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Earth greening and climate change reshaping the patterns of terrestrial water sinks and sources

While vegetation brings positive benefits for climate mitigation and adaptation, the impact of ongoing global greening remains controversial due to its uncertain effects on hydrological cycle. Here, we quantitatively assess the impact of vegetation dynamics on global water availability by proposing a comprehensive framework to quantify the terrestrial water sink and source scores associated with vegetation dynamics. These scores serve as indicators of whether large alterations in water resources have occurred in the lands due to either the greening or degradation of surface vegetation. We use multisource datasets from climate model projections, remote sensing, and local measurements to examine the impact of vegetation dynamics on water availability over the periods of 1982 to 2019 and 2015 to 2100. During historical observation periods, regions such as India and northern China experienced large depletion of water resources as a result of vegetation greening, leading to water scarcity. In the future, a shift is projected for India and northern China, transforming them into regions capable of meeting water demands arising from vegetation greening. This transition is largely attributed to wetting and warming climates. It indicates that trade-off effects between climate and underlying vegetation dynamics may result in strengthening regional hydrological resilience and ensuring the stable status of local water resources. Furthermore, tropical rainforests (except for the Amazon Rainforest) are experiencing greening with minimal impact on local water resources consistently. These insights are valuable for globally identifying optimal locations to implement ecological restoration, facilitating the balance of sustainable water resources and vegetation greening.

Time-of-day dependent promotion of keratinocyte differentiation by Cinnamomum cassia bark extract through the p38 MAPK Pathway

The skin serves as an essential barrier against pathogens and external insults, preventing moisture loss. Chronic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis stem from impairments in skin barrier function. Circadian rhythms affect skin blood flow and barrier characteristics, which are significant for understanding atopic dermatitis. Cinnamomum cassia bark, commonly known as cinnamon, is extensively utilized in both modern and Traditional Chinese Medicine for its therapeutic properties in managing chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the potential use of Cinnamomum cassia bark in enhancing skin barrier function. We examined the impact of Cinnamomum cassia bark extract (CCBE) on circadian clock-mediated enhancement of the skin barrier. CCBE enhanced the expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers, including keratin 10, filaggrin, caspase 14, and calpain-1. CCBE also increased the production of hyaluronic acid protein. Additionally, CCBE improved the circadian rhythm of period circadian regulator 2 (PER2). Notably, CCBE upregulated the expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers and PER2 specifically during the morning hours. Furthermore, we discovered that siRNA-mediated PER2 knockdown diminished the increase in keratinocyte differentiation markers induced by CCBE. These findings demonstrate that CCBE can regulate the differentiation of keratinocytes in a time-of-day-dependent manner via the circadian clock. CCBE augmented phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, while the CCBE-induced enhancement in FLG expression and PER2 circadian rhythm was reduced by p38 MAPK inhibitors. These results suggest that CCBE can strengthen the skin barrier diurnally via the p38 MAPK pathway, representing a novel and more effective method for enhancing skin barrier function that accommodates daily variations in skin barrier properties.

Three-dimensional analysis of root canal curvature in maxillary premolars using CBCT images

Sequential evolution of resistance by western corn rootworm to multiple <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> traits in transgenic maize

Transgenic crops that produce insecticidal toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are grown worldwide to manage insect pests. Western corn rootworm is a serious pest of maize in the United States and is managed with Bt maize. In the United States, the commercial cultivation of a Bt crop requires an accompanying resistance-management strategy to delay the evolution of Bt resistance. One of the primary resistance-management strategies consists of non-Bt refuges along with a Bt crop that produces two Bt toxins (i.e., a pyramid) that kill the same pest species. This approach delays resistance because individuals with resistance to one toxin are killed by the second. However, if a pest species is resistant to one toxin in a pyramid, the effectiveness of a pyramid to delay resistance is compromised, potentially leading to the evolution of resistance to both toxins. Here, we apply a meta-analysis to demonstrate the sequential evolution of resistance by western corn rootworm to Bt maize producing Cry3Bb1 followed by resistance to Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 maize, with resistance to each Bt toxin increasing in a linear manner over time. Additionally, we show that Bt-resistant western corn rootworm imposed substantial feeding injury, in the field, to maize containing a pyramid of Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 and Cry3Bb1. To minimize the risk of sequential evolution of resistance to multiple transgenic traits, an emphasis should be placed on developing transgenic pyramids not compromised by prior resistance, and in cases where resistance is already present, larger non-Bt refuges and more diversified pest-management approaches should be applied.

