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Background The management of subsolid nodules (SSNs) in lung cancer screening (LCS) is still a topic of debate, with no current uniform strategy to deal with these lesions at risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The BioMILD LCS trial has implemented a prospective conservative approach for SSNs, managing with annual low-dose computed tomography nonsolid nodules (NSNs) and part-solid nodules (PSNs) with a solid component

Abstract Key message Above 40° N/S, increasing latitude is linked to greater post-fire tree regeneration. However, species dominance shifts from conifers to short-lived deciduous trees, which may negatively impact flora, fauna, and ecosystem services dependent on coniferous forests. These results were primarily driven by studies from North America, highlighting the need for more research that directly measures post-fire forest recovery in other high-latitude regions. Context As the size and frequency of wildfires increase across many regions, high-latitude forests may be at particular risk for decreases in regeneration and state shifts post-fire. Aims Through this systematic review, we sought to determine the general relationship between post-fire tree regeneration densities and latitude in forests above 40° N/S. We expected regeneration densities post-fire would decrease with increasing latitude, and that forest regeneration would be negatively impacted by high burn severities, forest management, harsh site conditions, and unprotected microsites. We also anticipated that light-demanding species with adaptations to fire would replace shade-tolerant species that lack such adaptations post-fire. Methods We conducted a literature search that returned over 4500 articles. We selected those that directly measured post-fire regeneration at or above 40° N/S and retained 93 articles for analysis. Fire characteristics, pre- and post-fire tree species compositions and regeneration densities, and regeneration predictors were then extracted from the retained articles. We fit linear mixed models to post-fire regeneration density with latitude and species traits as explanatory variables and also explored the significance and magnitude of predictors that informed post-fire tree species response. Results Contrary to our expectations, post-fire regeneration increased significantly with latitude. High burn severities and unprotected microsites had negative impacts on post-fire regeneration; higher elevations and more prolific pre- or post-fire reproduction were positively correlated with post-fire regeneration, while management of any type did not have an impact. Conclusion Although forests are regenerating after wildfires at the most extreme latitudes included in this study (above 55° N), regeneration is often limited to only a handful of genera: aspen (Populus) and birch (Betula), for example. Regeneration was less abundant at the lower range of our study area. Certain lower latitude forests that occupy marginal habitats are under increasing stress from drier, warmer conditions that are exacerbated by wildfires. Results were largely driven by studies from Canada and the USA and may not be applicable to all high-latitude forests.

IntroductionLarge wildfires were historically absent in the forests of Tierra del Fuego, southern Argentina. This has changed in recent decades as humans have increased ignition sources, and warmer, drier periods have fueled large, severe wildfires. As a result of its location at an extreme southern latitude, Tierra del Fuego has very low tree species diversity. One of the region's dominant tree species, Nothofagus antarctica, is believed to have traits that may make it resilient to wildfire (e.g., the ability to resprout prolifically).MethodsThis study examined post-fire N. antarctica regeneration across an environmental and time-since-fire gradient. Plots were established in burned areas (n = 160) and unburned controls (n = 32) in and around two wildfires that occurred circa 1940 and in 2019. Seedling/resprout and sapling regeneration densities, as well as site characteristics (e.g., slope) and fire-impacted variables (e.g., distance to mature live trees), were measured.ResultsSeedling and resprout densities were lower in burned plots than in controls, with this trend being exacerbated in the 2019 fire with increasing distance from mature live trees. Regeneration generally occurs in clumps and principally through sprouting from live and top-killed trees, with not all top-killed trees having resprouted. Seedling and resprout densities were most strongly impacted by time since fire, distance to mature live trees and post-fire canopy cover. Sapling densities were modulated by slope, time since fire, and distance to mature live trees.DiscussionDespite lower regeneration densities in recently burned plots and less live basal area and canopy cover in older burned plots compared to unburned controls, burned stands may be on a trajectory to recover pre-fire characteristics, although this recovery is spatially variable. However, full recovery has not occurred 80 years after the 1940's fire. Currently, these burned areas resemble grasslands or savannas. They do not provide the habitat or ecosystem services that denser forests do and may require active restoration to fully recover their pre-fire characteristics.

