A Graphical Null Model for Scaling Biodiversity–Ecosystem Functioning Relationships

Global biodiversity is declining at rates faster than at any other point in human history. Experimental manipulations at small spatial scales have demonstrated that communities with fewer species consistently produce less biomass than higher diversity communities. Understanding the consequences of the global extinction crisis for ecosystem functioning requires understanding how local experimental results are likely to change with increasing spatial and temporal scales and from experiments to naturally assembled systems. Scaling across time and space in a changing world requires baseline predictions. Here, we provide a graphical null model for area scaling of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships using observed macroecological patterns: the species–area curve and the biomass–area curve. We use species–area and biomass–area curves to predict how species richness–biomass relationships are likely to change with increasing sampling extent. We then validate these predictions with data from two naturally assembled ecosystems: a Minnesota savanna and a Panamanian tropical dry forest. Our graphical null model predicts that biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships are scale-dependent. However, we note two important caveats. First, our results indicate an apparent contradiction between predictions based on measurements in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments and from scaling theory. When ecosystem functioning is measured as per unit area (e.g. biomass per m2), as is common in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments, the slope of the biodiversity ecosystem functioning relationship should decrease with increasing scale. Alternatively, when ecosystem functioning is not measured per unit area (e.g. summed total biomass), as is common in scaling studies, the slope of the biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship should increase with increasing spatial scale. Second, the underlying macroecological patterns of biodiversity experiments are predictably different from some naturally assembled systems. These differences between the underlying patterns of experiments and naturally assembled systems may enable us to better understand when patterns from biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments will be valid in naturally assembled systems. Synthesis. This paper provides a simple graphical null model that can be extended to any relationship between biodiversity and any ecosystem functioning across space or time. Furthermore, these predictions provide crucial insights into how and when we may be able to extend results from small-scale biodiversity experiments to naturally assembled regional and global ecosystems where biodiversity is changing

Automatic Hip Fracture Identification and Functional Subclassification with Deep Learning

Purpose: Hip fractures are a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Automatic identification and classification of hip fractures using deep learning may improve outcomes by reducing diagnostic errors and decreasing time to operation. Methods: Hip and pelvic radiographs from 1118 studies were reviewed and 3034 hips were labeled via bounding boxes and classified as normal, displaced femoral neck fracture, nondisplaced femoral neck fracture, intertrochanteric fracture, previous ORIF, or previous arthroplasty. A deep learning-based object detection model was trained to automate the placement of the bounding boxes. A Densely Connected Convolutional Neural Network (DenseNet) was trained on a subset of the bounding box images, and its performance evaluated on a held out test set and by comparison on a 100-image subset to two groups of human observers: fellowship-trained radiologists and orthopaedists, and senior residents in emergency medicine, radiology, and orthopaedics. Results: The binary accuracy for fracture of our model was 93.8% (95% CI, 91.3-95.8%), with sensitivity of 92.7% (95% CI, 88.7-95.6%), and specificity 95.0% (95% CI, 91.5-97.3%). Multiclass classification accuracy was 90.4% (95% CI, 87.4-92.9%). When compared to human observers, our model achieved at least expert-level classification under all conditions. Additionally, when the model was used as an aid, human performance improved, with aided resident performance approximating unaided fellowship-trained expert performance. Conclusions: Our deep learning model identified and classified hip fractures with at least expert-level accuracy, and when used as an aid improved human performance, with aided resident performance approximating that of unaided fellowship-trained attendings.Comment: Presented at Orthopaedic Research Society, Austin, TX, Feb 2, 2019, currently in submission for publicatio

Use of insecticide quantification kits to investigate the quality of spraying and decay rate of bendiocarb on different wall surfaces in Kagera region, Tanzania

