Climate change, driven by rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO₂), poses one of the most pressing environmental challenges today. Soil carbon sequestration emerges as a crucial strategy to mitigate this issue by capturing atmospheric CO₂ and storing it in soil organic carbon (SOC), thereby reducing GHG levels and enhancing soil health. Although soil is the largest terrestrial carbon sink, capable of storing between 1500 to 2400 petagrams (Pg) of carbon, the practical potential for SOC sequestration through regenerative practices is still widely debated. This review examines the biotic, abiotic, structural, physical, and chemical limitations that constrain soil carbon sequestration, along with the human dimensions that influence these processes. It explores the role of plant physiology, root architecture, microbial interactions, and environmental factors such as temperature and moisture in determining the efficacy of SOC sequestration. Furthermore, it discusses the potential of innovative strategies, including photosynthetic modifications, root system engineering, microbial bioengineering, and the application of advanced materials like C-capturing minerals, poly-carboxylic compounds, and nanomaterials, to enhance carbon capture and storage in soils. By providing a comprehensive understanding of these factors, this review aims to inform future research and policy development, offering pathways to optimize soil carbon sequestration as a viable tool for climate change mitigation.

A catalyst-free and step-economic synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydropyridines has been achieved using α-methyl enaminones as the sole starting materials. The key step of the methodology is the in-situ generation of 1-azadiene from oxidation of α-methyl enaminone, followed by a subsequent inverse-electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction proceeded to give the desired product. The key features of this catalyst-free protocol include high atom- and step-economy, simple operation, readily available sole starting materials, broad functional group tolerance, and mild conditions. The gram-scale preparation experiments and further transformation of product demonstrate the potential applicability of this method. In addition, the amide derivatives could be obtained by employing β-methyl enaminones as substrates under similar oxidative contidition. The present methodology provides a highly green, eco-friendly, and practical route to access tetrahydropyridine scaffolds.

The Lithium-PEG method to transform yeast cells is a common experiment used by most yeast laboratories. After several optimizations, this method can yield up to 10 6 transformants / µg of plasmid. Some experiments such as library screening or complex transformation require to maximize transformation yield. Here we show that the addition of a 2M sorbitol solution acts as an osmo-protectant during and after heat shock and increases ten-fold the transformation rate. This optimization requires only one additional pipetting step compared to the initial protocol, and is therefore practical for a daily use.

Background: The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation, and however, the specific mechanism by which mTOR affects atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter is still unclear. Herein, this two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study aims to investigate the causal associations of mTOR-dependent circulating proteins with atrial fibrillation/flutter. Methods: Data of mTOR-dependent circulating proteins including eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A), eIF4B, eIF4EBP, eIF4G and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (RP-S6K) were obtained from the genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on 3,301 participants of European ancestry. Data of atrial fibrillation and flutter were extracted from the FinnGen consortium. Inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted-median, weighted mode, MR-Egger and simple mode methods were utilized to explore the causal association of mTOR-dependent circulating proteins with atrial fibrillation and flutter. The effect size was expressed by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In addition, MR-Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), MR steiger method and MR leave-one-out test were used for sensitivity analysis. Results: MR steiger test showed the direction of these causal associations is true. MR-PRESSO and MR leave-one-out test suggested there was no significant outlier among the selected IVs, indicating the causal associations of eIF4EBP and eIF4G with atrial fibrillation and flutter are robust. Additionally, no reverse causal association between mTOR-dependent circulating proteins and atrial fibrillation and flutter has been found. Conclusions: The mechanism that mTOR-dependent pathway involved in atrial fibrillation and flutter may be associated with mTOR-dependent circulating proteins, especially eIF4EBP and eIF4G.

