Measurement of optical density of microbes by multi-light path transmission method.

Optical density (OD) is an important indicator of microbial density, and a commonly used variable in growth curves to express the growth of microbial culture. However, OD values show a linear relationship with bacterial concentration only at low concentrations. When the cell density is high, the relationship loses linearity, and serial dilution is needed to obtain readings of better accuracy.

Myrrh Oleo-Gum Resin as a Functional Additive in Pectin and κ-Carrageenan Composite Films for Food Packaging.

Myrrh oleo-gum-resin (MOGR) is a natural substance that has a rich history of medicinal use due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. The present study reports on the fabrication and assessment of pectin and K-carrageenan composite films infused with varying proportions (0.3%, 0.

Cryptic Hybridization Dynamics in a Three-Way Hybrid Zone of Flamebacks on a Tropical Island.

Island ecosystems have emerged as vital model systems for evolutionary and speciation studies due to their unique environmental conditions and biodiversity. This study investigates the population divergence, hybridization dynamics, and evolutionary history of hybridizing golden-backed and red-backed flameback woodpeckers on the island of Sri Lanka, providing insights into speciation processes within an island biogeographic context. Utilizing genomic analysis based on next-generation sequencing, we revealed that the hybrid zone on this island is a complex three-way hybrid zone involving three genetically distinct populations: two cryptic populations of golden-backed in the north and one island-endemic red-backed population of in the south of Sri Lanka.

Quantifying Hydraulic Geometry and Whitewater Coverage for Steep Proglacial Streams to Support Process-Based Stream Temperature Modelling.

At-a-station hydraulic geometry (AASHG) relationships describe the dependence of a river's width, mean depth and mean velocity on discharge at a given location, and are typically modelled as power-law functions. They are often used when modelling stream temperature under unsteady flow conditions. Deriving AASHG relationships is challenging for steep proglacial streams due to the combination of complex morphology and velocity distributions, and rapidly varying flow.

The Hunger Games: Stable Isotopes Indicate Winter Inter-Guild Competition for Resources by Marine Meso-Predators in the Sub-Arctic North Pacific.

Interspecific competition can significantly impact marine ecosystems by affecting species distributions and abundances. Understanding how sympatric species utilize available food helps identify potential competition and its effects when resources are limited. Here, we applied a suite of analytical methods (diet analysis, stable isotopes, and biomass estimates) to identify potential competitive interactions among North Pacific pelagic predators.

Tracking the North American Asian Longhorned Beetle Invasion With Genomics.

Biological invasions pose significant threats to ecological and economic stability, with invasive pests like the Asian longhorned beetle ( Motschulsky, ALB) causing substantial damage to forest ecosystems. Effective pest management relies on comprehensive knowledge of the insect's biology and invasion history. This study uses genomics to address these knowledge gaps and inform existing biosurveillance frameworks.

Long-Distance, Transfrontier Carnivore Dispersals in Southern Africa.

Information on long-range dispersal in tropical carnivores is limited compared to their temperate counterparts. Here we present data on long-range, transboundary dispersals for three species of tropical carnivores: African wild dog (), African lion (), and spotted hyena (). The dispersals we document in our savannah system are among the longest that have been recorded for African wild dog and African lion, while for spotted hyena one of our recorded dispersal events is of similar magnitude to the longest documented movements occurring among any carnivore species from around the world.

Hidden gems: Scattered knowledge hampered freshwater jellyfish research over the past one-and-a-half centuries.

Freshwater jellyfish (= limnic medusa-budding hydrozoans, FWJ) are a small group of cnidarians found on all continents except Antarctica in temperate to tropical latitudes. Members of this group belong primarily to three genera: , , and . While and are typically restricted to the islands of Japan, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent, one species or potential species complex, , became globally invasive.

Weak Local Adaptation to Climate in Seedlings of a Deciduous Conifer Suggests Limited Benefits and Risks of Assisted Gene Flow.

Assisted migration provides a potential solution to mitigate the increasing risks of forest maladaptation under climate change. Western larch ( Nutt.) is a deciduous conifer species undergoing assisted migration beyond its natural range in British Columbia into areas that have become suitable based on climatic niche modelling.

Sex-related differences in pulmonary vascular volume distribution.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension affects females more frequently than males, and there are known sex-related differences in the lungs. However, normal sex-related differences in pulmonary vascular structure remain incompletely described. We aimed to contrast computed tomography-derived pulmonary vascular volume and its distribution within the lungs of healthy adult females and males.

Endocan as a biomarker for acute respiratory distress syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Endocan is a marker of endothelial damage. Data regarding the association of this proteoglycan and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is discrepant. Hence, this study sought to investigate the possible correlation between serum/plasma endocan concentration and ARDS.

Practical social media recommendations for dementia prevention researchers.

Introduction: Practical social media recommendations are needed to facilitate greater engagement in dementia prevention research. Alongside relevant experts, our aim was to develop a set of consensus recommendations that reflect the values and priorities of prospective participants to guide social media use.

