Elevation Trends Research Articles

Effects of oligosaccharides on performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant status, and immunity of laying hens: a meta-analysis

A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of different types of oligosaccharides (OS) on the egg quality, intestinal profile, nutrient digestibility, and immunity of laying hens. A dataset was constructed from articles published between 2006 and 2023 via a literature search using several keywords related to oligosaccharides and laying hens’ performance. After careful evaluation, the final dataset was developed from 25 in vivo studies comprising 165 comparisons. The meta-regression showed that levels of OS supplementation curvilinearly increased (p < 0.05) hen day egg production (HDEP), and crude protein digestibility (CPD). However, OS supplementation did not affect (p > 0.05) feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg mass, egg weight, eggshell thickness, shell strength, and Haugh unit. OS supplementation showed a positively improved antioxidant activity, as indicated by the curvilinear effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. In the categorical meta-analysis, mannan oligosaccharide (MOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) significantly increased (p < 0.01) HDEP and CPD. MOS was the only type of OS that decreased (p < 0.05) FCR while FOS showed to increase (p < 0.01) Haugh unit. To sum up, oligosaccharides could generally increase HDEP but MOS is superior to improving HDEP and FCR while FOS is better than other OS to increase eggshell thickness. HIGHLIGHTS Oligosaccharides increase egg production and protein digestibility in laying hens. Mannan oligosaccharide improves feed conversion ratio in laying hens. Elevated trends of IgG and IgA after supplementation with oligosaccharides. Fructo-oligosaccharides improve eggshell thickness and suppress Malondialdehyde (MDA) in laying hens.

The incidence of tuberculous pleurisy in mainland China from 2005 to 2018.

Currently, tuberculous pleurisy (TP) remains a serious problem affecting global public health, including in China. Our purpose was to comprehensively understand and identify the incidence of TP in mainland China between 2005 and 2018. The data on registered TP cases from 2005 to 2018 were acquired from the National Tuberculosis Information Management System. We analyzed the demographics, epidemiology, and time-space distribution of TP patients. Then, the effects of potentially influential factors on TP incidences, such as medical expenses per capita, GDP per capita, and population density, were assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The incidence of TP increased in mainland China from 2005 to 2018, with a mean incidence of 2.5 per 100,000 population. Interestingly, spring was the peak season for TP, with more notified cases. Tibet, Beijing, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia had the highest mean annual incidence. A moderate positive relationship was found between TP incidence, medical expenses per capita, and GDP per capita. The notified incidence of TP had an elevated trend from 2005 to 2018 in mainland China. The findings of this study provide insight into the knowledge of TP epidemiology in the country, which can help optimize resource allocation to reduce the TP burden.

Neonatal serial creatinine levels as an adjunct biomarker in timing of fetal neurologic injury.

To investigate the rise and clearance of newborn creatinine in perinatal asphyxia as an adjunct biomarker to support or refute allegations of acute intrapartum asphyxia. In this retrospective chart review, newborns >35 weeks gestational age were evaluated from closed medicolegal cases of confirmed perinatal asphyxia and reviewed for causation. Data collected included newborn demographic data, patterns of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, brain magnetic resonance imaging, Apgar scores, cord and initial newborn blood gases, and serial newborn creatinine levels during the first 96h of life. Newborn serum creatinine values were collected at 0-12, 13-24, 25-48, and 49-96h. Newborn brain magnetic resonance imaging was used to define 3 patterns of asphyxial injury: acute profound, partial prolonged, or Both. Two hundred and eleven cases of neonatal encephalopathy from multiple institutions were reviewed from 1987 to 2019 with only 76 cases having serial creatinine values during the first 96h of life. A total of 187 creatinine values were collected. Partial prolonged and Both had significantly greater degree of metabolic acidosis in the first newborn arterial blood gas in comparison to acute profound. Acute profound and Both had significantly lower 5- and 10- minute Apgar scores in comparison to partial prolonged. Newborn creatinine values were stratified by asphyxial injury. Acute profound injury showed minimally elevated creatinine trends with rapid normalization. Partial prolonged and Both demonstrated higher creatinine trends with delayed normalization. Mean creatinine values were significantly different between the three types of asphyxial injuries within 13-24h of life at the time when creatinine values peaked (p=0.01). Serial newborn serum creatinine levels taken within the first 96h of life can provide objective data of timing and duration of perinatal asphyxia.