Retraction: Examining failure learning in online lending: Complete failure vs. incomplete failure

Optimizing recycled aggregate concrete performance with chemically and mechanically activated fly ash in combination with coconut fiber

Competition for shared resources increases dependence on initial population size during coalescence of gut microbial communities

The long-term success of introduced populations depends on both their initial size and ability to compete against existing residents, but it remains unclear how these factors collectively shape colonization dynamics. Here, we investigate how initial population (propagule) size shapes the outcome of community coalescence by systematically mixing eight pairs of in vitro microbial communities at ratios that vary over six orders of magnitude, and we compare our results to neutral ecological theory. Although the composition of the resulting cocultures deviated substantially from neutral expectations, each coculture contained species whose relative abundance depended on propagule size even after ~40 generations of growth. Using a consumer–resource model, we show that this dose-dependent colonization can arise when resident and introduced species have high niche overlap and consume shared resources at similar rates. Strain isolates displayed longer-lasting dose dependence when introduced into diverse communities than in pairwise cocultures, consistent with our model’s prediction that propagule size should have larger, more persistent effects in diverse communities. Our model also successfully predicted that species with similar resource-utilization profiles, as inferred from growth in spent media and untargeted metabolomics, would show stronger dose dependence in pairwise coculture. This work demonstrates that transient, dose-dependent colonization dynamics can emerge from resource competition and exert long-term effects on the outcomes of community coalescence.

Correction: Resolving fluorescent species by their brightness and diffusion using correlated photon-counting histograms

Life’s Crucial 9 and NAFLD from association to SHAP-interpreted machine learning predictions

Activation of proresolving macrophages in dorsal root ganglia attenuates persistent arthritis pain

Pain independent of disease activity is frequently reported by rheumatoid arthritis patients and remains undertreated. Preclinical evidence suggests that imbalance of neuroimmune proresolving interactions within dorsal root ganglia (DRG) rather than at the site of inflammation plays mechanistic roles in persistent arthritis pain. Here, we inhibited production of proresolving lipid mediators by silencing 12/15-lipoxygenase expression in CX3CR1 + monocyte/macrophages conditional knockout (cKO) mice. In an arthritis model, hind paw mechanical hypersensitivity is exacerbated in male and female cKO mice in association with DRG infiltration of neutrophils, which migrate in response to leukotriene B 4 released by macrophages through 5-lipoxygenase conversion of arachidonic acid provided by neuron-derived vesicles. Neutrophils apoptosis promotes primary macrophage efferocytosis which is defective in cKO macrophages. In wild-type (WT) and cKO mice, intrathecal injection of MerTK activating antibody, attenuates persistent hypersensitivity and polarizes DRG macrophages toward a proresolving phenotype with production of antinociceptive lipoxin A 4 . Thus, we delineate a neuron–macrophage–neutrophil bidirectional circuit that can be exploited to reduce persistent arthritis pain.

Machine learning for predicting metabolic-associated fatty liver disease including NHHR: a cross-sectional NHANES study

