High Variability Research Articles

Shaken, not stirred: magnetic bead DNA extraction as a rapid and effective method for the scaling up of bovine tuberculosis diagnosis

BackgroundThe growing use of real-time PCR (qPCR) as a diagnostic method for bovine TB (bTB) requires rapid and effective DNA extraction methods, which are crucial for its success. Automated DNA extraction methods based on magnetic beads are a promising alternative to conventional silica column-based protocols (COL protocol) due to their high throughput capacity and reduced hands-on time. This study aimed to assess the performance of the MagMax CORE Nucleic Acid Purification kit and the KingFisher Flex instrument (KF protocol) as an alternative for scaling up the use of qPCR in bTB diagnosis.MethodologyPerformance was evaluated with two different real-time PCR (qPCR) protocols, based on the IS6110 element and the QuantiFast and VetMAX™ (QF and VM protocols) kits, on 145 frozen tissue homogenates confirmed as either bTB-positive or negative through a composite reference standard based on microbiological culture, column-based extraction, and qPCR, as well as on negative tissue samples spiked with 106 to 103 CFU/ml of M. bovis BCG.ResultsThe performance of both qPCR protocols was very high on samples extracted using the KF protocol, with positive percent agreement (PPA) values of 89.04% [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 79.54–95.15%] and 93.15% [95% CI: 84.74–97.74%] for the QF and VM protocols, respectively, and negative percent agreement (NPA) values of 100% [95% CI: 95.01–100.00%]. A higher variability was identified in samples analysed with the same qPCR protocol but different extraction methods. Higher Ct values were identified for samples extracted using the KF protocol in both routine and spiked samples, likely due to using the same amount of starting material for both extraction methods, which was lower than recommended by the manufacturer for the KF protocol.DiscussionThe results of this study indicate that the MagMAX CORE Nucleic Acid Purification kit coupled with a KingFisher Flex instrument is a valuable alternative for the extraction of MTBC DNA from bovine tissues. However, the increased variability and Ct values suggest that a larger amount of starting material is recommended for this methodology, warranting further studies.

Geo-spatial analysis of high-risk fertility behaviors and child stunting in Ethiopia

BackgroundThe process of childbirth involves significant risks, particularly when certain high-risk fertility behaviors (HRFBs) are observed. HRFB of birth includes maternal age below 18 years or above 34 years at the time of childbirth, having a child born after a short birth interval (24 months), and having a high parity (more than three children). The majority of child stunting cases were linked to high-risk reproductive practices. Stunted children are those whose height-for-age Z-score is less than –2SD (standard deviation) from the median of a reference population. This study aimed to investigate the spatial association between HRFB of birth and stunting in under-five children across Ethiopia’s administrative zones.MethodThis study used cross-sectional data from the latest Mini Ethiopian Demographic and Health 2019 Survey, which included a weighted sample of 4,969 under-five children from 64 administrative zones. Spatial model analysis, specifically the spatial Durbin model, was used to examine the association between HRFB of birth and stunting in children. ArcGIS 10.8 was used for mapping and SAS 9.4 was used for model analysis.ResultsThe average mean proportion of HRFB of birth to the rate of stunting in children at the zonal level in Ethiopia was observed to be 58 and 36%, respectively, across Ethiopian zones. Children whose mothers displayed HRFB of birth and who were stunted were 24% at all times. The median value of HRFB of birth and stunting were 0.61 and 0.36, respectively. The average vegetable index and the livestock index across Ethiopian zones showed spatial variations of 0.57 and 0.12, respectively. In the selected spatial Durbin model, the deviance value was very small, indicating that the model fit the data well.ConclusionThe study found a high prevalence and significant spatial variation in both HRFB of birth and stunting across the Ethiopian zones. The spatial distribution of both HRFB of birth and stunting were found to be significantly clustered in the administrative zones of Ethiopia. These results emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address HRFB and stunting, supporting Ethiopia in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals.

