bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cannabis swap: gender and tramadol use among Nigerian university students
Authors: Ugwu Ugochukwu Titus
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Cannabis as a recreational drug is prohibited in Nigeria. Consequently, the open use of cannabis attracts both formal and informal sanctions. As such, there is much stigma on users' faces across social spaces. This has led to innovations in drug use. Recently, non-medical use of tramadol has been rising across each of the gender categories. This study aims to understand (1) tramadol use prompts, (2) the sudden surge in gendered recreational use of tramadol and (3) the gendered challenges of recreational tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected between December 2021 and October 2022. The researcher conducted 20 semi-structured interviews, with participants chosen purposefully from acquaintances and others selected through chain referral. The selection criteria included knowledge of a particular tramadol tablet and willingness to participate. This study got ethical approval from the Anambra State Ministry of Health (Ref: MH/AWK/M/321/354) and oral consent was obtained before the interviews. The participants were assured of confidentiality. The interviews were conducted in English (the formal Nigerian language) and lasted between 30 and 65 min. The data collected were transcribed and coded manually, and themes generated.

Findings

Findings suggest that peer pressures accounted for entry-level drug use. However, cannabis-related stigma is attributed to the surge in tramadol use across gender categories. Furthermore, academic pressure and sexuality are major reasons for tramadol use. The challenges associated with tramadol use include headaches and addiction.

Originality/value

This study, to the best of the author’s knowledge, presents alternative data on the surge in tramadol use among Nigerian university students.
Formality, innovation and entrepreneurial business performance in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ndzana Martin Eloundou , Mvogo Paulin Gregory
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Recent work in the economics of innovation in developing countries increasingly considers the formality of business as a determining factor of economic development. However, current knowledge on how formality determines both innovation and business performance remains mixed. This article examines this relationship by analyzing, on the one hand, the role of formality on innovation and, on the other hand, the moderating effect of formality on the relationship between innovation and the performance of business in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 1,369 Cameroonian and Senegalese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the International Development Research Center (IDRC), the Crepon Duguet et Maraise (CDM) technique was used to reduce the endogeneity bias inherent in this type of analysis.

Findings

The results show that formal companies have a better capacity for innovation. In addition, formality positively moderates the relationship between innovation and the performance of businesses in the case of product and commercial innovations. On the other hand, it negatively moderates the relationship between innovation and the performance for process and organizational innovations.

Practical implications

These results show that the advantages of formalization widely relayed by national public institutions and international organizations can present a risk for business if the expected gains are not accompanied by innovations.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to research by taking into account the heterogeneity of firms because it is one of the first to study formality as a moderator in the relationship between innovation and firm performance in Sub-Saharan African economies.
Toward “good” islands: rethinking the means and goals for island development from a female perspective
Authors: Ursić Sara , Zlatar Gamberožić Jelena , Mišetić Andrija
Published: December 2023

Purpose

By merging good countryside and rural capitals frameworks, a model for reimagining the island's development is formulated, which is then applied to the female perspective to provide valuable insights from a group that is often marginalized in rural areas. As Croatian islands are highly tourism-oriented, this study finds it important to explore possibilities for future island development that can provide balanced and vibrant settlements on the islands.

Design/methodology/approach

The present paper synthesizes Shucksmith's (2018) model of a good countryside, which serves as a goal, with Gkartzios et al.'s (2022) capitals framework, which is viewed as a means of attaining a good countryside, specifically a good island. The research is delimited to the island of Brac, Croatia. By conducting interviews with female respondents, this study aims to capture the female perspective on envisioning potential futures of “good” island living, a perspective that is frequently underestimated despite its significant contributions to the creation of an ideal locale.

Findings

The results demonstrate that there is a substantial amount of socio-cultural rural capital that is leveraged to strengthen relatedness and rights as development objectives. However, low levels of economic, built and land-based rural capital pose challenges to achieving repair and re-enchantment, which are crucial for settlements that rely on tourism.

Originality/value

These findings bear immense implications for policymakers and planners, underscoring the imperative to account for the perspectives and needs of diverse social groups, including women, in the design and implementation of development strategies for islands. By doing so, a sustainable and equitable future, rich in tourism potential, can be cultivated on the island.
Client influence on property valuation in Kenya. Does the valuation environment matter?
Authors: Cheloti Irene Naliaka , Mooya Manya Mainza
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This paper examines the effects and root causes of client influence within the valuation profession in Kenya.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a mixed research design incorporating a survey and experiment of registered and practising valuers in Kenya and interviews of key informants from registered and practising valuers, valuers' clients (commercial banks) and professional bodies.

Findings

The study found that client influence negatively impacts the valuation profession, contributing to inaccurate valuation outcomes, and it exists because of the valuation environment, represented by limited and unreliable information in Kenya and many other developing countries.

