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Awaiting discovery: How biases in faunistic surveys hinder conservation in mountain protected areas—A case study from Romania’s oldest national park

It is virtually impossible to compile a complete list of species and map their distributions in any protected area; nevertheless, a near complete inventory is vital for an adequate management plan. We use Retezat National Park (Romania) as a case study to assess the bias in faunistic inventories over the past 70 years. Retezat National Park is one of the most studied in Eastern Europe since it shelters some of the last patches of virgin old-growth forest in Europe. We reviewed the scientific literature published since the early 1900s dealing with faunistic surveys and retrieved the occurrence records available on GBIF for the study area. We identified a total of 4374 animal species belonging to 2113 genera, 494 families, 99 orders, 23 classes, and nine phyla. The number of publications started to accumulate after 1979, when the park became a Biosphere Reserve, reached a peak in the early 2000 and severely decreased during the last decade, highlighting a decline in the researchers’ interest in faunistic surveys and, possibly, a delay between data collection and their publication. GBIF-mediated data made a small contribution, most records (60%) being collected in 2019. The bias analyses included only the distribution records available in the scientific literature, since they were already validated through peer-review. The number of publications and background of experts involved influenced the taxonomic coverage and inventory completeness. We found a strong spatial bias in terms of inventory coverage, with diversity hotspots located near roads and research facilities. Our study provides a roadmap for cost-effective future faunistic studies by prioritizing conservation efforts towards the most understudied areas and taxa within the park.

Impact of mixed-height vegetation patches on energy loss in open-channel flow

Abstract This study investigates the influence of riparian vegetation on energy losses in open-channel flow, focusing on channels partially covered by mixed-height vegetation patches, a common feature in natural rivers and canals. While previous research has primarily focused on flow resistance in fully vegetated channels, there has been limited attention to channels with unevenly distributed vegetation patches. To address this gap, we developed an innovative experimental approach to evaluate energy loss in channels with mixed-height vegetation patches under different submergence conditions. The experimental setup involved a channel partially covered with vegetation of varying heights, mimicking the natural, uneven distribution of vegetation patches. The results provided key insights into flow velocity distribution and turbulence intensity under these conditions. Furthermore, we introduced a standardized conceptualization method for the submergence ratio, specifically the concept of effective height ( $${h}_{e}$$ ), to standardize the calculation methods for submerged and emergent vegetation.Using this parameter, we derived a theoretical formula for calculating energy loss caused by vegetation patches, which closely matched the experimental data. This method offers a reliable framework for calculating hydraulic resistance in channels with uneven vegetation distribution.

Correction: Stratum-specific health outcome estimation in Pakistan using double goal CART

Regulatory effect of agriphotovoltaic systems with different panel heights on the thermal environment

Determinants of stroke among adult hypertension patients in dessie comprehensive specialized hospital and Kombolcha general hospital, Amhara, Ethiopia: A case-control study

Introduction Despite the increased admission of stroke patients in hospitals as a result of hypertension, especially in Ethiopia, there are limited studies that aim to explore important determinants of stroke, mainly among adult hypertensive patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify determinants of stroke among adult hypertension patients in Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Kombolcha General Hospital, Amhara, Ethiopia. Methods An institutional-based case-control study design was conducted at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Kombolcha General Hospital from April 10, 2023, to May 30, 2023, on 105 cases and 420 controls selected by using a systematic random sampling technique. Data entry and processing were done using EPI-data version 4.4.2 and exported to SPSS version 26.0 for further analysis. Bi-variable and multi-variable logistic analysis was done to identify determinants of stroke among hypertension patients. Data were interpreted by using the odds ratio with a 95% confidence level, and a P-value < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results A total of 105 cases and 420 controls participated in this study with a complete response (100%). Stroke among adult hypertension patients was significantly associated with a family history of hypertension (AOR =  2.8, 95% CI: 1.8–4.3), being physically inactive (AOR =  2.13, 95% CI: 1.4–3.3), current smoking cigarettes (AOR =  3.2, 95% CI: 2.1–5.2), current alcohol drinking (AOR =  4.7, 95% CI: 2.87–7.9), and having heart disease (AOR =  2.04, 95% CI: 1.3–3.25). Conclusions Having a family history of hypertension, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and heart disease were determinants of stroke. Health education on lifestyle practices, early hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases in each follow-up visit is very essential for improving stroke prevention.

