bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of supplemental nutrients on ovarian development and oviposition in Conogethes punctiferalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Authors: Zhang Ganyu , Wu Haibin , Jiang Lili , Wen Junbao , Zhang Wensheng , Sun Ruihong 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Conogethes punctiferalis is a serious pest in China affecting a wide variety of field crops, fruits, and forest trees. Many insects require supplemental nutrients after emergence to compensate for insufficient nutrients at the larval stage. In this study, to better understand the determinants of C. punctiferalis survival and reproduction, the impact of supplemental nutrition was examined. In particular, the effects of 11 treatments (5% sucrose, 10% sucrose, 15% sucrose, 5% sophora honey, 10% sophora honey, 15% sophora honey, 5% wild honey, 10% wild honey, 15% wild honey, distilled water, and blank control) on adult longevity and oviposition were evaluated, with detailed morphological analyses of ovarian development in the 10% sucrose, distilled water, and blank control groups. Conogethes punctiferalis required supplementary nutrition after emergence. Supplementary nutrition improved fecundity (number of eggs laid) and longevity, and 10% sucrose water had the greatest effects. The preoviposition period and oviposition period of C. punctiferalis females were longer, and the numbers of eggs in female ovarian tubes and eggs laid by females were higher in the 10% sucrose water group than in other groups. Females supplemented with distilled water laid a small number of eggs. Without nutrient supplementation, females did not lay eggs. In conclusion, supplemental nutrition was beneficial for ovarian development in female moths, prolonging the oviposition period and lifespan, and was an important factor affecting population dynamics. These results lay a foundation for further analyses of the nutritional requirements for C. punctiferalis in the field and provide a reference for indoor population feeding.
Rice Farming and the Origins of Cooperative Behaviour
Authors: Zhou Xiaoyu , Alysandratos Theodore , Naef Michael 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
This paper provides novel evidence for links between historic farming practices and current norms of cooperative behaviour. We hypothesise that the cooperation required in wetland rice farming gives rise to strong cultural norms of cooperativeness. We compare participants from prefecture cities that predominately practice wetland rice cultivation to those from non-rice regions. A public goods game with and without punishment is the main measure for cooperative behaviour. Results indicate a strong and robust positive effect of wetland rice farming on cooperative behaviour and pro-social punishment. Complementary, consistent evidence from a natural field experiment and a survey further enriches our data.
What buffered the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression? A longitudinal study of caregivers of school aged children in Ireland
Authors: Laurence James , Russell Helen , Smyth Emer 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has wrought acute harm to global mental health, especially among vulnerable populations. We explore what factors in people’s lives buffered the impact of the pandemic on depression; in particular, the role of social resources, economic resources, religiosity, and quality of their local environment. Drawing on three waves of longitudinal cohort data (two pre-pandemic waves and one pandemic-period wave) from primary caregivers of school-aged children in Ireland, we demonstrate that symptoms of depression increased sharply during the pandemic. However, depression symptomology increased less steeply among caregivers who, pre-pandemic, had greater economic resources and lived in higher quality environments, but especially among those with greater social resources and those who exhibited greater religiosity. Path analysis suggests that different sources of buffering might mitigate harm via different pathways. While most buffering factors appear to cushion mental well-being by reducing stresses from increased care work, improving familial relations, and helping caregivers manage the closure of/return to schools, other drivers appear to cushion mental well-being by reducing health anxieties around COVID-19, increasing opportunities for outdoor exercise, and protecting household incomes. This study highlights how crisis-preparedness should invest in social infrastructure alongside medical infrastructure to protect societies from future pandemics.
Impact of early vs. delayed atrial fibrillation catheter ablation on atrial arrhythmia recurrences
Authors: Kalman Jonathan M , Al-Kaisey Ahmed M , Parameswaran Ramanathan , Hawson Joshua , Anderson Robert D , Lim Michael , Chieng David , Joseph Stephen A , McLellan Alex , Morton Joseph B , Sparks Paul B , Lee Geoffrey , Sanders Prashanthan , Kistler Peter M 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Background
Catheter ablation is an effective strategy in atrial fibrillation (AF). However, its timing in the course of management remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine if an early vs. delayed AF ablation strategy is associated with differences in arrhythmia outcomes during 12-month follow-up.

