Climate forcing on estuarine zooplanktonic production.

Estuaries are among the most valuable aquatic systems in the world and resolving how there are impacted by climate change is fundamental to their management under global change scenarios. In this study, a ten-year time series (2003-2013) of zooplankton in an estuarine area (Mondego estuary, Portugal) is used to determine the impact of climate variability on estuarine zooplanktonic secondary production. For that, a trend analysis of seasonal zooplankton production was applied and their link with large-scale, regional, and local environment was tested by Distance-based multivariate multiple regression (DistLM). The annual integrated production of zooplankton varied between 34.27 mg C m-3 (2003) and 179.804 mg C m-3 (2013). Results showed that estuarine and marine zooplanktonic production increased in the estuary, mostly during summer/autumn and spring/summer, respectively. Local and regional environmental forcing drove copepod production in the estuary, with large-scale regime shifts affecting both directly and indirectly.

Short and long-term temperature variations drive recruitment variability in marine and estuarine juvenile fishes.

Understanding the long-term effects of climatic factors on key species' recruitment is crucial to species management and conservation. Here, we analysed the recruitment variability of key species (Dicentrarchus labrax, Platichthys flesus, Solea solea, Pomatoschistus microps and Pomatoschistus minutus) in an estuary between 2003 and 2019, and related it with the prevailing local and large-scale environmental factors. Using a dynamic factor analysis (DFA), juvenile abundance data were grouped into three common trends linked to different habitat uses and life cycle characteristics, with significant effect of temperature-related variables on fish recruitment: Sea surface temperature and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. In 2010, a regime shift in the North Atlantic coincided with a shift in the common trends, particularly a decline in P. flesus and S. solea trend. This work highlights the thermophilic character of fish recruitment and the necessity to investigate key biological processes in the context of species-specific responses to climate change.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in first episode psychosis and risk states: Systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Recent studies have reported high prevalences of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and obsessive-compulsive disorder in at risk and first-episode psychosis patients. This sparked an interest in the effect of these symptoms in the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients. However these studies have never been formally meta-analyzed. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and obsessive-compulsive disorder in at risk and first-episode psychosis patients and comparison of clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with and without obsessive-compulsive symptoms. STUDY RESULTS: Obsessive-compulsive disorder was present in 7.9 % (5.9 to 10.0 %) and 10.5 % (8.3 to 12.8 %) and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in 21.4 % (8.3 to 38.2 %) and 34.0 % (26.3 to 42.1 %) of at risk and first episode psychosis patients respectively. The prevalences of obsessive-compulsive symptoms had high heterogeneity due in part to different measurement methods and cut-off values. Similar ages of onset for OCS and psychosis symptoms were found (mean difference - 0.49 years, 95 % CI -1.74 to 0.77). Patients with obsessive-compulsive symptoms had statistically insignificant higher Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (positive subscale) scores and marginally higher depression scores. There were no differences between both groups in age of onset, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (negative subscale) score, risk of conversion to psychosis, anxiety score, suicide rate, and functionality score. CONCLUSIONS: Obsessive-compulsive disorder and obsessive-compulsive symptoms are very prevalent in at risk and first-episode psychosis patients.

Interannual variability in early life phenology is driven by climate and oceanic processes in two NE Atlantic flatfishes.

Early life phenology is a crucial factor for population dynamics in a climate change scenario. As such, understanding how the early life cycle of marine fishes is influenced by key oceanic and climate drivers is of chief importance for sustainable fisheries. This study documents interannual changes in early life phenology of two commercial flatfishes: European flounder (Platichthys flesus) and common sole (Solea solea) from 2010 to 2015 based on otolith microstructure. Using GAMs, we looked for correlations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Eastern Atlantic pattern (EA), sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyl a concentration (Chla) and upwelling (Ui) variation with the onset of hatch, metamorphosis, and benthic settlement day. We concluded that higher SST, more intensive upwelling, and EA were coincident with a later the onset of each stage, while increasing NAO induces an earlier onset of each stage. Although similar to S. solea, P. flesus showed a more complex interaction with the environmental drivers, most possibly because it is at its southern limit of its distribution. Our results highlight the complexity of the relationship between climate conditions and fish early life history, particularly those with complex life cycles that include migrations between coastal areas and estuaries.

Gettering in PolySi/SiOx Passivating Contacts Enables Si-Based Tandem Solar Cells with High Thermal and Contamination Resilience.

