Control Sites Research Articles

Novel flexible aromatic Cu3 metal-organic π-cluster for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction

Producing Cn products through electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is of great significance in addressing the global warming crisis. Organic-inorganic hybrid catalysts, characterized by precise and controllable active sites and metal-ligand synergistic interactions, can enhance the reaction activity and stability of Cu-based catalysts. Herein, based on density functional theory (DFT), a novel flexible aromatic Cu3 metal-organic π-cluster (Cu3-π cluster) was constructed, consisting of triple-atom active centers and pentalyne ligands. During the catalytic CO2RR process, the adsorption of H can promote the activation of CO2, this converts the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) into promoting CO2RR. Enhanced aromaticity of its cluster core is credited with stabilizing the coadsorption of H and CO2 (H* + CO2*), consequently lowering the reaction free energy of the CO2 activation process. Research has shown that Cu3-π cluster have high catalytic activity for electrocatalytic CO2 generation of C2H4. Considering the solvation effect, the limit potential of this reaction is −0.60 V. Furthermore, the reaction free energies suggest that the Cu3-π cluster is more inclined to yield C2H4(g) products via COCO* coupling. Moreover, the high CO coverage at the triple-atom active centers not only makes it more challenging for this cluster to adsorb H, but also reduces the energy barrier of the COCO* coupling reaction.In the entire reaction pathway of C2H4(g), there exhibits dynamic self-adaptive behavior in the bond lengths and bond angles of the three Cu atoms in the cluster core, leading to fluctuations in aromaticity. The flexibility and aromaticity changes in this structure enable the Cu3-π cluster to better stabilize intermediates. This work provides theoretical guidance for the application of metal-organic π-clusters, accelerates the screening of catalysts for CO2RR, and provides powerful theoretical guidance for the structure-activity relationships between aromaticity and catalytic activity.

Invasion by common reed in peri-urban wetlands does not affect insectivorous bat activity, despite a negative effect on prey abundance

Common reed (Phragmites australis), an exotic invasive plant in North America, alters wetlands and thus affects the abundance, development and behavior of many animal species. We evaluated the effect of common reed invasion on 1) the abundance of nocturnal flying insects, and 2) the activity of one of their predators, insectivorous bats. As bats are highly mobile, they can be affected by parameters at a broad scale. Therefore, we considered 3) the effect of habitats and roads around invaded and non-invaded sites on bat activity. We selected 28 paired sites located in wetlands in southwestern Quebec: 14 control sites and 14 common reed-dominated sites. Nocturnal flying insects were collected in some sites, using light traps. The activity of bats was measured in all sites using acoustic detectors. Habitats and high-traffic roads around the sampled sites were characterized over several spatial scales, using ArcGISPro. Our results showed that the number of nocturnal flying insects was reduced by 53% in common reed-dominated sites, but there was no influence on the overall activity of insectivorous bats. Instead, a larger relative area of aquatic and woodland habitats, within a respective radius of 1 and 2 km in the vicinity of our study sites, favoured the overall activity of bats. Moreover, bat activity decreased with an increase in the length of high-traffic roads within a radius of 200 m around the studied wetland sites. Our results suggest that invasive plants despite reducing insect prey may not represent a major threat to insectivorous bats. They also highlight the importance of protecting forests and aquatic habitats, as well as the need to implement road mitigation measures for the conservation of insectivorous bats.

Impact of large scale, multicomponent intervention to reduce proton pump inhibitor overuse in integrated healthcare system: difference-in-difference study

ObjectiveTo determine how a large scale, multicomponent, pharmacy based intervention to reduce proton pump inhibitor (PPI) overuse affected prescribing patterns, healthcare utilization, and clinical outcomes.DesignDifference-in-difference study.SettingUS Veterans Affairs Healthcare System,...