Objective Metabolic - associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common hepatic disorder with increasing prevalence, and early detection remains inadequately achieved. This study aims to explore the relationship between the non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) and MAFLD, and to establish a predictive model for MAFLD using NHHR as a key variable. Methods All participants were selected from the NHANES cohort, spanning from 2017 to March 2020. Multiple linear regression models were employed to examine the relationship between the non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) and the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). To explore the non-linear association between NHHR and CAP, smooth curve fitting and restricted cubic splines (RCS) of the adjusted variables were utilized. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify variations in the relationships between the independent and dependent variables across different populations. Finally, a metabolic - associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) prediction model was developed using seven machine learning methods, including eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Random Forest, Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and logistic regression. The SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) value was employed to interpret the importance of various features. Result Weighted multiple linear regression models revealed a significant positive correlation between the NHHR and the CAP (Beta =  7.42, 95% CI: 5.35-9.50, P &lt;  0.001). Smooth curve fitting and RCS demonstrated a non-linear relationship between NHHR and CAP. Subgroup analyses indicated that this relationship was more pronounced in females. Among the seven machine learning predictive models incorporating NHHR, the XGBoost algorithm exhibited the highest predictive performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.828. Furthermore, NHHR was identified as the second most important feature in the SHAP analysis, following body mass index (BMI), highlighting its potential in predicting MAFLD. Conclusion A significant positive correlation was identified between the NHHR and the CAP. The inclusion of NHHR in the XGBoost predictive model for MAFLD demonstrated robust predictive capability, providing a valuable tool for the early detection of MAFLD with considerable clinical application potential.

Author Correction: Hybridisation of in silico and in vitro bioassays for studying the activation of Nrf2 by natural compounds

Eukaryotic phytoplankton drive a decrease in primary production in response to elevated CO ₂ in the tropical and subtropical oceans

Ocean acidification caused by increasing anthropogenic CO 2 is expected to impact marine phytoplankton productivity, yet the extent and even direction of these changes are not well constrained. Here, we investigate the responses of phytoplankton community composition and productivity to acidification across the western North Pacific. Consistent reductions in primary production were observed under acidified conditions in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre and the northern South China Sea, whereas no significant changes were found at the northern boundary of the subtropical gyre. While prokaryotic phytoplankton showed little or positive responses to high CO 2 , small (&lt;20 µm) eukaryotic phytoplankton which are primarily limited by low ambient nitrogen drove the observed decrease in community primary production. Extrapolating these results to global tropical and subtropical oceans predicts a potential decrease of about 5 Pg C y −1 in primary production in low Chl- a oligotrophic regions, which are anticipated to experience both acidification and stratification in the future.

Towards developing brain-computer interfaces for people with Multiple Sclerosis

Background Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be a severely disabling condition that leads to various neurological symptoms. A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) may substitute some lost function; however, there is a lack of BCI research in people with MS. Present BCI designs have also overlooked the unique pathological changes associated with MS and have not considered needs of users within their home environments. To progress this research area effectively and efficiently, we aimed to evaluate user needs and assess the feasibility and user-centric requirements of a BCI for people with MS. We hypothesised that (i) people with MS would be interested in adopting BCI technology and (ii) those with reduced independence would prefer a higher-performing invasive BCI. Methods We conducted an online survey of people with MS to describe user preferences and establish the initial steps of user-centred design. The survey aimed to understand their interest in BCI applications, bionic applications, device preferences, and development considerations and related these to symptoms and assistance needs. Results We demonstrated widespread interest for BCI applications in all stages of MS, with a preference for a non-invasive (n = 12) or minimally invasive (n = 15) BCI over carer assistance (n = 6). Descriptive analysis indicated that level of independence did not influence preference towards the higher performing but highly invasive BCI. Conclusions The needs of end users reported in this study are crucial for efficient development of BCI systems that can be effectively translated into the home environment. Considering the potential to enhance independence and quality of life for people living with MS, the results emphasise the importance of user-centred design for future advancement of BCIs that account for the unique pathological changes associated with MS.

Publisher Correction: Association of systemic immunity-inflammation index with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance in NHANES 2005–2018

Cell type and region-specific transcriptional changes in the endometrium of women with RIF identify potential treatment targets

