Actinobacteria are important cave inhabitants, but knowledge of how anthropization and anthropization-related visual marks affect this community on cave walls is lacking. We compared Actinobacteria communities among four French limestone caves (Mouflon, Reille, Rouffignac, Lascaux) ranging from pristine to anthropized, and within Lascaux Cave between marked (wall visual marks) and unmarked areas in different rooms (Sas-1, Passage, Apse, Diaclase). In addition to the 16S rRNA gene marker, 441 bp fragments of the hsp65 gene were used and an hsp65-related taxonomic database was constructed for identification of Actinobacteria to the species level by Illumina-MiSeq analysis. The hsp65 marker revealed higher resolution for species and higher richness (99% OTU cutoff) versus 16S rRNA gene; however, more taxa were identified at higher taxonomic ranks. Actinobacteria communities varied between Mouflon and Reille caves (both pristine), and Rouffignac and Lascaux (both anthropized). Rouffignac displayed high diversity of Nocardia, suggesting human inputs, and Lascaux exhibited high Mycobacterium relative abundance, whereas Gaiellales were typical in pristine caves and the Diaclase (least affected area of Lascaux Cave). Within Lascaux, Pseudonocardiaceae dominated on unmarked walls and Streptomycetaceae (especially Streptomyces mirabilis) on marked walls, indicating a possible role in mark formation. A new taxonomic database (https://zenodo.org/record/5576074) was developed. Although not all Actinobacteria species were represented, the use of the hsp65 marker enabled species-level variations of the Actinobacteria community to be documented based on the extent of anthropogenic pressure. This approach proved effective when comparing different limestone caves or specific conditions within one cave.

Human disturbance directly affects animal populations but indirect effects of disturbance on species behaviors are less well understood. Camera traps provide an opportunity to investigate variation in animal behaviors across gradients of disturbance. We used camera trap data to test predictions about predator-sensitive behavior in three ungulate species (caribou Rangifer tarandus; white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus; moose, Alces alces) across two boreal forest landscapes varying in disturbance. We quantified behavior as the number of camera trap photos per detection event and tested its relationship to predation risk between a landscape with greater industrial disturbance and predator abundance (Algar) and a “control” landscape with lower human and predator activity (Richardson). We also assessed the influence of predation risk and habitat on behavior across camera sites within the disturbed Algar landscape. We predicted that animals in areas with greater predation risk (more wolf activity, less cover) would travel faster and generate fewer photos per event, while animals in areas with less predation risk would linger (rest, forage), generating more photos per event. Consistent with predictions, caribou and moose had more photos per event in the landscape where predation risk was reduced. Within the disturbed landscape, no prey species showed a significant behavioral response to wolf activity, but the number of photos per event decreased for white-tailed deer with increasing line of sight (m) along seismic lines (i.e. decreasing visual cover), consistent with a predator-sensitive response. The presence of juveniles was associated with shorter behavioral events for caribou and moose, suggesting greater predator sensitivity for females with calves. Only moose demonstrated a positive association with vegetation productivity (NDVI), suggesting that for other species influences of forage availability were generally weaker than those from predation risk. Behavioral insights can be gleaned from camera trap surveys and provide information about animal responses to predation risk and the indirect impacts of human disturbances.

Humans inhale, ingest and touch thousands of fungi each day. The ubiquity and diversity of the fungal kingdom are in sharp contrast with their complex and relatively blurred taxonomy and scarce knowledge about their distribution, pathogenic effects, and effective interventions at the environmental and individual levels. Here, we present an overview of salient features of fungi as permanent players of the human exposome and key determinants of human health. Improved understanding of the fungal exposome sheds new light on the epidemiology of fungal-related diseases, their immunological substratum, the currently available methods, and biomarkers for environmental and medical fungi. Unmet needs are described and potential approaches are highlighted as perspectives.

