To model fuzzy numbers with the confidence degree and better account for information uncertainty, Zadeh came up with the notion of Z-numbers, which can effectively combine the objective information of things with subjective human interpretation of perceptive information, thereby improving the human comprehension of natural language. Although many numbers are in fact Z-numbers, their higher computational complexity often prevents their recognition as such. In order to reduce computational complexity, this paper reviews the development and research direction of Z-numbers and deduces the operational rules for symmetric triangular Z-numbers. We first transform them into classical fuzzy numbers. Using linear programming, the extension principle of Zadeh, the convolution formula, and fuzzy number algorithms, we determine the operational rules for the basic operations of symmetric triangular Z-numbers, which are number-multiplication, addition, subtraction, multiplication, power, and division. Our operational rules reduce the complexity of calculation, improve computational efficiency, and effectively reduce the information difference while being applicable to other complex operations. This paper innovatively combines Z-numbers with classical fuzzy numbers in Z-number operations, and as such represents a continuation and innovation of the research on the operational laws of Z-numbers. Full article

In recent years, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) protein have emerged as a revolutionary gene editing tool to treat inherited disorders affecting different organ systems, such as blood and muscles. Both hematological and neuromuscular genetic disorders benefit from genome editing approaches but face different challenges in their clinical translation. The ability of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies to modify hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo has greatly accelerated the development of genetic therapies for blood disorders. In the last decade, many clinical trials were initiated and are now delivering encouraging results. The recent FDA approval of Casgevy, the first CRISPR/Cas9-based drug for severe sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia, represents a significant milestone in the field and highlights the great potential of this technology. Similar preclinical efforts are currently expanding CRISPR therapies to other hematologic disorders such as primary immunodeficiencies. In the neuromuscular field, the versatility of CRISPR/Cas9 has been instrumental for the generation of new cellular and animal models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), offering innovative platforms to speed up preclinical development of therapeutic solutions. Several corrective interventions have been proposed to genetically restore dystrophin production using the CRISPR toolbox and have demonstrated promising results in different DMD animal models. Although these advances represent a significant step forward to the clinical translation of CRISPR/Cas9 therapies to DMD, there are still many hurdles to overcome, such as in vivo delivery methods associated with high viral vector doses, together with safety and immunological concerns. Collectively, the results obtained in the hematological and neuromuscular fields emphasize the transformative impact of CRISPR/Cas9 for patients affected by these debilitating conditions. As each field suffers from different and specific challenges, the clinical translation of CRISPR therapies may progress differentially depending on the genetic disorder. Ongoing investigations and clinical trials will address risks and limitations of these therapies, including long-term efficacy, potential genotoxicity, and adverse immune reactions. This review provides insights into the diverse applications of CRISPR-based technologies in both preclinical and clinical settings for monogenic blood disorders and muscular dystrophy and compare advances in both fields while highlighting current trends, difficulties, and challenges to overcome. Full article

Wave-induced seabed liquefaction significantly jeopardizes the stability of marine structures and the safety of human life. Susceptibility assessment is key to enabling spatial predictions and establishing a solid foundation for effective risk analysis and management. However, the current research encounters various challenges, involving an incomplete evaluation system, poor applicability of methods, and insufficient databases. These issues collectively hinder the accuracy of susceptibility assessments, undermining their utility in engineering projects. To address these challenges, a susceptibility assessment method with the safety factor was developed as the key assessment parameter, allowing for a comprehensive susceptibility assessment across the silt-dominated nearshore environment using Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). The safety factor is determined by combining the cyclic stress ratio (CSR) and the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR), which characterize wave loadings and sediment properties in the study area, respectively. This method was applied in the Chengdao region of the Yellow River Estuary, China, a typical silt-dominated nearshore environment where wave-induced liquefaction events have been reported as being responsible for multiple oil platform and pipeline accidents. By collecting the regional wave and seabed sediment data from cores spanning from 1998 to 2017, the safety factors were calculated, and a zonal map depicting the susceptibility assessment of wave-induced seabed liquefaction was created. This study can serve as a valuable reference for the construction and maintenance of marine engineering in liquefaction-prone areas. Full article

