High-frequency wind speed and wave variability influence the air-sea CO2 flux by modulating the gas transfer velocity. Traditional gas transfer velocity formulations scale solely with wind speed and ignore wave activity, including wave breaking and bubble-mediated transfers. In this study, we quantify the effects of wave-induced spatiotemporal variability on the CO2 flux and the ocean carbon storage using a wind-wave-dependent gas transfer velocity formulation in an ocean general circulation model (MOM6-COBALTv2). We find that wave activity introduces a hemispheric asymmetry in ocean carbon storage, with gain in the southern hemisphere where wave activity is robust year-round and loss in the northern hemisphere where continental sheltering reduces carbon uptake. Compared to a traditional wind-dependent formulation, the wind-wave-dependent formulation yields a modest global increase in ocean carbon storage of 4.3 PgC over 1959-2018 (~4%), but on average, enhances the CO2 gas transfer velocity and flux variability by 5-30% on high-frequency and seasonal timescales in the extratropics and up to 200-300% during storms (>15 m s-1 wind speed). This wave-induced spatiotemporal variability in CO2 flux is comparable to the flux expected from marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) techniques, such that neglecting wind-wave variability in modeled CO2 fluxes could hinder distinguishing between natural variability and human-induced changes, undermining mCDR verification and monitoring efforts.

Understanding the dynamic process of community diversity after grazing exclusion is crucial for the management and conservation of alpine grassland ecosystems. This study conducted a ten-year grazing exclusion experiment at four altitudinal gradients on Mount Gongga, ranging from 3000 m to 4130 m. Community diversity was surveyed at each altitude for the years 2012-2016, 2020, and 2022. We examined the changes in community diversity and species composition by mixed-effects model, principal coordinate analysis and triangular plots of β-diversity comparisons. Several key findings were revealed: 1) The mixed‐effects models showed that the interactions of altitude and time were significantly correlated with α-diversity, and the α-diversity at all altitudes shows a decline in the long-term grazing exclusion period, but the community composition at low altitudes changes at a slower pace compared to other altitudes; 2) Across all altitudinal sites, β-diversity patterns are similar initially and subsequently influenced by species replacement at 4130m with 7 new species appeared at 2022 compare to 2012, while at 3850 m, the richness difference is primary factor; 3) Species composition changes were more influenced by pioneer species (e.g., Potentilla leuconota and Plantago asiatica) at lower altitudes, whereas livestock-preferred species, such as those from the Cyperaceae and Poaceae families, played a crucial role at middle to high altitudes. These results illuminate the complexity of ecological replacement and how various factors, including altitude and grazing exclusion, influence the dynamics and composition of alpine grassland communities over time.

The reconstruction of 3D face shapes and expressions from single 2D images remains unconquered due to the lack of detailed modeling of human facial movements such as the correlation between the different parts of faces. Facial action units (AUs), which represent detailed taxonomy of the human facial movements based on observation of activation of muscles or muscle groups, can be used to model various facial expression types. We present a novel 3D face reconstruction framework called AU feature-based 3D FAce Reconstruction using Transformer (AUFART) that can generate a 3D face model that is responsive to AU activation given a single monocular 2D image to capture expressions. AUFART leverages AU-specific features as well as facial global features to achieve accurate 3D reconstruction of facial expressions using transformers. We also introduce a loss function which is to force the learning toward the minimal discrepancy in AU activations between the input and rendered reconstruction. The proposed framework achieves an average F1 score of 0.39, outperforming state-of-the-art methods.

Primary small rectal neuroendocrine tumor with pelvic lateral lymph nodes metastasis: A case report and review of literatureLihong Li1,a, Ziyue Chen2,a, Dajian Zhu1,b, Qianbao Lv3,a, Hairong He1,a, Tianpeng Zhang1,a, Jinsong Lai1,aaDegree:M.M., bdegree: M.D.1、Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, Shunde Women and Children’s Hospital of Guangdong Medical University (Maternal & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shunde Foshan)，Foshan 528300, China.2、Postgraduate of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524002, China.3、Department of Gynaecology, Shunde Women and Children’s Hospital of Guangdong Medical University (Maternal & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shunde Foshan)，Foshan 528300, China.Correspondence to: Dajian Zhu, Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, Shunde Women and Children’s Hospital of Guangdong Medical University (Maternal & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shunde Foshan)，Foshan 528300, China.Email:zhudajian321@163.comWord count：2596

