bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meta‐analysis of induced anti‐herbivore defence traits in plants from 647 manipulative experiments with natural and simulated herbivory
Authors: Ojha Megha , Naidu Dilip G. T. , Bagchi Sumanta
Published: January 2022

Induced anti‐herbivore defences in plants can shape ecosystem structure and functions. Since these are known to be highly variable, quantifying their sources of variation remains important to understand their eco‐evolutionary roles.

We conducted meta‐analysis of 647 experiments (paired control and treatment) from 192 studies to address sources of variation in induced anti‐herbivore defensive traits. This covered different agents of herbivory (insect, mammal and clipping), studies in greenhouse and in field settings, and covered 24 types of defence traits in 163 species from 50 families across 24 angiosperm orders. We used meta‐regression models—multi‐level random‐effects (MLREs) and robust variance estimators (RVEs)—to quantify variation due to study setting, herbivore type, chemical identity, angiosperm order, volatility, fertilization, and publication year as moderator variables.

There were strong indications for publication bias in favour of large effect sizes, and studies with adequate sample size and precision were rare. Strength of induction was distributed uniformly over the phylogeny of 24 angiosperm orders. Stronger effects were reported from greenhouses than in field conditions, and induction was uninfluenced by herbivore type. Volatiles showed stronger response than non‐volatiles in greenhouses for insects. Biosynthetic precursors (e.g. jasmonates) and many defensive chemicals were induced in the greenhouse, but when measured in field conditions, they were unresponsive to herbivory and appear to be constitutive. Similar to constitutive response, induced responses were also unaffected by fertilization. Direction and magnitude of induction differ greatly from previous assessments as these have also changed over time, representing natural epistemological growth. A third of the variability was explained by moderators (marginal R2: chemical identity, angiosperm order, study setting, herbivore type and publication year); another third (conditional R2) was attributed to the identity of individual studies and observations.

Synthesis. Manipulative experiments reveal many intrinsic differences among defensive chemicals and traits. They suggest plants in greenhouses may respond very differently to herbivores from those in field conditions. Although biosynthetic pathways of chemical responses, their modes of action and their effects on herbivores are well‐understood, studies with greater statistical power under ecologically relevant settings are needed to discern induced and constitutive defences in how plants respond to their natural enemies
Efficient pollination and high reproductive success in two Brazilian Spiranthinae orchids: Insights on the evolutionary history of pollination within the Pelexia clade
Authors: Buzatto Cristiano Roberto , Nervo Michelle Helena , Sanguinetti Agustin , Van Den Berg Cássio , Singer Rodrigo B.
Published: January 2022

The pollination process and breeding system of Pachygenium bonariense and Pachygenium pteryganthum were documented for native populations from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The flowers secrete nectar (on average with 65% to 67% of the concentration of total sugars), which is concealed into an incurved spur. Both species are pollinated by native, large Apidae bees, and the pollinaria adhere under the ventral surface of their labrum while bees try to reach the nectar. P. bonariense is pollinated by native bumblebees Bombus (Fervidobombus) morio and P. pteryganthum by females of oil‐gathering Centris (Melacentris) sp. Both orchid species are self‐compatible but pollinator‐dependent (i.e., unable to set fruit and seed in the absence of pollinators). They also displayed high natural reproductive success (from 22% to 90%) and Nilsson's male efficiency factors ranging from 2.2 to 3.6, suggesting that, during our observations, more than one flower was pollinated for each flower acting as the pollen donor. To enrich the discussion, additional unpublished data on the pollination and breeding system of other orchid species of the Pelexia clade (the Spiranthinae group containing the studied species) are also presented and briefly illustrated. A phylogenetic framework of the clade is used to ascertain well‐supported evolutionary scenarios for pollination‐related floral traits (viscidium, protandry and a group of pollinators). The characteristic “dorsally adhesive” viscidium can be considered a synapomorphy for the subclade formed by the genera Cyclopogon, Veyretia, Sarcoglottis, Pachygenium, Pelexia and Brachystele, with a reversal to the plesiomorphic condition (ventrally adhesive) at the latter genus. Pollination by bees is likely the rule within the subclade and may be regarded as plesiomorphic for the whole Spiranthinae subtribe.
Long‐term income trajectories and the evolution of political attitudes
Authors: HELGASON AGNAR FREYR , REHM PHILIPP
Published: January 2022

Income and political attitudes are powerfully correlated in cross‐sectional data, yet research based on panel data finds at most a weak correlation. In this paper, we examine this puzzling pattern by exploring the long‐term evolution of attitudes over the life cycle. We evaluate the predictions of five different explanations on the relationship between attitudes and income experiences. These explanations focus on, respectively: socialization, anticipation, myopic self‐interest, learning and status maximization. We employ accelerated longitudinal design models using data on core political values that span up to sixteen years from the British Household Panel Survey. Our findings reconcile the mixed evidence in the literature: the correlation between income and political attitudes, strong in cross‐sectional studies but weak in short panel studies, emerges because attitudes crystallize – slowly but systematically – as income evolves over the life cycle. This pattern is most consistent with the learning explanation.
Observing Enforcement: Evidence from Banking
Authors: KLEYMENOVA ANYA , TOMY RIMMY E.
Published: January 2022

