Spatial conservation prioritization for the East Asian islands : A balanced representation of multitaxon biogeography in a protected area network

Aim On the basis of multitaxon biogeographical processes related to region-specific geohistory and palaeoclimate, we identified a balanced and area-effective protected area network (PAN) expansion in the East Asian islands, a global biodiversity hotspot. Location Japanese archipelago, Ryukyu archipelago and Izu-Bonin oceanic islands. Methods We modelled the distributions of 6,325 species (amphibians, birds, freshwater fish, mammals, plants and reptiles) using 4,389,489 occurrence data points. We then applied the Zonation software for spatial conservation prioritization. First, we identified environmental drivers underpinning taxon-specific biodiversity patterns. Second, we analysed each taxon individually to understand baseline priority patterns. Third, we combined all taxa into an inclusive analysis to identify the most important PAN expansions. Results Biodiversity patterns were well explained by geographical factors (climate, habitat stability, isolation and area), but their explanatory power differed between the taxa. There was remarkably little overlap between priority areas for the individual higher taxa. The inclusive prioritization analysis across all taxa identified priority regions, in particular in southern subtropical and mountainous areas. Expanding the PAN up to 17% would cover most of the ranges for rare and/or restricted-range species. On average, approximately 30% of the ranges of all species could be covered by the 17% expansion identified here. Main conclusions Our analyses identified top candidates for the expansion of Japan's protected area network. Taxon-specific prioritization was informative for understanding the conservation priority patterns of different taxa associated with unique biogeographical processes. For the basis of PAN expansion, we recommend multi-taxon prioritization as an area-efficient compromise that reflects taxon-specific priority patterns. Spatial prioritization across multiple taxa provides a promising start for the development of conservation plans with the aim of long-term persistence of biodiversity on the East Asian islands.Peer reviewe

A Metastatic Jejunal Tumor from Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung Found in an Intestinal Perforation

An 85-year-old male with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, who was diagnosed about 10 years prior to his current presentation, suddenly complained of abdominal pain and underwent an abdominal computed tomography scan, which revealed free air and massive ascites. He was admitted to our hospital for acute peritonitis and emergency surgery was performed. During the surgical procedure, a perforation of the jejunum was diagnosed and repaired. He was diagnosed to have a metastatic tumor originating from a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. He improved and was transferred to the former hospital on the 27th postoperative day. Jejunal metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is rare, and the prognosis of peritonitis due to a perforated intestinal metastasis from lung cancer is poor. There have been 10 reports of jejunal metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung reported in Japan between 2000 and 2011. Therefore, when patients with advanced lung cancer present with acute abdomen, it is necessary to keep in mind the possibility of a gastrointestinal metastatic tumor

Pretreatment glasgow prognostic score predicts survival among patients administered first-line atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide for small cell lung cancer

BackgroundThere are no established predictive biomarkers for the effectiveness of first-line atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide therapy in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate whether the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and body mass index (BMI) can predict the effectiveness of first-line atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide therapy in patients with extensive-disease SCLC.MethodsWe reviewed data from 84 patients who received first-line atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide therapy for SCLC at nine Japanese institutions between August 2019 and May 2021. Further, we evaluated the prognostic value of the GPS, NLR, and BMI. The Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Moreover, the GPS, NLR, and BMI consisted of C-reactive protein and albumin concentrations, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, and body weight and height, respectively.ResultsThe response rate was 72.6% (95% confidence interval: 63.0–82.1%). The median PFS and OS from the initiation of treatment were 5.4 (95% CI: 4.9–5.9) months and 15.4 (95% CI: 11.4–16.8) months, respectively. The GPS independently predicted the effectiveness of first-line atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide treatment, as a favorable GPS (GPS 0–1) was correlated with significantly better PFS and OS rates compared to a poor GPS (GPS 2) (PFS: 5.8 vs. 3.8 months, p = 0.0005; OS: 16.5 vs. 8.4 months, p<0.0001).ConclusionsThis is the first analysis to evaluate the association between the GPS, NLR, and BMI and the treatment effectiveness of survival among patients receiving first-line atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide therapy for SCLC. Among patients receiving this treatment for SCLC, GPS was significantly associated with the PFS and OS rates, suggesting that GPS might be useful for evaluating therapeutic outcomes in these patients

Algorithmic Versus Expert Human Interpretation of Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio Coronary Pressure-Wire Pull Back Data

