Characterization of biogeochemical cycles in agricultural watersheds: Integrating regional modelling assessment with downstream water quality.

Agriculture intensification represents an essential strategy to ensure food security for the growing human population, but it also poses considerable environmental concerns. Climate change and associated projections of an increased frequency of extreme precipitation and runoff events may amplify nutrient dynamics along the watershed-lake continuum, and could further exacerbate the poor water quality conditions downstream. Identifying hotspot locations with higher propensity for sediment and nutrient export and designing effective mitigation measures at the source is more critical than ever.

Prognostic Value of CRP-Albumin-Lymphocyte (CALLY) Index in Colorectal Cancer Survival: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has become one of the major health burdens in the world with high mortality rates, especially at the advanced stages. The C-reactive protein (CRP)-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index is a novel multidimensional biomarker combining systemic inflammation, nutritional status, and immune function. This study evaluated the association between the CALLY index and overall survival (OS) as well as recurrence-free survival (RFS) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

Cannabis Use Characteristics and Reasons for Product Choices Among Patients Accessing Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Objective: The diversity and potency of cannabis products have increased in recent years, underscoring the importance of understanding which products are being used and why. Patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) use have a high prevalence of risky cannabis use, making it especially important to understand use patterns in this group. We aimed to first describe cannabis product characteristics and then explore reasons for choosing products in our sample.

Multiple Chronic Conditions Before Pregnancy and Risk of Adverse Maternal Health Outcomes: Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To assess the risks of perinatal emergency department (ED) use, hospitalisation and severe maternal morbidity or mortality (SMM-M) associated with preconception MCC, according to the number of chronic conditions, complex MCC and co-occurring cardiometabolic conditions.

Design: Population-based cohort study.

Setting: Ontario, Canada.

Food Insecurity as a Social Determinant of Self-Rated Mental Health of Older Adults in Ghana.

This study examines the association between food security and the self-rated mental health of a representative sample ( = 1,073) of people 60 years and older in three regions in Ghana. A cross-sectional study design was employed, and data were analyzed using logistic regression techniques. Overall, 27% of the respondents rated their mental health as poor, while 64% reported food insecurity.

A rapid tectonic plate reorganization event driven by changes at subduction locations in a mantle convection model.

The occurrence of tectonic plate reorganization events is evident throughout the geologic record and appears to be associated with the cessation of mature and/or initiation of new subduction. Subduction initiation that produced the bend in the Hawaii-Emperor seamount chain resulted in the most recent upheaval of plate motion and engendered dramatic changes in plate velocities. Here, applying a method for identifying plate boundaries in a numerical global mantle convection model, we calculate Euler vector time series of self-consistently generated plates over a period of approximately 144 Myr.

Improving adherence to physical activity in treatment-resistant depression: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial of a remotely delivered program.

Background: At least 30% of individuals with major depressive disorder do not respond to conventional treatments (i.e., they meet the criteria for treatment-resistant depression [TRD]).

Measurement-Based Care to Enhance Antidepressant Treatment Outcomes in Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Measurement-based care (MBC) guides clinical decisions through structured monitoring of symptoms and adverse effects. Although MBC has been associated with improved outcomes in major depressive disorder (MDD), its effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains understudied.

Objective: To assess whether MBC accelerates the resolution of depressive symptoms compared with standard care among adults with MDD in Pakistan.

Experiences and barriers to alcohol use disorder treatment among adults with and without self-reported executive functioning challenges: A mixed-methods study.

Background: Executive functioning (EF)-the ability to plan, organize, and complete goal-directed tasks-plays a critical role in the onset and course of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Individuals with AUD often report challenges in EF domains, such as initiating, planning, and performing key tasks, including seeking, engaging in, and adhering to treatment. While AUD treatment efficacy is well-established, little is known about individuals' lived experiences with AUD treatment, especially among those with EF challenges.

From Fragmentation to Resolution: High-Fidelity Genome Assembly of Zancudomyces culisetae through Comparative Insights from PacBio, Nanopore, and Illumina Sequencing.

Zancudomyces culisetae is an obligate symbiotic fungus inhabiting the digestive tracts of aquatic insect larvae, including black flies, midges, and mosquitoes. With a global distribution and high prevalence in disease-transmitting insects, Z. culisetae serves as a model for studying insect gut fungi.

A species-wide inventory of receptor-like kinases in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: The receptor-like kinases (RLKs) are the largest family of proteins in plants. Characterized members play critical roles in diverse processes from growth to immunity, and yet the majority do not have a known function. Assigning function to RLKs poses a significant challenge due to the specificity of ligand recognition and because of the often pleiotropic or redundant functions RLKs possess.

Biochar pre-conditioning reduces nanoplastic toxicity to plant growth-promoting bacteria.

Nanoplastics are emerging environmental pollutants that threaten soil microbial communities, especially plant growth-promoting bacteria. Here, we investigate whether sugar maple biochar-widely recognized for its soil amendment benefits-can reduce nanoplastic toxicity. Using confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fluorescence spectroscopy, we characterized the interactions between biochar and nanoplastics and observed extensive nanoplastic aggregation on biochar surfaces.

Ericoid mycorrhizal fungal metacommunity facilitates closely related Rhododendron species coexistence.

The structural and ecological significance of ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) fungi is well recognized. Yet, it remains unknown whether the coexistence of ericaceous plants is facilitated by their symbioses with ErM fungi. Here, we use Rhododendron (Ericaceae) as a model to investigate how phylogenetic and functional limiting similarity, or facilitation through ErM fungal metacommunity, influences their co-occurrence in mountain ecosystems.

