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Reforestation to capture and store atmospheric carbon is increasingly championed as a climate change mitigation policy response. Reforestation plantings have the potential to provide conservation co-benefits when diverse mixtures of native species are planted, and there are growing attempts to monetise biodiversity benefits from carbon reforestation projects, particularly within emerging carbon markets. But what is meant by ‘biodiverse’ across different stakeholders and groups implementing and overseeing these projects and how do these perceptions compare with long-standing scientific definitions? Here, we discuss approaches to, and definitions of, biodiversity in the context of reforestation for carbon sequestration. Our aim is to review how the concept of biodiversity is defined and applied among stakeholders (e.g., governments, carbon certifiers and farmers) and rights holders (i.e., First Nations people) engaging in reforestation, and to identify best-practice methods for restoring biodiversity in these projects. We find that some stakeholders have a vague understanding of diversity across varying levels of biological organisation (genes to ecosystems). While most understand that biodiversity underpins ecosystem functions and services, many stakeholders may not appreciate the difficulties of restoring biodiversity akin to reference ecosystems. Consequently, biodiversity goals are rarely explicit, and project goals may never be achieved because the levels of restored biodiversity are inadequate to support functional ecosystems and desired ecosystem services. We suggest there is significant value in integrating biodiversity objectives into reforestation projects and setting specific restoration goals with transparent reporting outcomes will pave the way for ensuring reforestation projects have meaningful outcomes for biodiversity, and legitimate incentive payments for biodiversity and natural capital accounting.

Woody encroachment is ubiquitous in grassy ecosystems worldwide, but its global impacts on the diversity of herbaceous plants that characterise and define these ecosystems remain unquantified. The pervasiveness of encroachment is relatively easily observed via remote sensing, but its impacts on plant diversity and richness below the canopy can only be observed via field-based studies. Via a meta-analysis of 42 field studies across tropical to temperate grassy ecosystems, we quantified how encroachment altered herbaceous species richness, and the richness of forbs, C3 graminoids and C4 graminoids. Across studies, the natural logarithm of the response ratio (lnRR) of herbaceous species richness ranged from −3.33 to 0.34 with 87% of encroached ecosystems negatively impacted. Assessment of the extent of encroachment, duration of encroachment, mean annual rainfall, latitude, and continent demonstrated that only extent of encroachment had relevance in the data (univariate model including a random effect of study explained 45.4% of variance). The global weighted mean lnRR of species richness decreased from −0.245 at 66%. Continued encroachment results in substantial loss of herbaceous diversity at medium and high extents, with a loss of richness that is not replaced. Although all functional groups are significantly negatively impacted by encroachment, forb richness is relatively more sensitive than graminoid richness, and C4 graminoid richness relatively more than C3 graminoid richness. Although no geographic or climatic correlates had relevance in the data, encroachment as an emergent product of global change coalesces to decrease ground layer light availability, lead to loss of fire and grazers, and alter hydrology and soils. Encroachment is accelerating and grassy ecosystems require urgent attention to determine critical woody cover thresholds that facilitate diverse and resilient grassy ecosystems.

Grassy biomes span more than 40% of the global land surface and are central to people, biodiversity and Earth System functioning. There is however limited standardised measurement of herbaceous taxonomic and functional composition in grassy biomes that inhibits the development of a comparative understanding of grassy biomes among geographic regions. Here, we present a protocol for the measurement of herbaceous richness and composition to motivate for much needed data standardisation in the measurement of grassy biomes. The data collection protocol and associated data management system are designed to have utility for fields of research ranging from phylogenetics and taxonomy to functional, community and ecosystem ecology. The described data collection protocol links to a data management system designed to foster collaboration and equity among biologists and ecologists working on herbaceous plants and grassy biomes.

