Types Of Sites Research Articles

Can soil health in degraded woodlands of a semi-arid environment improve after thirty years?

In natural habitats, especially in arid and semi-arid areas that are fragile ecosystems, vegetation degradation is one of the most important factors affecting the variability of soil health. Studying physicochemical and biological parameters that serve as indicators of soil health offers important information on the potential risk of land degradation and the progression of changes in soil performance and health during recovery periods. This study specifically examines the impact of vegetation degradation on soil health indicators and the duration needed to improve the physical, chemical, and biological parameters in a semi-arid mountainous area site types with the dominance of Quercus macranthera Fisch & C.A. Mey and Carpinus orientalis Miller in northern Iran. In different years (2003, 2013, and 2023), litter and soil samples (at depths of 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm) were collected in different types of degraded sites. Additionally, in 2023, a non-degraded site was chosen as a control and similar samples were collected. A total of 48 litter (12 samples for each of the study site types) and 144 soil (4 study site types × 3 depths × 12 samples) samples were collected. In order to investigate the spatial changes of soil basal respiration (or CO2 emission), which is involved in global warming, from each site type, 50 soil samples were taken along two 250-meter transects. The findings showed that litter P and Mg contents in the non-degraded site were 1.6 times higher than in degraded site types (2003). Following vegetation degradation, soil fertility indicators decreased by 2–4 times. The biota population was lower by about 80 % under the degraded site types (2003) than in the non-degraded site, and the density of fungi and bacteria in the degraded site types was almost half that of the non-degraded site types. Geostatistics showed the high variance (linear model) of CO2 emissions in areas without degradation. In addition, vegetation degradation significantly reduced soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization. Although soil health indicators under the degraded vegetation have improved over time (30 years), results showed that even thirty years is not enough for the full recovery of a degraded ecosystem, and more time is needed for the degraded area to reach the same conditions as the non-degraded site. Considering the time required for natural restoration in degraded site types, it is necessary to prioritize the conservation of vegetation and improve the ecosystem restoration process with adequate interventions.

Citizens can help to map putative transmission sites for snail-borne diseases.

Schistosomiasis and fasciolosis are snail-borne diseases of great medical and veterinary health importance. The World Health Organization recommends complementing drug treatment with snail control and community involvement for disease elimination, but there is a general lack of snail experts and hence snail distribution data. Therefore, we adopted a citizen science approach and involved citizens in the monitoring of medically and veterinary important snail taxa. Snail data was collected weekly by 25 trained citizen scientists (CSs) at 76 sites around southern Lake Albert (Uganda) for 20 months. At each site, snails were searched for 30 minutes, sorted, target snail hosts identified to genus level, counted and data submitted through a smartphone application. The quality of this data was assessed by comparing it to monthly data collected by an 'expert' malacologist using the same sampling protocol. Generalised binomial logistic and linear mixed-effects models were used to analyse the variables for agreement between the CSs and expert. The binary agreement in presence/absence of Biomphalaria, Bulinus and Radix snails reported by the expert and CSs ranged between 70% and 86% (900 reports) with an average of 17% false negatives (sites wrongly defined as snail-free). The agreement for Biomphalaria and Radix increased with snail abundance, and false negatives decreased when the number of snails collected by citizens was aggregated per month. Site type significantly predicted binary agreement, which was lowest at lake sites (55%) and highest at spring sites (99%) with variations across genera. Similar temporal trends in snail abundance were recorded despite the expert reporting higher abundance. However, the relative abundance was consistent across site types. The match between the sites with highest Biomphalaria spp. abundance identified by CSs and expert was consistently high (~84.1%) and increased over time. Our results demonstrate the potential of citizen science to map putative schistosomiasis transmission sites. We therefore argue that this inclusive, powerful and cost-effective approach can be more sustainable than top-down monitoring and intervention campaigns.

Benchmarking Site Activation and Patient Enrollment.

Clinical trial conduct poses numerous challenges, many pertaining to patient recruitment. The primary objectives of this study were to update benchmarks on site activation and patient enrollment gathered in previous Tufts CSDD studies and examine current usage of recruitment and retention tactics. The data collection focused on site activation and patient enrollment metrics used for studies. Analyses were conducted comparing results from 2012, 2019 and 2023. The results indicate that actual enrollments exceeded planned enrollments for a majority of studies and timelines were shorter than expected. In addition, differences were found for enrollment achievement by global region and site type. Further investigation into studies conducted during a later time frame and post-pandemic could be compared with current benchmarks to examine differences.

