Our recent studies showed that the treatment of human ovarian tumor cells with NCX4040 resulted in significant depletions of cellular glutathione, formation of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and cell death. NCX4040 is also cytotoxic to several human colorectal cancer cells (CRC) in vitro and in vivo. Here, we have examined ferroptosis-dependent mechanism(s) of cytotoxicity of NCX4040 in HT-29 and K-RAS mutant HCT116 colon cell lines. Ferroptosis is characterized by accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the cell, leading to an iron-dependent oxidative stress-mediated cell death. However, its relevance in the mechanism of NCX4040 cytotoxicity in CRC is not known. We found that NCX4040 generated ROS in CRC cells without any depletion of cellular GSH. Combinations of NCX4040 with erastin (ER) or RSL3 (RAS-selective lethal 3), known inducers of ferroptosis, enhanced CRC death. In contrast, ferrostatin-1, an inhibitor of ferroptosis, significantly inhibited NCX404-induced cell death. Treatment of CRC cells with NCX4040 resulted in induction of lipid peroxidation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. NCX4040 treatment induced several genes related to ferroptosis (e.g., CHAC1, GPX4 and NOX4) in both cell lines. Metabolomic studies also indicated significant increases in both lipid and energy metabolism following the drug treatment in HT-29 and HCT116 cells. These observations strongly suggest that NCX4040 causes ferroptosis-mediated cell death of CRC cells. Furthermore, combinations of NCX4040 and ER or RSL3 may contribute significantly for the treatment of CRC, including those that are difficult to treat due to the presence of Ras mutation in the clinic. NCX4040 induced ferroptosis may also be a dynamic form of cell death for the treatment of other cancers.

Everyday place descriptions provide a rich source of knowledge about places and their relative locations. This research proposes a place graph model for modeling this spatial, non-spatial, and contextual knowledge from place descriptions. The model extends a prior place graph, and overcomes a number of limitations. The model is implemented using the Neo4j graph database, and a management system has also been developed that allows operations including querying, mapping, and visualizing the stored knowledge in an extended place graph. Then three experimental tasks, namely georeferencing, reasoning, and querying, are selected to demonstrate the superiority of the extended model.

Our health requires continual protein synthesis for maintaining and repairing tissues. For protein synthesis to function, all the essential (indispensable) amino acids (IAA) that must be available in the diet, along with those AAs that the cells can synthesize, the dispensable amino acids. Here we review studies that have shown the location of the detector for IAA deficiency in the brain, specifically for recognition of IAA deficient diets (IAAD diets) in the anterior piriform cortex (APC), with subsequent responses in downstream brain areas. The APC is highly excitable, uniquely suited to serve as an alarm for reductions in IAAs. With a balanced diet, these neurons are kept from over-excitation by GABAergic inhibitory neurons. Because several transporters and receptors on the GABAergic neurons have rapid turnover times, they rely on intact protein synthesis to function. When an IAA is missing, its unique tRNA cannot be charged. This activates the enzyme General Control Nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) that is important in the initiation phase of protein synthesis. Without the inhibitory control supplied by GABAergic neurons, excitation in the circuitry is free to signal an urgent alarm. Studies in rodents have shown rapid recognition of IAA deficiency by quick rejection of the IAAD diet.

The digital format opens up new possibilities for interaction with monographic publications. In particular, annotation tools make it possible to broaden the discussion on the content of a book, to suggest new ideas, to report errors or inaccuracies, and to conduct open peer reviews. However, this requires the support of the users who might not yet be familiar with the annotation of digital documents. This paper will give concrete examples and recommendations for exploiting the potential of annotation in academic research and teaching. After presenting the annotation tool of Hypothesis, the article focuses on its use in the context of HIRMEOS (High Integration of Research Monographs in the European Open Science Infrastructure), a project aimed to improve the Open Access digital monograph. The general line and the aims of a post-peer review experiment with the annotation tool, as well as its usage in didactic activities concerning monographic publications are presented and proposed as potential best practices for similar annotation activities.

Understanding how novel structures arise is a central question in evolution. The carapace of the waterflea Daphnia is a bivalved “cape” of exoskeleton that surrounds the animal, and has been proposed to be one of many novel structures that arose through repeated co-option of genes that also pattern insect wings. To determine whether the Daphnia carapace is a novel structure, the expression of pannier, the Iroquois gene aurucan, and vestigial are compared between Daphnia, Parhyale, and Tribolium. The results suggest that the Daphnia carapace did not arise by cooption, but instead represents an elongated ancestral exite (lateral lobe or plate) that emerges from a proximal leg segment that was incorporated into the Daphnia body wall. The Daphnia carapace therefore appears to be homologous to the Parhyale tergal plate and the insect wing. In addition, the vg-positive region that gives rise to the Daphnia carapace also appears to be present in Parhyale and Tribolium, which do not form a carapace. Thus, rather than a novel structure resulting from gene co-option, the carapace appears to have arisen from an ancient, conserved developmental field that persists in a cryptic state in other arthropod lineages, but in Daphnia became elaborated into the carapace. Cryptic persistence of serially homologous developmental fields may thus be a general solution for the origin of many novel structures.

This study investigates via Lie symmetry analysis the Hunter-Saxton equation, an equation relevant to the theoretical analysis of nematic liquid crystals. We employ the multiplier method to obtain conservation laws of the equation derived from first-order multipliers. Conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation, in combination with the Lie point symmetries of the equation, enable us to perform symmetry reductions through employment of the double reduction method. The method exploits the relationship between Lie point symmetries and conservation laws to effectively reduce both the number of variables and the order of the equation. Five nontrivial conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation are derived, four of which are found to have associated Lie point symmetries. Applying the double reduction method to the Hunter-Saxton equation results in a set of first-order ordinary differential equations, the solutions of which represent invariant solutions for the equation.

Stress mechanisms have long been associated with neuronal loss and neurodegenerative diseases. The origin of cell stress and neuronal loss likely stems from multiple pathways. These include (but are not limited to) bioenergetic failure, neuroinflammation, and loss of proteostasis. Cells have adapted compensatory mechanisms to overcome stress and circumvent death. One mechanism is mitophagy. Recent studies have implicated mitophagy in several neurodegenerative diseases and clinical trials are underway which target mitophagy pathways. Here, we review mitophagy pathways, the role of mitophagy in neurodegeneration, potential therapeutics, and the need for further study.

The role of natural factors mainly solar eleven-year cycle variability, and volcanic eruptions on two major modes of climate variability the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are studied for around last 150 years period. The NAO is the primary factor to regulate Central England Temperature (CET) during winter throughout the period, though NAO is impacted differently by other factors in various time periods. Solar variability indicates a strong positive influence on NAO during 1978-1997, though suggests opposite in earlier period. Solar NAO lag relationship is also shown sensitive to the chosen times of reference and thus points towards the previously proposed mechanism/ relationship related to the sun and NAO. The ENSO is influenced strongly by solar variability and volcanic eruptions in certain periods. This study observes a strong negative association between the sun and ENSO before the 1950s, which is even opposite during the second half of 20th century. The period 1978-1997, when two strong eruptions coincided with active years of strong solar cycles, the ENSO, and volcano suggested a stronger association, and we discussed the important role played by ENSO. That period showed warming in central tropical Pacific while cooling in the North Atlantic with reference to the later period (1999-2017) and also from chosen earlier period. Here we show that the mean atmospheric state is important for understanding the connection between solar variability, the NAO and ENSO and associated mechanism. It presents a critical analysis to improve knowledge about major modes of variability and their role in climate. We also discussed the importance of detecting the robust signal of natural variability, mainly the sun.

The purpose of this study was to identify potential causes of violence and crime in informal settlements and residents’ strategies for response and prevention to these issues, as perceived by women living in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. A total of 55 in-depth interviews were conducted with women living in the informal settlement in 2015-2016. A modified grounded theory approach was used to guide data collection and analysis. The most common contributor to violence and crime identified by women in Mathare informal settlement was idle youth, but leadership and government challenges, corruption and/or inadequacy of police, community barriers, tribalism, and lack of protective infrastructure also emerged as contributing factors. Despite facing many economic, environmental, and day-to-day challenges, women in Mathare identified violence and crime as predominant issues; thus, developing effective response and prevention strategies to these issues in informal settlements is paramount. Women suggest there are many strategies and initiatives to reduce and prevent violence and crime in informal settlements, but also identified barriers to implementing them. Findings suggest there is a need for trust-building between formal and informal organizations and institutions, systems of accountability, and long-term investment to foster sustainable and effective violence and crime response and interventions in these settlements.

Abstract: Doppler renal resistive index (RRI) has been used for several decades as a potential indi-cator for renal disease and progression. In recent years, RRI has emerged as a useful prognostic indicator for a range of co-morbidities in patients who are acutely unwell and as a potential marker for sub-clinical acute kidney injury (AKI) and post procedural AKI risk. Despite this, the clinical and theoretical determinants of RRI are poorly understood and remain contentious. Method: A narrative review of studies exploring the theoretical, experimental, and clinical evidence for factors affecting RRI. No date restrictions were set. Findings: Both experimental and clinical data confirm that RRI is markedly affected by a range of systemic and renal determinants and is influenced closely by the underlying risk factors and sys-temic vascular changes that lead to progressive renal damage. Discussion: This paper provides an overview of the key haemodynamic determinants of renal re-sistive index and aims to clarify their relative importance. With reference to a simplified theoretical model, evidence from experimental and clinical studies is reviewed. Pathophysiological factors and patient characteristics that influence RRI are explored to provide a better understanding of why RRI values change in the presence of common or complex pathologies. Conclusion: By gaining a better understanding of the complex systemic and renal factors that influ-ence RRI, ultrasound users will be better prepared to understand and interpret changes in RRI across a range of patient presentations.

Around one billion people live in informal settlements, globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya’s three million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women’s fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences behavior. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2016. A modified grounded theory approach guided data collection and analysis. Findings suggest fear of victimization is a serious concern in informal settlements. Women have found ways to adopt their behaviors that allow them to continue to function and protect their children despite fearing victimization, but at a potential cost to their health and well-being. Thus, there is a critical need for more research focused on social, economic, structural, community, infrastructure, technological, and individual strategies to prevent violence, enhance residents’ sense of safety, and, subsequently, minimize women’s fear of victimization in informal settlements.

Research is scarce regarding antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for specific localities in Northern Ireland (NI). Additionally, the effects of COVID-19 on antimicrobial pre-scribing patterns and AMR are unknown. Between the European Union (EU) and United States (US), AMR causes approximately 68,000 deaths annually. This study will provide a better understanding of antimicrobial use and prescribing patterns in Belfast and link with AMR. An electronic survey was developed and distributed to eighty-five community pharmacists in Belfast. Yearly and monthly prescription data was gathered from the Business Services Organisation and COVID-19 statistics from Gov.uk. All data was analysed on Microsoft Office Excel® and IBM® SPSS® Statistics 25. Overall response rate was 46%. Most pharmacists (82%) failed to address prescriber non-compliance with guidelines and antimicrobial dosing errors (59%). The most common in-dication for antibiotics was upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Overprescribing of anti-biotics was perceived as the leading cause of AMR, therefore 69% of pharmacists indicated in-creased General Practitioner (GP) compliance with guidelines would reduce AMR. Pharmacists’ are in an ideal position to reduce AMR through patient education however, it is demonstrated that pharmacists failed to adequately counsel patients on antibiotic use. All GP practices demonstrated inappropriate antibiotic use, especially for URTIs which suggests antibiotic appropriateness should be reviewed. Many patients avoided contact with GP’s during COVID-19 which may have resulted in reduced antibiotic use. This research established amoxicillin as the most commonly prescribed antibiotic, which is contributing to increased AMR with its broad-spectrum activity and has recognised a decrease in antibiotic prescribing during COVID-19. Based on the results found and a critical review of the literature it is recommended antimicrobial guidelines should be re-viewed and improved, enhanced training should be provided to pharmacists and the antibiotic guardian (AG) campaign should be reenergised.

How to align leg segments between the four groups of arthropods (insects, crustaceans, myriapods, and chelicerates) has tantalized researchers for over a century. By comparing the loss-of-function phenotypes of leg patterning genes in diverged arthropod taxa, including a crustacean, insects, and spiders, we show that all arthropod legs can be aligned in a one-to-one fashion. We propose a model wherein insects incorporated two proximal leg segments into the body wall, which moved the ancestral leg lobe (exite) up onto the back to later form wings. For myriapods and chelicerates with seven leg segments, it appears that one proximal leg segment was incorporated into the body wall. According to this model, the chelicerate exopod and the crustacean exopod emerge from different leg segments, and are therefore proposed to have arisen independently. A framework for how to align arthropod appendages now opens up a powerful system for studying the origins of novel structures, the plasticity of developmental fields, and convergent evolution.

The impact of interaction SS with MJO on rainfall along Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara has been studied using daily rainfall observation data from 2140 weather observation stations, which are also equipped with GSMaP, OLR, and ERA5 data. There were 61 SS events found, 17 during active MJO and 44 in inactive MJO. Rainfall increases more in the western study area when the active MJO and more in the eastern study area when the inactive MJO is due to SS. SS reduces rainfall in the Jakarta region, regardless of the activity or inactivity of the MJO. SS causes extreme rainfall to only occur in a small part of certain areas, so it tends to significantly reduce the possibility of extreme rainfall. In the southern part of the IMC, SS predominates over MJO in supporting increased water vapor transport. Large-scale synoptic circulations like the monsoon, SS, and MJO can interact with local land-sea wind circulation to produce spatiotemporal variability in rainfall on Java Island. Rainfall mostly increases in the afternoon and decreases in the morning when SS occurs, whether there is MJO or not. Convective instability analysis indicates that SS increases precipitation, most likely by lowering CIN and raising VIMFC.

