Search

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the evolution of Plasmodium falciparum antimalarial drug resistance markers by comparing the pre- and post-adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in Yaounde, Cameroon. Methods: The molecular characterization of known antimalarial drug resistance markers (Pfcrt, Pfmdr1, Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, and Pfk13) in P. falciparum-positive samples collected in 2014 and 2019-2020 was achieved using nested polymerase chain reaction, followed by targeted amplicon deep sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Data derived were compared with those published during the pre-ACT adoption period from 2004 to 2006. Results: A high prevalence of Pfmdr1 184F, Pfdhfr 51I/59R/108N, and Pfdhps 437G mutant alleles was observed during the post-ACT adoption period. The Pfcrt 76T and Pfmdr1 86Y mutant alleles significantly declined between 2004 and 2020 (P

Understanding the evolutionary pathways to metastasis and resistance to immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in melanoma is critical for improving outcomes. Here, we present the most comprehensive intrapatient metastatic melanoma dataset assembled to date as part of the Posthumous Evaluation of Advanced Cancer Environment (PEACE) research autopsy program, including 222 exome sequencing, 493 panel-sequenced, 161 RNA sequencing, and 22 single-cell whole-genome sequencing samples from 14 ICI-treated patients. We observed frequent whole-genome doubling and widespread loss of heterozygosity, often involving antigen-presentation machinery. We found KIT extrachromosomal DNA may have contributed to the lack of response to KIT inhibitors of a KIT-driven melanoma. At the lesion-level, MYC amplifications were enriched in ICI nonresponders. Single-cell sequencing revealed polyclonal seeding of metastases originating from clones with different ploidy in one patient. Finally, we observed that brain metastases that diverged early in molecular evolution emerge late in disease. Overall, our study illustrates the diverse evolutionary landscape of advanced melanoma.SIGNIFICANCE: Despite treatment advances, melanoma remains a deadly disease at stage IV. Through research autopsy and dense sampling of metastases combined with extensive multiomic profiling, our study elucidates the many mechanisms that melanomas use to evade treatment and the immune system, whether through mutations, widespread copy-number alterations, or extrachromosomal DNA.See related commentary by Shain, p. 1294. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1275.

Astronauts are spending longer periods locked up in ships or stations for scientific and exploration spatial missions. The International Space Station (ISS) has been inhabited continuously for more than 20 years and the duration of space stays by crews could lengthen with the objectives of human presence on the moon and Mars. If the environment of these space habitats is designed for the comfort of astronauts, it is also conducive to other forms of life such as embarked microorganisms. The latter, most often associated with surfaces in the form of biofilm, have been implicated in significant degradation of the functionality of pieces of equipment in space habitats. The most recent research suggests that microgravity could increase the persistence, resistance and virulence of pathogenic microorganisms detected in these communities, endangering the health of astronauts and potentially jeopardizing long-duration manned missions. In this review, we describe the mechanisms and dynamics of installation and propagation of these microbial communities associated with surfaces (spatial migration), as well as long-term processes of adaptation and evolution in these extreme environments (phenotypic and genetic migration), with special reference to human health. We also discuss the means of control envisaged to allow a lasting cohabitation between these vibrant microscopic passengers and the astronauts., Biofilm, 5, ISSN:2590-2075

Giant viruses (GVs) are a hotspot of unresolved controversies since their discovery, including the definition of “Virus” and their origin. While increasing knowledge of genome diversity has accumulated, GV functional genomics was largely neglected. Here, we describe an experimental framework to genetically modify nuclear GVs and their host Acanthamoeba castellanii using CRISPR/Cas9, shedding light on the evolution from small icosahedral viruses to amphora-shaped GVs. Ablation of the icosahedral major capsid protein in the phylogenetically-related mollivirus highlights a transition in virion shape and size. We additionally demonstrate the existence of a reduced core essential genome in pandoravirus, reminiscent of their proposed smaller ancestors. This proposed genetic expansion led to increased genome robustness, indicating selective pressures for adaptation to uncertain environments. Overall, we introduce new tools for manipulation of the unexplored genome of nuclear GVs and provide experimental evidence suggesting that viral gigantism has aroused as an emerging trait.

The number of non-native invasive pests and pathogens has increased dramatically in recent years, with disastrous consequences for the health of forests worldwide. Multiple studies have shown that mixed forests may suffer less damage from insect pests than single species forest. This “associational resistance” can be notably explained by the fact that heterospecific neighbours make it more difficult for herbivores to locate and then exploit their host tree. However, the validity of these findings in the case of non-native, invasive pests and pathogens remains to be demonstrated. In this study, we monitored over two hundred Douglas firs in pure and mixed plots of a tree diversity experiment to assess the damage from the non-native gall midge Contarinia pseudotsugae and the non-native needle cast Nothophaeocryptopus gaeumannii. The probability of Swiss needle-cast infection was lower in Douglas fir trees surrounded by heterospecific neighbours. Gall midge damage was lower on Douglas firs surrounded by taller neighbours, consistent with the hypothesis of reduced host Apparency. Douglas fir trees that were more damaged by C. pseudotsugae were also more often infected by N. gaeumannii. Our study thus provides partial support of the associational resistance hypothesis of mixed forests against exotic pests and pathogens. Promoting forest species diversity at the stand level could, therefore, offer interesting prospects for reducing the impact of biological invasions, especially those involving both pests and pathogens.

Divergent evolution for more than 310 million years has resulted in an avian immune system that is complex and more compact than that of primates, sharing much of its structure and functions. Not surprisingly, well conserved ancient host defense molecules, such as defensins and cathelicidins, have diversified over time. In this review, we describe how evolution influenced the host defense peptides repertoire, its distribution, and the relationship between structure and biological functions. Marked features of primate and avian HDPs are linked to species-specific characteristics, biological requirements, and environmental challenge.

