bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Earthworms promote crop growth by enhancing the connections among soil microbial communities
Authors: Shi Jin‐Hua , Hu Xin‐Jun , Zeng Zi‐Xuan , Sun Ze , Wang Chao , Abdelnabby Hazem , Jin Huanan , Wang Man‐Qun 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Earthworms benefit plant growth and play a vital role in shaping soil microbial communities. However, how earthworms modify the soil microorganisms and thus affect plant growth is still unclear. Although fertilizers alter the assembly of microbial communities, further investigations are required to test the effect of fertilizer type on the relationship between earthworms, soil microbial communities and plants.

We evaluated the role of earthworms in soil microorganisms and maize plant growth characteristics under organic or chemical fertilizers in field and greenhouse experiments. We explored the relationships between earthworms, soil microbial community and plant growth under different fertilizer types.

We found that the presence of earthworms promoted plant growth, increased the amount of plant root exudates, and enhanced the connections between rhizosphere bacterial, fungal and protist communities. Both earthworms and fertilizer application significantly changed the structure of soil bacterial, fungal and protist communities. The complexity of the soil microbial community network increased under organic, compared to chemical fertilizer application. The greenhouse experiment showed that the effect of earthworms on plant growth was weakened when maize plants were grown in sterilized soil under organic or chemical fertilizers.

Synthesis and applications: Our study provides solid evidence that earthworms largely depend on soil microorganisms for their effects on plants under the application of different fertilizer conditions. This may provide new insights into reducing the amounts of fertilizer used by enhancing the role of earthworms and soil microorganisms.
Bottom‐up foreign policy? Finland, NATO and public opinion
Authors: Forsberg Tuomas 
Published: July 2024

AbstractFinland's decision to apply for membership in NATO is a case of bottom‐up driven foreign policy. Public opinion had been rather stable for more than 25 years in the NATO issue with less than 30 per cent of the people supporting Finland's membership in NATO but almost overnight during the week when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, a majority of Finns were in favour of it. Only after that shift in public opinion did the decision‐makers support the idea of joining NATO. How was the bottom‐up driven change possible? First, the resistance to NATO membership in Finland was common but not deep. Second, in the run‐up to the war, Russia had demanded that NATO put a stop to its open door policy not only with regard to Ukraine but also for Finland. Third, Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine constituted a particular frame in Finland, because the 1939 Winter War analogy was a key part of the collective memory. Finally, due to a strong tradition of national consensus in foreign and security policy, the shift in the public opinion became overwhelming: when the tide had turned, only very few resisted. In sum, four factors enabled the public opinion change: a rational basis for opinion change, a sense of urgency, an emotional push and the consensus effect. Although public opinion is often seen as stabilising and retardant force particularly in foreign and security policy, it can also be a driver for change when suitable conditions such as those in Finland exist.
Defining public warning failure
Authors: Bean Hamilton , Hasinoff Amy , Fields Sarah 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPublic warning failure is an undertheorized concept. A shared definition of public warning failure is needed to help stakeholders assess responsibility in the aftermath of government nonuse, misuse, or misunderstanding of public warning systems, especially mobile device‐based systems that have become a critical element of the public warning ecosystem. Although some uncertainty in the disaster information environment is inevitable, a shared definition of public warning failure could help clarify the roles and responsibilities of government officials and agencies across the arc of disaster communication: public preparation, hazard detection, warning message creation, message dissemination, and public response monitoring. In the context of earthquake early warning system performance, warning failure has been defined as false alert, missed alert, inaccurate alert, no alert, and late alert. Building upon this typology, in this essay, we propose an all‐hazards definition of public warning failure, illustrate it using a conceptual model, and assess the conceptual model using examples drawn from media reporting.
Maternal asthma during pregnancy and risks of allergy and asthma in progeny: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Roff Andrea J. , Robinson Joshua L. , Hammond Sarah J. , Bednarz Jana , Tai Andrew , Clifton Vicki L. , Morrison Janna L. , Gatford Kathryn L. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundClinical and preclinical evidence indicate that in utero maternal asthma exposure increases progeny asthma risk. Whether maternal asthma also increases the risks of progeny allergy is unclear.ObjectivesTo synthesise the available evidence on the relationship between in utero exposure to maternal asthma and postnatal asthma, wheezing and allergic diseases (Prospero: CRD42020201538).Search StrategyWe systematically searched MEDLINE [PubMed], Embase [Ovid], Web of Science, Informit Health, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL [EBSCOhost], MedNar [Deep Web Technologies], ProQuest Theses and Dissertations, Scopus [Elsevier] and Trove, to the end of 2023.Selection CriteriaStudies reporting asthma, wheeze and/or allergic disease in progeny of women with and without asthma or with asthma classified by control, exacerbation or severity.Data Collection and AnalysisDouble screening, selection, data extraction and quality assessment were performed, using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoring.Main ResultsOf 134 non‐overlapping studies, 127 were included in ≥1 meta‐analysis. Maternal asthma ever was associated with greater risks of asthma (65 studies, risk ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.76 [1.57–1.96]), wheeze (35 studies, 1.59 [1.52–1.66]), food allergy (5 studies, 1.32 [1.23–1.40]), allergic rhinitis (7 studies, 1.18 [1.06–1.31]) and allergic dermatitis (14 studies, 1.17 [1.11–1.23]) ever in progeny. Asthma during the pregnancy, more severe, and uncontrolled maternal asthma were each associated with greater risks of progeny asthma.ConclusionsChildren of mothers with asthma are at increased risk for the development of allergic diseases. Whether improved maternal asthma control reduces risks of child allergy as well as asthma requires further investigation.
Changing attitudes through information exposure: Experimental evidence on reducing agricultural burning in rural Nigeria
Authors: Uchenna Efobi 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis study investigates the effectiveness of an education intervention that targets low‐income farmers regarding the consequences of agricultural burning. Agricultural burning is a major contributor to carbon emissions, second only to those from the energy sector. Using three treatment arms and a control group, I provided rural farmers in Nigeria with information on the social (health impacts, wildfire spread, biodiversity loss) and economic (income implications) consequences of agricultural burning. The third group received information that combined aspects from the first and second treatments, offering a comprehensive view of the effects of agricultural burning. The analysis suggests that exposure to this information prompts farmers to view agricultural burning as unacceptable, reducing their likelihood of engaging in this practice during the upcoming planting season. In addition, exposed farmers demonstrate a higher willingness to pay nominal fees for government services, such as weed disposal. This outcome demonstrates their support for sustainable farming practices, rather than resorting to burning. The influence of economic information is particularly noteworthy; farmers exposed to it demonstrate a higher willingness to pay such fees. Furthermore, the interventions led to a shift in farmers’ perceptions regarding the primary drivers of climate change, with increased recognition of human activity as the dominant factor. The study highlights how the gender of the farmer and their religious beliefs influence attitudes towards environmental protection. Specifically, male and less religious farmers tend to be more responsive to the interventions. These findings provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of “low‐cost” educational interventions in promoting sustainable agricultural practices among low‐income communities.
Tenants of the World, Unite! From Atomisation to Structural Power in Financialised Tenancy
Authors: Appel Hannah , Ferrer Alexander , Graziani Terra 
Published: July 2024

