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Introduction: Individuals who develop new‐onset diabetes have been identified as a high‐risk cohort for pancreatic cancer (PC), exhibiting an incidence rate nearly 8 times higher than the general population. Hence, the targeted screening of this specific cohort presents a promising opportunity for early pancreatic cancer detection. We aimed to develop and validate a novel model capable of identifying high‐risk individuals among those with new‐onset diabetes. Methods: Employing the UK Biobank cohort, we focused on those developing new‐onset diabetes during follow‐up. Genetic and clinical characteristics available at registration were considered as candidate predictors. We conducted univariate regression analysis to identify potential indicators and used a 5‐fold cross‐validation method to select optimal predictors for model development. Five machine learning algorithms were used for model development. Results: Among 12,735 patients with new‐onset diabetes, 100 (0.8%) were diagnosed with PC within 2 years. The final model (area under the curve, 0.897; 95% confidence interval, 0.865–0.929) included 5 clinical predictors and 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Two threshold cut‐offs were established: 1.28% and 5.26%. The recommended 1.28% cut‐off, based on model performance, reduces definitive testing to 13% of the total population while capturing 76% of PC cases. The high‐risk threshold is 5.26%. Utilizing this threshold, only 2% of the population needs definitive testing, capturing nearly half of PC cases. Conclusions: We, for the first time, combined clinical and genetic data to develop and validate a model to determine the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new‐onset diabetes using machine learning algorithms. By reducing the number of unnecessary tests while ensuring that a substantial proportion of high‐risk patients are identified, this tool has the potential to improve patient outcomes and optimize healthcare sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is recommended that infants are introduced to complementary foods from 6 months old, moving from a solely milk diet to eating a family diet by 12 months old. Although home cooking of family foods is recommended, a rapidly growing market producing baby food products (BFP) such as jars, pouches and snacks has developed. These are often accompanied by marketing claims around nutritional, health and developmental impacts despite research highlighting high sugar content. Although numerous studies have explored drivers of infant formula choice and use, little research has examined the drivers of BFP use. This study used an online survey for United Kingdom parents of infants aged 4–12 months to explore use of BFP alongside perceptions and drivers to purchase products. Overall, 271 parents participated (173 used BFP and 98 did not), with a descriptive analysis of closed items and a thematic analysis for open ended text conducted. The top motivators for using BFP were convenience, time saving, and baby's perceived enjoyment of products. The most purchased puree was fruit based and the most purchased baby snacks were vegetable puffs/sticks, with snack purchases being more common than purees in this sample. Aspects such as perceived healthiness drove choice, with snack foods being seen to enhance self‐feeding skills, appetite regulation and motor development. Those who did not use BFP did not trust them and preferred to feed their baby home cooked foods. The findings are important for professionals working with parents, to support them through the transition to solid foods, particularly around raising awareness of marketing techniques and how to check content of foods to make a more informed choice. Key messages: Parents had multiple reasons for using BFP. The most common motivators were convenience, time saving and infants' perceived enjoyment of them.Some parents perceive baby food products to have nutritional benefits due to health halo statements on packaging. Statements such as low in salt or high in fibre led to perceptions that the product was healthy.Baby snacks were the most common BFPs used, sometimes by parents who did not use purees as self‐feeding was seen to support development. Almost a quarter offered baby puffs daily compared to one in six using fruit purees daily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With unprecedented and growing interest in data science education, there are limited educator materials that provide meaningful opportunities for learners to practice statistical thinking, as defined by Wild and Pfannkuch, with messy data addressing real-world challenges. As a solution, Nolan and Speed advocated for bringing applications to the forefront in undergraduate statistics curriculum with the use of in-depth case studies to encourage and develop statistical thinking in the classroom. Limitations to this approach include the significant time investment required to develop a case study—namely, to select a motivating question and to create an illustrative data analysis—and the domain expertise needed. As a result, case studies based on realistic challenges, not toy examples, are scarce. To address this, we developed the Open Case Studies (opencasestudies.org) project, which offers a new statistical and data science education case study model. This educational resource provides self-contained, multimodal, peer-reviewed, and open-source guides (or case studies) from real-world examples for active experiences of complete data analyses. We developed an educator's guide describing how to most effectively use the case studies, how to modify and adapt components of the case studies in the classroom, and how to contribute new case studies (opencasestudies.org/OCS_Guide). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history, many scientists considered time as the result of changing the world and believed that time is not true. Among those who say that time is not true, Einstein is the only one who was able to mathematically explain the relativity of time in the field of geometry (space time) and present his equations in relativistic physics. Although Einstein, like other scientists, did not provide a clear definition of time, he presented the relativity of time well. He showed that time is not independent of space and bends along with space. Also, Einstein used the speed of light to convert mass into energy to introduce the law of mass–energy equivalence. Currently, basic laws such as conservation of mass, conservation of energy and equivalence of mass and energy have been presented. Recently, due to the importance of time in the development of science, especially in the field of water and chemistry, "timemass equivalence law" has also been presented (by the author). In this research, with the aim of expanding the relativity of time in the flows of mass and energy (not the field of motion and geometry), while presenting new definitions of "phenomenon", "time" and "specific speed of transformation", in addition to the theory of "mass equivalence law" "Time" was completed, the general equations of equivalence of energy time—and timemass were introduced. Then, to check the results more accurately, the general masstime equation (in this study, absorption kinetics) by performing surface absorption experiments of heavy metals (Fe + 2, Pb + 2, Zn + 2, Ni + 2, Cd + 2, Cu + 2)) was investigated by the adsorbents of green walnut shell (GWH) and its biochar (GWHB), and the results are tested in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a multifactorial syndrome with a high risk of short- and long-term complications as well as increased health care costs. The traditional biomarkers of AKI, serum creatinine and urine output, have important limitations. The discovery of new functional and damage/stress biomarkers has enabled a more precise delineation of the aetiology, pathophysiology, site, mechanisms, and severity of injury. This has allowed earlier diagnosis, better prognostication, and the identification of AKI sub-phenotypes. In this review, we summarize the roles and challenges of these new biomarkers in clinical practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the past, there has been a clear conclusion regarding the sole impact of serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) on the risk of death. However, the combined effect of sNfL levels and type 2 DM on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality is still uncertain. Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The sNfL levels were measured through immunological methods using blood samples collected during the survey. The diagnosis of diabetes was based on rigorous criteria, and participants' mortality data were followed up until December 31, 2019. Firstly, we separately examined the effects of sNfL and type 2 DM on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and finally studied the comprehensive impact of the combination of sNfL and type 2 DM on the risk of mortality. Cumulative Kaplan-Meier curves, multivariate logistic regression and sensitivity analysis were incorporated throughout the entire study. Results: Participants in the highest quartile of sNfL were observed. Multivariable COX regression model showed that increased sNfL levels and type 2 DM were respectively associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Furthermore, elevated sNfL levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality after adjustment for confounding factors. When considering both elevated sNfL levels and type 2 DM, individuals had a significantly increased risk of mortality. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the findings. Conclusions: These results suggest that elevated levels of sNfL and type 2 DM are associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and that participants with increased sNfL levels associated with type 2 DM have higher all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is a critical factor in the development of mental disorders such as addiction, underscoring the importance of stress resilience strategies. While the ketogenic diet (KD) has shown efficacy in reducing alcohol consumption in male mice without cognitive impairment, its impact on the stress response and addiction development, especially in females, remains unclear. This study examined the KD's effect on increasing ethanol intake due to vicarious social defeat (VSD) in female mice. Sixty-four female OF1 mice were divided into two dietary groups: standard diet (n = 32) and KD (n = 32). These were further split based on exposure to four VSD or exploration sessions, creating four groups: EXP-STD (n = 16), VSD-STD (n = 16), EXP-KD (n = 16), and VSD-KD (n = 16). KD-fed mice maintained ketosis from adolescence until the fourth VSD/EXP session, after which they switched to a standard diet. The Social Interaction Test was performed 24 h after the last VSD session. Three weeks post-VSD, the Drinking in the Dark test and Oral Ethanol Self-Administration assessed ethanol consumption. The results showed that the KD blocked the increase in ethanol consumption induced by VSD in females. Moreover, among other changes, the KD increased the expression of the ADORA1 and CNR1 genes, which are associated with mechanisms modulating neurotransmission. Our results point to the KD as a useful tool to increase resilience to social stress in female mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Statistics & Data Science Education (JSDSE) has implemented requirements for authors to share deidentified data and code to promote reproducibility and open science. This document discusses the importance of sharing data in research and provides guidelines for selecting appropriate repositories for data sharing. It also addresses the challenges of sharing deidentified data, particularly in relation to privacy concerns and the potential for reidentification. The document suggests options such as removing sensitive demographic variables or creating synthetic data to protect privacy while still allowing for reproducibility. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of balancing privacy and sharing to foster better science. [Extracted from the article]

Economics has become increasingly empirical and, alongside this shift, has come more demand for improved transparency and reproducibility in empirical economic research. In this article, we distribute a survey to almost 1500 economics faculty from the top 161 liberal arts colleges with an economics major (according to U.S. News & World Report) in the United States to determine the prevalence of teaching reproducible methods in undergraduate economics, summarize the most-common methods of instruction, and determine the intended student learning objectives. We find that of the economics faculty at liberal arts colleges who teach these reproducible methods, most do so in advanced upper-level (42%) and basic econometrics (31%) courses. Those faculty report teaching reproducibility using the following methods: transparent coding (85%), organizational skills (78%), and producing replication documentation (47%) through individual research projects (82%), homework assignments (55%), and/or workshops (33%). We conclude with some qualitative text analysis to shed light on the intended learning objectives and find that research skills (59%) and the importance of reproducibility (37%) are the most common reasons cited for teaching these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis and is susceptible to treatment resistance and recurrence. Understanding the intra‐tumoral spatial heterogeneity in SCLC is crucial for improving patient outcomes and clinically relevant subtyping. In this study, a spatial whole transcriptome‐wide analysis of 25 SCLC patients at sub‐histological resolution using GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling technology is performed. This analysis deciphered intra‐tumoral multi‐regional heterogeneity, characterized by distinct molecular profiles, biological functions, immune features, and molecular subtypes within spatially localized histological regions. Connections between different transcript‐defined intra‐tumoral phenotypes and their impact on patient survival and therapeutic response are also established. Finally, a gene signature, termed ITHtyper, based on the prevalence of intra‐tumoral heterogeneity levels, which enables patient risk stratification from bulk RNA‐seq profiles is identified. The prognostic value of ITHtyper is rigorously validated in independent multicenter patient cohorts. This study introduces a preliminary tumor‐centric, regionally targeted spatial transcriptome resource that sheds light on previously unexplored intra‐tumoral spatial heterogeneity in SCLC. These findings hold promise to improve tumor reclassification and facilitate the development of personalized treatments for SCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this study, our aim was to estimate the nutrient fluxes relevant for assessing nutrient sustainability as accurately as possible and to calculate nutrient balances for alternative forest management scenarios. Furthermore, we tested whether mapping units from existing geologic maps can serve as a basis for forest practitioners to estimate nutrient sustainability or whether more detailed data are needed. Positive fluxes include deposition and weathering, while negative fluxes include losses due to leaching and nutrient removal through timber harvesting in the balance. Weathering and leachate losses were modeled with a geochemical model. The SwissStandSim model was used to simulate the biomass growth under different harvesting and silvicultural strategies, allowing for sustainability to be assessed for each nutrient at a given intensity of use. This assessment was made per rotation period based on two criteria: (i) nutrient supply and (ii) total stocking volume. As a result, it can be noted that the accurate estimation of individual fluxes is essential for assessing the sustainability of forestry practices and that it needs detailed site-specific data. Various influencing factors turned out to be important, particularly the assumed depth of the root zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke has evolved to become a chronic disease and a major public health challenge. To adequately capture the full disease burden of stroke patients, the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and thus the performance of respective measures is increasingly relevant. The aim of this analysis was to compare the measurement properties of two self-report instruments, the EQ-5D-5L and the Stroke Impact Scale 2.0. Methods: The data used for the analysis was derived from a quasi-experimental case management study for mildly to moderately affected incident stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients aged ≥ 18 in Germany. Data was collected patient-individually at 3, 6 and 12 months after initial stroke. The EQ-5D-5L and SIS 2.0 were