A long-standing problem in the understanding of deep-water turbidite reservoirs relates to how the three-dimensional evolution of deep-water channel systems evolve in response to channel filling on spatio-temporal scales, and how depositional environments affect channel architecture. The 3-D structure and temporal evolution of late Miocene deep-water channel complexes in the southern Taranaki Basin, New Zealand is investigated, and the geometry, distribution and stacking patterns of the channel complexes are analyzed. Two recently acquired 3-D seismic datasets, the Pipeline-3D (proximal) and Hector-3D (distal) are analyzed. These surveys provide detailed imaging of late Miocene deep-water channel systems, allowing for the assessment of the intricate geometry and seismic geomorphology of the systems. Seismic attributes resolve the channel bodies and the associated architectural elements. Spectral decomposition, amplitude curvature, and coherence attributes reveal NW-trending straight to low-sinuosity channels and less prominent NE-trending high-sinuosity feeder channels. Stratal slices across the seismic datasets better characterize the architectural elements. The mapped turbidite systems transition from low-sinuosity to meandering high-sinuosity patterns, likely caused by a change in the shelf-slope gradient due to localized structural relief. Stacking facies patterns within the channel systems reveal the temporal variation from a depositional environment characterized by sediment bypass to vertically aggrading channel systems.

Worldwide, different strategies are elaborated in order to ensure optimum conditions for the development and growth of the economic competitiveness, but also for increasing the quality of life and environment protection. All these strategies are closely linked with the development and modernization of the systems for producing energy from clean and renewable sources. In this context, the present paper presents the results of the researches regarding the evaluation of the sustainability of the briquettes production, using the biomass resulted from vine winter pruning as raw material. An analysis of the scientific references indicates that nearly 8 Mt of biomass result from over 7.4 million hectares of vine plantations existent worldwide, biomass that could be valorized through densification in order to produce solid biofuels with a lower calorific value of more than 17 MJ·kg-1. When designing the scientific endeavor, the following aspects were considered: defining the aim and objectives of the research; design of the research algorithm; collection, preparation and conditioning of the biomass; chemical analysis of the briquettes; evaluation of the technological characteristics of the briquettes; evaluation of the energy consumption and energy efficiency for producing the briquettes, taking into account two drying methods (natural and artificial drying). In the meantime, some specific laboratory equipment was design and built for the artificial drying of biomass, evaluation of the mechanical durability, measurement of the energy consumption etc. The analysis of the experimental data has led to the conclusion that the agricultural waste from vine pruning can constitute an important and sustainable source of energy in the form of bri-quettes, which fulfill most of the requirements imposed by the international standards.

Green innovation has become an important combination of high-quality economic growth and sustainable development of ecological environment. In this paper, the super-efficiency network SBM model is used to measure the two-stage green innovation efficiency of industrial science and technology R&D and achievement transformation in 30 provinces and cities from 2009 to 2019, and exploratory Data Analysis (ESDA) and spatial econometric model are used to investigate the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of green innovation efficiency. The results show that: firstly, the overall efficiency of industrial green innovation is low, and the efficiency of scientific research and development and achievement transformation has experienced three stages of "upward-declining-revitalized period". The low efficiency of achievement transformation is an important factor hiding the improvement of the efficiency of industrial green innovation. Secondly, The industrial green innovation efficiency gradually increases from northwest to southeast, forming a centralized "line" and "block" distribution. The high efficiency area is still concentrated in the eastern coastal region, and the balanced development trend is obvious in the central and western regions. Finally, openness has a positive impact on the two-stage green innovation efficiency; Industrial structure and government investment in science and technology have a positive impact on the efficiency of science and technology research and development, but have no significant effect on the efficiency of achievement transformation. Enterprise size has a positive effect on achievement transformation efficiency, but has no significant effect on R&D efficiency. Environmental regulation has a positive impact on R&D efficiency and a negative impact on achievement transformation efficiency.

An iconic feature of insects is the apparent lack of legs on the abdomen, which is believed to be due to the repression of the leg-patterning gene Distalless (Dll) by abdominal Hox genes. However, in contrast to these molecular observations, it is not widely appreciated that the embryos of most insect groups do in fact form paired protrusions on most abdominal segments that appear to be homologous to the thoracic legs. However, these degenerate before hatching to form the abdominal body wall. To resolve this discordance between molecular and morphological observations, the expression patterns of pannier and araucan, genes known to distinguish proximal leg segments in all arthropods, are examined in embryos of the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. In Tribolium embryos, all pregenital abdominal segments develop leg-like paired protrusions, and the stripes of pannier and araucan expression that delineate the proximal leg segments of the thorax are also expressed in the same configuration around these abdominal protrusions. This suggests that insect abdominal legs are homologous to only the proximal portion of the thoracic legs, which in insect adults forms the body wall (lateral tergum and pleura). These cryptic, truncated abdominal legs – likely inherited from their crustacean ancestors – appear to be an important wellspring for new functions in insects, such as caterpillar prolegs, gills, and structures for camouflage¹⁶ and aposematic warning.

This research concerns in to understand the link between urban heat and cool island, the Local Climatic Zones (LCZ) and atmospheric systems during the winter season in the city of Balneário Camboriú, Southern Brazil. To collect meteorological data on urban environmental, 11 permanent points in the Balneário Camboriú metropolitan region were installed. To understand the atmos-pheric systems operating in the region, a synoptic analysis of the dates was performed, and then, the LCZs map created for the city in World Urban Database and Acess Portal Tools was used to cor-relate the magnitudes of the heat and cool islands found in Balneário Camboriú in the winter period. The results indicate that the increasing verticalization with the construction of skyscrapers in Balneário Camboriú has a significant influence on local conditions for the occurrence of heat and cold islands. The findings indicate that LCZs with sparsely distributed buildings (LCZs 6, 8 and 9) and LCZs with dense vegetation (LCZ A) have lower intensity magnitudes of heat and cool con-ditions. The biggest magnitudes of heat and cool islands were reported in LCZs 1 and 3 during the timeframe. The synoptic analysis supports earlier researches that points to atmospheric stability (Anticyclonic domain) as a favorable atmospheric setting for the emergence of urban hear and coolness islands.

Industrial green technology innovation has become an important content in achieving high-quality economic growth and comprehensively practicing the new development concept in the new era. This paper measures the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation and regional differences based on Chinese provincial panel data from 2005 to 2018, using a combination of the super-efficient SBM model for considering undesirable outputs and the Dagum Gini coefficient method, and discusses and analyses the factors influencing of the industrial green technology innovation efficiency by constructing a spatial econometric model. The results show that: firstly, the industrial green technology innovation efficiency in China shows a relatively stable development trend, going through three stages: " stationary period", " recession period " and "growth period ". However, the efficiency gap between different regions is obvious, specifically in the eastern > central > western regions of China, and the industrial green technology efficiency innovation in the central and western regions is lower than the national average. Secondly, regional differences in the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation in China are evident but tend to narrow overall, with the main reason for the overall difference being regional differences. In terms of intra-regional variation, variation within the eastern region is relatively stable, variation within the central region is relatively low and shows an inverted 'U' shaped trend, and variation within the western region is high and shows a fluctuating downward trend. Thirdly, the firm size, government support, openness to the outside world, environmental regulations and education levels contribute to the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation. In addition, the industrial structure hinders the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation, and each influencing factor has different degrees of spatial spillover effects.

Early and accurate mapping of winter canola planting areas provides critical support for sustainable cropland management. Although some methods have been proposed to map the winter canola at the flowering or later stage, mapping winter canola planting areas at the early stage is still challenging, due to the insufficient understanding of the multi-source remote sensing features sensitive for winter canola mapping. This study proposed an early-stage winter canola area mapping method by using the combination of optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. We analyzed the spectral features, backscatter coefficients, and textural features of winter canola based on Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 images. Random forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification models were built to map winter canola based on early-stage images and field samples in 2017 and then apply the best model to corresponding satellite data in 2018-2022. Results showed that: (1) The red edge and near-infrared-related spectral features were most important for the mapping of early-stage winter canola, followed by VV, DVI and GOSAVI, which also showed greater differences than the other features; (2) Based on Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data, winter canola could be earliest mapped around 130 days prior to ripening (i.e., early overwinter stage) with the F-score over 0.85 and the OA over 81%; (3) Adding Sentinel-1 could improve the OA by about 2%-4% and the F-score by about 1% -2% in winter canola mapping. (4) The F-score of winter canola mapping based on the classifier transfer approach in 2018-2022 varied between 0.75 and 0.97, and the OA ranged from 79% to 86%. This study demonstrates the potential of early-stage winter canola mapping using the combination of Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 images, which could provide valuable and timely information for stakeholders and decision makers.

Eating disorders, especially restrictive eating, are common among female athletes. There are two main types of winter sports, those that are practised outdoors on snow (-25 to +5ºC and 2500 m), such as alpine skiing or snowboarding, and those that are practiced indoors on ice (5-10º C at low altitude), such as figure skating and ice hockey. The aim of this research was to identify the nutritional status and potential risk of female athletes practising winter sports considering the altitude of training. The sample was composed of 58 women (aged 19.81 years (SD: 12.61) who were competitors in some winter sports. Anthropometrics and nutritional variables were taken. Statistically significant differences were found between groups for all the characteristics except thigh skinfold and neither group had an EI that matched their TEE. Both groups met at least 2/3rd of the RDI for all minerals and vitamins, except iodine, fluorine, vit D, E and retinol. This study suggest that female winter sports athletes have insufficient energy, vitamin and mineral intake that can be worsened by altitude.

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a well-described modulator of socio-emotional traits, such as anxiety, stress, social behavior, and pair-bonding, however, when dysregulated, it is associated with adverse psychiatric traits, like various aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we identify the transcription factor MEF2A as the common link between OT and cellular changes symptomatic for ASD, encompassing neuronal morphology, connectivity, and mitochondrial function. We provide evidence for MEF2A as the decisive factor defining the cellular response to OT: while OT induces neurite retraction in MEF2A expressing neurons, OT causes neurite outgrowth in absence of MEF2A. A CRISPR-Cas-mediated knockout of MEF2A and retransfection of an active version or permanently inactive mutant, respectively, validated our findings. We also identified the phosphatase calcineurin as the main upstream regulator of OT-induced MEF2A signaling. Further, MEF2A signaling dampens mitochondrial functioning in neurons, as MEF2A knockout cells show increased maximal cellular respiration, spare-respiratory capacity, and total cellular ATP. In summary, we reveal a central role for OT-induced MEF2A as major regulator of cellular morphology as well as neuronal connectivity and mitochondrial functioning, with broad implications for a potential treatment of disorders based on morphological alterations or mitochondrial dysfunction.

The greater U.S. Midwest is on the leading edge of tick and tick-borne disease (TBD) expansion, with tick and TBD encroachment into Illinois occurring from both the northern and the southern regions. To assess historical and future habitat suitability of four ticks of medical concern within the state, we fit individual and mean-weighted ensemble species distribution models for Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, and a newly invading species, Amblyomma maculatum using a variety of landscape and mean climate variables for the periods of 1970-2000, 2041-2060, and 2061-2080. Ensemble model projections for the historical climate were consistent with known distributions of each species but predicted the habitat suitability of A. maculatum to be much greater throughout Illinois than what known distributions demonstrate. Presence of forest and wetlands were the most important landcover classes predicting occurrence of all tick species. As the climate warmed, the expected distribution of all species became strongly responsive to precipitation and temperature variables, particularly precipitation of the warmest quarter and mean diurnal range, as well as proximity to forest cover and water sources. The suitable habitat all species was predicted to shrink in the 2050 climate scenario, and then increase more broadly statewide in the 2070 scenario, but at reduced likelihoods. Predicting where ticks may invade and concentrate as the climate changes will be important to anticipate, prevent, and treat TBD in Illinois.

A fundamental question in biology is whether phenotypes can be predicted by ecological or genomic rules. At least five cases of convergent evolution of the crab-like body plan (with a wide and flattened shape, and a bent abdomen) are known in decapod crustaceans, and have, for over 140 years, been known as ‘carcinization’. The repeated loss of this body plan has been identified as ‘decarcinization’. In reviewing the field, we offer phylogenetic strategies to include poorly known groups, and direct evidence from fossils, that will resolve the history of crab evolution and the degree of phenotypic variation within crabs. Proposed ecological advantages of the crab body are summarized into a hypothesis of phenotypic integration suggesting correlated evolution of the carapace shape and abdomen. Our premise provides fertile ground for future studies of the genomic and developmental basis, and the predictability, of the crab-like body form.

Universities can do more to deliver against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with faculty, staff and students as well as their wider stakeholder community and alumni body. They play a critical role in helping shape new ways for the world, educating global citizens and delivering knowledge and innovation into society – universities can be engines of societal transformation. Here, using a case study approach, different ways of strategizing sustainability in a university setting are explored with an example from the UK, Europe and USA. The first case is a public UK university that adopted enterprise and sustainability as its academic mission to secure differentiation in a disrupted and increasingly marketized global higher education sector which then became a source of inspiration for change in regional businesses and the local community. The second case study is a business sector-led sustainability-driven transformation working with a private university in Bulgaria to catalyze economic regeneration and social innovation. Finally, the case of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability engagement program is given to show how this approach connects faculty and students with institutional sustainability plans and external partners. Each case is a living lab, positioning sustainability as an intentional strategy. Leadership at all levels, and by students, was key to success in acting with purpose. Partnerships within and with universities can help accelerate delivery of the SDGs, with higher education making a fuller contribution to sustaining the economic, cultural and intellectual well-being of our global communities.

