Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seasonal and interannual variations in whole-ecosystem isoprene and monoterpene emissions from a temperate mixed forest in Northern China

Abstract Contributed Measurements of BVOC emissions, meteorological parameters, and solar radiation were carried out in a temperate forest, China during the summer seasons in 2010 and 2011. Terpenoid emissions were measured using the Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) technique on an above-canopy tower. Isoprene contributed 79.1% and 82.0% of terpenoid emissions in 2010 and 2011 summer. The monoterpene emissions were dominated by α–pinene, contributing 6.3% and 12.2% of the total terpenoid emissions in 2010 and 2011 summer. Terpenoid emissions exhibited strong diurnal variations. Isoprene and monoterpene emissions maxima typically occurred a few hours after the noon PAR peak and coincided with the daily temperature maximum. During 2011 summer, the mean isoprene emission flux (mg m –2 h –1 ) was 0.889, mean total monoterpene emission flux was 0.143. Emission factors, representing the emission expected at a temperature of 30 °C, for this site were 0.32 mg m –2 h –1 for total monoterpenes and 4.3 mg m –2 h –1 for isoprene. The observations were used to evaluate the isoprene and monoterpene emission magnitude and variability predicted by the MEGANv2.1 model. Canopy scale isoprene and monoterpene emission factors based on these observations fall within the range of emission factors assigned to locations within 50 km of the site by the MEGANv2.1 emission model. When using the site specific landcover data for the site, the measured emission factors are 12% for isoprene and 20% for monoterpenes lower than the MEGANv2.1 emission factors. MEGANv2.1 predicts that variations in light intensity should result in significant changes in isoprene emissions during the study but this was not evident in the observations. Observed diurnal, seasonal and interannual variations in isoprene and monoterpene emissions were strongly correlated with air temperature which was the dominant driving variable for MEGANv2.1 during the study period. The observed temperature response for isoprene and monoterpenes is similar to the temperature sensitivity of the MEGANv2.1 response functions.
Constructed Wetlands for Water Pollution Control ‐ Processes, Parameters and Performance

constructed wetlands are now recognised as an ecologically sustainable option for water pollution control. Natural wetlands are biologically diverse ecosystem. They provide an array of physical, biological and chemical processes to facilitate the removal, recycling, transformation or immobilisation of sediment and nutrients. Most of these processes are facilitated by the wetland vegetation, associated biofilms and micro-organisms. Wetland ecosystems are complex and the interactions between abiotic and biotic components are fundamental to an understanding of the treatment processes. Constructed wetlands must therefore be designed to have the attributes of natural wetland ecosystems. The treatment efficiency of a wetland system requires a balance between pollutant loading rate and hydraulic retention time, which is also affected by the water quality and quantity of wastewater effluent or stormwater runoff: The size of a wetland will depend upon the volume of runoff, pollutant characteristics, desired level of treatment and the extent to which the wetland is expected to function as a flood retention basin. Water depth and extent of inundation will determine the types and species of aquatic plants. A combination of emergent, submerged and floating species should be selected. Pretreatment and detention times are crucial parameters to maximise pollutant removal efficiency. Sedimentation ponds are important in stormwater wetlands to remove particulates, but dense vegetated macrophyte zones are essential to enhance the removal of suspended solids and nutrients. Ecologists and engineers need to work together to maximise the treatment efficiency of constructed wetlands. Planners and landscape architects' must become involved to ensure that stormwater wetlands have a multi-functional role in the urban setting. Constructed wetlands offer the ideal challenge to environmental engineers allowing for the integration of engineering and ecological principles to find the technical solution to fit both nature and society.
Cost-benefit Analysis of Cochlear Implants: A Societal Perspective

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objectives: While the costs and outcomes of cochlear implantation (CI) have been widely assessed, most of these analyses were solely performed from the perspective of healthcare costs. This study assesses the costs and benefits of CI in the Netherlands from a broader societal perspective, including health outcomes, healthcare cost, educational cost, and productivity losses and gains. Design: The cost and benefits of CI were analyzed in this cost-benefit analysis, in which a monetary value is put on both the resources needed and the outcomes of CI. The costs and benefits were analyzed by prototypical instances of three groups, representing the majority of cochlear implant patients: prelingually deaf children implanted at the age of 1, adults with progressive profound hearing loss implanted at the age of 40 and seniors implanted at the age of 70 with progressive profound hearing loss. Costs and benefits were estimated over the expected lifetimes of the members of each group, using a Markov state transition model. Model parameters and assumptions were based on published literature. Probabilistic and one-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: In all three patient groups, the total benefits of CI exceeded the total cost, leading to a net benefit of CI. Prelingually deaf children with a bilateral CI had a lifetime positive outcome net benefit of €433,000. Adults and seniors with progressive profound hearing loss and a unilateral CI had a total net benefit of €275,000 and €76,000, respectively. These results ensue from health outcomes expressed in monetary terms, reduced educational cost, and increased productivity. Conclusions: Based on estimates from modeling, the increased healthcare costs due to CI were more than compensated by the value of the health benefits and by savings in educational and productivity costs. In particular, for children and working adults, the societal benefit was positive even without taking health benefits into account. Therefore, CI generates an advantage for both patients and society.
Fabrication and electromechanical characterization of free-standing asymmetric membranes