Background and Purpose: Vitiligo, a common depigmenting skin disorder, is characterised by the selective loss of melanocytes, which leads to distinctive non-scaly, chalky-white macules. Galangin (GA), a flavonoid found in galangal and propolis, our previous study highlighted the therapeutic potential of GA. However, the contributions of GA to restoring skin pigmentation and maintaining immune homeostasis, as well as its detailed molecular roles in vitiligo management, have not been fully elucidated. Experimental Approach: We used H2O2-induced vitiligo mice and imiquimod-induced erythema mice to test the anti-vitiligo effects and anti-inflammatory effects of GA. We also revealed the potential mechanism by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, pull-down assays, Autodock and surface plasmon resonance analysis in cells. Key Results: We found that GA exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects through a dual mechanism: it promotes melanocyte proliferation while inhibiting macrophage proliferation. Using immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, pull-down assays, Autodock and surface plasmon resonance analyses, we revealed that GA binds to Annexin A2 (ANXA2) and promotes its degradation in macrophages. This interaction led to the inhibition of macrophage proliferation and activation. In vivo, GA administration significantly improved skin conditions in H2O2-induced vitiligo mice and imiquimod-induced erythema mice. Furthermore, ANXA2 knockout abolished the protective effects of GA in these models. Conclusion and Implications: Our findings provide novel evidence of GA’s dual mechanism in vitiligo treatment, which involves selective binding and degradation of ANXA2 in macrophages. These results support the potential clinical application of GA for vitiligo therapy.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PC), which is a disease driven by the activity of the androgen receptor (AR), is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and despite advances in diagnostic and treatment strategies, PC is the second most common cause of cancer mortality in men [(Bray et al., 2018)](#ref-0012). Taxane-based chemotherapy is the only chemotherapy that prolongs survival in metastatic PC patients [(Petrylak et al., 2004; Tannock et al., 2004)](#ref-0097). At the cellular level, taxanes bind to and stabilize microtubules (MTs) inhibiting all MT-dependent intracellular pathways. MTs are highly dynamic polymers that stochastically switch between phases of growth, shrinkage, and pause [(Jordan and Wilson, 2004)](#ref-0058). Altered MT dynamics endow cancer cells with both survival and migratory advantages [(Mitchison, 2012)](#ref-0090). Taxanes inhibit MT dynamics and alter the spatial organization of the MT network, thereby inhibiting intracellular trafficking of molecular cargo critical for tumor survival. In PC specifically, taxanes inhibit transcriptional activity downstream of MT stabilization [(Thadani-Mulero et al., 2012)](#ref-0112) and AR nuclear accumulation [(Darshan et al., 2011; Zhu et al., 2010)](#ref-0021). Methods: Different tubulin inhibitors, even from within the same structural class as the taxanes, affect distinct parameters of MT dynamics [(Jordan and Wilson, 2004)](#ref-0058), yet the selection of taxane for chemotherapy is not based on the particular patterns of dynamic behavior of the MT cytoskeleton in individual patients. We envisage that systematic characterization using quantitative analysis of MT dynamics in PC patient cells expressing clinically relevant protein isoforms [(Matov et al., 2024; Thoma et al., 2010)](#ref-0082), before and after treatment with each of the taxanes, will allow us to identify criteria for the selection of the most suitable drug combination at the onset of treatment. Results: We link MT dynamics in the presence of AR variants and sensitivity/resistance to taxanes and connect fundamental research with clinically relevant concepts to elucidate cellular mechanisms of clinical response to taxanes and, thus, advance the customization of therapy. Our computational live-cell analysis addresses questions in the context of the inherent differences in MT homeostasis as a function of AR content in PC cells, the specific parameters of MT dynamics each of the taxanes affects, and how can this information be used to match endogenous patterns of MT dynamics with drug-modulated MT behavior. Conclusion: We investigate whether the sensitivity to taxanes, evaluated by computational analysis of MTs, can be linked to gene expression correlated with AR and its variants, and whether the resistance to taxanes can be linked to the presence of a specific AR splice variant, and can we identify which of the taxanes will be most effective based on the endogenous patterns of MT dynamics.

