bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In situ metagenomics: A platform for rapid sequencing and analysis of metagenomes in less than one day
Authors: Tamames Javier , Jiménez‐Lalana Diego , Redondo Álvaro , Martínez‐García Sandra , de los Rios Asunción 
Published: December 2023

AbstractWe present here a complete system for metagenomic analysis that allows performing the sequencing and analysis of a medium‐size metagenome in less than one day. This unprecedented development was possible due to the conjunction of state‐of‐the‐art experimental and computational advances: a portable laboratory suitable for DNA extraction and sequencing with nanopore technology; the powerful metagenomic analysis pipeline SqueezeMeta, capable to provide a complete analysis in a few hours and using scarce computational resources; and tools for the automatic inspection of the results via a graphical user interface, that can be coupled to a web server to allow remote visualization of data (SQMtools and SQMxplore). We have tested the feasibility of our approach in the sequencing of the microbiota associated to volcanic rocks in La Palma, Canary Islands. Also, we did a two‐day sampling campaign of marine waters in which the results obtained on the first day guided the experimental design of the second day. We demonstrate that it is possible to generate metagenomic information in less than one day, making it feasible to obtain taxonomic and functional profiles fast and efficiently, even in field conditions. This capacity can be used in the further to perform real‐time functional and taxonomic monitoring of microbial communities in remote areas.
Auditor changes and management's issuance of earnings forecasts
Authors: Jia Yonghong , Gao Xinghua 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAuditor changes are significant corporate events marking disruptions in the auditor‐client relationship. Prior studies have primarily examined the impact of such changes on audit quality and investment decisions of market participants. We study the effect of auditor changes on the voluntary disclosure of forward‐looking information. Managers may choose to reduce disclosure due to the possible adverse effect of the disruptions on disclosure credibility. Alternatively, shareholders may demand increased disclosure to intensify monitoring, as the auditor change signals potential issues between the company and the auditor. Employing multiple identification strategies, we find that firms are less likely to issue management earnings forecasts (MEFs) following auditor changes. We also find that governance quality mitigates the negative impact of auditor changes on the issuance of MEFs. Additionally, auditor changes are associated with lower market reactions to forecast releases. The overall evidence is consistent with the notion of reduced forecast credibility. Lastly, we conduct cross‐sectional analyses on characteristics of the auditor changes and find evidence consistent with signaling and anticipated successor audit quality to be underlying mechanisms for the association between auditor changes and MEFs. Our study provides the first large sample evidence that auditor changes have a disruptive effect on the voluntary disclosure of forward‐looking information.
Understanding step selection analysis through numerical integration
Authors: Michelot Théo , Klappstein Natasha J. , Potts Jonathan R. , Fieberg John 
Published: December 2023

AbstractStep selection functions (SSFs) are flexible statistical models used to jointly describe animals' movement and habitat preferences. The popularity of SSFs has grown rapidly, and various extensions have been developed to increase their utility, including the ability to use multiple statistical distributions to describe movement constraints, interactions to allow movements to depend on local environmental features, and random effects and latent states to account for within‐ and among‐individual variability. Although the SSF is a relatively simple statistical model, its presentation has not been consistent in the literature, leading to confusion about model flexibility and interpretation.We believe that part of the confusion has arisen from the conflation of the SSF model with the methods used for statistical inference, and in particular, parameter estimation. Notably, conditional logistic regression (CLR) can be used to fit SSFs in exponential form, and this model fitting approach is often presented interchangeably with the actual model (the SSF itself). However, reliance on CLR reduces model flexibility, and suggests a misleading interpretation of step selection analysis as being equivalent to a case–control study.In this review, we explicitly distinguish between model formulation and inference technique, presenting a coherent framework to fit SSFs based on numerical integration and maximum likelihood estimation. We provide an overview of common numerical integration techniques (including Monte Carlo integration, importance sampling and quadrature), and explain how they relate to popular methods used in step selection analyses.This general framework unifies different model fitting techniques for SSFs, and opens the way for improved inferential methods. In this approach, it is straightforward to model movement with distributions outside the exponential family, and to apply different SSF model formulations to the same data set and compare them with AIC. By separating the model formulation from the inference technique, we hope to clarify many important concepts in step selection analysis.
Maximising the informativeness of new records in spatial sampling design
Authors: Flint Ian , Wu Chung‐Huey , Valavi Roozbeh , Chen Wan‐Jyun , Lin Te‐En 
Published: December 2023

Abstract

In building a robust knowledge base or validating existing models for use in ecological spatial modelling, having plentiful high‐quality data is paramount. Careful survey design helps attain that goal and, in part due to financial constraints, such design requires the balancing of hard monetary costs and the intangible benefit of improved ecological models.