All biological cell membranes maintain an electric transmembrane potential of around 100 mV, due in part to an asymmetric distribution of charged phospholipids across the membrane. This asymmetry is crucial to cell health and physiological processes such as intracell signaling, receptor-mediated endocytosis, and membrane protein function. Experimental artificial membrane systems incorporate essential cell membrane structures, such as the phospholipid bilayer, in a controllable manner where specific properties and processes can be isolated and examined. Here, we describe a new approach to fabricate and characterize planar, free-standing, asymmetric membranes and use it to examine the effect of headgroup charge on membrane stiffness. The approach relies on a thin film balance used to form a freestanding membrane by adsorbing aqueous phase lipids to an oil-water interface and subsequently thinning the oil to form a bilayer. We validate this lipid-in-aqueous approach by analyzing the thickness and compressibility of symmetric membranes with varying zwitterionic DOPC and anionic DOPG content as compared to previous lipid-in-oil methods. We find that as the concentration of DOPG increases, membranes become thicker and stiffer. By controlling the lipid composition in the aqueous compartments on either side of the oil within the thin film balance, asymmetric membranes are then examined. Membrane compositional asymmetry is qualitatively demonstrated using a fluorescence quenching assay and quantitatively characterized through voltage-dependent capacitance measurements. Stable asymmetric membranes with DOPC on one side and DOPC/DOPG mixtures on the other were created with transmembrane potentials ranging from 10 to 25 mV. Introducing membrane charge asymmetry also increases the stiffness of the membrane. These initial successes demonstrate a viable pathway to quantitatively characterize asymmetric bilayers that can be extended to accommodate more complex membrane processes in the future. SIGNIFICANCE A defining characteristic of the cell membrane is asymmetry in phospholipid composition between the interior and exterior bilayer leaflet. Although several methods have been used to artificially create membranes with asymmetry, there has not been extensive characterization of the impact of asymmetry on membrane material properties. Here, a technique to fabricate free-standing asymmetric membranes is developed which facilitates the visualization and electromechanical characterization of the bilayer. Asymmetry in anionic phospholipid concentration is quantified by measurements of membrane capacitance at varying voltages, which also allows for determination of the membrane compressibility. This method represents an advance in the development of artificial biomembranes by reliably creating phospholipid bilayers with asymmetry and facilitates the interrogation of more complex biological processes in the future.
Moving Toward the Promise of Participatory Engagement of Older Adults in Gerotechnology

Abstract Limited uptake and use of developed technologies by older adults have prompted interest in participatory design and related approaches in the gerotechnology field. Despite this, recent systematic reviews suggest that researchers continue to passively engage older adults in research projects, often only providing advice or feedback in the early or later phases of research. A key barrier to more meaningful and active engagement of older adults is a lack of understanding as to how participatory design differs from other participatory approaches, and in particular, participatory action research. We address this gap in understanding by exploring the theoretical similarities and differences of participatory design and participatory action research, including their scope, goals, and the nature of the involvement of older adults in each. We conclude with key barriers that are critical to address in order to achieve greater involvement of older adults in gerotechnology and to broaden and enrich the goals of this field.
Age at First Exposure to Tackle Football is Associated with Cortical Thickness in Former Professional American Football Players.

Younger age at first exposure (AFE) to repetitive head impacts while playing American football increases the risk for later-life neuropsychological symptoms and brain alterations. However, it is not known whether AFE is associated with cortical thickness in American football players. Sixty-three former professional National Football League players (55.5 ± 7.7 years) with cognitive, behavioral, and mood symptoms underwent neuroimaging and neuropsychological testing. First, the association between cortical thickness and AFE was tested. Second, the relationship between clusters of decreased cortical thickness and verbal and visual memory, and composite measures of mood/behavior and attention/psychomotor speed was assessed. AFE was positively correlated with cortical thickness in the right superior frontal cortex (cluster-wise P value [CWP] = 0.0006), the left parietal cortex (CWP = 0.0003), and the occipital cortices (right: CWP = 0.0023; left: CWP = 0.0008). A positive correlation was found between cortical thickness of the right superior frontal cortex and verbal memory (R = 0.333, P = 0.019), and the right occipital cortex and visual memory (R = 0.360, P = 0.012). In conclusion, our results suggest an association between younger AFE and decreased cortical thickness, which in turn is associated with worse neuropsychological performance. Furthermore, an association between younger AFE and signs of neurodegeneration later in life in symptomatic former American football players seems likely.
Evaluation of four chemical extractants for metal determinations in wetland soils

