Soil carbon is a critical ecosystem function in drylands. In these ecosystems, positive relationships between plant species richness (SR) and soil carbon storage (SOC) that have been found in biodiversity experiments and observational studies may be reduced by grazing and aridity. However, studies about the extent to which SR, grazing intensity, and aridity are interactively and directly or indirectly related with SOC so far provided mixed results. Using a network of 199 grassland sites across a large aridity gradient in western China, selected to represent low, medium, and high grazing intensity, we found that SOC at the depth of 0–30 cm was positively related with SR and, to a lesser degree, with grazing intensity. Aridity had no direct relationship with SOC but affected it indirectly and negatively via its negative relationships with both SR and grazing intensity and via its positive relationship with soil pH. There were no indications that grazing intensity could modify the positive SR–SOC relationship, possibly because very high grazing intensities did not occur in the study region. We conclude that current levels of SR and grazing intensity should be maintained to avoid SOC-loss and CO2 release form grassland under predicted aridity increases in the study region.

Forests provide essential ecosystem services that range from the production of timber to the mitigation of natural hazards. Rapid environmental changes, such as climate warming or the intensification of disturbance regimes, threaten forests and endanger forest ecosystem services. In light of these challenges, it is essential to understand forests’ demographic processes of regeneration, growth, and mortality and their relationship with environmental conditions. Specifically, understanding the regeneration process in present-day forests is crucial since it lays the foundation for the structure of future forests and their tree species composition. We used Swiss National Forest Inventory (NFI) data covering vast bio-geographic gradients over four decades to achieve this understanding. Trees that reached a diameter at breast height of 12 cm between two consecutive NFI campaigns were used to determine regeneration and were referred to as ingrowth. Employing three independent statistical models, we investigated the number, species, and diameter of these ingrowth trees. The models were subsequently implemented into a forest simulator to project the development of Swiss forests until the mid-21st century. The simulation results showed a decrease and a shift in the species composition of ingrowth, marked by a significant decrease in Norway spruce (Picea abies) and concurrent increases in broadleaves. Nevertheless, the pace of this change towards a more natural species composition is relatively slow and is likely to slow down even further as ingrowth declines in the future, in contrast to the fast-changing climatic conditions. Hence, support through adaptive planting strategies should be tested in case ingrowth does not ensure the resilience of forests in the future. We conclude that since the regeneration of forests is becoming increasingly challenging, the current level at which ecosystem services are provided might not be ensured in the coming decades.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 caused by the omicron BA. 2. 2 variant. Methods: An observational study was conducted retrospectively to review the outcomes of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients admitted between 26 April and 30 June, 2022. Patients’ baseline characteristics were collected and assessed. Participants in the intervention group were administered nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in addition to standard care, whereas those in the control group only received standard care. The primary outcome was the duration between symptoms onset or the initial positive RT-PCR test and the subsequent conversion to a negative result. Results: The analysis included 324 patients who were administered nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and an equal number of control patients. The patient characteristics in both groups were evenly matched. The average duration from symptoms onset or the initial positive RT-PCR to negative conversion was similar in both groups (16.2±5.0 vs. 16.1±6.3 days, P=0.83). Control patients exhibited slower conversion in comparison to patients who received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment within 10 days of symptom onset. Conclusion: These findings suggest that administering nirmatrelvir-ritonavir within 10 days of symptom onset could potentially reduce the time it takes for SARS-CoV-2-infected patients to negative RT-PCR results, thereby expanding the current usage guidelines for nirmatrelvir-ritonavir.

Introduction: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of high dose intravenous anakinra treatment on development of thrombotic events in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. Material and methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary referral center in Aksaray, Turkey. The study population consisted of two groups as follows; the patients receiving high dose intravenous anakinra (anakinra group) added to background therapy and the patients treated with standard of care (SoC) as historical control group. Age, gender, mcHIS scores, and comorbidities such as DM, HT, and CHD of the patients were determined as the variables to be matched. Results: We included 114 patients in SoC and 139 patients in Anakinra group into the study. Development of any thromboembolic event (5% vs 12.3%, p=0.038; OR:4.3) and PTE (2.9% vs 9.6%, p=0.023; OR:5.1) were lower in Anakinra group than SoC. No patient experienced CVA and/or clinically evident DVT both in two arms. After 1:1 PS matching, 88 patients in SoC and 88 patients in Anakinra group were matched and included into the analysis. In survival analysis, development of any thromboembolic event, PTE, and MI were higher in SoC compared to Anakinra. Survival rate was also lower in patients with SoC arm than Anakinra in patients who had any thromboembolic event as well as MI. Conclusion: In our study, development of thrombosis were associated with hyperinflammation in patients with severe and critical COVID-19. Intravenous high-dose anakinra treatment decreases both venous and arterial events in patients with COVID-19.

