bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Plant species richness mediates the responses of microbial necromass carbon accumulation to climate aridity in alpine meadows
Authors: Mou Xiaoming , Li Yuqiang , Wang Xuyang , Chen Yun , Jia Bin , Mao Han , Li Fencan , Li Xiao Gang 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Plant diversity loss caused by climate change decreases soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, but the mechanism involved remains unclear. Investigating the changes in soil microbial necromass carbon (MNC) accumulation along a climate–plant species diversity gradient can help clarify this mechanism, as it is crucial for the stability of SOC.

We conducted large‐scale sampling across a 2500‐km transect through grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau to investigate the MNC content and its contribution to SOC at depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm in response to environmental and plant species diversity gradients.

Plant species richness, plant biomass, and the proportion of above‐ground biomass accounted for by Cyperaceae (sedges) increased with decreasing aridity along the gradient of rising altitude. Meanwhile, the MNC content, its contribution to SOC, and the ratio of fungal to bacterial necromass carbon in both soil layers also increased with decreasing aridity. These results indicate that, in addition to changing climate factors along the altitudinal gradient, plant species richness plays a pivotal role in facilitating soil MNC accumulation and thus the accrual of SOC. Structural equation modelling revealed that plant diversity increases the MNC content by enhancing the abundance of Cyperaceae in the grassland. A higher abundance of Cyperaceae significantly increased the root biomass and level of rhizodeposition, thereby increasing the diversity and activity of soil microbes, and ultimately the accumulation of MNC.

Synthesis. We conclude that changes in plant species richness in response to aridity dominate the MNC content and its proportion in SOC on the Tibetan Plateau. These findings demonstrate the importance of incorporating plant species diversity into conservation efforts in grasslands to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and human activities on SOC.
‘Companions in sufferings both in our owne & a strange land’: Norfolk Exiles in the Low Countries and the Formation of East Anglian Nonconformity
Authors: Halcomb Joel 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThis article explores the experiences of a group of Norfolk puritans who, seeking religious freedom, fled to the Low Countries in the late 1630s, were exposed to congregationalism in the English Reformed Church in Rotterdam, and then returned to their former homes at the start of the English civil wars to oversee the foundation of the congregational church movement in East Anglia. The experience of exile formed a strong bond among these Norfolk puritans, one attached to their newfound congregationalism. The cultures of dispute resolution and toleration of adult baptism found in the Rotterdam church would have a profound effect on the later churches of East Anglia.
THE DENSITY DIALECTIC: Between Hard and Gentle Densification in London
Authors: Habermehl Victoria , McFarlane Colin 
Published: February 2025

AbstractDensity is critical to cities, but how might we conceive and research its role in urban development? We argue that a conceptualization of the ‘density dialectic’ offers a productive response. Drawing on research on urban development in Tower Hamlets (London's densest borough), we identify the tensions and contradictions of current densification approaches. A dialectical approach illuminates those tensions, examines the range of actors, processes and social, economic and environmental concerns that become enrolled, and identifies how densification operates to accommodate its changing relations and contradictions. In a context of rapid and intense urban development, we draw on interviews with planners to show how ‘gentle’ and ‘hard’ visions of density connect, conflate and collide as the borough looks to meet challenging housing targets alongside social and environmental objectives.
Dreaming Ubuntu: Jungian Studies, Forgiveness, and Jung’s Recalcitrant Fourth
Authors: Cerminara Barbara 
Published: February 2025

AbstractJung’s recalcitrant fourth comes in from a place of opposition, demanding that what has been neglected be considered. It is in the spirit of the fourth that the author examines the use of Ubuntu in Jungian literature, cautioning against a decontextualized appropriation of the notion that overlooks its diverse interpretations and usages, particularly in terms of its role in shaping the new South Africa. The author notes a tendency among Jungian scholars to view Ubuntu as the exotic Other, inadvertently perpetuating the same colonial mindset that Jung held towards non‐European cultures. Moreover, she suggests that the Jungian viewpoint on Ubuntu has been heavily influenced by Desmond Tutu’s Christianized version of the notion, and that this assimilation holds significant implications. As chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the archbishop employed the idea of Ubuntu in the service of nation building. Ubuntu was part of a political strategy designed to reconcile the South African people, whilst also silencing critics of a process that failed to fully address structural injustices. Now assimilated into Jungian literature, this version of Ubuntu took on aspects of a punitive cultural superego, thereby undermining its original appeal as an autochthonous form of humanism invoked to liberate the oppressed.
Recent advances of protein modification strategies to enhance the freezing stability of food emulsions: Principles, applications, and prospects
Authors: Shen Zhiwen , Ding Yuxin , Xu Yanshun 
Published: February 2025