Abstract Wetland soils (hydric soils) are unique in their chemical characteristics compared to upland soils. It is known that they are capable of removing a variety of wastes from polluted water entering the wetland including metals and potentially toxic heavy metals. When these metals are determined in wetland soils, it is necessary to use the proper chemical extractant(s). Four commonly used chemical extractants (Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, 0.1M HCl, and DTPA) for soil fertility evaluation were selected to measure metal concentrations of three different wetland soils/spoils. Soil samples were collected from the constructed wetland cells which were lined with Abernathy silt loam topsoil and two different mine spoil materials [collected from active coal strip‐mined sites in Alabama (pH 5.9) and Tennessee (pH 3.2)]. Mehlich 3 extracted the most zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodiumm (Na), and aluminum (Al), while 0.1M HC1 extracted more cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu.
Immunochemistry in the work‐up of mesothelioma and its differential diagnosis and mimickers

The differential diagnosis in cellular effusions with cytological atypia often includes malignant mesothelioma (MM), reactive mesothelial proliferation, and malignancies of metastatic origin, particularly carcinomas. The International Reporting System for Serous Fluid recently established guidelines for reporting MM. In conjunction with the cytomorphologic evaluation, the role of immunochemistry (IC) was emphasized as a very useful tool in the workup of serous fluids, especially with the availability of novel markers. Utilizing a panel of markers, IC allows the characterization of the cells, whether mesothelial or not, and when mesothelial origin is established, IC can frequently assist in delineating its benign or malignant nature. IC can also confirm metastatic disease, allowing the identification of the primary origin in most cases. This review summarizes the current status of IC and its role in the diagnosis of MM and its differential diagnosis in serous fluids.
Astrocyte glutamate uptake coordinates experience‐dependent, eye‐specific refinement in developing visual cortex

The uptake of glutamate by astrocytes actively shapes synaptic transmission, however its role in the development and plasticity of neuronal circuits remains poorly understood. The astrocytic glutamate transporter, GLT1 is the predominant source of glutamate clearance in the adult mouse cortex. Here, we examined the structural and functional development of the visual cortex in GLT1 heterozygous (HET) mice using two‐photon microscopy, immunohistochemistry and slice electrophysiology. We find that though eye‐specific thalamic axonal segregation is intact, binocular refinement in the primary visual cortex is disrupted. Eye‐specific responses to visual stimuli in GLT1 HET mice show altered binocular matching, with abnormally high responses to ipsilateral compared to contralateral eye stimulation and a greater mismatch between preferred orientation selectivity of ipsilateral and contralateral eye responses. Furthermore, we observe an increase in dendritic spine density in the basal dendrites of layer 2/3 excitatory neurons suggesting aberrant spine pruning. Monocular deprivation induces atypical ocular dominance plasticity in GLT1 HET mice, with an unusual depression of ipsilateral open eye responses; however, this change in ipsilateral responses correlates well with an upregulation of GLT1 protein following monocular deprivation. These results demonstrate that a key function of astrocytic GLT1 function during development is the experience‐dependent refinement of ipsilateral eye inputs relative to contralateral eye inputs in visual cortex.
The plasticity of lifespan in social insects

One of the central questions of ageing research is why lifespans of organisms differ so tremendously among related taxa and, even more surprising, among members of the same species. Social insects provide a particularly pronounced example for this. Here, we review previously published information on lifespan plasticity in social insects and provide new data on worker lifespan in the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, which because of its relatively short lifespan is a convenient model to study ageing. We show that individual lifespan may vary within species with several reproductive and social traits, such as egg-laying rate, queen number, task, colony size and colony composition. For example, in Cardiocondyla, highly fecund queens live longer than reproductively less active queens, and workers tend to live longer when transferred into a novel social environment or, as we show with new data, into small colonies. We hypothesize that this plasticity of lifespan serves to maximize the reproductive output of the colony as a whole and thus the inclusive fitness of all individuals. The underlying mechanisms that link the social environment or reproductive status with lifespan are currently unresolved. Several studies in honeybees and ants indicate an involvement of nutrient-sensing pathways, but the details appear to differ among species. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns? '
n-Channel GaAs MOSFET with TaN ∕ HfAlO Gate Stack Formed Using In Situ Vacuum Anneal and Silane Passivation

