Search

A variety of traits is available for predators to distinguish unpalatable prey from palatable Batesian mimics. Among them, body size has received little attention as a possible mimetic trait. Size should influence predator behaviour if it shows variation between models and mimics, is detectable by the predator in question, and is not overshadowed by other traits more salient to the predator. Simple predictions within mimetic populations are that perfect mimics receive the lowest predation rate. However, prey body size is typically tightly linked to the nutritional yield and handling time for a successful predator, as well as likely being correlated with a model’s levels of defence. In certain circumstances, these confounding factors might mean that (a) selection pressures on a mimic’s size either side of the model’s phenotype are not symmetrical, (b) the optimal body size for a mimic is not necessarily equal to that of the model, and/or (c) for predators, attacking better mimics of a model’s body size more readily is adaptive. I discuss promising avenues for improving our understanding of body size as a mimetic trait, including the importance of treatments that range in both directions from the model’s size. Further work is required to understand how body size ranks in saliency against other mimetic traits such as pattern. Comparative studies could investigate whether mimics are limited to resembling only models that are already similar in size.

Commercially available broadband echosounders have the potential to classify acoustic targets based on their scattering responses, which are a function of their species-specific morphological and physiological properties. This is particularly important in complex environments with biologically diverse fish assemblages. Using theoretical acoustic scattering models among 130 fishes across six species, we examine the potential to classify reef fish based on the fine-scale gas-bearing swim bladder morphology quantified from three-dimensional computed-tomography models. Modeled echoes of the swim bladder for an incident broadband sound source (30–200 kHz) and across a range of orientation angles (±44°) are acoustically simulated using the boundary element method. Backscatter models present characteristics that are consistent within species and distinguishable among them. Broadband and multifrequency echoes are classified and compared with Bayesian, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbor, and convolutional neural network estimators. Classifiers have higher accuracies (>70%) when noise is not present and perform better when applied to broadband spectra than multifrequency data (42, 70, 100, 132, 160, 184 kHz). The modeling and classification approaches presented indicate that a taxonomic distinction based on morphologically dependent scattering responses is possible and may provide the capacity to acoustically discriminate among fish species.

Venous sinus stenting (VSS) for medically refractory idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is emerging as a safe and effective alternative to shunting. However, stent navigation past the jugular bulb with commonly used carotid stenting systems via femoral access in cases with tortuous venous anatomy can present a challenge, leading to procedural failure. We present a technical refinement using a cervical access and peripheral vascular stent with a more stable 0.035-inch delivery platform as an alternative to the traditional approach to simplify the procedure and overcome the technical difficulties in cases with tortuous venous anatomy. Our institutional database for patients who had IIH and undergone VSS using the peripheral vascular stent between 2013 and 2023 was retrospectively reviewed. Data on 36 patients (33 women, 3 men, mean age 32 years) was collected. VSS was technically successful in all patients (100%) without major complications or thrombosis. There was one case of minor neck cellulitis treated with oral antibiotics. Three patients underwent repeat stenting, and 2 patients had ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement after stenting due to persistent or recurrent symptoms. All patients (100%) had improvement or resolution of papilledema; however, six patients had evidence of optic atrophy and persistent vision loss. Headache was resolved or improved in 91% of patients. In the presence of tortuous venous anatomy, VSS using cervical access and a peripheral vascular stent with a more stable 0.035-inch delivery platform can be considered as a safe and effective alternative approach with shorter procedure time. This approach is particularly advantageous in situations where the procedure is prolonged or high dose of contrast has been administered due to the technical challenges associated with the traditional use of carotid systems via femoral access for stent delivery.