Soil degradation is an essential environmental problem that threatens agricultural productivity and sustainability in the typical black soil region in northeast China. Assessing the degradation status and risks of sloping cropland is necessary to restore and reconstruct degraded soil. This study aimed to map soil degradation status based on a newly developed soil degradation index (SDI) and assess the uncertainty associated with degradation risk mapping using Ordinary Kriging and Sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS). The results showed that SDI ranged from 0.013 to 0.864, with a mean value of 0.445. The realization with 200 times by SGS was the best, with an increasing pattern of SDI from north to south in the study area. Mildly degraded and moderately degraded sloping cropland accounted for 35.3% and 52.4% of the total area of sloping cropland, respectively. High-risk areas were mainly distributed in the Greater Xingan Mountains and Changbai Mountains to the Songnen Plain. Proactive measures are necessary to control and mitigate further degradation by developing soil management and weakening the interaction between slope gradient and ridge-slope angle. The developed risk assessment maps provide baseline information for regional sustainable development.

Objective: During the past two decades an increased survival of ex preterm infants has been observed 18. This is due to the improvement in neonatal care and due to the contribution of the ongoing evolving field of long term ventilation, invasive and non invasive 18. As per National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) report the number of children and young people reported to be receiving LTV in the UK increased from 1 in 1975 to almost 1,400 in 2013 6.9% patients on LTV were due to chronic respiratory diseases and within that group,34.4% related to prematurity . 6Preterm infants with Chronic Lung Disease (CLD)or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)require ventilatory support for long periods and thus they may be discharged home on long term ventilation. Their clinical status may be also complicated by pulmonary hypertension. Aim: In this observational study we aim to describe the course of resolution of pulmonary hypertension in ex premature infants on long term ventilation –invasive or non-invasive, due to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and assess if there is any difference in the timeframe of weaning off the ventilation between the group of ex premature infants with and without pulmonary hypertension. Design, Setting and Patients: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the long-term ventilation (LTV) database held within the Evelina London Children´s Hospital paediatric respiratory department. The interval analysis was between August 2011 to August 2021. We screened 360 children on LTV in order to identify preterm (<37-week gestational age) infants. We have described this cohort for their demographic characteristics, comorbidities, ventilatory interface, ventilation needs and weaning course and the presence or not of pulmonary hypertension Results: The majority of the patients needed bilevel ventilation (BiPAP). (BiPAP/CPAP ratio: 37/11). 22 out of 48 patients on LTV were liberated from their ventilators at the time of the study, the cohort on NIV had better outcomes than the tracheostomy cohort but this is mostly related to less severe BPD. Pulmonary hypertension has resolved for all patients apart from 3. Conclusion: Ex premature infants with BPD and pulmonary hypertension have good chances to be weaned off ventilation and that their pulmonary hypertension will resolve NIV patient progress better than those ventilated via tracheostomy. More research is needed in this field in order to investigate further the correlation of pulmonary hypertension and ventilatory needs and vice versa in this group of patients.

Consent statementThe patient provided written informed consent to publish this case report and related images. A copy of the consent form is available for review upon request.ReferencesHoit BD. Anatomy and Physiology of the Pericardium. Cardiol Clin . 2017;35(4):481-490. doi:10.1016/j.ccl.2017.07.002Adler Y, Charron P, Imazio M, et al. 2015 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of pericardial diseases: The Task Force for the Diagnosis and Management of Pericardial Diseases of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)Endorsed by: The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Eur Heart J . 2015;36(42):2921-2964. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv318Sampat K, Rossi A, Garcia-Gutierrez V, et al. Characteristics of pericardial effusions in patients with leukemia. Cancer . 2010;116(10):2366-2371. doi:10.1002/cncr.24946Hall RJ, Leach DF 3rd, Altshuler E, Seifert RP, Al-Mansour ZA. Pericardial Effusion: A Novel Presentation of Aplastic Anemia. Cureus . 2023;15(1):e33276. Published 2023 Jan 2. doi:10.7759/cureus.33276Capaccione KM, Huang S, Toor Z, May B, Deng A, Salvatore MM. Immunotherapy related pericardial effusion on chest CT. Clin Imaging . 2022;82:204-209. doi:10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.11.029Versluys AB, Grotenhuis HB, Boelens MJJ, Mavinkurve-Groothuis AMC, Breur JMPJ. Predictors and Outcome of Pericardial Effusion After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children. Pediatr Cardiol . 2018;39(2):236-244. doi:10.1007/s00246-017-1747-xRajalakshmi SL, Raman V, Ekambaram S, Subramaniyam G, Gowrishankar NC, Nammalwar BR. Cyclosporine-Associated Pericardial Tamponade in a Child with Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome. Indian J Pediatr . 2021;88(6):597. doi:10.1007/s12098-021-03746-0

