Quaternary Radiation of Spring Ephemerals.

The emergence of East Asian spring ephemerals and the unique ecosystem can be attributed primarily to vicariance, brought about by the Quaternary rifting of the Okinawa Trough, the formation of the East China Sea, and the isolation of the island chains of Ryukyu, Japan, and Taiwan from the Asian continent. The northern forests of Japan, dominated by and the associated , present a captivating display of spring-flowering ephemerals, including , , , and . Among these, is also considered part of the spring ephemerals.

Associations between degree of food processing and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a multicentre prospective cohort analysis in 9 European countries.

Background: Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has been linked with higher risk of mortality. This multi-centre study investigated associations between food intake by degree of processing, using the Nova classification, and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

A Database on Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance in Wastewater and Solid Waste from Pharmaceutical Industry Based on a Systematic Review.

Residual antimicrobial agents in wastewater and solid waste from antimicrobial manufacturing facilities can potentially contaminate environments. The World Health Organization has established technical guidelines for managing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pharmaceutical wastewater and solid waste. However, the scarcity of publicly available data on antimicrobial manufacturing processes impedes the development of effective mitigation strategies.

Data Mining of Infertility and Factors Influencing Its Development: A Finding From a Prospective Cohort Study of RaNCD in Iran.

Background And Aims: Infertility, as defined by the World Health Organization, is the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse. This study aimed to identify factors influencing infertility by applying data mining techniques, specifically rule-mining methods, to analyze diverse patient data and uncover relevant insights. This approach involves a thorough analysis of patients' clinical characteristics, dietary habits, and overall conditions to identify complex patterns and relationships that may contribute to infertility.

Release of elements and phenolic and flavonoid compounds from herbs and spices into acacia honey during infusion.

Acacia honey was infused with basil, oregano, marjoram, dill, garlic or cinnamon at infusion rates of 0-5% by mass for a 6 months period. After removal of the infusates, macro and micro element concentrations were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined spectroscopically.

Swine clones: potential application for animal production and animal models.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), or cloning, is used to reprogram cells and generate genetically identical embryos and animals. However, the cloning process is inefficient, limiting its application to producing valuable animals. In swine, cloning is mainly utilized to produce genetically modified animals.

Evaluation of Emerging Antimicrobials Resistance in Nosocomial Infections Caused by : The Comparison Results of Observed Cases and Compartmental Model.

In recent years, the global rise of antibiotic-resistant () has become a significant threat to public health. This study aimed to identify and track outbreaks of antibiotic resistance, specifically among the antibiotics used to treat nosocomial infections. This hospital-based study utilized data from a nosocomial infection surveillance system to investigate reported cases of antibiotic resistance.

Optimizing Young Jackfruit ( Lam.) Processing for Plant-Based Meatballs: Impact of Thermal Treatments on Quality Parameters and Organoleptic Properties.

As global demand for plant-based foods increases due to their nutritional and environmental benefits, young jackfruit () is emerging as a promising meat alternative. This study evaluates the effects of heat treatments-specifically blanching for 5 min and boiling for 15, 30, and 45 min-on the quality and sensory attributes of jackfruit-based meatballs. The results indicate consistent color values ( , , and ) across the samples, with values ranging from 53.

Lanostane Triterpenes, Flavanones and Acetogenins from the Roots of and Their Cytotoxic Activity.

Our phytochemical investigation of the roots of led to the isolation of two new lanostane triterpenes, 3-acetylpolycarpol () and 15-acetylpolycarpol (), as well as 15 known compounds (-). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by an analysis of spectroscopic data. Compounds - were tested against nonsmall cell lung cancer cells (A549) and human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa) using an MTT assay.

Electrochemical Monitoring of Vitamins B and C in Environmental Matrices with an Oligo Diaminotriazole Electrode.

Chemical polymerization/oligomerization opens numerous opportunities, from fundamental materials research to practical applications in catalysis, energy, sensing, and medicine. The electrochemical detection of vitamins B (folic acid) and C (ascorbic acid) requires new approaches because of low selectivity, electrode fouling, and interference from other chemicals. As an excellent material for long-term vitamin detection, oligo 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole (oligo DAT) enhances the sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of sensors by creating a stable, conductive layer that facilitates electron transfer and reduces interference from common substances like glucose or uric acid.

Factors influencing the delivery of automated external defibrillators by lay rescuers to the scene of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in schools.

Aim: Timely use of automated external defibrillators by lay rescuers significantly improves the chances of survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases. We aimed to identify the factors influencing whether lay rescuers bring automated external defibrillators to the scene of nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in schoolchildren in Japan.

Methods: Data on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests among schoolchildren from April 2008 to December 2021 were obtained from the database of the Stop and Prevent cardIac aRrest, Injury, and Trauma in Schools study.

Revisiting water resources management in the Mandara Mountains.

This article evaluates the prospects for rainwater harvesting (RWH) as a means of optimizing water management in the Mandara Mountains. RWH is a small-scale water conservation approach for locally intercepting and storing rainfall before it enters the usual hydrologic cycle. This ancient practice has recently sustained lives in semiarid areas of the world (e.

A Clinical Prediction Rule for Predicting the Health-related Quality of Life after 5 Months in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis Undergoing Conservative Treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to derive a clinical prediction rule (CPR) that can predict changes in health-related quality of life at 5 months for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) undergoing conservative treatment.

Methods: Patients with KOA receiving physical therapy and exercise therapy at an outpatient clinic were included in this study. The basic characteristics, medical information, and motor function test results were recorded at baseline.

