Most new pathogens of humans and animals arise via switching events from distinct host species. However, our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological drivers of successful host adaptation, ...expansion, and dissemination are limited.
is a major bacterial pathogen of humans and a leading cause of mastitis in dairy cows worldwide. Here we trace the evolutionary history of bovine
using a global dataset of 10,254
genomes including 1,896 bovine isolates from 32 countries in 6 continents. We identified 7 major contemporary endemic clones of
causing bovine mastitis around the world and traced them back to 4 independent host-jump events from humans that occurred up to 2,500 y ago. Individual clones emerged and underwent clonal expansion from the mid-19th to late 20th century coinciding with the commercialization and industrialization of dairy farming, and older lineages have become globally distributed via established cattle trade links. Importantly, we identified lineage-dependent differences in the frequency of host transmission events between humans and cows in both directions revealing high risk clones threatening veterinary and human health. Finally, pangenome network analysis revealed that some bovine
lineages contained distinct sets of bovine-associated genes, consistent with multiple trajectories to host adaptation via gene acquisition. Taken together, we have dissected the evolutionary history of a major endemic pathogen of livestock providing a comprehensive temporal, geographic, and gene-level perspective of its remarkable success.
ABSTRACT The Fornax galaxy cluster is the richest nearby (D ∼ 20 Mpc) galaxy association in the southern sky. As such, it provides a wealth of opportunities to elucidate on the processes where ...environment holds a key role in transforming galaxies. Although it has been the focus of many studies, Fornax has never been explored with contiguous homogeneous wide-field imaging in 12 photometric narrow and broad bands like those provided by the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS). In this paper, we present the S-PLUS Fornax Project (S+FP) that aims to comprehensively analyse the galaxy content of the Fornax cluster using S-PLUS. Our data set consists of 106 S-PLUS wide-field frames (FoV∼1.4 × 1.4 deg2) observed in five Sloan Digital Sky Survey-like ugriz broad bands and seven narrow bands covering specific spectroscopic features like O ii, Ca ii H+K, Hδ, G band, Mg b triplet, Hα, and the Ca ii triplet. Based on S-PLUS specific automated photometry, aimed at correctly detecting Fornax galaxies and globular clusters in S-PLUS images, our data set provides the community with catalogues containing homogeneous 12-band photometry for ∼3 × 106 resolved and unresolved objects within a region extending over ∼208 deg2 (∼5 Rvir in RA) around Fornax’ central galaxy, NGC 1399. We further explore the eagle and IllustrisTNG cosmological simulations to identify 45 Fornax-like clusters and generate mock images on all 12 S-PLUS bands of these structures down to galaxies with M⋆ ≥ 108 M⊙. The S+FP data set we put forward in this first paper of a series will enable a variety of studies some of which are briefly presented.
Atomically dispersed metal catalysts are interesting materials for electrocatalysis. To this end, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer an excellent opportunity for the periodic placement of ...catalytically active single metal atoms within a porous framework. We report here a synthetic strategy to a series of imide-linked metal-containing phthalocyanine (Pc) COFs with different metal contents. Electrocatalytic activity of the materials towards oxygen evolution reaction was studied under alkaline conditions and the COF prepared from NiPc showed the best performance with current density j = 10 mA cm−2 being reached at overpotential η10 ≈ 410 mV and Tafel slope of b = 75 mV/dec. In addition, the material showed excellent long-term stability during the testing time of 100 h.
•Synthetic strategy to imide metal phthalocyanine covalent organic frameworks (COFs).•A series of Ni/Fe-containing COFs with different metal ratios was prepared.•The COFs were active electrocatalysts towards alkaline oxygen evolution reaction.•NiPcCOF reached a current density j of 10 mA cm−2 at overpotential of 410 mV.•Electrocatalysts demonstrated stable performance during stability test over 100 h.
Magnetoelectric microspheres based on piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and magnetostrictive CoFe
2
O
4
(CFO), a novel morphology for polymer-based ME materials, have been developed by ...an electrospray process. The CFO nanoparticle content in the (3-7 μm diameter) microspheres reaches values up to 27 wt%, despite their concentration in the starting solution reaching values up to 70 wt%. Additionally, the inclusion of magnetostrictive nanoparticles into the polymer spheres has no relevant effect on the piezoelectric β-phase content ( 60%), crystallinity (40%) and the onset degradation temperature (460-465 °C) of the polymer matrix. The multiferroic microspheres show a maximum piezoelectric response |
d
33
| 30 pC N
−1
, leading to a magnetoelectric response of Δ|
d
33
| 5 pC N
−1
obtained when a 220 mT DC magnetic field was applied. It is also shown that the interface between CFO nanoparticles and PVDF (from 0 to 55%) has a strong influence on the ME response of the microspheres. The simplicity and the scalability of the processing method suggest a large application potential of this novel magnetoelectric geometry in areas such as tissue engineering, sensors and actuators.
Magnetoelectric microspheres based on piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and magnetostrictive CoFe
2
O
4
(CFO), a novel morphology for polymer-based ME materials, have been developed by an electrospray process.
In the last few years, there has been an increasing demand for low-power and portable-energy sources due to the development and mass consumption of portable electronic devices. Furthermore, the ...portable-energy sources must be associated with environmental issues and imposed regulations. These demands support research in the areas of portable-energy generation methods. In this scope, piezoelectric materials become a strong candidate for energy generation and storage in future applications. This paper describes the use of piezoelectric polymers in order to harvest energy from people walking and the fabrication of a shoe capable of generating and accumulating the energy. In this scope, electroactive ß-polyvinylidene fluoride used as energy harvesting element was introduced into a bicolor sole prepared by injection, together with the electronics needed to increase energy transfer and storage efficiency. An electrostatic generator was also included in order to increase energy harvesting.
