Genetic diversity and hybridization in natural stands of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

Scope and Method of Study: molecular markers (AFLPs and IDH), population genetics, conversation, forest genetics.Findings and Conclusions: Genetic diversity in natural stands of shortleaf pine and loblolly pine is high. The majority (over 80%) of this genetic diversity is found within subpopulations and less than 20% is found among subpopulations. The subpopulations in both shortleaf pine and loblolly pine have similar level of genetic diversity. The populations located east of the Mississippi River and those west of the River have similar level of genetic diversity. Gene flow is high among subpopulations and between populations east and west of the Mississippi River. No apparent relationship exists between populations' geographic distances and genetic distances. The hybridization rate between the two species varies from place to place, ranging from 25% in MO to 0 in other populations in this study. The hybridization frequency is higher in populations west of Mississippi River than in those east of the River. IDH is a useful marker to detect hybrids of shortleaf and loblolly pine. AFLPs are good markers for genetic diversity and structure study, but not efficient in finding later generation hybrids. More codominant markers are needed to detect later generation hybrids. The results of this study may have important forest management implications

Investment Timing and Capacity Choice under Uncertainty

This paper examines strategic investment between two firms that compete not only for investment timing but also for capacity under stochastic market demand. The value functions of real option for the follower, the dominant leader, and the preemptive leader are derived and their investment decisions are investigated. It finds that both firms will delay investment and the delayed margin of the follower will surpass that of the leader under greater uncertainty. Furthermore, both firms will provide more outputs in the face of increasing uncertainty and the growth rate of the follower’s capacity will exceed that of the leader’s. In addition, this paper finds that the follower will end up with a larger capacity than the leader

Preparation of Amidoxime Polyacrylonitrile Chelating Nanofibers and Their Application for Adsorption of Metal Ions.

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning and they were modified with hydroxylamine to synthesize amidoxime polyacrylonitrile (AOPAN) chelating nanofibers, which were applied to adsorb copper and iron ions. The conversion of the nitrile group in PAN was calculated by the gravimetric method. The structure and surface morphology of the AOPAN nanofiber were characterized by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The adsorption abilities of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions onto the AOPAN nanofiber mats were evaluated. FT-IR spectra showed nitrile groups in the PAN were partly converted into amidoxime groups. SEM examination demonstrated that there were no serious cracks or sign of degradation on the surface of the PAN nanofibers after chemical modification. The adsorption capacities of both copper and iron ions onto the AOPAN nanofiber mats were higher than those into the raw PAN nanofiber mats. The adsorption data of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions fitted particularly well with the Langmuir isotherm. The maximal adsorption capacities of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions were 215.18 and 221.37 mg/g, respectively

Worldwide trend in research on Candida albicans and cancer correlations: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis

ObjectiveCandida albicans (C. albicans), an opportunistic pathogen, is implicated in the carcinogenesis of various cancers, thereby significantly impacting human health. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the prevailing research dynamics concerning the relationship between C. albicans and cancer over the past decade, offering a comprehensive overview of the knowledge structure and emerging focal points in this field through bibliometric scrutiny.MethodsA methodical quantitative and visual scrutiny of pertinent literature from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) spanning the previous decade was carried out employing VOS Viewer and CiteSpace software.ResultsFrom January 1, 2014, to January 1, 2024, a comprehensive corpus of 1,259 articles was delineated. Prominent research institutions included the Egyptian Knowledge Bank, Cairo University, and King Saud University. The top three prolific countries were the United States, China, and India. Among the authors, Mohamed, Gehad G., Mahmoud, Walaa H., and Netea, Mihai G., emerged as the most prolific, with Pfaller, Ma being distinguished as the most frequently cited author. The journal Molecules published the highest number of articles, while PLoS One had the highest citation count. Nature had the highest impact factor. The research focal points in this field encompassed the interactions between C. albicans and cancer, the correlation with oral cancer, the underlying mechanisms of C. albicans carcinogenic potential, as well as antifungal and anticancer therapies.ConclusionThis investigation constitutes a pioneering bibliometric analysis elucidating the trends and advancements in research regarding the correlation between C. albicans and cancer. Said analyses uncover the prevailing research focal points and trends, offering insightful guidance for subsequent inquiry in this domain.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/summary/df33afba-f843-41e8-b932-cb3678eb8243-e92e7316/relevance/

