Rationale: Chemical pre-treatment is an important methodological step aimed to remove exogenous materials introduced to archaeological tooth enamel through various diagenetic pathways prior to carbon and oxygen isotope analysis. Concerningly, some of these pre-treatment methods (NaClO, H 2O 2 and CH 3COOH) have been shown to cause significant changes to enamel chemical properties and stable isotope values. This study aims to re-examine the effects of commonly used pre-treatment protocols applied to the enamel structure on bioapatite δ 13C and δ 18O values, as well as investigate patterns related to site burial context and sample preservation, as indicated by pre-screening using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Methods: Modern and archaeological samples were subjected to ten commonly used pre-treatment protocols using NaClO, H 2O 2 and CH 3COOH at various time intervals. Preservation status and diagenetic alteration prior to and after treatment were investigated using Attenuated Total Reflectance- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). δ 13C and δ 18O values were measured before and after the treatment to determine if treatments induced isotopic shifts. Results: The results show that all pre-treatment protocols caused shifts in δ 13C and δ 18O values in the range of 0‰ to ±1.5‰ in both archaeological and modern samples. Most treated samples also shown increased crystallinity, likely indicating sample recrystallisation. We argue that these changes are indicative of more than just removal of contamination and diagenetic alterations, but also of dissolution and/or restructuring of the enamel carbonate leading to changes to the in vivo isotope signal. Conclusions: We recommend careful consideration of sample burial context and possible routes of diagenesis when choosing a pre-treatment protocol. Use of H 2O 2 and NaClO to remove organic matter from samples is discouraged as it incurs unwanted changes to the enamel chemical properties and isotope values. We also recommend use of only short acetic acid treatment protocols to avoid possible recrystallisation during prolonged contact.

During our careers, we met Jean-François Muller essentially in the context of scientific meetings and PhD examination panels, in relation with the use of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry. However, one of us (PCM) had also the opportunity to meet him in a less well-known aspect of his implication in societal activities related to the monitoring of air quality. In this recollection of Jean-François Muller, we would like to recall how his science has also served societal causes.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a premium product that is frequently subjected to adulteration due to its high cost and the challenges associated with fraud detection. While previous studies have primarily utilized chromatographic techniques, this study aims to validate an in-house analytical method using a Thermo Scientific FTIR Spectrophotometer with a Nicolet iS50 ATR to detect olive oil adulteration, in order to establish a reliable standard operating procedure (SOP) for quality control laboratories. The novelty of this work lies in its focus on the application of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy specifically for olive oil fraud detection, which complements the traditional techniques and provides a more comprehensive approach to olive oil quality assessment. We prepared six standard solutions of olive oil and corn oil of varying concentrations, and analyzed each reference solution with 10 μl of olive oil for absorbance at specific wavelengths. The results show that significant differences exist in the C-O stretching band at 1118 cm^-1 between pure EVOO and corn oil, thus demonstrating the method’s effectiveness for detecting adulteration. The validation results indicate that the method meets 40% of the analytical demand for detecting adulterants, displaying a wide linearity range, good precision, accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, and so highlighting the potential of FTIR spectroscopy for use as a rapid and reliable technique for detecting olive oil fraud and enhancing consumer protection against fraudulent products.

In this work, we study and solve the normalized Ricci flow equation for circle bundles over surfaces. Moreover, we study the asymptotic behavior of the solutions and their connections to some model geometries.

Sign language is a non-verbal, visual means of communication for people with hearing and speech disabilities. It involves using of hand signals, gestures, facial expressions, and body movements. Although most people without hearing and speech disabilities do not understand sign language, those who do, use it to communicate with the deaf and mute. Deaf and mute individuals are active users of various social media platforms; therefore, inclusiveness requires developing technological tools to facilitate communication between them and non-disabled individuals. One such technological tool is a sign language-based sentiment analysis tool, which allows both deaf and mute individuals and non-disabled individuals to understand the polarity expressed using sign language. This study adopts a multimodal approach to train two models: a deep convolutional neural network model, VGG16, for the visual modality, and a Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformer (BERT) for the textual modality. The models were trained using a multimodal sign language dataset consisting of video clips of sentence-level sign language with their textual equivalents. The results showed that the multimodal approach performed better than the single-modality text-based approach.