Originality/value

This study makes a critical contribution to the empirical literature as it introduces new insights into the impacts and causes of client influence by demonstrating how the valuation environment, characterised by poor information, contributes to client influence in Kenya, which is typical of many other developing countries.
US–China policy amid a persistent strategy: is conflict over Taiwan inevitable?
Authors: Maher Nora
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This research aims to examine the US–China policy shift from Obama to Biden emphasizing the centrality of Taiwan question in the geostrategic competition with Beijing and its prospect if the US strategy remains unchanged.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework is outlined, illustrating how the US grand strategy is driven by the ideological foundation of Exceptionalism. The paper highlights the associated US policy changes that evolved from Obama to Trump and then Biden to advance Washington's strategic interests in its rivalry with China over Taiwan.

Findings

Biden's policy led to an escalating geopolitical competition with Beijing over Taiwan to maintain US supremacy. The Biden administration is more stringent than the previous administrations on the Taiwan question and there is the conviction that the USA must not back down on Taiwan because the alternative will be a retraction of US world primacy to Beijing. With Washington's persistent hegemonic strategy, the US–China confrontation over Taiwan seems inevitable.

Originality/value

The research highlights how the Biden administration managed a perpetuated Ukraine crisis and forged unprecedented high-level ties with Taiwan, indicating the administration's determination to exacerbate contentions with Beijing over Taiwan rather than de-escalate.
Plastic background colour matching in the springbok mantis
Authors: Burke Nathan W. , Holwell Gregory
Published: December 2023

Within‐species variation in colour phenotypes is widespread in animals. One mechanism by which such variation can be maintained is plastic background matching, where individuals plastically develop a similar colour to that of their surroundings. A few examples are known from insects that exhibit green–brown colour polyphenisms. But the extent to which plastic colour responses are shaped by other factors, such as genetic variation in plasticity or the interaction of other environmental cues, is poorly understood.

Here, we investigate the plasticity of body coloration in the springbok mantis, Miomantis caffra—a species where hatchlings emerge brown in colour and typically change to green but sometimes remain entirely or partly brown through successive moults. We reared 350 mantises from 10 full‐sib families on a green or brown background under a high or low temperature and a high or low humidity using a fully factorial, split‐brood design, and recorded colour phenotypes (all green, all brown or mixed coloration) after 14 weeks of development.

We found very strong evidence of developmental plasticity for background matching: The green background induced a higher incidence of the all‐green phenotype, whereas the brown background produced more of the all‐brown and mixed phenotypes. The all‐green phenotype was also universally more common under higher humidity, and under higher temperature when the background was green. However, not all body parts showed the same level of environmental sensitivity: The steepest reaction norms were observed in the mid‐legs and hindlegs, potentially reflecting selection for disruptive coloration of the body outline in browner environments. Using model comparison techniques, we found little evidence of genotype‐level variation in colour plasticity—a pattern likely the result of strong viability selection for camouflage.

Our study shows how developmental plasticity in coloration can be triggered directly by the colour of the environment and indirectly by climatic cues associated with habitat coloration. We argue that this high level of developmental plasticity has likely evolved due to the diversity of habitats but sedentary lifestyle of this sit‐and‐wait predator.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
What is the shape of institutions? Materializing the cycles of life in an East African age class society
Authors: Marmone Giordano
Published: December 2023

Giving a precise definition of what an institution is raises epistemological dilemmas concerning its supposed universal applicability and the coexistence of different institutional regimes (e.g. state and customary). Scholars who have dabbled with this question often identify rules, behaviours, values, or social roles as the essence of institutions. In fact, these constitutive features do not necessarily occupy a leading position in all societies. In this article, I argue that, among East African pastoral populations such as the Samburu of northern Kenya, institutions of age class systems are the product of the changing identities of the person's maturation process. These institutionalized life cycles regulate the distribution of powers, rights, and duties within the community. Moreover, if institutions can be different ‘things’, similarly, the objects through which they materialize can vary profoundly from one social system to another. In the case of the Samburu, customary age institutions can be perceived, performed, and manipulated in the form of songs, dances, and ornaments that represent their tangible, aural, visible, and actionable substance. Just as age manifests itself through the body, institutions founded on age take shape through sonic and kinetic bodily expressions.
The causal effects of working time on mental health: The effectiveness of the law reform raising the overtime wage penalty
Authors: Kohara Miki , Noda Taisei
Published: December 2023

The present paper reexamines the causal effect of working hours on workers’ mental health. We utilize Japan's 2010 reform of the Labor Standards Act as a social experiment to examine how the increased wage penalty for long overtime work affects working hours and workers’ mental health. Utilizing a unique panel dataset containing health behaviours as well as individual, household and workplace characteristics of male workers, we find that the wage penalty reform indeed succeeded in reducing overtime hours and total working hours and that the reductions contributed to better mental health of workers. Further empirical investigation suggests that the reduction effect of the reform on working time is homogeneous among age groups; however, the harmful effect of working time on mental health is large and statistically significant among young workers. Our results suggest that setting a high wage penalty for long overtime work effectively reduces overtime work and improves workers’ health outcomes, particularly for young people.
An unusual case of high‐voltage electrocution of a truck driver due to inadvertent contact of the truck with an overhead wire
Authors: Mathew Deepu , Jadav Devendra , Munisankar Prudvi , Meshram Vikas P. , Kumawat Ruchi , Elhence Poonam
Published: December 2023

