Hasil untuk "Natural history (General)"

L. Adams, J. Lymp, J. S. St. Sauver et al.

L. Judd, H. Akiskal, Pamela J. Schettler et al.

K. Crossley, J. Stefanik, J. Selfe et al.

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) typically presents as diffuse anterior knee pain, usually with activities such as squatting, running, stair ascent and descent. It is common in active individuals across the lifespan,1–4 and is a frequent cause for presentation at physiotherapy, general practice, orthopaedic and sports medicine clinics in particular.5 ,6 Its impact is profound, often reducing the ability of those with PFP to perform sporting, physical activity and work-related activities pain-free. Increasing evidence suggests that it is a recalcitrant condition, persisting for many years.7–9 In an attempt to share recent innovations, build on the first three successful biennial retreats and define the ‘state of the art’ for this common, impactful condition; the 4th International Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat was convened. The 4th International Patellofemoral Research Retreat was held in Manchester, UK, over 3 days (September 2–4th, 2015). After undergoing peer-review for scientific merit and relevance to the retreat, 67 abstracts were accepted for the retreat (50 podium presentations, and 17 short presentations). The podium and short presentations were grouped into five categories; (1) PFP, (2) factors that influence PFP (3) the trunk and lower extremity (4) interventions and (5) systematic analyses. Three keynote speakers were chosen for their scientific contribution in the area of PFP. Professor Andrew Amis spoke on the biomechanics of the patellofemoral joint. Professor David Felson spoke on patellofemoral arthritis,10 and Dr Michael Ratleff's keynote theme was PFP in the adolescent patient.11 As part of the retreat, we held structured, whole-group discussions in order to develop consensus relating to the work presented at the meeting as well as evidence gathered from the literature. ### Consensus development process In our past three International Patellofemoral Research Retreats, we developed a consensus statement addressing different presentation categories.12–14 In Manchester in 2015, we revised the format. For the exercise and …

Zhongsheng Zhang, Zhongsheng Zhang, Zhongsheng Zhang et al.

Light strongly influences the carbon (C) metabolism of seaweed through both algal carbon content and organic carbon release, thereby driving the carbon cycling of coastal oceans. However, the response of seaweed organic carbon release to varying light intensities remains an underexplored area of research. This study aimed to fill this gap by analyzing the effects of four different light intensities (5, 50, 200, and 500 μmol m–2 s–1) on the growth, carbon content, and organic carbon release of two strains (W28–42 and WO15-4) of Pyropia haitanensis. The results showed that as light intensity increased, both strains experienced an initial rise in growth rate followed by a decline, with the highest growth observed at 200 μmol m–2 s–1. Simultaneously, tissue C content increased with light intensity, whereas the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents exhibited decreasing trends. This led to increases in the C:N and C:P ratios, indicating that high light intensity may enhance C fixation and suppress the absorption of N and P. Of particular interest was the difference in organic carbon release between the two strains. The W28–42 strain’s rate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release increased significantly with light intensity, whereas the WO15–4 strain’s DOC release rate remained unaffected by variations in light intensity. The particulate organic carbon (POC) release rates of both strains increased under higher light intensity, with the W28–42 strain showing a more substantial increase than the WO15–4 strain. This study demonstrates that the release of DOC by P. haitanensis exhibits distinct strain-specific responses to variations in light intensity, a result that may be attributed to differences in photosynthetic physiology and genetic makeup. These insights provide a foundation for enhancing the efficiency of fishery carbon sinks through the manipulation of light intensity.

Tesfu Fekensa Tujuba, Roman V. Yakovlev, Aidas Saldaitis et al.

African golden-spotted lappet moths from the genera Haplopacha Aurivillius, 1905 and Dasychirinula Hering, 1926 are reviewed. Antennae, heads and legs are investigated in addition to the traditional comparison of habitus, genitalia, and distribution areas. Two new genera are established and four new species are described as a result: Eudoumbia gen. n. with the type-species Eudoumbia thorogood sp. n. from Angola, Namibia, and Botswana; Auripluvia gen. n. with the type species Auripluvia sophia sp. n. from Ethiopia; Haplopacha mason sp. n. from Tanzania; and Dasychirinula julia sp. n. from Ethiopia. One species is reattributed to the new genus as Eudoumbia ndoumoi (Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016) stat. n. One new synonymy is established for two Tanzanian species: Dasychirinula chrysogramma Hering, 1926 = Haplopacha lunata Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016 syn. n.; and one potential synonymy is remarked between Haplopacha tangani Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016 from Tanzania and Malawi and Haplopacha riftensis Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016 from Malawi. Photos of the related material stored in the main collections of Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (Pretoria, RSA) and Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) are showed.

