In Northeastern Brazil, successful release programmes have been implemented for the conservation of West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) since the 1990s. Recently, the non-government organization AQUASIS started releasing manatees in the state of Ceará, where oceanographic conditions and the absence of sheltered places pose new challenges for the release and monitoring of manatees. This research investigates the movement of a manatee named Tico, released in Icapuí, Ceará, Brazil, that travelled approximately 4017 km over 62 days through deep oceanic waters. Correlating Tico's trajectory and velocity with surface currents revealed the influence of the North Brazil Current (NBC) and its vortices on his movement. Tico crossed the diluted Amazon River plume with surface salinity as low as 26 g kg−1 in early August, potentially encountering areas of even lower salinity. Additionally, Tico experienced several storms, with significant rainfall during his journey, which may have provided freshwater. The erratic movement patterns and significant weight loss prompted the rescue of Tico on Isla la Blanquilla, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Tico is currently being temporarily housed in Parque Zoológico y Botánico Bararida in Venezuela. Understanding the nature of Tico's long-distance movement could help inform decisions about his future. AQUASIS proposes to return Tico to Brazil, a region with an ecologically and genetically distinct population from Venezuela, for a second release attempt, incorporating lessons learned from the first release. Furthermore, AQUASIS has the necessary human and financial resources to ensure the continuous monitoring of Tico during his readaptation to the wild.

Agent-based models (ABMs) are widely used to study how individual interactions shape collective behaviors. Critics argue that ABMs are often too simplistic to capture real-world complexities. We address this by integrating artificial neural networks into ABMs, focusing on enhancing the Hegselmann–Krause (HK) model. By using multilayer perceptrons as agents, we create more realistic ABMs that better reflect actual agents. This approach yields multiple models, as core elements of the HK model can be defined in various ways. We conduct two computational studies to compare these models with each other and with traditional individual-learning paradigms.

Similar to adults with posttraumatic stress disorder, children with early life adversity show bias in memory for negative emotional stimuli. However, it is not well understood how childhood adversity impacts mechanisms underlying emotional memory. N = 56 children (8–14 years, 48% female) reported on adverse experiences including potentially traumatic events and underwent fMRI while attending to emotionally pleasant, neutral, or negative images. Post-scan, participants completed a cued recall test to assess memory for these images. Emotional difference-in-memory (DM) scores were computed by subtracting negative or positive from neutral recall performance. All children showed enhancing effects of emotion on recall, with no effect of trauma load. However, children with less trauma showed a larger emotional DM for both positive and negative stimuli when amygdala or anterior hippocampal activity was higher. In contrast, highly trauma-exposed children demonstrated a lower emotional DM with greater amygdala or hippocampal activity. This suggested that alternative neural mechanisms might support emotional enhancement of encoding in children with greater trauma load. Whole-brain analyses revealed that right fusiform activity during encoding positively correlated with both trauma load and successful later recall of positive images. Therefore, highly trauma-exposed children may use alternative, potentially adaptive neural pathways via the ventral visual stream to encode positive emotional events.

The symbiotic relationship between the syllid polychaete, Haplosyllides floridana Augener, 1922, and the barrel-shaped sponge Xestospongia muta (Schmidt, 1870), originally documented solely in the Caribbean, is presumed to be species-specific. Recently, the host sponge has been found as a single species distributed across approximately 8000 km (from 26°N to 22°S). Herein we addressed new spatial and bathymetric population records of H. floridana to question the persistence of the association with X. muta, and whether, in the case of an association, the polychaete remains as a single species throughout this extensive distribution. Our findings change the restricted distribution of H. floridana, revealing a remarkable association with X. muta from Tropical north-western to south-western Atlantic including records in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago and the Almirante Saldanha Seamount, at 270 m deep. The populations analysed in this study are morphologically consistent. The study underscores the need for further investigations into the connectivity of Xestospongia species, the presence of Haplosyllides in other ocean basins, and the shared evolutionary history between Xestospongia and Haplosyllides. The observed life cycle completion of H. floridana within the host sponge suggests a potential co-evolutionary relationship, offering insights into the intricate dynamics of symbiotic associations in marine ecosystems.