This work presents the first observationally-based study over subtropical South America linking the spatial location of convection and drier soil patches of the order of tens of kilometers, as well as observational evidence of the control of background flow on the sign of SM-PPT feedbacks at convective scales. Using satellite data from multiple infrared and microwave radiometers, we track nascent, daytime convective clouds over subtropical South America and quantify the underlying, antecedent (morning), SM heterogeneity. We find that convection initiates preferentially on the dry side of strong dry-wet SM boundaries that are associated with spatially drier and warmer patches of tens of kilometers scale consistent with findings in other parts of the world. This preference maximizes during weak background low-level wind, high convective available potential energy, low convective inhibition and low vegetation density when analyzing surface gradients of 30 km length scale. On the other hand, surface gradients of 100 km length scale are significantly associated with afternoon convection during convectively unfavorable synoptic conditions and strong background flow, unlike previous studies. The location of the precipitation maxima following CI onset is most sensitive to the lower tropospheric background flow at the time of CI. The wind profile during weak background flow does not support propagation of convective features away from the dry regions and rainfall accumulates over the dry patch. Convection during strong background flow leads to greater rainfall hundreds of kilometers away from the CI location.

The land surface is a key source of predictability for forecasts at the subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S; 2 weeks to 2 months) timescale, since variables such as root zone soil moisture and leaf area vary more slowly than the atmospheric state. Previous work has mostly focused on the predictability gained from realistic soil moisture initialisations. Considering observable land surface variables, vegetation shows more persistent changes than surface soil moisture following subseasonal rainfall events, and therefore has the potential to provide predictability at longer lead times. We therefore perform the first investigation of vegetation feedbacks onto near-surface air temperatures using global daily data, to ascertain in which regions and seasons these feedbacks can provide S2S predictability. We use daily datasets of Vegetation Optical Depth (VOD, from the VODCA X-band product) and 2m temperature (from ERA5) at 0.25° horizontal resolution, and compute lagged correlations to identify where spatial structures in VOD anomalies are associated with similar structure in 2m temperature anomalies. Using daily data allows us to investigate how the correlations decay as a function of lead time within the S2S timescale. At zero lag, water-limited regions exhibit negative correlations, indicating that an increase in vegetation water content is associated with increased evapotranspiration and reduced sensible heat, leading to cooler near-surface air temperatures. We find extensive regions in the semi-arid tropics and sub-tropics where at certain times of year VOD anomaly patterns are anti-correlated with temperature patterns 2 weeks ahead. These periods tend to occur outside of the wettest time of year. In some regions, e.g. southern Africa in MAM, predictability of temperature from VOD anomalies extends to lags of 30 days, suggesting that incorporating vegetation variability can improve S2S forecasting. We develop a model for the strength and persistence of vegetation feedbacks to near-surface temperatures based on seasonal cycles of rainfall and vegetation.

Across East Africa, sub-seasonal rainfall variability predominately depends on the phase of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO). Rainfall is enhanced during MJO phases 2 to 4, and suppressed during phases 6 to 8. Given that MJO-induced anomalous precipitation can persist beyond several days, a significant surface response is expected. Using earth observations and reanalysis data, this work illustrates how MJO-induced precipitation anomalies promote a surface response which feeds back onto local and regional atmospheric conditions. MJO-induced rainfall suppression across East Africa decreases surface soil moisture across semi-arid regions including southern South Sudan, western Kenya and northern Uganda. In regions predominately covered in grass and cropland, reduced soil moisture increases surface sensible heat fluxes and elevates land surface temperatures. A drier and warmer surface promotes an increased boundary-layer height and reduces surface pressure. We identify that spatial variations in the surface response to MJO-induced anomalous precipitation, impacts the intensity of the Turkana jet. Across southern South Sudan and in the exit region of the Turkana jet, reduced soil moisture increases land and near-surface temperatures, whilst in north-east Kenya and in the entrance region of the jet, no land surface temperature response is observed. The difference in surface response between the jet entrance and exit regions increases the pressure gradient along the Turkana channel, and thus intensifies the jet. Since the intensity of the Turkana jet controls the transportation of moisture from low-lying regions of East Africa into Central Africa, we highlight that surface-induced variations in jet intensity impacts rainfall totals across East Africa. Furthermore, due to the Turkana jet response to spatial variations in surface warming, we also identify that the magnitude of MJO-induced anomalous precipitation is influenced by surface conditions prior an MJO event. For example, when the surface over southern South Sudan is anomalously dry, MJO-induced precipitation suppression is greater. This presentation will highlight that to fully exploit predictability from the MJO, forecast models must correctly represent surface processes and land-atmosphere interactions. Future work evaluating sub-seasonal forecast models and improving the representation of land-atmosphere interactions will enhance the lead-time of early warning systems.

