Search Results (108)

Nucleosome assembly protein 1 (NAP1) is highly conserved across eukaryotes, yet its biochemical function, particularly its proposed role as a histone chaperone, remains unresolved. Dinoflagellates, including Karenia brevis (Kb) and Crypthecodinium cohnii (Cc), lack architectural nucleosomes and express core histones at unusually low levels, yet retain abundant NAP1 transcripts encoding two to three distinct homologs. Confocal immunolocalization of K. brevis showed strong nuclear signals for both homologs, between chromosomes and at the nucleolus, with higher nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratios in G₂ than in G₁ (the two gap phases of the cell cycle); labeling at chromosome-territory margins and at the nuclear cortex is consistent with an association with the telomeric nucleosomes anchored to the nuclear envelope. Recombinant KbNAP1Bp reproduced the canonical yeast NAP1 fold, recovered H2A-immunoreactive material in immunoprecipitation, and preferentially retarded larger DNA fragments in gel mobility assays, whereas KbNAP1Ap did none of these under the conditions tested. In C. cohnii, the anti-NAP1-reactive protein peaked at S–G₂, and exposure to a CcNAP1.1-antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) was associated with an S–G₂ delay. These findings uncouple NAP1 abundance from the availability of a canonical nucleosomal substrate and suggest evolutionary repurposing toward non-nucleosomal roles in chromosome-territory organization. They help define the minimal functional core of this conserved chaperone family and caution against treating NAP1 abundance as a proxy for nucleosome assembly activity. Full article

Watersheds and coastal ecosystems are connected through hydrological, geological, ecological and social processes. In Chile, this land–sea continuum is exposed to earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, droughts, wildfires, volcanic activity and mass movements, while territorial inequalities shape the institutional capacity to prevent, prepare for and recover from socionatural disasters. This article examines whether the regional distribution of disaster events, administrative alerts, managed resources and disaster-related training in educational establishments suggests coherence or mismatch in preventive capacity-building. A quantitative, descriptive and inferential design was applied using secondary aggregate data from EM-DAT and SENAPRED for Chilean regions. Non-parametric analyses were used because variables did not follow normal distributions. Results show that central–southern regions, especially Maule, Biobío and Araucanía, experience high disaster recurrence and human impact, while the association between alerts and trained establishments remains weak (Spearman’s rho = 0.12), as does the association between alerts and managed resources (rho = 0.17). The study argues that unequal preventive capacity-building can weaken integrated watershed and coastal conservation because risk governance, biodiversity protection and ecosystem-based management depend on territorially differentiated institutional capacities. Prevention should therefore move from formally homogeneous coverage toward substantive territorial equity. Full article

Retrieval grounding is crucial for high-stakes administrative applications, since large language models remain prone to hallucinations when addressing legal questions. This problem is particularly relevant in Moroccan territorial governance, where official legislative PDFs have highly heterogeneous digital quality, user interactions often occur in Moroccan Darija, and the legal corpus is bilingual Arabic–French. This paper presents CollectivIA, a multilingual Retrieval-Augmented Generation system implemented for Moroccan territorial governance law. The system supports queries in French, Arabic, and Moroccan Darija and indexes 2272 article-level segments from sixteen official legislative documents. We compare two end-to-end retrieval pipelines: an LLM-assisted semantic chunking architecture using Gemini and ChromaDB and a regex-based chunking architecture using FAISS. Based on an expanded multilingual benchmark of 150 legal queries, with 50 queries per language group, the LLM-assisted pipeline achieved higher RAGAS scores than the regex-based pipeline, particularly improving Context Precision from 0.315 to 0.818. The multimodal Vision fallback successfully recovered 456 articles, which remained inaccessible under the regex-based pipeline. Overall, the LLM-assisted pipeline yielded legal boundaries with greater coherence and retrieved contexts with higher focus, while the regex-based design maintained a broader source diversity. These results suggest that LLM-assisted semantic chunking with multimodal fallback is a promising approach to enhance multilingual legal RAG over heterogeneous Moroccan legal corpora. Full article