Distant recurrence of metastatic right ventricular-pulmonary artery tumour requiring prompt managementRyosuke Honda1, Yasuhisa Nakao2*, Yuya Masuda3, Kiyotaka Ohshima1, Shota Koike1, Tamami Kono1, Akiyoshi Ogimoto1Department of Cardiology, Uwajima City Hospital, Uwajima, Ehime, Japan.Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension and Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.Department of Hematology, Uwajima City Hospital, Uwajima, Ehime, Japan.Text 100 words, References 2, Video 2.

Introduction : In intensive care units, COVID-19 viral pneumonia patients (VPP) present symptoms similar to those of other patients with non-viral infection (NV-ICU). To better manage VPP, it is therefore interesting to better understand the molecular pathophysiology of viral pneumonia and to search for biomarkers that may clarify the diagnosis. The secretome being a set of proteins secreted by cells in response to stimuli represents an opportunity to discover new biomarkers. Aims : Identify secretomic signatures of VPP with those NV-ICU. Methods : Plasma samples and clinical data from NV-ICU (n=104), VPP (n=30) or healthy donors (HD, n=20) were collected at Nantes Hospital (France) upon admission. Samples were enriched for the low-abundant proteins and analyzed using non-target mass spectrometry. Specifically deregulated proteins (DEP) in VPP versus NV-ICU were selected. Combinations of 2 to 4 DEPs were established. Results : The differences in secretome profiles of the VPP and NV-ICU groups were highlighted. Forty-one DEPs were specifically identified in VPP compared to NV-ICU. Five combinations of 3 proteins with a receiver operating characteristic curve presenting an area under the curve of 95.0% were identified. Conclusion: This study identifies five combinations of candidate biomarkers in VPP compared to NV-ICU that may help distinguish the underlying causal molecular alterations.

Cross-chain bridges are crucial mechanisms for facilitating interoperation between different blockchains, allowing the flow of assets and information across various chains. Their pivotal role and the vast value of assets they handle make them highly attractive to attackers. Major security incidents involving cross-chain bridge projects have been occurring frequently, resulting in losses of several billion due to cyber attacks. The diversity of vulnerability exploitation methods by hackers is vast, but not entirely untraceable. There are scarce research outcomes studying cross-chain bridge cyber incidents, and we have conducted a study based on the most recent cross-chain bridge security incidents. We introduce the working principles, components, and architecture of cross-chain bridges, explain the categorization mechanisms of the trust layer in cross-chain bridges, summarize four categories of hacker vulnerability exploitation techniques from real cases, and propose preventative measures for cross-chain bridge security.

Scratch tests were performed on thermal resistant hard Si-C-N coatings deposited on steel (SS) 304, by RF (Radio frequency) magnetron sputtering. The abrasion and wear properties were studied by analyzing the changing failure complexion inside the scratch showing a mixture of ductile and brittle properties The change in loading rate caused noticeable changes in the failure mode. The plasticity was found to have a peripheral domination initially with increase in load but was replaced by brittle failure on increasing the loading rate. The work of adhesion and wear rate were determined.

In the age of digital marketing transformation, online content plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behaviors. However, the question of whether user-generated or firm-generated content holds greater significance remains unexplored, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan. This research, conducted with a sample size of 230 respondents, delves into the influence of user-generated content versus firm-generated content on the perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions of online shoppers in Pakistan. The study adopts the technology acceptance model (TAM) as its theoretical framework. The study’s findings reveal that individuals engaged in online shopping do not differentiate significantly between the two content sources when assessing perceived utility. Conversely, the research highlights that user-generated content exerts a notably stronger influence on individuals’ attitudes towards advertisements and their perceptions of the company, as compared to content generated by the firm itself. Intriguingly, the analysis demonstrates that the content source does not yield a statistically significant impact on shoppers’ purchase intentions. This paper not only provides practical insights but also contributes to the theoretical understanding of this subject matter within the realm of software engineering and digital marketing research.