Studies on western Pacific gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia). Part 3: towards a revision of the bamboo corals (Keratoisididae) with descriptions of three new genera and four new species

Members of clade J3 in Keratoisididae form a large monophyletic branch but show a diversity of morphological features. Based on an integrated taxonomy approach, six specimens of deep-sea bamboo corals (Octocorallia: Keratoisididae) collected from the seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are described as three new genera and four new species of clade J3. Aethisis turriformis gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by branches originating in different planes forming a tree-shaped colony, a bare sclerite-free area present at the base of each tentacle, and in polyps and coenenchyme flat rods and thick scales often with toothed lateral edges and two rounded ends. Parajasonisis flabellata gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by alternately and biserially arranged polyps, flat rods/needles in the upper polyp body wall, and flat rods and elongate and thick scales in the basal polyp body wall and coenenchyme. Dentatisis gen. nov. is characterized by flat rods in tentacles with dentate lateral edges and two rounded and slightly expanded ends, irregular rods with conical projections in the pharynx, granulated needles and flat rods both present in polyp body wall. Dentatisis bathyalis sp. nov. has dense scales with a medial constriction in basal polyp body wall and coenenchyme, and needles forming longitudinal bands at the mesenterial insertions, extending to the upper polyp body wall. Dentatisis projecta sp. nov. is characterized by trumpet-shaped polyps with large needles projecting beyond the tentacles bases, abundant granulated rods/needles, and scales absent in polyp body wall and coenenchyme. The species in clade J3, especially the genus Dentatisis gen. nov., show high morphological differentiation. Phylogenetic analyses of mtMutS and 28S rDNA both supported the assignment of the new genera and species. Compared with mtMutS, 28S rDNA showed high genetic variation with the three new genera each forming single clades respectively with moderate to high support in 28S rDNA trees. The nuclear marker 28S rDNA may be more effective than the mitochondrial marker mtMutS, and could be a promising marker to distinguishing keratoisidid congeners.

Using stable-isotope analysis to assess recent diet and habitat use of stranded green turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Context Gaining a better understanding of the foraging ecology of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in different regions can improve the effectiveness of conservation and management strategies for this species. New South Wales (NSW), in eastern Australia, has been identified as a region requiring improved information on foraging ecology and habitat use by green turtles. Aims The aim of this study was to use stable-isotope analyses to investigate diet composition and foraging ecology of green turtles found stranded along the NSW coastline from 2018 to 2021. Methods This study measured δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S in macrophyte (mangrove, seagrass, and algae) samples collected along the NSW coastline, between March and June 2021, and epidermis tissue from green turtles that stranded in the same region between 2018 and 2021. In addition, stable-isotope values for animals known, or expected, to be consumed by green turtles were sourced from the literature. Macrophyte stable-isotope values were mapped to display spatial variations, then combined with literature-sourced animal matter and measured epidermis isotope values into stable-isotope mixing models. Mixing models were used to determine diet structure for each stranded green turtle, and their similarity to regional macrophyte isotope values to infer potential foraging locations. Key results High variation was present in δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S values of macrophyte sources along the NSW coastline, limiting the potential to infer the recent foraging locations of stranded green turtles. High δ15N values in green turtle epidermis samples indicated that most sampled turtles were feeding two to three trophic levels above primary producers within algal-based food webs. Mixing models suggested that these food webs were predominantly supported by algae (mean ± s. d. = 51.2 ± 6.1%) and animal material (31.4 ± 4.7%), with mangrove (13.4 ± 2.0%) and seagrass (4.0 ± 2.5%) representing much smaller proportions of overall diet composition. Conclusions The results showed that green turtles stranded along the NSW coastline feed primarily in algae-dominated food webs, with evidence of omnivory. These findings suggest that sampled individuals display diet compositions alternative to those of their Queensland counterparts, who feed primarily in seagrass-dominated habitats. Management and conservation programs in NSW should focus on limiting anthropogenic disturbances in algae-dominated habitats. Implications This novel finding demonstrated the importance of algae-dominated habitats for green turtle conservation and management in south-eastern Australia. The generated isoscapes are useful in examining isotopic variations in macrophytes along the NSW coastline.

