A Late Pleistocene coastal ecosystem in French Guiana was hyperdiverse relative to today.

Warmer temperatures and higher sea level than today characterized the Last Interglacial interval [Pleistocene, 128 to 116 thousand years ago (ka)]. This period is a remarkable deep-time analog for temperature and sea-level conditions as projected for 2100 AD, yet there has been no evidence of fossil assemblages in the equatorial Atlantic. Here, we report foraminifer, metazoan (mollusks, bony fish, bryozoans, decapods, and sharks among others), and plant communities of coastal tropical marine and mangrove affinities, dating precisely from a ca. 130 to 115 ka time interval near the Equator, at Kourou, in French Guiana. These communities include ca. 230 recent species, some being endangered today and/or first recorded as fossils. The hyperdiverse Kourou mollusk assemblage suggests stronger affinities between Guianese and Caribbean coastal waters by the Last Interglacial than today, questioning the structuring role of the Amazon Plume on tropical Western Atlantic communities at the time. Grassland-dominated pollen, phytoliths, and charcoals from younger deposits in the same sections attest to a marine retreat and dryer conditions during the onset of the last glacial (ca. 110 to 50 ka), with a savanna-dominated landscape and episodes of fire. Charcoals from the last millennia suggest human presence in a mosaic of modern-like continental habitats. Our results provide key information about the ecology and biogeography of pristine Pleistocene tropical coastal ecosystems, especially relevant regarding the-widely anthropogenic-ongoing global warming.

Working memory constraints for visuomotor retrieval strategies.

Recent work has shown the fundamental role that cognitive strategies play in visuomotor adaptation. Although algorithmic strategies, such as mental rotation, are flexible and generalizable, they are computationally demanding. To avoid this computational cost, people can instead rely on memory retrieval of previously successful visuomotor solutions. However, such a strategy is likely subject to stimulus-response associations and rely heavily on working memory. In a series of five experiments, we sought to estimate the constraints in terms of capacity and precision of working memory retrieval for visuomotor adaptation. This was accomplished by leveraging different variations of visuomotor item-recognition and visuomotor rotation tasks where we associated unique rotations with specific targets in the workspace and manipulated the set size (i.e., number of rotation-target associations). Notably, from experiment 1 to 4, we found key signatures of working memory retrieval and not mental rotation. In particular, participants were less accurate and slower for larger set sizes and less recent items. Using a Bayesian latent-mixture model, we found that such decrease in performance was the result of increasing guessing behavior and less precise memories. In addition, we estimated that participants' working memory capacity was limited to two to five items, after which guessing increasingly dominated performance. Finally, in experiment 5, we showed how the constraints observed across experiments 1 to 4 can be overcome when relying on long-term memory retrieval. Our results point to the opportunity of studying other sources of memories where visuomotor solutions can be stored (e.g., episodic memories) to achieve successful adaptation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that humans can adapt to feedback perturbations in different variations of the visuomotor rotation task by retrieving the successful solutions from working memory. In addition, using a Bayesian latent-mixture model, we reveal that guessing and low-precision memories are both responsible for the decrease in participants' performance as the number of solutions to memorize increases. These constraints can be overcome by relying on long-term memory retrieval resulting from extended practice with the visuomotor solutions.

Tsallis q-Statistics in Seismology.

Non-extensive statistical mechanics (or q-statistics) is based on the so-called non-additive Tsallis entropy. Since its introduction by Tsallis, in 1988, as a generalization of the Boltzmann-Gibbs equilibrium statistical mechanics, it has steadily gained ground as a suitable theory for the description of the statistical properties of non-equilibrium complex systems. Therefore, it has been applied to numerous phenomena, including real seismicity. In particular, Tsallis entropy is expected to provide a guiding principle to reveal novel aspects of complex dynamical systems with catastrophes, such as seismic events. The exploration of the existing connections between Tsallis formalism and real seismicity has been the focus of extensive research activity in the last two decades. In particular, Tsallis q-statistics has provided a unified framework for the description of the collective properties of earthquakes and faults. Despite this progress, our present knowledge of the physical processes leading to the initiation of a rupture, and its subsequent growth through a fault system, remains quite limited. The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the non-extensive interpretation of seismicity, along with the contributions of the Tsallis formalism to the statistical description of seismic events.