In the last couple decades, several viral outbreaks resulting in epidemics and pandemics with thousands of human causalities have been witnessed. The current Covid‐19 outbreak represents an unprecedented crisis. In stopping the virus’ spread, it is fundamental to have personal protective equipment and disinfected surfaces. Here, the development of a TiO2 nanowires (TiO2NWs) based filter is reported, which it is believed will work extremely well for personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as for a new generation of air conditioners and air purifiers. Its efficiency relies on the photocatalytic generation of high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon UV illumination, and on a particularly high dielectric constant of TiO2, which is of paramount importance for enhanced wettability by the water droplets carrying the germs. The filter pore sizes can be tuned by processing TiO2NWs into filter paper. The kilogram‐scale production capability of TiO2NWs gives credibility to its massive application potentials., In TiO2 nanowire‐based filters, the high dielectric constant of TiO2 enhances the wettability by the water droplets carrying the bacteria or viruses. Upon UV illumination, reactive oxygen species (e.g., OH., O2 −., H2O2) are created, which destroy the germs. Such a filter is suitable for reusable personal protective mask, for a new generation of air conditioners and air purifiers.

Patterns of woody plant diversity in the tropical savanna biome has received little research attention but is relevant to understanding the complex vegetation dynamics of a biome that have remained contentious for almost a century. Tropical savannas of Africa and Australia are defined by the co-existence of woody plants and grasses, and the evolution and assembly of the savanna biome trace back 3-10 million years. Here, we explored patterns of local (alpha-) diversity and species turnover (beta-diversity) of woody plant species across African and Australian savannas. We aimed test the relative role of the environmental gradients of rainfall, temperature, fire and soil in shaping the relative abundance of all of woody species, genera, and families. Using generalized additive models (GAMs) and generalised dissimilarity models (GDMs) of field inventory data from vegetation plots across sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Australia we analysed changes in alpha- and beta-diversity. Environmental gradients were characterised as effective rainfall (ER), rainfall seasonality (coefficient of variation of monthly rainfall), mean annual temperature (MAT), temperature seasonality, fire frequency, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in soils.Savannas in Australia are on average drier and hotter than in Africa likely as a product of lower altitude. Crucially, diversity across all taxonomic levels is approximately two to three times greater in Africa compared with Australia. Within each continent, rainfall seasonality was the strongest environmental correlate of both alpha- and beta-diversity. In Africa, there is a strongly negative relationship between alpha-diversity at all taxonomic levels and rainfall seasonality. In contrast, in Australia, the relationship between alpha-diversity and rainfall seasonality while relevant is non-linear. Surprisingly within continents, rainfall, temperature, soils and fire had little bearing in these data on patterns of alpha diversity.In terms of beta-diversity, and likely linked to the overall differences in diversity between continents, the geographic distance equalling total species turnover is greater in Australia than in Africa. Effective rainfall was the only additional significant correlate of woody species turnover in Australia, but only in arid regions. In Australia, at higher taxonomic levels the capacity of GDMs to explain variation in the data diminished substantially as a product of low diversity in genera and families. When compared to Australia, species turnover in Africa increases when geographic distance, rainfall seasonality and mean annual temperature are relatively low.Our findings highlight that with ongoing climate change specifically with shifts in rainfall distribution that will also affect local drought regimes, rainfall seasonality could substantially alter patterns of diversity, specifically in Africa. There have been persistent attempts to explain ecosystem dynamics in savannas with respect to climate, soils and fire with emphasis often on total rainfall, but our findings suggest that rainfall seasonality can have strong effects on diversity that may interact with other environmental correlates such as fire.

Die Geschichte der DTC-Branche beginnt mit genetischen Herkunftsbestimmungen. Die ersten DNA-basierten genealogischen Online-Tests wurden im Jahre 2000 von Family Tree DNA angeboten. Es folgten AncestryDNA, 23andMe, deCODE und MyHeritage.

