We examined conditions that form or prevent thermal stratification in river pools using field measurements and statistical and three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. Our motivation is to identify variables that control stratification for exploitation to enhance or prevent thermal gradients as needed to benefit species in rivers. One study pool (UT) is above water storage reservoirs and receives natural flows, and the other pool (PT) is regulated and receives unnaturally high, cold water in summer on the Trinity River, California. Thermal stratification formed in UT pool in spring at a critical flow of 1.01 m 3/s, peaked at 8.1 oC in summer, and exhibited diurnal formation and destruction under sub-critical flows until fall. At PT pool, the 14.2 m 3/s baseflow caused mixing that prevented stratification and formed a spatially homogenous thermal environment. Statistical modeling indicated the daily range in air and inlet water temperature at UT pool best correlated with the occurrence and strength of stratification but were progressively irrelevant as flows increased above the critical value. The 3D CFD model was verified by predicting the observed critical flow and dynamics of stratification at UT pool and isohytes observed at PT pool. The 3D model was then used to explore the thermal stratification process. Results confirmed low flows are the main variable for stratification to form, and the daily range in inlet water temperature drives the strength of the thermal gradient. The model estimated a critical discharge at PT pool of 2.0 m 3/s, twice that for UT pool owing to its 2.6-times larger area, suggesting critical flows scale with pool size. Results show that releasing critical and lower flows in summer on regulated streams may conserve water and provide thermal gradients that benefit poikilothermic species; alternately, higher than critical flows can prevent stratification where needed to improve water quality.

The effects of different straw returning and nitrogen addition levels on soil quality are important for proper coastal saline soil remediation. Two maize/wheat straw returning levels (1.0 × 10 4 kg ha -1 (2S) and 5.0 × 10 3 kg ha -1 (S)) and three inorganic nitrogen addition levels (300 kg ha -1 (N2), 150 kg ha -1 (N) and 75 kg ha -1 (N1/2))—were studied, with 150 kg ha -1 inorganic nitrogen and without straw addition treatment as the control (CK), to elucidate the response of soil physical and chemical properties to the two factors. Dry-sieving technique was applied to fractionate the soils into silt-plus-clay particles (< 0.053 mm, CS), microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm, MI), small macroaggregates (0.25–2.0 mm, SM), and large macroaggregates (> 2 mm, LM). After four consecutive wheat-maize cycles, different straw and N fertilizer treatments obviously decreased the salinity contents, increased the total nutrient contents, and optimized the soil structure of the saline soil. The saline soil reclamation effects showed significant distinctions among the different straw and N fertilizer treatments. The 2SN2 treatment displayed the greatest effects in regard to decreasing salinity, increasing the total soil nutrient contents and optimizing the soil structure, which resulted in the best remediation effect. Straw returning play a major role in decreasing soil salinity and enhancing saline soil aggregate formation. N fertilizer addition supplies rich nutrients for straw decomposition, and promotes soil microbial growth and reproduction, which brought about C sequestration in coastal saline soil. During the coastal saline soil remediation process in the Yellow River Delta, it is suggested to prioritize straw returning and moderate N fertilizer addition, and live together with moderate P fertilizer application.

Cationic helical peptides play a crucial role in applications such as anti-microbial and anti-cancer activity. The activity of these peptides directly correlates with their helicity. In this study, we have performed extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of 25 Lysine-Leucine co-polypeptide sequences of varying charge density ( λ ) and patterns. Our findings showed that an increase in the charge density on the peptide leads to a gradual decrease in the helicity up to a critical charge density λ c . Beyond, λ c a complete helix to coil transition was observed. The decrease in the helicity correlated with the increased number of water molecules in first solvation shell, solvent-exposed surface area, and a higher value of the radius of gyration of the peptide.

Commentary for manuscript BJOG 2022 Gurol-Urganci et al (10.1111/1471-0528.17193)

A man in his 50s with no significant past medical history developed subarachnoid hemorrhage due to ruptured left middle cerebral artery aneurysm. 9th hospital day, he experienced a ruptured visceral aneurysm with segmental arterial mediolysis, and we successfully treated with transarterial embolization using metallic coils.

Infective endocarditis rarely presents with cutaneous manifestations due to earlier diagnosis and treatment. We present a case of a middle-aged male patient presenting with an erythematous papular rash in the upper extremities and left knee, further progressing into painful ulcers.

This paper is devoted to study a class of Kirchhoff type problems with variable exponent. By means of perturbation technique, variational methods and a priori estimation, the existence of nonnegative nontrivial solutions to this problem is obtain.

