Baird Institute

Coral reefs biodiversity and productivity are currently in decline due to the impacts of human activities, especially those associated with chemical pollutants, including metals. In this context, iron (Fe) contamination of coastal waters associated with land runoff and disasters associated with mining activities has drawn attention around the globe, especially in the Southern Atlantic coast. Fe is an essential metal involved in photosynthesis, respiration, and oxidative metabolism, which can thus influence parameters associated with photosynthesis and the activity of ATPases. Therefore, we evaluated the acute and chronic effects of Fe on the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II and carbonic anhydrase and Ca2+-ATPase activities in three corals species: Mussismilia harttii, Siderastrea sp., and Millepora alcicornis. Corals were maintained in control condition (no Fe addition in seawater) and acutely (4 days—laboratory conditions) or chronically (up to 28 days—mesocosm conditions) exposed to different increments of Fe (0.1, 0.3, and 0.9 mg L−1) in seawater. The tested concentrations were selected based on the range of total and dissolved Fe concentrations observed in seawater in reef environments of the South Atlantic Ocean after the collapse of the Fundão mine dam occurred in Mariana (state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil) in 2015. In the acute and chronic experiments, three and four replicates were performed for each experimental condition, respectively. In the acute exposure, all biological parameters were measured after 4 days of exposure. In the chronic exposure, the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II was measured at 5, 10, 17, and 24 days of exposure while enzyme activities were analyzed at 14 and 28 days of exposure. Results indicated that the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II was decreased by 20.5% (p < 0.05) in Mi. alcicornis exposed for 17 days to 0.1 mg L−1 Fe, when compared to the control condition at the same experimental time. Along the experimental time, it was decreased (p < 0.05) by 19.8% and 20.9% in Mu. harttii exposed for 24 days to 0.3 and 0.9 mg L−1 Fe, respectively. In Mu. harttii, carbonic anhydrase activity was reduced by 31.7% after acute exposure of corals to 0.3 mg L−1 Fe and increased by 102.4% when they were exposed to 0.9 mg L−1 Fe. Also, carbonic anhydrase activity was reduced (p < 0.05) by 62.1% and 54.5% in Mi. alcicornis exposed for 14 days to 0.3 and 0.9 mg L−1 Fe, respectively. After 28 days of Fe exposure, no significant change is CA activity was observed in the three species of corals. Furthermore, Ca2+-ATPase activity of the three coral species was not altered by the Fe increments in seawater, regardless of the exposure time. Overall, our findings indicates that exposure to increments of Fe in seawater influenced the health- (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II) and growth-related (carbonic anhydrase activity) biomarkers evaluated. The observed effects were specific to the three coral species tested and highlight the need to test the impacts of the seawater contamination with Fe over longer exposure periods than those tested in the present study.

Myocardial infarction (MI) contributes to significant morbidity and mortality globally. Platelet derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB) is potentially a novel translational therapeutic for improving cardiac function post-MI, which we assess here using a 60 day porcine left anterior descending artery occlusion ischemia-reperfusion model. MI was induced in 10 female Landrace swine, with 5 controls, 5 receiving PDGF-AB treatment and 2 additional shams. PDGF-AB improved left ventricular ejection fraction 58 days after MI, without affecting overall infarct scar size, as shown using serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Preserved infarct zone microvascular function and increased vessel maturity was also observed. Multi-omic analyses showed that PDGF-AB treatment altered the expression of proteins, metabolites, and lipids that are known to be involved in myocardial energetics and redox balance. Novel therapeutics such as PDGF-AB may lead to more sustained salvage of cardiac function by modulating the post-MI microvasculature, myocardium and extracellular matrix.

Temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS), including veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and micro-axial pumps (Impella), is increasingly used in clinical practice for refractory circulatory failure. Complex physiological responses to each technique or their combination (ECPELLA) remain debated and are often specific to cardiovascular pathology. A paucity of data on physiological responses to MCS in normal subjects makes comprehensive understanding of such responses in variable disease states difficult, as well as during weaning MCS in recovering hearts. This translational investigation compared three MCS techniques with variable pump flows in healthy sheep (n = 7) to establish baseline for future studies in cardiomyopathic models. All MCS techniques increased arterial elastance, but reduced LV myocardial work, coronary arterial flow and LV myocardial oxygen consumption. ECPELLA was more effective in increasing total systemic blood flow and MAP. The overall similarity between the MCS techniques suggests that the more invasive and complex combination of devices (ECPELLA) can only be justified for management of the severe failing heart as the means for decompressing LV. A study investigating the comparative impacts of different regimes and MCS techniques in a cardiomyopathic model is warranted.