Development planning of electrical distribution networks is one of the oldest issues that has been addressed in the field of distribution system engineering, and numerous studies have been conducted in this regard. However, it should be noted that ultimately, it is the distribution companies that implement the development plans, and network planning should be carried out from an economic perspective for these companies, with an operational approach. In this research, a new approach is proposed for network planning issues, aiming to demonstrate the role of regulators as mediators of the common interests of electricity network consumers. The goal is to find a planning solution that not only focuses on the economic aspects and cost reduction for the distribution company but also ensures the common interests of consumers and governance, particularly in terms of reliability to a desirable extent. The proposed approach utilizes a genetic algorithm to solve a location-allocation problem and determine the capacity of distribution substations. It has been implemented and demonstrated the efficiency of the approach by discussing the objective functions, the performance of the distribution company, and its effectiveness.

A document by Ramin Familkhalili. Click on the document to view its contents.

Abstract: - It presents a novel exploration of the conceptual landscape beyond traditional scientific confines. It urges the rethinking of established norms and encourages envisioning realms untapped by empirical examination. Drawing on various philosophical, theoretical, and multidisciplinary insights, the study embarks on an intellectual journey, confronting the limitations of scientific discourse and highlighting the need for a more inclusive approach to knowledge. The investigation underscores the importance of imaginative thinking as an integral part of human understanding, often neglected in the rigidity of scientific inquiry. Through a detailed analysis, the paper identifies a symbiotic relationship between science and imagination, arguing that this association is essential for scientific advancements and societal progression.

Many regions of the Earth’s mantle are seismically anisotropic, including portions of the lowermost mantle, which may indicate deformation due to convective flow. The splitting of ScS phases, which reflect once off the core-mantle boundary (CMB), is commonly measured to identify lowermost mantle anisotropy, although some challenges exist. Here, we use global wavefield simulations to evaluate commonly used approaches to inferring a lowermost mantle contribution to ScS splitting. We show that due to effects of the CMB reflection, only the epicentral distance range between 60◦ and 70◦ is appropriate for ScS splitting measurements. For this distance range, splitting is diagnostic of deep mantle anisotropy if no upper mantle anisotropy is present; however, if ScS is also split due to upper mantle anisotropy, the reliable diagnosis of deep mantle anisotropy is challenging. Moreover, even in the case of a homogeneously anisotropic deep mantle region sampled from a single azimuth by multiple ScS waves with different source polarizations (in absence of upper mantle anisotropy), different apparent fast directions are produced. We suggest that ScS splitting should only be measured at “null” stations and conduct such an analysis worldwide. Our results indicate that seismic anisotropy is globally widespread in the deep mantle.  

Design: A systematic review according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA) 2020 Statement. It is registered in the Prospective Registry of International Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database. (Registration number: CRD42023447007).[PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and Chinese Scientific and Technical Journal Database (VIP) were searched from the library’s construction to August 1, 2023. Methods: After literature screening, data extraction, and evaluation of literature quality were independently performed by 2 researchers trained in evidence-based care according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. Results: A total of 6 randomized controlled trials containing 531 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that IVR-based interventions helped to improve anxiety symptoms [SMD=-2.06,95% CI= (-2.73,-1.40), P<0.0001], depressive symptoms [SMD=-2.31,95% CI=(-4.39,0.23), P=0.03] and fatigue symptoms [SMD=-1.94,95%CI=(-3.18,-0.71), P=0.002]; the qualitative analysis results showed that IVR technology could improve the pain and the quality of life of breast cancer patients, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: IVR technology applied to breast cancer patients can improve their anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, and other symptoms, and improve their quality of life, and it is interesting and worth promoting. Due to the limited number of included studies and sample size, more large-sample trials are to be conducted to explore the applicability and feasibility of IVR technology in symptom management of breast cancer patients and to validate the above results.

A novel TENO-adaptive accuracy (TENO-A) scheme is proposed to perform complex flowfield simulations containing abundant vortex field details and shock wave discontinuities. This hybrid scheme not only enhances the low dissipation property of TENO scheme in smooth regions but also improves discontinuity-resolving capability for shock waves while retaining the robustness of the scheme. A unified and robust discontinuous detector using the information within the global stencil width is applied to separate discontinuous and smooth regions, which is not case and parameter sensitive. In discontinuous regions, THINC scheme with jump-like distribution is adopted to well approximate a discontinuity within a grid. Besides, in the smoothest region, the global reconstruction value is adopted as the final reconstruction value, and the accuracy is improved from the original fifth-order to sixth-order; in the general smooth region, based on the Kriging method, the candidate stencil reconstruction is employed for final reconstruction with nonlinear weights, which improves the accuracy of the candidate stencil from the original third-order to fourth-order. As a result, the dissipation is significantly reduced using both the two types of reconstruction, which is beneficial to resolve small-scale flow structures. A set of numerical results demonstrates that TENO-A scheme performs better in one-dimensional and two-dimensional cases than the standard TENO scheme and is able to predict complex flowfield without the necessity of parameter tuning case by case, and the hybrid scheme can restore high-order accuracy, maintain low dissipation property and avoid spurious oscillations.

Aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) is an exquisite liquid-liquid separation technique that relies on the mixture of two aqueous solutions. It possesses remarkable advantages, including gentle operating conditions, exceptional biocompatibility, swift and straightforward procedures, and a profound commitment to environmental preservation. In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in ATPS for the extraction and isolation of various compounds. ATPS has been proven to exhibit an extraordinary ability to efficiently concentrate, enrich, recover, and purify desired compounds from intricate matrices. Its triumphant applications encompass the detection of veterinary drug residues in food, the separation of precious metals and wastewater treatment. This comprehensive review provides an overarching summary of phase diagrams and various types of biphasic systems, while shedding light on the remarkable progress in ATPS application research within the realms of biomedical sciences, environmental monitoring, food safety and chemical analysis.

The aim of this study was to set the operating mode in regards to nutrients, temperature and light to use as a strategy to enrich a microbiome rich in cyanobacteria in polyhidroxybutyrate (PHB)-producers in order to enhance the biopolymer production. Alternate growth and accumulation phases were conducted for 179 days in a 3 L photobioreactor. Although, presence of green microalgae potentially reduced PHB production, the microbiome produced up to 22 % dry cell weight (dcw) PHB. Results highlighted the important role of culture composition and suggested that this methodology could be applied to a robust microbiome rich in cyanobacteria to boost PHB production.

The physiological mechanism underlying the well-established negative correlation between Gompertz postnatal growth constant and lifespan across mammalian species remains unclear. For the first time, this study shows that the energetic cost of biosynthesis plays a key role in this correlation. Previously, this cost has been thought to be a constant across species, and therefore was not considered a contributor to the variation in any life history traits. Here, we employ a newly proposed model to explain the physiological effect of the variation in this energetic cost on aging, and how it links growth and lifespan. The conventional life history theory suggested a tradeoff between growth and health of animals, but the new findings here suggest that allocating more energy to biosynthesis may reduce the energetic requirement of somatic maintenance and extend lifespan, and therefore they reveal a more complex nature of the tradeoff.

Many science and health profession graduates lack fundamental pharmacology knowledge and the ability to apply pharmacology concepts in practice. This article reviews the current challenges faced by pharmacology educators, including the exponential growth in discipline knowledge and competition for curricular time. We then argue that pharmacology education should focus on essential concepts that enable students to develop beyond ‘know’ towards ‘know how to’. A concept-based approach will help educators prioritise and benchmark their pharmacology curriculum, facilitate integration of pharmacology with other disciplines in the curriculum, create alignment between universities, and improve the application of pharmacology knowledge to professional contexts such as safe prescribing practices. To achieve this, core concepts first need to be identified, unpacked, and methods for teaching and assessment using concept inventories developed. The International Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Education Section (IUPHAR-Ed) Core Concepts in Pharmacology (CCP) initiative involves over 300 educators from the global pharmacology community. CCP has identified and defined the core concepts of pharmacology, together with key underpinning sub-concepts. To realise these benefits, pharmacology educators must identify, unpack, and develop methods to teach and assess core concepts. Work to develop a concept inventories is ongoing, including the identification of student misconceptions of the core concepts and the creation of a bank of multiple-choice questions to assess student understanding. Future work aims to develop and validate materials and methods to help educators embed core concepts within curricula. Potential strategies that educators can use to overcome factors that inhibit adoption of core concepts are presented.