Hydrodynamic studies of stellar-mass compact objects (COs) in a common envelope (CE)have shown that the accretion rate onto the CO is a few orders of magnitude below the Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton (BHL) estimate. This is several orders of magnitude above the Eddington limit and above the limit for neutrino-cooled accretion (i.e., hypercritical accretion, or HCA). Considering that a binary system inside the CE of a third star accretes material at nearly the same rate as a single object of the same total mass, we propose stellar-evolution channels which form binary black hole (BBH) systems with its component masses within the pair-instability supernova (PISN) mass gap. Our model is based on HCA onto the BBH system engulfed into the CE of a massive tertiary star. Furthermore, we propose a mass transfer mode which allows to store mass lost by the binary onto a third star. Through the use of population synthesis simulations for the evolution of BBHs and standard binary-evolution principles for the interaction with a tertiary star, we are able to produce BBHs masses consistent with those estimated for GW190521. We also discuss the massive binary system Mk34 as a possible progenitor of BBHs in the PISN gap, as well as the spin distribution of the observed mergers in the gravitational-wave catalog., 10 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, submitted. Comments welcome

Micro-X-ray fluorescence (mu XRF) is an increasingly popular tool within the Earth sciences, although its full potential within palaeontology remains to be explored. In palaeoichthyology, the anatomical descriptions necessary for taxonomic identification of fossil fishes require specialist knowledge and often still relies solely on traditional studies using conventional stereomicroscopy. The quality of preservation, sedimentary matrix, and choice of fossil preparation affects the presence and accessibility of meristic, morphometric and anatomical features used for systematic purposes. Here, we present the first comprehensive study utilising non-destructive benchtop mu XRF-element mapping as a novel scientific tool to expose fossil fish anatomical features, many of which are not commonly accessible. We mu XRF-mapped a total of 66 fish fossils plus a single fossil bird from four different main lithologies from the 55-54 million years old lowermost Eocene Olst and Fur formations; the latter is a world renowned Konservat-Lagerstatte widely known for its exquisitely preserved fossil fauna. Element mapping of Sr, P, Ca, and Ti provided critical and precise information on anatomical characters in both prepared and unprepared fossils that are directly relevant for future taxonomic, phylogenetic and palaeoecological studies, as well as detailed and precise images of squamation patterns and skeletal anatomy hidden by overlying structures or thin layers of sediment. Moreover, preliminary benchtop mu XRF-scans of eight additional specimens show that the method can be successfully applied with similar results in fossil fishes from other and younger deposits, such as the well-known Eocene Pesciara di Bolca (Italy), Green River Formation (United States), and the Oligocene Hochberg Formation (France).. Element-mapping, Fur Formation, carbonate concretion, diatomite, Olst Formation, Teleostei, Eocene, Denmark

10 pages, 2 figures, 3 boxes, Ocean microbes are fundamental for the functioning of the Earth system. Yet, our understanding of how they are reacting to global change in terms of evolution is limited. Microbes typically grow in large populations and reproduce quickly, which may allow them to rapidly adapt to environmental stressors compared to larger organisms. However, genetic evidence of contemporary evolution in wild microbes is scarce. We must begin coordinated efforts to establish new microbial time-series and explore novel tools, experiments and data to fill this knowledge gap. The development of coordinated microbial “genomic” observatories will provide the unprecedented opportunity to track contemporary microbial evolution in the ocean and explore the role of evolution in enabling wild microbes to respond to global change, GB received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research 434 and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 895338. This work was supported by the project MINIME (PID2019-105775RB-I00, AEI, Spain) to RL as well as funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Learning about evolution can be challenging for students, as a full understanding may require them to see the world in new ways, to master a disciplinary language and to understand complex processes. Drawing on a long line of theoretically grounded arguments of philosophers and researchers for including wonder in science teaching, we report on the results of an empirical study with the primary aim of investigating the role of wonder in students’ learning about evolution. The study was carried out through a formative intervention in which two researchers in science education collaborated with a seventh-grade teacher. Over a period of six weeks, 45 students participated in lessons and workshops aimed at eliciting a sense of wonder in relation to concepts that are known to impact the learning of evolution. We incorporated four ‘triggers’ to elicit students’ wonder in the science class: aesthetic experiences, defiance of expectations, agency and awareness of a mystery within the ordinary. Logbook entries and interviews with student pairs provided empirical material for a qualitative analysis of the role of wonder in the students’ meaning-making about, learning of and engagement in evolution. The results show that it is possible to design science teaching that triggers students’ wonder in relation to an intended learning object. The results also reveal that the participating students described their sense of wonder in qualitatively different ways and that they still struggled to make sense of the concept of evolution after six weeks of teaching.

Several researchers and scientific institutions argue that evolution should be explored from the first school years. However, few studies have analysed primary school students’ understanding of evolutionary processes or evaluated the impact of educational activities on such knowledge. The available data: i) suggest that primary school students can learn about evolution; and ii) identify differential reproduction as the key evolution concept less often used by students to make and justify evolutionary predictions. In the present study, we evaluate the impact of an educational programme on primary school students’ level of understanding of evolution by sexual selection and on their ability to employ differential reproduction to propose and justify evolutionary predictions. An evaluation framework was applied to estimate primary school students’ level of understanding of evolution by sexual selection in third- and fourth-grade classes, before and after the students were exposed to the educational programme. A significant increase in the level of understanding of evolution by sexual selection was observed in the target classes, but not in the control classes. This result was primarily driven by a significant increase in the students’ justifications employing the concept of differential reproduction. The results suggest that activities that model and simulate biological evolution through sexual selection can contribute to primary school students’ understanding of evolutionary processes.

The egg period, egg size, and daily changes in egg size were investigated in the field cricket, Teleogryllus emma. T. emma inhabits the slope of the Oishi Dam (OD) (38.03°N, 139.57°E) and Arakawa riverside (AR) (38.09°N, 139.57°E) in Sekikawa Village, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. We studied OD, AR, and the F1 hybrids, viz, OdAr (OD females × AR males), and ArOd (AR females × OD males) and determined whether daily changes in egg size are related to shortening of the egg period of T. emma on the dam slope. The egg periods in OD, AR, OdAr, and ArOd were shorter at higher temperatures (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, the egg period in OD was shorter than that in AR and OdAr (p ≤ 0.05). After oviposition, the eggs enlarged due to water absorption and entered diapause at the embryonic stage of the array. The major axes of eggs in OD, AR, OdAr, and ArOd expanded daily and were influenced by temperature whereby a higher temperature resulted in an increase in the major axes. At 15ºC, the major axis gradually increased after oviposition, reaching its maximum at 130 days. The eggs grew rapidly at temperatures ≥ 20ºC and reached their maximum size at 10−14 days, 5−7 days, and 4−6 days after oviposition at 20, 25, and 30ºC, respectively. The expansion of the major axis up to 7 days after oviposition showed that the egg size in AR increased faster than that in OD at 15ºC, while that in OD increased faster than AR at 20, 25, and 30ºC, indicating that the expansion rate in OD and AR eggs differed with temperatures. Temperature-dependent changes in the expansion rates in OD and AR up to 7 days after oviposition suggest that they may be associated with shortened egg period.