Development and validation of a species-specific environmental DNA (eDNA) primer for endangered Asian arowana, (Teleostei: Osteoglossidae) for law enforcement and wild population monitoring.

The Asian Arowana, (Müller and Schlegel, 1844) is a large majestic freshwater teleost, crowned as the king of aquariums with its bright charismatic appearance and magnificent swimming performance. The most expensive Asian arowana is the Golden Blue-based Malayan Arowana which is endemic to the Bukit Merah Lake and Kerian River Basin, Perak, Malaysia. has been listed as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), regulated under Appendix 1 of the Convention of International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) for commercial trade.

Rhodamine-Gold Hybrid Nanosensor for Rapid and Selective Detection of Hg2+ Ions in Environmental Samples.

This research focuses on the selective detection of Hg2+ ions using hybrid nanosensors composed of rhodamine building blocks linked to polyamine units of varying chain lengths to produce Rho1-Rho4, which were subsequently conjugated with thioctic acid (RT1-RT4) and attached to the surface of gold nanoparticles to create hybrid nanosensors (GRT1-GRT4) designed for detecting heavy metals. The chemical structures, purity, morphology, and chemical composition were characterized through XRD, NMR, TEM, ATR-FTIR, and mass spectrometry. These hybrid nanosensors demonstrated excellent selectivity and sensitivity in colorimetric and fluorescence responses towards Hg2+, outperforming other metal ions.

Evolution Driven Microscale Combinatorial Chemistry in Intracellular Mimicking Droplets to Engineer Thermostable RNA for Cellular Imaging.

Fluorescent light-up aptamer/fluorogen pairs are powerful tools for tracking RNA in the cell, however limitations in thermostability and fluorescence intensity exist. Current in vitro selection techniques struggle to mimic complex intracellular environments, limiting in vivo biomolecule functionality. Taking inspiration from microenvironment-dependent RNA folding observed in cells and organelle-mimicking droplets, an efficient system is created that uses microscale heated water droplets to simulate intracellular conditions, effectively replicating the intracellular RNA folding landscape.

Spatial, environmental and trophic niche partitioning by seabirds in a climate change hotspot.

For similar species to co-occur in places where resources are limited, they need to adopt strategies that partition resources to reduce competition. Our understanding of the mechanisms behind resource partitioning among sympatric marine predators is evolving, but we lack a clear understanding of how environmental change is impacting these dynamics. We investigated spatial and trophic resource partitioning among three sympatric seabirds with contrasting biological characteristics: greater crested terns Thalasseus bergii (efficient flyer, limited diver, and preference for high quality forage fish), little penguins Eudyptula minor (flightless, efficient diver, and preference for high quality forage fish) and silver gulls Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae (efficient flyer, limited diver and generalist diet).

Causes of mortality and morbidity in the endangered southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus).

Unlabelled: The southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus) is a small, endangered, Australian, ground-dwelling marsupial. Apart from isolated necropsy reports, there has not been a systematic investigation into the health and causes of death for this species.

Objective: To investigate and document the causes of death and the parasites of free-ranging populations of southern brown bandicoots in southern, central Victoria, Australia.

Impact of geographical variation on nutritional and antioxidant properties of Basella alba L. from Sri Lanka.

Background: Basella alba L. (Malabar spinach) is a widely consumed leafy vegetable, well known for its nutritional and therapeutic properties. These properties arise from the availability of essential nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidant potential, which may vary depending on environmental factors induced by the geographical location.

Assessment of the phenotypic and physicochemical traits of nine Iranian endemic fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.).

Considering the significance of fenugreek as a valuable medicinal and food plant, assessing the genetic diversity of different populations of this species is essential for optimizing performance and adaptability to environmental conditions. This study aims to investigate genetic diversity and identify important phenotypic traits in various Iranian fenugreek accessions ("Mashhad", "Tehran", "Yazd", "Shiraz", "Birjand", "Isfahan", "Kerman", "Kalat", "Neyshabur"), an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications and nine treatments (accessions) in Iran. The results showed that the highest seed yield was observed in "Kalat" (120.

Sleep and circadian rhythms modeling: From hypothalamic regulatory networks to cortical dynamics and behavior.

Sleep and circadian rhythms are regulated by dynamic physiologic processes that operate across multiple spatial and temporal scales. These include, but are not limited to, genetic oscillators, clearance of waste products from the brain, dynamic interplay among brain regions, and propagation of local dynamics across the cortex. The combination of these processes, modulated by environmental cues, such as light-dark cycles and work schedules, represents a complex multiscale system that regulates sleep-wake cycles and brain dynamics.

Factors influencing shared decision-making on hospital wards as perceived by healthcare professionals: A qualitative study.

Objectives: The extent to which healthcare professionals apply Shared Decision Making (SDM) on hospital wards is still unknown. The aim was to explore the current knowledge of SDM among healthcare professionals and the experienced factors influencing SDM on the wards of Dutch hospitals, regarding both treatment and care decisions.

Setting: Twelve hospital wards in two university medical centres and one teaching hospital.

All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality Associated with Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter in Japan: The Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study.

Aims: Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is causally associated with mortality and cardiovascular disease. However, in terms of cardiovascular cause-specific outcomes, there are fewer studies about stroke than about coronary heart disease, particularly in Asia. Furthermore, there remains uncertainty regarding the PM-respiratory disease association.

The moderating and mediating role of the placenta in the association between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and birth weight: A twin study.

Prenatal exposure to air pollution has been linked to lower birth weight, yet the role of the placenta in this association is often overlooked. This study investigates whether placental characteristics act as moderators or mediators in the association between prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO) and birth weight in twins. The study included 3340 twins (born 2002-2013) from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey.