The mechanism of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-alleviated manganese toxicity in plants: A review.

The development of the mining industry and the overuse of inorganic fertilizers have led to an excess of manganese (Mn) in the soil, thereby, contaminating the soil environment and people's health. On heavy metal-contaminated soils, the combined arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)-phytoremediation technique becomes a hotspot because of its environmentally friendly, in situ remediation. AMF inoculation often leads to a decrease in host Mn acquisition, which provides a basis for its application in phytoremediation of contaminated soils. Moreover, the utilization value of native AMF is greater than that of exotic AMF, because native AMF can adapt better to Mn-contaminated soils. In addition to the fact that AMF enhance plant Mn tolerance responses such as regionalization, organic matter chelation, limiting uptake and efflux, and so on, AMF also develop plant-independent fungal pathways such as direct biosorption of Mn by mycorrhizal hyphae, fungal Mn transporter genes, and sequestration of Mn by mycorrhizal hyphae, glomalin, and arbuscule-containing root cortical cells, which together mitigate excessive Mn toxicity to plants. Clarifying AMF-plant interactions under Mn stress will provide support for utilizing AMF as a phytoremediation in Mn-contaminated soils. The review reveals in detail how AMF develop its own mechanisms for responding to excess Mn and how AMF enhance plant Mn tolerance, accompanied by perspectives for future research.

In defence of the entity of Macaronesia as a biogeographical region.

Since its coinage ca. 1850 AD by Philip Barker Webb, the biogeographical region of Macaronesia, consisting of the North Atlantic volcanic archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira with the tiny Selvagens, the Canaries and Cabo Verde, and for some authors different continental coastal strips, has been under dispute. Herein, after a brief introduction on the terminology and purpose of regionalism, we recover the origins of the Macaronesia name, concept and geographical adscription, as well as its biogeographical implications and how different authors have positioned themselves, using distinct terrestrial or marine floristic and/or faunistic taxa distributions and relationships for accepting or rejecting the existence of this biogeographical region. Four main issues related to Macaronesia are thoroughly discussed: (i) its independence from the Mediterranean phytogeographical region; (ii) discrepancies according to different taxa analysed; (iii) its geographical limits and the role of the continental enclave(s), and, (iv) the validity of the phytogeographical region level. We conclude that Macaronesia has its own identity and a sound phytogeographical foundation, and that this is mainly based on three different floristic components that are shared by the Macaronesian core (Madeira and the Canaries) and the outermost archipelagos (Azores and Cabo Verde). These floristic components are: (i) the Palaeotropical-Tethyan Geoflora, formerly much more widely distributed in Europe and North Africa and currently restricted to the three northern archipelagos (the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries); (ii) the African Rand Flora, still extant in the coastal margins of Africa and Arabia, and present in the southern archipelagos (Madeira, the Canaries and Cabo Verde), and (iii) the Macaronesian neoendemic floristic component, represented in all the archipelagos, a result of allopatric diversification promoted by isolation of Mediterranean ancestors that manage to colonize Central Macaronesia and, from there, the outer archipelagos. Finally, a differentiating floristic component recently colonized the different archipelagos from the nearest continental coast, providing them with different biogeographic flavours.

Can We Explain Thousands of Molecularly Identified Mouse Neuronal Types? From Knowing to Understanding.

At the end of 2023, the Whole Mouse Brain Atlas was announced, revealing that there are about 5300 molecularly defined neuronal types in the mouse brain. We ask whether brain models exist that contemplate how this is possible. The conventional columnar model, implicitly used by the authors of the Atlas, is incapable of doing so with only 20 brain columns (5 brain vesicles with 4 columns each). We argue that the definition of some 1250 distinct progenitor microzones, each producing at least 4-5 neuronal types over time, may be sufficient. Presently, this is nearly achieved by the prosomeric model amplified by the secondary dorsoventral and anteroposterior microzonation of progenitor areas, plus the clonal variation in cell types produced, on average, by each of them.

