A new species, Pedicularis bhutanica, is described from the Dagala region in Thimphu district, Bhutan. Discovered along well-used trekking routes, this species is morphologically distinct from its closest congeners, Pedicularis heydei Prain, known from India, Nepal and Bhutan, and P. pheulpinii Bonati, from China, by the absence of basal leaves, specific stem indumentum patterns, and distinctive features of its leaves, bracts, calyx, lower corolla lip and capsules. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequence data supports the recognition of this new species. It is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) under IUCN Criterion B.

Dung beetle density and sex ratio play a significant role in intraspecific competition, and reproductive success depends on the beetle's maturity. We examined the impact of increasing density in small groups on dung burial and brood production using mature first-generation individuals of two dung beetle species (Onthophagus binodis and Digitonthophagus gazella) by manipulating the number of males and females in a dung pat. Beetles were reared under controlled laboratory conditions and provided with cattle dung, which was collected from pastureland. Weekly dung burial was calculated by measuring the residual dung organic matter content. The number of broods produced per dung pat, broods' dry weight, and their size were recorded. In both species, treatments with intermediate numbers of male and female beetles produced more broods than solitary beetles. On the other hand, treatments with moderate to high numbers of male and female beetles buried more dung than individual females. At higher-density treatments, brood size and brood dry weight declined, suggesting shifts in reproductive allocation under increasing intraspecific interactions. The two species showed very similar patterns, although O. binodis produced more broods while D. gazella buried more dung. We also observed a positive relationship between brood dry weight and brood size in both species. Overall, the results indicate that the combined effects of beetle density and sex ratio influenced reproductive investment and dung burial under controlled laboratory conditions. Further field studies are needed to determine whether similar patterns occur under higher density and natural ecological conditions.

Crown-ether-like C₂O is a recently synthesized two-dimensional (2D) covalent-framework material with a wide band gap, high hole mobility, chemical stability, and potential scalability. Lattice thermal conductivity is imperative for many applications. Nevertheless, the phonon physics governing the lattice heat transport of C₂O remains insufficiently explored. Here, we combine density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) with the phonon Boltzmann transport equation (BTE), including 3-phonon (3ph) and 4-phonon (4ph) processes, to investigate its lattice thermal conductivity. We show that the significant population of antibonding states in the C-O bonds weakens the lattice and correlates with enhanced phonon anharmonicity, as evidenced by low-frequency Raman-active E_1g modes at 184 and 331 cm⁻¹ and a large Grüneisen parameter of −51.3 for the out-of-plane acoustic branch. Despite this anharmonicity, the 3ph scattering remains minimal, enabling a long phonon mean free path (MFP) of 991 nm and an in-plane lattice thermal conductivity of 421.5 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 300 K. The inclusion of 4ph scattering substantially increases the scattering rates of the acoustic branches, among which the flexural out-of-plane acoustic (ZA) mode plays the predominant role in the suppression of thermal transport. Consequently, 4ph scattering shortens the dominant phonon mean free path (MFP) to 317 nm and reduces the in-plane lattice thermal conductivity to 134.9 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 300 K (i.e., 68% reduction). The coexistence of mode-resolved anharmonicity, substantial 4ph scattering, and long-lived weakly scattered phonons highlights C₂O as a unique 2D phononic platform for engineering heat transport in porous covalent-framework semiconductors.

Background. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been impacted psychologically due to their professional responsibilities over the prolonged era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to identify the predictors of psychological distress, fear, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs.

Methods. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among self-identified HCWs across 14 countries (12 from Asia and two from Africa). The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale were used to assess the psychological distress, fear, and coping of HCWs, respectively.

Results. A total of 2447 HCWs participated; 36% were doctors, and 42% were nurses, with a mean age of 36 (±12) years, and 70% were females. Moderate to very-high psychological distress was prevalent in 67% of the HCWs; the lowest rate was reported in the United Arab Emirates (1%) and the highest in Indonesia (16%). The prevalence of high levels of fear was 20%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (9%) and the highest in Egypt (32%). The prevalence of medium-to-high resilient coping was 63%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (28%) and the highest in Syria (76%).

Conclusion. COVID-19 has augmented the psychological distress among HCWs. Factors identified in this study should be considered in managing the wellbeing of HCWs, who had been serving as the frontline drivers in managing the crisis successfully across all participating countries. Furthermore, interventions to address their psychological distress should be considered.