Long-term Changes Research Articles

Does the outcome of graft materials at dental implant sites differ between patients with normal and compromised bone health?

To assess the outcome of bone graft material at alveolar bone augmentation sites combined with dental implants in postmenopausal women with compromised bone health by evaluating cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans at multiple time points. CBCT scans were analyzed on 55 postmenopausal women with compromised bone health status to determine the fate of alveolar bone augmentation. CBCT scans were taken immediately after surgery and 9 and 24 months post-operatively. The patient's medication regimens and durations were recorded, and the pixel intensity value (PIV) was measured and standardized using scoring criteria and visual assessment. Statistical analyses included two-sample t-tests for continuous variables and Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables. Among the normal patients, 73% received a grade 2 visual score, and 27% received a grade 1 visual score. After 24 months, 45% of patients received a grade 2 score, and 27% received a grade 3 score. In the osteoporotic group receiving medication, 77% of participants received a grade 1 visual score at the 9-month postoperative evaluation, while 23% received a grade 2 score. At the 24-month assessment, 55% of patients received a grade 1 score, 41% received a grade 2 score, and only 5% received a grade 3 score. Notably, although the graft material did not remodel into native bone, it was a scaffold for implants in controlled osteoporotic patients. The study's results show that the pixel intensity values of particulate graft materials are similar across the three different time points, suggesting that the graft material's pixel intensity value remains constant in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The study's limitations include a small sample size and a restricted 24-month follow-up period. This limited time frame may need to capture long-term changes or variations in graft materials adequately. Future research should include a larger sample size and have a longer follow-up duration to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the change in graft materials between patients with normal and compromised bone health.

Slovenian Higher Education in a Post-Pandemic World: Trends and Transformations

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of work and daily life, with higher education being greatly affected, especially in remote teaching, work, and digital collaboration. Most of these changes are retained in the post-COVID-19 era, e.g., remote work has enabled greater access to educational opportunities and contributed to a more inclusive and diverse workforce. To investigate to what extent these changes impact higher education in the post-pandemic era, we have conducted qualitative research on a sample of 12 professors from Slovenia working in higher education, selected based on their extensive research, professional experience, and significant contributions to the field. The Delphi method was used for this study since its iterative process refines ideas in each round based on feedback from the previous one. Participants were given a five-day window to express their views and share their expertise. The responses to the open-ended questions were examined using qualitative content analysis. Research indicates that pedagogical and organisational characteristics such as the ability to adapt to changes, the capacity for resilience, and the willingness to embrace digital transformation are crucial for preserving long-term changes induced by pandemics.

Phytoliths from modern plants in the Canary Islands as a reference for the reconstruction of long-term vegetation change and culture-environment interactions

AbstractThe Canary Islands were the first part of the Macaronesian archipelago to have been settled by humans. The various ways in which the indigenous inhabitants and later European colonisers interacted with the native and endemic flora is a central topic for archaeologists, geographers and ecologists. Floristic changes can be studied from phytoliths which are plant microfossils with a high potential for preservation in sediment deposits and they can help reconstruct past ways of life and vegetation changes through time. However, there is no comprehensive and systematic study and reference collection of phytoliths produced by the flora of the Canary Islands, so far. To make a start with a first phytolith reference collection of a selection of plants relevant for the study of past socio-ecological interactions there, we processed over a hundred modern plant specimens collected on the islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Palma to obtain the phytoliths from them, using the dry-ashing method. We then described the phytolith morphologies, and counted the numbers of morphotypes for each species. We have categorised taxa according to their phytolith concentration and production of morphotypes with diagnostic potential. Our results suggest that among the selected taxa, species within the Arecaceae, Boraginaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae and Urticaceae families are the main native producers of phytoliths in the archipelago. We also identified phytoliths with diagnostic potential in particular species within the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Cistaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Ranunculaceae and Rubiaceae. We discuss how phytolith assemblages can be interpreted in archaeological sites and sediment records. Our growing reference collection is a significant step towards the application of phytolith analysis to disentangle the long-term climatic and human-driven transformation of this biodiversity hotspot, as well as the cultural use of plant resources.