1. Tree growth–survival relationships link two demographic processes that dictate the com-position, structure and functioning of forest ecosystems. While these relationships have been shown to vary intra-specifically, it remains unclear how this reflects environmental variation and disturbance. We examined the influence of a 700-m elevation gradient and an Mw = 6.7 earthquake in 1994 on intra-specific variability in growth–survival relationships. We expected that survival models that incorporated recent growth would be better sup-ported than those using other factors known to influence tree survival. 2. We used a permanent plot network that representatively sampled a monodominant Nothofagus forest in New Zealand’s Southern Alps in 1974 and that was remeasured seven times through to 2009. The relationships were assessed using pre-earthquake growth and survival, pre-earthquake growth and post-earthquake survival (0–5 years post-earthquake), and post-earthquake growth and survival (5+ years post-earthquake). Sur-vival was related to growth of 4504 trees on 216 plots using Bayesian modelling. We hy-pothesised there would be a positive, logistic relationship between growth and survival. 3. Pre-earthquake, we found a positive, logarithmic growth–survival relationship at all eleva-tions. At higher elevations, trees grew more slowly but had higher survival, supporting our hypothesised demographic trade-off with elevation. As we expected, the earthquake al-tered the pre-earthquake growth–survival relationships and 0–5 years post-earthquake survival held little relationship with growth. Less expected was a strong, logarithmic growth–survival relationship that developed 5+ years post-earthquake because of en-hanced survival of fast-growing trees yet low survival of slow-growing trees. 4. Synthesis. Our findings demonstrate there can be trends in growth–survival relationships along an elevation gradient. If we assume a gradual climate warming is the equivalent of a forest stand shifting to a lower elevation, then data from our pre-earthquake period sug-gests that tree growth–survival relationships at any elevation could adjust to faster growth and lower survival. We also show how these novel growth–survival relationships could be altered by periodic disturbance.

In order to investigate the effects of precipitation and nitrogen deposition on short-lived plants and soil in desert ecosystems, a double-factor experiment with increased nitrogen deposition and precipitation was carried out at the observation point on the southern margin of Gurbantunggut Desert to explore the effects of precipitation and nitrogen deposition on short-lived plant biomass and soil nutrients. The results showed as follows :(1) Compared with the control, the above ground biomass (AGB) and underground biomass (UGB) of short-lived plants were significantly increased by water addition, high nitrogen addition and water + nitrogen treatment. (2) The contents of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) were significantly increased by water addition, nitrogen addition and water + nitrogen treatment. There was no significant difference in soil pH value among treatment groups. Compared with the control group, the contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrate nitrogen (NO3–N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and organic matter (SOM) in the other treatment groups were significantly increased, except that the content of ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) in the soil was not significantly increased by low nitrogen deposition. (3) AGB was positively correlated with UGB, MBC, MBN and NH4+-N, and was positively correlated with NO3–N (p < 0.05); There was a significant positive correlation between UGB and NO3–N and MBC (p < 0.05), and there was a correlation between soil physicochemical factors. (4) By calculating soil quality index (SQI), group CK had the lowest SQI and group W1N1 had the highest SQI. Therefore, proper water and nitrogen increase can improve the physical and chemical properties of soil, thus contributing to the growth of short-lived desert plants and improving soil quality in this region, which is of great significance for improving the ecological stability of arid desert regions.

The effects of climate change on coastal biodiversity are a major concern because altered community compositions may change associated rates of ecosystem functioning and services. While responses of single species or taxa have been studied extensively, it remains challenging to estimate responses to climate change across different levels of biological organisation. Studies that consider the effects of moderate realistic near-future levels of ocean warming and acidification are needed to identify scope for adaptation and evolution. Also, studies including different levels of biological complexity may reveal opportunities for amelioration or facilitation under changing environmental conditions. To test experimentally for independent and combined effects of predicted near-future warming and acidification on key benthic species, we manipulated three levels of temperature (ambient, +0.8 °C, +2 °C) and two levels of pCO2 (ambient at 450 ppm, elevated at 645 ppm) and quantified their effects on mussels and algae growing separately or together (to also test for inter-specific interactions). Warming increased mussel clearance and mortality rates simultaneously, which meant that total biomass peaked at + 0.8 °C. Surprisingly, however, no effects of elevated pCO2 were identified on mussels or algae. Moreover, when kept together, mussels and algae had mutually positive effects on each other’s performance (i.e. mussel survival and condition index, mussel and algal biomass, and proxies for algal productivity including relative maximum electron transport rate [rETRmax], saturating light intensity [Ik], and maximum quantum yield [Fv/Fm]), independent of warming and acidification. Our results show that even moderate warming affected the functioning of key benthic species, and we identified a level of resistance to predicted ocean acidification. Importantly, we show that the presence of a second functional group enhanced the functioning of both groups (mussels and algae), independent of changing environmental conditions, which highlights the ecological and potential economic benefits of conserving biodiversity in marine ecosystems.

