A tropical Sphagnum peatland ecosystem in lowland Belize.

Tropical peatlands are globally significant ecosystems for carbon cycling and storage, hydrological regulation, and unique biodiversity. There is a diversity of tropical peatland types globally, but tropical peat-forming ecosystems are typically forested without the Sphagnum groundcover that is often characteristic of high-latitude peatlands. Here, we report on a unique tropical peatland situated in Belize that challenges our understanding of both tropical and extra-tropical peatlands owing to the presence of Sphagnum in the undergrowth.

Lung lobe segmentation: performance of open-source MOOSE, TotalSegmentator, and LungMask models compared to a local in-house model.

Background: Lung lobe segmentation is required to assess lobar function with nuclear imaging before surgical interventions. We evaluated the performance of open-source deep learning-based lung lobe segmentation tools, compared to a similar nnU-Net model trained on a smaller but more representative clinical dataset.

Materials And Methods: We collated and semi-automatically segmented an internal dataset of 164 computed tomography scans and classified them for task difficulty as easy, moderate, or hard.

The lab-field continuum in conservation physiology research: leveraging multiple approaches to inform policy and practice.

In the field of conservation physiology, there is often a trade off between conducting research in controlled laboratory settings or in inherently variable field environments. However, this belief sets up a false dichotomy where laboratory experiments are perceived as providing precise, mechanistic understanding with low variability at the cost of environmental realism while field studies are ecologically relevant but criticized for generating inconsistent evidence that is difficult to interpret and replicate. Despite the perceived binary view, these approaches are not in opposition to one another, but rather form a continuum along increasing ecological complexity.

Improving the reporting on health equity in observational research (STROBE-Equity): extension checklist and elaboration.

Data on health equity to inform societally relevant evidence based decisions and policy making are lacking in the research literature. Observational studies have the potential to provide data on health equity. Yet, guidance on how to report health equity data and considerations in observational research is inadequate.

Test-Retest Reliability of Motor Function and Myometry Outcomes From the Vamorolone Trials in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Background And Objectives: Understanding the reliability of outcomes used in clinical care and trials is important to delineate intervention-induced change from random variability. Reliability, sensitivity, and clinical meaningfulness of change are all key aspects of choosing the most appropriate outcome measure for a clinical trial. Common outcome measures to monitor progression and treatment effect in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) include measures of strength (myometry) and motor function tests: stand from supine velocity (STANDV), North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), 10-m run/walk (RWV), and 4-stair climb velocity (CLIMBV).

Improving the Reporting on Health Equity in Observational Research (STROBE-Equity): Extension Checklist and Elaboration.

Importance: Observational studies can provide valuable insights to inform decisions on health equity. Existing guidelines for reporting such studies, such as the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement, currently lack specific considerations for reporting on health equity. Health equity is defined as the absence of avoidable and unfair differences that may exist across individuals and populations due to structural and systematic inequities in living and working conditions, opportunities, and resources.

The Indo-European Cognate Relationships dataset.

The Indo-European Cognate Relationships (IE-CoR) dataset is an open-access relational dataset showing how related, inherited words ('cognates') pattern across 160 languages of the Indo-European family. IE-CoR is intended as a benchmark dataset for computational research into the evolution of the Indo-European languages. It is structured around 170 reference meanings in core lexicon, and contains 25731 lexeme entries, analysed into 4981 cognate sets.

Apoptosis and Brain Dervived Neurotrophic Factor are increased in cortical neurons of Marfan Syndrome mice.

Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that affects connective tissue throughout the body due to mutations in the fibrillin-1 ( gene. There is a gap in our understanding of the impact of monogenic connective tissue aberrations on the brain. This study aimed to determine the impact of MFS on neurodegeneration in the cortical brain tissue of mice.

Cognitive Reserve Disrupts Cognitive Decline from White Matter Hyperintensities.

Previous research examining the contribution of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) to cognitive decline has focused on overall lesion burden. A new approach, afforded by the Lesion Quantification Toolkit (LQT), measures localized connectivity disruption from WMHs to better estimate their impact on cognition. This methodology shifts the focus from lesion volume to the level of network disruption between brain regions.

Hormonal contraceptive use and type matter: Distinct cortisol patterns and cortisol-mood relations.

Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are used by millions of people globally; however, the implications of HC use on mood and neuroendocrine processes are not fully understood. Thus, the main goal of the current investigation was to assess stress, mood, quality of life, and cortisol patterns in individuals who were naturally cycling or using HC. Another goal was to differentiate HC type, assessing relations in combined oral contraceptive (COC) versus progestin-only HC users.

Height, weight, and body mass index trajectories and their correlation with functional outcome assessments in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Aim: To examine the factors influencing height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) z-scores, and the relationship between them and motor performance, in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Method: This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel group trial involving 32 study sites across five countries. Height, weight, BMI z-scores, and clinical outcome assessments (COAs)-rise from supine velocity, 10-m walk/run velocity, NorthStar Ambulatory Assessment, and 6-minute walk test-were analysed in 4-year-old to 7-year-old boys with DMD randomized to 0.

Single item measures of parental history of depression: Do adult children's responses agree with their parents' own reports?

Background: Parental history of depression is a risk factor for major depressive disorder. In many cases, it is impractical or impossible to contact parents directly to assess their depression history. Although validated, multi-item instruments that assess parental history of depression are available, a single item measure (e.