Post-fire stabilization of thaw-affected permafrost terrain in northern Alaska

In 2007, the Anaktuvuk River fire burned more than 1000 km2 of arctic tundra in northern Alaska, ~ 50% of which occurred in an area with ice-rich syngenetic permafrost (Yedoma). By 2014, widespread degradation of ice wedges was apparent in the Yedoma region. In a 50 km2 area, thaw subsidence was detected across 15% of the land area in repeat airborne LiDAR data acquired in 2009 and 2014. Updating observations with a 2021 airborne LiDAR dataset show that additional thaw subsidence was detected in < 1% of the study area, indicating stabilization of the thaw-affected permafrost terrain. Ground temperature measurements between 2010 and 2015 indicated that the number of near-surface soil thawing-degree-days at the burn site were 3 × greater than at an unburned control site, but by 2022 the number was reduced to 1.3 × greater. Mean annual ground temperature of the near-surface permafrost increased by 0.33 °C/yr in the burn site up to 7-years post-fire, but then cooled by 0.15 °C/yr in the subsequent eight years, while temperatures at the control site remained relatively stable. Permafrost cores collected from ice-wedge troughs (n = 41) and polygon centers (n = 8) revealed the presence of a thaw unconformity, that in most cases was overlain by a recovered permafrost layer that averaged 14.2 cm and 18.3 cm, respectively. Taken together, our observations highlight that the initial degradation of ice-rich permafrost following the Anaktuvuk River tundra fire has been followed by a period of thaw cessation, permafrost aggradation, and terrain stabilization.

The effect of farming techniques on degradation of DDT in historical cotton farms

DDT was used in the mid 20th century for crop and livestock production. After use, DDT and its degradates DDE and DDD (collectively DDX) remain in the environment for decades. A few studies have reported that the rate of degradation of DDT into its metabolites is affected by various farming techniques like tillage, irrigation, and use of fertilizers. However, most of these studies did not evaluate active farms, and none of them focused on the Southeast US or historical cotton farms. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine if different farming techniques affect the decomposition of DDT in Walton County, Georgia, where farms historically grew cotton. Five Walton County farms were sampled for soil, and churches were sampled as control sites. The extensive land history of the farms was recorded, and the soil levels of p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE, p,p’-DDD, o,p’-DDT, and o,p’-DDE were measured using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All farm sites had detectable levels of p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE, and p,p’-DDD, while few sites had detectable levels of o,p’-DDT and o,p’-DDE. Tillage was found to speed up p,p’-DDE degradation, but there was no effect on p,p’-DDT degradation. Plowing was associated with an increase in decomposition of p,p’-DDT, but p,p’-DDE and p,p’-DDD were not significantly increased. The largest difference in the degradation of DDT was based on the fertilizer type. Natural fertilizer sped up degradation of p,p’-DDT and p,p’-DDE; synthetic fertilizer increased p,p’-DDE degradation, but not p,p’-DDT degradation.

Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Photobiomodulation on Pain Reduction in Individuals Undergoing Segmental Retraction Using a Closing Loop: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Pain following orthodontic treatment is a common reason for apprehension and treatment discontinuation. Research on modalities to control pain in orthodontic patients has gained special attention. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is studied as an alternative pain management modality free of the adverse effects of analgesic medications. This study evaluated the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) for pain control following the activation of a closing loop for canine retraction. This is a split-mouth, placebo-controlled, single-blinded randomized clinical trial that evaluated 16 patients who need canine retraction using closing loops. Two maxillary quadrants were allotted into test and control groups using the coin toss method. In the test group, a low-intensity laser with 810 nm wavelength for 60 seconds in pulsated non-contact mode was used in the buccal, palatal, mesial, and distal regions of the canine immediately after activating the loop. The control site received placebo radiation. The pain level was recorded 2, 24, 48, and 72 hours afterintervention in thecontrol and test groups using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The test and control groups were compared usingStudent's t-test. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Both groups had a significant statistical difference in the pain score. The laser group showed a statistically significant lower pain scorecompared to the control group at all time points. Photobiomodulation by810 nm 300 mW diode laser can effectively reduce pain following the retraction of maxillary canines.