Long-term Changes in Personal Recovery and Quality of Life Among Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Different Durations of Illness: A Meta-analysis.

In schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) personal recovery and subjective quality of life (S-QOL) are crucial and show conceptual overlap. There is limited knowledge about how these outcomes change over time. Therefore, we investigated changes in personal recovery or S-QOL for patients with SSD. We specifically focused on the influence of the patients' durations of illness (DOI) on changes in personal recovery and S-QOL. We included 46 studies investigating longitudinal changes in quantitative assessments of personal recovery or S-QOL for patients with SSD. Outcomes were categorized in overall personal recovery, overall S-QOL connectedness, hope and optimism, identity, meaning in life, and empowerment. We evaluated effect sizes of change between baseline and follow-up assessments. We also evaluated potential moderating effects, including DOI on these changes in outcomes. We found small improvements of overall personal recovery and S-QOL, but marginal or no improvement over time in the other more specific outcome domains. Patients without a schizophrenia diagnosis, a younger age, and more recent publications positively influenced these changes. We found no significant influence of DOI on the changes in any outcome domain. Improvement in personal recovery or S-QOL of people with SSD is modest at best. However, these studies did not fully capture the personal narratives or nonlinear process of recovery of an individual. Future research should focus on how to shift from a clinical to more person-oriented approach in clinical practice to support patients in improving their personal process of recovery. CRD42022377100.

Supported exercise TrAining for Men wIth prostate caNcer on Androgen deprivation therapy (STAMINA): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the STAMINA lifestyle intervention compared with optimised usual care, including internal pilot and parallel process evaluation

BackgroundUK national clinical guidance recommends that men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy are offered twice weekly supervised aerobic and resistance exercise to address iatrogenic harm caused by treatment. Very few NHS trusts have established adequate provision of such services. Furthermore, interventions fail to demonstrate sustained behaviour change. The STAMINA lifestyle intervention offers a system-level change to clinical care delivery addressing barriers to long-term behaviour change and implementation of new prostate cancer care pathways. This trial aims to establish whether STAMINA is clinically and cost-effective in improving cancer-specific quality of life and/or reducing fatigue compared to optimised usual care. The process evaluation aims to inform the interpretation of results and, if the intervention is shown to benefit patients, to inform the implementation of the intervention into the NHS.MethodsMen with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (n = 697) will be identified from a minimum of 12 UK NHS trusts to participate in a multi-centre, two-arm, individually randomised controlled trial. Consenting men will have a ‘safety to exercise’ check and be randomly allocated (5:4) to the STAMINA lifestyle intervention (n = 384) or optimised usual care (n = 313). Outcomes will be collected at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-month post-randomisation. The two primary outcomes are cancer-specific quality of life and fatigue. The parallel process evaluation will follow a mixed-methods approach to explore recruitment and aspects of the intervention including, reach, fidelity, acceptability, and implementation. An economic evaluation will estimate the cost-effectiveness of the STAMINA lifestyle intervention versus optimised usual care and a discrete choice experiment will explore patient preferences.DiscussionThe STAMINA lifestyle intervention has the potential to improve quality of life and reduce fatigue in men on androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Embedding supervised exercise into prostate cancer care may also support long-term positive behaviour change and reduce adverse events caused by treatment. Findings will inform future clinical care and could provide a blueprint for the integration of supervised exercise and behavioural support into other cancer and/or clinical services.Trial registrationISRCTN 46385239, registered on 30/07/2020. Cancer Research UK 17002, retrospectively registered on 24/08/2022.

