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Abstract Ocean warming and acidification, decreases in dissolved oxygen concentrations, and changes in primary production are causing an unprecedented global redistribution of marine life. The identification of underlying ecological processes underpinning marine species turnover, particularly the prevalence of increases of warm-water species or declines of cold-water species, has been recently debated in the context of ocean warming. Here, we track changes in the mean thermal affinity of marine communities across European seas by calculating the Community Temperature Index for 65 biodiversity time series collected over four decades and containing 1,817 species from different communities (zooplankton, coastal benthos, pelagic and demersal invertebrates and fish). We show that most communities and sites have clearly responded to ongoing ocean warming via abundance increases of warm-water species (tropicalization, 54%) and decreases of cold-water species (deborealization, 18%). Tropicalization dominated Atlantic sites compared to semi-enclosed basins such as the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, probably due to physical barrier constraints to connectivity and species colonization. Semi-enclosed basins appeared to be particularly vulnerable to ocean warming, experiencing the fastest rates of warming and biodiversity loss through deborealization.

Butterfly wing scales feature complex nanostructures that influence wing coloration and various mechanical and optical properties. This configuration plays a key role in ecological interactions, flight conditions, and thermoregulation, facilitated by interactions with environmental electromagnetic energy. In tropical forests, butterflies occupy distinct vertical habitats, experiencing significant light and temperature variations. While wing nanostructures have been widely studied, their variation across different vertical flight preferences remains underexplored. This study investigates the wing nanostructures of 12 tropical butterfly species from the Nymphalidae family, focusing on their optical, morphological, and thermal properties across different forest strata. We analyzed the optical response through diffuse reflectance in the UV, Vis, and NIR ranges, correlating these findings with nanostructural configuration and thermal stability using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Our results reveal a significant correlation between flight stratification and wing optical responses, alongside distinct nanostructural features within each stratum. This study demonstrates the variability in butterfly wing nanostructures along the vertical stratification of the forest to cope with environmental conditions, raising new questions for future research on eco-evolutionary flight and thermal adaptations. Additionally, this underscores the importance of understanding how these structural adaptations influence butterfly interactions with their environment and their evolutionary success across different forest strata.

Sand media filters are especially recommended to prevent emitter clogging with loaded irrigation waters, but their performances rely on backwashing. Despite backwashing being a basic procedure needed to restore the initial filtration capacity, there is a lack of information about the solid removal efficiency along the media bed depth. An experimental filter with a 200 mm silica sand bed height was used to assess the effect of two operation velocities (30/45 and 60/75 (filtration/backwashing) m h−1) and two clogging particles (inorganic sand dust and organic from a reclaimed effluent) on the efficiency of backwashing for removing the total suspended solids retained in different media bed slices. The average solid removal backwashing efficiency was greater with organic particles (78%) than with inorganic ones (64%), reaching its maximum at a 5–15 mm bed depth. A higher operation velocity increased the solid removal efficiency by 16%, using organic particles, but no significant differences were observed with inorganic particles. The removal efficiencies across the media bed were more uniform with organic particles (63–89%) than with inorganic (40–85%), which makes it not advisable to reduce the media height when reclaimed effluents are used. This study may contribute to future improvements in sand media filter design and management.

Permeable concrete is a material that allows water filtration, reduces surface runoff, and maintains the natural water cycle. Previous studies have shown that its mechanical properties, particularly its compressive and flexural tensile strengths, are generally lower than those of conventional concrete, with significant variability observed among similar tests. This study investigates the compressive strength, flexural strength, and permeability of polypropylene fiber-reinforced permeable concrete specimens at two water–cement ratios (0.30 and 0.35). The mix design was conducted using the ACI 522R-10 method. Forty-eight cylinders measuring 200 mm × 100 mm were fabricated for permeability and compression tests. Additionally, 12 beams measuring 100 mm × 100 mm × 350 mm were produced and subjected to simple flexural testing in accordance with ASTM C78 guidelines. Compressive strength versus permeability and load versus deflection graphs were plotted, and the fracture energy was calculated for various deflections. The results indicate that the addition of fibers increased permeability and tensile strength but decreased compressive strength. Furthermore, an increase in the water–cement ratio led to higher compressive and flexural tensile strengths.

The conservation and management of marine ecosystems hinge on a comprehensive understanding of the status and trends of top predators. This review delves into the ecological significance of marine top predators, examining their roles in maintaining ecosystem stability and functioning through an integrated analysis of current scientific literature. We first assess the efficacy of various monitoring methods, ranging from traditional field observations to cutting-edge technologies like satellite tracking and environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and evaluating their strengths and limitations in terms of accuracy, spatial coverage, and cost-effectiveness, providing resource managers with essential insights for informed decision-making. Then, by synthesizing data from diverse marine ecosystems, this study offers a comprehensive overview of the trends affecting top predator populations worldwide. We explore the multifaceted impacts of human activities, climate change, and habitat degradation on the abundance and distribution of these key species. In doing so, we shed light on the broader implications of declining top predator populations, such as trophic cascades and altered community structures. Following a thorough assessment of successful strategies for reversing the decline of top predators, a compilation of recommendations is presented, encompassing effective governance interventions. A crucial aspect of effective ecosystem-based management is the implementation of robust monitoring strategies. Mitigation measures are imperative to reverse the adverse impacts on marine top predators. We present a comprehensive array of mitigation options based on successful case studies. These include the establishment of marine protected areas, the enforcement of fisheries regulations, and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices. We deepen the synergies between these strategies and their potential to mitigate human-induced stressors on top predator populations to safeguard their pivotal role in maintaining marine ecosystem structure and function. By examining marine top predators’ ecological significance, analyzing population trends, discussing monitoring techniques, and outlining effective mitigation strategies, we provide a comprehensive resource for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders engaged in fostering ecosystem-based management approaches. We conclude that integrating these insights into current management frameworks will be essential to safeguard both top predators and the broader marine environment for future generations.