The development of bipedalism changed the course of hominin evolutionary history. One of the most significant impacts it had, outside of locomotion, was on birth. The advent of bipedalism, combined with later encephalization, has placed many evolutionary constraints on the birth process. As a result of evolutionary pressures, a series of skeletal and cultural adaptations occurred making the modern birth process unique. This paper reviews the literature and fossil evidence and will outline the differences between three forms of birth mechanisms: modern, ancient and non- human primate. A look at the variability within these processes will lead to a more complete understanding of evolutionary history and a more critical analysis of the fossil record. This review of research on the evolution of human birth mechanisms is essential, not only to understand our history but also to apply these insights in a modern context. Knowledge of human and non- human primate birth mechanisms is useful for the biomedical community, primate conservationists and socio-cultural anthropologists trying to understand birthing practices throughout different cultures.

This paper addresses the origin of the hyperactive (or hypersensitive) agent (or agency) detection device (HADD) and its ‘places’ in the ontogenesis of religion. In 1. I engage in a preamble surrounding correspondence with Robert McCauley, Justin Barrett, and Tom Lawson on the origins of the HADD idea. In 2. I explain the roles HADD is purported to have had in the evolution of religion and a religious mindset from two potentially conflicting perspectives. I claim there is confusion where these two perspectives are not properly demarcated. In 3. I trace the evolution of the HADD concept. At 4. I outline the current condition of the HADD idea in light of several objections to it. I conclude that a) although history does not support the origins of the HADD idea as having any one single author, it is Barrett who spearheaded it and defended it, thusly galvanising his name to the concept historically; b) that as it is described in 2a it is compatible with predictive processing as described in 2b; and c) that the concept of HADD in its variant forms still excites philosophical and empirical questions, the answers to which are relevant to the science versus religion debate.

[EN] Based on the conception of masculinity as a set of characteristics, behaviors and attributes of the male gender, this research approaches to the configuration of male characters in Pixar animation saga The Incredibles, to explore whether these animated films are a free place for the representation of diverse masculinities. For this purpose, the essay will delve on narratological approaches and gender studies in order to set up the models of masculinity defined from the most recent theory; and to check out, through both physical and psychological analysis, how these models are transposed to male characters whose features and performance have been modulated to a greater or lesser extent depending on the sociohistorical context of production., [ES] A partir de la concepción de la masculinidad como conjunto de características, conductas y atributos propias del género masculino, el presente trabajo se propone abordar la configuración de los personajes masculinos de la saga de animación de Pixar Los Increíbles (Brad Bird, 2004, 2018) para comprobar si estas películas de animación son un lugar libre para la representación de las diversas masculinidades. Para ello, se va a partir de planteamientos narratológicos y de los estudios de género con el propósito de establecer los modelos de masculinidad definidos desde la teoría más reciente y comprobar, a través del análisis tanto físico como psicológico, cómo estos modelos se concretan en unos personajes masculinos cuyos rasgos y actuación se ha modulado en mayor o menor medida en función del contexto sociohistórico de su producción.

A comparative SEM study of palp sensory surfaces in 25 caddisfly species representing seven families reveals seven types of sensilla: long trichoid, blunt chaetoid, campaniform, mushroom-like pseudoplacoid, petaloid, thick basiconic and thin basiconic sensilla. Long trichoid and chaetoid sensilla are present on all segments of both pairs of palps. First and second segments of maxillary palps bear groups of long and sclerotised chaetoid sensilla on their medial surface. Other segments of maxillary palps and all segments of labial palps have shorter and thinner chaetoid sensilla mainly on their ventromedial surfaces. Campaniform sensilla usually occur on the first segment of labial palps and second segment of maxillary palps. Mushroom-like pseudoplacoid sensilla may occupy all palp segments or only distal ones. Petaloid sensilla form sensory fields on apical segments of both pairs of palps in most studied species. Thick basiconic sensilla occur only in apical sensory complexes on tips of maxillary and labial palps. A comparison with the Lepidoptera suggests the similarity in palp sensilla and conservative evolution of the palp surface. The reconstructed ground plan for the palp sensory surfaces in Trichoptera and Amphiesmenoptera is provided.

Polysaccharide breakdown by bacteria requires the activity of enzymes that degrade polymers either intra- or extra-cellularly. The latter mechanism generates a localized pool of breakdown products that are accessible to the enzyme producers themselves as well as to other organisms. Marine bacterial taxa often show marked differences in the production and secretion of degradative enzymes that break down polysaccharides. These differences can have profound effects on the pool of diffusible breakdown products and hence on the ecological dynamics. However, the consequences of differences in enzymatic secretions on cellular growth dynamics and interactions are unclear. Here we study growth dynamics of single cells within populations of marine Vibrionaceae strains that grow on the abundant marine polymer alginate, using microfluidics coupled to quantitative single-cell analysis and mathematical modelling. We find that strains that have low extracellular secretions of alginate lyases aggregate more strongly than strains that secrete high levels of enzymes. One plausible reason for this observation is that low secretors require a higher cellular density to achieve maximal growth rates in comparison with high secretors. Our findings indicate that increased aggregation increases intercellular synergy amongst cells of low-secreting strains. By mathematically modelling the impact of the level of degradative enzyme secretion on the rate of diffusive oligomer loss, we find that enzymatic secretion capability modulates the propensity of cells within clonal populations to cooperate or compete with each other. Our experiments and models demonstrate that enzymatic secretion capabilities can be linked with the propensity of cell aggregation in marine bacteria that extracellularly catabolize polysaccharides., The ISME Journal, 17 (5), ISSN:1751-7362, ISSN:1751-7370

Despite the rich fossil record of Neogene chondrichthyans (chimaeras, sharks, rays, and skates) from Europe, little is known about the macroevolutionary processes that generated their current diversity and geographical distribution. We compiled 4368 Neogene occurrences comprising 102 genera, 41 families, and 12 orders from four European regions (Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Sea, and Paratethys) and evaluated their diversification trajectories and paleobiogeographic patterns. In all regions analyzed, we found that generic richness increased during the early Miocene, then decreased sharply during the middle Miocene in the Paratethys, and moderately during the late Miocene and Pliocene in the Mediterranean and North Seas. Origination rates display the most significant pulses in the early Miocene in all regions. Extinction rate pulses varied across regions, with the Paratethys displaying the most significant pulses during the late Miocene and the Mediterranean and North Seas during the late Miocene and early Pliocene. Overall, up to 27% and 56% of the European Neogene genera are now globally and regionally extinct, respectively. The observed pulses of origination and extinction in the different regions coincide with warming and cooling events that occurred during the Neogene globally and regionally. Our study reveals complex diversity dynamics of Neogene chondrichthyans from Europe and their distinct biogeographic composition despite the multiple marine passages that connected the different marine regions during this time.