The development of a vaccine against human cytomegalovirus infection (HCMV) is a high-priority medical goal. The viral pentameric protein complex consisting of glycoprotein H (gH)/gL/UL128-131A (PC) is considered to be an important vaccine component. Its relevance to the induction of a protective antibody response is, however, still a matter of debate. We addressed this issue by using subviral dense bodies (DBs) of HCMV. DBs are exceptionally immunogenic. Laboratory HCMV strain DBs harbor important neutralizing antibody targets, like the glycoproteins B, H, L, M, and N, but they are devoid of the PC. To be able to directly compare the impact of the PC on the levels of neutralizing antibody (NT-abs) responses, a PC-positive variant of the HCMV laboratory strain Towne was established by bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) mutagenesis (Towne-UL130rep). This strain synthesized PC-positive DBs upon infection of fibroblasts. These DBs were used in side-by-side immunizations with PC-negative Towne DBs. Mouse and rabbit sera were tested to address the impact of the PC on DB immunogenicity. The neutralizing antibody response to PC-positive DBs was superior to that of PC-negative DBs, as tested on fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells and for both animal species used. The experiments revealed the potential of the PC to enhance the antibody response against HCMV. Of particular interest was the finding that PC-positive DBs induced an antibody response that blocked the infection of fibroblasts by a PC-positive viral strain more efficiently than sera following immunizations with PC-negative particles. IMPORTANCE Infections with the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may cause severe and even life-threatening disease manifestations in newborns and immunosuppressed individuals. Several strategies for the development of a vaccine against this virus are currently pursued. A critical question in this respect refers to the antigenic composition of a successful vaccine. Using a subviral particle vaccine candidate, we show here that one protein complex of HCMV, termed the pentameric complex (PC), enhances the neutralizing antibody response against viral infection of different cell types. We further show for the first time that this not only relates to the infection of epithelial or endothelial cells; the presence of the PC in the particles also enhanced the neutralizing antibody response against the infection of fibroblasts by HCMV. Together, these findings argue in favor of including the PC in strategies for HCMV vaccine development.

Background Adeno-associated virus-based vectors are efficient and safe drug candidates for different in vivo gene therapy applications. With increasing numbers of clinical studies based on AAV2 vectors that include not only rare, but also common diseases as a therapeutic target, there is an increased demand for the development of improved production technologies. Methods In the present study, we compared two life cycle defective adenovirus mutants as helper viruses for AAV2 vector production. They had deletions either in the gene coding for the preterminal protein (pTP) that is expressed early in the viral life cycle and is essential for genome replication or in the gene coding for the 100K protein, a protein with many functions, one of which is involved in virus assembly. AAV2 vector production efficiencies were evaluated by analyzing genome-containing particles using a real-time polymerase chain reaction and functional units were investigated by transduction assays. Results Somewhat contrary to our expectations, the ∆100K mutant virus showed only a moderate efficiency as a helper virus for AAV2 vector production, whereas the replication-deficient ∆pTP mutant supported AAV2 production almost as efficiently as adenovirus wild-type. We also showed that a temperature shift to 32°C together with extended incubation times improved AAV2 vector productivity. Conclusions The present study indicates the advantages of using a ∆pTP mutant adenovirus rather than adenovirus wild-type as a helper virus for AAV2 production and also indicates that temperature shifts to lower temperatures may improve AAV2 vector production rates.

While mitochondrial mutants of the respiratory machinery are rare and often lethal, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), a mitochondrially inherited trait that results in pollen abortion, is frequently encountered in wild populations. It generates a breeding system called gynodioecy. In Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima, a gynodioecious species, we found CMS-G to be widespread across the distribution range of the species. Despite the sequencing of the mitochondrial genome of CMS-G, the mitochondrial sterilizing factor causing CMS-G is still unknown. By characterizing biochemically CMS-G, we found that the expression of several mitochondrial proteins is altered in CMS-G plants. In particular, Cox1, a core subunit of the cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV), is larger but can still assemble into complex IV. However, the CMS-G-specific complex IV was only detected as a stabilized dimer. We did not observe any alteration of the affinity of complex IV for cytochrome c; however, in CMS-G, complex IV capacity is reduced. Our results show that CMS-G is maintained in many natural populations despite being associated with an atypical complex IV. We suggest that the modified complex IV could incur the associated cost predicted by theoretical models to maintain gynodioecy in wild populations.