Regulation of dendritic cell maturation in osimertinib-treated lung adenocarcinoma patients

Osimertinib (OSI), a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), efficiently benefits lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. However, combined OSI and immune checkpoint inhibitor in EGFR-mutant patients increases the incidence of interstitial lung disease (ILD), although the mechanism is unknown. Here, we investigated the interaction between dendritic cells (DCs), a potential critical player in ILD, and OSI. Seventeen LUAD patients received TKI therapy, and only the OSI therapy group (N=10) showed a significant increase in CD40 and CD83 on immature DCs (iDCs), and an elevated trend for both markers on mature DCs (mDCs) during short- and long-term OSI therapy. Our results indicated that OSI therapy may potentially activate DC functions, which might increase the potential immune toxicity when combined with onco-immunotherapy.

Abstract 4082: Impact of immunosuppressive monocytes on CART19 cell effector functions and outcomes

Abstract CD19 directed chimeric antigen receptor T (CART19) cell therapy has resulted in remarkable outcomes in B cell malignancies and was FDA approved in multiple indications. However, durable remissions are limited to 40% of treated patients. Inhibitory myeloid cells in tumor microenvironment have been found to suppress T cell expansion and contribute to failure of CART19 cell therapy. In this study, we aimed to unravel the interactions between monocytes, CART19 cells and tumor cells to understand how monocytes-CART19 cell interactions impact CART19 cell effector functions and clinical outcomes. Two sets of experiments were conducted, 1) use of healthy CART19 cells, CD19+ tumor cells, and healthy monocytes; 2) use of brexu-cel products from ZUMA-2 clinical trial treating mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), patient-matched monocytes and circulating MCL tumor cells (n = 11; 6 durable responders, 2 relapsed after initial response and 3 non-responders). CD28 costimulated CART19 (CART19-28ζ) cells generated in the lab from healthy donors were co-cultured with donor freshly isolated monocytes in the presence of Jeko-1 cells (a CD19+ MCL cell line). CART19 antigen specific proliferation was not inhibited by freshly isolated monocytes. When monocytes were co-cultured with CART19 and tumor cells, higher levels of eotaxin, GRO, MCP-3 and IL-7 were detected. When CART19 cells were co-cultured with the CD19+ JeKo-1 cells in the presence of ex vivo M2 polarized macrophages, CART19 antigen specific proliferation was inhibited (p=0.0045). Transwell experiments demonstrate that M2-induced CART19 inhibition is not contact dependent. Cytokine profile analysis indicated increased level of IL-1ra, IP-10 and MCP-1 and decreased level of IL-17A, sCD40L, IL-9 and MIP-1α when M2 macrophages were co-cultured with CART19 and tumor cells compared to co-cultures of tumor cells and CART19. Then we conducted ex vivo co-cultures of brexu-cel products, autologous monocytes and circulating MCL tumor cells from MCL patients (ZUMA-2) collected prior to CART19 cell infusion. Here we observed trends of elevation of IL-13 and IL-5 and reduction of GRO, MCP-3, MIP-1β and IL-8 in non-responders, compared to responders (durable responses or relapsed patients). Our results support that monocyte- and macrophage-dependent cytokine release could modulate CART19 effector and trafficking functions, and thus CART19 clinical outcomes. This warrants further investigation around strategies to improve durable responses to CART cell therapy. Citation Format: Kun Yun, Reona Leo Sakemura, Michelle J. Cox, Truc Huynh, Claudia Manriquez-Roman, Olivia Sirpilla, Carli M. Stewart, James H. Girsch, Ekene J. Ogbodo, Ismail Can, Brooke Kimball, Lionel A. Kankeu Fonkoua, Mehrdad Hefazi, Michael W. Ruff, Elizabeth L. Siegler, Mike Mattie, Sao-Mai Nguyen-Mau, Simone Filosto, Saad S. Kenderian. Impact of immunosuppressive monocytes on CART19 cell effector functions and outcomes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4082.