Abstract Culturally dependent human social behaviours involving artificial light usage can potentially affect light pollution patterns and thereby impact the night‐time ecology in populated areas, although to date this has not been examined globally. By analysing continuous (monthly), highly resolved, spatially explicit data on global night lights (Visible and Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite–Day/Night Band‐VIIRS‐DNB; 2014–2019) with circular statistical techniques, we evaluated whether macro‐cultural activities involving social aggregations and the use of artificial lights shape annual lighting patterns globally. Scheduled routines associated with cultural‐specific festivities appear to be important drivers of observed seasonal patterns in urban night‐time lights. For instance, the display of Christmas lights between Christmas and Epiphany Day celebrations (December–January) coincides with the annual peak in urban night‐time light intensity in Christian countries. Analogously, night celebrations during the Holy Month of Ramadam (from May to July) or the month‐long period of Karthika Masam (from October to November) fits with annual night light peaks in Muslim and Hindu countries. Annual peaks of urban light intensity in China and Vietnam also match with Chinese and Vietnamese (Tê't) New Year celebrations (January–February). In contrast, predominantly Buddhist countries, which do not have such prominent and prolonged celebrations involving artificial lights, show a relatively uniform distribution of night light peaks throughout the annual cycle. Social behaviour and sociocultural contexts help explain how people modify the global nightscape and contribute to light pollution globally. Understanding the cultural contexts responsible for peaks in artificial light usage is an important first step if humans are to mitigate any deleterious effects associated with global increases in night‐time light pollution. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 70 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy. Middle and low-income countries have 70-80% of cases; it is estimated that it affects 4-13% of children up to 16 years of age, of which drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) develops in 10-23%. Objective: To determine risk factors associated with DRE in pediatric patients attended at Hospital Maria, Pediatric Specialties (HMEP), Tegucigalpa, March 2017-March 2022. Methods:Case-control study. From the total number of patients under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of epilepsy attended at the HMEP Neurology Service, Case was defined as patients with a diagnosis of DRE and Controls as patients with non-drug resistant epilepsy (NDRE). Based on clinical records, sociodemographic factors, personal and family history, clinical factors, imaging studies and electroencephalogram were evaluated. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Results: 81 cases and 162 controls were analyzed. The most affected age in cases was preschool (35.8%), in controls it was school age (41.4%). Male sex presented similar distribution in both groups (51.8% and 51.2%). Rural origin was more frequent in cases than in controls (58.0% versus 48.8%). The following factors associated with DRE were identified: family history of epilepsy (ORa 2.32, IC95%1.22–4.41, p=0.01), focal alteration in physical examination (ORa 2.23, IC95%1.10–4.55, p=0.02), abnormal neurodevelopment (ORa 2.78, IC95%1.18–6.54, p=0.02). Discussion: Adequate seizure control has a direct impact on the quality of life and survival of patients. The correct identification of children with epilepsy with the associated factors identified in this study, which coincide with those described internationally, will allow better screening and prioritization of early referral to a pediatric neurologist, contributing to improve the quality of life of patients.

Las treponematosis son un conjunto de enfermedades infecciosas producidas por espiroquetas, unas afectan a poblaciones donde son endémicas como es el caso del Pian o el Bejel, que se asocian con deficiencias sanitarias, mientras que otras son de origen venéreo como la sífilis (OMS, 2023). En América, la existencia de estas dolencias se ha documentado desde tiempos precerámicos y en hallazgos arqueológicos recientes en las llanuras del Caribe colombiano se evidenció un caso probable de enfermedad luética. La presente investigación buscó explorar el comportamiento de las treponematosis en el bajo Magdalena desde tiempos prehispánicos hasta el periodo colonial (Sig VIII d.C. – XVII). En este estudio, se analizaron sistemáticamente 67 individuos provenientes de los sitios arqueológicos Turbana, Samán Norte, Plan Bonito, Simití, El Salado, La Pasión y Carmen de Bolívar, siguiendo los criterios planteados por Steckel et al. (2006), Rothschild y Rothschild (1995) y Rodríguez (2005). Se encontró que el 16,41% de los individuos analizados, presentaron afectación por goma, que es una característica de la presencia de treponema en etapa terciaria y justamente el caso con mayor afectación y con alta probabilidad de haber padecido la enfermedad por largo tiempo. Estos resultados nos invitan a hacer varias consideraciones sobre la aproximación diagnóstica a la treponematosis venérea, a ponderar los determinantes involucrados en la prevalencia de la enfermedad en la región a lo largo del tiempo, a la vez que reflexionar alrededor de las estrategias de cuidado y el comportamiento sexual de estas poblaciones.

