Search Results (1,939)

Burned area, fire severity, and suppression expenditures have increased in British Columbia in recent decades with climate change. Approximately 80% of suppression expenditures are attributable to wildfires near the Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI). Evaluating the potential for fuel management to reduce suppression expenditures is essential to mitigating demands on fire response resources and reducing impacts on communities. One management approach is to increase the proportion of deciduous tree species, which have a lower propensity for crown fire. Using fire suppression expenditure data from 1981 to 2014, we applied the machine learning method causal forests (CFs) to estimate the effect of the proportion of conifer forest cover on suppression expenditures for WUI fires and how these effects varied with other influential factors (i.e., heterogenous treatment effects). Across all fires, the effect of conifer cover on suppression expenditures was stronger on private land compared to public land, under high fire danger measured by daily severity ratings (DSRs), which reflect wind speed and fuel moisture, and for fires igniting earlier in the calendar year, based on Julian day. These findings provide insights into prioritizing wildland fuel treatment when budgets are limited. The CFs approach demonstrates potential for broader applications in fire risk mitigation and analysis beyond the scope of the current data. CFs may also be valuable in other areas of forest research where heterogenous treatment effects are common. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether oocyte donation in triplet pregnancies is associated with increased risk of placental abnormalities and pregnancy complications compared to triplet pregnancies conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) without oocyte donation. Methods: This single-center, retrospective, case–control study analyzed triplet pregnancies conceived via ART. The case group included pregnancies resulting from oocyte donation, while the control group comprised triplet pregnancies conceived by ART without oocyte donation. Maternal, obstetric, fetal, and neonatal outcomes were assessed. Gross and histopathological placental findings were evaluated using standardized criteria. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Results: A total of 77 triplet pregnancies (231 fetuses) were included: 29 in the oocyte donation group (87 fetuses) and 48 in the non-oocyte donation group (144 fetuses). Multivariate analysis revealed significantly higher rates of pregnancy-induced hypertension (p = 0.03), preeclampsia (p = 0.03), fetal growth restriction (p = 0.04), and fetal death (p = 0.01) in the oocyte donation group. Placental evaluation showed a higher frequency of infarcts (p = 0.04) and chronic inflammatory lesions—chronic villitis (p = 0.02) and chronic deciduitis (p = 0.03)—as well as signs of fetal vascular malperfusion, including avascular villi (p = 0.02) and stromal–vascular karyorrhexis (p = 0.01). Intervillous fibrin deposition was also more common in this group (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Oocyte donation in triplet pregnancies is associated with increased rates of placental abnormalities and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes when compared with ART without oocyte donation. Placental examination may provide valuable insights into the mechanisms involved. Further research is warranted to clarify the underlying immunological and vascular pathways. Synopsis: In our cohort of 77 triplet pregnancies, those conceived via oocyte donation showed significantly higher rates of preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and fetal death. Placental examination revealed more chronic villitis, deciduitis, intervillous fibrin, avascular villi, and stromal–vascular karyorrhexis, suggesting immune and vascular dysfunction in oocyte donation pregnancies. Full article

Background: Background: Endometriosis affects 10% of women of reproductive age. Despite the well-known association between endometriosis and infertility, the mechanisms underlying this association remain to be elucidated. Methods: Implantation and pregnancy success rates were evaluated by a retrospective study of patients that underwent IVF using euploid embryos comparing healthy vs. endometriosis patients. To study the early embryo–endometrial dialogue, an interactome network was constructed using public RNAseq data from normal secretory-phase endometrial samples and day-5 blastocyst. Public bulk and single-cell RNAseq data from endometrial samples of endometriosis patients were used to detect alterations in the interactome. Results: Endometriosis patients required significantly more IVF attempts compared to those without endometrial pathologies; however, once pregnancy was achieved, the evolution of both groups was similar. The interactome network between normal endometrium and day-5 blastocyst showed a significant enrichment of pathways associated with tissue remodelling, angiogenesis, and immune regulation, which were altered in endometriosis patients. Endometriosis patients also presented an increased frequency and activation of NK, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ cells, which interfere with embryo–endometrial dialogue. Conclusions: We identified key molecular processes affected by endometriosis specifically involved in the early interaction between the blastocyst, decidual, and resident immune cells, that may underline the reported fertility problems associated with endometriosis. Full article

