Comparing statistical and deep learning approaches for simultaneous prediction of stand-level above- and belowground biomass in tropical forests.

Accurate and cost-effective prediction of aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), and the total (ABGB) at stand-level within tropical forests is crucial for effective forest ecological management and the provision of forest ecosystem services. Although there has been research on simultaneously fitting biomass equations for tree components, rather few studies focus on simultaneously predicting AGB and BGB at stand-level while maintaining additivity. We developed innovative Deep Learning Additive Models (DLAMs) for the simultaneous predictions of stand-level AGB, BGB, and ABGB integrating forest stand, ecological, and environmental factors as predictive covariates and compared them with conventional weighted nonlinear seemingly unrelated regression (WNSUR) and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS).

A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025.

We discuss the outcomes of our 16th horizon scan of issues that are novel or represent a considerable step-change and have the potential to substantially affect conservation of biological diversity in the coming decade. From an initial 96 topics, our international panel of 32 scientists and practitioners prioritised 15 issues. Technological advances are prominent, including metal and non-metal organic frameworks, deriving rare earth elements from macroalgae, synthetic gene drives in plants, and low-emission cement.

Enhancing resource recovery from acid whey through chitosan-based pretreatment and machine learning optimization.

Acid whey, a dairy byproduct with low pH and high organic content, presents disposal challenges but also potential for resource recovery. In this study, chitosan gel was synthesized and evaluated for turbidity reduction of acid whey. Machine learning (ML) models were employed to predict and optimize the pretreatment process, with the Random Forest algorithm achieving a prediction accuracy of 0.

The tradeoff of solitude? Restoration and relatedness across shades of solitude.

Social interaction and solitude entail tradeoffs. Communicate Bond Belong (CBB) theory holds that social interaction can foster relatedness with others at the cost of social energy, whereas solitude can restore social energy at the cost of relatedness. The current study empirically tests this tradeoff of solitude and its implications for well-being by investigating different degrees of solitude.

Ultra-wide band near-infrared (NIR) optical thermometry (12-673 K) performance enhanced by Stark sublevel splitting in Er ions near the first biological window in the PbZrTiO:Er/Yb phosphor.

The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) approach, which relies on thermally coupled levels (TCLs), is significantly important for optical thermometry at room temperature and above, but was found to be impractical for low temperature sensing due to limited population density (thermal) or lack of spectrum at extremely low temperatures. Herein, we report a wide temperature range (12-673 K) sensing capability of the PbZrTiO:Er/Yb (C1:PZT) phosphor utilising the bandwidth of Stark sublevel split near-infrared (NIR) emission bands as one sensing parameter and FIR as another. Motivated by our previous studies on upconversion (UC) and the promising thermometry performance of the C1:PZT phosphor for real time nanothermometer monitoring (using visible TCLs), this work extends to the same thermometry application using UC-NIR emission as TCLs.

Candidate genes in canine hepatocellular carcinoma for molecular targeted therapy.

Objectives: Unresectable canine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has limited nonsurgical treatment options. Sorafenib is a targeted therapy for unresectable canine HCC. However, there are limited reports on the expression of target genes.

Rewriting History in Integrable Stochastic Particle Systems.

Many integrable stochastic particle systems in one space dimension (such as TASEP-Totally Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process-and its -deformation, the -TASEP) remain integrable if we equip each particle with its own speed parameter. In this work, we present intertwining relations between Markov transition operators of particle systems which differ by a permutation of the speed parameters. These relations generalize our previous works (Petrov and Saenz in Probab Theory Relat Fields 182:481-530, 2022), (Petrov in SIGMA 17(021):34, 2021), but here we employ a novel approach based on the Yang-Baxter equation for the higher spin stochastic six vertex model.

Marine heatwaves and disease alter community metabolism and DOC fluxes on a widespread habitat-forming seagrass species (Zostera marina).

Climate change and disease are two major threats to maintaining healthy seagrass habitats. Seagrasses, and the ecosystems they support, play a critical ecological role in global carbon (C) cycles, providing key ecosystem services, such as blue carbon storage. Zostera marina (eelgrass), the most widespread seagrass species globally, is increasingly affected by warming and is also regularly infected by the endophytic pathogen Labyrinthula zosterae.