In this paper, we employ a “doughnut” economic approach to comprehensively assess the state of the purse-seiners fisheries sector in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. The analysis identifies several instances of ecological overshooting and shortages in basic social needs, indicating that the current situation is, in many respects, far from being in a secure, ecologically safe, and socially just space. It demonstrates that the necessary transition to achieve a sustainable sector is not solely a technical or financial issue; it also requires sufficient social capabilities to lead and manage the process, taking into consideration the social context in which it would occur. Our assessment indicates the need for urgent action and an overarching transition plan that includes an ecosystem-based fishery management plan, including commercial and social plans. The study showcases that this approach is useful in providing valuable information to support the transition of fisheries toward sustainability. Moreover, utilizing this non-fisheries-specific framework can facilitate the participation of fisheries expertise in broader discussions about the socioeconomic and ecological changes needed to achieve a post-growth-oriented blue economy.

Abstract Background Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-activated protein kinase-2 (MK2) is activated downstream of p38 MAPK and regulates stability of mRNAs encoding inflammatory cytokines. CC-99677 is a novel, irreversible, covalent MK2 inhibitor under development for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other inflammatory diseases. As part of a phase I clinical trial to assess safety and tolerability, we evaluated target engagement, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of CC-99677. Methods The MK2 inhibitor CC-99677 was evaluated for its effect on cytokine expression in vitro in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and patients with a definitive AS diagnosis. A novel in vitro model was developed to compare the potential for tachyphylaxis of CC-99677 and p38 inhibitors in THP-1 cells. The effect of CC-99677 on tristetraprolin (TTP) and cytokine mRNA was assessed in stimulated human monocyte-derived macrophages. In a first-in-human study, thirty-seven healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to daily oral doses of CC-99677 or placebo, and blood was collected at pre-specified time points before and after dosing. CC-99677 concentrations were assessed in the plasma, and CC-99677 binding to MK2 was evaluated in PBMCs. Ex vivo stimulation of the whole blood was conducted from participants in the first-in-human study to assess the pharmacodynamic effects. Results In vitro, CC-99677 inhibited tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-17 protein production in samples of monocytes and macrophages from AS patients and healthy volunteers via an mRNA-destabilization mechanism. In the in vitro model of tachyphylaxis, CC-99677 showed a differentiated pattern of sustained TNF protein inhibition compared with p38 inhibitors. CC-99677 reduced TTP phosphorylation and accelerated the decay of inflammatory cytokine mRNA in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Administration of CC-99677 to healthy volunteers was safe and well-tolerated, with linear pharmacokinetics and sustained reduction of ex vivo whole blood TNF, IL-6, and chemokine synthesis. Conclusions CC-99677 inhibition of MK2 is a promising approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and may overcome the limitations of p38 MAPK inhibition. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03554993 .

El creciente fenómeno de los procesos migratorios en Chile ha venido acompañado del aumento de la migración familiar de población menor de 18 años, lo que profundiza su situación de vulnerabilidad, propia de la edad, con su condición migratoria. Esta complejidad se acrecienta frente a la fragilización familiar experimentada en los procesos migratorios. Este artículo muestra los resultados de un estudio cualitativo, basado en entrevistas grupales realizadas a adolescentes, provenientes de países de la región andina y del Caribe, cuyas edades fluctúan entre los 13 y 15 años, y que asisten a escuelas municipales de la Municipalidad de Recoleta en Santiago. Entre los principales hallazgos del estudio se subraya la importancia de involucrar a los adolescentes en la toma de decisiones dentro de los procesos migratorios, así como su consideración en las prácticas de reunificación familiar, ya que estas se convierten en procesos de reconstrucción de sus entornos sociofamiliares.

Introduction: Metabolic and inflammatory disorders are widely described in COVID-19 disease by SARS-CoV-2, especially in advanced gravity stages, nevertheless, the increase in inflammatory and tissue damage biomarkers could identify patients with higher mortality risk since early disease stages.Material and Method: A retrospective Cohort study was performed to evaluate the progression pattern and mortality risk of proinflammatory (Ferritin and IL-6) and damage tissue biomarkers seric levels (LDH, CPK, CPK-MB and TnIc) since the beginning of the disease to end outcome considered, in this study, as death or recoveryResults: We evaluated 120 patients with mean age 51±10 years. The CAT study showed in all patients bilateral polished glass lung lesions. The inflammatory and seric tissue injured biomarkers were significantly higher since the beginning of the hospitalization in patients who died compared with patients that survived (p = 0.01). The myocardial injury biomarkers (CPK-MB and TnIc) were significantly higher in severe gravity stages of deceased patients compared to patients who survived (p = 0.001 and 0.003 respectively) with a global mortality of 38.3% (n = 48). The mortality risk was extremely elevated (RR> 10) when inflammatory and tissue injury biomarkers showed seric levels 2 folds above normal values, showing survival of < 60% after tenth day since the beginning disease.Conclusion: Since the beginning of COVID-19 disease by SARS CoV2 virus, patients show serum elevation in ferritin, LDH and CPK. This seric values were associated with higher mortality risk, when elevated 2 folds above normal values.

