whether the patient is “Allergic” or “Not Allergic.” Diagnoses of peanut allergy in all subjects were confirmed by double‐blind placebo‐controlled food challenge and subjects’ ages were 7–55 years. RESULTS: In the validation using CoFAR2 and POISED cohorts, the peanut BBEA diagnostic test correctly diagnosed 93% of the subjects, with a sensitivity of 92%, specificity of 94%, a positive predictive value of 91%, and negative predictive value of 95%. CONCLUSIONS: In validation of the peanut BBEA diagnostic test, the overall accuracy was found to be superior to existing diagnostic tests for peanut allergy including skin prick testing, peanut sIgE, and peanut component sIgE testing