Cumulative Effects of Watershed Disturbances and Run-of-river Dams on Mercury Cycling: Case Study and Recommendations for Environmental Managers.

Run-of-river power plants (ROR) represent the majority of hydroelectric plants worldwide. Their environmental impacts are not well documented and are believed to be limited, particularly regarding the contamination of food webs by methylmercury (MeHg), a neurotoxin. RORs are typically installed in small rivers where combined effects of watershed disturbances with dam construction can complicate environmental management. We report a multi-year case study on the Saint-Maurice River (Canada) where an unpredicted temporary increase in MeHg accumulation in predator fish was observed after the construction of two ROR plants. The associated pondages acted as sedimentation basins for mercury (Hg) and organic matter from a watershed disturbed by a forest fire and by logging. This fresh organic carbon likely fueled microbial MeHg production. Hg methylation was more associated with environmental conditions than to the presence of Hg, and main methylating microbial groups were identified. A constructed wetland was a site of significant Hg methylation but was not the main source of the fish Hg increase. Organic carbon degradation was the main driver of MeHg accumulation at the base of the food chain whereas trophic levels explained the variations at the top of the food chain. Overall, carbon cycling was a key driver of Hg dynamics in this system, and ROR plants can cause temporary (ca. 12 years) Hg increase in food webs when developed in disturbed watersheds, although this increase is smaller than for large reservoirs. Recommendations for future ROR construction are to establish a good environmental monitoring plan with initial high temporal resolution and to consider recent and potential watershed disturbances in the plan.

Assessment of pixel-oriented k-NN machine learning algorithm performance for the interannual remote sensing monitoring of eelgrass beds at the mouth of the Romaine.

Eelgrass cover extent is among the most reliable indicators for measuring changes in coastal ecosystems. Eelgrass has colonized the mouth of the Romaine River and has become a part of environmental monitoring there since 2013. The presence of eelgrass in this area is an essential factor for the early detection of changes in the Romaine coastal ecosystem. This will act as a trigger for an appropriate environmental response to preserve ecosystem health. In this paper, a cost- and time-efficient workflow for such spatial monitoring is proposed using a pixel-oriented k-NN algorithm. It can then be applied to multiple modellers to efficiently map the eelgrass cover. Training data were collected to define key variables for segmentation and k-NN classification, providing greater edge detection for the presence of eelgrass. The study highlights that remote sensing and training data must be acquired under similar conditions, replicating methodologies for collecting data on the ground. Similar approaches must be used for the zonal statistic requirements of the monitoring area. This will allow a more accurate and reliable assessment of eelgrass beds over time. An overall accuracy of over 90% was achieved for eelgrass detection for each year of monitoring.

Resilient Fermi Liquid and Strength of Correlations near an Antiferromagnetic Quantum Critical Point.

Near the antiferromagnetic quantum critical point (QCP) of electron-doped cuprate superconductors, angle-resolved photoemission experiments detect hot spots where the Fermi surface disappears. Here, we demonstrate, using the two-particle self-consistent theory, that in the antinodal region the Fermi liquid remains stable for a broad range of angles on the Fermi surface and for all dopings near the QCP. We show how the quasiparticle weight Z and effective mass m^{*} change and then abruptly become meaningless as the hot spots are approached. We propose a dimensionless number, easily accessible in ARPES experiments, that can be used to gauge the strength of correlations.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior of Elderly Populations during Confinement: Results from the FRENCH COVID-19 ONAPS Survey.

Introduction: A national confinement was imposed in France in March 2020 during 55 days to prevent the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable people such as older individuals. This study aimed to describe the movement behaviors, and their determinants, of elderly people (≥ 65 years) during the confinement.Methods: An online survey was conducted from April 1st, 2020 to May 6th, 2020 by the National Observatory for Physical Activity and Sedentary behaviors. This study compared the level of physical activity (PA), sitting and screen time before and during the confinement and identified the impact of initial PA, sedentary profiles of the participants and housing conditions.Results: 1,178 people were included in this study. Reaching PA recommendations before lock-down was associated with the change in PA level during lock-down (p < .001). Besides, geographic location was associated with the change in PA, sitting time and screen time during lock-down (respectively p = .03, p = .02, p = .02).Conclusion: This study confirm the negative impact of confinement on senior movement behaviors, whether or not they met with public health recommendations prior to the pandemic. The housing conditions of older people must be also taken into future public health policies.

Effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity and sedentary behaviors in French children and adolescents: New results from the ONAPS national survey.

INTRODUCTION: In France March 14, 2020 a national lockdown was imposed in France for 55 days to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and all schools were closed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of home confinement as a result of  lockdown on the activity (physical activity and sedentary behaviors), and their determinants, on French children (6-10 years) and adolescents (11-17 years). METHODS: The National Observatory for Physical Activity and Sedentary behaviors launched an online survey from April 1st, to May 6th, 2020 using popular social networks and websites. It compared the level of physical activity (PA), sitting and screen time before and during the lockdown and identified the impact of the initial PA (active vs. inactive), sedentary (high vs. low) profiles of the participants and their housing conditions. RESULTS: 6,491 children were included in this study. Initially active children and adolescents decreased their PA more than those initially inactive (p>0.001), while those who met the sitting time recommendations increased more their sitting time during lockdown (p<0.001). The same applied to screen time (p<0.001). Living in an urban environment was associated with a decrease in PA (p<0.001), an increase in sitting time (p<0.001) and children's screen time (p=0.002) during lockdown. CONCLUSION: This study showed the deleterious effects of confinement caused by lockdown on physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Housing conditions were associated with lifestyle behaviors over this period of lockdown. Future public health policies should consider these results.

A systematic review of the use of the Satiety Quotient.

The satiating efficiency of food has been increasingly quantified using the Satiety Quotient (SQ). The SQ integrates both the energy content of food ingested during a meal and the associated change in appetite sensations. This systematic review examines the available evidence regarding its methodological use and clinical utility. A literature search was conducted in six databases considering studies from 1900 to April 2020 that used SQ in adults, adolescents and children. All study designs were included. From the initial 495 references found, fifty-two were included. Of the studies included, thirty-three were acute studies (twenty-nine in adults and four in adolescents) and nineteen were longitudinal studies in adults. A high methodological heterogeneity in the application of the SQ was observed between studies. Five main utilisations of the SQ were identified: its association with (i) energy intake; (ii) anthropometric variables; (iii) energy expenditure/physical activity; (iv) sleep quality and quantity and (v) to classify individuals by their satiety responsiveness (i.e. low and high satiety phenotypes). Altogether, the studies suggest the SQ as an interesting clinical tool regarding the satiety responsiveness to a meal and its changes in responses to weight loss in adults. The SQ might be a reliable clinical indicator in adults when it comes to both obesity prevention and treatment. There is a need for more standardised use of the SQ in addition to further studies to investigate its validity in different contexts and populations, especially among children and adolescents.

Satiety responsiveness but not food reward is modified in response to an acute bout of low versus high intensity exercise in healthy adults.

To compare the effect of iso-caloric low and high intensity exercises on Satiety Quotient and Food Reward in response to a fixed meal in healthy young adults. Anthropometric measurements, body composition (BIA), aerobic capacity (VO2 max) and food preferences were assessed in 19 healthy normal-weight young adults (21 ±â€¯0.5 years old, 10 men). They randomly completed 3 experimental sessions: i) control session without exercise (CON); ii) High Intensity exercise session (HIE); iii) Low intensity exercise session (LIE). Thirty minutes after exercise or rest, then received a fixed lunch. Food reward (Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire) was assessed before and after the meal. Appetite sensations were assessed at regular intervals, SQ was calculated from the lunch meal and self-reported food intake was collected for the rest of the day. Mean body weight was 66.7 ±â€¯9.2 kg, body mass index was 22.3 ±â€¯2.9 kg/m2 and FM% was 18.7 ±â€¯6.8%. Appetite feelings did not differ between conditions and were not affected by exercise. SQ for satiety was not different between conditions. SQ hunger on CON was significantly higher than on LIE and HIE (p ≤ 0.05) with no difference between exercise conditions. SQ for desire to eat was significantly higher on CON versus HIE (p ≤ 0.01) with no differences between CON and LIE and between exercise sessions. SQ PFC was significantly lower on HIE compared with CON (p = 0.02) with no differences between LIE and CON and between LIE and HIE. Food reward was not significantly different between the three condition as well as self-reported total food and macronutrient intake for the rest of the days. Acute exercise, depending on its intensity, might affect the satiating response to food intake in healthy adults, without altering food reward.