Complexity of plant–pollinator interaction networks in East African high‐elevation wetlands

AbstractFor six selected Afromontane wetlands in Volcanoes National Park (VNP), Rwanda, located at varying elevations, we present preliminary insights into the pollination biology of six selected plant species. We found bees and flies to be particularly common flower visitors across plants and wetlands, followed by five species of birds, beetles, butterflies, and moths. We observed no obvious elevational trends in visitation rates, but pollinator specialisation did seem to vary across both plant species and wetlands. We provide insights into a partial pollinator network as a baseline reference for further studies or monitoring efforts of plant–pollinator interaction patterns and processes.

Diverging Trends in Rain‐On‐Snow Over High Mountain Asia

AbstractRain‐on‐snow (ROS) over snow‐dominated regions such as High Mountain Asia (HMA) modulates snowmelt and runoff and is key contributor in influencing water availability and hazards (e.g., floods and landslides). We studied the trends in ROS in HMA over the past two decades from 2001 to 2018 using the land surface model Noah‐MP driven by an ensemble precipitation data set. Our results show that changes in precipitation phase and rainfall are altering ROS. Because of the strong physical heterogeneity and atmospheric dynamics of HMA, ROS characteristics and trends are region‐dependent and ROS occurs predominantly over the Indus, Ganges‐Brahmaputra, and northwestern basins. In the Indus, ROS representing ∼5% of the annual precipitation and ∼20% of the annual snowmelt, has an increasing trend. This is contrary to the Ganges‐Brahmaputra characterized by decreasing ROS trends, where it represents ∼11% of the annual precipitation and ∼60% of the annual snowmelt. In the northwestern basins, ROS has bidirectional trends due to elevation patterns and trends in rainfall, and it constitutes ∼5 to ∼10% of the annual precipitation. Increasing trends in ROS over Indus contribute to reducing the snowpack in late summer, with concerns of reduced water availability and increased groundwater exploitation. Similarly, because of its high amount and contribution to snowmelt, the decreasing ROS trends in the Ganges‐Brahmaputra will have consequences of decreased recharge from the headwaters and exacerbated use of groundwater unless increasing trends in rainfall compensate for the decreasing snowmelt. These results provide new insights on ROS‐driven changes in the hydrological cycle over HMA.

Less extreme and earlier outbursts of ice-dammed lakes since 1900

Episodic failures of ice-dammed lakes have produced some of the largest floods in history, with disastrous consequences for communities in high mountains1–7. Yet, estimating changes in the activity of ice-dam failures through time remains controversial because of inconsistent regional flood databases. Here, by collating 1,569 ice-dam failures in six major mountain regions, we systematically assess trends in peak discharge, volume, annual timing and source elevation between 1900 and 2021. We show that extreme peak flows and volumes (10 per cent highest) have declined by about an order of magnitude over this period in five of the six regions, whereas median flood discharges have fallen less or have remained unchanged. Ice-dam floods worldwide today originate at higher elevations and happen about six weeks earlier in the year than in 1900. Individual ice-dammed lakes with repeated outbursts show similar negative trends in magnitude and earlier occurrence, although with only moderate correlation to glacier thinning8. We anticipate that ice dams will continue to fail in the near future, even as glaciers thin and recede. Yet widespread deglaciation, projected for nearly all regions by the end of the twenty-first century9, may bring most outburst activity to a halt.

Approximate solutions to shallow water wave equations by the homotopy perturbation method coupled with Mohand transform

In this paper, the Mohand transform-based homotopy perturbation method is proposed to solve two-dimensional linear and non-linear shallow water wave equations. This approach has been proved suitable for a broad variety of non-linear differential equations in science and engineering. The variation trend of the water surface elevation at different time levels and depths are given by some graphs. Moreover, the obtained solutions are compared with the existing results, which show higher efficiency and fewer computations than other approaches studied in the literature.