Toward Improved Parameterizations of Reservoir Operation in Ungauged Basins: A Synergistic Framework Coupling Satellite Remote Sensing, Hydrologic Modeling, and Conceptual Operation Schemes

Assessments of water and energy security over historical and future periods require hydrologic models that can accurately simulate reservoir operations. However, scare reservoir operation data limits the accuracy of current reservoir representations in simulating reservoir behaviors. Furthermore, the reliability of these representations under changing inflow regimes remains unclear, which makes their application for long future planning horizons questionable. To this end, we propose a synergistic framework to predict the release, storage, and hydropower production of ungauged reservoirs (i.e., reservoirs without in-situ inflow, release, storage, and operating rules) by combining remotely sensed reservoir operating patterns and model-simulated reservoir inflow with conceptual reservoir operation schemes within a land surface-hydrologic model. A previously developed reservoir operation scheme is extended with a storage anomaly based calibration approach to accommodate the relatively short time series and large time intervals of remotely sensed data. By setting up controlled experiments in the Yalong River Basin in China, we show that remote sensing can improve the parameter estimation and simulations of ungauged reservoirs for all selected reservoir operation schemes, thereby improving the downstream flood and streamflow simulations. However, most of these schemes show degraded accuracies of reservoir operation simulations under a changing inflow regime, which could lead to unreliable assessments of future water resources and hydropower production. In comparison, our newly extended reservoir operation scheme can be more adaptable to flow regime variations. Our study provides a practical framework for reservoir impact assessments and predictions with the ongoing satellite altimetry projects such as Surface Water and Ocean Topography

Toward improved parameterizations of reservoir operation in ungauged basins: a synergistic framework coupling satellite remote sensing, hydrologic modeling, and conceptual operation schemes

Assessments of water and energy security over historical and future periods require hydrologic models that can accurately simulate reservoir operations. However, scare reservoir operation data limits the accuracy of current reservoir representations in simulating reservoir behaviors. Furthermore, the reliability of these representations under changing inflow regimes remains unclear, which makes their application for long future planning horizons questionable. To this end, we propose a synergistic framework to predict the release, storage, and hydropower production of ungauged reservoirs (i.e., reservoirs without in-situ inflow, release, storage, and operating rules) by combining remotely sensed reservoir operating patterns and model-simulated reservoir inflow with conceptual reservoir operation schemes within a land surface-hydrologic model. A previously developed reservoir operation scheme is extended with a storage anomaly based calibration approach to accommodate the relatively short time series and large time intervals of remotely sensed data. By setting up controlled experiments in the Yalong River Basin in China, we show that remote sensing can improve the parameter estimation and simulations of ungauged reservoirs for all selected reservoir operation schemes, thereby improving the downstream flood and streamflow simulations. However, most of these schemes show degraded accuracies of reservoir operation simulations under a changing inflow regime, which could lead to unreliable assessments of future water resources and hydropower production. In comparison, our newly extended reservoir operation scheme can be more adaptable to flow regime variations. Our study provides a practical framework for reservoir impact assessments and predictions with the ongoing satellite altimetry projects such as Surface Water and Ocean Topography

A scientometric analysis of research on the role of NMDA receptor in the treatment of depression