Superconducting Symmetries of Sr_{2}RuO_{4} from First-Principles Electronic Structure.

Although correlated electronic-structure calculations explain very well the normal state of Sr_{2}RuO_{4}, its superconducting symmetry is still unknown. Here we construct the spin and charge fluctuation pairing interactions based on its correlated normal state. Correlations significantly reduce ferromagnetic in favor of antiferromagnetic fluctuations and increase interorbital pairing. From the normal-state Eliashberg equations, we find spin-singlet d-wave pairing close to magnetic instabilities. Away from these instabilities, where charge fluctuations increase, we find two time-reversal symmetry-breaking spin triplets: an odd-frequency s wave, and a doubly degenerate interorbital pairing between d_{xy} and (d_{yz},d_{xz}).

An Examination of Semantic Impairment in Amnestic MCI and AD: What Can We Learn From Verbal Fluency?

INTRODUCTION: The Verbal Fluency Test (VF) is commonly used in neuropsychology. Some studies have demonstrated a marked impairment of semantic VF compared to phonemic VF in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) is associated with increased risk of conversion to incident AD, it is relevant to examine whether a similar impairment is observed in this population. The objective of the present empirical study is to compare VF performance of aMCI patients to those of AD and elderly controls matched one-to-one for age and education. METHOD: Ninety-six participants divided into three equal groups (N = 32: AD, aMCI and Controls) were included in this study. Participants in each group were, on average, 76 years of age and had 13 years of education. A repeated measures ANOVA with the Group (AD, aMCI, NC) as between-subject factor and the Fluency condition ("P" and "animals") as within-subject factor was performed. T-tests and simple ANOVAs were also conducted to examine the interaction. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between the groups and the verbal fluency condition. In AD, significantly fewer words were produced in both conditions. In contrast, participants with aMCI demonstrated a pattern similar to controls in the phonemic condition, but generated significantly fewer words in the semantic condition. CONCLUSION: These results indicate a semantic memory impairment in aMCI revealed by a simple, commonly-used neuropsychological test. Future studies are needed to investigate if semantic fluency deficits can help predict future conversion to AD.

Local Entanglement Entropy and Mutual Information across the Mott Transition in the Two-Dimensional Hubbard Model.

Entanglement and information are powerful lenses to probe phases transitions in many-body systems. Motivated by recent cold atom experiments, which are now able to measure the corresponding information-theoretic quantities, we study the Mott transition in the half-filled two-dimensional Hubbard model using cellular dynamical mean-field theory, and focus on two key measures of quantum correlations: entanglement entropy and a measure of total mutual information. We show that they detect the first-order nature of the transition, the universality class of the end point, and the crossover emanating from the end point.

Bad metallic transport in a cold atom Fermi-Hubbard system.

Strong interactions in many-body quantum systems complicate the interpretation of charge transport in such materials. To shed light on this problem, we study transport in a clean quantum system: ultracold lithium-6 in a two-dimensional optical lattice, a testing ground for strong interaction physics in the Fermi-Hubbard model. We determine the diffusion constant by measuring the relaxation of an imposed density modulation and modeling its decay hydrodynamically. The diffusion constant is converted to a resistivity by using the Nernst-Einstein relation. That resistivity exhibits a linear temperature dependence and shows no evidence of saturation, two characteristic signatures of a bad metal. The techniques we developed in this study may be applied to measurements of other transport quantities, including the optical conductivity and thermopower.

The impact of goal-oriented task design on neurofeedback learning for brain-computer interface control.

