Topography-driven isolation, speciation and a global increase of endemism with elevation

Aim: Higher-elevation areas on islands and continental mountains tend to be separated by longer distances, predicting higher endemism at higher elevations; our study is the first to test the generality of the predicted pattern. We also compare it empirically with contrasting expectations from hypotheses invoking higher speciation with area, temperature and species richness. Location: Thirty-two insular and 18 continental elevational gradients from around the world. Methods: We compiled entire floras with elevation-specific occurrence information, and calculated the proportion of native species that are endemic (‘percent endemism’) in 100-m bands, for each of the 50 elevational gradients. Using generalized linear models, we tested the relationships between percent endemism and elevation, isolation, temperature, area and species richness. Results: Percent endemism consistently increased monotonically with elevation, globally. This was independent of richness–elevation relationships, which had varying shapes but decreased with elevation at high elevations. The endemism–elevation relationships were consistent with isolation-related predictions, but inconsistent with hypotheses related to area, richness and temperature. Main conclusions: Higher per-species speciation rates caused by increasing isolation with elevation are the most plausible and parsimonious explanation for the globally consistent pattern of higher endemism at higher elevations that we identify. We suggest that topography-driven isolation increases speciation rates in mountainous areas, across all elevations and increasingly towards the equator. If so, it represents a mechanism that may contribute to generating latitudinal diversity gradients in a way that is consistent with both present-day and palaeontological evidence

Design concepts for the Cherenkov Telescope Array CTA: an advanced facility for ground-based high-energy gamma-ray astronomy

Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has had a major breakthrough with the impressive results obtained using systems of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has a huge potential in astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology. CTA is an international initiative to build the next generation instrument, with a factor of 5-10 improvement in sensitivity in the 100 GeV-10 TeV range and the extension to energies well below 100 GeV and above 100 TeV. CTA will consist of two arrays (one in the north, one in the south) for full sky coverage and will be operated as open observatory. The design of CTA is based on currently available technology. This document reports on the status and presents the major design concepts of CTA

What is the remaining status of adaptive servo-ventilation? The results of a real-life multicenter study (OTRLASV-study). Adaptive servo-ventilation in real-life conditions

Backgrounds: As a consequence of the increased mortality observed in the SERVE-HF study, many questions concerning the safety and rational use of ASV in other indications emerged. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of ASV-treated patients in real-life conditions. Methods: The OTRLASV-study is a prospective, 5-centre study including patients who underwent ASV-treatment for at least 1 year. Patients were consecutively included in the study during the annual visit imposed for ASV- reimbursement renewal. Results: 177/214 patients were analysed (87.57% male) with a median (IQ25–75) age of 71 (65–77) years, an ASV- treatment duration of 2.88 (1.76–4.96) years, an ASV-usage of 6.52 (5.13–7.65) hours/day, and 54.8% were previously treated via continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The median Epworth Scale Score decreased from 10 (6–13.5) to 6 (3–9) (p < 0.001) with ASV-therapy, the apnea-hypopnea-index decreased from 50 (38–62)/h to a residual device index of 1.9 (0.7–3.8)/h (p < 0.001). The majority of patients were classified in a Central-Sleep-Apnea group (CSA; 59.3%), whereas the remaining are divided into an Obstructive-Sleep-Apnea group (OSA; 20.3%) and a Treatment-Emergent-Central-Sleep-Apnea group (TECSA; 20.3%). The Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) was > 45% in 92.7% of patients. Associated comorbidities/etiologies were cardiac in nature for 75.7% of patients (neurological for 12.4%, renal for 4.5%, opioid-treatment for 3.4%). 9.6% had idiopathic central-sleep-apnea. 6.2% of the patients were hospitalized the year preceding the study for cardiological reasons. In the 6 months preceding inclusion, night monitoring (i.e. polygraphy or oximetry during ASV usage) was performed in 34.4% of patients, 25.9% of whom required a subsequent setting change. According to multivariable, logistic regression, the variables that were independently associated with poor adherence (ASV-usage ≤4 h in duration) were TECSA group versus CSA group (p = 0.010), a higher Epworth score (p = 0.019) and lack of a night monitoring in the last 6 months (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In real-life conditions, ASV-treatment is often associated with high cardiac comorbidities and high compliance. Future research should assess how regular night monitoring may optimize devices settings and patient management

A crônica como ferramenta de debate cultural, machado de Assis e história de quinze dias

The present paper analyzes the political role of Machado de Assis from a function that occupied him for many years, but that has been relegated to a secondary role: the chronicler. Based on Bourdieu's concepts of literary field and symbolic power, it is argued that Machado de Assis positioned himself politically in order to promote a broad cultural policy, capable of building means and structures capable of developing the arts in the country. With this, he aimed at a broad population education. O presente artigo analisa o papel político de Machado de Assis a partir de uma função que lhe ocupou muitos anos, mas que tem sido relegada a papel secundário: o cronista. A partir dos conceitos de Bourdieu de campo literário e poder simbólico, argumenta-se que Machado de Assis posicionou-se politicamente no intuito de promover uma ampla política cultural, capaz de construir meios e estruturas capazes de desenvolver as artes no país. Objetivava com isso, uma ampla educação populacional