Electrocution deaths are mostly accidental. However, reconstruction of events in unusual electrocution death is challenging. This article reports an accidental death due to electrocution in a highly unusual circumstance, in which a truck driver reversing his vehicle was electrocuted when his truck inadvertently touched an overhead high‐voltage wire. The electric injury marks were present over the sole of the right foot. The scene investigation revealed that the high‐voltage wire was loose and was below the level of the prescribed height. The truck was passing over an elevated area made up of dirt and stone. The interior of the cabin of the truck revealed a few non‐insulated metallic areas over the floor of the truck, between the accelerator and the brake, which were attributed as the sources of entry of electricity into the body. The electric injury marks were different than those usually seen in high‐voltage electrocution as there was an intermediate object (truck) involved, and the contact period between the truck and the electric wire was minimal. This fatality was attributed to the non‐proper insulation of the interior of the truck, the negligent driving of the truck driver over the elevated surface, and the loose high‐voltage wire without proper maintenance.
Electrical current disrupts the electron transfer in defined consortia
Authors: Yee Mon Oo , Ottosen Lars D. M. , Rotaru Amelia‐Elena
Published: December 2023

Improving methane production through electrical current application to anaerobic digesters has garnered interest in optimizing such microbial electrochemical technologies, with claims suggesting direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) at the cathode enhances methane yield. However, previous studies with mixed microbial communities only reported interspecies interactions based on species co‐occurrence at the cathode, lacking insight into how a poised cathode influences well‐defined DIET‐based partnerships. To address this, we investigated the impact of continuous and discontinuous exposure to a poised cathode (−0.7 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode) on a defined consortium of Geobacter metallireducens and Methanosarcina barkeri, known for their DIET capabilities. The physiology of DIET consortia exposed to electrical current was compared to that of unexposed consortia. In current‐exposed incubations, overall metabolic activity and cell numbers for both partners declined. The consortium, receiving electrons from the poised cathode, accumulated acetate and hydrogen, with only 32% of the recovered electrons allocated to methane production. Discontinuous exposure intensified these detrimental effects. Conversely, unexposed control reactors efficiently converted ethanol to methane, transiently accumulating acetate and recovering 88% of electrons in methane. Our results demonstrate the overall detrimental effect of electrochemical stimulation on a DIET consortium. Besides, the data indicate that the presence of an alternative electron donor (cathode) hinders efficient electron retrieval by the methanogen from Geobacter, and induces catabolic repression of oxidative metabolism in Geobacter. This study emphasizes understanding specific DIET‐based interactions to enhance methane production during electrical stimulation, providing insights for optimizing tailored interspecies partnerships in microbial electrochemical technologies.
A novel index reveals disconnects between recreational harmful algal bloom exposure risks and responses among U.S. states
Authors: Dodds Walter K. , Bonjour Sophia M. , Fisher Molly , Krueger Laura J. , Pfaff Peter J. , Raihan Md. Abu , Rode Olivia
Published: December 2023

Recreational and occupational contact with freshwater harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose human health and economic risks worldwide. Individual U.S. states control monitoring, reporting, and mitigation of recreational exposure to HABs. We surveyed states to catalog responses to HAB problems. We used this data to develop a state‐specific HAB response index (HABRI) and compared it to HAB risks derived from empirical nation‐wide data and per capita state environmental management and public health spending. States varied in regulations, reporting, monitoring, communication, and mitigation. The HABRI was not correlated with empirically based risk. Several states had no limits on toxin exposure or limits that were higher than recommended by the USEPA or World Health Organization. Other states did not provide public signage or notification when HABs were occurring and recreation could be hazardous. Increased federal involvement, communication among states, and state and federal legislation could minimize this variation and positively influence responses. We identify best practices for addressing HABs in our study that could provide guidance to authorities in any part of the world while developing new programs or enhancing existing efforts.
Mineral Geochemistry of Apatite in the Jiama Porphyry‐Skarn Deposit, Tibet and its Geological Significance
Authors: YANG Yang , TANG Juxing , ZHANG Zebin , TANG Pan , XIE Fuwei , RAN Fengqin , YANG Zongyao , YANG Huaichao , BAI Yun , SUN Miao , QI Jing
Published: December 2023