Ravinder Jangra, Etender Singh, Sunil Manglaw et al.

پیشینه: ارزیابی ظرفیت ، جزء مهمی در حفظ پایداری در بخش گردشگری است. تمام نگرانی‌ها در گردشگری به تعداد گردشگرانی که از یک مکان خاص بازدید می‌کنند، مرتبط است. منطقه مورد مطالعه دارای مناظر زیبا در اکوسیستم بیابان سرد و همچنین ویژگی‌های متمایز بودایی است که گردشگری انبوه را جذب می‌کند. امروزه، توسعه گردشگری نگرانی‌هایی را در مورد پایداری و ایجاد استانداردهایی برای قابلیت‌های مقصد گردشگری ایجاد کرده است. اهداف: مطالعه حاضر با هدف تجزیه و تحلیل اهداف زیر انجام می‌شود: 1) ارزیابی ظرفیت برد فیزیکی (PCC)، ظرفیت برد واقعی (RCC) و ظرفیت برد مؤثر (ECC) نقاط گردشگری منتخب در روستای ناکو و 2) محاسبه ظرفیت پارکینگ صومعه. روش شناسی: روش‌های مشخص‌شده در اتحادیه بین‌المللی حفاظت از طبیعت و منابع طبیعی (IUCN) برای اندازه‌گیری ظرفیت برد مقاصد گردشگری خاص در ناکو استفاده شد. تکنیک‌های سه سطحی برای ارزیابی ظرفیت برد فیزیکی (۲۸۱۶۱ نفر)، ظرفیت برد واقعی (۴۱۶۲ نفر) و ظرفیت برد مؤثر (۲۹۶۸ نفر) به کار گرفته شد. نتایج: نتایج نشان می‌دهد که ظرفیت برد مؤثر (ECC) مناسب‌ترین روش برای تخمین است و وضعیت فعلی گردشگری در منطقه مورد مطالعه کمتر از ظرفیت خود بهره‌برداری شده است. نتیجه‌گیری: سیستم‌های بسیار کوچک تا بزرگ در ناکو یافت می‌شوند و این سیستم‌ها از انواع مختلف فعالیت‌ها نیز پشتیبانی می‌کنند. گردشگری یک فعالیت بسیار رایج است و تأثیرات زیست‌محیطی، اجتماعی، فرهنگی و اقتصادی دارد. این تأثیرات به پارامترهای مختلفی وابسته بوده و با تغییر ماهیت تعامل نیز تغییر می‌کنند. مشخص شده است که وضعیت فعلی فعالیت گردشگری در منطقه مورد مطالعه در مقایسه با ظرفیت برد آن، بسیار کمتر از حد بهره‌برداری قرار گرفته است.

Yan Wang, Hao Zhang, Wei Huang et al.

The critical nature of passive ship-radiated noise recognition for military and economic security is well-established, yet its advancement faces significant obstacles due to the complex marine environment. The challenges include natural sound interference and signal distortion, complicating the extraction of key acoustic features and ship type identification. Addressing these issues, this study introduces DWSTr, a novel method combining a depthwise separable convolutional neural network with a Transformer architecture. This approach effectively isolates local acoustic features and captures global dependencies, enhancing robustness against environmental interferences and signal variability. Validated by experimental results on the ShipsEar dataset, DWSTr demonstrated a notable 96.5\% recognition accuracy, underscoring its efficacy in accurate ship classification amidst challenging conditions. The integration of these advanced neural architectures not only surmounts existing barriers in noise recognition but also offers computational efficiency for real-time analysis, marking a significant advancement in passive acoustic monitoring and its application in strategic and economic contexts.

Baoqi Li, Zhiguang Xu, Xiaotong Jiang et al.