To secure cooperative opportunities people align their beliefs with the normative expectations of their social environment. These expectations are continuously managed by interactive reasoning, a process that results in dynamical pools of reasons. When people are more concerned about their social standing and reputation than truth, pools of reasons give rise to collective irrationalities. They determine what people should believe if they want to be known as a reliable group member. This account has implications for our understanding of human irrationality and how to deal with it.

The Linnean, Wallacean, and Darwinian shortfalls are knowledge gaps about species taxonomy, distribution, and evolution, respectively. Fidicinini is a tribe of cicadas that suffers from these gaps. We assessed specimens of the tribe sharing similar male genital shape (uncus), but fitting the somatic morphology of either Dorisiana Metcalf, 1952 and Guyalna Boulard & Martinelli, 1996. We build a phylogenetic hypothesis by total evidence analysis and perform a character optimization of the uncus and timbal cover shapes, the last used as diagnostic for both genera. Dorisiana and Guyalna were recovered non-monophyletic. A new genus, Acanthoventrisgen. nov., and ten new species are proposed: A. charrua Ruschel sp. nov., A. claudiae Ruschel sp. nov., A. faustopsaltrius Ruschel sp. nov., A. iara Ruschel sp. nov., A. igneus Ruschel sp. nov., A. olivarius Ruschel sp. nov., A. phoenix Ruschel sp. nov., A. rubemi Ruschel sp. nov., A. tumidus Ruschel sp. nov., and A. viridinotatus Ruschel sp. nov.; and three new combinations A. densusus (Boulard & Martinelli, 2011) comb. nov., A. drewseni (Stål, 1854) comb. nov., and A. jauffreti (Boulard & Martinelli, 2001) comb. nov. We provide illustrated identification keys, occurrence maps, and discuss the distribution of the species in the new genus.

Social insects display extreme phenotypic differences between sexes and castes even though the underlying genome can be almost identical. Epigenetic processes have been proposed as a possible mechanism for mediating these phenotypic differences. Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing of queens, males, and reproductive female workers we have characterised the sex- and caste-specific methylome of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. We have identified a potential role for DNA methylation in histone modification processes which may influence sex and caste phenotypic differences. We also find differentially methylated genes generally show low levels of DNA methylation which may suggest a separate function for lowly methylated genes in mediating transcriptional plasticity, unlike highly methylated genes which are usually involved in housekeeping functions. We also examined the relationship between the underlying genome and the methylome using whole genome re-sequencing of the same queens and males. We find DNA methylation is enriched at zero-fold degenerate sites. We suggest DNA methylation may be acting as a targeted mutagen at these sites, providing substrate for selection via non-synonymous changes in the underlying genome. However, we did not see any relationship between DNA methylation and rates of positive selection in our samples. In order to fully assess a possible role for DNA methylation in adaptive processes a specifically designed study using natural population data is needed. ispartof: HEREDITY vol:130 issue:4 pages:188-195 ispartof: location:England status: published

La ficción televisiva está en auge en las últimas décadas, sin embargo, pese a los cada vez más numerosos estudios en torno a ella, sus cabeceras no han acaparado la atención que sí han tenido los títulos de crédito cinematográficos. El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar una aproximación centrada en el origen y evolución de estas partículas que forman parte de la arquitectura de la ficción televisiva y que han crecido a la sombra de sus homólogos en la industria cinematográfica. Para ello, se sigue una metodología basada en una revisión bibliográfica a través de las aportaciones disgregadas de diferentes autores. Se consigue así la construcción de una línea evolutiva cronológica compacta que sirve para comprender las estrategias actuales en el diseño de cabeceras de las series de televisión. Television fiction has increased on recent decades, however, despite the increasingly number of studies around it, its openings have not attracted the attention that credit title sequences have. The main aim of present work is to do a qualitative approach focused on the origin and evolution of this particles which form the television fiction's architecture, and they have been developed in the shadow of its counterpart in film industry. For that purpose, it is used a methodology based on a bibliographic review through different author's dispersed contributions. As a result, a chronologic evolution timeline it has been built to understand current strategies on television series opening's design.

Regulatory T cell (Treg) suppression of conventional T cells is a central mechanism that ensures immune system homeostasis. The exact time point of Treg emergence is still disputed. Furthermore, the time of Treg-mediated suppression mechanisms’ emergence has not been identified. It is not yet known whether Treg suppression mechanisms diverged from a single pathway or converged from several sources. We investigated the evolutionary history of Treg suppression pathways using various phylogenetic analysis tools. To ensure the conservation of function for investigated proteins, we augmented our study using nonhomology-based methods to predict protein functions among various investigated species and mined the literature for experimental evidence of functional convergence. Our results indicate that a minority of Treg suppressor mechanisms could be homologs of ancient conserved pathways. For example, CD73, an enzymatic pathway known to play an essential role in invertebrates, is highly conserved between invertebrates and vertebrates, with no evidence of positive selection (w = 0.48, p-value < 0.00001). Our findings indicate that Tregs utilize homologs of proteins that diverged in early vertebrates. However, our findings do not exclude the possibility of a more evolutionary pattern following the duplication degeneration–complementation (DDC) model. Ancestral sequence reconstruction showed that Treg suppression mechanism proteins do not belong to one family; rather, their emergence seems to follow a convergent evolutionary pattern.

