Early Occurrence Research Articles

Fossil Squamata and Anura from sediments associated with oldest lava piles of Deccan Trap Supergroup (Upper Cretaceous-lower Paleocene), India

ABSTRACT Indian fossil Squamata and Anura are known from the Upper Cretaceous-lower Paleocene Deccan Trap associated sediments for over last one century. However, current knowledge on their taxonomy and stratigraphic implications is poor for their scarce and fragmentary nature and lack of any stratigraphic constraints. We report newly found fossil Squamata and Anura from the new intertrappean locality Bharudpura in Malwa Plateau and describe (i) Scincomorpha (Scincoidea) lizards based on taxonomic study of dentary, maxilla and osteoderms, (ii) Anguimorpha (Anguidae) lizards based on osteoderms, (iii) Squamata indeterminate based on a vertebrae and (iv) Anura (Ranidae, Ranoidea and Anuran indeterminate) based on a ilium, a sacral vertebrae and single dentary. Currently, it is not possible to ascertain if the different fossil specimens belong to a single or more taxa. The lowermost lava pile of Mandleshwar and Kalisindh formations, associated with multiple intertrappean beds including the new Bharudpura fossil locality, have yielded40Ar/39Ar plateau ages from 66.834 Ma, the oldest Deccan Trap flow dated so far in India to 66.352 Ma. The present study records their earliest occurrence in India, from intertrappean associated with oldest Deccan Trap lava pile that erupted during magnetochron C30n of Maastrichtian in the Malwa Plateau.

Ultrasensitive optical biosensing detection and multiple therapy based on an NIR-II thermoelectric nanoheterojunction

An one-to-all optical diagnostic and therapeutic agent, referring to a single nanocatalyst synchronously displaying multiple optical biosensor and therapeutic modes, is still a remarkable promise because of its outstanding capability in tumor. However, nanocatalyst activity is significantly weakened by the limited light absorption property and catalytic efficiency. Here, a unique pyroelectric nanocatalyst, In2S3-CuInS2@red blood cell membrane (In2S3-CIS@RM), with excellent pyroelectric/photothermal conversion capability for boosted peroxidase-mimicking catalytic activity, is rationally developed. The In2S3-CIS@RM displays catalytic capacity by reacting Cu+ with H2O2 to produce highly toxic ·OH, promoted by 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light-mediated photothermal/pyroelectric therapy. By synergizing this three-modal effect, cancer suppression is realized with an obvious cancer inhibition rate after the introduction of In2S3-CIS@RM into the HepG2 cells and following 808 nm laser irradiation. Meanwhile, an optical biosensor array is constructed through In2S3-CIS@RM-triggered chromogenic reaction for a fast and accurate analysis of five antioxidants. Interestingly, this biosensor array is verified to be effective for accurate monitoring of invasive cancer in early cancer occurrence, benefiting from the superior catalytic activity of In2S3-CIS@RM and abnormal levels of antioxidants in cancer cells. Thus, this study provides an avenue for developing an NIR laser-activatable one-to-all optical diagnostic and therapeutic nanosystem.

Integrated analysis strategy for detecting gear contact fatigue before reaching failure interruption criterion

Identifying the occurrence of gear contact fatigue failure as early as possible is essential for condition-based maintenance (CBM). Vibration signals can be used to identify gear contact fatigue. However, the use of vibration signals can be challenging due to its complexity, compounded by lower levels of vibration during the initial stages of contact fatigue. The present study details a new algorithm that integrates stand-alone features to correlate the vibrational signal with early failure occurrence. The study aim is to identify the failure in the early stages, before reaching the ISO 6336-5 stopping criterion of 4% damaged area. A damage induction on the flank of helical gears is applied to simulate and characterize the failure occurrence. Damping characteristics with impact evaluation, Kurtosis analysis and the monitoring of the Gear Meshing Frequency are applied to characterize the failure signature. This strategy stands out by the integration of these stand-alone features and their behavior. The algorithm's capacity is verified through durability tests, promoting the natural evolution of this failure mode. Results show a success rate of above 80% at identifying the failure presence before the stopping criterion limit.