Objective To evaluate the influence of intrauterine (IU) or non-IU manipulators on oncological outcome in early-stage, low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC). Design Retrospective cohort study Setting Nationwide population-based study in the Netherlands Population Women with FIGO stage I, low-grade EEC who received total laparoscopic hysterectomy between 2010 and 2020. Methods Patient data were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Data regarding hospital manipulator preferences were retrieved through an online survey. Patients were categorized based on hospital manipulator preference. Survival analyses were performed using univariable and multivariable cox regression analysis. Main outcome measures Recurrence of cancer, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), site of recurrence, and manipulator preference according to type of hospital. Results Of the total study population (N = 5,205), 1524 (29.3%) patients underwent surgery in hospitals that used non-IU manipulators and 3681 (70.7%) in hospitals that used IU manipulators. Recurrence of cancer was experienced by 195 patients, 49 (3.2%) in the non-IU group and 146 (4.0%) in the IU group. No significant difference in site of recurrence was observed (p=0.778). After adjusting for potential confounders, type of uterus manipulator did not affect DFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78–1.11) and OS (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.75–1.09). Conclusion IU manipulators are not inferior to non-IU manipulators with respect to oncological outcome in early-stage, low-grade EEC.

The life histories of organisms and the trophic dynamics of ecosystems are shaped by taxes paid in the form of dead offspring. No organism is exempt from the tax because mortality is ubiquitous in the struggle of life. New theory and data highlight how the tax: i) reflects the proportion of the biomass produced over a life cycle that is lost to mortality and consumed in the ecosystem, ii) is predicted by the number and relative size of offspring, iii) varies widely across species from <50% to >99.9%, depending on fecundity and parental care, and iv) supplies energy and nutrition to other organisms in the ecosystem. Taxes levied on individuals and populations support the maintenance, infrastructure and functioning of ecosystems and human economies alike.

This work is devoted to the study of the Cauchy problem for a multidimensional loaded equation with the Bessel operator. When studying problems for loaded differential equations, the properties of Erdely-Kober operators are used as transformation operators with respect to a relation. We obtain an explicit form of the solution to the Cauchy problem for a loaded multidimensional differential equation. At the end of the work we will show several examples on graphs.

Human activity is omnipresent in our landscapes. Animals can perceive risk from humans similar to predation risk, which could affect their fitness. We assessed the influence of recreation on bodyweight and pregnancy rates of red deer (Cervus elaphus) between 1985 and 2015. We hypothesized that stress, as a result of recreational activities, affects pregnancy rates of red deer directly and indirectly via a reduction in bodyweight. Furthermore, we expected non-motorized recreational activities to have a larger negative effect on both bodyweight and fecundity, compared to motorized recreational activities. The intensity of recreational activities was recorded through visual observations. We obtained pregnancy data from female red deer that were shot during the regular hunting season. Additionally, age and bodyweight were determined through post-mortem examination. We used two Generalized-Linear-Mixed Models (GLMM) to test the effect of different types of recreation on 1) pregnancy rates and 2) bodyweight of red deer. Recreation had a direct negative correlation with the fecundity of red deer, with bodyweight as a mediator as expected. Besides, we found a negative effect of non-motorized recreation on fecundity and bodyweight and no significant effect of motorized recreation. Our results support the concept of humans as a ‘super predator’ affecting wild animal populations at a population level and plead to regulate recreational activities in protected areas that are sensitive. The fear humans induce in large-bodied herbivores and its consequences for fitness may have strong implications for animal populations and the regeneration, structure and composition of forests and related fauna.

Interactions among coexisting mesocarnivores can be influenced by different factors such as the presence of large carnivores, land-use, environmental productivity, or human disturbance. Disentangling the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down processes can be challenging, but it is important for biodiversity conservation and wildlife management. The aim of this study was to assess how the interactions among mesocarnivores (red fox Vulpes vulpes, badger Meles meles, and pine marten Martes martes) are affected by large carnivores (Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and wolf Canis lupus), land cover variables (proportion of agricultural land and primary productivity), and human disturbance, as well as how these top-down and bottom-up mechanisms are influenced by season. We analyzed three years (2018-2020) of camera trapping data from Norway and used structural equation models to assess hypothesized networks of causal relationships. Our results show that land cover variables are stronger predictors of mesocarnivore activity than large carnivores in Norway. This might be caused by a combination of low density of large carnivores in an unproductive ecosystem with strong seasonality. Additionally, all mesocarnivores showed positive interactions among each other, which were stronger in winter. The prevalence of positive interactions among predators might indicate a tendency to use the same areas and resources combined with weak interference competition. Alternatively, it might indicate some kind of facilitative relationship among species. Human disturbance had contrasting effects for different species, benefiting the larger mesocarnivores (red fox and badger) probably through food subsidization, but negatively affecting apex predators (wolf and lynx) and smaller mesocarnivores (pine marten). In a human-dominated world, this highlights the importance of including anthropogenic influences in the study of species interactions.