Drought stress severely affects the normal growth and development of wheat, leading to reduced yields and quality. To address the lag and limitations of traditional drought monitoring methods, this paper proposes a drought stress monitoring model for winter wheat during critical growth stages based on deep learning. By acquiring drought stress images of winter wheat during three critical growth stages: rise-jointing, heading-flowering and flowering-maturity, a dataset correlating these images with soil moisture monitoring data was established. The DenseNet121 network model was selected as the base network to extract phenotypic features of winter wheat under drought stress. Variables such as the model's training approach, changes in learning rate, and whether an attention mechanism was included, were used to conduct eight sets of model training and optimization strategy experiments. A drought stress monitoring model for winter wheat during critical growth stages based on an improved DenseNet-121 was constructed. The results showed that the average recognition accuracy of the eighth group in the test set reached 94.67%, indicating good application prospects in the recognition of drought stress levels during critical growth stages of wheat.

Care coordination (CC) for children with special healthcare needs and medical complexity (CSHCN-CMC) is challenging, and medication management is especially difficult for providers, parents/caregivers, and patients alike. While numerous strategies for CC have been suggested and implemented, barriers to medication optimization remain. The report describes the creation of a pediatric clinical pharmacotherapy practice, related standard operating procedures to assure consistent application of screening tools and care provision through comprehensive medication management (CMM), and establishment of a collaborative practice agreement (CPA) to guide drug therapy delegation, monitoring, and modification. The methodology of a prospective case series is also presented to highlight drug therapy problems and their resolution in CSHCN-CMC. Future opportunities to expand the practice for engagement in population health management as well as prior authorization activities on behalf of physicians will be discussed.

Sentinel lymph node dissection (sLND) using a magnetometer and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a tracer was successfully applied in prostate cancer (PCa). Radioisotope-guided sLND combined with extended pelvic LND (ePLND) achieved better node removal, increasing the number of affected nodes or the detection of sentinel lymph nodes outside the established ePLND template. We determined the diagnostic value of additional magnetometer-guided sLND after intraprostatic SPION-injection in high-risk PCa. This retrospective study included 104 high-risk PCa patients (PSA >20 ng/ml and/or Gleason score ≥8 and/or cT2c) from a prospective cohort who underwent radical prostatectomy with magnetometer-guided sLND and ePLND. The diagnostic accuracy of sLND was assessed using ePLND as a reference standard. Lymph node metastases were found in 61 of 104 patients (58.7%). sLND had a 100% diagnostic rate, 96.6% sensitivity, 95.6% specificity, 96.6% positive predictive value, 95.6% negative predictive value, 3.4% false negative rate, and 4.4% false positive rate (detecting lymph node metastases outside the ePLND template). These findings demonstrate the high sensitivity and additional diagnostic value of magnetometer-guided sLND, exceeding that of ePLND through the individualized extension of PLND or the detection of sentinel lymph nodes / lymph node metastases outside the established node template in high-risk PCa.

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macro nutrient for crop growth; therefore, N deficit can greatly limit crop growth and production. In the North China Plain (NCP), winter wheat is one of the main food crops, and its yield has increased from approximately 4000 kg ha-1 to 6000 kg ha-1 in the last two decades. Determining the proper N application rates at different growth stages and in all seasons is very important for the sustainable and high production of wheat in the NCP. A field experiment with five N application rates (250, 200, 150, 100, and 40 kgN·ha-1, designated as N250, N200, N150, N100, and N40, respectively) was conducted during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 winter wheat seasons to investigate the effects of the N application rate on water- and fertiliz-er-utilization efficiency, and on the crop growth and yield of winter wheat under sprinkler fer-tigation conditions. The results showed that, in the N application range of 40-200 kg ha-1, crop yield and water- and fertilizer-use efficiencies increased as the N application rate increased; however, further increases in the N application rate did not have additional benefits. The N up-take after regreening of winter wheat linearly increased with crop growth. Considering the wheat yield and N-use efficiency, the optimal N application range was 200 kg ha-1, and the best top-dressing strategy was equal amounts of N applied at the regreening, jointing, and grain-filling stages. The results of this study will be useful for optimizing field N management to achieve high wheat yield production in the NCP and in regions with similar climatic and soil environment conditions.

(1) Background: OCT imaging has been used to assess enamel demineralization in dental research but is not yet developed enough to qualify as a diagnostic technique in clinics. The current capabilities of most commercial acquisition software allow for visual and qualitative assessment. There is a need for a fast and verified batch-processing algorithm for segmenting and analyzing the de-mineralized enamel. This study suggests a GUI MATLAB algorithm for processing and quantitative analysis of the demineralized enamel. (2) Methods: A group of artificially demineralized human enamels was in vitro scanned under the OCT, and ROI frames were extracted. By using a selected intensity threshold colormap, inter- (Ie) and intra- (Ia) prismatic demineralization can be segmented. A set of quantitative measurements for average demineralized depth, average line profile, and integrated reflectivity can be obtained for an accurate assessment. Real and simulated OCT frames were used for algorithm verification. (3) Results: A strong correlation between automated and known Excel measurements for the average demineralization depth was found (R² > 0.97). (4) Conclusions: OCT image segmentation and quantification of the enamel demoralization zones are possible. The algorithm can assess the future development of a real-time assessment of dental diagnostics using an oral probe OCT.

The mass composition of Particulate Matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is dominated by ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) which is a secondary pollutant. The goal of this research was the investigation of the relationship between emissions, meteorology and PM2.5 concentrations in Fresno for the winter season. It was found that the location of sites near emission sources such as freeways compared with residential sites strongly affected measured PM2.5 concentrations. It was found that although long-term trends showed declines in both emissions and PM2.5 concentrations there was substantial variability between the years in the PM2.5/emissions relationship. Much of the yearly variation in the relationship between emissions and PM2.5 concentrations can be attributed to yearly variations in weather, such as atmospheric stability, precipitation frequency and average wind speed. There are moderate correlations between PM2.5 concentrations and temperature differences between nearby surface stations at varying elevations which explains some of the daily and seasonal variation in PM2.5. Occurrence of precipitation was related to low PM¬2.5 although the higher wind speeds and lower atmospheric stability associated with precipitation likely explain some of the low PM2.5 as well as washout of PM.

Valence tautomerism (VT) may occur if a molecule contains two chemically different redox-active units, which differ only slightly in their intrinsic redox potential. Herein, we present three new half-sandwich complexes [(η6arene)Cr(CO)2L]+ with a triarylmethylium substituent appended to the -coordinated arene and different coligands L (L = CO, P(OPh)3, PPh3, 1+  3+) at the chromium atom. Ligand substitution purposefully lowers the half-wave potential for chromium oxidation and thereby the redox potential difference towards tritylium reduction. For the PPh3-substituted complex 3+, cyclic voltammetry measurements indicate that chromium oxidation and tritylium reduction occur at (almost) the same potential. This renders the diamagnetic Cr(0)C6H4CAr2+ form 3+ and its paramagnetic diradical Cr(I)+•C6H4CAr2• valence tautomer 3+•• energetically nearly degenerate. Temperature-dependent IR spectroscopy shows indeed two pairs of carbonyl bands assignable to a Cr(0) and a Cr(I) species, coexisting in a T-dependent equilibrium with almost equal quantities for both at 70 °C. The diradical form with one unpaired spin at the trityl unit engages in a monomer ⇌ dimer equilibrium, which was investigated by means of quantitative EPR spectroscopy. The diradical species 1+••  3+•• were found to be highly reactive, leading to several identified reaction products, which presumably result from hydrogen atom abstraction by the trityl C atom, e.g. from the solvent.

The potential for transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during minimally invasive gynaecological procedures, such as hysteroscopy or laparoscopy, on the reproductive tract of patients with COVID-19 is not known. We examined existing data for prevalence of virus in the reproductive tract and other bodily fluids.

In order to assess the human exposure risks from the release of contaminants from water pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), experiments were carried out by subjecting the PVC pipe material to burning and leaching conditions followed by analysis of the emission and leachate samples. The emissions of burning pipes were analyzed by both infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The emission results indicate the presence of chlorinated components including chlorine dioxide, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, allyl chloride, vinyl chloride, ethyl chloride, 1-chlorobutane, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene, and hydrogen chloride were detected in the emissions of burning PVC pipes. Furthermore, the concentrations of benzene, 1,3-butadiene, methyl methacrylate, carbon monoxide, acrolein, and formaldehyde were found at levels capable of affecting human health adversely. The analysis of PVC pipe leachates using GC-MS shows that there are 40-60 tentatively identified compounds, mostly long-chain hydrocarbons such as tetradecane, hexadecane, octadecane, and docosane, were released when the burned PVC materials were soaked in deionized water for one week. Quantitative analysis shows that 2-butoxyethanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and diethyl phthalate were found in the burned PVC polymer at the average levels of 2.7, 14.0, and 3.1 micrograms per gram (g/g) of pipe material. This study has significant implications for understanding the benzene contamination of drinking water in the aftermath of wildfires that burned polymer pipes in California.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological cancer with poor outcomes due to a lack of efficacious targeted therapies. The Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT) family of transcription factors is well characterized as a regulator of the cell cycle and differentiation in the myeloid lineage. Recent evidence has demonstrated that NFAT family members may have roles in regulating AML leukemogenesis and resistance to targeted therapy in myeloid leukemias. Furthermore gene expression data from patient samples show that some NFATs are more highly expressed in poorly differentiated AML and after disease relapse, implying that the NFAT family may have roles in specific types of AML. This review outlines the evidence for the role of NFAT in healthy myeloid tissue and explores how NFAT might regulate AML pathogenesis, highlighting the potential to target specific NFAT proteins therapeutically in AML.

Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health disorders worldwide. Internet-Delivered Cogni-tive Behaviour Therapy (ICBT) can reduce barriers to care for broad cross sections of the population. How-ever, People of Diverse Ethnocultural Backgrounds (PDEGs) other than White/Caucasian underutilize mental health services and are underrepresented in clinical trials of psychological interventions. To address this research gap, we adapted an evidence-based ICBT program for PDEGs. The current pilot study explores the effectiveness, satisfaction, and engagement in the adapted ICBT by PDEGs (N=41) when benchmarked against a sample of PDEGs (N=134) drawn from a previous non-adapted version of the ICBT program. Inntent-to-treat analyses showed that the adapted ICBT program is effective in reducing anxiety and de-pression symptoms among PDEGs. Large within-group pre-to-post-treatment Cohen’s effect sizes of d = 1.23, 95% CI [0.68, 1.77] and d = 1.24, 95% CI [0.69, 1.79] were found for depression and anxiety, respectively. Further, 81.8% of the PDEGs who received the adapted ICBT program reported high overall satisfaction, 90.9 % reported increased confidence in managing symptoms, and 70.7% of participants completed the ma-jority of the psychoeducational lessons in the ICBT program. No statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction were found between the pilot study and benchmark sample. Future directions for ICBT research with PDEGs are described.

Planetary waves in the mesosphere are studied using observational data and models to establish their origin, as there are indications of their generation independently of waves in the stratosphere. The quantitative relationships between zonal wave numbers m = 1 (wave 1) and m = 2 (wave 2) were studied with a focus on the mid-latitude mesosphere at 50N latitude. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder measurements were used to estimate wave amplitudes in geopotential height during the 2020–2021 winter major sudden stratospheric warming. The moving correlation between the wave amplitudes shows that, in comparison with the anticorrelation in the stratosphere, wave 2 positively correlates with wave 1 and propagates ahead of it in the mesosphere. A positive correlation r = 0.5–0.6, statistically significant at the 95% confidence level, is observed at 1–5-day time lag and in the 75–91 km altitude range, which is the upper mesosphere–mesopause region. Wavelet analysis shows a clear 8-day period in waves 1 and 2 in the mesosphere at 0.01 hPa (80 km), while in the stratosphere–lower mesosphere the period is twice as long at 16-days; this is statistically significant only in wave 2. Possible sources of mesospheric planetary waves are discussed.

In the last decade, we have witnessed an upsurge in nuclei-based studies, particularly coupled with next-generation sequencing. Such studies aim at understanding the molecular states that exist in heterogeneous cell populations by applying increasingly more affordable sequencing approaches, in addition to optimized methodologies developed to isolate and select nuclei. Although these powerful new methods promise unprecedented insights, it is important to understand and critically consider the associated challenges. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the rise of nuclei-based studies and elaborate on their advantages and disadvantages. Improved designs and appropriate use of the various experimental strategies will result in acquiring biologically accurate and meaningful information.

Summer annual species are the most widely grown crops in the Upper Midwest, but reliance on a summer annual system has led to excessive soil and nutrient loss when crops are not present. Integrating winter rye (Secale cereale L.), known for its hardiness and environmental benefits, into the rotation can address these issues. However, there's limited understanding of the phenotypic diversity in winter rye during key growth stages that overlap with the typical planting dates for corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr], and late-planted crops like dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate changes in biomass accumulation and quality of winter rye and triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) cultivars at three growth stages. Twenty cultivars were assessed over the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 growing seasons across three environments in Minnesota. Winter rye and triticale were harvested for biomass at the tillering, booting, and soft dough growth stages and rye biomass yield and quality [i.e., crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 48-hour digestibility (NDFD)] were determined following harvest. Overall, there was little variation in each parameter among the cultivars within a location and growth stage. NDFD had some variation at the soft dough stage where digestibility ranged from 273 to 324 g kg-1 at the Crookston site and 332 to 406 g kg-1 at the St. Paul site. The lack of difference between cultivars indicates a wide range of choice when selecting a winter rye cultivar.