Zinc Ionophore Pyrithione Mimics CD28 Costimulatory Signal in CD3 Activated T Cells

Zinc is an essential trace element that plays a crucial role in T cell immunity. During T cell activation, zinc is not only structurally important, but zinc signals can also act as a second messenger. This research investigates zinc signals in T cell activation and their function in T helper cell 1 differentiation. For this purpose, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were activated via the T cell receptor-CD3 complex, and via CD28 as a costimulatory signal. Fast and long-term changes in intracellular zinc and calcium were monitored by flow cytometry. Further, interferon (IFN)-γ was analyzed to investigate the differentiation into T helper 1 cells. We show that fast zinc fluxes are induced via CD3. Also, the intracellular zinc concentration dramatically increases 72 h after anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 stimulation, which goes along with the high release of IFN-γ. Interestingly, we found that zinc signals can function as a costimulatory signal for T helper cell 1 differentiation when T cells are activated only via CD3. These results demonstrate the importance of zinc signaling alongside calcium signaling in T cell differentiation.

The base-rate and longer-term relevance of year-to-year change in personality traits

Personality traits are assumed to change slowly and incrementally. Recent intervention studies apparently challenge this assumption, showing that personality traits can also change quickly and substantially. However, how frequently do such quick changes manifest in the general population? This study sought to determine (1) a base rate of year-to-year changes in the general population and (2) the extent to which these shifts are related to longer-term change patterns. We examined year-to-year change in Big Five traits with nationally representative data from 7005 German participants, annually tracked for up to six years. Year-to-year patterns exhibited stability and change (e.g., ≥ 1 SD year-to-year change in ≈ 20%). Across participants, year-to-year trait score increases and decreases occurred in equal proportions, suggesting that in a given sample, year-to-year changes in different directions average out. Within participants, however, in all domains but agreeableness, year-to-year changes reliably propagated to longer-term trajectories. While much of the year-to-year change faded away in subsequent years, lasting shifts in individuals’ trait levels remained, particularly upon pronounced year-to-year decreases. Overall, (pronounced) year-to-year changes were relatively common, largely reversible, and yet predictive of individuals’ longer-term trajectories. We discuss how the results bridge set-point assumptions with assumptions of incremental trait change.

Plasticity of Response Properties of Mouse Visual Cortex Neurons Induced by Optogenetic Tetanization In Vivo

Heterosynaptic plasticity, along with Hebbian homosynaptic plasticity, is an important mechanism ensuring the stable operation of learning neuronal networks. However, whether heterosynaptic plasticity occurs in the whole brain in vivo, and what role(s) in brain function in vivo it could play, remains unclear. Here, we used an optogenetics approach to apply a model of intracellular tetanization, which was established and employed to study heterosynaptic plasticity in brain slices, to study the plasticity of response properties of neurons in the mouse visual cortex in vivo. We show that optogenetically evoked high-frequency bursts of action potentials (optogenetic tetanization) in the principal neurons of the visual cortex induce long-term changes in the responses to visual stimuli. Optogenetic tetanization had distinct effects on responses to different stimuli, as follows: responses to optimal and orthogonal orientations decreased, responses to null direction did not change, and responses to oblique orientations increased. As a result, direction selectivity of the neurons decreased and orientation tuning became broader. Since optogenetic tetanization was a postsynaptic protocol, applied in the absence of sensory stimulation, and, thus, without association of presynaptic activity with bursts of action potentials, the observed changes were mediated by mechanisms of heterosynaptic plasticity. We conclude that heterosynaptic plasticity can be induced in vivo and propose that it may play important homeostatic roles in operation of neural networks by helping to prevent runaway dynamics of responses to visual stimuli and to keep the tuning of neuronal responses within the range optimized for the encoding of multiple features in population activity.

Correction of stratospheric age of air (AoA) derived from sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) for the effect of chemical sinks

