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There are more incidents of violence in summer and on hot days, a trend likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Urban areas experience additional temperature modulation due to the urban form, however, to date, no studies have considered the effect of the urban heat island (UHI) or green space with respect to the temperature-violence relationship. This study modelled the relationship between the number of daily violent crime incidents that occurred inside or outside between July 2013 and June 2018, and the average surface UHI or percentage greencover (including grasses, shrubs and trees) within each local government area in Greater Sydney, Australia. Panelised negative binomial time series regression models indicated that the violent crime rate was associated with higher surface UHI for crimes committed outside (p = 0.006) but not inside (p = 0.072). Greater percentage of all vegetation was associated with significantly lower rates of violent crime committed outside (p = 0.011) but was not associated with violent crimes committed inside (p = 0.430). More socio-economic disadvantage was associated with higher rates of violent crime committed inside (p = 0.002) but not outside (p = 0.145). Greater temperature was non-linearly associated with higher rates of violent crime committed both inside and outside (p

Abstract Arsenic, a toxic element from both anthropogenic and natural sources, reaches surface environments through atmospheric cycling and dry and wet deposition. Biomethylation volatilizes arsenic into the atmosphere and deposition cycles it back to the surface, affecting soil-plant systems. Chemical speciation of deposited arsenic is important for understanding further processing in soils and bioavailability. However, the range of atmospheric transport and source signature of arsenic species remain understudied. Here we report significant levels of methylated arsenic in precipitation, cloud water and aerosols collected under free tropospheric conditions at Pic du Midi Observatory (France) indicating long-range transport, which is crucial for atmospheric budgets. Through chemical analyses and moisture source diagnostics, we identify terrestrial and marine sources for distinct arsenic species. Estimated atmospheric deposition fluxes of methylated arsenic are similar to reported methylation rates in soils, highlighting atmospheric deposition as a significant, overlooked source of potentially bioavailable methylated arsenic species impacting plant uptake in soils.

The constructs of lipid molecules follow self-assembly, driven by intermolecular interactions, forming stacking of lipid bilayer films. Achieving designed geometry at nano- to micro-levels with packing deviating from the near-equilibrium structure is difficult to achieve due to the strong tendency of lipid molecules to self-assemble. Using ultrasmall (sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC). Taking advantage of the high spatial precision and the minute size of the delivery probe in our combined atomic force microscopy and microfluidic delivery, the transient shape of each liquid droplet is regulated. In doing so, the final geometry of the POPC assemblies has been regulated to the designed geometry with nanometer precision. The results extend the concept of controlled assembly of molecules to amphiphilic systems. The outcomes exhibit high potential in lipid-based biomaterial science and biodevice engineering.

Associations between neighborhood greenness and socioeconomic status (SES) are established, yet intra-neighborhood context and SES-related barriers to tree planting remain unclear. Large-scale tree planting implementation efforts are increasingly common and can improve human health, strengthen climate adaptation, and ameliorate environmental inequities. Yet, these efforts may be ineffective without in-depth understanding of local SES inequities and barriers to residential planting. We recruited 636 residents within and surrounding the Oakdale Neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, USA, and evaluated associations of individual and neighborhood-level sociodemographic indicators with greenness levels at multiple scales. We offered no-cost residential tree planting and maintenance to residents within a subsection of the neighborhood and examined associations of these sociodemographic indicators plus baseline greenness levels with tree planting adoption among 215 eligible participants. We observed positive associations of income with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and leaf area index (LAI) within all radii around homes, and within yards of residents, that varied in strength. There were stronger associations of income with NDVI in front yards but LAI in back yards. Among Participants of Color, associations between income and NDVI were stronger than with Whites and exhibited no association with LAI. Tree planting uptake was not associated with income, education, race, nor employment status, but was positively associated with lot size, home value, lower population density, and area greenness. Our findings reveal significant complexity of intra-neighborhood associations between SES and greenness that could help shape future research and equitable greening implementation. Results show that previously documented links between SES and greenspace at large scales extend to residents yards, highlighting opportunities to redress greenness inequities on private property. Our analysis found that uptake of no-cost residential planting and maintenance was nearly equal across SES groups but did not redress greenness inequity. To inform equitable greening, further research is needed to evaluate culture, norms, perceptions, and values affecting tree planting acceptance among low-SES residents.