Enhanced degradation of hydrocarbons in constructed wetlands aided with nutrients, surfactant, and aeration.

The use of constructed wetlands (CWs) is a promising approach for the remediation of hydrocarbon-polluted wastewater. The amendments of CWs with nutrients, surfactants, and aeration enhances the removal of pollutants from wastewater. The objective of the present study was to explore the effect of external stimulants, i.e., nutrients, surfactant, and aeration on hydrocarbons degradation potential of CWs. The CWs mesocosms were developed by the vegetation of Phragmites australis and amendments with nutrients (20 mg l-1 N, 2.6 mg l-1 P, and 16.4 mg l-1 K), surfactant Tween 20 (0.2%, v/v), and aeration (7 mg l-1) for the remediation of diesel-spiked water (2%, w/v). The comparative analysis showed that the addition of nutrients, surfactant, and aeration individually enhanced total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) reduction, and maximum TPHs reduction (88.4%) was achieved after 60 days in the mesocosms amended with the combination of nutrients, surfactant, and aeration. Among different individual treatments, the aeration (alone) also played a pivotal role in TPHs reduction (61%). The least (12%) reduction in TPHs was achieved in the mesocosms supplied with surfactant only. This study revealed that the combined application of nutrients, surfactant, and aeration in CWs enhanced its hydrocarbons degradation performance.

The biodegradability of crude oil-polluted wastewater is not efficient. It is mainly due to the low bioavailability of hydrocarbons, and less amount of nutrients and dissolved oxygen in the wastewater. This study explores the importance of the amendments of nutrients, surfactant, and aeration on the enhanced performance of constructed wetlands (CWs) for the remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated water. The application of nutrients, surfactant, and aeration in CWs not only enhanced hydrocarbon degradation and toxicity reduction but also improved plant growth.

Massive replica exchange Monte Carlo algorithm: a tool to access high pressure thermodynamics of hard systems.

We have explored the idea of producing the equilibrium equation of state, i.e. the pressure as a function of packing fraction, ßP(φ), of a confined system up to very high pressures to yield the configuration that leads to the maximum packing fraction. For this purpose we have massively implemented the replica exchange Monte Carlo algorithm in graphics processing units (GPUs), in such a way that each GPU core handles a single simulation cell. This yields a very easy scheme to implement parallelization for a very large amount of replicas (thousands), which densely sample configuration space. We have tested this idea with a very well studied system, i.e. discs confined in a circular cavity, for a number of particles N ≤ 125. In all cases, our outcomes for configurations having maximum packing fractions are in perfect agreement with those already reported and conjectured optimal in the literature, for which there is no formal mathematical proof, strongly suggesting that they are indeed optimal configurations. Furthermore, in most cases, we have obtained the same function ßP(φ), by compressing loose random configurations and by decompressing copies of the configuration having the largest packing fraction. This reveals numerically that the so obtained maximum packing configurations are the correct answer.

Underlying Physics of Conductive Polymer Composites and Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs) under Static Loading Conditions.

Conductive polymer composites are manufactured by randomly dispersing conductive particles along an insulating polymer matrix. Several authors have attempted to model the piezoresistive response of conductive polymer composites. However, all the proposed models rely upon experimental measurements of the electrical resistance at rest state. Similarly, the models available in literature assume a voltage-independent resistance and a stress-independent area for tunneling conduction. With the aim of developing and validating a more comprehensive model, a test bench capable of exerting controlled forces has been developed. Commercially available sensors-which are manufactured from conductive polymer composites-have been tested at different voltages and stresses, and a model has been derived on the basis of equations for the quantum tunneling conduction through thin insulating film layers. The resistance contribution from the contact resistance has been included in the model together with the resistance contribution from the conductive particles. The proposed model embraces a voltage-dependent behavior for the composite resistance, and a stress-dependent behavior for the tunneling conduction area. The proposed model is capable of predicting sensor current based upon information from the sourcing voltage and the applied stress. This study uses a physical (non-phenomenological) approach for all the phenomena discussed here.