In recent years, golden tides caused by floating Sargassum have induced severe ecological disasters globally. Eutrophication is a significant factor contributing to the massive spread of Sargassum golden tides. Furthermore, the thalli of Sargassum that float on the ocean surface are subjected to more ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The coupled impact of eutrophication and UVR on the photosynthetic physiology of golden tide species remains unclear. In this study, the thalli of Sargassum horneri, known to cause golden tide, were cultured and acclimated to three distinct nitrogen (N) conditions (natural seawater, NSW; NH4+-N enrichment; and NO3–N enrichment) for 6 days. Subsequently, the thalli were exposed to two different radiation treatments (photosynthetically active radiation (150 W m-2), PAR, 400–700 nm; PAR (150 W m-2) + UVR (28 W m-2), 280–700 nm) for 120 min, to investigate the photosynthetic effects of UVR and N on this alga. The findings demonstrated that exposure to UVR impeded the photosynthetic capacity of S. horneri, as evidenced by a decrease in the maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm), photosynthetic efficiency (α) and chlorophyll content. Under diverse N-enrichment conditions, the alga tended to adopt various strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of UVR. NH4+-enrichment dissipated excess UVR energy through a greater increase in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). While NO3–enrichment protected alga by enhancing N assimilation (higher nitrate reductase activity (NRA) and soluble protein content), and maintained a stable energy captured per unit reaction center for electron transfer (ET0/RC) and a higher net photosynthetic rate. Although different N enrichments could not completely offset the damage caused by UV radiation, they secured the photoprotective ability of S. horneri in several ways.

Robert van Leeuwen

The early history of string theory is marked by a shift from strong interaction physics to quantum gravity. The first string models and associated theoretical framework were formulated in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the context of the S-matrix program for the strong interactions. In the mid-1970s, the models were reinterpreted as a potential theory unifying the four fundamental forces. This paper provides a historical analysis of how string theory was developed out of S-matrix physics, aiming to clarify how modern string theory, as a theory detached from experimental data, grew out of an S-matrix program that was strongly dependent upon observable quantities. Surprisingly, the theoretical practice of physicists already turned away from experiment before string theory was recast as a potential unified quantum gravity theory. With the formulation of dual resonance models (the "hadronic string theory"), physicists were able to determine almost all of the models' parameters on the basis of theoretical reasoning. It was this commitment to "non-arbitrariness", i.e., a lack of free parameters in the theory, that initially drove string theorists away from experimental input, and not the practical inaccessibility of experimental data in the context of quantum gravity physics. This is an important observation when assessing the role of experimental data in string theory.

R. Ferreira D' Almeida

Doreen Fraser, Maria Papageorgiou

The formulation of a measurement theory for relativistic quantum field theory (QFT) has recently been an active area of research. In contrast to the asymptotic measurement framework that was enshrined in QED, the new proposals aim to supply a measurement framework for measurements in local spacetime regions. This paper surveys episodes in the history of quantum theory that contemporary researchers have identified as precursors to their own work and discusses how they laid the groundwork for current approaches to local measurement theory for QFT.

Hans-E. Porst

Not only motivated by the fact that the publication of the GAFT first appeared 60 years ago in print we reconstruct its history and so show that it is no exaggeration to claim that it has appeared already 75 years ago!

M. Schweizer, N. Straumann, A. Wipf

We adapt the post-Newtonian gravitational-radiation methods developed within general relativity by Epstein and Wagoner to the gravitation theory with torsion, recently proposed by Hehl et al., and show that the two theories predict in this approximation the same gravitational radiation losses. Since they agree also on the first post-Newtonian level, they are at the present time - observationally - indistinguishable.

Peter Galison, Juliusz Doboszewski, Jamee Elder et al.

This white paper outlines the plans of the History Philosophy Culture Working Group of the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.