New insights from seasonal and weekly evolutions of aerosol absorption properties and their association with PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations at a central Mediterranean site

Aerosol absorption parameters were investigated in this study using the measurements performed by an aethalometer during a monitoring campaign from December 2021 to July 2022 in a suburban area in south-eastern Italy. The aerosol absorption coefficient was compared to both PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations from two nearby stations (a rural and an urban site). Different seasonal evolutions were identified for these extensive parameters, even if they also showed a common feature because all these parameters presented a higher variability in winter due to the highly variable meteorological conditions during that season. Intensive parameters like the aerosol absorption Ångström exponent and the PM2.5/PM10 ratio were also investigated showing the effects of wood burning from domestic heating and of vehicular traffic, especially both in the urban and in the suburban site. Then, the weekly evolution of both selected extensive and intensive parameters was also analyzed to identify potential impacts due to the weekly cycle of human activities. Most of the selected parameters presented a significant increase starting from Tuesday to Friday and then they generally decreased during the weekends due to the relevant reduction of the human activities. The selection of different types of monitoring sites (urban, suburban, and rural) and temporal scales (seasonal and weekly) has been proved for a proper characterization of the aerosol absorption properties at the monitored area due to its geographical location at the center of the Mediterranean area.

Особенности генетической структуры популяции Pinus sylvestris L. в степной зоне Европейской России

The article presents the results of studу of the genetic structure of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in the ecologically favorable territory of the steppe zone of European Russia. 35–year-old pine forest plantations (the Voronezh Region, Kantemirovskiy District, the 3rd bonitet class, forest site type – A1, a random sample, 60 trees) have been chosen as the object of the study. Genetic diversity has been examined on the basis of the microsatellite analysis of 18 SSR-loci (14 EST-SSR-loci and 4 nSSR-loci) and two isozymic loci (shikimate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase – or Skdh and Gdh, respectively). It has been revealed that in the studied population, all the used microsatellite loci, with the exception of lw_isotig02842, are polymorphic. The average values of genetic variability calculated from the microsatellite loci have been obtained: the proportion of the polymorphic loci – 94.44 %, the average number of alleles per locus – 3.500, the average effective number of alleles – 2.466, the observed and expected heterozygosity – 0.209 and 0.493 respectively; the Wright fixation index – 0.577. In terms of the level of allelic diversity, the plantation is characterized by relatively lower values of genetic and statistical population parameters (the average observed and expected heterozygosity) compared to the natural forest-steppe populations of the Central Chernozem Region. A high positive Wright fixation index indicates the presence of an increased proportion of inbreeding in the steppe population trees. The reasons and possible nature of the revealed phenomenon are discussed. Based on the isoenzyme analysis, the genetic structure of the Skdh and Gdh loci is examined. The results of the analysis indicate a high frequency of the rapid allele Skdh-11 (82 %) and the embryonic semi-lethal allele Gdh-11 (22 %), which, apparently, can be considered as one of the mechanisms of the population adaptation to the conditions of a warmer and drier climate of the steppe region. A deficiency of glutamate dehydrogenase heterozygotes has been established. It has also been noted that the groups of EST-SSR-loci and nSSR-loci differ in the level of genetic variability and population structure. It has been shown that the combined use of different types of genetic markers makes it possible to obtain more complete and objective information on the distinctive features of the genetic structure of pine forests in the optimal and pessimal zones of the range. The studied 18 microsatellite loci can be used to assess the genetic diversity of Scots pine populations and trees in the steppe region of European Russia.

Experimental and numerical study of hydrogen adsorption by the Ni0.6Mg0.4Fe2O4 compound

This paper proposes an experimental and numerical study of the hydrogen storage properties of the Ni0.6Mg0.4Fe2O4 compound. Firstly, the sol-gel method was used to synthesize the compound Ni0.6Mg0.4Fe2O4. Second, the synthesized compound's morphological and structural properties were ascertained using X-ray and SEM techniques. Third, the experimental hydrogen adsorption's kinetics and isotherms were carried out. At last, the experimental hydrogen adsorption isotherms were compared to a mathematical model based on the formalism of statistical physics. With the use of this model, it was possible to ascertain the following: on the one hand, the stereographic parameters involved in the adsorption process, such as the number of receptor sites (n1 and n2), their density (Nm1 and Nm2), as well as the energy parameters (P1 and P2) and the energies of adsorption for each type of site (ΔEads1 and ΔEads2). On the other hand, the thermodynamic functions that regulate the hydrogen adsorption reaction, such as the internal and Gibbs energies, as well as the entropy versus temperature and pressure. Ni0.6Mg0.4Fe2O4 has a significant hydrogen storage capacity (0.15 wt %) at moderate temperatures. The numerical results showed that hydrogen is inserted into two types of interstitial sites via an exothermic process.

