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Ongoing Arctic greening can increase productivity and reindeer pasture quality in the tundra. However, greening may also entail proliferation of unpalatable species, with consequences for pastoral social-ecological systems. Here we show extensive greening across 20 reindeer districts in Norway between 2003 and 2020, which has reduced pasture diversity. The allelopathic, evergreen dwarf-shrub crowberry increased its biomass by 60%, with smaller increases of deciduous shrubs and no increase in forbs and graminoids, the most species rich growth forms. There was no evidence for higher reindeer densities promoting crowberry. The current management decision-making process aims at sustainable pasture management but does not explicitly account for pasture changes and reduced diversity. Large-scale shifts towards evergreening and increased allelopathy may thus undermine the resource base for this key Arctic herbivore and the pastoral social-ecological system. Management that is sensitive to changes in pasture diversity could avoid mismanagement of a social-ecological system in transition.

Ongoing Arctic greening can increase productivity and reindeer pasture quality in the tundra. However, greening may also entail proliferation of unpalatable species, with consequences for pastoral social-ecological systems. Here we show extensive greening across 20 reindeer districts in Norway between 2003 and 2020, which has reduced pasture diversity. The allelopathic, evergreen dwarf-shrub crowberry increased its biomass by 60%, with smaller increases of deciduous shrubs and no increase in forbs and graminoids, the most species rich growth forms. There was no evidence for higher reindeer densities promoting crowberry. The current management decision-making process aims at sustainable pasture management but does not explicitly account for pasture changes and reduced diversity. Large-scale shifts towards evergreening and increased allelopathy may thus undermine the resource base for this key Arctic herbivore and the pastoral social-ecological system. Management that is sensitive to changes in pasture diversity could avoid mismanagement of a social-ecological system in transition.

Las sierras Béticas, con una extensión inferior al 8% de la Península ibérica, contienen el 45% de su flora. Hay casos como el de Sierra Nevada, que representando sólo el 0,4% de la superficie peninsular, contiene el 25% de su flora, alcanzando en las cumbres un 30-40% de endemismos. Con una aproximación multidisciplinar, abordamos la dimensión de la diversidad biológica que albergan, los mecanismos y procesos que la han originado y sustentado y qué amenazas afectan a esta concentración regional tan elevada de biodiversidad., The Betic ranges, with an area of less than 8% of the Iberian Peninsula, contain 45% of its flora. There are cases such as the Sierra Nevada range, which represents only 0.4% of the peninsular surface but contains 25% of its flora, reaching 30-40% endemism in the summits. With a multidisciplinary approach, we address the dimension of the biological diversity they host, the mechanisms and processes that originated and sustained it, and the threats affecting this biodiversity hotspot.

We recently introduced three new parameters that describe the shape of the normalized cumulative radial distribution (nCRD) of the innermost stars in globular clusters and trace the clusters dynamical evolution. Here we extend our previous investigations to the case of a large set of Monte Carlo simulations of globular clusters, started from a broad range of initial conditions. All the models are analyzed at the same age of 13 Gyr, when they have reached different evolutionary phases. The sample of models is well representative of the structural properties of the observed population of Galactic globular clusters. We confirm that the three nCRD parameters are powerful tools to distinguish systems in early stages of dynamical evolution, from those that already experienced core collapse. They might also help disentangle clusters hosting a low-mass intermediate-mass black hole of a few hundred solar masses, from cases with large concentrations of dark remnants in their centers. With respect to other dynamical indicators, the nCRD parameters offer the advantage of being fully empirical and easier to measure from observational data., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 15 pages, 10 figures, 1 table

Plant recruitment interactions (i.e., what recruits under what) shape the composition, diversity, and structure of plant communities. Despite the huge body of knowledge on the mechanisms underlying recruitment interactions among species, we still know little about the structure of the recruitment networks emerging in ecological communities. Modeling and analyzing the community-level structure of plant recruitment interactions as a complex network can provide relevant information on ecological and evolutionary processes acting both at the species and ecosystem levels. We report a data set containing 143 plant recruitment networks in 23 countries across five continents, including temperate and tropical ecosystems. Each network identifies the species under which another species recruits. All networks report the number of recruits (i.e., individuals) per species. The data set includes >850,000 recruiting individuals involved in 118,411 paired interactions among 3318 vascular plant species across the globe. The cover of canopy species and open ground is also provided. Three sampling protocols were used: (1) The Recruitment Network (RN) protocol (106 networks) focuses on interactions among established plants ("canopy species") and plants in their early stages of recruitment ("recruit species"). A series of plots was delimited within a locality, and all the individuals recruiting and their canopy species were identified; (2) The paired Canopy-Open (pCO) protocol (26 networks) consists in locating a potential canopy plant and identifying recruiting individuals under the canopy and in a nearby open space of the same area; (3) The Georeferenced plot (GP) protocol (11 networks) consists in using information from georeferenced individual plants in large plots to infer canopy-recruit interactions. Some networks incorporate data for both herbs and woody species, whereas others focus exclusively on woody species. The location of each study site, geographical coordinates, country

Germination data of sterilized and non-sterilized oak (Quercus ilex) seeds on sterilized and non-sterilized oak and pine soils, added with microbial extracts from oak and pine soils, plus a control of distilled water.