AbstractEmulsion‐based foods typically employ proteins as their stabilizers, and their quality maintenance mostly relies on freezing conditions. Currently, improving the freezing stability of food emulsions through various strategies has been a topical issue in food science fields, and the modification targeting proteins is an essential research direction. This review discusses the destabilization mechanisms of food emulsions during freezing, including changes in the aqueous and oil phases, lipid oxidation, changes in pH and ionic strength, and denaturation or inactivation of proteins as emulsifiers. Then, it illustrates the role of the spatial structural properties of proteins and the formation of interfacial protein films in maintaining the freezing stability of emulsions. Moreover, this review highlights the effects of protein modification strategies on the freezing stability of emulsions and emulsion gels, including enzymatic hydrolysis treatment, glycosylation, salt and pH treatment, polyphenol addition, and physical treatment. It also discusses the further application of protein‐modified Pickering emulsions in the food industry. In summary, modification treatments performed on proteins are effective in improving the freezing stability of food emulsions, and this area still has considerable room for exploration in the future, such as treatments involving emerging technologies or emerging substances and the synergistic effect of different treatments in maintaining emulsion freezing stability. This review will provide valuable theoretical insights into the production of high‐quality and shelf‐stable emulsion‐based food products.
Building Sustainable Urban Futures: The Crucial Role of Urban Food Policy
Authors: Banterle Alessandro , Zeneli Fjona 
Published: February 2025

SummaryUrban Food Policies are valuable instruments that cities use to address the multidimensional challenges of food security, food safety and sustainability in urban contexts. As urbanisation continues, these policies offer targeted solutions, involving coordinated efforts by city governments, civil society and stakeholders, and promoting local sustainability and resilience. They are implemented in four types, including substantive (e.g. schools’ canteens and food hubs), regulative (e.g. food safety and hygiene standards on street vendors), fiscal (e.g. tax on sugary beverages), and informative interventions (e.g. campaigns promoting sustainable food practices). As cities expand, they face important issues, such as food access disparities, rising malnutrition, environmental degradation and food waste accumulation. Urban Food Policies can go beyond traditional national policies, incorporating targeted interventions that address and account for the specific issues of urban life. The main key objectives are: ensuring food security and safety, preserving biodiversity and reducing pollution in urban and peri‐urban food systems, food waste management, healthy and sustainable diets, safeguarding cultural identity. However, their effectiveness depends on robust multi‐level governance, collaboration and political will, targeting the local objectives in line with Sustainable Development Goals. Urban Food Policies’ contribution can enable cities to address current and future food‐related challenges in a holistic way.
Effects of freeze‐thawing, blanching, and ultrasound pretreatments on drying efficiency and quality of quince peels
Authors: Wang Pei , Lv Wenping , Wang Hongxin 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of freeze‐thawing (FT), blanching (BL), and ultrasound (US) pretreatments on the drying characteristics and quality of quince peels before hot air drying (HAD) at 60°C. All three pretreatments could decrease the moisture ratio (MR) at any drying time point and increase the effective moisture diffusivity (Deff). The maximum drying rate (DR) of the peels pretreated with BL and US was 1.4 times that of unpretreated peels. The MR–t curves of the peels were highly fitted to the Midilli model. The drying time to reach equilibrium dry basis moisture content for peels pretreated with FT, BL, and US was reduced by 33.33%, 58.33%, and 66.67%, respectively, compared to 4 h for unpretreated peels. The color of US pretreatment peels was closest to that of fresh peels. The total phenolics content and total flavonoids content in the peels were in the order of US > unpretreated > BL > FT. Notably, the rutin content of US pretreatment peels was 4.15 ± 0.10 mg/g DW, which was 15% higher than that of unpretreated peels. In summary, US is the most recommended pretreatment to improve the drying efficiency and quality of HAD quince peels.
Food matrices as delivery units of nutrients in processed foods
Authors: Aguilera Jose Miguel 
Published: February 2025

AbstractProcessed food products (PFPs) are amply consumed and important sources of nutrients worldwide. Evaluating PFPs by their composition fails to recognize that nutrients are embedded in food matrices and processing modifies their nutritional functionality, for example, the bioaccessibility and bioavailability. PFPs with equivalent chemical composition may experience the “food matrix effect”: a difference in the nutritional outcome and health potential. This review presents food matrices attained after processing and their nutritional significance. It also delves into the complex kinetics of digestion conducive to nutrient release from matrices and nutrient interactions before absorption in the small intestine, and the role of microbial fermentation in the colon. Matrices of PFPs can be designed or redesigned and manufactured to be tasty, nutritious, sustainable, as special foods for vulnerable groups, innovative products from novel food sources, and to feed a healthy microbiota. The potential for nutritional improvement of PFPs is driven by understanding the food materials science and changes in food matrices during processing, control of formulation and manufacturing variables, the application of novel technologies, and a multifactor toolbox that supports the rational design of healthy food matrices.
Mushroom mycelia as sustainable alternative proteins for the production of hybrid cell‐cultured meat: A review
Authors: Maseko Kayise Hypercia , Regnier Thierry , Bartels Paul , Meiring Belinda 
Published: February 2025

