Microplastics in 132 Iowa lakes and variability in relation to abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors.

The global annual plastic production rate is approaching 400 million metric tons, with substantial amounts invading aquatic environments yearly. Numerous studies have been conducted monitoring marine plastic litter. An understanding of plastic litter's magnitude in freshwater ecosystems is lagging, particularly for microplastics (MP(s) 100 nm to 5 mm in length/diameter).

Downsizing plastics, upsizing impact: How microplastic particle size affects Chironomus riparius bioturbation activity.

Microplastic contamination in freshwater systems poses serious ecological risks, yet the role of particle size in shaping these impacts remains underexplored. This study investigates the influence of microplastic size on bioturbation activities of Chironomus riparius larvae, a process essential for sediment dynamics and nutrient cycling. Employing luminophore sediment profile imaging (LSPI), we tracked the vertical distribution of polyethylene particles within sediment layers, focusing on two distinct size ranges: small (53-63 μm) and large (250-300 μm) spherical particles.

Clinical Validation of the TruSight Oncology 500 Assay for the Detection and Reporting of Pan-Cancer Biomarkers.

The TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO500) High-Throughput Assay is a genomic profiling assay, supported by a bioinformatic analysis pipeline to evaluate somatic single-nucleotide variations/deletions/insertions, gene amplification, microsatellite instability, tumor mutational burden (TMB), gene fusion, and splice variants in solid tumors. This study outlines the approach used by the Genomics Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic to evaluate the technical performance of TSO500. The assessment involved 104 DNA and 223 RNA samples extracted from >20 tumor types.

Regional Anesthesia in Thyroid Surgery for a Giant Intrathoracic Goiter With Tracheal Compression.

Cervical plexus block (CPB), like other types of regional anesthesia, represents an alternative anesthetic technique in those cases where the performance of general anesthesia (GA) carries an increased risk both for the patient and the outcome of the operative treatment. It has traditionally been used for years in carotid surgery as an alternative to GA, especially due to the possibility of superior monitoring - the awake patient. However, its effectiveness has been proven in other types of neck surgery, primarily in thyroid surgery, neck dissections, tracheostomy, central venous catheter insertion, clavicle surgery, etc.

Survey of legislative frameworks and national recommendations governing paediatric maintenance haemodialysis in Europe.

Background: The application of international recommendations for paediatric maintenance haemodialysis (HD) could be strengthened by national laws or written recommendations. Our aim was therefore to describe the national rules governing paediatric maintenance HD in European countries.

Methods: A national representative, approved by the president of each paediatric nephrology society, was contacted in all 42 European countries to complete two online questionnaires.

Achievements, priorities and strategies in pediatric nephrology in Europe: need for unifying approaches or acceptance of differences?

Background: There is a lack of information on the current healthcare systems for children with kidney diseases across Europe. The aim of this study was to explore the different national approaches to the organization and delivery of pediatric nephrology services within Europe.

Methods: In 2020, the European society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) conducted a cross-sectional survey to identify the existing pediatric nephrology healthcare systems in 48 European countries covering a population of more than 200 million children.

Surgical Site Infection after Primary Open Surgery for Laryngeal Cancer in a Tertiary Hospital in Belgrade, Serbia: A 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) in laryngeal cancer (LC) patients significantly increases morbidity and may postpone adjuvant therapy. Additionally, SSI can prolong hospitalization, thus representing a burden for the healthcare system. Most of the published studies refer to SSI after salvage laryngectomy.

Taxonomic and functional traits of macroinvertebrate community along fish farming pollution gradient: Taxonomic sufficiency for reliable bioassessment.

The expansion of fish farming globally, driven by rising demand for fish as a food source, has raised substantial environmental concerns due to its impact on aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the effects of fish farming effluents on taxonomic and functional diversity of macroinvertebrate community and test how taxonomic resolution impacts their effectiveness as pollution indicators. Macroinvertebrate samples were collected from seven trout farms, with sampling sites categorized based on proximity to farm effluents.

Impact of Simultaneous Nutrient Priming and Biopriming on Soybean Seed Quality and Health.

In soybean production, numerous strategies are utilized to enhance seed quality and mitigate the effects of biotic and abiotic stressors. Zn-based nutrient priming has been shown to be effective for field crops, and biopriming is a strategy that is becoming increasingly important for sustainable agriculture. On the other hand, there is a lack of information about the effect of comprehensive nutrient priming and biopriming techniques on soybean seed quality and viability and seed health.

High-order above-threshold ionisation of diatomic molecules by few-cycle bicircular and orthogonally polarised two-colour pulses.

Improved molecular strong-field approximation theory is used to calculate the ionisation probability for the high-order above-threshold ionisation process induced by a few-cycle pulse with two carrier frequencies and one envelope. The asymmetry in the photoelectron momentum distribution is due to the ultrashort nature of the driving pulse and due to the relative orientation of the molecule with respect to the laser field. We introduce the generalised asymmetry parameter, which can be used to quantitatively measure the asymmetry between the photoelectron spectra along arbitrarily many selected directions.