compared in terms of feasibility, ceiling and floor effects, responsiveness and known-groups validity (Kruskal-Wallis H and Wilcoxon rank-sum test). Results: A response for all three follow-ups is available for n = 855 patients. The feasibility of the EQ-5D-5L is determined as good (completion rate: 96.4–96.6%, ≥ one item missing: 3.2 − 3.3%), whereas the SIS 2.0 is moderately feasible (overall completion rate: 44.9–46.1%, ≥ one item missing in domains: 4.7 − 28.7%). The SIS 2.0 shows substantial ceiling effects in comparable domains (physical function: 10.4 − 13%, others: 3.5–31.3%) which are mainly larger than ceiling effects in the EQ-5D-5L index (17.1–21.5%). In terms of responsiveness, the EQ-5D-5L shows small to moderate change while the SIS 2.0 presents with moderate to large responsiveness. The EQ-5D-5L index, mobility, usual activities and Visual Analogue Scale show known-groups validity (p < 0.05). Content-related domains of the SIS 2.0 show known-groups validity as well (p < 0.05). However, it is compromised in the emotion domain in both measures (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The EQ-5D-5L seems to be slightly more suitable for this cohort. Nonetheless, the results of both measures indicate limited suitability for TIA patients. Large-scale studies concerning responsiveness and known-groups validity are encouraged. Trial registration: The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register, retrospective registration on 21.09.2022. Registration ID: DRKS00030297. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biomarkers that reflect brain damage or predict functional outcomes may aid in guiding personalized stroke treatments. Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) emerges as a promising candidate for fulfilling this role. Methods: This prospective, observational cohort investigation included 319 acute ischemic stroke (IS) patients. The endpoints were the incidence of early neurological deterioration (END, an elevation of two or more points in the National Institute of Health stroke scale score within a week of hospitalization compared with the baseline) and functional outcome at 3 months (an mRS score of >2 at 3 months was categorized as an unfavorable/poor functional outcome). The association of sNfL, which was assessed within 24 h of admission, with END and unfavorable functional outcomes at follow-up was assessed via multivariate logistic regression, whereas the predictive value of sNfL for unfavorable functional outcomes and END was elucidated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: Of 319 IS individuals, 89 (27.90%) suffered from END. sNfL not only reflects the severity of stroke measured by NIHSS score (p < 0.05) but also closely related to the severity of age-related white matter changes. Higher initial NIHSS score, severe white matter lesions, diabetes mellitus, and upregulated sNfL were significant predictors of END. Similarly, the multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that elevated sNfL, a higher baseline NIHSS score, and severe white matter lesions were substantially linked with unfavorable outcomes for 3 months. Similarly, sNfL was valuable for the prediction of the 3 months of poor outcome (95%CI, 0.504-0.642, p = 0.044). Kaplan-Meier analysis shows that patients with elevated sNfL levels are more likely to reach combined cerebrovascular endpoints (log-rank test p < 0.05). Conclusion: This investigation suggests that sNfL can serve as a valuable biomarker for predicting END and 3-month poor functional outcomes after an IS and has the potential to forecast long-term cardiovascular outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to study anxiety, depression and quality of life in smokers after stroke by sex. Methods: A longitudinal prospective study with a 24-month follow-up of acute stroke patients who were previously active smokers. Anxiety and depression were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, and quality of life was evaluated with the EQ-5D questionnaire. Results: One hundred and eighty patients participated (79.4% men); their mean age was 57.6 years. Anxiety was most prevalent at 3 months (18.9% in men and 40.5% in women) and depression at 12 months (17.9% in men and 27% in women). The worst perceived health occurred at 24 months (EQ-VAS 67.5 in men and 65.1 in women), which was associated with depression (p < 0.001) and Rankin Scale was worse in men (p < 0.001) and depression in women (p < 0.001). Continued tobacco use was associated with worse perceived health at 3 months in men (p = 0.034) and at 12 months in both sexes. Predictor variables of worse perceived health at 24 months remaining at 3 and 12 months were tobacco use in men and neurological damage in women. Conclusion: Differences by sex are observed in the prevalence of anxiety and depression and associated factors and in the predictive factors of perceived health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Few studies have compared patient characteristics, clinical management, and outcome of patients with COVID-19 between the different epidemic waves. In this study, we describe patient characteristics, treatment, and outcome of patients admitted for COVID-19 in the Antwerp University Hospital over the first three epidemic waves of 2020–2021. Methods: Retrospective observational study of COVID-19 patients in a Belgian tertiary referral hospital. All adult patients with COVID-19, hospitalized between February 29, 2020, and June 30, 2021, were included. Standardized routine medical data was collected from patient records. Risk factors were assessed with multivariable logistic regression. Results: We included 722 patients, during the first (n = 179), second (n = 347) and third (n = 194) wave. We observed the lowest disease severity at admission during the first wave, and more elderly and comorbid patients during the second wave. Throughout the subsequent waves we observed an increasing use of corticosteroids and high-flow oxygen therapy. In spite of increasing number of complications throughout the subsequent waves, mortality decreased each wave (16.6%,15.6% 11.9% in 1st, 2nd and 3rd wave respectively). C-reactive protein above 150 mg/L was predictive for the need for intensive care unit admission (odds ratio (OR) 3.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.32–6.15). A Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 5 (OR 5.68, 95% CI 2.54–12.70) and interhospital transfers (OR 3.78, 95% CI 2.05–6.98) were associated with a higher mortality. Conclusions: We observed a reduction in mortality each wave, despite increasing comorbidity. Evolutions in patient management such as high-flow oxygen therapy on regular wards and corticosteroid use may explain this favorable evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prey metabarcoding has become a popular tool in molecular ecology for resolving trophic interactions at high resolution, from various sample types and animals. To date, most predator–prey studies of small‐sized animals (<1 mm) have met the problem of overabundant predator DNA in dietary samples by adding blocking primers/peptide nucleic acids. These primers aim to limit the PCR amplification and detection of the predator DNA but may introduce bias to the prey composition identified by interacting with sequences that are similar to those of the predator. Here we demonstrate the use of an alternative method to explore the prey of small marine copepods using whole‐body DNA extracts and deep, brute force metabarcoding of an 18S rDNA fragment. After processing and curating raw data from two sequencing runs of varying depths (0.4 and 5.4 billion raw reads), we isolated 1.3 and 52.2 million prey reads, with average depths of ~15,900 and ~120,000 prey reads per copepod individual, respectively. While data from both sequencing runs were sufficient to distinguish dietary compositions from disparate seasons, locations, and copepod species, greater sequencing depth led to better separation of clusters. As computation and sequencing are becoming ever more powerful and affordable, we expect the brute force approach to become a general standard for prey metabarcoding, as it offers a simple and affordable solution to consumers that is impractical to dissect or unknown to science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moller experiment and the P2 experiment aim at measuring the weak mixing angle at low scales. The Moller experiment uses e - e - → e - e - -scattering, the P2 experiment uses e - N → e - N -scattering. In both cases, two-loop electroweak corrections have to be taken into account, and here in particular diagrams which give rise to large logarithms. In this paper we compute a set of two-loop electroweak Feynman integrals for point-like particles, which are obtained from a box integral by the insertion of a light fermion loop. By rationalising all occurring square roots we show that these Feynman integrals can be expressed in terms of multiple polylogarithms. We present the results in a form, which makes the large logarithms manifest. We provide highly efficient numerical evaluation routines for these integrals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequent among in-hospital patients with high incidence and mortality. Implementing a series of evidence-based AKI care bundles may improve patient outcomes by reducing changeable standards of care. The aim of this meta-analysis was therefore to appraise the influences of AKI care bundles on patient outcomes. Materials and methods: We explored three international databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and two Chinese databases (Wanfang Data and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) for studies from databases inception until November 30, 2022, comparing the impact of different AKI care bundles with usual standards of care in patients with or at risk for AKI. The study quality of non-randomized controlled trials and randomized controlled trials was evaluated by the NIH Study Quality Assessment Tool and the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Heterogeneity between studies was appraised by Cochran's Q test and I2 statistics. The possible origins of heterogeneity between studies were assessed adopting Meta-regression and subgroup analyses. Funnel plot asymmetry and Egger regression and Begg correlation tests were performed to discover potential publication bias. Data analysis was completed by software (RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0). The primary outcome was short- or long-term mortality. The secondary outcomes involved the incidence and severity of AKI. Results: Sixteen studies containing 25,690 patients and 25,903 AKI episodes were included. In high-risk AKI patients determined by novel biomarkers, electronic alert or risk prediction score, the application of AKI care bundles significantly reduced the AKI incidence (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53–0.96; p = 0.02; I2 = 84%) and AKI severity (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39–0.89; p = 0.01; I2 = 65%). No strong evidence is available to prove that care bundles can significantly reduce mortality (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.58–2.30; p = 0.68; I2 = 97%). Conclusions: The introduction of AKI care bundles in routine clinical practice can effectively improve the outcomes of patients with or at-risk of AKI. However, the accumulated evidence is limited and not strong enough to make definite conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the health-related quality of life(HRQoL)status of elderly patients with hypertensive stroke, to understand the factors influencing it, and to provide a basis for the development of health intervention policies. Patients and Methods: This study used the EQ-5D-3L scale to assess the HRQoL among elderly patients who experienced a stroke related to high blood pressure. Various analytical methods were employed to examine the factors that influenced the patient's quality of life. Univariate analysis, Tobit regression, random forest, and XGBoost models were applied to analyze the HRQoL of the patients. Furthermore, to interpret the machine learning results, the SHAP method was utilized. This method involved assessing the importance of each feature, examining the effect of each feature on the prediction result of a single sample, and determining the impact of individual features on the overall prediction. Results: The study found that the median health utility value for elderly patients with hypertensive stroke was 0.427, with an interquartile range of 0.186 to 0.745. The results of the Tobit regression model, Random Forest, and XGBoost model were compared. The results of the model evaluation show that the performance of the machine learning model and the Tobit regression model are not very different. The XGBoost model performs slightly better relative to the random forest model. The factors that strongly influenced the health utility value of patients included BMI, social activities, smoking, education level, alcohol consumption, urban/rural residence, annual income, physical activity level, and hours of sleep at night. Conclusion: Health-related quality of life in hypertensive stroke patients is influenced by a variety of factors. Health-related quality of life can be positively influenced by modifying these factors and making lifestyle adjustments. Maintaining a healthy weight, being socially active, quitting smoking, improving living conditions, increasing physical activity levels and getting enough sleep are recommended. Lifestyle changes need to be developed for each individual on a case-by-case basis and by medical advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cordyceps militaris is an entomopathogenic fungus with potential health benefits. These benefits have made this fungus marketable. Employing the transcriptome-integrated genome-scale metabolic model approach using gene inactivity moderated by metabolism and expression framework (iPS1474-tiGSMM), this work reveals metabolic fluxes in correlation with the expressed genes involved in the cordycepin and carotenoid biosynthetic pathways of C. militaris under light exposure. Additionally, an analysis of reporter metabolites emphasizes central carbon, purine, and fatty acid metabolisms, uncovering crucial processes for C. militaris adaptation to light exposure. The genome-scale metabolic model (GSMM) of Cordyceps militaris provides a comprehensive basis of carbon assimilation for cell growth and metabolite production. However, the model with a simple mass balance concept shows limited capability to probe the metabolic responses of C. militaris under light exposure. This study, therefore, employed the transcriptome-integrated GSMM approach to extend the investigation of C. militaris's metabolism under light conditions. Through the gene inactivity moderated by metabolism and expression (GIMME) framework, the iPS1474-tiGSMM model was furnished with the transcriptome data, thus providing a simulation that described reasonably well the metabolic responses underlying the phenotypic observation of C. militaris under the particular light conditions. The iPS1474-tiGSMM obviously showed an improved prediction of metabolic fluxes in correlation with the expressed genes involved in the cordycepin and carotenoid biosynthetic pathways under the sucrose culturing conditions. Further analysis of reporter metabolites suggested that the central carbon, purine, and fatty acid metabolisms towards carotenoid biosynthesis were the predominant metabolic processes responsible in light conditions. This finding highlights the key responsive processes enabling the acclimatization of C. militaris metabolism in varying light conditions. This study provides a valuable perspective on manipulating metabolic genes and fluxes towards the target metabolite production of C. militaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the fiscal impact of natural disasters in the U.S. states. The focus is on state spending, state revenues, and federal transfers for the period from 1970 to 2015. Results show that a broad definition based on dollar damages from all emergency events and major disasters has a small effect on state-level fiscal conditions, which stands in contrast to prior studies. On the other hand, a narrower definition based on the occurrence of major disasters is associated with increased spending and transfers alongside spending effects that grow with disaster severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by the destruction of platelets and megakaryocytes due to autoantibodies against the platelet surface proteins. ITP without any apparent cause of thrombocytopenia is defined as primary ITP, and ITP in the setting of SLE is secondary ITP, which can be diagnosed after excluding other causes of thrombocytopenia by history, physical examination, and laboratory testing. Patients with ITP associated with SLE have higher median platelet count and less bleeding manifestations