This paper finds that the disclosure of supervisory actions by bank regulators is associated with changes in their enforcement behavior. Using a novel sample of enforcement decisions and orders (EDOs) and a change in the disclosure regime, we find that regulators issue more EDOs, intervene sooner, and rely more on publicly observable signals following the regime change. EDO documents become longer, more complex, and contain more boilerplate language. Our results also indicate that intervention happens sooner and more frequently in counties with higher news circulation, which suggests that regulators take into account the public perception of their actions. We evaluate potentially confounding factors, including the savings and loan (S&L) crisis and competition from thrifts, and find robust results. We also study bank outcomes and document that uninsured deposits decline at EDO banks in the disclosure regime, especially for those covered in the news. Finally, we observe that bank failure accelerates despite improvements in capital ratios and asset quality. Overall, our research provides new insights on the disclosure of regulatory actions.
APLAR recommendations on the practice of telemedicine in rheumatology
Authors: Ahmed Sakir , Grainger Rebecca , Santosa Anindita , Adnan Asal , Alnaqbi Khalid A. , Chen Yi‐Hsing , Kavadichanda Chengappa , Kaw Nang San Kyauk , Kelly Amy , Khan Saira Elaine Anwer , Masri Basel , Nakarmi Shweta , Parlindungan Faisal , Rahman Nazibur , So Ho , Soroush Mohsen Ghasemzadeh , Thilakarathne Amal Sithira , Traboco Lisa
Published: January 2022

Introduction

The COVID‐19 pandemic led to rapid and widespread adoption of telemedicine in rheumatology care. The Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR) working group was tasked with developing evidence‐based recommendations for rheumatology practice to guide maintenance of the highest possible standards of clinical care and to enable broad patient reach.

Materials and methods

A systematic review of English‐language articles related to telehealth in rheumatology was conducted on MEDLINE/PubMed, Web Of Science and Scopus. The strength of the evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach as well as the Oxford Levels of Evidence. The recommendations were developed using a modified Delphi technique to establish consensus.

Results

Three overarching principles and 13 recommendations were developed based on identified literature and consensus agreement. The overarching principles address telemedicine frameworks, decision‐making, and modality. Recommendations 1‐4 address patient suitability, triage, and when telemedicine should be offered to patients. Recommendations 5‐10 cover the procedure, including the means, data safety, fail‐safe mechanisms, and treat‐to‐target approach. Recommendations 11‐13 focus on training and education related to telerheumatology.

Conclusion

These recommendations provide guidance for the approach and use of telemedicine in rheumatology care to guide highest possible standards of clinical care and to enable equitable patient reach. However, since evidence in telemedicine care in rheumatology is limited and emerging, most recommendations will need further consideration when more data are available.
Differences of clinicopathological features between IgG4‐related and non‐IgG4‐related idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis
Authors: Li Juan , Wang Huanan , Wang Min , Xu Fenghuang , Guo Feng , Ye Feng
Published: January 2022

Objective

To evaluate the clinical and pathological features of IgG4‐related and non‐IgG4‐related idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) according to the latest classification criteria for IgG4‐related disease in 2019.

Methods

Patients with IRF confirmed by histological examination from our hospital between 2000 and 2020 were selected in this study. Medical records of all patients were reviewed by independent researchers. Retroperitoneal specimens were obtained for hematoxylin & eosin staining, elastic‐collagenous fiber staining, and immunohistochemical analysis. The clinical and pathological features between IgG4‐related and non‐IgG4‐related IRF were analyzed.

Results

A total of 105 patients were included with 77 in the IgG4‐related group and 28 in non‐IgG4‐related group. The ratio of male to female patients and the incidence of acute renal failure were significantly higher in the IgG4‐related group than in the non‐IgG4‐related group. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C‐reactive protein were more common and the recurrence rate was significantly higher in the IgG4‐related group than in the non‐IgG4‐related group. Radiographically, the ureter was more easily involved by retroperitoneal soft tissue in the IgG4‐related group. Histologically, there were no significant differences in the incidence of dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis between the two groups except for the IgG4 staining.

