Search Results (386)

The Earth’s climate system exhibits nonlinear behavior driven by interactions among the atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere, land, and biosphere. These dynamics have given rise to relatively stable environments that shape the structure and function of the modern biosphere. This review is a primer for conservation practitioners and natural resource managers to develop a deep understanding of how the Earth System works. The key is to recognize that shifts in Earth System dynamics due to global climate change can destabilize the biosphere in unforeseen ways. The potential emergence of novel ecoregions must be a critical factor in adaptation planning for conservation and resource management. We review how thermodynamic constraints and global circulation dynamics determine the distribution of terrestrial and marine biomes. These dynamics stem from the Earth System functioning as a heat engine, transporting excess heat from low to high latitudes. We illustrate how biome climates are organized into climate regimes, with spatial and temporal characteristics linked to complex features of atmospheric and oceanic circulation. At centennial to millennial scales, these dynamics have created a stable envelope of natural variability in climate that has established a long-standing operating space for biota. However, this stability is becoming increasingly uncertain due to the growing positive energy imbalance in the Earth System primarily driven by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. This forcing is leading to disruptive climatic change, putting the biosphere on a trajectory toward new transient states. Such global to regional climatic instability and biospheric restructuring introduce a high level of uncertainty in ecological futures, with major implications for natural resource management, biodiversity conservation strategies, and societal adaptation. We conclude by discussing frameworks for impact assessments and decision making under climate uncertainty. Full article

Background/Objectives: Avocados are nutrient-dense fruits rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and key micronutrients. Although avocado purchases increased in recent years, comprehensive national data on consumption patterns remains limited. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the prevalence, quantity, and context of avocado intake among the US population and to evaluate its contribution to daily nutrient intake. Methods: Day 1 24-h dietary recall data were analyzed from 19,086 participants aged ≥1 year in NHANES 2017–March 2020 and August 2021–August 2023. Avocado intake was identified using consumption data coded as avocado, avocado for use on a sandwich, guacamole, and guacamole with tomatoes. Weighted estimates described consumption prevalence, amount, form, self-selected eating occasion, location, and source. Nutrient contributions from avocado were calculated overall and by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Results: 5.8% of participants consumed avocado. Prevalence was highest among women (6.9%), adults aged 19–50 years (7.4%), and Hispanic individuals (9.1%). Among consumers, the mean intake was 67.0 g/day. Plain avocado was the most common form (54.8%), and most intake occurred at dinner (43.4%) and at home (67.7%). Avocado was an important contributor to the mean daily intake among consumers for beta-cryptoxanthin (33.4%), alpha-carotene (27.0%), dietary fiber (19.9%), monounsaturated fatty acids (19.7%), and other nutrients. Conclusions: Although avocado consumption remains relatively modest, it contributes meaningfully to nutrient intake among avocado consumers. These findings provide descriptive insight into avocado consumption patterns and nutrient contributions in the U.S. population. Full article

There is increasing concern in many advanced economies about the risks of disruption and crises in agri-food systems. Government departments and non-governmental organisations are working to identify and understand specific risks but struggle to take broad, holistic perspectives and therefore underestimate the potential for civil unrest. In the interests of helping move from understanding to action, we convened a group of experts through a Delphi process to map out potential pathways to acute UK food system crises and identify interventions that would build resilience and sustainability. To this end, we consulted 31 experts, carrying out 15 expert interviews, followed by three surveys and two workshops with a further 16 experts. The experts highlighted the many existing chronic issues creating a tinderbox for an acute risk to lead to a food crisis in the UK. These chronic issues include climate change, poor policy implementation, rising inequality, food supply chain consolidation and the risks from just-in-time supply of food. They voted to include three acute triggers—(a) cyber-attack, (b) a major extreme weather event and (c) a major new international conflict—and described how any combination of these could lead to (d) a UK food availability and/or price shock that could result in widespread fear of unsafe or inadequate food, leading to violence. A total of 7 system-wide interventions were prioritised to help address these pathway elements together and build sustainability, and a further 21 were identified to address elements individually. Full article

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Non-invasive or transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) shows promise in promoting neuroplasticity and supporting motor recovery. There are currently no validated biomarkers of taVNS. High-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) is a portable neuroimaging technology that uses near-infrared light to map cortical activity via the quantification of changes in blood oxygenation. The aim of this study was to determine whether HD-DOT could detect motor task-related activity with concurrent taVNS. Methods: Thirty-one healthy participants completed right and left finger tapping tasks with concurrent sham (earlobe) and then active (tragus) taVNS in a within-subject block design. HD-DOT was recorded across the bilateral sensorimotor cortex using 36 sources and 48 detectors (1728 channels). Cortical reconstructions were parcellated and block-averaged task-related oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin changes were compared between sham and active taVNS conditions. Results: In a group-level analysis, appropriate lateralised task-related haemodynamic responses were seen in the contralateral sensorimotor regions, demonstrating the validity of HD-DOT. Between-group comparisons showed no significant change in task-related activation during right finger tapping tasks under active vs. sham taVNS conditions. A non-significant redistribution of task-related activity to the right motor cortex was seen with left finger tapping under active taVNS compared to sham taVNS. Conclusions: Simultaneous recording of neural responses to taVNS during motor activity was feasible and well tolerated. Reliable task-related activation was recordable. Future studies of whole brain HD-DOT in people with stroke will help evaluate its potential as a biomarker in taVNS. Full article

