bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the properties of electrical sources of ozonators through mathematical models
Authors: Bagdollauly Yessen , Yerkeldessova Gulzada , Oralbekova Ayaulym , Chukenova Elvira , Ilyassov Nuraly , Yerzhan Assem , Kalandarov Palvan
Published: September 2024

The study of the properties of electrical power sources of ozonators through mathematical models is crucial for satisfying sanitary-hygienic and industrial needs. Ozone is a strong oxidant with disinfectant properties, making its application widespread. However, the efficiency of its production largely depends on the quality of the ozonators’ electrical power sources. In this research, we developed and utilized mathematical models aimed at determining the main electrical parameters of various types of ozonators used in ozone production. The results of the study show possibilities for enhancing the energy efficiency of ozonators and optimizing their operational parameters. Mathematical modeling serves as a significant tool for predicting the operating modes and necessary electrical power parameters of ozonators, helping to increase their overall productivity and reduce the cost of ozone production. During the analysis, we considered the stability of the electrical power sources of ozonators, their high-frequency power transmission, and the level of electrical energy consumption. Our research aimed to determine how these parameters affect the ozone production process and, considering these effects, to design and improve the electrical power sources of ozonators.
Analysis of test results of the P-20 multi-rotor UAV when spraying pesticides in precision agriculture
Authors: Kovalev I V , Kovalev D I , Podoplelova V A , Borovinsky D V
Published: September 2024

The article provides an overview of the current results of using multi-rotor UAVs when spraying pesticides in precision agriculture. It is noted that, as part of improving the technology for using UAVs, it is necessary to continue work on optimizing and testing the parameters of UAV transport and technological cycles together with a reasonable choice of special reagents and their combinations to improve the spraying effect and increase the level of use of pesticides. This will directly affect the improvement of the quality and efficiency of precision farming systems. The analysis presented in the work is based on testing the parameters of the transport and technological cycle of a multi-rotor UAV of the P-20 type, which was used to spray pesticides on cotton fields to combat aphids and spider mites on cotton at the flowering and boll setting stages. The results are considered that make it possible to analyze and compare the laws of uniform and penetrating deposition and drift of droplets in cotton canopies at different UAV flight altitudes. It has been shown that spraying small volumes of agrochemicals using UAVs at low altitudes differs from operations performed using modern manned aircraft or boom sprayers. The flight altitude of the UAV has a significant impact on the deposition and drift of droplets. The results of studies related to elucidating the effect of defoliant adsorption on cotton leaves are also noted. The adsorption of acetamiprid and spirodiclofen was studied. Methods for statistical processing of the obtained experimental data are presented, in particular, to test the significance of the influence of flight altitude on the experimental results.
Evaluation of RuBisCO gene expression in Caragana arborescens f. pyramidalis LAM. under drought conditions
Authors: Krylov P A , Tretyakova A V , Derevshikova L V
Published: September 2024

At present, there is an increase in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, which leads to significant climatic changes, especially in arid areas. Tree and shrub species provide fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide, ensuring assimilation of inorganic carbon used in photosynthesis, as well as reducing the greenhouse effect. The enzyme Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) binds CO2 and triggers the Calvin cycle. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of the large subunit of the RuBisCO gene (RbcL) in Caragana arborescens f. pyramidalis LAM. and the in-house selected variety Caragana arborescens f. pyramidalis LAM. “Incomparable VNIALMI”, growing under drought conditions on the Kirov forestry (North of the Ergeninskaya Upland) with a characteristic arid climate. RNA was isolated from leaf blades collected at the end of fruiting. RbcL expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR using a universal primer pair selected by us. The study determined that the vital state in C. arborescens f. pyramidalis and C. arborescens f. pyramidalis ‘Incomparable VNIALMI’ was rated as good and that they were adapted to arid climate. Other analysis of RbcL expression showed lower values of amplification threshold cycles in C. arborescens f. pyramidalis LAM. “Incomparable VNIALMI”.
On climate migration and environmental safety
Authors: Arkhipova Maria V , Zhulina Elena V , Zhernovaya Oksana R , Lebedeva Irina V , Kotova Olga S
Published: September 2024

The article explores the growing trend of climate migration, driven by the increase of people displaced due to climate change, natural disasters, and environmental factors, as reported by the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration. The paper delves into the impact of climate change on migration, highlighting the primary causes and characteristics of climate migration. Furthermore the article discuses the potential for regulating climate migration through international law, emphasizing the urgent need to enhance resilience to the consequences of climate change, particularly in the context of countries’ efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Spectra of quantum algebras
Authors: Goodearl K.
Published: September 2024

This is a survey of what is known and/or conjectured about the prime and primitive spectra of quantum algebras, of quantized coordinate rings in particular. The topological structure of these spectra, their relations to classical affine algebraic varieties, and their relations to each other are discussed.
Arithmetic branching law and generic 𝐿-packets
Authors: Chen Cheng , Jiang Dihua , Liu Dongwen , Zhang Lei
Published: September 2024

Let

G
G

be a classical group defined over a local field

F
F

of characteristic zero. For any irreducible admissible representation

π
\pi

of

G
(
F
)