Conclusions

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis can be classified into IgG4‐related and non‐IgG4‐related subtypes. There were no significant pathological differences between the two subtypes of IRF, except for the IgG4 staining. Patients with the IgG4 subtype tended to be more likely to be male, have a higher inflammatory index, and be more likely to have recurrence.
Understanding International Organizations’ Headquarters as Ecosystems: The Case of Geneva
Authors: Dairon Emilie , Badache Fanny
Published: January 2022

The objective of this article is to explore the spatial and temporal dynamics of an important but often neglected space of global governance: the cities in which the headquarters of international organizations (IOs) are located. For this purpose, this article proposes a conceptualization and an empirical application of the concept of ‘ecosystem’. This conceptualization builds on classic sociological ideas and organization theory to develop an innovative understanding of these cities which are more than mere hubs. We use this metaphor to describe an HQ city where one or several IOs have their seats. As a result, it is a space characterized by specific geographical and temporal features that can be qualified as spatial and temporal proximity between the elements composing the ecosystem. Based on original empirical sources, we apply this concept to the so‐called International Geneva. We argue that conceptualizing headquarters as ecosystems helps to consider how HQs’ location influences the daily work of IOs.
Information Communication Technologies, Globalisation and Growth: Evidence from the ASEAN Economies*
Authors: Haini Hazwan , Wei Loon Pang
Published: January 2022

This study examines the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) and globalisation on economic growth in the (Association of South‐East Asian) ASEAN economies from 1999 to 2019 using dynamic panel estimators. Previous literature has shown that ICT and globalisation can impact growth through the role of knowledge dissemination and information. Subsequently, this study examines the moderating impact of globalisation on the relationship between ICT and economic growth. Our results show that both ICT and globalisation are positive to growth. Interestingly, the marginal impact of ICT and globalisation suggests that the marginal impact of ICT is insignificant at low levels of globalisation. Policy implications are discussed.
How Terrorism Does (and Does Not) Affect Citizens’ Political Attitudes: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Godefroidt Amélie
Published: January 2022

How does terrorism affect citizens’ political attitudes? Over the years, many scholars have tried to answer this question. This article performs a meta‐analysis on this literature, reviewing about 325 studies conducted between 1985 and 2020 on more than 400,000 respondents. The findings confirm that terrorism is associated—to a small but significant extent—with outgroup hostility, political conservatism and rally‐‘round‐the‐flag effects. At the same time, the effects of terrorism vary widely, with studies on Islamist violence, conducted in the United States or Israel, and using cross‐sectional data yielding stronger results on average. Finally, the review reveals remaining gaps in this field of study, including a lack of research on non‐Islamist violence or conducted in non‐Western contexts. Taken together, this meta‐analysis consolidates existing evidence, determines which results hold across contexts, and identifies key gaps in our current knowledge. Its data can also be accessed interactively via a Shiny App.
Is CD25 blockade optimal in kidney transplant patients treated with basiliximab? A target‐mediated drug disposition model
Authors: Le Tilly Olivier , Gatault Philippe , Baron Christophe , Bejan‐Angoulvant Theodora , Büchler Matthias , Paintaud Gilles , Ternant David
Published: January 2022

Aims

Basiliximab, an anti‐CD25 chimeric monoclonal antibody, is approved in prevention of acute kidney transplant rejection. This study aims at investigating target‐mediated pharmacokinetics of basiliximab.

Methods

Data from the IDEALE study, where 16 kidney transplant patients were treated with 2 40‐ or 80‐mg basiliximab injections, were reanalysed. Basiliximab pharmacokinetics was described using a population 2‐compartment target‐mediated drug disposition model with the quasi‐steady‐state approximation.

Results

Volume of distribution was significantly higher in males (P = .029). Estimated baseline target antigen (CD25) level was lower is patients cotreated with cyclosporine (P = .026).

Conclusion

This analysis allows the first description of the target‐mediated nonlinear elimination of basiliximab. Our results suggest that cyclosporine cotreatment is associated with decreased target level and that an optimized dosing regimen may improve basiliximab effects.
Long‐term renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease following radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder
Authors: Ahmadi Hamed , Reddy Sharath , Nguyen Charles , Douglawi Antoin , Ladi‐Seyedian Sanam , Roberts Sidney , Ghoreifi Alireza , Ghodoussipour Saum , Bhanvadia Sumeet K. , Djaladat Hooman , Schuckman Anne , Daneshmand Siamak
Published: January 2022

Objective

To evaluate long‐term renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage IIIa who underwent radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder (RC/ONB) compared to matched controls.

Patients and Methods

Using our Institutional Review Board‐approved institutional database, patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 45–59.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 who underwent RC/ONB were identified. A control group of patients with a GFR of ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was selected. Groups were matched based on age, baseline hypertension/diabetes mellitus, perioperative chemotherapy, and preoperative hydronephrosis. A decrease in GFR of >10 mL/min/1.73 m2 during the follow‐up was considered significant. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of GFR decline in each group.