Climate and fisheries interact, often synergistically, and may challenge marine ecosystem functioning and, ultimately, seafood provision and human wellbeing that depend on them. Holistic and integrative approaches aiming at evaluating the spatial overlap between these major stressors are crucial for identifying marine regions and key fish species that require conservation priority to prevent possible future collapses. Based on highly resolved information on environmental conditions and fishing pressure from the Southern Benguela and the Agulhas Bank ecosystems off South Africa, we identified the main areas where small pelagic fish species (European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, Pacific sardine Sardinops sagax, and West Coast round herring Etrumeus whiteheadi) have been highly impacted in terms of unfavourable environmental conditions and fishing pressure over the period 1993-2018. We termed these areas cumulative “hotspots” of climate change and fishing impact. We also identified fishing grounds where environmental conditions are now more favourable for these pelagic fish species, terming these “bright spots” of climate change. Environmental conditions and fishing intensity show contrasting patterns between the Southern Benguela and the Agulhas Bank ecosystems, with the Southern Benguela region accumulating most of the cumulative hotspots and showing the most negative trends in CPUE (a proxy for local fish abundance). Contrastingly, bright spots, identified on the south coast but also south of Cape Town, showed more positive trends in CPUE, suggesting that they may support sustainable growth of the small pelagic fishery in the medium term. Focussing future fishing effort on these bright spots may serve to alleviate pressure on the doubly and highly impacted cumulative hotspots from the western side of the southernmost tip of Africa.

Abstract The extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting differing reproductive strategies among populations are central to understanding population and evolutionary ecology. To evaluate whether individual reproductive strategies responded to annual patterns in marine productivity and age‐related processes in a seabird we used a long term (2003–2013), a continuous dataset on nest occupancy and attendance at the colony by little penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Phillip Island (Victoria, Australia). We found that concurrent with a secondary annual peak of marine productivity, a secondary peak in colony attendance and nest occupancy was observed in Autumn (out of the regular breeding season in spring/summer) with individuals showing mating‐like behavior. Individuals attending this autumn peak averaged 2.5 years older than those individuals that exclusively bred during spring/summer. Rather than being a naïve response by younger and inexperienced birds misreading environmental cues, our data indicate that the autumn peak attendance is an earlier attempt to breed by older and more experienced penguins. Therefore, we provide strong support for the fundamental prediction of the life‐history theory of increasing investment in reproduction with age to maximize lifetime fitness as future survival prospects diminish and experience increases.

En los últimos veinte años, el interés por el estudio de las variables contextuales en el desarrollo de la psicopatología ha desembocado en la aparición de múltiplesinvestigaciones. Algunas de ellas se han centrado en el estudio del desarrollo de lapsicosis, encontrando una relación con la exposición durante la infancia aacontecimientos traumáticos. El presente trabajo trata de recoger la evolución deestas investigaciones en los últimos diez años, así como establecer si ciertos tipos de traumas determinan la aparición de síntomas psicóticos específicos. Examinamos también la existencia de diferentes variables mediadoras y moduladoras de esta relación. Posteriormente, se discuten las implicaciones clínicas derivadas de dichos hallazgos en la literatura revisada.

Abstract Changes in marine ecosystems are easier to detect in upper‐level predators, like seabirds, which integrate trophic interactions throughout the food web. Here, we examined whether diving parameters and complexity in the temporal organization of diving behavior of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) are influenced by sea surface temperature (SST), water stratification, and wind speed—three oceanographic features influencing prey abundance and distribution in the water column. Using fractal time series analysis, we found that foraging complexity, expressed as the degree of long‐range correlations or memory in the dive series, was associated with SST and water stratification throughout the breeding season, but not with wind speed. Little penguins foraging in warmer/more‐stratified waters exhibited greater determinism (memory) in foraging sequences, likely as a response to prey aggregations near the thermocline. They also showed higher foraging efficiency, performed more dives and dove to shallower depths than those foraging in colder/less‐stratified waters. Reductions in the long‐term memory of dive sequences, or in other words increases in behavioral stochasticity, may suggest different strategies concerning the exploration–exploitation trade‐off under contrasting environmental conditions.

Abstract Research focused on evaluating how human food subsidies influence the foraging ecology of scavenger species is scarce but essential for elucidating their role in shaping behavioral patterns, population dynamics, and potential impacts on ecosystems. We evaluate the potential role of humans in shaping the year‐round distribution and habitat use of individuals from a typical scavenger species, the yellow‐legged gull (Larus michahellis), breeding at southwestern Spain. To do this, we combined long‐term, nearly continuous GPS‐tracking data with spatially explicit information on habitat types and distribution of human facilities, as proxied by satellite imagery of artificial night lights. Overall, individuals were mainly associated with freshwater habitats (mean proportion, 95% CI: 40.6%, 36.9%–44.4%) followed by the marine‐related systems (40.3, 37.7%–42.8%), human‐related habitats (13.5%, 13.2%–13.8%), and terrestrial systems (5.5%, 4.6%–6.5%). However, these relative contributions to the overall habitat usage largely changed throughout the annual cycle as a likely response to ecological/physiological constraints imposed by varying energy budgets and environmental constraints resulting from fluctuations in the availability of food resources. Moreover, the tight overlap between the year‐round spatial distribution of gulls and that of human facilities suggested that the different resources individuals relied on were likely of anthropogenic origin. We therefore provide evidence supporting the high dependence of this species on human‐related food resources throughout the annual cycle. Owing to the ability of individuals to disperse and reach transboundary areas of Spain, Portugal, or Morocco, international joint efforts aimed at restricting the availability of human food resources would be required to manage this overabundant species and the associated consequences for biodiversity conservation (e.g., competitive exclusion of co‐occurring species) and human interests (e.g., airports or disease transmission).