Background: The present study aimed to determine whether the use of nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) during neonatal endotracheal intubation increases the rate of successful intubation without physiological instability during all intubation attempts. Material and Methods: The present study was designed as a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled study conducted with neonates undergoing endotracheal intubation. The infants were assigned randomly to either the NIPPV group or the standard care group. The primary outcome was successful intubation without physiological instability (defined as ≥20% decline in the peripheral oxygen saturation [SpO 2] from pre-intubation value or bradycardia with a heart rate of <100 beats per minute) during all intubation attempts. Results: A total of 150 infants were enrolled (75 for the NIPPV group and 75 for the standart-care group). The infants had a mean postmenstrual age of 32.5 weeks and a median weight of 1552 g at the time of intubation. The incidence of successful intubation without physiological instability during all intubation attempts was significantly higher in the NIPPV group (64%) compared to the standard-care group (42.7%) (p = 0.009). This difference was particularly significant when inexperienced practitioners were involved. In the NIPPV group, the rate of bradycardia and severe desaturation was significantly lower, while the lowest SpO 2 level and the lowest heart rate level were significanlty higher. Conclusion: NIPPV during endotracheal intubation increases the incidence of successful intubation without physiological instability during all intubation attempts in neonates, while reducing the rate of hypoxia and bradycardia.