Convection-permitting (CP) climate simulations represent a major advance in capturing land surface effects on convection. From observational analyses in West Africa, we know that land surface conditions are a major driver of storm initiation as well as intensification during later stages of the storm life cycle. Dry soils of 10 km to several 100s of km scale can cause anomalous warming of the planetary boundary layer and affect horizontal circulations, regional moisture convergence as well as instability. However, to date it remains unclear whether, in a warming climate, larger and more intense storms may change the scale and frequency of surface patterns, feeding back on these identified processes. Here, we evaluate the ability of a pioneering convection-permitting (4.4km) pan-African climate simulation to capture the observed land effects on the pre-convective environment in West Africa and subsequent storm characteristics. This is compared to a CP climate projection representing a decade under a very high emission scenario around 2100 in order to reveal potential changes in process interactions and consequences for organised convection in the future.

Purpose: Exploring antecedents of flawed wine purchase intention, this study attempts to assess consumer acceptance leading to the purchase or consumption of a flawed wine product as well as build a profile of flawed wine consumers. Design/Methodology/Approach: A survey, from Amazon Mechanical Turk (Mturk) with 260 valid survey responses collected. ANOVA with post hoc testing was used to analyze the data. Findings: Results reflect that attitude, subjective knowledge, perceived behavioral control, perceived risk, and sensory appeal all significantly influence intent to purchase a flawed wine product. Additionally, environmental attitude significantly influences their intent to purchase wines with flaws and their attitude toward flawed wine. Originality: To date, no research has explored consumer acceptance of flawed wines. This study attempted to fill a gap in the literature and add to the overall body of knowledge regarding flawed wines and consumer understanding/acceptance of flawed wines, as well as generating a profile of potential flawed wine consumers. Research Limitations/Implications: Consumer panel data is not as rich as an experimental study design; however, this work starts an academic conversation on flawed wine and provides a foundation for future research. Practical Implications: The results of this study offer practical opportunities, from educating consumers toward a richer understanding of wine flaws; promotional opportunities for wine producers with a product to be disposed of, enhancing revenue generation; and how sensory appeal and environmental concern are beneficial to furthering the understanding and predictability of consumer intentions to purchase flawed wines.

PurposeThis research aimed to fill several gaps in the tipping literature which has overlooked the server's perspective in identifying and understanding variables that influence a tip amount and therefore where they concentrate their efforts during the service encounter. Furthermore, the extant literature has theorized how or why certain variables influence the tip amount, but these studies fail to capture insight from server's which would supplement the theory and provide a more in-depth understanding of the mechanisms at play.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a grounded theory approach using semi-structured one-on-one interviews with tipped restaurant employees who were identified and selected using snowball sampling. Content analysis is employed to code and categorize the data.FindingsThe content analysis revealed five categories where servers focus their time and effort to earn tips: service quality, connection, personal factors, expertise and food quality. The server's personality was identified as a variable the tipping literature has largely ignored as a determinant of the tip amount. Server's shift their style of service for groups of eight or more people, and for regular customers, who must dine in the restaurant at least once per week. Lastly, despite the many drawbacks associated with working for tips, servers would not want to replace it with any other method of compensation.Originality/valueThis is the first qualitative study focused on understanding the server's role in the service exchange relationship since McCarty et al. (1990) study. The results provide new insights on the often-studied variables from the tipping literature.