G(F)

, which is of Casselman-Wallach type if

F
F

is archimedean, we extend the study of spectral decomposition of local descents by Jiang and Zhang [Algebra Number Theory 12 (2018), 1489–1535] for special orthogonal groups over non-archimedean local fields to more general classical groups over any local field

F
F

. In particular, if

π
\pi

has a generic local

L
L

-parameter, we introduce the spectral first occurrence index

f

s

(
π
)

{\mathfrak {f}}_{\mathfrak {s}}(\pi )

and the arithmetic first occurrence index

f

a

(
π
)

{\mathfrak {f}}_{{\mathfrak {a}}}(\pi )

of

π
\pi

and prove in this paper that

f

s

(
π
)
=

f

a

(
π
)

{\mathfrak {f}}_{\mathfrak {s}}(\pi )={\mathfrak {f}}_{{\mathfrak {a}}}(\pi )

. Based on the theory of consecutive descents of enhanced

L
L

-parameters developed by Jiang, Liu, and Zhang [Arithmetic wavefront sets and generic

L
L

-packets, arXiv:2207.04700], we are able to show in this paper that the first descent spectrum consists of all discrete series representations, which determines explicitly the branching decomposition problem by means of the relevant arithmetic data and extends the main result (Jiang and Zhang [Algebra Number Theory 12 (2018), 1489–1535], Theorem 1.7) to broader generality.
Sustainability of a PICU Situation Awareness Intervention: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Dewan Maya , Prideaux Jonelle , Loeb Daniel , Patel Ruchit V. , Zackoff Matthew , Kudchadkar Sapna R. , Vaughn Lisa M. , Schondelmeyer Amanda C.
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

We aimed to investigate facilitators and barriers that impact the sustainability of an interprofessional situation awareness bundle.

Methods:

This is a single-center qualitative study at a tertiary care pediatric center examining the sustainability of an interprofessional situation awareness bundle to reduce in-hospital cardiac arrests. The bundle includes an automated clinical decision support tool, twice-daily safety huddles, and a bedside mitigation plan. A trained research staff member interviewed participants in October 2022. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, and recruitment continued until data saturation. Inductive and deductive analyses were used here.

Results:

The authors interviewed twelve staff members via individual semistructured interviews: registered nurses (RN, n = 2) and clinicians [(advanced practice providers, n = 2), pediatric critical care fellows, n = 4 and attendings, n = 4)]. Five main themes were identified: (1) the situation awareness bundle is ingrained into daily practice and culture, (2) the bundle has strengthened communication, decision-making, and improved outcomes, (3) standardized processes, stakeholder buy-in, and support of team members are key to adoption and sustainability, (4) variation in processes and fast-changing clinical context remains a challenge for reliable use, and (5) the situation awareness bundle excluded families.

Conclusions:

The situation awareness bundle has become ingrained, strengthened, and sustained over the last 5 years through integration into daily practice and culture and leveraging standardized processes, tools and technology. It is associated with improved communication and shared decision-making. Understanding the key components for implementation and sustainability is necessary for ongoing spread and improvement in the future.
Crossing the wicked frontier. Why sustainability science needs integrative research
Authors: Hewitt Richard J.
Published: September 2024

Integrative research approaches have lost prominence in the scientific literature, and related concepts of ‘wicked problems’ and ‘post-normal science’ complement but do not adequately replace them. From a detailed examination of the foundational literature, three key principles are shown to be central to integrative research: (i) the knowledge cycle; (ii) representativeness and participation; and (iii) knowledge exchange mechanisms at the science–policy interface. As an example of the importance of the integrative research framework in the context of policy-relevant science, it is argued that the shortcomings of current climate change mitigation efforts arise from inappropriately ‘closing down’ the science–policy interface and focusing on a few narrow options acceptable to powerful stakeholders. This can lead to what is described as an ‘ascientific’ ratchet effect, where the knowledge cycle just loops endlessly between technology and capital, and science as a public good is excluded. An integrative research approach can ‘open up’ discourse to new ideas and actors and restore the iterative links between science–policy mechanisms. A theoretical framework is proposed in which the three concepts ‘wicked problems’, ‘post-normal science’ and ‘integrative research’ are nested together. Integrative research is a way to address wicked problems, sitting within the critical framing of post-normal science.
Reclassification of Butyrivibrio crossotus Moore et al. 1976 (Approved Lists 1980) into a novel genus as Eshraghiella crossota gen. nov., comb. nov.
Authors: Fatahi-Bafghi Mehdi
Published: September 2024

