...the majority of researchers developing web apps receive little formal training or technical guidance on how to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of their web-based decision support tools. ......we share the following 10 simple rules, which highlight take-home messages, including lessons learned and practical tips, of our experience as burgeoning web app developers. Examples of web apps range from interactive maps depicting disease transmission (e.g., 9), marine health (e.g., 10,11), natural hazards (e.g., 12,13), and pest infestations (e.g., 14,15) to bioinformatics resource collections (e.g., 16), to omics data analysis platforms (e.g., 17), and to citation visualization tools (e.g., 18), among others. Briefly, ShellCast users can sign up to create an account and receive a text message and/or email notification (Fig 1F) at the start of each day that will alert them of imminent rainfall events over the next 1 to 3 days, the occurrence of which can result in restrictions to their shellfish harvesting operations.
Psychiatric disorders represent a great medical and social challenge and people suffering from these conditions face many impairments regarding personal and professional life. In addition, a mental ...disorder will manifest itself in approximately one quarter of the world's population at some period of their life. Dysfunction in energy metabolism is one of the most consistent scientific findings associated with these disorders. With this is mind, this review compiled data on disturbances in energy metabolism found by proteomic analyses of postmortem brains collected from patients affected by the most prevalent psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BPD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). We searched in the PubMed database to gather the studies and compiled all the differentially expressed proteins reported in each work. SCZ studies revealed 92 differentially expressed proteins related to energy metabolism, while 95 proteins were discovered in BPD, and 41 proteins in MDD. With the compiled data, it was possible to determine which proteins related to energy metabolism were found to be altered in all the disorders as well as which ones were altered exclusively in one of them. In conclusion, the information gathered in this work could contribute to a better understanding of the impaired metabolic mechanisms and hopefully bring insights into the underlying neuropathology of psychiatric disorders.
Schizophrenia is an incurable and debilitating mental disorder that may affect up to 1 % of the world population. Morphological, electrophysiological, and neurophysiological studies suggest that the ...corpus callosum (CC), which is the largest portion of white matter in the human brain and responsible for inter-hemispheric communication, is altered in schizophrenia patients. Here, we employed mass spectrometry-based proteomics to investigate the molecular underpinnings of schizophrenia. Brain tissue samples were collected postmortem from nine schizophrenia patients and seven controls at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Because the CC has a signaling role, we collected cytoplasmic (soluble) proteins and submitted them to nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (nano LC–MS/MS). Proteomes were quantified by label-free spectral counting. We identified 5678 unique peptides that corresponded to 1636 proteins belonging to 1512 protein families. Of those proteins, 65 differed significantly in expression: 28 were upregulated and 37 downregulated. Our data increased significantly the knowledge derived from an earlier proteomic study of the CC. Among the differentially expressed proteins are those associated with cell growth and maintenance, such as neurofilaments and tubulins; cell communication and signaling, such as 14-3-3 proteins; and oligodendrocyte function, such as myelin basic protein and myelin–oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. Additionally, 30 of the differentially expressed proteins were found previously in other proteomic studies in postmortem brains; this overlap in findings validates the present study and indicates that these proteins may be markers consistently associated with schizophrenia. Our findings increase the understanding of schizophrenia pathophysiology and may serve as a foundation for further treatment strategies.
Naturally occurring stable water isotope tracers provide useful information for hydrologic model development and calibration. Existing models include varied approaches concerning unsaturated zone ...percolation mixing (preferential versus matrix flow) and evapotranspiration (ET) partitioning. We assess the impact of unsaturated zone simplifying assumptions when simulating the Shale Hills Watershed, a small (7.9 ha), temperate, forested watershed near Petersburg, Pennsylvania, USA, with a relatively simple model. We found that different model structures/assumptions and parameterizations of unsaturated zone percolation had substantial impacts on the agreement between simulated and observed unsaturated‐zone water isotopic signatures. We show that unsaturated zone percolation mixing primarily affects the unsaturated zone δ18O and δ2H during winter and spring and that percolation was best represented as a combination of both preferential and matrix flow. We evaluate the importance and implications related to the partitioning of ET into evaporation and transpiration and demonstrated that incorporation of a plant growth model for ET partitioning substantially improved reproduction of observed hydrologic isotopic patterns of the unsaturated zone during the spring season. We show that unsaturated zone percolation mixing and ET partitioning approaches do not substantially influence stream δ18O and δ2H and conclude that observed streamflow isotopic data is not always a strong predictor of model performance with respect to intrawatershed processes.
A hydrologist's guide to open science Hall, Caitlyn A; Saia, Sheila M; Popp, Andrea L ...