Abstract. Observational monitoring of the stratospheric transport circulation, the Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC), is crucial to estimate any decadal to long-term changes therein, a prerequisite to interpret trends in stratospheric composition and to constrain the consequential impacts on climate. The transport time along the BDC (i.e. the mean stratospheric age of air, AoA) can best be deduced from trace gas measurements of tracers which increase linearly with time and are chemically passive. The gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is often used to deduce AoA because it has been increasing monotonically since the ∼1950s, and previously its chemical sinks in the mesosphere have been assumed to be negligible for AoA estimates. However, recent studies have shown that the chemical sinks of SF6 are stronger than assumed and become increasingly relevant with rising SF6 concentrations. To adjust biases in AoA that result from the chemical SF6 sinks, we here propose a simple correction scheme for SF6-based AoA estimates accounting for the time-dependent effects of chemical sinks. The correction scheme is based on theoretical considerations with idealized assumptions, resulting in a relation between ideal AoA and apparent AoA which is a function of the tropospheric reference time series of SF6 and of the AoA-dependent effective lifetime of SF6. The correction method is thoroughly tested within a self-consistent data set from a climate model that includes explicit calculation of chemical SF6 sinks. It is shown within the model that the correction successfully reduces biases in SF6-based AoA to less than 5 % for mean ages below 5 years. Tests using only subsampled data for deriving the fit coefficients show that applying the correction scheme even with imperfect knowledge of the sink is far superior to not applying a sink correction. Furthermore, we show that based on currently available measurements, we are not able to constrain the fit parameters of the correction scheme based on observational data alone. However, the model-based correction curve lies within the observational uncertainty, and we thus recommend using the model-derived fit coefficients until more high-quality measurements are able to further constrain the correction scheme. The application of the correction scheme to AoA from satellites and in situ data suggests that it is highly beneficial to reconcile different observational estimates of mean AoA.

TOD effects on travel behavior: A synthesis of evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies

The impacts of transit-oriented development (TOD) on travel behavior have been extensively studied, with a predominant focus on cross-sectional analyses that provide a static evaluation at a specific point in time by comparing TODs and non-TODs. Longitudinal assessments that capture changes in behavior over time remain relatively uncommon, and the literature tends to overlook differences in evaluating TOD effects across cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Additionally, the role of trip purpose as a significant but unexplored variable influencing the degree of TOD effects is often disregarded. To address these gaps, this systematic review examines 48 quantitative studies, comparing the effects of TOD on travel behavior from cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives, restructuring indicators of effects into transit use, non-motorized travel, vehicle dependence, and vehicle ownership, and differentiating the effects by trip purpose. A metric has been introduced to quantitatively assess the impact of TOD on travel behavior. The pooled results indicate that private vehicle usage remains high in TOD areas, particularly for non-commuting trips, and that the longitudinal effects of TOD are limited and potentially influenced by individual travel attitudes, residential self-selection, and long-term travel habit change. Furthermore, the methodological differences between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies may lead to divergent conclusions regarding the effects of TOD on travel behavior. Our analysis sheds light on the importance of carefully selecting an appropriate method for a given research question to maximize the accuracy and relevance of the findings. Combining TOD and shared mobility can create a more efficient multi-model transport network that meets the diverse needs of city residents and improves accessibility for all. Overall, this review provides new insights into the impacts of TOD on travel behavior and supports the potential for a paradigm shift toward multimodal transport through the integration of TOD and shared mobility.

Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency Impairs the Development of β Cells in Offspring Rats in a Sex-Dependent Manner

Recent studies have shown that maternal vitamin D deficiency (VDD) causes long-term metabolic changes in offspring. However, little is known about the impact of maternal VDD on offspring endocrine pancreas development and insulin secretion in the adult life of male and female animals. Female rats (Wistar Hannover) were fed either control (1000 IU Vitamin D3/kg), VDD (0 IU Vitamin D3/kg), or a Ca2+-enriched VDD diet (0 IU Vitamin D3/kg + Ca2+ and P/kg) for 6 weeks and during gestation and lactation. At weaning, VDD status was confirmed based on low serum calcidiol levels in dams and pups. Next, male and female offspring were randomly separated and fed a standard diet for up to 90 days. At this age, serum calcidiol levels were restored to normal levels in all groups, but serum insulin levels were decreased in VDD males without affecting glucagon levels, glycemia, or glucose tolerance. Islets isolated from VDD males showed lower insulin secretion in response to different glucose concentrations, but this effect was not observed in VDD females. Furthermore, VDD males, but not females, showed a smaller total pancreatic islet area and lower β cell mass, an effect that was accompanied by reduced gene expression of Ins1, Ins2, Pdx1, and SLC2A2. The decrease in Pdx1 expression was not related to the methylation profile of the promoter region of this gene. Most of these effects were observed in the male VDD+Ca2+ group, indicating that the effects were not due to alterations in Ca2+ metabolism. These data show that maternal VDD selectively impairs the morphology and function of β cells in adult male offspring rats and that female offspring are fully protected from these deleterious effects.