Species distributions are one of the fundamental factors needed for understanding and conserving wildlife. While the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the primary applied reference for biodiversity conservation, limitations in data availability and analyses of the distributions of some species may limit accurate threat classification assessments and conservation recommendations. Improving the accuracy of species distributions in light of growing data and analytical methods is a key step to increasing the efficacy of the Red List. In this study, we reassessed the distribution of takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana), a large ungulate in Sichuan Province, southwest China , classified by the IUCN as vulnerable. Using species distribution models and reported habitat requirements, we updated the takin distribution map. Our updated distribution range in the study area (79,449km2) was 61.31% of current distribution range (CDR) on the IUCN red list. This reduction was in large part due to the inclusion in the CDR of substantial areas of lowland plains, high human disturbance, and non-forest habitat, which provide no suitable habitat for takin. According to our results, suitable takin habitat covered 18.97% of the CDR, suggesting a substantially over-estimated distribution. However, there are high proportions of habitat (40%) still covered by the nature reserve network, indicating the importance of protected areas (PAs) in conservation threaten species. We recommend that experts apply the basic approach presented herein to update the Red List distributions for more species to increase the accuracy of assessments and resulting conservation applications.

We describe a case of pancreatic tumor associated with a giant type IV hiatal hernia that had prolapsed into the posterior mediastinum. We initially performed hiatal hernia repair, followed by laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, because the hernia repair enables performing pancreatectomy safety and in the normal anatomical position.

High-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) with rigorous supportive care is essential to the treatment of pediatric non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). We describe the safety and tolerability of HD-MTX in patients with NHL treated at our center. In our cohort of 46 patients, the majority had at least one course of delayed clearance and/or creatinine elevation. Additionally, more than one-third of patients experienced an episode of grade ≥3 mucositis. Creatinine elevations and delayed clearance were independently associated with subsequent grade ≥3 mucositis. We advocate for greater availability of methotrexate monitoring to allow dose escalation of this essential modality around the world.

The use of an adequate protocol that accurately extracts microbial DNA from bovine milk samples is of importance for downstream analysis such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Although sequencing platforms such as Illumina are very common, there are reservations concerning reproducibility in challenging samples that combine low bacterial loads with high amounts of host DNA. The objective of this study was to evaluate six different DNA extraction protocols applied to four different prototype milk samples (low/high level of colony-forming units (cfu) and somatic cells). DNA extracts were sequenced on Illumina MiSeq with primers for the hypervariable regions V1V2 and V3V4. The different protocols were evaluated by analyzing the yield and purity of DNA extracts and the number of clean reads after sequencing. Three protocols with the highest median number of clean reads were selected. To assess reproducibility, these extraction replicates were re-sequenced in triplicates (n=120). The most reproducible results for alpha- and beta-diversity were obtained with the modified DNeasy Blood & Tissue kit after a chemical pre-treatment plus resuspension of the cream fraction. The unmodified QIAamp DNA Mini kit performed particularly weak in the sample representing unspecific mastitis. These results suggest that pre-treatment in combination with the modified DNeasy Blood & Tissue kit is useful in extracting microbial DNA from challenging milk samples. To increase reproducibility, we recommend that duplicates, if not triplicates, should be sequenced. We showed that high counts of somatic cells challenged DNA extraction, which shapes the need to apply modified extraction protocols.

The complex boundary of the elliptical inclusion rendered it difficult to solve the problem of wave scattering. In this study, the steady-state response was analyzed using the wave function expansion method. Subsequently, the Ricker wavelet was employed as the transient disturbance and Fourier transform was used to determine the distribution of transient dynamic stress concentration around the elliptical inclusion. The effects of wave number, elliptical axial ratio and difference in material properties on the distribution of the dynamic stress concentration around the elliptical inclusion were evaluated. The numerical results revealed that the dynamic stress concentration always appeared at both ends of the major axis and minor axis of the elliptical inclusion, and the difference in material properties between the inclusion and medium influenced the variations in the dynamic stress concentration factor with the wave number and elliptical axial ratio.

Subdural empyema is a rare intracranial infection with an accumulation of purulent material between the dura and arachnoid matter. We report a case of 17 years old presented with altered conscious level .CSF analysis showed increased WBCS. His situation has improved after treating by acyclovir, ceftriaxone, vancomycin and dexamethasone.