Hydrology and earth system sciences,
02/2022, Letnik:
26, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Open, accessible, reusable, and reproducible hydrologic research can have a significant positive impact on the scientific community and broader
society. While more individuals and organizations ...within the hydrology community are embracing open science practices, technical (e.g., limited coding experience), resource (e.g., open access fees), and social (e.g., fear of weaknesses being exposed or ideas being scooped) challenges remain. Furthermore, there are a growing number of constantly evolving open science tools, resources, and initiatives that can be overwhelming. These challenges and the ever-evolving nature of the open science landscape may seem insurmountable for hydrologists interested in pursuing open science. Therefore, we propose the general “Open Hydrology Principles” to guide individual and community progress toward open science for research and education and the “Open Hydrology Practical Guide” to improve the accessibility of currently available tools and approaches. We aim to inform and empower hydrologists as they transition to open, accessible, reusable, and reproducible research. We discuss the benefits as well as common open science challenges and how hydrologists can overcome them. The Open Hydrology Principles and Open Hydrology Practical Guide reflect our knowledge of the current state of open hydrology; we recognize that recommendations and suggestions will evolve and expand with emerging open science infrastructures, workflows, and research experiences. Therefore, we encourage hydrologists all over the globe to join in and help advance open science by contributing to the living version of this document and by sharing open hydrology resources in the community-supported repository (https://open-hydrology.github.io, last access: 1 February 2022).
This study assessed the combined effects of increased urbanization and climate change on streamflow in the Yadkin-Pee Dee watershed (North Carolina, USA) and focused on the conversion from forest to ...urban land use, the primary land use transition occurring in the watershed. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to simulate future (2050–2070) streamflow and baseflow for four combined climate and land use scenarios across the Yadkin-Pee Dee River watershed and three subwatersheds. The combined scenarios pair land use change and climate change scenarios together. Compared to the baseline, projected streamflow increased in three out of four combined scenarios and decreased in one combined scenario. Baseflow decreased in all combined scenarios, but decreases were largest in subwatersheds that lost the most forest. The effects of land use change and climate change were additive, amplifying the increases in runoff and decreases in baseflow. Streamflow was influenced more strongly by climate change than land use change. However, for baseflow the reverse was true; land use change tended to drive baseflow more than climate change. Land use change was also a stronger driver than climate in the most urban subwatershed. In the most extreme land use and climate projection the volume of the 1-day, 100 year flood nearly doubled at the watershed outlet. Our results underscore the importance of forests as hydrologic regulators buffering streamflow and baseflow from hydrologic extremes. Additionally, our results suggest that land managers and policy makers need to consider the implications of forest loss on streamflow and baseflow when planning for future urbanization and climate change adaptation options.
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•Land use (LU) models for the Southeast U.S. show rapid urbanization and forest loss.•Streamflow was simulated using combinations of LU and climate models (2050–2070).•Forests can buffer streamflow during hydrologic extremes, if they are large enough.•Effects of urbanization and climate change were additive, amplifying change in flow.•Risk of increased floods and drought must be considered in watershed planning.
Approximately 25 % of the world population is affected by a mental disorder at some point in their life. Yet, only in the mid-twentieth century a biological cause has been proposed for these ...diseases. Since then, several studies have been conducted toward a better comprehension of those disorders, and although a strong genetic influence was revealed, the role of these genes in disease mechanism is still unclear. This led most recent studies to focus on the molecular basis of mental disorders. One line of investigation that has risen in the post-genomic era is proteomics, due to its power of revealing proteins and biochemical pathways associated with biological systems. Therefore, this review compiled and analyzed data of differentially expressed proteins, which were found in postmortem brain studies of the three most prevalent psychiatric diseases: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorders. Overviewing both the proteomic methods used in postmortem brain studies, the most consistent metabolic pathways found altered in these diseases. We have unraveled those disorders share about 21 % of proteins affected, and though most are related to energy metabolism pathways deregulation, the main differences found are 14-3-3-mediated signaling in schizophrenia, mitochondrial dysfunction in bipolar disorder and oxidative phosphorylation in depression.