compared to the patients with primary ITP. It can be very challenging to diagnose primary ITP in SLE patients as other causes of thrombocytopenia including drug-induced thrombocytopenia, antiphospholipid syndrome, and thrombotic microangiopathic process should be ruled out. Corticosteroids are the main modality of treatment. IVIG can be used in severe cases. Splenectomy was found to be less effective in ITP associated with SLE compared to primary ITP. Control of disease activity with immunosuppressive therapy can be helpful in some cases associated with active disease flares in SLE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation detection dogs (CDD) use their exceptional olfactory abilities to assist a wide range of conservation projects through the detection of target specimens or species. CDD are generally quicker, can cover wider areas and find more samples than humans and other analytical tools. However, their efficacy varies between studies; methodological and procedural standardisation in the field is lacking. Considering the cost of deploying a CDD team and the limited financial resources within conservation, it is vital that their performance is quantified and reliable. This review aims to summarise what is currently known about the use of scent detection dogs in conservation and elucidate which factors affect efficacy. We describe the efficacy of CDD across species and situational contexts like training and fieldwork. Reported sensitivities (i.e. the proportion of target samples found out of total available) ranged from 23.8% to 100% and precision rates (i.e. proportion of alerts that are true positives) from 27% to 100%. CDD are consistently shown to be better than other techniques, but performance varies substantially across the literature. There is no consistent difference in efficacy between training, testing and fieldwork, hence we need to understand the factors affecting this. We highlight the key variables that can alter CDD performance. External effects include target odour, training methods, sample management, search methodology, environment and the CDD handler. Internal effects include dog breed, personality, diet, age and health. Unfortunately, much of the research fails to provide adequate information on the dogs, handlers, training, experience and samples. This results in an inability to determine precisely why an individual study has high or low efficacy. It is clear that CDDs can be effective and applied to possibly limitless conservation scenarios, but moving forward researchers must provide more consistent and detailed methodologies so that comparisons can be conducted, results are more easily replicated and progress can be made in standardising CDD work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the specific advantages of ultrasound (US) in therapeutic disease treatments, the unique therapeutic US technology has emerged. In addition to featuring a low‐invasive targeted cancer‐cell killing effect, the therapeutic US technology has been demonstrated to modulate the tumor immune landscape, amplify the therapeutic effect of other antitumor therapies, and induce immunosensitization of tumors to immunotherapy, shedding new light on the cancer treatment. Tremendous advances in nanotechnology are also expected to bring unprecedented benefits to enhancing the antitumor efficiency and immunological effects of therapeutic US, as well as therapeutic US‐derived bimodal and multimodal synergistic therapies. This comprehensive review summarizes the immunological effects induced by different therapeutic US technologies, including ultrasound‐mediated micro‐/nanobubble destruction (UTMD/UTND), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and focused ultrasound (FUS), as well as the main underlying mechanisms involved. It is also discussed that the recent research progress of engineering intelligent nanoplatform in improving the antitumor efficiency of therapeutic US technologies. Finally, focusing on clinical translation, the key issues and challenges currently faced are summarized, and the prospects for promoting the clinical translation of these emerging nanomaterials and ultrasonic immunotherapy in the future are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyse the impact of the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake on the mental health and welfare of victims in Bantul and to examine whether disasters they experienced before might increase or decrease their mental health when facing indirect exposure to repeated disasters. This study employs several methods: descriptive analysis; logit; a combination of propensity score matching; and difference in differences. The results find that 7 people (1.78%) in 2007 and 31 people (7.89%) in 2014 have experienced symptoms of depression. Age is confirmed as a significant factor in increasing this probability. The results of this study reveal that direct exposure to the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake increased the average mental disorder score and decreased the victims' education expenditure 1 year after the disaster. The direct exposure to the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake also affected the increase in mental disorder score and decrease in household expenditure of victims 1 year after the disaster, although the effects were insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International law has traditionally protected aliens against unlawful expropriations by host states. After World War II, citizens gained protection against property being taken by their own governments. In Federal Republic of Germany v. Philipp (2021), the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Takings Exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (28 U.S.C. § 1605(a)(3)) incorporated international law's protections against alien property deprivation but not protections for citizens. The Court did so, in part, because international law's traditional inapplicability to citizen takings, in its view, "survived the advent of modern human rights law". The U.S. Supreme Court was simply wrong. Even at the time the U.S. Congress enacted the Takings Exception in 1976, many human rights instruments addressed citizen takings. Later, similar norms would enter a variety of other areas of international law, forming a mutually reinforcing network of property protections. But Philipp not only missed an opportunity to describe property norms accurately--its more significant omission was failing to distinguish the types of property covered by the alien and citizen regimes. Using a typology developed by Margaret Jane Radin, we identify alien property as "fungible," meaning a dispossessed owner can be made whole by acquiring equivalent property in the market or its monetary equivalent. We identify citizen property as "property constitutive of personhood" or "personal property," meaning the owner can only be made whole through restitution. This Article explores how these very different conceptions of property have become manifest in two paradigmatic types of takings. For alien property, we examine the practice of expropriated foreign direct investment. For citizen property, we examine property taken during forced evictions in civil wars and persecution, including ethnic cleansing. In each case, the way in which the right to property conceives of the protected interest and the remedy available to owners reflect the different nature of the property involved. While the remedy of compensation is available for both alien and citizen property under the law of state responsibility, investors have chosen compensation in almost every reported case. By contrast, citizens with a deep connection to homes, family businesses, art, and land demand restitution. Focusing on that choice is consistent with Radin's definition of personal property as a largely subjective concept, built on how individual owners understand specific pieces of property to constitute an essential aspect of their character. Three consequences flow from conceiving alien and citizen property as fungible and personal, respectively. First, the distinction introduces a human-centered conception of property that has been missing from international law debates focused on identifying legally cognizable "takings" and appropriate measures of compensation. Second, the idea of personal property clarifies the ways in which international law views certain takings, such as the seizure of homes attendant to massive human rights abuses and the taking of cultural