Results

Of 1237 patients who underwent RC/ONB, 508 patients were included (254 per group). The mean preoperative GFR was 53.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the study group and 78.8 mL/min/1.73 m2 in controls. The median follow‐up was 3.7 years. During follow‐up, GFR stayed at or above baseline in 51% of the study patients compared to 46% of the controls (P = 0.5). The mean time to a significant GFR decline in the study patients was significantly longer compared to the controls (5.6 vs 2 years, respectively; P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was found to be the strongest predictor of a significant GFR decline as well as GFR decline below baseline (hazard ratio [HR] 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–3.29, P = 0.004; and HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.4–3.29, P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Patients with CKD Stage IIIa who undergo ONB appear to have comparable long‐term renal function to those with a GFR of ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2. An ONB reconstruction is a safe option for patients with CKD Stage IIIa desiring a continent diversion.
Contemporary diagnosis and management of pelvi‐ureteric junction obstruction
Authors: Rai Arun , Hsieh Alan , Smith Arthur
Published: January 2022

Pelvi‐ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO) is defined as a functionally significant impairment of the flow of urine from the kidney’s renal pelvis into the proximal ureter. Symptomatically, the patient may experience flank pain, recurrent infections, stone formation, and impairment of renal function. Although many cases of intrinsic PUJO are diagnosed at birth, a minority of patients may present in adulthood with previously silent disease or develop secondary PUJO to other causes. PUJO is therefore broadly categorised into both primary and secondary PUJO. A wide array of diagnostic scans and tests are available to aid in diagnosing and monitoring patients with PUJO. In patients with compromised renal function or symptomatic PUJO that require intervention, minimally invasive techniques are the ‘gold standard’ for surgical intervention. This review will detail the endoscopic, laparoscopic, and robotic options available to the urologist practicing in 2021, including the use of autografts and other emerging technologies.
What are the benefits and harms of surgical management options for adult‐acquired buried penis? A systematic review
Authors: Falcone Marco , Sokolakis Ioannis , Capogrosso Paolo , Yuan Yuhong , Salonia Andrea , Minhas Suks , Dimitropoulos Konstantinos , Russo Giorgio Ivan ,   the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines working on Male Sexual and Reproductive Health and EAU‐Young Academic Urologists (EAU‐YAU) Sexual and Reproductive Health Working Group
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To systematically review the literature to determine the benefits and harms of the surgical techniques used for the correction of adult‐acquired buried penis (AABP).

Materials and methods

The systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42021267440) and conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The Pariser system was used to classify surgical procedures.

Results

In total, 170 studies were identified and screened, and 21 studies (570 patients) were included. In general, high‐complexity reconstructive procedures (category > III) were performed, with split‐thickness skin grafts for shaft reconstruction. The pooled mean operating time was 192.2 min and the mean estimated blood loss range was 57–326 mL. No intra‐operative complications were recorded. The incidence of postoperative complications varied across studies (0–80.8%), with >Grade 4 complications reported in 3.1–3.7% of cases. Wound infection and genital lymphoedema were reported in 4.7–33% and 7.1–60% of cases, respectively. The incidence of graft contracture and partial/total loss was 2.4–14.3% and 1.5–21%, respectively. The incidence of recurrence was not systematically reported and ranged from 5.2% to 13%. Postoperative evaluation of functional outcomes demonstrated significant improvements in sexual function, urinary function and cosmesis. Assessment of risk of bias demonstrated a high risk of bias across all studies.

Conclusions

Surgical management of AABP has a high incidence of complications but results in satisfactory outcomes, with significant improvement in patients' quality of life. The high incidence of graft‐related complications should be taken into account when counselling patients and AABP care should be centralized to high‐volume centres.
Adolescents with congenital limb reduction deficiency: Perceptions of treatment during childhood and its meaning for their current and future situation
Authors: Sjöberg Lis , Hermansson Liselotte , Lindner Helen , Fredriksson Carin
Published: January 2022

Background

Children with congenital limb reduction deficiency live with the decisions made by their parents and healthcare professionals about treatments to be carried out during the first years of life. To understand better the meaning of treatment during childhood, it is necessary to listen to adolescents who have had this experience. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of adolescents with congenital limb reduction deficiency concerning the treatment they received during childhood and what it meant to them currently and in the future.

Methods

A descriptive design with a qualitative approach was used. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 10 adolescents (six girls and four boys) with upper and/or lower limb reduction deficiency, median age 17.5 years (range 16–19). The interview data were analysed using a phenomenographic approach.

Results

The treatment received during childhood had contributed to shaping the adolescents, as shown in the emerging description categories Creating opportunities, Choosing one's own path and Belonging in a context. Their current situation fell into three categories: A continuous journey, indicating that they still used the skills learned during childhood; Leaving the door open, indicating that they were not currently using the skills learned during childhood, but felt that there could be opportunities ahead; and Closing a chapter, indicating that they had stopped using their prosthesis or assistive devices and no longer needed those skills. Further, the adolescents' thoughts about the future are portrayed in the categories Uncertainty about the future and Confidence about the future.