Species-environment relationships have been extensively explored through species distribution models (SDM) and species abundance models (SAM), which have become key components to understand the spatial ecology and population dynamics directed at biodiversity conservation. Nonetheless, within the internal structure of species’ ranges, habitat suitability and species abundance do not always show similar patterns, and using information derived from either SDM or SAM could be incomplete and mislead conservation efforts. We gauged support for the abundance-suitability relationship and used the combined information to prioritize the conservation of South American dwarf caimans (Paleosuchus palpebrosus and P. trigonatus). We used 7 environmental predictor sets (surface water, human impact, topography, precipitation, temperature, dynamic habitat indices, soil temperature), 2 regressions methods (Generalized Linear Models - GLM, Generalized Additive Models - GAM), and 4 parametric distributions (Binomial, Poisson, Negative binomial, Gamma) to develop distribution and abundance models. We used the best predictive models to define 4 categories (low, medium, high, very high) to plan species conservation. The best distribution and abundance models for both Paleosuchus species included a combination of all predictor sets, except for the best abundance model for P. trigonatus which incorporated only temperature, precipitation, surface water, human impact, and topography. We found non-consistent and low explanatory power of environmental suitability to predict abundance which aligns with previous studies relating SDM-SAM. We extracted the most relevant information from each optimal SDM and SAM and created a consensus model (2,790,583 km2) that we categorized as low (39.6%), medium (42.7%), high (14.9%), and very high (2.8%) conservation priorities. We identified 279,338 km2 where conservation must be critically prioritized and only 29% of these areas are under protection. We concluded that optimal models from correlative methods can be used to provide a systematic prioritization scheme to promote conservation and as surrogates to generate insights for quantifying ecological patterns.

Background: Life functions depend on electrolytes. Life-threatening complications can occur when electrolyte disorders disrupt normal bodily functions. Recent reports have linked immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with electrolyte disorders. Due to this, ICIs need to be evaluated for their impact on electrolyte balance. Methods: In this study, adverse reaction reports for ICIs were analyzed using data from the FAERS database between 2012 and 2023. In order to identify adverse events related to electrolyte disorders caused by ICIs, disproportionality analysis was used.The study provided a comprehensive depiction of the characteristics of adverse event reports pertaining to electrolyte imbalances linked to ICIs, as documented in the FAERS database. Factors influencing the outcomes were examined through univariate logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, potential biological pathways associated with ICIs-related electrolyte disorders were explored by leveraging data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Lastly, the expression levels of ICIs in diverse organs, tissues, and cells were scrutinized to evaluate the occurrence of tumor type-specific immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Results: Adverse events related to electrolyte disorders were reported in 1.9% of all adverse event reports for ICIs documented in the FAERS database. These electrolyte disorders were categorized into five distinct types, collectively referred to as electrolyte disorder adverse events (EDAEs) associated with ICIs. The reports involving ICI-related EDAEs exhibited a median age of 66, with 18% of these cases resulting in fatalities. Typically, the onset of EDAEs occurred around day 41, with a majority of cases manifesting within the initial two months. Upon analyzing variables influencing EDAEs, we observed that male patients exhibited a 16% lower likelihood of experiencing ICI-related EDAEs compared to their female counterparts (OR = 0.84 [0.75-0.94], P = 0.003). Notably, ICI-induced EDAEs demonstrated a potential association with thyroid hormone transport (R = 0.63, p= 7.07e−03). In humans, the expression of PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 genes was particularly pronounced in the lungs and spleen. Interpretation: The study meticulously investigated the incidence of electrolyte disorder side effects closely associated with ICI therapy, while also exploring the influencing factors and potential underlying biological mechanisms. These findings hold significant relevance for future research endeavors and medical practices within this domain.