Contrasting elevational patterns of microbial carbon and nutrient limitation in soil from alpine meadow to desert

The understanding of soil microbial resource limitation has important implications for belowground nutrient cycling. Climate is a primary factor that regulates microbial resource limitation directly and indirectly. Elevational gradient has been used as a substitution of latitudinal gradient in ecological studies because the former displays a wide range of climate variation as the latter. However, whether the elevational trend of microbial resource limitation follows that of latitudinal pattern is still not well known. Here we aimed to 1) test the elevational patterns (465–3035 m a.s.l.) of microbial carbon (C) and nutrient (P: N) limitations in the Tianshan Mountain by using the enzymatic vector analysis, and 2) examine the importance of microclimate and soil resource in regulating microbial C and P:N limitation along the elevational gradient. We found that microbial C limitation generally decreased and microbial P:N limitation increased with increasing elevation, which were the opposite to those of latitudinal patterns. Our results further indicated that microbial C limitation was primarily controlled by soil microclimate with soil moisture alleviating microbial C limitation in the warm & dry climatic condition (465–1240 m a.s.l.) but intensifying in the cold & wet climatic condition (1400–3035 m a.s.l.). Microbial P:N limitation was mainly regulated by soil available P and by the shared effects of soil microclimate and resource. Moreover, microbial C limitation was negatively correlated with microbial P:N limitation, which implied that soil C and nutrient supplies were strongly coupled. Overall, the spatial changes of microbial resource limitation cannot be simply inferred from latitude to altitude or vice versa, instead we should focus on how the determinants of microbial resource limitation change along these environmental gradients.

Rapid increase of pCO2 and seawater acidification along Kuroshio at the east edge of the East China Sea

Rates of seawater acidification and rise of partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) at ocean margins are highly uncertain. In this study, nine years of time-series data sampled during 2010–2018 along Kuroshio Current near the East China Sea (ECS) were investigated. We found trends of surface seawater pCO2 at 3.70 ± 0.57 μatm year−1 and pH at −0.0033 ± 0.0009 unityear−1, both of which were significantly greater than those reported from other oceanic time series. Mechanistic analysis showed that seawater warming caused rapid rates of pCO2 increase and acidification under sustained DIC increase. The faster pCO2 growth relative to the atmosphere resulted in the CO2 uptake through the air-sea exchange declining by ~50 % (~−0.8 to −0.4 mol C m−2 year−1) over the study period. Our results imply that rapidly warming boundary currents could potentially present an elevated pCO2 trend, leading to a gradual reduction and eventual loss of oceanic CO2 uptake under climate change.

Time series modeling of rainfall and lake elevation in relation to breaching events at the Lake Earl and Tolowa lagoon system, coastal northern California

I evaluated trends in spatial and temporal variability in historical levels of rainfall, water elevation, and breach events for lakes Earl, Tolowa, and their combined lagoon system along the coast of northern California. I examined the efficacy of time series analyses to model and forecast rainfall and lake elevation at a regional scale from 2008 to 2021. I employed semi-parametric Generalized Additive Model regression to investigate the historical relationship between anthropogenic breaching of the lagoon and simultaneous occurrences of environmental parameters to better understand conditions surrounding each breach event. Evaluation of the central tendency of rainfall and surface lake elevation showed high fluctuations in their mean, positive skewed, and leptokurtic curves. Augmented Dickey-Fuller tests found that seasonal rainfall was stationary, but surface lake elevation attained stationarity only after the first seasonal difference. Decomposition of each time series and MannKendall and Sen’s slope estimators, found a significant decreasing trend in seasonal surface lake elevation but no trend was found in rainfall. Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) time series analysis and diagnostic tests of stability and reliability found best fit models for rainfall (SARIMA[1,0,0] [2,1,1]12) and surface lake elevation (SARIMA [1,1,2] [1,0,0]12) used to forecast future values for each parameter. Multiple regression of variables obtained at each breach event showed that the proportion of variance (55.0%) and null deviance (72.1%) explained by the combination of rainfall, hightide, and wave height was the “best” model with the lowest Generalized Cross-Validation statistic of all other models evaluated. All models agreed that rainfall was the most significant factor within each set of predictor attributes used to model surface lake elevation. A declining trend in surface elevation in combination with variation in the historical area and extent of wetland plant communities may be attributable to systematic breaching of the lagoon annually.