Contribution of the transcription factor SfGATAe to Bt Cry toxin resistance in Spodoptera frugiperda through reduction of ABCC2 expression

Insect resistance evolution poses a significant threat to the advantages of biopesticides and transgenic crops utilizing insecticidal Cry-toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). However, there is limited research on the relationship between transcriptional regulation of specific toxin receptors in lepidopteran insects and their resistance to Bt toxins. Here, we report the positive regulatory role of the SfGATAe transcription factor on the expression of the ABCC2 gene in Spodoptera frugiperda. DNA regions in the SfABCC2 promoter that are vital for regulation by SfGATAe, utilizing DAP-seq technology and promoter deletion mapping. Through yeast one-hybrid assays, DNA pull-down experiments, and site-directed mutagenesis, we confirmed that the transcription factor SfGATAe regulates the core control site PBS2 in the ABCC2 target gene. Tissue-specific expression analysis has revealed that SfGATAe is involved in the regulation and expression of midgut cells in the fall armyworm. Silencing SfGATAe in fall armyworm larvae resulted in reduced expression of SfABCC2 and decreased sensitivity to Cry1Ac toxin. Overall, this study elucidated the regulatory mechanism of the transcription factor SfGATAe on the expression of the toxin receptor gene SfABCC2 and this transcriptional control mechanism impacts the resistance of the fall armyworm to Bt toxins.

Changes in the Soil Microbial Community Structure and Driving Factors during Post-Fire Recovery of the Larix gmelinii Rupr. Forest in Northern China

Fire is crucial for shaping northern forest ecosystems and can affect soil microbial community structure. However, there are few studies on the long-term effects of forest fire disturbance on soil microbial community diversity. In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS1 to assess variations in the abundance of bacterial and fungal communities in dominant populations at 1, 6, and 11 years post-fire. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between soil microenvironmental changes and soil microbial communities after fire disturbances, considering soil physicochemical properties, including bulk density, moisture content, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, and available phosphorus. We found that fire significantly increased soil pH, NO3−-N, AP, and AK contents, in which the content of NO3−-N basically recovered to the pre-fire level at 11 years after fire. The soil SOC and TN contents decreased significantly 1 year after the fire. However, compared to the unfired site, the SOC content essentially recovered 11 years after the fire, while TN content was still significantly higher 11 years after fire. Furthermore, fire changed the diversity and richness of soil microbial communities to some extent. PCoA and NMDS analyses suggested that the bacterial community structures in soil samples from different burned areas with different recovery periods exhibited similarity. However, notable differences were observed in the fungal community structures between the 1-year and 6-year post-fire study sites when compared to the unburned control site. Bacterial communities predominantly comprised Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria, while fungal communities were mainly dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. RDA confirmed the significant roles of SOC, TN, and NO3−-N in affecting the diversity of soil microbial communities. Therefore, our study not only enhances our understanding of the long-term effects of forest fire disturbances on soil properties and soil microbial community structure, but also provides insights for further utilizing and controlling carbon and nitrogen content to regulate soil microbial activity and accelerate the recovery process of burned areas.

Rapid responses of bees and butterflies but not birds to targeted urban road verge habitat enhancements

Abstract Cities provide opportunities for biodiversity conservation through the design of urban greenspaces as wildlife habitat. A significant proportion of urban public land is narrow linear road verges, though their small size and harsh environmental conditions (e.g. high soil temperatures) may limit their ability to support plants and animals. We worked with a municipal government in a highly urbanised area to test whether conversion of standard road verges (e.g. lawn) to predominantly native understorey plants (forbs, grasses and shrubs) selected for their abilities to tolerate harsh growing conditions and provide habitat increased the abundance and richness of bees, butterflies and birds. We used a before‐after‐control‐impact experiment and characterised temporal dynamics of biodiversity responses 1 year prior to planting and 4 years post‐planting. We also tested whether traits known to influence species responses to urbanisation (body size and feeding specialisation) mediated responses to road verge plantings. Bee species richness and abundance increased at experimental plantings in the first post‐planting year and remained stable thereafter despite fluctuations at control sites. Butterfly abundance but not richness increased, and there was no evidence of bird responses to plantings. Larger bee species, which are known to be most negatively impacted by urbanisation, benefited more from the road verge plantings, while there was no effect of feeding specialisation. Bird and butterfly traits did not mediate responses to plantings. Synthesis and applications. Road verges comprise a significant proportion of urban green spaces, and our results suggest that despite their small sizes and harsh environmental conditions they can provide habitat for bees and to a lesser extent butterflies. We demonstrated that habitat value can be rapidly enhanced by converting standard road verges to native understorey plants and that these benefits may be greatest for the bee species most negatively impacted by urbanisation. Modifications such as additional plant species or wider verges may be required for urban road verges to provide habitat for a greater range of taxa including birds and butterflies.