Conclusions

An understanding of the meaning of treatment received during childhood may help improve the delivery of treatment and continued support to meet the needs of children with congenital limb reduction deficiency in the short and long term.
Parents' school‐related concerns and perceived strengths in youth with spina bifida
Authors: Winning Adrien M. , Ridosh Monique , Wartman Elicia , Kritikos Tessa , Friedman Catherine , Starnes Meredith , Crowe Autumn N. , Holmbeck Grayson N.
Published: January 2022

Background

Although the academic difficulties of children with spina bifida (SB) are well‐documented, there is limited literature on parents' views of their children's school experiences and school‐related supportive services. Thus, the current study examined parents' school‐related concerns, as well as perceived areas of strength, among children with SB.

Methods

Using a mixed‐methods approach, 30 families (29 mothers and 19 fathers) of children with SB (ages 8–15 years) completed questionnaires and interviews. Content analysis was used to generate themes from interview data about parents' school‐related concerns and perceptions of their child's strengths.

Results

Overall, six themes emerged when assessing both parents' concerns and perceived strengths. Some parents did not endorse school concerns or strengths for their child. However, other parents described concerns related to academic performance, cognitive abilities, lack of school support, missed school and/or class time and disengagement, as well as strengths such as academic skills, cognitive abilities, persistence, self‐advocacy and agreeableness. Despite parents' concerns about their children's academic performance, quantitative data revealed that less than 50% of children had received a neuropsychological evaluation and/or academic accommodations; additional quantitative data supported the qualitative findings.

Conclusions

The mixed‐methods approach used in this study provides a richer understanding of parents' experiences in the school setting when they have a child with SB. Results can inform clinical practice, identifying a need to improve academic support for children with SB and help parents manage education‐related stressors.
Risk factors and the psychological impacts of the COVID‐19 outbreak: perspectives and experiences of Iranian healthcare workers on the frontline
Authors: Shamsalinia Abbas , Mahmoudian Amaneh , Bahrami Sobhan , Ghaffari Fatemeh
Published: January 2022

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) looking after COVID‐19 patients are at high risk of developing mental health problems. Both preventive and interventional initiatives are essential, therefore, to maintain and improve the mental health of HCWs and ultimately to enhance the quality of care that they provide. This qualitative content analysis study, conducted in Iran between September 2020 and February 2021, involved the gathering of data on the issue through face‐to‐face interviews with 22 HCWs working directly with COVID‐19 patients. Data analysis led to the generation of 163 codes, 45 categories (16 risk factors and 29 consequences), and 9 themes. Overall, the results suggest that caring for a patient with COVID‐19 is associated with positive and negative psychological impacts. Measures such as increasing sensitivity to crisis situations, self‐adjustment skills training, and identifying signs of job burnout owing to moral conflicts can reduce or eliminate the risk of negative psychological consequences among HCWs.
Megafrugivores as fading shadows of the past: extant frugivores and the abiotic environment as the most important determinants of the distribution of palms in Madagascar
Authors: Méndez Laura , Viana Duarte S. , Alzate Adriana , Kissling W. Daniel , Eiserhardt Wolf L. , Rozzi Roberto , Rakotoarinivo Mijoro , Onstein Renske E.
Published: January 2022

The extinction of all Madagascar's megafrugivores ca 1000 years ago, may have left its signature on the current distribution of vertebrate‐dispersed plants across the island, due to the loss of effective seed dispersal. In this study, we dissect the roles of extinct and extant frugivore distributions, abiotic variables, human impact and spatial predictors on the compositional turnover, or beta‐diversity, of palm (Arecaceae) species and their dispersal‐related traits across 40 assemblages in Madagascar. Variation partitioning showed that palm beta‐diversity is mostly shaped by the distribution of extant frugivores (eight lemur, three bird, two rodent and one bat species) and the abiotic environment (e.g. forest cover, slope and temperature), and to a lesser extent by the distribution of extinct megafrugivores (several giant lemur and elephant bird species). However, the contribution of these variables differed between dry western assemblages and wet eastern assemblages, with a more prominent role, albeit still small, of extinct megafrugivores in the west. These results suggest that palm distributions in the dry west of Madagascar, where megafrugivores were probably most abundant in the past, still show signatures of past interactions. With a fourth‐corner analysis we observed that the distribution of palm species with relatively large fruits and seeds was negatively associated with frugivore richness of both past and present communities and home range sizes of extant mammalian frugivores. This suggests that palm species with relatively large fruits tend to occur in places with fewer, small‐ranged mammalian frugivores, which may indicate dysfunctional seed dispersal. Nevertheless, our results also indicate that several wide‐ranging bird species with high dispersal ability (large hand‐wing index) that also occasionally feed on fruits may compensate for this potential dispersal loss. Our study sheds new light on dispersal anachronisms in Madagascar, and how defaunation and past species interactions may underlie current plant distributions.
Predicting evaporation from moist, cracked soil, based on near‐surface wind speed, crack width and crack distance
Authors: Poulsen Tjalfe G.
Published: January 2022