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) dominate rainfall and its extremes in most parts of West Africa, frequently producing flash floods that results in major damage and loss of life. As West African storms are already intensifying, these effects are expected to become more frequent and severe under climate-change and rapid urban expansion. To help mitigate these impacts, we co-developed a prototype nowcasting system with West African meteorological services based on conditioned climatologies of MCSs as seen from the Meteosat Second Generation satellites since 2004. The system is now being trialled for improving storm nowcasts for up to 6 hours ahead and for the first time incorporates near real-time remotely-sensed land surface information (land surface temperature, soil moisture) to increase storm predictability due to surface effects on convective instability, moisture convergence and regions of high wind shear. We will present the workflow of this nowcasting system and will discuss our current understanding of the land surface effects that play a role for storm development and prediction in the region. Crucially, the developed nowcasting system is computationally inexpensive to run operationally once set up, can be combined with existing forecast workflows, and achieves skill in the absence of rainfall radar, which is not available over most of Africa. Lessons learnt on co-developing nowcasting tools and further development steps will be discussed.

Purpose This study aims to present theory, practice and original research findings to support the proposition that broad enquiry and problem-based learning (EPBL) approaches provide an appropriate pedagogical lens for sustainability educators to develop the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively within mission-oriented innovation policy (MIP) environments. Design/methodology/approach The research study comprised four elements, each of which used different research methods. The first element involved a literature review mapping the synergies between MIP and EPBL; the second element piloted the use of EPBL for undergraduate modules related to sustainability challenges; the third element involved external stakeholders in the co-creation of a postgraduate programme that brought together innovation and sustainability, with EPBL fundamental to the design and development; the fourth element curated and comparatively analysed international cases of EPBL in the context of MIP, and sustainability challenges in particular, highlighting the versatility of EPBL and the importance of creativity in EPBL design and implementation. Findings The systematic literature review reveals synergies between the key features of EPBL and defining characteristics of MIP, indicating the relevance of applying EPBL to support MIP. Two in situ pilots generated 13 recommendations on the benefits and operational challenges of applying EPBL. These recommendations informed the design and development of a postgraduate programme, involving a transdisciplinary consultation process with key industrial and societal stakeholders. Comparative analysis of four international case studies describing EPBL applied in practice in different international settings show there is no “one size fits all”. Instead, the application of EPBL to different sustainability challenges and for different learner groups demonstrates the versatility of the pedagogical approach and the creativity of the sustainability educators. Originality/value A discourse around the appropriate pedagogical methods and teaching/learning practice to equip the current and future workforce with the knowledge and skills to respond to MIP and global sustainability challenges is nascent but emerging. This paper makes a scientific and practical contribution to the discourse. The authors show how EPBL can underpin the design of programmes to provide learners with the knowledge and skills to support organisations working effectively within an MIP context, especially addressing sustainability challenges. The authors provide recommendations for educators seeking to embed EPBL within their curriculum and call for external stakeholders to proactively engage with educators to co-create programmes with context-specific outcomes.

Exposure to blue light before bedtime is purported to be deleterious to various aspects of human health. In chicks, blue evening light stimulated ocular growth, suggesting a role in myopia development. To further investigate this hypothesis, we asked if brief blue light altered the compensatory responses to hyperopic defocus.Previous work showed that several hours evening exposure to blue light stimulated ocular growth in chicks, but morning exposure was only effective at a lower illuminance. By contrast, rearing in blue light is inhibited ocular growth in untreated eyes and eyes exposed to form deprivation or defocus. We studied the effects of brief exposures to blue light on the compensation to hyperopic defocus.Chicks wore monocular negative lenses (-10D) starting at age 10d. They were subsequently exposed to blue light (460 nm) for 4 h in the morning or evening for 8-9 days ("dim": 200 lux: morning n = 9, evening n = 11; "bright": 600 lux: morning n = 8, evening n = 20); controls wore lenses in white light (n = 14). Ultrasonography was done on days 1, 5, 8 and 9 for "evening" groups, and days 1, 6 and 8 for "morning". All data are reported as interocular differences (experimental minus fellow eyes). Refractions were measured on the last day.For evening exposure, dim blue light enhanced the axial compensation at all times (change in axial length: d6: 465 vs 329 μm/9d, ANOVA P.001, P = .03; d9: 603 vs 416 μm/9d, ANOVA p.001; P.05). Bright blue light had a transient inhibitory effect (day 5: 160 μm vs 329 μm; P.005). Refractive errors were consistent with axial growth, with "dim" causing more myopia than "bright" (-9.4 D vs -4.7 D; P.05). Morning blue light had no significant effect.We speculate that these findings reflect a complex interaction between illuminance, defocus and time of day.

Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant cause of hospitalizations in older adults and typically circulates during the fall and winter in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic and implementation of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) including masking, improved handwashing, and social distancing likely impacted RSV circulation. To explore the pandemic’s impact on RSV seasonality and hospitalizations in adults aged ≥18 years, we analyzed laboratory-confirmed RSV-associated hospitalizations through the RSV Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RSV-NET) across four seasons. Methods RSV-NET is a population-based surveillance system that collects data on RSV-associated hospitalizations across 75 counties in 12 states. An RSV-NET case is a resident of a defined catchment area who tests positive for RSV through a clinician-ordered test within 14 days prior to or during hospitalization. Surveillance was conducted October–April for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 pre-pandemic seasons and October 2020–September 2021 (2020-21 season). Available data October 2021-February 2022 (ongoing 2021-22 season) are presented. Results 2,536, 3,195, 618, and 1,758 laboratory-confirmed hospitalizations were identified in adults ≥18 years in 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22, respectively; case counts were 4.1 and 5.2 times higher in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively, than in 2020-2021. Hospitalizations peaked in January for pre-pandemic and 2021-22 seasons and in September for 2020-21 (Figure). For all years combined, 16.2%, 23.4%, 33.3%, and 27.1% of all RSV-associated hospitalizations were among those aged 18-49, 50-64, 65-79 and ≥80 years, respectively. Laboratory-confirmed RSV-associated hospitalizations in adults ≥18 years, October 2018 – February 2022 Conclusion Laboratory-confirmed RSV-associated hospitalizations in adults were lower during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons compared with pre-pandemic seasons, with a marked change in seasonal patterns in 2020-21, likely because of NPIs implemented during the pandemic. Continued monitoring of RSV-associated hospitalizations will be critical to understand ongoing changes in RSV circulation that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and associated NPIs. Disclosures Evan J. Anderson, MD, GSK: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Grant/Research Support|Janssen: Advisor/Consultant|Janssen: Grant/Research Support|Kentucky Bioprocessing, Inc: Data Safety Monitoring Board|MedImmune: Grant/Research Support|Medscape: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Micron: Grant/Research Support|NIH: Funding from NIH to conduct clinical trials of Moderna and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines|PaxVax: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Regeneron: Grant/Research Support|Sanofi Pasteur: Advisor/Consultant|Sanofi Pasteur: Grant/Research Support|Sanofi Pasteur: Data Adjudication and Data Safety Monitoring Boards|WCG and ACI Clinical: Data Adjudication Board Maya Monroe, MPH, CDC -Emerging Infections Program: Grant/Research Support.

