Palau’s warmest reefs harbor a thermally tolerant coral lineage that thrives across different habitats

Ocean warming is killing corals, but heat-tolerant populations exist; if protected, they could replenish affected reefs naturally or through restoration. Palau’s Rock Islands experience chronically higher temperatures and extreme heatwaves, yet their diverse coral communities bleach less than those on Palau’s cooler outer reefs. Here, we combined genetic analyses, bleaching histories and growth rates of Porites cf. lobata colonies to identify thermally tolerant genotypes, map their distribution, and investigate potential growth trade-offs. We identified four P cf. lobata genetic lineages. On Palau’s outer reefs, a thermally sensitive lineage dominates. The Rock Islands harbor two lineages with enhanced thermal tolerance and no consistent growth trade-off. One of these lineages also occurs on several outer reefs. This suggests that the Rock Islands provide naturally tolerant larvae to neighboring areas. Finding and protecting such sources of thermally-tolerant corals is key to reef survival under 21st century climate change.

Designing Disease-Specific mHealth Apps for Clinical Value

mHealth apps for patient use are promising but continue to face a plateau in usage. Current apps work for a limited segment of the patient population, i.e., those who enjoy tracking for intrinsic rewards. There are many opportunities to support patient care in between health care provider visits that are not currently being met for many diseases and patient types (personas). This is an area of great potential growth for mHealth apps and could contribute greatly to patient health and wellness. In this chapter, we propose a framework for how to think about the between-visit needs of patients that would motivate continued use of mhealth apps. We view the app design process from the following perspectives: 1) disease-specific needs, 2) non-disease specific needs, 3) behavioral theoretical aspects of app usage and 4) app-intrinsic usage motivators. Myasthenia gravis serves as the use case for illustrating these perspectives and how to use them in designing a disease-specific mHealth app.

Living in a bottle: Bacteria from sediment-associated Mediterranean waste and potential growth on polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Ocean pollution is a worldwide environmental challenge that could be partially tackled through microbial applications. To shed light on the diversity and applications of the bacterial communities that inhabit the sediments trapped in artificial containers, we analyzed residues (Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and aluminum cans) collected from the Mediterranean Sea by scanning electron microscopy and Next Generation Sequencing. Moreover, we set a collection of culturable bacteria from the plastisphere that were screened for their ability to use PET as a carbon source. Our results reveal that Proteobacteria are the predominant phylum in all the samples and that Rhodobacteraceae, Woeseia, Actinomarinales, or Vibrio are also abundant in these residues. Moreover, we identified marine isolates with enhanced growth in the presence of PET: Aquimarina intermedia, Citricoccus spp., and Micrococcus spp. Our results suggest that the marine environment is a source of biotechnologically promising bacterial isolates that may use PET or PET additives as carbon sources.

Disciplinary differences in the study of the relationship between social variables and mental health: A systematic mapping review

There has been sustained interest in the intersection between social constructs and mental health from diverse disciplines including psychiatry, sociology and public health. However, no systematic attempt has been made to catalogue what is meant by ‘social’ by different researchers, how variables deemed ‘social’ constructs are linked to mental health, nor whether these patterns differ by academic discipline. Understanding interdisciplinary differences and commonalities may reveal opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance our understanding of how social factors relate to mental health. This article presents a prospectively registered systematic map of social approaches to mental health using an innovative synthesis methodology (coding all sentences from a random selection of N = 287 articles). Results indicated that although approaches are diverse, disciplinary overlap is substantial. Psychology and psychiatry led articles tend to focus on social skills or emotions as features of mental (ill-)health, while public health and social sciences led articles tend to focus on social relationships, status or context as determinants of mental (ill-)health. Medicine led articles were most likely to focus on social outcomes of mental (ill-)health. Potential growth areas are noted, particularly the relative dearth of intervention research drawing upon social approaches. The findings are discussed with a view towards enabling more effective interdisciplinary collaboration.

Barriers and potential solutions for MSMEs in developing economies: Evidence from India

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have emerged as an accelerator of economic growth with a sizeable contribution in job creation, innovation development, and reduction of regional disparities in most world economies. This paper investigates the influence of external and internal factors affecting the growth of MSMEs in poor-performing Bihar state, India. The objective of the study is to identify the major deep-rooted causes for the inability of MSMEs to compete in developing states and identify potential solutions. The study is based on an empirical database; it tested various dimensions of MSMEs barriers in their potential growth. The target group included MSMEs of Bihar state, India, using a sample of 450 entrepreneurs. The paper adopted a multistage stage sampling and multivariate analysis technique. The results showed that there are twelve major potential barriers, both endogenous and exogenous, faced by MSMEs, such as availability of raw materials, financial issues, labor force challenges, technology inefficiency, power/electricity scarcity, poor marketing, competition, knowledge-related challenges, government and administration problems, infrastructure inefficiency, etc. The findings show that these barriers affect the promotion and growth of MSMEs in developing regions. In future, it is suggested to focus on the implementation of good governance that helps to remove effectively the major barriers of MSMEs in underdeveloped states, such as Bihar, India.