We propose a framework that quantifies a location's value to the modeller by accounting for both the probability of obtaining new samples and their expected contribution to the model. The approach is illustrated on a citizen science database of roadkills in Taiwan, modelled as a Poisson point process on a linear road network.

Our method has revealed some valuable locations that were not self‐evident, for example, highlighting the possibility of sending volunteers to mountainous areas that despite being hard to reach, would provide valuable samples. We have also highlighted some ex situ sampling opportunities to avoid wasting resources by over‐sampling hard to access locations.

Our technique is not restricted to presence‐only data, and in fact we present a general framework that can be applied to a wide range of settings by tuning its formulation. Our method is quite flexible and allows for more elaborate value functions, enabling managers to precisely quantify varied goals within the same framework.
Non‐Investor Institutions' Site Visits and Corporate Social Responsibility*
Authors: Tam Lewis H.K. , Tian Shaohua 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPrevious studies show that institutional investors play an important role in shaping corporate social responsibility (CSR). The role of non‐investor institutions such as media firms is largely unexplored, especially in China. This study examines the impact of site visits by non‐investor institutions on visited firms' CSR ratings (excluding corporate governance (CG)) in China. The baseline result shows that site visits are associated with improved CSR ratings. The result is robust after controlling for potential endogeneity issues. It is also robust with alternative CSR ratings by different data providers. The channel test suggests that non‐investor institutions' site visits improve CSR ratings by increasing both CSR disclosure and actual CSR activities. To highlight the difference between our study and recent research on corporate site visits by institutional investors, we perform a further test to show that non‐investor institutions' visits improve the non‐CG aspect but not the CG aspect of CSR ratings while institutional investors' visits improve the CG aspect but not the non‐CG aspect of CSR ratings.
Re‐evaluating fetal scalp pH thresholds: An examination of fetal pH variations during labor
Authors: Girault Aude , Le Ray Camille , Garabedian Charles , Goffinet François , Tannier Xavier 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIntroductionSince the 1970s, fetal scalp blood sampling (FSBS) has been used as a second‐line test of the acid–base status of the fetus to evaluate fetal well‐being during labor. The commonly employed thresholds that delineate normal pH (>7.25), subnormal (7.20–7.25), and pathological pH (<7.20) guide clinical decisions. However, these experienced‐based thresholds, based on observations and common sense, have yet to be confirmed. The aim of the study was to investigate if pH drop rate accelerates at the common thresholds (7.25 and 7.20) and to explore the possibility of identifying more accurate thresholds.Material and methodsA retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary maternity hospital between June 2017 and July 2021. Patients with at least one FSBS during labor for category II fetal heart rate and delivery of a singleton cephalic infant were included. The rate of change in pH value between consecutive samples for each patient was calculated and plotted as a function of pH value. Linear regression models were used to model the evolution of the pH drop rate estimating slope and standard errors across predefined pH intervals. Exploration of alternative pH action thresholds was conducted. To explore the independence of the association between pH value and pH drop rate, multiple linear regression adjusted on age, body mass index, parity, oxytocin stimulation and suspected small for gestational age was performed.ResultsWe included 2047 patients with at least one FSBS (total FSBS 3467); with 2047 umbilical cord blood pH, and a total of 5514 pH samples. Median pH values were 7.29 1 h before delivery, 7.26 30 min before delivery. The pH drop was slow between 7.40 and 7.30, then became more pronounced, with median rates of 0.0005 units/min at 7.25 and 0.0013 units/min at 7.20. Out of the alternative pH thresholds, 7.26 and 7.20 demonstrated the best alignment with our dataset. Multiple linear regression revealed that only pH value was significantly associated to the rate of pH change.ConclusionsOur study confirms the validity and reliability of current guideline thresholds for fetal scalp pH in category II fetal heart rate.
Using cross‐validation methods to select time series models: Promises and pitfalls
Authors: Liu Siwei , Zhou Di Jody 
Published: December 2023