Background Bendiocarb was introduced for the first time for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) in Tanzania in 2012 as part of the interim national insecticide resistance management plan. This move followed reports of increasingly alarming levels of pyrethroid resistance across the country. This study used the insecticide quantification kit (IQK) to investigate the intra-operational IRS coverage and quality of spraying, and decay rate of bendiocarb on different wall surfaces in Kagera region. Methods To assess intra-operational IRS coverage and quality of spraying, 104 houses were randomly selected out of 161,414 sprayed houses. A total of 509 samples (218 in Muleba and 291 in Karagwe) were obtained by scraping the insecticide samples from wall surfaces. To investigate decay rate, 66 houses (36 in Muleba and 30 in Karagwe) were selected and samples were collected monthly for a period of five months. Laboratory testing of insecticide concentration was done using IQKTM [Innovative Vector Control Consortium]. Results Of the 509 samples, 89.5% met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended concentration (between 100–400 mg/m2) for IRS target dosage. The proportion of samples meeting WHO standards varied between Karagwe (84.3%) and Muleba (96.3%) (p < 0.001). Assessment of quality of spraying at house level revealed that Muleba (84.8%) had a significantly higher proportion of households that met the expected target dosage (100–400 mg/m2) compared to Karagwe (68.9%) (p < 0.001). The quality of spraying varied across different wall substrates in both districts. Evaluation of bendiocarb decay showed that the proportion of houses with recommended concentration declined from 96.9%, 93.5% and 76.2% at months one, two, and three post IRS, respectively (p-trend = 0.03). The rate of decay increased in the fourth and fifth month post spraying with only 55.9% and 26.3% houses meeting the WHO recommendations, respectively. Conclusion IQK is an important tool for assessing IRS coverage and quality of spraying. The study found adequate coverage of IRS; however, residual life of bendiocarb was observed to be three months. Results suggest that in order to maintain the recommended concentrations with bendiocarb, a second spray cycle should be carried out after three months

Surviving rather than thriving: Understanding the experiences of women coaches using a theory of gendered social well-being

In shifting our gaze to the sociological impact of being in the minority, the purpose of this study was to substantiate a model of gendered social well-being to appraise women coaches’ circumstances, experiences and challenges as embedded within the social structures and relations of their profession. This is drawn on indepth interviews with a sample of head women coaches within the UK. The findings demonstrate that personal lives, relationships, social and family commitments were sidelined by many of the participants in order to meet the expectations of being a (woman) coach. We locate these experiences in the organisational practices of high performance sport which hinder women coaches from having meaningful control over their lives. The complexities of identity are also revealed through the interplay of gender with (dis)ability, age and whiteness as evidence of hegemonic femininity within the coaching profession. Consequently, for many women, coaching is experienced as a ‘developmental dead-end’

Identification of Prdm genes in human corneal endothelium

Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) are essential for maintaining corneal stromal hydration and ensuring its transparency, which is necessary for normal vision. Dysfunction of CECs leads to stromal decompensation, loss of transparency and corneal blindness. Corneal endothelium has low proliferative potential compared to surface epithelial cells leading to poor regeneration of CEC following injury. Additionally, the tissue exhibits age related decline in endothelial cell density with re-organisation of the cell layer, but no regeneration. The mechanisms which control proliferation and differentiation of neural crest derived CEC progenitors are yet to be clearly elucidated. Prdm (Positive regulatory domain) family of transcriptional regulators and chromatin modifiers are important for driving differentiation of a variety of cellular types. Many Prdm proteins are expressed in specific precursor cell populations and are necessary for their progression to a fully differentiated phenotype. In the present work, we sought to identify members of the Prdm gene family which are specifically expressed in human (h) CECs with a view to begin addressing their potential roles in CEC biology, focussing especially on Prdm 4 and 5 genes. By performing semi-quantitative reverse transcription coupled to PCR amplification we found that in addition to Prdm4 and Prdm5, Prdm2 and Prdm10 genes are expressed in hCECs. We further found that cultured primary hCECs or immortalised HCEC-12 cells express all of the Prdm genes found in CECs, but also express additional Prdm transcripts. This difference is most pronounced between Prdm gene expression patterns of CECs isolated from healthy human corneas and immortalised HCEC-12 cells. We further investigated Prdm 4 and Prdm 5 protein expression in cultured primary hCECs and HCEC-12 cells as well as in a human cadaveric whole cornea. Both Prdm 4 and Prdm 5 are expressed in human corneal endothelium, primary hCECs and in HCECs- 12 cells, characterised by expression of the Naþ/Kþ-ATPase. We observed that both proteins exhibit cytosolic (intracellular, but non-nuclear and distinct from extracellular fluid) as well as nuclear localisation within the endothelial layer, with Prdm 5 being more concentrated in the nuclei of the endothelial cells than Prdm 4. Thus, our work identifies novel Prdm genes specifically expressed in corneal endothelial cells which may be important in the control of CEC differentiation and proliferation

A PfRH5-Based Vaccine Is Efficacious against Heterologous Strain Blood-Stage Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Aotus Monkeys

SummaryAntigenic diversity has posed a critical barrier to vaccine development against the pathogenic blood-stage infection of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. To date, only strain-specific protection has been reported by trials of such vaccines in nonhuman primates. We recently showed that P. falciparum reticulocyte binding protein homolog 5 (PfRH5), a merozoite adhesin required for erythrocyte invasion, is highly susceptible to vaccine-inducible strain-transcending parasite-neutralizing antibody. In vivo efficacy of PfRH5-based vaccines has not previously been evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that PfRH5-based vaccines can protect Aotus monkeys against a virulent vaccine-heterologous P. falciparum challenge and show that such protection can be achieved by a human-compatible vaccine formulation. Protection was associated with anti-PfRH5 antibody concentration and in vitro parasite-neutralizing activity, supporting the use of this in vitro assay to predict the in vivo efficacy of future vaccine candidates. These data suggest that PfRH5-based vaccines have potential to achieve strain-transcending efficacy in humans