Submerged macrophytes play a key role in maintaining a clear-water phase and promoting biodiversity in shallow aquatic ecosystems. Since their abundance has declined globally due to anthropogenic activities, it is important to include them in aquatic ecosystem restoration programs. That macrophytes establish in early spring is crucial for maintaining the macrophyte communities for the remainder of the year. However, factors affecting this early establishment of submerged macrophytes have not been fully explored yet. Here, we conducted an outdoor experiment from winter to early spring using the submerged macrophytes Potamogeton crispus and Vallisneria spinulosa to study the effects of shading, nutrient loading, snail herbivory (Radix swinhoei) and their interactions on the early growth and stoichiometric characteristics of macrophytes. The results show that the effects strongly depend on macrophyte species. Biomass and number of shoots of P. crispus decreased, and internode length increased during low light conditions, but were not affected by nutrient loading. P. crispus shoot biomass and number showed hump-shaped responses to increased snail biomass under full light. In contrast, the biomass of the plant linearly decreased with snail biomass under low light. This indicates an interaction of light with snail herbivory. Since snails prefer grazing on periphyton over macrophytes, a low density of snails promoted growth of P. crispus by removing periphyton competition, while herbivory on the macrophyte increased during a high density of snails. The growth of V. spinulosa was not affected by any of the factors, probably because of growth limitation by low temperature. Our study demonstrates that the interaction of light with snail herbivory may affect establishment and growth of submerged macrophytes in early spring. Macrophyte restoration projects may thus benefit from lowering water levels to increase light availability and making smart use of cold-adapted herbivores to reduce light competition with periphyton.

As a continuation of Part I, dedicated to the ground state of He-like and Li-like isoelectronic sequences for nuclear charges $Z \leq 20$, and Part II, dedicated to two excited states of He-like sequence, two ultra-compact wave functions in the form of generalized Guevara-Harris-Turbiner functions are constructed for Li-like sequence. They describe accurately the domain of applicability of the Quantum Mechanics of Coulomb Charges (QMCC) for energies (2-3 significant digits (s.d.)) of the spin-quartet state $1^40^+$ of Li-like ions (in static approximation with point-like, infinitely heavy nuclei). Variational parameters are fitted in $Z$ by 2nd degree polynomials. The most accurate ultra-compact function leads to the absolute accuracy $\sim 10^{-3}$\,a.u. for energy, and $\sim 10^{-4}$ for the normalized electron-nuclear cusp parameter for $Z \leq 20$. Critical charge $Z=Z_B$, where the ultra-compact trial function for the $1^40^+$ state looses its square-integrability, is estimated, $Z_B(1^4\,0^+) \sim 1.26 - 1.30$. As a complement to Part I, square integrability for the compact functions constructed for the {\it ground, spin-doublet state} $1^2\,0^+$ of the Li-like sequence is discussed. The critical charge, for which these functions stop to be normalizable, is estimated as $Z_B( 1^2\,0^+) = 1.62 - 1.65$. It implies that at $Z=2$ - the negative helium ion He$^-$ - both states $1^2\,0^+$ and $1^4\,0^+$ exist as states embedded to continuum.

The isohydric-anisohydric continuum describes the relative stringency of stomatal control of leaf water potential ( ψleaf) during drought. Hydroscape area ( HA) – the water potential landscape over which stomata regulate ψleaf – has emerged as a useful metric of the iso/anisohydric continuum because it is strongly linked to several hydraulic, photosynthetic, and structural traits. Previous research on HA focused on broad ecological patterns involving several plant clades. Here we investigate relationships of HA to climatic conditions and functional traits across ecologically diverse but closely related species while accounting for phylogeny. Across a macroclimatic moisture gradient, defined by the ratio of mean annual precipitation to mean annual pan evaporation ( P/Ep), HA decreased with P/Ep for ten Eucalyptus species. Greater anisohydry reflects lower turgor loss points and greater hydraulic safety, mirroring global patterns. More isohydric species have mesophyll photosynthetic capacity that is more sensitive to ψleaf, consistent with an earlier model for optimal stomatal behavior. Hydroscapes exhibit little plasticity in response to variation in water supply, and the extent of plasticity does not vary with P/Ep of native habitats. These findings strengthen the case that HA is a useful metric for characterizing drought tolerance and water-status regulation.