Role of the dopamine D3 receptor in the core and shell of the nucleus accumbens in conditioned modulation of memory consolidation.

There is evidence suggesting that the effect of conditioned stimuli (CS) on memory consolidation is mediated by the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R). The current study explored the hypothesis that D3Rs located in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcC) and shell (NAcS) are involved in this effect. Therefore, using male Sprague-Dawley rats and the object recognition memory task, it was tested whether: 1) intra-NAcC or intra-NAcS infusions of the selective D3R antagonist SB-277011A (0, 1 and 4 μg/side) could block facilitation of memory consolidation by a CS stablished through optimal conditioning on a signaled active avoidance task; and 2) intra-NAcC or intra-NAcS infusions of the D3R agonist 7-OH-DPAT (0 and 10 μg/side) could enhance conditioned memory facilitation by a CS which was ineffective on its own due to suboptimal conditioning.

Clozapine Dose Reduction in Remitted Patients With Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: A Case Series.

Background: There is limited evidence on the outcomes of clozapine deprescribing in remitted treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) patients. We present a series of TRS patients in remission who underwent progressive reductions in their maintenance clozapine dose.

Study Design: This was a retrospective chart review of patients treated with clozapine from March 20, 2014 to March 20, 2024, at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.

Development and psychometric properties of Chinese social emotional competence measurements.

Introduction: Social-emotional competence (SEC) plays a critical role in the personal and academic development of university students. However, there is a lack of culturally appropriate tools to assess SEC in Chinese populations. This study aimed to develop and validate Chinese versions of two established SEC measurements: the Social Emotional Competence Questionnaire (C-SECQ) and the Social-Emotional Learning Scale (C-SELS).

Sex differences in the acute effects of cannabis on human cognition: A systematic review.

Acute cannabis exposure can transiently impair cognitive performance, increasing the risk of accidental injury and potentially disrupting activities of daily living. Although sex differences in responses to cannabis have been reported, no systematic review has examined whether these extend to acute cognitive effects. Our primary aim was to examine sex differences in the acute effects of cannabis (including isolated delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) on cognition in humans.

Patterns of aspirin non-use by preeclampsia risk factors in high risk pregnancies: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Investigate availability and clarity of online abortion access information in Canada and identify, through the lens of a minor, if websites provide a clear answer to: "Can I get an abortion without my parents' permission?"

Methods: Using ChoiceConnect, 139 abortion providers and 17 health resource websites were identified for analysis. Provider information was searched to discover associated website. Identified websites were searched using Boolean operators for plain-language keywords on abortion access for minors ('abortion,' 'consent,' 'permission,' 'parent,' or 'age,') followed by manual searches.

"It beats the hell out of going to a hospital": service user experiences of telemedicine-based symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal management.

Introduction: Increasingly, services for the management of substance use disorders have been developed or adapted for remote delivery. Limited research has investigated service user experience of these services. We undertook a qualitative sub-study, embedded within a pilot feasibility study of remote symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal management, to better understand the experiences of participants.

AI-generated multiple-choice questions in health science education: Stakeholder perspectives and implementation considerations.

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are widely used in health science education because they are an efficient way to evaluate knowledge from simple recall to complex clinical reasoning. The creation of high-quality MCQs, however, can be time-consuming and requires expertise in question composition. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), especially large language models (LLMs), offer the potential to allow for the rapid generation of high-quality, consistent, and course-specific MCQs.

Listening to development: How electroencephalography informs infant language and music research.

In this review, we discuss how advances in infant electroencephalography (EEG) in the last quarter century have allowed developmental scientists to revisit old questions and ask new ones about early auditory perception. We specifically focus on integrating research on language and music perception given both methodological and theoretical overlaps. We discuss how EEG's high temporal resolution has provided insights into how infants process subtle changes in language and music, detecting phonemic contrasts, rhythmic patterns, and melodic cues sometimes even before these abilities are observable behaviorally.

Biological invasions: a global assessment of geographic distributions, long-term trends, and data gaps.

Biological invasions are one of the major drivers of biodiversity decline and have been shown to have far-reaching consequences for society and the economy. Preventing the introduction and spread of alien species represents the most effective solution to reducing their impacts on nature and human well-being. However, implementing effective solutions requires a good understanding of where the species are established and how biological invasions develop over time.

Ecological similarity governs non-native fish establishment while human pressure and native diversity shape invasion richness.

Biological invasions by non-native fish species pose a major threat to global freshwater ecosystems. However, our understanding of why invaders establish in some communities but not others (i.e.

Listening Deeply to Indigenous People: A Collaborative Perspective and Reflection Between a Mapuche Machi and Ecologists.

Indigenous Peoples are key knowledge holders and essential partners to confront global environmental crises, especially biodiversity loss. Many calls have been made to better integrate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western ecological sciences. However, partnerships between these communities are complex due to power imbalances, distrust, different objectives, and injustices towards Indigenous Peoples.

Profiles of impulsivity and alcohol use: Unveiling personality, cognitive traits, and DSM diagnoses.

Background: Impulsivity is closely associated with alcohol use, but limited research has explored distinct latent profiles encompassing impulsivity traits and alcohol use disorder symptoms.

Methods: This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate these patterns among 201 adult outpatients (50% female, 50% male) from a tertiary care setting. Participants completed self-reported measures such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Impaired Control Scale, and UPPS-P Impulsivity Scale, as well as performance-based tasks like the Probability Reward Task (PRT) and Stop Signal Reaction Time Task.