A general and simple method for obtainingR2from generalized linear mixed-effects models

How do species richness and its component dependence vary along the natural restoration in extremely heterogeneous forest ecosystems?

Giant habitat heterogeneity is an important factor contributing to the high species richness (SR) in karst forests. Yet, the driving factor behind the alterations in SR patterns during natural restoration remains unclear. In this study, we established the forest dynamics plots along the natural restoration sequence (including shrub-tree mixed forest stage (SC), secondary forest stage (SG) and old-growth forest sage (OG)) in degraded karst forests to compare the SR and the dependence on its components (including total community abundance, species abundance distribution (SAD), and conspecific spatial aggregation (CSA)) among stages of natural restoration. By evaluating the degree of contribution of the components to local SR and rarefied SR, we found that the SG exhibited the highest local SR, while the rarefied SR remained increasing along the restoration sequence after controlling the sample size. At SC-SG stage, SAD and CSA contributed negatively to the differences in SR, while abundance made a positive contribution to SR differences. At SG-OG, abundance contributed positively to the difference in SR at all scales, while SAD contributed negatively at small scales. No significant contribution of CSA was found at observed scales. In addition, local SR varied more significantly with PIE than with abundance. Our research emphasizes the importance of eliminating the influence of abundance on species richness in forest ecology and management, as well as the significance of separately evaluating the components that shape the diversity patterns.

Plant metabolic response to stress in an arid ecosystem is mediated by the presence of neighbors

Plant neighbors in arid environments can ameliorate abiotic stress by reducing insolation, but they also attract herbivores and pathogens, especially when neighbors are close relatives that share similar antagonists. Plants' metabolic profiles provide a chemical fingerprint of the physiological processes behind plant responses to different environmental stresses. For example, abscisic acid and proline, mainly involved in stomatal closure and osmotic adjustment, can induce plant responses to abiotic stress, while jasmonic acid and salicylic acid primarily regulate plant defense to herbivory or pathogens. Neighbor plants can generate contrasting ecological contexts, modulating plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. We hypothesize that plant metabolic profile is modulated by its neighbors in a vegetation patch, expecting a higher investment in metabolites related to biotic-stress tolerance (i.e., herbivory or pathogens) when growing associated with other plants, especially to phylogenetically close relatives, compared to plants growing alone. We show that plants from five species growing with neighbors invest more in biotic-stress tolerance while their conspecifics, growing alone, invest more in abiotic-stress tolerance. This tendency in plants' metabolic profiles was not affected by the phylogenetic diversity of their neighborhood. Linking physiological snapshots with community processes can contribute to elucidating metabolic profiles derived from plant-plant interactions.

Understanding Individual Subject Differences through Large Behavioral Datasets: Analytical and Statistical Considerations

A core feature of behavior analysis is the single-subject design, in which each subject serves as its own control. This approach is powerful for identifying manipulations that are causal to behavioral changes but often fails to account for individual differences, particularly when coupled with a small sample size. It is more common for other subfields of psychology to use larger-N approaches; however, these designs also often fail to account for the individual by focusing on aggregate-level data only. Moving forward, it is important to study individual differences to identify subgroups of the population that may respond differently to interventions and to improve the generalizability and reproducibility of behavioral science. We propose that large-N datasets should be used in behavior analysis to better understand individual subject variability. First, we describe how individual differences have been historically treated and then outline practical reasons to study individual subject variability. Then, we describe various methods for analyzing large-N datasets while accounting for the individual, including correlational analyses, machine learning, mixed-effects models, clustering, and simulation. We provide relevant examples of these techniques from published behavioral literature and from a publicly available dataset compiled from five different rat experiments, which illustrates both group-level effects and heterogeneity across individual subjects. We encourage other behavior analysts to make use of the substantial advancements in online data sharing to compile large-N datasets and use statistical approaches to explore individual differences.

Intra-specific correlations between ejaculate traits and competitive fertilization success: a meta-analysis across species and fertilization modes

Understanding of how selection can act on traits that improve competitiveness and subsequent paternity has advanced, including the idea that internal and external fertilization presents different environments that may select differentially on ejaculate traits. However, no studies have quantitatively synthesized the intra-specific relationships between these traits and paternity. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis across 52 papers to determine which ejaculate traits positively correlate with paternity share and how these correlations vary with fertilization mode. Overall, most ejaculate traits were positively associated with paternity, with the notable exception of sperm length. Sub-analyses on sperm number, sperm length, and sperm velocity revealed no statistical differences between fertilization modes in the relationship between traits and paternity when all effect sizes across species were combined. However, in a sub-analysis on fish species only, we found evidence that sperm velocity may be more important in external fertilizers. We also observed differences in the importance of phylogenetic relatedness and some species-specific differences. Our results suggest that while most ejaculate traits should be under positive directional selection in both internal and external fertilizers, sperm length may be subject to more nuanced selection pressures. Overall, we highlight important patterns of intra-specific relationships between ejaculate traits and competitive fertilization success.

An eight-season analysis of the teams' performance in the Spanish LaLiga according to the final league ranking

This study aimed to analyse the performance of 5,518 collective observations of the Spanish LaLiga teams for eight consecutive seasons (from 2011-12 to 2018-19), considering the final league ranking. The teams were divided into four groups: Europe (from 1st to 6th), Upper-Middle (from 7th to 11th), Lower-Middle (from 12th to 17th) and Relegation (from 18th to 20th). The variables recorded were: Passes, Successful Passes, Crosses, Shots, Goals, Corners, Fouls, Width, Length, Height, distance from the goalkeeper to the nearest defender (GkDef), total distance covered (TD) and number of points accumulated. The main results were that: 1) Europe, being superior to the rest of the groups, showed lower values of Length from 2015-16, and lower values of GkDef from 2014-15; 2) Upper-Middle showed lower values of Length from 2015-16; 3) Lower-Middle showed fewer Shots from 2013-14, and lower values of Length, GkDef and TD from 2014-15; and, 4) Relegation barely showed significant differences between seasons in any variable. The study concludes that the teams of the Europe, Upper-Middle and Relegation groups showed quite stable performance, while the teams of the Lower-Middle group presented a worsening in different dimensions as the seasons progressed. The information provided in this study makes it possible to have reference values that have characterized the performance of the teams for each group.

Proof of concept for quantitative adverse outcome pathway modeling of chronic toxicity in repeated exposure

Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) is a useful tool to glean mode of action (MOE) of a chemical. However, in order to use it for the purpose of risk assessment, an AOP needs to be quantified using in vitro or in vivo data. Majority of quantitative AOPs developed so far, were for single exposure to progressively higher doses. Limited attempts were made to include time in the modeling. Here as a proof-of concept, we developed a hypothetical AOP, and quantified it using a virtual dataset for six repeated exposures using a Bayesian Network Analysis (BN) framework. The virtual data was generated using realistic assumptions. Effects of each exposure were analyzed separately using a static BN model and analyzed in combination using a dynamic BN (DBN) model. Our work shows that the DBN model can be used to calculate the probability of adverse outcome when other upstream KEs were observed earlier. These probabilities can help in identification of early indicators of AO. In addition, we also developed a data driven AOP pruning technique using a lasso-based subset selection, and show that the causal structure of AOP is itself dynamic and changes over time. This proof-of-concept study revealed the possibility for expanding the applicability of the AOP framework to incorporate biological dynamism in toxicity appearance by repeated insults.

Twenty-Four-Hour Urinary Sugars Biomarker in a Vending Machine Intake Paradigm in a Diverse Population

Accurately measuring dietary sugars intake in large-scale epidemiological studies is necessary to understand dietary sugars' true impact on health. Researchers have developed a biomarker that can be used to assess total sugars intake. Our objective is to test this biomarker in diverse populations using an ad libitum intake protocol. Healthy adult participants (n = 63; 58% Indigenous Americans/Alaska Natives; 60% male; BMI (mean ± SD) = 30.6 ± 7.6 kg.m2) were admitted for a 10-day inpatient stay. On day 2, body composition was measured by DXA, and over the last 3 days, ad libitum dietary intake was measured using a validated vending machine paradigm. Over the same days, participants collected daily 24 h urine used to measure sucrose and fructose. The 24 h urinary sucrose and fructose biomarker (24hruSF) (mg/d) represents the sum of 24 h urinary sucrose and fructose excretion levels. The association between the 3-day mean total sugars intake and log 24uSF level was assessed using the Pearson correlation. A linear mixed model regressing log-biomarker on total sugars intake was used to investigate further the association between biomarker, diet, and other covariates. Mean (S.D.) total sugars intake for the group was 197.7 g/d (78.9). Log 24uSF biomarker was moderately correlated with total sugars intake (r = 0.33, p = 0.01). In stratified analyses, the correlation was strongest in females (r = 0.45, p = 0.028), the 18-30 age group (r = 0.44, p = 0.079), Indigenous Americans (r = 0.51, p = 0.0023), and the normal BMI category (r = 0.66, p = 0.027). The model adjusted for sex, age, body fat percent, and race/ethnicity demonstrated a statistically significant association between 24uSF and total sugars intake (β = 0.0027, p < 0.0001) and explained 31% of 24uSF variance (marginal R2 = 0.31). Our results demonstrated a significant relationship between total sugars intake and the 24uSF biomarker in this diverse population. However, the results were not as strong as those of controlled feeding studies that investigated this biomarker.