Laryngeal dystonia and vocal tremor response to botulinum toxin injection.

The main objective of this study was to compare laryngeal dystonia (LD) and vocal tremor's (VT) response to botulinum toxin injection. Retrospective study including every patient with LD or VT injected with botulinum toxin guided by electromyography, from January 1, 2010, to September 30, 2022, at a tertiary hospital centre. Improvement was assessed with the VHI-10, grade of dysphonia in a visual analogue scale (VAS; 0-10), GRBAS(I) scale (0-3) and maximum phonation time (MPT). A total of 77 patients were included, 44 patients with LD and 33 with VT. There were no differences between groups on pre-treatment VHI-10, grade of dysphonia in the VAS, MPT and G, R, B, A and I at diagnosis (p > 0.05). S was significantly higher in patients with LD (p < 0.001). After the first injection, both groups showed an increase in the grade of dysphonia on the VAS and a decrease in VHI-10, G, S and I (p < 0.05), with a higher variation in the VAS and S parameters in the LD group compared to VT (p < 0.05). In the 54 patients that performed two or more injections, G, S and I had a higher decrease in patients with LD when compared to patients with VT (p < 0.05). BTX injection was successful in improving the VHI-10, grade of dysphonia on the VAS and G, S and I in the GRBAS-I scale for both DT and VT. LD seems to have a better response to BTX in comparison to VT.

Comparative Pacing Profile and Chronometric Performance in Elite Swimmers with Intellectual Impairments and Able-Bodied Athletes

Pacing strategy is a complex self-regulation process, crucial for optimising sports performance. Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (IIs) face unique challenges due to cognitive limitations that may hinder their ability to pace effectively, impacting chronometric performance. This study analysed the pacing profiles and chronometric performance across 253 event entries by elite swimmers with II, divided into three groups: 100 entries for group II1 (intellectual disability), 85 for group II2 (Down syndrome), and 68 for group II3 (autism spectrum disorder). These results were compared with 112 event entries from athletes without disabilities (AWDs). Data were collected from the 2023 Virtus Global Games and the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, focusing on middle-distance and long-distance events. Performance metrics were assessed using 50 m split times, and within-group variability was evaluated through coefficients of variation. Swimmers with IIs showed slower overall chronometric performance than AWDs, with the largest deficits observed in II2 athletes. The II1 and II3 groups displayed more comparable results, with the II1 group outperforming the others slightly. Despite the slower times, pacing profiles were largely similar across all groups, following a parabolic pacing strategy, especially for longer distances. Greater within-group variability in both chronometric performance and pacing profiles was observed in II2 and II3 athletes, reflecting higher functional heterogeneity. In contrast, II1 athletes, and even more so AWDs, exhibited more consistent performance and pacing across all events. While swimmers with II recorded slower times, their pacing strategies resembled those of AWDs, suggesting that cognitive limitations may not significantly impair pacing regulation in swimming. However, the higher variability in II2 and II3 athletes highlights the potential need for revised classification systems to ensure fair competition.

Integrative physiology-coupled pilot-centered flight simulation

Maintaining the pilot’s physiological performance envelope within the limits of human capabilities may be crucial for avoiding hazardous physiological episodes in fighter aircraft that compromise safety. The main physiological episode of interest is impaired pilot respiration, better known as hypoxia, caused by a high fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) at high altitudes and variation in accelerative gravitational forces (g-forces). This research focuses on coupling FlightGear and Pulse Physiology Engine (Pulse) simulations to recreate and understand hypoxic events related to a combination of high g-forces and high-FiO2. By coupling interactive simulations based on FlightGear and Pulse, hypoxia was recreated from two scenarios: simulated accelerative atelectasis, achieved by using high g-forces output from FlightGear with a modified Pulse tension pneumothorax scenario, and the combination of high g-forces and high-FiO2, based on a prototype OBOGS simulation. Each scenario resulted in hypoxic events after executing three consecutive simulations, validated by the ratio mismatch of pulmonary ventilation ([Formula: see text]) and perfusion ([Formula: see text]) rates, [Formula: see text], due to a reduction in ventilation. Eventually, a detailed atelectasis simulation founded on multi-physics finite elements (FE) is planned in future work, where real-time efficiency is feasible through a deep neural network implementation trained on FE experiments. Using neural networks based on biometrics and pre-existing health conditions, if any, will result in the development of a predictive analytics model to determine whether pilots are susceptible to hypoxia prior to flight.

