Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common disorder that particularly affects the elderly population worldwide. UI can be associated with poor quality of life (QOL) in this vulnerable population, as it leads to limitation in both their physical and social activities of daily life. Additionally, it has a psychological and economic burden on individuals, health care services and society. This study was performed to measure the frequency of UI among the elderly and to determine its impact on the overall QOL, physical performance and activities of daily living. Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in four Primary Health Care centres (PHCs) of El-Obour City. Data collection was done weekly on randomly chosen days. All elders aged 60 or above, who attended the PHCs on those days, were included. Results: The overall frequency of UI was 38% among the studied elderly. UI ranged from mild (12.3%) to moderate (57.9%) and severe (29.8%). Among incontinent participants, the frequency in men was 47.4% and in women was 52.6%. The frequency of stress, urge, mixed and other UI were 7%, 33.3%, 40.4% and 19.3% respectively. Incontinent elderly had significantly lower QOL as regards mental and physical indices than their continent counterparts. UI severity was inversely related to physical performance. Conclusion: UI has a high-frequency rate among the elderly population, and has a significant impact on all aspects of QOL especially their physical performance. Keywords: Urinary Incontinence, ICIQ, Physical Performance, Quality of Life, elderly.

Determining Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch after TAVR: Which is the Best Method?Authors: Cesar E. Mendoza, MD1 and Diego Celli, MD2Affiliations: 1Division of Cardiovascular Disease, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida;2Internal Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida.Affiliation addresses: 11801 NW 9th Ave, Suite #209 33136 Miami, Florida, United States; 21611 NW 12th Ave 33136, Miami, Florida, United States.Corresponding author: Cesar E. Mendoza, MD; [email protected]; 1611 NW 12th Ave, East Tower 3019, Miami, Florida 33136.Disclosures: Authors have no relationships with the industry. This work is not under consideration in any other journal.Funding: No grants, contracts, and other forms of financial support were used to perform this manuscript.In the last decade, the medical community has witnessed an accelerated development of multiple devices for the transcatheter management of aortic stenosis. Recently, transaortic valve replacement (TAVR) was granted approval for its use in all types of surgical risk patients underscoring its importance in cardiovascular practice. While evidence has shown non-inferiority of  TAVR versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) [1], it still has inherent intra- and post-procedural complications, prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) is one of them.Since the seminal work published by Rahimtoola in 1978 [2], several studies have investigated PPM. The incidence of PPM after SAVR ranges from 20% to 50% with severe cases having an occurrence rate from 5% to 25%. [3-5]. Severe PPM has been associated with significantly abnormal prosthetic valve echocardiographic parameters and adverse clinical outcomes including a higher risk of mortality [3,5-7]. Although initial studies showed a lower incidence of PPM after TAVR [8, 9], most recent data surprisingly depict an uptrend incidence of PPM with later-generation TAVR prostheses [10]. Regardless of the true global PPM incidence, the number of cases in the severe category remain within robust margins (5% - 36%). Perhaps, more interestingly, the association of TAVR with adverse outcomes is not firm. Indeed, there are conflicting reports, with some studies showing a weak association [11,12], no association [13, 14, 15], or association in particular group of patients [9].PPM occurs when the effective orifice area (EOA) of a normally functioning prosthesis is too small in relation to the patient’s body size and cardiac output requirements, and this diagnosis must be done after ruling out dysfunction of the prosthesis heart valve. Historically, surgical aortic valve replacement was the method of choice in the management of aortic stenosis; as such, surgeons relied on the manufacturer’s predicted EOA charts to aid in the determination of the minimum valve size for any given valve model. The predicted EOA index (EOAi), which is calculated by dividing the reference value for the prosthesis model and size by the body surface area (BSA) of the patient, has been frequently used to identify PPM in the SAVR studies. Similarly, all contemporary TAVR studies have used the same index for the same purpose; but it nevertheless was measured using Doppler-echocardiography data.In this issue of JOCS, Catalano et al report that the utility of EOAi charts to predict PPM after TAVR for native aortic stenosis may be limited. Indeed, they found in their study that the pre-TAVR prediction of PPM  using tables of expected EOA varies significantly from actual PPM measured on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography using the continuity equation. Although this is a relatively small single-center study, the authors provided information worthy of additional consideration.First, they identified that EOAi charts overestimated the number of patients with PPM for Sapien 3 valves (25.3% predicted versus 13.7% actual) and underestimated the number of patients with PPM for Evolut valves (1.8% predicted versus 11.6% actual), yielding a limited utility for this instrument on pre-operative prediction of PPM in TAVR. Interestingly, a recent publication by Ternacle et al. [16] provides a different perspective on this topic. It reports that the predicted EOAi was found to be useful to reclassify the majority of patients diagnosed with measured PPM following TAVR to no PPM at all. Furthermore, they found that both methods had a different association with hemodynamic outcomes. In this regard, EOAi and mean transprosthetic gradient had a more powerful correlation when using the predicted EOAi versus the measured EOAi. Based on these findings, the Ternacle’s study suggests that the use of measured EOAi grossly overestimates the incidence of PPM. The discrepancy between both studies may be explained by the inherent variability in using different Doppler echocardiography imaging modalities to measure EOA. As Catalano et al rightly pointed out, the prosthesis data acquisition and measurements obtained by intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in their study may not be comparable with its counterpart transthoracic modality, and this particular difference should be taken into account when interpreting the results above mentioned.Second, it is also clear from Catalano’s study that determining the best method to diagnose PPM following TAVR is paramount, but at the same time troublesome due to several factors. First, the pressure recovery phenomenon, a portion of the transprosthetic pressure gradient lost initially at the vena contracta level that recovers later after the prosthetic valve, is not accounted for by Doppler assessment of the maximum transvalvular flow velocities. This may cause overdiagnosis of PPM after TAVR. Second, measured EOA is influenced by the patient’s hemodynamic condition at the time of the evaluation and by the known technical pitfalls on the acquisition of images and measurement performance. Third, the use of the EOA indexed for body surface area may overestimate the severity of PPM in obese patients (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2).Certainly, Catalano’s study allows for a better discussion on the diagnosis and clinical implications of PPM following TAVR. However, the question of what method is a more accurate parameter to determine PPM remains unanswered. Clearly, further research is needed as TAVR is more frequently performed and new TAVR prostheses become available. Accurate prediction of PPM in this setting will help guide the operator’s decision on proper prosthesis size and type.