The reclassification of Butyrivibrio crossotus Moore et al. 1976 (Approved Lists 1980) as Eshraghiella crossota gen. nov., comb. nov. is proposed within the family Lachnospiraceae. This reclassification is based on differences revealed through the analysis of 16S rRNA, groEL, recA, and rpoB genes, as well as genome sequences, distinguishing it from other Butyrivibrio species. Comparative analysis showed that B. crossotus exhibited digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of 19.40–27.20% and average nucleotide identities based on blast (ANIb) values of 67.06–67.64% with other Butyrivibrio species. These values are significantly below the species delineation thresholds (dDDH, 70%; ANIb, 95–96%), justifying the proposed reclassification. Additionally, the results of the average amino acid identity (AAI) analysis indicated that this species shares 59.22–60.17% AAI with the other species of the genus Butyrivibrio, which is below the AAI threshold (65%) for a genus boundary. In addition, biochemical and morphological characteristics also support the proposal that this species is different from other species of the genus Butyrivibrio. The type strain is ATCC 29175T (DSM 2876T=T9-40AT).
Quantitative modelling of fate specification in theC. eleganspostembryonic M lineage reveals a missing spatiotemporal signal
Authors: Jiménez Benjamin Planterose , Blackwell Alexander R. , Ramalho João J. , van den Heuvel Sander , ten Tusscher Kirsten , Tsingos Erika
Published: September 2024

The invariant lineages ofC. elegansprovide tractable cell fate models to study how developing organisms robustly integrate spatial signals at the single-cell level via gene regulatory networks. For instance, during postembryonic development, a mesoderm lineage arises through a sequence of oriented cell divisions from a single progenitor. This mesoblast initially gives rise to 18 cells with three distinct fates – 14 body wall muscles (BWMs), 2 coelomocytes (CCs; dorsal), and 2 sex myoblasts (SMs; ventral). The latter cells migrate and then proliferate to contribute 16 smooth muscles to the nematode’s reproductive organs. Prior work identified key symmetry breaking cues: i) ventrally restricted activation of the LIN-12 Notch pathway promoting SM over CC fate and ii) asymmetric re-distribution of SYS-1β-catenin and POP-1 TCF among daughter cells along the anteroposterior (A-P) axis, i.e. the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathway. However, it remains unclear whether these pathways are sufficient to specify all cell fates accordingly or whether additional symmetry breaking cues are necessary. In this study, we use quantitative modelling to better understand fate specification in the postembryonic M lineage. Specifically, we focus on the anteroposterior symmetry break by creating increasingly complex models towards robustly reproducing fate specification in wild type larvae and mutants. This iterative process resulted in two alternative models that explain the experimental observations by either introducing an additional spatial (spatial symmetry break) or temporal cue (temporal symmetry break). Finally, we evaluate their plausibility and propose a series of experiments to provide support for alternative models. Overall, our study highlights how a quantitative examination of mechanistic ideas can identify knowledge gaps and guide experimental follow-up.
Pvf1-PvR-mediated crosstalk between the trachea and the gut guides intestinal stem cell migration to promote gut regeneration
Authors: Mackay D. , John A. , Christensen C.F. , Loudhaief R. , Tanari A.B. , Rauzi M. , Colombani J. , Andersen D.S.
Published: September 2024

In adult tissues, stem cells (SCs) reside in specialized niches, where they are maintained in a quiescent state until activated by injury. Once activated, they migrate towards injured sites, where they proliferate and differentiate to replenish lost or damaged cells. Although effective tissue repair relies critically on the ability of SCs to reach and populate damaged sites, mechanisms guiding SCs towards these sites are not well understood. This is largely due to the technical challenges involved in monitoring SC dynamics in real timein vivo. Here, we devised an experimental framework that allows for real-time tracking of the spatiotemporal dynamics of intestinal SCs (ISCs) during the early phases of gut regeneration. Our data show that ISC migration is rapidly induced following injury and precedes ISC divisions and differentiation. We identify the Drosophila PDGF-VEGF-related receptor, Pvr, as a critical regulator of the migratory response to epithelial damage. ISC-specific Pvr depletion strongly suppresses ISC migration towards affected sites as well as the regenerative response. We further show that the Pvr ligand, PDGF-VEGF-related factor 1 (Pvf1), is produced by the trachea/vasculature in response to intestinal damage and acts as a guidance signal to direct ISC migration towards affected areas. Our work highlights a critical role of gut-trachea/vasculature crosstalk in guiding ISC migration during regeneration. As neovascularization of injured sites is a key feature of tissue repair in both flies and mammals, these findings could be relevant to regenerative processes in a wide range of adult tissues.
Ultrack: pushing the limits of cell tracking across biological scales
Authors: Bragantini Jordao , Theodoro Ilan , Zhao Xiang , Huijben Teun A.P.M. , Hirata-Miyasaki Eduardo , VijayKumar Shruthi , Balasubramanian Akilandeswari , Lao Tiger , Agrawal Richa , Xiao Sheng , Lammerding Jan , Mehta Shalin , Falcao Alexandre , Jacobo Adrian , Lange Merlin , Royer Loic A.
Published: September 2024