This study evaluated the exogenous application of PGRs substitute chemical fertilization without compromising the growth and yield of tomato in fluctuated day-night temperature and humidity stressed late winter. Two-factor experiment comprising chemical fertilizers at 100, 110, 90 and 80 % of recommended doses besides control and PGRs of GA3; NAA, 4-CPA and SA @ 50 ppm including control was conducted where treatments were assigned in triplicates. Results revealed no significant variation among the fertilizer doses (80% to 110% of recommendation) regarding growth and yield contributing traits while among the PGRs, GA3 @ 50 ppm produced maximum number of flower clusters plant-1 (16.85), flowers (8.80) and fruits (5.79) cluster-1, single fruit weight (67.83 g) and fruit yield (6.61 kg plant-1) of tomato that was statistically identical with the findings of SA. But significant reduction in yield was noted in NAA and 4-CPA (1.20 kg and 1.21 kg plant-1, respectively). Interestingly, GA3 and SA in combination with any doses of the studied fertilizers maximize the tomato morphological and reproductive traits while fertilizer plus NAA and 4-CPA interaction gave the inferior results. Further, correlation matrix and PCA findings revealed that five fertilizer doses have no distinctiveness whereas GA3 and SA has distinct position than other PGRs with the maximum dependent variables those were contributed positively in the total variations. The study findings suggested that 20% fertilizer requirement could be reduced with the substitution of GA3 and SA @ 50 ppm for successful cultivation of tomato in late winter having the extreme environmental issues.

Machine learning (ML) is widely used in the field of crop-growing information identification based on high-resolution remote sensing images. With Baoying County in Jiangsu Province, China, as the study area, this paper used Sentinel-2 images during the winter wheat growth period to construct its spectral, textural, and topographic features during its growth period and proposes a winter wheat-growing area extraction method based on the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm, which was compared with traditional ML algorithms such as the support vector machine (SVM), classification and regression tree (CART), and random forest (RF) algorithms. The results indicated that (1) a winter wheat-growing area identification model based on the XGBoost algorithm was successfully constructed based on Sentinel-2 images, considering 27 spectral, textural, and topographic features; (2) the constructed model could effectively extract winter wheat in the study area with an overall accuracy of 93.43% and only a small error compared with the actual winter wheat-growing area in Baoying County, meeting the accuracy requirement for crop identification in the study area; and (3) the deep learning algorithm XGBoost outperformed the three traditional ML algorithms, among which the RF algorithm was better than the SVM and CART algorithms, both of which had poor identification performance and a large error compared with the actual growing area. This paper provides a scientific basis for the accurate extraction of winter wheat-growing areas and further research on winter wheat growth monitoring and yield estimation.

The aim of this work is to study the zonally asymmetric stratopause that occurred in the Arctic winter of 2019/2020, when the polar vortex was particularly strong and there was no sudden stratospheric warming. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder temperature data were used to analyze the evolution of the stratopause with a particular focus on its zonally asymmetric wave 1 pattern. There was a rapid descent of the stratopause height below 50 km in the anticyclone region in mid-December 2019. The descended stratopause persisted until mid-January 2020 and was accompanied by a slow descent of the higher stratopause in the vortex region. The results show that the stratopause in this event was inclined and lowered from the mesosphere in the polar vortex to the stratosphere in the anticyclone. It was found that the vertical amplification of wave 1 between 50 km and 60 km closely coincides in time with the rapid stratopause descent in the anticyclone. Overall, the behavior contrasts with the situation during sudden stratospheric warmings when the stratopause reforms at higher altitudes following wave amplification events. We link the mechanism responsible for coupling between the vertical wave 1 amplification and this form of zonally asymmetric stratopause descent to the unusual disruption of the quasi-biennial oscillation that occurred in late 2019.

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a destructive disease affecting the grain yield and quality of wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Developing varieties with genetic resistance is integral to successfully managing FHB. However, significant knowledge gap exists in the genetic diversity present in triticale for FHB resistance. This information is critical for breeding new varieties of triticale as its production continues to increase. In the present study, a set of 298 winter triticale accessions from a worldwide collection were screened for their type-2 FHB resistance in an artificially inoculated misted nursery with high levels of inoculum density. Most of the triticale accessions were susceptible to FHB, and only 8% of accessions showed resistance in the field nursery screening. The resistant accessions identified in the nursery screening were selected and further screened for three years in greenhouse conditions. Seven accessions were found to show robust FHB resistance over the three years of greenhouse testing. Thirteen accessions showed significantly lower levels of Deoxynivalenol accumulation when compared to the susceptible triticale control. The accessions identified in the study will be useful in triticale and wheat breeding programs for enhancing FHB resistance and reducing DON accumulation.

This qualitative research study is a part of a larger research project exploring the experiences of young caregivers aged 5-26 years and their families navigating the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 to 2023. Data was collected from 14 young caregivers who participated in baseline interviews. The central research question guiding this study: What was, is, and will be the impact of changing public health restrictions on young caregivers and their families during the pandemic and pandemic recovery? Seven themes emerged through analysis: 1) Navigating Care During the Height of Public Health Restrictions, 2) Neighbourhood and Built Environment During the Pandemic, 3) Perceptions Towards COVID and Public Health Restrictions/Efforts, 4) The Impact of Public Health Restrictions on Relationships, 5) Mental Health Challenges of Being a Young Caregiver During a Pandemic, 6) Navigating Formal Services and Supports and 7) Recommendations from Young Caregivers. The findings from this empirical research suggest that young caregivers found it easier to navigate their caregiving responsibilities when public health restrictions and work-from-home mandates were initially implemented, however, this later changed due to challenges in finding respite from caregiving, maintaining social connections with friends, creating personal space at home, and finding adequate replacements of programs once offered in-person.

Commonly employed methods for reversibly disrupting gene expression, such as those based on RNAi or CRISPRi, are rarely capable of achieving >80-90% downregulation, making them unsuitable for targeting genes that require more complete disruption to elicit a phenotype. Genetic deletion, on the other hand, while enabling complete disruption of target genes, often produces undesirable irreversible consequences such as cytotoxicity or cell death. Here we describe the design, development and detailed characterization of a dual-function "TRE-Lox" system for effecting either (a) doxycycline (Dox)-mediated downregulation or (b) genetic deletion of cathepsin D (CatD), based on targeted insertion of a tetracycline-response element (TRE) and two LoxP sites into the 5' end of the endogenous gene (CTSD). Using an optimized reverse-tetracycline transrepressor (rtTR) variant fused with the Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain, we show that CatD expression can be disrupted by as much as 98% in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). This system is highly sensitive to Dox (IC50 = 1.46 ng/mL) and results in rapid (t1/2 = 0.57 d) and titratable downregulation of CatD. Notably, even near-total disruption of CatD expression was completely reversed by withdrawal of Dox. As expected, transient expression of Cre recombinase results in complete deletion of the CTSD gene. The dual functionality of this novel system will facilitate future studies of the involvement of CatD in various diseases, particularly those attributable to partial loss of CatD function. In addition, the TRE-Lox approach should be applicable to the regulation of other target genes requiring more complete disruption than can be achieved by traditional methods.

Transition-metal-catalyzed amide bond formation from alcohols and amines is an atom-economic and eco-friendly route. Herein, we identified a highly active in situ N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/ruthenium (Ru) catalytic system for this amide synthesis. Various substrates, including sterically hindered ones, could be directly transformed into the corresponding amides with the catalyst loading as low as 0.25 mol%. In this system, we replaced the p-cymene ligand of the Ru source with a relatively labile cyclooctadiene (cod) ligand so as to more efficiently obtain the corresponding poly-carbene Ru species. Expectedly, the weaker cod ligand could be more easily substituted with multiple mono-NHC ligands. Further HR-MS analyses revealed that two tetra-carbene complexes were probably generated from the in situ catalytic system.

Growing acreage and changing consumer preferences cause increasing interest in the cereal products originating from organic farming. Lack of results of objective test, however, does not allow drawing conclusions about the effects of cultivation in the organic system and comparison to currently preferred conventional system. Field experiment was conducted in organic and conventional fields. Thirty modern cultivars of winter wheat were sown. They were characterized for disease infection including Fusarium head blight, seed sowing value, the amount of DNA of the six species of Fusarium fungi as well as concentration of ergosterol and trichothecenes in grain. The intensity Fusarium head blight was at a similar level in both systems. However, Fusarium colonization of kernels expressed as ergosterol level or DNA concentration was higher for the organic system. It did not reflect in an increased accumulation of trichothecenes in grain, which was similar in both systems, but sowing value of organically produced seeds was lower. Significant differences between analyzed cropping systems and experimental variants were found. The selection of the individual cultivars for organic growing in terms of resistance to diseases and contamination of grain with Fusarium toxins was possible. Effects of organic growing differ significantly from the conventional and grain obtained such way can be recommended to consumers. There are indications for use of particular cultivars bred for conventional agriculture in the case of organic farming, and the growing organic decreases plant stress resulting from intense fertilization and chemical plant protection.

This empirical research is part of a larger project beginning in 2020 and ongoing until 2023 exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young caregivers aged 5-25 years and their families in Canada. Utilizing the social determinants of health as a conceptual framework, this case study emphasizes the voices of professionals offering services to young caregiver clients during the pandemic, and explores their perspectives on the impact of the pandemic on young caregivers and their families. Across three (3) different organizations offering programs and services to young caregiver clients in Ontario, six (6) individual interviews were conducted with directors/program managers and four (4) group interviews were conducted with thirteen (13) staff members who worked directly with young caregivers and their families. Nineteen (19) service providers participated in total. The results of this study highlight five (5) primary themes that emerged through data analysis: i) the role of service providers, ii) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organizations and service providers supporting young caregivers and their families, iii) barriers for service users, iv) helpful resources for service providers and organizations, and v) resources needed/preferred by service providers and organization. The pandemic significantly impacted young caregivers and their families, as reported by professionals, and organizations working with young caregivers and their families were tasked with addressing increased service demands and adapting service delivery to follow public health guidelines.

T cell function is determined by transcriptional networks that are regulated by epigenetic programming via posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of histone proteins and DNA. Bottom-up mass spectrometry (MS) can identify histone PTMs, whereas intact protein analysis with high-field Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance MS (FTICR-MS) can detect species missed by bottom-up approaches. We used high-resolution reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) FTICR-MS, alternating electron transfer dissociation (ETD) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) on precursor ions to maximize fragmentation of uniquely modified species. First online RPLC separation sorted histone families then weak cation exchange hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (WCX-HILIC) separated species heavily clad in PTMs. Tentative PTM identifications were assigned by matching peptide masses to predicted theoretical masses that were verified with tandem MS. We used this innovative approach for Histone-intact protein PTM mapping (HiPTMap) and to quantify PTMs on core histones purified from CD8+ T cells directly isolated ex vivo post-influenza infection. Activation significantly reduced PTMs in vivo following influenza infection, histone maps changed as T cells migrated to infections, and T cells responding to secondary heterologous infections had significantly more PTMs enhancing transcriptional activation. Thus, HiPTMap identifies and quantifies PTMs on CD8+ T cell histones and determines their combinations in T cell states.

Flour yield determined the profitability of flour mill, but the intrinsic variability of the grain makes it very complex to analysis and estimate wheat grain flour yield. Simulation for flour yield attributes offer considerable advantages in flour mill, if reliable predictions of flour yield can be provided, because the wheat grain characteristics can be tested before milling. If this is possible, the characteristics thus observed could be quantified more reliably and objectively by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SEM was used to look for the most important wheat grain characteristics on flour yield, and then these wheat grain characteristics were used to simulate flour yield. Furthermore, the regressive equation was verified by the field experiment. The coefficient of variation of grain characteristics was low and distributed rather closely. The results of SEM showed that test weight had the most significantly effects on flour yield, followed by the hardness index. Test weight and hardness index could excellently estimate flour yield by multiplicative effect of test weight and hardness index, and which could determine 68% of the variation in flour yield. The simulation result can not only predict flour yield, but also look for the important grain characteristics for the flour yield.

This work updates the characterization of winter fish communities in salt marsh areas of Guadiana estuary (SE-Portugal) and discusses the potential risks of habitat dominance by a non-indigenous species (NIS). To this effect, six field campaigns were carried out during winter season targeting the collection of fish species. Individuals from seven different families (marine and estuarine) were collected although the community was dominated by two estuarine species – the native Pomatoschistus sp. (goby) and the NIS Fundulus heteroclitus (mummichog). Goby controlled the majority of salt marsh habitats, except one specific, marsh pool, where extreme environmental conditions were registered, namely high temperature and salinity. Such conditions may have boosted the intrusion of mummichog in this area. This species is well adapted to a wide range of abiotic factors enabling them to colonize habitats where no predators inhabit. Impacts of mummichog intrusion in the Guadiana salt marsh area are still unpredictable since this is the first recorded in such high density. Nevertheless, in scenarios of increased anthropogenic pressure and, consequently, habitat degradation, there is a potential risk of mummichog spread to other habitats and therefore compete for space and food resources with native species.

Despite the well-documented health benefits of recreational sports, few opportunities exist in lower- and middle-income countries for adult women to participate in recreational physical activities. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to explore associations between an innovative soccer program for adult women and self-reported health status. Cross-sectional survey data were collected in 2018-2019 from 702 women in the Nikumbuke Project, a health and literacy program in southeastern rural Kenya, followed by focus group discussions with 225 women who also participated in the Project's soccer program. Quantitative findings suggest that women who participated in soccer had 67% greater odds of reporting good or excellent health than their non-soccer playing peers. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated that women credited soccer with less pain, fatigue, and stress, as well as weight loss and reduced dependence on medicine for hypertension, pain, and sleep problems. Women equated health benefits with greater ease and efficiency in completing chores, reduced worries, youthful energy, male-like strength, and pleased husbands. Soccer programs for adult women may be particularly effective interventions in settings where access to health care is limited and where lack of opportunity to engage in physical aerobic activity increases women's risks for poor health outcomes. .

