First record of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in Alberta: expanding distributions and ecotype patterns in a western Canadian province.

Culex pipiens is an invasive mosquito found in temperate regions globally. It is considered among the most important disease vectors worldwide and is responsible for the transmission of a range of pathogens, including West Nile virus, avian malaria, Saint Louis encephalitis, and filarial worms. Throughout its northern temperate range, this mosquito is found in 2 ecotypes: form pipiens and form molestus.

Determinants of environmental changes in human-modified ecosystems: Effects of plastics on moisture gradients, nutrients, and clay properties.

Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to ecosystem health worldwide. This study examines the determinants of environmental changes in human-modified ecosystems through a quantitative-qualitative system dynamics modeling approach: field experiments conducted on a 310 m unsaturated clay-rich bed and a 2.5 m clay-rich shore of a plastic-impacted pond in Shenzhen, China, and a 1.

Single-port versus multi-port laparoscopic and robotic inguinal hernia repair: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: The evolution of minimally invasive surgery has transformed inguinal hernia repair (IHR). The innovative single-port technique reduces the number of surgical incisions. However, the benefits of single-port IHR remain controversial.