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) significantly affect the lives of patients and increase the risk of hospital stays and amputation. We suggest a remote monitoring platform for better DFU care. This system uses digital health metrics (scaled from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate a greater risk of slow healing) to provide a comprehensive overview through a visual interface. The platform features smart offloading devices that capture behavioral metrics such as offloading adherence, daily steps, and cadence. Coupled with remotely measurable frailty and phenotypic metrics, it offers an in-depth patient profile. Additional demographic data, characteristics of the wound, and clinical parameters, such as cognitive function, were integrated, contributing to a comprehensive risk factor profile. We evaluated the feasibility of this platform with 124 DFU patients over 12 weeks; 39% experienced unfavorable outcomes such as dropout, adverse events, or non-healing. Digital biomarkers were benchmarked (0–10); categorized as low, medium, and high risk for unfavorable outcomes; and visually represented using color-coded radar plots. The initial results of the case reports illustrate the value of this holistic visualization to pinpoint the underlying risk factors for unfavorable outcomes, including a high number of steps, poor adherence, and cognitive impairment. Although future studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of this visualization in personalizing care and improving wound outcomes, early results in identifying risk factors for unfavorable outcomes are promising. Full article

Epidemiological studies have shown that a diet rich in bioactive components significantly reduces cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. In this sense, there is a need for meta-analytical research that confirms this phenomenon and increases specific knowledge about certain bioactive compounds such as carotenoids. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aim to disseminate knowledge about the sources of carotenoids in fruit consumed in the north of Brazil which are outside the Brazilian trade balance. A systematic review and a meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines were conducted based on a random effects synthesis of multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RRs). Searches of seven sources were carried out, including PubMed, Science Direct from Elsevier, Web of Science, Scielo, Eric Research and Google Scholar databases. The systematic review was guided by a systematic review protocol based on the POT strategy (population, outcome and type of study) adapted for use in this research. Mendeley was a resource used to organize and manage references and exclude duplicates of studies selected for review. In this review, we present the potential bioactive compounds concentrated in little-known fruit species from the Amazon and their benefits. Consuming fruits that are rich in notable constituents such as carotenoids is important for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases through anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties, as well as antivirals, immunomodulators and antioxidants agents that directly affect the immune response. Full article

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a poor prognosis and displays resistance to immunotherapy. A better understanding of tumor-derived extracellular vesicle (EV) effects on immune responses might contribute to improved immunotherapy. EVs derived from Capan-2 and BxPC-3 PC cells isolated by ultracentrifugation were characterized by atomic force microscopy, Western blot (WB), nanoparticle tracking analysis, and label-free proteomics. Fresh PBMCs from healthy donors were treated with PC- or control-derived heterologous EVs, followed by flow cytometry analysis of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes. The proteomics of lymphocytes sorted from EV-treated or untreated PBMCs was performed, and the IFN-γ concentration was measured by ELISA. Notably, most of the proteins identified in Capan-2 and BxPC-3 EVs by the proteomic analysis were connected in a single functional network (p = 1 × 10⁻¹⁶) and were involved in the “Immune System” (FDR: 1.10 × 10⁻²⁴ and 3.69 × 10⁻¹⁹, respectively). Interestingly, the treatment of healthy donor-derived PBMCs with Capan-2 EVs but not with BxPC-3 EVs or heterologous control EVs induced early activation of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes. The proteomics of lymphocytes sorted from EV-treated PBMCs was consistent with their activation by Capan-2 EVs, indicating IFN-γ among the major upstream regulators, as confirmed by ELISA. The proteomic and functional analyses indicate that PC-EVs have pleiotropic effects, and some may activate early immune responses, which might be relevant for the development of highly needed immunotherapeutic strategies in this immune-cold tumor. Full article