The Dorchester Aqueduct, located to the north-west of Dorchester (Durnovaria) in Dorset, is arguably the most famous and well-examined Roman watercourse in Britain. The aqueduct has been intermittently investigated over the course of the last 100 years, but most extensively during the 1990s. The upper stretches of the aqueduct and its source have, however, eluded archaeologists, with multiple routes and water sources being suggested. A new programme of geophysical and topographic survey, combined with targeted investigation together with a reappraisal of the excavations from the 1990s, has provided additional evidence for the route of the aqueduct, extending its course for a further two kilometres to Notton on the River Frome.

This article presents the results of the 2008 excavation in the ancient theatre of Sparta conducted by the British School at Athens and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Laconia. Focused on the west side of the cavea, work aimed to locate the southern edge of the Late Antique settlement between the theatre and the sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos; to establish the northern limits of the Late Antique settlement over the former orchestra; and to establish a more precise ceramic characterisation and chronology for the Early–Middle Byzantine period in Sparta. The area between settlement clusters on the acropolis and over the former orchestra was essentially open, with just a Byzantine terrace wall and path recorded. In the north-west part of the former cavea, a tomb built in the late eighth or early ninth century AD was used at least until the late thirteenth century for the burial of c. 29 individuals. This article presents the first results of a bioarchaeological study of the human remains, and studies of Byzantine pottery from the tomb interior and from the backfill of the pit in which the tomb was built (the latter including a notable quantity of Early Byzantine domestic ware). The 2008 findings are set in the larger context of research on post-antique phases in the theatre (drawing on the British School at Athens Archive) and on the material culture and urban topography of Byzantine Sparta. Almost all excavated contexts contained residual material of all periods. The article concludes with short catalogues of material which pre-dates the construction of the theatre and of inscriptions of all periods.

For any $n<\omega $ we construct an infinite $(n+1)$-generated Heyting algebra whose n-generated subalgebras are of cardinality $\leq m_n$ for some positive integer $m_n$. From this we conclude that for every $n<\omega $ there exists a variety of Heyting algebras which contains an infinite $(n+1)$-generated algebra, but which contains only finite n-generated algebras. For the case $n=2$ this provides a negative answer to a question posed by G. Bezhanishvili and R. Grigolia in [4].

The authors of this book are archaeologists who want to create a field they describe as ‘critical paleoeconomics’. Their quest is promising in several ways. For example, they are not averse to grand narratives and believe modern economic theory can offer insights into various features of ancient economies, including markets, trade, money and debt.

In recent years, dangerous gas leakage events occur frequently. Rapid and accurate location of gas leakage sources by mobile robots is the key to avoid the expansion of disasters. In order to solve the problem of discontinuous gas concentration gradient and sparse gas environment in three-dimensional space, particle filter, and whale swarm optimization algorithm are integrated to locate gas source. Firstly, the Z-shape search and comb search are used to locate the plume, and then, the particle filter algorithm is combined with the whale optimization method to guide the particle movement, and the random inertial disturbance term is designed to improve the convergence speed and search accuracy of the algorithm. Experimental results in three-dimensional environment show that the proposed information-driven particle filter whale optimization hybrid algorithm effectively guides the robot in localizing gas source within a certain range, significantly enhancing both the efficiency and accuracy of localization compared to other algorithms.

Species in the genus Engraulis show extensive intraspecific as well as interspecific morphological and genetic diversity. Since morphological differences do not necessarily correspond to genetic differences, it is necessary to clarify the relationship between morphological differences and genetic differences for a better understanding of the population structure. Fish morphology at a given standard length differs between cohorts of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus during the early life stages in the Kii Channel, but it is unknown whether the differences are caused by genetic differences or not. The Kii Channel includes the boundary between the Pacific (southern side of the Kii Channel) and the Seto Inland Sea stocks (northern side), but stock separation is based primarily on demographic characteristics. In the present study, genetic analyses were conducted to examine the genetic differences among samples (month and area) based on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b region (Cyt b), control region (CR) and microsatellite markers. AMOVA revealed that the percentage of genetic variation among samples was low at 0.11% for Cyt b, 0.30% for CR and 0.00% for microsatellite, and no significant genetic variation was observed among samples. Although two clades were identified in the unrooted neighbour-joining tree for Cyt b and CR, both Cyt b and CR sequences were similar between months and between areas. Accordingly, the morphological differences among cohorts can be attributed to phenotypic plasticity. Additionally, there were no genetic differences between samples from the southern side and the northern side of the Kii Channel, suggesting strong genetic connectivity in these areas.