The Church is always concerned about the needs of the needs of people who have some kind of physical, intellectual or sensory limitations and tries to sensory limitations and tries to care for them with with affection, respect and dignity Pope Francis' message for this day Pope Francis' message for this day has as its motto "You are my friends" (Jn 15:14). friends" (Jn 15:14). In it, the HOLY FATHER tells these brothers and sisters tells these brothers and sisters that the Church needs the prayers of people with disabilities "today more urgently than ever more urgently than ever" and that he loves them and needs them "to fulfill her mission at the service of the Gospel. service of the Gospel., La Iglesia siempre se preocupa por las necesidades de las personas que tienen algún tipo de limitación física, intelectual o sensorial y trata de atenderlas con cariño, respeto y dignidad El mensaje del papa Francisco para este día tiene como lema “Ustedes son mis amigos” (Jn, 15, 14). En él, el Santo Padre les dice a estos hermanos y hermanas que la Iglesia necesita de la oración de las personas con discapacidad “hoy más urgente que nunca” y que les ama y les necesita “para cumplir su misión al servicio del Evangelio”.

Pope Francis today acknowledged the potential of new technologies, but urged today the ethical use of artificial intelligence, in an address to participants at a meeting of scientists and experts organized by the Vatican's Dicastery for Education and Culture., El papa Francisco reconoció hoy el potencial de las nuevas tecnologías, pero instó hoy al uso ético de la inteligencia artificial, en un discurso a los participantes en una reunión de nivel de científicos y expertos organizada por el Dicasterio para la Educación y la Cultura del Vaticano.

Illness is part of our human experience. But, if it is lived in isolation and neglect, if it is not accompanied by care and compassion, it can become inhuman., La enfermedad forma parte de nuestra experiencia humana. Pero, si se vive en el aislamiento y en el abandono, si no va acompañada del cuidado y de la compasión, puede llegar a ser inhumana.

The World Day of the Poor, a fruitful sign of the Father's mercy, comes for the seventh time to support the journey of our communities. Father's mercy, comes for the seventh time to support the journey of our communities. It is an appointment that the Church is gradually taking root in its pastoral care, in order to discover more and more the central content of the Gospel. Every day we commit ourselves to welcome the poor, but this is not enough. A river of poverty flows through our cities and grows ever larger until it overflows; this river seems to sweep us away, so much so that the cry of our brothers and sisters who ask for help, support and solidarity becomes ever louder. For this reason, on the Sunday before the feast of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, we gather around His Table to receive from Him, once again, the gift and commitment once again, the gift and the commitment to live poverty and serve poverty and to serve the poor., La Jornada Mundial de los Pobres, signo fecundo de la misericordia del Padre, llega por séptima vez para apoyar el camino de nuestras comunidades. Es una cita que la Iglesia va arraigando poco a poco en su pastoral, para descubrir cada vez más el contenido central del Evangelio. Cada día nos comprometemos a acoger a los pobres, pero esto no basta. Un río de pobreza atraviesa nuestras ciudades y se hace cada vez más grande hasta desbordarse; ese río parece arrastrarnos, tanto que el grito de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que piden ayuda, apoyo y solidaridad se hace cada vez más fuerte. Por eso, el domingo anterior a la fiesta de Jesucristo, Rey del Universo, nos reunimos en torno a su Mesa para recibir de Él, una vez más, el don y el compromiso de vivir la pobreza y de servir a los pobres.

When the Industrial Revolution broke out in England in the England in the 18th century, the smokestacks of Manchester were Manchester chimneys billowing black smoke against the became one of the symbols of the galloping progress of the galloping progress that ushered in a new era in Britain. era in Britain. But it is also, and not not immediately perceived, the beginning of a process process that will gradually have repercussions everywhere in terms of pollution. everywhere in terms of pollution. Francis took this signal when he received a delegation of the "Interfaith Leaders from delegation of the Interfaith Leaders from Greater Manchester, an interfaith group Greater Manchester", an interfaith group from the the British metropolis that has seen the spread of "an enormous "enormous technical and economic progress" along with "an undoubtedly negative impact on the human and natural environment., Cuando estalló la Revolución Industrial en Inglaterra, en el siglo XVIII, las chimeneas de Manchester echando humo negro contra el cielo se convirtieron en uno de los símbolos del progreso galopante que abría una nueva era en Gran Bretaña. Pero es también, y no se percibe inmediatamente, el inicio de un proceso que poco a poco repercutirá en todas partes en términos de contaminación. Francisco tomó esta señal al recibir a una delegación de los “Interfaith Leaders from Greater Manchester”, un grupo interreligioso de la metrópoli británica que vio extenderse “un enorme progreso técnico y económico” junto con “un indudable impacto negativo sobre el medio ambiente humano y natural”.