The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis, Morton, 1849) is classified as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Compared to other large, threatened mammals, this species remains relatively understudied and new findings indicate potential welfare concerns, emphasizing the need for further research on the species welfare in zoological institutions. One approach to improving welfare in captivity is through environmental enrichment. This study investigated the effects of olfactory enrichment on three individual pygmy hippopotamuses through behavioral analysis and heat-map visualization. Using continuous focal sampling, several behaviors were influenced by the stimuli, with results showing a general decrease in inactivity and an increase in environmental engagement and interaction, particularly through scenting behavior. To further enhance behavioral quantification, machine learning techniques were applied to video data, comparing manual and automated behavior classification using the pose estimation program SLEAP. Four behaviors Standing, Locomotion, Feeding/Foraging, and Lying Down were compared. A confusion matrix, time budgets, and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance (W) were used to assess agreement between methods. The results showed a strong and moderate agreement between manual and automated annotations, for the female and calf, respectively. This demonstrates the potential of automation to complement behavioral observations in future welfare monitoring. Full article

The concept of neuroception of psychological safety, rooted in Polyvagal Theory, offers a framework for understanding how individuals perceive safety at a physiological and psychological level. Illness may disrupt this perception and affect bodily regulation, emotional resilience, social connection, and self-compassion. This study aims to explore how experiences of being unwell, across both acute and chronic contexts, affect individuals’ neuroception of psychological safety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven adult participants aged 20–79, including individuals with both acute and chronic illness experiences. Interview questions were informed by the Neuroception of Psychological Safety and Polyvagal Theory. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke’s six-step process. Four key themes were identified: dysregulation and the narrowing window of tolerance (reduced emotional resilience and heightened bodily sensitivity); distrust and disappointment (a rupture in bodily and self-trust); responsibility and internalised guilt (moral and emotional burdens around illness and recovery); and illness demands attention and disrupts social connection (withdrawal, emotional depletion, and compromised compassion). Across these themes, participants described a diminished sense of psychological safety when unwell, shaped by both internal physiological changes and altered social dynamics. Illness can profoundly undermine psychological safety by disrupting neurobiological regulation, altering relational engagement, and eroding trust in one’s body and self. These findings highlight the importance of integrating psychological safety principles into models of care, particularly in how individuals experience and recover from illness. Full article

The “Neuroimaging and Pathology Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease” course held on 12–13 September 2025 in Milan, Italy, convened an international faculty to review state-of-the-art biomarkers spanning neurotransmitter dysfunction, protein pathology and clinical translation. Here, we synthesize the four themed sessions and highlights convergent messages for diagnosis, stratification and trial design. The first session focused on neuroimaging markers of neurotransmitter dysfunction, highlighting how positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provided complementary insights into dopaminergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic and serotonergic dysfunction. The second session addressed in vivo imaging of protein pathology, presenting recent advances in PET ligands targeting α-synuclein, progress in four-repeat tau imaging for progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndromes, and the prognostic relevance of amyloid imaging in the context of mixed pathologies. Imaging of neuroinflammation captures inflammatory processes in vivo and helps study pathophysiological effects. The third session bridged pathology and disease mechanisms, covering the biology of α-synuclein and emerging therapeutic strategies, the clinical potential of seed amplification assays and skin biopsy, the impact of co-pathologies on disease expression, and the “brain-first” versus “body-first” model of pathological spread. Finally, the fourth session addressed disease progression and clinical translation, focusing on imaging predictors of phenoconversion from prodromal to clinically overt stages of synucleinopathies, concepts of neural reserve and compensation, imaging correlates of cognitive impairment, and MRI approaches for atypical parkinsonism. Biomarker-informed pharmacological, infusion-based, and surgical strategies, including network-guided and adaptive deep brain stimulation, were discussed as examples of how multimodal biomarkers may inform personalized management. Across all sessions, the need for harmonization, longitudinal validation, and pathology-confirmed outcome measures was consistently emphasized as essential for advancing biomarker qualification in multicentre research and clinical practice. Full article

