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As students gain more experience with design concepts, they should progress from novice to expert design thinkers. The purpose of this research was to identify the constructs of growth in design thinking (DT) over short- (one weekend) and long-term (10 weeks) design challenges. A DT mindset questionnaire was completed by students in a third-year undergraduate biomedical design course at the beginning of the course, after a one-weekend design challenge, and on completion of the course. After the short design challenge, an improvement in 15 of the 19 constructs was observed relative to baseline. Six of these constructs: mindfulness and awareness of the process, embracing risk, abductive thinking, envisioning new things, creative confidence, and optimism to make an impact, were sustained over the course of the semester indicating that a prolonged period of experiential learning can maintain short-term gains in DT. Three of the constructs: holistic views (considering the problem as a whole), diversity, and curiosity showed improvement following the short-term design challenge, then deterioration suggesting that situational circumstances are significant contributors to these constructs of DT. DT generally improves with the opportunity to collaborate, communicate, and design for a specific outcome. However, situational factors including team diversity, instructor expertise, dedicated time for team collaboration, and prior experiences can affect changes in the DT skillset.

Insects are one of the most species-rich groups on Earth. They comprise much of animal diversity and play vital roles in ecosystems, including pollination, pest control, and decomposition. However, only a fraction of this diversity has been formally described. South Africa is recognised as one of the most biologically diverse countries globally, with an estimated 44 000 insect species. Many crops rely on insect pollinators, including canola, apples, oranges, and sunflowers. A shortage of wild pollinators currently threatens crop yields, yet our knowledge of insect diversity within South Africa is sparse. There are few taxonomic specialists relative to South Africa’s biodiversity, and the methods used for insect identification can be time-consuming and expensive. DNA barcoding provides an important research tool to accelerate insect biodiversity research. In this review, we queried the public DNA barcoding BOLD (Barcode of Life Data System) database for records of “Insecta” within South Africa, and 416 211 published records assigned to 28 239 unique BINs (Barcode Index Numbers) were returned. We identified five taxonomic orders with more BINs than known species in southern Africa (Hymenoptera, Diptera, Thysanoptera, Plecoptera, and Strepsiptera). Most of the barcoded records were derived from Malaise trap sampling in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, while the rest of South Africa remains poorly sampled. We suggest that there is a need for a comprehensive national sampling effort alongside increased investment in taxonomic expertise to generate critical baseline data on insect biodiversity before species are lost to extinction. Significance: Insects provide critical ecosystem services, but our knowledge of insect biodiversity is limited. DNA barcoding can help fill biodiversity knowledge gaps; however, within South Africa, sampling has been uneven. Well-sampled provinces include Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, while the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, North-West and Western Cape remain under-sampled. We argue for a broad national Malaise trapping effort to generate crucial baseline data on insect biodiversity. Without urgent investment in taxonomic expertise and biomonitoring, we risk losing much of our biodiversity before it is even described.

Abstract Interest in home-based stroke rehabilitation mechatronics, which includes both robots and sensor mechanisms, has increased over the past 12 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the existing lack of access to rehabilitation for stroke survivors post-discharge. Home-based stroke rehabilitation devices could improve access to rehabilitation for stroke survivors, but the home environment presents unique challenges compared to clinics. The present study undertakes a scoping review of designs for at-home upper limb stroke rehabilitation mechatronic devices to identify important design principles and areas for improvement. Online databases were used to identify papers published 2010–2021 describing novel rehabilitation device designs, from which 59 publications were selected describing 38 unique designs. The devices were categorized and listed according to their target anatomy, possible therapy tasks, structure, and features. Twenty-two devices targeted proximal (shoulder and elbow) anatomy, 13 targeted distal (wrist and hand) anatomy, and three targeted the whole arm and hand. Devices with a greater number of actuators in the design were more expensive, with a small number of devices using a mix of actuated and unactuated degrees of freedom to target more complex anatomy while reducing the cost. Twenty-six of the device designs did not specify their target users’ function or impairment, nor did they specify a target therapy activity, task, or exercise. Twenty-three of the devices were capable of reaching tasks, 6 of which included grasping capabilities. Compliant structures were the most common approach of including safety features in the design. Only three devices were designed to detect compensation, or undesirable posture, during therapy activities. Six of the 38 device designs mention consulting stakeholders during the design process, only two of which consulted patients specifically. Without stakeholder involvement, these designs risk being disconnected from user needs and rehabilitation best practices. Devices that combine actuated and unactuated degrees of freedom allow a greater variety and complexity of tasks while not significantly increasing their cost. Future home-based upper limb stroke rehabilitation mechatronic designs should provide information on patient posture during task execution, design with specific patient capabilities and needs in mind, and clearly link the features of the design to users’ needs.