The Jiama deposit, a significant porphyry‐skarn‐type copper polymetallic deposit located within the Gangdese metallogenic belt in Tibet, China, exemplifies a typical porphyry metallogenic system. However, the mineral chemistry of its accessory minerals remains under‐examined, posing challenges for resource assessment and ore prospecting. Utilizing electron microprobe analysis and LA‐ICP‐MS analysis, this study investigated the geochemical characteristics of apatite in ore‐bearing granite and monzogranite porphyries, as well as granodiorite, quartz diorite, and dark diorite porphyries in the deposit. It also delved into the diagenetic and metallogenic information from these geochemical signatures. Key findings include: (1) The SiO2 content, rare earth element (REE) contents, and REE partition coefficients of apatite indicate that the dark diorite porphyry possibly does not share a cogenetic magma source with the other four types of porphyries; (2) the volatile F and Cl contents in apatite, along with their ratio, indicate the Jiama deposit, formed in a collisional setting, demonstrates lower Cl/F ratios in apatite than the same type of deposits formed in a subduction environment; (3) compared to non‐ore‐bearing rock bodies in other deposits formed in a collisional setting, apatite in the Jiama deposit exhibits lower Ce and Ga contents. This might indicate that rock bodies in the Jiama deposit have higher oxygen fugacity. Nevertheless, the marginal variation in oxygen fugacity between ore‐bearing and non‐ore‐bearing rock bodies within the deposit suggests oxygen fugacity may not serve as the decisive factor in the ore‐hosting potential of rock bodies in the Jiama deposit.
A Methodology for Comprehensive Quality Evaluation of Underground Space
Authors: GUO Junhan , LIU Kai , MA Yan
Published: December 2023

Underground space resources are important for the purposes of urban sustainable development and are a significant means by which to realize three‐dimensional urban development. A reasonable and scientific evaluation of underground space resources is the foundation for the rational use of land resources and urban planning. On the basis of the geological conditions used by preceding researchers, this study adds the analysis of two influencing factors of social and economic value, alongside existing facilities and protection needs. The evaluation index is quantified and the comprehensive quality evaluation system of underground space resources is constructed. Finally, taking the Nanshan District of Shenzhen as an example, the evaluation of underground space resources is carried out. The results show that for shallow underground space, the comprehensive quality of underground space resources development in Nanshan District is generally high. Nantou, Nanshan and Yuehai streets are recommended as areas to actively develop underground space, whereas the Qianhai and Houhai areas are recommended to be used with caution in the development and construction of their underground space. In addition, this study also provides a reference for the purposes of underground space planning in the Nanshan district of Shenzhen.
Genome‐wide association study of growth traits and validation of key mutations (MSTN c.C861T) associated with the muscle mass of meat pigeons
Authors: Hou Haobin , Wang Xiaoliang , Li Xin , Cai Xia , Tu Yingying , Yang Changsuo , Yao Junfeng
Published: December 2023

Selective breeding of meat pigeons is primarily based on growth traits, especially muscle mass (MM). Identification of functional genes and molecular markers of growth and slaughter traits through a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) will help to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and provide a theoretical basis for the selective breeding of meat pigeons. The phenotypic data of body weight (BW) and body size (BS) of 556 meat pigeons at 52 and 80 weeks of age were collected. In total, 160 434 high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphism sites were obtained by restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing. The GWAS analysis revealed that MSTN, IGF2BP3 and NCAPG/LCORL were important candidate genes affecting the growth traits of meat pigeons. IGF2BP3 and NCAPG/LCORL were highly correlated to BW and BS, which are related to overall growth and development, while MSTN was associated with pectoral thickness and BW. Phenotypic association validation with the use of two meat pigeon populations found that the MSTN mutation c.C861T determines the MM. These results provide new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic variations of growth traits and MM in commercial meat pigeons. The identified markers and genes provide a theoretical basis for the selective breeding of meat pigeons.
Epidemiological and clinical evolution of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children throughout the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic in a tertiary Italian children's hospital
Authors: Bellini Tommaso , Brisca Giacomo , Mariani Marcello , Caorsi Roberta , Bustaffa Marta , Drago Enrico , Strati Marina Francesca , Piccotti Emanuela , Moscatelli Andrea , Gattorno Marco , Castagnola Elio
Published: December 2023

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C) is a potentially life‐threatening disease temporally linked to SARS‐CoV‐2 whose incidence and clinical presentation may have been altered by the different SARS‐CoV‐2 variants and by vaccination.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the data of all MIS‐C cases admitted to the Gaslini Children's Hospital, the hub for SARS‐CoV‐2 related diseases in Liguria region, Italy, from 01 October 2020, to 30 November 2022, evaluating the ratio between MIS‐C cases and (1) COVID‐19 paediatric cases in our region, (2) emergency department admissions and (3) emergency department febrile patients. We also compared MIS‐C incidence in pre‐ post‐vaccination periods.

Results

We observed a significant global decline in the incidence of MIS‐Cover the four variant periods and after the starting of vaccination whereas clinical features, therapeutic management and severity did not significantly vary.