Background/Objectives: (P)rehabilitation, comprising structured exercise, nutritional optimisation, and/or psychological support delivered pre- or postoperatively, has demonstrated efficacy in improving outcomes across the cancer care continuum. However, access remains limited. Technology-enabled (p)rehabilitation offers a novel solution with the potential to enhance equity and continuity of care. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of technology-enabled (p)rehabilitation on perioperative and patient-reported outcomes among individuals undergoing thoracic and/or abdominopelvic cancer surgery. Methods: Six databases were search from inception to October 2024. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing technology-enabled (p)rehabilitation with usual care, placebo, or non-technology-based interventions in adults undergoing thoracic and/or abdominopelvic cancer surgery. Outcomes included postoperative complications, hospital readmissions, hospital length of stay (LOS), quality of life (QoL), pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, distress, and satisfaction. Higher scores indicated improved QoL or worse symptom severity. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane tool, and evidence strength was determined using GRADE methodology. Relative risks (RR) and mean differences (MD) were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen RCTs (18 publications, n = 1690) were included. Trials most commonly evaluated application-based platforms (n = 8) and the majority exhibited some risk of bias. Technology-enabled (p)rehabilitation was associated with a significant reduction in LOS (MD = 1.33 days; 95% CI: 0.59–2.07; seven trials), and improvements in pain (MD = 6.12; 95% CI: 3.40–8.84; four trials), depression (MD = 2.82; 95% CI: 0.65–4.99; five trials), fatigue (MD = 10.10; 95% CI: 6.97–13.23; three trials) and distress (MD = 1.23; 95% CI: 0.30–2.16; single trial) compared with controls. Conclusions: Technology-enabled (p)rehabilitation shows promise in reducing LOS and improving selected patient-reported outcomes following thoracic and abdominopelvic cancer surgery. Although evidence is limited due to the small number of studies, modest sample sizes, methodological heterogeneity, and intervention variability, the overall findings justify further investigation. Large-scale, adequately powered clinical trials are required to confirm efficacy and guide clinical effectiveness and implementation studies. Full article

Rising summer temperatures are increasing the demand for shading solutions and indoor cooling technologies. Given the substantial surface area of gable roofs, their effective shading plays a significant role in thermal management. While modern buildings often feature heat-insulated roofs equipped with photovoltaic panels or infrared-reflective coatings, such measures are frequently unsuitable for traditional, particularly heritage-protected structures. For this specific category of buildings, ventilated infrared (IR) shielding elements installed on the underside of rafters offer a promising approach to reduce surface temperatures and limit radiative heat transfer to attics or upper living spaces. This study evaluates performance-optimized IR shading systems for heritage roofs, focusing on material selection and emissivity effects. Results indicate that ventilated OSB panels with low-emissivity coatings achieve up to 53% thermal load reduction compared to unshielded conditions. Ventilation of the rafter fields emerges as the critical factor for the functional performance of such IR shading elements. Full article

Analyzing the evolution of trajectory topics is fundamental to understanding urban mobility and human activity. Existing methods, however, often struggle to capture complex spatio-temporal semantics and are constrained by fixed time windows, which limits multi-scale temporal analysis. This paper presents a novel method to model the dynamic topics of trajectories to address these limitations. The proposed method combines a domain-specific trajectory embedding strategy, a flexible dynamic topic modeling pipeline, and an interactive visualization system to address these limitations. Firstly, the method introduces a novel embedding method that uses a retrained RoBERTa model with a word-level tokenizer on Morton-coded trajectories to effectively learn spatial context and sequential patterns. Secondly, a BERTopic-based approach is employed for topic modeling, featuring an adjustable time window that allows for flexible analysis of topic dynamics across different temporal scales without model retraining. Furthermore, an interactive visualization system with coordinated spatio-temporal views translates abstract model outputs into an intuitive format, enabling direct exploration of evolving trajectory topics. Experiments on a large-scale taxi trajectory dataset demonstrate the proposed method’s effectiveness in identifying coherent and meaningful patterns of dynamic trajectory topics. Full article

Residents preparing for pathology board exams frequently use multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from question banks (QBs) like PathDojo and PathPrimer, which can be costly. ChatGPT, a free tool, has been used to generate MCQs for other tests like the SAT. This study compared the quality of pathology MCQs created by ChatGPT versus commercially available study questions for the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) certifying exams. A rubric adapted from the National Board of Medical Examiners’ (NBME) question writing guide was validated by two pathologists using commercially available pathology board exam questions. This rubric was then used to evaluate MCQs from commercially available pathology board study books as well as MCQs created by ChatGPT. The results compared the percentage of criteria met between ChatGPT and control MCQs using chi-square analysis with significance set at <0.05. While ChatGPT MCQs were less likely to be accurate compared to commercially available MCQs in four criteria (the best answer choice (82.5% vs. 100%), reflection of current practice (84.6% vs. 100%), error-free explanation (87.9% vs. 100%), and explanation reflecting current practice (87.9% vs. 100%)), the complexity of the ChatGPT-generated questions was higher (78.5% vs. 47.2%). At this time, ChatGPT-generated MCQs should not be used in the same way as commercially available study guides, however there is potential for learned language models (LLM)s to create quality study materials and exam questions with careful monitoring Full article