Biodiversity appears to strongly suppress pathogens and pests in many plant and animal systems. However, this "dilution effect" is not consistently detected, and when present can vary strikingly in magnitude. Here, we use forest inventory data from over 25,000 plots (>1.1 million sampled trees) to quantify the strength of the dilution effect on dozens of forest pests and clarify why some pests are particularly sensitive to biodiversity. Using Bayesian hierarchical models, we show that pest prevalence is frequently lower in highly diverse forests, but there is considerable variability in the magnitude of this dilution effect among pests. The strength of dilution was not closely associated with host specialization or pest nativity. Instead, pest prevalence was lower in forests where co-occurring tree species were more distantly related to a pest's preferred hosts. Our analyses indicate that host evolutionary history and forest composition are key to understanding how species diversity may dilute the impacts of tree pests, with important implications for predicting how future biodiversity change may affect the spread and distribution of damaging forest pests.

La campaña oceanográfica 103 del Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) ha estado dedicada a dilucidar la evolución tectónica y sedimentación del Margen Atlántico-Ibérico. Se realizaron un total de 14 sondeos., en cinco puntos de posicionamiento, sobre el extremo más profundo del margen; al S del Banco de Galicia. Los resultados obtenidos revelan que previamente al inicio de la expansión oceánica entre Terranova e Iberia ocurrió una historia compleja de distensión cortical, fracturación y subsidencia asociadas. Los resultados fundamentales son los siguientes: 1) Carbonatos de plataforma marina somera, de edad Jurásico superior-Cretáceo basal constituyen los primeros depósitos mesozóicos en ese ámbito del margen y dan lugar a un reflector sísmico considerado interiormente como basamento, 2) El hundimiento de la plataforma, fallamiento y basculamiento de los bloques ocurre desde 25 m.a. antes de iniciarse la acreción oceánica. 3) En el límite entre corteza oceánica-corteza continental se ubica una cresta constituida por peridotitas serpetinizadas. 4) El reflector sísmico «S», generalmente considerado como el límite dúctil-frágil en la corteza continental, corresponde realmente a la base de los depósitos sinrift.

Abstract The establishment of protected areas (PAs) is a central strategy for global biodiversity conservation. While the role of PAs in protecting habitat has been highlighted, their effectiveness at protecting mammal communities remains unclear. We analyzed a global dataset from over 8671 camera traps in 23 countries on four continents that detected 321 medium‐ to large‐bodied mammal species. We found a strong positive correlation between mammal taxonomic diversity and the proportion of a surveyed area covered by PAs at a global scale (β = 0.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.19–0.60) and in Indomalaya (β = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.19–1.2), as well as between functional diversity and PA coverage in the Nearctic (β = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.09–0.85), after controlling for human disturbances and environmental variation. Functional diversity was only weakly (and insignificantly) correlated with PA coverage at the global scale (β = 0.22, 95% CI = −0.02–0.46), pointing to a need to better understand the functional response of mammal communities to protection. Our study provides important evidence of the global effectiveness of PAs in conserving terrestrial mammals and emphasizes the critical role of area‐based conservation in a post‐2020 biodiversity framework.