To the Editor,Children’s interstitial lung disease (chILD) is an umbrella term that encompasses a heterogeneous group of complex, ultra-rare diffuse lung diseases affecting infants and children with a prevalence of <1 per 100,000 patients.5 There are over 200 disease conditions collectively grouped into chILD. Most conditions involve inflammation and secondary damage to the lungs which impacts gas exchange and may result in failure to thrive and respiratory failure in the most severe cases. The epidemiology of chILD is difficult to define given the low incidence and varying case definitions of disease. Prevalence is estimated to be likely <1 per 100,000 patients as compared to 60-80 per 100,000 in adults.3 Many European academic centers see between one and five new chILD cases each year.4 Diagnosing chILD is multi-faceted and complex not only including clinical assessment of symptoms and imaging, but possible need for lung biopsy and genetic testing. As chILD can result in impaired gas exchange, increased work of breathing, hypoxemia and/or hypercapnia, patients with chILD are at higher risk for sleep disordered breathing (SDB).2 As SDB may increase the risk of complications of chILD such as impaired growth and pulmonary hypertension, both might interplay and exacerbate one another.Prior studies have looked at SDB in chILD diagnoses such as neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) which is a rare pediatric disorder in which the abnormal growth of neuroendocrine cells in the lung parenchyma leads to hypoxemia and chronic respiratory distress. A study performed at Children’s Hospital Colorado has found a high incidence of sleep related breathing disorders in a NEHI cohort with 57% diagnosed with OSA, 3% with central sleep apnea (CSA), and 71% with nocturnal hypoxemia.1 As the prevalence of SDB was shown to be high in the NEHI cohort from Colorado, the aim of our study was to investigate SDB in a cohort of patients with a diverse spectrum of chILD diagnoses at our center.Methods :We performed a single-center retrospective chart review study approved by the Weill Cornell Medicine Institutional Review Board (IRB Protocol #21-11024168). Institutional IRB approved of waiver of informed consent given retrospective chart review study design. Study was conducted in accordance with Helsinki Declaration. We queried the electronic medical record to identify children age 0-21 years old who have ever received ICD-10 codes for chILD from 2012 to 2022 (Supplemental table 1). We performed a manual retrospective validation protocol to include only the patients who met criteria for chILD syndrome or a specific chILD diagnosis.6 We identified the children who were referred and underwent nocturnal polysomnogram (PSG), and analyzed demographic information, chILD diagnosis, clinical symptoms, reason for referral, and PSG data. Patients underwent standard level I PSG attended and reviewed by a registered polysomnography technologist using Natus system (Natus Medical Incorporation, San Carlos, CA, USA). Studies were interpreted by board-certified sleep physicians with sleep parameters based on American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) guidelines. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was defined by the presence of snoring, apnea, increased work of breathing, daytime sleepiness, behavioral problems, or learning problems combined with PSG findings of one or more obstructive apnea, mixed apnea, or hypopnea per hour of sleep (oAHI > 1/hr). Sleep related hypoxemia was defined as Descriptive statistics were used for categorical and continuous variables.Results :14 of the 52 children identified with a diagnosis of chILD had undergone a PSG. Their age ranged from one month to 19 years (median age of eight years). Four had a diagnosis of chILD associated with rheumatologic disease, four with bronchiolitis obliterans, two with ABCA3, one with NEHI, one with pulmonary interstitial glycogenesis and two with chILD of unknown etiology (Figure 1). The reasons for referral were symptoms of snoring (43%), restless sleep (7%), daytime sleepiness (7%) and assessment for nocturnal hypoxemia (71%). The PSG was diagnostic for OSA in 50% of patients with an oAHI range from 1.4 to 11.2 (median oAHI of 3.1) events/hr. Sleep related hypoxemia was diagnosed in in three patients (21%), one of them had OSA as well. No patients had central sleep apnea (Table 1). This led to an overall prevalence of OSA of 13% and a prevalence of SDB (OSA and/or hypoxemia) of 17% in our cohort of patients with chILD.Discussion :This study demonstrates a high prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in a cohort of children with a spectrum of chILD diagnoses. We demonstrated that the prevalence of OSA is higher than that of the general pediatric population (1-4%).6 Sleep related breathing disorders in children with chronic lung disease are not well studied and may go undetected. Possible explanations might be under-recognition of SDB by physicians or parents given the medical complexity of the underlying chILD diagnosis, attributing respiratory symptoms in sleep to the underlying lung disease, and underreporting of sleep symptoms by parents unless specifically asked. In this study, not all patients with chILD systematically underwent PSG. Those that were referred were because they presented with symptoms. This might have led to an under-diagnosis of SDB. In our institution, however all patients with chILD are followed by pulmonologists who screen for sleep related breathing disorders at each visit and have a low threshold for PSG referral. This finding underscores the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics to screen all pediatric patients for SDB as well as considering referring complex, high risk patients with chronic lung disease for further evaluation by a sleep specialist.There is a paucity of research in the field of pediatric sleep in chILD in comparison to the adult population.1 Previous studies in children found a high prevalence of OSA of 57% in a cohort of NEHI patients, and other studies identified the range to be anywhere from 33% to 61% in chILD.1,2 One study found that only 10% of their chILD population were observed to have mild or moderate OSA, and therefore they concluded that OSA seems uncommon in patients with chILD.2 The strength of our study was that we were able to evaluate the presence of SDB in diverse spectrum of chILD diagnoses which allows for increased recognition of comorbid sleep disorders. A limitation of our study is the small sample size. Considering how rare chILD is, a prospective multi-center study evaluating chILD patients by PSGs is needed to determine the prevalence and potential health outcomes.The impact of SDB on healthcare outcomes in patients with chILD is not well studied. We know that repeated collapse of the airway during sleep, increased respiratory effort, and impaired gas exchange with intermittent and/or sustained hypoxemia with concomitant hypercapnia activates the sympathetic nervous system leading to cardiovascular and endocrine morbidities. Neurobehavioral development has been linked to synaptic remodeling that occurs during sleep, and with the disruption in sleep associated with SDB, deficits in neurocognition have been well recognized.2 We know there is a critical relationship between untreated OSA and development of pulmonary hypertension, of which patients with chILD are already at risk for given their underlying lung disease. To improve outcomes and avoid detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system and child development, it is important to identify and treat comorbid SDB to improve outcomes in chILD.Conclusion/Summary :The aim of our study was to investigate the spectrum of sleep disordered breathing in a cohort of patients with children’s interstitial lung disease at our center. We performed a single-center retrospective chart review using ICD-10 codes for children’s interstitial lung disease from 2012-2022. For those who had a polysomnogram performed, we identified and analyzed demographic information, diagnosis, clinical symptoms, reason for referral, and the polysomnogram data. Of the patients in our cohort who received a sleep study, seven patients met diagnostic criteria for obstructive sleep apnea while 3 patients met criteria for sleep related hypoxemia. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea was 13% in our cohort. The overall prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in our cohort was 17%. This study demonstrates an increased prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in a cohort of children with spectrum of children’s interstitial lung disease diagnoses. We demonstrated that the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea is higher than that of the general pediatric population. Sleep related breathing disorders in children with chronic lung disease are not well studied and may go undetected resulting in increased morbidity. Previous studies have evaluated sleep disordered breathing in specific chILD diagnoses such as neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy, so we aimed to expand to a larger spectrum of chILD diagnoses. This study expands our knowledge base surrounding comorbid sleep conditions in complex, ultra rare lung disease and advocates for early identification of sleep disorders to potentially improve health outcomes in patients with chILD.