Aggregate disintegration is a critical process in soil splash erosion. However, the effect of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions on soil aggregates disintegration is still not clear. In this study, five soils with similar physical and chemical properties and different contents of SOC have been used. The effects of slaking and mechanical striking on splash erosion were distinguished by using deionized water and 95% ethanol as raindrops. The simulated rainfall experiments were carried out in four heights (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 m). The result indicated that the soil aggregate stability increased with the increases of SOC and light fraction organic carbon (LFOC). The relative slaking and the mechanical striking index increased with the decreases of SOC and LFOC. The reduction of macroaggregates in eroded soil gradually decreased with the increase of SOC and LFOC, especially in alcohol test. The amount of macroaggregates (>0.25mm) in deionized water tests were significantly less than that in alcohol tests under the same rainfall heights. The contribution of slaking to splash erosion increased with the decrease of heavy fractions organic carbon (HFOC). The contribution of mechanical striking was dominant when the rainfall kinetic energy increased to a range of threshold between 9 J m-2 mm-1 and 12 m-2 mm-1. This study could provide the scientific basis for deeply understanding the mechanism of soil aggregates disintegration and splash erosion.

Cryptosporidium parvum is a major zoonotic pathogen responsible for outbreaks of severe diarrhea in humans and calves. Almost all investigations of cryptosporidiosis outbreaks caused by C. parvum have focused on its IIa subtype family in industrialized nations. From December 2018 to April 2019, approximately 200 neonatal calves on a large cattle farm in Hebei Province, China presented watery diarrhea and over 40 died. To investigate the cause of the outbreak, 179 and 223 fecal specimens were collected during and after the diarrhea outbreak from the farm, including 40 and 56 from neonatal calves, respectively. Among them, 18 fecal specimens from ill calves during the peak of the outbreak were analyzed for four common enteric pathogens using enzymatic immunoassay (EIA), 75 additional specimens from neonatal calves were tested for rotavirus by EIA, and all specimens were analyzed for Cryptosporidium spp. using PCR and sequencing techniques. Of the initial 18 specimens from sick calves, ten were positive for C. parvum, five for rotavirus, and one for coronavirus. The overall prevalence of rotavirus in neonatal calves was 20.0% (15/75), with no significant differences during (21.6% or 8/37) and after (18.4% or 7/38) the outbreak. In contrast, the prevalence of C. parvum was significantly higher during the outbreak (60.0%, 24/40) than after the outbreak (30.4%, 17/56). C. parvum infection was associated with the occurrence of watery diarrhea in neonatal calves (odds ratio = 11.19), while no association was observed between C. bovis infection and diarrhea. All C. parvum isolates were identified as subtype IIdA20G1. Older animals were infected with C. bovis, C. ryanae, C. occultus, and C. andersoni. This is one of the few reports of outbreaks of severe diarrhea caused by C. parvum IId subtypes in calves. More attention should be directed toward preventing the dissemination of C. parvum in China.