BackgroundThere have been numerous studies on NMDA receptors as therapeutic targets for depression. However, so far, there has been no comprehensive scientometric analysis of this field. Thus, we conducted a scientometric analysis with the aim of better elucidating the research hotspots and future trends in this field.MethodsPublications on NMDAR in Depression between 2004 and 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Then, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Scimago Graphica, and R-bibliometrix—were used for the scientometric analysis and visualization.Results5,092 qualified documents were identified to scientometric analysis. In the past 20 years, there has been an upward trend in the number of annual publications. The United States led the world in terms of international collaborations, publications, and citations. 15 main clusters were identified from the co-cited references analysis with notable modularity (Q-value = 0.7628) and silhouette scores (S-value = 0.9171). According to the keyword and co-cited references analysis, treatment-resistant depression ketamine (an NMDAR antagonist), oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity, neuroplasticity related downstream factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor were the research hotspots in recent years.ConclusionAs the first scientometric analysis of NMDAR in Depression, this study shed light on the development, trends, and hotspots of research about NMDAR in Depression worldwide. The application and potential mechanisms of ketamine in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) are still a hot research topic at present. However, the side effects of NMDAR antagonist like ketamine have prompted research on new rapid acting antidepressants

Global trends in Cryptococcus and its interactions with the host immune system: a bibliometric analysis

ObjectivesThis manuscript undertakes a systematic examination of the research landscape concerning global Cryptococcus species and their dynamism with the host immune system spanning the past decade. It furnishes a detailed survey of leading knowledge institutions and critical focal points in this area, utilizing bibliometric analysis.MethodsVOSviewer and CiteSpace software platforms were employed to systematically analyze and graphically depict the relevant literature indexed in the WoSCC database over the preceding ten years.ResultsIn the interval between October 1, 2013, and October 1, 2023, a corpus of 795 publications was amassed. The primary research institutions involved in this study include Duke University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Sydney. The leading trio of nations, in terms of publication volume, comprises the United States, China, and Brazil. Among the most prolific authors are Casadevall, Arturo; Wormley, Floyd L., Jr.; and Olszewski, Michal A., with the most highly cited author being Perfect, Jr. The most esteemed journal is Mbio, while Infection and Immunity commands the highest citation frequency, and the Journal of Clinical Microbiology boasts the most significant impact factor. Present research foci encompass the intricate interactions between Cryptococcus pathogenesis and host immunity, alongside immune mechanisms, complications, and immunotherapies.ConclusionThis represents the first exhaustive scholarly review and bibliometric scrutiny of the evolving landscapes in Cryptococcus research and its interactions with the host immune system. The analyses delineated herein provide insights into prevailing research foci and trajectories, thus furnishing critical directions for subsequent inquiries in this domain

Ultrasound characteristics of the cervical vagus nerve in patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Introduction: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and autonomic neuropathy are commonly coexistent in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Current assessment tools for diabetic neuropathy remain complicated and limited. We aimed to investigate the sonographic changes of the cervical vagus nerve in DPN patients with T2DM. Material and methods: Patients with T2DM were divided into a DPN group (DPN, n = 44) and non-DPN controls (NDPN, n = 43) based on electromyogram results. Another 43 healthy controls (CON) were included. High-frequency ultrasound (HFU) of the vagus nerve was performed in all participants. Results: Compared with controls, the honeycomb structure of the vagus nerve in patients with T2DM decreased, p < 0.001. The DPN group had higher cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right vagus nerve than the NDPN group (1.60 ± 0.52 vs. 2.00 ± 0.57 mm2, p =0.001). Logistic regression showed that right vagus nerve CSA was a risk factor of DPN (odds ratio [OR] = 3.924, p = 0.002). Right vagus nerve CSA was positively correlated with diabetes duration (p = 0.003), and negatively correlated with the motor conduction velocity (MCV) of the ulnar, median, and common peroneal nerves (p < 0.001 for all), as well as the sensor conduction velocity (SCV) of the ulnar and median nerve (both p < 0.005). Conclusion: HFU shows thickening of the cervical vagus nerve in patients with DPN, which is a potential diagnostic feature of diabetic neuropathy