The limited access to functional human brain tissue has led to the development of stem cell-based alternative models. The differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into cerebral organoids with ...self-organized architecture has created novel opportunities to study the early stages of the human cerebral formation. Here we applied state-of-the-art label-free shotgun proteomics to compare the proteome of stem cell-derived cerebral organoids to the human fetal brain. We identified 3,073 proteins associated with different developmental stages, from neural progenitors to neurons, astrocytes, or oligodendrocytes. The major protein groups are associated with neurogenesis, axon guidance, synaptogenesis, and cortical brain development. Glial cell proteins related to cell growth and maintenance, energy metabolism, cell communication, and signaling were also described. Our data support the variety of cells and neural network functional pathways observed within cell-derived cerebral organoids, confirming their usefulness as an alternative model. The characterization of brain organoid proteome is key to explore, in a dish, atypical and disrupted processes during brain development or neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric diseases.
The oxygen isotopic composition of phosphate (δ18OP) in soils and surface water bodies has been used to trace terrestrial P inputs into aquatic ecosystems. However, enhanced biological activity in ...vegetated riparian buffer strips (VBSs) may lead to an alteration of δ18OP values. The objective of this study was to assess whether enhanced biological cycling of P in VBS soils can be identified using δ18OP values. For this purpose, we sampled temperate grassland soils at various depths along a VBS to grassland transect. Here, we combined sequential P soil extracts with an analysis of δ18OP values. Soil P pool concentrations tended to decrease significantly along the transect from the VBS to the grassland soils; the strength of this relationship varied with P extract, sample depth, and inorganic or organic bonding form. For the δ18OP values of the 1 M HCl‐extractable P we observed a significant negative trend along the VBS to grassland transect, indicating a tendency for accelerated rates of biological cycling of P within the VBS soil profile compared with the upslope soils. We conclude that oxygen isotope‐based assessments of P source contributions to freshwater bodies should consider the enhanced biological turnover of P in VBS soils.
Core Ideas
Vegetated riparian buffer strips accelerate biological P cycling.
Phosphate oxygen isotope values decreased along a vegetated riparian buffer strip to grassland transect.
Biogeochemical P cycling varies with soil depth and distance from a stream.
Cycling‐related changes in isotope values complicate stream P source identification.
IntroductionSeveral studies show a negative impact of mass media contents on adolescents’ mental health, especially on perceived body uneasiness. COVID-19 lockdown determined an increased use of ...social networks (SN). Psychiatrists highlighted an increase in Eating Disorders’ (ED) diagnoses.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to assess the pattern of SN use in patients with ED using a self-administered questionnaire.Methods30 patients with clinical diagnosis of ED (Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa or Binge eating disorder) admitted to the ED unit, underwent clinical assessment, and filed a questionnaire on SN use. The questionnaire assesses time spent on SN, weight-control apps use, exposure to fitness- or food-related contents and to ED-promoting contents, distractibility, weight changes and feeling of body uneasiness.ResultsMean age was 20.63 (SD 4.71), mean BMI 20.24 (SD 5.27); 93.3% (28) of patients were females. Eating behaviours were divided into restrictive type (66.7%, 20) or binge/bulimic (33.3%, 10). 16.7% (5) of patients reported self-injury behaviours. In 46.7% (14) of cases, the onset of the ED occurred during COVID-19 pandemic; the remaining 53.3% (16) experienced a relapse of a previous ED during this period. 66.7% (20) of subjects reported an increased use of social media and fitness apps. 90% (27) experienced weight changes during the pandemic, with 76.7% (23) seeking nutritional or psychological interventions. 53.3% (16) perceived an increase in body- or food-related contents on their SN feeds, with 50% declaring of knowing the meaning of the terms pro-ana and pro-mia.Table 1 displays reported answers to the questionnaire. Table 2 shows mean age of patients according to self-injury behaviours and to the onset time of ED.Table 1.Questionnaire subscales (n)Rarely occurred % (n)Often occurred % (n)Increase of time spent on SNs (30)33.3% (10)66.7% (20)Distractibility (30)70% (21)30% (9)Self-injury contents (30)96.7% (1)3.3% (29)Body uneasiness (30)26.7% (8)73.3% (22)Pro-ana/pro-mia contents influence (15)53.3% (8)46.7% (7)Body- and food-related contents influence (30)20% (6)80% (24)Table 2.Eating disorders features (n)Mean age (SD)Self-injury – Yes (5)18.20 (1.92)p<0.05Self-injury – No (25)21.12 (4.97)Onset during Covid-19 pandemic (14)18.29 (1.82)p<0.01Worsening during Covid-19 pandemic (16)22.69 (5.51)ConclusionsED onset during the COVID-19 pandemic and self-injury behaviours appear as pivotal characteristics of younger patients, displaying a greater severity of the disorder in our clinical experience. With a more consistent number of patients, it would be possible to correlate SN use and body- and food-related contents to the onset and the severity of ED, focusing on pandemic periods.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
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