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether algorithmic interpretation (AI) of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) pressure-wire pull back data would be noninferior to expert human interpretation. Background Interpretation of iFR pressure-wire pull back data can be complex and is subjective. Methods Fifteen human experts interpreted 1,008 iFR pull back traces (691 unique, 317 duplicate). For each trace, experts determined the hemodynamic appropriateness for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and, in such cases, the optimal physiological strategy for PCI. The heart team (HT) interpretation was determined by consensus of the individual expert opinions. The same 1,008 pull back traces were also interpreted algorithmically. The coprimary hypotheses of this study were that AI would be noninferior to the interpretation of the median expert human in determining: 1) the hemodynamic appropriateness for PCI; and 2) the physiological strategy for PCI. Results Regarding the hemodynamic appropriateness for PCI, the median expert human demonstrated 89.3% agreement with the HT in comparison with 89.4% for AI (p < 0.01 for noninferiority). Across the 372 cases judged as hemodynamically appropriate for PCI according to the HT, the median expert human demonstrated 88.8% agreement with the HT in comparison with 89.7% for AI (p < 0.0001 for noninferiority). On reproducibility testing, the HT opinion itself changed 1 in 10 times for both the appropriateness for PCI and the physiological PCI strategy. In contrast, AI showed no change. Conclusions AI of iFR pressure-wire pull back data was noninferior to expert human interpretation in determining both the hemodynamic appropriateness for PCI and the optimal physiological strategy for PCI

Beta diversity dynamics in East Asian angiosperm woody plants: taxonomic turnover in relation to temperature gradients during the Cenozoic

Information on the paleo-beta diversity of fossil assemblages and its patterning in different geological time intervals helps us to better understand the community level response of biodiversity patterns to current global warming. We focused on the impact of paleoclimate changes on large-scale taxonomic sorting related to geography; specifically, how cooler and warmer climatic conditions affect the distance-dependency of beta diversity. Using a dataset of Cenozoic fossil assemblages of angiosperm woody plants (7,468 data points; 310 genera in 95 families) in the Japanese portion of the East Asian archipelago (except Ryukyu islands), we modeled the distance-dependency of genus turnover (pairwise compositional dissimilarity) through the Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, Last Glacial Period, Holocene, and present day. The genus turnover of angiosperm woody plants was significantly correlated with geographical and climatic distance only in the Last Glacial Period, Holocene, and present day. During the Oligocene to Pliocene, the warm periods, genus turnover was mostly independent of geographical distance. Spatial/climatic distance-dependent turnover under colder environments involved a climate-induced sorting process to spatially diversify woody-plant assemblages across the archipelago. Moreover, the predominance of distant-independent turnover suggested the effect of dispersal release under warmer, stable climates. Our findings suggest that future tropicalization in temperate habitats could promote geographical homogenization of biodiversity patterns

Reconciling Darwin’s naturalization and pre‐adaptation hypotheses: An inference from phylogenetic fields of exotic plants in Japan

Aim Understanding the causes and consequences of biological invasions remains a challenge for several disciplines, including biogeography. One major issue in overcoming this challenge is disentangling the confounding mechanisms of species invasiveness and community invasibility. Here, we tackle this issue by applying a novel approach based on the phylogenetic affinities between exotic species and natives in the recipient community to elucidate naturalization and pre‐adaptation processes. Location Japan. Taxon Seed plants. Methods Geographical co‐occurrence data for 1,094 exotics and 4,869 native species (including 1,676 endemics) were created at the 10‐km grid‐cell and vegetation‐plot levels. For individual exotic species, standardized effect size of phylogenetic species variability (PSVSES) of the recipient native assemblage (i.e. phylogenetic fields) was calculated and its clustering/over‐dispersion was tested, representing exotic invasiveness in relation to invasibility of native recipients. To identify drivers of species invasiveness, the correlation of PSVSES with species attributes, involving phylogenetic distance between each exotic and native species, was explored. Results Phylogenetic fields (PSVSES) showed significant over‐dispersion (~16% exotics) or clustering (~14% exotics). Interspecific variation of PSVSES among exotics was substantially explained by species ecological attributes. Geographical extent and climatic niche widths were negatively correlated with PSVSES. Preference for human influence was positively correlated with PSVSES at the 10‐km grid‐cell level, but negatively at the vegetation‐plot level. Exotics colonized from the Palearctic and Indo‐Malay regions, which belong to the same biogeographical region as East Asia, tended to have clustered phylogenetic fields. Main conclusions Environmental filtering and biotic sorting both played a key role in exotic plant colonization, supporting both of Darwin's contradictory hypotheses of naturalization versus pre‐adaptation. Clustered phylogenetic fields indicated that an exotic colonizes its recipient assemblage through abiotic filtering (i.e. pre‐adaptation); at the same time, phylogenetic over‐dispersion was indicative of naturalization for exotics that occupied a biotic niche space among native recipients (i.e. naturalization). Phylogenetic field patterns depended on species’ ecological attributes, including phylogenetic relatedness between exotics and recipient natives, especially reflecting invasibility at the local‐community level