Governments invest much effort trying to control food markets as well as to protect consumer rights, but resource limitations and the complexity of the scenario make it a challenging task. To overcome this, the use of Citizen Science could potentially be a powerful tool to fight against food fraud. We have researched this through the assessment of mislabeling for squids of Loligo genus, one of the most appreciated and consumed foods in Spain and Europe, with a big information gap regarding their mislabeling status. We involved volunteers to collect squid samples at Spanish restaurants, genetically identifying them later. Thanks to participants, sampling was highly successful, with 93.55% of the samples recovered and very similar mislabeling values being found whether samples were collected by experts or volunteers. Citizen Science provided high territorial coverage (82% of Spanish autonomous communities) to gain a comprehensive view of Loligo mislabeling in Spanish restaurants, its magnitude (91.59%) and consumer preferences, demonstrating a huge potential of the use of Citizen Science in traceability studies. Interestingly, mislabeling was equally present in both sandwiches and plates, was higher in inland localities than on the coast, and was higher in cheaper products. Participants reported a greater understanding of the concept of mislabeling after their participation and expressed high interest in their involvement in scientific projects in the future. They also emphasized the importance of fostering a close relationship between science and society. Full article

In response to worsening environmental challenges, ensuring the continuity of energy services during extreme weather events has become increasingly urgent. A proactive and coordinated approach is therefore required, encouraging cooperation among stakeholders to share knowledge, provide training, and adopt common strategies. Such an approach is intended to mitigate both direct and indirect impacts of power outages on territorial systems, while enhancing their ability to manage and promptly recover from disruptions, thereby reinforcing the protection and resilience of the energy sector infrastructures. Based on the experience gained with the Lombardia Region (Northern Italy), operational recommendations are proposed to strengthen territorial resilience and reduce power network vulnerabilities to weather-related power outages. These recommendations are elaborated in accordance with the current European and national regulatory frameworks on the topic and account for emerging exposure and vulnerability factors in Lombardia by explicitly addressing differences between mountain and plain areas. They provide local authorities with coordinated planning tools to manage blackout risks across all disaster phases, supporting risk prevention and preparedness, facilitating emergency management, and enabling the rapid restoration of normal conditions in territories potentially exposed and vulnerable to electrical blackouts. Full article

Extreme climate events in Australia are increasing. Since 2019, fires and floods have devastated all states and territories in Australia, leading to a reckoning via several government inquiries, including a Royal Commission, on how governments, emergency services, communities, and individuals prepare for, respond to, and recover from such catastrophic events. It also raises the question of how the media reports and reacts to these events; in Australia, the national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), has taken on the role of emergency broadcaster. This paper employs a cross-sectional design to examine how media practitioners from ABC Canberra navigate their role as emergency broadcasters, how they prepare for and respond to emergencies, and how they interact with the community during those events. This examination includes reflections and memories from a series of interviews we conducted with these practitioners about the catastrophic bushfires in 2019/2020 in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) region. Using this design and a Bourdieusian lens, the study examined the practices of media practitioners during a catastrophic emergency and their perceptions of preparedness for future disasters. We examined how training (cultural capital), networks (social capital), online expertise (digital capital), and experience (habitus) contribute to preparedness in emergency broadcasting. The study has both a theoretical and practical contribution: theoretically, it expands Bourdieu’s cultural production model by applying it to a form of broadcasting that has not been examined in this way; practically, it contributes to our understanding of media practitioners and how they practice during emergency broadcasting. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Chile are profoundly shaped by place-based determinants of diet. This study examines the association between food deserts—areas with structurally limited access to nutritious, affordable food—and population-level cardiovascular risk across Chile’s three largest metropolitan areas (Santiago, Valparaíso, Concepción). Methods: We constructed a geospatial food desert index combining OpenStreetMap-derived retail accessibility with census information, and linked it to georeferenced cardiovascular health records. To overcome the limitations of global models that assume spatial stationarity, we applied Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) to allow coefficients to vary across space and to recover variable-specific process scales. Results: The MGWR results indicate pronounced spatial non-stationarity in the food desert–CVD association. The relationship is predominantly positive across Gran Valparaíso, predominantly negative in Gran Concepción, and highly mixed within Gran Santiago, evidencing divergent local mechanisms rather than a single national pattern. Conclusions: The observed heterogeneity undermines “one-size-fits-all” national interventions and supports place-sensitive, equity-oriented strategies. Policy implications include territorially tailored food-retail regulation and primary-care outreach, co-designed with local actors, with MGWR providing a critical analytic basis for actionable, context-specific public health planning. Full article

