Skeletal Findings Consistent with Signs of Rigorous Jewish Religious Practice in Four Skeletons from Qumran (Near-East), First-Century CE.

Anthropological and palaeopathological examination of four male skeletons from Qumran (Near-East) revealed skeletal lesions that may be linked to an intense practice of traditional Jewish rituals within this hyper-religious community of the first-century CE: chronic inflammation of the external auditory canals linked to frequent immersion in sacred baths (mikvah), and osteo-articular lesions following intense and repeated genuflection and anteflexion of the trunk.

Robust control of electrohydraulic soft robots.

This article introduces a model-based robust control framework for electrohydraulic soft robots. The methods presented herein exploit linear system control theory as it applies to a nonlinear soft robotic system. We employ dynamic mode decomposition with control (DMDc) to create appropriate linear models from real-world measurements.

Neural dynamics of robust legged robots.

Legged robot control has improved in recent years with the rise of deep reinforcement learning, however, much of the underlying neural mechanisms remain difficult to interpret. Our aim is to leverage bio-inspired methods from computational neuroscience to better understand the neural activity of robust robot locomotion controllers. Similar to past work, we observe that terrain-based curriculum learning improves agent stability.

Distributed IMU Sensors for In-Field Dynamic Measurements on an Alpine Ski.

Modern ski design is an inherently time-consuming process that involves an iterative feedback loop comprised of design, manufacturing and in-field qualitative evaluations. Additionally consumers can only rely on qualitative evaluation for selecting the ideal ski, and due to the variation in skier styles and ability levels, consumers can find it to be an inconsistent and expensive experience. We propose supplementing the design and evaluation process with data from in-field prototype testing, using a modular sensor array that can be ported to nearly any ski.

Assessment of cyanotoxins in water and fish in an African freshwater lagoon (Lagoon Aghien, Ivory Coast) and the application of WHO guidelines.

In comparison with northern countries, limited data are available on the occurrence and potential toxicity of cyanobacterial blooms in lakes and ponds in sub-Saharan countries. With the aim of enhancing our knowledge on cyanobacteria and their toxins in Africa, we performed a 17-month monitoring of a freshwater ecosystem, Lagoon Aghien (Ivory Coast), which is used for multiple practices by riverine populations and for drinking water production in Abidjan city. The richness and diversity of the cyanobacterial community were high and displayed few variations during the entire survey.

A multifunctional soft robotic shape display with high-speed actuation, sensing, and control.

Shape displays which actively manipulate surface geometry are an expanding robotics domain with applications to haptics, manufacturing, aerodynamics, and more. However, existing displays often lack high-fidelity shape morphing, high-speed deformation, and embedded state sensing, limiting their potential uses. Here, we demonstrate a multifunctional soft shape display driven by a 10 × 10 array of scalable cellular units which combine high-speed electrohydraulic soft actuation, magnetic-based sensing, and control circuitry.

The phyto-bacterioplankton couple in a shallow freshwater ecosystem: Who leads the dance?

Bloom-forming phytoplankton dynamics are still unpredictable, even though it is known that several abiotic factors, such as nutrient availability and temperature, are key factors for bloom development. We investigated whether biotic factors, i.e.

The Open-source Camera Trap for Organism Presence and Underwater Surveillance (OCTOPUS).

This Open-source Camera Trap for Organism Presence and Underwater Surveillance (OCTOPUS) was designed to operate as a motion activated camera trap, deployable at depths of up to 800 ft for ∼72 h deployments. The core components of the OCTOPUS are built off a Raspberry Pi 3B+ with a custom PCB hat which operates a strobe lighting system and a high definition Arducam camera. When an appropriate threshold of motion is detected, the OCTOPUS captures a high-definition image of the subject.

Characterization of Potential Threats from Cyanobacterial Toxins in Lake Victoria Embayments and during Water Treatment.

Africa’s water needs are often supported by eutrophic water bodies dominated by cyanobacteria posing health threats to riparian populations from cyanotoxins, and Lake Victoria is no exception. In two embayments of the lake (Murchison Bay and Napoleon Gulf), cyanobacterial surveys were conducted to characterize the dynamics of cyanotoxins in lake water and water treatment plants. Forty-six cyanobacterial taxa were recorded, and out of these, fourteen were considered potentially toxigenic (i.

Fish gut-associated bacterial communities in a tropical lagoon (Aghien lagoon, Ivory Coast).

Aghien lagoon (Ivory Coast) is a eutrophic freshwater lagoon that harbors high biomasses of phytoplankton. Despite Increasing interest in fish gut microbiomes diversity and functions, little data is currently available regarding wild species from tropical west African lakes. Here, gut-associated bacterial communities are investigated in four fish species that are consumed by locale populations, namely the Cichlidae , and , and the Claroteidae .

Den-Associated Behavior of Octopus rubescens Revealed by a Motion-Activated Camera Trap System.

Dens are a crucial component of the life history of most shallow water octopuses. However, den usage dynamics have only been explored in a few species over relatively short durations, and Octopus rubescens denning behavior has never been explored in situ. We built four underwater camera traps to observe the behavior of O.

Impacts of nutrient loading and fish grazing on the phytoplankton community and cyanotoxin production in a shallow tropical lake: Results from mesocosm experiments.