wetA, one of the conidiation center regulatory genes in many filamentous fungi, plays an important role in promoting asexual spores (conidia) maturation. Our recent research has found that knocking out or overexpressing MrwetA (a homolog of wetA) in Monascus ruber M7 does not affect the development of its asexual spores like other fungi, but both repress the development of its sexual spores (ascospores). However, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the function of MrwetA on sexual reproduction and secondary metabolism in M. ruber M7 was confirmed by a complementary experiment. Moreover, the regulatory roles of MrwetA in modulating the expression of genes involved in sexual reproduction, meiosis, and biosynthesis of Monascus pigment and citrinin were analyzed based on the transcriptional data. These results not only contribute to clarifying the regulation of the reproduction and secondary metabolism of Monascus spp., but also to enriching the regulation molecular mechanism of reproduction in filamentous fungi. Full article

This paper studies the problem of minimizing the total cost, including computation cost and communication cost, in the system of two-sided secure distributed matrix multiplication (SDMM) under an arbitrary collusion pattern. In order to perform SDMM, the two input matrices are split into some blocks, blocks of random matrices are appended to protect the security of the two input matrices, and encoded copies of the blocks are distributed to all computing nodes for matrix multiplication calculation. Our aim is to minimize the total cost, overall matrix splitting factors, number of appended random matrices, and distribution vector, while satisfying the security constraint of the two input matrices, the decodability constraint of the desired result of the multiplication, the storage capacity of the computing nodes, and the delay constraint. First, a strategy of appending zeros to the input matrices is proposed to overcome the divisibility problem of matrix splitting. Next, the optimization problem is divided into two subproblems with the aid of alternating optimization (AO), where a feasible solution can be obtained. In addition, some necessary conditions for the problem to be feasible are provided. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed scheme compared to the scheme without appending zeros and the scheme with no alternating optimization. Full article

In the UAV swarm, the degradation in the health status of some UAVs often brings negative effects to the system. To compensate for the negative effect, we present a fault-tolerant Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Algorithm that can control an unstable Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Multi-UAV) system to perform exploration tasks. Different from traditional multi-agent methods that require the agents to remain healthy during task execution, our approach breaks this limitation and allows the agents to change status during the task. In our algorithm, the agent can accept both the adjacency state matrix about the neighboring agents and a kind of healthy status vector to integrate both and generate the communication topology. During this process, the agents with poor health status are given more attention for returning to normal status. In addition, we integrate a temporal convolution module into our algorithm and enable the agent to capture the temporal information during the task. We introduce a scenario regarding Multi-UAV ground exploration, where the health status of UAVs gradually weakens over time before dropping into a fault status; the UAVs require rescues from time to time. We conduct some experiments in this scenario and verify our algorithm. Our algorithm can increase the drone’s survival rate and make the swarm perform better. Full article

Road traffic accidents have increased globally, which has led to significant challenges to urban safety and public health. This concerning trend is also evident in California, where major cities have seen a rise in accidents. This research conducts a spatio-temporal analysis of traffic accidents across the four major Californian cities—Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose—over five years. It achieves this through an integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) functionalities (space–time cube analysis) with non-parametric statistical and spatial techniques (DBSCAN, KDE, and the Getis-Ord Gi* method). Our findings from the temporal analysis showed that the most accidents occurred in Los Angeles over five years, while San Diego and San Jose had the least occurrences. The severity maps showed that the majority of accidents in all cities were level 2. Moreover, spatio-temporal dynamics, captured via the space–time cube analysis, visualized significant accident hotspot locations. The clustering of accidents using DBSCAN verified the temporal and hotspot analysis results by showing areas with high accident rates and different clustering patterns. Additionally, integrating KDE with the population density and the Getis-Ord Gi* method explained the relationship between high-density regions and accident occurrences. The utilization of GIS-based analytical techniques in this study shows the complex interplay between accident occurrences, severity, and demographic factors. The insight gained from this study can be further used to implement effective data-driven road safety strategies. Full article