Multijunction solar cells in a tandem configuration could further lower the costs of electricity if crystalline Si (c-Si) is used as the bottom cell. However, for direct monolithic integration on c-Si, only a restricted number of top and bottom cell architectures are compatible, due to either epitaxy or high-temperature constraints, where the interface between subcells is subject to a trade-off between transmittance, electrical interconnection, and bottom cell degradation. Using polySi/SiOx passivating contacts for Si, this degradation can be largely circumvented by tuning the polySi/SiOx stacks to promote gettering of contaminants admitted into the Si bottom cell during the top cell synthesis. Applying this concept to the low-cost top cell chalcogenides Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), CuGaSe2 (CGSe), and AgInGaSe2 (AIGSe), fabricated under harsh S or Se atmospheres above 550 °C, we show that increasing the heavily doped polySi layer thickness from 40 to up to 400 nm prevents a reduction in Si carrier lifetime by 1 order of magnitude, with final lifetimes above 500 µs uniformly across areas up to 20 cm2. In all cases, the increased resilience was correlated with a 99.9% reduction in contaminant concentration in the c-Si bulk, provided by the thick polySi layer, which acts as a buried gettering layer in the tandem structure without compromising the Si passivation quality. The Si resilience decreased as AIGSe > CGSe > CZTS, in accordance with the measured Cu contamination profiles and higher annealing temperatures. An efficiency of up to 7% was achieved for a CZTS/Si tandem, where the Si bottom cell is no longer the limiting factor.

Influences of Climate Change and Variability on Estuarine Ecosystems: An Impact Study in Selected European, South American and Asian Countries.

It is well-known that climate change significantly impacts ecosystems (at the macro-level) and individual species (at the micro-level). Among the former, estuaries are the most vulnerable and affected ecosystems. However, despite the strong relations between climate change and estuaries, there is a gap in the literature regarding international studies across different regions investigating the impacts of climate change and variability on estuaries in different geographical zones. This paper addresses this need and reviews the impacts of climate change, variability and extreme weather on estuaries. It emphasises the following: (i) a set of climate parameters governing estuarine hydrology and processes; and (ii) a sample of countries in Asia (Bangladesh), Europe (Portugal) and South America (Uruguay). We reviewed the influences of the climatic drivers of the estuarine hydrology, ecological processes and specific species in estuarine communities across the selected geographical regions, along with an analysis of their long-term implications. The key results from the three estuaries are as following: (i) Hilsa fish, of which the catches contribute to 10% of the total earnings of the fishery sector (1% of GDP), are affected by climate-forced hydrological and productivity changes in the Meghna; (ii) extreme droughts and short-term severe precipitation have driven the long-term abundance and spatial distribution of both fish larvae and juveniles/adults in the Mondego; and (iii) the river inflow and fluctuations increases since the early 1970s have contributed to variations in the salinity, the stratification, the oxygen, nutrient and trophic levels and the spatial pattern for the life stages of planktonic species, fish biomass and captures in the Rio de la Plata. The results suggested that immediate action is needed to reduce the vulnerability of estuaries to climate stressors, mainly the changing river flows, storms and sea-level rise. As a contribution to addressing current problems, we described a set of adaptation strategies to foster climate resilience and adaptive capacity (e.g., early-warning systems, dam management to prevent overflows and adaptive fisheries management). The implications of this paper are two-fold. Firstly, it showcases a variety of problems that estuaries face from changing climate conditions. Secondly, the paper outlines the need for suitable adaptive management strategies to safeguard the integrity of such vital ecosystems.

Does an Invasive Bivalve Outperform Its Native Congener in a Heat Wave Scenario? A Laboratory Study Case with Ruditapes decussatus and R. philippinarum.

Global warming and the subsequent increase in the frequency of temperature anomalies are expected to affect marine and estuarine species' population dynamics, latitudinal distribution, and fitness, allowing non-native opportunistic species to invade and thrive in new geographical areas. Bivalves represent a significant percentage of the benthic biomass in marine ecosystems worldwide, often with commercial interest, while mediating fundamental ecological processes. To understand how these temperature anomalies contribute to the success (or not) of biological invasions, two closely related species, the native Ruditapes decussatus and the introduced R. philippinarum, were exposed to a simulated heat wave. Organisms of both species were exposed to mean summer temperature (~18 °C) for 6 days, followed by 6 days of simulated heat wave conditions (~22 °C). Both species were analysed for key ecological processes such as bioturbation and nutrient generation-which are significant proxies for benthic function and habitat quality-and subcellular biomarkers-oxidative stress and damage, and energetic metabolism. Results showed subcellular responses to heat waves. However, such responses were not expressed at the addressed ecological levels. The subcellular responses to the heat wave in the invasive R. philippinarum pinpoint less damage and higher cellular energy allocation to cope with thermal stress, which may further improve its fitness and thus invasiveness behaviour.