AbstractRecent transformations in the political economy of housing—particularly the corporatisation, concentration, and financialisation of landlording—paradoxically intensify both the atomisation of the tenant experience and the potential for organised tenants to exercise structural power. This potential collective power, however, is not self‐actualising. Building on two years of participatory action research and one year of operational data from the California‐based Tenant Power Toolkit (TPT), we attempt to address this conjunctural possibility. We conceptualise tenants as debtors and identify new solidarities emerging from a pandemic era landscape which has left many tenants, particularly Black tenants, deeply indebted to national corporate landlords. We discuss the TPT as a piece of legal mutual aid which both responds to the immediate imperatives of combatting eviction within the existing landscape, and we argue, helps provide the basis for advancing the work of tenant organising across scales and geographies.
Multiple small‐dose infusions of G‐CSF‐mobilized haploidentical lymphocytes after autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Yang Fei , Ren Quan , Zu Yingling , Gui Ruirui , Li Zhen , Wang Juan , Zhang Yanli , Yu Fengkuan , Fang Baijun , Fu Yuewen , Wang Yongliang , Liu Yanyan , Zhang Lina , Zuo Wenli , Li Yufu , Lin Quande , Zhao Huifang , Wang Ping , Zhang Binglei , Huang Zhenghua , Song Yongping , Zhou Jian 
Published: July 2024