property. Third, the land of indigenous peoples, often described as occupying its own legal category, is presented here as an extreme example of personal property. In turn, that conception may help clarify and bolster claims for restitution of other types of personal property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Some common symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. But ear, nose, and throat (ENT) manifestations such as loss of smell and taste are also very common. Objectives To compare the general and otorhinolaryngological manifestations of COVID-19 and to compare the treatments given and mortality rate during its two waves. Methods This retrospective study was conducted on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Six hundred patients were included in the 1st wave sample and 516 were in the 2nd wave sample. The data collected included demographics, comorbidities, general, and ENT symptoms, need for ventilatory support, oxygen therapy, and mortality for both the waves. Results Fever, malaise, and myalgia were more frequently presented in the first wave than in the second, whereas shortness of breath was more common in the second wave. In the second wave, a significant increase in anosmia cases was reported, whereas sore throat, nasal obstruction, dysphagia, nasal discharge, and sneezing were significantly reduced compared with the first wave (p < 0.001). The case fatality rate increased from 11.33 to 21.55% (p < 0.001) from the 1 st to the 2 nd wave. The patients who died in the second wave were younger than those in the first wave. Two doses of vaccination showed protection from the death over those not vaccinated and those who only received one dose (p < 0.05). Conclusion Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) manifestations are very common along with the general symptoms. As anosmia and dysgeusia are early presenting symptoms in COVID-19 patients, all physicians should screen patients for ENT symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine A1 receptors (A1R) are widely expressed in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and their presynaptic terminals. It is well known that endogenous adenosine regulates hippocampal function through the activation of A1R in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and has been reported that blockade of A1R induces stronger potentiation of excitatory synaptic transmission in CA2 pyramidal neurons than in CA1 pyramidal neurons. This strong potentiation of CA2 neurons is thought to be caused by the specific modulation of excitatory synaptic transmission through postsynaptic A1R. However, the direct effects of A1R on postsynaptic AMPA channels remain unknown because of the technical difficulties of patch-clamp recording from mature hippocampal CA2 neurons. We recorded synaptic currents from pyramidal neurons in CA1 and CA2 and analyzed the effects of an A1R antagonist on stimulation-evoked synaptic transmission and local application-induced postsynaptic AMPA currents. The antagonist increased the amplitude of evoked synaptic transmission in neurons in both CA1 and CA2. This facilitation was larger in pyramidal neurons in CA2 than in CA1. The antagonist also increased postsynaptic AMPA currents in neurons in CA2 but not in CA1. This facilitation of CA2 AMPA currents was occluded by the intracellular application of a G-protein blocker. Even with the blockade of postsynaptic G-protein signaling, the A1R antagonist increased evoked synaptic transmission in neurons in CA2. These results suggest that synaptic transmission in pyramidal neurons in CA2 is regulated by both presynaptic and postsynaptic A1R. Moreover, A1R regulate excitatory synaptic transmission in pyramidal neurons in CA2 through the characteristic postsynaptic modulation of AMPA currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In breast cancer patients in whom tumor cells overexpress the protein human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), HER2-targeted therapy is the mainstay of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Two thirds of these patients respond so well to HER2-targeted therapy that during microscopic analysis of the surgically resected tissue, it becomes apparent there are no vital tumor cells left, classified as complete responders. These patients might not have needed surgery. However, with current imaging techniques such as MRI, it remains difficult to preoperatively assess whether there is residual tumor after NAT or not, so all patients still undergo surgery. This study investigated if a HER2-targeted PET/CT scan can reliably assess the response to NAT. In six patients, a HER2-targeted PET/CT scan was acquired before and after NAT. Two out of six patients had residual tumor at microscopic analysis. Visual assessment of the PET/CT scans correctly predicted the response in 66.7% of cases. When the PET/CT signal in both the scan before and after NAT was quantified and (percentual) changes were calculated, there was a difference in the change of signal between patients with and without residual tumor. This difference, although not statistically significant due to the limited patient number in this study, suggests that quantitative assessment of HER2-targeted PET/CT can be used for accurate response evaluation after NAT. Background: Approximately 20% of invasive ductal breast malignancies are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive. These patients receive neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NAT) including HER2-targeting therapies. Up to 65% of patients achieve a pathological complete response (pCR). These patients might not have needed surgery. However, accurate preoperative identification of a pCR remains challenging. A radiologic complete response (rCR) on MRI corresponds to a pCR in only 73% of patients. The current feasibility study investigates if HER2-targeted PET/CT-imaging using Zirconium-89 (89Zr)-radiolabeled trastuzumab can be used for more accurate NAT response evaluation. Methods: HER2-positive breast cancer patients scheduled to undergo NAT and subsequent surgery received a 89Zr-trastuzumab PET/CT both before (PET/CT-1) and after (PET/CT-2) NAT. Qualitative and quantitative response evaluation was performed. Results: Six patients were enrolled. All primary tumors could be identified on PET/CT-1. Four patients had a pCR and two a pathological partial response (pPR) in the primary tumor. Qualitative assessment of PET/CT resulted in an accuracy of 66.7%, compared to 83.3% of the standard-of-care MRI. Quantitative assessment showed a difference between the SUVR on PET/CT-1 and PET/CT-2 (ΔSUVR) in patients with a pPR and pCR of −48% and −90% (p = 0.133), respectively. The difference in tumor-to-blood ratio on PET/CT-1 and PET/CT-2 (ΔTBR) in patients with pPR and pCR was −79% and −94% (p = 0.133), respectively. Three patients had metastatic lymph nodes at diagnosis that were all identified on PET/CT-1. All three patients achieved a nodal pCR. Qualitative assessment of the lymph nodes with PET/CT resulted in an accuracy of 66.7%, compared to 50% of the MRI. Conclusions: NAT response evaluation using 89Zr-trastuzumab PET/CT is feasible. In the current study, qualitative assessment of the PET/CT images is not superior to standard-of-care MRI. Our results suggest that quantitative assessment of 89Zr-trastuzumab PET/CT has potential for a more accurate response evaluation of the primary tumor after NAT in HER2-positive breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Various approaches have been suggested to identify acute kidney injury (AKI) early and to initiate kidney-protective measures in patients at risk or with AKI. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether care bundles improve kidney outcomes in these patients. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of AKI care bundles with or without urinary biomarkers in the recognition and management of AKI. The main outcomes were major adverse kidney events (MAKEs) consisting of moderate-severe AKI, receipt of renal replacement therapy (RRT), and mortality. Results: Out of 7434 abstracts screened, 946 published studies were identified. Thirteen studies [five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and eight non-RCTs] including 16,540 patients were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed a lower incidence of MAKE in the AKI care bundle group [odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66–0.81] with differences in all 3 individual outcomes [moderate–severe AKI (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51–0.82), RRT (OR 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46–0.88) and mortality]. Subgroup analysis of the RCTs, all adopted biomarker-based approach, decreased the risk of MAKE (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41–0.74). Network meta-analysis could reveal that the incorporation of biomarkers in care bundles carried a significantly lower risk of MAKE when compared to care bundles without biomarkers (OR = 0.693, 95% CI = 0.50–0.96), while the usual care subgroup had a significantly higher risk (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.09–1.52). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that care bundles decreased the risk of MAKE, moderate–severe AKI and need for RRT in AKI patients. Moreover, the inclusion of biomarkers in care bundles had a greater impact than care bundles without biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next‐generation sequencing technology has enabled accurate insights into the diet of wildlife species. The protocols for faecal sample collection and DNA extraction for diet analysis have differed from those focusing on target species, even in most studies combining questions on both aspects. We designed an experiment to evaluate two protocols using 11 parameters and select a single one that will generate both target species (Asiatic wild ass, Equus hemionus, in Israel) and diet DNA, as an effective strategy to minimise time, effort, and cost without hampering efficiency. In Protocol A, we swabbed the outer surface of faecal boluses and extracted DNA using a Stool Kit, while for Protocol B, we homogenised faecal matter from inside the bolus followed by extraction using a Powersoil Kit. Protocol A performed significantly better for four parameters, which included, for the target species, microsatellite amplification success and the quantity of the GAPDH gene; and for its diet, the number of exact sequence variants (ESVs) obtained at genus level and plant genus richness. However, there was no significant difference in the amplification success of sex‐linked and plant markers, total reads at genus level, number of genera obtained and plant genus composition. Although we chose Protocol A, both protocols yielded results for the target species and its diet, demonstrating that one single protocol can be used for both purposes, although a pilot study is recommended to optimise the protocol for specific systems. This strategy may also be useful for studies combining target species and their gut microbiome and parasitic load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The launch of NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission in 2018 opens new opportunities to quantitatively describe forest ecosystems across large scales. While GEDI's height‐related metrics have already been extensively evaluated, the utility of GEDI for assessing the full spectrum of structural variability—particularly in topographically complex terrain—remains incompletely understood. Here, we quantified GEDI's potential to estimate forest structure in mountain landscapes at the plot and landscape level, with a focus on variables of high relevance in ecological applications. We compared five GEDI metrics including relative height percentiles, plant area index, cover and understory cover to airborne laser scanning (ALS) data in two contrasting mountain landscapes in the European Alps. At the plot level, we investigated the impact of leaf phenology and topography on GEDI's accuracy. At the landscape‐scale, we evaluated the ability of GEDIs sample‐based approach to characterize complex mountain landscapes by comparing it to wall‐to‐wall ALS estimates and evaluated the capacity of GEDI to quantify important indicators of ecosystem functions and services (i.e., avalanche protection, habitat provision, carbon storage). Our results revealed only weak to moderate agreement between GEDI and ALS at the plot level (R2 from 0.03 to 0.61), with GEDI uncertainties increasing with slope. At the landscape‐level, however, the agreement between GEDI and ALS was generally high, with R2 values ranging between 0.51 and 0.79. Both GEDI and ALS agreed in identifying areas of high avalanche protection, habitat provision, and carbon storage, highlighting the potential of GEDI for landscape‐scale analyses in the context of ecosystem dynamics and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This multicenter retrospective study with a control group was designed to assess the influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on the outcomes of patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: A total of 129 patients with COVID-19 who were treated for MI were included in this study. The control group comprised 129 comparable patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection. The in-hospital, out-of-hospital, and overall mortality were analyzed. Results: A total of thirty-one (24%) patients died in the study group, and two (1.6%) patients died in the control group (OR = 20.09; CI: 4.69–85.97; p < 0.001). Similar results were observed in all analyzed patient subgroups. Multivariable Cox regression analysis confirmed the significant influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection on in-hospital outcomes (HR: 8.48459; CI: 1.982–36.320; p = 0.004). Subanalysis of the groups with COVID-19 plus ST-elevation MI (STEMI) or non-ST-elevation MI (NSTEMI) revealed comparable mortality rates: 14 (21.12%) patients in the NSTEMI group and 17 (26.98%) patients in the STEMI subgroup died (OR: 1.3; CI: 0.56–3.37; p = 0.45). During out-of-hospital observation, no differences in mortality were observed (OR: 0.77; CI: 0.11–4.07; p = 0.73). Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection affects the in-hospital outcomes of patients with both MI and COVID-19, regardless of MI type (STEMI vs. NSTEMI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and the primary source of disability in adults, resulting in neuronal necrosis of ischemic areas, and in possible secondary degeneration of regions surrounding or distant to the initial damaged area. Secondary neurodegeneration (SNDG) following stroke has been shown to have different pathogenetic origins including inflammation, neurovascular response and cytotoxicity, but can be associated also to regenerative processes. Aside from focal neuronal loss, ipsilateral and contralateral effects distal to the lesion site, disruptions of global functional connectivity and a transcallosal diaschisis have been reported in the chronic stages after stroke. Furthermore, SNDG can be observed in different areas not directly connected to the primary lesion, such as thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, substantia nigra, corpus callosum, bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and superior longitudinal fasciculus, which can be highlighted by neuroimaging techniques. Although the clinical relevance of SNDG following stroke has not been well understood, the identification of specific biomarkers that reflect the brain response to the damage, is of paramount importance to investigate in vivo the different phases of stroke. Actually, brain-derived markers, particularly neurofilament light chain, tau protein, S100b, in post-stroke patients have yielded promising results. This review focuses on cerebral morphological modifications occurring after a stroke, on associated cellular and molecular changes and on state-of-the-art of biomarkers in acute and chronic phase. Finally, we discuss new perspectives regarding the implementation of blood-based biomarkers in clinical practice to improve the rehabilitation approaches and post stroke recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our work is to develop a methodology to identify the areas most prone to natural rockfall retention through the integrated use of remote sensing data. The area chosen as a case study is located in Campania (Italy) nearby Mount San Liberatore. In this area, which is itself geomorphologically predisposed to landslide risk, there are several rockfall risk hotspots, so defined because of the high exposed value constituted by an articulated infrastructure network located along the northwest slope of the mountain. The area is largely covered by dense vegetation, of which holm oak is the most representative type, characterized by a taproot apparatus that, giving it strength and stability, makes it an ideal tree for slope protection. Based