African swine fever (ASF) has spread across many countries in Europe since the introduction into Georgia in 2007. We report here on the first cases of ASF in wild boar detected in Germany close to the border with Poland. In addition to the constant risk of ASF virus (ASFV) spread through human activities, movements of infected wild boar also represent a route of introduction. Since ASF emerged in Western Poland in November 2019, surveillance efforts, in particular examination of wild boar found dead, were intensified in the regions of Germany bordering with Poland. The first case of ASF in wild boar in Germany was therefore detected by passive surveillance and confirmed on 10th September 2020. By 24th September 2020, 32 cases were recorded. Testing of samples from tissues of carcasses in different stages of decomposition yielded cycle threshold values from 18 to 36 in the OIE-recommended PCR which were comparable between the regional and national reference laboratory. Blood swabs yielded reliable results, indicating that the method is suitable also under outbreak conditions. Phylogenetic analysis of the ASFV whole-genome sequence generated from material of the first carcass detected in Germany, revealed that it groups with ASFV genotype II including all sequences from Eastern Europe, Asia and Belgium. However, some genetic markers including a 14 bp tandem repeat duplication in the O174L gene were confirmed that have so far been detected only in sequences from Poland (including Western Poland). Epidemiological investigations that include estimated postmortem intervals of wild boar carcasses of infected animals suggest that ASFV had been introduced into Germany in the first half of July 2020 or even earlier.

Rationale: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major complication of premature birth and the most common cause of chronic lung disease in infancy. Previous studies have shown that children with a history of BPD have impaired lung function in childhood compared to their term counterparts. However, little is known about potential modifiable factors that alter lung function trajectories and subsequent respiratory morbidity in this population. Objectives: To identify potential modifiable risk factors for the development of impaired lung function in patients with a history of prematurity and BPD. Methods: Growth parameters (birth, 2yo, 6yo) and pulmonary function testing (6yo) were retrospectively reviewed for subjects (n=598) recruited from an outpatient BPD clinic who were born ≤36 weeks gestation and were ≥5 years of age. Results: Of the 598 recruited subjects, 88 (14.7%) performed adequate pulmonary function testing at approximately six years of age. The mean FEV1% predicted was 84.5% with lower values associated with lower median household income, Nissen fundoplication, and higher weight percentiles at 2yo. The mean FVC % predicted was 94.2% with lower values associated with higher amounts of oxygen required at time of initial hospital discharge, Nissen fundoplication, and higher weight percentiles at 2yo. Conclusions: Our study found that children with BPD have different long-term pulmonary trajectories than full-term controls. Supplemental oxygen, lower income, and Nissen fundoplication at discharge were associated with lower lung function at 6 years of age. Prospective studies should focus on modifiable risk factors that could minimize the impact of BPD on later lung function.

Background: Early hypocapnia in preterm infants is associated with intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Volume targeted ventilation (VTV) has been shown to reduce hypocapnia in moderately preterm infants. Less is known of VTV in infants born at <26 weeks gestational age (wGA). Objectives: Our aim was to investigate the short- and long-term benefits of early VTV as compared to assist-control ventilation (ACV) in extremely preterm infants on incidence of hypocapnia, days on ventilatory support, IVH and BPD. Study Design: A retrospective observational study of 104 infants born at 22-25 wGA (24+0±1+1wGA; birth weight 619±146g), ventilated with either VTV (n=44) or ACV (n=60) on their first day of life. Ventilatory data and blood gases were collected at admission and every fourth hour during the first day of life, together with perinatal characteristics and outcomes. Results: Positive inspiratory pressure (PIP) was lower in the VTV-group than in the ACV-group during the first 20 hours of life (p<0.05), without any difference in end-expiratory pressure, respiratory rate or FiO2. Incidence of hypocapnia (PaCO2<4.5kPa) was lower with VTV than ACV during the first day of life (32% vs 62%; p<0.01). Infants in the VTV-group were more frequently extubated at 24 hours (30% vs 13%; p<0.05). IVH grade ≥3, BPD and time on mechanical ventilation did not differ between the groups. Conclusions: VTV is safe to apply in infants born at <26 wGA and was observed to have lower incidence of hypocapnia compared to infants ventilated by ACV, without any differences in outcomes.