Lake ecology can be affected by exchange flows driven by horizontal temperature gradients in lake–wetland interfaces. In this work, we investigate the hypothesis that thermally driven flows modulate ...the horizontal migration patterns of freshwater zooplankters. A 48-h field campaign in a shallow lake (Lake Vela, Quiaios, Portugal) was carried out to test this hypothesis. Thermal differences between the littoral and limnetic areas were measured along two transects featuring a
Schoenoplectus lacustris
and a
Myriophyllum aquaticum
stand in the littoral. In parallel, the physiochemistry and chlorophyll
a,
as a proxy for food availability differences between the littoral and the limnetic zones, were monitored. Zooplankton samples were collected for assessing overall and group-specific number-density differences. The diel period (day or night) and the site (littoral or limnetic zone) did not interact significantly to modulate the variation patterns for the studied physiochemical variables, indicating that these parameters should not explain horizontal zooplankton distribution patterns. The expected patterns for zooplankton diel horizontal migration as driven by the presence of visual predators were occasionally confirmed by our limnetic versus littoral abundance records through time, depending on the transect. Group-specific abundance patterns indicate particular features: copepods always preferred the littoral over the limnetic zone regardless of the diel period; chydorids always preferred the littoral zone regardless of the macrophyte stand involved; bosminids tended to preferentially concentrate in the limnetic zone. No consistent relationship was identified between the expected flow direction due to temperature differences and zooplankton abundance changes, although it occasionally occurred through the dataset.
Beliefs, expectations and values are often assumed to drive decisions about climate change adaptation. We tested hypotheses based on this assumption using survey responses from 508 European forest ...professionals in ten countries. We used the survey results to identify communication needs and the decision strategies at play, and to develop guidelines on adequate communications about climate change adaptation. We observed polarization in the positive and negative values associated with climate change impacts accepted by survey respondents. We identified a mechanism creating the polarization that we call the 'blocked belief' effect. We found that polarized values did not correlate with decisions about climate change adaptation. Strong belief in the local impacts of climate change on the forest was, however, a prerequisite of decision-making favoring adaptation. Decision-making in favor of adaptation to climate change also correlated with net values of expected specific impacts on the forest and generally increased with the absolute value of these in the absence of 'tipping point' behavior. Tipping point behavior occurs when adaptation is not pursued in spite of the strongly negative or positive net value of expected climate change impacts. We observed negative and positive tipping point behavior, mainly in SW Europe and N-NE Europe, respectively. In addition we found that advice on effective adaptation may inhibit adaptation when the receiver is aware of effective adaptation measures unless it is balanced with information explaining how climate change leads to negative impacts. Forest professionals with weak expectations of impacts require communications on climate change and its impacts on forests before any advice on adaptation measures can be effective. We develop evidence-based guidelines on communications using a new methodology which includes Bayesian machine learning modeling of the equivalent of an expected utility function for the adaptation decision problem.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a tool to safeguard marine natural systems, yet their effectiveness depends on how well they are integrated into the existing socioeconomic context. Stakeholder ...engagement in MPA design can contribute to increasing integration. This study focuses on the co-design of an MPA between researchers, public administration, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. The proposed MPA is in Portugal and includes an area that is a hotspot for biodiversity and economic activities. This is the first MPA proposal in mainland Portugal co-designed using a participatory approach. This study highlights the steps of the zoning process and synthesizes the eight main lessons learned, useful for other cases, particularly for relatively small coastal MPAs with multiple socioeconomic activities. Three zoning proposals were developed and discussed within the participatory process. The proposals considered the best scientific and local knowledge available and were defined using ecological, socioeconomic, and shape-area guiding principles. In an iterative manner and following a participatory approach, compromises with stakeholders were achieved, and a final proposal, scientifically sound and socially accepted by most stakeholders, was delivered to the government. The final zoning plan will achieve ambitious conservation goals, including the largest fully protected area to be declared in mainland Portugal, while minimizing the impacts on the existing economic activities and promoting its sustainability. This process resulted in valuable lessons that may be applied elsewhere and guide future MPA implementation or rezoning of existing ones. These transdisciplinary and participatory processes can be time and resource-consuming but are vital for ensuring MPA effectiveness.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), especially those that produce Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) and are associated with colistin resistance, pose a severe health threat due to ...the limited treatment options.
To describe two outbreaks of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae in an adult intensive care unit (AICU) in Brazil. In May 2015, 14 patients had colistin-susceptible KPC-producing strains (ColS-KPC), and in July 2015, nine patients had colistin-resistant KPC-producing strains (ColR-KPC).
Between September 2014 and August 2015, we performed surveillance at a university hospital and all CRE were tested for blaKPC genes. Clonality was investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Resistance to colistin was confirmed by broth microdilution method. Consumption of carbapenems and colistin was expressed as defined daily doses.
In all, 111 patients with CRE were identified during the surveillance period; K. pneumoniae was the major isolate (77.13%). The two outbreaks were identified when infection rates (KPC per 1000 patient-days) exceeded the background level. Rates of carbapenem and colistin consumption were high. Control measures (bedside alcohol gel, contact precautions, regular rectal swabs) did not curtail the outbreaks. Mortality rates were 42.9% and 44.4% for ColS-KPC- and ColR-KPC-infected patients, respectively. After the death of four infected patients with ColR-KPC, the unit was closed to new admissions.
Our experience demonstrates the serious risks presented by KPC, and especially ColR-KPC, in Brazilian AICUs. Selective pressure from excessive antibiotic use and transmission on healthcare workers' hands were likely the major factors in transmission.
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