Practices for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Western Sciences for Research and Monitoring of Biodiversity in Canada

ABSTRACT There has been a widespread effort to braid multiple knowledge systems in biodiversity research and monitoring, yet there is further need to consider how to do so. We interviewed Indigenous Peoples and representatives of 12 Indigenous communities, completed a systematic review of biodiversity studies that utilized Indigenous knowledges (IK) and Western sciences (WS) in Canada, and then braided the outcomes of the conversations and literature review to address if, when, and how IK and WS can be brought together for biodiversity research and monitoring in Canada. Overall, there was a great deal of support for, and desire to, braid IK and WS among interview participants. A suite of nine pillars and priorities was identified for doing so from participants' responses. These priorities included: (1) build and foster relationships; (2) IK should guide projects; (3) Indigenous communities should lead projects; (4) IK must be respected equally with WS; (5) embrace reciprocity (focus on people) and (6) embrace responsibility (focus on land) to the land and one another; (7) ensure equal gender and age representation; (8) intergenerational knowledge transfer is important; and (9) language revitalization is critical. The extent to which the pillars and priorities for braiding were reflected in the current literature varied, and we identified indicators that may help project leads choose what to prioritize in design to fulfill the pillars. These indicators included engagement, relevance, governance, and accessibility. The stages of projects at which IK and WS were brought together (i.e., design, data collection, analysis, reporting, and decision‐making), the roles for each IK and WS at various project stages, and the methods for IK collation and WS data collection varied extensively across the literature. This work deepens our understanding of the practices of knowledge braiding in biodiversity research and monitoring in Canada and offers a toolkit for doing so.

Roars, Rumbles, and Resonance: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Crocodylian Acoustic Signals

ABSTRACT Crocodylians are highly vocal reptiles, possessing a complex acoustic signalling system including vocal and non‐vocal signals used for courtship, mating, mediating conflict, and providing maternal care. Despite this, research on crocodylian acoustic signalling remains infrequent, with methodologies and terminology varying widely across studies. Here, we systematically review the literature and standardise crocodylian acoustic signal descriptions, measurements, and terminology to establish a consistent foundation for future research. The compiled dataset included 22 publications, with 623 acoustic signalling observations and 53 distinct parameters measured across various species, life stages, and contexts. The American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ) was the most frequently studied species and distress calls the most commonly recorded signal type. Significant variation existed in parameters measured across studies, with dominant frequency, call duration, and fundamental frequency the most common. We synthesised acoustic parameters from available publications into comparable values and units, and provide these as a centralised database along with a standardised ethogram including representative spectrograms, and a glossary of commonly used terms facilitating clearer cross‐species comparisons. Significant foundational level data gaps were identified with many species lacking defined repertoires, and notably, underwater acoustic signalling was rarely incorporated. We recommend shifting future research focus from distress calls to include a wider range of spontaneously produced acoustic signals, by individuals of known sex and life stage. The inclusion of a broader set of underrepresented acoustic parameters will also enable better cross‐species comparisons, and identification of encoding in crocodylian acoustic signals. We further promote the reanalysis of existing data incorporating these key parameters, along with increased collaborative efforts, to add valuable insights informing conservation without requiring additional fieldwork. Such strategies will support future research into crocodylian acoustic communication and guide the development of more effective monitoring techniques such as passive acoustic monitoring and machine learning as tools for conservation and management of crocodylians.

Proteomic Epithelial‐To‐Mesenchymal Transition Signature in Fetoplacental Small Extracellular Vesicles of Early‐Onset Preeclampsia

ABSTRACT Preeclampsia (PE), a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy, is linked to placental vascular remodelling, increasing risks of foetal growth restriction and long‐term offspring health problems. The role of fetoplacental endothelial cell‐derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in PE remains underexplored. This study investigates whether EV composition in Early‐Onset PE (EO‐PE) is altered, potentially contributing to impaired foetal development. Small EVs (sEVs) were isolated from primary fetoplacental endothelial cells (fpECs) of term (T), preterm (PT) and EO‐PE pregnancies. sEVs were characterised using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and Western blotting, confirming spherical morphology, size (<200 nm) and expression of canonical EV and endothelial markers. Proteomic profiling via nano‐LC MS/MS and gene set enrichment analysis revealed a cohesive proteomic profile in fpEC‐derived T‐ and PT‐sEVs, but EO‐PE‐derived sEVs showed heterogeneity and functional alterations compared to T‐ and PT‐derived sEVs. Notably, EO‐PE‐sEVs were enriched in proteins affiliated to epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and myogenesis, processes tied to tissue remodelling and vascular homeostasis, all hallmarks in PE. This signature may represent a molecular signal associated with endothelial dysfunction. In contrast, T‐sEVs were enriched in cell cycle and DNA repair pathways. These findings underscore the role of fetoplacental‐derived EVs in placental‐foetal communication under pathophysiological conditions.