Background Air pollution, particularly that of particulate matter (PM) 2.5, poses a significant threat to global health. PM 2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing severe health risks, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Objective To investigate the causal relationship between PM 2.5 exposure and inflammatory biomarkers using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Methods We utilized data from the IEU OpenGWAS database focusing on four inflammatory biomarkers: C-reactive protein (CRP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The primary analysis was conducted using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented by MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and weighted mode approaches to ensure robustness. Results The IVW method revealed significant causal relationships between PM 2.5 exposure and elevated levels of CRP (OR=1.23, 95% CI=1.02-1.48, p=0.029), MPO (OR=2.26, 95% CI=1.16-4.42, p=0.017), and IL-6 (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.02-2.02, p=0.037), but not TNF-α (OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.51-1.45, p=0.582). Conclusion This study provides evidence of a causal relationship between PM 2.5 exposure and increased levels of CRP, MPO, and IL-6, highlighting the role of air pollution in modulating inflammatory responses. These findings support the need for stricter air quality regulations to mitigate the health impacts of pollution. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and a broader range of biomarkers to validate these results and enhance environmental health strategies.

An 8-year-old Warmblood gelding used for dressage presented with a large swelling on the craniomedial aspect of the left stifle. Conservative treatment and needle drainage had been unsuccessful. Ultrasonographic examination revealed a large anechogenic fluid filled cavity with a well-defined capsule. Standing endoscopic examination revealed separation between the deep crural fascia, the semitendinosus muscle and skin. Cytologic examination of the fluid collected revealed lymphocyte-rich transudate associated with a fibrous inflammatory reaction. Due to the poor response to conservative management and needle drainage, in-toto excision of the capsule was performed under general anaesthesia. Histopathologic examination of the resected capsule identified the presence of dense fibrovascular tissue lining a cavitated structure, with an outer thin zone of adipose connective tissue. These findings combined with the clinical presentation are consistent with Morel-Lavallee lesion (MLL). After surgery the horse underwent a period of box rest; gradual reintroduction to exercise was started 6 months after surgery. The horse returned to full work 9 months after surgery and was able to return to its former athletic function with an excellent cosmetic outcome.

Background : Anthelmintic resistance in equine parasites is increasing. Frequent anthelmintic use accelerates selection for resistance. Objectives : Investigate how horse owners currently use anthelmintics to control intestinal parasites. Study design : Online survey. Methods: Questionnaire distributed via practices, equestrian organisations, etc., December 2021 to October 2022. Combination of multiple choice, Likert scale and free text questions. Descriptive / inferential statistics performed (Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS). Results : 4232 useable responses. Owners of horses on livery yards less likely to make worming decisions compared to those on private properties (p<0.001); managers made decisions in 39.6% of horses on livery yards; 60.7% of owners sought worming advice from their veterinarian; 52.0% administered anthelmintics based on routine faecal egg counts (FECs) / tapeworm serology result; 30.0% routinely tested, but wormed at least once a year regardless of the results; 16.1% did not test, but wormed at least once a year. Owners were more likely to administer anthelmintics based on test results if they sought veterinary advice or were on a health programme (both p<0.001). Of those who routinely wormed, 54.9% wormed once a year; 45.1% wormed twice or more a year. Frequency of routine worming was higher if they didn’t routinely test (p<0.001); 88.9% simultaneously wormed all horses on the pasture. Moxidectin was the first choice for 82.2% of owners who routinely wormed at least once yearly. Routine FECs were performed by 84.7%, higher for those who sought veterinary advice (89.3%, p<0.001). Tapeworm ELISAs were utilised by 40.8%, higher for those on a health programme (68.1%; p<0.001); 58.5% routinely treated for tapeworms regardless of test results. Main Limitations : Selection bias. Conclusions : Owners apply moderately good diagnostic-led parasite control practices, but still common to regularly treat with anthelmintics (30.0% worming at least once a year regardless of the FEC results).