Configuração das Redes de Atenção à Saúde no SUS: análise a partir de componentes da atenção básica e hospitalar / Configuration of Health Care Networks in the SUS: analysis based on primary and hospital care components

Resumo O estudo procura apontar diferentes configurações de Redes de Atenção à Saúde na atenção básica e hospitalar, a partir de características de cobertura, qualidade e resolubilidade nas macrorregiões de saúde. Estudo transversal, utilizou a técnica de análise de cluster e segmentou 103 macrorregiões em distintos perfis de cobertura, qualidade e resolubilidade: grupo 1 (alta cobertura/AB e média/AH; baixa qualidade AB-AH com alta resolubilidade); grupo 2 (alta cobertura/AB e baixa/AH; baixa qualidade AB-AH com média resolubilidade); e o grupo 3 (alta cobertura/AB e média/AH; alta qualidade AB-AH com alta resolubilidade). A cobertura na AB foi classificada como alta para 100% da população brasileira, e na AH, baixa para 9,70% e média para 90,29%. Qualidade/AB-AH é baixa para 58,54% e alta para 41,15%. A resolubilidade é alta para 90,29% e média para 9,70%. No Brasil, verifica-se expansão da cobertura com baixa qualidade/AB, insuficiência de leitos hospitalares e baixa qualidade/AH com alta resolubilidade. Todavia, prevalece alta qualidade AB-AH no Sudeste e no Sul. A estruturação das redes de saúde ainda se configura de baixa resolutividade, demandando estímulos à governança de arranjos interfederativos.

Abstract This study seeks to point out the different configurations of Health Care Networks in primary care (AB) and Hospital Care (AH), dimensioned based on coverage, quality, and resolvability characteristics in health macro-regions. Cross-sectional study used the cluster analysis and segmented 103 macro-regions into different profiles of coverage, quality and resolubility: group 1 (high coverage/AB and medium/AH; low quality AB-AH with high resolubility); group 2 (high coverage/AB and low/AH; low quality AB-AH with medium resolubility) and group 3 (high coverage/AB and medium/AH; high quality AB-AH with high resolubility). Coverage in AB was classified as high for 100% of the Brazilian population and in AH low to 9.70% and medium to 90.29%. Quality/AB-AH is low for 58.54% and high for 41.15%. Resolubility is high for 90.29% and medium for 9.70%. In Brazil, there is expansion of coverage with low quality/AB; shortage of hospital beds and low quality/HA with high resolution. However, in the Southeast and South, high AB-AH quality prevails. The structuring of health networks is still characterized by low resolution, demanding incentives for the governance of inter-federal arrangements.

Potential planting regions of Pterocarpus santalinus (Fabaceae) under current and future climate in China based on MaxEnt modeling.

This study modeled the habitat distribution of Pterocarpus santalinus, a valuable rosewood species, across China under current and future climate scenarios (SSPs126, SSPs245, and SSPs585) using MaxEnt. Our findings reveal that the current suitable habitat, spanning approximately 409,600 km2, is primarily located in the central and southern parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Yunnan, as well as in the Hainan provinces, along with the coastal regions of Taiwan, and the Sichuan-Chongqing border. The habitat's distribution is significantly influenced by climatic factors such as temperature seasonality (bio4), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8), annual mean temperature (bio1), and annual precipitation (bio12), while terrain and soil factors play a lesser role. Under future climate scenarios, the suitable habitat for P. santalinus is projected to expand, with a northeastward shift in its distribution center. This research not only sheds light on the geoecological characteristics and geographical distribution of P. santalinus in China but also offers a scientific basis for planning its cultivation areas and enhancing cultivation efficiency under changing climate conditions.

Dashboards to Support Implementation of the Quebec Alzheimer Plan: Evaluation Study With Regional and Professional Considerations.