Gardening offers a range of benefits, from food production to social connection to improved mental and physical health. When COVID-19 struck, interest in gardening soared, but it was unclear whether and how gardens would deliver these benefits in the midst of a global pandemic. We analyzed survey responses from 603 home and community gardeners across California, collected between June and August 2020, to assess trends in pandemic gardening. Gardeners highlighted the importance of gardens as therapeutic spaces where they could escape the stress of the pandemic, and as safe outdoor places for socializing. The study also revealed people's concerns about food supply, along with an accompanying interest in growing their own food to increase food security and self-sufficiency. The pandemic posed challenges for home gardeners, though, with 62% struggling to access gardening supplies. These findings suggest the importance of providing garden space, resources, and support, especially to those populations with the least access to green space, so that gardens can serve as resources to improve community health, food security, and resiliency during future disasters.

Abstract Neuroinflammation is highly influenced by microglia, particularly through activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent release of IL-1β. Extracellular ATP is a strong activator of NLRP3 by inducing K+ efflux as a key signaling event, suggesting that K+-permeable ion channels could have high therapeutic potential. In microglia, these include ATP-gated THIK-1 K+ channels and P2X7 receptors, but their interactions and potential therapeutic role in the human brain are unknown. Using a novel specific inhibitor of THIK-1 in combination with patch-clamp electrophysiology in slices of human neocortex, we found that THIK-1 generated the main tonic K+ conductance in microglia that sets the resting membrane potential. Extracellular ATP stimulated K+ efflux in a concentration-dependent manner only via P2X7 and metabotropic potentiation of THIK-1. We further demonstrated that activation of P2X7 was mandatory for ATP-evoked IL-1β release, which was strongly suppressed by blocking THIK-1. Surprisingly, THIK-1 contributed only marginally to the total K+ conductance in the presence of ATP, which was dominated by P2X7. This suggests a previously unknown, K+-independent mechanism of THIK-1 for NLRP3 activation. Nuclear sequencing revealed almost selective expression of THIK-1 in human brain microglia, while P2X7 had a much broader expression. Thus, inhibition of THIK-1 could be an effective and, in contrast to P2X7, microglia-specific therapeutic strategy to contain neuroinflammation. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Anterior Visual Pathway (aVP) damage may be linked to diverse inflammatory, degenerative and/or vascular conditions. Currently however, a standardized methodological framework for extracting MRI biomarkers of the aVP is not available. We used high-resolution, 3-D MRI data to generate a probabilistic anatomical atlas of the normal aVP and its intraorbital (iOrb), intracanalicular (iCan), intracranial (iCran), optic chiasm (OC), and tract (OT) subdivisions. We acquired 0.6 mm3 steady-state free-precession images from 24 healthy participants using a 3 T scanner. aVP masks were obtained by manual segmentation of each aVP subdivision. Mask straightening and normalization with cross-sectional area (CSA) preservation were obtained using scripts developed in-house. A probabilistic atlas (“aVP-24”) was generated by averaging left and right sides of all subjects. Leave-one-out cross-validation with respect to interindividual variability was performed employing the Dice Similarity Index (DSI). Spatially normalized representations of the aVP subdivisions were generated. Overlapping CSA values before and after normalization demonstrate preservation of the aVP cross-section. Volume, length, CSA, and ellipticity index (ε) biometrics were extracted. The aVP-24 morphology followed previous descriptions from the gross anatomy. Atlas spatial validation DSI scores of 0.85 in 50% and 0.77 in 95% of participants indicated good generalizability across the subjects. The proposed MRI standardization framework allows for previously unavailable, geometrically unbiased biometric data of the entire aVP and provides the base for future spatial-resolved, group-level investigations.

