Unveiling the lifeblood of cities: Identifying urban ecological networks from the perspective of biodiversity conservation.

Urban biodiversity faces threats from habitat loss, landscape fragmentation, and human disturbances. Ecological networks (ENs) can enhance habitat connectivity and bolster population resilience to disruptions. To safeguard the biodiversity of Nanjing's urban area, this study selected understory insectivorous birds as indicator species for biodiversity, employing a comprehensive approach integrating the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and the area threshold method to delineate ecological source areas.

The "Leafing Intensity Premium" Hypothesis and the Scaling Relationships of the Functional Traits of Bamboo Species.

The "leafing intensity premium" hypothesis proposes that leaf size results from natural selection acting on different leafing intensities, i.e., the number of leaves per unit shoot volume or mass.

Does the Spatial Pattern of Plants and Green Space Affect Air Pollutant Concentrations? Evidence from 37 Garden Cities in China.

Relevant studies have demonstrated that urban green spaces composed of various types of plants are able to alleviate the morbidity and mortality of respiratory diseases, by reducing air pollution levels. In order to explore the relationship between the spatial pattern of urban green spaces and air pollutant concentrations, this study takes 37 garden cities with subtropical monsoon climate in China as the research object and selects the urban air quality monitoring data and land use type data in 2019 to analyze the relationship between the spatial pattern and the air pollutant concentration through the landscape metrics model and spatial regression model. Moreover, the threshold effect of the impact of green space on air pollutant concentrations is estimated, as well.

A systematic review and network meta-analysis of the effectiveness of sclerotherapy for venous malformation.

Objective: Sclerotherapy for venous malformation has been widely used; however, no guidelines are available to assess the effectiveness of different sclerotherapy agents. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of sclerotherapy agents for venous malformations.

Methods: Three electronic databases were searched from their inception (1950) to April 29, 2021.

B, N Co-Doping Sequence: An Efficient Electronic Modulation of the Pd/MXene Interface with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Properties for Ethanol Electrooxidation.

Improving the electrocatalytic properties by regulating the surface electronic structure of supported metals has always been a hot issue in electrocatalysis. Herein, two novel catalysts Pd/B-N-TiC and Pd/N-B-TiC are used as the models to explore the effect of the B and N co-doping sequence on the surface electronic structure of metals, together with the electrocatalytic properties of ethanol oxidation reaction. The two catalysts exhibit obviously stratified morphology, and the Pd nanoparticles having the same amount are both uniformly distributed on the surface.

Efficacy of levetiracetam in STXBP1 encephalopathy with different phenotypic and genetic spectra.

Objective: Syntaxin binding protein 1 (STXBP1) plays an important role in the release of synaptic vesicles. STXBP1-related encephalopathy is a brain dysfunction caused by STXBP1 variation. Levetiracetam (LEV) exerts antiepileptic effects by binding to synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A).

Effectiveness comparisons of antiviral treatments for Bell palsy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objectives: Antiviral treatments for Bell palsy have been widely used, but there is no definite conclusion of which is the most effective antiviral drug. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including network meta-analysis to investigate the comparative effectiveness of antiviral treatments for Bell palsy.

Data: RCTs comparing effectiveness between antiviral treatments and placebo were included.

Improving Urban Water Environment in Eastern China by Blending Traditional with Modern Landscape Planning.

As a fundamental part of greenspace, urban water landscape contributes greatly to the ecological system and at the same time supplies a leisure area for residents. The paper did an analysis on the number of aquatic plant communities, the form of water spaces, and water quality condition by investigating 135 quadrats (90 at amphibious boundary and the land, 45 in the water) in 45 transects of 15 urban and suburban parks. We found that water spaces had monotonous forms with low biodiversity and poor water quality.