Evaporation from both cracked and uncracked soil surfaces under moist conditions was measured as a function of near‐surface wind speed, with wind speeds ranging between 0 and 5 ms−1. Crack aperture width and distance between neighbouring cracks ranged from 2 to 20 mm and 40 to 120 mm, respectively, while crack depth was kept constant at 50 mm. Experiments were carried out in a wind tunnel with a 1 m × 1 m × 2.5 m test section, using large‐scale (50 cm diameter, 15 cm depth) soil samples. Sixty‐six combination of crack properties and wind speed were considered. Resulting evaporation data were used to assess the shape of the relationships between evaporation rate, wind speed conditions and crack properties. A semiempirical model for estimating evaporation from cracked soil, as a function of wind speed, crack width and crack distance, given evaporation as a function of wind speed from uncracked soil, was developed. Results showed that evaporation from cracked soil under moist conditions increased by 60%–65% compared to uncracked soil, for the wind speed and crack properties given above. Evaporation from crack apertures was up to eight times higher than from an uncracked surface under the same wind conditions. Results further indicated that for constant wind speed and crack distance, there exists a crack width at which evaporation from the soil is at maximum. The semiempirical model based on exponential and power function relationships, was able to very closely match the experimental data and is further expected to be able to approximate evaporation under natural conditions.

Highlights

Near‐surface wind speed is strongly affected by presence of cracks

Cracking in moist soils can increase evaporation up to 65% over uncracked soil

There exists an intermediate crack width at which evaporation is at a maximum

Evaporation may be estimated based on wind speed and crack properties
Lessons from the Field. Classroom gender composition in the context of youth relationship education
Authors: Chan Alexander E. , Harcourt‐Medina Kate Taylor , Adler‐Baeder Francesca
Published: January 2022

Objective

The main aim of the study was to assess whether and how the gender composition of classrooms affect learning outcomes as reported by youth participants in youth relationship education (YRE) classes.

Background

Although gender has been explored as a moderator of relationship education outcomes, the influences of the gender composition of the YRE setting on outcomes has not been tested. Youth in sex education settings frequently cite embarrassment and anxiety about discussing sensitive topics among other genders. Despite reporting anxiety, youth in several studies report benefits of participating in sex education in mixed‐gender settings. Although sex education differs in purpose from YRE, similar dynamics may influence the learning outcomes of YRE. Thus, it is important for YRE researchers to replicate the study of gender composition that has been carried out in other educational settings.

Methods

Repeated‐measure analyses of variance were conducted on data from a community‐based sample of 4,597 YRE participants to test for interaction effects of time by classroom gender balance ratio on each of the outcome variables.

Results

Results suggest that for the majority of learning outcomes, young women benefit from YRE regardless of the gender composition of the classroom. Young men, however, appear to report greater changes in skills at posttest when they are in balanced or predominantly young women (>55% identifying as female) classrooms, with one exception for young men 15 years of age and younger.

Implications

These results, taken in concert with results from other studies of gender composition, suggest that young men benefit from the enhanced opportunity for dialogue with young women in the YRE educational setting.
Foreign object damage characteristics and their effects on high cycle fatigue property of Ni‐based superalloy GH4169
Authors: Jia Xu , Zhang Zi‐Wen , Ling Chen , Lu Xu‐ping , Jiang Rong , Song Ying‐Dong
Published: January 2022

In this study, high‐speed ballistic impact tests were conducted on GH4169 alloy samples with the aeroengine compressor blade leading‐edge feature to simulate the notch‐type foreign object damages (FOD). Macroscopic and microscopic characterization of FOD and high cycle fatigue tests were performed to investigate the effect of FOD depth on GH4169 alloy fatigue strength along with numerical analysis using the Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram. Results show that the incident side of notch‐type FODs is relatively smooth, whereas the exit side is rugged. The FOD depth ranges from 0.18 to 1.33 mm, and the fatigue strength of damaged samples is 37.93% – 97.04% of the undamaged samples. As the FOD depth increases, damage length, material losses, and the stress concentration coefficient of the FOD increase significantly and accompanied by the increasing of adiabatic shear bands, micro voids, and cracks, resulting in fatigue strength reduction. Numerical analysis indicates that the Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram can provide a basic model for the design of FOD tolerance.
Visual search: Heritability and association with general intelligence
Authors: Quinn Patrick D. , López Pérez David , Kennedy Daniel P. , Bölte Sven , D'Onofrio Brian , Lichtenstein Paul , Falck‐Ytter Terje
Published: January 2022

Visual search guides goal‐directed action in humans and many other species, and it has been studied extensively in the past. Yet, no study has investigated the relative contributions of genes and environments to individual differences in visual search performance, or to which extent etiologies are shared with broader cognitive phenotypes. To address this gap, we studied visual search and general intelligence in 156 monozygotic (MZ) and 158 same‐sex dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. We found that different indexes of visual search performance (response latency and visual search efficiency) were moderately heritable. Phenotypic correlations between visual search and intelligence were small‐to‐moderate, and only a small proportion of the genetic variance in visual search was shared with genetic variance in intelligence. We discuss these findings in the context of the “generalist genes hypothesis” stating that different cognitive functions have a common genetic basis.
MST1‐knockdown protects against impairment of working memory via regulating neural activity in depression‐like mice
Authors: Chen Bin , Zhang Qiyue , Yan Yuxing , Zhang Tao
Published: January 2022

We reported that over‐expression of MST1 induced the impairment of spatial memory via disturbing neural oscillation patterns in mice. Meanwhile, the P‐MST1 is increased in the hippocampus after chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). However, it is unclear if MST1 knockdown protects against stress‐induced memory deficits via modulating neural activities. In the study, a CUMS mouse model was established and an intrahippocampal injection of AAV‐shMST1 was used to knockdown MST1 in the hippocampus. The data showed that there were memory deficits with over‐expressed P‐MST1 level in CUMS mice. However, MST1 knockdown can significantly prevent the damages of CUMS‐induced working memory and synaptic plasticity via regulating neural oscillation patterns. It suggests that MST1 down‐regulation effectively protected against stress‐induced behavioral dysfunctions. Moreover, as a more convenient way, neural oscillation analysis could provide some assistance for the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of depression.
Heritability in corpus callosum morphology and its association with tool use skill in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Reproducibility in two genetically isolated populations
Authors: Hopkins William D. , Westerhausen René , Schapiro Steve , Sherwood Chet C.
Published: January 2022

The corpus callosum (CC) is the major white matter tract connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres. It has been hypothesized that individual variation in CC morphology is negatively associated with forebrain volume (FBV) and this accounts for variation in behavioral and brain asymmetries as well as sex differences. To test this hypothesis, CC surface area and thickness as well as FBV was quantified in 221 chimpanzees with known pedigrees. CC surface area, thickness and FBV were significantly heritable and phenotypically associated with each other; however, no significant genetic association was found between FBV, CC surface area and thickness. The CC surface area and thickness measures were also found to be significantly heritable in both chimpanzee cohorts as were phenotypic associations with variation in asymmetries in tool use skill, suggesting that these findings are reproducible. Finally, significant phenotypic and genetic associations were found between hand use skill and region‐specific variation in CC surface area and thickness. These findings suggest that common genes may underlie individual differences in chimpanzee tool use skill and interhemispheric connectivity as manifest by variation in surface area and thickness within the anterior region of the CC.
Conditional loss of Engrailed1/2 in Atoh1‐derived excitatory cerebellar nuclear neurons impairs eupneic respiration in mice
Authors: Taylor Angela P. , Lee Andrew S. , Goedecke Patricia J. , Tolley Elizabeth A. , Joyner Alexandra L. , Heck Detlef H.
Published: January 2022

Evidence for a cerebellar role during cardiopulmonary challenges has long been established, but studies of cerebellar involvement in eupneic breathing have been inconclusive. Here we investigated temporal aspects of eupneic respiration in the Atoh1‐En1/2 mouse model of cerebellar neuropathology. Atoh1‐En1/2 conditional knockout mice have conditional loss of the developmental patterning genes Engrailed1 and 2 in excitatory cerebellar nuclear neurons, which leads to loss of a subset of medial and intermediate excitatory cerebellar nuclear neurons. A sample of three Atoh1‐derived extracerebellar nuclei showed no cell loss in the conditional knockout compared to control mice. We measured eupneic respiration in mutant animals and control littermates using whole‐body unrestrained plethysmography and compared the average respiratory rate, coefficient of variation, and the CV2, a measure of intrinsic rhythmicity. Linear regression analyses revealed that Atoh1‐En1/2 conditional knockouts have decreased overall variability (p = 0.021; b = −0.045) and increased intrinsic rhythmicity compared to their control littermates (p < 0.001; b = −0.037), but we found no effect of genotype on average respiratory rate (p = 0.064). Analysis also revealed modestly decreased respiratory rates (p = 0.025; b = −0.82), increased coefficient of variation (p = 0.0036; b = 0.060), and increased CV2 in female animals, independent of genotype (p = 0.024; b = 0.026). These results suggest a cerebellar involvement in eupneic breathing by controlling rhythmicity. We argue that the cerebellar involvement in controlling the CV2 of respiration is indicative of an involvement of coordinating respiration with other orofacial rhythms, such as swallowing.
Sex differences in the reward value of familiar mates in prairie voles
Authors: Vahaba Daniel M. , Halstead Emily R. , Donaldson Zoe R. , Ahern Todd H. , Beery Annaliese K.
Published: January 2022