Tracking live cells across 2D, 3D, and multi-channel time-lapse recordings is crucial for understanding tissue-scale biological processes. Despite advancements in imaging technology, achieving accurate cell tracking remains challenging, particularly in complex and crowded tissues where cell segmentation is often ambiguous. We present Ultrack, a versatile and scalable cell-tracking method that tackles this challenge by considering candidate segmentations derived from multiple algorithms and parameter sets. Ultrack employs temporal consistency to select optimal segments, ensuring robust performance even under segmentation uncertainty. We validate our method on diverse datasets, including terabyte-scale developmental time-lapses of zebrafish, fruit fly, and nematode embryos, as well as multi-color and label-free cellular imaging. We show that Ultrack achieves state-of-the-art performance on the Cell Tracking Challenge and demonstrates superior accuracy in tracking densely packed embryonic cells over extended periods. Moreover, we propose an approach to tracking validation via dual-channel sparse labeling that enables high-fidelity ground truth generation, pushing the boundaries of long-term cell tracking assessment. Our method is freely available as a Python package with Fiji and napari plugins and can be deployed in a high-performance computing environment, facilitating widespread adoption by the research community.
Wall teichoic acids regulate peptidoglycan synthesis by paving cell wall microstructure
Authors: Barber Felix , Yuan Zhe , Akbary Zarina , Biboy Jacob , Vollmer Waldemar , Rojas Enrique R.
Published: September 2024

The Gram-positive cell wall is a rigid polysaccharide-peptide network that bears the cell’s turgor pressure and confers cell shape. In rod-shaped bacteria, the Rod complex inserts peptidoglycan polymers into the cell wall circumferentially, generating material anisotropy that promotes anisotropic growth. Wall teichoic acids, an abundant, non-load-bearing component of the Gram-positive cell wall, are also essential for rod-shape for unknown reasons. Here, we report a direct role for wall teichoic acids in anisotropic peptidoglycan synthesis. We show that wall teichoic acids provide a cohesive cell wall substrate that is required for Rod complex activity; conversely, removing wall teichoic acids yields a porous cell wall incapable of sustaining Rod complex activity. Consistent with this, cell elongation and Rod complex motion arrest in cells depleted for wall teichoic acids, but resume following hyperosmotic shocks that contract the cell wall. We further show that cells lacking wall teichoic acids rely instead on the bifunctional peptidoglycan synthesis enzyme PBP1, whose isotropic peptidoglycan synthesis is responsible for the subsequent growth and loss of shape. Taken together, these findings reveal that the microstructure of the Gram-positive cell wall is an essential regulatory factor in its own synthesis.

The bacterial cell wall is an essential macromolecule that encapsulates the cell and confers cell shape. Here, we reveal that an abundant yet understudied cell wall component in Gram-positive bacteria, wall teichoic acids, facilitates cell wall synthesis in the rod-shaped model organismBacillus subtilisby conferring a physically cohesive substrate for cell wall biosynthetic enzymes. This finding explains the decades-old mystery of why cells that lack wall teichoic acids lose cell shape and grow slowly, while also highlighting an underappreciated factor impacting cell wall homeostasis: the microstructure of the wall itself.
HLA-E and NKG2A Mediate Resistance toM. bovisBCG Immunotherapy in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Ranti D. , Yu H. , Wang Y.A. , Bieber C. , Strandgaard T. , Salomé B. , Houghton Sean , Kim J. , Ravichandran H. , Okulate I. , Merritt E. , Bang S. , Demetriou A. , Li Z. , Lindskrog S. V. , Ruan D.F. , Daza J. , Rai R. , Hegewisch-Solloa E. , Mace E.M. , Fernandez-Rodriguez R. , Izadmehr S. , Doherty G. , Narasimhan A. , Farkas A.M. , Cruz-Encarnacion P. , Shroff S. , Patel F. , Tran M. , Park S.J. , Qi J. , Patel M. , Geanon D. , Kelly G. , de Real R.M. , Lee B. , Nie K. , Miake-Iye S. , Angeliadis K. , Radkevich E. , Thin T.H. , Garcia-Barros M. , Brown H. , Martin B. , Mateo A. , Soto A. , Sussman R. , Shiwlani S. , Francisco-Simon S. , Beaumont K.G. , Hu Y. , Wang Y-C. , Wang L. , Sebra R.P. , Smith S. , Skobe M. , Clancy-Thompson E. , Palmer D. , Hammond S. , Hopkins B. D. , Wiklund P. , Zhu J. , Bravo-Cordero J.J. , Brody R. , Hopkins B. , Chen Z. , Kim-Schulze S. , Dyrskjøt L. , Elemento O. , Tocheva A. , Song W-M. , Bhardwaj N. , Galsky M.D. , Sfakianos J.P. , Horowitz A.
Published: September 2024

Mycobacterium bovisBacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the primary treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), known to stimulate inflammatory cytokines, notably interferon (IFN)-γ. We observed that prolonged IFN-γ exposure fosters adaptive resistance in recurrent tumors, aiding immune evasion and tumor proliferation. We identify HLA-E and NKG2A, part of a novel NK and T cell checkpoint pathway, as key mediators of resistance in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. IFN-γ enhances HLA-E and PD-L1 expression in recurrent tumors, with an enrichment of intra-tumoral NKG2A-expressing NK and CD8 T cells. CXCL9+macrophages and dendritic cells and CXCL12-expressing stromal cells likely recruit CXCR3/CXCR4-expressing NK and T cells and CXCR7+HLA-EHIGHtumor cells. NK and CD8 T cells remain functional within BCG-unresponsive tumors but are inhibited by HLA-E and PD-L1, providing a framework for combined NKG2A and PD-L1 blockade strategy for bladder-sparing treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.
The miR-290 and miR-302 clusters are essential for reprogramming of fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Ye Julia , Boileau Ryan M. , Parchem Ronald J. , Judson-Torres Robert L. , Blelloch Robert
Published: September 2024