Conclusions

In our setting, we demonstrated a significant decrease of MIS‐C incidence according to the predominant variant and including not vaccinated children. Regardless of variant type, the patients showed similar phenotypes and severity throughout the pandemic. SARS‐CoV‐2 variants as well as immune protection after previous infections and/or vaccination may have interacted by playing different roles and reducing the incidence of MIS‐C.
Sperm mitochondria dysfunction in response to testicular cancer
Authors: Qasemi Maryam , Sur Vishma Pratap , Simonik Ondrej , Postlerova Pavla , Skrobanek Pavel , Hradec Tomas , Boublikova Ludmila , Zamecnik Libor , Buchler Tomas , Neuzil Jiri , Komrskova Katerina
Published: December 2023

Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in young men of reproductive age and its incidence is increasing globally. With the currently successful treatment and 95% survival rate, there is a need for deeper understanding of testicular cancer‐related infertility. Most patients with testicular cancer experience semen abnormalities prior to cancer therapy. However, the exact mechanism of the effect of testicular cancer on sperm anomalies is not known. Mitochondria are organelles that play a crucial role in both tumorigenesis and spermatogenesis and their malfunction may be an important factor resulting in sperm abnormalities in testicular cancer patients. Within the scope of this review, we will discuss current knowledge of testicular cancer‐related alterations in the ATP production pathway, a possible pathophysiological switch from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis, as well as the role of oxidative stress promoting sperm dysfunction. In this regard, the review provides a summary of the impact of testicular cancer on sperm quality as a possible consequence of impaired mitochondrial function including the energy metabolic pathways that are known to be altered in the sperm of testicular cancer patients.
The effect of patch distance, matrix type and experience on habitat perception and flight speed of two species of Heliconius butterflies
Authors: Cardoso Márcio Zikán , de Morais Vanessa Rodrigues , Falcão Tanágara Irina , Sun Zheng
Published: December 2023

The perceptual range of an organism is the distance at which landscape elements are recognised by it. Estimates of this sensory trait are relevant to understand how organisms recognise suitable habitat within fragmented landscapes.

We investigated how the nature of inhospitable environments (matrix) neighbouring a forest patch and adult experience (lab‐raised naïve vs. free‐flying experienced adults) affect the perceptual range and flight speed of the forest butterfly species Heliconius erato and Heliconius melpomene.

In field experiments, butterflies were released at various distances from the edge of the habitat patch. Flight orientation and speed were evaluated. In one experiment, wild‐caught individuals of H. erato and H. melpomene were released in two matrix types, a coconut plantation and an open field. In a subsequent experiment, lab‐raised naïve H. erato was released at the same site.

Release distance was the best predictor of butterfly behaviour for the two species. Individuals released up to 60 m successfully oriented towards the habitat patch, indicating a perceptual range below 100 m. Flight speed was higher the closer a butterfly was released to the edge. Matrix type did not affect butterfly orientation within its perceptual range distance. We did not find a significant effect of experience on butterfly orientation.

Our study shows that the perceptual distance of Heliconius is within the range of known estimates from other butterfly species. Within this range, and irrespective of matrix type and experience, individuals were capable of orienting towards their preferred habitat and at flight speeds that were related to the distance of release.
Uncovering widespread Anthropocene dietary shifts in Chinese large mammalian herbivores
Authors: Yang Yangheshan , Zhao Yuhao , Stidham Thomas A. , Liu Xiangxu , Zhu Xichao , Li Bicheng , Zhang Lixun , Ni Xijun , Si Xingfeng
Published: December 2023

The Anthropocene's human‐dominated habitat expansion endangers global biodiversity. However, large mammalian herbivores experienced few extinctions during the 20th century, hinting at potentially overlooked ecological responses of a group sensitive to global change. Using dental microwear as a proxy, we studied large herbivore dietary niches over a century across mainland China before (1880s–1910s) and after (1970s–1990s) the human population explosion. We uncovered widespread and significant shifts (interspecific microwear differences increased and intraspecific microwear dispersion expanded) within dietary niches linked to geographical areas with rapid industrialization and population growth in eastern China. By contrast, in western China, where human population growth was slower, we found no indications of shifts in herbivore dietary niches. Further regression analysis links the intensity of microwear changes to human land‐use expansion. These analyses highlight dietary adjustments of large herbivores as a likely key factor in their adaptation across a century of large‐scale human‐driven changes.
Lesioned hemisphere‐specific phenotypes of post‐stroke fatigue emerge from motor and mood characteristics in chronic stroke
Authors: De Doncker William , Kuppuswamy Annapoorna
Published: December 2023

Background and purpose

Post‐stroke fatigue commonly presents alongside several comorbidities. The interaction between comorbidities and their relationship to fatigue is not known. In this study, we focus on physical and mood comorbidities, alongside lesion characteristics. We predict the emergence of distinct fatigue phenotypes with distinguishable physical and mood characteristics.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional observational study, in 94 first time, non‐depressed, moderate to minimally impaired chronic stroke survivors, the relationship between measures of motor function (grip strength, nine‐hole peg test time), motor cortical excitability (resting motor threshold), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale‐7 (FSS‐7) scores, age, gender and side of stroke was established using Spearman's rank correlation. Mood and motor variables were then entered into a k‐means clustering algorithm to identify the number of unique clusters, if any. Post hoc pairwise comparisons followed by corrections for multiple comparisons were performed to characterize differences among clusters in the variables included in k‐means clustering.