BACKGROUND: Health organizations face the critical task of executing and overseeing comprehensive health care. To address the challenges associated with this task, evidence-based dashboards have emerged as valuable tools. Since 2016, the regional health organizations of Quebec, Canada, have been responsible for ensuring implementation of the Quebec Alzheimer Plan (QAP), a provincial plan that aims to reinforce the capacity of primary care services to detect, diagnose, and treat persons with dementia. Despite the provincial scope of the QAP, the diverse material and human resources across regions introduce variability in the interest, utility, and specific needs associated with these dashboards. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the interest and utility of dashboards to support the QAP implementation, as well as to determine the needs for improving these aspects according to the perspectives of various types of professionals involved across regions. METHODS: An evaluative study using qualitative methods was conducted within a collaborative research approach involving different stakeholders, including the ministerial advisor and the four project managers responsible for supporting the implementation of the QAP, as well as researchers/scientific advisors. To support these organizations, we developed tailored, 2-page paper dashboards, detailing quantitative data on the prevalence of dementia, the use of health services by persons with dementia, and achievements and challenges of the QAP implementation in each organization's jurisdiction. We then conducted 23 focus groups with the managers and leading clinicians involved in the implementation of the QAP of each regional health organization. Real-time notes were taken using a structured observation grid. Content analysis was conducted according to different regions (organizations with university mandates or nearby organizations, labeled "university/peripheral"; organizations for which only part of the territory is in rural areas, labeled "mixed"; and organizations in remote or isolated areas, labeled "remote/isolated") and according to different types of participants (managers, leading clinicians, and other participants). RESULTS: Participants from organizations in all regions expressed interest in these dashboards and found them useful in several ways. However, they highlighted the need for indicators on orphan patients and other health care providers. Differences between regions were observed, particularly in the interest in continuity of care in university/peripheral regions and the need for diagnostic tools adapted to the culture in remote/isolated regions. CONCLUSIONS: These dashboards support the implementation of an Alzheimer Plan and contribute to the emergence of a learning health care system culture. This project allows each region to increase its monitoring capacity for the implementation of the QAP and facilitates reflection among individuals locally carrying out the implementation. The perspectives expressed will guide the preparation of the next iteration of the dashboards.

Data-driven determination of zooplankton bioregions and robustness analysis.

Identifying biogeographic regions through cluster analysis of species distribution data is a common method for partitioning ecosystems. Selecting the appropriate cluster analysis method requires a comparison of multiple algorithms. In this study, we demonstrate a data-driven process to select a method for bioregionalization based on community data and test its robustness to data variability following these steps: •We aggregated and curated zooplankton community observations from expeditions in the Northeast Pacific.•We determined the best bioregionalization approach by comparing nine cluster analysis methods using ten goodness of clustering indices.•We evaluated the robustness of the bioregionalization to different sources of sampling and taxonomic variability by comparing the bioregionalization of the overall dataset with bioregionalizations of subsets of the data. The K-means clustering of the log-chord transformed abundance was selected as the optimal method for bioregionalization of the zooplankton dataset. This clustering resulted in the emergence of four bioregions along the cross-shelf gradient: the Offshore, Deep Shelf, Nearshore, and Deep Fjord bioregions. The robustness analyses demonstrated that the bioregionalization was consistent despite variability in the spatial and temporal frequency of sampling, sampling methodology, and taxonomic coverage.