A three-year-old Warmblood filly presented with left forelimb lameness of two weeks duration with a discharging sinus over the lateral aspect of the mid-metacarpal region. The filly was diagnosed with a proximal, open, comminuted fracture of metacarpal IV (MCIV). Initial treatment with local debridement and systemic antimicrobial administration was unsuccessful, with the development of osteomyelitis which cultured a methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudointermedius. A subsequent segmental ostectomy was performed resulting in avulsion of proximal MCIV from metacarpal III post-operatively. Reduction and internal fixation of the displaced MCIV with cortical lag screws was performed, with immediate bone failure during recovery from general anaesthesia. The proximal MCIV was then removed under standing sedation and local anaesthesia. Subsequent development of osteoarthritis in the carpometacarpal and middle carpal joints was likely secondary to joint instability, but the horse was sound 12 months post-operatively. Despite the surgical complications in this case being previously described, there are no reports on the removal of metacarpal splint bones in the horse to the author’s knowledge. As the prognosis for this case is considered good for future athletic performance, proximal or complete MCIV resection could be considered as a possible treatment option in select cases.

A process-based understanding of community assembly at multiple scales can allow forecasting of community response to degradation and restoration practices. We draw attention to a distinct metacommunity arrangement characterised by multiple levels of assembly filters, and exemplified by freshwater habitat patches on islands. This type of metacommunity has complex spatial dynamics, and dispersal must occur across multiple intermediate habitat types. An interdisciplinary approach harnessing mathematical models and genetic tools such as eDNA and population genomics will allow us to unravel the fundamental processes acting over a large spatial and temporal scale influenced by the region's geography, historical events and species pool.

Inside a permeable flexible circular pipe, a power-law fluid flows with variable cross-section is examined under the presumptions of a long wave length and a low Reynolds number. An unending series of peristaltic waves propagate beside the wall. The solution is obtained in a wave frame of reference, and the pumping characteristics are discovered in detail for various physical parameters. It has been found that raising the Darcy number improves the velocity and pressure gradient in the tube of variable cross section. The temperature distribution and concentration distribution are also determined and analyzed for Darcy number and slip parameter. The results are further should for new relationships on shear thickening and thinning. All figures are plotted using MATHEMATICA software.

Background: Epiglottic entrapment (EE) is a common cause of poor performance in racing standardbreds (STBs) and thoroughbreds (TBs). There is limited information published on the condition in STB racehorses or factors associated with return to racing for both breeds. Objectives: 1) Describe the clinical presentation, post-surgical complications and prognosis for TB and STB horses following EE surgery, 2) Describe post-surgical racing performance of TB and STB horses following EE surgery and 3) Compare racing performance between horses undergoing EE surgery and their maternal siblings. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Veterinary clinical records and racing data were used to compare pre-surgical findings, post-surgical complications and racing performance in STBs and TBs undergoing surgical correction of EE. Associations between signalment, pre-surgical findings, complications and racing post-surgery were compared using logistic regression analyses. Racing performance following surgery was compared to maternal siblings using conditional logistic regression. Results: There were 82 cases where EE surgery was performed at least once: 33 STBs and 49 TBs. In total, 74% of cases raced following surgery. Cases with severe inflammation post-surgery (P<0.001), airway complications (P<0.001) or re-entrapment (P<0.01) were at a lower odds of racing post-surgery. TB cases were 5.5 times (95% Confidence interval 1.61 to 18.73) more likely to race than their maternal siblings (P<0.01). Main Limitations: Retrospective design from a single hospital population. Matched siblings were used as controls, and it was assumed they did not suffer from EE or another performance inhibiting condition. Conclusion: Horses with thicker, more inflamed, ulcerated entrapping membranes are more likely to suffer from post operative inflammation and concurrent airway pathology. In the current study, TBs with EE are more likely to race compared to their maternal siblings.