AbstractVector autoregressive (VAR) modelling is widely employed in psychology for time series analyses of dynamic processes. However, the typically short time series in psychological studies can lead to overfitting of VAR models, impairing their predictive ability on unseen samples. Cross‐validation (CV) methods are commonly recommended for assessing the predictive ability of statistical models. However, it is unclear how the performance of CV is affected by characteristics of time series data and the fitted models. In this simulation study, we examine the ability of two CV methods, namely,10‐fold CV and blocked CV, in estimating the prediction errors of three time series models with increasing complexity (person‐mean, AR, and VAR), and evaluate how their performance is affected by data characteristics. We then compare these CV methods to the traditional methods using the Akaike (AIC) and Bayesian (BIC) information criteria in their accuracy of selecting the most predictive models. We find that CV methods tend to underestimate prediction errors of simpler models, but overestimate prediction errors of VAR models, particularly when the number of observations is small. Nonetheless, CV methods, especially blocked CV, generally outperform the AIC and BIC. We conclude our study with a discussion on the implications of the findings and provide helpful guidelines for practice.
Ecological responses of squamate reptiles to nocturnal warming
Authors: Rutschmann Alexis , Perry Constant , Le Galliard Jean‐François , Dupoué Andréaz , Lourdais Olivier , Guillon Michaël , Brusch George , Cote Julien , Richard Murielle , Clobert Jean , Miles Donald B. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACTNocturnal temperatures are increasing at a pace exceeding diurnal temperatures in most parts of the world. The role of warmer nocturnal temperatures in animal ecology has received scant attention and most studies focus on diurnal or daily descriptors of thermal environments' temporal trends. Yet, available evidence from plant and insect studies suggests that organisms can exhibit contrasting physiological responses to diurnal and nocturnal warming. Limiting studies to diurnal trends can thus result in incomplete and misleading interpretations of the ability of species to cope with global warming. Although they are expected to be impacted by warmer nocturnal temperatures, insufficient data are available regarding the night‐time ecology of vertebrate ectotherms. Here, we illustrate the complex effects of nocturnal warming on squamate reptiles, a keystone group of vertebrate ectotherms. Our review includes discussion of diurnal and nocturnal ectotherms, but we mainly focus on diurnal species for which nocturnal warming affects a period dedicated to physiological recovery, and thus may perturb activity patterns and energy balance. We first summarise the physical consequences of nocturnal warming on habitats used by squamate reptiles. Second, we describe how such changes can alter the energy balance of diurnal species. We illustrate this with empirical data from the asp viper (Vipera aspis) and common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), two diurnal species found throughout western Europe. Third, we make use of a mechanistic approach based on an energy‐balance model to draw general conclusions about the effects of nocturnal temperatures. Fourth, we examine how warmer nights may affect squamates over their lifetime, with potential consequences on individual fitness and population dynamics. We review quantitative evidence for such lifetime effects using recent data derived from a range of studies on the European common lizard (Zootoca vivipara). Finally, we consider the broader eco‐evolutionary ramifications of nocturnal warming and highlight several research questions that require future attention. Our work emphasises the importance of considering the joint influence of diurnal and nocturnal warming on the responses of vertebrate ectotherms to climate warming.
Wood trait preferences of Neotropical xylophagous beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Authors: Torres Christina Ann , Barrios Héctor , Pinzon‐Navarro Sara , Berkov Amy 
Published: December 2023

AbstractTree life history strategies are correlated with functional plant traits, such as wood density, moisture content, bark thickness, and nitrogen content; these traits affect the nutrients available to xylophagous insects. Cerambycid beetles feed on substrates that vary in these traits, but little is known about how they affect community composition. The goal of this project is to explore the community composition of two cerambycid subfamilies (Cerambycinae and Lamiinae) according to the wood traits in the wood they eat. In a salvage project conducted adjacent to the Panama Canal, trees were felled and exposed to Cerambycidae for oviposition. Disks from branches of differing thickness from the same plant individuals were used to calculate wood density, moisture content, and bark thickness in the field; nitrogen data were acquired offsite. Thick and thin branches tended to differ in wood trait values; therefore, data were analyzed separately in subsequent analyses. In thin branches, cerambycid abundance and species richness were higher in samples with less dense, moister wood, and thicker bark. Thick branches showed similar trends, but the wood traits accounted for little variability in beetle abundance or species richness. There were no significant regressions between beetle data and nitrogen. Cerambycines emerged more slowly, and from denser, drier wood, than lamiines. Cerambycines might be more drought‐tolerant than lamiines, and therefore, more resistant to the longer, more severe dry seasons that are predicted to occur due to climate change.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Coastal dry tropical forests in Florida and the Caribbean in peril: A review
Authors: Freeman Kaylee , Subedi Suresh C. , Ross Michael S. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractCoastal dry tropical forests (CDTFs) are important yet vulnerable ecosystems. In this paper, we highlight the special conservation issues facing CDTFs by focusing on one variant of the type, those that occupy limestone substrate in the northeastern Caribbean. Our analysis draws largely from the coastal terrestrial broadleaf forests of the northern Bahamas, the Florida Keys, and southwestern Puerto Rico. Based on the surveys of storm surge recorded during major hurricanes during the last 50 years, we define CDTFs as coastal terrestrial broadleaf forests on ground surfaces elevated up to 5 m above sea level and occurring within 5 km of the coast. These forests are not only threatened by land‐use change from urbanization but also climate‐driven sea level rise (SLR) and hurricanes, which have degraded them and reduced their extent. CDTFs are distinguished from other dry tropical forests by the occasional influence of marine water incursion during periodic storms, requiring species common to these forests to have some level of salt tolerance despite experiencing well‐drained, fresh water conditions during most of their life span. With precipitation being the sole freshwater source for most CDTFs, SLR and the resulting salinization in the rooting zone subjects these forests to increasingly stressful conditions. Hence, even a modest rise in sea level can push numerous imperiled and endangered species and coastal terrestrial broadleaf communities to the edge of their tolerance, causing a decline in extent or their complete disappearance. Outside of protected areas, rapid urbanization has fragmented these forests and reduced their extent, which in turn have modified the interaction between rising seas and forest function. This work emphasizes the need for refined risk assessments to be completed and for conservation measures to be enforced so that resources can be directed appropriately to prevent further loss of CDTFs.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Regionally unique ant assemblages associated with community‐based conservation in northwestern Ghana
Authors: Sosiak Christine E. , Longair Robert W. , Agba Tungbani Issahaku , Sheppard Donna J. , McPherson Jana M. , Glasier James R. N. , Moehrenschlager Axel 
Published: December 2023