The role of individual and contextual economic factors in obesity among adolescents: A cross-sectional study including 143 160 participants from 41 countries

Background

To our knowledge, no previous study has examined the role of index of economic freedom (IEF) in the prevalence of excess weight and obesity in adolescents. The aim of this study was to determine the association between both individual and contextual economic factors and the prevalence of overweight and obesity (i.e. excess weight) or obesity in adolescents from different countries.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out using data from the 2017/2018 wave of the Health Behaviour School-Aged Children study. Body mass index z-score was determined following the International Obesity Task Force criteria and, subsequently, excess weight and obesity were computed. The Family Affluence Scale was used to assess socioeconomic status. The index of IEF was used to estimate the benefits of economic freedom, both for individuals and for society as a whole.

Results

An inverse association was shown between socioeconomic status (SES) and excess weight or obesity, with adolescents with high SES and medium SES being less likely to have excess weight compared to adolescents with low SES (medium SES: odds ratio (OR) = 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.77-0.82, P < 0.001; high SES: OR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.62-0.68, P < 0.001). For obesity, lower odds were also found for adolescents with medium SES (medium SES: OR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.69-0.80, P < 0.001) or high SES (high SES: OR = 0.55; 95% CI 0.49-0.61, P < 0.001), in comparison with their counterparts with low SES. On the other hand, it was observed a greater likelihood of having excess weight and obesity in mostly unfree countries (excess weight: OR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.51-1.00, P = 0.052; obesity: OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.39-0.92, P = 0.019) compared to free/mostly free countries. These results remained significant after adjusting for several sociodemographic and lifestyle covariates.

Conclusions

Both individual and contextual factors seem to have a crucial role in the prevalence of excess weight and obesity in adolescents.

Dynamic root microbiome sustains soybean productivity under unbalanced fertilization

Root-associated microbiomes contribute to plant growth and health, and are dynamically affected by plant development and changes in the soil environment. However, how different fertilizer regimes affect quantitative changes in microbial assembly to effect plant growth remains obscure. Here, we explore the temporal dynamics of the root-associated bacteria of soybean using quantitative microbiome profiling (QMP) to examine its response to unbalanced fertilizer treatments (i.e., lacking either N, P or K) and its role in sustaining plant growth after four decades of unbalanced fertilization. We show that the root-associated bacteria exhibit strong succession during plant development, and bacterial loads largely increase at later stages, particularly for Bacteroidetes. Unbalanced fertilization has a significant effect on the assembly of the soybean rhizosphere bacteria, and in the absence of N fertilizer the bacterial community diverges from that of fertilized plants, while lacking P fertilizer impedes the total load and turnover of rhizosphere bacteria. Importantly, a SynCom derived from the low-nitrogen-enriched cluster is capable of stimulating plant growth, corresponding with the stabilized soybean productivity in the absence of N fertilizer. These findings provide new insights in the quantitative dynamics of the root-associated microbiome and highlight a key ecological cluster with prospects for sustainable agricultural management.

Effects of flow reduction and artificial light at night (ALAN) on litter decomposition and invertebrate communities in streams: A flume experiment

River ecosystems are heavily impacted by multiple stressors, where effects can cascade downstream of point sources. However, a spatial approach to assess the effects of multiple stressors is missing. We assessed the local and downstream effects on litter decomposition, and associated invertebrate communities of two stressors: flow reduction and artificial light at night (ALAN). We used an 18-flow-through mesocosm system consisting of two tributaries, where we applied the stressors, merging in a downstream section. We assessed the changes in decomposition rate and invertebrate community structure in leaf bags. We found no effect of ALAN or its interaction with flow reduction on the litter decomposition or the invertebrate community in the tributaries. Flow reduction alone led to a 14.8 % reduction in decomposition rate in the tributaries. We recorded no effect of flow reduction on the macroinvertebrates community composition in the litter bags. We also observed no effects of the spatial arrangement of the stressors on the litter decomposition and macroinvertebrate community structure downstream. Overall, our results suggest the impact of stressors on litter decomposition and macroinvertebrate communities remained local in our experiment. Our work thus calls for further studies to identify the mechanisms and the conditions under which spatial effects dominate over local processes.

A spatial analysis of urban gulls contribution to the potential spread of zoonotic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Wildlife human interactions within cities are becoming more common with consequences for pathogen transmission and human health. Large gulls are opportunistic feeders, adapted to coexist with humans in urban environments, and are potential vectors for spread and transmission of pathogens, including antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. We investigated the potential role that urban gulls play in the spread and dispersal of these bacteria. We analysed 129 faecal swabs from yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) of different ages (56 adults and 73 immatures) during the breeding period from three years in the highly populated city of Barcelona (northeastern Spain). Thirteen individuals tested positive for the pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni), including antibiotic-resistant strains. We modelled the potential spatial spread of pathogens using the GPS trajectories of 58 yellow-legged gulls (23 adults, 35 immature individuals), which included the thirteen individuals that tested positive for pathogenic bacteria. By overlapping the spatially explicit pathogen dispersal maps with the distribution of urban installations sensitive at risk of possible pathogen spillover (e.g. elder and medical centres, markets, food industries, kindergartens, or public water sources), we identified potential areas at risk of pathogen spillover. Pathogens may be potentially spread to municipalities beyond Barcelona city borders. The results revealed that immature gulls dispersed pathogens over larger areas than adults (maximum dispersal distances of 167 km versus 53.2 km, respectively). Recreational urban water sources were the most sensitive habitats visited by GPS-tagged gulls that tested positive, followed by schools. Combining GPS movement data with pathogen analytics allows spatially explicit maps to be generated using a One Health approach that can help urban and public health management within large cities, such as Barcelona, and identify areas used by humans that are sensitive to pathogen spillover from gulls.

Global freshwater fish invasion linked to the presence of closely related species

In the Anthropocene, non-native freshwater fish introductions and translocations have occurred extensively worldwide. However, their global distribution patterns and the factors influencing their establishment remain poorly understood. We analyze a comprehensive database of 14953 freshwater fish species across 3119 river basins and identify global hotspots for exotic and translocated non-native fishes. We show that both types of non-native fishes are more likely to occur when closely related to native fishes. This finding is consistent across measures of phylogenetic relatedness, biogeographical realms, and highly invaded countries, even after accounting for the influence of native diversity. This contradicts Darwin's naturalization hypothesis, suggesting that the presence of close relatives more often signifies suitable habitats than intensified competition, predicting the establishment of non-native fish species. Our study provides a comprehensive assessment of global non-native freshwater fish patterns and their phylogenetic correlates, laying the groundwork for understanding and predicting future fish invasions in freshwater ecosystems.

Swift Prosodic Modulation of Lexical Access: Brain Potentials From Three North Germanic Language Varieties

PURPOSE

According to most models of spoken word recognition, listeners probabilistically activate a set of lexical candidates, which is incrementally updated as the speech signal unfolds. Speech carries segmental (speech sound) as well as suprasegmental (prosodic) information. The role of the latter in spoken word recognition is less clear. We investigated how suprasegments (tone and voice quality) in three North Germanic language varieties affected lexical access by scrutinizing temporally fine-grained neurophysiological effects of lexical uncertainty and information gain.

METHOD

Three event-related potential (ERP) studies were reanalyzed. In all varieties investigated, suprasegments are associated with specific word endings. Swedish has two lexical "word accents" realized as pitch falls with different timings across dialects. In Danish, the distinction is in voice quality. We combined pronunciation lexica and frequency lists to calculate estimates of lexical uncertainty about an unfolding word and information gain upon hearing a suprasegmental cue and the segment upon which it manifests. We used single-trial mixed-effects regression models run every 4 ms.

RESULTS

Only lexical uncertainty showed solid results: a frontal effect at 150-400 ms after suprasegmental cue onset and a later posterior effect after 200 ms. While a model including only segmental information mostly performed better, it was outperformed by the suprasegmental model at 200-330 ms at frontal sites.

CONCLUSIONS

The study points to suprasegmental cues contributing to lexical access over and beyond segments after around 200 ms in the North Germanic varieties investigated. Furthermore, the findings indicate that a previously reported "pre-activation negativity" predominantly reflects forward-looking processing.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25016486.

