Beta diversity patterns are essential for understanding how biological communities are structured. Geographical and environmental factors, as well as species dispersal ability, are important drivers of beta diversity, but their relative importance may vary across spatial scales. In this study, we evaluate whether beta diversity changes across geographical scales and analyse how different drivers affect turnover patterns of native seed plants in an oceanic archipelago, the Azores (Portugal). Using a 500 x 500 m resolution grid, we selected cells that are covered by one of the following habitats: native forest, naturalized vegetation and seminatural pastures. We calculated species turnover at three spatial scales: i) between islands, ii) between cells within each island, and finally iii) between cells of each of the habitats of interest in each island. We then calculated the contribution of dispersal syndromes (endozoochory, epizoochory, hydrochory and anemochory) to turnover at each of the scales. Lastly, we assessed the relationship between geographical and climatic distances and habitat composition with turnover. Turnover was higher at the smallest scale, particularly in seminatural pastures, and decreased with increasing spatial scales, a pattern potentially associated with the historical fragmentation and current patchy distribution of native forest and seminatural habitats in the Azores. Dispersal syndromes and habitat composition had a negligible effect on turnover at all scales. Geographical distance had a positive effect on turnover at all scales, increasing with scale. The relationship between turnover and climatic distance was only significant at the intermediate and small scales in specific islands and habitats. Scale plays an important role at determining the effect of the drivers of turnover, in particular geographical and climatic distance. These results highlight the need to carefully select the scale of analysis when studying turnover patterns, as well as identifying the potential drivers associated with each scale.

Zk-SNARK unleashes the great potential of ZKP (zero-knowledge proof) in the blockchain, distributed storage, etc. However, the proof-generation of zk-SNARK is excessively time intensive, making it a challenge to deploy a high-performance zk-SNARK in most real applications. As a result, NTT (Number Theoretic Transform), one of the most time-consuming parts in proof-generation, needs to be accelerated significantly. To address this issue, we propose a novel and efficient “data reordering” technique to enable a highly pipelined architecture, on which an FPGA-based hardware accelerator is designed to support the large-bitwidth and large-scale NTT tasks in zk-SNARK. Our architecture achieves a two-level pipeline: 1) the top-level pipeline is achieved among smaller NTT sub-tasks, which are decomposed from a large-scale NTT task; 2) the bottom-level pipeline is achieved in each sub-task, among butterfly operations with different step sizes. This architecture can effectively reduce the data dependency and memory access requirements, meanwhile, can be flexibly scaled to different scales of FPGAs. To balance computing efficiency and flexibility, the OpenCL equipped with HLS is used to implement the heterogeneous acceleration system. We prototype the accelerator on the AMD-Xilinx Alveo U50 card (UltraScale+ XCU50 FPGA). The evaluation results show that 1) our accelerator shows high scalability for different scales of FPGAs with a stable performance improvement; 2) it performs 1.95× faster than the one in PipeZK; 3) and it achieves 27.98×, 1.74× speedup and 6.9×, 6× energy efficiency improvement than AMD Ryzen 9 5900X single core and 12 cores respectively when integrated into the well-known ZKP open-source project, Bellman.

CO 2-induced chloroplast movement was reported in the monograph by Gustav Senn in 1908: unilateral CO 2 supply to the one cell-layered moss leaves induced the positively CO 2-tactic periclinal arrangement of chloroplasts. However, from the modern criteria, several experimental settings are unacceptable. Here, using a model moss plant Physcomitrium patens, we examined basic features of chloroplast CO 2-tactic relocation with a modernized experimental system. The CO 2 relocation was light-dependent and especially the CO 2 relocation in red light was substantially dependent on photosynthetic activity. Between the cytoskeletons responsible for chloroplast movement of P. patens, the microfilament mainly worked for CO 2 relocation, but the microtubule-based movement was insensitive to CO 2. The CO 2 relocation was induced not only by air with and without CO 2 but also by the more realistic difference in CO 2 concentration between the two sides. In the leaves placed on the surface of a gel sheet, chloroplasts avoided the gel side and positioned in the air facing surface. This was also shown to be photosynthesis dependent. Based on these observations, we propose a working hypothesis that the threshold light intensity between the light-accumulation and -avoidance responses of the photorelocation would be increased by CO 2, resulting in the CO 2-tactic relocation of chloroplast.

