Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity

Many global environmental agendas, including halting biodiversity loss, reversing land degradation, and limiting climate change, depend upon retaining forests with high ecological integrity, yet the scale and degree of forest modification remain poorly quantified and mapped. By integrating data on observed and inferred human pressures and an index of lost connectivity, we generate a globally consistent, continuous index of forest condition as determined by the degree of anthropogenic modification. Globally, only 17.4 million km2 of forest (40.5%) has high landscape-level integrity (mostly found in Canada, Russia, the Amazon, Central Africa, and New Guinea) and only 27% of this area is found in nationally designated protected areas. Of the forest inside protected areas, only 56% has high landscape-level integrity. Ambitious policies that prioritize the retention of forest integrity, especially in the most intact areas, are now urgently needed alongside current efforts aimed at halting deforestation and restoring the integrity of forests globally.

Modification of forests by people means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity

Many global environmental agendas, including halting biodiversity loss, reversing land degradation, and limiting climate change, depend upon retaining forests with high ecological integrity, yet the scale and degree of forest modification remains poorly quantified and mapped. By integrating data on observed and inferred human pressures and an index of lost connectivity, we generate the first globally-consistent, continuous index of forest condition as determined by degree of anthropogenic modification. Globally, only 17.4 million km2 of forest (40.5%) have high landscape level integrity (mostly found in Canada, Russia, the Amazon, Central Africa and New Guinea) and only 27% of this area is found in nationally-designated protected areas. Of the forest in protected areas, only 56% has high landscape level integrity. Ambitious policies that prioritize the retention of forest integrity, especially in the most intact areas, are now urgently needed alongside current efforts aimed at halting deforestation and restoring the integrity of forests globally.

Contrasting drivers of diversification rates on islands and continents across three passerine families

Diversification rates vary greatly among taxa. Understanding how species-specific traits influence speciation rates will help elucidate mechanisms driving biodiversity over broad spatio-temporal scales. Ecological specialization and range size are two hypothesized drivers of speciation rates, yet each mechanism predicts both increases and decreases in speciation. We constructed a continuous index of specialization using avian bill morphology to determine the relative effect of specialization and range size and shape on speciation rates across 559 species within the Emberizoidea superfamily, a morphologically diverse New World clade. We found a significant positive correlation between specialization and speciation rate and a negative correlation with range size. Only the effect of specialization persisted after removing island endemics, however, suggesting that ecological specialization is an important driver of diversity across large macroevolutionary scales, and the relative importance of specific drivers may differ between islands and continents.

Screening and Identification of Antipyretic Components in the Postfrost Leaves of Morus alba Based on Multivariable and Continuous-Index Spectrum-Effect Correlation

The leaves of Morus alba (LMA) are crucial traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) of clearing heat. In ancient Chinese materia medica and the current Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, LMA are recorded to be harvested after frost for medicinal purpose. However, the reason and mechanism of this traditional usage have been still unknown so far. In this work, it was confirmed firstly that the antipyretic effect of LMA after frost was better than that of before frost significantly on feverish rats. Subsequently, the chemical profiles of LMA before and after frost were characterized by fingerprint, respectively. Then, the endemic peaks after frost and positive differential peaks were screened as the research object of spectrum-effect correlation by orthogonal signal correction partial least square discrimination (OPLS). Finally, a multivariable and continuous-index spectrum-effect correlation model coupled with OPLS was established. As a result, the antipyretic components of postfrost LMA were screened and identified as citric acid derivative and tryptophan which may be the synergistic material basis. The study can provide a scientific foundation for the enhancement of effects in the postfrost LMA. Moreover, the strategy of this research could provide a valuable reference for revealing the material basis of synergetic or antagonistic effects among other complex drug systems.

Variation and Evolution of Function-Valued Traits

Function-valued traits—phenotypes whose expression depends on a continuous index (such as age, temperature, or space)—occur throughout biology and, like any trait, it is important to understand how they vary and evolve. Although methods for analyzing variation and evolution of function-valued traits are well developed, they have been underutilized by evolutionists, especially those who study natural populations. We seek to summarize advances in the study of function-valued traits and to make their analyses more approachable and accessible to biologists who could benefit greatly from their use. To that end, we explain how curve thinking benefits conceptual understanding and statistical analysis of functional data. We provide a detailed guide to the most flexible and statistically powerful methods and include worked examples (with R code) as supplemental material. We review ways to characterize variation in function-valued traits and analyze consequences for evolution, including constraint. We also discuss how selection on function-valued traits can be estimated and combined with estimates of heritable variation to project evolutionary dynamics.