An individually adjusted approach for communicating epidemiological results on health and lifestyle to patients

If scientific research on modifiable risk factors was more accessible to the general population there is a potential to prevent disease and promote health. Mobile applications can automatically combine individual characteristics and statistical models of health to present scientific information as individually tailored visuals, and thus there is untapped potential in incorporating scientific research into apps aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles. As a proof-of-concept, we develop a statistical model of the relationship between Self-rated-health (SRH) and lifestyle-related factors, and a simple app for conveying its effects through a visualisation that sets the individual as the frame of reference. Using data from the 6th (n = 12 981, 53.4% women and 46.6% men) and 7th (n = 21 083, 52.5% women and 47.5% men) iteration of the Tromsø population survey, we fitted a mixed effects linear regression model that models mean SRH as a function of self-reported intensity and frequency of physical activity (PA), BMI, mental health symptoms (HSCL-10), smoking, support from friends, and HbA1c ≥ 6.5%. We adjusted for socioeconomic and demographic factors and comorbidity. We designed a simple proof-of-concept app to register relevant user information, and use the SRH-model to translate the present status of the user into suggestions for lifestyle changes along with predicted health effects. SRH was strongly related to modifiable health factors. The strongest modifiable predictors of SRH were mental health symptoms and PA. The mean adjusted difference in SRH between those with 10-HSCL index = 1.85 (threshold for mental distress) and HSCL-10 = 1 was 0.59 (CI 0.61-0.57). Vigorous physical activity (exercising to exhaustion ≥ 4 days/week relative to sedentary) was associated with an increase on the SRH scale of 0.64 (CI 0.56-0.73). Physical activity intensity and frequency interacted positively, with large PA-volume (frequency ⨯ intensity) being particularly predictive of high SRH. Incorporating statistical models of health into lifestyle apps have great potential for effectively communicating complex health research to a general audience. Such an approach could improve lifestyle apps by helping to make the recommendations more scientifically rigorous and personalised, and offer a more comprehensive overview of lifestyle factors and their importance.

Preliminary Efficacy of a Digital Intervention for Adolescent Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Adolescent depression is a significant public health concern; however, access to effective mental health care is limited. Digital therapeutics (DTx) can improve access to evidence-based interventions; however, their efficacy in adolescents is sparsely documented.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the efficacy of a mobile app DTx versus an active control as an adjunct treatment for adolescent depression symptoms.

METHODS

An internet-based open-label randomized control trial was conducted nationwide with a partial crossover design, and 168 adolescents aged 13 to 21 years with symptoms of depression were recruited between November 2020 and September 2021. Participants were randomized (1:1) to the cognitive behavioral therapy-based treatment app (Spark) or to a psychoeducational control app (control), which they would use for a duration of 5 weeks. The primary outcome was a between-group (Spark vs control) difference in the change in depression symptoms from baseline to postintervention, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) using a linear mixed-effects analysis. The PHQ-8 ranges from 0 to 24, with scores of 5 to 9 indicating mild depression symptoms, scores of 10 to 14 indicating moderate symptoms, scores of 15 to 19 indicating moderately severe symptoms, and scores of 20 to 24 indicating severe symptoms. A minimal clinically important difference (5-point reduction between baseline and postintervention) in the Spark arm and group differences in remission and treatment response rates based on the PHQ-8 at postintervention were also investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 160 participants were randomized, 80 in the Spark arm (mean age 16.89, SD 2.5 y) and 80 in the control arm (mean age 16.79, SD 2.59 y). Data from 121 participants (Spark: n=63; control: n=58) with moderate to severe (PHQ-8≥10) symptoms at baseline were included in the primary analyses following a modified intention-to-treat principle. A linear mixed-effect analysis revealed a nonsignificant difference between the study arms in depression symptom change over the intervention period. The Spark arm met a minimal clinically important difference threshold (mean -5.08, 95% CI -6.72 to -3.42). The remission rate in the Spark arm was significantly higher than that in the control arm (11/63, 17% vs 2/58, 3%; χ21=6.2; P=.01; false discovery rate-adjusted P=.03). The treatment response rates were not significantly different between the study arms (P=.07; false discovery rate-adjusted P=.16). Post hoc analyses including participants with mild to severe (PHQ-8 score ≥5) symptoms at baseline revealed promising evidence that Spark is effective in those with mild to severe symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

There is initial evidence that a self-guided, cognitive behavioral therapy-based DTx intervention may effectively treat mild to severe depression symptoms in adolescents. DTx may improve access to mental health care for adolescents or serve as an important adjunct to the standard of care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04524598; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04524598.

People can reliably detect action changes and goal changes during naturalistic perception

As a part of ongoing perception, the human cognitive system segments others' activities into discrete episodes (event segmentation). Although prior research has shown that this process is likely related to changes in an actor's actions and goals, it has not yet been determined whether untrained observers can reliably identify action and goal changes as naturalistic activities unfold, or whether the changes they identify are tied to visual features of the activity (e.g., the beginnings and ends of object interactions). This study addressed these questions by examining untrained participants' identification of action changes, goal changes, and event boundaries while watching videos of everyday activities that were presented in both first-person and third-person perspectives. We found that untrained observers can identify goal changes and action changes consistently, and these changes are not explained by visual change and the onsets or offsets of contact with objects. Moreover, the action and goal changes identified by untrained observers were associated with event boundaries, even after accounting for objective visual features of the videos. These findings suggest that people can identify action and goal changes consistently and with high agreement, that they do so by using sensory information flexibly, and that the action and goal changes they identify may contribute to event segmentation.

Exploration capacity versus specific enzymatic activity of ectomycorrhizas in response to primary productivity and soil phosphorus availability in Bornean tropical rainforests

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are functionally important in biogeochemical cycles in tropical ecosystems. Extracellular enzymatic activity of ECM on a ground-area basis is the product of two attributes; exploration capacity (ECM surface-area) and specific enzymatic activity. Here, we elucidated which attribute better explained the ECM enzymatic activity in response to different levels of soil phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) availability in five Bornean tropical rainforests. We determined the surface area of ECM root tips as well as the enzymatic activities per ECM surface area for carbon (C), N and P degrading enzymes in each site. We evaluated the relationship of ECM enzyme activities with the resource availabilities of C (Above-ground net primary production; ANPP), N, and P of ECM by a generalized linear mixed model. The ECM enzymatic activities on a ground-area basis were more significantly determined by specific enzymatic activity than by the exploration capacity. Specific enzymatic activities were generally negatively affected by C (ANPP) and soil P availability. ECM fungi enhance the specific enzyme activity rather than the exploration capacity to maintain the capacity of nutrient acquisition. The less dependence of ECM fungi on the exploration capacity in these forests may be related to the limitation of C supply from host trees. We highlighted the adaptive mechanisms of ECM fungi on nutrient acquisition in tropical ecosystems through the response of enzymatic activity to nutrient availability across the elements.

Bacterial communities along parrot digestive and respiratory tracts: the effects of sample type, species and time

Digestive and respiratory tracts are inhabited by rich bacterial communities that can vary between their different segments. In comparison with other bird taxa with developed caeca, parrots that lack caeca have relatively lower variability in intestinal morphology. Here, based on 16S rRNA metabarcoding, we describe variation in microbiota across different parts of parrot digestive and respiratory tracts both at interspecies and intraspecies levels. In domesticated budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), we describe the bacterial variation across eight selected sections of respiratory and digestive tracts, and three non-destructively collected sample types (faeces, and cloacal and oral swabs). Our results show important microbiota divergence between the upper and lower digestive tract, but similarities between respiratory tract and crop, and also between different intestinal segments. Faecal samples appear to provide a better proxy for intestinal microbiota composition than the cloacal swabs. Oral swabs had a similar bacterial composition as the crop and trachea. For a subset of tissues, we confirmed the same pattern also in six different parrot species. Finally, using the faeces and oral swabs in budgerigars, we revealed high oral, but low faecal microbiota stability during a 3-week period mimicking pre-experiment acclimation. Our findings provide a basis essential for microbiota-related experimental planning and result generalisation in non-poultry birds.

Ecological filtering shapes the impacts of agricultural deforestation on biodiversity

The biodiversity impacts of agricultural deforestation vary widely across regions. Previous efforts to explain this variation have focused exclusively on the landscape features and management regimes of agricultural systems, neglecting the potentially critical role of ecological filtering in shaping deforestation tolerance of extant species assemblages at large geographical scales via selection for functional traits. Here we provide a large-scale test of this role using a global database of species abundance ratios between matched agricultural and native forest sites that comprises 71 avian assemblages reported in 44 primary studies, and a companion database of 10 functional traits for all 2,647 species involved. Using meta-analytic, phylogenetic and multivariate methods, we show that beyond agricultural features, filtering by the extent of natural environmental variability and the severity of historical anthropogenic deforestation shapes the varying deforestation impacts across species assemblages. For assemblages under greater environmental variability-proxied by drier and more seasonal climates under a greater disturbance regime-and longer deforestation histories, filtering has attenuated the negative impacts of current deforestation by selecting for functional traits linked to stronger deforestation tolerance. Our study provides a previously largely missing piece of knowledge in understanding and managing the biodiversity consequences of deforestation by agricultural deforestation.

Predicting changes in driving performance in individuals who use cannabis following acute use based on self-reported readiness to drive

OBJECTIVE

It is unclear to what extent individuals who use cannabis can accurately assess their ability to drive safely following cannabis use, and lack of understanding as to what factors influence changes in driving performance following cannabis use. This research explores whether self-reported readiness to drive (RTD) and previous experience (PE) using cannabis within 2 h of driving can predict observed changes in driving performance following acute cannabis use.