Background: Germany’s high density of under-equipped hospitals and anticipated surge in orthopedic and trauma surgery-related diseases by 2030, combined with personnel shortages, are expected to increase patient transfers between hospitals, an issue that urgently needs standardized protocols. Despite some existing cooperative agreements, such as between joint-replacement centers or within the Trauma Network DGU^®, these measures do not adequately address the full range of patient-transfer cases, including those due to a lack of specialization or staff shortages, resulting in delayed treatment and potential health risks. This study aims to dissect the intricacies of interhospital transfers in orthopedics and trauma surgery across Germany, focusing on understanding the underlying reasons for transfers, comparing the operational structures of small and large hospitals, and laying the groundwork for future standardized protocols to enhance patient care. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the form of an online survey via SoSci Survey, which was directed at orthopedic surgeons and trauma surgeons working in hospitals in Germany. The 22-question survey gathered information on participants’ clinic roles, departmental details, transfer processes, frequent diagnoses, perceptions of transfer quality, and improvement areas. The survey was sent to orthopedic and trauma surgeons in Germany by the specialist society. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to ensure a comprehensive insight into interhospital transfer practices. Results: The study involved 152 participants from various hospital ranks and located in different hospital sizes and types across rural and urban areas. A significant difference was observed between the care structures of basic/regular care and central/maximum care hospitals, especially regarding the available facilities and specialties. These findings suggest improvements such as better patient documentation, increased digital communication, optimized patient distribution, and standardization of transfer requests, among others. Conclusions: This study highlights the urgent need for improved protocols and resource allocation to eliminate inequalities in transfers between hospitals in orthopedics and trauma surgery in Germany. Full article

Arugula (Eruca sativa Mill.) is a nutritious vegetable, commonly used in salads, known for its high glucosinolate content and various health benefits and flavors. However, arugulas may contain -excessive nitrate levels, potentially harmful to human health. We aimed to examine the effect of substrate moisture levels on the growth and quality of arugula under controlled irrigation conditions to investigate a proper irrigation practice for the quality production of arugula. The plants were cultivated using a sensor-based automated irrigation system to maintain the substrate volumetric water content (VWC) levels at 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, and 0.50 m³·m⁻³ over three weeks (vegetative stage). The treatment with VWC of 0.20 m³·m⁻³ resulted in reduced shoot growth, primarily attributed to drought-induced constraints on leaf expansion. Despite the initial reductions in stomatal conductance in arugulas subjected to lower VWC treatments, they eventually recovered and exhibited similar stomatal conductance levels across all VWC treatments 15 days after treatment, indicating acclimation to drought stress. The VWC treatment did not affect the nitrate and total glucosinolate contents of arugula, except for a decrease in glucoerucin content observed in the lowest VWC treatment. Maintaining a VWC level at 0.20 m³·m⁻³ could impair both the growth and quality of arugula due to severe drought conditions. Alternatively, maintaining the VWC at 0.30 m³·m⁻³ would ensure a high water use efficiency while securing the growth and quality of arugula. Full article

Localization and perception play an important role as the basis of autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications, providing the internal state of movements and the external understanding of environments. Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM), one of the critical techniques for localization and perception, is facing technical upgrading, due to the development of embedded hardware, multi-sensor technology, and artificial intelligence. This survey aims at the development of visual SLAM and the basis of UAV applications. The solutions to critical problems for visual SLAM are shown by reviewing state-of-the-art and newly presented algorithms, providing the research progression and direction in three essential aspects: real-time performance, texture-less environments, and dynamic environments. Visual–inertial fusion and learning-based enhancement are discussed for UAV localization and perception to illustrate their role in UAV applications. Subsequently, the trend of UAV localization and perception is shown. The algorithm components, camera configuration, and data processing methods are also introduced to give comprehensive preliminaries. In this paper, we provide coverage of visual SLAM and its related technologies over the past decade, with a specific focus on their applications in autonomous UAV applications. We summarize the current research, reveal potential problems, and outline future trends from academic and engineering perspectives. Full article