Mushrooms have long been recognized as a rich source of bioactive compounds, including phenolics, that possess important antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties, including activity against drug-resistant bacteria. This study evaluated total phenolic profile and content, total flavonoids content, the antioxidant activities, antimicrobial and antibacterial activities, of water extracts of edible mushrooms from Romanian deciduous forests, including Cantharellus cibarius, Russula virescens, Lactarius piperatus, and Boletus edulis. The extracts were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH radical-scavenging activity and ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Antimicrobial and antibacterial activities were tested using standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae following diffusion testing and time-killing assay, respectively. The HPLC-MS results indicated that major compounds in all the mushrooms belonged to the subclass of hydroxybenzoic acids. Trans-cinnamic acid and hydroxybenzoic acids, particularly gallic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and gentisic acid, were the predominant compounds detected in BEE and CCE. Their concentrations were measured as follows: 24 μg/mL, 63 μg/mL, 56 μg/mL, and 14 μg/mL, respectively, for BEE, and 26 μg/mL, 42 μg/mL, 7 μg/mL, and 5 μg/mL, respectively, for CCE. Among phenolic compounds, 2-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, p-anisaldehyde, and gentisic acid were positively correlated with both DPPH (45% and 21% inhibition rate for BEE and CCE, respectively) and ABTS (64 and 31% inhibition rate for BEE and CCE, respectively) antioxidant activities. The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides, extracted in different ratios in the water extract. All mushroom extracts showed a dose-dependent response with higher antimicrobial and antibacterial activities at the highest concentration (26.3 µg phenolics BEE, 12.7 µg pphenolics CCE, 28.3 µg phenolics LPE, and 14.5 µg phenolics RVE per well for antimicrobial activity and 175.2 µg phenolics/mL BEE, 84.4 µg phenolics/mL CCE, and 188.9 µg phenolics/mL LPE for antibacterial activity). These species demonstrate potential for the development of alternative antimicrobial formulations, particularly relevant in the context of antibiotic resistance. Full article

Background: Preeclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, yet its pathophysiology is not fully understood. Recent studies suggest that dysregulated maternal immune responses, particularly involving decidual Natural Killer (dNK) cells and immune checkpoint molecules such as B7-H3, may play a role in the pathogenesis of this heterogeneous syndrome, particularly in the development of early-onset preeclampsia (EOP). Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression patterns of B7-H3 on extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) and the abundance of dNK cells in preeclamptic versus normotensive pregnancies and to analyze the relationship between these two immune parameters. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using 42 placental samples (21 preeclampsia, 21 controls). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect CD56 (dNK cells) and CD276 (B7-H3) expression. Expression was semi-quantitatively evaluated using the Remmele Immunoreactive Score (IRS). Statistical comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted. Results: Preeclamptic placentas exhibited significantly higher dNK cell expression (IRS 7.19 ± 2.16) and significantly lower B7-H3 expression (IRS 2.63 ± 0.90) compared to controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). A positive correlation was found between B7-H3 and dNK cell expression in both groups, with a stronger correlation in normotensive pregnancies (r = 0.605; p = 0.004) and preeclampsia (r = 0.465; p = 0.034). Conclusions: The inverse expression pattern and reduction in B7-H3 expression compared to dNK cells in preeclampsia suggest a loss of immune tolerance at the maternal–fetal interface. These findings highlight the potential of B7-H3 as a biomarker and immunoregulatory target for early prediction and prevention of preeclampsia. Full article