Gardening has the potential to improve health and wellbeing, especially during crises. Using an international survey of gardeners (n = 3743), this study aimed to understand everyday gardening experiences, perspectives and attitudes during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Our qualitative reflexive thematic and sentiment analyses show that during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, gardening seemed to create a safe and positive space where people could socially connect, learn and be creative. Participants had more time to garden during the pandemic, which led to enhanced connections with family members and neighbours, and the ability to spend time in a safe outdoor environment. More time gardening allowed for innovative and new gardening practices that provided enjoyment for many participants. However, our research also highlighted barriers to gardening (e.g. lack of access to garden spaces and materials). Our results illustrate the multiple benefits of gardening apparent during COVID-19 through a lens of the social-ecological model of health.

Objectives To investigate pregnancy outcomes in women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) in the Italian prospective cohort study P-RHEUM.it.Methods Pregnant women with different ARD were enrolled for up to 20 gestational weeks in 29 Rheumatology Centres for 5 years (2018–2023). Maternal and infant information were collected in a web-based database.Results We analysed 866 pregnancies in 851 patients (systemic lupus erythematosus was the most represented disease, 19.6%). Maternal disease flares were observed in 135 (15.6%) pregnancies. 53 (6.1%) pregnancies were induced by assisted reproduction techniques, 61 (7%) ended in miscarriage and 11 (1.3%) underwent elective termination. Obstetrical complications occurred in 261 (30.1%) pregnancies, including 2.3% pre-eclampsia. Two cases of congenital heart block were observed out of 157 pregnancies (1.3%) with anti-Ro/SSA. Regarding treatments, 244 (28.2%) pregnancies were treated with glucocorticoids, 388 (44.8%) with hydroxychloroquine, 85 (9.8%) with conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and 122 (14.1%) with biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Live births were 794 (91.7%), mostly at term (84.9%); four perinatal deaths (0.5%) occurred. Among 790 newborns, 31 (3.9%) were small-for-gestational-age and 169 (21.4%) had perinatal complications. Exclusive maternal breast feeding was received by 404 (46.7%) neonates. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was compiled by 414 women (52.4%); 89 (21.5%) scored positive for emotional distress.Conclusions Multiple factors including preconception counselling and treat-to-target with pregnancy-compatible medications may have contributed to mitigate disease-related risk factors, yielding limited disease flares, good pregnancy outcomes and frequency of complications which were similar to the Italian general obstetric population. Disease-specific issues need to be further addressed to plan preventative measures.

El objetivo del artículo es ofrecer un recorrido por las experiencias de mujeres indígenas que cursan estudios universitarios en el marco de la Diplomatura en Interpretación y Traducción Intercultural Wichí-Castellano para el Acceso a la Justicia, dictada por la Universidad Nacional de Salta (Salta, Argentina). Se utiliza una metodología cualitativa y desde una perspectiva etnográfica se presentan sus experiencias en relación con el uso de las lenguas (wichí-castellano) y las visiones que tienen respecto del egreso de la diplomatura. En los resultados se señalan las especificidades de los modos en que se aprenden y utilizan ambas lenguas en sus trayectorias escolares, y las particularidades que tiene el acceso a la universidad siendo mujeres. En las conclusiones se destaca el impacto positivo de la diplomatura entre las mujeres wichí, ya que habilita la construcción de nuevos proyectos de vida en este sector poblacional.