Abstract Background Human activities have profoundly altered the spatio-temporal availability of food resources. Yet, there is a clear lack of knowledge on how opportunistic species adapt to these new circumstances by scheduling their daily rhythms and adjust their foraging decisions to predicable patterns of anthropic food subsidies. Here, we used nearly continuous GPS tracking data to investigate the adaptability of daily foraging activity in an opportunistic predator, the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), in response to human schedules. Methods By using waveform analysis, we compared timing and magnitude of peaks in daily activity of different GPS-tracked individuals in eleven different habitat types, in relation to type of day (i.e., weekday vs. weekend). Results Daily activity rhythms varied greatly depending on whether it was a weekday or weekend, thus suggesting that gulls’ activity peaks matched the routines of human activity in each habitat type. We observed for the first time two types of activity as modelled by waveforms analysis: marine habitats showed unimodal patterns with prolonged activity and terrestrial habitats showed bimodal patterns with two shorter and variable activity peaks. Conclusions Our results suggest that gulls are able to fine-tune their daily activity rhythms to habitat-specific human schedules, since these likely provide feeding opportunities. Behavioral plasticity may thus be an important driver of expansive population dynamics. Information on predictable relationships between daily activity patterns of gulls and human activities is therefore relevant to their population management.

The ongoing contemporary biodiversity crisis may result in much of ocean’s biodiversity to be lost or deeply modified without even being known. As the climate and anthropogenic-related impacts on marine systems accelerate, biodiversity knowledge integration is urgently required to evaluate and monitor marine ecosystems and to support suitable responses to underpin a sustainable future. The Census of Marine Life (CoML, 2000–2010) was the largest global research program on marine biodiversity. A decade after, and coinciding with the steep increase of digitalization of our society, we review existing findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability (FAIR) biodiversity data coming from one of the most reliable online information systems: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). We evaluate the completeness of available datasets with respect to the CoML benchmark, along with progresses in understanding spatial–temporal patterns of marine biodiversity in the European Seas in the last decades. Overall, we observe severe biases in available biodiversity data toward the north-western marine regions (particularly around the United Kingdom and the North Sea), the most recent years (with a peak in the number of reported occurrences in the 2010s) and the most conspicuous, abundant, and likely “appealing” taxa (e.g., crustaceans, echinoderms or fish). These biases may hamper research applications, but also global-scale data needs and integrative assessments required to support cost-effective progresses toward global biodiversity conservation. National to international joint efforts aimed at enhancing data acquisition and mobilization from poorly known regions, periods, and taxa are desirable if we aim to address these potential biases for the effective monitoring of marine ecosystems and the evaluation of ongoing impacts on biogeographic patterns and ecosystem functioning and services.

The effect of the deposit temperature of zinc oxide (ZnO) doped with nickel (Ni) by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique is reported in this work. The technique allows depositing ZnO:Ni in short intervals (1 min). A deposit of undoped ZnO is used as a reference sample. The reference sample was deposited at 500 °C. The ZnO:Ni samples were deposited at 500 °C, 400 °C, 350 °C, and 300 °C. The samples were studied using structural, morphological, and optical characterization techniques. The Ni incorporation to the ZnO lattice was verified by the shift of the X-ray diffraction peaks, the Raman peaks, the band gap, and the photoluminescence measurements. It was found that the deposit temperature affects the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the ZnO:Ni samples too. The structure of the ZnO:Ni samples corresponds to the hexagonal structure. Different microstructures shapes such as spheres, sea urchins, and agglomerate were found in samples; their change is attributed to the deposit temperature variation. The intensity of the photoluminescence of the ZnO:Ni improves concerning the ZnO due to the Ni incorporation, but it decreases as the deposit temperature decreases.

Pressurized sand media filters are commonly used in drip irrigation systems to prevent emitter clogging. However, the performance of these filters may be improved with more information about the retention of solids at different bed depths under different filter operation conditions and irrigation water sources. In this study, experiments in a scaled sand media filter were conducted to clog the filter with two different filtration velocities (30 and 60 m h−1) and two-particle types (inorganic from A4 coarse sand dust and organic from a reclaimed effluent). The suspended solids retained in slices of 5 mm (in the first 20 mm of the bed) and 20 mm (from 20 to 200 mm depth) thick were determined following the van Staden and Haarhoff (2011) procedure. The solids retained in each slice per mass of media were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the interaction between the filtration velocity, the bed depth, and the particle type. The solids retained in the first 5 mm of the bed were significantly higher than at other depths. Moreover, inorganic solids were retained more in upper slices than organic ones. Therefore, media depths may be adjusted depending on the irrigation water source to optimize media use.

For centuries, human activities have altered the population dynamics of wildlife. New anthropogenic food sources provide a predictable and abundant food supply that often induces very significant changes in the size, distribution, and behaviour of many populations, with ultimate consequences on the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems. Here, we combine historical and contemporary feather samples of a population of a superabundant, opportunistic predator, the yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis, to assess its trophic ecology and relate it to human activities in the long term. Dietary assessments were based on stable isotope analysis of carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S), and were conducted through three end-point (marine prey, waste from landfills-slaughterhouses, and terrestrial invertebrates) Bayesian mixing models. Our results suggest that gulls’ diet showed a progressive decrease in the consumption of marine prey throughout the most recent period (late 20th century onwards), linked to an increase in the consumption of meat waste and small terrestrial invertebrates. Reported dietary changes over the sampling period correlated positively with the availability of marine resources around the breeding area. We provide evidence suggesting that the ability of gulls to exploit efficiently diverse anthropogenic food subsidies likely resulted in the exponential demographic increase of this population throughout the 20th century. In addition, current regulations affecting the availability of these food resources (e.g., fishing discards and landfill waste) likely reversed this trend over the last decade. Long-term evidence of population trophic plasticity, like the one we present here, is essential to implement and support management and conservation actions that limit the availability of anthropogenic resources, especially when it comes to superabundant, problematic species.

