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Adaptation to local environments in isolated habitats may produce independent solutions to similar ecological challenges, yielding insight into the predictability of evolution. Alpine plants on tropical sky-islands, in particular, must cope with extreme diurnal fluctuations in temperature and radiation. These populations may undergo parallel local adaptation to high elevation, or alternatively, distinct local adaptations due to intermountain heterogeneity. For instance, abiotic stress on mountain peaks could select for stress tolerance or stress escape/bet-hedging strategies. We tested these hypotheses in experiments with 163 newly sequenced Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes from East Africa. Genomic history followed geography: Ugandan genotypes were the most divergent, and Ethiopian genotypes more closely related. Effective population size decreased towards the present on all mountains, in concert with declining climatic suitability since the end of the African Humid Period. Genotypes from the colder and seasonally drier mountains showed strong seed dormancy, rapid flowering, short/curved inflorescences. In contrast, genotypes from the milder and less seasonal mountains showed less seed dormancy, delayed flowering, and long/erect inflorescences. Elevational clines found in multiple mountains included seed dormancy-release with short (vs. long) stratification, and shorter inflorescences, at higher elevations. In a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with inflorescence length, we detected the TCP5 transcription factor, but these variants only segregated in some mountains and showed an elevational allele frequency cline at only one mountain. Allele reuse based on GWAS was greater between Ethiopian populations (QTL allele-frequency r > 0.9 for most traits), and generally lower between Uganda and the rest. Results indicate limited evidence of parallel local adaptation along elevation, suggesting that dwarf inflorescences are selected for in multiple mountain tops, while bet-hedging prevails in cold and seasonally dry sky-islands, and divergent selection along elevation in other traits can evolve in mountains with milder climates. Overall these results suggest a long history of isolation and ecological complexity limit the predictability of local adaptation.

Climate change is increasingly disrupting ecological processes across arid and mountainous biomes, with profound implications for the reproductive phenology of large herbivores. These species are especially climate-sensitive, as their breeding cycles are tightly coupled with vegetation dynamics driven by seasonal temperature and precipitation. Yet, in biodiversity-rich regions such as eastern Iran, where climate variability is acute and data are sparse, long-term phenological responses remain poorly understood. Here, we examine how reproductive timing in urial sheep (Ovis vignei), a mountain herbivore, responds to climatic variation across six protected areas, as climate-driven mismatches between birth timing and peak forage availability may reduce neonate survival and ultimately affect population viability and connectivity. Climate data (temperature, precipitation, snowfall, and humidity) from the nearest weather station to each study area, along with latitude and mean elevation of each habitat, were integrated using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to assess phenological responses to environmental variables. Our results reveal clear regional differences in mating and lambing time. Mating time was significantly influenced by latitude, summer temperature, and autumn precipitation, with higher latitudes and autumn rainfall delaying mating, while warmer summers advanced it. In contrast, lambing timing was largely dictated by study area-level random effects, which accounted for the majority of variance, whereas fixed effects such as January temperature, snowfall, and latitude contributed only minimally, highlighting the dominant role of spatial differences among study areas in shaping lambing phenology. These findings, over the past decade, underscore the role of climate and latitude in shaping reproductive timing and highlight the urgent need to incorporate phenological data into adaptive wildlife management and habitat-specific climate resilience planning in vulnerable arid mountain ecosystems.

Rapid urbanization has heightened the need for evidence-based healthy city planning. To resolve the methodological limitations of parallel biometric data stacking, this study developed a synchronized cross-modal framework to evaluate the restorative potential of a 9-typology urban-to-natural landscape continuum. A laboratory experiment was conducted with 42 healthy undergraduate students (21 males, 21 females; mean age = 21.4 ± 1.8 years). Brain activity (EEG), visual attention (eye-tracking), and peripheral autonomic signals (EDA, HRV, respiration) were synchronously recorded alongside the Profile of Mood States (POMS) scale. To integrate these multi-scale data streams, we formulated the Cross-Modal Restorative Index (CMRI). The empirical findings reveal a distinct, non-linear hierarchy of environmental restoration. Pristine natural environments, especially Mountainous and Field landscapes, elicited complete "Integrated Restoration," characterized by significant systemic convergence: central cognitive relaxation via posterior α power activation (Field: 7.35; Water: 7.03), robust parasympathetic upregulation (Field HF: 12518.77), and profound down-regulations in subjective tension (Mountainous: 18.6 → 12.3) and fatigue. Conversely, built landscapes demonstrated "Fragmented Restoration." Notably, Road scenes exhibited a localized dissociation where physiological calming (sharp increase in posterior α wave SD from 15.11 to 20.54) was decoupled from visual and psychological domains, with over 74% of visual dwell time remaining locked on artificial elements and subjective fatigue rising (15.3 → 16.2). These findings provide quantitative, systems-level evidence for integrating ecologically authentic blue-green infrastructure into resilient urban design.