METHODS

Individuals who used cannabis at least monthly completed a baseline simulated drive, were dosed with cannabis of approximately 6.18% THC, then drove at approximately 30-minutes, 90-minutes, and 180-minutes post-dose. Before each drive, participants were asked if they felt safe to drive (on real roadways, not the simulator), a yes/no question (RTD-yes/RTD-no). Venous blood was drawn at baseline and approximately 15-minutes post-dose. Cannabis use history was obtained and included whether the participant had ever driven within 2 h of use (PE-yes/PE-no) and how many days out of the past 30 they had done so (NPD). Drives were segmented into events delineated by changes in the driving environment. Within events, standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), average speed, and number of lane departures were calculated, and differences from baseline were modeled using mixed-effects regression. Models considered covariates of time, event, and speed, and used RTD-yes/RTD-no, PE-yes/PE-no, NPD, and their interactions as potential predictors. Conditional R2 was used to compare the predictive ability of RTD versus change in Delta-9-THC.

DATA SOURCES

Data were collected from 30 individuals who use cannabis and included cannabis use patterns, driving behaviors after use, self-reported RTD, measures of driving performance, and cannabinoid blood levels.

RESULTS

RTD-no predicted a 2.60 cm increase in SDLP relative to baseline (95 % CI: 0.43, 4.73, p = 0.018). Average speeds generally decreased relative to baseline, except for RTD-yes with PE-yes (+1.08 mph, 95 % CI: 0.05, 2.11). NPD predicted increased speed among RTD-yes (+0.11 mph per additional day, 95 % CI: 0.01, 0.22) and decreased speed among RTD-no (-0.06 mph per additional day, 95 % CI: -0.18, 0.32). The difference in these effects was statistically significant (p = 0.038). RTD, PE, and NPD were not significant predictors of changes in number of lane departures. For all outcomes, models using RTD achieved higher conditional R2 than models that replaced this variable with change in Delta-9-THC. Differences were most prominent when modeling change in speed with NPD (R2=0.544 with RTD vs. R2=0.481 with change in Delta-9-THC).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

These results suggest individuals who use cannabis can somewhat self-identify when they are likely to exhibit greater degraded lateral control, although RTD does not fully explain observed degradation in performance. Past research suggests drivers may reduce speed to compensate for recognized impairment following acute cannabis use. Our findings suggest this to be true for those who reported never having previously driven within 2 h of cannabis use or reported RTD-no, but not for those who had previously driven within 2 h of cannabis use and reported RTD-yes. This indicates compensatory behavior is not uniform and helps focus public health outreach efforts.

Habitat-specific impacts of climate change on the trophic demand of a marine predator

Metabolic ecology predicts that ectotherm metabolic rates, and thus consumption rates, will increase with body size and temperature. Predicted climatic increases in temperature are likely to increase the consumption rates of ectothermic predators; however, the ecological impact of these increases will partly depend on whether prey productivity changes with temperature at a similar rate. Furthermore, total predator consumption and prey productivity will depend on species abundances that vary across habitat types. Here we combine energetics and biotelemetry to measure consumption rates in a critically endangered coral reef predator, the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), in The Bahamas. We estimate that, at present, the Nassau grouper needs to consume 2.2% ± 1.0% body weight day-1 , but this could increase up to 24% with a predicted 3.1°C increase in ocean temperature by the end of the century. We then used surveys of prey communities in two major reef habitat types (Orbicella reef and Gorgonian plain), to predict the proportion of prey productivity consumed by grouper and how this varied by habitat with changing climates. We found that at present, the predicted proportion of prey productivity consumed by Nassau grouper decreased with increasing prey productivity and averaged 1.2% across all habitats, with a greater proportion of prey productivity consumed (maximum of 5%) in Gorgonian plain habitats. However, because temperature increases consumption rates faster than prey productivity, the proportion of prey productivity consumed in a Gorgonian plain habitat could increase up to 24% under future climate change scenarios. Our results suggest that increasing ocean temperatures will lead to significant energetic challenges for the Nassau grouper because of differential impacts within reef food webs, but the magnitude of these impacts will probably vary across prey productivity gradients.

Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Globally, 390 million dengue virus infections occur per year. In Malaysia, migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to dengue fever (DF) due to mosquito breeding sites exposure and poor health literacy. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) assess the current DF knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP), and (ii) identify strategies to promote DF awareness, among migrant workers in Klang Valley.

METHOD

A survey was conducted with 403 Nepali, Filipino and Indonesian migrant workers through phone interviews and online self-administered questionnaires. Piecewise structural equation modelling was applied to identify predictor variables for DF KAP.

RESULTS

Most respondents were male, working in the services industry, had completed high school, aged between 30-39 years and with less than ten years work experience in Malaysia. Overall, respondents' knowledge was positively correlated with attitude but negatively with practices. Older respondents, who had completed higher education, obtained higher knowledge scores. Similarly, those with working experience of >20 years in Malaysia obtained higher attitude scores. Respondents with a previous history of DF strongly considered the removal of mosquito breeding sites as their own responsibility, hence tended to frequently practise DF preventive measures. Respondents' knowledge was also positively correlated to their understanding of DF information sourced from social media platforms.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlighted: (i) the need for targeted DF educational intervention among younger and newly arrived workers with lower levels of education and (ii) maximising the usage of social media platforms to improve DF public awareness.

Thermal limits along tropical elevational gradients: Poison frog tadpoles show plasticity but maintain divergence across elevation

Temperature is arguably one of the most critical environmental factors impacting organisms at molecular, organismal, and ecological levels. Temperature variation across elevation may cause divergent selection in physiological critical thermal limits (CTMAX and CTMIN). Generally, high elevation populations are predicted to withstand lower environmental temperatures than low elevation populations. Organisms can also exhibit phenotypic plasticity when temperature varies, although theory and empirical evidence suggest that tropical ectotherms have relatively limited ability to acclimate. To study the effect of temperature variation along elevational transects on thermal limits, we measured CTMAX and CTMIN of 934 tadpoles of a poison frog species, Epipedobates anthonyi, along two elevational gradients (200-1700 m asl) in southwestern Ecuador to investigate their thermal tolerance across elevation. We also tested if tadpoles could plastically shift their critical thermal limits in response to exposure to different temperatures representing the range of temperatures they experience in nature (20 °C, 24 °C, and 28 °C). Overall, we found that CTMAX did not change across elevation. In contrast, CTMIN was lower at higher elevations, suggesting that elevational variation in temperature influences this thermal trait. Moreover, all populations shifted their CTMAX and CTMIN according to treatment temperatures, demonstrating an acclimation response. Overall, trends in CTMIN among high, mid, and low elevation populations were maintained despite plastic responses to treatment temperature. These results demonstrate that, for tadpoles of E. anthonyi across tropical elevational gradients, temperature acts as a selective force for CTMIN, even when populations show acclimation abilities in both, CTMAX and CTMIN. Our findings advance our understanding on how environmental variation affects organisms' evolutionary trajectories and their abilities to persist in a changing climate in a tropical biodiversity hotspot.

Effects of L. reuteri NBF 2 DSM 32264 Consumption on the Body Weight, Body Condition Score, Fecal Parameters, and Intestinal Microbiota of Healthy Persian Cats

In the literature, there are several studies showing the effects of different probiotic administrations in dogs, while there is limited information about their effects in cats. Furthermore, there are no studies that examined the effects of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus reuteri on cats' welfare, especially considering a specific breed. In this study, the effects of L. reuteri NBF 2 DSM 32264 on body weight, body condition score (BCS), and fecal parameters (fecal score and fecal moisture) of healthy Persian cats were assessed; additionally, a microbiological analysis was carried out to quantify bacterial species like Escherichia coli (for the total coliform count) and Lactobacilli. The administration of L. reuteri NBF 2 DSM 32264 showed no alteration in the body weight and body condition score of Persian cats. The fecal moisture decreased at the end of the study and the values of fecal score were improved. Moreover, at the end of the study period, an increase in Lactobacilli (p > 0.001) was observed. The data collected report the ability of L. reuteri NBF 2 DSM 32264 to improve fecal quality parameters in healthy adult Persian cats, leading to an increase in Lactobacilli and a reduction in total coliforms.

An at-home evaluation of a light intervention to mitigate sleep inertia symptoms

OBJECTIVES

Under laboratory settings, light exposure upon waking at night improves sleep inertia symptoms. We investigated whether a field-deployable light source would mitigate sleep inertia in a real-world setting.

METHODS

Thirty-six participants (18 female; 26.6 years ± 6.1) completed an at-home, within-subject, randomized crossover study. Participants were awoken 45 minutes after bedtime and wore light-emitting glasses with the light either on (light condition) or off (control). A visual 5-minute psychomotor vigilance task, Karolinska sleepiness scale, alertness and mood scales, and a 3-minute auditory/verbal descending subtraction task were performed at 2, 12, 22, and 32 minutes after awakening. Participants then went back to sleep and were awoken after 45 minutes for the opposite condition. A series of mixed-effect models were performed with fixed effects of test bout, condition, test bout × condition, a random effect of the participant, and relevant covariates.