Interhospital Transfer for Emergency General Surgery: A Contemporary National Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) often require complex management and transfer to higher acuity facilities, especially given increasing national efforts aimed at centralizing care. We sought to characterize factors and evaluate outcomes associated with interhospital transfer using a contemporary national cohort. METHODS: All adult hospitalizations for EGS (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, laparotomy, lysis of adhesions, small/large bowel resection, and perforated ulcer repair) ≤2 days of admission were identified in the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample. Patients initially admitted to a different institution and transferred to the operating hospital comprised the Transfer cohort (others: Non-Transfer). Multivariable models were developed to consider the association of Transfer with outcomes of interest. RESULTS: Of ∼1 653 169 patients, 107 945 (6.5%) were considered the Transfer cohort. The proportion of patients experiencing interhospital transfer increased from 5.2% to 7.7% (2016-2020, P < .001). On average, Transfer was older, more commonly of White race, and of a higher Elixhauser comorbidity index. After adjustment, increasing age, living in a rural area, receiving care in the Midwest, and decreasing income quartile were associated with greater odds of interhospital transfer. Following risk adjustment, Transfer remained linked with increased odds of in-hospital mortality (AOR 1.64, CI 1.49-1.80), as well as any perioperative complication (AOR 1.33, CI 1.27-1.38; Reference: Non-Transfer). Additionally, Transfer was associated with significantly longer duration of hospitalization (ß + 1.04 days, CI + .91-1.17) and greater costs (ß+$3,490, CI + 2840-4140). DISCUSSION: While incidence of interhospital transfer for EGS is increasing, transfer patients face greater morbidity and resource utilization. Novel interventions are needed to optimize patient selection and improve post-transfer outcomes.

Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of the neonatal oviduct and uterus reveals new insights into upper Müllerian duct regionalization.

The upper Müllerian duct (MD) is patterned and specified into two morphologically and functionally distinct organs, the oviduct and uterus. It is known that this regionalization process is instructed by inductive signals from the adjacent mesenchyme. However, the interaction landscape between epithelium and mesenchyme during upper MD development remains largely unknown. Here, we performed single-cell transcriptomic profiling of mouse neonatal oviducts and uteri at the initiation of MD epithelial differentiation (postnatal day 3). We identified major cell types including epithelium, mesenchyme, pericytes, mesothelium, endothelium, and immune cells in both organs with established markers. Moreover, we uncovered region-specific epithelial and mesenchymal subpopulations and then deduced region-specific ligand-receptor pairs mediating mesenchymal-epithelial interactions along the craniocaudal axis. Unexpectedly, we discovered a mesenchymal subpopulation marked by neurofilaments with specific localizations at the mesometrial pole of both the neonatal oviduct and uterus. Lastly, we analyzed and revealed organ-specific signature genes of pericytes and mesothelial cells. Taken together, our study enriches our knowledge of upper MD development, and provides a manageable list of potential genes, pathways, and region-specific cell subtypes for future functional studies.

Validation of a measure of hospital maternal level of care for the United States.

BACKGROUND: Lack of a validated assessment of maternal risk-appropriate care for use in population data has prevented the existing literature from quantifying the benefit of maternal risk-appropriate care. The objective of this study was to develop a measure of hospital maternal levels of care based on the resources available at the hospital, using existing data available to researchers. METHODS: This was a secondary data analysis. The sample was abstracted from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database for 2018. Eligibility was limited to short-term acute general hospitals that reported providing maternity services as measured by hospital reporting of an obstetric service level, obstetric services, or birthing rooms. We aligned variables in the database with the ACOG criteria for each maternal level of care, then built models that used the variables to measure the maternal level of care. In each iteration, the distribution of hospitals was compared to the distribution in the CDC Levels of Care Assessment Tool Validation Pilot, assessing agreement with the Wilson Score for proportions for each level of care. Results were compared to hospital self-report in the database and measurement reported with another published method. RESULTS: The sample included 2,351 hospitals. AHA variables were available to measure resources that align with ACOG Levels 1, 2, and 3. Overall, 1219 (51.9%) of hospitals reported resources aligned with Maternal Level One, 816 (34.7%) aligned with maternal level two, and 202 (8.6%) aligned with maternal level Three. This method overestimates the prevalence of hospitals with maternal level one compared to the CDC measurement of 36.1% (Mean 52.9%; 95% CI47.2%-58.7%), and likely includes hospitals that would not qualify as level one if all resources required by the ACOG guidelines could be assessed. This method underestimates the prevalence of hospitals with maternal critical care services (Level 3 or 4) compared to CDC measure of 12.1% (Mean 8.1%; 95%CI 6.2% - 10.0%) but is an improvement over hospital self-report (24.7%) and a prior published method (32.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This method of measuring maternal level of care allows researchers to investigate the value of perinatal regionalization, risk-appropriate care, and hospital differences among the three levels of care. This study identified potential changes to the American Hospital Association Annual Survey that would improve identification of maternal levels of care for research.