The miR-290 and miR-302 clusters of microRNAs are highly expressed in naïve and primed pluripotent stem cells, respectively. Ectopic expression of the embryonic stem cell-specific cell cycle regulating (ESCC) family of microRNAs arising from these two clusters dramatically enhances the reprogramming of both mouse and human somatic cells to induced pluripotency. Here, we used genetic knockouts to dissect the requirement for the miR-290 and miR-302 clusters during the reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with retrovirally introduced Oct4, Sox2, and Klf4. Knockout of either cluster alone did not negatively impact the efficiency of reprogramming. Resulting cells appeared identical to their embryonic stem cell microRNA cluster knockout counterparts. In contrast, the combined loss of both clusters blocked the formation of iPSCs. While rare double knockout clones could be isolated, they showed a dramatically reduced proliferation rate, a persistent inability to fully silence the exogenously introduced pluripotency factors, and a transcriptome distinct from individual miR-290 or miR-302 mutant ESC and iPSCs. Taken together, our data show that miR-290 and miR-302 are essential yet interchangeable in reprogramming to the induced pluripotent state.

Impact Statement

The process by which somatic cell reprogramming yields induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is incompletely understood. MicroRNAs from the miR-290 and miR-302 clusters have been shown to greatly increase reprogramming efficiency, but their requirement in the process has not been studied. Here, we examine this requirement by genetically removing the miRNA clusters in somatic cells. We discover that somatic cells lacking either, but not both, of these miRNA clusters can form iPSC cells. This work thus provides new important insight into mechanisms underlying reprogramming to pluripotency.
Current clinical practice of prurigo nodularis in Japan: A cross‐sectional web‐survey among dermatologists
Authors: Murota Hiroyuki , Matsumoto Mai , Arima Kazuhiko , Yoshida Takuo , Fujita Hiroyuki
Published: September 2024

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with intense pruritic nodules. The unclear patho‐etiological mechanisms of PN cause difficulty in disease management; and there is a paucity of information on the current diagnosis and treatment options for PN in Japan. To describe the current management from a dermatologists' perspective we conducted a web‐based survey (UMIN Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000047643) in 2022 among dermatologists from a Japanese commercially available physician panel, who had seen at least one patient with PN within the last 3 months. The survey included 117 dermatologists. The dermatologists diagnosed PN mainly by confirming clinical signs and patient interviews, while to assess the severity of PN, the number of pruritic nodules and the degree of itching were primarily utilized. Topical corticosteroids and antihistamines were the most used drugs, as recommended in the current guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of prurigo. Dermatologists' treatment satisfaction decreased with increasing assumed severity of PN; almost 65% dermatologists were not satisfied with the treatment of severe PN. These results suggest the need of more effective medications and diagnostic tools for better management of PN in Japan.
Context‐dependent effects of below‐ground carbon transfer: Limited benefits from sunlit pines to shaded oaks
Authors: Livne‐Luzon Stav , Fox Hagar , Cahanovitc Rotem , Rapaport Alon , Klein Tamir
Published: September 2024

Despite gaining significant attention in recent years, it remains unclear whether mycorrhizal fungi distribute meaningful amounts of resources among trees in ways that increase the fitness of the receiving trees. To investigate this, we used pairs of shaded and unshaded Pinus halepensis or Quercus calliprinos saplings, growing in both inter‐ and intra‐specific combinations outdoors in forest soil. We examined the combined effects of indirect and direct below‐ground connections on tree performance and Non‐Structural Carbohydrate (NSC) pools.

Although we did not observe any growth benefits, shaded recipient oaks exhibited higher levels of root and branch NSC compared to their control counterparts, which were not connected below‐ground. This finding suggests a potential benefit of establishing below‐ground connections. However, no such benefits were observed among the unshaded pairs or in the other inter‐ and intra‐specific pairs of pines and oaks.

We monitored the carbon (C) flow from a 13CO2‐labelled donor pine tree to a below‐ground connected oak tree and demonstrated C transfer from pines to shaded oaks. We also identified the main fungal symbionts interacting with pines and oaks.

Our findings indicate that the effects of below‐ground C transfer are context‐dependent, manifesting in nuanced alterations in plant NSC that are not readily apparent through conventional growth metrics.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Envelope normalized reflection waveform inversion
Authors: Wang Yilin , Chi Benxin , Dong Liangguo
Published: September 2024