Diffusion-rate sieving of propylene and propane mixtures in a cooperatively dynamic porous crystal

Selective molecular recognition is an important alternative to the energy-intensive industrial separation process. Porous coordination polymers (PCPs) offer designing platforms for gas separation because they possess precise controllability over structures at the molecular level. However, PCPs-based gas separations are dominantly achieved using strong adsorptive sites for thermodynamic recognition or pore-aperture control for size sieving, which suffer from insufficient selectivity or sluggish kinetics. Developing PCPs that work at high temperatures and feature both high uptake capacity and selectivity is urgently required but remains challenging. Herein, we report diffusion-rate sieving of propylene/propane (C3H6/C3H8) at 300 K by constructing a PCP material whose global and local dynamics cooperatively govern the adsorption process via the mechanisms of the gate opening for C3H6 and the diffusion regulation for C3H8, respectively, yielding substantial differences in both uptake capacity and adsorption kinetics. Dynamic separation of an equimolar C3H6/C3H8 mixture reveals outstanding sieving performance with a C3H6 purity of 99.7% and a separation factor of 318.

The Injury Prevention Program to Reduce Early Childhood Injuries: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

The American Academy of Pediatrics designed The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP) in 1983 to help pediatricians prevent unintentional injuries, but TIPP's effectiveness has never been formally evaluated. We sought to evaluate the impact of TIPP on reported injuries in the first 2 years of life. We conducted a stratified, cluster-randomized trial at 4 academic medical centers: 2centers trained their pediatric residents and implemented TIPP screening and counseling materials at all well-child checks (WCCs) for ages 2 to 24 months, and 2 centers implemented obesity prevention. At each WCC, parents reported the number of child injuries since the previous WCC. Proportional odds logistic regression analyses with generalized estimating equation examined the extent to which the number of injuries reported were reduced at TIPP intervention sites compared with control sites, adjusting for baseline child, parent, and household factors. A total of 781 parent-infant dyads (349 TIPP; 432 control) were enrolled and had sufficient data to qualify for analyses: 51% Hispanic, 28% non-Hispanic Black, and 87% insured by Medicaid. Those at TIPP sites had significant reduction in the adjusted odds of reported injuries compared with non-TIPP sites throughout the follow-up (P = .005), with adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) of 0.77 (0.66-0.91), 0.60 (0.44-0.82), 0.32 (0.16-0.62), 0.26 (0.12-0.53), and 0.27 (0.14-0.52) at 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, respectively. In this cluster-randomized trial with predominantly low-income, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Black families, TIPP resulted in a significant reduction in parent-reported injuries. Our study provides evidence for implementing the American Academy of Pediatrics' TIPP in routine well-child care.

Inhibition of superoxide and iNOS augment cutaneous nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation in non-Hispanic black young adults.

We assessed the combined effect of superoxide and iNOS inhibition on microvascular function in non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White participants (n = 15 per group). Participants were instrumented with four microdialysis fibers: (1) lactated Ringer's (control), (2) 10 μM tempol (superoxide inhibition), (3) 0.1 mM 1400 W (iNOS inhibition), (4) tempol + 1400 W. Cutaneous vasodilation was induced via local heating and NO-dependent vasodilation was quantified. At control sites, NO-dependent vasodilation was lower in non-Hispanic Black (45 ± 9% NO) relative to non-Hispanic White (79 ± 9% NO; p < 0.01; effect size, d = 3.78) participants. Tempol (62 ± 16% NO), 1400 W (78 ± 12% NO) and tempol +1400 W (80 ± 13% NO) increased NO-dependent vasodilation in non-Hispanic Black participants relative to control sites (all p < 0.01; d = 1.22, 3.05, 3.03, respectively). The effect of 1400 W (p = 0.04, d = 1.11) and tempol +1400 W (p = 0.03, d = 1.22) was greater than tempol in non-Hispanic Black participants. There was no difference between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White participants at 1400 W or tempol + 1400 W sites. These data suggest iNOS has a greater effect on NO-dependent vasodilation than superoxide in non-Hispanic Black participants.

