Global trait axes reveal overarching dimensions of plant functional variation. However, how these dimensions are spatially organized within and across forest types remains unclear. We combined drone‐based full‐range imaging spectroscopy with crown‐level measurements of 16 physiological, morphological and biochemical traits across temperate, subtropical and tropical forests in China to enable spatially‐explicit trait mapping. T...

Tributyltin (TBT), Dibutyltin (DBT), and Pentachlorophenol (PCP) are persistent environmental contaminants that increase immune-cell production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and thus have the capacity to cause chronic inflammation and its associated pathologies such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and autoimmune conditions. TBT has been detected in human blood at concentrations up to 260 nM, DBT up to 0.3 µM, and PCP betw...

Little is known regarding the diversity, abundances and ecology of bark and ambrosia beetles in South Africa. This study investigated the drivers of bark and ambrosia beetle communities, particularly concerning the invasive polyphagous shot hole borer ( Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichoff, 1868); PSHB), in native forests in two ecoregions in South Africa. Forty-six species of Scolytinae and Platypodinae were recorded, representing...

Purpose This study investigated the direct (cigarette smoke extract, CSE) and indirect (low nutrient) effects of cigarette smoking on intervertebral disc cell energy metabolism, with a focus on glucose consumption and lactate production in lumbar discs. Methods Lumbar IVDs from Sprague–Dawley rats were harvested and dissected into nucleus pulposus (NP), annulus fibrosus (AF), and cartilaginous endplate (CEP) regions. Minced ti...

Climate change is driving unprecedented declines in dominant, habitat‐forming foundation species across marine and terrestrial ecosystems globally. As climatic novelty becomes the norm, ecosystem reassembly will become increasingly common. Predicting and understanding these transitions, and their implications for future ecosystem functioning, is essential for designing effective forward‐looking management strategies. We explor...

Rationale Polysubstance use, defined as the consumption of more than one addictive substance either simultaneously or sequentially, is an established contributing factor to drug overdose deaths. Almost 80% of opioid-related overdose deaths involve a second substance and 21.6% of these deaths involve cocaine. Beyond increased overdose risk, polysubstance use is also linked to poorer treatment outcomes as well as higher relapse...

Aim The underlying processes driving the origin and spatial variation of species richness stand as one of the most fundamental and enigmatic questions in ecology. Here, we assess the roles of water stress, energy availability, climatic seasonality, physiological tolerance to cold extremes, historical climate stability, and topographic heterogeneity in shaping spatial richness variation among various plants of the Atlantic Fore...

The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB; Euwallacea fornicatus ), is an invasive ambrosia beetle and poses a significant threat to a wide range of tree species globally. Despite its potential impact, research on the beetle's spread and impacts in natural ecosystems remains limited. This study examines the interactions between PSHB and native forest ecosystems in two regions in South Africa. Over 5 years, PSHB invaded all but one...

Ecosystem models predict changes in productivity and status for multiple species, and are important for incorporating climate‐linked dynamics in ecosystem‐based fisheries management. However, fishery regulations are primarily informed by single‐species stock assessment models, which estimate unexplained variation in dynamics (e.g., recruitment, survival, fishery selectivity, etc) using random effects. We review the general ben...

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is a crucial enzyme involved in the Phase I metabolism of numerous medications used in clinical practice. Its potential significance in pediatric pharmacotherapy is underscored by the unique metabolic profile of children, which differs markedly from adults, especially in neonates, infants, and young children due to developmental changes in enzyme activity. This review explores the critical role of...

Increasing evidence shows that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s diseases (AD). It is unknown whether systemic vascular dysfunction occurs prior to the development of AD, if this occurs in a sex-dependent manner, and whether endothelial cells play a role in the deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides. We hypothesized that vascular dysfunction occurs pr...

The quantification of ecosystem services (ES) remains challenging and can result in biases towards data‐rich ES in management. For infaunal bivalves, little quantitative in situ data are available on the ES they provide, and differences between functionally similar species in different habitats are rarely considered. Here, we aimed to measure and compare the ecosystem functions (primary production, nutrient processing, water c...