Endometrial microbiome during early pregnancy among women with and without chronic endometritis: a pilot study.

Introduction: Although chronic endometritis (CE) is strongly associated with infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes, the specific microbiome of women with CE who can conceive remain unclear.

Methods: This study recruited 100 participants aged 18 to 45 years with spontaneously conceived pregnancy who opted for pregnancy termination, detected their endometrial microbiome by 16S rRNA, and made a diagnosis of CE.

Results: Among them, 19 were diagnosed with CE.

Trauma and Activism: Using a Postcolonial Feminist Lens to Understand the Experiences of Service Providers Who Support Racialized Immigrant Women's Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The global Black Lives Matter movement and COVID-19 pandemic drew attention to the urgency of addressing entrenched structural dynamics such as racialization, gender, and colonization shaping health inequities for diverse racialized people. Canadian community-based research with racialized immigrant women recognized the need to enhance service provider capacity using a strengths-based activism approach to support client health and wellbeing. In this study, we aimed to understand the impacts of this mental health promotion practice on service providers and strategies to support them.

Emotional Brain Development: Neurobiological Indicators from Fetus Through Toddlerhood.

The maturation of brain regions involved in emotion regulation-particularly the amygdala and prefrontal cortex-from fetal life to age two is a dynamic process shaped by genetic and environmental factors. Early experiences, especially responsive caregiving, promote the growth of neural circuits supporting emotional expression and regulation. In contrast, early adversity such as neglect or chronic stress may disrupt these circuits and increase vulnerability to emotional difficulties.

Reading and writing reviews: A primer on systematic, scoping, and narrative reviews for genetic counselors.

For genetic counselors, critiquing and using published literature is crucial to staying at the top of practice, and the ability to critique and use review articles is no exception. Understanding distinct types of reviews and the questions they can answer is therefore an important skill for genetic counselors across practice specialties, professional roles, and experience levels. Additionally, knowing how distinct types of reviews are formally developed and written unlocks opportunities beyond traditional original research studies for genetic counselors to engage as authors in the rigorous academic work and publications needed in our profession.

Design of a selective peptide inhibitor targeting KDM5C demethylase activity.

Post-translational modifications, particularly protein lysine demethylation, intricately regulate diverse cellular processes. Dysregulation of this modification often precipitates human pathologies by perturbing substrate protein functions, stability, and interactions. Lysine demethylases (KDMs), such as the KDM5 family, are crucial in removing methyl marks.

An Analysis of University Mental Health Initiatives Aimed at Academic Workers.

Although there is a high prevalence of mental ill-health among university faculty, we know little about how universities have responded to growing concerns about faculty mental health. In this paper, we examine typical mental health interventions implemented in universities. We conducted semistructured, qualitative interviews with 34 academic workers and 20 nonacademic workers and administrators employed at Canadian universities.

Suction cup handholds have low efficacy in laboratory evaluation with typical bathing conditions and wall materials.

Background: Suction cup handholds are sometimes recommended by Occupational Therapists for bathing transfers when permanent grab bars are not feasible. The efficacy of suction cup handholds on typical bathroom surfaces is unknown.

Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy and failure characteristics of two brands of suction cup handholds on six typical bathtub wall surfaces, under environmental and loading conditions associated with bathing.

One for all and all for one health: Harmonizing SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance results across a laboratory network.

Reliable and comparable data from multiple laboratories are essential for networks relying on reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR)-based surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genetic material in wastewater. Large-scale networks, such as those spanning Canada and the United States, depend on multiple laboratories deploying varied methods. However, the comparability of these methods and implications for data interoperability have not been rigorously examined.

Impact of Foliar Spray of Salicylic Acid on Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Pea (Pisum sativum L.) under Drought Stress.

Drought stress reduces growth, yield, and photosynthetic efficiency in pea plants, limiting nutrient uptake and requiring mitigation strategies. Salicylic acid plays a key role in plant development, and pea (Pisum sativum L.) ranks fourth in global production.

Exploring the Influence of Loneliness on Cognitive Decline: Differential Effects in Black and White Older Adults.

Objectives: Loneliness is prevalent among older adults, who may experience age-related or pathological cognitive changes. However, there's a limited understanding of how loneliness affects cognitive decline and if the relationship differs by race. This study investigates the impact of loneliness on cognitive decline among Black and White older adults.

Assessing impact on quality of life from "Unmasked Connections": delivering personalized intimate arts performances to people in long-term care.

Background: Radical Connections' program "Unmasked Connections" provides virtual personalized and interactive arts performances to residents living in long-term care (LTC). This project assessed its impact on the quality of life (QoL) of residents, artists and staff.

Methods: Residents were paired with artists based on shared artistic interests for 40-minute virtual one-on-one sessions.

Positive Allosteric Modulation of M1 mAChRs with VU0486846 Reverses Cognitive Deficits in Male APPswe/PSEN1ΔE9 Alzheimer's Mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disease marked by progressive cognitive deterioration and beta-amyloid (Aβ) protein buildup which currently lacks therapeutic interventions to decelerate its pathogenesis. The M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) is integral to synaptic plasticity and memory processes and has emerged as a critical target for ameliorating AD-associated cognitive deficits. Although M1 mAChR agonists have pro-cognitive potential, their clinical application is limited by significant cholinergic side effects.