Cardiovascular health and cognitive function among Mexican older adults: cross-sectional results from the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health

ABSTRACTObjectives:To assess the association between cardiovascular health and cognitive function among Mexican older adults.Design:Nationally representative cross-sectional survey.Setting:Households in Mexico.Participants:Individuals aged 50 years and older (n= 1,492) from the Mexico-SAGE project Wave 1.Measurements:A continuous and a categorical index of cardiovascular health was calculated based on exercise, smoking, body mass index, and blood pressure ranging from 0 to 4. Cognitive function was obtained by averaging the standardized scores (zscores) of five psychometric tests. Associations were conducted using linear regression.Results:The continuous index of cardiovascular health was not associated with cognitive function. Using the categorical index, participants with the best levels of cardiovascular (score of 4) health performed better on global cognitive function than groups with lower cardiovascular health (scores of 0, 0.41SD; 1, 0.39SD; and 2, 0.56SD). The association was moderated by age, reaching significance only among those 50–64 years old.Conclusions:If longitudinal research confirms these findings, results would suggest that dementia-related policies in Mexico need to focus on achieving optimal levels of cardiovascular health, especially in midlife.

Simple dissociations for a higher-powered neuropsychology

Neuropsychological dissociations are often investigated at the level of the single-case, and formal criteria exist for the detection of dissociations, and their sub-classification into ‘classical’ and ‘strong’ types. These criteria require a patient to show a frank deficit on one task (for a classical dissociation) or both tasks (for a strong dissociation), and a significantly extreme difference between tasks. I propose that only the significant between-task difference is logically necessary, and that if this simple criterion is met, the patient should be said to show a dissociation. Using Monte Carlo simulations, I demonstrate that this simplification increases the power to detect dissociations across a range of practically-relevant conditions, whilst retaining excellent control over Type I error. Additional testing for frank deficits on the individual tasks provides further qualifying information, but using these outcomes to sub-classify dissociations as classical or strong may be too uncertain to guide theoretical inferences. I suggest that we should instead characterise the strength of the dissociation using a more continuous index, such as the effect size of the simple between-task difference.

Dipolar quantization and the infinite circumference limit of two-dimensional conformal field theories

Elaborating on our previous presentation, where the term dipolar quantization was introduced, we argue here that adopting [Formula: see text] as the Hamiltonian instead of [Formula: see text] yields an infinite circumference limit in two-dimensional conformal field theory. The new Hamiltonian leads to dipolar quantization instead of radial quantization. As a result, the new theory exhibits a continuous and strongly degenerated spectrum in addition to the Virasoro algebra with a continuous index. Its Hilbert space exhibits a different inner product than that obtained in the original theory. The idiosyncrasy of this particular Hamiltonian is its relation to the so-called sine-square deformation, which is found in the study of a certain class of quantum statistical systems. The appearance of the infinite circumference explains why the vacuum states of sine-square deformed systems are coincident with those of the respective closed-boundary systems.

Thermal Plasticity Index of Nanostructured N-Based Coatings on HSS 6-5-2 (1.3343) Tool Steel

Nowadays, cutting tools, designed to be used for machining without lubricants, are developed to improve the high working speed capabilities. With this respect, quaternary Ti-and N-based coatings are able to significant increase hardness, wear resistance and high temperature oxidation resistance. One of the major drawbacks still consists on the limited thermal stability of such coatings, which is reported to be about 600°C. In the present study, thermal stability studies of a nanostructured multi-layered N-based (AlTiCrxN1-x) coating on a HSS 6-5-2 tool steel were carried out. Two quantities were calculated out of the hardness and elastic modulus of the coatings. One is the ratio H/E that represents the coating resistance to compression without failure; another one is H3/E2, which provides information on the specific contact pressure limit without failure. It was found that, by using the less demanding thermal cycling mode, the coating ability to plastically deform without damage, is retained up to 800-1000°C. The highest, and more effective coating plasticity index was obtained by using the less demanding cycling mode, while, the other two modes induced a continuous index decrease with temperature.