Several examples of de-Neolithisation have been identified in the Eastern Baltic region, where communities of Neolithic cultures—particularly in areas rich in aquatic resources—shifted from animal husbandry to fishing, or at least significantly supplemented their subsistence with freshwater resources. One such case is Šventoji in Lithuania, on the southeastern Baltic coast, primarily known for its numerous waterlogged sites with excellent preservation of wooden artefacts, dated to the Subneolithic (ca. 4000–2900 cal BC). In 2021 and 2024, investigations of three short-term stationary fishing sites, dated to the earlier part of the Neolithic (ca. 2850–2500 cal BC), provided an opportunity to compare Neolithic stationary fishing with its Subneolithic counterparts. At the beginning of the Neolithic, we identified a technological shift in the construction of fish weirs and traps: pine laths were replaced by round shoots of deciduous trees. In addition, exceptionally rare archaeological finds were uncovered at the Neolithic fishing sites of Šventoji—two stone battle axes with preserved wooden handles. Accordingly, alongside the study of Neolithic stationary fishing, this paper presents the results of radiocarbon dating (¹⁴C), taxonomic identification of the wood, and use–wear analysis of these two axes. Full article

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Mice (Edn1^H/+) having excess endothelin-1 developed preeclampsia-like phenotypes during pregnancy in a maternal genotype-dependent manner. Here, we investigated whether decidualization is impaired in Edn1^H/+ dams, and whether nicotinamide (a potent inhibitor of ET-1) exerts beneficial effect. We compared implantation sites between wild type (WT) and Edn1^H/+ dams with or without nicotinamide treatment. Implantation sites of Edn1^H/+ dams exhibited abnormal ectoplacental cones and sinusoids, along with reduced vascular density in the mesometrial regions of the decidua. VEGF levels were higher in the decidua of Edn1^H/+ dams compared with WT dams. Markers of decidualization were decreased in Edn1^H/+ dams. Nicotinamide supplementation corrected this abnormality. During differentiation (decidualization) of cultured human endometrial stomal cells, ET-1 impaired the upregulated expression of decidualization markers. The effect of ET-1 was reversed by nicotinamide. These results show nicotinamide counteracts the detrimental effects of ET-1 on endometrial decidualization and has potential to improve embryo implantation and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Full article

In cool temperate regions, soil respiration (Rs) data collected during the cold season is limited due to freezing and snow. This leads to a lack of understanding of Rs characteristics during the cold season and for ecosystems with long winters, it can significantly impact the annual carbon flux estimation. In this study, Rs data were collected from temperate deciduous forests to understand the characteristics of Rs values in the cold temperature season. To reflect spatial variation in Rs, five points were selected with different levels of litter layer development, ranging from Chamber 1 (almost no litter) to Chamber 5 (thick litter). Rs, air temperature (Ta) and rainfall, soil temperature (Ts) and soil moisture content (SMC) were collected every 30 min at each measurement point. As the litter layer developed, Ts tended to increase, but SMC tended to decrease, revealing that the degree of litter layer development had a clear effect on Ts and SMC. Rs showed a relatively high exponential correlation with Ts. However, the Rs−SMC functional relationship exhibited no correlation. Therefore, while the Ts-Rs functional equation can be used in the Rs calculator during the cold season, the SMC-Rs function would be suitable for use. Also, these deferent litter layers, TS, and SMC affected the Rs. The total Rs during the measurement period was various from 0.60 t C ha⁻¹ for a thin litter layer to 1.88 t C ha⁻¹ for a thick layer. This range of values may be appropriate for estimating Rs during the cold season in temperate regions. Also, the average across all plots was 6.05, ranging from 4.93 in no litter to 8.23 in thick litter layer. Full article

The canine parturition cascade involves decreased placental progesterone (P4) signaling mediated through its nuclear receptor PGR in decidual cells, leading to increased trophoblast production of PGF2α that promotes luteolysis, placentolysis, and myometrial contractility. A local role for glucocorticoids in initiating parturition through increased placental availability of cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor (GR/NR3C1), possibly affecting P4-PGR signaling, has been suggested. Primary uterine inertia (PUI) is a major cause of canine dystocia, but its pathophysiology remains unclear. Here, we hypothesized that dysregulated placental signaling could contribute to PUI. The availability of parturition cascade-related factors was assessed in placentae of dogs with PUI and during physiological prepartum luteolysis (LUT). Compared with LUT, PUI had no significant changes in prostaglandin-related factors PTGS2, PTGES, and HPGD (p > 0.05), but had lower PGF2α synthase PGFS/AKR1C3 (p < 0.001), and higher PGT abundance (p < 0.001). PUI had increased PGR transcript and protein levels (p < 0.001), but the same number of decidual cells (p > 0.05). GR/NR3C1 availability was reduced in PUI (p < 0.05), along with decreased placental cortisol-to-cortisone conversion. Our findings suggest that PUI could be associated with disturbances of the parturition cascade, possibly due to inadequate P4-PGR and glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta. Full article