The reflection waveform inversion has the capability to reconstruct the background velocity model using only the reflection data by employing a migration/demigration process. Utilizing the waveform discrepancy to update the background velocity model, the conventional reflection waveform inversion method heavily relies on the true‐amplitude migration/demigration technique to reproduce the primary amplitude information from the observed reflections. We can reproduce the amplitude of observed reflections by performing least‐squares reverse time migration to estimate the reflectivity in each iteration. However, this strategy is quite time‐consuming. To avoid the need for the true‐amplitude migration/demigration or least‐squares reverse time migration, we develop an amplitude‐independent reflection waveform inversion method that uses an envelope‐normalized objective function. The envelope‐normalized waveform difference can extract the phase residuals accurately as a function of time. Compared with the global energy–normalized misfit, our proposed envelope‐normalized objective function is essentially a phase‐matched measurement. At the same time, due to the amplitude independence of our proposed objective function, the subsequent weak reflections contribute with a similar weight to the total value of the misfit as the strong early reflections do. This makes it possible to recover the deep subsurface velocity. Synthetic data of the Sigsbee model and marine streamer field data applications validate that our amplitude‐independent reflection waveform inversion method can further improve the resolution and accuracy by aligning the reflection events of synthetic and observed data phase to phase without the need to perform true‐amplitude migration/demigration or least‐squares reverse time migration as in conventional reflection waveform inversion.
Viviparity is associated with larger female size and higher sexual size dimorphism in a reproductively bimodal lizard
Authors: Roitberg Evgeny S. , Recknagel Hans , Elmer Kathryn R. , Braña Florentino , Rodríguez Díaz Tania , Žagar Anamarija , Kuranova Valentina N. , Epova Lidiya A. , Bauwens Dirk , Giovine Giovanni , Orlova Valentina F. , Bulakhova Nina A. , Eplanova Galina V. , Arribas Oscar J.
Published: September 2024

Squamate reptiles are central for studying phenotypic correlates of evolutionary transitions from oviparity to viviparity because these transitions are numerous, with many of them being recent. Several models of life‐history theory predict that viviparity is associated with increased female size, and thus more female‐biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Yet, the corresponding empirical evidence is overall weak and inconsistent. The lizard Zootoca vivipara, which occupies a major part of Northern Eurasia and includes four viviparous and two non‐sister oviparous lineages, represents an excellent model for testing these predictions.

We analysed how sex‐specific body size and SSD is associated with parity mode, using body length data for nearly 14,000 adult individuals from 97 geographically distinct populations, which cover almost the entire species' range and represent all six lineages. Our analyses controlled for lineage identity, climatic seasonality (the strongest predictor of geographic body size variation in previous studies of this species) and several aspects of data heterogeneity.

Parity mode, lineage and seasonality are significantly associated with female size and SSD; the first two predictors accounted for 14%–26% of the total variation each, while seasonality explained 5%–7%. Viviparous populations exhibited a larger female size than oviparous populations, with no concomitant differences in male size. The variation of male size was overall low and poorly explained by our predictors.

Albeit fully expected from theory, the strong female bias of the body size differences between oviparous and viviparous populations found in Z. vivipara is not evident from available data on three other lizard systems of closely related lineages differing in parity mode. We confront this pattern with the data on female reproductive traits in the considered systems and the frequencies of evolutionary changes of parity mode in the corresponding lizard families and speculate why the life‐history correlates of live‐bearing in Z. vivipara are distinct.

Comparing conspecific populations, our study provides the most direct evidence for the predicted effect of parity mode on adult body size but also demonstrates that the revealed pattern may not be general. This might explain why across squamates, viviparity is only weakly associated with larger size.
Sustainable development goals, sustainable finance, and financial inclusion: An awareness perspective of business graduates
Authors: Faheem Muhammad , Zahid Muhammad , Rahman Haseeb Ur , Jan Amin , Ali Syed Emad Azhar
Published: September 2024

The study aims to inquire about the level of understanding of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sustainable Finance (SF), and Financial Inclusion (FI) among business graduates. The data were collected through a self‐administered questionnaire from 342 business graduates from different universities in a developing country like Pakistan. The findings revealed that the respondents have a no‐to‐low understanding of SF, FI, and the role or importance of these in achieving the 17 SDGs. The findings suggest major revisions in the structure and contents of different business degrees in Pakistan. Overall, the study opens new avenues for research and provides important insights for all the key stakeholders, including universities, higher education institutions (HEIs), the Higher Education Commission (HEC), students, and parents. The study also has social and practical implications for various stakeholders in the HEIs.
Traumatic experiences, quality of life, and organizational commitment among midwives: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Segal Kinneret , Kagan Ilya
Published: September 2024

Background

The work of midwives is emotionally challenging. Midwives share moments of joy, when a baby is born, and attend complex events of loss and trauma. Exposure to childbirth complications, emergencies, and loss can affect their professional quality of life and functioning. This aspect of midwives' practice has not been sufficiently researched.

Aim

To examine the associations between exposures to traumatic events, post‐traumatic symptoms, and personal resilience with professional quality of life and organizational commitment among hospital midwives.

Methods

Participants in this cross‐sectional study conducted in 2020 included 131 midwives from three large hospitals in central Israel. Data were collected using a structured self‐administered questionnaire that examined socio‐demographic characteristics, exposure to traumatic events during childbirth, personal resilience, post‐traumatic symptoms, professional quality of life, and organizational commitment.