Hacia el final del libro de los Ejercicios espirituales, Ignacio ofrece unos resúmenes de los misterios de la Vida de Cristo (Ej 261-312). Para la tercera semana, encontramos diez misterios (289-298). En este artículo pretendemos destacar cómo Ignacio lee los evangelios, cómo ha entendido la Pasión de Cristo. La metodología consiste en el estudio de la selección y el uso que Ignacio hace de estos misterios. A través de las omisiones y de los añadidos ignacianos al texto evangélico se nos va revelando cuáles son sus acentos particulares, contribuyendo así a que perfilar mejor qué es lo que Ignacio ofrece al ejercitante como materia, como medios, y como fin de la oración. PALABRAS CLAVE: Evangelio. Pasión. Recepción. Ejercicios Espirituales.

En base a ejemplares de Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) recolectados en diferentes regiones de Chile, se registra por primera vez la presencia de las especies Gondwanocrypticus platensis (Fairmaire, 1884) y Poecilocrypticus formicophilus Gebien, 1928, las cuales constituyen los primeros representantes de la tribu Crypticini en el país. Se proporcionan diagnosis de las especies, fotografías de los adultos, registros de localidades e información general sobre el hábitat que ocupan.

The theme of criollismo in Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz has been one of the most debated topics in her work. But how did the Spanish intellectuals who published and read her understand this topic? This article reflects on the “ingenio indiano of mother Juana Inés de la Cruz” -so defined by the anonymous author of the prologue of Inundación castálida (1689)- in the paratexts of the three original volumes of her work published in Spain in 1689, 1692 and 1700. As it will be seen, the poetic and intellectual skills of Sor Juana were seen by the Spaniards as a “treasure of the Indies”. What this image suggests is that the figure of Sor Juana was understood in the light of the discourse of cupiditas, which has been traditionally associated with the Spanish conquest and colonization of the New World. However, in Fama y obras póstumas (1700) various texts of Mexican contemporaries of Sor Juana are included, which dialogue controversially with the texts written by Spaniards of the same volume of 1700, but also with the two previous ones of 1689 and 1692. Understanding this dialogue provides light on the appropriation that each group intended to make of the figure of the nun.

Irrigation is very important for global food production and, therefore, it is key to moving towards increasingly sustainable irrigation systems. However, the adoption of more efficient water-use techniques, such as drip irrigation, increases energy consumption. A large part of the efficiency of drip irrigation systems depends on the equipment used, such as filters. The environmental impact of three media filters (a prototype with a porous media underdrain and two commercial filters, with inserted domes and collector arms underdrains, respectively) with different bed heights, filtration rates, and medium materials was studied using the life cycle analysis (LCA). Under the operating conditions that minimize the impact, the inserted domes design has the lowest overall impact, achieving reductions of up to 432% and 18% in some impacts regarding the porous media and the collector arm, respectively. A porous media filter has a better energy performance, but its prototype status hinders it in the raw material, building, and end-of-life phases. Conversely, the arm collector has the worst environmental performance. This work shows that filter designs should prioritize solutions that allow for minimizing the energy consumption during their operation to increase its sustainability.

En las últimas décadas, el desarrollo económico de Quito ha venido acompañado con un deterioro en su calidad del aire, principalmente por el aumento progresivo de su flota vehicular. Ante ello, la autoridad ambiental de la zona registra concentraciones que superan las normas nacionales e internacionales de calidad del aire en los parámetros de PM10, PM2.5 y O3. Ante este escenario, la implementación de infraestructura verde urbana (IVU) emerge como una alternativa para el mejoramiento de la calidad del aire en microambientes, sin embargo, sus costos limitan su aplicación. El trabajo presentado estima, mediante la metodología AP-HRA, los efectos económicos y en salud pública que se obtendría producto de una implementación agresiva de IVU en ocho parroquias de Quito. Los resultados generados son alentadores dado que una reducción del 30 % en PM10 y O3 y 1 % en PM2.5 podría evitar 190 muertes anualmente en la zona de estudio, con un beneficio económico para la sociedad de 139,7 millones de USD. Las estimaciones presentadas pueden servir de herramienta para los tomadores de decisión con el fin de instrumentar políticas públicas que promuevan la implementación de IVU en espacios públicos y privados.

We report the first record of predation on a Helmeted water toad Calyptocephalella gayi tadpole by an adult specimen of the invasive African clawed frog Xenopus laevis in the locality of Pichi, Alhué (Santiago Metropolitan Region). This finding is discussed in the light of new sightings, in which both species have been detected to coexist in different localities of central Chile.