Background/Objectives: Accurate identification of deciduous and permanent teeth on panoramic radiographs (PRs) during mixed dentition is fundamental for early detection of eruption disturbances, yet relies heavily on clinician experience due to developmental variability. This study aimed to develop a deep learning model for automated tooth detection and segmentation in pediatric PRs during mixed dentition. Methods: A retrospective dataset of 250 panoramic radiographs from patients aged 6–13 years was analyzed. A customized YOLOv11-based model was developed using a novel hybrid pre-annotation strategy leveraging transfer learning from 650 publicly available adult radiographs, followed by expert manual refinement. Performance evaluation utilized mean average precision (mAP), F1-score, precision, and recall metrics. Results: The model demonstrated robust performance with mAP_0.5 = 0.963 [95%CI: 0.944–0.983] and macro-averaged F1-score = 0.953 [95%CI: 0.922–0.965] for detection. Segmentation achieved mAP_0.5 = 0.890 [95%CI: 0.857–0.923]. Stratified analysis revealed excellent performance for permanent teeth (F1 = 0.977) and clinically acceptable accuracy for deciduous teeth (F1 = 0.884). Conclusions: The automated system achieved near-expert accuracy in detecting and segmenting teeth during mixed dentition using an innovative transfer learning approach. This framework establishes reliable infrastructure for AI-assisted diagnostic applications targeting eruption or developmental anomalies, potentially facilitating earlier detection while reducing clinician-dependent variability in mixed dentition evaluation. Full article

Accurate identification of deciduous woody species in winter is challenging, and the misidentification can lead to ecological and management damage. This study aims to substantiate a diagnostic system for woody species based on macromorphological bark characters. First, we reviewed the literature on bark-based species identification to assess existing approaches and their limitations. Building on this, we identified informative macromorphological features of bark through both literature analysis and our experiences. These characters cover all developmental phases, including twigs, young bark, and mature bark, and are supported by new diagnostic terminology. Using this framework, we compiled a character set for 115 Central European woody taxa, providing practical, primarily qualitative traits that can be applied directly in the field. Finally, we developed and tested “Single-access Keys” as an alternative to conventional dichotomous keys, demonstrating their effectiveness in enabling flexible and rapid species recognition, even under atypical conditions or when only partial observations are possible. Our results highlight the value of bark macromorphology as a diagnostic tool and emphasize its potential for advancing thematic identification keys, as well as digital applications in forestry, taxonomy, and ecological monitoring. Full article

Monitoring reclaimed wellsites in boreal forest environments requires accurate, scalable, and repeatable methods for assessing vegetation recovery. This study evaluates the use of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and multispectral (MS) imagery for individual tree detection, crown delineation, and classification across five reclaimed wellsites in Alberta, Canada. A deep learning workflow using 3D convolutional neural networks was applied to LiDAR and MS data collected in spring, summer, and autumn. Results show that LiDAR alone provided high accuracy for tree segmentation and height estimation, with a mean intersection over union (mIoU) of 0.94 for vegetation filtering and an F1-score of 0.82 for treetop detection. Incorporating MS data improved deciduous/coniferous classification, with the highest accuracy (mIoU = 0.88) achieved using all five spectral bands. Coniferous species were classified more accurately than deciduous species, and classification performance declined for trees shorter than 2 m. Spring conditions yielded the highest classification accuracy (mIoU = 0.93). Comparisons with ground measurements confirmed a strong correlation for tree height estimation (R² = 0.95; root mean square error = 0.40 m). Limitations of this technique included lower performance for short, multi-stemmed trees and deciduous species, particularly willow. This study demonstrates the value of integrating 3D structural and spectral data for monitoring forest recovery and supports the use of UAV remote sensing for scalable post-disturbance vegetation assessment. The trained models used in this study are publicly available through the TreeAIBox plugin to support further research and operational applications. Full article