Overcome the temptation of the virtual over the real, being attentive also to the speed of transformations and keeping in mind that the "type of knowledge that we put into practice "has moral implications in itself". These were some of the Pope's indications to the PAV when reflecting on some challenges regarding science and technology at the service of the dignity of the person., Superar la tentación de lo virtual sobre lo real, estando atentos también a la velocidad de las transformaciones y teniendo en cuenta también que el “tipo de conocimiento que ponemos en práctica “tiene implicaciones morales en sí mismo”. Fueron algunas de las indicaciones del Papa a la PAV al reflexionar sobre algunos desafíos sobre la ciencia y la técnica, al servicio de la dignidad de la persona.

"Let justice and peace flow" is the theme of this year's Ecumenical Time of Creation, inspired by the words of the prophet Amos: "Let justice flow like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream"., “Que la justicia y la paz fluyan” es el tema del Tiempo ecuménico de la Creación de este año, inspirado en las palabras del profeta Amós: «Que el derecho corra como el agua, y la justicia como un torrente inagotable»

We present an analysis of the degree of energy equipartition in a sample of 101 Monte Carlo numerical simulations of globular clusters (GCs) hosting either a system of stellar-mass black holes (BHS), an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) or neither of them. For the first time, we systematically explore the signatures that the presence of BHS or IMBHs produces on the degree of energy equipartition and if these signatures could be found in current observations. We show that a BHS can halt the evolution towards energy equipartition in the cluster centre. We also show that this effect grows stronger with the number of stellar-mass black holes in the GC. The signatures introduced by IMBHs depend on how dominant their masses are to the GCs and for how long the IMBH has co-evolved with its host GCs. IMBHs with a mass fraction below 2% of the cluster mass produce a similar dynamical effect to BHS, halting the energy equipartition evolution. IMBHs with a mass fraction larger than 2% can produce an inversion of the observed mass-dependency of the velocity dispersion, where the velocity dispersion grows with mass. We compare our results with observations of Galactic GCs and show that the observed range of the degree of energy equipartition in real clusters is consistent with that found in our analysis. In particular, we show that some Galactic GCs fall within the anomalous behaviour expected for systems hosting a BHS or an IMBH and are promising candidates for further dynamical analysis., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 14 pages, 11 figures. Main results in Figures 2, 4 and 10 and their respective discussion

The Iberian pig breed includes several well-differentiated strains. The present study evaluated carcass traits, fat deposition and muscle expression of important lipogenic genes (SCD, ME1, ACACA, FASN, EGR1, ACOX and ACLY) using 65 male pigs of 3 Iberian strains (20 Lampiño, 23 Torbiscal, and 22 Retinto) finished either in a conventional, concentrate-based system (CF) or in montanera (MF), a traditional free-range system with acorn feeding. Torbiscal had the highest ham, Longissimus thoracis and prime cuts yields, and the thinnest subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Retinto had the highest monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and percentage of intramuscular fat (IMF), while Lampiño had the greatest content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indexes in SAT. Conventionally finished pigs had the highest ham, L. thoracis and prime cuts yields, and SFA. Montanera-finished animals had the highest PUFA and MUFA contents, and the lowest AI, TI and n6/n3 ratio in SAT. In relation to gene expression, Retinto had the greatest SCD, FASN and ACLY levels. Most studied genes were overexpressed in CF pigs. In conclusion, MF pigs had healthier fat than CF pigs, and Retinto had the healthiest fat and the greatest lipogenic trend in muscle, supported by IMF and lipogenic gene expression.

Aim of study: Intensive agriculture impacts physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil; therefore, the addition of organic matter (OM) to soil can have significant implications for crop production. This study investigated the impact of three crop management systems on tomato production and soil microbial communities in intensive greenhouse farming. Area of study: Province of Almería (Spain). Material and methods: The three crop management systems included: (1) conventional management, using synthetic chemical fertilizers without OM application (CM); (2) conventional management, using synthetic chemical fertilizers with at least one OM application in the last three years (CMOM); and (3) fully organic management, featuring yearly OM applications and no use of synthetic chemical fertilizers (ORG). Main results: Compared to CM soils, OM addition in CMOM and ORG led to higher soil NO3- and NH4+ content, which in turn increased nitrogen (N) availability, leading to an increase in soil respiration. The addition of OM also altered the composition of prokaryotic and fungal soil communities. Besides, the addition of OM reduced the presence and abundance of potential fungal pathogenic organisms, like Sclerotinia sp. and Plectosphaerella cucumerina. OM addition to conventionally managed greenhouses (CMOM) led to higher crop yields compared to CM greenhouses, resulting in an overall increase of 880 g m-2. Production under fully organic management (ORG) was lowest, possibly due to the nutrient and pest management practices used. Research highlights: Our data show the importance of organic matter management in shaping microbial communities in intensive greenhouse systems, which can be a key factor in developing a more sustainable agriculture to feed a growing human population.