While mitochondrial mutants of the respiratory machinery are rare and often lethal, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), a mitochondrially inherited trait that results in pollen abortion, is frequently encountered in wild populations. It generates a breeding system called gynodioecy. In

Miombo and mopane woodlands are the dominant land cover in southern Africa. Ecosystem services from these woodlands support the livelihoods of 100 M rural people and 50 M urban dwellers, and others beyond the region. Provisioning services contribute $9 ± 2 billion yr(-1) to rural livelihoods; 76% of energy used in the region is derived from woodlands; and traded woodfuels have an annual value of $780 M. Woodlands support much of the region's agriculture through transfers of nutrients to fields and shifting cultivation. Woodlands store 18-24 PgC carbon, and harbour a unique and diverse flora and fauna that provides spiritual succour and attracts tourists. Longstanding processes that will impact service provision are the expansion of croplands (0.1 M km(2); 2000-2014), harvesting of woodfuels (93 M tonnes yr(-1)) and changing access arrangements. Novel, exogenous changes include large-scale land acquisitions (0.07 M km(2); 2000-2015), climate change and rising CO2 The net ecological response to these changes is poorly constrained, as they act in different directions, and differentially on trees and grasses, leading to uncertainty in future service provision. Land-use change and socio-political dynamics are likely to be dominant forces of change in the short term, but important land-use dynamics remain unquantified.This article is part of the themed issue 'Tropical grassy biomes: linking ecology, human use and conservation'.

Luciferase-dependent assays, important for biochemical analyses of cytotoxicity and reporter genes, may be perturbed by compounds interfering with the luciferase reaction. We analyzed the impact of different aluminum (Al) species on a luciferase-based assay for determination of cellular adenosine triphosphate. Al(0) nanoparticles (Al(0)-NPs) but not Al2O3-NPs decreased luminescence, correlated to high absorbance of Al(0)-NPs. By contrast, Al ions increased the luminescent signal. Data demonstrate that luciferase-dependent assays can be reciprocally disturbed by Al-NPs or Al ions in a specific manner, depending on the particular Al species. Careful interpretation of data from such experiments is essential in order to obtain conclusive results.

Nirgendwo tummeln sich so viele mobilitätsbeschränkte Menschen wie im Krankenhaus. Doch paradoxerweise sind barrierefreie Eingänge, Wege und Installationen gar nicht so selbstverständlich, wie man denkt. Vor allem Behinderten sind hier oft sprichwörtlich Steine in den Weg gelegt.