Lifelong mercury bioaccumulation in Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) and the potential risks to human consumption.

Atlantic horse mackerel is one of the most commercially important species in Europe. It can reach a longevity of 30 years, with potential implications in lifespan mercury contamination. This study conducted along the Portuguese coast aimed at evaluating the total Hg content and tissue distribution, to determine the annual mercury bioaccumulation patterns and the associated risk for consumption. The T-Hg accumulation patterns observed followed the order: muscle (0.34) > liver (0.28) > heart (0.19) > gills (0.11) > brain (0.041 mg kg-1). Significant differences between tissues reflect the role of the different tissues in storage and redistribution. Significant relationships observed between age and T-Hg for all tissues highlight the continuous nature of the bioaccumulation process. European food safety guidelines signalled significant risk of consumption in about 30% of the samples. Still, there was an overall low risk from the consumption of this species, which can be further minimized through consumer options to avoid health issues.

Effects of climate variability on an estuarine green crab Carcinus maenas population.

The increase in frequency and intensity of extreme climate events over the last few decades has been leading to profound changes in estuarine and marine ecosystems worldwide, with strong implications for the species inhabiting these ecosystems as well as for the services provided by them. In this study, we analysed the effects of climate variability on the temporal and spatial variations in population dynamics of the green crab Carcinus maenas in the Mondego estuary (Portugal), between 2003 and 2018. In this 15-year period, a greater recruitment of C. maenas was observed during drought periods, periods which was matched by an increase in secondary production. Ontogenic stage segregation was also observed, with juveniles being found mainly in the further upriver areas of the estuary. The estuarine population was mainly composed of the green morphotype, with the orange and red morphotypes present in more downstream areas of the estuary. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed high spatial and temporal variability of C. maenas in the estuary which was related with environmental changes over the 15-year period. A correlation between C. maenas biological features and several local-scale (salinity and river runoff) and large-scale (North Atlantic Oscillation index and Eastern Atlantic pattern) environmental variables was identified through cumulative sums analysis (CUSUM), indicating a strong environmental control on C. maenas population dynamics. This paper shows the importance of relatively long-term datasets to unravel the effects of extreme weather events due to climate change on key epibenthic estuarine species, and also how they might cope with a changing marine environment.

Function of estuaries and coastal areas as nursery grounds for marine fish early life stages.

The present study describes the larval and juvenile fish fauna of an estuary and its adjacent coastal area (Mondego estuary, Northwest coast of Portugal) and evaluates their function as nurseries for marine fish. For this, larvae and juveniles were sampled in both systems. The temporal and spatial patterns of the ichthyoplankton community were described for each system and related to the influence of environmental factors. Additionally, the recruitment pattern was evaluated based on the composition of juveniles. Results show a seasonal variation of larval density and community structure between and within systems, indicating a degree of segregation according to their ecological functional classification. Temperature was the most important environmental factor structuring the communities. The juvenile recruitment patterns observed show a different nursery function of the estuary and coastal area for early life stages of different species, reinforcing the need to integrate larval and juvenile stages to better understand fish life cycles and the connectivity between systems.

The functional composition of nearshore fish communities demonstrated by trait analysis: Response to environmental gradients.

There is limited understanding on nearshore fish community functioning in relation to changing environmental gradients. To address this, we investigated the trait composition of fish communities in five regions along the Portuguese coast during 4 years. Northern regions were characterized by higher Chlorophyll-α and small-sized species with short lifespans. The southernmost region was characterized by warmer waters, more intense upwelling events and typical warm-water species. Higher species richness and functional redundancy at the southernmost region suggested that in case of potential species loss, community functioning would be less affected in this region, and thus, a certain level of community resilience is maintained. The central region presented lower functional redundancy and high functional richness, which indicated the presence of rare species with rare traits, suggesting a more vulnerable community. This information on the nearshore fish community distribution may be particularly important towards managing coastal ecosystems in response to changing environmental conditions.

Spin-coated [Formula: see text] solar cells: A study on the transformation from ink to film.