Over the past few decades, the focus on the geographic origin of cacao has shifted from Mesoamerica to the Upper Amazon region of Ecuador. Recent research clarifies the trajectory of cacao, tracing its circulation from this Amazonian origin area to the Ecuadorian coast and subsequently to Mesoamerica. However, the presence of cacao in the Andean valleys has remained elusive and largely unstudied until now. This paper presents the first evidence of cacao consumption in the Andes region at the beginning of the Integration Period (AD 500–1500) during pre-Hispanic times. Starch granules and theobromine alkaloid were identified in a vessel recovered from a settlement in present-day Quito. The high concentration of theobromine detected allows us to infer that the cacao used most likely originated from Theobroma cacao, although aDNA would be needed to confirm this. Moreover, the vessel contained starch granules from other plants, suggesting the utilization of the vessel for serving various food preparations. This finding allows us to suggest that cacao was not only consumed in the Amazon and coastal regions, but also in areas such as the current territory of Quito where cacao was not locally cultivated. The shape of the vessel in which the residue was found further suggests that the cacao was consumed as a beverage, challenging the previous belief that such practices were primarily confined to Mesoamerica. This study offers new insights into the significance of the cacao bean in pre-Hispanic societies and demonstrates how the application of various chemical methods can enhance our comprehension of historical occurrences. Full article

In an increasingly interconnected world, the capacity of societies to withstand, adapt to, and recover from crises is a central challenge for security and sustainable development. Yet, despite extensive research on resilience, the mechanisms through which systemic vulnerabilities emerge and propagate across social domains remain poorly understood. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a network-based framework: the Complex Analysis for Socio-Environmental Adaptation (CASA), which models resilience as a graph-structured system. Each node in CASA represents a social or infrastructural component whose resistance is derived from indicators of installed capacities, while edges capture interdependencies among sectors. We formalize a damage propagation model in which the loss of capacity in one node dynamically affects connected components, revealing the topological patterns that drive systemic fragility. Comparative simulations demonstrate that CASA’s topology amplifies the impact of highly connected nodes, rendering them crucial for resilience planning. An application to a real-world case demonstrates how initial disruptions in access to drinking water cascade into governance, economic, and social instabilities. The results provide both theoretical and operational insights, highlighting that resilience depends not only on the strength of individual components but also on the network architecture that links them. CASA thus offers a replicable and data-informed approach for identifying drivers of social conflict and guiding anticipatory resilience strategies in complex territorial systems. Full article

In 1870, the newly created Instituto Geográfico of Spain, the precursor of the current Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), began to carry out work for the preparation of the National Topographic Map of Spain, a major project that would take almost 100 years to be completed. This work began with the measurement of geodetic bases throughout the national territory. Subsequently, the necessary topographic surveys were conducted to delimit the boundaries of municipalities, and to represent all the planimetric elements. As a part of this, surveys were carried out with topographic compasses, which allowed work to be performed at a good pace and with sufficient accuracy for cartographic purposes. The current IGN keeps in its archives all the documentation generated in the work related to the completion of this major project. The objective of this study is to extract information from this documentation on the magnetic declination measured at that time, and to evaluate it as a possible source of historic geomagnetic information for use in future works. To achieve this, we compared the recovered declination dataset with those generated for the same locations and dates using two independent sources: the Cov-Obs.x2 geomagnetic field model, which spans the last two centuries, and the declination data used to produce the first Spanish declination chart developed by the IGN at the beginning of the 20th century. The results show a clear agreement between the recovered dataset and both sources of independent declination data, suggesting that this dataset is valuable for improving our understanding of the recent geomagnetic field history and for refining main field models for the last centuries. Full article

L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) remains the most challenging complication of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson’s disease, correlated with maladaptive plasticity within corticostriatal circuits. Perineuronal nets (PNNs), extracellular matrix structures enwrapping mainly parvalbumin interneurons (PV-INs), are key regulators of neuronal stability and plasticity, yet their contribution to LID is unknown. Using a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinsonism followed by chronic L-DOPA administration, we quantified PNN–PV associations by Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) and PV immunolabeling across striatal and motor cortical territories. Dopamine loss markedly reduced PNN density and intensity in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), which only partially recovered after L-DOPA. In LID, canonical WFA⁺/PV⁺ cells remained low, whereas non-canonical WFA⁻/PV⁺ populations expanded in both DLS and M1 motor cortex (M1), indicating region-specific remodeling toward a high-plasticity state. To assess causality, we used Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) for PNN degradation. DLS-targeted ChABC exacerbated abnormal involuntary movements and increased local PV density, while M1-ChABC had no behavioral effect but altered PV metrics within the DLS–M1 axis. These findings identify the DLS as a critical node where PNN fragility amplifies dyskinesia, highlight a functional coupling between striatal and cortical PNN–PV remodeling, and suggest that stabilizing extracellular matrix integrity could mitigate maladaptive plasticity underlying LID. Full article