Choreographed expansion of services results in decreased patient burden without compromise of outcomes: An assessment of the Ontario experience.

Background: Neuro-oncology care in Ontario, Canada has been historically centralized, at times requiring significant travel on the part of patients. Toward observing the goal of patient-centered care and reducing patient burden, 2 additional regional cancer centres (RCC) capable of neuro-oncology care delivery were introduced in 2016. This study evaluates the impact of increased regionalization of neuro-oncology services, from 11 to 13 oncology centers, on healthcare utilization and travel burden for glioblastoma (GBM) patients in Ontario. Methods: We present a cohort of GBM patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2019. Incidence of GBM and treatment modalities were identified using provincial health administrative databases. A geographic information system and spatial analysis were used to estimate travel time from patient residences to neuro-oncology RCCs. Results: Among the 5242 GBM patients, 79% received radiation as part of treatment. Median travel time to the closest RCC was higher for patients who did not receive radiation as part of treatment than for patients who did (P = .03). After 2016, the volume of patients receiving radiation at their local RCC increased from 62% to 69% and the median travel time to treatment RCCs decreased (P = .0072). The 2 new RCCs treated 35% and 41% of patients within their respective catchment areas. Receipt of standard of care, surgery, and chemoradiation (CRT), increased by 11%. Conclusions: Regionalization resulted in changes in the healthcare utilization patterns in Ontario consistent with decreased patient travel burden for patients with GBM. Focused regionalization did not come at the cost of decreased quality of care, as determined by the delivery of a standard of care.

Patient-specific left atrium contraction quantification associated with atrial fibrillation: A region-based approach.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a widespread cardiac arrhythmia that significantly impacts heart function. AF disrupts atrial mechanical contraction, leading to irregular, uncoordinated, and slow blood flow inside the atria which favors the formation of clots, primarily within the left atrium (LA). A standardized region-based analysis of the LA is missing, and there is not even any consensus about how to define the LA regions. In this study we propose an automatic approach for regionalizing the LA into segments to provide a comprehensive 3D region-based LA contraction assessment. LA global and regional contraction were quantified in control subjects and in AF patients to describe mechanical abnormalities associated with AF. METHODS: The proposed automatic approach for LA regionalization was tested in thirteen control subjects and seventeen AF patients. After dividing LA into standard regions, we evaluated the global and regional mechanical function by measuring LA contraction parameters, such as regional volume, global and regional strains, regional wall motion and regional shortening fraction. RESULTS: LA regionalization was successful in all study subjects. In the AF group compared with control subjects, results showed: a global impairment of LA contraction which appeared more pronounced along radial and circumferential direction; a regional impairment of radial strain which was more pronounced in septal, inferior, and lateral regions suggesting a greater reduction in mechanical efficiency in these regions in comparison to the posterior and anterior ones. CONCLUSION: An automatic approach for LA regionalization was proposed. The regionalization method was proved to be robust with several LA anatomical variations and able to characterize contraction changes associated with AF.

A phylogenetic approach identifies patterns of beta diversity and floristic subregions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity and their relationships with environmental correlates can help reveal the origin and evolutionary history of regional biota. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) harbors an exceptionally diverse flora, however, a phylogenetic perspective has rarely been used to investigate its beta diversity and floristic regions. In this study, we used a phylogenetic approach to identify patterns of beta diversity and quantitatively delimit floristic regions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We also examined the relationships between multifaceted beta diversity, geographical distance, and climatic difference, and evaluated the relative importance of various factors (i.e., climate, topography and history) in shaping patterns of beta diversity. Sørensen dissimilarity indices indicated that patterns of species turnover among sites dominated the QTP. We also found that patterns of both taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity were significantly related to geographical distance and climatic difference. The environmental factors that contributed most to these patterns of beta diversity include annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, climatic gradients and climatic instability. Hierarchical dendrograms of dissimilarity and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination based on phylogenetic beta diversity data identified ten floristic subregions in the QTP. Our results suggest that the contemporary environment and historical climate changes have filtered species composition among sites and eventually determined beta diversity patterns of plants in the QTP.