The Magdalena River in Colombia and its floodplain lakes are key ecosystems for the subsistence of Colombian society. Yet, hydrologic regulation, pollution, deforestation and climate change are threatening its ecological integrity. To understand how these floodplain lakes respond over decadal-centennial scales to natural and anthropogenic stressors, we selected two shallow lakes with varying degree of connectivity to the River and assessed their historical ecological and limnological change through a multi-proxy analysis of diatoms, geochemistry and lake’s morphometric variation resulting from extreme periods of high floods and droughts. The reconstruction of the more isolated San Juana Lake covered the last c.500 years. It showed riverine-flooded conditions from c.1555-1741 characterised by high detrital inputs, reductive conditions, and dominance of planktonic diatoms. From c.1758-1954, the riverine meander became disconnected, conveying into a marsh-like environment rich in aerophil diatoms and organic matter. The current lake was then formed around the mid 1960s and a diverse lake-associated diatom flora developed. Lake waters became more oxygenated, while sedimentation and nutrients increased through time since the lake formation. The reconstruction for Barbacoas Lake, a waterbody directly connected to the Magdalena River, spanned the last 60 years and showed alternating riverine-wetland-lake conditions dominated by planktonic and benthic diatoms respectively. An exception was however observed, during a prolonged period of low rainfall between 1989-1992, where the lake almost desiccated and where aerophil diatoms prevailed. Inferences of flood magnitudes and river connectivity in the lakes were supported by parallel increases in Zr/Fe (flooding) and detrital inputs (Ti/Ca) along with decreases in sedimentary OM. We proposed that lake hydrological connectivity to the Magdalena River is a main factor controlling lake long-term responses to human pressures. Highly connected lakes may respond more acutely to ENSO events while isolated lakes might be more sensitive to local land-use changes.

1. Understanding how ecosystem engineers influence other organisms has long been a goal of ecologists. Woodpeckers select nesting sites with high food availability and will excavate and then abandon multiple cavities throughout their lifetime. These cavities are crucial to secondary cavity nesting birds (SCB) that are otherwise limited by the availability of naturally occurring cavities. 2. Our study examined the influence of food resources on the nest site location and home-range size of woodpeckers, and the subsequent influence of woodpeckers on the nesting success of SCB. 3. Using five years of avian point count data to locate golden-fronted woodpeckers (GFWO), we correlated insect availability with GFWO home range size, determined differences in insect availability between GFWO occupied and unoccupied sites, and compared nesting success for the GFWO and common SCB in south Texas. We used model averaging to fit species-specific logistic regression models to predict nest success based on cavity metrics across all species. 4. Sites occupied by GFWO had a higher biomass of insects in orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Orthoptera than unoccupied sites, and there was a negative correlation between the availability of these insect orders and home-range size. GFWO nest success increased with vegetation cover and lower levels of tree decay. SCB had higher levels of nesting success in abandoned GFWO, and in trees with lower levels of nest tree decay. 5. Our results suggest that SCB may be drawn to nest in abandoned woodpecker cavities where they have higher rates of nest success compared to natural cavities. Additionally, the prevalence for GFWO to excavate cavities in trees with lower levels of decay contradicts previous literature, and may indicate a novel temperature trade-off, with live trees requiring more energy to excavate, but providing increased protection from high breeding season temperatures in arid and semi-arid areas.

Poor cold flow property is a major issue that hinders the application of biodiesel-diesel blends. In this work, a series of methacrylate-benzyl methacrylate-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone terpolymers (RMC-MB-NVP, R= C12, C14, C16, C18) was synthesized and used as the pour point depressants (PPDs) for waste cooking oil biodiesel blends. To further improve their depressive effects, dispersants, including Tween (40, 60, and 80), Span (40, 60, and 80), phthalic acid esters (PAEs), and fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (FAPE; FAPE 5, FAPE 7, and FAPE 9), were optimized and combined with the C14MC-MB-NVP terpolymers. The effects of C14MC-MB-NVP terpolymers and combined PPDs (PPDC) on the cloud point (CP), cold filter-plugging point (CFPP), and pour point (PP) of biodiesel blends were studied. Here, results showed that the presence of dispersants can efficiently enhance the solubility and dispersibility of polymeric PPDs in biodiesel blends; thus, the PPDC presents better depressive effects. Among of them, C16MC-MB-NVP (5:1:1) combined with FAPE 7 dispersant at 4:1 mass ratio (PPDC-FAPE 7) showed the best synergistic effect, and the CP, CFPP, and PP of B20 treated with 2000 ppm PPDC-FAPE 7 decreased by 4, 10 and 19 °C, respectively. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscope and rheological analyses were performed to rationalize the action mechanism of these PPDs and dispersants in biodiesel blends.