Cryptococcus neoformans is a lethal fungus that primarily affects the respiratory system and the central nervous system. One of the main virulence factors is the capsule, constituted by the polysaccharides glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and glucuronoxylomanogalactan (GXMGal). Polysaccharides are immunomodulators. One of the target cell populations for modulation are macrophages, which are part of the first line of defense and important for innate and adaptive immunity. It has been reported that macrophages can be modulated to act as a “Trojan horse,” taking phagocytosed yeasts to strategic sites or having their machinery activation compromised. The scarcity of information on canine cryptococcosis led us to assess whether the purified capsular polysaccharides from C. neoformans would be able to modulate the microbicidal action of macrophages. In the present study, we observed that the capsular polysaccharides, GXM, GXMGal, or capsule total did not induce apoptosis in the DH82 macrophage cell line. However, it was possible to demonstrate that the phagocytic activity was decreased after treatment with polysaccharides. In addition, recovered yeasts from macrophages treated with polysaccharides after phagocytosis could be cultured, showing that their viability was not altered. The polysaccharides led to a reduction in ROS production and the mRNA expression of IL-12 and IL-6. We observed that GXMGal inhibits MHC class II expression and GXM reduces ERK phosphorylation. In contrast, GXMGal and GXM were able to increase the PPAR-γ expression. Furthermore, our data suggest that capsular polysaccharides can reduce the microbicidal activity of canine macrophages DH82. Full article

Construction prices rose rapidly during 2020 and 2021, making it almost impossible for contractors to adhere to agreed contract prices. For this reason, there was a request from contractors to adjust the contract price after signing a contract for work. During the implementation of the construction contracts, they were unable to comply with the fixed contract price. Forecasting the development of price indices could solve this problem by creating a reserve that would limit the adjustment of the contract price and the contractors’ withdrawal from the contracts. The forecast could be enshrined in the contractual conditions before the start of construction, which would eliminate the risk of changing the agreed contract price for the investor and the possible occurrence of additional work. Data from statistical offices were used to create the price index forecast. In this article, four methods were used in the search for a more accurate forecast: regression analysis, exponential smoothing, the naïve method, and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model. From these methods, the most appropriate method was selected by multi-criteria decision-making, which was subsequently verified with actual published price index data. The main goals of this study are to determine the most suitable prognostic method for forecasting the development of the prices of construction materials and work and then comparing the forecasted data with the actual published data of statistical offices in the countries of Central Europe. Full article

To address the issue of estimating soil moisture at a hyper-resolution scale, a methodology referred to as Precision Irrigation Soil Moisture Mapper (PrISMM), that includes three key components, is developed: high-resolution remotely sensed optical and thermal data, surface energy balance modeling, and site-specific soil analysis. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/System (UAV or UAS) collects high-resolution multispectral imagery in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan study area. Orthomosaics are converted to thermal inertia estimates in a spatially distributed format using the remotely sensed data combined with a set of surface energy balance modeling equations. Using thermal and physical properties of soil gained from site-specific soil analysis, thermal inertia estimates were further converted from thermal inertia to daily volumetric soil water content (VSWC) with a horizonal resolution of 8.6 cm. A ground truthing dataset of measured VSWC values taken from a Time Domain Reflectometer was compared with model results, producing a reasonable correlation with an average coefficient of determination of (R²) = 0.79, an average root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.0408, and mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.0308. This study highlights a practical approach of estimating VSWC for irrigation purposes while providing superior spatio-temporal coverage over in situ methods. The authors envision that PrISMM can be implemented in water usage management by relating VSWC with weather forecasts and evapotranspiration rates to develop time-based spatially distributed irrigation management plans. Full article