The rewarding properties of social interactions facilitate relationship formation and maintenance. Prairie voles are one of the few laboratory species that form selective relationships, manifested as “partner preferences” for familiar partners versus strangers. While both sexes exhibit strong partner preferences, this similarity in outward behavior likely results from sex‐specific neurobiological mechanisms. We recently demonstrated that in operant trials, females worked hardest for access to familiar conspecifics of either sex, while males worked equally hard for access to any female, indicating a sex difference in social motivation. As tests were performed with one social target at a time, males might have experienced a ceiling effect, and familiar females might be more relatively rewarding in a choice scenario. Here we performed an operant social choice task in which voles lever‐pressed to gain temporary access to either the chamber containing their mate or one containing a novel opposite‐sex vole. Females worked hardest to access their mate, while males pressed at similar rates for either female. Individual male behavior was heterogeneous, congruent with multiple mating strategies in the wild. Voles exhibited preferences for favorable over unfavorable environments in a non‐social operant task, indicating that lack of social preference does not reflect lack of discrimination. Natural variation in oxytocin receptor genotype at the intronic single nucleotide polymorphism NT213739 was associated with oxytocin receptor density, and predicted individual variation in stranger‐directed aggressive behavior. These findings suggest that convergent preference behavior in male and female voles results from sex‐divergent pathways, particularly in the realm of social motivation.
Deletion of the voltage‐gated calcium channel, CaV1.3, causes deficits in motor performance and associative learning
Authors: Lauffer Marisol , Wen Hsiang , Myers Bryn , Plumb Ashley , Parker Krystal , Williams Aislinn
Published: January 2022

L‐type voltage‐gated calcium channels are important regulators of neuronal activity and are widely expressed throughout the brain. One of the major L‐type voltage‐gated calcium channel isoforms in the brain is CaV1.3. Mice lacking CaV1.3 are reported to have impairments in fear conditioning and depressive‐like behaviors, which have been linked to CaV1.3 function in the hippocampus and amygdala. Genetic variation in CaV1.3 has been linked to a variety of psychiatric disorders, including autism and schizophrenia, which are associated with altered motor learning, associative learning and social function. Here, we explored whether CaV1.3 plays a role in these behaviors. We found that CaV1.3 knockout mice have deficits in rotarod learning despite normal locomotor function. Deletion of CaV1.3 is also associated with impaired gait adaptation and associative learning on the Erasmus Ladder. We did not observe any impairments in CaV1.3 knockout mice on assays of anxiety‐like, depression‐like or social preference behaviors. Our results suggest an important role for CaV1.3 in neural circuits involved in motor learning and concur with previous data showing its involvement in associative learning.
European city network on migrants with irregular status: Exploring functions and outcomes on a sensitive policy issue
Authors: Spencer Sarah
Published: January 2022

City engagement in transnational municipal networks in the migration field (TMNs) is widely seen as positive. Yet, the evidence for that optimism is limited and analysis of the functions and outcomes of these networks leaves many questions unanswered. This article presents a case study of the City Initiative on Migrants with Irregular Status in Europe (C‐MISE) as a contribution to our understanding. On the basis of documentary evidence and interviews with participants, it explores the operation of a network in a sensitive policy field. It throws light on the network's instrumental and “symbolic” functions and the relationship between them; on the factors which shape its operation and facilitate the accommodation of difference through internal socialization; and on the significance of the outcomes for the future governance of migration by urban and higher tiers. Conceptually, deconstructing “symbolic” functions into those of legitimation, substantiation and framing, facilitates a nuanced analysis of the role that each plays and exploration of a tension where those roles bordered on advocacy for policy change. In a critical assessment of the network's outcomes, it finds grounds for cautious optimism on the role TMNs can play in reframing debates, in the urban governance of migration, and in shifting its overall management from below.
Global trends health science libraries: Part 2
Authors: Murphy Jeannette
Published: January 2022

This is the second of three articles which explore trends in health science libraries. It is based on a series of articles called New Directions in Health Science Libraries published in a HILJ regular feature (International Perspectives and Initiatives) between June 2017 and March 2020. The series covered 12 countries: The United States, Canada, Australia, China, England, two countries in Africa (Uganda and Tanzania) and five in Europe (Sweden, Romania, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland). The commissioning editor identified potential authors and invited them to write a short piece. They were given a briefing sheet which said: ‘Your article should serve as a road map, describing the key changes in the field and explain the factors driving the changes’. A review of the 12 articles identified 11 trends. This is the article which explores the trends four trends, using examples provided by the authors. The trends covered are: Involvement in systematic reviews and data synthesis; Professional development for health science librarians; Providing education and training to students, researchers, and clinicians; Supporting the delivery of health literacy.