In this study, a hydraulic arm was developed for the robotic cotton picker and integrated with the e-vehicle. The hydraulic arm had three degrees of freedom (DOFs), that moved in vertical, rotational, and radial motion. A roller-type end-effector was installed at the front of the arm that came close to the cotton boll and separated it from the plant. A vacuum unit was generating a suction pressure in the hose pipe, allowing it to suck up the picked cotton bolls and transport them into the storage tank. The hydraulic arm with e-vehicle was operated in the field for three different plant-to-plant spacing 250, 350, and 450 mm at suction pressures 25, 50, and 75 mmHg to assess its performance. The maximum picking efficiency and picking capacity were 92.79 %, and 567 bolls picked/h, respectively observed for plant-to-plant spacing of 450 mm at a suction pressure of 75 mmHg. The minimum damage of green bolls and losses of cotton bolls were 126 bolls/ha, and 3.79 %, respectively observed for plant-to-plant spacing 450 mm at a suction pressure of 75 mmHg. The minimum trash content was 20.50 g observed for plant-to-plant spacing 450 mm at a suction pressure of 25 mmHg. The most suitable combination for achieving the acceptable performance of a hydraulic arm integrated with an e-vehicle in a cotton crop was the plant-to-plant spacing of 450 mm and suction pressure of 75 mmHg.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma combined with sodium vitrate injection on cartilage regeneration and joint structure in osteoarthritis of the knee: a report of two cases.

Background: Donkeys in East Africa are recognized as working with poorly designed harnesses and carts. The donkey cart used in regions of Africa, specifically Meru County, Kenya, appears to place the cart’s weight solely on the donkey’s mid-cervical region where the trachea is superficially located. Objectives: To compare the presence and severity of endoscopic abnormalities in the upper airway and trachea of Meru County working cart donkeys compared to pack donkeys. To determine associations between endoscopic and external physical exam findings. Study design: Cross-sectional Methods: At voluntary health clinics, physical examination and endoscopy of the upper airway and trachea were evaluated and recorded at rest on 66 donkeys (38 cart donkeys and 28 pack donkeys). The presence and grade of tracheal collapse, tracheal ring abnormalities, tracheal mucous and pharyngitis were subsequently determined on the endoscopy recordings by blinded evaluators. Mann–Whitney and Chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests were used to investigate associations between work type and physical exam and endoscopy findings. Results: Significant associations were identified between work type and tracheal collapse severity, ring abnormalities, pharyngitis, skin lesions, and skin hypertrophy with these findings more common in cart than pack donkeys (all P<0.03). Moderate tracheal collapse (grade 3) was present in 40% (95% CI: 24-57%) of cart and 0% (0-12%) of pack donkeys. Exam findings were significantly and positively associated with endoscopy findings (all P<0.002). Main limitations: Standing endoscopy was performed at rest, not dynamic endoscopy during the pulling of carts. Conclusion: Moderate tracheal collapse was seen in cart donkeys when compared to pack donkeys. Physical exam findings at rest were associated with tracheal collapse and tracheal ring abnormalities. This work may help identify by physical examination donkeys that are at greatest need of improved harnesses.