Results

The three most traumatic events for midwives were: neonatal death or feared death, maternal death or feared death, and stillbirth. The more frequent the exposure to traumatic events, the more numerous and intense the post‐traumatic symptoms. The more numerous and intense the post‐traumatic symptoms, the higher the level of professional burnout and compassion fatigue and the lower the compassion satisfaction. Higher compassion satisfaction and lower professional burnout were associated with higher organizational commitment. Personal resilience, country of birth, post‐traumatic symptoms, and organizational commitment predicted compassion satisfaction.

Conclusions

Midwives' exposure to traumatic events is associated with the onset of post‐traumatic symptoms, impaired professional quality of life, and reduced organizational commitment, and is accompanied by burnout and compassion fatigue. There is a need to address this issue in training programs and to develop organizational support and policies to improve midwives' well‐being and quality of care.
Three‐dimensional conservation planning of fish biodiversity metrics to achieve the deep‐sea 30×30 conservation target
Authors: Mathon Laetitia , Baletaud Florian , Lebourges‐Dhaussy Anne , Lecellier Gaël , Menkes Christophe , Bachelier Céline , Bonneville Claire , Dejean Tony , Dumas Mahé , Fiat Sylvie , Grelet Jacques , Habasque Jérémie , Manel Stéphanie , Mannocci Laura , Mouillot David , Peran Maëlis , Roudaut Gildas , Sidobre Christine , Varillon David , Vigliola Laurent
Published: September 2024

Accelerating rate of human impact and environmental change severely affects marine biodiversity and increases the urgency to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 30×30 plan for conserving 30% of sea areas by 2030. However, area‐based conservation targets are complex to identify in a 3‐dimensional (3D) ocean where deep‐sea features such as seamounts have been seldom studied mostly due to challenging methodologies to implement at great depths. Yet, the use of emerging technologies, such as environmental DNA combined with modern modeling frameworks, could help address the problem. We collected environmental DNA, echosounder acoustic, and video data at 15 seamounts and deep island slopes across the Coral Sea. We modeled 7 fish community metrics and the abundances of 45 individual species and molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) in benthic and pelagic waters (down to 600‐m deep) with boosted regression trees and generalized joint attribute models to describe biodiversity on seamounts and deep slopes and identify 3D protection solutions for achieving the CBD area target in New Caledonia (1.4 million km2). We prioritized the identified conservation units in a 3D space, based on various biodiversity targets, to meet the goal of protecting at least 30% of the spatial domain, with a focus on areas with high biodiversity. The relationship between biodiversity protection targets and the spatial area protected by the solution was linear. The scenario protecting 30% of each biodiversity metric preserved almost 30% of the considered spatial domain and accounted for the 3D distribution of biodiversity. Our study paves the way for the use of combined data collection methodologies to improve biodiversity estimates in 3D structured marine environments for the selection of conservation areas and for the use of biodiversity targets to achieve area‐based international targets.
Evaluating models of expert judgment to inform assessment of ecosystem viability and collapse
Authors: Dorrough Josh , Travers Samantha K. , Val James , Scott Mitchell L. , Moutou Claudine J. , Oliver Ian
Published: September 2024

Expert judgment underpins assessment of threatened ecosystems. However, experts are often narrowly defined, and variability in their judgments may be substantial. Models built from structured elicitation with large diverse expert panels can contribute to more consistent and transparent decision‐making. We conducted a structured elicitation under a broad definition of expertise to examine variation in judgments of ecosystem viability and collapse in a critically endangered ecosystem. We explored whether variation in judgments among 83 experts was related to affiliation and management expertise and assessed performance of an average model based on common ecosystem indicators. There were systematic differences among individuals, much of which were not explained by affiliation or expertise. However, of the individuals affiliated with government, those in conservation and environmental departments were more likely to determine a patch was viable than those in agriculture and rural land management. Classification errors from an average model, in which all individuals were weighted equally, were highest among government agriculture experts (27%) and lowest among government conservation experts (12%). Differences were mostly cases in which the average model predicted a patch was viable but the individual thought it was not. These differences arose primarily for areas that were grazed or cleared of mature trees. These areas are often the target of restoration, but they are also valuable for agriculture. These results highlight the potential for conflicting advice and disagreement about policies and actions for conserving and restoring threatened ecosystems. Although adoption of an average model can improve consistency of ecosystem assessment, it can fail to capture and convey diverse opinions held by experts. Structured elicitation and models of ecosystem viability play an important role in providing data‐driven evidence of where differences arise among experts to support engagement and discussion among stakeholders and decision makers and to improve the management of threatened ecosystems.
Understanding Residents' and Supervisors' Views on Developing Support–Autonomy Balance Through Supervision Methods in Postgraduate Dental Training: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Amir‐Rad Fatemeh , Gordon Lisi
Published: September 2024

Background

Supervisors continuously need to decide when to provide clinical opportunities for unsupervised patient care to facilitate residents' development in the complex clinical learning context. The aim of this study is to explore residents' and supervisors' views and understanding of the influence of clinical supervision on affording a balanced support–autonomy from the cognitive apprenticeship (CA) theoretical lens.

Methods

Residents and supervisors, representing all disciplines, participated in five focus groups and four semi‐structured individual interviews. Purposive and convenience sampling methods were used for recruiting participants. The reflexive thematic analysis approach was used for inductive data analysis.