Ageing with spinal cord injury: a longitudinal study

Abstract Limited studies have evaluated the impact of recreation on successful ageing (SA) for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in a longitudinal manner. Most existing SA models emphasise biomedical-based dimensions of physical functioning, which has been criticised as unrealistic and limited, especially for people with disabilities. Various researchers and organisations have proposed that SA needs to be reassessed using more self-perceived, self-reported measurements. Understanding long-term life satisfaction predictors for individuals ageing with SCI is still limited, particularly when including longitudinal recreation participation data. This study, based on Rowe and Kahn's SA model and utilising self-reported measurements, observes the long-term changes in self-reported health status, recreation participation time and social integration levels, and evaluates the long-term impacts of these predictors on life satisfaction among individuals with SCI. The sample comprises individuals with SCI (N = 11,450) who are at least 45 years old at the time of injury or have lived with their injury for over 15 years. Results indicate that when ageing with SCI, life satisfaction increases over time, but their recreation time, social interactions and self-perceived health status decline. Moreover, regular participation in recreational activities, engagement in and maintenance of certain levels of social relationships, and high self-evaluation of health can positively impact life satisfaction during ageing. The study explores the feasibility of using self-perceived measurements to replace biomedical-based variables in Rowe and Kahn's SA model and examines their impacts on life satisfaction among people ageing with disabilities. In the future development of SA models, researchers can incorporate more self-reported, self-evaluated assessment variables to better capture the ageing experience, especially for people with disabilities.

Utilizing waveform synthesis in harmonic oscillator seasonal trend model for short- and long-term streamflow drought modeling and forecasting

Abstract This study introduces an improved version of the harmonic oscillator seasonal trend (HOST) model framework to accurately simulate medium- and long-term changes in extreme events, focusing on streamflow droughts in the Mobile River catchment. Performance of the model relative to the initial framework was enhanced through the inclusion of new mathematical models and waveform synthesis. The updated framework successfully captures long-term and seasonal patterns with a Kling–Gupta efficiency exceeding 0.5 for seasonal fluctuations and over 0.9 for trends. The best-fit model explains around 98% of long-term and approximately 55% of seasonal variance. Test sets show slightly lower accuracies, with about 20% of nodes underperforming due to the absence of drought during the test phase resulting in false-positive model forecasts. The newly developed weighted occurrence classification outperforms the binary classification occurrence model. In addition, application of an automatic period multiplier for decomposition using the seasonal trend decomposition using LOESS method improves test dataset performance and reduces false-positive forecasts. The improved framework provides valuable insights for extreme flow distribution, offering potential for improved water management planning, and the combination of the HOST model with physical models can address short-term drivers of extreme events, enhancing drought occurrence forecasting and water resource management strategies.

The first absolute gravity and height reference network in Sicily

The purpose of this work is to provide the methodological and instrumental framework for the establishment of a new absolute gravity and height reference network in Sicily. The aim of the network is to contribute to the new reference systems in the Italian area, useful for the scientific and technological activities related to the gravity field and to the proper definition of a modern height system in this region. The network is composed of 5 stations, evenly distributed to form a large mesh, which roughly covers the entire Sicily. Since four of the five selected stations were measured also in the 1990s, it was also possible to evaluate whether long-term gravity changes occurred at these sites (basic requirement for a reference network) and check the long-term ground deformation patterns, using data from the closest GPS/GNSS stations. The observed gravity changes over a time interval of about 30 years at the absolute stations and in the surrounding areas, confirm the long-term stability of the selected areas/sites.