Can We Trust the Force?Frank Pelosi, Jr., MD, FHRS, FACCAssociate Professor of MedicineDepartment of Internal MedicineCardiac Electrophysiology SectionUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn Arbor, MichiganCorresponding Author:Frank Pelosi, Jr, MD, FACC, FHRS1500 East Medical Center DriveAnn Arbor MI. [email protected] words: contact force, radiofrequency ablationWord count: 1165 excluding referencesInvited manuscript for JCE-22-0822.R2

Genomics can play important roles in biodiversity conservation, especially for Extinct-in-the-Wild species where genetic factors can influence total extinction risk and probability of successful reintroductions. The Christmas Island blue-tailed skink (Cryptoblepharus egeriae) and Lister’s gecko (Lepidodactylus listeri) are two endemic reptile species that went extinct in the wild shortly after the introduction of a predatory snake. After a decade of management, captive populations have expanded from 66 skinks and 43 geckos to several thousand individuals; however, little is known about patterns of genetic variation in these species. Here, we use PacBio HiFi long-read and Hi-C sequencing to generate contiguous reference genomes for both species, including the XY chromosome pair in the skink. We then analyze patterns of genetic diversity to infer ancient demography and more recent histories of inbreeding. We observe high genome-wide heterozygosity in the blue-tailed skink (0.007) and Lister’s gecko (0.005), consistent with large historical population sizes. However, nearly 10% of the skink reference genome falls within long runs of homozygosity (ROH), resulting in homozygosity at all major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci, whereas we detect only a single ROH in the gecko. We infer from the ROH lengths that related skinks may have established the captive populations. Despite a shared recent extinction in the wild, our results suggest important differences in species’ histories and implications for management. We show how reference genomes can provide evolutionary and conservation insights in the absence of resequencing data, and we provide a resource for future population-level and comparative genomic studies in reptiles.

Nail-gun injuries are one of the most common causes of foreign bodies in soft tissue. Intraperitoneal foreign bodies caused by nail-gun injuries were usually removed surgically. We report a 20-years-old carpenter with an intraperitoneal nail, which was finally successfully removed by the ultrasound-guided interventional method for the first time.

Pest outbreaks, harmful algal blooms, and population collapses are extreme events with critical consequences for ecosystems, highlighting the importance of deciphering the driving ecological mechanisms underlying extreme events. By combining the generalized extreme value (GEV) theory from statistics and the hypothesis of a resource-limited metabolic restriction to population abundance, we evaluated theoretical predictions on the size-scaling and variance of extreme population abundance. Phytoplankton data from the L4 station in the English Channel showed a negative size scaling of the expected value of maxima, whose confidence interval included the predicted metabolic scaling (a = –1). We showed a humped pattern in variance with maxima at intermediate sizes. These results are consistent with the bounded abundance of small-sized populations that are subjected to strong grazing and with the expected decrease in variance towards large sizes. This approach provides unbiased return times, thereby improving the prediction accuracy of the timing of bloom formation, and describes a coherent framework in which to explore extreme population densities in natural communities.

We present a case of a young, previously asymptomatic East-African black male presenting with large territory ischemic infarct at first diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis (TA). To our knowledge, this is the first published report of a male patient in East Africa with a stroke at the first presentation of TA.

Apert syndrome presents similarly to the one we presented in this image and a genetic study is used for confirmation. Through this image, we pretend to show the typical findings of physical examination, so that if this appears in the outpatient department the diagnosis of Apert syndrome

COVID-19 afflicts patients with acute symptoms and longer-term sequelae. One of the sequelae is myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which is often difficult to diagnose, having no established tests. In this article, we synthesize information from literature reviews on patients with ME/CSF that developed after recovery from COVID-19.

