Community connectivity and local heterogeneity explain animal species co-occurrences within pond communities.

Metacommunity processes have the potential to determine most features of the community structure. However, species diversity has been the dominant focus of studies. Nestedness, modularity and checkerboard distribution of species occurrences are main components of biodiversity organisation. Within communities, these patterns emerge from the interaction between functional diversity, spatial heterogeneity and resource availability. Additionally, the connectivity determines the pool of species for community assembly and, eventually, the pattern of species co-occurrence within communities. Despite the recognised theoretical expectations, the change in occurrence patterns within communities along ecological gradients has seldom been considered. Here, we analyse the spatial occurrence of animal species along sampling units within 18 temporary ponds and its relationship with pond environments and geographic isolation. Isolated ponds presented a nested organisation of species with low spatial segregation-modularity and checkerboard-and the opposite was found for communities with high connectivity. A pattern putatively explained by high functional diversity in ponds with large connectivity and heterogeneity, which determines that species composition tracks changes in microhabitats. On the contrary, nestedness is promoted in dispersal-limited communities with low functional diversity, where microhabitat filters mainly affect richness without spatial replacement between functional groups. Vegetation biomass promotes nestedness, probably due to the observed increase in spatial variance in biomass with the mean biomass. Similarly, the richness of vegetation reduced the spatial segregation of animals within communities. This result may be due to the high plant diversity of the pond that is observed similarly along all sampling units, which promotes the spatial co-occurrence of species at this scale. In the study system, the spatial arrangement of species within communities is related to local drivers as heterogeneity and metacommunity processes by means of dispersal between communities. Patterns of species co-occurrence are interrelated with community biodiversity and species interactions, and consequently with most functional and structural properties of communities. These results indicate that understanding the interplay between metacommunity processes and co-occurrence patterns is probably more important than previously thought to understand biodiversity assembly and functioning.

Los procesos metacomunitarios tienen el potencial de determinar la mayoría de las características de la estructura de las comunidades. Sin embargo, los trabajos se han enfocado principalmente en los patrones de diversidad de especies. El anidamiento, la modularidad y la distribución en damero de la ocurrencia espacial de las especies son propiedades básicas de las comunidades. Estos patrones surgen de la interacción entre la diversidad funcional, la heterogeneidad espacial y la disponibilidad de recursos dentro de las comunidades. Además, el pool de especies disponibles para el ensamblaje está determinado por la conectividad de la comunidad, afectando así su patrón de co­ocurrencia de especies. A pesar de las reconocidas expectativas teóricas, el cambio en los patrones de ocurrencia dentro de las comunidades a lo largo de gradientes ecológicos ha sido poco considerado. Aquí, analizamos la ocurrencia espacial de especies animales dentro de 18 charcos temporales y su relación con las características ambientales y el aislamiento geográfico de los charcos. Los charcos aislados presentaron alto anidamiento espacial mientras que los charcos de alta conectividad una distribución de ocurrencias modular y en damero. Por un lado, la baja diversidad funcional en charcos aislados, determinaría que los filtros microambientales afecten la riqueza de especies sin reemplazo espacial entre grupos funcionales, promoviendo un arreglo anidado de ocurrencias. Por otro lado, la alta diversidad funcional en charcos con alta conectividad y heterogeneidad permitiría el reemplazo espacial de especies en gradientes microambientales, determinando los patrones de segregación observados. La biomasa vegetal promueve el anidamiento, probablemente debido al aumento observado en la variación espacial de la biomasa con la biomasa media. La riqueza vegetal también redujo la segregación espacial de los animales dentro de las comunidades. Este resultado puede deberse a que la alta diversidad de plantas de los charcos es también observada a nivel de unidades muestreales, favoreciendo esto la coexistencia espacial de especies. El arreglo espacial de especies dentro de las comunidades estudiadas estaría determinado tanto por factores locales como la heterogeneidad, como por procesos regionales operando a través de la dispersión de individuos entre comunidades. Los patrones de co­ocurrencia de especies están interrelacionados con la diversidad comunitaria y las interacciones bióticas, y consecuentemente con la mayoría de las propiedades estructurales y funcionales de las comunidades. Este estudio evidencia la importancia de la conexión entre procesos metacomunitarios y la co­ocurrencia espacial de especies para comprender el ensamblaje y funcionamiento de la biodiversidad.

Spatiotemporal drivers of urban water pollution: Assessment of 102 cities across the Yangtze River Basin.

Effective management of large basins necessitates pinpointing the spatial and temporal drivers of primary index exceedances and urban risk factors, offering crucial insights for basin administrators. Yet, comprehensive examinations of multiple pollutants within the Yangtze River Basin remain scarce. Here we introduce a pollution inventory for urban clusters surrounding the Yangtze River Basin, analyzing water quality data from 102 cities during 2018-2019. We assessed the exceedance rates for six pivotal indicators: dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total phosphorus (TP), and the permanganate index (CODMn) for each city. Employing random forest regression and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analyses, we identified the spatiotemporal factors influencing these key indicators. Our results highlight agricultural activities as the primary contributors to the exceedance of all six indicators, thus pinpointing them as the leading pollution source in the basin. Additionally, forest coverage, livestock farming, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, along with meteorological elements like precipitation and temperature, significantly impacted various indicators' exceedances. Furthermore, we delineate five core urban risk components through principal component analysis, which are (1) anthropogenic and industrial activities, (2) agricultural practices and forest extent, (3) climatic variables, (4) livestock rearing, and (5) principal polluting sectors. The cities were subsequently evaluated and categorized based on these risk components, incorporating policy interventions and administrative performance within each region. The comprehensive analysis advocates for a customized strategy in addressing the discerned risk factors, especially for cities presenting elevated risk levels.