Aim of study: Intensive agriculture impacts physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil; therefore, the addition of organic matter (OM) to soil can have significant implications for crop production. This study investigated the impact of three crop management systems on tomato production and soil microbial communities in intensive greenhouse farming. Area of study: Province of Almería (Spain). Material and methods: The three crop management systems included: (1) conventional management, using synthetic chemical fertilizers without OM application (CM); (2) conventional management, using synthetic chemical fertilizers with at least one OM application in the last three years (CMOM); and (3) fully organic management, featuring yearly OM applications and no use of synthetic chemical fertilizers (ORG). Main results: Compared to CM soils, OM addition in CMOM and ORG led to higher soil NO3- and NH4+ content, which in turn increased nitrogen (N) availability, leading to an increase in soil respiration. The addition of OM also altered the composition of prokaryotic and fungal soil communities. Besides, the addition of OM reduced the presence and abundance of potential fungal pathogenic organisms, like Sclerotinia sp. and Plectosphaerella cucumerina. OM addition to conventionally managed greenhouses (CMOM) led to higher crop yields compared to CM greenhouses, resulting in an overall increase of 880 g m-2. Production under fully organic management (ORG) was lowest, possibly due to the nutrient and pest management practices used. Research highlights: Our data show the importance of organic matter management in shaping microbial communities in intensive greenhouse systems, which can be a key factor in developing a more sustainable agriculture to feed a growing human population.

Cushion plants are specialized keystone species of alpine environments that can have a positive effect on ecosystem structure and function. However, we know relatively little about how cushion plants regulate the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities, major drivers of soil processes and ecosystem functioning. Identifying what factors drive the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities in high-elevation ecosystems is also fundamental to predict how global changes will affect their conservation and the services and functions they provide. Thus, we sampled four sites along the southern Andes following the vegetation belt of Azorella cushion species. The field sites spread along a latitudinal gradient and had contrasting levels of aridity, UV-B radiation, mean temperature and soil properties. Overall, Azorella, as well as aridity and UV-B radiation, were the major drivers of the distribution, composition and diversity of soil microbial communities in the studied ecosystems of the Chilean Andes. UV-B radiation affected particularly soil fungi, while soil properties such as pH, total C and N content, essential predictors of microbial diversity globally, had a much lower effect on the composition of soil microbial communities. Understanding the factors driving the structure and composition of microbial communities, particularly the role of cushion plants and the feedbacks between plant, climate and soil is of uttermost importance for the preservation of the functionality of high-elevation ecosystems threatened by climate change. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.

How the relationship between species richness and productivity changes along environmental gradients remains poorly understood. We examined the context dependency of complementarity processes underpinning this relationship (biotic feedbacks, resource partitioning and facilitation) using the framework of Grime's (1973) humped-back model. We considered several scenarios of variation in competition and facilitation along environmental gradients, either monotonic with the most common or intense facilitation at the most abiotically severe end of gradients or nonlinear with the strongest facilitation at intermediate positions along gradients. How competition shifts to facilitation along environmental gradients is a key for determining where the effect of species richness on productivity occurs. Based on the literature, the original Stress Gradient Hypothesis would likely predict that complementarity effects should be the greatest, or the most important, in the most abiotically stressful environments. Alternatively, both the ‘collapse of facilitation’ and the ‘shift back to competition’ scenarios predict that the highest overall complementary effects on productivity, not biomass, would most likely occur at intermediate positions along environmental stress gradients, but this might vary depending on the source of stress. This latter prediction is consistent with a great deal of literature on natural gradients of productivity and species richness. Synthesis. Our predictions illustrate the importance of better understanding the context dependency of complementarity processes and the key role of facilitation along environmental gradients to better focus conservation efforts where ecosystem functioning is more likely to be negatively affected by species loss, in particular in species-rich communities.

This dissertation seeks to understand why immigrants, particularly immigrant women, participate in risky political participation. I argue that immigrants face risk any time that they participate and must make two major risk assessments before they engage in any political act. First, they must identify risk as either primarily a risk to themselves or to their community. Those who prioritize risk to community over self are the most likely to be inclined to participate. I argue that due to the socialization of women as caretakers, immigrant women are more likely than immigrant men to prioritize community. Immigrants must then make a second risk assessment after they have decided to act. They must determine what political acts they can engage in that might minimize or mitigate risk. I argue that this process is done along the lines of their citizenship status. To test these theories, I collected and created a database of immigrant serving organizations in the state of California. I find that a majority of those in community-oriented positions in immigrant serving organizations are women. I then conducted ten in-depth interviews with individuals at these organizations and find that these organizations are crucial in helping immigrants make the two risk assessments described above. I also use two different surveys, the 2020 CCES, where I was able to field two novel measures of community motivation for engagement and the 2016 LINES data set which includes immigrants with different citizenship status. I find that those who are motivated by community orientations have a positive correlation with all forms of political participation. This dissertation adds broadly to the gender and politics and political behavior literatures.

This dissertation seeks to understand why immigrants, particularly immigrant women, participate in risky political participation. I argue that immigrants face risk any time that they participate and must make two major risk assessments before they engage in any political act. First, they must identify risk as either primarily a risk to themselves or to their community. Those who prioritize risk to community over self are the most likely to be inclined to participate. I argue that due to the socialization of women as caretakers, immigrant women are more likely than immigrant men to prioritize community. Immigrants must then make a second risk assessment after they have decided to act. They must determine what political acts they can engage in that might minimize or mitigate risk. I argue that this process is done along the lines of their citizenship status. To test these theories, I collected and created a database of immigrant serving organizations in the state of California. I find that a majority of those in community-oriented positions in immigrant serving organizations are women. I then conducted ten in-depth interviews with individuals at these organizations and find that these organizations are crucial in helping immigrants make the two risk assessments described above. I also use two different surveys, the 2020 CCES, where I was able to field two novel measures of community motivation for engagement and the 2016 LINES data set which includes immigrants with different citizenship status. I find that those who are motivated by community orientations have a positive correlation with all forms of political participation. This dissertation adds broadly to the gender and politics and political behavior literatures.