Pediatric death can lead to long-term adverse effects on parents' health. To describe the trajectory of parental mental and physical health burden within 24 months before and after a child's death and to evaluate the impact of specialized pediatric palliative care (SPPC) and several a priori selected factors on new mental or physical health burden in bereaved parents within 12 months following the death of a child. Retrospective cohort study of biological parents of children (0-21 y) who died in or out of the hospital within 6 months of receiving care in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a free-standing quaternary care children's hospital in the Mountain West region between January 2013 and December 2019. Parental mental and physical health burden were assessed within 24 months before and after a child's death in six-month intervals. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated the associations between new parental health burden within 12 months following a child's death with SPPC consultation and several a priori factors. Of 776 deceased children linked to 773 mothers and 711 fathers, 36.1% received a SPPC consultation prior to death. Higher rates of mental and physical health burden were observed in mothers than fathers across all time points. Lack of SPPC was associated with increased risks for new mental and physical health burden for mothers within 12 months after the child's death (adjusted odds ratios [95% CIs] 1.77 [1.03-3.03] and 2.63 [1.07-6.46], respectively). Bereaved parents, especially mothers, experienced new mental and physical health burden up to 24 months after a child's death. SPPC may be helpful in reducing the development of new health burdens in mothers within 12 months after a child's death.

A new species of spiny mouse, Mus (Pyromys) dumbarasp. nov., is described from the Dumbara (Knuckles) Mountain Range in Sri Lanka, based on an integrated assessment of external morphology, cranial characteristics, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. This species is assigned to the subgenus Pyromys on the basis of two defining cranial characteristics: the presence of a supraorbital ridge and incisive foramina that extend to the mid-length of first upper molar. Mus dumbara sp. nov. is characterised by a tail distinctly longer than its combined head and body length and a moderately prominent supraorbital ridge which is clearer at the junction between parietal and frontal upon the orbit. There are several other external and cranial characteristics which can be used to distinguish M. dumbara sp. nov. from each pyromys species. Genetic analysis further confirms the distinctiveness of M. dumbara sp. nov. Mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences reveal deep divergence from other Sri Lankan spiny mice (M. mayori and M. fernandoni), with uncorrected pairwise genetic distances exceeding 11.7%. This level of genetic separation, combined with its distinctive morphology and geographically restricted distribution in the Dumbara valley, provides strong evidence for its status as a new species endemic to Sri Lanka.

In the western United States, there has been a significant increase in both the size and number of wildfires associated with the increasing drought conditions. The six largest wildfires in U.S. history have occurred in the last seven years. Four of the six fires were in California (2017 Tubbs Fire, 2018 Camp Fire, 2020 Bay Area Fire, and 2021 Dixie Fire), where the mountains create complex atmospheric flows that lead to terrain-induced wildfires from dry, downslope winds. To investigate the health outcomes associated with smoke exposure the spatiotemporal distribution of smoke plume concentrations is required. Air quality monitors are sparse and do not quantify pollutant concentrations solely from smoke plumes. To estimate smoke impacts, the monitoring data can be supplemented with information from satellites, wildfire emissions inventories, dispersion models, and chemical transport models. Results of air quality modeling efforts to simulate wildfire smoke plume transport in the western U.S. and estimate smoke exposure are presented here. The focus of this work is on two recent modeling efforts (1) a novel smoke exposure modeling framework that provides estimates by fuel type, fire size, and plume age and (2) gap-filling approaches that leverage machine learning algorithms to increase the usability of satellite aerosol remote sensing products for estimating wildfire smoke exposure.