There is growing awareness of pollinator declines worldwide. Conservation efforts have mainly focused on finding the direct causes, while paying less attention to building a systemic understanding of the fragility of these communities of pollinators. To fill this gap, we need operational measures of network resilience that integrate two different approaches in theoretical ecology. First, we should consider the range of conditions compatible with the stable coexistence of all of the species in a community. Second, we should address the rate and shape of network collapse once this safe operational space is exited. In this review, we describe this integrative approach and consider several mechanisms that may enhance the resilience of pollinator communities, chiefly rewiring the network of interactions, increasing heterogeneity, allowing variance, and enhancing coevolution. The most pressing need is to develop ways to reduce the gap between these theoretical recommendations and practical applications. This perspective shifts the emphasis from traditional approaches focusing on the equilibrium states to strategies that allow pollination networks to cope with global environmental change. Expected final online publication date for the

Endophytic entomopathogenic species are known to systematically colonize host plants and form symbiotic associations that benefit the plants they live with. The actin-depolymerizing factors (ADFs) are a group of gene family that regulate growth, development, and defense-related functions in plants. Systematic studies of ADF family at the genome-wide level and their expression in response to endophytic colonization are essential to understand its functions but are currently lacking in this field. 14ADF genes were identified and characterized in the Citrus sinensis genome. The ADF genes of C. sinensis were classified into five groups according to the phylogenetic analysis of plant ADFs. Additionally, the cis-acting analysis revealed that these genes play essential role in plant growth/development, phytohormone, and biotic and abiotic responses; and the expression analysis showed that the symbiotic interactions generate a significant expression regulation level of ADF genes in leaves, stems and roots, compared to controls; thus enhancing seedlings' growth. Additionally, the 3D structures of the ADF domain were highly conserved during evolution. These results will be helpful for further functional validation of ADFs candidate genes and provide important insights into the vegetative growth, development and stress tolerance of C. sinensis in responses to endophytic colonization by B. bassiana.

G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical structures formed in guanine (G)-rich sequences through stacked G tetrads by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding. Several studies have demonstrated the existence of G4s in the genome of various organisms, including humans, and have proposed that G4s have a regulatory role in various cellular functions. However, little is known regarding the dissemination of G4s in mitochondria. In this review, we report the observation that the number of potential G4-forming sequences in the mitochondrial genome increases with the evolutionary complexity of different species, suggesting that G4s have a beneficial role in higher-order organisms. We also discuss the possible function of G4s in mitochondrial (mt)DNA and long noncoding (lnc)RNA and their role in various biological processes.

The image of the “Nagas Bathing Siddhartha”, an important theme in Buddhist art, was produced in India and has appeared successively in Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Tibet and other places in China during the process of Buddhism spreading to the east. However, its forms and contents differ in different regions and different periods. Therefore, it is conducive to understand the sinicization process of Indian Buddhist art and can deepen the understanding of the specific contents of Buddhist art exchanges to study the differences. The innovative point of view of this paper is that the distribution of “Nagas Bathing Siddhartha” is “regional,” and the variation of its style reflects the route and regional characteristics of Buddhist transmission. Résumé: L’image du “Dragon baignant le prince” est un thème important dans l’art bouddhique. L’image est née en Inde, et pendant le processus de propagation du bouddhisme vers l’est, elle est apparue dans le Xinjiang, le Gansu, le Qinghai, le Shanxi, le Shaanxi, le Henan, le Shandong, le Jiangsu, le Sichuan, le Tibet et d’autres endroits en Chine. Cependant, la forme et le contenu de ces images sont différents selon les régions et les périodes. L’étude de cette différence est non seulement propice à la compréhension du processus de sinisation de l’art bouddhiste indien, mais approfondit également la compréhension du contenu spécifique de l’échange de l’art bouddhiste l’art entre la Chine et l’Inde.

In this study, we explore the relationship between inter-organizational network dynamics and innovation outcomes. We focus on node turnover and argue that both cluster and broker dynamics can range from low (stable) to high (volatile), resulting in differentiated outcomes. The data comprises 318 consortium members participating in 104 R&D consortia forged in a 23-year period in the Dutch water sector. Our analysis reveals two equifinal combinations (stable brokers – volatile clusters and volatile brokers – stable clusters) that both generate significantly higher innovation outcomes compared to networks with low, moderate, or high dynamics across the entire network.

Understanding how evolutionary pressures related to climate change have shaped the current genetic background of domestic animals is a fundamental pursuit of biology. Here, we generated whole-genome sequencing data from native goat populations in Iraq and Pakistan. Combined with previously published data on modern, ancient (Late Neolithic to Medieval periods), and wild Capra species worldwide, we explored the genetic population structure, ancestry components, and signatures of natural positive selection in native goat populations in Southwest Asia (SWA). Results revealed that the genetic structure of SWA goats was deeply influenced by gene flow from the eastern Mediterranean during the Chalcolithic period, which may reflect adaptation to gradual warming and aridity in the region. Furthermore, comparative genomic analysis revealed adaptive introgression of the KITLG locus from the Nubian ibex (C. nubiana) into African and SWA goats. The frequency of the selected allele at this locus was significantly higher among goat populations located near northeastern Africa. These results provide new insights into the genetic composition and history of goat populations in the SWA region.

Evolution has traditionally been a historical and descriptive science, and predicting future evolutionary processes has long been considered impossible. However, evolutionary predictions are increasingly being developed and used in medicine, agriculture, biotechnology and conservation biology. Evolutionary predictions may be used for different purposes, such as to prepare for the future, to try and change the course of evolution or to determine how well we understand evolutionary processes. Similarly, the exact aspect of the evolved population that we want to predict may also differ. For example, we could try to predict which genotype will dominate, the fitness of the population or the extinction probability of a population. In addition, there are many uses of evolutionary predictions that may not always be recognized as such. The main goal of this review is to increase awareness of methods and data in different research fields by showing the breadth of situations in which evolutionary predictions are made. We describe how diverse evolutionary predictions share a common structure described by the predictive scope, time scale and precision. Then, by using examples ranging from SARS-CoV2 and influenza to CRISPR-based gene drives and sustainable product formation in biotechnology, we discuss the methods for predicting evolution, the factors that affect predictability and how predictions can be used to prevent evolution in undesirable directions or to promote beneficial evolution (i.e. evolutionary control). We hope that this review will stimulate collaboration between fields by establishing a common language for evolutionary predictions.

Blastosporella zonata is one of the few basidiomycete fungi that produce asexual spores (conidia) on the mushroom. The role of these conidia in the fungal lifecycle is not known. We tested whether conidia are being utilized in local dispersal by looking for signatures of clonality in 21 samples from three localities separated by about three kilometres in Murillo, Colombia. To identify clonally related individuals, we sequenced three polymorphic markers at two unlinked loci (nuclear rRNA: ITS and LSU, and TEF1α) for all collections plus three herbarium samples. We identified two sets of clonally related individuals growing closely together in one of the three localities, and only one pair shared between localities. In all three localities we observed multiple non-clonally related dikaryons showing that sexual reproduction is also important. Our results indicate that the conidia on the mushroom are primarily important for local dispersal. Unexpectedly, our results also indicate two reproductively isolated populations, possibly representing cryptic biological species.