Exploring the relationships between macrophyte groups and environmental conditions in lake ecosystems

Correction: SYBR Gold dye enables preferential labelling of mitochondrial nucleoids and their time-lapse imaging by structured illumination microscopy

Broad-spectrum ubiquitin-specific protease inhibition as a mechanism for the cytotoxicity of YM155 in cancers

Psychotherapies and psychological support for individuals facing psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review

In this scoping review, we investigated the psychotherapies and psychological support provided during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to clarify its recipients and the methods employed, among other characteristics. We used Scopus and PubMed as the two search engines and employed the following search terms: “COVID*” AND (“psychotherap*” OR “psychological support*”) AND “psychological distress*.” The first search was conducted on October 18, 2022, by reviewing search engines and conducting a manual search. It yielded 154 articles, of which 18 finally met the eligibility criteria after the second round of screening. The distribution of the participants in the intervention studies included in this review was diverse, including the general population, patients with COVID-19, and patients who had recovered from COVID-19. The implementation of psychotherapy was not limited to more advanced countries in psychiatry, indicating the broader reach of these interventions. Psychotherapy includes various methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, mindfulness, supportive care, virtual reality therapy, and online educational content via apps. The rise of new technologies may have increased the replacement rate of human therapists. In addition, the use of remote interventions was more common than that of face-to-face interventions. It is necessary to monitor whether the technologies and methods used for the first time during the pandemic will continue to be used in the future. Therefore, further research is needed to compare the effectiveness of remote randomized controlled trials with conventional face-to-face randomized controlled trials. Finally, most of those providing psychotherapies and psychological support in the studies included in this review were not doctors or psychologists.

Author Correction: Rurality and relative poverty drive acquisition of a stable and diverse gut microbiome in early childhood in a non-industrialized setting

Platelet rich fibrin and commercial sealants for dural closure in neurosurgery: An in vitro study

Background Watertight closure of the dura mater is essential after neurosurgical interventions to avoid complications such meningitis, intracranial hypotension and surgical site infections. In addition to conventional suturing techniques, various biomaterials have been proposed as sealants to minimize the risk of leakage. We previously reported that patient derived platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), an autologous biomaterial, significantly improves watertight dural closure when applied as an onlay over a standard running suture. To demonstrate the efficacy of this method, we aimed to compare this orthobiological approach with other commercially available sealants. Methods We utilized an in vitro testing device that allowed for the assessment of watertight dura mater closure via hydrostatic testing. On our testing phantom using freshly harvested bovine dura maters, a standardized 20-mm incision was closed using a running suture, and the leak pressure was measured initially without (primary leak pressure) and subsequently with on lay augmentation (secondary leak pressure) using either PRF, fibrinogen- and thrombin-coated collagen patch (TachoSil®), collagen matrix graft (DuraGen®), Polyethylenglykol (PEG) and polyethylene glycol ester and trilysine amine hydrogel solution (DuraSeal®), polyethylene glycol, protein-reactive polyethylene glycol monomer coated collagen matrix (Hemopatch®) or polyethylenimine component autospray sealant (Adherus®). Results The outcomes demonstrate that the usage of a dural onlay in addition to the standard running suture exhibited a substantial improvement in leak pressure compared to the running suture alone. Specifically, the median leak pressure was improved by 3.5 times, where the combined approach was able to withstand 38 cm H2O, whereas the running suture alone had a median leak pressure of 11 cm H2O. Upon evaluating the performance of the sealants, we identified two categories of dural sealants: a medium performance group (30 ± 2 cm H2O) comprised of Adherus® (31 cm H2O), DuraGen® (31 cm H2O), and Hemopatch® (28 cm H2O), and a high-performance group composed of DuraSeal® (45.5 cm H2O), and TachoSil® (41 cm H2O). Patient-derived PRF was able to withstand a max pressure of 45 cm H2O, falling into the high-performance group. Of all the sealants tested in this study, the PRF based patch demonstrated the lowest variance in leak pressure among all the tested sealants. Conclusions Autologous platelet-rich fibrin in a two-step procedure displayed enhanced augmentation and reinforced watertight closure of the dura mater, exhibiting a four-fold increase in leak pressure compared to standard running suture alone. Among other commonly utilized commercial sealants, it ranked second with demonstrated consistency in its performance.