Background : Anthelmintic resistance in equine parasites is increasing. Pasture management is a vital component of parasite control, and is important to limit the development of resistance. Objectives : Investigate how horse owners use management procedures to control common intestinal parasites in horses. Study design : Online survey. Methods : Questionnaire distributed via practices, equestrian organisations, etc., December 2021 - October 2022. Combination of multiple choice, Likert scale and free text questions. Descriptive and inferential statistics performed in Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS. Results : 4232 useable responses from the UK, predominantly England (85.4%). Premises included livery yards (45.7%) and private properties (51.1%). Most horses (70.4%) were aged 6-20 years. Over half (55.9%) were used for general riding/pleasure; 58.9% grazed with 1-3 other horses, while 20.7% grazed alone; 21.5% alternated or co-grazed with ruminants (significantly higher for horses grazing on private properties compared to horses grazing on livery yards; 73.3% of owners removed faeces from pastures (poo-picking), of which 86.4% removed faeces twice a week or more. Owners of horses pastured individually were significantly more likely to poo-pick (89.8%) than horses pastured in groups (68.9%); 77.1% of respondents rested pastures, but less than 5% for over 6 months. Only 5.1% of owners reported they had experienced illnesses related to worms in any horse (commonest clinical signs were colic and weight loss). Limitations : Selection bias. Conclusions : Results suggest a lack of understanding of the principles of non-chemical parasite control among many horse owners. Many owners (>25%) are not routinely poo-picking. Horses pastured alone or kept on a private property were significantly more likely to have their faeces regularly removed than thoses pastured in groups or kept on livery yards.

Offspring and kin care are common in nature, while non-kin societies are unusual due to their susceptibility to cheaters. Here, we investigated the kinship of mast-building amphipods, Dyopedos bispinis (Gurjanova, 1930). Our goal was to determine if all mast inhabitants are descendants of a single founder female or if they represent a more complex social structure. We sequenced and assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of D. bispinis along with 59 partial genomes from four masts. One of the studied masts contained several adult females with embryos, all of which had identical partial mitochondrial genome sequences. This shows that masts can be inhabited by individuals from different generations. Mitochondrial genome sequences of ten mother-embryo pairs confirm maternal mtDNA inheritance in D. bispinis. However, another mast contained several groups of female individuals exhibiting pronounced (~0.7 substitutions per 1000 b.p.) distance between the groups. The genetic distance between groups from the same mast was not less than the genetic distance from specimens of other masts. This suggests collective usage of the mast by non-related families. Given that adult female D. bispinis individuals invest resources into mast maintenance, this case implies non-kin cooperation among amphipods. Overall, our study provides an insight into the family structures of mast-inhabiting amphipods and presents a new model for studying the cooperation of non-related individuals.

Background: Given their modifiable nature, understanding the intrapersonal factors involved in the cessation of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is needed to inform existing therapeutic approaches and explore novel avenues for supporting individuals with NSSI. This study aimed to examine the relative contributions of and interactions among intrapersonal factors (self-concept, emotion regulation, and cognitive flexibility) in distinguishing between ceased and current NSSI. Methods: 202 adults aged 18-71 years ( M = 31.50, SD = 11.23; 74.75% female) were surveyed to compare facets of self-concept, emotion regulation, and cognitive flexibility that contributed most to discriminating those who had ceased NSSI for one year from those who continued. These intrapersonal factors were also explored as potential indirect pathways between identity and NSSI status. Results: Significant differences between ceased and current NSSI groups were observed across all intrapersonal factors, with moderate to large effects. Most differences persisted after accounting for psychological distress. Less identity fragmentation, greater emotional clarity, internal locus of control, self-liking, access to emotion regulation strategies, and impulse control contributed most to discriminating NSSI cessation after accounting for psychological distress. The relationship between lack of identity and NSSI status operated indirectly through lack of emotional clarity and self-liking. Conclusions: Having a coherent sense of identity, emotional clarity, internal locus of control, self-liking, access to emotion regulation strategies, and managing impulsivity relate to NSSI cessation. These modifiable factors denote several promising intervention opportunities and should be considered in the design of NSSI-specific treatments.