Based on phylogenetic analyses of a multi-gene matrix of nuITS-LSUrDNA, RPB2 and TUB2 sequences and morphology, xylariaceous species with uni- to pauciperitheciate stromata and ascospores having a spirally coiling (helicoid) germ slit are revised and reclassified, including detailed descriptions and illustrations. The genus Helicogermslita is redefined and restricted to seven species with massive, erumpent, clypeus-like carbonaceous stromata, and Rosellinia somala is combined in Helicogermslita. Within the core Xylariaceae, the poorly known Leptomassaria simplex is shown to be closely related to Anthostoma insidiosum, for which the new genus Oligo stoma is established, and Anthostoma rhenanum is demonstrated to be synonymous with O. insidiosum. The new genus Albicollum, characterised by immersed ascomata and a collar of white pseudostromatic tissues surrounding the ostioles, is established for Amphisphaeria canicollis, Anthostoma chionostomum, Sordaria (=Helicogermslita) fleischhakii and Anthostoma vincensii. Anthostoma ostropoides is synomymised with Albicollum canicolle, and Al. berberidicola, Al. longisporum and Al. novomexicanum are described as new species. Rosellinia (= Helico-germslita) gaudefroyi is transferred to the new genus Spiririma. Anthostoma amoenum and Euepixylon udum , both with a poroid germ locus, are shown to be only distantly related, and An. amoenum is reclassified within the asexual genus Digitodochium. Based on phylogeny, the genus Euepixylon is treated as a synonym of Nemania. A new species, Nemania ethancrensonii, which is closely related to the two formerly accepted Euepixylon species (E. sphaeriostomum, E. udum) but strongly deviates from the morphological concept of Euepixylon and Nemania, is described from the eastern USA. The genera Anthostomelloides, Clypeosphaeria, Digitodochium, Emarcaea, Induratia, Linosporopsis, Magnostiolata, Occultitheca and Spiririma are revealed to form a morphologically heterogeneous lineage in a basal position of Xylariaceae. Anthostoma vincensii, Quaternaria simplex and Rosellinia gaudefroyi are lectotypified, and Amphisphaeria canicollis, Anthostoma amoenum, An. rhenanum, An. vincensii,Quaternaria simplex, Rosellinia gaudefroyi and Valsa insidiosa are epitypified. Keys to uni- to pauciperitheciate xylariaceous genera with sigmoid to helicoid germ slits and to species of Albicollum are provided.

In the present paper we publish eight new species from New Guinea, H. domaensis, H. gauttierensis, H. liddleana, H. lucida, H. paradisea, H. pulleana, H. tarikuensis, and H. unirana, and one subspecies, H. krusenstierniana subsp. laticorolla. Five taxa were first diagnosed based on specimens at the Leiden herbarium, one species is only known from a collection at Edinburgh and Lae herbaria, while three are based on recently collected specimens. Hoya leucantha, originally described from a specimen in bud, has been identified among herbarium specimens and was also recently recollected. It is therefore fully described and illustrated for the first time.

During extensive surveys of global Phytophthora diversity 14 new species detected in natural ecosystems in Chile, Indonesia, USA (Louisiana), Sweden, Ukraine and Vietnam were assigned to Phytophthora major Clade 10 based on a multigene phylogeny of nine nuclear and three mitochondrial gene regions. Clade 10 now comprises three subclades. Subclades 10a and 10b contain species with nonpapillate sporangia, a range of breeding systems and a mainly soil-and waterborne lifestyle. These include the previously described P. afrocarpa, P. gallica and P. intercalaris and eight of the new species: P. ludoviciana, P. procera, P. pseudogallica, P. scandinavica, P. subarctica, P. tenuimura, P. tonkinensis and P. ukrainensis. In contrast, all species in Subclade 10c have papillate sporangia and are self-fertile (or homothallic) with an aerial lifestyle including the known P. boehmeriae, P. gondwanensis, P. kernoviae and P. morindae and the new species P. celebensis, P. chilensis, P. javanensis, P. multiglobulosa, P. pseudochilensis and P. pseudokernoviae. All new Phytophthora species differed from each other and from related species by their unique combinations of morphological characters, breeding systems, cardinal temperatures and growth rates. The biogeography and evolutionary history of Clade 10 are discussed. We propose that the three subclades originated via the early divergence of pre-Gondwanan ancestors > 175 Mya into water-and soilborne and aerially dispersed lineages and subsequently underwent multiple allopatric and sympatric radiations during their global spread.

Three new species of Breynia are described for Malesia, B. longistyla from Borneo, B. papillosa from New Guinea, and B. suborbicularis from Sulawesi. They are primarily distinguished by characters of indumentum, leaves, and styles. Ten lectotypes and one neotype are designated, and one new synonym is proposed.

The intensity and extent of climate change impacts differ significantly with the geographical and ecological structure of the landscape. This is especially evident in mountain ecosystems where topographic, climatic and biological gradients make them extremely vulnerable to global environmental changes . Designing strategies to mitigate and adapt to global climate change on such local landscapes requires a context-specific vulnerabilities that take into account their particular characteristics. Presently, there are two main challenges in assessing climate change vulnerability in mountain ecosystems: 1) The models that are used for vulnerability assessments at global scales are being used at local scales with broad variables from few sectors that do not capture the range of characteristics of mountain ecosystems 2) indigenous knowledge about climate change are not considered in these models, which makes the implementation of mitigation/adaptation measures less successful. In this study, we highlight these issues drawing from our data collected in India’s Lesser Himalayan region (Darjeeling). We used a mixed research approach that combines a vulnerability assessment model with a participatory knowledge approach. We based climate change vulnerability around the socio-ecological system of the mountain landscape. The results from the interactive process showed that Darjeeling region is experiencing higher climate change vulnerability than the results produced by the model at the subregional level. We highlight critical variables that influence the socio-ecological system and need to be taken into account when assessing vulnerability and future adaptation scenarios. The study offers a decision support process for policymakers to plan climate mitigation/adaptation measures and future sustainability pathways.

