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Traditional flood risk paradigms and associated strategies are no longer sufficient to address global flood adaptation challenges due to climate change and continued development in floodplains. The current flood adaptation approach is failing to take advantage of the benefits provided by intact ecosystems and perpetuates social and economic inequities, leaving those who are most vulnerable at highest risk. Rooted in the experiences of the United States, we propose a new framework, the Flood Adaptation Hierarchy, which prioritizes outcomes into six tiers. Overall, the tiers distinguish between nature and nature-based solutions, with preference given to natural ecosystems. The most important outcome in our hierarchy is to avoid risk by protecting and restoring natural floodplains; next, eliminate risk by moving communities away from danger; and then to accommodate water with passive measures and active risk reduction measures. We include, but deprioritize, a defense of community assets using nature-based engineering and hardened engineering. Throughout the hierarchy, we provide guidance on the equity considerations of flood adaptation decision making and highlight “impacts,” “resources,” and “voices” as important equity dimensions. Implementing the framework through an iterative process, using justification criteria to manage movement among tiers, alongside equity considerations, will support adaptation to changing environmental and social conditions and contribute to risk reduction at scale. Though this approach is focused on U.S. flood management and adaptation, prioritizing risk reduction, elimination of risk, and accommodation of hazards over the defense against threats not only has global applicability to flood adaptation, but should also be evaluated for applicability to other climate-driven challenges.

The availability of underwater light is a critical factor in the growth and abundance of primary producers in shallow embayments. The goal of this study was to examine the relative importance of factors influencing light availability in this type of water body. Many simulation models of aquatic ecosystems predict light attenuation from chlorophyll or phytoplankton stock. In the three southern New England sites studied here, no useful relationship was found to exist between chlorophyll and KPAR(the diffuse attenuation coefficient of photosynthetically active radiation; Kirk 1994; Mobley 1994). In 40 of 53 cases, a regression of chlorophyll versus KPARwas not statistically significant. Variation in KPARdid demonstrate a correlation to salinity, implicating a freshwater source of light attenuating material. This was true even in a system with little freshwater inflow. Colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is one such terrestrial input that enters estuaries from their watersheds and can strongly influence the availability of light to aquatic primary producers. This study demonstrated that over 70% of the variability in the KPARcoefficient can be attributed to CDOM in the shallow estuaries studied. This illustrates the need for improved model formulations that include CDOM in the prediction of light attenuation in shallow coastal systems. A new equation has been developed to predict KPARwith CDOM.

Corrections to Equation 2 and Figures 3 and 4 are presented.

Light is attenuated in aquatic systems through absorption and scattering processes caused by four components: the water itself, phytoplankton biomass, non-phytoplankton particles like minerals and detritus, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). In open ocean waters, phytoplankton are the dominant attenuators of light, but in estuariee waters, all four components can significantly contribute to light attenuation. Traditionally, ecosystem models predict the diffuse attenuation coefficient with an empirical function of chlorophyll concentration (a measure of phytoplankton biomass) plus a constant background value. This method fails in shallow estuaries. CDOM contributes strongly to light attenuation in the shallow estuaries of southern New England. An alternative empirical prediction that includes the effects of chlorophyll, CDOM and suspended particles was developed. This empirical method can predict 85% of the variability in the diffuse attenuation coefficient of photosynthetically available radiation observed in the eleven estuaries studied, and can be evaluated using commonly measured water quality parameters. Although this more complex empirical regression should be used in sites where turbidity is substantial, the diffuse attenuation coefficient in the low turbidity estuaries of southern New England is well predicted by a simpler regression, also presented here, including only chlorophyll and CDOM. Colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is input to estuaries from their waters watersheds. CDOM concentrations were linearly inversely correlated with salinity in the shallow estuaries studied here, even in those with modest freshwater inflows, and the seaward end members were fairly uniform. The freshwater inflow to an estuary, however, is not a good predictor of the incoming CDOM concentration, even though variability exists in the CDOM concentration of the freshwater within a single estuary. No seasonal pattern exists in incoming CDOM concentration. Cross-site variability accounts for half of the observed variability in freshwater CDOM concentration. The land cover characteristics of a watershed are strongly related to the incoming CDOM concentration. An empirical regression equation, using the percent cover of four land use/land cover types m their large temporal (coniferous forest, turf, agricultural land and developed land) as the variables, predicts 45% of the observed variability in freshwater CDOM concentration in 11 southern New England estuaries.