Background Children with chronic lung disease (CLD) of prematurity who require invasive home mechanical ventilation (iHMV) are medically vulnerable and experience high caregiving and healthcare costs. Predictors for duration of iHMV remain unclear, which can make prognostication and decision-making challenging. Methods A retrospective cohort study of children with CLD of prematurity requiring invasive iHMV was conducted from an independent children’s hospital records (2005-2021). The primary outcome was iHMV duration, defined as time from initial discharge home on iHMV until cessation of positive pressure ventilation (day and night). Two new variables were included: corrected tracheostomy age (CTA) (chronological age at discharge minus age at tracheotomy) and level of ventilator support at discharge (minute ventilation per kg per day). Univariable Cox regression was performed with variables of interest compared to iHMV duration. Significant nonlinear factors (P<0.05) were included in the multivariable analysis. Results One-hundred-and-nineteen patients used iHMV primarily for CLD of prematurity. Patient median index hospitalization lasted 12 months (IQR 8.0,14.4). Once home, half of patients were weaned off iHMV by 36.0 months and 90% by 52.2 months. Being Hispanic/Lantix ethnicity (HR 0.14 (95% CI 0.04, 0.53), p<0.01) and having a higher CTA were associated with increased iHMV duration (HR 0.66 (CI 0.43, 0.98), p<0.05). Conclusions Disparity in iHMV duration exists among patients using iHMV after prematurity. Prospective multisite studies that further investigate new analytic variables, such as CTA and level of ventilator support, and address standardization of iHMV care are needed to create more equitable iHMV management strategies.

Authors:Alecia Clary , Ph.D., MSW (AC) (Corresponding author)Affiliation: The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA, Washington, DC, USA Address: 1333 New Hampshire Ave, NW Suite 420, Washington DC 20036, USA Email: [email protected] Phone: 202-849-2075 ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7774-9808Nancy D Lin , (NDL) Affiliation: IQVIA Real World Solutions, Bridgewater, NJ, USA Address: 77 Corporate Drive, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Email: [email protected] Lasky , (TL) Affiliation: The United States Food and Drug Administration, Office of Data, Analytics, & Research, Office of the Commissioner, Washington DC, USA Address: 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, USA. Email: [email protected] W Reynolds , (MR) Affiliation: IQVIA Real-World Solutions, Washington, DC, USA Address: 201 Broadway, Cambridge, MA, USA. Email: [email protected] Chokkalingam , (ACH) Affiliation: Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California, USA Address: 333 Lakeside Drive Email: [email protected] Rodriguez-Watson, (CRW)Affiliation: The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA, Washington, DC, USA Address: 1333 New Hampshire Ave, NW Suite 420, Washington DC 20036, USA Email: [email protected] paper has not been previously printed, currently has not been submitted for publication in any other journal and is not pending acceptance in any other journal. We have not had any prior correspondence with the journal about the manuscript.

Semantic memory remains relatively stable with normal cognitive aging and declines in early stages of neurodegenerative disease. We measured electroencephalography (EEG) oscillatory correlates of semantic memory retrieval to examine the effects of normal and pathological aging. Twenty-nine cognitively healthy young adults (YA), 22 cognitively healthy aging adults (HA), and 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) completed a semantic memory retrieval task with concurrent EEG recording in which they judged whether two words (features of objects) led to retrieval of an object (retrieval) or not (non-retrieval). Event-related power changes contrasting the two conditions (retrieval vs. non-retrieval) within theta, alpha, low-beta, and high-beta EEG frequency bands were analyzed across time to examine normal aging (YA versus HA) and pathological aging effects (HA versus MCI). Though no behavioral differences between the cognitively healthy groups were observed, we found later theta and alpha power differences between conditions only in YA, and a high-beta power difference between conditions only in HA. For pathological aging effects, we found reduced accuracy in MCI. While we found different EEG patterns of early beta power differences between conditions in MCI compared to HA, a low-beta power difference between conditions was found only in HA. We conclude that the aging brain relies on faster (beta) oscillations during the semantic memory task. With pathological aging, retrieval accuracy declines and patterns of beta oscillation changes. The findings improve understanding on age-related neural mechanisms underlying semantic memory and have implications for early detection of pathological aging.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological ailment that primarily affects the elderly and necessitates an efficient treatment regimen backed up by extensive care. At the moment, treatment for AD is still in its early stages and is often regarded as insufficient by the medical community, with synthetic medications commonly used that have several side-effects. Consequently, research groups are constantly attempting to improve its early detection, particularly through biomarkers, as well as to find effective complementary and alternative therapies for its management. Medicinal plants have long been used as a source of biomolecules as well as complementary medicines. Africa ranks second among biodiversity hotspots in the world due to geographical variances in distribution and vegetation zones. In comparison to nations like India and China, it is believed that much of its biodiversity remains unexplored, and that it may be home to many previously unknown medicinal plants. This calls for more research on African medicinal herbs and finding a key remedy to treat and manage AD. The major scientific biomedical literature databases viz. PubMed, Scifinder, The Lens, Google Scholar, etc. were accessed and the information available till September 2022 was reviewed, with a focus on documenting such herbs along with their active biomolecules that could lead to noble drugs against AD. Also, the review has looked up on the risk factors prevalent among African communities to have a perspective on how race may affect AD risk and expression.