Body-size distributions of organisms across environments in space and time are a powerful source of information on ecological and evolutionary processes. However, most studies only focus on selected parameters of size distributions (e.g., central tendency or extremes) and rarely take into account entire distributions and how they are affected by the collection style and facies. Here we analyze the impact of facies, region, taxonomy, and collection style over size distributions using diameter as a proxy of Late Devonian ammonoids in their entirety using non-metric multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA based on Kolmogorov distance. The effects are then compared with effects on mean sizes. In all analyses, lithology was the dominant effect, with sizes greater by 59% in marls and by 33% in limestones, as compared to black shales. The effect of complete sampling style was a decrease in size by 11%. Kurtosis was an important parameter differentiating size distributions, with platykurtic distributions in marls and leptokurtic distributions in limestones, suggesting that this parameter may reflect different degrees of time averaging. Most size distributions were positively skewed, but most strongly in marls. Complete sampling led to skewness values close to zero (symmetrical distributions) and high kurtosis. Samples from higher paleolatitudes were on average smaller, but contained outliers with the largest sizes, highlighting the need to analyze entire distributions. Lithology and collection differences need to be accounted for when evaluating size differences across space (polar gigantism) and time (Lilliput effect). Similarly, differences in facies may affect species determination.

RESUMEN Introducción: La litiasis vesicular en la infancia no es frecuente, pero ha ido en aumento, por causas diversas, como un mayor índice de sospecha por parte del médico, la identificación de factores de riesgo, mayor supervivencia de niños con enfermedades que predisponen a la litiasis biliar entre otros. Objetivo: Describir la prevalencia, características clínicas y evolución post operatoria de lalitiasis vesicular en los pacientes de 0 a 18 años en un hospital pediátrico. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de corte transversal. Pacientes con edad de 0 a 18 años de edad con diagnóstico de litiasis vesicular, que acudieron al Hospital Pediátrico Niños de Acosta Ñu, en el periodo 2015-2020 fueron incluidos. Variables estudiadas edad, sexo, procedencia, factores de riesgo, tiempo de evolución, IMC, tiempo de internación, síntomas, método de diagnóstico, tratamiento, complicaciones. Los datos se analizaron en SPSS utilizando estadística descriptiva. El protocolo fue aprobado por el comité de ética. Resultados: Ingresaron 81 pacientes, con edad de 12.4± 4 años. El 61.7% era de sexo femenino. El 52% de las mujeres presentaron factores de riesgo, así como el 70.9% de varones (p=0.14). Presentó dolor abdominal el 87.6%. La ecografía abdominal fue el método de diagnóstico. El tratamiento más frecuente fue quirúrgico, por cirugía vía laparoscópica en el 95.1%. El período de internación de los pacientes fue de 4 ± 13 días y posterior a la cirugía fue de 1 ± 1.3 días. Conclusión: La prevalencia de litiasis vesicular en la población pediátrica fue de 0.6%, con predominio del sexo femenino. La mayoría de los pacientes tenían algún factor de riesgo, siendo predominante la obesidad. El diagnóstico fue realizado mediante la ecografía abdominal. El tratamiento más frecuente fue el quirúrgico, vía laparoscópica, con buenos resultados obtenidos. ABSTRACT Introduction: Gallbladder lithiasis in childhood is not frequent, but the diagnosis frequency has been increasing, some of the reasons for this include a higher index of suspicion on the physician’s part, identification of risk factors for the condition, higher survival rates of children with diseases that predispose to gallstones. Objective: To describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics and postoperative course of gallbladder lithiasis in patients from 0 to 18 years of age in a pediatric hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study. Patients aged 0 to 18 years with a diagnosis of gallbladder lithiasis, who presented to the Acosta Ñu Children's Hospital, during 2015-2020 were included. Variables studied: age, sex, place of residence, risk factors, evolution time, BMI, hospitalization stay, symptoms, diagnostic method, treatment and complications. Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics. The protocol was approved by the hospital ethics committee. Results: 81 patients were included, with an average age of 12.4 ± 4 years. 61.7% were female. 52% of females had risk factors, as well as 70.9% of males (p=0.14). 87.6% presented abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasound was the most frequent diagnostic method used. The most frequent treatment was laparoscopic surgery, in 95.1%. The average hospitalization duration of the patients was 4 ± 13 days and the average postoperative period was 1 ± 1.3 days. Conclusions: The prevalence of gallbladder lithiasis in the pediatric population was 0.6%, with a predominance of females. Most of the patients had some risk factor, obesity being the most predominant. The diagnosis was made by abdominal ultrasound. The most frequent treatment was laparoscopic surgery, with good results obtained.

With the increasing amounts of available data, learning simultaneously from different types of inputs is becoming necessary to obtain robust and well-performing models. With the advent of representation learning in recent years, lower-dimensional vector-based representations have become available for both images and texts, while automating simultaneous learning from multiple modalities remains a challenging problem. This paper presents an AutoML (automated machine learning) approach to automated machine learning model configuration identification for data composed of two modalities: texts and images. The approach is based on the idea of representation evolution, the process of automatically amplifying heterogeneous representations across several modalities, optimized jointly with a collection of fast, well-regularized linear models. The proposed approach is benchmarked against 11 unimodal and multimodal (texts and images) approaches on four real-life benchmark datasets from different domains. It achieves competitive performance with minimal human effort and low computing requirements, enabling learning from multiple modalities in automated manner for a wider community of researchers.

The pattern of dental replacement in marsupial mammals has received much attention for its derived nature and potential relationship to the life history of the group. However, few species have been studied thoroughly, and little is known about the embryonic structures and their use in addressing issues of homology and dental evolution in general. We studied a developmental series of ten individuals of pouch young Caluromys philander to thoroughly document dental development with histological sections and 3D models of dental series. We report that the successor P3 arises from a lingual successional lamina from its predecessor dP3. The germs of vestigial, unerupted deciduous incisors and canines are present alongside their respective permanent successors. These discoveries demonstrate significant differences from the developmental patterns reported for Didelphis and Monodelphis and illustrate that an unsuspected diversity of dental ontogeny is not reflected in the adult pattern of mineralised, erupted or almost erupted teeth.