S. Hassan, R. Prakash, A. Starovoytov et al.

OBJECTIVES Given the uncertainty regarding the degree and prevalence of spontaneous healing following spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), the aim of this study was to assess the angiographic characteristics of the dissected segments in a large cohort of patients with SCAD who underwent subsequent repeat coronary angiography. BACKGROUND SCAD is an uncommon yet important cause of myocardial infarction in women. Very little is known about the characteristics of healing of dissected arteries. METHODS Patients with nonatherosclerotic SCAD followed prospectively at Vancouver General Hospital who underwent repeat angiography were included in this study. Those who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for SCAD were excluded. Baseline patient demographics and in-hospital and long-term cardiovascular events were recorded. Angiographic characteristics of the SCAD artery at index and repeat angiography were assessed by 2 experienced angiographers. Criteria for angiographic healing were as follows: 1) improvement of stenosis severity from index event; 2) residual stenosis <50%; and 3) TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) flow grade 3. RESULTS One hundred fifty-six patients with 182 noncontiguous SCAD lesions were included. The mean age was 51.5 ± 8.7 years, 88.5% were women, 83.3% were Caucasian, and 75.6% had fibromuscular dysplasia. All patients presented with myocardial infarction. At index angiography, type 2 SCAD was most commonly observed, in 126 of 182 lesions (69.2%); TIMI flow grade <3 was present in 85 of 182 (46.7%); and median lesion stenosis was 79.0% (interquartile range: 56.0% to 100%). Median time to repeat angiography was 154 days (interquartile range: 70 to 604 days), with median residual lesion stenosis improving to 25.5% (interquartile range: 12.0 to 38.8 days), and TIMI flow grade <3 observed in 10 of 182 lesions (5.5%). Angiographic healing occurred in 157 of 182 lesions (86.3%). Of repeat angiography performed ≥30 days post-SCAD, 152 of 160 (95%) showed spontaneous angiographic healing. CONCLUSIONS The majority of coronary arteries affected by SCAD heal spontaneously on repeat angiography, with apparent time dependency, with the vast majority having complete healing after 30 days from the SCAD event.

L. Nalysnyk, P. Rotella, J. Simeone et al.

ABSTRACT Objectives: The objectives of this research were: (1) to heighten awareness of Gaucher disease (GD), a rare lysosomal storage disorder with highly heterogeneous patterns of organ involvement and disease severity, to clinicians most likely to encounter these patients, and; (2) to summarize the published evidence on GD epidemiology which is essential to accurately depict the total societal burden of this rare worldwide disorder. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was undertaken to summarize the published evidence on the epidemiology of GD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and ‘grey’ literature sources published in English between January 1990 and March 2015 were searched to identify relevant publications. Results: In total, 188 full-text articles were reviewed and findings from 49 studies are summarized herein. The standardized birth incidence of GD in the general population varied from 0.39 to 5.80 per 100 000, and prevalence ranged from 0.70 to 1.75 per 100 000, respectively. Time from onset of GD symptoms to clinical diagnosis was highly variable, with median delays of up to 7 years reported. Discussion: The incidence and prevalence of GD is substantially higher among the Ashkenazi Jewish population than the general population. Limited epidemiologic information was available from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and developed nations such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Conclusions: Signs and symptoms of GD frequently mimic more common hematologic conditions resulting in missed or delayed diagnosis. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment when indicated is crucial to prevent or minimize life-altering or life-threatening liver and skeletal complications.

A. Masri, L. Svensson, B. Griffin et al.

Shasha Zhao, Liuqingqing Liu, Chenguang Li et al.

IntroductionBiobased polymer blends have been recommended as an eco-friendly solution to abate plastic pollution in the environment. However, the formation of microplastics (MPs) by photodegradation of biobased polymer blends in the marine environment is still not well understood. In this study, we investigated the formation of MPs and the changes in the physicochemical properties of three types of biobased polymer blends after photodegradation in seawater.MethodsThe investigated materials included non-biodegradable polyethylene/ thermoplastic starch blends (PE/TPS) and polypropylene/thermoplastic starch blends (PP/TPS), as well as biodegradable polylactic acid/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/thermoplastic starch blends (PLA/PBAT/TPS). The control groups were the corresponding neat polymers, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polylactic acid (PLA).ResultsThe size distribution of the pristine and aged MPs indicated that the polymer blends were more likely to produce small-sized particles after photodegradation due to their poorer mechanical properties and lower resistance to UV irradiation than the neat polymers. Noticeable surface morphology alterations, including cracks, holes, and pits, were observed for polymer blends after photodegradation, while neat polymers were relatively resistant. After photodegradation, the attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectrum of the polymer blends showed a significant decrease in the characteristic bands of thermoplastic starch (TPS), indicating depletion of their starch fractions. The C1s spectra of the polymer blends demonstrated that the aged MPs contained fewer -OH groups than the pristine MPs, further confirming the photodegradation of TPS. The molecular weight distribution curve of the polymer blends shifted significantly towards low molecular weight, suggesting the occurrence of chain scission during photodegradation. These results indicate that the polymer blends have a higher degree of photodegradation than neat polymers, and thereby generate more small-sized MPs than neat polymers. Photodegradation caused changes in the contact angle and surface charge of MPs derived from biobased polymer blends, which may affect the vector effects of MPs on any coexisting pollutants.DiscussionIn summary, polymer blends may pose a higher risk to the marine environment than neat polymers, and caution should be taken in promoting biobased polymer blends.