SummaryThis retrospective study analysed 106 acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients undergoing autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) to assess the impact of multiple small‐dose infusions of granulocyte‐colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF)‐mobilized haploidentical lymphocytes as post‐ASCT maintenance therapy. Among them, 50 patients received lymphocyte maintenance therapy, 21 received alternative maintenance therapy, and 35 received no maintenance therapy. Patients receiving lymphocyte maintenance therapy demonstrated significantly higher overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) compared to those without maintenance therapy, with 4‐year OS and DFS rates notably elevated. While there were no significant differences in recurrence rates among the three groups, lymphocyte maintenance therapy showcased particular benefits for intermediate‐risk AML patients, yielding significantly higher OS and DFS rates and lower relapse rates compared to alternative maintenance therapy and no maintenance therapy. The study suggests that multiple small‐dose infusions of G‐CSF‐mobilized haploidentical lymphocytes may offer promising outcomes for AML patients after ASCT, particularly for those classified as intermediate‐risk. These findings underscore the potential efficacy of lymphocyte maintenance therapy in reducing disease relapse and improving long‐term prognosis in this patient population.
Successful treatment with plasmapheresis of severe Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis with high cerebrospinal fluid CXCL‐10 levels after COVID‐19 infection: A case report
Authors: Iijima Naoki , Sakurai Kenzo , Ko Riyoko , Isahaya Kenji , Yamano Yoshihisa 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundBickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is an autoimmune disease affecting the brainstem, typically caused by a prior infection. However, BBE after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection is rare. Here, we present a severe case of BBE after COVID‐19 infection, highlighted by increased levels of CXCL‐10.Case PresentationA 28‐year‐old woman presented with symptoms of cold and fever lasting 5 days, accompanied by numbness, weakness and unsteadiness in the distal parts of her limbs before being admitted. Upon admission, her condition was classified with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of E1V1M4, absence of bilateral ocular cephalic reflexes, eyes fixed in the midline position and pathological reflex in lower limbs. COVID‐19 antigen tests were positive, and cerebrospinal fluid CXCL‐10 levels were elevated. Positive serum anti‐GQ1b antibodies, along with other clinical findings, confirmed the diagnosis of BBE. Initial treatment with high‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin was ineffective, leading to mechanical ventilation on day 2 from admission. Additional steroid pulse therapy and plasmapheresis were initiated on day 7. Communication abilities were restored by day 19, and the patient was extubated on day 21. Continuous alleviation of symptoms was observed, with no sequelae at discharge on day 42.ConclusionsBBE related to COVID‐19 with high CXCL‐10 levels can become severe. However, early intensive immunotherapy, including plasmapheresis, might result in favorable prognosis.
TraM‐NeRF: Tracing Mirror and Near‐Perfect Specular Reflections Through Neural Radiance Fields
Authors: Holland Leif Van , Bliersbach Ruben , Müller Jan U. , Stotko Patrick , Klein Reinhard 
Published: July 2024

AbstractImplicit representations like neural radiance fields (NeRF) showed impressive results for photorealistic rendering of complex scenes with fine details. However, ideal or near‐perfectly specular reflecting objects such as mirrors, which are often encountered in various indoor scenes, impose ambiguities and inconsistencies in the representation of the re‐constructed scene leading to severe artifacts in the synthesized renderings. In this paper, we present a novel reflection tracing method tailored for the involved volume rendering within NeRF that takes these mirror‐like objects into account while avoiding the cost of straightforward but expensive extensions through standard path tracing. By explicitly modelling the reflection behaviour using physically plausible materials and estimating the reflected radiance with Monte‐Carlo methods within the volume rendering formulation, we derive efficient strategies for importance sampling and the transmittance computation along rays from only few samples. We show that our novel method enables the training of consistent representations of such challenging scenes and achieves superior results in comparison to previous state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Testing an intervention codesigned with stakeholders for altering wildlife consumption: Health messaging matters
Authors: Hu Sifan , Zhou Kaiwen , Liang Zhijian , Lee Tien Ming , Veríssimo Diogo , Ruan Xiangdong , Hinsley Amy 
Published: July 2024

AbstractConsumer behavior change is a key priority to address the illegal wildlife trade, but evaluation of these interventions is lacking. We used surveys and randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of three types of messages, which were codesigned with key stakeholders, with 2496 potential consumers and nontarget consumers in China. We found a 23% decrease in intention among potential consumers to use wild animal medicinal products by health‐related messages, and a 14% decrease by legality‐related messages, compared with the control group, though the effect size was small. Furthermore, we revealed that the effect of health‐related messages occurred indirectly by increasing health risk perceptions associated with improper utilization of wild animals. Yet, we did not find a clear effect pathway of the legality‐related messages. Regarding the nontarget consumers, information of whistleblowing platforms and incentives improved willingness to report illegal wildlife use directly, as well as indirectly through adding messages to increase perceived legality risk of using wild products and improve self‐efficacy in identifying legal products. Our findings can inform future larger scale efforts to influence wildlife consumption.
Global North–South Reparations: Demand‐side and Supply‐side Policies with a Dynamic View of International Trade and Finance
Authors: Lahiri Bidisha , Darity William A. 
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACTThis study begins with an overview of illustrative scenarios that historically have resulted in imbalances of economic well‐being, growth and stability which demarcate the Global South and the Global North. The authors examine alternative approaches to reparations for those structural imbalances, from monetary transfers that are more likely to have demand‐side implications to capacity‐building approaches that are more likely to affect supply‐side conditions for the Global South. Targeted supply‐side strategies lean more towards rehabilitation rather than purely compensatory measures aimed at redress for historical injustices and exploitations faced by the Global South. Economic analysis underpins a discussion of these different reparations strategies. The authors argue that a dynamic approach to understanding the impact of reparations is essential. This calls for a broader strategy to be adopted, offering unconditional support in practical areas such as industrial policy, investment in manufacturing, capacity building in research and development, and initiatives for general infrastructure development. More importantly, these policies must be guided by the needs identified by the people of the nations in the Global South. Moreover, for any reparations endeavours to have enduring effects, they must be reinforced by the elimination of current external imbalances that exist within the frameworks of international economic relations.
Soil organic carbon fractions and storage potential in Finnish arable soils
Authors: Salonen Anna‐Reetta , de Goede Ron , Creamer Rachel , Heinonsalo Jussi , Soinne Helena 
Published: July 2024