Osteochondrosis (OC) is a frequent manifestation of developmental orthopaedic disease, and its several clinical presentation is kwon as OC dissecans (OCD). OC is defined as a disruption of the endochondral ossification process in the epiphyseal cartilage and this disease has been reported in different mammalian species, including human, dogs, pigs, and horses. OCD is one of the most relevant problems in the equine industry, which has been regarded as an important cause of lameness in sport horses. In fact, OCD is the predominant cause of impaired orthopaedic potential, whose symptoms may be of minimal magnitude or manifest as severe joint effusion or clinically noticeable lameness. The aetiology of OCD is unknown, although it has traditionally been considered a multifactorial pathology. Among the associated factors have been included non-genetic factors as rapid growth, nutrition, trauma and anatomic conformation, and genetic factors. Since the prevalence of the disease varies greatly depending on the horse breed, from 13% in Swedish Warmblood to 53% in Lusitano breed, it seems that genetic factors have a great relevance in the appearance and development of OCD in horses. In fact, many genetic modifications have been related, and the genes involved can be grouped into five clusters, which involves fundamental functions for the correct development and regeneration of cartilage, such as collagen, laminin, cell signalling, matrix turnover and transcription regulation. This review summarizes the main factors associated with OC in horses, with special relevance to genetic factors.

Psychiatric comorbidities impact over 20% of pediatric patients in the year following diagnosis of sarcoma. Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy reduce psychiatric comorbidity during pediatric cancer treatment, but data amongst pediatric sarcoma patients is limited. Among our 31 sarcoma patients, 55% received psychotherapy alone and 16% received both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. There was no significant difference in PROMIS anxiety or depression scores between no treatment, psychotherapy alone, or combination therapy which may suggest that our current methods of recognizing patients needing a psychology referral, and the subsequent treatment have been successful in protecting against and treating mental health comorbidities in sarcoma treatment.

Primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma (PCMZL) is reported to primarily affect non-Hispanic Caucasian males over 50 years old. We present a case of a 16-year-old female with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) who developed PCMZL of the skin of both cheeks, left forearm and right arm. The patient was treated initially with intralesional steroids which successfully shrunk lesions on her face and left forearm. Rituximab and doxycycline were attempted but stopped due to severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Ultimately, the remaining nodules on her right arm were surgically excised.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Cotesia vestalis (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a koinobiont parasitoid of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (L.) (DBM). Although DBM larvae exhibit predation avoidance behaviors based on their high locomotor ability, we hypothesized that DBM larvae parasitized by C. vestalis might not be able to maintain this ability and, hence, are exposed to higher predation pressure than unparasitized larvae. We compared locomotor and predation avoidance abilities of parasitized and unparasitized DBM larvae. Compared to unparasitized DBM larvae, parasitized DBM larvae had lower wriggling ability to mechanical stimuli and were more likely to be preyed upon by the black wood ant Formica japonica (Motschoulsky) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in situations where they had to avoid predation by wriggling. In contrast, hanging ability did not differ between parasitized and unparasitized DBM larvae, nor in predation avoidance ability in situations where they had to avoid F. japonica predation by hanging. The results demonstrate that parasitism by C. vestalis reduces the wriggling ability of DBM larvae, which consequently exposes the parasitoid to higher intraguild predation risk. This finding also suggests that the conventional research methods used to investigate the mortality factors of DBM larvae may have overestimated predation and underestimated parasitism.

The O. sibirica (Orientallactaga sibirica), a member of the family Dipodidae, is widely distributed across Central Asia and plays a significant role in grassland ecosystems. While substantial ecological data on this species exists in China, research on intraspecific cranial variation is limited, and no extensive surveys have been conducted within its Chinese distribution range. This study aims to address this gap by capturing O. sibirica specimens from various geographical regions within China, conducting geometric morphometric analyses on their skulls, and examining the influence of current climatic conditions. Additionally, we predict changes in the suitable habitat areas for O. sibirica in China under future climate scenarios. Our results indicate that the major cranial variations in O. sibirica occur in the nasal, parietal, maxilla near the nasal end, zygomatic arch, and preorbital bridge. These features result in skulls from northeastern China clustering furthest from those in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Skull size is primarily influenced by precipitation, whereas skull shape is affected by longitude, altitude, and temperature. Under future global changes, the suitable habitat for O. sibirica is likely to shrink, with the distribution centroid shifting towards higher latitudes in a northeasterly direction. Our analysis reveals that the cranial morphology of O. sibirica exhibits divergent adaptation across different geographical regions, particularly in the Qinghai-Tibet region, which we suggest should be designated as a new subspecies. Concurrently, future global changes are anticipated to alter the extent of suitable habitats in China, necessitating proactive measures to prevent potential rodent outbreaks.