AbstractWorld agriculture endures an immense challenge in feeding the world's growing population in the face of several productivity and environmental threats. Yet, the demand for alternative protein sources is rapidly increasing as a result of population growth, including health and ethical concerns associated with meat consumption. Edible mushroom species contain a high composition of protein, fiber, vitamins, and a variety of minerals, and are regarded as sufficient sources of food products. Pleurotus genus is one of the most extensively studied edible fungi due to its exceptional physical, chemical, biological, and enzymatic properties. The assessment on the effects of the in vitro culture media composition, including carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, and temperature are all necessary for enhancing mushroom mycelial biomass growth and production. Mycoprotein as a fungal‐derived protein source has been identified as a more sustainable and healthier meat substitute due to its fibrous structure, high nutritional value, and unique functional profile. Its distinctive production method results in a much lower carbon and water footprint than traditional farming methods. A systemic transition from traditional agriculture to more sustainable cellular agriculture using cell‐cultivation methods to create animal products has been proposed and initiated. This review can provide an overview on the various processes involved in the production and usage of mycelium as an alternative protein source in hybrid cell‐cultured meat production.
Integration of De Novo Chromosome‐Level Genome and Population Resequencing of Peganum (Nitrariaceae): A Case Study of Speciation and Evolutionary Trajectories in Arid Central Asia
Authors: Xu Hao , Han Yun , Chi Xiaofeng , Yu Jingya , Xia Mingze , Han Shuang , Niu Yu , Zhang Faqi , Chen Shilong 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTNatural hybridization is a significant driving force in plant evolution and speciation. Understanding the genetic mechanism and dynamic evolutionary trajectories of divergence between species and hybrids remains a central goal in evolutionary biology. Here, we examined the genetic divergence of Peganum and their intermittent and hybrid entities (IHEs) from large‐scale sympatric and allopatric regions. We sequenced the genomes of Peganum from the Arid Central Asia (ACA) region and its surrounding areas, discovering that the origin of Peganum could be traced to the Hexi Corridor in eastern Central Asia, where migration led to geographic and environmental isolation, giving rise to new species based on natural selection. Different Peganum species, exhibiting excellent dispersal abilities, migrated to the same regions and underwent hybridization. The descendant species of Peganum inherited and developed adaptive traits from parent species through gene flow and introgression, particularly in DNA repair and wax layer formation, leading to the speciation of the IHEs. This study clarified the transition stages in hybrid speciation and identified the Mixing‐Isolation‐Mixing cycles (MIM) model as a speciation framework suitable for Peganum, marking the initial identification of this unique evolutionary model in the ACA region.
A Qard Hassan (Benevolent Loan) Crowdfunding Model for Refugee Finance
Authors: Hasan Rashedul , Hassan M. Kabir , Miah Mohammad Dulal 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTAccess to adequate finance can significantly impact the well‐being of refugees. Lack of access to funds can lead to poor living conditions, limited access to education and health care and a lack of economic opportunities. While the refugee finance gap is particularly acute in low‐ and middle‐income countries, refugees in both advanced and emerging countries are affected due to the lack of regulations and relevant financial products. There is a lack of awareness of the financial needs of refugees among financial institutions. Therefore, we adopt a qualitative research design and propose a conceptual Qard Hassan‐based crowdfunding model to reduce the global refugee finance gap. Our conceptual model is unique and can provide greater flexibility and adaptability for refugee finance. The model could be adapted to different contexts and regions. We also make policy contributions, as our proposed crowdfunding model can help to ensure that the funding is provided in a way that is tailored to the specific needs of the refugee community in various locations.
Clashing Moral Economies Among Norway's Muslim Entrepreneurs
Authors: Norbakk Mari 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTThis article examines the challenges faced by Muslim entrepreneurs in Norway, due to the lack of Islamically compliant financing. By setting out a case study of a small‐scale liquidity crisis, the article identifies the operating difficulties inherent in trying to avoid interest‐based credit. The article moves the conversation from overarching discussions of large‐scale financing to the needs for functional financing options for everyday running costs of business. By using an analytical approach of concentric moral economic spheres, the article shows how Islamic and Norwegian moral economy interact through the actions of one entrepreneur. The article further sets out how different scales of decision‐making must be analytically separated as the frames and options available to the actors differ significantly, and this may impact on the religious and moral permissibility of certain actions. As such, the article seeks to document the everyday moral hazards of Muslim entrepreneurs in Norway. The article makes a case for the importance of business culture sensitivity, contractual design within the Norwegian Muslim business community, and highlights the need for alternative methods of financing beyond the main questions of mortgages and large‐scale business loans.
Financial Exclusion, Soft Segregation and Moral Constraints as Drivers of Entrepreneurial Activities in Scottish Muslim Immigrants
Authors: Avdukic Alija , Khaleel Fawad 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTThis study examines financial structures adopted by Muslim immigrant entrepreneurs in Scotland and the challenges they face accessing state‐driven financial support. It explores the effectiveness of different financing models, emphasising how religious values and moral concerns shape financial decisions. The study suggests that formal, top‐down state support often clashes with strong religious sentiments, prompting entrepreneurs to seek morally aligned, informal financing alternatives. Focusing on Scotland, particularly cities like Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, the research highlights the financial integration challenges faced by Muslim immigrants, underscoring their entrepreneurial innovations rooted in religious obligations. The paper analyses financial services available to these entrepreneurs, including the Scottish Growth Scheme, and identifies gaps and opportunities within Scotland's financial landscape. Through in‐depth interviews with 26 Muslim immigrant entrepreneurs, the findings reveal a dependence on informal financing sources and a reluctance to engage with conventional banks due to religious prohibitions. This study ultimately provides insight into how financial exclusion, coupled with moral and religious constraints, drives innovation and alternative financial practices amongst Scotland's Muslim immigrant entrepreneurs.
Islamic Moral Economy: Bringing Back Substantive Morality to Humanise Islamic Finance
Authors: Asutay Mehmet 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTThe theoretical foundation of Islamic finance is constituted by the Islamic moral political economy, which aims to provide resource accessibility within the permissibility of Islam to all stakeholders. The complementarity and unitarity nature of the Islamic cognitive system essentialises the interest of all the stakeholders in economic and financial decision‐making to rescue humans, the environment and land/water. In this privilege‐based understanding paradigm, mutuality and solidarity are considered essential pillars. After its initial emergence in the 1970s in its modern form, Islamic finance has been deviating from its origin towards conventional finance's institutional logic rather than locating itself with the objectives of Islamic moral political economy. This paper argues that sustainable development challenges, along with the refugee and immigration crisis, provide Islamic finance with an opportunity to develop its practices within the substantive morality of Islam as an embedded necessity. This paper suggests that developing qard al‐hassan (beneficence loan), funds can help Islamic banks and financial institutions at least partially respond to the call of Islamic moral political economy and can also be an effective instrument to ease the challenges faced by refugees and immigrants.
mtGrasp: Streamlined reference‐grade mitochondrial genome assembly and standardization to enhance metazoan mitogenome resources
Authors: Lopez Mark Louie D. , Yang Cecilia L. , Coombe Lauren , Warren René L. , Allison Michael J. , Imbery Jacob J. , Birol Inanc , Helbing Caren C. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