Australia is experiencing mounting pressures related to processes of urbanisation, biodiversity loss and climate change felt at large in cities. At the same time, it is cities that can take the leading role in pioneering approaches and solutions to respond to those coupling emergencies. In this perspective piece we respond to the following question: What are the required transformations for prioritising, valuing, maintaining and embracing nature in cities in Australia? We adopt the mission framework as an organising framework to present proposed pathways to transform Australian cities as nature-positive places of the future. We propose three interconnected pathways as starting actions to steer urban planning, policy and governance in Australian cities: First, cities need to establish evidence-based planning for nature in cities and mainstream new planning tools that safeguard and foreground urban nature. Second, collaborative planning needs to become a standard practice in cities and inclusive governance for nature in cities needs to prioritise Aboriginal knowledge systems and practices as well as look beyond what local governments can do. Third, for progressing to nature-positive cities, it is paramount to empower communities to innovate with nature across Australian cities. Whilst we focus on Australian cities, the lessons and pathways are broadly applicably globally and can inspire science-policy debates for the post COP15 biodiversity and COP26 climate change implementation processes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted social life. Gardens and yards have seemingly risen as a lifeline during the pandemic. Here, we investigated the relationship between people and gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influenced the ability of people to garden. We examined survey responses (n = 3,743) from gardeners who reported how the pandemic had affected personal motivations to garden and their use of their gardens, alongside pandemic-related challenges, such as food access during the first wave of COVID-19 (May-Aug 2020). The results show that for the respondents, gardening was overwhelmingly important for nature connection, individual stress release, outdoor physical activity and food provision. The importance of food provision and economic security were also important for those facing greater hardships from the pandemic. While the literature on gardening has long shown the multiple benefits of gardening, we report on these benefits during a global pandemic. More research is needed to capture variations in public sentiment and practice - including those who do little gardening, have less access to land, and reside in low-income communities particularly in the global south. Nevertheless, we argue that gardening can be a public health strategy, readily accessible to boost societal resilience to disturbances.

Tree mortality during global-change-type drought is usually attributed to xylem dysfunction, but as climate change increases the frequency of extreme heat events, it is necessary to better understand the interactive role of heat stress. We hypothesized that some drought-stressed plants paradoxically open stomata in heatwaves to prevent leaves from critically overheating. We experimentally imposed heat (>40°C) and drought stress onto 20 broadleaf evergreen tree/shrub species in a glasshouse study. Most well-watered plants avoided lethal overheating, but drought exacerbated thermal damage during heatwaves. Thermal safety margins (TSM) quantifying the difference between leaf surface temperature and leaf critical temperature, where photosynthesis is disrupted, identified species vulnerability to heatwaves. Several mechanisms contributed to high heat tolerance and avoidance of damaging leaf temperatures-small leaf size, low leaf osmotic potential, high leaf mass per area (i.e., thick, dense leaves), high transpirational capacity, and access to water. Water-stressed plants had smaller TSM, greater crown dieback, and a fundamentally different stomatal heatwave response relative to well-watered plants. On average, well-watered plants closed stomata and decreased stomatal conductance (gs ) during the heatwave, but droughted plants did not. Plant species with low gs , either due to isohydric stomatal behavior under water deficit or inherently low transpirational capacity, opened stomata and increased gs under high temperatures. The current paradigm maintains that stomata close before hydraulic thresholds are surpassed, but our results suggest that isohydric species may dramatically increase gs (over sixfold increases) even past their leaf turgor loss point. By actively increasing water loss at high temperatures, plants can be driven toward mortality thresholds more rapidly than has been previously recognized. The inclusion of TSM and responses to heat stress could improve our ability to predict the vulnerability of different tree species to future droughts.

Robotics and autonomous systems are reshaping the world, changing healthcare, food production and biodiversity management. While they will play a fundamental role in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals, associated opportunities and threats are yet to be considered systematically. We report on a horizon scan evaluating robotics and autonomous systems impact on all Sustainable Development Goals, involving 102 experts from around the world. Robotics and autonomous systems are likely to transform how the Sustainable Development Goals are achieved, through replacing and supporting human activities, fostering innovation, enhancing remote access and improving monitoring. Emerging threats relate to reinforcing inequalities, exacerbating environmental change, diverting resources from tried-and-tested solutions and reducing freedom and privacy through inadequate governance. Although predicting future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on the Sustainable Development Goals is difficult, thoroughly examining technological developments early is essential to prevent unintended detrimental consequences. Additionally, robotics and autonomous systems should be considered explicitly when developing future iterations of the Sustainable Development Goals to avoid reversing progress or exacerbating inequalities.