RESULTS

Participants rated themselves as more alert (p = .01) and energetic (p = .001) in the light condition compared to the control condition. There was no effect of condition for descending subtraction task outcomes when including all participants, but there was a significant improvement in descending subtraction task total responses in the light condition in the subset of participants waking from N3 (p = .03). There was a significant effect of condition for psychomotor vigilance task outcomes, with faster responses (p < .001) and fewer lapses (p < .001) in the control condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that light modestly improves self-rated alertness and energy after waking at home regardless of sleep stage, with lower aggression and improvements to working memory only after waking from N3. Contrary to laboratory studies, we did not observe improved performance on the psychomotor vigilance task. Future studies should include measures of visual acuity and comfort to assess the feasibility of interventions in real-world settings.

Protein intake affects erythrocyte glutathione synthesis in young healthy adults in a repeated-measures trial

BACKGROUND

In 2005, the Institute of Medicine advised using methods other than nitrogen balance (NB) for determining protein requirements. Since then, protein requirements using indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) have been published and are higher than NB. Glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide of cysteine, glutamate, and glycine, is a principal antioxidant that can be used as a functional indicator of protein adequacy.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to measure changes in erythrocyte GSH kinetics [fractional synthesis rate (FSR) and absolute synthesis rate (ASR)] in healthy adults following a range of protein intakes at and above the current recommendations.

METHODS

Sixteen healthy adults [8 males and 8 females, aged 25.6 ± 0.9 y (mean ± SEM)] were studied at 4 of 6 protein intakes ranging from 0.6 to 1.5 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1. Erythrocyte GSH kinetics were assessed during a 7-h infusion of [U-13C2-15N]glycine following 2 d of adaptation to each protein intake. Blood and urine tests were performed to measure oxidative stress markers, plasma homocysteine, triglycerides, plasma amino acid concentrations, 5-L-oxoproline (5-OP), and urinary sulfate. The protein intake that maximized GSH synthesis was determined using mixed-effect change-point regression in R. Primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects and repeated-measures analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc test.

RESULTS

The protein intake that maximized GSH FSR at 78%⋅d-1 was 1.0 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1 (95% confidence interval: 0.63, 1.39). GSH ASR was significantly lower at 0.6 and 0.8 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1 than at 1.5 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1 (2.03 and 2.17, respectively, compared with 3.71 mmol⋅L-1⋅d-1). Increasing the protein intake led to increased urinary sulfate but did not affect erythrocyte GSH concentration, plasma oxidative stress markers, triglycerides, homocysteine, or 5-OP.

CONCLUSIONS

A protein intake of 1.0 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1 maximized GSH synthesis, which is in agreement with earlier IAAO-derived protein requirements of 0.93 to 1.2 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1. These findings suggest that recommendations based on NB (0.66 g⋅kg-1⋅d-1) may underestimate protein needs for adequate health. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02971046.

Population genomic structure of a widespread, urban-dwelling mammal: The eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Urbanization is a persistent and widespread driver of global environmental change, potentially shaping evolutionary processes due to genetic drift and reduced gene flow in cities induced by habitat fragmentation and small population sizes. We tested this prediction for the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), a common and conspicuous forest-dwelling rodent, by obtaining 44K SNPs using reduced representation sequencing (ddRAD) for 403 individuals sampled across the species' native range in eastern North America. We observed moderate levels of genetic diversity, low levels of inbreeding, and only a modest signal of isolation-by-distance. Clustering and migration analyses show that estimated levels of migration and genetic connectivity were higher than expected across cities and forested areas, specifically within the eastern portion of the species' range dominated by urbanization, and genetic connectivity was less than expected within the western range where the landscape is fragmented by agriculture. Landscape genetic methods revealed greater gene flow among individual squirrels in forested regions, which likely provide abundant food and shelter for squirrels. Although gene flow appears to be higher in areas with more tree cover, only slight discontinuities in gene flow suggest eastern grey squirrels have maintained connected populations across urban areas in all but the most heavily fragmented agricultural landscapes. Our results suggest urbanization shapes biological evolution in wildlife species depending strongly on the composition and habitability of the landscape matrix surrounding urban areas.

Daily solitude and well-being associations in older dyads: Evidence from daily life assessments

Older adults spend significant time by themselves, especially since COVID-19. Solitude has been associated with positive and negative outcomes. Partners need to balance social connectedness with time for one's own needs. This project examines how individual and partner solitude are associated with daily affect and relationship quality in dyads of older adults and a close other. One-hundred thirty-six older adults plus a close other rated their relationship quality and reported affect, solitude, and its characteristics (desired and bothersome) every evening for 10 days. Over and above overall associations, individual and partner effects emerged; when individual desired solitude was up, participants reported more positive affect and their partners less negative affect. When bothersome solitude was up, participants and their partners alike reported more negative affect and less positive affect. Desired solitude was associated with more support, whereas bothersome solitude was associated with less partner support. Findings provide further evidence on the potential benefits of solitude, highlighting the importance of considering the social context of what is often believed to be an individual-level phenomenon.

Determinants of spring migration departure dates in a New World sparrow: Weather variables reign supreme

Numerous factors influence the timing of spring migration in birds, yet the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic variables on migration initiation remains unclear. To test for interactions among weather, migration distance, parasitism, and physiology in determining spring departure date, we used the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) as a model migratory species known to harbor diverse and common haemosporidian parasites. Prior to spring migration departure from their wintering grounds in Indiana, USA, we quantified the intrinsic variables of fat, body condition (i.e., mass ~ tarsus residuals), physiological stress (i.e., ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes), cellular immunity (i.e., leukocyte composition and total count), migration distance (i.e., distance to the breeding grounds) using stable isotopes of hydrogen from feathers, and haemosporidian parasite intensity. We then attached nanotags to determine the timing of spring migration departure date using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. We used additive Cox proportional hazard mixed models to test how risk of spring migratory departure was predicted by the combined intrinsic measures, along with meteorological predictors on the evening of departure (i.e., average wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and temperature). Model comparisons found that the best predictor of spring departure date was average nightly wind direction and a principal component combining relative humidity and temperature. Juncos were more likely to depart for spring migration on nights with largely southwestern winds and on warmer and drier evenings (relative to cooler and more humid evenings). Our results indicate that weather conditions at take-off are more critical to departure decisions than the measured physiological and parasitism variables.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation on the right dorsal attention network modulates the center-surround profile of the attentional focus

Psychophysical observations indicate that the spatial profile of visuospatial attention includes a central enhancement around the attentional focus, encircled by a narrow zone of reduced excitability in the immediate surround. This inhibitory ring optimally amplifies relevant target information, likely stemming from top-down frontoparietal recurrent activity modulating early visual cortex activations. However, the mechanisms through which neural suppression gives rise to the surrounding attenuation and any potential hemispheric specialization remain unclear. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation to evaluate the role of two regions of the dorsal attention network in the center-surround profile: the frontal eye field and the intraparietal sulcus. Participants performed a psychophysical task that mapped the entire spatial attentional profile, while transcranial magnetic stimulation was delivered either to intraparietal sulcus or frontal eye field on the right (Experiment 1) and left (Experiment 2) hemisphere. Results showed that stimulation of right frontal eye field and right intraparietal sulcus significantly changed the center-surround profile, by widening the inhibitory ring around the attentional focus. The stimulation on the left frontal eye field, but not left intraparietal sulcus, induced a general decrease in performance but did not alter the center-surround profile. Results point to a pivotal role of the right dorsal attention network in orchestrating inhibitory spatial mechanisms required to limit interference by surrounding distractors.

Dieback and dredge soils of Phragmites australis in the Mississippi River Delta negatively impact plant biomass

Phragmites australis is exhibiting extensive dieback in the Lower Mississippi River Delta (MRD). We explored the potential for restoration of these marshes by (1) characterizing the chemical profiles of soils collected from healthy and dieback stands of P. australis and from sites recently created from dredge-disposal soils that were expected to be colonized by P. australis and (2) experimentally testing the effects of these soil types on the growth of three common P. australis lineages, Delta, Gulf and European. Soil chemical properties included Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Zn, % organic matter, % carbon, % nitrogen, and pH. Dieback soils were characterized by higher % organic matter, % carbon, % nitrogen, and higher S and Fe concentrations, whereas healthy soils had higher Cu, Al, P and Zn. In comparison, dredge sites were low in nutrients and organic matter compared to healthy soils. Rhizomes of each P. australis lineage were planted in each soil type in a common garden and greenhouse and allowed to grow for five months. Aboveground biomass was 16% lower in dieback and 44% lower in dredge soils than in healthy soils. However, we could detect no significant differences in response to soil types among lineages. Although dredge and dieback sites are not optimal for P. australis growth, plants can thrive on these soils, and we recommend restorative measures be initiated as soon as possible to minimize soil erosion.