Soybean and maize are some of the main drivers of Brazilian agribusiness. However, biotic and abiotic factors are of great concern, causing huge grain yield and quality losses. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is important among the abiotic factors because most Brazilian soils have a highly P-fixing nature. Thus, large amounts of phosphate fertilizers are regularly applied to overcome the rapid precipitation of P. Searching for alternatives to improve the use of P by crops is essential to reduce the demand for P input. The use of multifunctional rhizobacteria can be considered one of these alternatives. In this sense, the objective of the present work was to select and validate bacterial strains with triple action (plant growth promoter, phosphate solubilizer, and biocontrol agent) in maize and soybean, aiming to develop a multifunctional microbial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains with high indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, and antifungal activity against soil pathogenic fungi ( Rhizoctonia solani , Macrophomina phaseolina , and Fusarium solani ) were selected from the maize rhizosphere. Then, they were evaluated as growth promoters in maize under greenhouse conditions. Based on this study, strain 03 (Ag75) was selected due to its high potential for increasing biomass (root and shoot) and shoot P content in maize. This strain was identified through genomic sequencing as Bacillus velezensis . In field experiments, the inoculation of this bacterium increased maize and soybean yields by 17.8 and 26.5%, respectively, compared to the control (25 kg P 2 O 5 ). In addition, the inoculation results did not differ from the control with 84 kg P 2 O 5 , indicating that it is possible to reduce the application of phosphate in these crops. Thus, the Ag75 strain has great potential for developing a multifunctional microbial inoculant that combines the ability to solubilize phosphate, promote plant growth, and be a biocontrol agent for several phytopathogenic fungi.

IntroductionNeck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder worldwide. It can result in significant disability and impaired quality of life. More than 50% of patients with neck pain still report symptoms 1 year later despite receiving different forms of non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment. Identifying patient characteristics that are modifiable or predict recovery and non-recovery for an individual patient might identify ways of improving outcomes. This systematic review aims to comprehensively summarise the existing evidence regarding baseline patient characteristics associated with recovery and non-recovery, as defined by measures of pain intensity, disability and global perceived improvement.Methods and analysisSix electronic databases, PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro Database, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science, will be searched, with terms related to the review question such as neck pain, prognostic or predictive research, from inception to 28 September of 2018. Studies will be included if they have investigated an association between patient characteristics and outcomes, with at least one follow-up time point. Two independent reviewers will screen the titles and abstracts followed by a full-text review to assess papers regarding their eligibility. Data from included papers will be extracted using standardised forms, including study and participants’ characteristics, outcomes, prognostic factors and effect size of the association. The risk of bias of each study will be assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. A narrative synthesis will be conducted considering the strength, consistency of results and the methodological quality.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review does not require ethical approval. The results will be disseminated through publication in a peer-review journal, as a chapter of a doctoral thesis and through presentations at national and international conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018091183.

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world, being recognized as a food with high nutritional value. Recently, the market for sweet and colorful mini peppers has increased, especially among the most demanding consumers in the novelties in vegetables and functional foods. In this sense, we evaluated mini sweet peppers genotypes (Akamu, Kaiki, Kalani, Kaolin e Moke from Isla® seeds) regarding the physical-chemical, nutritional and sensory analysis aspects. A wide variability was observed among genotypes, highlighting the Kalani genotype for total carotenoids, and the genotypes Akamu, Kaiki and Kaolin for phenolic totals content and antioxidant activity. Moke and Kaolin showed higher vitamin C content and fruit firmness. Based on sensory analysis, Kalani, Kaiki, Kaolin and Akamu obtained greater global acceptance. The genotypes can be considered an important marketing strategy of mini sweet peppers trade, associating different shapes, colors and nutritional quality.

We aimed to develop evidence-based multinational recommendations for the diagnosis and management of gout. Using a formal voting process, a panel of 78 international rheumatologists developed 10 key clinical questions pertinent to the diagnosis and management of gout. Each question was investigated with a systematic literature review. Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL and abstracts from 2010–2011 European League Against Rheumatism and American College of Rheumatology meetings were searched in each review. Relevant studies were independently reviewed by two individuals for data extraction and synthesis and risk of bias assessment. Using this evidence, rheumatologists from 14 countries (Europe, South America and Australasia) developed national recommendations. After rounds of discussion and voting, multinational recommendations were formulated. Each recommendation was graded according to the level of evidence. Agreement and potential impact on clinical practice were assessed. Combining evidence and clinical expertise, 10 recommendations were produced. One recommendation referred to the diagnosis of gout, two referred to cardiovascular and renal comorbidities, six focused on different aspects of the management of gout (including drug treatment and monitoring), and the last recommendation referred to the management of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia. The level of agreement with the recommendations ranged from 8.1 to 9.2 (mean 8.7) on a 1–10 scale, with 10 representing full agreement. Ten recommendations on the diagnosis and management of gout were established. They are evidence-based and supported by a large panel of rheumatologists from 14 countries, enhancing their utility in clinical practice.