Shifts in Plant Phenology and Its Responses to Climate Warming in Three Temperate Cities of China during 1963–2020

The advance of spring phenology and the delay of autumn phenology caused by global warming have been documented by many studies. However, most research has focused on natural areas, with limited studies conducted on phenological observations in urban environments. Here, we selected the first flowering date (FFD), first leaf date (FLD), and leaf coloring date (LCD) at three sites (Beijing, Harbin, and Mudanjiang) from the China Phenological Observation Network. We analyzed the phenological changes of 84 species between 1963–1991 and 1992–2020 to examine their response to urban warming. We then quantified the correlations and regressions between phenological events and preseason temperature. The results show the following: (1) Among the three sites, the mean FFD and FLD were earliest in Beijing, while the mean LCD occurred earliest in Harbin and latest in Beijing. (2) FFD and FLD exhibited a significant trend towards earlier occurrences at all three sites, while LCD showed a significant delay trend except for the Mudanjiang site. Specifically, at the Beijing, Harbin, and Mudanjiang sites, the mean FFD advanced by 8.32 days, 6.11 days, and 2.60 days in the latter period (p < 0.05), whereas the mean FLD advanced by 11.30 days, 7.21 days, and 5.02 days (p < 0.05), respectively. (3) In Beijing, Harbin, and Mudanjiang, both FFD and FLD were significantly negatively correlated with preseason temperature. However, no consistent relationship was observed between LCD and preseason temperature. These results enhance our understanding of the response of plant phenology to urban warming.

Effects of sea-land breeze on air pollutant dispersion in street networks with different distances from coast using WRF-CFD coupling method

A WRF-CFD coupled model with high-temporal resolution is employed to investigate pollutant dispersions during a sea-land breeze (SLB) day in an identical building block configuration at three locations in Shanghai, China, and the blocks are set at the coast (L1), downtown (L2) and inland (L3). The results show that the localized wind speed drops below 1 m/s during the sea-land-breeze collision period (SLBCP), which leads to pollutant accumulation. The closer the block is to the coast, the earlier occurrence and longer duration of SLBCP, and Blocks L1, L2, and L3 experience SLBCPs during the morning peak traffic period (MPTP), low-traffic-volume period (at midday), and evening peak traffic period (EPTP), with durations of 2.5 h, 2 h, and 1 h, respectively. Due to the low wind speeds of both land breezes and sea breezes during the overlap of MPTP and SLBCP, the pollutant concentration in Block L1 is significantly elevated, and the peak concentration is two times higher than that in the non-coastal blocks (L2 and L3). Block L2 shows a peak concentration during the midday low-traffic-volume period, while no evident peak concentration is found in L3 in EPTP. The mean concentrations in Blocks L1, L2, and L3 during EPTP are 72 %, 57 %, and 31 % lower than those during MPTP, respectively. This suggests that SLB has significantly different effects on wind fields and pollutant dispersion in building blocks with different distances from the coast and can provide reference data for transport planning in coastal cities.

The relationship between tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion on transesophageal echocardiography and the incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a multicenter prospective cohort study

BackgroundTo date, the relationship between the Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) monitoring indicator tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and the incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting(CABG) patients remains unknown. The main objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the TAPSE and the incidence of AKI in CABG patients.MethodsThis was a multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted between September 2021 and July 2022. Among 266 patients aged at least 18 years who underwent elective CABG, 140 were included.ResultsWe measured TAPSE via M-mode TEE via the mid-esophageal (ME) right ventricle(RV) inflow-outflow view (60°). All echocardiographic measurements were performed three separate times at each time point: T0 (before the start of CABG), T2 (approximately 5 ∼ 10 min after neutralization of protamine) and T3 (before leaving the operating room), and then averaged. Serum creatinine was measured 1 day before and within 7 days after CABG. There was no statistically significant association between the TEE-monitoring indicator TAPSE and the incidence of postoperative AKI in patients who underwent CABG.ConclusionsThe TAPSE was not significantly correlated with postoperative AKI incidence and could not predict the early occurrence of postoperative AKI in CABG patients. TEE needs more evaluation for clinical efficacy of predicting the early occurrence of postoperative AKI in isolated CABG.

Antimicrobial Coatings Based on a Photoreactive (Meth)acrylate Syrup and Ferulic Acid-The Effectiveness against Staphylococcus epidermidis.