[EN] In this work, we start from a family of iterative methods for solving nonlinear multidimensional problems, designed using the inclusion of a weight function on its iterative expression. A deep dynamical study of the family is carried out on polynomial systems by selecting different weight functions and comparing the results obtained in each case. This study shows the applicability of the multidimensional dynamical analysis in order to select the methods of the family with the best stability properties.

Autochthonous pig breeds provide products of differentiated quality, among which quality control is difficult to perform and insufficient for current market requirements. The present research evaluates the predictive ability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, combined with chemometric methods as a rapid and affordable tool to assure traceability and quality control. Thus, NIR technology was assessed for intact and minced muscle Longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples collected from 12 European autochthonous pig breeds for the quantification of lipid content and fatty acid composition. Different tests were performed using different numbers of samples for calibration and validation. The best predictive ability was found using minced presentation and set with 80% of the samples for the calibration and the remaining 20% for the external validation test for the following traits: lipid content and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which attained both the highest determination coefficients (0.89, 0.61, and 0.65, respectively) and the lowest root mean square errors in external validation (0.62, 1.82, and 1.36, respectively). Lower predictive ability was observed for intact muscles. These results could contribute to improve the management of autochthonous breeds and to ensure quality of their products by traditional meat industry chains.

Litter decomposition in field experiment. A total of 280 mesocosms were settled under and away of 20 individuals of Z. lotus. The litter boxes thus contained either one single species of litter (20 litter boxes for each species and position treatment), 2-sp mixtures (20 litter boxes for each 2-species combination and position treatment) or 3-sp mixtures (20 litter boxes with the 3-species mixture and position treatment).

Litter decomposition in field experiment. A total of 280 mesocosms were settled under and away of 20 individuals of Z. lotus. The litter boxes thus contained either one single species of litter (20 litter boxes for each species and position treatment), 2-sp mixtures (20 litter boxes for each 2-species combination and position treatment) or 3-sp mixtures (20 litter boxes with the 3-species mixture and position treatment).

Species distributions are driven by abiotic conditions that filter species with specific traits and physiological tolerances and match them with their suitable environment. Plant–plant interactions can constrict (through competition) or loosen (through facilitation) the strength of these environmental filters, which in turn inhibit or enhance establishment and recruitment of plant species at a finer spatial scale. Although competition is often the focus of community assembly processes that further impede the entry of plant species into a site, facilitation is also important for potentially loosening environmental filters (especially climatic filters such as temperature and precipitation), ultimately enhancing species occurrence beyond their physiological optimum. We used multiple data sets from the arid site of Rambla del Saltador Valley to test the hypothesis that facilitation by a nurse-plant promotes the presence of herbaceous, beneficiary species beyond their environmental optimum relative to open sites. Furthermore, we propose that the median elevation and community composition of herbaceous species expands with the age of the nurse-plant, and we tested this hypothesis by examining 105 beneficiary species under 50 nurse-plant shrubs varying in age from 6 to 48 years old. We found nurse-plants both facilitate herbaceous species occurrence beyond their median elevation and support more diverse and a distinctly different composition of species in contrast to open sites. Specifically, herbaceous species that originate from a median elevation more than 600 to 700 m above the site only existed beneath nurse-plants, and below this median elevation, half the species only occurred below the nurse-plant. Moreover, the richness and elevation provenance of the herbaceous species increased with increasing nurse-plant age. Our results highlight the importance of facilitation for alleviating physiological strain (in support of the strain hypothesis) and mediating regional spe

[EN] A technique for generating iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations with memory can be constructed from a method without memory that includes a parameter, provided the parameter is present in the error equation. Generally, the parameter depends on the evaluation of the function and its derivatives in the solution. However, this information is not available. So this parameter is approximated using interpolation techniques, taking the current iterate ¿¿ and the previous iterates ¿¿¿1, ¿¿¿2, . . . In this paper we explore different interpolation techniques to obtain both the convergence order of the new methods and their stability characteristics.

[EN] A technique for generating iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations with memory can be constructed from a method without memory that includes a parameter, provided the parameter is present in the error equation. Generally, the parameter depends on the evaluation of the function and its derivatives in the solution. However, this information is not available. So this parameter is approximated using interpolation techniques, taking the current iterate ¿¿ and the previous iterates ¿¿¿1, ¿¿¿2, . . . In this paper we explore different interpolation techniques to obtain both the convergence order of the new methods and their stability characteristics.