Anxiety, resilience and local conditions: A cross-cultural investigation in the time of Covid-19.

The spread of Covid-19 is a worldwide phenomenon, unprecedented in modern times. Differences among countries in such matters are of interest as they provide a unique window to understand human behaviour and culture. The aim of this study is to examine cross-cultural differences in state anxiety, and any moderating role of resilience and social contact. Participants from three countries were recruited: Ireland (n = 449), Italy (n = 324) and Spain (n = 471). While these countries share many characteristics, it was anticipated that their experiences might differ because of pronounced differences in governmental measures and the local severity and history of the pandemic at the time of data collection. Results indicated that: (a) Resilience was negatively related to state anxiety both bivariately and multivariately; (b) number of hours outside per week did not predict state anxiety but was negatively correlated with fear of contagious diseases in the essential workers from the Irish sample; (c) national measures had a moderating role in the relationship between resilience and state anxiety; and (d) social contact, in terms of numbers of written, audio or visual interactions, was not a statistically significant predictor of state anxiety. These results may help to understand the adverse impact on mental health.

Local risk indicators - Consensus report of working group 2.

In implant dentistry, plaque control and oral hygiene practices are essential to limit the risk of complication and failure in the long term. All conditions around an implant in function that influence the load and pathogenicity of the microbiota are considered local risk indicators. They concern the prosthetic suprastructure design and the possibility for the patient to easily access each implant for plaque removal. Use of cemented prostheses should be limited to avoid excess cement acting as a foreign body and leading to peri-implant disease. The crown margins should be supramucosal, and the connection should be precise to avoid a gap between the implant and the suprastructure. Every implant system is characterised by a specific design, surface texture and connection type. These features may influence peri-implantitis development and progression, and the clinician should consider the risk of infection when selecting an implant. The soft-tissue conditions around the implant, the width of keratinised mucosa, and the phenotype and thickness of the mucosa are also considered major risk indicators, as the presence of any mucosal defect around an implant can increase plaque accumulation and result in tissue inflammation. The pathogenicity of the microbiota around an implant is primarily dependent on pocket depth. Deep pockets around implants should be avoided and, if present, closely monitored and/or reduced. Proximity to natural teeth presenting endodontic and/or periodontal lesions may result in implant contamination, but the influence of the type of edentulism on perio-pathogen presence is still unclear. These local conditions around an implant have a clear influence on peri-implant diseases development and progression, but there is still only limited evidence regarding their role as true risk indicators.

Internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Accordance with Local Conditions in The Context of "Belt and Road" / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important part of the overall strategy of "Belt and Road",special resources and national advantages.In the face of the "Belt and Road" strategy to the internationalization of Chinese medicine brought an excellent opportunity.This paper proposed the important TCM treatment principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment "according to local conditions",which can be applied to the internationalization construction of TCM.It put forward the implementation of recommendations to create a full range of Chinese medicine open pattern.

Discussion on “NorthwestQi should be scattered and cooled” in theHuangdineijing / 国际中医中药杂志

“NorthwestQishould be scattered and cooled” is the earliest recapitulation of adjust measures to local conditions. This paper elaborated its theory and practice, so as to remind our modern doctors pay more attention to disease prevention and treatment in different geographical environments, not only improve and develop its theory, but also innovate its use,by deepening the understanding of diagnosis and treatment. In addition, it is very important that modern doctors should be responded flexibly to more and more complicated changes in the environment.

Algunos factores relacionados con el rendimiento académico en el examen estatal de los residentes cubanos de Medicina General Integral / Some factors related ti the academic performance in the final board exam of the Cuban resident physicians in the General Family Medicine

Se realizó un estudio investigativo en el campo de la educación de posgrado, con el objetivo de caracterizar algunos factores relacionados con el rendimiento académico de los residentes cubanos de la especialidad Medicina General Integral en el examen estatal, atendiendo a su autopreparación y condicionantes locales del proceso de formación posgraduada en el Estado Miranda, Venezuela, durante el curso 2005-2006 para lo cual se emplearon métodos teóricos y empíricos de investigación. Se diseñó una encuesta y una entrevista a expertos. La encuesta fue dirigida a la totalidad de los médicos cubanos residentes que se presentaron a examen estatal en ese periodo, que sumaron un total de 28, con el propósito de indagar sobre: calificación obtenida en examen estatal, autopreparación, bibliografía, así como también elementos referidos a: organización y estructuración del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje. Fueron identificados como factores, la deficiente autopreparación del residente, insuficiente tiempo de preparación para el examen, insuficiente bibliografía, la falta de interconsultas y rotaciones hospitalarias. Los expertos relacionaron la deficiente preparación de los residentes con la insuficiente bibliografía, la sobrecarga asistencial y el medio social quienes a sus juicios limitaron en el tiempo de preparación para el examen.

A research study was conducted in the field of graduate education to characterize some of the factors related to the academic performance of Cuban general family medicine residents in the final board exam, taking into account their self-preparation and the local conditions of the graduate formative process in the Miranda state, Venezuela in the 2005-2006 academic years. To this end, theoretical and empirical methods were used together with the design of an expert-tailored interview and survey. The survey was administered to the 28 Cuban residents who attended the board exam in that period in order to find out the marks in the exam, their self-preparation, the consulted literature and the organization and structuring of the teaching-learning process. The identified factors were poor self-preparation of the residents, not enough time to prepare themselves for the exam, lacking literature, and lack of interconsultations and clinical rotations in hospitals. The experts associated the poor preparation of the residents for the exam with lacking literature, the work overload and the social setting conditions, and according to their criteria, these elements restricted the time spent in preparing for the exam.