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy that predominantly affects the elderly. Prognosis declines with age. For those who cannot tolerate intensive chemotherapy, historically established treatment options have been hypomethylating agents (HMAs), low dose cytarabine (LDAC), and best supportive care (BSC). As the standard of care evolves for those unfit for intensive chemotherapy, there is a need to understand established treatment pathways, clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilization in Canada. The CURRENT study was a retrospective chart review of AML patients not eligible for intensive chemotherapy who initiated first-line treatment between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018. Data were collected from 170 Canadian patients treated at six hematology centers, of whom 118 received systemic therapy and 52 received BSC as first-line treatment. Median overall survival was 8.58 months and varied from 2.96 months for BSC to 13.31 months for HMAs. Over 80% of patients had at least one outpatient visit, and 67% of patients receiving systemic therapy and 71% of those receiving BSC had at least one admission to hospital, during their first line of therapy. A total of 96 (81.4%) patients receiving first line systemic therapy and 39 (75.0%) of those receiving first line BSC had at least one red blood cell or platelet transfusion. These findings highlight the unmet need for novel therapies for patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

The prevalence of autism has been increasing at an alarming rate. Even accounting for the expansion of autism spectrum disorder diagnostic (ASD) criteria throughout the 1990’s, there has been an over 300% increase in ASD prevalence since the year 2000. The often debilitating personal, familial, and societal sequelae of autism are generally believed to be lifelong. However, there have been several encouraging case reports demonstrating reversal of autism diagnoses with a therapeutic focus on addressing the environmental and modifiable lifestyle factors believed to be largely underlying the condition. This case report describes the reversal of autism among dizygotic, female twin toddlers and provides a review of related literature describing associations between modifiable lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and various clinical approaches to treating autism. The twins were diagnosed with Level 3 severity ASD “requiring very substantial support” at approximately 20 months of age following concerns of limited verbal and non-verbal communication, repetitive behaviors, rigidity around transitions, and extensive gastrointestinal symptoms, among other common symptoms. A parent-driven, multidisciplinary, therapeutic intervention involving a variety of licensed clinicians focusing primarily on addressing environmental and modifiable lifestyle factors was personalized to each of the twin’s symptoms, labs, and other outcome measures. Dramatic improvements were noted within several months in most domains of the twins’ symptoms, which was manifested in reductions of Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) scores from 76 to 32 in one of the twins and from 43 to 4 in the other twin. The improvement in symptoms and ATEC scores has remained relatively stable for six months at last assessment. While prospective studies are required, this case offers further encouraging evidence of ASD reversal through a personalized, multidisciplinary approach focusing predominantly on addressing environmental and lifestyle risk factors.

Targeted radioisotope-guided sentinel lymph node dissection (sLND) has shown high diagnostic accuracy in prostate cancer (PCa). To overcome the downsides of the radioactive tracers, magnetometer-guided sLND using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) was successfully applied in PCa. This prospective study (SentiMag Pro II, DRKS00007671) determined the diagnostic accuracy of magnetometer-guided sLND in intermediate- and high-risk PCa. Fifty intermediate- or high-risk PCa patients (PSA≥10 ng/ml and/or Gleason score ≥7; median PSA 10.8 ng/ml, IQR 7.4–19.2 ng/ml) were enrolled. After intraprostatic SPIONs injection a day earlier, patients underwent magnetometer-guided sLND and eLND, followed by radical prostatectomy. SLNs were detected in vivo and in ex vivo samples. Diagnostic accuracy of sLND was assessed using eLND as the reference. SLNs were detected in all patients (detection rate 100%), with 447 SLNs (median 9, IQR 6–12) being identified and 966 LNs (median 18, IQR 15-23) being removed. Thirty-six percent (18/50) of patients had LN metastases (median 2, IQR 1–3). Magnetometer-guided sLND had 100% sensitivity, 97.0% specificity, 94.4% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, 0.0% false negative rate, and 3.0% additional diagnostic value (LN metastases only in SLNs outside the eLND template). In vivo, one positive SLN/LN-positive patient was missed, resulting in a sensitivity of 94.4%. In conclusion, this new magnetic sentinel procedure has high accuracy for nodal staging in intermediate- and high-risk PCa. The reliability of intraoperative SLN detection using this magnetometer system requires verification in further multicentric studies.

The utilization of wild genera in sugarcane has been recognized as an important strategy to enhance the genetic base to impart biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in hybrid cultivars. A set of 15 Erianthus procerus derived hybrids along with five popular check varieties were evaluated for two years (2018–19 and 2019–20) for agro-morphological, quality, physiological traits and three years (2018–19, 2019–2020, and 2020–21 for winter sprouting potential. The E. procerus hybrid GU 12-19 recorded the highest winter sprouting potential with a winter sprouting index (WSI) of 10.6 and a percent superiority of 279 over best check (Co 0238) followed by GU 12-22 with WSI: 8.5 and % superiority over best check was 204. The other top-performing hybrids, GU 12-21 and GU 12-29, recorded the excellent winter sprouting potential with WSI of 7.2 and 6.9 respectively. The four E. procerus hybrids identified with higher WSI were also resistant to the prevalent races of red rot in both tropical and subtropical conditions. The association analysis revealed significant correlations between various traits, particularly fibre content with a maximum number of associations, which indicates its multifaceted impact on sugarcane characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) summarized the data, explaining 57.6% of the total variation for measured traits and genotypes, providing valuable insights into the performance and characteristics of the E. procerus-derived hybrids under subtropical climate. The anthocyanin content of E. procerus hybrids was better than the check varieties with a mean of 0.147 (2018–19) and 0.144 (2019–20) and range of 0.123–0.179 (2018–19) and 0.111–0.172 (2019–20), anthocyanin plays a vital role in mitigating the cold injury, acting as an antioxidant in cool weather conditions, particularly in sugarcane. Further, seven hybrids recorded more than 22% fibre threshold, indicating their industrial potential. These hybrids would be potential donors for cold tolerance and high ratooning ability along with red rot resistance under subtropical climate.

Air pollution is now considered to be the world’s largest environmental health threat accounting for millions of deaths globally each year. The social group that is particularly exposed to the harmful effects of air pollution is the children. A daily route to school can constitute an important component of children’s physical activity, but air pollution can pose a threat to their health. Numerous studies have proved high loads of PM can be effectively reduced by vegetation. Little is however known, whether vegetation can also reduce PM during the leaf dormancy period. In this study, we investigated the role of trees in PM removal on children’s routes to schools during winter. We investigated walking routes to selected schools in Warsaw, by examining the adjacent vegetation and PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations and the presence of local black-smoke-belching stoves. We found that proximity to local CHP emitters had the strongest impact on pollution on the way to schools, while not finding a significant relationship between dense greenery and PM loads. Even more, the highest density of vegetation along walking routes tended to stimulate higher PM concentrations. The results obtained show the poor performance of tree canopy in reducing PM loads during winter.

Chromobacterium species are common in tropical and subtropical zones in environmental water samples and believed to «tropical» species. Here we describe an environmental case of resident Chromobacterium vaccinii in biofilms associated with Carex spp. roots in Moscow region, Russia (warm-summer humid continental climate zone). We performed broad characterization of individual properties as well as surrounding context for better understanding the premise of C. vaccinii survival during winter season. Genome properties of isolated strains propose some insights into adaptation to habit and biofilm mode of life, including social cheaters carrying ΔluxR mutation. Isolated C. vaccinii differs with previously described strains in some biochemical properties and some basic characteristics like fatty acid composition as well as unique genome features. Despite potential to modulate membrane fluidity and presence of several genes responsible for cold shock response, isolated C. vaccinii didn`t survive during exposure to 4 °C, while in initial complex biofilm it was able to survive for months in vitro at 4 °C. Surrounding bacterial community within the same biofilm with C. vaccinii represented a series of psychrophilic bacterial species which may share resistance to low temperatures with other species within biofilm and provide C. vaccinii opportunity to survive during cold winter season.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a wheat disease caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium. The aim of the study was to find relationships between the weather conditions in the experimental years and the locations and the amount of F. culmorum DNA and trichothecene genotypes, as well as the proportions between them. A three-year field experiment (2017, 2018 and 2019) was established at two locations (Poznań, Radzików). F. culmorum DNA was detected in all grain samples in an average amount of 20124 pg per 1 g of wheat DNA. The average amount of DNA from the 3ADON genotype was 4879 pg/μg and the amount of DNA from the NIV genotype was 3330 pg/μg. In the three experimental years, a large variability was observed in the coefficients of correlation between DNA concentrations and the FHB index, FDK, ergosterol, and the corresponding toxins. There were significant correlations between disease incidence, fungal biomass (quantified as the total amount of fungal DNA or DNA trichothecene genotypes) and toxins (DON, 3AcDON and NIV) concentrations. The 3ADON trichothecene genotype dominates over the NIV genotype (ratio 1.5); however, this varied greatly depending on environmental conditions.

In a two-year field trial, the effect of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization was investigated on grain yield, grain quality parameters, formation of acrylamide (AA), and the precursor free asparagine (Asn) in organically and conventionally produced winter wheat cultivars. In both production systems, different types, amounts, and temporal distributions of N were tested. While the effect of S fertilizer types and amounts on free Asn was only tested in the conventional farming system. Within both cropping systems, grain yield and baking quality were significantly influenced by N treatment while the effect on free Asn was only minor. Especially within the organic farming system, increasing N fertilization levels did not increase free Asn significantly. A slight trend of increasing free Asn levels with an intensified N supply was observed, especially in the presence of crude protein contents of 14% or higher. But only N amounts of 180 kg N ha⁻¹ or higher increased the probability of high free Asn contents considerably, while N supply below that amount led to free Asn values similar to the unfertilized controls. The results indicated that good baking quality can be achieved without significantly increasing free Asn levels. In addition, cultivars affected the levels of free Asn significantly. Compared to cv. “Bussard” and “Naturastar”, cv. “Capo” exhibited the lowest AA formation potential at an N supply of 180 kg N ha⁻¹ while simultaneously reaching a crude protein content > 15% (conventional) and > 12% (organic). Thus, it seems that cultivars differ in their ability to store and incorporate free Asn into proteins. Over all trials, a correlation of free Asn and AA was shown by R² = 0.77, while a relation of free Asn and protein was only R² = 0.36. Thus, lowering free Asn by adjusting N treatments should not necessarily affect baking quality. S nutrition within conventional farming did not change free Asn amount or crude protein significantly, probably due to the fact that soil was not sulfate-deficient. In summary, it was evident that free Asn amounts in wheat varied widely both within cultivars and between cropping systems. In order to clearly unravel genotypic differences and their interaction with environmental factors and especially N fertilization, further research is needed.

Limited availability of expensive alloying elements elevates low-alloyed steels to a unique position in the field of lightweight construction and mass production. Quenching and partitioning (Q&P) heat treatments of low-alloyed steels with exceptional property combinations are particularly promising. In this study, we characterize for the first time a new low-alloyed steel to be processed by Q&P heat treatments. In combined experimental and numerical studies, we design a novel approach that effectively combines the short cycle times of press hardening with the excellent property profiles of Q&P-treated steels. We identify appropriate transformation parameters for Q&P heat treatments by dilatometric studies and we adjust a number of reference conditions with different isothermal holding times. By means of SEM analysis and XRD measurements, we show that different fractions of retained austenite result in different mechanical properties. Initial numerical designs of the process can identify varying temperature profiles and cooling rates depending on the position in the die. The results show that the geometry of the part plays a minor role, but the die temperature is the dominant factor for successful partitioning directly in the press hardening process.

Higher salt (sodium) intake has been associated with a higher blood pressure (BP). The association degree may be influenced by factors such as age, origin and dietary components. This study aimed to evaluate the 24-hours urinary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) excretion in normotensive and hypertensive Dominicans adults and estimate their salt intake. 163 volunteers (18-45, 46-80 years) participated in a cross-sectional study. 24-hours Na and K urinary excretion were measured using an ion selective electrode technique. Na and K urinary excretion (99.4±46.5 and 35.0±17.5 mmol/24h) did not correlated with BP, except in the normotensive group in which K correlated with SBP (0.249, p=0.019). Na and K excretion were similar for normo- and hypertensive subjects. Na-to-K molar ratio (3.1±1.3) was higher in younger subjects (p=0.040). Na-to-K ratio was associated with DBP in the total group (r=0.153, p=0.052), in the hypertensive group (r=0.395, p<0.001) and in the older group with SBP (0.350, p=0.002) and DBP (0.373, p<0.001). In the older group, Na-to-K ratio and DBP correlated after controlling for subjects with hypertension controlled by treatment (r=0.236, p=0.041). The Na-to-K ratio correlated, when salt intake was over 5g/d (52.2%), with SBP (rho=0.219, p=0.044) and DBP (rho=0.259, p=0.017). Determinants of BP were age-dependent and in younger subjects were: sex (SBP, beta: 14.02±2.87, p<0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (beta:-12.07±3.72, p=0.001, beta:9.44±2.87, p=0.001, for SBP and DBP, respectively) and, in the olders, the Na-to-K ratio, for SBP (beta:6.7±2.4, p=0.005) and DBP (beta:3.8±1.1, p<0.001). The mean Na and salt intakes (2.3 and 5.8 g/d) were slightly higher and K intake lower (1.4 g/d) than WHO recommendations.