Despite growing interactions between ecology and evolution, there still remain opportunities to further integrate the two disciplines, especially when considering multispecies systems. Here, we discuss two such opportunities. First, we suggest to relax the focus on the distinction between evolutionary and ecological processes. This focus is particularly unhelpful in the study of microbial communities, where the very notion of species is hard to define. Second, we propose that key processes of evolutionary theory such as adaptation should be exported to hierarchical levels higher than populations to make sense of biodiversity dynamics. Together, we argue that broadening our perspective of eco-evolutionary dynamics to be more inclusive of all biodiversity, both phylogenetically and hierarchically, will open up fertile new research directions and help us to address one the major scientific challenges of our time, i.e. to understand and predict changes in biodiversity in the face of rapid environmental change.

Limited research exists examining the effect of decreased tobacco use rather than complete cessation in improving the symptoms of Buerger's disease. This is a case of a patient with Buerger's disease who had an improvement in ulcer healing and pain through the reduction of tobacco even without discontinuation of smoking.

We show that the gradient of a strongly differentiable function at a point is the limit of a single coordinate-free Clifford quotient between a multi-difference pseudo-vector and a pseudo-scalar, or of a sum of Clifford quotients between scalars (as numerators) and vectors (as denominators), both evaluated at the vertices of a same non-degenerate simplex contracting to that point. Such result allows to fix a issue with a defective definition of pseudo-scalar field in Sobczyck’s Simplicial Calculus. Then, we provide some consequences and conjectures implied by the foregoing results.

Background: The diagnostic work-up for cardiac arrest from ventricular tachyarrhythmias occurring in younger adults and structurally normal hearts is variable and often incomplete. Methods: We reviewed records for all recipients of a secondary prevention implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) younger than 60 years at a single quaternary referral hospital from 2010-2021. Patients were included if they had unexplained ventricular arrhythmias (UVA) and absence of structural heart disease on echocardiogram, normal coronary assessment and no clear diagnostic features on ECG. We specifically evaluated the adoption rate of five modalities of ‘second-line’ cardiac investigations: cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), exercise ECG, flecainide challenge, electrophysiology study (EPS) and genetic testing. We also evaluated patterns of anti-arrhythmic drug therapy and device-detected arrhythmias and compared them with secondary prevention ICD recipients with a clear aetiology found on initial assessment. Results: 102 recipients of a secondary prevention ICD under the age of 60 were analysed. 39 patients (38.2%) were identified with UVA and were compared with the remaining 63 patients with VA of clear aetiology (61.8%). UVA patients were younger (35.6 ± 13.0 years vs 46.0 ± 8.6 years, p<0.001) and were more often female (48.7% vs 28.6%, p=0.04). CMR was performed in 32 patients with UVA (82.1%), whereas flecainide challenge, stress ECG, genetic testing and EPS were only performed in a minority of patients. Overall, the use of a second-line investigation suggested an aetiology in 17 patients with UVA (43.5%). Compared to patients with VA of clear aetiology, UVA patients had lower rates of antiarrhythmic drug prescription (64.1% vs 88.9%, p=0.003) and had a higher rate of device-delivered tachy-therapies (30.8% vs 14.3%, p=0.045). Conclusion: In this real-world analysis of patients with UVA, the diagnostic work-up is often incomplete. While CMR was increasingly utilized at our institution, investigations for channelopathies and genetic causes appear to be underutilized. Implementation of a systematic protocol for work-up of these patients requires further study.