Surgical checklists such as ‘World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist’ are made to make surgery safer, simple and to reduce human errors. Similar to this concept, Ali M et al and others have implemented the ‘haemostasis checklist’ and it had shown reduction in incidence of re-exploration in patients who underwent surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, there is still scarcity of literature about the effect of these checklists on re-exploration after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).

Flowering time is a major determinant of adaptation, fitness and yield in the allopolyploid species rapeseed (Brassica napus). Despite being a close relative to Arabidopsis thaliana, little is known about the timing of floral transition and which genes govern this process. Winter, semi-winter and spring type rapeseed have important life history characteristics that differ in vernalization requirements for flowering and are important for growing rapeseed in different regions of the world. In this study, we investigated the timing of vernalization-driven floral transition in winter rapeseed and the effect of photoperiod and developmental age on flowering time and vernalization responsiveness. Microscopy and whole transcriptome analysis at the shoot apical meristems of plants grown under controlled conditions showed that floral transition is initiated within few weeks of vernalization. Certain Bna.SOC1 and Bna.SPL5 homeologs were among the induced genes, suggesting that they are regulating the timing of cold-induced floral transition. Moreover, the flowering response of plants with shorter pre-vernalization period correlated with a delayed expression of Bna.SOC1 and Bna.SPL5 genes. In essence, this study presents a detailed analysis of vernalization-driven floral transition and the aspects of juvenility and dormancy and their effect on flowering time in rapeseed.

Our understanding of the mechanisms routing precipitation inputs to evapotranspiration and streamflow in catchments is still very fragmented, particularly in the case of saturated flows. Here we explore five mechanisms by which plants and streams compete with each other for water, based on multiple scales of observations in a flat semiarid sedimentary catchment of central Argentina subject to abrupt hydrological transformations. Since the 80s, the “El Morro” catchment (1334 km2, -33.64°, -65.36°) experienced a fast expansion of crops over native forests and grasslands, rapid water table level rises (~0.3 m y-1), spontaneous expansion of wetlands and permanent streams by groundwater sapping. Based on episodic and continuous groundwater level, stream flow, and remote sensing data we show that plants not only take away water from streams by drying the unsaturated zone (mechanism 1), but by tapping the saturated zone in the expanding waterlogged environments (mechanism 2) and in the upland environments that remain uncultivated and display increasing tree cover (mechanism 3). Conversely, streams take away water from plants through pulsed bed-deepening and water table depression (mechanism 4), and riparian and wetland zones burying with fresh sediments (mechanism 5). While earlier work established widespread support for mechanisms 1 preventing stream formation, diurnal and seasonal fluctuations of water table levels and base streamflow records in this study proved the importance of mechanisms 2 and 3 under the current high-water table conditions. These data together with remotely-sensed greenness showed a growing but localized relevance of mechanism 4 and 5 as the stream network developed. The distinction of recharge- vs. topography-controlled groundwater systems is useful to organize the interplay of these concurrent mechanisms. Findings point to the unsaturated-saturated contact zone as a crucial and dynamic hub for water partition and for ecological, geomorphological, and hydrological knowledge integration.

Artificial intelligence and big data are more and more used in medicine, either in prevention, diagnosis or treatment, and are clearly modifying the way medicine is thought and practiced. Some authors argue that the use of artificial intelligence techniques to analyze big data would even constitute a scientific revolution, in medicine as much as in other scientific disciplines. Moreover, artificial intelligence techniques, coupled with mobile health technologies, could furnish a personalized medicine, adapted to the individuality of each patient. In this paper we argue that this conception is largely a myth: what health professionals and patients need is not more data, but data that are critically appraised, especially to avoid bias. The validity of data and the validity of inferences drawn from the data by algorithms are indeed a major epistemic issue, though rarely addressed as such by health professionals or philosophers of medicine. Considering the history of epidemiology, specifically the formation of the concept of bias, we propose three research priorities concerning the use of artificial intelligence and big data in medicine.