This study examined the efficacy of a probiotic in reducing depressive symptom severity in people with subthreshold depression. In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, a probiotic (1 × 10^9 live cells per strain: Limosilactobacillus fermentum LF16 (DSM26956), Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR06 (DSM21981), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP01 (LMG P-21021) and Bifidobacterium longum 04 (DSM23233)) or placebo was taken daily for 12 weeks. Data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks including psychological symptom severity (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI; Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ; Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, HADS; and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, DASS). Biomarkers of glycaemia, inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hs-CRP), antioxidant status (total glutathione (GSH)) and stress (cortisol awakening response, CAR) were also measured. Thirty-nine participants (nineteen probiotic; twenty placebo) were enrolled. There were no significant between-group differences in the examined psychological symptom severity scores, despite certain significant within-group changes observed in both groups from baseline to 6 and/or 12 weeks of follow-up. Regarding biomarkers, the probiotic group showed reduced hs-CRP (–1520; 95 % CI –273·7, −2766·2 ng/dl) and CAR (–0·28; 95 % CI −0·05, −0·51 μg/dl) at 12 weeks, but increased total GSH (3·9; 95 % CI 0·1, 7·5 ng/dl) at 6 weeks, compared with the placebo. The current study reported favourable decreases in depressive symptoms in both groups. Although the within-group changes observed in the probiotic group were supported by favourable inflammatory, antioxidant status and stress biomarker changes compared with the placebo, further research is required to shed more light on the role of gut microbiota modulation on emotional regulation.

The relationship between Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been evaluated by many studies that point towards a co-relation between schistosomal infection and HCC. While many such studies demonstrated that Sm infection in the presence of another carcinogenic factors leads to HCC, none of these studies could conclusively prove the cancer-inducing ability of Sm in humans, independent of other carcinogenic factors. The aim of this work is to present the current understanding on the association of Sm with HCC. Many epidemiological, pathological, and clinical studies have shown the role of multiple events like chronic inflammation and fibrosis as well as hepato-toxic agents like soluble egg antigens (SEAs), which help in creating a micro-environment which is suitable for HCC development. The role of Sm infection and deposited eggs in causing persistent inflammation, advanced fibrosis, and the role of SEAs, especially IPSE/alpha-1, is emphasised. This work concludes that Sm infection has the potential to induce cancer independently but the same has not been reported in humans to date. Extensive research is required to establish a causal relationship between Sm infection and HCC induction, or a complete lack thereof. However, Sm infection definitely acts along with other carcinogenic factors to induce HCC at a much faster pace and also leads to an aggressive form of liver cancer, which the other carcinogenic factor could not have achieved alone.

This article presents a comprehensive evaluation of two nuclear-rated bilateral telerobotic systems, Telbot and Dexter, focusing on critical performance metrics such as effort transparency, stiffness, and backdrivability. Despite the absence of standardized evaluation methodologies for these systems, this study identifies key gaps by experimentally assessing the quantitative performance of both systems under controlled conditions. The results reveal that Telbot exhibits higher stiffness, but at the cost of greater effort transmission, whereas Dexter offers smoother backdrivability. Furthermore, positional discrepancies were observed during the tests, particularly in nonlinear positional displacements. These findings highlight the need for standardized evaluation methods, contributing to the development, manufacturing, and procurement processes of future bilateral telerobotic systems.

We show that there exists a recursive coloring function c such that any $\Pi ^0_3$ set is not a solution to c for Hindman’s theorem. We also show that there exists a recursive coloring function c such that any $\Delta ^0_3$ set is not a solution to c for Hindman’s theorem restricted to sums of at most three numbers.