Distribution and trends of hematology and oncology research in Latin America: A decade of uncertainty.

BACKGROUND: Although hematology and oncology research is a highly relevant and evolving field, research contributions by Latin American countries, apart from Brazil, remain unclear. METHODS: The authors performed a bibliometric analysis through a methodical search of the Latin American abstracts presented at 4 main hematology and oncology annual scientific meetings from 2000 to 2010. Latin American regional and national productivity was described through distribution and trend analyses; the subsequent percentage of full-text publications was also determined. RESULTS: In total, 2871 abstracts were identified, of which 1972 abstracts (68.7%) were determined to be original Latin American research and were included in the analysis. Brazil produced by far the most abstracts, with 51.1% of the total, followed by Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Uruguay. Together, these 6 countries accounted for 95.2% of the abstracts. Latin America had a positive trend, registering an average increase of 21.5 abstracts per year (P < .001). Significant positive growth trends were observed for Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. Argentina and Uruguay were the most productive countries when considering the rate of abstract presentation per population. The full-text publication rate was 17.9%, and the median time to publication after presentation was 1 year. Brazil prevailed as the leading publishing country (60%), followed by Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Cuba, all of which together published 96% of the full-text articles. CONCLUSIONS: Hematology and oncology research is increasing in Latin America, but this contribution remains limited to a few countries. There is also a low rate of full-text articles derived from annual scientific meetings. More extensive research is recommended.

How to fill the biodiversity data gap: Is it better to invest in fieldwork or curation?

Data gaps and biases are two important issues that affect the quality of biodiversity information and downstream results. Understanding how best to fill existing gaps and account for biases is necessary to improve our current information most effectively. Two current main approaches for obtaining and improving data include (1) curation of biological collections, and (2) fieldwork. However, the comparative effectiveness of these approaches in improving biodiversity data remains little explored. We used the Flora de Bogotá project to study the magnitude of change in species richness, spatial coverage, and sample coverage of plant records based on curation versus fieldwork. The process of curation resulted in a decrease in species richness (synonym and error removal), but it significantly increased the number of records per species. Fieldwork contributed to a slight increase in species richness, via accumulation of new records. Additionally, curation led to increases in spatial coverage, species observed by locality, the number of plant records by species, and localities by species compared to fieldwork. Overall, curation was more efficient in producing new information compared to fieldwork, mainly because of the large number of records available in herbaria. We recommend intensive curatorial work as the first step in increasing biodiversity data quality and quantity, to identify bias and gaps at the regional scale that can then be targeted with fieldwork. The stepwise strategy would enable fieldwork to be planned more cost-effectively given the limited resources for biodiversity exploration and characterization.

Synallactesmcdanieli sp. nov., a new species of sea cucumber from British Columbia, Canada and the Gulf of Alaska, USA (Holothuroidea, Synallactida).

Background: The family Synallactidae comprises mostly deep-sea forms and is the least-studied large taxon amongst deep-sea cucumbers. They are part of the abyssal megafauna and play an important role in modifying the sediment landscape and structuring the communities that live within it. The family embraces the genus Synallactes, which contains approximately twenty-five species from the Pacific, Atlantic (six species), Indian (seven species) and Antarctic Oceans (one species). New information: Synallactesmcdanieli sp. nov. is described from the Northeast Pacific, Knight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada to Kodiak Island, Gulf of Alaska, USA, at depths from 21 to 438 m. This new species is unique amongst the species of the genus Synallactes because of the number and arrangement of dorsal papillae, number of Polian vesicles, together with the entire ossicle arrangement. In addition, this species has the shallowest bathymetric distribution ever recorded for this genus.

Lithospheric delamination as the driving mechanism of intermediate-depth seismicity in the Bucaramanga Nest, Colombia.