Background Coinfections, both bacterial and viral, occur with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but prevalence, risk factors, and associated clinical outcomes are not fully understood. Methods We used the Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET), a population-based surveillance platform to investigate the occurrence of viral and bacterial coinfections among hospitalized adults with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during March 2020 and February 2022. Patients receiving additional standard of care (SOC) molecular testing for viral pathogens (14 days prior to admission or 7 days after), including respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV), influenza, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza viruses, and endemic coronaviruses, were included. SOC testing for clinically relevant bacterial pathogens (7 days before admission or 7 days after) from sputum, deep respiratory, and sterile sites were included. The demographic and clinical features of those with and without bacterial infections were compared. Results Among 2,654 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and tested for all 7 virus groups, another virus was identified in 3.1% of patients. RV/EV (1.2%) and influenza (0.4%) were the most commonly detected viruses. Half (17,842/35,528, 50.2%) of hospitalized adults with COVID-19 had bacterial cultures taken within 7 days of admission, and 1,092 (6.1%) of these had a clinically relevant bacterial pathogen. A higher percentage of those with a positive culture died compared to those with negative cultures (32.3% vs 13.3%, p< 0.001). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common isolate overall; Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the second most common respiratory isolate (Figure 1). Figure 1:Microbial cultures from hospitalized sampled adults with COVID-19 from Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) from March 2020 to February 2022 with bacterial pathogens detected in sputum, deep respiratory, or blood cultures within 7 days of admission. This figure includes 1,408 bacterial cultures from 1,066 individuals. Deep respiratory sites include endotracheal aspirate, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, bronchial washings, pleural fluid, and lung tissue. Commensal organisms were excluded. Conclusion Consistent with previous studies, a relatively low proportion of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 had concomitantly identified viral or bacterial infections. Identification of a bacterial infection within 7 days of admission is associated with increased mortality among adults hospitalized with COVID-19. Conclusions about the clinical relevance of bacterial infections is limited by the retrospective nature of this study. Disclosures Evan J. Anderson, MD, GSK: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Grant/Research Support|Janssen: Advisor/Consultant|Janssen: Grant/Research Support|Kentucky Bioprocessing, Inc: Data Safety Monitoring Board|MedImmune: Grant/Research Support|Medscape: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Micron: Grant/Research Support|NIH: Funding from NIH to conduct clinical trials of Moderna and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines|PaxVax: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Regeneron: Grant/Research Support|Sanofi Pasteur: Advisor/Consultant|Sanofi Pasteur: Grant/Research Support|Sanofi Pasteur: Data Adjudication and Data Safety Monitoring Boards|WCG and ACI Clinical: Data Adjudication Board.

Craft distilleries, despite excessive barriers to entry, are growing in sales volume and number of locations each year, and as a result, the distilled spirits segment is taking market share away fr...

Background and Purpose: The AFFINITY trial (Assessment of Fluoxetine in Stroke Recovery) reported that oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and seizures. After trial medication was ceased at 6 months, survivors were followed to 12 months post-randomization. This preplanned secondary analysis aimed to determine any sustained or delayed effects of fluoxetine at 12 months post-randomization. Methods: AFFINITY was a randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adults (n=1280) with a clinical diagnosis of stroke in the previous 2 to 15 days and persisting neurological deficit who were recruited at 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (4), and Vietnam (10) between 2013 and 2019. Participants were randomized to oral fluoxetine 20 mg once daily (n=642) or matching placebo (n=638) for 6 months and followed until 12 months after randomization. The primary outcome was function, measured by the modified Rankin Scale, at 6 months. Secondary outcomes for these analyses included measures of the modified Rankin Scale, mood, cognition, overall health status, fatigue, health-related quality of life, and safety at 12 months. Results: Adherence to trial medication was for a mean 167 (SD 48) days and similar between randomized groups. At 12 months, the distribution of modified Rankin Scale categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.76–1.14]; P =0.46). Compared with placebo, patients allocated fluoxetine had fewer recurrent ischemic strokes (14 [2.18%] versus 29 [4.55%]; P =0.02), and no longer had significantly more falls (27 [4.21%] versus 15 [2.35%]; P =0.08), bone fractures (23 [3.58%] versus 11 [1.72%]; P =0.05), or seizures (11 [1.71%] versus 8 [1.25%]; P =0.64) at 12 months. Conclusions: Fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke had no delayed or sustained effect on functional outcome, falls, bone fractures, or seizures at 12 months poststroke. The lower rate of recurrent ischemic stroke in the fluoxetine group is most likely a chance finding. Registration: URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au/ ; Unique identifier: ACTRN12611000774921.