Evaluation among trace elements, clinical parameters and type 1 diabetes according to sex: A new sight of auxiliary prediction in negative insulin auto-antibodies population

BackgroundType 1 diabetes (T1D) exhibited sex-specific metabolic status including oxidative stress with dynamic change of trace elements, which emphasized the importance of the evaluation of trace elements according to sex. Besides, the most significant characteristic, insulin auto-antibodies, could not be found in all T1D patients, which needed the auxiliary prediction of clinical parameters. And it would benefit the early detection and treatment if some high-risk groups of T1D could predict and prevent the occurrence of disease through common clinical parameters. Hence, there was an urgent need to construct more effective and scientific statistical prediction models to serve clinic better. This study aimed to evaluate the sex-specific levels of trace elements and the relationship between trace elements and clinical parameters in T1D, and construct sex-specific auxiliary prediction model combined with trace elements and clinical parameters. MethodsA total of 105 T1D patients with negative insulin auto-antibodies and 105 age/sex-matched healthy individuals were enrolled in First Hospital of Jilin University. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry was performed for the measurement of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), selenium (Se) in the serum, and the data of clinical parameters were received from medical record system. The lambda-mu-sigma method was used to evaluate the relationship between abnormal clinical parameters and trace elements. Training set and validation set were divided for the construction of predictable models in males and females: clinical parameters model, trace element model and the combined model (clinical parameters and trace elements). Goodness fit test, decision curve analysis and other related statistical methods were used to perform data analysis. ResultsLower levels of Mg, Ca, Fe in the serum were found in T1D population in females compared with healthy population, while levels of Fe, Zn and Cu of serum in T1D individuals were higher than those of healthy population in males. Levels of serum Mg, Fe and Cu in T1D group were found with significant sex difference for (P < 0.05), and the levels of Fe and Cu in serum of males were higher than those of females, level of serum Mg in males was lower than those of females. Levels of serum Mg and Zn showed fluctuation trend with increased numbers of abnormal clinical parameters (NACP) in males. Serum Zn in females showed consistent elevated trend with NACP; serum Se increased first and then decreased with NACP in males and females. The auxiliary prediction model (Triglyceride, Total protein, serum Mg) was found with the highest predicted efficiency in males (AUC=0.993), while the model in females (Apolipoprotein A, Creatinine, Fe, Se, Zn/Cu ratio) showed the best predicted efficiency (AUC=0.951). The models had passed the verification in validation set, and Chi-square goodness-of-fit test, DCA results both confirmed their satisfactory clinical applicability. ConclusionSex-specific difference were found in serum Mg, Fe and Cu in T1D. The combination of triglyceride, total protein and serum Mg for males, and apolipoprotein A, creatinine, Fe, Se, Zn/Cu ratio for females could effectively predict T1D in patients with negative anti-bodies, which would provide alarm for the population with high-risk of T1D and serve the T1D prediction in patients with negative anti-bodies.

Proteomic response of early juvenile Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) to temperature.

Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) are a valuable aquaculture product that provides important ecosystem benefits. Among other threats, climate-driven changes in ocean temperature can impact oyster metabolism, survivorship, and immune function. We investigated how elevated temperature impacts larval oysters during settlement (19–33 days post-fertilization), using shotgun proteomics with data-independent acquisition to identify proteins present in the oysters after 2 weeks of exposure to 23 °C or 29 °C. Oysters maintained at elevated temperatures were larger and had a higher settlement rate, with 86% surviving to the end of the experiment; these oysters also had higher abundance trends of proteins related to metabolism and growth. Oysters held at 23 °C were smaller, had a decreased settlement rate, displayed 100% mortality, and had elevated abundance trends of proteins related to immune response. This novel use of proteomics was able to capture characteristic shifts in protein abundance that hint at important differences in the phenotypic response of Pacific oysters to temperature regimes. Additionally, this work has produced a robust proteomic product that will be the basis for future research on bivalve developmental processes.

Annual and seasonal trends in cow's milk quality determined by FT-MIR spectroscopy in Hungary between 2011 and 2020.