Given the increasing eutrophication of water bodies in Africa due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, data are needed to better understand the responses of phytoplankton communities to these changes in tropical lakes. These ecosystems are used by local human populations for multiple purposes, including fish and drinking water production, potentially exposing these populations to health threats if, for example, an increase in toxic cyanobacterial blooms is associated with increasing eutrophication. To test the short-term response of the phytoplankton community to the addition of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen, alone or in combination) and Nile tilapia, we developed an in situ mesocosm experiment in a freshwater lagoon located near Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

Utilizing Sphingomyelinase Sensitizing Liposomes in Imaging Intestinal Inflammation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Murine Colitis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in severe symptoms. At the moment, the goal of medical treatments is to reduce inflammation. IBD is treated with systemic anti-inflammatory compounds, but they have serious side effects.

Mid- and long-term responses of land snail communities to the intensification of mountain hay meadows management.

Background: Species-rich semi-natural grasslands are impacted by the severe land-use changes that are affecting mountain regions, compromising their high biodiversity value. In particular, sprinkler irrigation and increased fertilisation stimulate vegetation growth, modifying and homogenising habitat conditions for ground-dwelling invertebrates. Among them, land snails have been largely understudied despite their commonness and vulnerability to small-scale habitat alteration.

Lidar-Based Navigation of Subterranean Environments Using Bio-Inspired Wide-Field Integration of Nearness.

Navigating unknown environments is an ongoing challenge in robotics. Processing large amounts of sensor data to maintain localization, maps of the environment, and sensible paths can result in high compute loads and lower maximum vehicle speeds. This paper presents a bio-inspired algorithm for efficiently processing depth measurements to achieve fast navigation of unknown subterranean environments.

Multistate Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Infections Linked to Kratom: A Focus on Traceback, Laboratory, and Regulatory Activities.

Abstract: During spring 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and local public health agencies responded to a multistate outbreak of gastrointestinal illnesses caused by multiple Salmonella serovars and associated with consumption of kratom, a product harvested from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia.

Toxic benthic freshwater cyanobacterial proliferations: Challenges and solutions for enhancing knowledge and improving monitoring and mitigation.

1. This review summarises knowledge on the ecology, toxin production, and impacts of toxic freshwater benthic cyanobacterial proliferations. It documents monitoring, management, and sampling strategies, and explores mitigation options.

Imaging Inflammation - From Whole Body Imaging to Cellular Resolution.

Imaging techniques have evolved impressively lately, allowing whole new concepts like multimodal imaging, personal medicine, theranostic therapies, and molecular imaging to increase general awareness of possiblities of imaging to medicine field. Here, we have collected the selected (3D) imaging modalities and evaluated the recent findings on preclinical and clinical inflammation imaging. The focus has been on the feasibility of imaging to aid in inflammation precision medicine, and the key challenges and opportunities of the imaging modalities are presented.

Assessment of some key indicators of the ecological status of an African freshwater lagoon (Lagoon Aghien, Ivory Coast).

The supply of drinking water is a vital challenge for the people who live on the African continent, as this continent is experiencing strong demographic growth and therefore increasing water demands. To meet these needs, surface water resources are becoming increasingly mobilized because underground resources are not always available or have already been overexploited. This situation is the case in the region of Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, where the drinking water deficit is a growing problem and it is therefore necessary to mobilize new water resources to ensure the supply of drinking water.

Insights into the cyanosphere: capturing the respective metabolisms of cyanobacteria and chemotrophic bacteria in natural conditions?

Specific interactions have been highlighted between cyanobacteria and chemotrophic bacteria within the cyanosphere, suggesting that nutrients recycling could be optimized by cyanobacteria/bacteria exchanges. In order to determine the respective metabolic roles of the cyanobacterial and bacterial consortia (microbiome), a day-night metatranscriptomic analysis was performed on Dolichospermum sp. (N -fixer) and Microcystis sp.

Transfer of invertebrates with hay during restoration operations of extensively managed grasslands in Switzerland.

Introduction: Hay transfer from a speciose donor meadow to a species-poor receiver grassland is an established method to restore species-rich grassland plant communities. However, it has rarely been investigated to which extent invertebrates can be transferred with hay during such operations, which was the aim of this study.

Methods: Sampling was conducted in eight sites of the Swiss lowlands with one donor meadow and two receiver sites each.

Tissue responses after implantation of biodegradable Mg alloys evaluated by multimodality 3D micro-bioimaging in vivo.

The local response of tissue triggered by implantation of degradable magnesium-based implant materials was investigated in vivo in a murine model. Pins (5.0 mm length by 0.

Comment on "Meta-analysis reveals declines in terrestrial but increases in freshwater insect abundances".

Van Klink (Reports, 24 April 2020, p. 417) argue for a more nuanced view of insect decline, and of human responsibility for this decline, than previously suggested. However, shortcomings in data selection and methodology raise questions about their conclusions on trends and drivers.

Lipid-Iron Nanoparticle with a Cell Stress Release Mechanism Combined with a Local Alternating Magnetic Field Enables Site-Activated Drug Release.

Most available cancer chemotherapies are based on systemically administered small organic molecules, and only a tiny fraction of the drug reaches the disease site. The approach causes significant side effects and limits the outcome of the therapy. Targeted drug delivery provides an alternative to improve the situation.