The Bucaramanga nest (BN) is an area of exceptionally strong intermediate-depth seismicity localized in a narrow zone at 150-170 km depth beneath the continental plate in Colombia. To explain the very unusual mantle seismicity cluster in this area, we built a seismic velocity model in the vicinity of BN with the use of local earthquake tomography and developed a numerical hydromechanical model. Our seismic model shows a strong high-velocity anomaly at 130-167 km coinciding with the BN seismicity. The relocated seismicity can be separated in two clusters. We propose that the upper BN cluster at ~ 130 km depth is attributed to dehydration embrittlement, whereas the lower BN cluster at ~ 150 km depth coinciding with the high-velocity body is caused by lithospheric delamination, creating a "drip" that falls down over the subducting oceanic plate, enhancing fluid release from the slab, potentially increasing seismicity.

Morphological analysis of plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings formed on Ti6Al4V alloys manufactured by electron beam powder bed fusion.

This study investigates and compares plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings produced on wrought Ti6Al4V alloy substrates with those resulting from electron beam powder bed fusion (PBF-EB). For a duration of 1000 s, a phosphate/silicate electrolyte with a current density of 50 A/cm2 was employed to fabricate the coatings. Surface and polished cross-sections of the coated specimens underwent SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The obtained coatings exhibit differences of up to approximately 18% in thickness and formation, as well as in their anatase phase. The anatase phase is present at a level of 54.09% in the substrates processed by PBF-EB and 38.54% in wrought substrates. After 1000 s of PEO, the coatings formed on the wrought substrates exhibited higher porosity and larger pores (>1 µm) compared to those produced on the PBF-EB specimens. The PBF-EB coatings had lower porosity because they contained fewer pores larger than 1 µm. The findings imply that the unique microstructural arrangement of PBF-EB-produced additively made Ti6Al4V materials plays a significant impact in the development and morphological properties of PEO oxide coatings.

Effects of electroconductive materials on treatment performance and microbial community structure in biofilter systems with silicone tubings.

Biofilter systems coupling with microbial electrochemical technology can enhance the removal performance of pollutants. In this study, two types of coke (PK-A and PK-LSN) were used as electroconductive substrates in biofilter systems with silicone tubings. The results showed that the silicone tubings were beneficial for removing NH4+-N. The PK-A systems reached removal efficiencies up to 83.5-85.3% for NH4+-N without aeration. Compared to gravel systems, significantly higher removal efficiencies of NO3--N (84.8-95.4%) were obtained in coke systems, and better removal of PO43--P (91.9-95.7%) was also simultaneously achieved in PK-A systems. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the better performances of coke systems rely on the functions of both electroactive (Trichococcus and Sulfurovum) and non-electroactive bacteria (Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Propionicicella, and Acinetobacter). These findings highlight the important contribution of silicone tubings to oxygen supply and provide useful guidance for the application of coke in composite matrix systems.

Global variation of seismic energy release with oceanic lithosphere age.

Variations in Mid Ocean Ridge seismicity with age provide a new tool to understand the thermal evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. The sum of seismic energy released by earthquakes during a time, and for an area, is proportional to its lithospheric age. Asthenospheric temperatures emerge on ridge centers with new crust resulting in high seismic activity; thus, the energy released sum is highest on the young lithosphere and decreases with age. We propose a general model that relates the systematic variation of seismic energy released with the lithospheric age. Our analysis evaluates the main physical factors involved in the changes of energy released sum with the oceanic lithosphere age in MOR systems of different spreading rates. These observations are substantiated based on three cross-sections of the East Pacific Rise, six sections in the Mid Atlantic Ridge, and three profiles in the Central Indian Ridge. Our global model provides an additional tool for understanding tectonic processes, including the effects of seismicity and mid-plate volcanism, and a better understanding of the thermal evolution for the young oceanic lithosphere.