An explainable AI framework for spatiotemporal risk factor analysis in public health: a case study of cardiovascular mortality in South Korea

ABSTRACT Understanding environmental disease risk factor analysis at the district level is essential for gaining valuable insights into regional disease variations, offering a broader perspective compared to individual-level studies. Recently, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) has received increasing attention in the analysis of factors affecting public health. However, previous purely data-driven XAI-based risk factor analyses faced challenges in capturing regional effect of environmental variables, leading to confusion regarding key spatiotemporal risk factors. Therefore, this study proposes a framework that includes two complementary XAI-based risk factor analyses following two assumptions. Regionally rescaled environmental variables must account for the unequal effects on environmental factors, which are likely influenced by variations in adaptation capacity to weather conditions and differences in exposure-response relationships to air pollutants. District-level disease distribution highlights geographic disparity in sociodemographic vulnerability, whereas temporal variation in diseases by district underscores temporal environmental impacts. Based on these two hypotheses, we rescaled environmental variables using two complementary schemes: one that employs the district-level disease distribution as the target variable, and another that utilizes the temporal residual of the disease within each district. We evaluated this framework by analyzing the association between cardiovascular age-standardized mortality rate (CVD-ASMR) and various risk factors in South Korea from 2010 to 2019, using high-performing random forest and light gradient boosting models with additive Shapley explanation. Compared to previous purely data-driven XAI-based analyses, the proposed schemes achieved significantly better results in capturing regional exposure-response relationships. In two complementary schemes, the most explainable factor to districts with high CVD-ASMR was low education level related to sociodemographic vulnerability, whereas the most explainable factors to high temporal CVD-ASMR patterns were low greenness and high air pollution levels. In addition, the two complementary schemes enabled us to reasonably analyze the interaction effect of the two risk factors, i.e. temperature and air pollutants. Furthermore, high CVD-ASMR and its high temporal variation were observed in situations of high sociodemographic vulnerability with poor air quality. These findings provide insightful public health planning for sustainable cities and society by pinpointing high-risk areas and tailoring strategies to address regional environmental challenges.

Persistent organic pollutant accumulation in Pacific abyssal plain sediments and biota: Implications for sources, transport, and deep-sea mining

Despite its vast size and ecological and economic importance, the deep sea is among the least understood ecosystems on Earth. While much remains to be discovered, researchers have established that the deep sea is being exposed to numerous anthropogenic factors including chemical pollution. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), defined by their persistence in the environment, bioaccumulation, and toxicity, are continually discharged and transported into the deep sea despite efforts to ban or reduce their production under global and regional conventions. Here, we provide the first evidence of these POPs in sediment and biota in the Pacific abyssal plain, an area currently targeted for deep-sea mining. Sediment and fish tissue (Coryphaenoides sp., a deep-ocean predator and scavenger fish) collected from two sites in the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific abyssal plain were tested for three POPs: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Similarities between the sites in PCB congener concentrations suggested that PCBs were distributed evenly over the region. Conversely, higher variability in PBDE congener concentrations and PFAS concentrations from the same sites suggested that these chemicals had more patchy distributions across the region. Sediment PFAS were especially variable, detected at a high concentration (1.5 ng/g wet weight) in only one of five samples but measured in all fish muscle samples at levels comparable to some freshwater ecosystems. Results suggest that raining particulates (e.g., particulate organic matter and microplastics) dominate vertical transport of PCBs, resulting in more uniform distribution, while episodic events such as carrion-fall and vertically migrating species may drive PFAS transport processes resulting in patchy spatial distributions and differences in scavenging biota versus sediment. Unintentional PCBs (e.g., pigment components) comprised a large proportion of total PCBs in sediment and muscle tissue, suggesting that unregulated PCB releases are accumulating in the deep Pacific Ocean.