Patient Survey Regarding Non-Medical Burdens of Care at a Parental Fetal Care Center.

Recognizing the paucity of literature describing the non-medical effects of care at a tertiary parental fetal care center upon families, the purpose of the study was to better examine the potential barriers that our patients face related to care in a parental fetal care center. An anonymous survey was sent via email to patients who received care from 2015 to 2021. The survey included questions regarding demographics, fetal diagnoses, non-medical expenses related to care, and the impact of care on patient relationships, employment, and other children. 453 patients (15.9%) responded out of the 2684 emails sent. 58.3% of patients traveled >100 miles to reach our referral center, with 20% traveling >300 miles. 42.6% of patients reported non-medical expenditures exceeding $1000, with nearly 1 in 10 reporting expenditures of >$5000 (8.6%). Overall, 38.2% of women reported moderate to severe financial burdens related to receiving care at the parental fetal care center. This study illuminates the financial and social burdens that care at a tertiary parental fetal care center imposes upon families. By acknowledging these barriers, we can strive to minimize them to best provide equitable access to high-quality fetal care services.

Racial and Geographic Variation of Prenatal Care Coordination Receipt in the State of Wisconsin, 2010-2019.

Medicaid-funded obstetric care coordination programs supplement prenatal care with tailored services to improve birth outcomes. It is uncertain whether these programs reach populations with elevated risks of adverse birth outcomes-namely non-white, highly rural, and highly urban populations. This study evaluates racial and geographic variation in the receipt of Wisconsin Medicaid's Prenatal Care Coordination (PNCC) program during 2010-2019. We sample 250,596 Medicaid-paid deliveries from a cohort of linked Wisconsin birth records and Medicaid claims. We measure PNCC receipt during pregnancy dichotomously (none; any) and categorically (none; assessment/care plan only; service receipt), and we stratify the sample on three maternal characteristics: race/ethnicity, urbanicity of residence county; and region of residence county. We examine annual trends in PNCC uptake and conduct logistic regressions to identify factors associated with assessment or service receipt. Statewide PNCC outreach decreased from 25% in 2010 to 14% in 2019, largely due to the decline in beneficiaries who only receive assessments/care plans. PNCC service receipt was greatest and persistent in Black and Hispanic populations and in urban areas. In contrast, PNCC service receipt was relatively low and shrinking in American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and white populations and in more rural areas. Additionally, being foreign-born was associated with an increased likelihood of getting a PNCC assessment in Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations, but we observed the opposite association in Black and white populations. Estimates signal a gap in PNCC receipt among some at-risk populations in Wisconsin, and findings may inform policy to enhance PNCC outreach.

Biogeographic survey of soil bacterial communities across Antarctica.