Results

Clustering analysis revealed a four‐cluster model to be the best model (average silhouette score of 0.311). There was no significant difference in FSS‐7 scores among the four high‐fatigue clusters. Two clusters consisted of only left‐hemisphere strokes, and the remaining two were exclusively right‐hemisphere strokes. Factors that differentiated hemisphere‐specific clusters were the level of depressive symptoms and anxiety. Motor characteristics distinguished the low‐depressive left‐hemisphere from the right‐hemisphere clusters.

Conclusion

The significant differences in side of stroke and the differential relationship between mood and motor function in the four clusters reveal the heterogenous nature of post‐stroke fatigue, which is amenable to categorization. Such categorization is critical to an understanding of the interactions between post‐stroke fatigue and its presenting comorbid deficits, with significant implications for the development of context‐/category‐specific interventions.
Fenfluramine below the age of 2 years in Dravet syndrome: What about safety and efficacy?
Authors: Pietrafusa Nicola , Trivisano Marina , Casellato Susanna , Correale Cinzia , Cappelletti Simona , De Liso Paola , Onida Ilaria , Sotgiu Stefano , Butera Ambra , Specchio Nicola , Vigevano Federico
Published: December 2023

Dravet syndrome (DS) is a rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Infants with DS are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of prolonged and frequent seizures on development. Fenfluramine (FFA) is approved for the treatment of DS in patients aged 2 years and older. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of FFA in patients with DS younger than 2 years. We analyzed safety, tolerability, seizure, and neuropsychological outcome in a real‐world setting. Developmental profile was investigated using Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS). Five patients received FFA at a mean age of 14.9 months (9.6–18.6). Median follow‐up was 13 months (interquartile range [IQR] = 12.9–24.4). All patients showed good tolerance to FFA. No significant variation of body mass index or echocardiographic issue was observed. Monthly median convulsive seizure frequency (MCSF) was 1.71 (IQR = 1.56–3.27) at the 6‐month baseline period and .92 (IQR = .43–1.28) at last follow‐up, with a median 54.43 (IQR = 40.91–60.83) percentage reduction in MCSF. Two of five patients had a performance improvement on GMDS subscales. Overall, the use of FFA below the age of 2 years in our small sample of patients was safe and represents a promising opportunity for seizure control and for protection of the neurodevelopmental outcome.
Recent trends and advances in machine learning challenges and applications for industry 4.0
Authors: Rodriguez‐Fernandez Victor , Camacho David
Published: December 2023

This editorial summarizes and analyzes 17 articles selected for a special issue on machine learning advances for Industry 4.0 applications. The diverse articles cover fault detection, deep learning optimisation, IoT networking, vehicle control, recommendation systems and domain knowledge integration. Key methods represented include neural networks, deep learning, reinforcement learning and explainable AI. Real‐world industrial case studies showcase machine learning's versatility in enabling intelligent automation, control, and decision‐making across manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and other sectors. While highlighting theoretical innovations, the contributions also demonstrate machine learning's transformative potential for intelligent, connected, self‐optimising next generation production systems. This editorial concisely overviews the latest trends represented in this special issue.
Ubiquitin signalling in Drosophila innate immune responses
Authors: Aalto Anna L. , Luukkonen Veera , Meinander Annika
Published: December 2023