The dynamical evolution of globular clusters (GCs) is tied to their binary population, as binaries segregate to the cluster centre, leading to an increased binary fraction in the core. This central overabundance of mainly hard binaries can serve as a source of energy for the cluster and has a significant effect on the observed kinematics, such as artificially increasing the observed line-of-sight velocity dispersion. We analyse the binary fractions and distributions of 95 simulated GCs, with and without an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) in their centre. We show that an IMBH will not only halt the segregation of binaries towards the cluster centre, but also, directly and indirectly, disrupt the binaries that segregate, thus depleting binaries in the cluster core. We illustrate this by showing that clusters with an IMBH have fewer binaries and flatter radial binary distributions than their counterparts without one. These differences in the binary fraction and distribution provide an additional indicator for the presence of a central IMBH in GCs. In addition, we analyse the effects of the binary fraction on the line-of-sight velocity dispersion in the simulated GCs and find that binaries can cause an overestimation of up to $70\%$ of the velocity dispersion within the core radius. Using recent VLT/MUSE observations of NGC 3201 by Giesers et al. (2019), we find an overestimation of $32.2\pm7.8\%$ in the velocity dispersion that is consistent with the simulations and illustrates the importance of accurately accounting for the binary population when performing kinematic or dynamical analysis., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 14 pages, 12 figures. The main results are shown in Figures 6,7 and 10

[EN] A technique for generating iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations with memory can be constructed from a method without memory that includes a parameter, provided the parameter is present in the error equation. Generally, the parameter depends on the evaluation of the function and its derivatives in the solution. However, this information is not available. So this parameter is approximated using interpolation techniques, taking the current iterate ¿¿ and the previous iterates ¿¿¿1, ¿¿¿2, . . . In this paper we explore different interpolation techniques to obtain both the convergence order of the new methods and their stability characteristics.

Inhibitor of differentiation (ID) proteins are a family of transcription factors that contribute to maintaining proliferation during embryogenesis as they avoid cell differentiation. Afterward, their expression is mainly silenced, but their reactivation and contribution to tumor development have been suggested. In breast cancer (BC), the overexpression of ID1 has been previously described. However, whether the remaining ID genes have a specific role in this neoplasia is still unclear. We studied the mRNA expression of all ID genes by q RT-PCR in BC cell lines and 307 breast carcinomas, including all BC subtypes. Our results showed that ID genes are highly expressed in all cell lines tested. However, ID4 presented higher expression in BC cell lines compared to a healthy breast epithelium cell line. In accordance, ID1 and ID4 were predominantly overexpressed in Triple-Negative and HER2-enriched samples. Moreover, high levels of both genes were associated with larger tumor size, histological grade 3, necrosis and vascular invasion, and poorer patients’ outcomes. In conclusion, ID1 and ID4 may act as biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness and worse prognosis in breast cancer, and they could be used as potential targets for new treatments discover.

Inhibitor of differentiation (ID) proteins are a family of transcription factors that contribute to maintaining proliferation during embryogenesis as they avoid cell differentiation. Afterward, their expression is mainly silenced, but their reactivation and contribution to tumor development have been suggested. In breast cancer (BC), the overexpression of ID1 has been previously described. However, whether the remaining ID genes have a specific role in this neoplasia is still unclear. We studied the mRNA expression of all ID genes by q RT-PCR in BC cell lines and 307 breast carcinomas, including all BC subtypes. Our results showed that ID genes are highly expressed in all cell lines tested. However, ID4 presented higher expression in BC cell lines compared to a healthy breast epithelium cell line. In accordance, ID1 and ID4 were predominantly overexpressed in Triple-Negative and HER2-enriched samples. Moreover, high levels of both genes were associated with larger tumor size, histological grade 3, necrosis and vascular invasion, and poorer patients’ outcomes. In conclusion, ID1 and ID4 may act as biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness and worse prognosis in breast cancer, and they could be used as potential targets for new treatments discover.

The dynamical evolution of globular clusters (GCs) is tied to their binary population, as binaries segregate to the cluster centre, leading to an increased binary fraction in the core. This central overabundance of mainly hard binaries can serve as a source of energy for the cluster and has a significant effect on the observed kinematics, such as artificially increasing the observed line-of-sight velocity dispersion. We analyse the binary fractions and distributions of 95 simulated GCs, with and without an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) in their centre. We show that an IMBH will not only halt the segregation of binaries towards the cluster centre, but also, directly and indirectly, disrupt the binaries that segregate, thus depleting binaries in the cluster core. We illustrate this by showing that clusters with an IMBH have fewer binaries and flatter radial binary distributions than their counterparts without one. These differences in the binary fraction and distribution provide an additional indicator for the presence of a central IMBH in GCs. In addition, we analyse the effects of the binary fraction on the line-of-sight velocity dispersion in the simulated GCs and find that binaries can cause an overestimation of up to $70\%$ of the velocity dispersion within the core radius. Using recent VLT/MUSE observations of NGC 3201 by Giesers et al. (2019), we find an overestimation of $32.2\pm7.8\%$ in the velocity dispersion that is consistent with the simulations and illustrates the importance of accurately accounting for the binary population when performing kinematic or dynamical analysis., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 14 pages, 12 figures. The main results are shown in Figures 6,7 and 10

