The Metapopulation Bridge to Macroevolutionary Speciation Rates: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Test.

Whether large-scale variation in lineage diversification rates can be predicted by species properties at the population level is a key unresolved question at the interface between micro- and macroevolution. All else being equal, species with biological attributes that confer metapopulation stability should persist more often at timescales relevant to speciation and so give rise to new (incipient) forms that share these biological traits. Here, we develop a framework for testing the relationship between metapopulation properties related to persistence and phylogenetic speciation rates.

Identifying the Knowledge and Capacity Gaps in Southeast Asian Insect Conservation.

Insects represent most of terrestrial animal biodiversity, and multiple reports suggest that their populations are declining globally due to anthropogenic impacts. Yet, a high proportion of insect species remain undescribed and limited data on their population dynamics hamper insect conservation efforts. This is particularly critical in tropical biodiversity hotspots such as Southeast Asia.

Sexual Grooming in the Boy Scouts of America.

Research has shown child sexual abuse (CSA) within youth-serving organizations (YSOs) often went undetected for decades, which may in part be due to the use of sexual grooming behaviors. One such YSO is the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), with nearly 100,000 individuals alleging CSA within this organization. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of CSA within the BSA and the presence of sexual grooming behaviors as described by the Sexual Grooming Model.

A Functional Response in Resource Selection Links Multiscale Responses of a Large Carnivore to Human Mortality Risk.

Theory suggests that animals make hierarchical, multiscale resource selection decisions to address the hierarchy of factors limiting their fitness. Ecologists have developed tools to link population-level resource selection across scales; yet, theoretical expectations about the relationship between coarse- and fine-scale selection decisions at the individual level remain elusive despite their importance to fitness. With GPS-telemetry data collected across California, USA, we evaluated resource selection of mountain lions (Puma concolor; n = 244) relative to spatial variation in human-caused mortality risk.

Examining social attention as a predictor of problem drinking behavior: A longitudinal study using eye-tracking.

Background: Researchers have long been interested in identifying objective markers for problem drinking susceptibility informed by the environments in which individuals drink. However, little is known of objective cognitive-behavioral indices relevant to the social contexts in which alcohol is typically consumed. Combining group-based alcohol administration, eye-tracking technology, and longitudinal follow-up over a 2-year span, the current study examined the role of social attention in predicting patterns of problem drinking over time.

Detection of elevated succinate in brain during circulatory arrest in a piglet model: A 3T H MR spectroscopy study.

Purpose: To measure and validate elevated succinate in brain during circulatory arrest in a piglet model of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: Using data from an archive of 3T H MR spectra acquired in previous in-magnet studies, dynamic plots of succinate, spectral simulations and difference spectra were generated for analysis and validation.

Results: Elevation of succinate during circulatory arrest was observed and validated.

Pollination Across the Diel Cycle: A Global Meta-Analysis.

The daily transition between day and night, known as the diel cycle, is characterised by significant shifts in environmental conditions and biological activity, both of which can affect crucial ecosystem functions like pollination. Despite over six decades of research into whether pollination varies between day and night, consensus remains elusive. We compiled the evidence of diel pollination from 135 studies with pollinator exclusion experiments involving 139 angiosperms.

Epithelial Polarity Loss and Multilayer Formation: Insights Into Tumor Growth and Regulatory Mechanisms.

Epithelial tissues serve as critical barriers in metazoan organisms, maintaining structural integrity and facilitating essential physiological functions. Epithelial cell polarity regulates mechanical properties, signaling, and transport, ensuring tissue organization and homeostasis. However, the barrier function is challenged by cell turnover during development and maintenance.

A Natural Disaster Exacerbates and Redistributes Disease Risk Among Free-Ranging Macaques by Altering Social Structure.

Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, with severe implications for ecosystem dynamics. A key behavioural mechanism whereby animals may cope with such events is by altering their social structure, which in turn could influence epidemic risk. However, how and to what extent natural disasters affect disease risk via changes in sociality remains unexplored in animal populations.

Environmental Conditions Modulate Warming Effects on Plant Litter Decomposition Globally.

Empirical studies worldwide show that warming has variable effects on plant litter decomposition, leaving the overall impact of climate change on decomposition uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of 109 experimental warming studies across seven continents, using natural and standardised plant material, to assess the overarching effect of warming on litter decomposition and identify potential moderating factors. We determined that at least 5.

Seasonal Assembly of Nectar Microbial Communities Across Angiosperm Plant Species: Assessing Contributions of Climate and Plant Traits.

Plant-microbe associations are ubiquitous, but parsing contributions of dispersal, host filtering, competition and temperature on microbial community composition is challenging. Floral nectar-inhabiting microbes, which can influence flowering plant health and pollination, offer a tractable system to disentangle community assembly processes. We inoculated a synthetic community of yeasts and bacteria into nectars of 31 plant species while excluding pollinators.

Thermally Drawn Shape and Stiffness Programmable Fibers for Medical Devices.