Biogeographic assessments aim to determine spatial and temporal distributions of organisms and habitats to help inform resource management decisions. In marine systems, rapid technological advances in sensors employed for biogeographic assessments allow scientists to collect unprecedented volumes of data, yet it remains challenging to visually and intuitively convey these sometimes massive spatial or temporal data as actionable information in geographically relevant maps or virtual models. Here, we provide a case study demonstrating an approach to bridge this data visualization gap by displaying coastal ocean data in a 3D, interactive online format. Our case study documents a workflow that provides resource managers, stakeholders, and the general public with a platform for direct exploration of and interaction with 3D data from hydrographically mapping shipwrecks and marine life on the continental shelf of North Carolina, USA. We simultaneously mapped shipwrecks and their associated fish using echosounders. A multibeam echosounder collected high-resolution multibeam bathymetry of the shipwrecks and detected the broad extent of fish schools. A calibrated splitbeam echosounder detected individual fish and fish schools. After processing the echosounder data, we built an interactive, online 3D data visualization web application complemented by multimedia and story text using ESRI geographic information systems. The freely available visual environment, called “Living Shipwrecks 3D,” allows direct engagement with the biogeographic assessment data in a customizable format. We anticipate that additional interactive 3D data applications can be constructed using a similar workflow allowing seamless exploration of complex spatial data used in biogeographic assessments.

In West Africa, the increase in the frequency of extreme rainfall in the context of global warming accentuates the risk of damaging floods, particularly in cities that concentrate a rapidly a rapidly growing population. Decision-makers and managers in charge of hydrological risks are increasingly aware of the challenges raised climate change, but their ability to define suitable adaptation strategies remains limited by the lack of tangible and usable scientific information. On the other hand, scientists are developing increasingly sophisticated knowledge on climate change and hydrological impacts in West Africa but are often struggling to translate research results into operational and usable decision support tools.What is now commonly referred to as the "knowledge-action gap" calls for strengthening the link between scientists and decision-makers and requires the implementation of co-construction strategies that sometimes push actors and scientists to move out of their comfort zone.Here we will present two attempts of co-construction experiments conducted between 2016 and 2021 within the AMMA2050 program. The first experiment concerns the development of intensity-duration-frequency curves in collaboration with the national meteorological service of Senegal (ANACIM) in order to integrate these curves into the agency's operational climate services. The second experiment is an attempt to co-construct a climate-hydrology-flood modeling chain between scientists and decision-makers involved in urban planning for the future management of urban floods in the city of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.The objective here is to highlight (i) the technical scientific advances that make it possible to propose useful, usable and, as far as possible, used scientific information; (ii) the functional modes of interaction with decision-makers and (iii) the successes and failures in the approaches taken, (iv) the lessons learned from these two experiences that could help facilitate future co-construction approaches.

With increasing human uses of the ocean, existing seascapes containing natural habitats, such as biogenic reefs or plant-dominated systems, are supplemented by novel, human-made habitats ranging from artificial reefs to energy extraction infrastructure and shoreline installments. Despite the mixture of natural and artificial habitats across seascapes, the distribution and extent of these two types of structured habitats are not well understood but are necessary pieces of information for ocean planning and resource management decisions. Through a case study, we quantified the amount of seafloor in the southeastern US (SEUS; 103,220 km2 in the Atlantic Ocean; 10 – 200 m depth) covered by artificial reefs and natural reefs. We developed multiple data-driven approaches to quantify the extent of artificial reefs within state-managed artificial reef programs, and then drew from seafloor maps and published geological and predictive seafloor habitat models to develop three estimates of natural reef extent. Comparisons of the extent of natural and artificial reefs revealed that artificial reefs account for substantially less habitat (average of two estimates 3 km2; 2; 2.57% of SEUS) and that this pattern holds across finer regional groupings (e.g., states, depth bins). Our overall estimates suggest that artificial reef coverage is several orders of magnitude less than natural reef coverage. While expansive seafloor mapping and characterization efforts are still needed in SEUS waters, our results fill information gaps regarding the extent of artificial and natural reef habitats in the region, providing support for ecosystem-based management, and demonstrating an approach applicable to other regions.