In this paper, we study the DMSO/thiourea/chloride salt system for synthesis of pure-sulfide [Formula: see text] (CZTS) thin-film solar cells under ambient conditions. We map out the ink constituents and determine the effect of mixing time and filtering. The thermal behavior of the ink is analyzed, and we find that more than 90% of the solvent has evaporated at [Formula: see text]. However, chloride and sulfoxide species are released continually until [Formula: see text], suggesting the advantage of a higher pre-annealing temperature, which is also commonly observed in the spin-coating routines in literature. Another advantage of a higher pre-annealing temperature is that the worm-like pattern in the spin-coated film can be avoided. We hypothesize that this pattern forms as a result of hydrodynamics within the film as it dries, and it causes micro-inhomogeneities in film morphology. Devices were completed in order to finally evaluate the effect of varying thermal exposure during pre-annealing. Contrary to the previous observations, a lower pre-annealing temperature of [Formula: see text] results in the best device efficiency of 4.65%, which to the best of our knowledge is the highest efficiency obtained for a pure-sulfide kesterite made with DMSO. Lower thermal exposure during pre-annealing results in larger grains and a thicker [Formula: see text] layer at the CZTS/Mo interface. Devices completed at higher pre-annealing temperatures display the existence of either a Cu-S secondary phase or an incomplete sulfurization with smaller grains and a fine-grain layer at the back interface.

Energy band alignment at the heterointerface between CdS and Ag-alloyed CZTS.

Energy band alignment at the heterointerface between CdS and kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) and its alloys plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of the solar cells. Whereas Ag alloying of CZTS has been shown to reduce anti-site defects in the bulk and thus rise the efficiency, the electronic properties at the interface with the CdS buffer layer have not been extensively investigated. In this work, we present a detailed study on the band alignment between n-CdS and p-CZTS upon Ag alloying by depth-profiling ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Our findings indicate that core-level peaks and the valence band edge of CdS exhibit a significant shift to a lower energy (larger than 0.4 eV) upon the etching of the CdS layer, which can be assigned due to band bending and chemical shift induced by a change in the chemical composition across the interface. Using a simplified model based on charge depletion layer conservation, a significantly larger total charge region depletion width was determined in Ag-alloyed CZTS as compared to its undoped counterpart. Our findings reveal a cliff-like band alignment at both CdS/CZTS and CdS/Ag-CZTS heterointerfaces. However, the conduction-band offset decreases by more than 0.1 eV upon Ag alloying of CZTS. The approach demonstrated here enables nanometer-scale depth profiling of the electronic structure of the p-n junction and can be universally applied to study entirely new platforms of oxide/chalcogenide heterostructures for next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Persistent Double-Layer Formation in Kesterite Solar Cells: A Critical Review.

In kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cell research, an asymmetric crystallization profile is often obtained after annealing, resulting in a bilayered - or double-layered - CZTSSe absorber. So far, only segregated pieces of research exist to characterize the appearance of this double layer, its formation dynamics, and its effect on the performances of devices. In this work, we review the existing research on double-layered kesterites and evaluate the different mechanisms proposed. Using a cosputtering-based approach, we show that the two layers can differ significantly in morphology, composition, and optoelectronic properties and complement the results with a large statistical data set of over 850 individual CZTS solar cells. By reducing the absorber thickness from above 1000 to 300 nm, we show that the double-layer segregation is alleviated. In turn, we see a progressive improvement in the device performance for lower thickness, which alone would be inconsistent with the well-known case of ultrathin CIGS solar cells. We therefore attribute the improvements to the reduced double-layer occurrence and find that the double layer limits the efficiency of our devices to below 7%. By comparing the results with CZTS grown on monocrystalline Si substrates, without a native Na supply, we show that the alkali metal supply does not determine the double-layer formation but merely reduces the threshold for its occurrence. Instead, we propose that the main formation mechanism is the early migration of Cu to the surface during annealing and formation of Cu2-xS phases in a self-regulating process akin to the Kirkendall effect. Finally, we comment on the generality of the mechanism proposed by comparing our results to other synthesis routes, including our own in-house results from solution processing and pulsed laser deposition of sulfide- and oxide-based targets. We find that although the double-layer occurrence largely depends on the kesterite synthesis route, the common factors determining the double-layer occurrence appear to be the presence of metallic Cu and/or a chalcogen deficiency in the precursor matrix. We suggest that understanding the limitations imposed by the double-layer dynamics could prove useful to pave the way for breaking the 13% efficiency barrier for this technology.