Fat‐Corrected Non‐Gaussian Diffusion MRI for Liver Fibrosis Assessment in Metabolic Dysfunction‐Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

ABSTRACT Background In patients with metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), non‐Gaussian diffusion—weighted imaging (DWI) has been proposed for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis, but its measurement is partially confounded by steatosis. We therefore asked whether a fat‐corrected approach could improve fibrosis assessment. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic performance of non‐Gaussian diffusion coefficients for the assessment of fibrosis in MASLD patients with a method accounting for intravoxel fat. Study Type Prospective single‐center cross‐sectional study. Population A total of 289 participants with Type 2 diabetes, hepatic steatosis, and elevated aminotransferases were enrolled from October 2018 to June 2021. Among them, 222 participants (mean age 59 ± 10 years; 149 men) underwent liver biopsy and MRI and were included in the final analysis. Field Strength/Sequence 3 T, DWI using spin‐echo echo‐planar imaging, MR elastography (MRE) using gradient echo sequence and fat fraction imaging using a multiple gradient echoes sequence. Assessment Diffusion coefficients were estimated using two non‐Gaussian models: a shifted apparent diffusion coefficient (sADC) and a non‐linear least squares fit (ngADC), both computed without and with intravoxel fat correction (corr) using fat fraction on PDFF. Fibrosis was staged histologically. Quantitative parameters were compared across fibrosis stages. Diagnostic performance for F0 versus ≥ F1 was evaluated and compared to liver stiffness on MRE. Statistical Tests Group comparisons used Kruskal‐Wallis tests ( α  = 0.05), and diagnostic performance was assessed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with 95% confidence intervals, with p  < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results ngADC corr was significantly different between fibrosis stages (Kruskal–Wallis p  < 0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated comparable performance in discriminating fibrosis stages F0 versus F1–F4 for ngADC corr and stiffness (AUC = 0.66, 95% CI: [0.59, 0.7], p  < 0.05 and 0.68 [0.62, 0.74], p  < 0.05, respectively). Data Conclusion Fit‐based non‐Gaussian DWI with fat correction could potentially be used with similar diagnostic accuracy as MRE for detecting fibrosis in patients with MASLD. Evidence Level 3. Technical Efficacy Stage 2.

Enhancing Selective Brain Cancer Therapy: Integrating Nanomedicine and Molecular Dynamics to Target the Cancerous Lipid Composition

ABSTRACT Brain cancers pose significant problems to health due to their highly invasive nature and limited treatment options. The lack of advanced targeting strategies leads to restricted uptake of therapeutics across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and poor recognition of malignant brain cells. Current therapies are often designed to adhere to molecular targets that can be prone to mutation and limited to certain subtypes of cancers. To further improve the potency and selectivity within therapeutic design, the idea of targeting the cellular membrane composition distinctive of the BBB and brain cancer cells is explored herein. The notable differences between the characteristics of cancerous lipid environments and nonmalignant cells allow for more precise tumor recognition and therapeutic delivery. Nanomedicine provides the opportunity to utilize this knowledge in drug vehicle design, and detailed mechanistic interactions of therapeutics with cellular membrane compositions can be obtained with molecular dynamics simulations. This interdisciplinary approach can provide valuable insights toward enhancing the selective treatment of brain cancer.

The Dynamic Rail‐Road Dial‐A‐Ride Problem

ABSTRACT We consider an original dynamic dial‐a‐ride service designed for sparsely populated areas. The service relies on vehicles capable of switching between road and an existing abandoned rail network. It defines a Dial‐A‐Ride Problem (DARP) with rail scheduling constraints. In the DARP, a set of users must be picked up and dropped off at desired locations, while adhering to time windows and maximum travel time constraints. In the dynamic context, the system has to evaluate the acceptance of new customers and their integration into vehicle routes. Rail scheduling highly complicates the problem by creating interdependencies between vehicles. We develop a solution method combining the Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search framework, a set‐covering approach, and multiple anticipatory scenarios generated with fictitious requests. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach with realistic instances generated from a specific abandoned railway in France.