Mesocarnivores vary in their spatiotemporal avoidance strategies at communications hubs of an apex carnivore.

Mesocarnivores face interspecific competition and risk intraguild predation when sharing resources with apex carnivores. Within a landscape, carnivores across trophic levels may use the same communication hubs, which provide a mix of risks (injury/death) and rewards (gaining information) for subordinate species. We predicted that mesocarnivores would employ different strategies to avoid apex carnivores at shared communication hubs, depending on their trophic position. To test our prediction, we examined how different subordinate carnivore species in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, USA, manage spatial overlap with pumas (Puma concolor), both at communication hubs and across a landscape-level camera trap array. We estimated species-specific occurrence, visitation rates, temporal overlap, and Avoidance-Attraction Ratios from camera traps and tested for differences between the two types of sites. We found that mesocarnivores generally avoided pumas at communication hubs, and this became more pronounced when pumas scent-marked during their most recent visit. Coyotes (Canis latrans), the pumas' closest subordinate competitor in our system, exhibited the strongest avoidance at communication hubs. Gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) avoided pumas the least, which may suggest possible benefits from pumas suppressing coyotes. Overall, mesocarnivores exhibited various spatiotemporal avoidance strategies at communication hubs rather than outright avoidance, likely because they benefit from information gained while 'eavesdropping' on puma activity. Variability in avoidance strategies may be due to differential predation risks, as apex carnivores often interact more aggressively with their closest competitors. Combined, our results show how apex carnivores trigger complex species interactions across the entire carnivore guild and how trophic position determines behavioral responses and subsequent space use of subordinate mesocarnivores across the landscape.

What News Is Shared Where and How: A Multi-Platform Analysis of News Shared During the 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections

News journalism has evolved from traditional print media to social media, with a large proportion of readers consuming their news via digital means. Through an analysis of over 1.3 million posts across three social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Reddit) pertaining to the 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections, this analysis examines the difference in sharing patterns for four types of news sites—Real News, Local News, Low Credibility News, and Pink Slime. Through Platform-Based Analysis, this study observes that users across all platforms share Real and Local News sequentially, and Real News and Low Credibility News sequentially. Through News Type-Based Analysis, this study establishes a Relative Engagement metric, demonstrating a widely varied engagement among the news types. Real News receive the least engagement (defined as the ratio of number of likes a post has vs. the number of followers of the page), while users engage with Pink Slime news the most. Furthermore, this study finds that the sharing of automated local news reporting sites (Pink Slime sites) are divided on political lines. Finally, through a User-Based Analysis, this study finds that automated bot users share a larger proportion of Pink Slime and Low Credibility News, while human users generally share content relating to local communities.

Orofacial Cysts: A Single Institution Experience of 85 Cases in Enugu, Nigeria.

Orofacial cysts are pathologic cavities that could be symptomatic and may cause facial disfigurement. The only epidemiologic report of such lesions in Southeast Nigeria studied jaw cysts from 1987 to 1996. New studies reflecting recent research findings and classifications on the subject in Southeast Nigeria are lacking. To determine the prevalence and distribution of orofacial cysts in a tertiary hospital in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. A 10-year retrospective study of patients with orofacial cysts diagnosed by histology was carried out. Orofacial cysts constitute 9.5% (85) of 897 orofacial lesions identified. The male-to-female gender ratio was 1.2:1. The mean age (± standard deviation) at the onset of the cystic lesion was 28.58 (±16.98) years. Developmental odontogenic cysts 52.9% (45) and salivary cysts 18.8% (16) were the most common group of orofacial cysts. The most prevalent orofacial cysts were odontogenic keratocysts at 25.9% (22), mucoceles 16.5% (14), and dentigerous cysts 14.1% (12). Straw-colored aspirates 34.8% (16) and dark brown aspirates 28.3% (13) were the predominant cystic contents. The mandible 45.9% (39) and maxilla 27.1% (23) were the commonest sites for orofacial cysts, while the lip 9.4% (8) was the most frequent soft tissue site. A significant association exists between anatomical site and cyst type at a 95% confidence interval with P = 0.000, X2 = 247.17. Unilocular radiolucency 62.5% (20) and multilocular radiolucency 34.4% (11) were the most common radiographic features. Developmental odontogenic cysts particularly odontogenic keratocysts were most prevalent while mucocele was the most common soft tissue cyst.