Additive manufacturing of Ti6Al4V alloy via electron beam melting for the development of implants for the biomedical industry.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) or rapid prototyping technologies are presented as one of the best options to produce customized prostheses and implants with high-level requirements in terms of complex geometries, mechanical properties, and short production times. The AM method that has been more investigated to obtain metallic implants for medical and biomedical use is Electron Beam Melting (EBM), which is based on the powder bed fusion technique. One of the most common metals employed to manufacture medical implants is titanium. Although discovered in 1790, titanium and its alloys only started to be used as engineering materials for biomedical prostheses after the 1950s. In the biomedical field, these materials have been mainly employed to facilitate bone adhesion and fixation, as well as for joint replacement surgeries, thanks to their good chemical, mechanical, and biocompatibility properties. Therefore, this study aims to collect relevant and up-to-date information from an exhaustive literature review on EBM and its applications in the medical and biomedical fields. This AM method has become increasingly popular in the manufacturing sector due to its great versatility and geometry control.

Extension of the thoracic spine sign as a diagnostic marker for thoracic trauma.

INTRODUCTION: The initial evaluation of patients with thoracic trauma remains a diagnostic challenge for surgery and emergency physicians. Chest sonography plays a key role in the approach for this group of patients, through extended and focused evaluation with trauma sonography (E-FAST). OBJECTIVES: To establish the diagnostic performance of the extension of the thoracic spine sign using chest sonography in trauma to diagnose hemothorax and compare it with the gold standard test chest computed tomography (CT). METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted over 1 year. Patients who attended the emergency room with closed or penetrating thoracic or thoraco-abdominal trauma, an indication for a chest CT as part of a diagnostic evaluation according to institutional protocols, and who previously underwent a chest sonogram to determine the extent of the thoracic spine sign to diagnose hemothorax. Sonographic results were compared to a radiologist's interpretation of the chest CT. The radiologists were blinded to the initial sonogram interpretation. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients were enrolled with an average age of 32 years. They mainly had closed trauma, which accounted for 77.6% of samples, and 222 chest images were taken. The sensitivity and specificity for this study were 78.7% and 92.6%, respectively, with a positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 65% and 97.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Extension of the thoracic spine sign allows rapid identification of the presence, and more precisely, the absence of pleural effusion. This, therefore, allows an appropriate diagnosis and approach in the emergency room in patients with chest trauma.

Cocaine degradation using a rotating biological disc reactor: Techno-economic and environmental analysis using experimental data.

A bacterial mixed culture that utilizes cocaine as the sole carbon and energy sources was isolated and used in a Rotary Disc Reactor as an alternative method for the final disposal of seized cocaine. This study aimed to compare the performances of cocaine incineration (oven) and biodegradation (Rotary Disc Reactor), considering economic and environmental aspects. There was a 99.4% cocaine removal efficiency when bacterial C1T consortium was grown in a Rotary Disc Reactor for 42 h. The economic analysis allowed determining the high potential of the biotechnological cocaine degradation to be evaluated at higher scales. Indeed, the unit disposition price of the biotechnological degradation pathway was 58% higher than the calculated value for the incineration process considering an initial cocaine concentration of 30 g/L. Moreover, the economic sensitivity analysis demonstrated a price reduction of 20% in the unit disposition price of the biotechnological degradation using a rotary disc reactor. Further, cocaine degradation using a rotary disc reactor system presented a better environmental performance than the incineration process considering atmospheric and toxicological impact categories because of the low release of hazardous materials to the atmosphere.

Novel bioelectrochemical strategies for domesticating the electron flow in constructed wetlands.