DNA extraction and preservation bias is a recurring topic in DNA sequencing-based microbial ecology. Different methodologies can lead to distinct outcomes, which has been demonstrated especially in studies investigating prokaryotic community composition. Eukaryotic microbes are ubiquitous, diverse, and increasingly a subject of investigation in addition to bacteria and archaea. However, little is known about how the choice of DNA preservation and extraction methodology impacts perceived eukaryotic community composition. In this study, we compared the effect of two DNA preservation protocols and 6 DNA extraction methods on the community profiles of both eukaryotes and prokaryotes in phototrophic biofilms on seagrass (Zostera marina) leaves from the Baltic Sea. We found that, whereas DNA preservation and extraction method caused significant bias in perceived community composition for both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, extraction bias was more pronounced for eukaryotes than prokaryotes. Especially soft-bodied or hard-shelled eukaryotes like nematodes and diatoms were differentially abundant depending on the extraction method. We conclude that careful consideration of DNA preservation and extraction methodology is crucial to achieving representative community profiles of eukaryotes in marine biofilms, and likely all other habitats containing diverse eukaryotic microbial communities.

Classification of natural flow regimes of non-perennial rivers and streams (NPRS) is an incipient field of research. NPRS represent approximately 70% of the total Mediterranean rivers and are expected to increase in the next decades as a result of climate change. Due to the ecological importance of NPRS and the need to improve national ecological assessment methods within the scope of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), this paper aims to classify the hydrological regime of 69 non-regulated streams, testing several hydrological indices related to the frequency, duration, timing, and rate of change in periods of flow cessation. Using daily flow records, a total of 315 indices were calculated and their relationships were examined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for different thresholds used to define zero-flow condition set at 0, 1, 2, and 5 l/s. Redundancy analysis identified five indices that better describe the patterns of hydrological variability in Mediterranean NPRS: number of days per year without flow, annual percentage of months without flow, mean daily of annual flows, coefficient of variation of Julian date of the annual start of zero flow and annual rise rate. Using these indices, a self-organizing map (SOM) was trained in order to categorize the NPRS into three groups with similar hydrological features. The results of this study provide a statistically-based hydrological classification of NPRS in Mediterranean environments. We expect that this classification will provide useful insights to water authorities to improve the assessments of the ecological status in this set of water bodies.

Abstract 1. Classic evolutionary theory suggests that sexual dimorphism evolves primarily via sexual and fecundity selection. However, theory and evidence is beginning to accumulate suggesting that resource competition can drive the evolution of sexual dimorphism, via ecological character displacement between sexes. A key prediction of this hypothesis is that the extent of ecological divergence between sexes will be associated with the extent of sexual dimorphism. 2. As the stable isotope ratios of animal tissues provide a quantitative measure of various aspects of ecology, we carried out a meta-analysis examining associations between the extent of isotopic divergence between sexes and the extent of body size dimorphism. Our models demonstrate that large amounts of between-study variation in isotopic (ecological) divergence between sexes is due to systematic heterogeneity, which may be associated with the traits of study subjects. We then completed meta-regressions to examine whether the extent of isotopic divergence between sexes is associated with the extent of sexual size dimorphism. 3. We found a modest but significantly positive association between size dimorphism and sex differences in trophic level. Furthermore, the strength of this positive association varied between ecological contexts, increasing in species whose diets provide the greatest scope for trophic variation and in those for which body size is of greater relevance to feeding. 4. Our results therefore provide further evidence that ecologically mediated selection, unrelated to reproduction, can contribute to the evolution of sexual dimorphism.

Researchers' ability to accurately screen fossil and subfossil specimens for preservation of DNA and protein sequences remains limited. Thermal exposure and geologic age are usable proxies for sequence preservation on a broad scale but are of nominal use for specimens of similar depositional environments. Cell and tissue biomolecular histology is thus proposed as a novel proxy for determining sequence preservation potential of ancient specimens with improved accuracy. Biomolecular histology as a proxy is hypothesized to elucidate why fossils/subfossils of some depositional environments preserve sequences while others do not and to facilitate selection of ancient specimens for use in molecular studies.

Earth systems are nearing a global tipping point, beyond which the dynamics of biological systems will become unstable. One major driver of instability is species invasion, especially by organisms that act as “ecosystem engineers” through their modification of abiotic and biotic factors. In a mosaic landscape of non-invaded and invaded habitat, ecosystems modified through invasion may serve as “sink” habitat. To understand how native organisms respond to habitat that is becoming increasingly modified, it is essential to examine biological communities within invaded and non-invaded habitat, identifying compositional shifts between native and non-native taxa as well as measuring how modification has affected interactions among community members. Using dietary metabarcoding, our study examines the response of a native Hawaiian generalist predator to habitat modification by comparing biotic interactions across metapopulations of spiders collected in native forest and sites invaded by kahili ginger. Our study shows that, although there are shared components of the dietary community, spiders in invaded habitat are eating a less consistent and more diverse diet consisting of more non-native arthropods which are rarely or entirely undetected in spiders collected from native forest. Additionally, the frequency of novel interactions with parasites was significantly higher in invaded sites, reflected by the frequency and diversity of non-native Hymenoptera parasites and entomopathogenic fungi. The study highlights the role of habitat modification driven by an invasive plant in altering community structure and biotic interactions, appearing to serve as a “sink” for native arthropods and thereby threatening the stability of the ecosystem.