A novel photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate oligomer syrup modified with ferulic acid (FA) was verified as an antimicrobial coating binder against a biofilm of Staphylococcus epidermidis. A solution-free UV-LED-initiated photopolymerization process of aliphatic (meth)acrylates and styrene was performed to prepare the oligomer syrup. The influence of ferulic acid on the UV crosslinking process of the varnish coatings (kinetic studies using photo-DSC) as well as their chemical structure (FTIR) and mechanical (adhesion, hardness), optical (gloss, DOI parameter), and antibacterial properties against S. epidermidis were investigated. The photo-DSC results revealed that FA has a positive effect on reducing the early occurrence of slowing processes and has a favorable effect on the monomer conversion increment. It turned out, unexpectedly, that the more FA in the coating, the greater its adhesion to a glass substrate and hardness. The coating containing 0.9 wt. part of FA exhibited excellent antimicrobial properties against S. epidermidis, i.e., the bacterial number after 24 h was only 1.98 log CFU/mL. All the coatings showed relatively high hardness, gloss (>80 G.U.), and DOI parameter values (30-50 a.u.).

Ureteral stenting in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer: Predictors of low success rate

ObjectiveCervical cancer is the leading gynecologic malignancy in Ethiopia. The diagnosis is often delayed and many patients present with locally advanced disease. Involvement of the ureters with or without the development of hydroureteronephrosis is a common finding. Ureteral stent placement is a modality utilized to relieve an established obstruction (therapeutic) or to prevent its early occurrence (prophylactic). However, the procedure may not be successful in all patients. The objective of this study is to assess the factors associated with low success rate of ureteral stenting in these patients with locally advanced disease. MethodsThis is a hospital based cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with locally advanced cervical cancer for whom a retrograde ureteral stent placement is attempted from January 2019 to March 2020. Data of 175 patients were retrieved by a retrospective chart review and analyzed for factors associated with low procedural success. ResultsSocio-demographic data were similar between patients regardless of procedural success. The overall success rate of stenting was 54.2 %. In the prophylactic group (with no hydronephrosis and normal creatinine) success rate was 94 % and in the therapeutic group 42.6 %. Logistic regression analysis showed that bilateral hydronephrosis and increased serum creatinine were indicators of significant ureteral obstruction and were predictors of stent placement failure. ConclusionIncreased serum creatinine and presence of hydronephrosis are risk factors for failed ureteral stenting. For these patients, other options of urinary diversion such as percutaneous nephrostomy should be considered from the outset.

A dynamic model to predict early occurrence of acute kidney injury in ICU hospitalized cirrhotic patients: a MIMIC database analysis

BackgroundThis study aimed to develop a tool for predicting the early occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in ICU hospitalized cirrhotic patients.MethodsEligible patients with cirrhosis were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care database. Demographic data, laboratory examinations, and interventions were obtained. After splitting the population into training and validation cohorts, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model was used to select factors and construct the dynamic online nomogram. Calibration and discrimination were used to assess nomogram performance, and clinical utility was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsA total of 1254 patients were included in the analysis, and 745 developed AKI. The mean arterial pressure, white blood cell count, total bilirubin level, Glasgow Coma Score, creatinine, heart rate, platelet count and albumin level were identified as predictors of AKI. The developed model had a good ability to differentiate AKI from non-AKI, with AUCs of 0.797 and 0.750 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Moreover, the nomogram model showed good calibration. DCA showed that the nomogram had a superior overall net benefit within wide and practical ranges of threshold probabilities.ConclusionsThe dynamic online nomogram can be an easy-to-use tool for predicting the early occurrence of AKI in critically ill patients with cirrhosis.Graphical

Overprinting Mineralization in the Huoluotai Porphyry Cu (Mo) Deposit, NE China: Evidence from K-Feldspar Ar-Ar Geochronology and S-Pb Isotopes

The Great Xing’an Range (GXR) is a significant belt of polymetallic deposits located in the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The recently found Huoluotai porphyry Cu (Mo) deposit is situated in the northern GXR region in northeastern (NE) China. The deposit has been studied extensively using field geology and geochronological methods, which have identified two distinct mineralization events. These events include an early occurrence of porphyry-type Cu (Mo) mineralization and a later occurrence of vein-type Cu mineralization. Prior geochronology investigations have determined an approximate age of 147 Ma for the early porphyry-type Cu (Mo) mineralization. 40Ar/39Ar dating of K-feldspar of the altered Cu-mineralized quartz diorite porphyry veins for the overprinting vein-type Cu mineralization provides plateau ages of 123.1 ± 1.5 Ma, 122.3 ± 2.8 Ma, and 122.2 ± 0.4 Ma. Sulfide S-Pb isotope compositions of the two mineralization events suggest that both have a magmatic source. The origin of ore-forming metals displays the features of a crust–mantle mixing origin. The regional extensional tectonic setting in NE China during the Early Cretaceous was caused by large-scale lithosphere delamination and upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle. These processes were triggered by the rollback of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. The tectonic event in question resulted in the lithospheric thinning, significant magmatic activity, and mineralization in NE China.