Constructed wetlands are an effective biofilter-based technology for treating wastewater in a sustainable way; however, their main disadvantage is a large area footprint. To cope with this limitation a new generation of constructed wetlands, the METlands®, have been recently reported. METlands® replace gravel with a granular electrically conductive material to enhance the oxidative metabolisms of electroactive bacteria by facilitating the flux of electron through the material and, consequently, increase bioremediation rates. In this work we evaluated the performance of a new electron sink (e-sink) device with the purpose of controlling and enhancing the electrochemical consumption of electrons from microbial metabolism without energy consumption. The e-sink device was integrated inside the biofilter bed and was tested using different electron acceptors with high redox potentials, like oxygen and hypochlorite. Interestingly, the presence of the e-sink allowed novel redox gradients to form inside the METland® and, consequently, a new electron flow was demonstrated by measuring both the electric potential and current density profiles of the bed. Three independent biofilters were constructed and operated under flooded conditions. Ec-coke and electroconductive biochar (ec-biochar) were used as electrically conductive bed materials, while gravel was used as an inert control. Furthermore, e-sink integration inside the electrically conductive bed outperformed METlands® for removing pollutants, already much more efficient than standard gravel biofilters. COD removal was increased from 90% in METland® to 95% in the e-sink METland® as compared to 75% for the control, while total nitrogen removal was enhanced from 64% in METland® to 71% in e-sink METland® as compared to 55% for the control. Our results indicate that increasing the electrochemical availability of electron acceptors by using the e-sink will be a suitable method for controlling the electron flow inside the filter bed and can be integrated in full scale METlands® for achieving high removal rates.

Community level physiological profiling of microbial electrochemical-based constructed wetlands.

The performance of constructed wetlands (CW) can be enhanced through the use of microbial electrochemical technologies like METland systems. Given its novelty, uncertainties exist regarding processes responsible for the pollutant removal and microbial activity within the systems. Genetic characterization of microbial communities of METlands is desirable, but it is a time and resource consuming. An alternative, is the functional analysis based on community-level physiological profile (CLPP), which allows to evaluate the diversity of microbial communities based on the carbon consumption patterns and derived indexes (average well color development - AWCD -, richness, and diversity). This study aimed to characterize the microbial community function of laboratory-scale METlands using the CLPP method. It encompassed the analysis of planted and non-planted set-ups of two carbon-based electroconductive materials (Coke-A and Coke-LSN) colonized with electroactive biofilms, and compared to Sand-filled columns. Variations in the microbial metabolic activity were found to depend on the characteristics of the material rather than to the presence of plants. Coke-A systems showed lower values of AWCD, richness, and diversity than Sand and Coke-LSN systems. This suggests that Coke-A systems provided more favorable conditions for the development of relatively homogeneous microbial biofilms. Additionally, typical parameters of water quality were measured and correlations between utilization of carbon sources and removal of pollutants were established. The results provide useful insight into the spatial dynamics of the microbial activity of METland systems.

Structural and Electronic Characterization of a Photoresponsive Lanthanum(III) Complex Incorporated into Electrospun Fibers for Phosphate Ester Catalysis.

Herein, we present the light-induced synthesis and characterization of a La3+/spiropyran derivative complex (LaMC) and its application as a catalyst when incorporated into electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers. In addition to experimental methods, computational calculations were also essential to better understand the structure and electronic characteristics of LaMC. The LaMC complex was identified as a 10-coordinated structure with the La3+ ion coordinated by four oxygens from the phenolate and the carbonyl of the carboxyl acid group from both MC ligands and by six oxygens from three nitrate ligands. In addition, LaMC was capable of getting reversibly isomerized by UV or visible light cycling. All PCL fibers were successively obtained, and their morphologies, surface properties, and catalytic behavior were studied. Results showed that PCL/LaMC fibers were capable of catalyzing bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)phosphate degradation efficiently. Complete hydrolysis was accomplished in only 1.5 days relative to the half-life time of 35 days for the uncatalyzed hydrolysis at pH 8.1 and 25 °C.

First molecular evidence of Theileria cervi infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Mexico.

Theileria cervi is a tick-borne protozoan that infects different deer species around the world. Clinical diseases due to Theileria cervi have been reported in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the USA, however, information about this parasite has not been documented in Mexico. Here, blood samples from three white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from a region in northeastern Mexico were analyzed by blood smear, PCR, and DNA sequencing. The results confirmed the presence of T. cervi for the first time in white-tailed deer in Mexico.