In this work we compare and contrast the hydrolysis of two different aromatic esters using an octanuclear cubic Co8 coordination cage host as the catalyst. Diacetyl fluorescein (DAF) is too large to bind inside the cage cavity, but in aqueous solution it interacts with the exterior surface of the cage via a hydrophobic interaction with K = 1.5(2) × 104 M−1. This is sufficient to bring it into close proximity to the layer of hydroxide ions which also surrounds the 16+ cage surface even at modest pH values, accelerating the hydrolysis of DAF to fluorescein with kcat/kuncat (the rate acceleration for that fraction of DAF in contact with the cage surface in the equilibrium) ≈50. This is far smaller than many known examples of catalysis inside a cage cavity, but at the exterior surface it is potentially general with no cavity-imposed size/shape limitations for guest binding. In contrast 4-nitrophenyl acetate (4NPA) binds inside the cage cavity with K = 3.5(3) × 103 M−1 and as such is surrounded in solution by the hydroxide ions which accumulate around the cage surface. However its hydrolysis is actually inhibited: either because of a geometrically unfavourable geometry of the bound substrate which makes it inaccessible to surface-bound hydroxide, or because the necessary volume expansion/geometry change associated with formation of a tetrahedral intermediate cannot be accommodated inside the cavity. Any 4NPA that is free in solution as part of the equilibrium undergoes catalysed hydrolysis at the cage exterior surface in the same way as DAF, but the effect is limited by the low affinity of 4NPA for the exterior surface. We conclude that exterior-surface catalysis can be effective and potentially general; and that cavity-binding of guests can result in negative, rather than positive, catalysis.

PurposeIn this paper, the authors argue that the blueprint that was organically developed over the course of approximately three centuries, from The Grand Tour to this day, is likely to see something close to a repeat in the development of that final frontier.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the methodology of reviewing the literature and model comparison.FindingsOpportunities will expand and change along the same trends that lead The Grand Tour to evolve into mass tourism, because as in the past people's perceptions about what is possible and reasonable will change the more common such once fictional ideas become reality.Originality/valueNothing is in the current tourism literature, on this topic. This is new and unique.

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder that has a considerable impact on patient quality of life and substantial societal and health care resource costs. Current treatments are often ineffective. Tricyclic antidepressants have shown promise in secondary care populations but their effectiveness in a primary care setting remains unclear. Methods ATLANTIS is a randomised, multi-centre, parallel-group, two-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of low-dose amitriptyline as a second-line treatment for IBS in primary care. Participants will be invited by letter, or recruited opportunistically, from general practices in three regions of England (West Yorkshire, Wessex, and West of England) and screened for eligibility. A total of 518 adult patients with IBS, who are symptomatic despite first-line therapies, will be randomised 1:1 to amitriptyline or identical placebo for 6 months. Treatment will commence at a dose of 10 mg (or one placebo tablet) daily at night, with dose titration up to a maximum of 30 mg at night, depending on side effects and response to treatment. Participant-reported assessments will be conducted at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months post-randomisation. The primary objective is to determine the effectiveness of amitriptyline, compared with placebo, in improving participant-reported global symptoms of IBS at 6 months (using the IBS Severity Scoring System). Secondary outcomes include relief of IBS symptoms, effect on IBS-associated somatic symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-12), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), ability to work and participate in other activities (Work and Social Adjustment Scale), acceptability and tolerability of treatment, self-reported health care use, health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-3L), and cost-effectiveness. A nested, qualitative study will explore patient and general practitioner experiences of treatments and trial participation, including acceptability, adherence, unanticipated effects, and implications for wider use of amitriptyline for IBS in primary care. Discussion Determining the clinical and cost-effectiveness of low-dose amitriptyline as a second-line treatment for IBS in primary care will provide robust evidence to inform management decisions. Trial registration ISRCTN ISRCTN48075063 . Registered on 7th June 2019.