Abstract Two of the elements of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa quark mixing matrix, $$|V_{ub}|$$ | V ub | and $$|V_{cb}|$$ | V cb | , are extracted from semileptonic B decays. The results of the B factories, analysed in the light of the most recent theoretical calculations, remain puzzling, because for both $$|V_{ub}|$$ | V ub | and $$|V_{cb}|$$ | V cb | the exclusive and inclusive determinations are in clear tension. Further, measurements in the $$\tau $$ τ channels at Belle, Babar, and LHCb show discrepancies with the Standard Model predictions, pointing to a possible violation of lepton flavor universality. LHCb and Belle II have the potential to resolve these issues in the next few years. This article summarizes the discussions and results obtained at the MITP workshop held on April 9–13, 2018, in Mainz, Germany, with the goal to develop a medium-term strategy of analyses and calculations aimed at solving the puzzles. Lattice and continuum theorists working together with experimentalists have discussed how to reshape the semileptonic analyses in view of the much higher luminosity expected at Belle II, searching for ways to systematically validate the theoretical predictions in both exclusive and inclusive B decays, and to exploit the rich possibilities at LHCb.

Abstract Background This paper describes the trial of a novel intervention, Supporting Policy In health with evidence from Research: an Intervention Trial (SPIRIT). It examines (1) the feasibility of delivering this kind of programme in practice; (2) its acceptability to participants; (3) the impact of the programme on the capacity of policy agencies to engage with research; and (4) the engagement with and use of research by policy agencies. Methods SPIRIT was a multifaceted, highly tailored, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised, trial involving six health policy agencies in Sydney, Australia. Agencies were randomly allocated to one of three start dates to receive the 1-year intervention programme. SPIRIT included audit, feedback and goal setting; a leadership programme; staff training; the opportunity to test systems to facilitate research use in policies; and exchange with researchers. Outcome measures were collected at each agency every 6 months for 30 months. Results Participation in SPIRIT was associated with significant increases in research use capacity at staff and agency levels. Staff reported increased confidence in research use skills, and agency leaders reported more extensive systems and structures in place to support research use. Self-report data suggested there was also an increase in tactical research use among agency staff. Given the relatively small numbers of participating agencies and the complexity of their contexts, findings suggest it is possible to effect change in the way policy agencies approach the use of research. This is supported by the responses on the other trial measures; while these were not statistically significant, on 18 of the 20 different measures used, the changes observed were consistent with the hypothesised intervention effect (that is, positive impacts). Conclusions As an early test of an innovative approach, SPIRIT has demonstrated that it is possible to increase research engagement and use in policy agencies. While more work is needed to establish the replicability and generalisability of these findings, this trial suggests that building staff skills and organisational structures may be effective in increasing evidence use.

Variation in water mass transport is a key driver of variability in zooplankton ecology. Data distribution (e.g., sparseness) is often an important factor limiting robust delineation of zooplankton-water mass associations. Mobile autonomous profiling gliders can help address the sparseness issue because gliders can sample across water mass domains spanning tens to hundreds of kilometers at high frequency during a single deployment. The goal of our study was to research the use of gliders as a tool to increase the spatiotemporal scale and robustness of zooplankton-water mass datasets. An autonomous ocean glider was deployed in Roseway Basin, Scotian Shelf, Canada for 2 months along a set of transects that crossed two water masses, a cold-fresh coastal water mass, and a warm-salty continental slope water mass. Zooplankton backscatter was measured with a single frequency Imagenex 300 kHz hydroacoustic echosounder mounted to the underside of the glider at an angle of 26°, such that it was directed vertically downward on the glider downcast. During the deployment, an unusual basin flushing event occurred, where the slope water mass that is typically present in the deep water of Scotian Shelf basins was almost completely replaced by coastal water at all depths. This unique event offered an opportunity to study how extreme changes in water mass affected zooplankton distribution. The impact of basin flushing on both diel- and non-diel-vertically migrating zooplankton communities within the basin was investigated using General Linear Models. The analysis demonstrated some key relationships exist among zooplankton acoustic scattering layers, water mass properties, and basin bathymetry. Zooplankton backscatter was higher in the slope water mass, and declined substantially during the basin flushing event, suggesting that coastal water is not zooplankton habitat for either community. Spatial gradients in the extent of flushing provided local refuge for zooplankton within one margin of the Basin. These patterns would be challenging to measure using conventional shipboard surveys. Our study provides guidance on the use of gliders to supplement shipboard research on biophysical coupling in the plankton, which is of value as the use of gliders for this purpose is proliferating.