Reduced plakoglobin increases the risk of sodium current defects and atrial conduction abnormalities in response to androgenic anabolic steroid abuse

Androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) are commonly abused by young men. Male sex and increased AAS levels are associated with earlier and more severe manifestation of common cardiac conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, and rare ones, such as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Clinical observations suggest a potential atrial involvement in ARVC. Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is caused by desmosomal gene defects, including reduced plakoglobin expression. Here, we analysed clinical records from 146 ARVC patients to identify that ARVC is more common in males than females. Patients with ARVC also had an increased incidence of atrial arrhythmias and P wave changes. To study desmosomal vulnerability and the effects of AAS on the atria, young adult male mice, heterozygously deficient for plakoglobin (Plako+/−), and wild type (WT) littermates were chronically exposed to 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or placebo. The DHT increased atrial expression of pro-hypertrophic, fibrotic and inflammatory transcripts. In mice with reduced plakoglobin, DHT exaggerated P wave abnormalities, atrial conduction slowing, sodium current depletion, action potential amplitude reduction and the fall in action potential depolarization rate. Super-resolution microscopy revealed a decrease in NaV1.5 membrane clustering in Plako+/− atrial cardiomyocytes after DHT exposure. In summary, AAS combined with plakoglobin deficiency cause pathological atrial electrical remodelling in young male hearts. Male sex is likely to increase the risk of atrial arrhythmia, particularly in those with desmosomal gene variants. This risk is likely to be exaggerated further by AAS use

An institute for enhancing effective environmental adjudication

Texto de autoria de Ministro do Superior Tribunal de Justiça

Origins Space Telescope science drivers to design traceability

The Origins Space Telescope (Origins) concept is designed to investigate the creation and dispersal of elements essential to life, the formation of planetary systems, and the transport of water to habitable worlds and the atmospheres of exoplanets around nearby K-and M-dwarfs to identify potentially habitable-and even inhabited-worlds. These science priorities are aligned with NASA\u27s three major astrophysics science goals: How does the Universe work? How did we get here? and Are we alone? We briefly describe the science case that arose from the astronomical community and the science traceability matrix for Origins. The science traceability matrix prescribes the design of Origins and demonstrates that it will address the key science questions motivated by the science case

KiDS-1000 Cosmology:Multi-probe weak gravitational lensing and spectroscopic galaxy clustering constraints

We present a joint cosmological analysis of weak gravitational lensing observations from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-1000), with redshift-space galaxy clustering observations from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), and galaxy-galaxy lensing observations from the overlap between KiDS-1000, BOSS and the spectroscopic 2-degree Field Lensing Survey (2dFLenS). This combination of large-scale structure probes breaks the degeneracies between cosmological parameters for individual observables, resulting in a constraint on the structure growth parameter $S_8=\sigma_8 \sqrt{\Omega_{\rm m}/0.3} = 0.766^{+0.020}_{-0.014}$, that has the same overall precision as that reported by the full-sky cosmic microwave background observations from Planck. The recovered $S_8$ amplitude is low, however, by $8.3 \pm 2.6$ % relative to Planck. This result builds from a series of KiDS-1000 analyses where we validate our methodology with variable depth mock galaxy surveys, our lensing calibration with image simulations and null-tests, and our optical-to-near-infrared redshift calibration with multi-band mock catalogues and a spectroscopic-photometric clustering analysis. The systematic uncertainties identified by these analyses are folded through as nuisance parameters in our cosmological analysis. Inspecting the offset between the marginalised posterior distributions, we find that the $S_8$-difference with Planck is driven by a tension in the matter fluctuation amplitude parameter, $\sigma_8$. We quantify the level of agreement between the CMB and our large-scale structure constraints using a series of different metrics, finding differences with a significance ranging between $\sim\! 3\,\sigma$, when considering the offset in $S_{8}$, and $\sim\! 2\,\sigma$, when considering the full multi-dimensional parameter space.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables, A&A accepted, including a new appendix on Intrinsic Alignments. The KiDS-1000 data products are available for download at http://kids.strw.leidenuniv.nl/DR4/lensing.php. This data release includes open source software, the shear-photo-z catalogue, the cosmic shear and 3x2pt data vectors and covariances, and posteriors in the form of Multinest chain