A Pneumothorax in the Setting of COVID-19 Associated Pneumatoceles in a Pediatric PatientEsther Blondeau-Lecomte, BA1, Nancy Joseph, MBBS11Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

Adaptive habitat construction is a process by which individuals alter their environment so as to increase their (inclusive) fitness. Such alterations are a subset of the myriad ways that individuals condition their environment. We present an individual-based model of habitat construction to explore what factors might favor selection when the benefits of environmental alterations are shared by individuals of the same species. Our results confirm the predictions of inclusive fitness and group selection theory and expectations based on previous models that construction will be more favored when its benefits are more likely to be directed to self or near kin. We found that temporal variation had no effect on the evolution of construction. For spatial heterogeneity, construction was disfavored when the spatial pattern of movement did not match the spatial pattern of environmental heterogeneity, especially when there was spatial heterogeneity in the optimal amount of construction. Under those conditions, very strong selection was necessary to favor genetic differentiation of construction propensity among demes. We put forth a constitutive theory for the evolution of adaptive habitat construction that unifies our model with previous verbal and quantitative models into a formal conceptual framework.

This paper is devoted to dealing with the following nonlinear Kirchhoff type problem with general convolution nonlinearity and variable potential: $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll} -({a + b\int_{{\R^3}} | \nabla u{|^2}dx})\Delta u + V(x)u =(I_{\alpha}\ast F(u))f(u),\quad \text{in}\ \ \R^3,\\ u \in H^{1} (\R^{3}), \end{array}\right.$$ where $a>0$, $b\geq0$ are constants, $V\in C^1(\R^3,[0,+\infty))$, $f\in C(\R,\R)$, $F(t)=\int_{0}^{t}f(s)ds$, $I_{\alpha}:\R^{3}\rightarrow \R$ is the Riesz potential, $\alpha\in(0,3)$. By applying some new analytical tricks introduced by [X.H. Tang, S.T. Chen, Adv. Nonlinear Anal. 9 (2020) 413-437], the existence results of ground state solutions of Poho\v{z}aev type for the above Kirchhoff type problem are obtained under some mild assumptions on $V$ and the general “Berestycki-Lions assumptions” on the nonlinearity $f$. Our results generalize and improve the ones in [P. Chen, X.C. Liu, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 473 (2019) 587-608.] and other related results in the literature.

This is a commentary on a single-institution retrospective review that describes the short-term outcomes of the pediatric patients who underwent re-operative surgery for residual or recurrent coarctation after a previous coarctation repair. There were 51 patients over 12 years.

Introduction- Necrotising fasciitis is a rapidly progressive disease with high morbidity and mortality. Head and neck necrotising fasciitis is a rare clinical entity but may be admitted under an ENT specialist team. An understanding of the presenting features and the need for prompt management is imperative. Case Series-We present a series of patients admitted to hospitals across Greater Glasgow, United Kingdom under Otoloryngology and Maxillofacial surgical teams with head and neck necrotising fasciitis over an 8-year time period. Discussion-8 patients were identified in this case series. We highlight the clinical features, patient demographics and operative courses of this patient group. We highlight the need to recognise peri-ocular necrotising fasciitis, especially in the paediatric population which has not been discussed in the otolaryngology literature previously.

This work presents a thoroughgoing theoretical study on the OH-initiated combustion chemical kinetics and atmospheric degradation of C4F9N by employing high-level quantum chemical methods and RRKM/master-equation theory. All the stationary points on potential energy surface were cautiously investigated at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level for geometry optimizations, and thereby their single-point energies were refined by applying CCSD(T)/6-311++G(d,p) method. Based on quantum calculations, kinetics and branching ratios for the major channels were predicted within 300-3000 K and 0.01-100 atm by solving the RRKM/master-equations. The addition of OH to C4F9N generating M1 dominates the overall kinetics at low temperatures. Subsequently, its two β-scission channels of C-C bonds forming CF3CF2N=CF(OH)+CF3 (P8) and CF2=NCF(OH)CF3+CF3 (P9) become competitive and play a lead role in whole C4F9N+OH system at the corresponding high temperatures and elevated pressures. The formation of CF3 radical prompts two routes to potentially have the significant contribution to flame inhibition in actual applications. Additionally, the complex degradation pathways of C4F9N were also looked into by successively reacting with various oxides, including OH, O2, NO, HO2, to finally generate the removal products CF3CF2N(OOH)CF(OH)CF3 (Pd2), CF3CFO (Pd3-2), and CF3CF2NO (Pd4). The atmospheric lifetime of C4F9N is evaluated as 72 years regarding to one step addition between C4F9N and OH radical.