Enhanced Carbon Dioxide Capture from Diluted Streams with Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Capturing carbon dioxide from diluted streams, such as flue gas originating from natural gas combustion, can be achieved using recyclable, humidity-resistant porous materials. Three such materials were synthesized by chemically modifying the pores of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with Lewis basic functional groups. These materials included aluminum 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(4-carboxylatophenyl) benzene (Al-TCPB) and two novel MOFs: Al-TCPB(OH), and Al-TCPB(NH), both isostructural to Al-TCPB, and chemically and thermally stable.

Generating Biomedical Knowledge Graphs from Knowledge Bases, Registries, and Multiomic Data.

As large clinical and multiomics datasets and knowledge resources accumulate, they need to be transformed into computable and actionable information to support automated reasoning. These datasets range from laboratory experiment results to electronic health records (EHRs). Barriers to accessibility and sharing of such datasets include diversity of content, size and privacy.

Assessing greenspace and cardiovascular health through deep-learning analysis of street-view imagery in a cohort of US children.

Background: Accurately capturing individuals' experiences with greenspace at ground-level can provide valuable insights into their impact on children's health. However, most previous research has relied on coarse satellite-based measurements.

Methods: We utilized CVH and residential address data from Project Viva, a US-based pre-birth cohort, tracking participants from mid-childhood to late adolescence (2007-21).

Association of Postpartum Temperature Exposure with Postpartum Depression: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Southern California.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) has been associated with biological, emotional, social, and environmental factors. However, evidence regarding the effect of temperature on PPD is extremely limited.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the associations between postpartum temperature exposure and PPD.

How can robots facilitate physical, cognitive, and social engagement in skilled nursing facilities?

As people live longer, the population of older adults in need of support continues to expand relative to the available workforce of caregivers, necessitating new solutions to supplement caregiver availability for the physical, cognitive, and social needs of older adults. Robotics and automation present strong possible solutions. Past solutions have typically supported short-term rehabilitation and aging in place, yet many older adults live in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), a setting reached by relatively little research to date.

Direct Observations of Coastally Generated Near-Inertial Waves During a Wind Event.

Wind over the ocean generates near-inertial velocities. In the open ocean, horizontal variability in the inertial frequency and mesoscale vorticity generate internal waves that transport energy laterally and drive diapcynal mixing in remote locations. In the coastal ocean, horizontal variability is produced by the coastline.

Model-Measurement Comparisons for Surfactant-Containing Aerosol Droplets.

Surfactants are important components of atmospheric aerosols, potentially impacting their hygroscopic growth and eventual activation into cloud droplets. By adsorbing at the air-water interface, surfactants lower the surface tension of aqueous systems. However, in microscopic aerosol droplets, the bulk surfactant concentration can become depleted because of the droplets' high surface-area-to-volume ratio, reducing the bulk surfactant concentration at equilibrium and increasing droplet surface tension.

Multiscale Modeling of Nanoparticle Precipitation in Oxide Dispersion-Strengthened Steels Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) enables the efficient production of near-net-shape oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloys, which possess superior mechanical properties due to oxide nanoparticles (e.g., yttrium oxide, Y-O, and yttrium-titanium oxide, Y-Ti-O) embedded in the alloy matrix.

Discovery of subsp. Lytic Phages with Extensive Host Range Across Rapid- and Slow-Growing Pathogenic Mycobacterial Species.

Background/objectives: Developing interventions for Johne's disease, which focuses on controlling subsp. (MAP) in contaminated environments by treating infected cows and preventing transmission from diseased animals, is a critical priority. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy, an emerging biological intervention, offers a promising alternative for the treatment and management of MAP infections.

Wildfire Smoke Exposure During Pregnancy: Consensus-Building to Co-Create a Community-Engaged Study.

Relative to other Oregon counties, Klamath County experiences worse air quality due to wildfire smoke, as well as elevated rates of infant mortality and low birthweight. Klamath County Public Health (KCPH) raised concerns that wildfire smoke is a contributor to poor infant health. Thus, we built a multidisciplinary team and designed a community-engaged research (CEnR) project to capture community and individual-level exposure to wildfire smoke contaminants, alongside perinatal health outcomes.