High‐quality, accessible mitogenome sequences are crucial for comparative genomics, phylogenetic constructions and environmental DNA (eDNA) applications. With advancements in sequencing technologies, genomic sequencing reads are available for a wide variety of species. Although these data sets contain mitochondrial sequences, this information remains largely untapped due to the limited specialized tools for assembling mitogenomes from short‐read libraries.

The present study introduces the Mitochondrial Genome Reference‐grade Assembly and Standardization Pipeline (mtGrasp), a streamlined and memory‐efficient pipeline for assembling complete and standardized mitogenomes from short‐read metazoan DNA libraries (https://github.com/bcgsc/mtGrasp).

We assembled 23 short‐read libraries and found that mtGrasp ran 2–7 times faster and used 3–4 times less memory, on average, compared to the state‐of‐the‐art mitogenome assembly pipelines GetOrganelle and MitoZ. Additionally, mtGrasp successfully assembled mitogenomes of varying completeness across different animal taxa.

We illustrate that standardizing existing mitogenome annotations with mtGrasp would improve the accuracy of downstream phylogenetic analysis and demonstrate the utility of mtGrasp in designing robust targeted quantitative polymerase chain reaction‐based eDNA assays using mitogenomes assembled from museum voucher specimens.

We expect the reference‐grade mitogenomes generated with freely available mtGrasp to advance the development of robust, high‐quality eDNA tools and aid in a variety of comparative genomic analyses.