Increased tree water use with the development of a dense understory layer in a North American hardwood forest

AbstractThe formation of a single species, recalcitrant understory vegetation layer can limit tree regeneration and, in the long term, modify the composition of forests. Few studies have investigated how recalcitrant vegetation influences competition for water resources although the formation of a dense understory is likely to modify the forest water balance. In eastern North American hardwood forests, the development of a dense understory layer of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) has been observed in stands dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum), a phenomenon that shares many characteristics associated with recalcitrant vegetation. Given that water availability is generally negatively correlated with stand density, we hypothesized that the formation of a dense understory beech layer increased competition for water resources, thus leading to reduced water use by sugar maple trees in beech‐dominated stands. Using thermal dissipation sensors, we measured sap flux density (Fd) of two sugar maple trees at three beech‐dominated sites and three control sites. During the growing season, Fd of sugar maple trees was significantly larger at beech‐dominated sites compared to control sites, indicating a greater rate of water use by sugar maples in stands with a dense understory beech layer. We provide two hypotheses to explain our results at the tree scale: (i) reduced cover by forest floor vegetation could limit transpiration by this layer, thus allowing increased water availability to supply transpiration by overstory trees, or (ii) increased tree transpiration rate could be a mechanism to satisfy nutrient requirements in beech‐dominated stands often associated with lower soil fertility.

Comparative Evaluation of L-PRF and Ofloxacin Incorporated L-PRF as an Adjunctive to SRP-A Split-Mouth Randomized Clinical Trial

ABSTRACT Aim and Objectives: To compare and evaluate the clinical efficacy of “ofloxacin incorporated L-PRF” and “L-PRF alone” when used as an adjuvant to non-surgical periodontal therapy. Materials and Methods: A split-mouth study was conducted in 50 patients diagnosed as chronic periodontitis with pocket depth ≥6 with at least one site in each quadrant. All patients underwent scaling and root planning. Test site received with ofloxacin incorporated L-PRF and control site received L-PRF alone. Clinical parameters pocket depth (PD), plaque index (PI), and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were recorded at baseline and 1 month after scaling and root planning. Results: In total, 100 sites were treated (50 test group and 50 control group) with no uneventful healing effects. Statistically significant decreases in PD (P = .0001 for both test and control groups), PI (P = .001), GBI (P = .001 for both groups), between pre-treatment and 1 month post-treatment were noted in both test and control groups. For intergroup comparisons, there was a statistically significant difference in all clinical indices (P &gt; .005). Conclusion: Use of L-PRF with ofloxacin as an adjuvant to non-surgical periodontal therapy showed better improvements in clinical parameters.

Clinical Effectiveness of Salvia officinalis in Periodontitis: A Split-Mouth Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that destroys the tissues supporting the teeth. Conventional nonsurgical treatments, such as mechanical scaling and root surface debridement (RSD), often require adjunct therapies to enhance outcomes due to their limited efficacy in completely eradicating pathogenic microorganisms. Given the adverse effects of standard adjunctive therapies, including antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Salvia officinalis (sage) presents a promising herbal alternative due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. This study aims to assess the local application of Salvia officinalis gel as an adjunctive to scaling and RSD to manage periodontitis. Methods We conducted a randomized, controlled split-mouth clinical trial involving 14 systemically healthy periodontitis patients. We included patients with at least 20 natural teeth, a probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥5 mm, and attachment loss ≥4 mm at a minimum of five sites. Primary outcomes measured were bleeding on probing (BOP), PPD, and relative attachment level (RAL). The Salvia officinalis gel was applied to designated test sites post-RSD, while control sites received no adjunctive treatment. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline and a one-month follow-up visit. Results The cohort consisted of 10 men and four women, with a mean age of 37.1 ± 5.46 years. At the follow-up visit, the test group demonstrated a significant reduction in mean BOP (P = 0.0004), whereas the control group showed no significant change (P ≥ 0.05). Both groups experienced significant decreases in mean PPD and RAL from baseline to follow-up, with the test group showing greater improvements. Conclusions Salvia officinalis gel, used as an adjunct to scaling and RSD, significantly improves clinical periodontal parameters in patients with periodontitis. Its anti-inflammatory properties likely underpin the observed benefits, offering an effective and safe alternative to traditional chemical pharmaceuticals. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects and mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefits of Salvia officinalis in periodontal treatment.