Glutamate receptors (GLR) are widely present in animals and plants, playing essential roles in regulating plant growth, development and stress response. At present, most studies of GLRs in plants are focused on Arabidopsis thaliana, while there have been few studies on rice. In this study, we identified 26 OsGLR genes in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Then, we analyzed the chromosomal location, physical and chemical properties, subcellular location, transmembrane (TM) helices, signal peptides, three-dimensional (3D) structure, cis-acting elements, evolution, chromatin accessibility, population variation, gene-coding sequence haplotype (gcHap) and gene expression under multiple abiotic stress and hormone treatments. The results showed that out of the 26 OsGLR genes, ten genes had the TM domain, signal peptides and similar 3D structures. Most OsGLRs exhibited high tissue specificity in expression under drought stress. In addition, several OsGLR genes were specifically responsive to certain hormones. The favorable gcHap of many OsGLR genes in modern varieties showed obvious differentiation between Xian/indica and Geng/japonica subspecies. This study, for the first time, comprehensively analyzes the OsGLR genes in rice, and provides an important reference for further research on their molecular function.

Termiten sind die älteste bekannte – und darüber hinaus eine ökologisch wichtige – Gruppe von eusozialen Insekten. Im Gegensatz zu den eusozialen Hautflüglern werden ihre Kolonien nicht von weiblichen Tieren (Königinnen, Arbeiterinnen, Soldatinnen) beherrscht, sondern beherbergen für gewöhnlich auch Könige, Arbeiter und Soldaten. Die Soldatenkaste ist vor der Arbeiterkaste entstanden. Bei einigen Arten, den sogenannten one-piece-Termiten, die ihr ganzes Leben in demselben Holzstück verbringen, fehlt bis heute eine echter Arbeiterkaste. Primäre Geschlechtstiere können durch sekundäre Geschlechtstiere ersetzt werden. Darüber hinaus leben einige Arten nicht in einer „klassischen Familie“ (ein Elternpaar und ihre Nachkommen), sondern in „patchwork“-Familien oder ersetzen die Primärkönigin durch einen „Harem“ aus Sekundärköniginnen (asexuelle Königinnennachfolge)., Termites are the oldest known – and beyond that an ecological very important – group of eusocial insects. In contrast to the eusocial Hymenoptera their colonies are not dominated by female individuals (queens, workers and sometimes soldiers) but typically also contain kings as well as male workers and soldiers. The soldier caste has evolved earlier than the one of the workers and until today some species, the so called “one-piece” termites which always stay in the same piece of wood, lack a true worker caste. Primary reproductives sometimes can be replaced by secondary reproductives. Moreover, some species do not live in a “classical family” (one pair of parents and their offspring) but in “patchwork families” or replace the primary queen by a kind of “harem” of secondary queens (asexual queen succession).

Prior research on causes of preterm birth has tended to focus on pathophysiological processes while acknowledging the role of socioeconomic indicators. The present research explored a wide range of factors plausibly associated with preterm birth informed by pathophysiological and evolutionary life history perspectives on gestation length. To achieve this, a machine learning ensemble classification data analysis approach, random forest (RF), was applied to the UK Millennium Cohort (18,201 births). The results highlighted the importance of socioeconomic variables and parental age in predicting preterm (before 37 completed weeks) and very preterm (before 32 weeks) birth. Infants born in households with low income and with young fathers had an increased risk of both very preterm and preterm birth. Maternal health and health problems during pregnancy were not found to be useful predictors. The best-performing algorithm was for very preterm birth and had 93% sensitivity and 100% specificity using six variables. Algorithms predicting preterm birth before 37 weeks showed increased error, with out-of-bag error rates of about 7% versus only 1% for those predicting very preterm birth. The poorer performance of algorithms predicting preterm births to 37 weeks of gestation suggests that some preterm birth may not result from pathology related to poor maternal health or social or economic disadvantage, but instead represents normal life-history variation.

The economic and ecologically important genus Eucalyptus is rich in structurally diverse specialized metabolites. While some specialized metabolite classes are highly prevalent across the genus, the cyanogenic glucoside prunasin is only produced by c. 3% of species. To investigate the evolutionary mechanisms behind prunasin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus, we compared de novo assembled transcriptomes, together with online resources between cyanogenic and acyanogenic species. Identified genes were characterized in vivo and in vitro. Pathway characterization of cyanogenic Eucalyptus camphora and Eucalyptus yarraensis showed for the first time that the final glucosylation step from mandelonitrile to prunasin is catalyzed by a novel UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT87. This step is typically catalyzed by a member of the UGT85 family, including in Eucalyptus cladocalyx. The upstream conversion of phenylalanine to mandelonitrile is catalyzed by three cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes from the CYP79, CYP706, and CYP71 families, as previously shown. Analysis of acyanogenic Eucalyptus species revealed the loss of different ortholog prunasin biosynthetic genes. The recruitment of UGTs from different families for prunasin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus demonstrates important pathway heterogeneities and unprecedented dynamic pathway evolution of chemical defense within a single genus. Overall, this study provides relevant insights into the tremendous adaptability of these long-lived trees.

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors Background: Emergency response driving (ERD) is a major occupational risk factor in emergency medical services (EMS). Inadequate communication has been acknowledged as a significant contributing cause for major incidents during ERD. Previous evidence shows that structured communication can promote safety in high-risk procedures, but knowledge in ERD context is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine what are the safety-critical points in ERD that should be secured using structured communication. Method: The nominal group technique (NGT) was used for gathering interview material from ERD experts’ (n = 11) workshop. In addition, semi-structured thematic interviews were conducted with other ERD experts (n = 15) from five different EMS areas in Finland. The interview material was analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results: Using NGT, 13 safety-critical points in ERD requiring the use of structured communication were identified. As a result of the interviews, two main categories were found: 1) Factors affecting the adaptation of the appropriate speed for the current situation and 2) Factors affecting orientation in a driving event. Conclusion: ERD comprises multiple safety-critical points that should be secured using structured communication between ambulance crew members. Pilot and implementation studies exploring the use of structured communication in ERD are needed in the future.

Roughness, defined as unevenness of material surfaces, plays an important role in determining how engineering components or natural objects interact with other bodies and their environment. The emergence of fractal roughness on natural and engineered surfaces across a range of length scales suggests the existence of common processes and mechanisms for nucleation and evolution of roughness. In this article, we review recent advances in understanding the origins of roughness and topography evolution on natural and engineered surfaces and their connection with subsurface deformation mechanisms. Directions for future research toward understanding the origins of roughness on solid surfaces are discussed.