Advances in systematic conservation planning to meet global biodiversity goals.

Systematic conservation planning (SCP) involves the cost-effective placement and application of management actions to achieve biodiversity conservation objectives. Given the political momentum for greater global nature protection, restoration, and improved management of natural resources articulated in the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, assessing the state-of-the-art of SCP is timely. Recent advances in SCP include faster and more exact algorithms and software, inclusion of ecosystem services and multiple facets of biodiversity (e.

Moth caterpillar embryos and parasitoid egg infection as revealed in vivo and visualized by micro-CT scanning.

The Lepidopteran pest Trichoplusia ni and the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma brassicae represent a fascinating biological system, important for sustainable agricultural practices but challenging to observe. We present a nondestructive method based on micro-CT scanning technology (CT: computed tomography) for visualizing the internal parts of caterpillar embryos and of emerging parasitoids from infected eggs. Traditional methods of microscopic observation of the opaque egg contents require staining or dissection.

Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Pembrolizumab in a Patient With Xeroderma Pigmentosum.

A 5-year-old male with xeroderma pigmentosum from Honduras presented with a rapidly growing mass on the left post-auricular neck, associated with left-sided hearing loss. MRI revealed a large mass with invasion of the external auditory canal, temporal bone, and metastasis to lymph nodes. Biopsy confirmed moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Infantile Hemangioma With Aggressive, Early-Onset Ulceration, and Kasabach-Merritt-Like Phenomenon in a Newborn.

Infantile hemangiomas (IH) are the most common benign tumors of infancy and progress through recognized stages of evolution including early proliferation, plateau, and involution. Ulceration is a common complication of IHs typically observed during the early proliferative stage characterized by rapid growth. In rare cases, ulceration is the primary clinical manifestation of IHs.

Some Comply While Some Defy: Elementary Teachers' Responses to Leadership Mandates on Reading Comprehension Instruction.

Purpose: We report the qualitative findings from a survey of elementary teachers regarding reading instruction. The purpose is to extend on quantitative findings in a previously described survey to gain a more in-depth understanding of Australian elementary teachers' approaches to the literacy block in their schools: how this is used, who makes instructional decisions, and how teachers respond to these.

Method: A web-based survey was used to collect data from Australian elementary teachers about their perspectives regarding reading comprehension instruction.

Optoacoustic lenses for lateral sub-optical resolution elasticity imaging.

In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time the focusing of gigahertz coherent phonon pulses propagating in water using picosecond ultrasonics and Brillouin light scattering. We achieve this by using planar Fresnel zone plate and concave lenses with different focal lengths. Pump light illuminating the optoacoustic lens generates a focusing acoustic field, and Brillouin scattered probe light allows the acoustic field to be continuously monitored over time.

Diversifying the Workforce Through Focused Support of Nursing Students With Socioeconomic Challenges.

Background: Diversifying the nursing workforce entails concerted efforts to recruit and retain students from under-represented racial and socioeconomic groups who are especially vulnerable to barriers hindering academic success. This article describes faculty strategies for retaining and supporting students toward program completion and first-time National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEXRN) passage at a mission-driven school in rural Appalachia where most of the students have socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Method: Independent samples t tests were used to compare academic variables between students who passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt and students who did not.

Obesity-Specific improvement of lung cancer outcomes and immunotherapy efficacy with metformin.

Background: Pre-clinical cancer studies ascribe promising anticancer properties to metformin. Yet, clinical findings vary, casting uncertainty on its therapeutic value for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We hypothesized that metformin could benefit obese and overweight patients with NSCLC.

Strengths and complementarity of systematic conservation planning and key biodiversity area approaches for spatial planning.

Developing biodiversity-inclusive spatial plans at a national level is the focus of Target 1 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). There are 2 general approaches to identifying areas of value for biodiversity plans: criteria-based, such as the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) process, and systematic conservation planning (SCP) approaches, which apply complementarity to efficiently achieve specific quantitative targets. We examined the benefits of both approaches and considered how the KBA approach can best complement SCP.