Report of forensically relevant insects collected from pig and rabbit remains during two forensic entomology workshops in Eastern Massachusetts.

Forensic entomology relies on known geographic ranges and seasonal presence of forensically relevant insects. In the Northeastern United States, there is no information on species in the region in early spring. Two forensic entomology workshops took place in April of 2023 and 2024 in Milton, Massachusetts. During this workshop, practitioners were trained in the appropriate collection and storage techniques prior to a practical experience including the collection of insects from pig and rabbit remains. All insects collected were identified down to family or species level. Across both years, Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was the fly consistently colonizing remains and was the oldest immature larvae in all instances. Calliphora vicina (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), and Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera: Muscidae) were additional flies co-colonizing remains with P. regina. Other species were found as adults surrounding the remains that included other necrophagous fly species, beetles, and ants. Variation in insects collected between years likely due to high temperature variation. This documentation of species provides context to forensically related flies expected in Eastern Massachusetts and provides research directives in the region.

A new perspective on macrophage-targeted drug research: the potential of KDELR2 in bladder cancer immunotherapy.

Bladder cancer was recognized as one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system, and treatment options remained largely limited to conventional surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, which limited patient benefits. Researchers constructed an RNA transcriptome map of bladder cancer by integrating single-cell RNA sequencing and clinical data, identifying potential molecular targets for diagnosis and treatment. We also verified the antitumor activity of the target through in vitro experiment. A distinct tumor cell subpopulation characterized by elevated S100A8 expression exhibited high copy number variation, high stemness, and low differentiation. It interacted with myeloid cells via the MIF-(CD74+CD44) and MIF-(CD74+CXCR4) signaling pathways. This study underscored KDELR2's role in promoting cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, providing new therapeutic insights. Prognostic analysis revealed that KDELR2 correlated with poor survival, higher immune scores, and increased macrophage infiltration. The findings suggested that patients with high KDELR2 expression might benefit from immune checkpoint therapy. KDELR2 was also shown to enhance bladder cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, highlighting it as a promising target for macrophage-focused drug development.

An Unbiased Feature Estimation Network for Few-Shot Fine-Grained Image Classification.

Few-shot fine-grained image classification (FSFGIC) aims to classify subspecies with similar appearances under conditions of very limited data. In this paper, we observe an interesting phenomenon: different types of image data augmentation techniques have varying effects on the performance of FSFGIC methods. This indicates that there may be biases in the features extracted from the input images. The bias of the acquired feature may cause deviation in the calculation of similarity, which is particularly detrimental to FSFGIC tasks characterized by low inter-class variation and high intra-class variation, thus affecting the classification accuracy. To address the problems mentioned, we propose an unbiased feature estimation network. The designed network has the capability to significantly optimize the quality of the obtained feature representations and effectively reduce the feature bias from input images. Furthermore, our proposed architecture can be easily integrated into any contextual training mechanism. Extensive experiments on the FSFGIC tasks demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, showing a notable improvement in classification accuracy.

Effect of habitat variation on physiological response, chemical compositions and antioxidants, of Ephedra alata (stapf) Andr