Wavelet correlation noise analysis for qubit operation variable time series

Abstract In quantum computing, characterizing the full noise profile of qubits can aid in increasing coherence times and fidelities by developing error-mitigating techniques specific to the noise present. This characterization also supports efforts in advancing device fabrication to remove sources of noise. Qubit properties can be subject to non-trivial correlations in space and time, for example, spin qubits in MOS quantum dots are exposed to noise originating from the complex glassy behavior of two-level fluctuator ensembles. Engineering progress in spin qubit experiments generates large amounts of data, necessitating analysis techniques from fields experienced in managing large data sets. Fields such as astrophysics, finance, and climate science use wavelet-based methods to enhance their data analysis. Here, we propose and demonstrate wavelet-based analysis techniques to decompose signals into frequency and time components, enhancing our understanding of noise sources in qubit systems by identifying features at specific times. We apply the analysis to a state-of-the-art two-qubit experiment in a pair of SiMOS quantum dots with feedback applied to relevant operation variables. The observed correlations serve to identify common microscopic causes of noise, such as two-level fluctuators and hyperfine coupled nuclei, as well as to elucidate pathways for multi-qubit operation with more scalable feedback systems.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder and its co-existence with depression, anxiety, and stress as risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among university students in Bangladesh: A single-site survey

Background Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) have been identified as potential risk factors for various mental health issues, such as suicidal ideation and attempts. However, few studies have examined this association among Bangladeshi university students. This study aimed to examine the potential associations between PMDD and its co-existence with depression, anxiety, stress, and various suicidal behaviors, including suicidal ideation and attempts. Methods A cross-sectional survey involving 516 university students was conducted between September and October 2023. The survey was carried out in person and employed a structured questionnaire that comprised demographic information; the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21); and the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), a 19-item screening tool for premenstrual symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between variables. Results In the present study, participants with PMDD reported a prevalence of 38.8% for past-year suicidal ideation and 28.6% for suicide attempts. Through logistic regression analysis, we found a significant association between moderate/severe PMS and PMDD and a higher likelihoods of reporting suicidal ideation (AOR =  4.73; 95% CI 2.08–10.73 and AOR =  5.42; 95% CI 2.02–10.52) and suicide attempts (AOR =  3.77; 95% CI 1.36–10.50 and AOR =  4.07; 95% CI 1.22–15.56). The association between suicidal behaviors and PMS/PMDD was mediated by co-existing conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusions A notable proportion of individuals diagnosed with PMDD reported experiencing suicidal ideation or engaging in suicide attempts at some point in their lives. The findings of this research support the importance of conducting regular assessments of suicidal risk among women experiencing moderate to severe premenstrual disturbance. Furthermore, it is crucial to integrate mental health screenings and implement psychosocial interventions specifically designed for women diagnosed with PMS or PMDD and those with co-existing depression, anxiety, and stress alongside PMS/PMDD.

Bodily illusion enhances subjective fear of safety-margin violations surrounding the bodily self

Abstract All living organisms, including humans, must flexibly adjust their defensive behaviors according to the spatial proximity of potential threats. Previous research has examined fear responses to proximal threats by manipulating distance to the body in simulated 2D or 3D environments; however, the functional role of the sense of bodily self in the interplay between fear and threat proximity remains unclear. Here, we investigated fear responses to proximal and distal fear-relevant stimuli while manipulating the sense of body ownership over a mannequin using a perceptual full-body illusion. Our findings revealed that subjective fear was more sensitive to stimulus location when participants experienced illusory ownership over the mannequin. Furthermore, we observed a significant positive correlation between illusion strength and subjective fear ratings. These findings highlight two aspects of how the sense of bodily self influences human fear experiences: enhancing sensitivity to margin-of-safety violations and amplifying anxiety in response to threat appearance.

Comparative genomics of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis strains within a group of captive lowland tapirs

Within a group of three captive lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) suffering from clinically apparent mycobacteriosis, non-tuberculous Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) strains were isolated from the animals and the tapir’s enclosure. Based on MIRU-VNTR findings, which identified two closely related INMV profiles (124 and 246), a micro-evolutionary event was assumed, and four available MAH strains were submitted to whole genome sequencing (short- and long-read technologies). Surprisingly, the differences based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were exceptionally high between the four strains, i.e., between 841 and 11,166 bases, due to a strong impact of homologous recombination. Thus, an ad hoc core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme was created and pangenome analysis was conducted for determining the genomic similarity between the strains. The INMV246 isolate obtained from sputum on the enclosure floor and one INMV124 isolate of tapir #2 showed the highest congruence, suggesting that both originated from a shared source. The other two INMV124 isolates were genomically distinct from these strains. Nevertheless, in all four strains two plasmids were detected, which were highly conserved between the strains. The study showed that the genomic variability between MAH strains isolated from the same site within a short period of time can be exceptionally high and the influence of homologous recombination needs to be considered when determining MAH strain relationships, particularly via SNP analyses.