Cells respond to invading pathogens and danger signals from the environment by adapting gene expression to meet the need for protective effector molecules. While this innate immune response is required for the cell and the organism to recover, excess immune activation may lead to loss of homeostasis, thereby promoting chronic inflammation and cancer progression. The molecular basis of innate immune defence is comprised of factors promoting survival and proliferation, such as cytokines, antimicrobial peptides and anti‐apoptotic proteins. As the molecular mechanisms regulating innate immune responses are conserved through evolution, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster serves as a convenient, affordable and ethical model organism to enhance understanding of immune signalling. Fly immunity against bacterial infection is built up by both cellular and humoral responses, where the latter is regulated by the Imd and Toll pathways activating NF‐κB transcription factors Relish, Dorsal and Dif, as well as JNK activation and JAK/STAT signalling. As in mammals, the Drosophila innate immune signalling pathways are characterised by ubiquitination of signalling molecules followed by ubiquitin receptors binding to the ubiquitin chains, as well as by rapid changes in protein levels by ubiquitin‐mediated targeted proteasomal and lysosomal degradation. In this review, we summarise the molecular signalling pathways regulating immune responses to pathogen infection in Drosophila, with a focus on ubiquitin‐dependent control of innate immunity and inflammatory signalling.
Local climate modulates the development of soil nematode communities after glacier retreat
Authors: Guerrieri Alessia , Cantera Isabel , Marta Silvio , Bonin Aurélie , Carteron Alexis , Ambrosini Roberto , Caccianiga Marco , Anthelme Fabien , Azzoni Roberto Sergio , Almond Peter , Alviz Gazitúa Pablo , Cauvy‐Fraunié Sophie , Ceballos Lievano Jorge Luis , Chand Pritam , Chand Sharma Milap , Clague John , Cochachín Rapre Justiniano Alejo , Compostella Chiara , Cruz Encarnación Rolando , Dangles Olivier , Deline Philip , Eger Andre , Erokhin Sergey , Franzetti Andrea , Gielly Ludovic , Gili Fabrizio , Gobbi Mauro , Hågvar Sigmund , Khedim Norine , Meneses Rosa Isela , Peyre Gwendolyn , Pittino Francesca , Proietto Angela , Rabatel Antoine , Urseitova Nurai , Yang Yan , Zaginaev Vitalii , Zerboni Andrea , Zimmer Anaïs , Taberlet Pierre , Diolaiuti Guglielmina Adele , Poulenard Jerome , Fontaneto Diego , Thuiller Wilfried , Ficetola Gentile Francesco
Published: December 2023

The worldwide retreat of glaciers is causing a faster than ever increase in ice‐free areas that are leading to the emergence of new ecosystems. Understanding the dynamics of these environments is critical to predicting the consequences of climate change on mountains and at high latitudes. Climatic differences between regions of the world could modulate the emergence of biodiversity and functionality after glacier retreat, yet global tests of this hypothesis are lacking. Nematodes are the most abundant soil animals, with keystone roles in ecosystem functioning, but the lack of global‐scale studies limits our understanding of how the taxonomic and functional diversity of nematodes changes during the colonization of proglacial landscapes. We used environmental DNA metabarcoding to characterize nematode communities of 48 glacier forelands from five continents. We assessed how different facets of biodiversity change with the age of deglaciated terrains and tested the hypothesis that colonization patterns are different across forelands with different climatic conditions. Nematodes colonized ice‐free areas almost immediately. Both taxonomic and functional richness quickly increased over time, but the increase in nematode diversity was modulated by climate, so that colonization started earlier in forelands with mild summer temperatures. Colder forelands initially hosted poor communities, but the colonization rate then accelerated, eventually leveling biodiversity differences between climatic regimes in the long term. Immediately after glacier retreat, communities were dominated by colonizer taxa with short generation time and r‐ecological strategy but community composition shifted through time, with increased frequency of more persister taxa with K‐ecological strategy. These changes mostly occurred through the addition of new traits instead of their replacement during succession. The effects of local climate on nematode colonization led to heterogeneous but predictable patterns around the world that likely affect soil communities and overall ecosystem development.
Global temperature homogenization can obliterate temporal isolation in migratory animals with potential loss of population structure
Authors: Bom Roeland A. , Piersma Theunis , Alves José A. , Rakhimberdiev Eldar
Published: December 2023

Climate change is expected to increase the spatial autocorrelation of temperature, resulting in greater synchronization of climate variables worldwide. Possibly such ‘homogenization of the world’ leads to elevated risks of extinction and loss of biodiversity. In this study, we develop an empirical example on how increasing synchrony of global temperatures can affect population structure in migratory animals. We studied two subspecies of bar‐tailed godwits Limosa lapponica breeding in tundra regions in Siberia: yamalensis in the west and taymyrensis further east and north. These subspecies share pre‐ and post‐breeding stopover areas, thus being partially sympatric, but exhibiting temporal segregation. The latter is believed to facilitate reproductive isolation. Using satellite tracking data, we show that migration timing of both subspecies is correlated with the date of snowmelt in their respective breeding sites (later at the taymyrensis breeding range). Snow‐cover satellite images demonstrate that the breeding ranges are on different climate trajectories and become more synchronized over time: between 1997 and 2020, the date of snowmelt advanced on average by 0.5 days/year in the taymyrensis breeding range, while it remained stable in the yamalensis breeding range. Previous findings showed how taymyrensis responded to earlier snowmelt by advancing arrival and clutch initiation. In the predicted absence of such advancements in yamalensis, we expect that the two populations will be synchronized by 2036–2040. Since bar‐tailed godwits are social migrants, this raises the possibility of population exchange and prompts the question whether the two subspecies can maintain their geographic and morphological differences and population‐specific migratory routines. The proposed scenario may apply to a wide range of (social) migrants as temporal segregation is crucial for promoting and maintaining reproductive isolation in many (partially sympatric) migratory populations. Homogenization of previously isolated populations could be an important consequence of increasing synchronized environments and hence climate change.
Opposing responses of temporal stability of aboveground and belowground net primary productivity to water and nitrogen enrichment in a temperate grassland
Authors: Xu Zhuwen , Jiang Lin , Ren Haiyan , Han Xingguo
Published: December 2023