A surface passivation technique for GaAs that comprises in situ vacuum anneal and silane (SiH 4 ) treatment and that is compatible and can be easily integrated with a matured metallorganic chemical vapor deposition high-k gate dielectric process module is demonstrated. Extensive investigation of the dependence of electrical characteristics of TaN/HfA1O/GaAs gate stacks on process conditions, including in situ vacuum anneal and SiH 4 treatment temperatures, postgate-dielectric deposition anneal, and forming gas anneal conditions, is reported. It is shown that excellent capacitance-voltage characteristics with low-frequency dispersion, small hysteresis, and low midgap interface state density D it of 2.8-4.8 X 10 11 cm -2 eV -1 can be achieved with optimum processing conditions. The passivation technique reported here enables the fabrication of a self-aligned n-metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor, exhibiting good transfer characteristics with high peak carrier mobility of 1154 cm 2 /V s. The incorporation of Si + and P + coimplantation for achievement of high dopant activation in deep source and drain (S/D) regions and complementary metal oxide semiconductor compatible gold-free-based PdGe S/D ohmic contacts were also demonstrated.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies comparing mental health before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Increases in mental health problems have been observed in some studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear whether changes have been large and experienced by most population sub-groups, persisted over time or been symptom specific. Methods: We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed longitudinal cohort studies that examined changes in mental health among the same group of participants before and during the pandemic (PROSPERO: CRD42021231256). Searches for published and unpublished studies were conducted in January 2021. Changes in mental health (standardised mean change; SMC) were examined using meta-analyses. Findings: Sixty-five studies were included. There was an overall increase in mental health symptoms that was most pronounced during March-April 2020 (SMC = .102 [95% CI: .026 to .192], p = 0.03) before significantly declining over time (May-July SMC = .067 [95% CI: -.022 to .157], p = .141). Compared to measures of anxiety (SMC = 0.13, p = 0.02) and general mental health (SMC = -.03, p = 0.65), increases in depression and mood disorder symptoms tended to be larger (SMC = 0.22, p < .001) and reductions over time appeared less pronounced. Increased mental health symptoms were observed across most population subgroups examined but there was no evidence of any change in symptoms among samples with a pre-existing mental health condition. Interpretation: There was a small increase in mental health symptoms soon after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that decreased and was comparable to pre-pandemic levels by mid-2020 among most population sub-groups and symptom types. Funding: N/A
Life expectancy, family constellation and stress in giant mole-rats (Fukomys mechowii)

Giant mole-rats (Fukomys mechowii) are remarkably long-lived subterranean rodents (maximum recorded lifespan as reported here greater than 26 years) that live in families with one reproductive pair (breeders) and their non-reproductive offspring (non-breeders). Previous studies have shown that breeders live on average approximately twice as long as non-breeders, a finding contradicting the classic trade-off between reproduction and lifespan. Because recent evidence points to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as playing an important role in shaping the pace of ageing in mole-rats, we analysed the influence of the social environment of giant mole-rats on intrafamilial aggression levels, indicators of long-term stress, and, ultimately, mortality. Behavioural data indicated that family constellation, especially the presence or the absence of parents, influences agonistic behaviour. As a measure of long-term stress, we established a non-invasive method of extracting and measuring cortisol from hair of giant mole-rats. Interestingly, orphaned non-breeders exhibited significantly lower levels of cortisol and lower mortality rates than did non-breeders living with both parents. Because hypercortisolism is harmful in the long-term, intrafamilial stress could help explain the earlier onset of senescence in non-breeders, resulting in a shorter lifespan. Our findings suggest that the social environment should be considered as a further factor in ageing studies involving group-living animals. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns? ’
Bromhexine Hydrochloride Prophylaxis of COVID-19 for Medical Personnel: A Randomized Open-Label Study

Background: Bromhexine hydrochloride has been suggested as a TMPRSS2 protease blocker that precludes the penetration of the SARS-CoV-2 into cells. We aimed to assess the preventive potential of regular bromhexine hydrochloride intake for COVID-19 risk reduction in medical staff actively involved in the evaluation and treatment of patients with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: In a single-center randomized open-label study medical staff managing patients with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled and followed-up for 8 weeks. The study began at the initiation of COVID-19 management in the clinic. We enrolled 50 participants without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection: 25 were assigned to bromhexine hydrochloride treatment (8 mg 3 times per day), and 25 were controls. The composite primary endpoint was a positive nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to SARS-CoV-2 or the signs of clinical infection within 28 days and at week 8. Secondary endpoints included the symptomatic infection rate and positive nasopharyngeal swab (PCR) tests. Results: The rate of the combined primary endpoint did not differ significantly between the active treatment group (2/25 [8%]) and control group (7/25 [28%]); P = 0.07. A fewer number of participants developed symptomatic infection (confirmed COVID-19) in the treatment group compared to controls (0/25 vs 5/25; P = 0.02). Conclusion: Bromhexine hydrochloride prophylaxis was associated with a reduced rate of symptomatic COVID-19. However, the prophylactic treatment was not associated with a lower combined primary endpoint rate, a positive swab PCR test and/or COVID-19. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04405999)