Risk assessment of a new bioinformatics evaluation of the insertion sites of genetically modified soybean event 40-3-2

Genetically modified (GM) soybean 40-3-2 expresses a 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase protein from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4 (CP4 EPSPS), which confers tolerance to glyphosate. This event was previously assessed by the GMO Panel as a single event and as part of a two-event stack and was found to be as safe as its conventional counterparts and other appropriate comparators with respect to potential effects on human and animal health and the environment. On September 2021, the European Commission requested EFSA to evaluate a new bioinformatics study which revealed predicted genomic deletions at the insertion sites using the available soybean reference genome. Considering the variability of the soybean genome, with a number of structural variants such as presence/absence variants and copy number variants including genic regions, as well as the fact that a number of genes are present only in particular varieties, the GMO Panel concludes that comparing only to the reference genome does not allow to conclude that the transformation event resulted in gene loss. In support of this, the transcriptomic analysis did not show major differences in gene expression when comparing the soybean 40-3-2 with the most closely related conventional variety, indicating that the genetic redundancy may compensate for the potential gene loss. Moreover, the composition, phenotypic and agronomic analyses already assessed by the GMO Panel in previous opinions did not show differences between soybean 40-3-2 and its comparators suggesting that the potential gene loss may not have a significant phenotypic effect in soybean 40-3-2. For these reasons, the EFSA GMO Panel concludes that the new information provided by the applicant on soybean 40-3-2 does not alter EFSA's previous conclusions

Statement on in vitro protein digestibility tests in allergenicity and protein safety assessment of genetically modified plants

This statement supplements and updates the GMO Panel guidance document on allergenicity of genetically modified (GM) plants published in 2017. In that guidance document, the GMO Panel considered that additional investigations on in vitro protein digestibility were needed before providing any additional recommendations in the form of guidance to applicants. Thus, an interim phase was proposed to assess the utility of an enhanced in vitro digestion test, as compared to the classical pepsin resistance test. Historically, resistance to degradation by pepsin using the classical pepsin resistance test has been considered as additional information, in a weight-of-evidence approach, for the assessment of allergenicity and toxicity of newly expressed proteins in GM plants. However, more recent evidence does not support this test as a good predictor of allergenic potential for hazard. Furthermore, there is a need for more reliable systems to predict the fate of the proteins in the gastrointestinal tract and how they interact with the relevant human cells. Nevertheless, the classical pepsin resistance test can still provide some information on the physicochemical properties of novel proteins relating to their stability under acidic conditions. But other methods can be used to obtain data on protein's structural and/or functional integrity. It is acknowledged that the classical pepsin resistance test is embedded into international guidelines, e.g. Codex Alimentarius and Regulation (EU) No 503/2013. For future development, a deeper understanding of protein digestion in the gastrointestinal tract could enable the framing of more robust strategies for the safety assessment of proteins. Given the high complexity of the digestion and absorption process of dietary proteins, it is needed to clarify and identify the aspects that could be relevant to assess potential risks of allergenicity and toxicity of proteins. To this end, a series of research questions to be addressed are also formulated in this statement

Assessment of genetically modified maize MON 88017 × MON 810 for renewal authorisation under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSA-GMO-RX-017)

Following the submission of application EFSA-GMO-RX-017 under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from Bayer Agriculture BVBA the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms of the European Food Safety Authority was asked to deliver a scientific risk assessment on the data submitted in the context of the renewal of authorisation application for the insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genetically modified maize MON 88017 × MON 810, for food and feed uses, excluding cultivation within the European Union. The data received in the context of this renewal application contained post-market environmental monitoring reports, a systematic search and evaluation of literature, and updated bioinformatic analysis. The GMO Panel assessed these data for possible new hazards, modified exposure or new scientific uncertainties identified during the authorisation period and not previously assessed in the context of the original application. Under the assumption that the DNA sequences of the events in maize MON 88017 × MON 810 considered for renewal are identical to the sequence of the originally assessed events, the GMO Panel concludes that there is no evidence in renewal application EFSA-GMO-RX-017 for new hazards, modified exposure or scientific uncertainties that would change the conclusions of the original risk assessment on maize MON 88017 × MON 810

Assessment of genetically modified cotton GHB614 for renewal authorisation under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSA–GMO–RX–018)

Following the submission of application EFSA–GMO–RX–018 under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from BASF Agricultural Solutions Seed US LLC, the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms of the European Food Safety Authority was asked to deliver a scientific risk assessment on the data submitted in the context of the renewal of authorisation application for the herbicide-tolerant genetically modified cotton GHB614, for food and feed uses, excluding cultivation within the European Union. The data received in the context of this renewal application contained post-market environmental monitoring reports, a systematic search and evaluation of literature, updated bioinformatic analyses, and additional documents or studies performed by or on behalf of the applicant. The GMO Panel assessed these data for possible new hazards, modified exposure or new scientific uncertainties identified during the authorisation period and not previously assessed in the context of the original application. The GMO Panel concludes that there is no evidence in renewal application EFSA–GMO–RX–018 for new hazards, modified exposure or scientific uncertainties that would change the conclusions of the original risk assessment on cotton GHB614