Abstract Background Vector-borne zoonotic diseases are a concerning issue in Europe. Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) have been reported in several countries with a large impact on public health; other emerging pathogens, such as Rickettsiales, and mosquito-borne flaviviruses have been increasingly reported. All these pathogens are linked to wild ungulates playing roles as tick feeders, spreaders, and sentinels for pathogen circulation. This study evaluated the prevalence of TBEV, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Coxiella spp. by biomolecular screening of blood samples and ticks collected from wild ungulates. Ungulates were also screened by ELISA and virus neutralization tests for flaviviral antibody detection. Results A total of 274 blood samples were collected from several wild ungulate species, as well as 406 Ixodes ricinus, which were feeding on them. Blood samples tested positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. (1.1%; 0-2.3%) and Rickettsia spp. (1.1%; 0-2.3%) and showed an overall flaviviral seroprevalence of 30.6% (22.1–39.2%): 26.1% (17.9–34.3%) for TBEV, 3.6% (0.1–7.1%) for Usutu virus and 0.9% (0-2.7%) for West Nile virus. Ticks were pooled when possible and yielded 331 tick samples that tested positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. (8.8%; 5.8–11.8%), Rickettsia spp. (26.6%; 21.8–31.2%) and Neoehrlichia mikurensis (1.2%; 0-2.4%). TBEV and Coxiella spp. were not detected in either blood or tick samples. Conclusions This research highlighted a high prevalence of several tick-borne zoonotic pathogens and high seroprevalence for flaviviruses in both hilly and alpine areas. For the first time, an alpine chamois tested positive for anti-TBEV antibodies. Ungulate species are of particular interest due to their sentinel role in flavivirus circulation and their indirect role in tick-borne diseases and maintenance as Ixodes feeders and spreaders.

Tanto en México como en América Latina existe una reflexión en torno a la presencia de jóvenes indígenas dentro de distintos modelos de educación superior, ya sea desde las universidades convencionales o desde las propuestas de educación que en distintos contextos se han nombrado indígenas, interculturales, de educación propia, de etnoeducación, entre otras denominaciones. En los últimos años, algunas universidades están redefiniendo, aunque de manera muy incipiente, la imagen homogénea que se ha construido sobre el tipo de estudiantes que reciben, y se comienza a visibilizar una heterogeneidad de identidades que habitan las aulas, provenientes de diversos grupos sociales y culturales.

Cities and towns are complex ecosystems with features that can vary dramatically in space and time. Our knowledge of the spatial structure of urban land and ecological systems is expanding. These systems have been investigated across spatial scales, urban to rural gradients, networks of urban macrosystems, and global megalopolises. However, the temporal dimensions of urban ecosystems – such as those related to ecological cycles and historical legacies – are far less understood and investigated. Here, we outline the main dimensions of time that can shape how events in urban ecosystems unfold, which we categorize as: (i) time flows and duration, (ii) synchrony, lags, and delays, (iii) trends and transitions, (iv) cycles and hysteresis, (v) legacies and priming, (vi) temporal hotspots and hot moments, and (vii) stochastic vs. deterministic processes affecting our ability to forecast the future of cities and the species that live in them. First, we demonstrate the roles of these understudied dimensions by discussing exemplary studies. We then propose key future research directions for investigating how processes over time may regulate the structure and functioning of urban land and biodiversity, as well as its effects on and implications for urban ecology. Our analysis and conceptual framework highlights that several temporal dimensions of urban ecosystems – like those related to temporal hotspots/moments and stochastic vs. deterministic processes – are understudied. This offers important research opportunities to further urban ecology and a comprehensive research agenda valuing the “Urban Chronos” – the change of urban ecosystems through time.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries experienced something of a boom in interest in gardening. Gardens have long been considered as refuges into which we retreat to escape various struggles and challenges. In this study we examine the characteristics and functions of the garden as a refuge during the period of increased garden interest associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of qualitative results about garden experiences from 3,743 survey respondents revealed intertwining garden and emotional geographies. Utilising non-representational and therapeutic landscape theories, we found multifarious and heightened experiences of non-material aspects of gardens; that is, the sensory and emotional aspects. People experienced, for example, a sense of joy, beauty, and reassurance, a greater attunement to the natural world and an increased sense of nature connection than they had at other times: birds felt louder. These heightened sensory and emotional experiences had therapeutic benefits, across age and geographical spectrums, during these difficult times. This research improves our understandings of the positive potential of non-material aspects of gardens in the creation of therapeutic landscapes in and beyond COVID-19.