La juventud ha tendido ha ser caracterizada mediante aspectos que se atribuyen a una generación producto de los procesos culturales e históricos que vive un grupo etario determinado pero sin atender a sus elementos distintivos. En América Latina, muchas de estas distinciones fueron cruzadas por elementos sociohistóricos, entre los que destaca la influencia de los movimientos sociales. En este artículo, el autor propone que la generación actual no es una excepción: en la segunda década del siglo XXI, los/as jóvenes se caracterizan por incorporar en sus movimientos sociales una ciudadanía y una cultura de lo global atravesadas por una perspectiva local, con énfasis en los elementos de socialización y de participación virtual que deben considerase para entender esta Generación Glocal.

Desde finales del siglo XX, diversos autores plantearon que el modelo neoliberal había generado profundas asimetrías en la morfología de las ciudades, situación que se vio potenciada por la aplicación de modelos de planificación racionalistas que no han permitido el desarrollo sostenible de las áreas urbanas. Ante la existencia de estos fenómenos, se busca determinar cómo se manifiestan estas asimetrías socioespaciales en una de las ciudades chilenas con mayores tasas de crecimiento demográfico y espacial, como es el caso de Temuco. Para ello, se compara la concentración de equipamiento y la estructura de rentas de suelo, en los distritos que han contado con las mayores tasas de expansión urbana entre los años 1992 y 2017. Frente a la evidencia encontrada, se plantean alternativas a los modelos tradicionales de planificación, que pudiesen remediar las asimetrías generadas sobre la base de una mayor movilidad de la población dentro de un marco socioambiental sostenible

Se describe una nueva especie de Murmidiidae para Chile, Murmidius melon sp. nov., perteneciente a la subfamilia Murmidiinae. Se proveen caracteres diagnósticos para las especies del género Murmidius, ilustraciones de los adultos y de las estructuras genitales de los machos, además de un mapa de distribución.

Ante la gran diversidad de métodos exegéticos y de propuestas de lectura bíblica, surgen con frecuencia cierta confusión y críticas a unos y otros métodos. Este artículo repasa brevemente la historia de la aceptación de los métodos histórico-críticos en la Iglesia católica, mostrando algunas de sus aportaciones positivas y sus carencias, así como su vigencia actual. Se tratan otros modo de lectura bíblica que intentan precisamente colmar los vacíos que los métodos tradicionales han dejado.

Las Cartas Pastorales son normalmente consideradas como el producto de una segunda o tercera generación cristiana, la cual, al final del siglo primero, como resultado tanto de una evolución interna como de la necesidad de adaptarse a su contexto social, muestra una iglesia que ha cambiado, algo en su teología, pero sobre todo en su organización y disciplina.

The small open area available at the slots of underdrains in pressurized granular bed filters for drip irrigation implies: (1) the existence of a region with non-uniform flow, and (2) local values of modified particle Reynolds number >500. These flow conditions may disagree with those accepted as valid for common pressure drop-flow rate correlations proposed for packed beds. Here, we carried out detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a laboratory filter to analyze the results obtained with five different equations of head losses in porous media: (1) Ergun, (2) Darcy-Forchheimer, (3) Darcy, (4) Kozeny-Carman and (5) power function. Simulations were compared with experimental data at different superficial velocities obtained from previous studies. Results for two silica sand media indicated that all equations predicted total filter pressure drop values within the experimental uncertainty range when superficial velocities −1. At higher flow rates, Ergun equation approximated the best to the observed results for silica sand media, being the expression recommended. A simple analytical model of the pressure drop along flow streamlines that matched CFD simulation results was developed.

Abstract Spring sea ice phenology regulates the timing of the two consecutive pulses of marine autotrophs that form the base of the Arctic marine food webs. This timing has been suggested to be the single most essential driver of secondary production and the efficiency with which biomass and energy are transferred to higher trophic levels. We investigated the chronological sequence of productivity pulses and its potential cascading impacts on the reproductive performance of the High Arctic seabird community from Svalbard, Norway. We provide evidence that interannual changes in the seasonal patterns of marine productivity may impact the breeding performance of little auks and Brünnich’s guillemots. These results may be of particular interest given that current global warming trends in the Barents Sea region predict one of the highest rates of sea ice loss within the circumpolar Arctic. However, local- to regional-scale heterogeneity in sea ice melting phenology may add uncertainty to predictions of climate-driven environmental impacts on seabirds. Indeed, our fine-scale analysis reveals that the inshore Brünnich’s guillemots are facing a slower advancement in the timing of ice melt compared to the offshore-foraging little auks. We provide a suitable framework for analyzing the effects of climate-driven sea ice disappearance on seabird fitness.

In Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s love poetry the poems addressed to the Countess of Paredes enjoy a privileged place. Literary portraits and poems about real paintings of the wife of the former viceroy are of particular interest. This article studies the discourse of desire in three poems about real paintings: on the one hand, two of them (126 and 127) have hardly been studied, despite being of seminal importance; on the other, the eroticism that emerges from the recovery of the myth of Pygmalion has not been suficiently underscored in the third one (103). Finally, it proposes that the speaking «I» consummates desire not only by achieving physical possesion of the portrait itself, but above all by its capacity to control the discourse of the object of desire which is given voice.

Las primeras cinco décadas de la revista Estudios Eclesiásticos son aquí estudiadas, recogiendo los artículos, notas y boletines de tema bíblico que explícita o implícitamente trataron la cuestión de la hermenéutica bíblica: inspiración, historicidad y verdad de la Escritura, sentidos literal y espiritual, etc. El propósito será mostrar cómo estas cuestiones, de fuerte presencia en los estudios internacionales bíblicos y en el Magisterio católico, eran recibidas, asumidas y desarrolladas en una revista que pretendía ser fiel tanto a las enseñanzas de la Iglesia como a las exigencias de la investigación científica de la Escritura.