State and Non-State Actors in Sustainable Peace and Development

Despite the Kenya Government and other Development Agencies’ publicised interventions, the Pokot community in East Pokot of Baringo County, is often caught up in conflict with their neighbours, a factor that reveals a more complex scenario, often in the context of marginalization. This research article seeks to examine the existing interventions by State and non-state actors for sustainable peace and development in East Pokot, Baringo County. The research article utilizes both primary and secondary data.Primary data was collected from five main villages in East Pokot namely Chewara, Chemukutan, Tamkal, Kakapul and Mosolyon. The four villages of Chewara, Chemukutan, Tamkal and Kakapul are among some of the villages that have been highly affected by the protracted conflicts. It also employs an exploratory research design with the Primary data being gathered through Focus GroupDiscussions (FGDs) in five areas in East Pokot villages considered as conflict hotspots, and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with otherstakeholders. Data from secondary sources including documents and news media has been used in order to help in understanding the context, and the existing interventions, as well as the social, economic, and political environment in East Pokot sub-county. The findings reveals effective interventions included livelihood and environmental support, education initiatives, and peace campaigns, particularly those featuring participatory and targeted engagements and a mind-set and behaviour change approach. It recommends policy interventions that promote distributive justice, equalization, and affirmative action, as well as the establishment of policies and practices that support pastoral livelihood and the pastoral economy. It also recommends the use of integrated interventions that will help reduce the immediate vulnerabilities while also working on long-term mind-set and behaviour change.

Corneal endothelial changes seven years after phacoemulsification cataract surgery

PurposeTo evaluate long-term postoperative corneal changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery.MethodsTwenty patients who participated in a previous study regarding corneal endothelial changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery were examined after 7 years. The patients were divided in three groups based on their initial increase in central corneal thickness day one after the surgery: < 5% increase, 6–20% increase and ≥ 20% increase. The primary outcome measures were corneal endothelial cell loss (ECL), endothelial cell count (ECC) and endothelial morphology.ResultsAfter 7 years, a difference in cell loss between the groups was observed, except for groups 1 and 2. Endothelial cell count (ECC) differed significantly between groups 1 and 3 at 3 months. At 7 years, there was no difference in ECC between the three groups. Cell loss was found exclusively in group 1 between 3 months and 7 years. Endothelial cell morphology showed a converging pattern between 3 months and 7 years.ConclusionAfter phacoemulsification cataract surgery, long-term ECC and morphology appear to converge towards a comparable steady state regardless of initial corneal swelling and endothelial cell loss.

Naturalistic use of psychedelics does not modulate processing of self-related stimuli (but it might modulate attentional mechanisms): An event-related potentials study.

Classic psychedelics are able to profoundly alter the state of consciousness and lead to acute experiences of ego dissolution - the blurring of the distinction between representations of self and the external world. However, whether repeated use of psychedelics is associated with more prolonged and permanent modifications to the concept of self remains to be investigated. Therefore, we conducted a preregistered, cross-sectional study in which experienced psychedelics users (15 or more lifetime experiences with psychedelics; N = 56) were compared to nonusers (N = 57) in terms of neural reactivity to a Self-name (i.e., each participant's own name) stimulus, which is known to robustly activate a representation of self. Two control stimuli were additionally used: an Other-name stimulus, as a passive control condition in which no reaction was required, and a Target-name stimulus, to which participants provided a manual response and which thus constituted an active control condition. Analysis of the amplitude of the P300 ERP component evoked by the Self- or Target-names revealed no difference between the psychedelics users and nonusers. However, psychedelic users exhibited increased P300 amplitude during perception of Other-names. In addition, in comparison to nonusers, psychedelics users exhibited a smaller increase in P300 amplitude when processing the task-relevant Target-names (in relation to both Self- and Other-names). Therefore, our data suggests that regular naturalistic use of psychedelics may not be related to long-term changes in the representation of self, but it might potentially affect the allocation of attentional resources to task-relevant stimuli.