BACKGROUND: Antarctica and its unique biodiversity are increasingly at risk from the effects of global climate change and other human influences. A significant recent element underpinning strategies for Antarctic conservation has been the development of a system of Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions (ACBRs). The datasets supporting this classification are, however, dominated by eukaryotic taxa, with contributions from the bacterial domain restricted to Actinomycetota and Cyanobacteriota. Nevertheless, the ice-free areas of the Antarctic continent and the sub-Antarctic islands are dominated in terms of diversity by bacteria. Our study aims to generate a comprehensive phylogenetic dataset of Antarctic bacteria with wide geographical coverage on the continent and sub-Antarctic islands, to investigate whether bacterial diversity and distribution is reflected in the current ACBRs. RESULTS: Soil bacterial diversity and community composition did not fully conform with the ACBR classification. Although 19% of the variability was explained by this classification, the largest differences in bacterial community composition were between the broader continental and maritime Antarctic regions, where a degree of structural overlapping within continental and maritime bacterial communities was apparent, not fully reflecting the division into separate ACBRs. Strong divergence in soil bacterial community composition was also apparent between the Antarctic/sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic mainland. Bacterial communities were partially shaped by bioclimatic conditions, with 28% of dominant genera showing habitat preferences connected to at least one of the bioclimatic variables included in our analyses. These genera were also reported as indicator taxa for the ACBRs. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our data indicate that the current ACBR subdivision of the Antarctic continent does not fully reflect bacterial distribution and diversity in Antarctica. We observed considerable overlap in the structure of soil bacterial communities within the maritime Antarctic region and within the continental Antarctic region. Our results also suggest that bacterial communities might be impacted by regional climatic and other environmental changes. The dataset developed in this study provides a comprehensive baseline that will provide a valuable tool for biodiversity conservation efforts on the continent. Further studies are clearly required, and we emphasize the need for more extensive campaigns to systematically sample and characterize Antarctic and sub-Antarctic soil microbial communities. Video Abstract.

Omernik's Ecoregion Framework: a Legacy for Understanding Regional Patterns in Attainable Resource Quality.

An initial and comprehensive map of ecological regions across the conterminous United States was provided by Omernik in 1987. Because that paper was the most-cited published by the Annals of the American Association of Geographers, we sought to assess and quantify its contribution to science. To do so, we conducted a scientometric analysis to address the following main questions: 1) What are the temporal and spatial citation trends? We expected that Omernik's paper would still be employed 36 years after its publication, and mostly in the United States of America. 2) For what types of environments and organisms has it been applied? Based on its generality, we expected that it had been applied to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 3) What are the main applications of Omernik's article? We predicted that it would mostly be used for describing and delineating study sites and management areas, as well as for selecting regional reference sites. The number of citations presented a positive temporal increase, indicating its continued applicability. Most papers dealt with aquatic environments, mainly in streams carried out predominantly in the United States of America, as was one of its earliest applications. The usefulness of ecoregions for assessing and managing biotic and abiotic patterns and distributions were the main topics addressed by scientists. Ecoregions have offered a general framework for developing regional expectations and rational regional management policies across large areas, as was their original intent. In addition, ecoregion maps were used for communicating patterns-or the lack of them-to interested scientists, citizens, and decision-makers. That comprehensiveness of Omernik's ecoregion approach has led to its widespread applicability and continued usefulness to a diverse set of scientific and management disciplines.

Spatial-temporal redundancy evaluation of the municipal solid waste incineration treatment capacity: the case study of China.

In the process of marketization, the lack of redundancy evaluation of the MSW incineration treatment capacity leads to the regional imbalance of treatment capacity and waste of resources. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a spatial-temporal redundancy evaluation method for the MSW incineration treatment capacity based on the accurate MSW generation prediction using artificial intelligence. To achieve this aim, this study first proposed and finalized a prediction model of the provincial MSW generation by applying the artificial neuron network (ANN) technology and using the statistical data of Jiangsu Province of China from 1990 to 2020. In the finalized model, the input variables consist of three demographic variables, three social variables, and five economic variables; the model structure that includes four hidden layers and 16 neurons in each hidden layer performed best with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.995 on the training samples and an R2 of 0.974 on the test set, respectively. Using the finalized model and statistical data of all provinces in China, this study proposed a redundancy evaluation method for the MSW incineration treatment capacity and evaluated the spatial and temporal redundancy status of China. The results first confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method to model and quantify the redundancy problem. Second, according to the evaluation results, even if no new treatment plant will be built before 2025, 10 of China's 31 provinces still have redundancy problems, indicating the severity of this problem. This study first contributes to the body of knowledge by modeling the redundancy problem of the MSW incineration treatment capacity. Moreover, this study provides a tool to quantify temporal and spatial redundancy using advanced technology and publicly available data. Furthermore, the results can help waste-related authorities and organizations make optimal strategies and actions to better match MSW treatment capacity and MSW generation volume.