Changes in water and nitrogen availability, as important elements of global environmental change, are known to affect the temporal stability of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). However, evidences for their effects on the temporal stability of belowground net primary productivity (BNPP), and whether such effects are consistent between belowground and aboveground, are rather scarce. Here, we investigated the responses of temporal stability of both ANPP and BNPP to water and nitrogen addition based on a 9‐year manipulative experiment in a temperate grassland in northern China. The results showed that the temporal stability of ANPP increased with water addition but decreased with nitrogen addition. By contrast, the temporal stability of BNPP decreased with water addition but increased with nitrogen enrichment. The temporal stability of ANPP was mainly determined by the soil moisture and inorganic nitrogen, which modulated species asynchrony, as well as by the stability of dominant species. On the other hand, the temporal stability of BNPP was mainly driven by the soil moisture and inorganic nitrogen that modulated ANPP of grasses, and by the direct effect of soil water availability. Our study provides the first evidence on the opposite responses of aboveground and belowground grassland temporal stability to increased water and nitrogen availability, highlighting the importance of considering both aboveground and belowground components of ecosystems for a more comprehensive understanding of their dynamics.
Constraining long‐term model predictions for woody growth using tropical tree rings
Authors: Xu Xiangtao , van der Sleen Peter , Groenendijk Peter , Vlam Mart , Medvigy David , Moorcroft Paul , Petticord Daniel , Ma Yixin , Zuidema Pieter A.
Published: December 2023

The strength and persistence of the tropical carbon sink hinges on the long‐term responses of woody growth to climatic variations and increasing CO2. However, the sensitivity of tropical woody growth to these environmental changes is poorly understood, leading to large uncertainties in growth predictions. Here, we used tree ring records from a Southeast Asian tropical forest to constrain ED2.2‐hydro, a terrestrial biosphere model with explicit vegetation demography. Specifically, we assessed individual‐level woody growth responses to historical climate variability and increases in atmospheric CO2 (Ca). When forced with historical Ca, ED2.2‐hydro reproduced the magnitude of increases in intercellular CO2 concentration (a major determinant of photosynthesis) estimated from tree ring carbon isotope records. In contrast, simulated growth trends were considerably larger than those obtained from tree rings, suggesting that woody biomass production efficiency (WBPE = woody biomass production:gross primary productivity) was overestimated by the model. The estimated WBPE decline under increasing Ca based on model‐data discrepancy was comparable to or stronger than (depending on tree species and size) the observed WBPE changes from a multi‐year mature‐forest CO2 fertilization experiment. In addition, we found that ED2.2‐hydro generally overestimated climatic sensitivity of woody growth, especially for late‐successional plant functional types. The model‐data discrepancy in growth sensitivity to climate was likely caused by underestimating WBPE in hot and dry years due to commonly used model assumptions on carbon use efficiency and allocation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to constrain model predictions of individual tree‐level growth sensitivity to Ca and climate against tropical tree‐ring data. Our results suggest that improving model processes related to WBPE is crucial to obtain better predictions of tropical forest responses to droughts and increasing Ca. More accurate parameterization of WBPE will likely reduce the stimulation of woody growth by Ca rise predicted by biosphere models.
Upland forest retreat lags behind sea‐level rise in the mid‐Atlantic coast
Authors: Chen Yaping , Kirwan Matthew L.
Published: December 2023

Ghost forests consisting of dead trees adjacent to marshes are striking indicators of climate change, and marsh migration into retreating coastal forests is a primary mechanism for marsh survival in the face of global sea‐level rise. Models of coastal transgression typically assume inundation of a static topography and instantaneous conversion of forest to marsh with rising seas. In contrast, here we use four decades of satellite observations to show that many low‐elevation forests along the US mid‐Atlantic coast have survived despite undergoing relative sea‐level rise rates (RSLRR) that are among the fastest on Earth. Lateral forest retreat rates were strongly mediated by topography and seawater salinity, but not directly explained by spatial variability in RSLRR, climate, or disturbance. The elevation of coastal tree lines shifted upslope at rates correlated with, but far less than, contemporary RSLRR. Together, these findings suggest a multi‐decadal lag between RSLRR and land conversion that implies coastal ecosystem resistance. Predictions based on instantaneous conversion of uplands to wetlands may therefore overestimate future land conversion in ways that challenge the timing of greenhouse gas fluxes and marsh creation, but also imply that the full effects of historical sea‐level rise have yet to be realized.