Assessment of Extent of Radiological Exposures in Subsurface Dumpsite Sediments around the Residential Area of Oru-Ijebu South-West Nigeria

Assessment of naturally occurring radionuclides was carried out from 20 sampling points in a dumpsite systematically collected from varying subsurface depth intervals of 0-0.2m, 0.2-0.4m, 0.4-0.6m, 0.6-0.8m and 0.8m-1.0m, while the control samples were taken from two sampling points located 200m away from the dumpsite. The samples were consequently analyzed in the laboratory for natural radioactive emission where each activity concentration measurements of the radionuclides were determined; the natural radionuclides identified were 226Ra, 238U, 232Th, 40K utilizing gamma ray spectrometry with NaI (IT) detector. The mean activity concentrations recorded in Bqkg-1 for 226Ra, 238U, 232Th and 40K in the subsurface soil samples were respectively 2.53±0.60, 31.50±2.01, 27.20±1.63 and 340.39±19.48 in depth 0m−0.2m; 1.96±0.37, 28.2455±2.50, 23.84±3.07 and 320.59±24.07 respectively in depth 0.2m-0.4m; 1.24±0.41, 24.197±3.66, 19.86±2.46 and 290.71±28.99 respectively in depth 0.4m−0.6m; 0.80±0.34 Bqkg-1, 20.10±4.133, 16.10±1.54, and 259.04±34.22 in depth 0.6m−0.8m and 0.68±0.25, 18.509±2.08, 14.50±0.91 and 247±30.13 for 0.8-1.0m. The levels of radioactivity were then used to assess public dose rates and radioactive contamination thereby predicting changes in environmental radioactivity caused by poor waste management, industrial activities, and other human activities. In all the investigated sampling point 40K exhibited the highest activity concentration in 0-0.2m depth with the value of 383.45±19.4883 while Pr exhibited the lowest activity concentration with the value of 0.08±0.4252 in depth 0.8-1.0m. The mean activity concentration of 238U, 232Th and 40K, in the soil samples at the dumpsite were 20.80, 20.3 and 291.54 Bqkg-1respectively for 0-0.2m depth. These results were lower than the world permissible standard stated by UNSCEAR. It was generally observed that the activity concentrations reduced with 0-0.2m having the highest concentration values for both the dumpsite and the control sites, while the mean activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and40K for the control sites were found to be 31.5045±2.0123, 13.145±1.4637 and 183.415±21.4465 respectively for 0-0.2m depth.

Multi-sensor satellite imagery reveals spatiotemporal changes in peatland water table after restoration

Remote sensing (RS) has been suggested as a tool to spatially monitor the status of peatland ecosystem functioning after restoration. However, there have been only a few studies in which post-restoration hydrological changes have been quantified with RS-based modelling. To address this gap, we developed an approach to assess post-restoration spatiotemporal changes in the peatland water table (WT) with optical (Sentinel-2 and Landsat 7–9) and radar (Sentinel-1) imagery. We tested the approach in eleven northern boreal peatlands (six restored, and five control sites) impacted by forestry drainage in northern Finland using Google Earth Engine cloud computing capabilities. We constructed a random forest regression model with spatiotemporal field-measured WT data as a dependent variable and satellite imagery features as independent variables. To assess the spatiotemporal changes, we constructed representative maps for situations before and after restoration, separately for early summer high-water and midsummer low-water conditions. To further quantify temporal changes during 2015–2023 and to test their statistical significance, we conducted a bootstrap hypothesis test for the areas near the restoration measures and similar areas in the control sites. The regression model had a relatively good fit and explanatory capacity (overall R2 = 0.71, RMSE = 6.01 cm), while there were notable site-specific variations. The WT maps showed that the post-restoration changes were not uniform and concentrated near the restoration measures. The bootstrap test showed that the WT increased more in the restored areas (4.7–8.8 cm) than in the control areas (0.1–5.2 cm). Our results indicate that restoration impact on surface hydrology can be quantified with multi-sensor satellite imagery and a machine learning approach in treeless peatlands.