TenseMusic: An automatic prediction model for musical tension

The perception of tension and release dynamics constitutes one of the essential aspects of music listening. However, modeling musical tension to predict perception of listeners has been a challenge to researchers. Seminal work demonstrated that tension is reported consistently by listeners and can be accurately predicted from a discrete set of musical features, combining them into a weighted sum of slopes reflecting their combined dynamics over time. However, previous modeling approaches lack an automatic pipeline for feature extraction that would make them widely accessible to researchers in the field. Here, we present TenseMusic: an open-source automatic predictive tension model that operates with a musical audio as the only input. Using state-of-the-art music information retrieval (MIR) methods, it automatically extracts a set of six features (i.e., loudness, pitch height, tonal tension, roughness, tempo, and onset frequency) to use as predictors for musical tension. The algorithm was optimized using Lasso regression to best predict behavioral tension ratings collected on 38 Western classical musical pieces. Its performance was then tested by assessing the correlation between the predicted tension and unseen continuous behavioral tension ratings yielding large mean correlations between ratings and predictions approximating r = .60 across all pieces. We hope that providing the research community with this well-validated open-source tool for predicting musical tension will motivate further work in music cognition and contribute to elucidate the neural and cognitive correlates of tension dynamics for various musical genres and cultures.

Movement ecology of an endangered mesopredator in a mining landscape

BACKGROUND

Efficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter animal movement due to changes in resource availability and threats. Some animals can exploit anthropogenic disturbances for more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient movement due to fragmentation of high-resource habitats, and risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major anthropogenic disturbance, removes natural habitats, introduces new landscape features, and alters resource distribution in the landscape. This study investigates the effect of mining on the movement of an endangered mesopredator, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Using GPS collars and accelerometers, we investigate their habitat selection and energy expenditure in an active mining landscape, to determine the effects of this disturbance on northern quolls.

METHODS

We fit northern quolls with GPS collars and accelerometers during breeding and non-breeding season at an active mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We investigated broad-scale movement by calculating the movement ranges of quolls using utilisation distributions at the 95% isopleth, and compared habitat types and environmental characteristics within observed movement ranges to the available landscape. We investigated fine-scale movement by quolls with integrated step selection functions, assessing the relative selection strength for each habitat covariate. Finally, we used piecewise structural equation modelling to analyse the influence of each habitat covariate on northern quoll energy expenditure.

RESULTS

At the broad scale, northern quolls predominantly used rugged, rocky habitats, and used mining habitats in proportion to their availability. However, at the fine scale, habitat use varied between breeding and non-breeding seasons. During the breeding season, quolls notably avoided mining habitats, whereas in the non-breeding season, they frequented mining habitats equally to rocky and riparian habitats, albeit at a higher energetic cost.

CONCLUSION

Mining impacts northern quolls by fragmenting favoured rocky habitats, increasing energy expenditure, and potentially impacting breeding dispersal. While mining habitats might offer limited resource opportunities in the non-breeding season, conservation efforts during active mining, including the creation of movement corridors and progressive habitat restoration would likely be useful. However, prioritising the preservation of natural rocky and riparian habitats in mining landscapes is vital for northern quoll conservation.

A spatially explicit model of landscape pesticide exposure to bees: Development, exploration, and evaluation

Pesticides represent one of the greatest threats to bees and other beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes. Potential exposure is generated through compound- and crop-specific patterns of pesticide use over space and time and unique degradation behavior among compounds. Realized exposure develops through bees foraging from their nests across the spatiotemporal mosaic of floral resources and associated pesticides throughout the landscape. Despite the recognized importance of a landscape-wide approach to assessing exposure, we lack a sufficiently-evaluated predictive framework to inform mitigation decisions and environmental risk assessment for bees. We address this gap by developing a bee pesticide exposure model that incorporates spatiotemporal pesticide use patterns, estimated rates of pesticide degradation, floral resource dynamics across habitats, and bee foraging movements. We parameterized the model with pesticide use data from a public database containing crop-field- and date-specific records of uses throughout our study region over an entire year. We evaluate the model performance in predicting bee pesticide exposure using a dataset of pesticide residues in pollens gathered by bumble bees (Bombus vosnesenskii) returning to colonies across 14 spatially independent landscapes in Northern California. We applied alternative model formulations of pesticide accumulation and degradation, floral resource seasonality, and bee foraging behavior to evaluate different levels of detail for predicting observed pesticide exposure. Our best model explained 73 % of observed variation in pesticide exposure of bumble bee colonies, with generally positive correlations for the dominant compounds. Timing and location of pesticide use were integral, but more detailed parameterizations of pesticide degradation, floral resources, and bee foraging improved the predictions little if at all. Our results suggest that this approach to predict bees' pesticide exposure has value in extending from the local field scale to the landscape in environmental risk assessment and for exploring mitigation options to support bees in agricultural landscapes.

The Relationship between Time, Race, and Estrogen Receptor Alpha in Estradiol-Induced Dermal Fibrosis

In the skin, estradiol (E2) promotes profibrotic and proinflammatory cytokines, contributing to extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. However, the magnitude of the response differs. Using the human skin organ culture model, we evaluated donor characteristics and correlations that contribute to E2-induced interleukin-6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor beta 1 and 2 (TGFB1 and TGFB2), collagen IA2 (Col IA2), collagen IIIA1 (Col IIIA1), and fibronectin (FN) expressions. In vehicle- and E2-treated dermal skin tissue transcripts, we confirm differences in the magnitude; however, there were positive correlations between profibrotic mediators and ECM components 48 h after E2 treatment. Also, positive correlations exist between baseline and E2-induced TGFB1, IL-6, Col IIIA1, and FN transcripts. Since estrogen receptor alpha (ERA) can propagate E2's signal, we measured and detected differences in its baseline and fold change transcript levels, with a significant decline in baseline levels 48 h after incubation and an increase 48 h after E2 treatment. There was a trend to higher transcript levels in African American donors 24 h earlier. Finally, E2-induced ERA transcript levels negatively correlated with its own baseline levels and positively correlated with FN, TGFB1, and Col IA2 transcript levels. Therefore, our data suggest ERA, E2 exposure time, and race/ethnicity contribute to E2-induced dermal fibrosis.

Plant composition change mediates climate drought, nitrogen addition, and grazing effects on soil net nitrogen mineralization in a semi-arid grassland in North China

Human activities induce alterations of the nitrogen (N) cycle, climate drought, and disturbance (e.g., livestock grazing) regimes at the global scale. Their individual, interactive, and combined effects on soil N cycling in grasslands are unclear. We investigated the N addition, drought, and grazing effects on the N mineralization, as well as their correlations with N-related variables, including the C4 species, shoot biomass (SB), root biomass (RB), plant total nitrogen (PTN), plant total carbon (PTC), soil total nitrogen (STN), soil total carbon (STC), and soil microbial N and C, during a three-year field experiment conducted in a semi-arid grassland in North China. The results showed that N addition increased the nitrate N (NO3--N) and ammonium N (NH4+-N) concentrations, whereas drought decreased the NO3--N concentration because of strengthened N limitation. Pronounced temporal variation in the N mineralization occurred under seasonal drought (maxima in August and September) and under its combination with N addition and grazing (minima in August). RB and the C4 species were positively correlated, whereas STC and the NO3--N concentration were negatively correlated with the N mineralization under the combined influence of the three factors. The structural equation model showed that at the site affected by all three factors, drought indirectly increased the N mineralization by reducing the NO3--N concentration, whereas N addition and grazing did not alter the N mineralization. N addition directly increased while indirectly reduced N mineralization by increasing the NO3--N concentration. Additionally, N addition and grazing increased the C4 species and decreased the STC, consequently enhanced N mineralization. These results highlight the predominant role of drought, when combined with N addition and grazing, in controlling the N mineralization. The N supply balance in semi-arid grasslands could be stabilized in response to increased N addition, climate drought, and grazing.

Craving money? Evidence from the laboratory and the field

Continuing to gamble despite harmful consequences has plagued human life in many ways, from loss-chasing in problem gamblers to reckless investing during stock market bubbles. Here, we propose that these anomalies in human behavior can sometimes reflect Pavlovian perturbations on instrumental behavior. To show this, we combined key elements of Pavlovian psychology literature and standard economic theory into a single model. In it, when a gambling cue such as a gaming machine or a financial asset repeatedly delivers a good outcome, the agent may start engaging with the cue even when the expected value is negative. Next, we transported the theoretical framework into an experimental task and found that participants behaved like the agent in our model. Last, we applied the model to the domain of real-world financial trading and discovered an asset-pricing anomaly suggesting that market participants are susceptible to the purported Pavlovian bias.

Integrating exploration and prediction in computational psychotherapy science: proof of concept

Introduction

Psychotherapy research has long preferred explanatory over predictive models. As a result, psychotherapy research is currently limited in the variability that can be accounted for in the process and outcome of treatment. The present study is a proof-of-concept approach to psychotherapy science that uses a datadriven approach to achieve robust predictions of the process and outcome of treatment.

Methods

A trial including 65 therapeutic dyads was designed to enable an adequate level of variability in therapist characteristics, overcoming the common problem of restricted range. A mixed-model, data-driven approach with cross-validation machine learning algorithms was used to predict treatment outcome and alliance (within- and between-clients; client- and therapist-rated alliance).