Student‐led Classroom Observations for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning

Development of Detailed Surface Reaction Mechanism for Methanation Process Based on Experiments

ABSTRACT The pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is growing, which demands new and innovative technologies to produce mobile as well as stationary energy. TheCO 2 $\rm {CO_2}$ methanation offers a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by directly convertingCO 2 $\rm {CO_2}$ toCH 4 $\rm {CH_4}$ . This also plays a crucial role in “power‐to‐gas” (P2G) technologies by providing an approach to store excess renewable energy in the form of methane in an existing natural gas infrastructure. However, methanation is a complex process due to its exothermic nature, interaction of the gas species with the catalyst, and possible catalyst degradation. Therefore, a deeper understanding is required for the methanation reaction, its different reaction pathways, and side reactions. In this work, we aim to understand the direct production of synthetic natural gas fromCO 2 $\rm {CO_2}$ andH 2 $\rm {H_2}$ in a Sabatier process with the help of experiments over a Ni/Al 2 O 3 $\rm {Al_2O_3}$ catalyst. A detailed surface reaction mechanism is developed to extend the study numerically by validating the simulation results with the experimental data. A one‐dimensional model, LOGEcat, based on a single‐channel catalyst model, is used for kinetic modeling. Experiments as well as simulations have been performed at various conditions, such as temperature variation andN 2 $\rm {N_2}$ dilution to the inlet composition. We have successfully captured the experimental trends using the kinetic model developed for the conditions considered for the analysis.

Leukoencephalopathy, a Frequent Complication After High‐Dose Methotrexate in Treatment of Osteosarcoma

ABSTRACT Background Methotrexate‐associated leukoencephalopathy is poorly documented in osteosarcoma. Since 2007, our institution has monitored osteosarcoma patients with sequential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuropsychological evaluations during treatment and follow‐up. Methods We analyzed data from consecutive osteosarcoma patients younger than 25 years enrolled at Gustave Roussy in the OS2006 study (2007–2015) and treated with high‐dose methotrexate (MTX) and etoposide–ifosfamide. Eligible patients received four or more MTX courses and at least one brain MRI. MTX‐related neurotoxicity was defined as neurological symptoms attributed to MTX after excluding other causes. Results MTX‐related neurotoxicity occurred in seven (13%) of 53 eligible patients. Additionally, 12 had severe depression, nine reported attention/memory deficits, and 25 had headaches during MTX infusion. Acute symptoms resolved in all but one. Forty‐nine patients had an MRI during treatment, and 47 after. Leukoencephalopathy was found in 44 (83%): Grade 1 in six, Grade 2 in 15, and Grade 3 in 23. Grade 2–3 leukoencephalopathy was more frequent in patients with severe depression ( p = 0.02) and those receiving more than 12 MTX courses ( p = 0.03); no association was found with age, sex, MTX‐related neurotoxicity, or cognitive complaints. Among 24 patients with MRI ≥3 years post‐treatment, 20 still showed leukoencephalopathy (12 Grade 1, eight Grade 2). Neurocognitive evaluations showed IQ scores consistent with norms, except for lower processing speed, which improved post‐treatment. At last follow‐up (median 8.5 years), most patients had integrated into school or work. Conclusion MTX‐associated leukoencephalopathy is frequent in osteosarcoma, even in asymptomatic patients, and often persists after treatment. Serious neurocognitive sequelae appear uncommon, but long‐term cognitive monitoring is essential to detect subtle deficits.

Aggressive Systemic Mastocytosis Related to Germline p.D816V KIT Mutation

ABSTRACT Systemic mastocytosis (SM) in adults is, in most cases, caused by a somatic mutation leading to p.D816V in KIT. We report the first proof of this variant as a heterozygous de novo germline mutation in a female infant with severe neonatal SM. The girl presented prenatally with hepatosplenomegaly and postnatally with diffuse cutaneous lesions and organ dysfunction. Histopathologic specimens displayed infiltration with atypical mastocytes. Molecular analyses confirmed the KIT mutation in multiple non‐infiltrated tissues, demonstrating the germline nature of the mutation. Despite targeted treatment with pharmacokinetically monitored midostaurin and adjunct therapies, the disease progressed rapidly, resulting in fatal multiorgan failure.