Methods: We conducted a three-round, modified Delphi consisting of three online surveys and three conferences calls.

Facet deflection and strain are dependent on axial compression and distraction in C5-C7 spinal segments under constrained flexion.

Background: Facet fractures are frequently associated with clinically observed cervical facet dislocations (CFDs); however, to date there has only been one experimental study, using functional spinal units (FSUs), which has systematically produced CFD with concomitant facet fracture. The role of axial compression and distraction on the mechanical response of the cervical facets under intervertebral motions associated with CFD in FSUs has previously been shown. The same has not been demonstrated in multi-segment lower cervical spine specimens under flexion loading (postulated to be the local injury vector associated with CFD).

A case of AML with complex karyotype and chromosomal rearrangement of KMT2A.

This is a case of an elderly patient diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While morphological findings, including numerous long, slender, cigar-shaped Auer rods, suggested AML with t(8;21), cytogenetic and FISH analysis revealed abnormalities in chromosome 11 and the KMT2A (MLL) gene. The patient also exhibited double minutes, typically seen in AML and linked to a complex karyotype and poor prognosis.

The development and validation of a conceptual definition of avoidable transitions from long-term care to the emergency department: A mixed methods study.

Background/objectives: Transitions to and from Emergency Departments (EDs) can be detrimental to long-term care (LTC) residents and burden the healthcare system. While reducing avoidable transfers is imperative, various terms are used interchangeably including inappropriate, preventable, or unnecessary transitions. Our study objectives were to develop a conceptual definition of avoidable LTC-ED transitions and to verify the level of stakeholder agreement with this definition.

Evaluating rural health outcomes: A methodological approach using population-level data.

Background: The sustainability of rural surgical and obstetrical facilities depends on their efficacy and quality of care, which are difficult to measure in a rural context. In an evaluation of rural practice, it is often the case that the only comparators are larger referral facilities, for which facility-level comparisons are difficult due to differences in population demographics, acuity of patients, and services offered. This publication outlines these limitations and highlights a best-practice approach to making facility-level comparisons using population-level data, risk stratification, tests of noninferiority, and Firth logistic regression analysis.

Planting long-lived trees in a warming climate: Theory shows the importance of stage-dependent climatic tolerance.

Climate change poses a particular threat to long-lived trees, which may not adapt or migrate fast enough to keep up with rising temperatures. Assisted gene flow could facilitate adaptation of populations to future climates by using managed translocation of seeds from a warmer location (provenance) within the current range of a species. Finding the provenance that will perform best in terms of survival or growth is complicated by a trade-off.

A fluorescence approach for an online measurement technique of atmospheric microplastics.

Microplastic particles in the atmosphere are regularly detected in urban areas as well as in very remote locations. Yet the sources, chemical transformation, transport, and abundance of airborne microplastics still remain largely unexplained. Therefore, their impact on health, weather and climate related processes lacks comprehensive understanding.

Effect of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: The effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARBs) on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery is equivocal. This retrospective, population-based cohort study evaluated effect of exposure to an ACEI/ARB on MACE using linked administrative databases that included all cardiac revascularization procedures, hospitalizations, and prescriptions for the population of British Columbia, Canada.

Methods And Results: All adults who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery between 2002 and 2020 were eligible.

Harnessing open science practices to teach ecology and evolutionary biology using interactive tutorials.

Open science skills are increasingly important for a career in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) as efforts to make data and analyses publicly available continue to become more commonplace. While learning core concepts in EEB, students are also expected to gain skills in conducting open science to prepare for future careers. Core open science skills like programming, data sharing, and practices that promote reproducibility can be taught to undergraduate students alongside core concepts in EEB.

Assessment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: Development of the Nasal Polyp Patient Assessment Scoring Sheet tool.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a heterogeneous disorder with a wide range of validated subjective and objective assessment tools to assess disease severity. However, a comprehensive and easy-to-use tool that integrates these measures for determining disease severity and response to treatment is still obscure. The objective of this study was to develop a standardized assessment tool that facilitates diagnosis, uniform patient monitoring, and comparison of treatment outcomes between different centers both in routine clinical practice and in research.

Epidemiology and outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Salt Lake City: Sex-based investigations.

Objectives: Prior research indicates sex disparities in the incidence and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study investigates the presence of such differences in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Salt Lake City Fire Department (2008‒2023).

Relationship between Alzheimer dementia and QT interval: A meta-analysis.

While the link between aging and mortality from dementia is widely appreciated, the mechanism is not clear. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a direct relationship between Alzheimer dementia (AD) and the QT interval, because the latter has been related to cardiac mortality. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted after a Medline and EMBASE search using terms "Alzheimer disease or Dementia AND QT interval, QT dispersion or cardiac repolarization.

Mobile apps to reduce depressive symptoms and alcohol use in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis: A systematic review.

Background: Among youth, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alcohol use are associated with considerable illness and disability. Youth face many personal and health system barriers in accessing mental health care. Mobile applications (apps) offer youth potentially accessible, scalable, and anonymous therapy and other support.