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are essential for enzymatic conversion of lignocellulose-rich biomass in the context of biofuels and platform chemicals production. Considerable insight into the mode of action of LPMOs has been obtained, but research on the cellulose specificity of these enzymes is still limited. Hence, we studied the product profiles of four fungal Auxiliary Activity family 9 (AA9) LPMOs during their oxidative cleavage of three types of cellulose: bacterial cellulose (BC), Avicel PH-101 (AVI), and regenerated amorphous cellulose (RAC). We observed that attachment of a carbohydrate-binding module 1 (CBM1) did not change the substrate specificity of LPMO9B from Myceliophthora thermophila C1 (MtLPMO9B) but stimulated the degradation of all three types of cellulose. A detailed quantification of oxidized ends in both soluble and insoluble fractions, as well as characterization of oxidized cello-oligosaccharide patterns, suggested that MtLPMO9B generates mainly oxidized cellobiose from BC, while producing oxidized cello-oligosaccharides from AVI and RAC ranged more randomly from DP2-8. Comparable product profiles, resulting from BC, AVI, and RAC oxidation, were found for three other AA9 LPMOs. These distinct cleavage profiles highlight cellulose specificity rather than an LPMO-dependent mechanism and may further reflect that the product profiles of AA9 LPMOs are modulated by different cellulose types.

Background: To date, 750 000 patients with COVID-19 worldwide have required mechanical ventilation and thus are at high risk of acute brain dysfunction (coma and delirium). We aimed to investigate the prevalence of delirium and coma, and risk factors for delirium in critically ill patients with COVID-19, to aid the development of strategies to mitigate delirium and associated sequelae. Methods: This multicentre cohort study included 69 adult intensive care units (ICUs), across 14 countries. We included all patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to participating ICUs with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection before April 28, 2020. Patients who were moribund or had life-support measures withdrawn within 24 h of ICU admission, prisoners, patients with pre-existing mental illness, neurodegenerative disorders, congenital or acquired brain damage, hepatic coma, drug overdose, suicide attempt, or those who were blind or deaf were excluded. We collected de-identified data from electronic health records on patient demographics, delirium and coma assessments, and management strategies for a 21-day period. Additional data on ventilator support, ICU length of stay, and vital status was collected for a 28-day period. The primary outcome was to determine the prevalence of delirium and coma and to investigate any associated risk factors associated with development of delirium the next day. We also investigated predictors of number of days alive without delirium or coma. These outcomes were investigated using multivariable regression. Findings: Between Jan 20 and April 28, 2020, 4530 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to 69 ICUs, of whom 2088 patients were included in the study cohort. The median age of patients was 64 years (IQR 54 to 71) with a median Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II of 40·0 (30·0 to 53·0). 1397 (66·9%) of 2088 patients were invasively mechanically ventilated on the day of ICU admission and 1827 (87·5%) were invasively mechanical ven

The grassland biome supports an enormous diversity of life and includes ecosystems used extensively by humans. Although graminoids lend grasslands their characteristic appearance, forbs are largely responsible for their taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. In terms of abundance, however, forbs often play a subordinate role relative to graminoids. Yet this may be a relatively recent phenomenon; evidence is mounting that forbs comprised a major part of the richness of, and were abundant in, the extensive and highly productive grasslands of the Pleistocene, the so-called “mammoth steppe”. As a legacy of their past prevalence under intensive grazing by megafaunal herbivores, we hypothesize that forbs were, and still are, dependent on niche construction by large mammalian herbivores. We suggest that the high species richness of forbs in grasslands globally merits greater research and conservation attention, and management actions tailored to sustain their abundance and diversity.

Biological diversity depends on multiple, cooccurring ecological interactions. However, most studies focus on one interaction type at a time, leaving community ecologists unsure of how positive and negative associations among species combine to influence biodiversity patterns. Using surveys of plant populations in alpine communities worldwide, we explore patterns of positive and negative associations among triads of species (modules) and their relationship to local biodiversity. Three modules, each incorporating both positive and negative associations, were overrepresented, thus acting as "network motifs." Furthermore, the overrepresentation of these network motifs is positively linked to species diversity globally. A theoretical model illustrates that these network motifs, based on competition between facilitated species or facilitation between inferior competitors, increase local persistence. Our findings suggest that the interplay of competition and facilitation is crucial for maintaining biodiversity.

The impact of plant–plant interactions on species diversity patterns has been broadly addressed in stressful environments, such as alpine ecosystems, where foundation species promote species richness by creating habitat for other species. However, foundation species with contrasting phenotypes might modify the microhabitat differently, which would alter the subordinate community composition, and coincide with distinct feedback effects of those subordinate species on the foundation species. However, the precise interaction mechanisms that facilitate species are not fully understood, especially the relative contribution of above- and below-ground compartments of foundation species to subordinate species and the potential feedbacks they receive. We explored whether two contrasted canopy phenotypes (tight and loose) of the shrub Cytisus galianoi differed in their effects on the microhabitat and on subordinate plant community composition in a dry subalpine system. We also experimentally distinguished the relative contribution of above- (canopy) and below-ground (soil) effects of C. galianoi on the most frequent subordinate species, Festuca indigesta, as well as the reciprocal effects of F. indigesta on C. galianoi. We performed observational and manipulative experiments to assess the influence of phenotypic differences of the shrub on understorey microhabitat and subordinate plant community composition. Reciprocal effects were assessed by removing either F. indigesta from the understorey of the two shrub phenotypes or the C. galianoi canopy from the immediate vicinity of F. indigesta. The two C. galianoi phenotypes differed in mean values of functional traits (like stem density or plant height), modified their understorey microhabitats differently and hosted distinct subordinate communities. Loose phenotypes had more positive effects on community composition and diversity than tight phenotypes. In addition, tight phenotypes simultaneously showed both more positive above