Abstract: The zymogen protease plasminogen and its active form plasmin perform key roles in blood clot dissolution, tissue remodeling, cell migration, and bacterial pathogenesis. Dysregulation of the plasminogen/plasmin system results in life-threatening hemorrhagic disorders or thrombotic vascular occlusion. Accordingly, inhibitors of this system are clinically important. Currently, tranexamic acid (TXA), a molecule that prevents plasminogen activation through blocking recruitment to target substrates, is the most widely used inhibitor for the plasminogen/plasmin system in therapeutics. However, TXA lacks efficacy on the active form of plasmin. Thus, there is a need to develop specific inhibitors that target the protease active site. Here we report the crystal structures of plasmin in complex with the novel YO (trans-4-aminomethylcyclohexanecarbonyl-l-tyrosine-n-octylamide) class of small molecule inhibitors. We found that these inhibitors form key interactions with the S1 and S3′ subsites of the catalytic cleft. Here, the TXA moiety of the YO compounds inserts into the primary (S1) specificity pocket, suggesting that TXA itself may function as a weak plasmin inhibitor, a hypothesis supported by subsequent biochemical and biophysical analyses. Mutational studies reveal that F587 of the S′ subsite plays a key role in mediating the inhibitor interaction. Taken together, these data provide a foundation for the future development of small molecule inhibitors to specifically regulate plasmin function in a range of diseases and disorders.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117595.].

Many small- and medium-sized mammals dig for their food. This activity potentially affects soil condition and fertility. Digging is well developed especially in Australian mammals, many of which have recently become rare or extinct. We measured the effects of digging by mammals on soil in a Tasmanian temperate dry sclerophyll forest with an intact mammal community. The density of diggings was 5812 ha−1, affecting 11% of the forest floor. Diggings were created at a rate of around 3113 diggings ha−1 yr−1, disturbing 6.5% of the forest floor and displacing 7.1 m3 ha−1 of soil annually. Most diggings were made by eastern bettongs (Bettongia gaimardi) and short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Many (approx. 30%) fresh diggings consisted of re-excavations of old diggings. Novel diggings displaced 5 m3 ha yr−1 of soil. Diggings acted as traps for organic matter and sites for the formation of new soil, which had higher fertility and moisture content and lower hardness than undisturbed topsoil. These effects on soil fertility and structure were strongest in habitats with dry and poor soil. Creation of fine-scaled heterogeneity by mammals, and amelioration of dry and infertile soil, is a valuable ecosystem service that could be restored by reintroduction of digging mammals to habitats from which they have declined or gone extinct.

From butterflies to elephants, the rapidly developing science of movement ecology is providing increasingly detailed spatio-temporal data on a wide array of mobile animals. Thus, this discipline also holds great promise for improving the conservation of wildlife. To measure progress toward this promise, we investigated the degree to which movement ecology research is connected to conservation goals as well as the proportion of studies that were incorporated into federal and international status assessments for mobile species at risk. We examined 13,349 “movement ecology” papers published between 1990 and 2014 and found that explicit connections to conservation and management were made in 35% (n = 4, 672) of these papers, with the number of connections increasing over time. We then measured the uptake of movement ecology research into species status assessment and recovery plans (n = 72 documents) produced by three different governance agencies for 12 endangered mobile species. We found that on average 60% of available movement ecology research was used in the status assessment process, demonstrating that when movement ecology research is available, it is generally being utilized in conservation planning. However, for 25% of these species, there was little movement research available to be used, highlighting that knowledge gaps remain for some at-risk species despite the general growth of movement ecology research. We outline opportunities for movement ecology to promote more effective conservation of taxa that move.