Penguins face a wide range of threats. Most observed population changes have been negative and have happened over the last 60 years. Today, populations of 11 penguin species are decreasing. Here we present a review that synthesizes details of threats faced by the world’s 18 species of penguins. We discuss alterations to their environment at both breeding sites on land and at sea where they forage. The major drivers of change appear to be climate, and food web alterations by marine fisheries. In addition, we also consider other critical and/or emerging threats, namely human disturbance near nesting sites, pollution due to oil, plastics and chemicals such as mercury and persistent organic compounds. Finally, we assess the importance of emerging pathogens and diseases on the health of penguins. We suggest that in the context of climate change, habitat degradation, introduced exotic species and resource competition with fisheries, successful conservation outcomes will require new and unprecedented levels of science and advocacy. Successful conservation stories of penguin species across their geographical range have occurred where there has been concerted effort across local, national and international boundaries to implement effective conservation planning.

Shearwaters and petrels (hereafter petrels) are highly adapted seabirds that occur across all the world’s oceans. Petrels are a threatened seabird group comprising 124 species. They have bet-hedging life histories typified by extended chick rearing periods, low fecundity, high adult survival, strong philopatry, monogamy and long-term mate fidelity and are thus vulnerable to change. Anthropogenic alterations on land and at sea have led to a poor conservation status of many petrels with 52 (42%) threatened species based on IUCN criteria and 65 (52%) suffering population declines. Some species are well-studied, even being used as bioindicators of ocean health, yet for others there are major knowledge gaps regarding their breeding grounds, migratory areas or other key aspects of their biology and ecology. We assembled 38 petrel conservation researchers to summarize information regarding the most important threats according to the IUCN Red List of threatened species to identify knowledge gaps that must be filled to improve conservation and management of petrels. We highlight research advances on the main threats for petrels (invasive species at breeding grounds, bycatch, overfishing, light pollution, climate change, and pollution). We propose an ambitious goal to reverse at least some of these six main threats, through active efforts such as restoring island habitats (e.g., invasive species removal, control and prevention), improving policies and regulations at global and regional levels, and engaging local communities in conservation efforts.

We studied the influences of the thickness of the porous silicon layer and the conductivity type on the porous silicon sensors response when exposed to ethanol vapor. The response was determined at room temperature (27 ∘C) in darkness using a horizontal aluminum electrode pattern. The results indicated that the intensity of the response can be directly or inversely proportional to the thickness of the porous layer depending on the conductivity type of the semiconductor material. The response of the porous sensors was similar to the metal oxide sensors. The results can be used to appropriately select the conductivity of semiconductor materials and the thickness of the porous layer for the target gas.

Water saving techniques such as drip irrigation are important for rice (Oriza sativa L.) production in some areas. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is a promising alternative for intensive cropping since surface drip irrigation (DI) requires a higher degree of labor to allow the use of machinery. However, the semi-aquatic nature of rice plants and their shallow root system could pose some limitations. A major design issue when using SDI is to select the dripline depth to create appropriate root wetting patterns as well as to reduce water losses by deep drainage and evaporation. Soil texture can greatly affect soil water dynamics and, consequently, optimal dripline depth and irrigation frequency needs. Since water balance components as deep percolation are difficult to estimate under field conditions, soil water models as HYDRUS-2D can be used for this purpose. In the present study, we performed a field experiment using SDI for rice production with Onice variety. Simulations using HYDRUS-2D software successfully validated soil water distribution and, therefore, were used to predict soil water contents, deep drainage, and plant water extraction for two different dripline depths, three soil textures, and three irrigation frequencies. Results of the simulations show that dripline depth of 0.15 m combined with one or two daily irrigation events maximized water extraction and reduced percolation. Moreover, simulations with HYDRUS-2D could be useful to determine the most appropriate location of soil water probes to efficiently manage the SDI in rice.

Global warming and direct anthropogenic impacts, such as water extraction, largely affect water budgets in Mediterranean wetlands, thereby increasing wetland salinities and isolation, and decreasing water depths and hydroperiods (duration of the inundation period). These wetland features are key elements structuring waterbird communities. However, the ultimate and net consequences of these dynamic conditions on waterbird assemblages are largely unknown. We combined regular sampling of waterbird presence through one annual cycle with in-situ data on relevant environmental predictors of waterbird distribution to model habitat selection for 69 species in a typical Mediterranean wetland network in southwestern Spain. Species associations with environmental features were subsequently used to predict changes in habitat suitability for each species under three climate change scenarios (encompassing changes in environmental predictors that ranged from 10% to 50% change as predicted by regional climatic models). Waterbirds distributed themselves unevenly throughout environmental gradients and water salinity was the most important gradient structuring the distribution of the community. Environmental suitability for the guilds of diving birds and vegetation gleaners will decline in future climate scenarios, while many small wading birds will benefit from changing conditions. Resident species and those that breed in this wetland network will also be more negatively impacted than those using this area for wintering or stopover. We provide a tool that can be used in a horizon-scanning framework to identify emerging issues in waterbird conservation and to anticipate suitable management actions.