Floodplain encroachment by embankments heightens flood risk. This is exacerbated by climate change and land-use modifications. This paper assesses the impact of embankments on sediment transport, channel geometry, conveyance capacity, and flood inundation of a reach of the Nakkhu River, Nepal. Using the CAESAR-Lisflood landscape evolution model based on a 2-m digital elevation model, we simulate four flood scenarios with and without embankments and sediment transport: a historical 25-year return period flood event used to design the embankments, 50-year, 100-year, and 1000-year return period flood events forecast using the Generalised Logistic Model (using data from 1992-2017). Our results indicate that flow confinement by embankments reduces inundation by 99% (from 22.5 ha to 0.3 ha) for the historical 25-year flood discharge of 42.23 m3/s and by 15% (from 28.8 ha to 24.4 ha) for the 1000-year return period flood discharge of 95 m3/s (similar to a 25-yr maximum mid-future). The presence of embankments increases downstream sediment transport by more than 32% for all flood scenarios considered. Inclusion of sediment transport leads to a fivefold increase in predicted inundation area for a 25-year maximum mid-future flood compared to the no-sediment case in the embanked channel. Changes in channel geometry due to sedimentation significantly reduce conveyance capacity increasing overtopping flood risk, particularly where the channel is sinuous or located on flat terrain. Our results indicate that sediment erosion in outer meanders may threaten embankment stability by promoting undercuts. It is recommended that sediment transport effects be factored into embankment design and floodplain planning.

Abstract

An uncommon presentation of extra-pulmonary Sarcoidosis- Granulomatous Gastritis

Abstract Understanding how species survive at their poleward limits of distribution is of interest in species conservation, particularly in light of global warming and predictions of shifting distributions of both predators and prey species. How species adapt to high latitudes and to future climate changes will be impacted both by direct interactions with the environment, such as changing heat tolerances, but also indirectly through biotic interactions with prey and predators. The smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) in Norway provides an interesting case study of biotic interactions at range limits. The number of potential prey species of C. austriaca is lower in Norway than in southern latitudes. To investigate trophic adaptations at its poleward range limit we used metabar-coding sequencing to identify prey species in stomach samples of a museum collection of 17 preserved C. austriaca from Agder in Southern Norway. Eight prey species were detected, four reptiles and four mammals. Field vole (Microtus agrestis) and common shrew (Sorex araneus) were the most common prey species, while bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were eaten only by a few smooth snakes. A. fragilis was found in five samples and Z. vivipara in only three samples. DNA was also recovered from grass snake (Natrix natrix) in all but one sample, and DNA from European adder (Vipera berus) in one sample, indicating the role of ophiophagy. Visual analysis of 75 faeces from the Oslo region showed that A. fragilis was the most common prey species, followed by shrews. The main conclusion is that C. austriaca in Norway have a higher proportion of mammalian prey in their diet compared to populations in more southern latitudes.

Aim: Rangifer tarandus L. play a key role in Arctic ecosystems as the most numerous and widespread large herbivore. Sea ice is vital for maintaining genetic connectivity in Arctic islands, yet the historical role of sea ice in shaping Rangifer biogeography is unknown. We study the timing of island dispersal and the role of sea ice changes and ice sheet retreat since the last glacial period. Methods: We compiled published datasets of mitochondrial DNA sequences which informed population history scenarios, evaluated in a coalescent-based approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) modelling framework to test hypotheses of island (re)colonisation and to estimate timings of divergence and admixture. Population events were compared with modelled and proxy-based paleo-sea ice cover and published ice sheet chronologies. Results: Our analysis supports Holocene dispersal onto deglaciated Arctic islands rather than High Arctic glacial refugia. The degree of population admixture and the effect of sea ice was dependent on regional geography and climate history. North American initial island population divergence occurred as sea ice cover was declining. A lack of strong genetic structure and late Holocene admixture suggest that island populations were somewhat connected by sea ice during the Holocene. The Svalbard and West Greenland divergence times lagged deglaciation but broadly align with fossil-based estimates of colonisation, suggesting dispersal limitation due to sea ice conditions, potentially modulated by ocean currents and sea ice drift. Main conclusions: Our study sheds light on the Late Quaternary (~60 ka - present) history of Arctic island Rangifer and suggests that ice sheet retreat, sea ice cover, and ocean currents were important in shaping present-day genetic patterns. Regional differences in postglacial dynamics suggest that dispersal during contemporary climate change may vary regionally and depend upon decreasing connectivity provided by sea ice.