Centennial loss of lake wetlands in the Yangtze Plain, China: Impacts of land use changes accompanied by hydrological connectivity loss

Humans have played a fundamental role in altering lake wetland ecosystems, necessitating the use of diverse data types to accurately quantify long-term changes, identify potential drivers, and establish a baseline status. We complied high-resolution historical topographic maps and Landsat imagery to assess the dynamics of the lake wetlands in the Yangtze Plain over the past century, with special attention to land use and hydrological connectivity changes. Results showed an overall loss of 45.6 % (∼11,859.5 km2) of the lake wetlands over the past century. The number of lakes larger than 10 km2 decreased from 149 to 100 due to lake dispersion, vanishing, and shrinkage. The extent of lake wetland loss was 3.8 times larger during the 1930s–1970s than that in the 1970s–1990s. Thereafter, the lake wetland area remained relatively stable, and a net increase was observed during the 2010s–2020s in the Yangtze Plain. The significant loss of lake wetland was predominately driven by agricultural activities and urban land expansion, accounting for 81.1 % and 4.9 % of the total losses, respectively. In addition, the changes in longitudinal and lateral hydrological connectivity further exacerbated the lake wetland changes across the Yangtze Plain through isolation between lakes and the Yangtze River and within the lakes. A total of 130 lakes have been isolated from the Yangtze River due to the construction of sluices and dykes throughout the Yangtze Plain, resulting in the decrease in the proportion of floodplain marsh from 28.3 % in the 1930s to 8.0 % in the 2020s. Furthermore, over 260 sub-lakes larger than 1 km2 (with a total area of 1276.4 km2) are experiencing a loss of connectivity with their parent lakes currently. This study could provide an improved historical baseline of lake wetland changes to guide the conservation planning to wetland protection and prioritization area in the Yangtze Plain.

Exacerbated summer European warming not captured by climate models neglecting long-term aerosol changes

Exacerbated summer European warming not captured by climate models neglecting long-term aerosol changes

Ventromedial Frontoinsular Connectivity is Associated with Long-term Smoking Behavior Change in Aging

Abstract A central question in the field of cognitive aging and behavioral neuroscience is what enables some individuals to successfully change their behavior more than others? Smoking is a significant risk factor for cognitive decline, particularly in vulnerable populations, including those who are at an elevated risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Developing effective smoking reduction strategies is therefore a public health priority. The goal of the current study is to better understand the brain mechanisms underlying long-term smoking behavior change in cognitively normal, but at-risk, older adults. Neuroimaging and human lesion studies have implicated the insula and its functional network in subjective interoceptive awareness of cigarette craving and smoking-cue reactivity. We sought to characterize the extent to which anterior insular resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) MRI predicted long-term smoking reduction (mean: 2.7 years, range 8 months— 4 years) using a seed-to-voxel approach. Twenty-three (18 women; 26% APOE4 carriers; 61.5 years, SD = 3.7) cognitively unimpaired older individuals who smoked cigarettes at their baseline visit and have a first-degree family history of AD (at least one parent or multiple siblings affected) were included from a prospective longitudinal cohort, PREVENT-AD (Pre-symptomatic Evaluation of Experimental or Novel Treatments for Alzheimer Disease) in the current study. We found that reduced long-term smoking behavior was associated with enhanced antagonistic RSFC between bilateral anterior insula (aINS) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). In a second pre-registered replication study within a larger, independent sample of one hundred and eighteen cognitively normal older adults who smoked cigarettes at baseline from the UK Biobank (73 women; 27.9 % APOE4 carriers; 60.3 years, SD = 2.7), we found that baseline enhanced antagonistic RSFC between anterior insula and vmPFC predicted long-term smoking reduction (mean 5.2 years; ranging from 3 years to 7 years). To our knowledge, this is the largest study to examine the neural substrates of long-term smoking cessation in human aging. Our results suggest that frontoinsular circuits may be a therapeutic target for smoking reduction and disease prevention in older adults at risk for AD.