Ephedra alata is a widespread shrub found in various countries that originates from Southwestern North America, Southern Europe, and North Africa. This medicinal plant is part of the Ephedra genus, family Ephedraceae. The plant was collected from Wadi Arar, Northern Regions, and Wadi Hagul, Cairo/Suez Road, to investigate how the plant's chemical composition and antioxidant capacities are affected by habitat variation. The findings revealed notable variations in the total phenolic, total flavonoid, antioxidant activity, and soil analysis aspects between the two regions under investigation. The reducing ability of ferric ion of the plant extracts is present as 858.0 ± 38.95 μMTE/mg extract of plant growing in Arar region, while the reducing ability of E. alata growing in Egypt has Ec50 (650.0 ± 29.85) by FRAB methods. The plants extract of E. alata quench both ABTS and DPPH free radical. The sample showed higher ABTS scavenging activity (228± 195 μMTE / mg for the plant growing in Arar region while the plant ephedra growing in Wadi Hagul showed lower scavenging activity 185± 285 Umte/MG) in addition the two-plant showed high antioxidant activity when evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging test with IC50 (458.0 ± 38.95 ug/mL and 425± 28.9/mL). Total phenolic was determined by Folin-Ciocalteau method, However, the aluminum chloride consider was additionally employed to estimate the total flavonoid., the results showed high phenolic content (62.177 mg GAE), and high flavonoid content (39.6148± 3.816mg/g extract) for plant growing in Arar region than plant growing in Wadi Hagul, which have (45.60 mg GAE and 29.615 mg rutin/ mg Extract). Finally, the study reflects high variation between two habitats, this corresponding to two variations in climate change and different environmental conditions.

Tree populations show low regeneration of valued species in West Africa

Tree populations have declined substantially in West Africa in recent decades, raising concerns since trees provide numerous ecosystem goods and services. Regional information on the population status of tree species could guide more effective conservation and regeneration of natural vegetation. Here, we report results of the first regional analysis of tree population structure across the Sahel and Sudan zones, a meta-study of vegetation inventories, including 23,586 individual trees sampled across nine countries. We evaluated current status and forecast future trends of 16 species and one genus of trees of ecological and socio-economic importance. Size class distribution (SCD) reflects the population structure of an individual species and can provide early warning of composition change and population decline. SCD is analysed widely at a local scale, but analysis at a regional scale is needed to detect widespread population changes. Many native species lacked trees in the smaller size classes, implying unsustainable populations and future decline. Some species show sound regeneration at the regional scale, but high variation among sites. Eight species, including Adansonia digitata and Afzelia africana, show regional declines in regeneration and risks of future extirpations. Four of these severely lack regeneration. Protected areas show higher tree regeneration, but protected status did not assure good regeneration. Our results identify priority tree species across West Africa, indicate a more urgent need for conservation and regeneration of native tree species, and highlight the benefit of effective conservation. More widespread protection could increase tree populations, conserving biodiversity, and ecosystem services essential for people's livelihoods.

Evaluation of genetic diversity in some hybrid individuals of honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea L.) based on fruit characteristics, leaf morphology, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, and biochemical and nutritional contents

BackgroundGenetic diversity is a prerequisite for breeding programs, and one of the main goals here is to obtain quality products. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the genetic diversity in some hybrid individuals of honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea L.) based on fruit characteristics, leaf morphology, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, biochemical, and nutritional content. In this context, superior quality individuals have been identified based on the 42 variables examined in our study. These hybrid individuals can be economically incorporated into production after the registration stages, and their sustainability for use in breeding programs can also be ensured.ResultsThe fruit weight ranged from 0.71 (‘H11’) to 1.66 g (‘H6’). The ascorbic acid varied between 17.13 (‘H7’) and 20.64 mg AAE/100 g (‘H15’). The antioxidant activity changed between 12.59 (‘Store’) and 15.03 µmol Trolox g–1 (‘Aurea’). The total anthocyanins were found to be highest in ‘Borrel Beast’ (163.79 mg cyn-3-gluc 100 g–1), followed by ‘H8’ (163.20 mg cyn-3-gluc 100 g–1). The highest nutrient levels in the fruits were found in the ‘H10’ individual, with calcium (2445.77 mg kg–1), potassium (2274.36 mg kg–1), phosphorus (2123.27 mg kg–1), magnesium (1263.95 mg kg–1), and sulfur (859.62 mg kg–1), respectively. The highest nutrient levels in the leaves were found in the ‘H14’ individual for calcium (19,493.21 mg kg–1), ‘H5’ for magnesium (5643.52 mg kg–1), ‘H8’ for sulfur (2312.11 mg kg–1), ‘H6’ for phosphorus (2007.51 mg kg–1), and ‘H6’ for potassium (1099.32 mg kg–1). In general, the nutrients in the fruit exhibited significant correlations among themselves at different levels (*, **, ***). Within the scope of principal component analysis, the first 8 principal components explained 80.69% of the total variance. According to the cluster and population analyses, it was determined that there was a high variation in subgroup B2. Additionally, although honeyberry is a relatively new fruit in Türkiye, efforts have begun to develop new cultivars through hybrid breeding.ConclusionsWhen 42 variables were evaluated together to determine genetic diversity, hybrid individuals ‘H14’, ‘H5’, ‘H8’, and ‘H1’ were identified as superior individuals, respectively.