on high-resolution multispectral satellite images, vegetation indices (VIs) were calculated to estimate health status, approximate age, average height, robustness, and vigor. Morphometric parameters suitable for describing slope dynamics were also calculated, derived from LiDAR data. The classification of areas with similar characteristics was carried out using Self-Organizing Maps. The results made it possible to identify all those areas where there is a greater contribution of protective forests in the mitigation of rockfall risk and, consequently, to identify areas to carry out a combined strengthening of protective actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water tunnels are one of the oldest hydro-technologies for extracting water resources and/or transmitting them through water distribution systems. In the past, human societies have used tunneling for various purposes, including development, as a measure to enable underground resource extraction and the construction of transportation networks in challenging landscapes and topographies. The development of hydro-technology potentially involves the construction of tunnels to feed aqueducts, irrigation and waste water systems. Thus, the ability to make and maintain tunnels became an important component in creating lasting and sustainable water systems, which increased water supply and security, minimized construction costs, and reduced environmental impact. Thus, this review asks how, when and why human societies of the past included tunneling for the development of lasting water supply systems. This review presents a comprehensive overview across time and space, covering the history of tunneling in hydro technology from antiquity to the present, and it ponders how past experiences could impact on future hydro-technological projects involving tunneling. A historical review of tunnel systems enhances our understanding of the potential, performance, challenges, and prospects associated with the use of hydro-techniques. In the past, as the different examples in time and space demonstrate, tunneling was often dedicated to solving local problems of supply and disposal. However, across the world, some features were repeated, including the need for carving through the living rock or digging to create tunnels covered with stone slabs. Also, the world-wide use of extensive and costly tunnel systems indicates the high level of investment which human societies are willing to make for securing control over and with its water resources. This study helps us to gather inspiration from proven technologies of the past and more recent knowledge of water tunnel design and construction. As we face global warming and its derivate problems, including problems of water scarcity and flooding, the ability to create and maintain tunnels remains an important technology for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacteria can form blooms and pose a threat to the functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Cyanobacterial invasions are expected to increase due to climate change. Alien species cause a decline in biodiversity by displacing native species, lead to extinctions, affect food webs, and produce cyanotoxins which potentially impact the environment and human health. Three species, Raphidiopsis raciborskii, Sphaerospermospis aphanizomenoides and Chrysosporum bergii, are considered non-native to European waters. Recently, they have expanded their native habitats and become established in temperate lakes. In this article, we provide a detailed overview of the countries where they are distributed and the occurrence of the blooms in Europe. We discuss the biotic and abiotic environmental factors that influence their establishment, as well as the characteristics of the species that make them so adaptable in non-native habitats. Understanding the interplay of these factors will allow us to better recognise patterns of invasiveness and predict their future threats to ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Theoretical & Applied Climatology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Coordinated movement of self-propelled agents has been well studied in collectives or swarms that display directional movement. Self-propelled agents also develop stable spatial patterns in which the agents do not necessarily exhibit directional collective movement. However, quantitative measures that are required to analyze the local and temporal coordinated movements during pattern formation processes have not been well established. Here, we study the coordinated movement of individual pairs of two different types of cells in a freely moving cell population. We introduced three criteria to evaluate coordinated movement in live imaging data obtained from the abdomen of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, at the pupal stage. All three criteria were able to reasonably identify coordinated movement. Our analysis indicates that the combined usage of these criteria can improve the evaluation of whether a pair of cells exhibits coordinated movement or not by excluding false positives. Quantitative approaches to identifying coordinated movement in a population of freely moving agents constitute a key foundational methodology to study pattern formations by self-propelled agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable forest management highlights the multipurpose use of all forest resources, including the use of wild mushrooms, by a variety of forest users and especially for rural livelihoods. To achieve sustainable forest management, among others, decision-makers and forest managers need to identify the important elements for the livelihoods of local communities dependent on forests. Therefore, our aim is to analyse the importance of contemporary use of wild mushrooms for daily livelihoods in rural areas of the Carpathian Mountains by comparing two ethnic groups, Hutsuls and Romanians, living in a similar ecological environment and formerly belonging to the historical region of Bukovina, but currently split by the border between Ukraine and Romania which have different governments and economic situations. One hundred and twenty-one face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted in the summers of 2018 and 2019. We compared the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of Romanians and Hutsuls living, respectively, in lowlands and mountain areas on both sides of the border. Our results demonstrated the homogenous use of mushroom species for cultural purposes (e.g. ritual foods). Yet, we detected a remarkable difference in the role mushrooms play in providing income: Hutsuls in Ukraine use forest products as a main (rarely additional) source of income, while Romanian Hutsuls use them solely as additional income. Romanians on both sides considered mushrooms mainly as food and did not sell them (probably due in part to less abundance in the area). We also documented the fear of local residents that forest management and protected areas could suppress the right to collect wild mushrooms. The use of mushrooms is an important aspect of local TEK and needs to be considered as a part of sustainable forest management and as a means of poverty reduction in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury is a common comorbidity especially observed in hospitalized patients with high morbidity and mortality. However, biomarkers assessing the degree or etiology of acute kidney injury and predictive markers to detect the risk of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease progression are lacking. Serum or urinary creatinine, cystatin C, urine albumin-to-creatinine or urine protein-to-creatinine ratio, kidney injury molecule-1, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and chitinase 3-like 1 have commonly been utilized as potential markers while all have significant limitations restricting their clinical use. In this review, we aim to evaluate the possible role of selected novel biomarkers including myo-inositol oxygenase, microRNA, cell cycle arrest molecules, Dickkopf-related protein 3, and a few pro-inflammatory cytokines that may have clinical significance by providing a tool for early detection of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease progression risk and identify high-risk patients for such medical comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Czech Mycology is the property of Czech Scientific Society for Mycology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)