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Atolls are at risk of losing their ability to physically adapt due to rising sea levels and coral reefs’ reduced sediment supply, resulting in faster erosion of reef islands. This research examines Aldabra, a raised atoll and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Indian Ocean with diverse coastal ecosystems, to track shoreline changes against a regional sea level rise of 2–3 mm yr −1 . Aerial and satellite images in 1960 and 2011 were used to study 85% of the atoll’s shoreline through a Digital Shoreline Analysis System. Over 51 years, 61% of the shoreline remained unchanged, while 24% changed at an average rate of 0.25 ± 0.36 m yr −1 , a low rate compared to global atoll changes. Among the areas that did change, rates of accretion and erosion in absolute values were nearly balanced and affected similar percentages (12%) of the shoreline. However, localized changes were pronounced: for example, part of the lagoon shoreline transformed from a sandy beach to a mangrove habitat, accreting by 214 m over the period. Erosion occurred at crucial turtle nesting sites and the research station. The lagoon shoreline underwent more rapid changes than the erosion-resistant ocean shoreline, particularly in areas exposed to wind and waves. Despite its dynamic shoreline, Aldabra maintained its net shoreline and likely total land area over the past 51 years, akin to other Indo-Pacific atolls—underscoring its adaptive capacity. Our research suggests that current knowledge of geomorphological processes of low reef islands is transferable to the raised Aldabra Atoll, reconfirming similar mechanisms of island-building processes at the island crest. These insights highlight an urgent need to minimize local impacts on sediment availability and transfer that might alter the natural dynamics of the shoreline of reef islands and hence limit adaptation potential. Ongoing shoreline monitoring will remain crucial for informing timely adaptation strategies for the conservation of Aldabra’s unique ecosystem.

The Aldabra giant tortoise is the only surviving lineage of the Malagasy megafauna, which went extinct due to human activities over the last millennium. In 2018, the first rewilding project was launched at the Anjajavy Reserve (NW Madagascar), using 12 founders of unknown origin. They started to mate in 2019, but genetic proximity between individuals and their reproductive output remains to be determined for optimal management of the newly established population. Here, we used 29 microsatellite loci to analyze the genetic diversity of native populations from Aldabra, a coral atoll 420 km from Madagascar, to assign Anjajavy founders to specific genetic groups and assess how well they represent the overall genetic diversity in the native range. Additionally, five of these loci allowed us to investigate the diversity of the genomic region containing the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes. The non‐MHC microsatellite data were also used to investigate the past demography of the species using a stepwise mutation model (VarEff). Finally, we evaluated the contribution of Anjajavy founders to the offspring. First, the clustering analysis identified two main genetic groups in Aldabra, and demographic inferences then support that population size fluctuations were strongly shaped by climatic shifts and sea‐level changes on the atoll. Both genetic groups are represented among the Anjajavy founders, who most likely originated from the southern island of Aldabra. However, the founders contributed unequally to the offspring, as most juveniles analyzed were the result of mating between individuals from the two groups, leading to a significant global increase in heterozygosity in the offspring. We propose measures to minimize inbreeding and maintain genetic diversity within the Anjajavy population, thereby enhancing its potential for long‐term viability. The Aldabra giant tortoise is the only surviving lineage of Malagasy megafauna, eradicated by human activities over the last millennium. In 2018, the first rewilding project was launched in the Anjajavy Reserve (NW Madagascar), using 12 founder individuals of unknown origin. Using genetic data, we determined their origin (southern island of Aldabra) and reproductive output to manage the population and improve its long‐term viability potential.

Predictive scores assessing the risk of respiratory failure in COVID-19 mostly focused on the prediction of early intubation. A combined assessment of clinical parameters and biomarkers of endotheliopathy could allow to predict late worsening of acute respiratory failure (ARF), subsequently warranting intubation in COVID-19. Retrospective single-center derivation (n = 92 subjects) and validation cohorts (n = 59 subjects), including severe COVID-19 patients with non-invasive respiratory support, were assessed for at least 48 h following intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We used stepwise regression to construct the COVID endothelial and respiratory failure (CERES) score in a derivation cohort, and secondly assessed its accuracy for the prediction of late ARF worsening, requiring intubation within 15 days following ICU admission in an independent validation cohort. Platelet count, fraction of inspired oxygen, and endocan measured on ICU admission were identified as the top three predictive variables for late ARF worsening and subsequently included in the CERES score. The area under the ROC curve of the CERES score to predict late ARF worsening was calculated in the derivation and validation cohorts at 0.834 and 0.780, respectively. The CERES score is a simple tool with good performances to predict respiratory failure worsening, leading to secondary intubation, in COVID-19 patients.