Background and Objectives: The anesthetic nerve block test is a surgical technique that can assist in the differential diagnosis of forefoot pain. The MTP joint, enclosed by its capsule, may act as a sealed cavity with predictable contrast dispersion, whereas the IM space, lacking clear boundaries and containing bursae and the plantar digital nerve, favors diffuse spread. Due to the high rate of false positives in suspected cases of Morton’s neuroma with the anesthetic block current procedure in the intermetatarsal space, the aim of this study was to propose an alternative to the current procedure. Material and Methods: Six fresh cadaveric feet were used. Under ultrasound guidance, the 2nd–4th MTP joints received stepwise intra-articular injections of radiopaque contrast. The third common digital nerve was injected within the third intermetatarsal space. Standard radiographs were obtained to assess distribution and proximal spread. Results: A volume of 0.3 mL was sufficient to fully reach the intra-articular cavity and potentially induce effective localized anesthesia. When the third common digital plantar nerve was injected in an anatomically healthy region, the contrast medium showed a proximal diffusion pattern extending up to the mid-diaphyseal level of the third and fourth metatarsal bones. On radiographs, the intra-articular infiltration lines appear sharply demarcated, supporting the interpretation of the metatarsophalangeal joint as a sealed compartment. Conclusions: Low intra-articular anesthetic volumes may yield targeted effects, while Morton’s neuroma injections spread proximally, risking loss of diagnostic specificity; this technique may improve decision-making accuracy and reduce failures. Full article

Background: We aimed to map the scientific production on sports nutrition applied to soccer. Methods: A scientometric analysis was performed using articles published between 2004 and 2024, retrieved from Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. The search yielded 2636 documents, and 526 original articles were included after removing reviews, meta-analyses, duplicates, and studies outside the scope. Data were analyzed using Bibliometrix version 5.0.1; Massimo Aria & Corrado Cuccurullo; Naples; Italy. and VOSviewer version 1.6.20; Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University; Leiden; The Netherlands software. Results: There was a 1.450% increase in publications over the period, with a peak in 2024. Nutrients was the leading publication source, while Morton J. and Maughan R. were the most productive authors. Liverpool John Moores University stood out as a collaboration hub. The United Kingdom 371 took the lead in both publication volume and citations. Early research trends focused on hydration and dietary optimization, whereas recent studies emphasized low energy availability, polyphenols, anthropometry, and recovery strategies. The conceptual structure focused on terms such as sports, nutrition, energy intake, food intake, performance, soccer, and training load. Peripheral terms included fluid balance and sweat rate. The co-occurrence analysis revealed underexplored topics such as oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, beta-alanine supplementation, and antioxidant markers. Conclusions: Advancing these research areas is essential to consolidating nutritional strategies with direct effects on performance and health in soccer players. Full article

We build on previous studies that explore the challenges faced by current and future teachers as they learn to teach mathematics for social justice by focusing on a precursor to teaching lessons, that is, the process of lesson design. Specifically, in this study we investigate the challenges that current and future teachers identify in their design of lessons and how they navigate those challenges. Using deductive analysis, we examine the written reflections of 11 current and future teachers enrolled in a secondary mathematics methods course in the spring of 2021. Findings indicate that participants experienced challenges in the cognitive, affective, social, and structural domains and resolved those challenges utilizing social, affective, and cognitive resolutions. These findings inform the field of mathematics teacher education by identifying areas where current and future teachers may need support in their design of social justice mathematics lessons. Full article

The PML::RARA fusion resulting from t(15;17) is the genetic hallmark of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), typically detected by cytogenetics and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies. Rarely, APL patients present with normal cytogenetics and FISH findings, complicating diagnosis and delaying life-saving therapy. We report a 23-year-old male with clinical, morphologic and immunophenotypic features consistent with APL but negative for FISH studies. Despite prompt initiation of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) based on clinical suspicion, the patient succumbed to intracranial hemorrhage. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed a long isoform PML::RARA fusion. A review of 34 published cytogenetics- and FISH-negative cases since 1995 demonstrates that RT-PCR-based methods reliably detect cryptic fusions. While advanced genomic approaches may identify these fusions at higher resolution, their accessibility, complexity, cost, and turnaround time often limit diagnostic utility in the urgent setting of APL. Given the extreme rarity of this subset, cytogenetics and FISH remain the standard frontline tests; however, these cases underscore the critical need to incorporate molecular testing into routine workflows. Early recognition and timely therapy are essential to reducing mortality in cryptic APL, and these cases also provide insight into mechanisms of atypical leukemia biology. Full article