Results

A total of 15 residents and 8 supervisors participated in this study. All agreed that CA teaching methods can be applied across all levels. Participants experienced changes in their supervision methods and supervisor–resident interactions at different levels of training. They related the selection of supervision to task‐, resident‐ and supervisor‐related factors. Learning facilitating factors in clinical learning environment were identified and suggestions to enrich residents' learning experiences were also reported.

Conclusion

The current study found that a one‐size‐fits‐all paradigm may not be effective for clinical supervision. It contributes to our understanding of how the CA model may be used to guide supervisor behaviour and how such practices can be modified to residents' level of development and competencies.
Agile work and gender gap in Italy. An empirical sociological study on downsides and future scenarios
Authors: Colella Francesca , Falci Laura
Published: September 2024

The article discusses an empirical study on agile work (remote working) in Italy, with a sociological perspective. As is well known, the COVID‐19 pandemic shock has led to a significant increase in the attention paid to this issue, as long as it has “forced” millions of people to experience this kind of work. This great social experimentation has also triggered a reconsideration of important concepts of everyday life such as those of time and space, among many others. Starting from this preliminary assumption, a national empirical study on agile work was conducted at the Department of Human Sciences at the Italian University of L’Aquila resorting to a qualitative approach. The research was achieved by conducting 64 in‐depth interviews with women across the country, highlighting and exploring the multiple critical elements and strengths of the agile work experience from March 2020 lockdown to September 2021. It is clear from the research that emergency strategies on the topic of agile working are not adequate: a paradigm shift is needed.
Conformity‐Based Out‐Group Aggression: Does an In‐Group Audience Intensify Out‐Group Aggression as a Result of Conformity?
Authors: Otsubo Kai , Nawata Kengo , Yamaguchi Hiroyuki
Published: September 2024

Research has repeatedly shown that people tend to conform to local norms. In intergroup conflicts, where most group members engage in some type of aggressive behavior towards out‐group members (out‐group aggression), individuals are predicted to conform to other in‐group members engaging in out‐group aggression. In this study, we defined out‐group aggression that was a result of conformity to in‐group members as “conformity‐based out‐group aggression” and examined its emergence and the possibility that being observed by in‐group members (in‐group audience) strengthens such out‐group aggression in an experimental setting. We conducted an online experiment with 108 Japanese undergraduates. The results showed that when their in‐group members engaged in out‐group aggression, participants perceived a stronger pro‐aggression norm and exhibited more intense out‐group aggression. This effect was slightly more pronounced among those with a greater disposition to avoid rejection. However, the effect of the in‐group audience was non‐significant. Our findings highlight the difficulty of intergroup conflict resolution.
Endocannabinoid signaling in stress, nausea, and vomiting
Authors: DeVuono Marieka V. , Venkatesan Thangam , Hillard Cecilia J.
Published: September 2024

Background

Classical antiemetics that target the serotonin system may not be effective in treating certain nausea and vomiting conditions like cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). As a result, there is a need for better therapies to manage the symptoms of these disorders, including nausea, vomiting, and anxiety. Cannabis is often used for its purported antiemetic and anxiolytic effects, given regulation of these processes by the endocannabinoid system (ECS). However, there is considerable evidence that cannabinoids can also produce nausea and vomiting and increase anxiety in certain instances, especially at higher doses. This paradoxical effect of cannabinoids on nausea, vomiting, and anxiety may be due to the dysregulation of the ECS, altering how it maintains these processes and contributing to the pathophysiology of CVS or CHS.

Purpose

The purpose of this review is to highlight the involvement of the ECS in the regulation of stress, nausea, and vomiting. We discuss how prolonged cannabis use, such as in the case of CHS or heightened stress, can dysregulate the ECS and affect its modulation of these functions. The review also examines the evidence for the roles of ECS and stress systems' dysfunction in CVS and CHS to better understand the underlying mechanisms of these conditions.
La voz de Dios en las urbes. Una lectura analítica desde la Biblia y la teología
Authors: Cardona Ramírez Hernán , Hernández-Díaz Heyner , Mayor-Tamayo Jhon Fredy
Published: September 2024

Esta investigación se desarrolla desde tres miradas en torno a la presencia de Dios en las ciudades y los campos. Primero, desde la revelación bíblica, se destacan escenarios urbanos y campesinos, con sus implicaciones socio-culturales y religiosas, en la antigüedad, así como en los ambientes grecolatinos donde los primeros cristianos difundiendo el evangelio de Cristo Jesús. Luego, se analiza el proceso de adaptación de los creyentes a las condiciones políticas, económicas y sociales en medio de la persecución romana, y la generación de nuevas formas de comunicación y la celebración de su fe, hasta lograr una identidad cristiana en las ciudades, así como también la confrontación como practicas urbanas contrarias a los valores del Evangelio. Finalmente, se propone una tecnología de la ciudad capaz de descubrir, en el escenario urbano y fuera de él, la revelación divina hoy, lo cual implica reconocer en las voces de tantas personas que sufren la marginación, el desplazamiento, el hambre y la violencia, la Voz de Dios, quien desde la mega ciudades llama a todos sus habitantes a una vida de comunicación y de humanización.