Results and discussion

Based on baseline predictors only, the models explained 52.8% of the variance for out-of-sample prediction in treatment outcome, and 24.1-52.8% in therapeutic alliance. The identified predictors were consistent with previous findings and point to directions for future investigation. Although limited by its sample size, this study serves as proof of the great potential of the presented approach to produce robust predictions regarding the process and outcome of treatment, offering a potential solution to problems such as p-hacking and lack of replicability. Findings should be replicated using larger samples and distinct populations and settings.

Drivers of field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity: Implications for restoring degraded tropical landscapes

Water security represents a major challenge in East Africa, affecting the livelihoods of millions of people and hindering sustainable development. Predicted increases in rainfall intensity and variability are expected to exacerbate water insecurity and land degradation. Improving soil infiltrability is an effective strategy for addressing water insecurity and land degradation. Research on soil infiltrability is often highly localized; therefore, scientific understanding of the drivers of infiltrability on larger spatial scales is limited. The aim of this study was to understand the main drivers of infiltrability across five contrasting landscapes in Kenya. We measured field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) in 257 plots and collected data for variables representing soil properties (sand content, soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH), land degradation (grazing pressure and presence of erosion), vegetation quantity (woody aboveground biomass), and vegetation quality (functional properties and diversity). We used generalized mixed-effects models to test for the effects of these variables on Kfs. Median Kfs for the five sites ranged between 23.8 and 101.8 mm h-1. We found that Kfs was positively associated with sand content (standardized effect 0.39), SOC content (0.15), and functional diversity of woody vegetation (0.09), while it had a negative relationship with the presence of erosion (-0.24) and grazing pressure (-0.09). Subsequently, we conclude that infiltrability can be enhanced through using land restoration strategies which specifically target parameters that affect Kfs. The results further support that Kfs is not solely dictated by inherent soil properties, and that management interventions which boost SOC, reduce erosion, and minimize unsustainable grazing can help address water scarcity by restoring soil hydrological function.

Phylogenetic diversity and community wide-trait means offer different insights into mechanisms regulating aboveground carbon storage

Both attributes of functional traits and phylogenetic diversity influence ecosystem functions, but which of these factors is most important is still poorly understood in natural systems. Using data from West African forests and tree savannas, we analyse how (i) phylogenetic diversity complements attributes of functional traits in explaining aboveground carbon (AGC); (ii) phylogenetic diversity relates with attributes of functional traits along gradients of phylogenetic signal; and (iii) pathways between phylogenetic diversity and attributes of functional traits relate AGC to soil and climate. Phylogenetic diversity was measured as standardised effect size of Mean Pairwise Distance (sesMPD) and Mean Nearest Taxon Distance (sesMNTD). Functional dispersion (FDis) and community weighted mean (CWM) were calculated for four traits related to leaf economics spectrum and plant life-history. Functional traits-based models explained 11 % of AGC variability. With two out of the four traits being phylogenetically conserved, incorporating phylogenetic diversity in the models increased the explained variance in AGC by 15 %. The slope of phylogenetic diversity-trait relationship was more responsive to trait conservatism for FDis than CWM. AGC was positively influenced by sesMPD and CWM of plant maximum height. In turn, CWM of plant maximum height increased with higher soil nitrogen and climate moisture, whereas sesMPD was negatively related with climate moisture. Although FDis was positively associated with sesMPD, it was not as important as sesMPD and CWM of plant maximum height in influencing and relating AGC to soil nitrogen and climate moisture. Our results suggest that phylogenetic diversity is important for AGC but does not fully reflect the functional mechanisms pertaining to community-wide trait means. The study also demonstrates the role of environment in regulating AGC, which operates through differences in community fitness driven by tall plant stature, and evolutionary processes whereby closely related species are maintained in less arid environments.

An investigation of the modulatory effects of empathic and autistic traits on emotional and facial motor responses during live social interactions

A close relationship between emotional contagion and spontaneous facial mimicry has been theoretically proposed and is supported by empirical data. Facial expressions are essential in terms of both emotional and motor synchrony. Previous studies have demonstrated that trait emotional empathy enhanced spontaneous facial mimicry, but the relationship between autistic traits and spontaneous mimicry remained controversial. Moreover, previous studies presented faces that were static or videotaped, which may lack the "liveliness" of real-life social interactions. We addressed this limitation by using an image relay system to present live performances and pre-recorded videos of smiling or frowning dynamic facial expressions to 94 healthy female participants. We assessed their subjective experiential valence and arousal ratings to infer the amplitude of emotional contagion. We measured the electromyographic activities of the zygomaticus major and corrugator supercilii muscles to estimate spontaneous facial mimicry. Individual differences measures included trait emotional empathy (empathic concern) and the autism-spectrum quotient. We did not find that live performances enhanced the modulatory effect of trait differences on emotional contagion or spontaneous facial mimicry. However, we found that a high trait empathic concern was associated with stronger emotional contagion and corrugator mimicry. We found no two-way interaction between the autism spectrum quotient and emotional condition, suggesting that autistic traits did not modulate emotional contagion or spontaneous facial mimicry. Our findings imply that previous findings regarding the relationship between emotional empathy and emotional contagion/spontaneous facial mimicry using videos and photos could be generalized to real-life interactions.

Effects of Opioid Withdrawal on Psychobiology in People Living with HIV

OBJECTIVE

Many persons with opioid use disorders (OUDs) have HIV disease and experience clinically significant stress after they enroll in abstinence-based treatment and undergo medically assisted withdrawal. We examined whether opioid withdrawal affects virologic control, inflammatory markers, cognition, and mood in persons with an OUD and HIV, and explored whether measures of withdrawal stress, such as activation of the HPA axis, contribute to alterations in immune function, cognition, and mood.

METHOD AND PARTICIPANTS

Study participants were 53 persons with HIV who were admitted for OUD treatment at the City Addiction Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation. Participants were examined at admission, at the anticipated peak of withdrawal 3 to 7 days after the last day of a clonidine-based withdrawal process lasting 7 to 14 days, and 3 to 4 weeks after completing withdrawal. At these times, participants received medical exams and were evaluated for symptoms of withdrawal, as well as cognition and mood. Viral load, plasma cortisol, DHEA sulfate ester (DHEA-S), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble CD14 (sCD14) were determined. Multivariable models examined the relationships between markers of HPA activation and the other parameters over time.

RESULTS

HPA activation as indexed by cortisol/DHEA-S ratio increased during withdrawal, as did markers of immune activation, IL-6 and sCD14. There were no significant associations between viral load and indicators of HPA activation. In longitudinal analyses, higher cortisol/DHEA sulfate was related to worse cognition overall, and more mood disturbance. Increase in IL-6 was associated with worse cognitive performance on a learning task. There were no significant associations with sCD14.

CONCLUSIONS

Worsening of cognition and measures of mood disturbance during withdrawal were associated with activation of the HPA axis and some measures of inflammation. Whether repeated episodes of opioid withdrawal have a cumulative impact on long-term HIV outcomes and neurocognition is a topic for further investigation.

Gender inequality and utilization of ART: an international cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis

STUDY QUESTION

What is the association between a country's level of gender equality and access to ART, as measured through ART utilization?

SUMMARY ANSWER

ART utilization is associated with a country's level of gender equality even after controlling for the level of development.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Although gender equality is recognized as an important determinant of population health, its association with fertility care, a highly gendered condition, has not been explored.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

A longitudinal cross-national analysis of ART utilization in 69 countries during 2002-2014 was carried out.

PARTICPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

The Gender Inequality Index (GII), Human Development Index (HDI), and their component indicators were modelled against ART utilization using univariate regression models as well as mixed-effects regression methods (adjusted for country, time, and economic/human development) with multiple imputation to account for missing data.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

ART utilization is associated with the GII. In an HDI-adjusted analysis, a one standard deviation decrease in the GII (towards greater equality) is associated with a 59% increase in ART utilization. Gross national income per capita, the maternal mortality ratio, and female parliamentary representation were the index components most predictive of ART utilization.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

Only ART was used rather than all infertility treatments (including less costly and non-invasive treatments such as ovulation induction). This was a country-level analysis and the results cannot be generalized to smaller groups. Not all modelled variables were available for each country across 2002-2014.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Access to fertility care is central to women's sexual and reproductive health, to women's rights, and to human rights. As gender equality improves, so does access to ART. This relation is likely to be reinforcing and bi-directional, with progress towards global, equitable access to fertility care also improving women's status and participation in societies.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

External funding was not provided for this study. G.D.A. declares consulting fees from Labcorp and CooperSurgical. G.D.A. is the founder and CEO of Advanced Reproductive Care, Inc., as well as the Chair of the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART) and the World Endometriosis Research Foundation, both of which are unpaid roles. G.M.C. is an ICMART Board Representative, which is an unpaid role, and no payments are received from ICMART to UNSW, Sydney, or to G.M.C. to undertake this study. O.F., S.D., F.Z.-H., and E.K. report no conflicts of interest.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.