(1) Background: To investigate the dynamic issues behind international variation in EWM. (2) A rolling EWM calculation is used to reveal seasonal changes in the EWM calculation and is especially relevant nearer to the equator. (3) Results: In addition to latitude country specific factors determine EWM. Females generally show higher EWM mainly due to respiratory conditions. The EWM for respiratory conditions in England and Wales ranges from 44% to 83% which is about double the all-cause mortality equivalent. Age has a profound effect on EWM with a peak in puberty and then increasing EWM at old age. The gap between male and female EWM seems to act as a diagnostic tool reflecting the infectious/metrological mix in each winter. Additional difference due to ethnicity are also observed. An EWM equivalent calculation for sickness absence demonstrates how additional health-related variables can be linked to EWM. (4) Conclusions: EWM does not reach a peak at the same time each year, especially so in the tropics. Countries midway between the equator and the poles show highest EWM. Differences between the genders are highly significant and seem to vary according to the mix of variables active each winter. Pandemic influenza does not elevate EWM, although seasonal influenza plays a part each winter.

Identification of recurrent driver mutations in genes encoding tyrosine kinases has resulted in the development of molecularly targeted strategies designed to improve the outcomes for patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The receptor tyrosine kinase FLT3, is the most commonly mutated gene in AML, with internal tandem duplications within the juxtamembrane domain (FLT3-ITD) or missense mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3-TKD), present in 30%-35% of AML patients at diagnosis. An established driver mutation and marker of poor prognosis, the FLT3 tyrosine kinase has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target, and thus has encouraged the development of FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the therapeutic benefit of FLT3 inhibition, particularly as monotherapy, frequently results in the development of treatment resistance and disease relapse. Commonly, FLT3 inhibitor resistance is induced by the emergence of secondary lesions in the FLT3 gene, particularly in the second tyrosine kinase domain at residue Asp835 (D835) to form a ‘dual mutation’ (ITD-D835). Individual FLT3-ITD and FLT3-TKD mutations influence independent signaling cascades however, currently little is known which divergent signaling pathways are controlled by each of these FLT3 specific mutations, particularly in the context of patients harboring dual ITD-D835 mutations. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the known discrete and cooperative signaling pathways regulated by each of the FLT3 specific mutations, as well as the therapeutic approaches that hold the most promise for development of more durable and personalized therapeutic approaches targeting mutant FLT3, to improve the treatment of AML.

This research focusing on the environmental impact of tire and brake pad wear constitutes a significant area of transport-related studies. These two key vehicle components are not only the most frequently worn, but also generate micro and nano pollutants (i.e., rubber, metal oxides) that potentially harm the environment. Over half of the globally produced natural and synthetic rubbers, which amounted to about 30 million tons in 2022, are used for tire production. According to Wagner et al.'s research, over 1.3 million tons of such particles are released due to wear and tear in the European Union alone. This work focuses on examining snow deposits from various locations in an urban agglomeration (Poznan, Poland) in the winter season. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic studies, optical and electron scanning microscopy SEM-EDS, and particle size studies using the DLS technique were conducted for a detailed characterization of pollutants in the environment. The conducted particle separation methods allowed for the extraction of a fraction mainly containing gum residues with particle sizes less than 2 µm. The results of these studies are crucial for understanding the impact of vehicle part exploitation on the environment.

In recent years, the interest in increasingly sustainable agriculture has also turned attention towards new crops which could enter the food chain as new protein and oil sources or that can be used as new cover crops. In this scenario, Camelina sativa is a perfect crop to study. Camelina is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Brassicaceae which is interesting for its oil content, since the seeds contain about 40% of oils, with a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (30-40% alpha linolenic acid, 15-25 % linoleic acid, 15% oleic acid and about 15% eicosenoic acid). It is a hexaploid species (2n = 40, genome size ~782 Mb) characterized by rapid growth, short life cycle (85-100 days for spring varieties, 190-210 for autumn varieties) and low input cultivation needs. All these traits make it suitable for use in marginal areas. However, its use in feed and food is limited by the presence of glucosinolates (GLS). GLS are sulfur molecules involved in plant defense. In recent years, they have been studied not only as anti-nutritionals, but also for their anti-carcinogenic effects against chronic inflammatory and heart diseases and for their use as natural pesticides. Given the recent interest in camelina and its highly nutritious oil, eight pure lines and a synthetic population were compared in two different growing periods, spring and winter. In this work, the genetic materials were characterized for different phenotypic traits, yields and yield components, bromatological and glucosinolate content. The results confirmed that in North Italy camelina has higher yields if cultivated in the autumn-winter period (about 2 t/ha vs 0.6 t/ha), furthermore, a negative correlation was found between spring and winter yields, indicating that varieties that produce more in winter cultivation produce less in spring cultivation. Moreover, to our knowledge, it is the first work in which a synthetic population of Camelina sativa has been tested and proved to be a valid solution for use in various environments both for its adaptability and for the low content of glucosinolates (about 17 mmol/ kg).

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on every individual in the United States. The launch of the COVID-19 vaccines is estimated to have averted millions of deaths and reduced over 18 million COVID-19 related hospitalizations. In September 2023, the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine that include a monovalent component that corresponding to the omicron variant XBB.1.5 reflecting the predominant circulating variant at the time of strain selection, was approved and was recommended for use in all people ≥ 6 months of age. Despite this recommendation, the US uptake of the updated COVID vaccines over the 2023-2024 season has been far from optimal, placing many people at unnecessary risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. This paper provides an overview of the current state of COVID-19 in 2023-2024, and barriers to vaccine uptake. With the continued evolution of the virus, the potential for more virulent variants and the lower public acceptance of vaccination, the potential barriers that contributed to low vaccine uptake are explored, as well as to provide solutions for improving COVID-19 protection for future seasons.

In this paper, the experimental study of heating in 2 h lunch mode of air-conditioned bed system is carried out. The results show that the power consumption of heat conduction heating is only 0.34 kW·h, and the average heat dissipation is 81.3 W, while the power consumption of convection heating is 1.43 kW·h, with an average heat dissipation of 748.7 W. Regardless of power consumption or heat dissipation, convection heating is significantly higher than heat conduction heating, resulting in the room air temperature of the former increased from 12.3 °C to 17.3 °C, while the latter only increased from 14.4 °C to 15.2 °C. The study found that the water temperature of heat conduction heating can meet the thermal comfort needs of the human body in the range of 38~40 °C, while convection heating requires a higher temperature range, In contrast, the grade of hot water required for heat conduction heating is lower. Through the experiment, it is also found that the temperature of convection heating rises fast, but it is easy to appear dry feeling after a long time, while heat conductive heating has a slow temperature rise. there is a cool feeling within 20 min after the heating starts, and then the thermal comfort is better. The air conditioning system in this paper is used for the heating experiment in the winter lunch break mode, compared with convection heating, the overall thermal comfort of heat conduction heating is better and more energy efficient. it is suggested to adopt heat conduction heating mode in the winter heating of this system.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) can cause contamination of cereal grain with mycotoxins. Winter wheat is also infected with FHB. It is more resistant than durum wheat to head infection and less than other small grain cereals. The aim of this study was to identify winter wheat lines that combine low head infection and kernel damage with low toxin contamination. Resistance to FHB of 27 winter wheat lines and cultivars was evaluated over a three-year experiment established in two locations. At the anthesis stage, heads were inoculated with Fusarium culmorum isolates. The FHB index was scored and the percentage of Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDKs) assessed. The grain was analysed for type B trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol and derivatives, nivalenol) and zearalenone content. The average FHB index was 12.9%. The proportion of FDK was 6.9% (weight) and 8.5% (number). An average content of deoxynivalenol amounted to 3.543 mg/kg and nivalenol to 2.115 mg/kg. In total, it was 5.804 m/kg of type B trichothecenes. The zearalenone content in the grain was 0.214 mg/kg. Relationships between FHB index, FDK and mycotoxin contents were highly significant for wheat lines; however, they were stronger for FDK versus mycotoxins. Breeding lines combing all types of FHB resistance were found, and five of them had resistance similar to that of wheat lines with the Fhb1 gene.

As in any other plant, in the grapevine roots play a vital role in terms of anchorage, uptake of water and nutrients, as well as storage and production of chemicals. Their behaviour and development depend on various factors, namely rootstock genetics, soil physical and chemical features, field agronomic practices. Canopy management, involving techniques such as defoliation and pruning, could greatly influence root growth. To date, most of the studies on grapevine winter pruning have focused on the effects on yield and quality of grapes, achievable by using different pruning systems and techniques, while the knowledge of root distribution, development, and growth in relation to winter pruning is still not well understood. In this contest, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of winter pruning on the root system of field-grown Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Gris grafted onto rootstock SO4. We compared two pruning treatments (pruning-P and no pruning-NP) and analysed the effect on root distribution and density, root index and on the root sugar reserves. Root data were analysed in relation to canopy growth and yield, to elucidate the effect of winter pruning on the root/yield ratio. Our data indicated that winter pruning stimulated the root growth and distribution without compromising canopy development, while no-pruning treatment produced less growth of roots but a larger canopy. Information regarding root growth and root canopy ratio is important as it gives us an understanding of the relationship between the aerial and subterranean parts of the plant, how they compete, and finally, offers us the possibility to ponder on cultural practices.

Neoadjuvant systemic therapy has now become the the standard in early breast cancer management. Chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab +/- pertuzumab targeted therapy can improve rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Achieving a pCR is considered a good prognostic factor, in particular in patients with more aggressive breast cancer subtypes such as TNBC or HER2 positive cancers. Furthermore, most studies demonstrate that chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab and pertuzumab is well tolerated. The retrospective analysis presented here concentrates on neoadjuvant therapy with the TCbH-P regimen, with a particular emphasis on patients over 60 years of age. We analysed the factors affecting the achievement of pCR and presented adverse effects of the applied therapies, which opened a discussion about optimizing the therapy of older patients with HER-2 positive breast cancer.

The purpose of this research was two-fold: (a) to observe whether highly trained adolescent swimmers abide to vitamin D supplement recommendations; and (b) to monitor changes in circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) that occur between the autumn and winter months. Twenty swimmers (age: 17 ± 2 years) from a UK high-performance swimming club volunteered to complete two blood spot cards to determine 25(OH)D concentration: the first in an autumn training phase (October) and the second during winter training (January). All swimmers were advised to consume vitamin D3 supplements across the assessment period; however, only 50% of swimmers adhered to this recommendation. Resultantly, a winter decline in 25(OH)D was observed in non-supplementing swimmers (79.6 ± 25.2 to 52.6 ± 15.1 nmol·L-1, p = 0.005), with swimmers either displaying an ‘insufficient’ (60%) or ‘deficient’ (40%) vitamin D status. In comparison, greater maintenance of 25(OH)D occurred in supplementing swimmers (92.0 ± 25.5 to 97.2 ± 38.3 nmol·L-1, p = 0.544), although variable outcomes occurred at the individual level (four increased, three maintained, three declined). These findings highlight possible risks of vitamin D insufficiency during the winter for swimmers in the UK, possibly requiring standardised supplement practices. Moreover, alternative educational strategies may be required for swimmers to transfer knowledge to practice in order to improve supplement adherence in future.

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common inflammatory disease of paranasal sinuses, which causes rhinorrhea, nasal congestion and hyposmia. The genetic predisposition or the exposure to irritants can sustain the inflammatory response and the development of nasal polyposis. Nasal polyps are benign and teardrop-shaped growths that project in the nasal cavities and originate from the ethmoid sinuses. This inflammatory process is associated with high expression of IL-5 cytokine and infiltration of eosinophils. Humanized monoclonal antibodies targeting IL-5 or its receptor, represent a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of nasal polyposis in combination with corticosteroids. The molecular pathogenesis of nasal polyps in CRS patients is associated to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process in which epithelial cells lose their typical phenotype acquiring a mesenchymal phenotype. TGFβ/SMAD, ERK, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways are altered in EMT during the nasal tissue remodeling. miRNA and inhibitor molecules targeting these altered signaling pathways are able to interfere with EMT; which could lead to alternative therapies. Nasal polyps are an alternative source of mesenchymal stem cells which can be easily isolated from surgical biopsies. A molecular understanding of the biology of PO-MSCs will contribute to delineating inflammatory process underlying the development of nasal polyps.

In 2002, the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accrediting agency in the US, placed the community college in this study on academic probation for several criteria and many residents of the community believed that closing doors was the best option for addressing these concerns. This study is designed to ascertain data from external stakeholders of the community college regarding their current perceived value of the community college and suggestions about moving from the present to the future. The main question of the study is: What are external stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of the college to the service area? This qualitative approach is used consisting of interviews, focus groups, surveys, and document review to triangulate stakeholder perspectives. Participants included 176 high school seniors from different counties, four counselors, and four focus groups. The findings from the data are presented in this study are planned to be used by community college officials to incorporate into their strategic plans. They showed that the college needs to consider the value that it brings to the service area including economic benefits, specifically community support; accessibility; and cost of tuition.

Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease attributed to late-stage detection as well as recurrence and development of chemoresistance. Ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) are hypothesized to be largely responsible for emergence of chemoresistant tumors. Although chemotherapy may initially succeed at decreasing the size and number of tumors, it leaves behind residual malignant OCSCs. In this study, we demonstrate that Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) is essential for the survival of OCSCs. We identified a novel ALDH1A1 inhibitor, compound 974, and used 974 as a tool to decipher the mechanism of stemness regulation by ALDH1A1. Treatment of OCSCs with 974 significantly inhibited ALDH activity, expression of stemness genes, spheroid, and colony formation. In vivo limiting dilution assay demonstrated that 974 significantly inhibited CSC frequency. Transcriptomic sequencing of cells treated with 974 revealed significant downregulation of genes related to stemness and chemoresistance as well as senescence and senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP). We confirmed that 974 inhibited senescence and stemness induced by platinum-based chemotherapy in functional assays. Overall, these data establish that ALDH1A1 is essential for OCSCs survival and ALDH1A1 inhibition sup-presses chemotherapy induced senescence and stemness. Targeting ALDH1A1 using small molecule inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy therefore presents a promising strategy to pre-vent ovarian cancer recurrence and has potential for clinical translation.