Cities and towns are complex ecosystems with features that can vary dramatically in space and time. Our knowledge of the spatial structure of urban land and ecological systems is expanding. These systems have been investigated across spatial scales, urban to rural gradients, networks of urban macrosystems, and global megalopolises. However, the temporal dimensions of urban ecosystems – such as those related to ecological cycles and historical legacies – are far less understood and investigated. Here, we outline the main dimensions of time that can shape how events in urban ecosystems unfold, which we categorize as: (i) time flows and duration, (ii) synchrony, lags, and delays, (iii) trends and transitions, (iv) cycles and hysteresis, (v) legacies and priming, (vi) temporal hotspots and hot moments, and (vii) stochastic vs. deterministic processes affecting our ability to forecast the future of cities and the species that live in them. First, we demonstrate the roles of these understudied dimensions by discussing exemplary studies. We then propose key future research directions for investigating how processes over time may regulate the structure and functioning of urban land and biodiversity, as well as its effects on and implications for urban ecology. Our analysis and conceptual framework highlights that several temporal dimensions of urban ecosystems – like those related to temporal hotspots/moments and stochastic vs. deterministic processes – are understudied. This offers important research opportunities to further urban ecology and a comprehensive research agenda valuing the “Urban Chronos” – the change of urban ecosystems through time.

We provide an overview of the status of Monte-Carlo event generators for high-energy particle physics. Guided by the experimental needs and requirements, we highlight areas of active development, and opportunities for future improvements. Particular emphasis is given to physics models and algorithms that are employed across a variety of experiments. These common themes in event generator development lead to a more comprehensive understanding of physics at the highest energies and intensities, and allow models to be tested against a wealth of data that have been accumulated over the past decades. A cohesive approach to event generator development will allow these models to be further improved and systematic uncertainties to be reduced, directly contributing to future experimental success. Event generators are part of a much larger ecosystem of computational tools. They typically involve a number of unknown model parameters that must be tuned to experimental data, while maintaining the integrity of the underlying physics models. Making both these data, and the analyses with which they have been obtained accessible to future users is an essential aspect of open science and data preservation. It ensures the consistency of physics models across a variety of experiments.

Nature-based solutions, ecosystem-based approaches that deliver multiple benefits, including biodiversity habitat, have the potential to address a range of challenges that cities are increasingly facing. Nature-based solutions can contribute towards addressing intersecting climate change and biodiversity extinction crises. Mainstreaming nature-based solutions involves policy and planning approaches that shift from a reliance on grey infrastructure to integrating nature-based approaches in urban infrastructures. Mainstreaming requires integration across sectors, scales and stakeholders, as well as across policy domains and levels of governance. While much of the NBS research originates from European and North American contexts, Australian cities are distinctive; the priorities for mainstreaming NBS in Australian cities need to respond to Australia's distinctive context and local research in addition to learning from global research. In this perspective, we propose four priority pathways for mainstreaming nature-based solutions in Australian cities: i) addressing changing climate conditions and climate extremes, including heat and drought; ii) embedding an ecology and biodiversity focus, including threatened species, as well as considering the risks of ‘ecological traps’; iii) localising approaches that bring together local knowledges, research, and practice; and iv) foregrounding Indigenous knowledges and Custodianship as decolonising approaches. Urban planning in Australia cities, as well as cities globally, needs to take an ecological shift and consider planning with and for nature. The proposed four pathways present a way forward for urban planning to facilitate a socio-ecological transition that can build more climate-resilient cities while strengthening ecological knowledge, memory, sense of place and cultural inclusivity.