Accurately evaluating urban built-up land green use efficiency is highly important for the full use of land resources and high-quality development. On the basis of statistical data from 2003–2020, this study explores the dynamic characteristics of urban built-up land green use efficiency dynamics in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration (CPUA) by applying the super-slack-based data envelopment analysis (super-SBM–DEA) model and determines the influencing mechanism of urban built-up land green use efficiency via a panel regression model. The empirical results indicate the following: the average urban built-up land green use efficiency in the cities of the urban agglomeration presents a significant fluctuating trend, first increasing and then decreasing from 2003–2020. The urban built-up land green use efficiency of the CPUA is characterized by spatial imbalance. Over the studied period, urban built-up land green use efficiency has strong economic attributes and is positively promoted by economic development. In contrast, the industrial structure, environmental regulation intensity and energy consumption intensity significantly hinder urban built-up land green use efficiency. Energy consumption intensity has the strongest negative effect on urban built-up land green use efficiency. Finally, several policy recommendations are proposed for promoting urban built-up land green use efficiency on the basis of the conclusions obtained.

On farm beef production declines with increasing age of tropical pastures in the acid soil savannas of Eastern Colombia even if well managed. In a set of observational studies, farm pastures monitored over a span of 6-15 years exhibited yearly decline in liveweight gains during the rainy season (5-10% per year) as the pasture aged, unless proper refertilization and/or other corrective measures were implemented. Nevertheless, when persistent legumes were associated with the grass, weight gains were preserved or declined very slowly. In one case, resting of a grass-only pasture and nitrogen (N) fertilization of a grass-only pasture for seed multiplication also maintained constant weight gains. When grass pastures were undersown to rain-fed rice, initial animal performance over the first one to two years was superior, facilitated by residual fertilization; however, a subsequent sharp decline in animal performance was observed. The principal factor driving pasture decay appears to be lower N supply from soil. Nonetheless, other soil variables could also play a pivotal role such as texture and limited water infiltration. These trends are not unique to the acid soils of the Eastern Plains of Colombia; similar patterns have been documented globally. In alignment with other authors’ findings, it is recommended that regular rotation of tropical pastures with crops be practiced, unless pastures undergo consistent fertilization aimed at replenishing N levels in particular.

In this paper, a Packaged Tapered Balun (PTB) with enclosed metal shield is proposed to achieve multi-octave bandwidth operation for power combining applications such as push-pull power amplifiers and harmonics suppressed combiners. By establishing a parasitic transmission line equivalent circuit model of double-sided Shielded Tapered Lines, a suspended balance compensating branch and a common mode suppressed Balanced-to-Balanced transformer is introduced to improve the balance of PTB. Based on the proposed technique, a 0.6-6.5GHz PTB is demonstrated. According to the measured results, the designed balun exhibits better than -10dB return loss, -0.5dB insertion loss, ±0.15dB amplitude balance and ±0.4° phase balance.

Background: Refractory/Relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (R/R-AML) typically exhibits resistance to conventional chemotherapy, resulting in a poor overall therapeutic outcome, salvage allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the primary treatment option in such patients. However, post-transplant relapse is still a challenge, with no established effective regimens. Case: In this case report, we present the case of a 40-year-old male diagnosed with R/R-AML who underwent salvage allo-HSCT. Unfortunately, after 4 months of follow-up, a relapse occurred. we modified the immunosuppressive therapy and administered donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) and decitabine but failed to obtain complete remission (CR). Subsequently, a combination of venetoclax (Ven) and azacitidine (Aza), followed by the DLI regimen, was initiated. The patient achieved CR with no measurable residual disease. Conclusion: Our data suggests that the administration of Ven in combination with Aza followed by the DLI regimen used for early post-HSCT relapsed AML could serve as a valuable reference for treating similar patients.

Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are closely associated with sagebrush steppe habitat across the western United States, and loss and fragmentation of this habitat has contributed to the near extirpation of the Columbia Basin population in Washington state. The Columbia Basin (WA-CB) pygmy rabbit was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 2003, and recovery efforts have included captive breeding, reintroduction, and genetic rescue with translocation of rabbits from populations across the species range. We used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to determine population genetic structure across the pygmy rabbit range, test for genomic signatures of adaptive divergence among populations, assess the genetic distinctiveness of the ancestral WA-CB population, and identify loci useful for monitoring ancestry in the current admixed WA-CB population. Our dataset included 9,794 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 123 individuals. We identified four distinct genetic groups: (1) WA-CB, (2) Great Basin (3) northern Utah/Wyoming and (4) southern Utah. The WA-CB population showed the highest degree of genetic distinctiveness using multiple clustering, ordination, and genetic differentiation analyses. Our results highlight the long-term isolation of the WA-CB population as well as historical isolation of other peripheral populations. We identified signatures of putatively adaptive loci among populations, but no significant gene ontology associated with local adaptation. Our results provide SNP loci for monitoring demography and the consequences of genetic rescue efforts in the admixed WA-CB population.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of mistreatment in maternity care (MMC) by developing multiple-source indicators and to determine their relationship with sociodemographic and childbirth characteristics. Design: Observational and cross-sectional multicenter study. Setting: Northern Spain. Sample: 978 participants contacted by consecutive recruitment. Methods: Obstetric practices were collected from self-administered questionnaires and the available information registered in clinical records. Main Outcome Measures: 9 MMC indicators (MMCi) based on 44 variables were developed according to evidence-based practice. Results: 847 women accepted to participate (87.9% participation). The prevalence of MMCi was 4.3% (95% CI = 3.1 – 6.1) for instrumental delivery or caesarean unregistered in clinical records or performed with non-evidence-based clinical indication (UNREG/N-EB), and 48.1% (95% CI = 45.1 – 52.2) for perception of inadequate attention. Six indicators were above 40% (induction without a written consent, amniotomy performed as routine, lithotomy during pushing, suffering mother-baby separation, not having freedom to choose maternal position during labour and delivery, or to drink freely). Private facilities were associated with the use of UNREG/N-EB practices, such as instrumental delivery or caesarean, vaginal examinations, intrapartum interventions, mother-baby separation, restricted in intrapartum mobility, and inadequate analgesia. Childbirth characteristics showed differential associations with MMCi. Conclusion: This study highlights the gap between recommended standards for respectful childbirth care and actual clinical practices. Addressing MMC requires a comprehensive approach that includes both clinical data and women’s perceptions, along with the enforcement of good clinical practice policies. Future research should focus on intersectional factors and reducing disparities to ensure equitable, high-quality care for all women.

Identifying the ecological risk patterns and the dominant ecological risks for ecosystems is crucial for optimizing regional ecological environment quality and formulating sustainable socioeconomic development polices. We established an ecological risk assessment (ERA) model for the Wuling Mountain region to identify the dominant ecological risks in the region and analyzed the constraint effects of the influencing factors on the ecological risk. The results indicated that the relatively high-risk areas were mainly distributed in the northeastern and western regions, along with scattered areas of high risk. The area which had dominant ecological risks was 89,500 km 2, accounting for 52.14% of the total area. Meanwhile, the regions with higher ecological risks had multiple dominant risk types. Among all influencing factors, NPP, population density (POP) and temperature (TMP) were highlighted as key factors affecting ecological risk, with an explanatory power consistently exceeding 0.20. There were three types of constraint effects of influencing factors on ecological risk, including logarithmic, negative convex and hump-shaped. Thresholds occurred for the constraint lines of TMP, precipitation (PRE), evapotranspiration (EVA), NPP, elevation (DEM) and slope (SLO), respectively, indicating that the stressors influencing ecological risk vary on either side of these thresholds. This finding is significant for policy formulation, as it allows for prioritization of adjustments based on the explanatory power and the magnitude of these threshold values. Overall, the results of this study provide a comprehensive regulatory framework and regionally targeted scientific support for ecological protection and restoration in the Wuling Mountain region.

Objective This study aims to examine the impact of age at first diagnosis on the prognosis of hepatoblastoma (HB) in children, providing evidence to improve the risk stratification of HB. Methods Data from 403 cases of HB diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between February 2010 and September 2023 were collected. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, COX regression analysis, and binary logistic regression were employed for statistical analysis. Results The hazard ratio (HR) for event-free survival (EFS) reduction in HB patients was 1, 0.862, 1.393, 2.008, 1.325, 1.859, 3.667 (P=0.001), and 2.502 (P=0.023) for first diagnosis ages of 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-8, and ≥8 years, respectively, the HR for overall survival (OS) was 1, 0.410, 0.876, 1.713, 1.243, 0.575, 3.012 (P=0.039), and 2.012, respectively. After adjusting for newly diagnosed alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), pre-treatment extent of tumor (PRETEXT) stage, and PRETEXT stage annotation factors, the prognosis of HB for patients diagnosed at ≥6 years old and <6 years old remained statistically different. There was no statistical difference in HR for EFS and OS reduction among the 0-1 month, 1-3 month, 4-6 month, 7-9 month, and 9-12 month groups. Conclusion Being diagnosed at age ≥6 years is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in HB. Age has no effect on the prognosis of HB during infancy.