AbstractCommunity‐based conservation can play an important role in preserving biodiversity, but it is unclear whether such benefits extend to invertebrate communities; in particular, baseline data for insect communities is lacking to assess efficacy of conservation efforts. Here we evaluate ant assemblages across three habitats, protected within the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS) in the Upper West Region of Ghana. We compare relative ant species diversity and uniqueness between the sanctuary's Guinea savannah, riparian forest, and floodplain habitats. Ants were collected with other invertebrates using malaise traps, pitfall traps, and yellow pan traps between 2001 and 2011 multiple times per year. From these data, we compiled a list of ant species found, castes collected, and functional groups, and evaluated the differences in ant diversity among the habitats using accumulation curves, assemblage structure comparison, and Morisita‐Horn indices. We also compared the overall WCHS assemblage to other ant assemblages in Western Africa to gain a clearer understanding of relative diversity and uniqueness. We collected 83 species from seven subfamilies and 44 genera; 14 of the species were previously unrecorded in Ghana, including one ant species new to science. Ant species diversity differed among habitats in assemblage composition but not significantly in species richness. We found that the WCHS ant assemblage was relatively unique, sharing only about 35% of species found in similar Côte d'Ivoire habitats, and 25% of other Ghanaian assemblages. Some species present in the WCHS were not found in any of the other compared assemblages. We conclude that community‐based conservation initiatives like the WCHS may play an important role in conserving the biodiversity of ants.
Evaluation of skin cancer screening in Germany – participation, tumor detection and interval tumors based on SHI data
Authors: Garbe Claudia , Augustin Matthias , Augustin Jobst , Baltus Hannah , Eisemann Nora , Hübner Joachim , Katalinic Alexander , Wolf Sandra , Hagenström Kristina 
Published: December 2023

SummaryBackground and goalsThe rising incidence of skin cancer in Germany has increased the need for secondary prevention measures. For this purpose, a statutory skin cancer screening for insured persons aged 35 and older was introduced on 1 June 2008. The aim of this work package in the Innovation Fund project “Perspectives of a multimodal evaluation of early skin cancer detection” (Pertimo) was to test an evaluation of skin cancer screening using secondary data.Patients and methodsThe data basis was statutory insured persons of the DAK Health from the age of 35 who were insured as of 31 December 2010 and were followed up until the end of 2015. The rates of participation, skin tumors detected in skin cancer screening (tumor detections), and interval tumors that occurred within two years after a finding‐free skin cancer screening were calculated.ResultsThe biennial skin cancer screening take‐up rate in 2014 and 2015 was 33.6% for women and 32.6% for men. Of those screened, 4.2% had a skin cancer finding (tumor detection) in the course of skin cancer screening. Of all incident skin cancer diagnoses (2012–2015), 50.1% were detected in skin cancer screening. In 1.5% of the insured persons with skin cancer screening without findings, an incidental skin tumor was diagnosed in the following two years (interval tumor).ConclusionsThe data from the statutory health insurance mapped the skin cancer screening occurrence in Germany and highlighted the importance of dermatologists in the screening process. The analysis provided important new insights.