Wildfires on the island of Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina are not considered to have been a historic driver of forest dynamics. However, dramatic increases in the human population of the island over the last half-century have greatly increased fire ignition sources and thus the frequency of wildfires in the region. Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio (Poep. et Endl.) Krasser) forests support diverse ecosystem services by providing habitat for endemic flora and fauna and also represent a valuable timber resource for the forest industry of Tierra del Fuego. Evaluating the impact of forest fires on lenga regeneration is important not only because lenga is a native, slow-growing species that seems to lack adaptations that would allow it to recover rapidly after fire, but also because low tree species diversity on the island of Tierra del Fuego means lenga post-fire regeneration failure may lead to ecosystem state shifts. To determine how site characteristics and fire-impacted variables modulate post-fire regeneration densities and spatial patterns in lenga forests, we installed 192 plots (160 burned, 32 unburned) in which we measured site-characteristic (e.g. aspect, elevation) and fire-impacted (e.g. basal area, canopy cover) variables and tallied seedlings and saplings. Regeneration densities were significantly lower in burned than unburned plots. This was exacerbated with increasing distance from the unburned forest edge. Increasing distance to live trees that either survived fire or were outside the burned area negatively impacted regeneration as well. Time since fire negatively affected sapling, but not seedling counts. We concluded that lenga regeneration in the interior of burned areas is largely absent, delaying and potentially preventing forest recovery. These interior areas of burned lenga forests are unlikely to regenerate closed-canopy tree cover through passive restoration alone. Active restoration may be needed in these critical areas where live legacy trees are not present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nerve growth factor (NGF) signalling affects spermatogenesis and mature sperm traits. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the distribution and the role of NGF and its receptors (p75NTR and TrKA) on the reproductive apparatus (testis and epididymis) and sperm of fertile men (F) and men with different pathologies, namely varicocele (V) and urogenital infections (UGIs). We collected semen samples from 21 individuals (31–40 years old) subdivided as follows: V (n = 7), UGIs (n = 7), and F (n = 7). We submitted the semen samples to bacteriological analysis, leucocyte identification, and analysis of sperm parameters (concentration, motility, morphology, and viability). We determined the seminal plasma levels of NGF, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs), and the gene and protein expression of NGF receptors on sperm. We also used immunofluorescence to examine NGF receptors on ejaculated sperm, testis, and epididymis. As expected, fertile men showed better sperm parameters as well as lower levels of NGF, F2-IsoPs, and IL-1β compared with men with infertility. Notably, in normal sperm, p75NTR and TrKA were localised throughout the entire tail. TrKA was also found in the post-acrosomal sheath. This localisation appeared different in patients with infertility: in particular, there was a strong p75NTR signal in the midpiece and the cytoplasmic residue or coiled tails of altered ejaculated sperm. In line with these findings, NGF receptors were intensely expressed in the epididymis and interstitial tissue of the testis. These data suggest the distinctive involvement of NGF and its receptors in the physiology of sperm from fertile men and men with infertility, indicating a possible role for new targeted treatment strategies.