We analysed and monitored the major chemical composition of cow's bulk milk by Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy over a 10-year period in the whole territory of Hungary. In addition, the two most important key parameters for milk quality assessment, total bacterial count (TBC) and somatic cell count (SCC) were also followed. Production parameters showed significant seasonal and yearly changes. The overall mean fat, protein, lactose and solids-non-fat (SNF) contents of cow's milk were 3.81%, 3.32%, 4.74% and 8.76%, respectively. A circannual variation was observed in the chemical composition and yield of milk components of samples examined between 2011 and 2020. Concerning milk fat, milk protein and SNF, the values were the lowest in summer and the highest in winter. In the case of lactose, the minimum values were measured in autumn and the maximum values in spring. An obvious trend of long-term elevation of lactose and SNF was found in the raw cow milk samples over the observed period. The overall mean TBC and SCC of cow's milk were 52 × 103 CFU ml-1 and 270 × 103 cells/ml, respectively. Although there were differences in the monthly average values, no seasonal cyclicality was observed.

Assessing the effects of sediment and tidal level variability on coastal wetland evolution

• We include short-term sediment and tidal variability on coastal wetland evolution. • We first simulate 10-year evolution of a mangrove-saltmarsh wetland using field data. • Stormy years promote saltmarsh transgression, but accretion is barely affected. • MC method and synthetic data are used next to assess uncertainty over the century. • Results excluding variability underestimate wetland extent/accretion by up to 25% Assessments of coastal wetland vulnerability to Sea Level Rise (SLR) frequently use simplified representations of tidal levels and sediment input (i.e., average or representative values), disregarding short and long-term variations. The expensive computational cost of using high-resolution time series is one of the main reasons for such simplification. However, observed series contain short-term variations (such as severe storms) and interannual variability induced by climate and ocean phenomena. In this study, we used a previously developed ecogeomorphological model and high-performance computing to carry out simulations with observed and synthetic high-resolution datasets to account for both types of variations. We performed two experiments. In the first experiment we used observed water levels and satellite-derived sediment concentrations from 2002 to 2011 to assess the capability of the model to reproduce in situ measurements of soil elevation change in a mangrove-saltmarsh wetland in SE Australia. Results showed increased wetland extent (particularly in saltmarsh) and soil elevation change in years with important storms, but little effect on the long term trends of soil elevation and wetland evolution. In the second experiment, we implemented a Monte Carlo (MC) approach comprising 100 realizations of 100-year duration using synthetically-generated input data based on 13 years of high-resolution values of water levels and sediment load. Each simulation covered the period between 2000 and 2100 and included increases in SLR following the RCP 8.5 scenario. The MC results show that the variability of inputs generate uncertainties in wetland evolution, with up to 20% of wetland area extent classified as highly uncertain during the second half of the century. In agreement with the first experiment, uncertainty was higher in saltmarsh. In addition, uncertainty in elevation change was lower than in wetland extent. MC results were compared with simulations using representative sinusoidal waves and constant sediment concentration, one using the mean tidal range and the other using a combination of neap, mean and spring tidal ranges. Both simplified formulations underestimated wetland extent (particularly in saltmarsh), but the simulations with the combination of tidal ranges were able to match the soil elevation change results from the MC approach.

Distributional Trends and Species Richness of Maryland, USA, Stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera), with an Emphasis on the Appalachian Region

Faunistic studies of regional biodiversity of aquatic insects are increasing in importance as declines are noted globally. Federal and state government conservation attempts for rare and threatened species are predicated upon the initial research of specialized taxonomists and trained field biologists. The reporting of aquatic insect occurrence data provides a baseline for conservation agencies to compare water quality monitoring studies. Updated field work, literature reviews, and database queries for stoneflies from the mid-Atlantic United States of America state of Maryland necessitated an assessment of species diversity for the state. Seven new state records and one new literature record are presented, bringing the total number of species to 122. Chao1 estimates of species richness are presented for diversity hotspots and the state as a whole, indicating that increased sampling is still necessary to fully understand diversity patterns. Accompanying are assessments of elevation trends and adult presence patterns within nine families. Collections are predominantly restricted to the Appalachian region. Herein, we direct future efforts to focus on understudied regions. An outline of distribution knowledge for species is presented to inform upcoming State Wildlife Action Plans.

Age-Period-Cohort Analysis of Ischemic Heart Disease Morbidity and Mortality in China, 1990-2019.