The gut microbiome reflects health and predicts possible disease in hosts. A holistic view of this community is needed, focusing on identifying species and dissecting how species interact with their host and each other, regardless of whether their presence is beneficial, inconsequential, or detrimental. The distribution of gut-associated eukaryotes within and across non-human primates is likely driven by host behavior and ecology. To ascertain the existence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in the gut of wild and captive non-human primates, 101 stool samples were collected and submitted to culture-dependent microscopy examination and DNA sequencing. Free-living amoebae were detected in 45.4% (46/101) of fecal samples analyzed, and their morphological characteristics matched those of Acanthamoeba spp., Vermamoeba spp., heterolobosean amoeboflagellates and fan-shaped amoebae of the family Vannellidae. Sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed that the suspected amoebae are highly homologous (99% identity and 100% query coverage) with Acanthamoeba T4 genotype and Vermamoeba vermiformis amoebae. The results showed a great diversity of amoebae in the non-human primate’s microbiome, which may pose a potential risk to the health of NHPs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of free-living amoebae in non-human primates that are naturally infected. However, it is unknown whether gut-borne amoebae exploit a viable ecological niche or are simply transient residents in the gut. Full article

Climate warming significantly impacts Arctic vegetation, yet its future role as a carbon sink or source is unclear. We analyzed vegetation growth and carbon exchange in Alaska’s tundra and needle leaf forests using the LPJ-GUESS model. The accuracy of the model is verified using linear regression of the measured data from 2004 to 2008, and the results are significantly correlated, which proves that the model is reliable, with R² values of 0.51 and 0.46, respectively, for net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) at the tundra and needle leaf forest sites, and RMSE values of 22.85 and 23.40 gC/m²/yr for the tundra and needle forest sites, respectively. For the gross primary production (GPP), the R² values were 0.66 and 0.85, and the RMSE values were 39.25 and 43.75 gC/m²/yr at the tundra and needle leaf forest sites, respectively. We simulated vegetation carbon exchanges for 1992–2014 and projected future exchanges for 2020–2100 using climate variables. Under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, GPP values increase with higher emissions, while the NEE showed great fluctuations without significant differences among the three pathways. Our results showed although climate warming can benefit vegetation growth, net carbon assimilation by vegetation may not increase accordingly in the future. Full article

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in our population. In this regard, rectal cancer accounts for more than half of colorectal cancer deaths, and its incidence is expected to increase in the coming years. There have been significant changes in neoadjuvant therapy regimens, with promising results, as demonstrated by the recent RAPIDO and PRODIGE23 studies. Around 40% of patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer show some degree of response to neoadjuvant treatment, with complete tumor regression observed in up to one in five patients. Materials and Methods: Retrospective observational study. A total of 181 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery were analyzed. Clinical and pathological data were collected from the patients, including assessment of tumor regression through histopathological studies after surgery. The Mandard tumor regression grading system was used to categorize tumor response into different grades. Results: The results showed a significant association between the degree of tumor regression and several important clinical outcomes. Specifically, patients with higher tumor regression had significantly better disease-free survival than those with less regression (p = 0.004). In addition, tumor regression was also correlated with the incidence of local recurrence (p = 0.018) and distant metastasis (p = 0.032). These associations suggest that tumor responsiveness to neoadjuvant therapy may influence the long-term progression of the disease. Regarding tumor deposits and the presence of lymphadenopathy, these factors were also found to be significantly associated with clinical outcomes. Patients with tumor deposits had a higher incidence of local recurrence (p = 0.025) and distant metastases (p = 0.041), while the presence of lymphadenopathy increased the risk of local recurrence (p = 0.013). These findings highlight the importance of evaluating not only tumor regression but also other pathological markers to predict prognosis and guide clinical management. Conclusions: The degree of tumor regression was not an independent predictor of survival compared to other variables such as nodal stage and presence of tumor deposits. This indicates that while tumor regression is an important factor, other elements also play a crucial role in determining the prognosis of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. This study provides additional evidence for the importance of tumor regression, tumor deposits, and lymphadenopathy as predictors of clinical outcomes in patients with rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Full article