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality but is not yet routinely evaluated in low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)-based lung cancer screening (LCS). The present analysis explored the capacity of a fully automated CAC scoring to predict 12-year mortality in the Multicentric Italian Lung Detection (MILD) LCS trial. The study included 2239 volunteers of the MILD trial who underwent a baseline LDCT from September 2005 to January 2011, with a median follow-up of 190 months. The CAC score was measured by a commercially available fully automated artificial intelligence (AI) software and stratified into five strata: 0, 1-10, 11-100, 101-400, and > 400. Twelve-year all-cause mortality was 8.5% (191/2239) overall, 3.2% with CAC = 0, 4.9% with CAC = 1-10, 8.0% with CAC = 11-100, 11.5% with CAC = 101-400, and 17% with CAC > 400. In Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, CAC > 400 was associated with a higher 12-year all-cause mortality both in a univariate model (hazard ratio, HR, 5.75 [95% confidence interval, CI, 2.08-15.92] compared to CAC = 0) and after adjustment for baseline confounders (HR, 3.80 [95%CI, 1.35-10.74] compared to CAC = 0). All-cause mortality significantly increased with increasing CAC (7% in CAC ≤ 400 vs. 17% in CAC > 400, Log-Rank p-value 400 (Grey's test p < 0.001). In Fine and Gray's competing risk model, CAC > 400 predicted 12-year non-cancer mortality in a univariate model (sub-distribution hazard ratio, SHR, 10.62 [95% confidence interval, CI, 1.43-78.98] compared to CAC = 0), but the association was no longer significant after adjustment for baseline confounders. In conclusion, fully automated CAC scoring was effective in predicting all-cause mortality at 12 years in a LCS setting.

Anatomic studies have traditionally relied on macroscopic, microscopic, and histological techniques to investigate the structure of tissues and organs. Anatomic studies are essential in many fields, including medicine, biology, and veterinary science. Advances in technology, such as imaging techniques and molecular biology, continue to provide new insights into the anatomy of living organisms. Therefore, anatomy remains an active and important area in the scientific field. The consolidation in recent years of some omics technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics allows for a more complete and detailed understanding of the structure and function of cells, tissues, and organs. These have been joined more recently by “omics” such as radiomics, pathomics, and connectomics, supported by computer-assisted technologies such as neural networks, 3D bioprinting, and artificial intelligence. All these new tools, although some are still in the early stages of development, have the potential to strongly contribute to the macroscopic and microscopic characterization in medicine. For anatomists, it is time to hitch a ride and get on board omics technologies to sail to new frontiers and to explore novel scenarios in anatomy.

This case study focused on the electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) as a portrait of teacher growth in an in-service chemistry education graduate program. The e-portfolio provided a multimedia space for systematic documentation of teacher professional growth within the domain of reflective practice. In this study, the outcome and illustration of authentic growth was theorized and evaluated using a system of quality criteria (ontological, educative, catalytic, and tactical). Findings showed that successful e-portfolio entries illustrating reflective practice were created when teacher participants explicitly showed how they experienced growth (increased professional competency) over time through well-coordinated sets of baseline- and post-baseline evidence. The conceptual framework introduced in this article responds to calls for robust models to analyze growth through reflective practice in the development of e-portfolio pedagogy.

This forum explores contradictions that arose within the partnership between Teach for America (TFA) and a university teacher education program. TFA is an alternate route teacher preparation program that places individuals into K-12 classrooms in low-income school districts after participating in an intense summer training program and provides them with ongoing support. This forum is a conversation about the challenges we faced as new science teachers in the TFA program and in the Peace Corps program. We both entered the teaching field with science degrees and very little formal education in science education. In these programs we worked in a community very different from the one we had experienced as students. These experiences allow us to address many of the issues that were discussed in the original paper, namely teaching in an unfamiliar community amid challenges that many teachers face in the first few years of teaching. We consider how these challenges may be amplified for teachers who come to teaching through an alternate route and may not have as much pedagogical training as a more traditional teacher education program provides. The forum expands on the ideas presented in the original paper to consider the importance of perspectives on socially just science education. There is often a disconnect between what is taught in teacher education programs and what teachers actually experience in urban classrooms and this can be amplified when the training received through alternate route provides a different framework as well. This forum urges universities and alternate route programs to continue to find ways to authentically partner using practical strategies that bring together the philosophies and goals of all stakeholders in order to better prepare teachers to partner with their students to achieve their science learning goals.