Background: Science integrity initiatives require specific recommendations for randomised clinical trials (RCT). Objective: To prepare a set of statements for RCT integrity through an international multi-stakeholder consensus. Methods: Following prospective registration (https://osf.io/bhncy, https://osf.io/3ursn), the consensus was developed via: multi-country multidisciplinary stakeholder group composition and engagement; evidence synthesis of 55 systematic reviews concerning RCT integrity; anonymised two-round modified Delphi survey with consensus threshold based on the average percent of majority opinions; and, a final consensus development meeting. Results: There were 30 stakeholders representing 14 countries from 5 continents including trialists, ethicists, methodologists, statisticians, consumer representative, industry representative, systematic reviewers, funding body panel members, regulatory experts, authors, journal editors, peer-reviewers and advisors for resolving integrity concerns. Delphi survey response rate was 86.7% (26/30 stakeholders). There were 111 statements (73 stakeholder-provided, 46 systematic review-generated, 8 supported by both) in the initial long list, with 8 additional statements provided during the consensus rounds. Through consensus the final set consolidated 81 statements (49 stakeholder-provided, 41 systematic review-generated, 9 supported by both). The entire RCT life cycle was covered by the set of statements including general aspects (n=6), design and approval (n=11), conduct and monitoring (n=19), reporting of protocols and findings (n=20), post-publication concerns (n=12), and future research and development (n=13). Conclusion: Implementation of this multi-stakeholder consensus statement is expected to enhance RCT integrity.

Background and aims: We aimed to analyze the correlation of urinary with serum NT-proBNP concentrations in acute bronchiolitis and its association with the severity of the disease.  Material and Methods: A pilot observational study conducted between 1st October and 31st March 2022, including acute bronchiolitis cases who attended our institution. Serum and urinary NT-proBNP concentrations were determined using the Alere NT-proBNP assay in time-matched urine and blood samples. We explored the linear relationship between both concentrations and compared clinical outcomes indicative of severe acute bronchiolitis between groups of raised and normal urinary NT-proBNP.  Results: 17 infants (median age 68 (36-91) days) with 36 time-matched samples were included. The urinary and serum concentrations of NT-proBNP were significantly correlated with (r=0.867 & R-squared coefficient=0.751; p<0.001). The log-10-transformed urinary NT-proBNP concentrations were higher at the time of hospital admission in those infants that required PICU admission with ventilatory support compared with those without this outcome (1.85 (1.16-2.44) pg/mg vs 0.63 (0.45-0.84) pg/mg); p<0.001); and resulted positively and strongly correlated with the duration of the ventilatory support (rho=0.76; p<0.001) and the LOS hospitalization (rho=0.84; p<0.001) Conclusion: The measurement of urinary NT-proBNP concentrations could be a reliable surrogate for serum NT-proBNP levels highlighting the potential value of the urinary NT-proBNP as a non-invasive tool to assess severity in acute bronchiolitis.

In conclusion, our data suggest that subjects with genotype 5T;TG12/VVCC likely have a very low risk of progressing to CF, as compared to those with F508del/5T;TG12. 4 This observation could lead to differentiate follow up in presence of at least one 5T;TG12. Knowing these data is crucial to offer a useful counseling for CRMS/CFSPID infants and for non‐CF adults with CBAVD alone. Anyway further data are needed to evaluate the outcomes after a longer follow up.

Based on Carpentier’s classification and principles, the techniques for mitral valve repair continue to evolve. We herein report our experience with the morpho-functional echocardiographic analysis of single mitral leaflets, as different anatomic features, even if conflicting, may coexist not only in the two leaflets, but in the same leaflet as well. A classification is proposed, based on the length (normal, short, or long) and mobility (normal, restricted, or excessive) of mitral leaflets. The surgical techniques adopted for mitral valve repair are the direct consequence of this analysis.

Coffin-Siris syndrome is a rare disorder which can be difficult to recognize. A broad spectrum of nonspecific clinical features is associated with Coffin-Siris syndrome and expression of these features is diverse. We describe two cases with Coffin-Siris syndrome with mutations in the ARID1A gene, with dissimilar presentation and clinical course.

Various post translational modifications like hyper phosphorylation, O-GlycNAcylation, and acetylation have been attributed to induce the abnormal folding in tau protein. Recent in vitro studies revealed the possible involvement of N–glycosylation of tau protein in the abnormal folding and tau aggregation. Hence in this study, we performed microsecond long all atom molecular dynamics simulation to gain insights into the effects of N-glycosylation on Asn-359residue which forms part of the microtubule binding region. Trajectory analysis of the stimulations coupled with essential dynamics and free energy landscape analysis suggested that tau, in its N-glycosylated form tend to exist in a largely folded conformation having high beta sheet propensity as compared to unmodified tau which exists in a large extended form with very less beta sheet propensity. Residue interaction network analysis of the lowest energy conformations further revealed that Phe378 and Lys353 are the functionally important residues in the peptide which helped in initiating the folding process and Phe378, Lys347&Lys370 helped maintaining the stability of the protein in the folded state.