Machine learning-driven insights into self-healing silicon-based anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Red blood cell distribution width to albumin ratio as a novel predictor for mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: Results from the cohort study of NHANES, 1999–2018

Objectives To investigate the association of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) to albumin ratio (RAR) with mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Methods We selected 1,652 patients with COPD from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018, who were categorized into four groups according to the RAR quartiles. Kaplan-Meier curves, restricted cubic splines and the Cox proportional hazard model were used to evaluate the associations between RAR and all-cause mortality and chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD) mortality in the COPD patients. Subgroup analyses were performed to check the interaction of the different characteristics. Results There were 640 deaths during follow-up, of which, 145 were from CLRD. Kaplan-Meier curves indicated COPD patients with higher RAR had significantly increased all-cause mortality and CLRD mortality. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed HR of Q4 RAR was 2.88 (95% CI 2.18 - 3.81, p < 0.0001) for all cause-mortality and 3.39 (95% CI 1.76 - 6.53, p < 0.001) for CLRD mortality, compared with Q1 RAR. Restricted cubic splines analysis indicated a dose-response between RAR and risk of all-cause and CLRD mortality (p for non-linearity < 0.001). Conclusion RAR had an independent association with all-cause mortality, especially CLRD mortality, in COPD patients. RAR has potential as a novel and promising predictor to identify COPD individuals with high mortality risk.

Integrating digital twins with neural networks for adaptive control of automotive suspension systems

Association of serum iron status with MASLD and liver fibrosis

Background The MASLD proposal updates and supplements the previous definition of NAFLD, making it more suitable for addressing the current understanding of chronic liver diseases. This study aims to investigate the potential association between serum iron status and the occurrence of MASLD and liver fibrosis. Methods An in-depth analysis was conducted using the 2017–2020 NHANES data. To assess the relationship between serum iron status and the prevalence of MASLD and liver fibrosis, we performed comprehensive data analysis. This approach accounts for multiple variables, enhancing the robustness and reliability of our results by reducing potential confounding factors. Results Our application of linear regression models provided significant insights through a comprehensive data analysis. Elevated serum ferritin, TIBC, and UIBC showed a distinct positive correlation with CAP, while only serum ferritin was positively correlated with LSM. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that elevated levels of serum ferritin, TIBC, and UIBC were significantly associated with the occurrence of MASLD, whereas only serum ferritin showed a similar association with the occurrence of liver fibrosis. Conclusion This study highlights the significant positive correlation between elevated levels of serum ferritin, TIBC, and UIBC with CAP and the prevalence of MASLD. A similar relationship was observed between serum ferritin with LSM and the prevalence of liver fibrosis.

Impact of work instruction difficulty on cognitive load and operational efficiency

Abstract As industries progress toward integrating more complex technologies within Industry 4.0 frameworks, ensuring work instructions that balance cognitive load and performance is increasingly critical, especially under the human-centric principles of the 5th industrial revolution. Drawing on Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), this study compares two instructional methods-visual-based and code-based-to determine whether cognitive overload can be reduced without compromising task outcomes in a controlled, assembly-like scenario derived from industrial tasks. We recruited 30 participants from the academic field (students and researchers), who completed assembly tasks under both visual-based and code-based instructions. Cognitive load was measured objectively by (Galvanic Skin Response, Heart Rate Variability, and hand motion acceleration) and subjectively through (NASA Task Load Index, short Dundee Stress State Questionnaire). Operational efficiency was assessed via task completion time (TCT), number of task repetitions (NTR), and assembly precision based on the standard deviation. The findings demonstrated that visual-based instructions significantly reduced cognitive load with a $$p-value <0.001$$ . It also showed an improvement in two of the performance metrics during the use of visual-based instructions for the TCT and NTR with $$p-values <0.001$$ . However, although code-based instructions increased cognitive load, they showed better assembly precision with a $$p-value < 0.001$$ . These results suggest that while simple and direct instructions facilitate task execution and reduce cognitive loads, deep thinking approaches may still hold value for tasks requiring high precision.