The effect of drainage on fine‐root biomass, production, and turnover in hemiboreal old‐growth forests on organic soils

AbstractInformation on the capacity of organic soils to capture and store carbon in old‐growth forests in the hemiboreal forest zone is scarce and fragmented. However, fine‐root data can provide valuable insights into soil carbon fluxes. Thus, the aim of the current study was to provide estimates of the fine‐root biomass (FRB), fine‐root production (FRP), and fine‐root turnover (FRT) rate by tree species and other functional groups in old‐growth (stand age 131–179 years) forests on mesotrophic organic soils dominated by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), with and without the effects of forest drainage. The sequential soil coring method was used to estimate the FRB and FRP. The total FRB was significantly higher in the undrained sites (6.8 ± 0.3 t ha−1) than in the drained sites (3.97 ± 0.1 t ha−1). The FRB of Scots pine in the undrained forest was significantly higher (1.7 ± 0.1 t ha−1) than in the drained forest (0.5 ± 0.1 t ha−1), supporting an extensive foraging strategy. The significantly higher mean FRB of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) (1.4 ± 0.1 t ha−1) in the drained sites than the undrained sites (0.7 ± 0.2 t ha−1) can be explained by there being a higher proportion of spruce in the stand compositions, thus a higher standing volume of this species and an increased FRB. The FRB of dwarf shrubs (2.43 ± 0.2 t ha−1) formed the largest part of the total FRB in the undrained sites and the second largest (1.16 ± 0.1 t ha−1), following Norway spruce, in the drained sites. The total FRP was similar between the undrained (2.05 ± 0.31 t ha−1 year−1) and drained (1.82 ± 0.26 t ha−1 year−1) stands. However, considerable variability in the FRP was observed between different sites of the same forest site type. The FRT rate of Scots pine was twice as high in the drained sites than the undrained sites, suggesting faster nutrient and carbon input into the drained soil compared with the undrained soil. Estimates of FRB, FRP, and FRT rates for different functional groups can be used in carbon‐cycle modeling and in further calculations to estimate the carbon budget (balance) in forests on organic soils.

Changing Settlement Organization in the Late Pleistocene of the Wadi al-Hasa, West-Central Jordan

Since the 1980s, surveys in Jordan’s Wadi al-Hasa document dozens of Late Pleistocene hunter–gatherer sites, some of them tested or partly excavated. To track landscape-scale forager mobility and settlement patterns over time, we examine 26 levels from 13 sites dated to the Middle, Upper, and Epipaleolithic using aspects of Barton’s whole assemblage behavioral indicators research protocol, a collection of methods designed to extract patterns from archeological palimpsests. Because forager ethnographies document adaptive strategies that do not map onto the discrete site types employed by archeologists, we evaluate the utility of the latter so far as behavioral inferences are concerned. We show that discrete bimodal contrasts like “curated” and “expedient” and their archeological correlates fail to capture the much more complex reality. Only by using these methods in conjunction with these analytical contrasts can a realistic picture of forager mobility and land use approximating that known from ethnography be attained.

백제 후기 벽주건물지 유형과 전개

This paper examines the current state and structures of the building sites in Gongju, Buyeo, and Iksan, the central areas of the late Baekje period (Ungjin and Sabi periods) where pillar-wall buildings are primarily found, and defines the individual types of walled buildings. The significant attributes of each building type are derived based on their distribution in each region and statistical analyses, upon which the changes in the form and function of each type of building site are examined. The walled building sites were categorized into three types and an additional special type. In Gongju, they were concentrated in key archaeological sites such as Jeongjisan and Gongsanseong Fortress. The pillar-wall buildings at Jeongjisan and Gongsanseong Fortress, where walls supported superstructures like roofs, were judged to have been clearly planned, displaying hierarchical differences in the layout of the building site. Meanwhile, pit-dwelling structures, created by digging the ground to form the floor and erecting pillars, were still used in areas other than these core sites. Regarding the Buyeo region, at Ssangbuk-ri, located southeast of Busosan Mountain, the earliest features were found to consist of pillar-wall buildings and ground or lifted floor buildings of the post-and-lintel construction style, erected by driving the bottoms of pillars into the ground. In contrast, the Gwanbuk-ri site, situated southwest of Busosan Mountain, seems to have been dominated by foundation stone buildings of the post-and-lintel construction style, erected by using flat and carved stones under pillars erected on the ground. Although this might be due to the spatial arrangement of buildings within the city, it was judged to more likely reflect architectural changes over time. Statistical analysis showed that pillar-wall buildings became increasingly formalized from the Ungjin period to the Sabi period, with the sizes of the first and second types being larger than the third type. In particular, Type 1 pillar-wall buildings were all square-shaped, and there was no significant difference in area from the Ungjin period to the Sabi period, making them the most formalized of all the types of pillar-wall buildings. Also, the area of the (elongated) rectangular pillar-wall buildings in the Gongju region was found to be significantly larger than that of the buildings in the Buyeo region. This difference is believed to be related to the fact that the elongated (rectangular) buildings from the Sabi period were in the form of foundation stone buildings of the post-and-lintel construction style. When examining the changes undergone by each type of pillar-wall building sites, Type 1 showed a tendency for the four protruding columns to gradually move away from the walls, and the oemi-gidoong (i.e. the pillar located in the center of the side wall), which had been clearly present in the early buildings, gradually disappeared. Type 2-1 initially featuring a whole-connected drain but began to deminstrate disconnection, with the doorway becoming more prominent. Type 2-2 was an important building type in the Ungjin period but began to be replaced by foundation stone buildings in the Sabi period, during which its number and size reduced. Type 3 was simple in terms of structure, and evidenced changes in the method of column erection, rather than the plane shape. A-I and A-II were identified from the earliest period, and the A-V types were identified in the latest period. Through a comprehensive review of the distribution and size of the buildings, it is possible to propose that the changes in the nature of the building sites would have proceeded differently for each type, with the Type 1 buildings continuously used as important buildings such as national facilities from the Ungjin period to the Sabi period. It is inferred that the function of the third type changed, and they were used for general residential purposes, except for a few cases.