Objective: Description of characteristics, risk factors, management strategies and maternal, obstetric and neonatal outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women in the Netherlands. Design: Multi-centre prospective nationwide population-based cohort study. Setting: Nationwide. Population: All pregnant women in the Netherlands with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in home-isolation or admitted to hospital between March 1st, 2020 and August 31st, 2020. Methods: Pregnant women with positive PCR or antibody tests were registered using the Netherlands Obstetrics Surveillance System. Testing occurred according to national guidelines (selective testing). Data from the national birth registry (Perined) and Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) were used as reference. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Maternal, obstetric and neonatal outcomes including hospital and critical care admission, clinical management and mode of birth. Results: Of 312 registered women, 65 (20%) were admitted to hospital, of whom 5 (2%) to intensive care and 9 (14%) to obstetric high care units. Risk factors for admission were non-Caucasian background (n=28; OR 6.67, 95%CI 4.08-10.90) and being overweight or obese (n=38; OR 2.64, 95%CI1.51 to 4.61). Hospital and intensive care admission were higher compared to age-matched infected women (respectively, OR 14.57, 95%CI 10.99-19.03 and OR 5.02, 95%CI 2.04-12.34). One maternal death occurred. Caesarean section after labour onset was increased (OR 2.50; 95%CI 1.57-3.97). Conclusions: Pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection are at increased risk of hospital admission, ICU admission and caesarean section. Funding: No funding was received. Keywords: Pregnancy, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy outcome, Obstetric surveillance system.

In general, the basic reproduction number (R0) cannot be explicitly calculated for HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection model with age-structured in a infinite dimensional spaces. To find R0, we need to transform the HIV model into a finite-dimensional space. In this paper, we are absorbed in numerical approximation of R0, which is the non-negative dominant eigenvalues of the positive irreducible matrices whose spectrum radius is defined as the next generation matrix. The linear operators generated by infected population are discretized into ordinary differential equations in a finite n-dimensional space. Thus, the abstract problem is transformed to find the positive dominant eigenvalues of the next generation matrix, we obtain a threshold R_0,n. Based on the spectral approximation theory, we show that R_0,n →R0 as n →+∞. Finally, by virtue of a numerical simulation, we demonstrate the results of the theorem.

The mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase in the presence of the natural cofactor Mg2+ acts as the enzyme of life by synthesizing ATP, but it can also hydrolyze ATP to pump H+. Interestingly, Mg2+ can be replaced by Ca2+, but only to sustain ATP hydrolysis and not ATP synthesis. When Ca2+ inserts in F1, the torque generation built by the chemomechanical coupling between F1 and the rotating central stalk was reported as unable to drive the transmembrane H+ flux within FO. However, the failed H+ translocation is not consistent with the oligomycin-sensitivity of the Ca2+-dependent F1FO-ATP(hydrol)ase. New enzyme roles in mitochondrial energy transduction are suggested by recent advances. Accordingly, the structural F1FO-ATPase distortion driven by ATP hydrolysis sustained by Ca2+ is consistent with the permeability transition pore signal propagation pathway. The Ca2+-activated F1FO-ATPase, by forming the pore, may contribute to dissipate the transmembrane H+ gradient created by the same enzyme complex.

Tilia cordata Mill. is a valuable tree species enriching the ecological values of the coniferous dominated boreal forests in northerly Europe. Following the historical decline, spreading of Tilia sp. is challenged by the elevated inbreeding and habitat fragmentation. We aimed to identify the main factors affecting the genetic potential of Tilia cordata for natural expansion by studying the geographical distribution of genetic diversity of Tilia cordata in semi-boreal forests of Lithuania. We used 14 genomic microsatellite markers to genotype 543 individuals from 23 wild growing populations of Tilia cordata in Lithuania. We found that Tilia cordata retained high levels of genetic diversity (population Fis = 0 to 0.15, Ho = 0.53 to 0.69, He = 0.56 to 0.75). AMOVA, Bayesian clustering and Monmonier’s barrier detection indicate weak but significant differentiation among the populations (Fst = 0.037***) into geographically interpretable clusters of (a) western Lithuania with high genetic heterogeneity but low genetic diversity, bottleneck effects, (b) peaking values of genetic diversity of Tilia cordata on rich and most soils of midland lowland, and (c) the most differentiated populations on poor soils of the coolest north-eastern highland possessing the highest rare alle frequency but elevated inbreeding and bottleneck effects, presumably, due to sub-structuring. We conclude that the genepool of Tilia cordata in Lithuania contains (a) the autochthonous populations of high genetic diversity representing the pre-historical genepools, that can be promoted, and (b) the escapes from urban sources of low diversity, that must be contained.