：Soil ciliates, crucial components of grassland ecosystems, serve as sensitive bioindicators of soil health and disturbance. This study investigates ciliate communities across four grassland use types on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP): seasonal and continuous grazing in natural grasslands (SGG and CGG), artificial perennial Elymus nutans Griseb. grasslands (PEG), and artificial annual Avena grasslands (AAG). Using live observation techniques, we identified 114 ciliate species from 10 classes and 21 orders, with Haptorida and Sporadotrichia emerging as dominant groups. Our findings reveal that grazing grasslands harbor greater endemic ciliate species richness compared to AAG. SGG and CGG exhibited significantly higher ciliate diversity (Shannon, Simpson, and Margalef indices) than other use types, while PEG and SGG supported higher ciliate abundances. Low Jaccard similarity indices between grassland types indicate distinct ciliate communities, reflecting management-induced environmental heterogeneity. Redundancy analysis identified above-ground biomass and soil pH as primary drivers of ciliate community structure. Notably, seasonal grazing (SGG) promoted the highest ciliate diversity, suggesting its potential as a sustainable management practice for maintaining soil health on the QTP. This research provides crucial insights into the relationship between land management and soil microbial diversity in high-altitude grasslands. Our findings support the implementation of moderate grazing practices to enhance soil quality and ecosystem resilience on the QTP, with implications for sustainable management of similar ecosystems worldwide.

Huge data production has opened a platform for proliferation of various database solutions. In turn, it is challenging to identify the appropriate task specific database. The paper comprises of: 1) giving a clear picture of various categories of NOSQL database, features of each database 2) Selection of database store 3) Characteristics comparison of NoSQL over SQL. 4) Experiment is conducted in two phases: evaluation over behavioural characteristics and experimentation for functional characteristics. Various available databases are stacked up against the behavioural characteristics like partitioning, sharding, querying, tolerance, reliability, indexing and many more. Databases ranked high are then measured by implementing basic functional operations like read, write and delete. Experimental results are represented in two ways one is graphically for time consumption for each operation and other is tabular ranking representation of all these against each other. This paper concludes that NoSQL databases apparently perform better as compared to SQL databases in for read operation while for others it varies depending upon the operation. A few are instantiating fast but are slow during write operation and vice versa. Not all Database Management System can be used purely for one type of database architecture, and selection of database depends solely upon the nature and needs of application.

Genome scans offer a comprehensive method to explore genome-wide variation associated with traits under study. However, connecting individual genes to broader functional groupings and pathways is often challenging, yet crucial for understanding the evolutionary mechanisms underlying these traits. This task is particularly relevant for multi-trait processes such as domestication, which are influenced by complex interactions between numerous genetic and non-genetic factors, including epigenetic regulation. As various traits within the broader spectrum of domestication are selected in concert over time, this process offers an opportunity to identify broader functional overlaps and understand the integrated genetic architecture underlying these traits. In this study, we analyzed approximately 600,000 SNPs from a Pool-Seq experiment comparing eight natural-origin and 12 farmed populations of European seabass in the Mediterranean Sea region. We implemented two genome scan approaches and focused on genomic regions supported by both methods, resulting in the identification of 96 candidate genes, including nine CpG islands, highlighting potential epigenetic influences. Many of these genes and CpG islands are in linkage groups previously associated with domestication-related traits. The most significantly overrepresented molecular function was ‘oxidoreductase activity’. Furthermore, a dense network of interactions was identified, connecting 22 of the candidate genes. Within this network, the most significantly enriched pathways and central genes were involved in ‘chromatin organization’, highlighting another potential epigenetic mechanism. Altogether, our findings underscore the utility of interactome-assisted pathway analysis in elucidating the genomic architecture of polygenic traits and suggest that epigenetic regulation may play a crucial role in the domestication of European seabass.

The spider genus Dysdera has undergone a remarkable diversification in the oceanic archipelago of the Canary Islands, ~60 endemic species originated during the 20 million years since the origin of the archipelago. This evolutionary radiation has been accompanied by substantial dietary shifts, often characterized by phenotypic modifications encompassing morphological, metabolic and behavioral changes. Hence, these endemic spiders represent an excellent model for understanding the evolutionary drivers and to pinpoint the genomic determinants underlying adaptive radiations. Recently, we achieved the first chromosome-level genome assembly of one of the endemic species, D. silvatica, providing a high-quality reference sequence for evolutionary genomics studies. Here, we conducted a low-coverage based resequencing study of a natural population of D. silvatica from La Gomera island. Taking advantage of the new high-quality genome, we characterized genome-wide levels of nucleotide polymorphism, divergence, and linkage disequilibrium, and inferred the demographic history of this population. We also performed comprehensive genome-wide scans for recent positive selection. Our findings uncovered exceptionally high levels of nucleotide diversity and recombination in this geographically restricted endemic species, indicative of large historical effective population sizes. Furthermore, we identified genomic regions potentially under positive selection, shedding light on relevant biological processes, such as vision and nitrogen extraction as possible targets of adaptation and eventually, as drivers of the species diversification. This pioneering study in spiders endemic of an oceanic archipelago lays the groundwork for broader population genomics investigations aimed at understanding the genetic mechanisms driven adaptive radiations in island ecosystems.