The use of functional information in the form of species traits plays an important role in explaining biodiversity patterns and responses to environmental changes. Although relationships between species composition, their traits, and the environment have been extensively studied on a case-by-case basis, results are variable, and it remains unclear how generalizable these relationships are across ecosystems, taxa and spatial scales. To address this gap, we collated 80 datasets from trait-based studies into a global database for metaCommunity Ecology: Species, Traits, Environment and Space; "CESTES". Each dataset includes four matrices: species community abundances or presences/absences across multiple sites, species trait information, environmental variables and spatial coordinates of the sampling sites. The CESTES database is a live database: it will be maintained and expanded in the future as new datasets become available. By its harmonized structure, and the diversity of ecosystem types, taxonomic groups, and spatial scales it covers, the CESTES database provides an important opportunity for synthetic trait-based research in community ecology.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Drought is expected to increase in frequency and severity in many regions in the future, so it is important to improve our understanding of how drought affects plant functional traits and ecological interactions. Imposing experimental water deficits is key to gaining this understanding, but has been hindered by logistic difficulties in maintaining consistently low water availability for plants. Here, we describe a simple method for applying soil water deficits to potted plants in glasshouse experiments. We modified an existing method (the "Snow and Tingey system") in order to apply a gradual, moderate water deficit to 50 plant species of different life forms (grasses, vines, shrubs, trees). The method requires less maintenance and manual handling compared to other water deficit methods, so it can be used for extended periods of time and is relatively inexpensive to implement. With only a few modifications, it is possible to easily establish and maintain soil water deficits of differing intensity and duration, as well as to incorporate interacting stress factors. We tested this method by measuring physiological responses to an applied water deficit in a subset of 11 tree/shrub species with a wide range of drought tolerances and water-use strategies. For this subgroup of species, stomatal conductance was 2-17 times lower in droughted plants than controls, although only half of the species (5 out of 11) experienced midday leaf water potentials that exceeded their turgor loss (i.e., wilting) point. Leaf temperatures were up to 8°C higher in droughted plants than controls, indicating that droughted plants are at greater risk of thermal damage, relative to unstressed plants. The largest leaf temperature differences (between droughted and well-watered plants) were in species with high rates of water loss. Rapid osmotic adjustment was observed in leaves of five species when drought stress was combined with an experimental heatwave. These results highlight the potential value of further ecological and physiological experiments utilizing this simple water deficit method to study plant responses to drought stress.

Wernicke's encephalopathy is an acute neuropsychiatric syndrome resulting from severe thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. Symptoms occur with an acute onset and may vary according to the brain area involved. Altered consciousness is the most common clinical feature, together with ocular abnormalities and ataxia. We report the case of a pregnant women affected by pre-gestational hyperthyroidism that caused an uncommon presentation of Wernicke's encephalopathy. Symptoms differed from the classic triad and diagnosis was made possible by a thorough analysis of anamnestic factors and brain MRI. Alongside thiamine supplementation, a multidisciplinary approach which included physiokinesis and a phoniatric support was fundamental for the patient's recovery.

Gardening offers a range of benefits, from food production to social connection to improved mental and physical health. When COVID-19 struck, interest in gardening soared, but it was unclear whether and how gardens would deliver these benefits in the midst of a global pandemic. We analyzed survey responses from 603 home and community gardeners across California, collected between June and August 2020, to assess trends in pandemic gardening. Gardeners highlighted the importance of gardens as therapeutic spaces where they could escape the stress of the pandemic, and as safe outdoor places for socializing. The study also revealed people's concerns about food supply, along with an accompanying interest in growing their own food to increase food security and self-sufficiency. The pandemic posed challenges for home gardeners, though, with 62% struggling to access gardening supplies. These findings suggest the importance of providing garden space, resources, and support, especially to those populations with the least access to green space, so that gardens can serve as resources to improve community health, food security, and resiliency during future disasters.