AbstractUnderstanding the factors affecting the total amount and distribution of soil organic carbon (OC) across different functional carbon pools is important to better define the future management of soil OC stocks. The interactions between soil management practices, local physicochemical soil properties and climate are essential for determining the OC content of the soil. Nevertheless, how these factors affect the total amount of OC and its distribution across carbon pools, i.e., more labile particulate (POC) and more stable mineral‐associated (MAOC) organic carbon, is only partly known. In this study, we assessed topsoil (0–20 cm) samples from 93 arable farms in the southern half of Finland to determine the total amount of OC, and its distribution in MAOC and POC, along with relevant soil properties (amount of clay and silt, aluminium and iron oxides and pH), climate (precipitation and temperature) and fertilization (mineral versus organic). The fertilization did not affect the total soil carbon content (12–58 g OC kg−1 soil). The share of OC in the MAOC fraction (on average 86% of total OC) was relatively stable across the large range of OC contents and clay contents (2%–68%). We assessed the highest feasible MAOC of the soils with boundary line analyses and their OC saturation state with Hassink's equation (Hassink, 1997). Only soils with the lowest clay content (<10% clay) were assumed to be carbon‐saturated, suggesting that most of the studied soils have a capacity to accrue more MAOC. Simple linear regression showed that clay, aluminium and iron oxides explained 9%, 21% and 22% of the variation in MAOC, respectively. Multiple regression analyses including the amount of clay, clay+silt, aluminium and iron oxides, pH, type of fertilization, precipitation and temperature as explanatory variables explained 33%–53% of the variation in OC and MAOC. In all soils, aluminium oxides were important explanatory variable for MAOC, whereas Fe oxides were significant only in soils with higher clay content (>30%). In soils with a low clay content (<30%), pH had added value in explaining MAOC. Altogether, it seems that various climatic, edaphic and soil management‐related factors are context‐dependently controlling OC and that soil textural information alone is not necessarily an adequate predictor to assess the MAOC saturation state of the soil.
Adult presentation of a rare mitochondrial tRNA Val gene mutation—an expanding clinical phenotype
Authors: Joyce Eimear , Ali Mohib , Richard Georgia , Kelly Siobhan , Martin Fiachra , Conlon Peter J. , Whelehan Anna , Ng Yi Shiau , Lefter Stela 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackground and purposeLate‐onset mitochondrial disorders are diagnostically challenging with significant heterogeneity in disease presentation. A case is reported of a 67‐year‐old gentleman who presented with a 3‐month history of seizures, recurrent encephalopathy, ataxia and weight loss, preceded by recent initiation of haemodialysis for end‐stage chronic kidney disease.MethodsExtensive work‐up including serological, cerebrospinal fluid, magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography was performed. Whole exome sequencing and muscle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.ResultsMagnetic resonance imaging brain demonstrated a single non‐enhancing T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery hyperintense cortical/subcortical signal change in the right temporal lobe and cerebellar atrophy. Given the subacute presentation of uncertain aetiology, he was empirically treated for autoimmune/paraneoplastic encephalitis. Despite radiological resolution of the cortical abnormality 2 weeks later, there was no clinical improvement. Further collateral history unveiled a mildly ataxic gait and longstanding hearing loss suggestive of a genetic cause. Whole exome sequencing revealed a likely pathogenic, heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA variant in the MT‐TV gene, m.1659T>C, present at higher levels of heteroplasmy in muscle (91%) compared to other mitotic tissues. A high fat/protein diet and multivitamins including co‐enzyme Q10 were commenced. Treatment of the nutritional deficiency and avoidance of intermittent fasting due to unreliable oral intake secondary to encephalopathy probably contributed to the clinical improvement seen over the ensuing few months, with resolution of his encephalopathy and return to his baseline gait and weight.ConclusionAn adult case is reported with an acute neurological presentation mimicking encephalitis, caused by a heteroplasmic m.1659T>C MT‐TV variant, previously reported once in a child who displayed a different clinical phenotype.