This study investigated the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of cultivated land in the Hehuang Valley based on terrain gradient analysis, aiming to provide a scientific reference for the rational utilization of cultivated land in this region. By integrating long-term high-resolution land use data with methods including terrain gradient factor analysis, kernel density analysis, PLUS model and standard deviation ellipse theory. we analyzed the spatiotemporal changes, topographic gradient differentiation patterns, and evolution trends of cultivated land in the Hehuang Valley from 1980 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) Cultivated land in the Hehuang Valley exhibited a net loss of 119.24 km² from 1980 to 2020, predominantly converted to grassland, water area, and built-up area. (2) Higher cultivated land density in river valleys contrasted with sparse distribution in mountainous zones. The spatial centroid shifted 2.277 km northwestward, accompanied by progressive spatial contraction. (3) Cultivated land was concentrated on sunlit slopes of hills and plains below 2,772 m altitude and 17.42° slope gradient, where human activities induced significant land use transitions. (4) Population density was the dominant factor influencing cultivated land changes, with a contribution of 0.12. The increase in cultivated land was primarily distributed along the Datong River and the Yellow River, while cultivated land decreased rapidly in the Xining section of the Huangshui River. Location-specific management strategies are imperative to optimize resource allocation and ensure sustainable agricultural development under heterogeneous environmental constraints. Given the significant terrain gradient differentiation in the distribution and change of cultivated land in the Hehuang Valley, sustainable management practices should adhere to local conditions to promote the sustainable development of cultivated land resources.

Electrocution fatalities most commonly occur in domestic or occupational settings. When such deaths are found in remote outdoor locations, they often raise suspicion of homicide or deliberate body disposal. Deaths due to illegal electric fencing are rare and usually accidental, occurring in rural or forest-fringe agricultural areas. Fatalities resulting specifically from direct tapping of high-voltage transmission lines into fences are exceedingly uncommon and sparsely documented in the forensic literature. We report a case of an unidentified decomposed male body recovered from a secluded mountainous area, initially suspected to be a homicidal dumping. An autopsy and clothing examination revealed characteristic high-voltage electrical injuries. The absence of an electrical source at the recovery site suggested postmortem relocation of the body. Subsequent investigation identified an illegally electrified farm fence connected directly to an overhead high-voltage line. The victim had accidentally come into contact with the fence at night and died instantly. To evade legal consequences, the farmer and his associates disposed of the body at a distant location to simulate a suicide. This case highlights the importance of integrating autopsy findings, clothing examination, and scene reconstruction to determine the cause and manner of death in concealed electrocution due to illegal electric fencing.

In Japan, Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are primarily in the northernmost prefecture Hokkaido, where their primary vectors Ixodes ovatus and Ixodes persulcatus are most abundant. Recently, tick surveillance activities have collected both species across Japan, indicating potential expansion of their tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). We built a machine-learning (ML) model using available tick surveillance and environmental data to predict suitable habitat areas for I. ovatus and I. persulcatus and identify potential higher-risk areas of Lyme disease and TBE across Japan. Data on the occurrence and abundance of 11 vector tick species between 1990 and 2023 were extracted from studies identified via systematic literature search in two online databases or provided by local experts for ML development. After multiple iterations and permutations, separate Random Forest ML algorithms for I. ovatus and I. persulcatus were trained via 26 abiotic variables of climate and topography based on the occurrence and abundance respective to each species. Data on 93,289 ticks from 57 sources were extracted, and the ML algorithms' area under the curves were high (> 0.89). Climate-related variables were the strongest predictors (> 90% cumulative model importance) for both I. ovatus and I. persulcatus. High suitability for both species was identified in Hokkaido and cooler, wetter regions in central Honshu, while I. ovatus had a broader ecological niche than I. persulcatus, with moderate suitability in mountainous regions of central Kyushu and surrounding the Tokyo Bay area. Our ML models suggest high suitability areas for Ixodes vectors may be widespread in Japan, indicating expanding potential risks of TBPs.