1. Drylands are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world because of the effects of global change and because they are not particularly resilient. Regeneration after disturbance is quite slow and secondary succession can be delayed to the point of nearly stop. This is exacerbated when the community is strongly dominated by a single species able to quickly respond after disturbance. One example of such monospecific dominance is the colonization of abandoned fields in SE Spain by an early successional and native tussock grass, Lygeum spartum, that seems to halt succession. 2. Here we tested the competitive ability of Lygeum against Salsola oppositifolia, a shrub species that can be found interspersed with Lygeum in mid‐successional stages, and assessed how plant–soil interactions mediate the outcome of plant– plant competition. To do so, we sowed seeds and grew plants of Lygeum and Salsola in either intra‐ or interspecific competition under controlled conditions using sterile field soils inoculated with either live (i.e., with micro‐organisms) or sterile soil extracts from the understories of either Lygeum or Salsola. Soil nutrient content, seed germination rate, and shoot mass growth were determined after 5 months, and soil bacterial communities were characterized by sequencing. 3. Lygeum soil micro‐organisms and soil properties, such as the high content of N and organic matter, enhanced seed germination rate of Lygeum individuals. By contrast, Salsola adults outperformed Lygeum when growing in interspecific competition. 4. Synthesis. The enhanced competitive ability of Lygeum, which was mediated by soil micro‐organisms, may lead to complete dominance of Lygeum in the plant community right after abandonment of agricultural fields. However, when the plant community is already developed, Lygeum would be unable to enforce such dominance. We conclude that positive plant–soil feedbacks combined with certain plant traits such as clonal growth support the strong res

[EN] The third-order iterative method designed by Weerakoon and Fernando includes the arithmetic mean of two functional evaluations in its expression. Replacing this arithmetic mean with different means, other iterative methods have been proposed in the literature. The evolution of these methods in terms of order of convergence implies the inclusion of a weight function for each case, showing an optimal fourth-order convergence, in the sense of Kung-Traub's conjecture. The analysis of these new schemes is performed by means of complex dynamics. These methods are applied on the solution of the nonlinear Colebrook-White equation and the nonlinear system of the equilibrium conversion, both frequently used in Chemistry.

[EN] Iterative methods with memory for solving nonlinear systems have been designed. For approximating the accelerating parameters the Kurchatov's divided difference is used as an approximation of the derivative of second order. The convergence of the proposed schemes is analyzed by means of Taylor expansions. Numerical examples are shown to compare the performance of the proposed schemes with other known ones, confirming the theoretical results.

[EN] In this work, two Traub-type methods with memory are introduced using accelerating parameters. To obtain schemes with memory, after the inclusion of these parameters in Traub's method, they have been designed using linear approximations or the Newton's interpolation polynomials. In both cases, the parameters use information from the current and the previous iterations, so they define a method with memory. Moreover, they achieve higher order of convergence than Traub's scheme without any additional functional evaluations. The real dynamical analysis verifies that the proposed methods with memory not only converge faster, but they are also more stable than the original scheme. The methods selected by means of this analysis can be applied for solving nonlinear problems with a wider set of initial estimations than their original partners. This fact also involves a lower number of iterations in the process.

[EN] The stability analysis of a new family of iterative methods with memory is introduced. This family, designed from Traub's method, allows to add memory through the introduction of an accelerating parameter. Hence, the speed of convergence of the iterative method increases up to 3.30, with no new functional evaluations. A dynamical study of the proposed family on quadratic polynomials is presented obtaining interesting qualitative properties.

[EN] The third-order iterative method designed by Weerakoon and Fernando includes the arithmetic mean of two functional evaluations in its expression. Replacing this arithmetic mean with different means, other iterative methods have been proposed in the literature. The evolution of these methods in terms of order of convergence implies the inclusion of a weight function for each case, showing an optimal fourth-order convergence, in the sense of Kung-Traub's conjecture. The analysis of these new schemes is performed by means of complex dynamics. These methods are applied on the solution of the nonlinear Colebrook-White equation and the nonlinear system of the equilibrium conversion, both frequently used in Chemistry.

[EN] Iterative methods with memory for solving nonlinear systems have been designed. For approximating the accelerating parameters the Kurchatov's divided difference is used as an approximation of the derivative of second order. The convergence of the proposed schemes is analyzed by means of Taylor expansions. Numerical examples are shown to compare the performance of the proposed schemes with other known ones, confirming the theoretical results.