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a systemic metabolic and endocrine disorder that significantly disrupts reproductive physiology and endometrial function. In this narrative review, we examine the molecular impact of metabolic and hormonal imbalances on the endometrium of women with PCOS. We investigate the specific mechanisms that delineate how hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, chronic low-grade inflammation, and estrogen/progesterone/androgen imbalance contribute to altered epigenetic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and signaling profiles in a wide array of different cell types within endometrial tissues. The synergistic interplay between upregulated inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1,2,6,8,17,18, and TNF-α), along with key changes in critical molecular pathways associated with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance (e.g., PI3K/AKT/MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin), in addition to aberrant sex steroid hormone signaling (e.g., CYP19A1, COX-2, PGE₂, HOXA10, 11βHSD2), promotes deleterious changes within the endometrial microenvironment. These anomalies underpin a spectrum of clinical manifestations observed in women with PCOS at each stage of the life course, including abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-age women, impaired decidualization in pregnancy, and altered postmenopausal endometrial physiology. Clinically, these alterations are associated with abnormal uterine bleeding, subfertility, implantation failure, miscarriage, pregnancy complications, and postmenopausal endometrial hyperplasia and cancer. Overall, our review provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms linking systemic metabolic and endocrine dysfunction with endometrial pathology in PCOS and has broader implications that apply to all women. Full article

Net Primary Productivity (NPP) serves as a key indicator of ecosystem health and productivity. However, most existing research focuses on primary land cover types, overlooking the dynamic response processes of NPP in refined vegetation types to multiple climate drivers. Furthermore, it lacks systematic analysis of the feedback mechanisms through which China’s Five-Year Plan (FYP) ecological projects regulate climate stress. This study, based on refined vegetation classification, systematically analyzes the dynamic changes in NPP in Heilongjiang Province from the 10th to the 13th FYP periods (2001–2020), with a focus on refined vegetation types. Results show that between 2001 and 2020, mixed-leaved forest emerged as the core driver of regional NPP change during the 12th FYP (NPP increase of +58.4 gC·m⁻²·a⁻¹). Although deciduous needle-leaved forest (DNF) showed the highest cumulative increase (+64 gC·m⁻²·a⁻¹), it experienced significant degradation (p < 0.01) in 57%–62% of its area during the 12th and 13th FYP periods. The dominant climate driver shifted from precipitation (positively correlated in 74% of the area during the 10th–11th FYPs) to drought stress dominated by vapor pressure deficit (VPD) (positive correlation increasing to 54%). Ecological projects mitigated the negative impact of temperature, reducing the area with negative correlations by 13%. Overall, the ecological policies of the FYP exerted a weak negative influence. However, forest vegetation was strongly regulated by VPD (SV = −0.61~0.59), while grasslands and croplands exhibited high sensitivity to temperature. These findings underscore the contrasting climate policy responses among plant functional groups, highlighting the urgent need for differentiated ecological management strategies. Full article

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, is regulated by a balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. In adults, this process typically occurs in response to inflammation, wound healing, and neoplastic growth. Uniquely, the female reproductive system undergoes cyclical and repetitive angiogenesis with folliculogenesis, decidualization, implantation, and embryo development throughout the reproductive cycle. Ovarian angiogenesis involves a coordinated network of signaling pathways and molecular factors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the primary driver of this process, supported by other regulators such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern ovarian angiogenesis is essential for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in reproductive medicine. Vascular dysfunction and impaired angiogenesis are key contributors to various ovarian disorders and infertility, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Therefore, in-depth studies of ovarian vascularization are crucial for identifying the pathophysiology of these conditions and guiding the development of effective treatments. Advancing knowledge in this area holds significant potential for innovation in both medicine and biotechnology. Full article