Despite the significant advantages of Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs), material processing and production challenges have limited their applications. Recent advances in fiber manufacturing offer a novel approach to processing polymers, broadening the functions of fibers beyond optical applications. In this study, a thermal drawing technique for SMPs to fabricate Shape Memory Polymer Fibers (SMPFs) tailored for medical applications, featuring programmable stiffness and shape control is developed.

Implementation of a Comprehensive Protocol for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) in Kidney Transplant Recipients Improves Patient and Graft Outcomes.

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have gained widespread acceptance as a means to enhance surgical outcomes. However, the intricate care required for kidney transplant recipients has not yet led to the establishment of a universally recognized and dependable ERAS protocol for kidney transplantation.

Objective: We devised a customized ERAS protocol to determine its effectiveness in improving surgical and postoperative outcomes among kidney transplant recipients.

Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Clinical Trials: An Analysis of Diversity.

Objective: This study aims to assess the diversity and equity of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) trials using ClinicalTrials.gov, focusing on participant demographics and representation to identify gaps in inclusivity and inform strategies for promoting diversity in future pediatric AOM studies.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis.

Three Decades of Outpatient Plastic Surgery Safety: A Review of 42,720 Consecutive Cases.

Background: Outpatient plastic surgery offers cost-effective solutions and enhanced privacy but demands careful patient assessment for suitability and vigilant anticipation of adverse events. This study provides recommendations to enhance patient safety in outpatient settings by analyzing over 40,000 consecutive cases spanning across three decades.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive cases completed by board-certified plastic surgeons at an accredited outpatient surgical center between 1995-2023.

Predicting Sarcopenia and Frailty Risk in Patients Post Heart Transplantation.

Introduction: Currently, there is little evidence on the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia risk or frailty risk in patients post heart transplantation (HTx). The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of sociodemographic, lifestyle, physical, and psychological factors on sarcopenia and frailty risk in patients post-HTx.

Methods: 133 patients post-HTx (59.

Microstructural mapping of neural pathways in Alzheimer's disease using macrostructure-informed normative tractometry.

Introduction: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) is sensitive to the microstructural properties of brain tissues and shows great promise in detecting the effects of degenerative diseases. However, many approaches analyze single measures averaged over regions of interest without considering the underlying fiber geometry.

Methods: We propose a novel macrostructure-informed normative tractometry (MINT) framework to investigate how white matter (WM) microstructure and macrostructure are jointly altered in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

Do Factors Influencing Acceptance of Kidney Stone Formers as Donors Predict Subsequent Stone Events?

Purpose: This study aimed to assess whether kidney stone burden and risk factors at the time of kidney donor evaluation were associated with a symptomatic stone event post-donor evaluation.

Methods: We identified adults evaluated at Mayo Clinic (two sites) (2000-2011) for living kidney donation and had either a personal history or radiological evidence of kidney stone disease. We analyzed demographics, stone risk factors, stone number/size, and the committee's donation decision and reasons.

Contemporary Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infections in Low-Risk CMV Seronegative Recipients of Solid Organ Transplants From CMV Seronegative Donors (D-/R-): Time to Reexamine Donor CMV Serostatus.

Background: Early posttransplant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in CMV seronegative solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) with CMV seronegative donors (D-/R-) are often attributed transfusion-transmitted CMV. The prevalence of false-negative donor CMV serology in D-/R- SOTR with early CMV infections has not been explored.

Methods: We determined the frequency and characteristics of CMV DNAemia that occurred within 90 days of transplant among adult SOTR classified as D-/R- who underwent a first SOT at a single center between February 25, 2014 and February 25, 2024.

Meta-Analysis of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Research Conducted in Iran: Does Outcome Type, Intervention Modality, or Delivery Format Make a Difference?

This meta-analysis synthesized randomized and non-randomized controlled trials of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) in Iranian populations, examining the effectiveness and the applications of SFBT in all Iranian settings and evaluated if the various outcomes being studied, research intervention modality, or therapy delivery format made statistical differences in outcomes. A comprehensive search strategy across three Iranian and four US databases, one Iranian conference website, and three professional websites resulted in the inclusion of 34 included studies for meta-analytic analysis. The outcomes reported an overall large significant treatment effect size (d = 0.

Life-Space Mobility Is Related to Loneliness Among Living-Alone Older Adults: Longitudinal Analysis With Motion Sensor Data.

Background: Life-space mobility can be a behavioral indicator of loneliness. This study examined the association between life-space mobility measured with motion sensors and weekly vs. annually reported loneliness.

Has Sex-Based Disparity in Liver Transplantation Opportunities and Waitlist Mortality Improved in the MELD3.0 Era?: A Preliminary Study.

Background: In July 2023, the OPTN adopted MELD3.0 to address sex-based disparities in liver transplantation (LT) opportunity and waitlist mortality. No studies have proven that MELD3.

Non-Cell-Based Extracorporeal Artificial Liver Systems: Historic Perspectives, Approaches and Mechanisms, Current Applications, and Challenges.

Background: Liver disease is a growing burden. Transplant organs are scarce. Extracorporeal liver support systems (ELSS) are a bridge to transplantation for eligible patients.