Background and Aims: Secondary plant metabolites, including organic acids and phenolic compounds, have a significant impact on the properties of organic matter in soil, influencing its structure and function. How the production of these compounds in foliage that falls to the forest floor as litterfall varies across tree age and seasonality are of considerable interest for advancing our understanding of organic matter dynamics. Methods: Monthly, we collected fallen needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) across stands of five different age classes (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 years) for one year and measured the organic acids and phenolic compounds. Results: Seven low-molecular-weight organic acids and thirteen phenolic compounds were detected in the litterfall. No differences were observed across stand age. Significant seasonal differences were detected. Most compounds peaked during litterfall in the growing season. Succinic acid was the most prevalent organic acid in the litterfall, comprising 78% of total organic acids (351.27 ± 34.27 µg g^− 1), and was 1.5 to 11.0 times greater in the summer than all other seasons. Sinapic acid was the most prevalent phenolic compound in the litterfall (42.15 µg g^− 1), representing 11% of the total phenolic compounds, and was 39.8 times greater in spring and summer compared to autumn and winter. Growing season peaks in needle concentrations were observed for all thirteen phenolic compounds and two organic acids (lactic, succinic). Citric acid exhibited a definitive peak in late winter into early spring. Conclusions: Our results highlight the seasonal dynamics of the composition of secondary plant metabolites in litterfall, which is most different at the onset of the growing season. Fresh inputs of litterfall at this time of emerging biological activity likely have seasonal impacts on soil’s organic matter composition as well. Full article

The reaction of ZrCl₄ or HfCl₄ with excess 2-methylpropanoic acid when boiling under reflux has been studied. The formation of polynuclear Zr and Hf complexes of the composition M₂O(i-C₃H₇CO₂)₆ during prolonged reflux of the reaction mixtures was found. The complexes are very sensitive to hydrolysis, forming hexanuclear [M₆(O)₄(OH)₄(i-C₃H₇CO₂)₁₂]. The reactions have a general character for aliphatic acids and can be used as an alternative to the known methods for the synthesis of polynuclear carboxylate clusters of Group 4 metals. The crystal and molecular structures of previously undescribed {[Hf₆(μ₃-O)₄(μ₃-OH)₄(i-C₃H₇CO₂)₁₂(H₂O)]·3i-C₃H₇COOH} have been determined. The molecular structure is a completely asymmetric hexanuclear cluster containing six Hf(IV) atoms united by a 4:4 μ₃-O/OH system of bridges, and stabilized by twelve 2-methylpropanoate ligands, eight of which are bidentate bridging, three are chelating, and one is monodentate. The crystal structure of the complex includes three independent solvating 2-methylpropanoic acid molecules. The obtained IR spectroscopy data make it possible to determine the type of complexes in the reaction mixture. The results of the study may be useful for improving the catalytic systems for ethylene oligomerization. Full article

Background: Data on the incidence and comorbidity of Lichen sclerosus (LS), based on validated nationwide population-based registries, remains scarce. Objective: To explore the incidence and association of comorbidities with LS in Sweden, emphasizing its potential links to malignancies and autoimmune disorders. Methods: A population-based retrospective open cohort study was conducted using the National Patient Register to identify all individuals diagnosed with LS (ICD-10 code L90.0) from 1 January 2001 to 1 January 2021. The study included 154,424 LS patients and a sex and age matched control group of 463,273 individuals to assess the incidence and odds ratios for various cancers and premalignant conditions. Results: The incidence of LS in Sweden was 80.9 per 100,000 person per year, with higher incidence in females (114.4) than in males (47.2). LS patients showed an increased odds ratio for vulvar cancer (OR = 8.3; 95% CI = 7.5–9.0), penile cancer (OR = 8.9; 95% CI = 7.3–11.0), prostate cancer (OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.1–1.2), testicular cancer (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1–1.7), bladder cancer (OR = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.1–1.2), breast cancer (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.3–1.4), leukoplakia of the vulva (OR = 253.5; 95% CI = 221.9–289.6), and leukoplakia of the penis (OR = 5.1; 95% CI = 4.9–5.4). Conclusions: This study underscores the significantly increased association of various cancers and premalignant conditions in LS patients, highlighting the critical need for efficacious treatment and diligent follow-up. The association between LS and autoimmune diseases further necessitates comprehensive investigation to understand the underlying mechanisms and clinical management implications. Future research is essential to confirm these findings and elucidate the role of LS in cancer development. Full article