Early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites: Comparative geochemistry and evolutionary processes

In a paper in 1970, Brian Windley first recognised that early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites both have calcic plagioclase, and low TiO2and high CaO and Al2O3contents. Despite these similarities, the geochemistry of early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites has not been rigorously compared and contrasted. To this end, we compiled 425 analyses from 212 early terrestrial anorthosite occurrences and 306 analyses from 16 lunar anorthosite occurrences. This was supplemented by a compilation of plagioclase anorthite (An) contents and pyroxene Mg# from early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites. Early terrestrial anorthosites have lower whole-rock An contents but similar Mg# to lunar anorthosites. The CaO contents of lunar anorthosites are higher than those of early terrestrial anorthosites for a given MgO and Al2O3content, early terrestrial anorthosites have higher SiO2contents than lunar anorthosites at a given MgO content, and lunar anorthosites have higher Eu/Eu* anomaly ratios yet broadly similar La/Yb and Nd/Sm ratios than early terrestrial anorthosites. Some early terrestrial anorthosites have less fractionated chondrite-normalised rare earth element (REE) patterns and less prominent positive Eu anomalies than lunar anorthosites. Lunar anorthosites have higher plagioclase An contents, yet a similar range of pyroxene Mg# compared to their early terrestrial counterparts. Some early terrestrial anorthositesare more fractionated than some lunar anorthosites. Our interpretations imply that most early terrestrial anorthosites crystallised from basaltic parental magmas that were generated by high-degree partial melting of sub-arc asthenosphere mantle wedge sources that were hydrated by slab-derived fluids, with the remainder being associated with mid-ocean ridge and mantle plume settings. Some of the arc-related early terrestrial anorthosites were influenced by crustal contamination. In addition, early terrestrial anorthosites originated from partial melting of the mantle at various depths with variable garnet residua, whereas lunar anorthosites formed without any significant garnet residua. Lower plagioclase CaO contents and pyroxene Mg# in early terrestrial anorthosites can be explained by higher proportions of clinopyroxene and olivine fractionation in terrestrial magma chambers than in the lunar magma ocean where orthopyroxene and olivine fractionation occurred. Low TiO2contents in both terrestrial and lunar anorthosites reflect rutile and/or ilmenite fractionation.

Enhancing disease surveillance and preparedness: An early warning tool for disease occurrence in U.S. swine breeding herds

Understanding regional disease risk is critical for swine disease prevention and control. Since 2011, the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project (MSHMP) has strengthened partnerships among practitioners and producers to report health events (e.g., porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus outbreaks) at the U.S. national level. Using MSHMP data and PRRS as an example, an early regional occurrence warning tool to provide near-real-time alerts was developed. MSHMP-participating production systems were invited to enroll. An algorithm was developed to calculate the number of PRRSV-positive sites near each enrolled site, determined from site-specific radius. The radius was determined in three steps. First, an initial radius of 25 miles was set for sites in pig-dense states and 50 miles for others. Secondly, four variables were generated to account for the sites within the initial radius: A) Total number of PRRSV-positive sites; B) Number of PRRSV-positive sites from other production systems; C) Total number of sites enrolled, and D) Total number of sites monitored by MSHMP. Subsequently, the reporting radius was automatically increased when confidentiality concerns arose. Results were compiled into system-specific reports and shared weekly with each participant. Reports have been shared since May 9, 2023, representing 178 breeding sites, comprising approximately 565 K sows. Examples of how participants use these reports include adjusting biosecurity programs, frequency of supply introduction, and transportation routes. The early occurrence warning tool developed in this study enhances producers' ability to communicate effectively and respond quickly to health threats, mitigating regional disease while preparing for foreign disease introductions.