Identifying opportunities to reduce imaging overuse in hospitalized children.

Radiologic imaging is routinely performed to aid in diagnosis for hospitalized children. Identifying and reducing variability in imaging practices can improve care while reducing harms and costs. To identify common inpatient pediatric conditions with high prevalence of imaging and variation in imaging practices and imaging-related costs across hospitals. We conducted a cross-sectional study of children 0-18 years old admitted to 50 children's hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information Systems database between 2017 and 2019. We excluded patients with complex chronic conditions, pregnancy, newborn, or neonatal intensive care charges, and those who died or who were discharged to hospice or rehabilitation facilities. Conditions with at least 2500 discharges and in which ≥30% of patients received imaging were included. Outcomes included imaging frequency, standardized imaging-related costs (including all modalities across all encounters), and hospital-level variation in imaging costs using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Of the 56 included conditions, imaging was most frequently conducted in patients with pectus excavatum (97.8%), scoliosis (96.2%), and intestinal obstruction (96%). Fracture ($21.4 million), trauma ($15.7 million), and appendicitis ($8.6 million) had the highest total imaging-related costs. Conditions with the highest geometric mean standardized imaging costs were nervous system disorders ($507), osteomyelitis ($494), vesicoureteral reflux/hydronephrosis ($468). Scoliosis (ICC = 0.49) and preseptal cellulitis (ICC = 0.48) had the highest variation in imaging-related costs. To reduce imaging overuse in hospitalized children, conditions with frequent imaging, high imaging-related costs, and high hospital-level variation in imaging practices should serve as priorities for future evidence generation, guideline development, and/or improvement initiatives.

Exploring the Predictors of AI Chatbot Usage Intensity Among Students: Within- and Between-Person Relationships Using the Technology Acceptance Model

The current research investigated the factors associated with the intensity of AI chatbot usage among university students, applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and its extended version, TAM3. A daily diary study over five days was conducted among univserity students, distinguishing between inter-individual (between-person) and intra-individual (within-person) variations. Multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data. In Study 1 (N = 72), results indicated that AI chatbot anxiety was associated with perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU), which serially mediated the link with AI chatbot usage intensity. Study 2 (N = 153), supported these findings and further explored the roles of facilitating conditions and subjective norm as additional predictors of PEOU and PU. Results from both studies demonstrated that, at the between-person level, students with higher average levels of PEOU and PU reported more intensive AI chatbot usage. In Study 1, the relationship between PEOU and usage intensity was mediated through PU at the within-person level, while the mediation model was not supported in Study 2. Post-hoc comparisons highlighted much higher variability in PEOU and PU in Study 1 compared to Study 2. The results have practical implications for enhancing AI chatbot adoption in educational settings. Emphasizing user-friendly interfaces, reducing AI-related anxiety, providing robust technical support, and leveraging peer influence may enhance the usage intensity of AI chatbots. This study underscores the necessity of considering both stable individual differences and dynamic daily influences to better understand AI chatbot usage patterns among students.