Utility of methylated DNA markers for the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures.

Background And Aims: Early identification of malignant biliary strictures (MBSs) is challenging, with up to 20% classified as indeterminants after preliminary testing and tissue sampling with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. We aimed to evaluate the use of methylated DNA markers (MDMs) from biliary brushings to enhance MBS detection in a prospective cohort.

Approach: Candidate MDMs were evaluated for their utility in MBS diagnosis through a series of discovery and validation phases.

Bio-Priming with Isolates Suppresses Seed Infection and Improves the Germination of Garden Peas in the Presence of Strains.

Seed infection caused by spp. is one of the major threats to the seed quality and yield of agricultural crops, including garden peas. The use of spp.

Automated identification of aquatic insects: A case study using deep learning and computer vision techniques.

Deep learning techniques have recently found application in biodiversity research. Mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera) and caddisflies (Trichoptera), often abbreviated as EPT, are frequently used for freshwater biomonitoring due to their large numbers and sensitivity to environmental changes. However, the morphological identification of EPT species is a challenging but fundamental task.

Species: Excellent Biocontrol Agents against Tomato Diseases.

Tomatoes encounter many pathogens, such as fungi and bacteria, which reduce the yield and quality of plants and lead to large losses in production. The application of plant protection products (PPPs) is still an important and most effective measure to control plant diseases. However, the use of chemicals in agriculture contributes to environmental pollution and biodiversity loss, and it can also threaten non-target living organisms.

Beneath the surface: Decoding the impact of Chironomus riparius bioturbation on microplastic dispersion in sedimentary matrix.

A detailed understanding of microplastics (MPs) behaviour in freshwater ecosystems is crucial for a proper ecological assessment. This includes the identification of significant transport pathways and net accumulation zones, considering their inherent, and already proven influence on aquatic ecosystems. Bioavailability of toxic agents is significantly influenced by macroinvertebrates' behaviour, such as bioturbation and burrowing, and their prior exposure history.

Differentinating between non-transfusion dependant β-thalassemia and iron deficinecy anemia in children using ROC and logistic regression analysis: two novel discrimination indices designed for pediatric patients.

Introduction: This cross-sectional study enrolled a group of 271 children with microcytic anemia in order to test the performance of 41 single and 2 composite formulas andindices in distinguishing between β-thalassemia (β-thal) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the pediatric population.

Methods: Optimal pediatric cut-off values from the previously published formulas and indices were generated using ROC analysis. Logistic regression in R using generalized linear models (GLM) generated two new indices.

Diversity of kidney care referral pathways in national child health systems of 48 European countries.

Background: Primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services in Europe create complex networks covering pediatric subspecialties, sociology, economics and politics. Two surveys of the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) in 1998 and 2017 revealed substantial disparities of kidney care among European countries. The purpose of the third ESPN survey is to further identify national differences in the conceptualization and organization of European pediatric kidney health care pathways during and outside normal working hours.

Scientometrics and academia.

The social significance and quality of every human activity are proportional to its usefulness to the social community. Science belongs to the very top of the processes and events in the history of humankind that strongly influenced the development of society, which over time transformed it and contributed to the common good. Science produced new knowledge that made it possible for billions of people to rise out of poverty, develop industrialization and mass communication, eradicate many dangerous diseases for humankind, and enable humans to leave their footprints on the moon.

The influence of spatial processes on fish community structure: using a metacommunity framework for freshwater bioassessment.

The use of biological indicators in a bioassessment approach is important for inferences of anthropogenic stress in routine monitoring programs. One of the primary assumptions of bioassessment is that biological indicators observed at specific sampling sites will allow for inferences of local environmental quality; however, this assumption requires a reliable understanding of dispersal processes, which is particularly relevant in river systems due to their dendritic network. Inter-stream dispersal between different points of the river network could bias bioassessment, especially for highly mobile organisms like fish.

PERINATAL ASPECTS OF SARS-CoV-2 INFECTION DURING PREGNANCY: A POTENTIAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

Ever since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty regarding clinical presentation and differences among various subpopulations exist. With more than 209,870,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,400,000 deaths worldwide, we are facing the new era of health crisis which will undoubtedly impair global health, economic and social circumstances. In the past year, numerous genetic mutations which code SARS-CoV-2 proteins led to the occurrence of new viral strains, with higher transmission rates.

High-order harmonic generation by aligned homonuclear diatomic cations.

We introduce the theory of high-order harmonic generation by aligned homonuclear diatomic cations using a strong-field approximation. The target cation is represented as a system which consists of two atomic (ionic) centres and one active electron, while the driving field is either a monochromatic or bichromatic field. For a linearly polarised driving field, we investigate the differences between the harmonic spectra obtained with a neutral molecule and the corresponding molecular cation.