Paleostress evolution of the Outer Kwanza basin (offshore Angola); comparison with the Congo basin and implications for the tectonic history of the Central segment of the West Africa passive margin

This study aims at reconstructing the paleostress history of the Outer (offshore) Kwanza basin (West African passive margin) and at comparing it to stress results acquired further north in the Congo basin. Three oriented borehole cores provided by TotalEnergies and reaching the syn-rift, Barremian-Aptian pre-salt carbonates offshore Angola were investigated. Paleopiezometry based on the Stylolite Roughness Inversion Technique (SRIT) and Calcite Twin Inversion Technique (CSIT) was combined with fracture analysis, U–Pb geochronology of carbonates and burial modelling to unravel the orientations and magnitudes of horizontal and vertical stresses affecting the pre-salt carbonates over time. Calcite twins were measured from a primary sparite matrix, and the inversion process unravelled a polyphase stress history, comprising ∼ E-W and NE-SW extensional trends that we associate to the rifting (130-112 Ma) that led to the opening of the South Atlantic ocean. The ∼ E-W extension is consistent with the early occurrence of N-S striking normal faults which developed in relation to the reactivation of inherited basement structures. This ∼ E-W extension evolved during the Barremian-Aptian (?) into the dominant regional NE-SW extension marked by large-scale NW-SE striking normal faults. The stress history also comprises compressional and strike-slip stress regimes associated with a ∼N-S trending σ1 which can be related to the transfer of orogenic stresses from the distant Africa-Eurasia plate boundary at ∼67-60 Ma. Finally, compressional and strike-slip stress regimes associated with a ENE-WSW to ∼E-W trending σ1 dominated since at least ∼17-15 Ma (possibly ∼34 Ma); they are interpreted as the expression of the mid-Atlantic ridge push. These (paleo)stress results are compared and combined with earlier paleostress reconstructions in the northern offshore Lower Congo basin (also belonging to the Central segment of the margin) and in the onshore Congo basin in order to refine the stress record and the timing of tectonic events since the early Cretaceous, thus providing unprecedented constraints on the tectonic history of the West Africa passive margin. This tectonic history includes both extensional and compressional events, and was driven mainly by far-field stresses, either gravitational or tectonic in origin, which are related to interactions between the African plate and surrounding plates.

Genetic improvement of phosphate-limited photosynthesis for high yield in rice

Low phosphate (Pi) availability decreases photosynthesis, with phosphate limitation of photosynthesis occurring particularly during grain filling of cereal crops; however, effective genetic solutions remain to be established. We previously discovered that rice phosphate transporter OsPHO1;2 controls seed (sink) development through Pi reallocation during grain filling. Here, we find that OsPHO1;2 regulates Pi homeostasis and thus photosynthesis in leaves (source). Loss-of-function of OsPHO1;2 decreased Pi levels in leaves, leading to decreased photosynthetic electron transport activity, CO2 assimilation rate, and early occurrence of phosphate-limited photosynthesis. Interestingly, ectopic expression of OsPHO1;2 greatly increased Pi availability, and thereby, increased photosynthetic rate in leaves during grain filling, contributing to increased yield. This was supported by the effect of foliar Pi application. Moreover, analysis of core rice germplasm resources revealed that higher OsPHO1;2 expression was associated with enhanced photosynthesis and yield potential compared to those with lower expression. These findings reveal that phosphate-limitation of photosynthesis can be relieved via a genetic approach, and the OsPHO1;2 gene can be employed to reinforce crop breeding strategies for achieving higher photosynthetic efficiency.

What is confirmed in the treatment of Fabry's disease?

Fabry's disease is arare X chromosome-linked inherited lysosomal storage disease characterized by insufficient metabolism of the substrate globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) due to reduced alpha-galactosidaseA (AGAL) activity. Lysosomal Gb3 accumulation causes amultisystemic disease which, if untreated, reduces the life expectancy in females and males by around 10and 20years, respectively, due to progressive renal dysfunction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and early occurrence of cerebral infarction. The diagnosis is confirmed by determining the reduced AGAL activity in leukocytes in males and molecular genetic detection of a-mutation causing the disease in females. The treatment comprises enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), agalsidase alfa, 0.2 mg/kg body weight (BW), agalsidase beta 1.0 mg/kg BW or pegunigalsidase alfa 1.0 mg/kg BW every 2weeks i.v. or oral chaperone therapy (one capsule of migalastat 123 mg every other day) in the presence of amenable mutations. This article summarizes the data on the treatment of Fabry's disease and on complications in practice. The current guideline recommendations are addressed and new study results that could expand the therapeutic repertoire in the future are discussed.