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is a devastating condition that leaves many undergoing fertility treatment childless. The human endometrium is receptive to a blastocyst for a brief period, the window of implantation. Critical knowledge underpinning biological processes leading to RIF, essential for effective treatment, is lacking. We employed spatial transcriptomics to define region- and cell-type-specific differences in endometrial gene expression in luteinizing hormone timed biopsies between women with RIF (n = 8) and fertile controls (FC) (n = 8). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified when comparing endometrial regions between FC and RIF (685 luminal epithelium, 293 glandular epithelium, 419 subluminal stroma, 264 functionalis stroma, 1,125 subluminal stromal CD45 + leukocytes, and 1,049 functionalis stromal CD56 + leukocytes). Only 57 DEGs were common to all subregions and cell types, which highlights that multiple DEGs are lost when the endometrium is examined as a single entity. When RIF-specific DEGs were leveraged against knowledge from mouse genetic models, genes associated with aberrant embryo implantation phenotypes were observed, mostly in immune cell populations. Dysregulated pathways in specific endometrial regions included the “WNT signaling pathway,” altered in the functionalis and subluminal stroma. “Response to estradiol” and “ovulation cycle” pathways were dysregulated in the subluminal stroma. In silico drug screening identified potential compounds that can reverse the RIF gene expression profile (e.g., raloxifene, bisoprolol). Our findings, in a well-characterized cohort, highly endorse consideration of each endometrial region and cell type as separate entities. Ignoring individual regions and composite cell populations will overlook important aberrations, forego potential treatment targets, and lead to research waste pursuing clinically irrelevant treatment options.

Multivariate prediction of temper outbursts in a sample of youth enriched for irritability using ecological momentary assessment data: A registered report

Irritability and temper outbursts are among the most common reasons youth are referred for psychiatric assessment and care. Identifying in vivo clinical variables that precede the onset of temper outbursts would provide valuable clinical utility. Here, we provide the rationale for a study testing the performance of a classifier trained to predict temper outbursts in a group of clinically-referred youth presenting with symptoms of irritability and temper outbursts. Due to the large sample sizes needed for multivariate classification studies, here, we demonstrated the feasibility of our approach using a relatively large preliminary dataset. Our preliminary data included digital based event sampling from an existing Ecological Momentary Assessment dataset consisting of n = 54 participants with a total of 932 time points. We used this data to develop a logistic regression-based classifier for predicting the temper outburst prospectively. Our initial evaluation provided encouraging evidence for the possibility of predicting the presence of a temper outburst based on individual’s momentary clinical responses (e.g., whether the participant is feeling grouchy, hungry, happy, sad, anxious, tired, etc.) prior to the outburst event, as well as external features (e.g., time of day, day of week). However, due to the risk of false positive discoveries and overfitting, these preliminary results are insufficient to conclusively establish the discovery of predictive rules for irritability in Ecological Momentary Assessment data. To more rigorously assess this classifier, we will collect a large confirmatory set, consisting of at least an additional 20 subjects with an expected total of 400 time points, in which will perform confirmatory analyses of the precision and recall of the classifier already fit using preliminary data. This work will potentially provide the foundation for the identification of features predictive of risk and future development of novel mobile-device-based interventions in youth affected with severe and impairing psychopathology.

Investigation of nitrate and nitrite in commercially available infant formulas and baby foods in Iran and estimation of human health risks

Periarteriolar niches become inflamed in aging bone marrow, remodeling the stromal microenvironment and depleting lymphoid progenitors

In early postnatal and young adult bone marrow, Leptin receptor–expressing (LepR + ) stromal cells and endothelial cells synthesize factors required for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance, including Stem Cell Factor (SCF) and Cxcl12. However, little is known about how these stromal cells change during aging. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of mouse bone marrow stromal cells at 2, 12, and 24 mo of age. We identified five transcriptionally distinct subsets of LepR + cells, all of which expressed the highest levels of Scf and Cxcl12 in bone marrow throughout adult life. In aging bone marrow, SCF from LepR + cells, but not endothelial cells, continued to be necessary for the maintenance of HSCs and early restricted progenitors. However, arteriolar endothelial cells and other periarteriolar cells expressed increasing levels of interferon during aging. This increased the numbers of periarteriolar Sca1 + Cxcl9 + LepR + cells with an inflammatory gene signature and depleted lymphoid progenitors, at least some of which are also periarteriolar. The periarteriolar environment thus became particularly inflamed during aging, remodeling the stromal microenvironment and depleting lymphoid progenitors in an interferon-dependent manner.

Retraction: Implementation of organization and end-user computing-anti-money laundering monitoring and analysis system security control