Spatio‐Temporal Variability of Hyporheic Exchange Processes Across a Stream Network

ABSTRACTHyporheic exchange processes (HEP) play a critical role in controlling riverine biogeochemical turnover and ecological functioning. Despite the expected scaling of HEP across stream networks, only limited knowledge exists about how HEP changes over the hydrological year and across the stream network. This study investigates spatial and temporal changes in HEP in a second‐ to fourth‐order stream network in southern Germany. We employed radon, an environmental tracer commonly used for quantifying HEP, to study the relationships between HEP and discharge. Numerical mass‐balance modelling was applied to quantify HEP, and we specifically focused on the hyporheic area (As) and the stream's cross‐sectional area (A). Our findings showed a decrease in As/A with increasing stream order, indicating changes of HEP across the stream network. The absence of a correlation of As with discharge implies that the scaling of HEP may be influenced by a combination of discharge and local heterogeneities in stream geomorphology. Temporal variability in HEP was observed over the hydrological year, with the highest variability in headwater streams. Lower As values were noted in headwaters during summer compared to the other seasons and coincided with an increased groundwater contribution to the streamflow and decreased stream discharge. Although neither stream or groundwater discharge were identified as driving factors for reduced HEP in the headwaters during summer, our findings suggest that hydrological processes that lead to decreased streamflow in headwaters may have influenced HEP further downstream in the stream network. This is evidenced by the larger As/A ratios observed in higher‐order streams during summer compared to other seasons. These findings highlight the necessity for comprehensive investigations of HEP processes over the hydrological year and across the whole stream network.

National estimation of regulated water storage of reservoirs in China

The need for man-made reservoirs has increased with the growing population and changing climate. One of the most intensive human-induced alterations of the hydrological cycle is the regulated water storage in reservoirs, however, its quantification in large-scale reservoirs in China is inadequate. The lack of such information limits the rational management and utilization of water resources in reservoirs. To address this issue, we first mapped the dense time series of high-resolution (10 m) water inundation areas based on Sentinel-2 image scenes from 2017 to 2022 and then composed the annual surface water frequency (WF) maps of Chinese reservoirs. We calculated the water area of each reservoir at different WFs and estimated the corresponding water storage using our previously developed machine learning model. The water storage difference between the maximum water area (WF ≥ 5 %) and year-long (WF ≥ 75 %) water area was assumed as the regulated water storage of reservoirs. Results show that the multiyear-averaged water storage of all Chinese reservoirs at the maximum water area is estimated at 784.60 km3 from 2017 to 2022, and the water storage at the year-long water area is approximately 318.86 km3. The average annual regulated water storage of the reservoirs is estimated at 465.74 km3, accounting for 43.72 % of the total designed water storage of reservoirs in China. Among the basins, the Yangtze River Basin and Pearl River Basin have the highest average annual regulated water storage of 152.52 and 84.94 km3, respectively. The basins with larger irrigation areas and higher populations tend to have higher reservoir regulated water storage. The normalized water storage (NS) shows high spatial variations across reservoirs in different basins, with most basins in the south having higher NS than those in the north.

An Electro‐Driven Dynamic and Multicolored Radiative Thermal Regulation Material for All‐Year‐Round Building Energy Saving

AbstractRational dynamic thermal regulation of both solar and thermal regions is of significant importance for building energy saving. In this work, an electro‐driven dynamic radiative thermal regulation material (EDRTRM) capable of switching the thermal regulation capacity between the heating, white cooling, and multicolored cooling (blue, green, and yellow) modes is designed. These multi‐modes with high thermal regulation power and color variation are achieved through a synergistic material combination involving an electrochromism of Prussian blue (PB) and the electrodeposition of copper (Cu) with a polyformaldehyde (POM)‐based mid‐infrared (MIR) emitter. Optical characterization confirmed the superior spectral performance of materials, with a remarkable modulation capability of power density up to 659 W m−2, indicating an exceptional heating and cooling performance, which is evidenced by a temperature modulation difference of up to 11 °C. Notably, the EDRTRM under a multi‐colored cooling mode also achieves a temperature reduction of ≈ 4–6 °C. The EnergyPlus simulations demonstrate that the EDRTRM can save a huge amount of energy consumption of 16.56 MJ m−2 in cities with seasonal temperature variations such as Beijing. This dual‐functional design not only maximizes thermal regulation capabilities but also satisfies aesthetic requirements, showcasing its potential for widespread practical application.