X-ray standing wave characterization of the strong metal-support interaction in Co/TiOx model catalysts.

The strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) is a phenomenon observed in supported metal catalyst systems in which reducible metal oxide supports can form overlayers over the surface of active metal nanoparticles (NPs) under a hydrogen (H2) environment at elevated temperatures. SMSI has been shown to affect catalyst performance in many reactions by changing the type and number of active sites on the catalyst surface. Laboratory methods for the analysis of SMSI at the nanoparticle-ensemble level are lacking and mostly based on indirect evidence, such as gas chemisorption. Here, we demonstrate the possibility to detect and characterize SMSIs in Co/TiOx model catalysts using the laboratory X-ray standing wave (XSW) technique for a large ensemble of NPs at the bulk scale. We designed a thermally stable MoNx/SiNx periodic multilayer to retain XSW generation after reduction with H2 gas at 600°C. The model catalyst system was synthesized here by deposition of a thin TiOx layer on top of the periodic multilayer, followed by Co NP deposition via spare ablation. A partial encapsulation of Co NPs by TiOx was identified by analyzing the change in Ti atomic distribution. This novel methodological approach can be extended to observe surface restructuring of model catalysts in situ at high temperature (up to 1000°C) and pressure (≤3 mbar), and can also be relevant for fundamental studies in the thermal stability of membranes, as well as metallurgy.

Delayed publication of clinical trials in gynecologic oncology

ObjectivesDelays in clinical trial publication can hinder timely implementation of evidence-based practices. We sought to determine publication rates and time to publication for clinical trials addressing gynecologic malignancies. MethodsAll clinical trials addressing gynecologic cancers in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry with a primary completion date between 1/1/2018 and 1/1/2020 were identified. The primary outcome was publication rate. All included studies had been completed for at least 3 years. Secondary outcomes were time to publication and associations between publication rate and sponsor, cancer type, and the number and location of primary study sites. ResultsOf the 290 trials included, 161 (55.5%) had a peer-reviewed publication for the primary outcome within at least 3 years after completion. Of these, 123 had positive results (76.4%) and 38 were negative (23.6%). The average duration from primary completion to manuscript publication was 23.6 months (SD 13.9; median 21.4, IQR 15.1–32.4). Only 73 had results posted on the ClinicalTrials.gov registry (25.2%). Studies with positive findings had a significantly faster time to publication than those with negative results (22.0 mo vs 29.0 mo, p = 0.009). There was no significant difference between publication rate and funding source, cancer type, or location and number of primary sites. ConclusionsTimely publication of clinical trials addressing gynecologic cancers remains an issue. Studies with positive findings were published faster than those with negative results, but the average publication time was still almost 2 years from trial completion. Further efforts should be made to identify and address barriers to clinical trial publication.

Changes in radioactive contamination of living ground cover plants in black alder stands since the Chornobyl accident in the forests of Zhytomyr Polissia