Niche partitioning is a strategy whereby specialization allows species with similar ecological requirements to coexist. This is particularly important for organisms exploiting specific food resources, such as migratory birds at stopover and nonbreeding sites. However, the relative interplay between niche sharing and segregation among resident and migratory species at the same site has been challenging to quantify. We carried out conventional dietary (i.e. feces), as well as δ13C and δ15N stable isotope analyses of blood samples, on eight migratory and resident shorebirds (Charadriidae and Scolopacidae) in a Ramsar site of international importance for shorebirds in southern Brazil during the Nearctic winter. We assessed interspecific trophic niche variation and overlap to uncover the potential relationships between dietary and/or isotopic composition and species’ functional traits. We hypothesized that shorebird species should differ in they prey consume and segregate along at least one dimension, and predicted that migratory species would exhibit broader trophic niches. Limited trophic niche overlap was observed between most species: most migrants had diets comprised of intertidal prey, while most residents had diets composed by freshwater, grassland, or supralittoral prey. Niche overlap was, in general, higher and isotopically more variable between residents than migrants. Finally, diet dissimilarities were negatively correlated with the degree of isotopic similarity between species. Our results reveal distinct degrees of trophic and isotopic partitioning among migratory and resident shorebirds. There was no evidence that similarity of morphological traits or migratory status was related to similarity of diet or the isotopic niche of species. Resource partitioning and dietary variability and morphological differences seems to allow coexistence of resident and migratory shorebirds. In this scenario, high prey availability combined with recent declines in shorebird abundance can relax potential competition, facilitating species coexistence via niche overlap in a dynamic, yet critical, site for shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere.

Today using artificial intelligence in autonomous cars for automatic control is noticed by everyone, especially artificial intelligence researchers. So far by describing extraordinary algorithms and some intelligent systems such as sensors, cameras, and navigation systems, it has been attempted to control the car automatically but autonomous cars remind most people of small cars whereas to prevent road accidents, all vehicles including trucks, buses, etc. must be smart, therefore, in this paper first by introducing different systems which have widespread use in autonomous cars, an innovative idea for smart controlling of all vehicles in an emergency situation is presented which has reliability and accuracy, is also economical and installable on all vehicles. This method can be applicable by setting up a couple of cameras in the car cabin in order that all driver's attitudes are investigated. If the driver's unconsciousness is verified, the car is controlled by its smart systems. By providing several servers and IoT systems, and using a new generation of internet networks like 5G/6G important data about the road condition are transferred among the cars also this valued information is saved in the cloud space so that every car can use them frequently. Moreover, by planning a special server all important data like scene perceptions and real-time car location are sent to an operator for remote control of the car. An IoT-6G-AR/VR platform is designed based on the data obtained from cameras, sensors, and navigation systems to enable the operator to perceive the car conditions very well.

Economic Implications of Climate Change: Explore how climate change affects economic growth, resource distribution, and policy responses

A control method for regulating both dc- and ac-side voltages, based on a disturbance observer, is presented. This method provides a voltage-source behavior from the ac-side perspective, a key functionality of grid-forming converters. A dynamic model is derived to develop the control law using feedback linearization. The control method is able to maintain the dc- and ac-side voltages without any cascaded loops. The method is, therefore, named the dual-voltage forming method to differentiate it from the recent definitions of grid-forming converters. The use of a disturbance observer provides integral action and also inherent synchronization. A transparent current controller is implemented to protect the converter from overcurrents. Small-signal stability of the proposed method is studied analytically and design guidelines are drawn from the analysis. Furthermore, the asymmetric behavior of the converter in different operating modes is analytically assessed. The performance of the method is tested in experimental conditions using a 12.5-kVA test setup. The control method exhibits robust performance in both strong and weak grids in terms of dc-bus voltage reference tracking as well as the capacity to survive large external power variations with power-flow direction changes. Moreover, the effect of a grid voltage sag is studied.