Equalizing opportunities for students to learn science and engineering in the ways described in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) requires intentional planning. In this paper, we describe a framework for designing equitable and inclusive science lessons. We then share an example of how this framework was applied to the launch of a fifth-grade science unit, specifying the instructional strategies used to provide students with a meaningful, relevant, and engaging learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Above 40° N/S, increasing latitude is linked to greater post-fire tree regeneration. However, species dominance shifts from conifers to short-lived deciduous trees, which may negatively impact flora, fauna, and ecosystem services dependent on coniferous forests. These results were primarily driven by studies from North America, highlighting the need for more research that directly measures post-fire forest recovery in other high-latitude regions. Context: As the size and frequency of wildfires increase across many regions, high-latitude forests may be at particular risk for decreases in regeneration and state shifts post-fire. Aims: Through this systematic review, we sought to determine the general relationship between post-fire tree regeneration densities and latitude in forests above 40° N/S. We expected regeneration densities post-fire would decrease with increasing latitude, and that forest regeneration would be negatively impacted by high burn severities, forest management, harsh site conditions, and unprotected microsites. We also anticipated that light-demanding species with adaptations to fire would replace shade-tolerant species that lack such adaptations post-fire. Methods: We conducted a literature search that returned over 4500 articles. We selected those that directly measured post-fire regeneration at or above 40° N/S and retained 93 articles for analysis. Fire characteristics, pre- and post-fire tree species compositions and regeneration densities, and regeneration predictors were then extracted from the retained articles. We fit linear mixed models to post-fire regeneration density with latitude and species traits as explanatory variables and also explored the significance and magnitude of predictors that informed post-fire tree species response. Results: Contrary to our expectations, post-fire regeneration increased significantly with latitude. High burn severities and unprotected microsites had negative impacts on post-fire regeneration; higher elevations and more prolific pre- or post-fire reproduction were positively correlated with post-fire regeneration, while management of any type did not have an impact. Conclusion: Although forests are regenerating after wildfires at the most extreme latitudes included in this study (above 55° N), regeneration is often limited to only a handful of genera: aspen (Populus) and birch (Betula), for example. Regeneration was less abundant at the lower range of our study area. Certain lower latitude forests that occupy marginal habitats are under increasing stress from drier, warmer conditions that are exacerbated by wildfires. Results were largely driven by studies from Canada and the USA and may not be applicable to all high-latitude forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nerve growth factor (NGF) signalling affects spermatogenesis and mature sperm traits. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the distribution and the role of NGF and its receptors (p75NTR and TrKA) on the reproductive apparatus (testis and epididymis) and sperm of fertile men (F) and men with different pathologies, namely varicocele (V) and urogenital infections (UGIs). We collected semen samples from 21 individuals (31–40 years old) subdivided as follows: V (n = 7), UGIs (n = 7), and F (n = 7). We submitted the semen samples to bacteriological analysis, leucocyte identification, and analysis of sperm parameters (concentration, motility, morphology, and viability). We determined the seminal plasma levels of NGF, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs), and the gene and protein expression of NGF receptors on sperm. We also used immunofluorescence to examine NGF receptors on ejaculated sperm, testis, and epididymis. As expected, fertile men showed better sperm parameters as well as lower levels of NGF, F2-IsoPs, and IL-1β compared with men with infertility. Notably, in normal sperm, p75NTR and TrKA were localised throughout the entire tail. TrKA was also found in the post-acrosomal sheath. This localisation appeared different in patients with infertility: in particular, there was a strong p75NTR signal in the midpiece and the cytoplasmic residue or coiled tails of altered ejaculated sperm. In line with these findings, NGF receptors were intensely expressed in the epididymis and interstitial tissue of the testis. These data suggest the distinctive involvement of NGF and its receptors in the physiology of sperm from fertile men and men with infertility, indicating a possible role for new targeted treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]