Large language models(LLMs) have become increasingly useful for predicting sentiments in financial text, such as social media posts, tweets, and news articles. However, most pre-trained LLMs are proprietary or too large for classification purposes. This study aims to help finance AI developers identify the suitability of different LLMs for financial sentiment analysis tasks. The study used three datasets (balanced and imbalanced) and three types of LLMs (textclassification, text-2-text generation, and text generation). Fine-tuning of chosen LLMs was performed within resource constraints, and techniques like instruction tuning were explored to improve performance. Small LLMs, designed for classification tasks, recorded the best accuracy and F1-score, but overfitting was evident. Large LLMs, particularly those of text-2-text generation type, showed more promising performance on large datasets. It is evident from the study that small LLMs train well on small datasets, but performance decreases with increasing diversity and size of dataset, especially on imbalanced datasets.

Title PageManuscript type Case Report

Vancomycin is an antibiotic effective against gram-positive bacteria. Due to its narrow therapeutic margin and high inter-subject variability, dose adjustments should be guided by blood concentrations rather than standard dosing regimens. This scoping review aims to synthesize the most recent pharmacokinetic models and identify statistically significant covariates. A literature search of PUBMED and EMBASE databases was conducted from January 2020 to July 2023 for pharmacokinetic models in adults. Twenty-two models were collected, including 12 involving critical care unit patients. The populations studied were highly heterogeneous, including those undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), pregnant women, and patients with augmented renal clearance (ARC). Vancomycin clearance ranged from 1.19 to 7.64 L/h, and the volume of distribution ranged from 22.6 to 122 L. The between-subject variability was considerable, ranging from 7% to 67.7% for clearance and 12.4% to 112% for volume of distribution. Creatinine clearance (ClCr) was a significant covariate in 80% of the models, and weight was significant in 45%. Other covariates such as age, sex, serum creatinine, serum urea, and hospital admission unit were also identified. In conclusion, the development of vancomycin pharmacokinetic models is ongoing due to the diverse population groups with different characteristics requiring specific models. Larger patient cohorts from specific populations are needed to improve model robustness. The reviewed models included patient populations ranging from small cohorts (n=16) to larger groups (n=374), underscoring the need for broader studies.

Aim: Currently, therapeutic drug monitoring for astronauts faces limitations in conventional blood sampling and sample management onboard the international space station. Here, we explore the feasibility of dried blood spot (DBS) collection method during parabolic flights (PF) to overcome these constraints. Methods: We assessed the feasibility of blood deposition on blotting paper for preanalytical aspects in a PF using synthetic blood. Subsequently, DBS sampling validation was carried out in another PF campaign. Twenty volunteers participated in a pharmacokinetic study on caffeine and its metabolite, paraxanthine (as proof of concept), conducted during parabolic flights. After >18h caffeine washout, coffee (115 mg) or tea (30 mg), or 3 dark chocolate squares (11 mg) were administered. DBS samples were collected at baseline, during weightlessness, and post-flight. Caffeine and paraxanthine were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Genotyping for Cytochrome P450-1A2 (CYP1A2) was performed and a metabolic ratio by areas under the curves for caffeine and paraxanthine (AUCPAX/AUCCAF) for CYP1A2 was determined. User experience survey was also conducted. Results: Full in-flight pharmacokinetic was feasible in 17 volunteers with 3 failures due to motion-sickness. We observed expected differences in kinetic profiles, consistent with consumption habits, the ingested dose and the genotypic/phenotypic information. The metabolic ratio did not significantly differ between parabolic flights conditions and ground conditions. Overall participants were satisfied with the usability of the method. Conclusion: DBS collection was safe, stable, feasible and well accepted in weightlessness. This method would offer valuable insights into human metabolism adaptation during long-term spaceflight, addressing space pharmacology challenges.