Background: Febrile neutropenia is a serious and common complication in pediatric oncology. Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) hospitals use varying fever thresholds for admission criteria: the KP Oakland hospital employs a threshold of 101.5°F, while KP Roseville and KP Santa Clara use lower thresholds. This study aims to assess the potential risks associated with adopting a higher fever threshold, including bacteremia, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) transfer, septic shock, and length of hospital stay. Procedure: This retrospective cohort study includes KPNC members aged 1-18 years with an oncologic diagnosis admitted to one of three KPNC hospitals with neutropenic fever between 2016 and 2022. Patients admitted with a fever ≥101.5°F (high-threshold group) were compared to those admitted with a fever <101.5°F (low-threshold group). Results: The study cohort included 183 patients with mean age of 8.2±5.4 years, 59.6% male. Of these, 73 (40%) were in the low-threshold group, and 110 (60%) in the high-threshold group. Overall, 24 (13.1%) patients developed bacteremia, and 24 (13.1%) required PICU transfer. Comparisons between the low- and high-threshold groups showed no statistically significant differences in rates of bacteremia (8.2% versus 16.4%, p=0.11), PICU transfer (12.3% versus 13.6%, p=0.80), septic shock (2.7% versus 4.6%, p=0.53), or length of hospital stay (4.4 [IQR 2.5-8.1] versus 4.2 [IQR 2.6-8.0] days, p=0.81). Conclusion: Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings. If confirmed, the results suggest using higher fever thresholds for febrile neutropenia hospital admissions may be safe and could reduce hospitalizations for some pediatric oncology patients.

The emotion-cognition interaction has been extensively explored by using threat-related stimuli, such as fearful and angry faces, as well as threatening animals. It has been suggested that threat signals conveyed by the complex threatening stimuli are partially attributed to their geometric structures, such as sharp elements in contour. The present study was aimed to investigate whether such geometric shapes had similar influence as threatening stimuli on visual size perception by using downward-pointing V shapes as primes and measuring the modulation effect on the classic Ebbinghaus illusion. The results showed that relative to curved-shape primes, V-shape primes significantly reduced the illusion strength when the primes were presented with relatively long duration (150 ms) regardless of their eccentricity (4° or 8° from screen center). However, when the primes were displayed with short duration (16.7 ms), significant threat-related modulation effect was only observed with central instead of peripheral presentation. Moreover, the modulation effect vanished with excitation of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex via intermittent theta burst stimulation. The findings provide clear evidence that threat-related geometric shapes can affect visual perception in a similar way as threatening stimuli, which requires detail processing of the geometric shapes and relies on top-down cognitive control from prefrontal cortex.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly pivotal in biodiversity conservation, offering methodologies for ecosystem monitoring and species response prediction. However, its integration first meets ethical challenges, including algorithmic bias and data privacy concerns, which may exacerbate existing inequalities in conservation efforts. To effectively deploy AI, it is then essential to establish robust frameworks promoting transparency and inclusivity. Interdisciplinary collaborations among ecologists, data scientists, policymakers and local communities are also crucial for navigating these complexities responsibly. When prioritizing ethical considerations alongside technological advancements, stakeholders would be able to leverage AI’s capabilities to enhance conservation outcomes. This viewpoint emphasizes urgent need for comprehensive governing AI use in conservation practices to ensure biodiversity amid rapid technological innovation.

Stingless bee honey (SBH) is a prime natural product consumed and used for diverse medicinal and traditional purposes by local communities across the (sub-)tropics. The drivers of its compositional variation within and among species remain poorly understood, although this could inform broader and less explored eco-evolutionary theories. In this study, we aimed to disentangle the roles of evolutionary and environmental drivers of SBH compositional variation using a sampling design that combines honey profiling by H1-NMR spectroscopy with the collection of honeys from honey bees and stingless bees. Our results show a clear differentiation between the chemical composition and functional diversity of honey bee and stingless bee honeys, without identifying a clear continental, phylogenetic or ecological pattern. We provide the first global and comprehensive characterization of SBH composition, a prerequisite for the establishment of standards for while highlighting the need for more interdisciplinary and trans-sectoral research.