Savannas: Biogeographical and Ecological Perspectives Biogeography and Dynamics of Global Tropical and Subtropical Savannas: A Spatiotemporal View, M.J. Hill, M.O. Roman, and C.B. Schaaf Tree-Grass Interactions in Savannas: Paradigms, Contradictions, and Conceptual Models, N.P. Hanan and C.E.R. Lehmann Carbon, Water and Trace Gas Fluxes in Global Savannas Disturbance and Climatic Drivers of Carbon Dynamics of a North Australian Tropical Savanna, L.B. Hutley and J. Beringer Functional Convergence in Ecosystem Carbon Exchange in Adjacent Savanna Vegetation Types of the Kruger National Park, South Africa, N.P. Hanan, N. Boulain, C.A. Williams, R.J. Scholes, and S. Archibald Flux Dynamics in the Cerrado and Cerrado-Forest Transition of Brazil, G.L. Vourlitis and H. Ribeiro da Rocha Woody Plant Rooting Depth and Ecosystem Function of Savannas: A Case Study from the Edwards Plateau Karst, Texas, M.E. Litvak, S. Schwinning, and J.L. Heilman The Dynamics of Energy, Water, and Carbon Fluxes in a Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) Savanna in California, D. Baldocchi, Q. Chen, X. Chen, S. Ma, G. Miller, Y. Ryu, J. Xiao, R. Wenk, and J. Battles Remote Sensing of Biophysical and Biochemical Characteristics in Savannas Quantifying Carbon in Savannas: The Role of Active Sensors in Measurements of Tree Structure and Biomass, R.M. Lucas, A.C. Lee, J. Armston, J.M.B. Carreiras, K.M. Viergever, P. Bunting, D. Clewley, M. Moghaddam, P. Siqueira, and I. Woodhouse Remote Sensing of Tree-Grass Systems: The Eastern Australian Woodlands, T. Danaher, P. Scarth, J. Armston, L. Collett, J. Kitchen, and S. Gillingham Remote Sensing of Fractional Cover and Biochemistry in Savannas, G.P. Asner, S.R. Levick, and I.P.J. Smit Woody Fractional Cover in Kruger National Park, South Africa: Remote-Sensing-Based Maps and Ecological Insights, G. Bucini, N.P. Hanan, R.B. Boone, I.P.J. Smit, S. Saatchi, M.A. Lefsky, and G.P. Asner Remote Sensing of Global Savanna Fire Occurrence, Extent, and Properties, D.P. Roy, L. Boschetti, and L. Giglio Perspectives on Patch to Landscape Scale Savanna Processes and Modeling Understanding Tree-Grass Coexistence and Impacts of Disturbance and Resource Variability in Savannas, F. van Langevelde, K. Tomlinson, E.R.M. Barbosa, S. de Bie, H.H.T. Prins, and S.I. Higgins Spatially Explicit Modeling of Savanna Processes, K.M. Meyer, K. Wiegand, and D. Ward The Interaction of Fire and Rainfall Variability on Tree Structure and Carbon Fluxes in Savannas: Application of the Flames Model, A. Liedloff and G.D. Cook Population and Ecosystem Modeling of Land Use and Climate Change Impacts on Arid and Semiarid Savanna Dynamics, F. Jeltsch, B. Tietjen, N. Blaum, and E. Rossmanith Regional Carbon Dynamics in Savanna Systems: Remote Sensing and Modeling Applications Integration of Remote Sensing and Modeling to Understand Carbon Fluxes and Climate Interactions in Africa, C.A. Williams Timescales and Dynamics of Carbon in Australia's Savannas, D.J. Barrett Land Use Change and the Carbon Budget in the Brazilian Cerrado, M.M.C. Bustamante and L.G. Ferreira Land Use Changes (1970-2020) and the Carbon Emissions in the Colombian Llanos, A. Etter, A. Sarmiento, and M.H. Romero Modeling Vegetation, Carbon, and Nutrient Dynamics in the Savanna Woodlands of Australia with the AussieGRASS Model, J.O. Carter, D. Bruget, B. Henry, R. Hassett, G. Stone, K. Day, N. Flood, and G. McKeon Continental and Global Scale Modeling of Savannas Carbon Cycles and Vegetation Dynamics of Savannas Based on Global Satellite Products, C. Potter CENTURY-SAVANNA Model for Tree-Grass Ecosystems, W.J. Parton, R.J. Scholes, K. Day, John O. Carter, and R. Kelly Climate-Fire Interactions and Savanna Ecosystems: A Dynamic Vegetation Modeling Study for the African Continent, A. Arneth, V. Lehsten, K. Thonicke, and A. Spessa Understanding Savannas as Coupled Human-Natural Systems People in Savanna Ecosystems: Land Use, Change, and Sustainability, K.A. Galvin and R.S. Reid Social and Environmental Change in Global Savannas: Linking Social Variables to Biophysical Dynamics, M.D. Turner Synthesis Current Approaches to Measurement, Remote Sensing, and Modeling in Savannas: A Synthesis, M.J. Hill and N.P. Hanan Index

Mal de Meleda is an autosomal recessive inflammatory and keratotic palmoplantar skin disorder due to mutations in the ARS B gene, encoding for SLURP-1 (secreted mammalian Ly-6/uPAR-related protein 1). SLURP-1 belongs to the Ly-6/uPAR superfamily of receptor and secreted proteins, which participate in signal transduction, immune cell activation or cellular adhesion. The high degree of structural similarity between SLURP-1 and the three fingers motif of snake neurotoxins and Lynx1 suggests that this protein interacts with the neuronal acetylcholine receptors. We found that SLURP-1 potentiates the human alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that are present in keratinocytes. These results identify SLURP-1 as a secreted epidermal neuromodulator which is likely to be essential for both epidermal homeostasis and inhibition of TNF-alpha release by macrophages during wound healing. This explains both the hyperproliferative as well as the inflammatory clinical phenotype of Mal de Meleda.