The results of research conducted over the past 30 years in the forest ecosystems of Zhytomyr Polissia, in the areas affected by radioactive contamination as a result of the Chornobyl accident. In the course of the research carried out at the Poliskyi Branch of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky, methods of forest radioecology, botany, and forestry were used, and the results were processed using statistical analysis. The peculiarities of radioactive contamination of the most common herbaceous and dwarf-shrub plants in the stands of black alder in damp fairly fertile site types were studied. As indicators characterizing these features, we used 137Cs specific activity in the aboveground part of plants and the transfer factor of radionuclide to plant phytomass from the soil. It was found that the highest values of the transfer factor of 137Cs from the soil to the aerial part of the plant phytomass in 1999 are characteristic of ferns: for Dryopteris cristata (L.) A. Gray (276.9 m2∙kg-1∙10-3), Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) H. P. Fuchs (236.5 m2∙kg-1∙10-3), Thelypteris palustris Schott (171.2 m2∙kg-1∙10-3), and Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth (164.0 m2∙kg-1∙10-3). It was found that among the higher plants, the highest values of this indicator are for the Agrostis stolonifera L. (263.5 m2∙kg-1∙10-3), Galium uliginosum L. (155.8 m2∙kg-1∙10-3) and Maianthemum bifolium (L.) F. W. Schmidt (155.4 m2∙kg-1∙10-3). It was found out that the previously noted trends and interspecific differences in radionuclide accumulation persist after 22 years. It is shown, using the example of three plant species (Lysimachia vulgaris L., Galium uliginosum, and Maianthemum bifolium), that during the observation period (1991-2021) there is a gradual decrease in radioactive contamination of living ground cover plants and the intensity of 137Cs intake into them. This is explained by the decay of the radioactive element, its entry into various perennial components of forest ecosystems, some fixation in the soil, and, possibly, its removal beyond their borders. The established decrease in 137Cs specific activity in the aboveground part of plants is described by linear equations: for Lysimachia vulgaris – Am = –605.34a + 3745.6; R² = 0.98; Galium uliginosum – Am = –5107.5a + 30698; R² = 0.99; Maianthemum bifolium – Am = –4661.6 a + 28280; R² = 0.98. The identified peculiarities of radioactive contamination of various plant species, changes in 137Cs specific activity in them, and transfer factors of the radionuclide from the soil in stands of black alder in damp fairly fertile site types can be used in scientific works to predict possible changes in its redistribution within the ecosystem, as well as in the practice of harvesting medicinal plants in areas contaminated with radionuclides.

Prognostic Nomograms for Patients with Primary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of The Urinary Bladder: Based on The SEER Database.

The present study aimed to develop nomograms based on the SEER database to predict the prognosis for patients with primary sarcomatoid carcinoma of the urinary bladder (SCUB). Patients with primary SCUB were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, between 1975 and 2017. Univariate and multivariable Cox analysis were conducted to identify the independent prognostic factors for developing the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) nomograms. Then, concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve were used to evaluate the accuracy of the nomogram model. In addition, the model was further compared with TNM staging system. A total of 238 eligible patients with primary SCUB were selected from the SEER database. As suggested by Cox-analysis, age, sex, T stage, M stage, tumor size, and surgery type of primary site were identified as the independent factors for predicting both OS and CSS. We developed OS and CSS nomograms with a favorable C-index by using these prognostic factors. The C-indexes of the OS and CSS nomogram in the present study were 0.738 (0.701-0.775) and 0.763 (0.724-0.802), which were superior to those of the AJCC TNM staging with 0.621 (0.576-0.666) and 0.637 (0.588-0.686) respectively, showing better discriminatory ability. Subsequently, the ROC curves showed that the 1-, 3- and 5-year AUCs (area under the curve) of OS nomogram (i.e., 0.793, 0.807 and 0.793) were higher than those of the TNM stage((i.e., 0.659, 0.676, 0.659). Similarly, as for CSS model, them ((i.e., 0.823, 0.804 and 0.804) were aslo exceed those of TNM stage((i.e., 0.683, 0.682, 0.682). Furthermore, the calibration curves indicated a good consistency between the predictive survival and the actual survival. Finally, patients were stratified by risk, and Kaplan-Meier survival curve suggested that the prognosis of the low-risk group was significantly better than that of the high-risk group. We developed nomograms with the SEER database, which could help predict the prognosis of SCUB individuals more accurately.

Transient frustrated Lewis pairs promoting NOx selective reduction on Ce-doped α-Fe2O3(0 0 1) catalyst

Solid catalysts based on surface frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are emerging materials for the activation of a variety of molecules, such as H2, CO2 and N2. In the prior works, the FLP sites are already formed in the starting catalysts and the acid and basic sites remain separated during the catalytic cycle. In this work, a new type of reactive site based on transient frustrated Lewis pairs (TFLPs) is proposed to explain the catalytic properties of single-atom Ce-doped α-Fe2O3(001) surface for selective reduction of NOx by NH3. The TFLP sites are formed during the process of the activation of reactants (NH3 and NO), and will disappear due to the structural reconstruction at the end of the catalytic cycle. By combining the DFT calculations and experimental results, it is inferred that the TFLP sites account for the variation of the preferred reaction pathways on α-Fe2O3(001) surface.