Lovers, not fighters: docility influences reproductive fitness, but not survival, in male Cape ground squirrels, Xerus inauris

Over their lifetime, individuals may use different behavioural strategies to maximize their fitness. Some behavioural traits may be consistent among individuals over time (i.e., 'personality' traits) resulting in an individual behavioural phenotype with different associated costs and benefits. Understanding how behavioural traits are linked to lifetime fitness requires tracking individuals over their lifetime. Here, we leverage a long-term study on a multi-year living species (maximum lifespan ~ 10 years) to examine how docility (an individual's reaction to trapping and handling) may contribute to how males are able to maximize their lifetime fitness. Cape ground squirrels are burrowing mammals that live in social groups, and although males lack physical aggression and territoriality, they vary in docility. Males face high predation risk and high reproductive competition and employ either of two reproductive tactics ('natal' or 'band') which are not associated with different docility personalities. We found that although more docile individuals sired more offspring on an annual basis, docility did not affect an individual's long-term (lifetime) reproductive output. Survival was not associated with docility or body condition, but annual survival was influenced by rainfall. Our findings suggest that although docility may represent a behavioural strategy to maximize fitness by possibly playing a role in female-male associations or female mate-choice, variations in docility within our study population is likely maintained by other environmental drivers. However, individual variations in behaviours may still contribute as part of the 'tool kit' individuals use to maximize their lifetime fitness.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-023-03421-8.

Clair CC. Aversive conditioning increases short-term wariness but does not change habitat use in black bears associated with conflict

Conflict between humans and black bears (Ursus americanus) occurs throughout North America with increasing public demand to replace lethal management with non-lethal methods, such as aversive conditioning (AC). AC aims to teach animals to associate negative stimuli with humans or their infrastructure. We sought to test the efficacy of AC using radio-collared black bears in Whistler, British Columbia, by monitoring individuals and assigning those in conflict with people to control or treatment groups. We measured wariness using overt reaction distance, displacement distance, and reaction to researchers before, during and after executing 3-5-day AC programs that consisted of launching projectiles at bears in the treatment group. We also assessed predictors of successful AC events (i.e., leaving at a run), changes in bear use of human-dominated habitat during the day and at night, and the effects of including a sound stimulus to signal the beginning and end of AC events. Among treated bears, overt reaction distance increased by 46.5% and displacement distance increased by 69.0% following AC programs, whereas both overt reaction distance and displacement distance decreased over time among control group bears. Each additional AC event during the previous 30 days increased likelihood of bear departure in response to researcher presence by 4.5%. The success of AC events varied among individuals, declined with distance to cover, and increased with exposure to previous AC events. Projectiles launched from guns were slightly more effective at causing bears to displace compared to those launched from slingshots, and sound stimuli decreased the likelihood of a successful AC event. AC did not alter diurnal use by bears of human-dominated habitat. Our results suggest that AC effectively increases short-term wariness in black bears but does not alter bear use of human-dominated spaces, highlighting the importance of proactive attractant management and prevention of food conditioning.

Blood pressure, pulse rate, and skin temperature during hot-water bathing in real-world settings among community-dwelling older adults: the HEIJO-KYO Study

BACKGROUND

Home hot-tub bathing substantially increases drowning mortality rates among older adults in Japan. Previous laboratory studies on hemodynamic responses during hot-tub bathing have been inconsistent depending on the thermal conditions. Furthermore, real-world hemodynamic changes that occur during bathing remain poorly understood. This study investigated the association between individual thermal states and hemodynamic parameters during hot-tub bathing among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study conducted between January 2016 and April 2019, which involved 1,479 older adults (median [range] age, 68 [40-90] years), skin temperature on the abdominal surface was measured every minute. Ambulatory blood pressure and pulse rate were recorded at 15-min intervals for 24 h. Participants underwent simultaneous living room temperature measurements in their homes, and the time and methods of bathing were recorded. Associations between skin temperature and hemodynamic parameters during bathing and between the pre-bath living room temperature and in-bath maximum proximal skin temperature were evaluated using mixed-effects and linear regression models, respectively.

RESULTS

A 1 °C increase in skin temperature was significantly associated with a 2.41 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.03-2.79) increase in systolic blood pressure and a 2.99 bpm (95% CI: 2.66-3.32) increase in pulse rate, after adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, body mass index, antihypertensive medication use, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and living room and outdoor temperatures. Significant interactions were not observed between sex and skin temperature in relation to systolic blood pressure and pulse rate (P = 0.088 and 0.490, respectively). One standard deviation lower living room temperature before bathing was significantly associated with a 0.41 °C (95% CI: 0.35-0.47) higher maximum skin temperature during bathing.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that pre-bath cold exposure may increase the skin temperature during hot-tub bathing, possibly resulting in excessive hemodynamic changes. This provides a framework for future interventions that utilize pre-bath thermal conditions and bathing environments to prevent bath-related deaths.

Clinical factors and early life experiences associated with therapeutic alliance development in treatment for depression or binge eating

OBJECTIVE

This study examines childhood and clinical factors theorized to impact therapeutic alliance development over the course of psychotherapy.

METHOD

Raters assessed the therapeutic alliance of 212 client-therapist dyads, participating in two randomized controlled trials of schema therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy for binge eating or major depression, at three time points. Linear mixed models were used to characterize therapeutic alliance development over time and assess the influence of childhood trauma, perceived parental bonding, diagnosis and therapy type on scores.

RESULTS

Participants differed in initial alliance ratings for all subscales but had similar growth trajectories in all but the patient hostility subscale. A diagnosis of bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder predicted greater initial levels of client distress, client dependency and overall client contribution to a strong therapeutic alliance, compared with a diagnosis of depression. Therapy type, childhood trauma and perceived parental bonds did not predict alliance scores.

CONCLUSION

Findings highlight the potential influence of clinical and personal characteristics on alliance strength and development, with implications for maximizing treatment outcomes through anticipating and responding to these challenges.

Organizational Context and Quality Indicators in Nursing Homes: A Microsystem Look

The association of organizational context with quality of care in nursing homes is not well understood at the clinical microsystem (care unit) level. This cross-sectional study examined the associations of unit-level context with 10 unit-level quality indicators derived from the Minimum Data Set 2.0. Study settings comprised 262 care units within 91 Canadian nursing homes. We assessed context using unit-aggregated care-aide-reported scores on the 10 scales of the Alberta Context Tool. Mixed-effects regression analysis showed that structural resources were negatively associated with antipsychotics use (B = -.06; p = .001) and worsened late-loss activities of daily living (B = -.03, p = .04). Organizational slack in time was negatively associated with worsened pain (B = -.04, p = .01). Social capital was positively associated with delirium symptoms (B = .12, p = .02) and worsened depressive symptoms (B = .10, p = .01). The findings suggested that targeting interventions to modifiable contextual elements and unit-level quality improvement will be promising.

Warming and top-down control of stage-structured prey: Linking theory to patterns in natural systems

Warming has broad and often nonlinear impacts on organismal physiology and traits, allowing it to impact species interactions like predation through a variety of pathways that may be difficult to predict. Predictions are commonly based on short-term experiments and models, and these studies often yield conflicting results depending on the environmental context, spatiotemporal scale, and the predator and prey species considered. Thus, the accuracy of predicted changes in interaction strength, and their importance to the broader ecosystems they take place in, remain unclear. Here, we attempted to link one such set of predictions generated using theory, modeling, and controlled experiments to patterns in the natural abundance of prey across a broad thermal gradient. To do so, we first predicted how warming would impact a stage-structured predator-prey interaction in riverine rock pools between Pantala spp. dragonfly nymph predators and Aedes atropalpus mosquito larval prey. We then described temperature variation across a set of hundreds of riverine rock pools (n = 775) and leveraged this natural gradient to look for evidence for or against our model's predictions. Our model's predictions suggested that warming should weaken predator control of mosquito larval prey by accelerating their development and shrinking the window of time during which aquatic dragonfly nymphs could consume them. This was consistent with data collected in rock pool ecosystems, where the negative effects of dragonfly nymph predators on mosquito larval abundance were weaker in warmer pools. Our findings provide additional evidence to substantiate our model-derived predictions while emphasizing the importance of assessing similar predictions using natural gradients of temperature whenever possible.

Larval fish assemblages in selected Brazilian estuaries: Species-environment relationships under different anthropogenic influences

We investigate the effects of spatial changes in environmental conditions and anthropogenic influences on larval fish communities in two tropical estuaries with varying levels of human impact. Our findings revealed a distinct structure of larval fish assemblages between the two estuaries located in northeastern Brazil, and we observed that eutrophication, characterized by high concentrations of nutrients, had adverse effects on the abundance and richness of larval fish assemblages. Additionally, we observed that a decrease in rainfall had an impact on larval fish assemblages, particularly during the dry season, when intermittent upstream rivers lead to changes in salinity and species composition within the estuaries. This study contributed to evaluating the community descriptors of two tropical estuaries under different levels of human influence, providing insights into the vulnerability of larval fish assemblages to climate change, specifically in relation to human influences and hypersalinity and the effects of marinization in shallow tropical estuaries in this region.