Subcooled flow boiling characteristics and CHF in an eccentric annulus at low pressure conditions

Controlled flow boiling conditions enhance the heat transfer rate in various industrial applications such as heat exchangers, fuel rod bundles etc. In nuclear industry, the presence of mixing vanes, spacers, channel creep deformation etc., may lead to the formation of narrow and wide zones around the fuel rods. The asymmetry in the cross-sectional flow area around the fuel rod can be modelled as eccentricity which may cause an irregular coolant flow distribution affecting the heat transfer rate. In the present study, the eccentricity (e) is defined as the ratio of offset (s) to the difference in radii of inner and outer cylinders (Ro−Ri). The current study introduces a framework that involves calibrating the departure size of vapour bubble (D) in the EMF model framework which enables the accurate prediction of subcooled flow boiling characteristics and CHF power in an annulus (0.0≤e≤0.50) at low operating pressure conditions. The developed framework is validated with experimental data and a very good match is noticed. It is observed that eccentricity causes a decrease in coolant peak velocity magnitude by 12.8% in the narrow zone for e=0.50. In the subcooled region, the accumulation of vapour bubbles impedes further heat transfer to the liquid coolant, and thus the peak heated wall temperature (≈380.88K) is observed in the narrow zone for e=0.50. Eccentricity causes early coolant phase change which in turn results in early occurrence of CHF (q=522KWm−2) in the narrow zone of e=0.50. A quadratic relationship is also established to predict the CHF power in terms of eccentricity (e) within 5% variation.

Comparative evaluation of biological control programs and chemical pesticides for managing insect and mite pests in cucumber greenhouses: a sustainable approach for enhanced pest control and yield

BackgroundCucumber plants are susceptible to several economically damaging pests, including whiteflies, aphids, thrips and spider mites. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two biological control programs, utilizing different releases of bio-agents, in comparison with chemical control method. The bio-agents used were the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus albipodus Hayat and Fatima (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in two release rates; low and high. Additionally, a chemical pesticides treatment was included for comparison in managing the pests in cucumber greenhouses during the winter seasons of 2022 and 2023, in Egypt. Abundances of whitefly, aphids, thrips and spider mites were recorded weekly throughout the study.ResultsThe aphid population in the greenhouse with high release rate (BIO 2) showed the highest reduction, with percentages of 84.55 and 89.88% in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Both greenhouse with low release rate (BIO 1) and BIO 2 exhibited significant reductions in the whitefly population, with proportions of 71.31 and 72.01% in 2022, and 82.05 and 85.94% in 2023, respectively. The thrips population also experienced notable reductions in both BIO 1 and BIO 2 greenhouses, with percentages of 72.08 and 75.71% in 2022, and 59.93 and 61.38% in 2023, respectively. However, the pesticide treatment demonstrated the lowest reduction in populations of aphids, whitefly and thrips in both seasons. Nevertheless, in all treatments in the two evaluated seasons, the high release rate of the predatory mite, P. persimilis (15 individuals/m2), proved to be highly effective in maintaining the mite populations below the economic threshold level. However, the population density of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. (Acari: Tetranychidae), increased in the pesticide-treated greenhouse, indicating the development of resistance to pesticides. Although the tested programs resulted in similar yields, the biological control approach offered the advantage of pesticide-free produce and reduced production costs.ConclusionFor pest management in cucumber growing in greenhouses during winter, it is recommended to use biological control agents at a low release rate at the early occurrence of pests. This approach can help minimize pest populations effectively.