Abstract 908: SeNMo: A self-normalizing deep learning model for enhanced multi-omics data analysis in oncology

Abstract Multi-omics research has enhanced our understanding of cancer heterogeneity and progression. Investigating molecular data through multi-omics approaches is crucial for unraveling the complex biological mechanisms underlying cancer, thereby enabling more effective diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies. However, predicting patient outcomes through integration of all available multi-omics data is still an under-study research direction. Here, we present SeNMo (Self-normalizing Network for Multi-omics), a deep neural network that ensures the zero mean and unit variance of activations across network layers using the self-normalizing technique. Such normalizing techniques are critical in stable and robust learning of deep learning models. SeNMo is particularly efficient in handling multi-omics data characterized by high-width (many features) and low-length (fewer samples) attributes. We trained SeNMo for the task of overall survival of patients using pan-cancer multi-omics data involving 28 cancer sites from the Genomic Data Commons (GDC). The training multi-omics data includes gene expression, DNA methylation, miRNA expression, and protein expression modalities. We tested the model's performance on the Moffitt Cancer Center's internal data involving RNA expression and protein expression data. We evaluated the model’s performance in predicting patient’s overall survival using the concordance index (C-Index), which provides a robust measure of the model's predictive capability. SeNMo performed consistently well in the training regime, reflected by the validation C-Index≥0.6 on GDC's public data. In the testing regime on Moffitt's private data, SeNMo performed with a C-Index of 0.68. The model's performance increased when tested on low-dimensional data or when tested on single omic data such as RNA or protein expression data with a C-Index of 0.7. SeNMo proved to be a mini-foundation model for multi-omics oncology data because it demonstrated robust performance, adaptability across molecular data types, and universal approximator capabilities for the scale of molecular data it was trained on. SeNMo can be further scaled to any cancer site and molecular data type. It can also be fine-tuned for other downstream tasks such as treatment response prediction, risk stratification, patient subgroup identification, and others. Its ability to accurately predict patient outcomes and adapt to various downstream tasks indicates a new era in cancer research and treatment. For future research, SeNMo offers a powerful tool for uncovering deeper insights into the complex nature of cancer and sets a precedent for how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to handle the vast and intricate data in the biomedical field. We believe SeNMo and similar models are poised to transform the oncology landscape, offering hope for more effective, efficient, and patient-centric cancer care. Citation Format: Asim Waqas, Aakash Tripathi, Sabeen Ahmed, Ashwin Mukund, Paul Stewart, Mia Naeini, Hamza Farooq, Ghulam Rasool. SeNMo: A self-normalizing deep learning model for enhanced multi-omics data analysis in oncology [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 908.

Abstract 7324: Impact of BMI on immune pathways in preinvasive colorectal lesions

Abstract Background: Obesity is a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia, possibly mediated by metabolic dysregulation or chronic inflammation. Circulating inflammatory cytokines have been associated with an increased risk of CRC, but no studies have examined the impact of BMI on immune gene expression in preinvasive lesions. Our analysis combines data from 3 retrospective epidemiologic studies among patients with colorectal adenomas or serrated polyps. Using a cross-sectional design, we investigate whether BMI categories (obese (OB), overweight (OW), normal (NL)) are associated with T-helper gene pathways. Methods: For each patient, we include demographic, clinical, and specimen (archival FFPE for RNA isolation) data. Immune gene expression data was determined using the NanoString nCounter platform on a subset of cases (n=100) balanced by study site and lesion type from our cohort (n=630). Genes were normalized using a modified RUVseq methodology. We examined 4 pathways (Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg) defined by gene lists included in the NS immune v2. panel. Differences in pathway expression by BMI categories were analyzed using our distance-based methods (Wd* multivariate analysis of variance and TW2 pairwise method) adjusted for age & sex. Using linear regression analysis, we generated coefficients (p-values) for OW and OB vs NL for genes within each pathway. Results: 86 samples passed QC. Th2 and Th1 pathways were significant for OW vs NL (p<0.05) whereas Th17 was marginally significant (<0.1). Several genes within the Th1, Th2, and Th17 pathways were enriched in OW vs. NL: e.g., IL2 (coeff. 0.77 (p=0.008), IL5 (coeff. 1.02, p=0.001), IL17F (coeff. 0.57, p=0.05), respectively. (Table) Conclusion: Enrichment of genes specific to the Th pathways in OW persons suggest that metabolic immune modulation may be important in early colorectal carcinogenesis. Differences in immune pathway and gene expression by BMI categories TW2 (p-value) Wd* (p-value) Pathways Normal (N = 22) Overweight (N = 32) Obese (N = 29) Th2 Ref. 0.017 0.15 0.038 Th1 Ref. 0.03 0.204 0.10 Th17 Ref. 0.073 0.125 0.103 MLR coefficient (p-value) Pathway Gene Overweight vs. Normal Obese vs. Normal ANOVA (p-value) Th2 IL2RA 0.34 (0.041) -0.11 (0.517) 0.010 IL4 0.58 (0.019) 0.22 (0.386) 0.052 IL5 1.02 (0.001) 0.41 (0.191) 0.004 NOTCH1 -0.05 (0.742) -0.34 (0.045) 0.078 Th1 IL12B 0.57 (0.031) 0.40 (0.136) 0.093 IL2 0.77 (0.008) 0.39 (0.179) 0.028 TBX21 0.46 (0.015) 0.19 (0.308) 0.044 Th17 IL17F 0.57 (0.050) 0.42 (0.157) 0.139 IL21 0.77 (0.004) 0.42 (0.131) 0.017 IL23R 0.29 (0.048) -0.008 (0.957) 0.047 IL6R 0.002 (0.990) 0.36 (0.039) 0.041 IRF4 -0.61 (0.007) -0.33 (0.149) 0.025 TGFB1 -0.26 (0.023) -0.19 (0.101) 0.069 Citation Format: Lauren R. Fanning, Bashir Hamidi, Ivan Korostenskij, Souvik Seal, Tami L. Crawford, Todd A. MacKenzie, Elizabeth L. Barry, Jessica E. Thaxton, Martha J. Shrubsole, Benjamin Vincent, John A. Baron, Alexander V. Alekseyenko, Kristin Wallace. Impact of BMI on immune pathways in preinvasive colorectal lesions [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 7324.