Meta-analysis of multidecadal biodiversity trends in Europe.

Local biodiversity trends over time are likely to be decoupled from global trends, as local processes may compensate or counteract global change. We analyze 161 long-term biological time series (15-91 years) collected across Europe, using a comprehensive dataset comprising ~6,200 marine, freshwater and terrestrial taxa. We test whether (i) local long-term biodiversity trends are consistent among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, and (ii) changes in biodiversity correlate with regional climate and local conditions. Our results reveal that local trends of abundance, richness and diversity differ among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, demonstrating that biodiversity changes at local scale are often complex and cannot be easily generalized. However, we find increases in richness and abundance with increasing temperature and naturalness as well as a clear spatial pattern in changes in community composition (i.e. temporal taxonomic turnover) in most biogeoregions of Northern and Eastern Europe.

Efficacy, Effect on Mood Symptoms, and Safety of Deep Brain Stimulation in Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy, effect on mood, and safety of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at different target sites. DATA SOURCES: Electronic records from databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL up to November 2019 were searched. Search terms included OCD, depression, and DBS. STUDY SELECTION: Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 85) and 38 observational studies (case reports and case series) (n = 225) were included. DATA EXTRACTION: In RCTs, the differences in outcomes between sham and active stimulation for OCD and depression were evaluated and the proportion of responders was determined. In all included studies, at last follow-up, the improvement from baseline in OCD (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS score]) and a scale of weighted depression scores (WDS) were determined. Predictors of response (age, illness duration and severity, frequency parameters, and response in depression) were evaluated. The proportions of adverse events and dropouts were calculated. RESULTS: In RCTs, mean differences between sham and active stimulation in Y-BOCS and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores were -7.8 (95% CI = -11.2 to -4.3, I² = 40%, P = .0001) and -7.3 (95% CI = -11.5 to -3.0, I² = 0%, P = .0009), respectively. No differences between limbic and non-limbic targets were identified (χ² = 0.21, I² = 0%, P = .0006). At last follow-up, improvements in Y-BOCS and WDS were -15.0 (95% CI = -18.3 to -11.7, I² = 90%, P < .001) and -13.7 (95% CI = -20.1 to -7.3, I² = 76%, P < .001), respectively. No consistent predictors of response were found. There were 0.68 adverse events (95% CI = 0.59 to 0.78, I² = 88%), 0.32 serious adverse events (95% CI = 0.12 to 0.62, I² = 96%), and 0.13 dropouts (95% CI = 0.07 to 0.16, I² = 16%) per treated patient. CONCLUSIONS: DBS can significantly decrease Y-BOCS score and depressive symptoms in refractory OCD.

Mercury accumulation in fish species along the Portuguese coast: Are there potential risks to human health?

This paper aimed at evaluating the total mercury content in five common fish species from the western European Atlantic coastal waters, and the associated risk of consumption. Mercury concentrations in muscle of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias), European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) and European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) ranged from 0.003 to 0.20 mg kg-1 wet weight, and no significant differences were observed between the average concentration in each species. A significant increasing trend in mercury content with fish size was observed for all species (except for European anchovy), suggesting mercury bioaccumulation throughout their life cycle. Still, the mercury content was far below the European Food Safety Authority and World Health Organization food safety thresholds in all species, highlighting the low risk to human health due to the ingestion of these species and the importance of consumer options for risk reduction.

Trophic links and nutritional condition of fish early life stages in a temperate estuary.

The physiological and nutritional condition of fish larvae affect their survival and thus, the success of estuaries as nursery areas. Fatty acid composition has been useful to determine fish nutritional condition, as well as trophic relationships in marine organisms. The present study analyses the fatty acid (FA) composition of fish larvae during spring and summer in the Mondego estuary, Portugal. FA composition, trophic markers (FATM) and fish nutritional condition was analysed for Gobiidae and Sardina pilchardus larvae and the relationships with the local environment evaluated. Results showed that both taxa differed mainly in the stearic acid (C18:0) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content, with important amounts in Gobiidae and S. pilchardus, respectively. Gobiidae larvae presenting high nutritional condition and omnivore FATM. Fatty acid composition seems to be related with their natural habitat selection and food availability, while fish larvae nutritional condition also showed a strong link with the water temperature and presence of potential predators. This study suggests that FA composition can be a useful tool in assessing planktonic trophic relationships and in identifying species natural habitat.