In view of the expected climate changes, a paradigm shift in soil management, through reduced tillage and/or a different use of crop residues, can be a key point in the mitigation of the climate impacts. The transition from a traditional cropping system (i.e., durum wheat in continuous cropping system under conventional tillage and/or straw removal) to those undergoing the conservative practices require to be evaluated in a medium to long time frame to reach an equilibrium and thus to be properly investigated. In this regard, cropping system simulation models are fundamental tools for the in-silico evaluation of the response of crop growth and soil organic matter dynamics to varying cropping scenarios. This paper reports the evaluations on the parameterization and reliability of the ARMOSA crop simulation model calibrated and validated on experimental datasets collected on durum wheat grown in continuous cropping system under several straw and soil management strategies in a Mediterranean environment.

The rising global population amidst the growing concerns of climate change will have a dire consequence on global food security and socio-economic activities. Wheat is one of the most important staple foods consumed by more than four billion people in the world, but climate change impacts account for a decline of 5.5% in wheat yield and predictions indicate that the production could further dwindle by nearly 30% in 2050, due to trends in temperature, precipitation, and carbon dioxide. An effective annual crop estimate is necessary not only to inform government the status of national food security, but also is used to determine the benchmark on which agricultural commodities are priced in the market. Thus, annual crop monitoring and yield estimate is paramount to determine the amount of wheat imports required to make up for the shortfalls in the national wheat production in South Africa, which has been a net importer of wheat since 1998. A joint project between South Africa and Poland investigated satellite based-crop growth monitoring using Sentinel 2 and determined the most distinguishable crop phenology for an accurate winter wheat classification during the growing season from August – December with Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The winter wheat crop was more accurately identified during the crop ‘heading’ stage in October yielding the highest user’s (75.56%) and producer’s (92.52%) accuracies, despite the relatively lower overall accuracy (78.14%) compared to that of December with OA of 83.58% obtained during the maturity stage. This study, therefore, confirms the suitability of sentinel 2 for an effective phenology-based winter wheat crop classification during the heading stage, reducing the ambiguity of spectral confusion created with surrounding grass and maize crops.

Executive functioning is a key component involved in many of the processes necessary for effective weight management behavior change (e.g., setting goals). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and third-wave CBT (e.g., mindfulness) are considered first-line treatments for obesity, but it is unknown to what extent they can improve or sustain executive functioning. This pilot randomized controlled trial examined if a CBT-based generalized weight management intervention would affect executive functioning and executive function-related brain activity in individuals with obesity or overweight. Participants were randomized to an intervention condition (N=24) that received the Noom Weight program or to a control group (N=26) receiving weekly educational newsletters. EEG measurements were taken during Flanker, Stroop, and N-back tasks at baseline and months 1 through 4. After 4 months, the intervention condition evidenced greater accuracy over time and, to some extent, neural markers of executive function (error-related negativity and beta and gamma band powers) compared to the control group on the Flanker and Stroop tasks. The intervention condition also lost more weight than controls (-7.1 pounds vs. +1.0 pounds). Given mixed evidence on whether CBT-based interventions can change markers of executive function, this study contributes preliminary evidence that a multicomponent CBT-based weight management intervention (i.e., that provide both support for weight management and is based on CBT) can help individuals sustain executive function compared to controls.

Trees in residential landscapes provide many benefits, but can injure persons and damage property when they fail. In hurricane-prone regions like Florida, USA, the regular occurrence of hurricanes has provided an opportunity to assess factors that influence the likelihood of wind-induced tree failure and develop species failure profiles. We assessed open-grown trees in Naples, Florida, following the passage of Hurricane Irma in September 2017 to determine the effect of relevant factors on the degree of damage sustained by individual trees. Of 4,034 assessed individuals (n = 15 species), 74% sustained no damage, 4% sustained only minor damage (i.e., minimal corrective pruning needed), 6% sustained significant damage (i.e., major corrective pruning needed), and 15% were whole tree failures (i.e., overturned trees or trees requiring removal). The proportion of individuals in each damage category varied among species, stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground, and the presence of utility lines, which was a proxy for maintenance. We compared our results with the findings of seven previous hurricanes in the region to explore species’ resilience in hurricanes.

Background: This study, conducted in October 2017 at two Canadian universities, aimed to explore the relationships between gender expression, protective coping strategies, alcohol saliency, and high-risk alcohol use. Methods: Validated scales were employed to assess these variables using survey data. Multivariate analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between these factors and high-risk drinking. Results: The study revealed significant associations between high-risk drinking and androgynous gender roles (OR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.19-2.10) as well as among self-reported males (OR=2.21; 95% CI: 1.77-2.75). Additionally, protective behavioral strategies were inversely related to high-risk drinking (OR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.94-0.96), while higher alcohol saliency exhibited a positive correlation with high-risk drinking (OR=1.12; 95% CI: 1.11-1.14). Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of considering gender, alcohol saliency beliefs, and protective behavioral strategies in the development and refinement of interventions aimed at reducing high-risk alcohol use on Canadian campuses.

This randomized trial compared pea protein, whey protein, and water-only supplementation on muscle damage, inflammation, delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), and physical fitness test performance during a 5-day period after a 90-minute eccentric exercise bout in non-athletic, non-obese males (n=92, ages 18-55 years). The two protein sources (0.9 g protein/kg divided into three doses/day) were administered under double blind procedures. The eccentric exercise protocol induced significant muscle damage and soreness, and reduced bench press and 30-second Wingate performance. Whey protein supplementation significantly attenuated post-exercise blood levels for biomarkers of muscle damage compared to water-only, with large effect sizes for creatine kinase and myoglobin during the 4th and 5th days of recovery (Cohen's d &gt;0.80); pea protein versus water supplementation had an intermediate, non-significant effect (Cohen's d &lt;0.50); and no significant differences between whey and pea protein were found. Whey and pea protein compared to water supplementation had no significant effects on post-exercise DOMS and the fitness tests. In conclusion, high intake of whey protein for 5 days after intensive eccentric exercise mitigated efflux of muscle damage biomarkers, with intake of pea protein having an intermediate effect in part due to the 24% lower leucine amino acid content.

The endogenous pool of phytoregulators in plant tissues supplied with microbial secondary metabolites may be crucial for the development of winter wheat seedlings during cool springs. Phytohormones may be synthesized by psychrotrophic microorganisms in lower temperatures occurring in temperate climate. Two fungal isolates from the Spitzbergen soils after the microscopic observations and ITS region molecular characterization were identified as Mortierella antarctica (MA DEM 7) and Mortierella verticillata (MV DEM32). To study the synthesis of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) Mortierella strains were grown on media supplemented with precursors of phytohormones (tryptophan or methionine) at 9, 15 and 20 °C for 9 days. The highest amount of IAA synthesis was observed in MV DEM 32 9-day culture at 15 °C with 1.5 mM of tryptophan. At the same temperature the significant promoting effect (about 40% root and shoot fresh weight) of this strain on seedlings was observed. However, only MA DEM 7 had the ACC-deaminase activity with the highest efficiency in 9 °C and at this temperature synthesized IAA without tryptophan also at the same conditions the strain confirmed the strong promoting effect (about 40% root and 24% shoot fresh weight) on seedlings. Both strains synthesized GA in all tested terms and temperatures. Tested Mortierella strains had some important traits to consider them as microbial biofertilizers component improving plant growth in difficult temperate climate.

Dryland winter wheat in Loess Plateau is facing yield reduction due to shortage of soil moisture and delayed sowing time. Field experiment was conducted at Loess Plateau in Shanxi Province, China from 2012 to 2014, to study the effect of subsoiling and conventional tillage and different sowing dates on the soil water storage and contribution of N accumulation and remobilization to yield of winter wheat. The results showed that subsoiling significantly improved the soil water storage at 0-300 cm depth, improved the number of tillers and pre-anthesis N translocation in various organs of wheat and post-anthesis N accumulation, eventually increased the yield up to 17-36%. Delaying sowing time had reduced the soil water storage at sowing and winter accumulated temperature by about 180˚C. The contribution of N translocation to grain yield was maximum in glume+spike followed by in leaves and minimum by stem+sheath. In addition a close relationship was found between the N accumulation and translocation and the soil moisture in the 20-300 cm. Subsoiling during the fallow period and the medium sowing date was beneficial for improving the soil water storage and increased the N translocation to grain, thereby increasing the yield of wheat, especially in dry year.

Folk residence in the cold region of Northeast China is an important part of China's traditional folk residence, with significant geographical representation. In this paper, we take the residential compounds of villages and towns in the cold region of Northeast China as the research object, summarize four typical layout forms of residential compounds of villages and towns in the cold region of Northeast China, simulate the wind environment of compounds of different layout forms in winter by using the computer numerical simulation software Fluent, and then analyze and evaluate the wind environment of compounds by combining with the evaluation standard of wind speed ratio and considering the area of wind shadows, number of vortices and other factors.

Background: Stoma closure is a widely performed surgical procedure, with 6295 undertaken in England in 2018 alone. This procedure is associated with significant complications; incisional hernias are the most severe, occurring in 30% of patients. Complications place considerable financial burden on the NHS; hernia costs are estimated at GBP 114 million annually. As recent evidence (ROCSS, 2020) found that prophylactic meshes significantly reduce rates of incisional hernias following stoma closure surgery, an evaluation of this intervention vs. standard procedure is essential. Methods: A cost-utility analysis (CUA) was conducted using data from the ROCSS prospective multi-centre trial, which followed 790 patients, randomly assigned to mesh closure (n=394) and standard closure (n=396). Quality of life was assessed using mean EQ-5D-5L scores from the trial, and costs in GBP using UK-based sources over a 2-year time horizon. Results: The CUA yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of GBP 128,356.25 per QALY. Additionally, two univariate sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model. Conclusion: The results demonstrate an increased benefit with mesh prophylaxis, but at an increased cost. Although the intervention is cost-ineffective and greater than the ICER threshold of GBP 30,000/QALY (NICE), further investigation into mesh prophylaxis for at risk population groups is needed.

Potato (Solanumtuberosum L.) is the world's largest non-cereal crop, occupying a position critical for global food security, the fourth largest crop food in China. Due to its location and weather conditions, Yunnan province is the fourth largest potato producer in China with twice yearly production system. However, compared to high number of consumers, potato yield is still low to satisfy the population need. In this study, we have analyzed impacts of three cultivation factors: (1) three cultivation models (T1, T2, and T3), (2) planting density (T1, T2, and T3), (3) soil covering (T1, T2, T3, T4) on plant growth, and yield production. The soil moisture content, temperature, roots growth, stems development, leaf area index, and number-weight of tubers per plant and per plot (g) have significantly increased with commercial yield average of 3tones/mu. This suggests that the combination of these three factors would be a great potato extension model in winter climate zones similar to Yunnan Province. This will contributes in satisfaction of the world population potato consumption need.

Three new tetraphenylethene (TPE) push-pull chromophores exhibiting strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) are described. They were obtained via [2+2] cycloaddition - retroelectrocyclization (CA-RE) click reactions on an electron-rich alkyne-tetrafunctionalized TPE (TPE-alkyne) using both 1,1,2,2-tetracyanoethene (TCNE), 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) as electron-deficient alkene. Only the starting TPE-alkyne displayed a significant AIE behavior, whereas for TPE-TCNE,a faint effect was observed and for TPE-TCNQ and TPE-F4-TCNQ, no fluorescence was observed in any conditions. The main ICT bands that dominate the UV-Visible absorption spectra underwent a pronounced red-shift beyond the near-infrared (NIR) region for TPE-F4-TCNQ. Based on TD-DFT calculations, it was shown that the ICT character shown by the compounds exclusively originated from the clicked moieties independently of the nature of the central molecular platform. Photothermal (PT) studies conducted on both TPE-TCNQ and TPE-F4-TCNQ in the solid state revealed excellent properties, especially for TPE-F4-TCNQ. These results indicated that CA-RE reaction of TCNQ or F4-TCNQ with donor-substituted are promising candidates for PT applications.

The largest gene families in plants were found to be Glutathione transferase (GSTs), which played significant roles in regulating plant growth, development, and stress response. Within the GSTs gene family, members were found to play a crucial role in the low-temperature response process of plants. A comprehensive study identified a total of 70 BraGSTs genes. Cluster analysis results demonstrated that the BraGSTs in Brassica rapa(B.rapa) could be categorized into eight sub-families and were unevenly distributed across ten chromosomes. The 39 BraGSTs genes were found to be organized into 15 tandem gene clusters, with the promoters containing multiple cis-elements associated with low-temperature response. Cold stress was observed to stimulate the expression of 15 genes, with the BraGSTF2 gene exhibiting the highest level of expression, sug-gesting its significant involvement in winter B.rapa's response to low-temperature stress. Sub-cellular localization analysis of the BraGSTF2 protein indicated its potential expression in both the cell membrane and nucleus. The analysis of stress resistance in BraGSTF2 transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines emon-strated that the over-expression of this gene resulted in significantly elevated levels of SOD, POD activity, and SP content compared to the wild type following exposure to low temperatures. These levels reached their peak after 24 hours of treatment. Conversely, the MDA content was lower in the transgenic plants compared to the wild type. Additionally, the survival rate of BraGSTF2 transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana was higher than that of the wild type, suggesting that the BraG-STF2 gene may play a crucial role in enhancing the cold stress tolerance of winter B. rapa. This study lay a foundation for further study on the role of BraGSTs gene in the molecular regulation of cold resistance in winter B.rapa.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) can cause contamination of cereal grain with mycotoxins. Triticale is also infected with FHB; however, it is more resistant than wheat to head infection. The aim of this study was to identify triticale lines that combine low head infection with low toxin contamination. Resistance to FHB of 15 winter triticale and three winter wheat lines was evaluated over a three-year experiment established in two locations. At the anthesis stage, heads were inoculated with Fusarium culmorum isolates. The FHB index was scored and the percentage of Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDKs) assessed. The grain was analysed for type B trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol and derivatives, nivalenol) and zearalenone content. The average FHB index was 10.7%. The proportion of FDK was 18.1% (weight) and 21.6% (number). An average content of deoxynivalenol for wheat amounted to 7.258 mg/kg and nivalenol to 5.267 mg/kg. In total, it was 12.788 m/kg of type B trichothecenes. The zearalenone content in the grain was 0.805 mg/kg. Relationships between FHB index, FDK and mycotoxin contents were statistically significant for triticale lines; however, they were stronger for FDK versus mycotoxins. Lines combing all types of FHB resistance were found, and two of them had resistance similar to that of wheat lines with the Fhb1 gene.