Battle of the Bites: The Effect of Sewage Effluent Exposure on Mosquitofish Biocontrol of Mosquitoes in Residential Louisiana.

Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, are eponymous larval mosquito predators. Their ability to colonize and survive in habitats that are uninhabitable by other potential predators allows them to naturally manage larval mosquito populations in most ground pools they are present in. However, effluent from residential onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) appears to limit the presence of fish predators. This is especially problematic in Louisiana, where regulations allow the discharge of OWTS effluent into open drainage conveyances. To determine the effect of effluent on the capacity of mosquitofish for biocontrol in contaminated areas, we assessed the body condition metrics of populations from two effluent-exposed sites and two sites not exposed to effluent, determined the lethal effect of effluent-contaminated drainage water on fish, and measured the prey consumption rates in the presence of effluent. Female fish collected from effluent-impacted sites had a reduced somatic body condition and most females examined displayed masculinized anal fins resembling the male gonopodium structure. This trait was not seen in fish collected from the control sites and has not yet been documented in association with OWTSs or in the state of Louisiana. Fish from the control sites survived at effluent-contaminated water levels < 70%, and the prey clearance rates increased with dilution. Onsite wastewater treatment system effluent has significant effects on both the short- and long-term persistence of mosquitofish, their body composition, reproductive health, and larval mosquito consumption. These effects likely release mosquito larvae from suppression and may increase the threat of mosquito-transmitted pathogens in effluent-contaminated locations.

Functional Traits Drive the Changes in Diversity and Composition of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in Response to Hydrological Regulation

Of all the environmental elements that influence the biological communities of rivers, water flow characteristics are undoubtedly the most important. Unfortunately, natural hydrological characteristics are increasingly threatened by human activities, especially in alpine or high mountain areas where there are numerous hydropower plants. In this study, we analysed the impact of hydrological alterations on the macroinvertebrate community of a lowland river in NW Italy. Specifically, we analysed the macroinvertebrate communities of an unaffected site by comparing them with those of a site subject to hydrological alteration. We adopted an approach that is not only taxonomic but also functional, allowing us to study a component of biodiversity that is generally less known. Our results show that the flow-altered site hosted a benthic community with lower species and functional diversity than the control site. Interestingly, we also detected a number of significant differences between the summer and autumn samples. In particular, examination of community-weighted mean (CWM) trait values reveals significant variation in body size, voltinism, substrate, locomotion, feeding habits and other traits between sites and seasons. The integration of taxonomic and functional approaches provides a comprehensive understanding of how human-induced hydrological variations can affect aquatic biodiversity and ecological functions.

Precise control of platinum coordination environment on fullerene-derived catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

The interaction between catalysts and supports is recognized as a crucial factor influencing catalytic activity and stability. However, the carbon materials, which have been widely employed as the support at present, encounter challenges including intricate composition and the difficulty of precise control. In this study, the fullerene-derived carbon materials serve as support to electrocatalysts with low platinum. Fullerene-based materials, as the only carbon material with a well-defined molecular structure, have a controllable active site structure, which can provide a reaction model for studying metal-support interactions. Four kinds of fullerene-derived catalysts such as Pt/fullerene, Pt/nitrogen-doped fullerene, Pt/sulfur-doped fullerene, and Pt/phosphorus-doped fullerene, were synthesized. Once the coordination environment of the Pt particles was controlled, thus their catalytic performance was modulated. Despite a platinum loading of only 4.2%, Pt/N-fullerene demonstrates superior oxygen reduction activity and stability compared to commercial Pt/C (20%). Density functional theory calculations show that the introduction of heteroatoms can change the surface charge distribution of fullerenes, in which N-fullerene has a more negative electrostatic potential and can effectively anchor Pt. This research establishes a foundation for understanding the catalysts-support interaction and further precise control of the coordination environment of Pt. This provides new insights for designing efficient ORR catalysts.