HIV/AIDS remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in economically disadvantaged and underserved regions. Inequities in access to timely HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services hinder progress in controlling the epidemic. Border counties of southwestern China face additional structural barriers including cross-border population movement, fragmented service delivery across mountainous terrain, and limited specialised workforce. This study evaluates the contribution of a regional healthcare consortium model, established in May 2020 in M City, Yunnan Province, to improving therapy monitoring and effectiveness for people living with HIV. We conducted a retrospective single-site study using monthly aggregate programme data from January 2019 to July 2024. Indicators followed the WHO Consolidated Strategic Information Guidelines and the UNAIDS 95-95-95 framework, and included viral load (VL) testing rates, antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) prophylaxis. Pre-intervention covered January 2019 to May 2020 and post-intervention covered June 2020 to July 2024. Descriptive statistics were complemented by an Interrupted Time Series (ITS) segmented regression analysis with Newey-West standard errors. Normality was tested with the Shapiro-Wilk statistic and non-parametric tests were used where appropriate. Multiple testing was controlled with the Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate procedure. Sensitivity analyses excluded peak COVID-19 disruption months and adjusted for the 2022 national HIV treatment guideline update. The study followed STROBE reporting standards. Following implementation of the consortium, the monthly number of newly enrolled ART patients increased by 69.8%, the VL test completion rate by 20.6% points (from 74.3% to 93.6%), the ART coverage rate by 7.2% points (from 85.9% to 92.6%), and the SMZ usage rate by 7.6% points (from 91.4% to 98.9%). ITS analysis showed sustained post-reform improvements in ART coverage rate (&#x3b2;1&#x2009;+&#x2009;&#x3b2;3&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.162% points per month, P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001 after FDR adjustment), in newly enrolled patients (&#x3b2;1&#x2009;+&#x2009;&#x3b2;3&#x2009;=&#x2009;1.169 patients per month, P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001), and a small but significant gain in the overall VL testing rate (&#x3b2;1&#x2009;+&#x2009;&#x3b2;3&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.015% points per month, P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05). Findings were robust to the exclusion of COVID-19 lockdown months and to adjustment for the 2022 guideline update. In this single border city, the regional consortium was associated with substantial improvements in HIV care continuum indicators. The findings should be interpreted as evidence of the consortium's contribution rather than sole attribution, given the absence of a contemporaneous control. The model offers a candidate framework for HIV care integration in resource-constrained border counties of southwestern China and other comparable settings, although external validation through multi-site or controlled designs is required before broader generalisation.

Anelloviruses are circular single stranded DNA viruses that are highly prevalent among humans and other mammal and avian hosts, with persistent infections enduring throughout the lifespan without causing disease. Investigating these viruses in non-human primate hosts can offer a phylogenetic perspective on anellovirus-primate evolutionary dynamics, and studying wild populations can help build a translational framework for natural host-virus interactions. Here we report six complete anellovirus genomes identified in wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada), a primate endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands. Anellovirus genomes were identified in blood samples taken from geladas in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. The six genomes represented four new anellovirus species-level lineages, and phylogenetic analysis of the ORF1 (capsid protein) sequences revealed that these anelloviruses cluster with other viruses in the Alphatorquevirus genus. As the first report of complete anellovirus genomes in geladas, this study expands the known host range of the Alphatorquevirus genus and anelloviruses more broadly, adds to our knowledge of the gelada virome, and contributes to our understanding of the shared primate virome.

Infrared Small Target Detection (IRSTD) holds significant application value in military operations, early warning and surveillance, aerospace, and other fields. However, traditional detection methods face challenges related to small target pixel sizes, strong background noise, and sparse infrared image features, resulting in insufficient accuracy and robustness. This paper proposes IR-WSANet, a lightweight network based on an improved YOLOv10, which enhances the detection performance of infrared small targets through a frequency-spatial joint optimization strategy. Firstly, the discrete wavelet transform convolution (DWaveletConv) is introduced into the backbone network, and the fusion of high-frequency details and low-frequency semantics is enhanced by multi-band feature decomposition to suppress noise interference. Secondly, we designed a cooperative module (POS-SHSA) that integrates POSConvEmbedding with a partial channel single-head self-attention mechanism (SHSA), which combines local spatial features and global context information to improve the positioning accuracy of small targets. Experiments verify the effectiveness of the model on SIDD and HIT-UAV datasets: the mAP of IR-WSANet on SIDD-City, SIDD-Mountain and HIT-UAV datasets reaches 97.2%, 82.6% and 82.8%, respectively, which is 2.8% to 14.1% higher than the baseline YOLOv10, and the highest F1 score was improved to 14.8%, while maintaining low computing cost (27.9 GFLOPs) and real-time performance (42.8 FPS). The results show that IR-WSANet significantly improves the detection performance of infrared small targets in complex scenes through the combination of frequency domain filtering enhancement and space-channel dual attention mechanism.