Running, jumping, hunting, and scavenging: Functional analysis of vertebral mobility and backbone properties in carnivorans.

Carnivorans are well-known for their exceptional backbone mobility, which enables them to excel in fast running and long jumping, leading to them being among the most successful predators amongst terrestrial mammals. This study presents the first large-scale analysis of mobility throughout the presacral region of the vertebral column in carnivorans. The study covers representatives of 6 families, 24 genera and 34 species. We utilized a previously developed osteometry-based method to calculate available range of motion, quantifying all three directions of intervertebral mobility: sagittal bending (SB), lateral bending (LB), and axial rotation (AR). We observed a strong phylogenetic signal in the structural basis of the vertebral column (vertebral and joint formulae, length proportions of the backbone modules) and an insignificant phylogenetic signal in most characteristics of intervertebral mobility. This indicates that within the existing structure (stabilization of which occurred rather early in different phylogenetic lineages), intervertebral mobility in carnivorans is quite flexible. Our findings reveal that hyenas and canids, which use their jaws to seize prey, are characterized by a noticeably elongated cervical region and significantly higher SB and LB mobility of the cervical joints compared to other carnivorans. In representatives of other carnivoran families, the cervical region is very short, but the flexibility of the neck (both SB and LB) is significantly higher than that of short-necked odd-toed and even-toed ungulates. The lumbar region of the backbone in carnivorans is dorsomobile in the sagittal plane, being on average ~23° more mobile than in artiodactyls and ~38° more mobile than in perissodactyls. However, despite the general dorsomobility, only some representatives of Canidae, Felidae, and Viverridae are superior in lumbar flexibility to the most dorsomobile ungulates. The most dorsomobile artiodactyls are equal or even superior to carnivorans in their ability to engage in dorsal extension during galloping. In contrast, carnivorans are far superior to ungulates in their ability to engage ventral flexion. The cumulative SB in the lumbar region in carnivorans largely depends on the mode of running and hunting. Thus, adaptation to prolonged and enduring pursuit of prey in hyenas is accompanied by markedly reduced SB flexibility in the lumbar region. A more dorsostable run is also a characteristic of the Ursidae, and the peculiar maned wolf. Representatives of Felidae and Canidae have significantly more available SB mobility in the lumbar region. However, they fully engage it only occasionally at key moments of the hunt associated with the direct capture of the prey or when running in a straight line at maximum speed.

In France, the organization of perinatal care has a direct influence on the outcome of the mother and the newborn: Contribution from a French nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate maternal and neonatal outcomes after a delivery in France in 2019, according to hospital characteristics and the impact of distance and time of travel on mother and newborn. METHODS: All parturients above 18 years of age who delivered in 2019 and were identified in the French health insurance database were included, with their newborns, in this retrospective cohort study. Main outcome measures were Severe Maternal Morbidity score and the Neonatal Adverse Outcome Indicator (NAOI). RESULTS: Among the 733 052 pregnancies included, 10 829 presented a severe maternal morbidity (1.48%) and 77 237 had a neonatal adverse outcome (10.4%). Factors associated with an unfavorable maternal or neonatal outcome were Obstetric Comorbidity Index, primiparity, and cesarean or instrumental delivery. Prematurity was associated with less severe maternal morbidity but more neonatal adverse outcomes. Time of travel above 30 min was associated with a higher NAOI rate. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest the efficiency of regionalization of perinatal care in France, although a difference in both outcomes persists according to unit volume, suggesting the need for a further step in concentrating perinatal care. Perinatal care organization should focus on mapping the territory with high-level, high-volume maternity throughout the territory; this suggests closing down high-volume units and improving low-volume ones to maintain coherent mapping.