Time Series AI Model for Acute Kidney Injury Detection Based on a Multicenter Distributed Research Network: Development and Verification Study.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a marker of clinical deterioration and renal toxicity. While there are many studies offering prediction models for the early detection of AKI, those predicting AKI occurrence using distributed research network (DRN)-based time series data are rare. In this study, we aimed to detect the early occurrence of AKI by applying an interpretable long short-term memory (LSTM)-based model to hospital electronic health record (EHR)-based time series data in patients who took nephrotoxic drugs using a DRN. We conducted a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of data from 6 hospitals using a DRN. For each institution, a patient-based data set was constructed using 5 drugs for AKI, and an interpretable multivariable LSTM (IMV-LSTM) model was used for training. This study used propensity score matching to mitigate differences in demographics and clinical characteristics. Additionally, the temporal attention values of the AKI prediction model's contribution variables were demonstrated for each institution and drug, with differences in highly important feature distributions between the case and control data confirmed using 1-way ANOVA. This study analyzed 8643 and 31,012 patients with and without AKI, respectively, across 6 hospitals. When analyzing the distribution of AKI onset, vancomycin showed an earlier onset (median 12, IQR 5-25 days), and acyclovir was the slowest compared to the other drugs (median 23, IQR 10-41 days). Our temporal deep learning model for AKI prediction performed well for most drugs. Acyclovir had the highest average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve score per drug (0.94), followed by acetaminophen (0.93), vancomycin (0.92), naproxen (0.90), and celecoxib (0.89). Based on the temporal attention values of the variables in the AKI prediction model, verified lymphocytes and calcvancomycin ium had the highest attention, whereas lymphocytes, albumin, and hemoglobin tended to decrease over time, and urine pH and prothrombin time tended to increase. Early surveillance of AKI outbreaks can be achieved by applying an IMV-LSTM based on time series data through an EHR-based DRN. This approach can help identify risk factors and enable early detection of adverse drug reactions when prescribing drugs that cause renal toxicity before AKI occurs.

Functional roles of folic acid in alleviating dexamethasone‐induced fatty liver syndrome in laying hens

AbstractFatty liver syndrome (FLS) poses a threat to the poultry industry due to its high occurrence and mortality rate. Folic acid (FA) is a coenzyme crucial for one‐carbon metabolism. However, the mechanism by which FA mitigates FLS in laying hens remains elusive. In this study, 60 21‐week‐old Hy‐Line Brown layers were divided into three groups: the Control (Con) group, the dexamethasone (DXM) group, and the DXM + FA group. Results showed that liver index was significantly increased in the DXM group. H&E and oil red O staining showed the accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver was intensified, confirming the successful establishment of an early fatty liver model without inflammation. FA significantly reversed hepatic lipid deposition, and 57 differentially expressed genes affected by FA were identified in the transcriptome analysis. Their transcriptional and translational levels indicate that in the early FLS, insulin‐like growth factor 2/phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase/protein kinase B pathway related to lipid metabolism was activated; folate cycling was inhibited, while endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis‐related protein abundance were elevated. Dietary FA enhanced the folate circulation, reduced lipogenesis and ER stress, and apoptosis‐related protein expression, thereby mitigating the lipid metabolism disturbance in FLS. Metabolomics identified 151 differential metabolites involved in early FLS occurrence, 34 of which were reversed by FA. Metabolites were also enriched in pathways related to lipid metabolism and hepatic damage. Collectively, these findings can be concluded that FA can alleviate early FLS by affecting lipogenesis, ER stress and apoptosis, which may be mediated by enhanced folate metabolism.

Narcolepsy and rapid eye movement sleep.

Since the first description of narcolepsy at the end of the 19th Century, great progress has been made. The disease is nowadays distinguished as narcolepsy type 1 and type 2. In the 1960s, the discovery of rapid eye movement sleep at sleep onset led to improved understanding of core sleep-related disease symptoms of the disease (excessive daytime sleepiness with early occurrence of rapid eye movement sleep, sleep-related hallucinations, sleep paralysis, rapid eye movement parasomnia), as possible dysregulation of rapid eye movement sleep, and cataplexy resembling an intrusion of rapid eye movement atonia during wake. The relevance of non-sleep-related symptoms, such as obesity, precocious puberty, psychiatric and cardiovascular morbidities, has subsequently been recognized. The diagnostic tools have been improved, but sleep-onset rapid eye movement periods on polysomnography and Multiple Sleep Latency Test remain key criteria. The pathogenic mechanisms of narcolepsy type 1 have been partly elucidated after the discovery of strong HLA class II association and orexin/hypocretin deficiency, a neurotransmitter that is involved in altered rapid eye movement sleep regulation. Conversely, the causes of narcolepsy type 2, where cataplexy and orexin deficiency are absent, remain unknown. Symptomatic medications to treat patients with narcolepsy have been developed, and management has been codified with guidelines, until the recent promising orexin-receptor agonists. The present review retraces the steps of the research on narcolepsy that linked the features of the disease with rapid eye movement sleep abnormality, and those that do not appear associated with rapid eye movement sleep.