Modest sexual size dimorphism and allometric growth: a study based on growth and gonad development in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae)

ABSTRACT Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a notable phenomenon in terrestrial animals, and it is correlated with unusual morphological traits. To date, the underlying sex-specific growth strategies throughout the ontogenetic stage of spiders are poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively investigated how the growth trajectories and gonad development shaped SSD in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae). We also hypothesized the potential growth allometry among the carapace, abdomen, and gonads of spiders in both sexes. By measuring the size of the carapace and abdomen, investigating developmental duration and growth rate, describing the gonadal sections, and calculating the area of gonads at all instars from hatching to maturity, we demonstrated that SSD results from sex-specific growth strategies. Our results indicated that the growth and developmental differences between both sexes appeared at early life stages, and there was allometric growth in the carapace, abdomen, and gonads between males and females.

Isolation of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst. From the Wild in Lagos through Tissue Culture Techniques and Cultivation on Sawdust of Six Nigerian Hardwoods

Cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst, a medicinal mushroom known for antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities is not practiced in Nigeria. Tree species used for cultivation in Asia, America and Europe are not available in Nigeria. The present study investigated indigenous hardwoods and their supplementation with rice and wheat bran as substrates for its cultivation. Six hardwoods (Mansonia altissima (A Chev.) A Chev., Avecennia germinans (L.) L, Lophira alata Banks ex Gaertn., Triplochiton scleoxylon K. Schum, Uapaca guineensis Mull. Arg, Nauclea diderrichii (De Wild. & Th. Dur.) Merrill) were investigated as potential growth substrates and potentially improve biological efficiency. The mushroom was collected from the wild and identification confirmed by amplifying the ribosomal DNA-ITS fragment with ITS1 and ITS4 primers. Tissue culture of the mushroom collected from the wild was initiated successfully with modified malt extract agar and grain spawn developed from it. The substrates were incubated after inoculation with grain spawn at room temperature for 30-60 days. Substrates were given cold treatment for 7days to induce fructification which was achieved with 9-10h/day regime and daily watering. There was full mycelial ramification of all substrates by the mushroom. Fruit bodies were harvested from all substrates but Lophira alata. The highest yield (308.76±5.81g/kg) was recorded with Mansonia altissima (Biological Efficiency-31.42±4.55%) and the least yield (31.45±5.44g/kg) was recorded in Nauclea diderrichii (B.E- 5.25±0.58%). The substrates with wheat bran performed significantly better than rice bran supplemented substrates. Commercial cultivation of native G. lucidum in Nigeria is possible with local agricultural wastes.

COVID-crisis and economic growth: Tendencies on potential growth in the European Union

The main objective of this paper is to identify the impacts of the COVID-crisis on growth, in particular on growth potential in the European Union (EU), in the context of a broader growth analysis. The quantitative analysis underlying this paper focuses on the financial and economic (“Great”) recession of 2008–2009, the subsequent recovery and the period of the COVID-crisis. We provide a detailed overview of some of the mechanisms of the COVID-crisis on growth. The COVID-crisis is likely to have a direct impact on the level of potential output. A decrease in investments and labour market hysteresis may have long-lasting effects on potential growth. The former would have a negative impact on productivity. This can lead to increased inequalities and have a negative effect on social cohesion. The future development of divergences among the EU Member States is particularly important. Their possible intensification could disrupt the functioning of the euro area and the internal market. A lasting source of potential growth in the EU Member States could be productivity growth. Its decisive structural factor is the growth dynamism of total factor productivity (TFP). There are large differences in this area with regard to the level and growth dynamism of performance of the Member States. Narrowing the output gaps vis-à-vis the front-runners through deep structural reforms could be a key factor in raising growth potential. The cleansing effects of crises, which force structural change and resource reallocation, can also create new opportunities for TFP growth.

Isolation of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst. From the Wild in Lagos through Tissue Culture Techniques and Cultivation on Sawdust of Six Nigerian Hardwoods

Cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst, a medicinal mushroom known for antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities is not practiced in Nigeria. Tree species used for cultivation in Asia, America and Europe are not available in Nigeria. The present study investigated indigenous hardwoods and their supplementation with rice and wheat bran as substrates for its cultivation. Six hardwoods (Mansonia altissima (A Chev.) A Chev., Avecennia germinans (L.) L, Lophira alata Banks ex Gaertn., Triplochiton scleoxylon K. Schum, Uapaca guineensis Mull. Arg, Nauclea diderrichii (De Wild. & Th. Dur.) Merrill) were investigated as potential growth substrates and potentially improve biological efficiency. The mushroom was collected from the wild and identification confirmed by amplifying the ribosomal DNA-ITS fragment with ITS1 and ITS4 primers. Tissue culture of the mushroom collected from the wild was initiated successfully with modified malt extract agar and grain spawn developed from it. The substrates were incubated after inoculation with grain spawn at room temperature for 30-60 days. Substrates were given cold treatment for 7days to induce fructification which was achieved with 9-10h/day regime and daily watering. There was full mycelial ramification of all substrates by the mushroom. Fruit bodies were harvested from all substrates but Lophira alata. The highest yield (308.76±5.81g/kg) was recorded with Mansonia altissima (Biological Efficiency-31.42±4.55%) and the least yield (31.45±5.44g/kg) was recorded in Nauclea diderrichii (B.E- 5.25±0.58%). The substrates with wheat bran performed significantly better than rice bran supplemented substrates. Commercial cultivation of native G. lucidum in Nigeria is possible with local agricultural wastes.