Over the course of the pandemic due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), multiple new clinical manifestations, as the consequence of the tropism of the virus, have been recognized. That includes now the neurological manifestations and conditions, such as headache, encephalitis, as well as olfactory and taste disorders. We present a series of ten cases of RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected patients diagnosed with viral-associated olfactory and taste loss from four different countries.

Lizards in Bulgaria hibernate in winter. Yet, individuals of many species were found active in this period. Cases of winter activity of Podarcis muralis and P. erhardii in the country have been published, but this behavior has not been studied in detail. The purpose of this research was to observe and analyze the winter activity of these two species in the city of Blagoevgrad. The observations took place at two sites in days with high solar radiation in December, January, and February 2015–2017. One of the sites was a typical urban territory, inhabited only by P. muralis. The other site was a suburban area, inhabited by P. erhardii. The number of the active individuals of the Common Wall Lizard recorded was about 8.5 times higher than that of the Erhard's Wall Lizard. The lowest air temperature at which P. muralis was observed was -4°C and for P. erhardii it was +0.5°C. Individuals of both species were registered only at positive substrate temperatures. Representatives of all age groups of P. muralis were recorded often with dorsoventrally flattened bodies while basking. On the other hand, few juveniles of P. erhardii were found active and they flattened their bodies very rarely.

Three significant changes have occurred in the winter climate in Europe recently: increased UK flooding; Iberian drought; and warmer temperatures north of the Alps. The literature links all three to a persistent, significant increase in sea level pressure over Southern Europe, the Mediterranean, Iberia and the Eastern Atlantic (SEMIEA) which changes the atmospheric circulation system: forcing cold fronts to the north away from Iberia; and creating a south westerly flow around the northern perimeter of the high-pressure region bringing warmer, moist air from the subtropical Atlantic to the UK and Europe which increases precipitation in the UK and raises the temperature in Europe. I use the Last Millennium Ensemble, MERRA-2 and Terra-NCEP data to demonstrate that the extreme, anthropogenic, West African aerosol Plume (WAP) which only exists from December to April perturbs the northern, regional Hadley Circulation creating the high pressure in the SEMIEA. I also show that the anthropogenic WAP has only existed in its extreme form in recent decades as the two major sources of the WAP aerosols: biomass burning; and gas flaring have both increased significantly since 1950 due to: a four-fold increase in population; and gas flaring rising from zero to 7.4 billion m3/annum and note that this time span coincides with the changes in the three elements of the winter climate of Europe. I also suggest that it may be possible to eliminate the WAP and return the winter climate of Europe to its natural state after the crucial first step of recognising the cause of the changes is taken.

A better understanding of the expected future cyclonic activity, especially in the Mediterranean Basin in winter, is essential for developing scientifically based adaptation and mitigation methods to extreme precipitation and wind anomalies. The aim of this study is to analyze the change of winter cyclonic activity in the Mediterranean-Black Sea region, within the Atlantic–European region, at the beginning (as the recent historical period), middle and end of the 21st century. The projections are based on an ensemble of seven CMIP6 models, which showed the best consistency with NCEP/NCAR and ERA5 reanalysis, under the intermediate SSP2-4.5 and highest-emission SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The results show a consistent increase of the frequency of cyclones over Central Europe and the British Isles associated with the shift of cyclone tracks: norward from the Western Mediterranean region and southward from the Iceland Low. The latter leads to a decrease of the frequency in the north of the Atlantic–European region. At the same time, there is a reduction of the frequency of cyclones over the east of the Mediterranean Sea consistent with the decrease of cyclogenesis events. Area-averaged cyclone numbers in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea subregions reduce to the end of the century under the highest-emission scenario, but not constantly and with a raise in the middle of the 21st century under both scenarios, which may be linked to the long-term multidecadal variability or regional features. In general, our study shows that the future winter cyclonic activity in the Mediterranean-Black Sea region responds unevenly to global climate changes, because regional and monthly features are important, as well as accounting for the long-term quasiperiodic variability.

SARS-CoV-2 virus infections in humans were first reported in December 2019, the boreal winter. The resulting COVID-19 pandemic was declared by the WHO in March 2020. By July 2020 COVID-19 is present in 213 countries and territories, with over 12 million confirmed cases and over half a million attributed deaths. Knowledge of other viral respiratory diseases suggests that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 could be modulated by seasonally-varying environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Many studies on the environmental sensitivity of COVID-19 are appearing online, and some have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Initially, these studies raised the hypothesis that climatic conditions would subdue the viral transmission rate in places entering the boreal summer and that southern hemisphere countries would experience enhanced disease. For the latter, the COVID-19 peak would coincide with the peak of the influenza season, increasing misdiagnosis and placing an additional burden on health systems. In this review, we assess the evidence that environmental drivers are a significant factor in the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, globally and regionally. We critically assessed 42 peer-reviewed and 80 preprint publications that met qualifying criteria. Since the disease has been prevalent for only half a year in the northern, and a quarter of a year in the southern hemisphere, datasets capturing a full seasonal cycle in one locality are not yet available. Analyses based on space-for-time substitutions, i.e. using data from climatically distinct locations as a surrogate for seasonal progression, have been inconclusive. The reported studies present a strong northern bias. Socio-economic conditions peculiar to the ‘Global South’ have been omitted as confounding variables, thereby weakening evidence of environmental signals. We explore why research to date has failed to show convincing evidence for environmental modulation of COVID-19, and discuss directions for future research. We conclude that the evidence thus far suggests a weak modulation effect, currently overwhelmed by the scale and rate of the spread of COVID-19. Seasonally-modulated transmission, if it exists, will be more evident in 2021 and subsequent years.

The androgen/androgen receptor (AR)-signaling axis plays a central role in the development and growth of prostate cancer (PCa) cells. Upon androgen-binding the AR dimerizes with another AR, translocates into the nucleus where the AR-dimer activates/inactivates androgen-dependent genes. In consequence treatments for locally advanced or metastatic PCa are commonly based on androgen deprivation therapies (ADT). Unfortunately, the clinical benefits of ADT are only transitory and most tumors develop mechanisms allowing the AR to bypass its need for physiological levels of circulating androgens. In the clinic failure of ADT is often characterized by the synthesis of a C-terminally truncated, constitutively active AR splice variant, termed AR-V7. In contrast to AR, the constitutively active AR-V7 does no longer need androgenic stimuli for nuclear entry and/or dimerization. The goal of the present study was to mechanistically decipher the interaction between full-length AR (AR-FL) and AR-V7 in AR-null HEK-293 cells using the NanoLuc Binary Technology (NanoBiT) structural complementation assay under androgen stimulation and deprivation conditions. Our data point toward a hypothesis that AR-FL/AR-FL homodimers form in the cytoplasm, whereas AR-V7/AR-V7 localize in the nucleus. However, after 15 min of androgen stimulation, all AR-FL/AR-FL, AR-FL/AR-V7 and AR-V7/AR-V7 dimers localized in the nucleus. In this way, we can show an androgen-regulated interaction between AR-FL and AR-V7 at forming heterodimers that localize in the nucleus, whereas AR-V7/AR-V7 dimers were found to localize in the absence of androgens in the nucleus. Treatment with enzalutamide diminished the luminescence of AR-FL homodimers and AR-FL/AR-V7 heterodimers but not AR-V7/AR-V7 homodimers.

This study aimed to analyze areas of concern and support of the Austrian general population two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. A representative sample (N = 1,031) of the Austrian general population was surveyed online between April 19 and 26, 2022. A qualitative study design was used to explore the factors of most considerable current concern (question 1) and the most important sources of support (question 2). The responses to the two open-ended questions were evaluated using conventional content analysis and categories were formed according to the frequency of the answers. The analysis revealed that inflation and finances (30% of participants) and the war in Ukraine (22%) were the greatest sources of concern, followed by mental health (10%), and physical health (10%). Factors such as social contacts within and outside the family were mentioned most frequently as sources of support (36% of participants), followed by recreational activities (23%) and attitudes and abilities (22%). Compared to data collected at the end of the first year of the pandemic (between December 23, 2020, and January 4, 2021), concerns about one's financial situation was now mentioned more frequently (30,4% vs. 8,5%). On the other hand, different types of pandemic-related concerns were less often mentioned. Social contacts and recreation were mentioned as the most important sources of support at both time points (46% and 36% of the participants). Results suggest that the economic concerns are lagging behind the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. In addition, the impending war in Ukraine seems to have a relevant impact on mental health in Austria. Further nuanced qualitative research, particularly involving vulnerable groups like low-income individuals and the unemployed, is crucial.

Based on the observation and reanalysis data, the relationship between Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) over the Maritime Continent (MC) and the tropical Pacific-Indian Ocean temperature anomaly mode is analyzed. The results showed that the MJO over the MC region (100°-140°E, 10°S-5°N) (referred to as MC-MJO) possesses prominent interannual and interdecadal variations and seasonally "phase-locked" features. MC-MJO is strongest in the boreal winter and weakest in the boreal summer. Winter MC-MJO kinetic energy variation has significant relationships with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in winter and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) in autumn, but it correlates better with the tropical Pacific-Indian Ocean associated mode (PIOAM). The correlation coefficient between the winter MC-MJO kinetic energy index and the autumn PIOAM index is as high as -0.43. This means that when the positive (negative) autumn PIOAM anomaly strengthens, the MJO kinetic energy over the winter MC region weakens (strengthens). However, the correlation between the MC-MJO convection and PIOAM in winter is significantly weaker. The propagation of MJO over the Maritime Continent differs significantly in the contrast phases of PIOAM. During the positive phase of the PIOAM, the eastward propagation of the winter MJO kinetic energy always fails to move across the MC region and cannot enter the western Pacific. However, during the negative phase of the PIOAM, the anomalies of MJO kinetic energy over the MC is not significantly. MJO can propagate farther eastward and enter the western Pacific. One thing must be pointed out that there is a significant difference between the propagation of MJO convection over the MC region in winter and that of the MJO kinetic energy. That said, the MJO convection is more likely to extend to the western Pacific in the positive phases of PIOAM than in the negative phases

The ridge-furrow plastic mulching (RFPM) system and nitrogen application have been effective strategies for improving crop productivity in the Loess Plateau of China. However, it is not clear how the ridge-furrow ratio and nitrogen fertilizer type (NT) affect the utilization of water, nitrogen, heat and radiation resources for increased rain-fed wheat production. Two nitrogen fertilizer types [Traditional urea (TU) and controlled-release urea (CRU)] and four planting patterns [conventional flat planting (F) and the RFPM system of 20 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow (R2F4), 40 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow (R4F4), and 60 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow (R6F4)] were tested from September, 2018 to June, 2021 during winter wheat growing season. The results showed that the RFPM system can increase the soil thermal time (TTsoil) by 41.0–152.1°C d compared to F. The thermal effect of the RFPM system shortens the vegetative growth period and extends the reproductive growth period by 2–7 days, promoting the increase of the leaf area index (LAI) and final dry matter (DM) accumulation. These significantly increased the grain yield (GY) in the RFPM system by 51.6–115.2% and enhanced the thermal time use efficiency (TUE) by 48–99.5%, water productivity (WP) by 37.4–76.3%, radiation use efficiency (RUE) by 16.3–34.4%, and partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN) by 51.6–115.2% compared to F. Although a high ridge-furrow ratio combined with CRU increased GY and resources use efficiency, it also exacerbated the soil water depletion, especially in the 40–140 cm soil layer. Overall, applying CRU in combination with the RFPM system of 40 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow maximized resources use efficiency and increased wheat production in the Loess Plateau of China.

Otodus megalodon is known as the biggest shark ever alive and recent records show this species was only existed in America, Africa and Europe continents in the last Miocene period 20 million years ago (Ma). Recently, megalodon teeth have been discovered in South coast of West Java. Here this study aims to present and model the presence of O. megalodon. The length of the excavated tooth was ranging from 13 to 19 cm. The lithological analysis shows that the tooth was found in Miocene rock layers. Paleogeographic model shows that during Miocene southern parts of Java island were submerged including the recent locations where the megalodon tooth have been found. Half parts of the modeled West Java were an ocean with depth ranging from 0 to 200 m. High habitat use preferences by juvenile megalodon were estimated in the shelf (depth 0-40 m) with the size of 1365 km² . Whereas habitat use preference by adult megalodon was low at this depth. Both juvenile and adult habitat use frequencies were low at a depth of between 80 m and 160 m. Habitat use preferences were increasing at a depth of > 200 m. After Miocene, the paleoclimate records show a decline in temperature and lead to the decline of whale population in ocean. The declining of megalodon’s prey explains the declining of this giant shark especially in post Miocene and early Pliocene periods.