The disease burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD) continues to increase. This study aimed to assess the age, period, and cohort effects on the long-term trends of IHD incidence and mortality in China from 1990 to 2019. The data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019, and the age-standardized incidence/mortality rate (ASIR/ASMR) was calculated. The age-period-cohort (APC) model, which is a generalized linear model revealing the correlation of disease rate and attained age, period, and cohort, was applied to estimate the net drift (estimated annual percentage change [EAPC]s), the local drifts (age-specific EAPCs), the age, period, and cohort effects. The analyses elucidated that the ASIR and ASMR of IHD declined after 2013. The net drift of incidence was 0.212% in females, and the net drift of mortality was 0.371% in males. The local drifts of mortality were above 0 in males aged 20-84 years and in females aged 65-84 years. The age effects showed elevated trends during the study period. The period effects declined after 2013. The cohort effects of mortality in males were higher than that in females. The decrease of ASIR and ASMR indicated that measures to prevent IHD have been effective in China. However, the cardiovascular health of the elderly and males should be considered in future policy decisions.

Using an acoustic complexity index to help monitor climate change effects on avian diversity

Passive recording technologies have become a valuable tool for ecologists to accumulate large data sets on vocalizing species assemblages and to study the response of biodiversity to regional and global environmental change. However, the process of interpreting these recordings and identifying species can be time-consuming. To automate this process, and to derive diversity metrics directly from the audio files, soundscape ecologists developed and published many bioacoustics indices, which are calculated using computer algorithms that mathematically summarize the acoustic energy in a recording. Of these indices, the acoustic complexity index (ACI) is perhaps the most widely proposed surrogate of bird species richness. Although several studies have shown the ACI to have positive correlations with species richness, it remains unknown how well the ACI will perform over large, habitat-diverse, regions. Our aim, here, was to examine whether site-level bird species richness (alpha diversity) correlated with the ACI across a large heterogenous mountain region. Further, we explored whether the elevational trends for alpha diversity and the ACI exhibited similar unimodal patterns with corresponding maximums and whether any shifts in the elevation of these maximums could be tracked over time in response to climate change. We deployed recording devices along two extensive transects on the Pacific Crest Trail in California, USA; these included a 689-km trail section in northern California and a 531-km section in southern California. Point counts for birds from the field were combined with the interpretation of the recordings to estimate alpha diversity using a Bayesian multispecies occupancy model. We found that alpha diversity exhibited a positive linear relationship with the ACI on both trail sections. However, these relationships were not strong (low R2 values). Similar mid-elevation maximums for alpha diversity and the ACI were observed along the northern trail section. Power analysis revealed that with repeated annual surveys using our protocols, we could detect an average shift in the elevation of either maximum species richness or ACI of approximately 100 m over 20 years (i.e., 5 m/yr), which could be improved in precision to 50 m (i.e., 2.5 m/yr) with a 5-fold increase in survey effort. Although there was considerable unexplained variation in our diversity- and ACI-elevation trends, which we suspect was due to microhabitat and microclimate effects, we concluded that the ACI was a useful, albeit coarse, surrogate of alpha diversity across large regions. The ACI warrants consideration by ecologists and land managers for application in large-scale monitoring programs.

Elevational trends in photosynthetic capacity and trait relationships of subtropical montane understorey bryophytes

Bryophytes respond sensitively to environmental variation and the functioning and functions of bryophyte communities may therefore change due to climate change. However, how bryophyte functional traits and trait relationships vary with environmental variation is not well known. Therefore, we investigated elevational trends in photosynthetic traits and their relationship with nitrogen and phosphorus contents (N and P) for 19 moss species on the eastern slope of Gongga Mountain, China. As tissue N contents were previously shown to decrease with elevation, we expected net photosynthesis (Amax) and dark-respiration rates (Rd) to show similar decreasing trends. Contrary to our expectations, no significant trend for Amax in relation to elevation was found and Rd peaked at the middle elevation, while the slopes of the relationship of Amax with N were similar along elevations but differed from those found previously for bryophytes at two other sites on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results suggest that: 1) unlike for vascular plants, for bryophytes elevational trends in nutrient contents have limited predictive power for photosynthetic traits; 2) functional-trait relationships for bryophytes can differ between geographical locations. Therefore, care should be taken when using easy-to-measure traits like nutrients to predict bryophyte functioning. More detailed modelling than for vascular plants may be needed to account for the alternative solutions bryophytes use to adjust to their environment.