In contemporary spatial planning, territorial resilience is rapidly gaining relevance, referring to a territory’s capacity to withstand, adapt to, recover from, and transform in response to environmental, social, and economic pressures. However, several constraints limit its operationalisation in planning. A key element to addressing this gap is to investigate where and which interventions are most urgently needed to tackle the impact of hazards on territories. This can be achieved by understanding and localising the vulnerabilities of territorial systems, thereby enabling the definition of appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures. This paper presents the application of R3C-GeoResilience, an open-source GIS tool and its methodological framework, which allows mapping territorial vulnerabilities across different geographical contexts and spatial scales. The methodology is applied to the Italian case of the Union of Bassa Romagna (UBR), aiming to build capacity for local practitioners to implement resilience thinking in decision-making processes. Findings underscore the potential of R3C-GeoResilience to enhance evidence-based planning and policymaking, supporting adaptive and transformative strategies to address territorial vulnerabilities. The application of the research demonstrates the replicability and adaptability of the methodological framework for integrating participatory vulnerability mapping into local governance and urban planning strategies, thereby enhancing the resilience of territories. Full article

The municipalities of Peixe-Boi and Santa Bárbara do Pará, both in the Pará State (eastern Amazon), have more than half of their territory deforested. Understanding the viral diversity in wildlife that inhabits the surroundings of human communities contributes to strengthening surveillance. Samples from eleven bats, seven opossums, and eight rodents from the two locations were screened by high-throughput sequencing for virome analysis. Viral reads were assigned into twenty viral families, from which the most abundant was Retroviridae. Host order, tissue type, and season showed a significant effect on viral composition. Five viral genomes of bat ERVs with intact genes were recovered, showing the need to understand their endogenous nature. In addition, a new Buritiense virus (Hantaviridae) strain was also obtained, supporting its circulation in Santa Bárbara do Pará and expanding its genomic information. Together, these findings reinforce the need for continuous surveillance in wild animals, especially in the Amazon region, to anticipate potential threats to public health. Full article

This article addresses agroforestry knowledge and practices of peasant and quilombola women. It draws from research using ethnographic methods, conducted in two different Brazilian communities: with peasant women in the municipality of Pinhão, Paraná, Brazil, and with quilombola women in the Quilombo Ribeirão Grande-Terra Seca in the municipality of Barra do Turvo, in the Ribeira Valley, São Paulo, Brazil. This investigation demonstrates the connection between the exploitation of nature and the oppression of women, and it identifies counter-practices that value cooperation and mutual care. It highlights the importance of recovering ancestral knowledge and resisting the rupture with nature imposed by colonialism. The conclusion indicates that these agroforestry practices play a crucial role in the lives of women and in their resistance to the monocultural model and the market economy in both communities studied. In both communities, women play a central role in sustaining agroforestry practices as forms of resistance, care, and cultural preservation. In Pinhão, peasant women uphold biodiversity and traditional knowledge through everyday practices like seed exchange and in the Quilombo Ribeirão Grande-Terra Seca, quilombola women link agroforestry to identity, territorial defense, and Black resistance. Full article

Mangroves form the dominant coastal plant community of low-energy tropical intertidal habitats and provide critical ecosystem services to humans and the environment. However, more frequent and increasingly powerful hurricanes and storm surges are creating additional pressure on the natural resilience of these threatened coastal ecosystems. Advances in remote sensing techniques and approaches are critical to providing robust quantitative monitoring of post-storm mangrove forest recovery to better prioritize the often-limited resources available for the restoration of these storm-damaged habitats. Here, we build on previously utilized spatial and temporal ranges of European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel satellite imagery to monitor and map the recovery of the mangrove forests of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) since the occurrence of back-to-back category 5 hurricanes, Irma and Maria, on September 6 and 19 of 2017, respectively. Pre- to post-storm changes in coastal mangrove forest health were assessed annually using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and moisture stress index (MSI) from 2016 to 2023 using Google Earth Engine. Results reveal a steady trajectory towards forest health recovery on many of the Territory’s islands since the storms’ impacts in 2017. However, some mangrove patches are slower to recover, such as those on the islands of Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke, and, in some cases, have shown a continued decline (e.g., Prickly Pear Island). Our work also uses a linear ANCOVA model to assess a variety of geospatial, environmental, and anthropogenic drivers for mangrove recovery as a function of NDVI pre-storm and post-storm conditions. The model suggests that roughly 58% of the variability in the 7-year difference (2016 to 2023) in NDVI may be related by a positive linear relationship with the variable of population within 0.5 km and a negative linear relationship with the variables of northwest aspect vs. southwest aspect, island size, temperature, and slope. Full article