Abstract 6464: Real-world evidence (RWE) presented at AACR annual meetings: A 10-year trend analysis

Abstract Introduction: RWE is increasingly used in the oncology community, particularly following the 2016 21st Century Cures Act. A recent analysis of RWE presented at ASCO reported a significant increase in relative frequency of RWE abstracts from 2011-2021[1]. We conducted a similar trend analysis of RWE presented at AACR and predictive factors associated with publication. Methods: EMBASE was queried for abstracts presented at AACR 2013-2022, using terms related to study designs and methodologies that employ use of RWE. Details on study design, location, data source, patient number, cancer site, analytical approach, endpoints, and presentation type (oral vs. poster) were extracted and analyzed. Searches in Google Scholar identified published manuscripts associated with each abstract. The Cochran-Armitage trend test and Monte-Carlo estimation of the exact test were used to detect trends over time; p-values are provided for descriptive purposes. Relative risk ratios were calculated to determine statistically significant predictors of publication. Results: Of 56,920 total abstracts presented at AACR from 2013-2022, 611 (1.1%) RWE abstracts were identified. The proportion of presented abstracts with RWE increased from 0.6% in 2013 to 2.0% in 2022 (p<0.001). Among the RWE abstracts, use of electronic medical record (2013: 0% vs. 2022: 9.3%; p=0.002) and genomics databases (i.e., GENIE) (2013: 0% vs. 2022: 8.3%; p=0.006) increased over time. While majority of RWE abstracts were presented as posters (95.9%), the proportion of oral presentations increased in the last decade (2013: 0.0% vs. 2022: 3.7%; p=0.005). Abstracts with sample sizes <500 decreased significantly over time (p=0.002); those with sample sizes 5,000-<50,000 increased significantly over time (p=0.001). The proportion of abstracts including multiple cancer sites (vs. single-site) increased from 5.1% in 2013 to 20.4% in 2022 (p<0.001). The most common cancer sites were lung, breast, and colorectal. Statistically significant factors associated with publishing an abstract into a manuscript included study sample size 500-<5,000 or ≥100,000, inferential statistics (vs. descriptive), propensity score matching, and effectiveness or disease burden endpoints.Conclusion: RWE studies presented at AACR increased in the recent decade, with more robust study designs, incorporation of novel clinico-genomic databases such as GENIE, and advanced analytical approaches. These findings suggest the value of RWE has been increasingly recognized by the oncology research community and that RWE is being used to provide critical insights and inform patient care. Given FDA’s recent guidance on RWE to support regulatory decision-making, this trend will likely continue. [1] Azad Fet al. Longitudinal trends of real-world evidence (RWE) reporting in oncology conferences: An 11-year ASCO Annual Meeting analysis. Citation Format: Jihong Zong, Lauren C. Bylsma, Orsolya Lunacsek, Jon Fryzek. Real-world evidence (RWE) presented at AACR annual meetings: A 10-year trend analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6464.