In this paper, we have construct a new version of the Bézier‐type Baskakov–Schurer–Szász–Stancu operators. For this new class of operators, uniform convergence is shown in any compact subset or positive real line. We prove Korovkin‐type theorem, Voronovskaya‐type theorem, and Grüss–Voronovskaya‐type theorem. Moreover, at the end, we express the behavior of the operators in the Lipschitz‐type space using the modulus of continuity and smoothness.

Citrus orchards in northeastern Brazil are mostly rainfed and comprised basically of ‘Pera CNPMF D-6’ sweet orange budded on ‘Rangpur’ lime, for the drought tolerance and productivity imparted by this rootstock. Therefore, the selection of new varieties is needed to broaden the genetic basis of citrus cultivated in this region. Accordingly, this study compared vegetative, productive, and fruit quality traits of eight sweet orange scions grafted on ‘Rangpur’ lime over eleven years under the tropical rainfed conditions of northeastern Brazil. ‘Kona’ trees excelled in yield performance associated with bulk canopy, precocity, sweet fruit with intermediate acidity, and high vitamin C contents in spite of proneness to alternate yields and low ratio (maturity index). ‘Valencia Montemorelos’ and ‘Rubi’ trees, in turn, had high yield performances coupled with intermediate canopies, sweet fruit, intermediate acidity (‘Rubi’) and vitamin C contents, low propensity for yield fluctuation (‘Valencia Montemorelos’), and high precocity (‘Rubi’), albeit low ratio. Overall, our results emphasize ‘Kona,’ ‘Valencia Montemorelos,’ and ‘Rubi’ as superior sweet orange varieties for diversification of tropical rainfed orchards for their outstanding yield performance and good fruit quality.

Shark Bay Marine Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Property located in a region of marginal tropical cyclone influence. Sustainable management of this unique environment as the climate changes requires a quantified understanding of its vulnerability to natural hazards. Here, we outline a structured analysis of novel historical archive information that has uncovered reports of an extreme storm surge associated with a Tropical Cyclone in 1921 that generated remarkable overland flow which left fish and sharks stranded up to 9.66 km (6 miles) inland. Weighted information from historical archives is placed in a new framework and provide inputs to modelling of this event which improves the understanding of its magnitude and furnishes records of the impacts of what occurred on that day and notably also in the years following. The suite of plausible tracks that reproduce the historical data contextualise the storm as a marginal Category 4 or 5 storm and its return interval as equivalent or slightly greater than the current local planning level for coastal flooding in the region. The outcome underscores the global importance of examining the probable maximum event for risk management in areas of marginal cyclone influence where vulnerable ecosystems or vital regional infrastructure of key economic importance are located, and the need to factor in TC risk in marine conservation and planning in the Shark Bay World Heritage Property.

This study compares a dielectric substrate filtration to a dual band passes filter that is built for less loss. The design put forward in this study is based on the two-band frequency response, which is made up of a thin substrate made of Rogers University technology malaysia 10 material that is 1.6 millimeters wide and has a straightforward rectangular frame. Simulation as well as experimental findings show that the dual-band band - pass reflection coefficient is reduced to -16.0dB and -24.5dB at 4.0 and 5.0GHz. Its dual band was created using Ansoft HFSS v 14.0 application, and also its effectiveness was assessed. The findings indicate that the design produces desired outcomes with decreased reflection coefficient and the relevance p=0.05 predicated on a separate sample t test. The primary subject of this study is the development and advancement of the two-band passband for WIMAX purposes. The simulation results demonstrate a considerable reduction in the reflection coefficient associated with a dual high pass filter.

Iatrogenic aortic dissection (IAD) is a rare but devastating complication in cardiac surgery and related procedures. Due to its rarity, published data on emergency surgery following IAD are limited. Herein, we discuss IAD occurring intra- and postoperatively, including those occurring during transcatheter aortic valve replacement and cardiac catheterization, and present benchmark data from our consecutive, single-center experience. We demonstrate changes in patient characteristics, surgical approaches, and outcomes over a 23-year period.