Neurofeedback training teaches individuals to modulate brain activity by providing real-time feedback and can be used for brain-computer interface control. The present study aimed to optimize training by maximizing engagement through goal-oriented task design. Participants were shown either a visual display or a robot, where each was manipulated using motor imagery (MI)-related electroencephalography signals. Those with the robot were instructed to quickly navigate grid spaces, as the potential for goal-oriented design to strengthen learning was central to our investigation. Both groups were hypothesized to show increased magnitude of these signals across 10 sessions, with the greatest gains being seen in those navigating the robot due to increased engagement. Participants demonstrated the predicted increase in magnitude, with no differentiation between hemispheres. Participants navigating the robot showed stronger left-hand MI increases than those with the computer display. This is likely due to success being reliant on maintaining strong MI-related signals. While older participants showed stronger signals in early sessions, this trend later reversed, suggesting greater natural proficiency but reduced flexibility. These results demonstrate capacity for modulating neurofeedback using MI over a series of training sessions, using tasks of varied design. Importantly, the more goal-oriented robot control task resulted in greater improvements.

[Transgenerational impact of chemotherapy: Would the father exposure impact the health of future progeny?] / Effets transgénérationnels des chimiothérapies : l'exposition du père influence-t-elle la santé des générations futures ?

The number of cancer survivors is increasing and their quality of life is becoming a major public health issue. Cancer treatments reduce men's reproductive health by targeting spermatogenesis. Ultimately, DNA, chromatin and the epigenome of spermatozoa can be altered in cancer survivors. Knowing whether the history of cancer and the treatments received can have consequences on the health of their offspring is therefore a fundamental question for these patients. This review gathers the experimental and epidemiological evidences of the effects observed on the direct descendants and on several generations, and draws up the state of knowledge on the mechanisms potentially involved. Experimental data describe inter- and transgenerational effects of paternal exposure depending on the type of treatment, dose and time of exposure. In the human population, the analysis of the effects specifically due to chemotherapy is still limited because they are often combined with irradiation treatments. However, it appears that chemotherapy agents affect the birth rate but do not have a significant impact on the health of the children born. Nevertheless, the demonstration of modifications of the sperm epigenome in cancer survivors, even after a period of remission, as well as changes in the sperm of the progeny in animal models, suggests a possible transgenerational transmission that remains to be studied in the human population.

Mechanical efficiency in children with different body weight: a longitudinal assessment of the quality cohort.

Net mechanical efficiency (MEnet), which reflects the body's ability to transfer energy above resting levels in external work, is similar in young children regardless of their body weights. However, it is unclear whether MEnet remains stable during growth and maturation. We sought to determine whether net mechanical efficiency (MEnet) changes over a period of 3 years in children and to identify the factors associated with possible changes. A total of 169 children participating in the QUALITY (Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth) cohort completed an incremental cycling test, resulting in the same maximal power output during both visits. For MEnet, resting energy consumption was subtracted from total energy consumption at each exercise stage. Physical activity was measured using an accelerometer worn for 7 days. Participants were measured at year one and again two years later. MEnet did not differ across the visits at the 25, 50 and 75 watt stages. However, the participants exhibited lower MEnet values at follow-up for the 100 and 125 W stages (23(3) vs. 20(1)%; 25(4) vs. 20(2)%; p<0.01). Declines in MEnet correlated positively with declines in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels (r=0.78, p<0.05). The declines in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels across the visits were identified as significant predictors of MEnet changes at 100 and 125 W over 3 years, accounting for 22% of the relationship. In children, MEnet, determined at high exercise intensity, decreases within a period of three years, and the decrement appeared to be related to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

Tackling obesity at the community level by integrating healthy diet, movement and non-movement behaviours.

The increase in obesity prevalence over the last decades has generally been attributed to suboptimal macronutrient diet composition and insufficient physical activities. However, recent literature has revealed that other environmental factors contribute to the positive energy balance that underlies body-weight gain and should be considered in efforts to tackle obesity. As discussed in this paper, it also appears that successful obesity management could not happen without actions at a community level that would ultimately impact energy balance. These measures generally include a better use of the school environment to promote healthy behaviours. Furthermore, in a foreseeable future, communities will probably have to consider sustainable development in their list of criteria deserving attention in the global management of obesity.

The expression of NTPDase1 and -2 of Leishmania infantum chagasi in bacterial and mammalian cells: Comparative expression, refolding and nucleotidase characterization.