Clément Tanvet, Clément Tanvet, Francesca Benzoni et al.

The crucial role of crustose coralline algae (CCA) in inducing hard coral larval settlement and ensuring the replenishment of coral reefs is widely accepted, and so are the negative effects of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on both CCA abundance and coral development. However, diversified and well-developed coral reef communities have been recently discovered in natural conditions where CCA and corals would not be expected to thrive. Back-reef pools, volcanic CO2 vents, mangrove estuaries, and semi-enclosed lagoons systems can present seawater pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen values reaching or even exceeding the conditions currently predicted by the Inter Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for 2100. In the semi-enclosed lagoon of Bouraké (New Caledonia, southwest Pacific Ocean), seawater pHT, dissolved oxygen, and temperatures regularly fluctuate with the tide reaching respectively minimum values of 7.23 pHT units, 2.28 mg O2 L-1, and maximum of 33.85°C. This study reports the effect of such extreme environmental conditions on hard coral recruitment and CCA originally settled at a forereef on artificial substrates that were transplanted over two years in two fringing reef and at the Bouraké lagoon. Our data emphasize the negative effects of the extreme conditions in our study sites on the CCA, which decreased in cover by ca. 80% and lost in the competition with turf algae, which, in turn, increased up to 162% at the end of the two years. Conversely, hard coral recruitment remained high at Bouraké throughout the study, three-fold higher than at two sites located outside Bouraké where environmental conditions were typical for coastal fringing reefs. Our findings show that while such extreme, climate change like-conditions have a direct and adverse effect on CCA abundance, and despite a certain persistence, coral larvae settlement was not affected. Based on previous findings from Bouraké, and the present observations, both coral recruits and adults seem to be unaffected despite the extreme environmental conditions. This study supports previous research illustrating how extreme natural and variable environments may reveal unexpected and positive insights on the processes underlying coral acclimatization and adaptation to global change.

Marcelo O. Soares, Marcelo O. Soares, Luis Ernesto Arruda Bezerra et al.

In this article, we discuss knowledge and gaps regarding blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) in Brazil, considering the urgency to apply protection actions and policies to safeguard their biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. We also indicate areas of further research to improve carbon stocks and sequestration rate estimates. We call attention to the shortage of studies on Brazilian BCEs relative to the growing knowledge on the Blue Carbon Framework accumulated worldwide over the last decade. Considering the extensive Brazilian Economic Exclusive Zone (known as “Blue Amazon”), knowledge concerning blue carbon stocks is vital at regional and global scales for mitigating global increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The Blue Amazon has at least 1,100,000 ha of vegetated and non-vegetated coastal ecosystems (mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and hypersaline tidal flats) that collectively contain vast amounts of stored carbon, making Brazil an ideal place to test mechanisms for evaluating, conserving, and restoring BCEs. Other poorly understood potential sinks and sources of carbon are macroalgal and rhodolith beds, mudflats, continental shelf sediments, and marine animal forests in shallow, mesophotic, and deep waters. The carbon fluxes between diverse environmental compartments, such as soil–air, soil–water, groundwater–water–surface water, air–water, and land–ocean, in BCEs across the Blue Amazon must be studied. We emphasize the importance of assessing the total carbon stock and the recent dismantling of environmental laws that pose great risks to these important BCEs. The conservation and recovery of these areas would enhance the carbon sequestration capacity of the entire country. Furthermore, we highlight priorities to improve knowledge concerning BCEs and their biogeochemical cycles in the Blue Amazon and to provide information to assist in the reduction of atmospheric levels of CO2 for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).