IgG4-related disease in the nervous system.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently described multisystemic disorder with a spectrum of manifestations that continue to be described. Nonetheless, there are recognised distinct patterns of disease. Neurological involvement is rare, particularly in isolation, but IgG4-RD may present with orbital disease, hypophysitis or pachymeningitis.

Functional evaluation of rare variants in complement factor I using a minigene assay.

The regulatory serine protease, complement factor I (FI), in conjunction with one of its cofactors (FH, C4BP, MCP, or CR1), plays an essential role in controlling complement activity through inactivation of C3b and C4b. The functional impact by missense variants in the gene, particularly those with minor allele frequencies of 0.01% to 0.

Virtual stimulation of the interictal EEG network localizes the EZ as a measure of cortical excitability.

For patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, successful localization and surgical treatment of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) can bring seizure freedom. However, surgical success rates vary widely because there are currently no clinically validated biomarkers of the EZ. Highly epileptogenic regions often display increased levels of cortical excitability, which can be probed using single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES), where brief pulses of electrical current are delivered to brain tissue.

Essential oils mouthwash with or without alcohol in relation to effect on parameters of plaque and gingivitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: The primary aim was to systematically assess the available literature on the effect of an essential oils mouthwash without alcohol (EOalc-) compared to an essential oils mouthwash with alcohol (EOalc+) on plaque scores and parameters of gingival health. The secondary aim was to evaluate user appreciation.

Materials And Methods: The MEDLINE-PubMed and Cochrane-CENTRAL databases were searched to identify eligible studies published up to and including March 2024.

Network excitability of stimulation-induced spectral responses helps localize the seizure onset zone.

Objective: While evoked potentials elicited by single pulse electrical stimulation (SPES) may assist seizure onset zone (SOZ) localization during intracranial EEG (iEEG) monitoring, induced high frequency activity has also shown promising utility. We aimed to predict SOZ sites using induced cortico-cortical spectral responses (CCSRs) as an index of excitability within epileptogenic networks.

Methods: SPES was conducted in 27 epilepsy patients undergoing iEEG monitoring and CCSRs were quantified by significant early (10-200 ms) increases in power from 10 to 250 Hz.

Random interval schedule of reinforcement influences punishment resistance for cocaine in rats.

In an animal model of compulsive drug use, a subset of rats continues to self-administer cocaine despite footshock consequences and is considered punishment resistant. We recently found that punishment resistance is associated with habits that persist under conditions that typically encourage a transition to goal-directed control. Given that random ratio (RR) and random interval (RI) schedules of reinforcement influence whether responding is goal-directed or habitual, we investigated the influence of these schedules on punishment resistance for cocaine or food.

Force Field X: A computational microscope to study genetic variation and organic crystals using theory and experiment.

Force Field X (FFX) is an open-source software package for atomic resolution modeling of genetic variants and organic crystals that leverages advanced potential energy functions and experimental data. FFX currently consists of nine modular packages with novel algorithms that include global optimization via a many-body expansion, acid-base chemistry using polarizable constant-pH molecular dynamics, estimation of free energy differences, generalized Kirkwood implicit solvent models, and many more. Applications of FFX focus on the use and development of a crystal structure prediction pipeline, biomolecular structure refinement against experimental datasets, and estimation of the thermodynamic effects of genetic variants on both proteins and nucleic acids.

On the scientific credibility of paleoanthropology: Reply to Villmoare and Kimbel.

Smith and Wood reply to Villmoare and Kimbel regarding the scientific credibility of problems in paleoanthropology that require causal explanations for unique historical events.

Admission Total Leukocyte Count as a Predictor of Mortality in Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Background: Inflammation is a sequela of cardiovascular critical illness and a risk factor for mortality.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association between white blood cell count (WBC) and mortality in a broad population of patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients admitted to the Mayo Clinic CICU between 2007 and 2018.