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) represents an important global health problem in several warm countries around the world. The main targets in this study are the two nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDases) from Leishmania infantum chagasi that are the main etiologic agent of VL in the New World. These enzymes, called LicNTPDase1 and -2, are homologous to members 5 and 6 of the mammalian E-NTPDase/CD39 superfamily of enzymes. These enzymes hydrolyze nucleotides and accordingly can participate in the purine salvage pathways and in the modulation of purinergic signaling through the extracellular nucleotide-dependent host immune responses. They can therefore affect adhesion and infection of host cells and the parasite virulence. To further characterize these enzymes, in this work, we expressed LicNTPDase1 and -2 in the classical bacterial system Escherichia coli and mammalian cell system COS-7 cells. Our data demonstrate that changes in refolding after expression in bacteria can increase the activity of recombinant (r) rLicNTPDase2 up to 20 times but has no significant effect on rLicNTPDase1. Meanwhile, the expression in COS-7 led to a significant increase in activity for rLicNTPDase1.

Yogurt, diet quality and lifestyle factors.

Yogurt consumption has been associated with healthy dietary patterns and lifestyles, better diet quality and healthier metabolic profiles. Studies have shown that frequent yogurt consumers do not only have higher nutrient intakes, but also an improved diet quality, which includes higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and dairy compared with low or non-consumers indicating better compliance with dietary guidelines. Recent epidemiological and clinical evidence suggests that yogurt contributes to better metabolic health because of its effects on the control of body weight, energy homeostasis and glycemic control. Furthermore, yogurt consumers have been shown to be more physically active (⩾ 2 h/week), smoke less, have higher education and knowledge of nutrition compared with non-consumers. Thus, yogurt consumption may be considered a signature of a healthy diet through its nutritional content, impact on metabolic health including the control of energy balance, body weight and glycemia and its relationships with healthier behaviors and lifestyle factors.

Correlation-Enhanced Odd-Parity Interorbital Singlet Pairing in the Iron-Pnictide Superconductor LiFeAs.

The rich variety of iron-based superconductors and their complex electronic structure lead to a wide range of possibilities for gap symmetry and pairing components. Here we solve in the two-Fe Brillouin zone the full frequency-dependent linearized Eliashberg equations to investigate spin-fluctuations mediated Cooper pairing for LiFeAs. The magnetic excitations are calculated with the random phase approximation on a correlated electronic structure obtained with density functional theory and dynamical mean field theory. The interaction between electrons through Hund's coupling promotes both the intraorbital d_{xz(yz)} and the interorbital magnetic susceptibility. As a consequence, the leading pairing channel, conventional s^{+-}, acquires sizable interorbital d_{xy}-d_{xz(yz)} singlet pairing with odd parity under glide-plane symmetry. The combination of intra- and interorbital components makes the results consistent with available experiments on the angular dependence of the gaps observed on the different Fermi surfaces.

Algorithms for optimized maximum entropy and diagnostic tools for analytic continuation.

Analytic continuation of numerical data obtained in imaginary time or frequency has become an essential part of many branches of quantum computational physics. It is, however, an ill-conditioned procedure and thus a hard numerical problem. The maximum-entropy approach, based on Bayesian inference, is the most widely used method to tackle that problem. Although the approach is well established and among the most reliable and efficient ones, useful developments of the method and of its implementation are still possible. In addition, while a few free software implementations are available, a well-documented, optimized, general purpose, and user-friendly software dedicated to that specific task is still lacking. Here we analyze all aspects of the implementation that are critical for accuracy and speed and present a highly optimized approach to maximum entropy. Original algorithmic and conceptual contributions include (1) numerical approximations that yield a computational complexity that is almost independent of temperature and spectrum shape (including sharp Drude peaks in broad background, for example) while ensuring quantitative accuracy of the result whenever precision of the data is sufficient, (2) a robust method of choosing the entropy weight α that follows from a simple consistency condition of the approach and the observation that information- and noise-fitting regimes can be identified clearly from the behavior of χ^{2} with respect to α, and (3) several diagnostics to assess the reliability of the result. Benchmarks with test spectral functions of different complexity and an example with an actual physical simulation are presented. Our implementation, which covers most typical cases for fermions, bosons, and response functions, is available as an open source, user-friendly software.