Methods and results
One hundred patients with symptomatic AF referred to a tertiary centre for management were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either an early ablation strategy (within 1 month of recruitment) or a delayed ablation strategy (optimized medical therapy followed by catheter ablation at 12 months post recruitment). The primary endpoint was atrial arrhythmia free survival at 12 months post-ablation. Secondary outcomes included: (i) AF burden, (ii) AF burden by AF phenotype, and (iii) antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) use at 12 months. Overall, 89 patients completed the study protocol (Early vs. Delayed: 48 vs. 41). Mean age was 59 ± 12.9 years (29% women). Pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in 100% of patients. At 12 months, 56.3% of patients in the early ablation group were free from recurrent arrhythmia, compared with 58.6% in the delayed ablation group (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.59–2.13, P = 0.7). All secondary outcomes showed no significant difference including median AF burden (Early vs. Delayed: 0% [IQR 3.2] vs. 0% [5], P = 0.66), median AF burden amongst paroxysmal AF patients (0% [IQR 1.1] vs. 0% [4.5], P = 0.78), or persistent AF patients (0% [IQR 22.8] vs. 0% [5.6], P = 0.45) or AAD use (33% vs. 37%, P = 0.8).

Conclusion
Compared with an early ablation strategy, delaying AF ablation by 12 months for AAD management did not result in reduced ablation efficacy.
EHRA clinical consensus statement on conduction system pacing implantation: endorsed by the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), Canadian Heart Rhythm Society (CHRS), and Latin American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS)
Authors: Burri Haran , Jastrzebski Marek , Cano Óscar , Čurila Karol , de Pooter Jan , Huang Weijian , Israel Carsten , Joza Jacqueline , Romero Jorge , Vernooy Kevin , Vijayaraman Pugazhendhi , Whinnett Zachary , Zanon Francesco 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Conduction system pacing (CSP) has emerged as a more physiological alternative to right ventricular pacing and is also being used in selected cases for cardiac resynchronization therapy. His bundle pacing was first introduced over two decades ago and its use has risen over the last five years with the advent of tools which have facilitated implantation. Left bundle branch area pacing is more recent but its adoption is growing fast due to a wider target area and excellent electrical parameters. Nevertheless, as with any intervention, proper technique is a prerequisite for safe and effective delivery of therapy. This document aims to standardize the procedure and to provide a framework for physicians who wish to start CSP implantation, or who wish to improve their technique.
EHRA clinical consensus statement on conduction system pacing implantation: executive summary. Endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), Canadian Heart Rhythm Society (CHRS) and Latin-American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS)
Authors: Burri Haran , Jastrzebski Marek , Cano Óscar , Čurila Karol , de Pooter Jan , Huang Weijian , Israel Carsten , Joza Jacqueline , Romero Jorge , Vernooy Kevin , Vijayaraman Pugazhendhi , Whinnett Zachary , Zanon Francesco 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Conduction system pacing (CSP) has emerged as a more physiological alternative to right ventricular pacing and is also being used in selected cases for cardiac resynchronization therapy. His bundle pacing was first introduced over two decades ago and its use has risen over the last years with the advent of tools which have facilitated implantation. Left bundle branch area pacing is more recent but its adoption is growing fast due to a wider target area and excellent electrical parameters. Nevertheless, as with any intervention, proper technique is a prerequisite for safe and effective delivery of therapy. This document aims to standardize the procedure and to provide a framework for physicians who wish to start CSP implantation, or who wish to improve their technique. A synopsis is provided in this print edition of EP-Europace. The full document may be consulted online, and a ‘Key Messages’ App can be downloaded from the EHRA website.
Genetic testing in children with Brugada syndrome: results from a large prospective registry
Authors: Pannone Luigi , Bisignani Antonio , Osei Randy , Gauthey Anaïs , Sorgente Antonio , Vergara Pasquale , Monaco Cinzia , Della Rocca Domenico Giovanni , Del Monte Alvise , Strazdas Antanas , Mojica Joerelle , Al Housari Maysam , Miraglia Vincenzo , Mouram Sahar , Paparella Gaetano , Ramak Robbert , Overeinder Ingrid , Bala Gezim , Almorad Alexandre , Ströker Erwin , Pappaert Gudrun , Sieira Juan , de Ravel Thomy , La Meir Mark , Brugada Pedro , Chierchia Gian Battista , Van Dooren Sonia , de Asmundis Carlo 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Aims
A pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant in SCN5A is found in 20–25% of patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). However, the diagnostic yield and prognosis of gene panel testing in paediatric BrS is unclear. The aim of this study is to define the diagnostic yield and outcomes of SCN5A gene testing with ACMG variant classification in paediatric BrS patients compared with adults.

Methods and results
All consecutive patients diagnosed with BrS, between 1992 and 2022, were prospectively enrolled in the UZ Brussel BrS registry. Inclusion criteria were: (i) BrS diagnosis; (ii) genetic analysis performed with a large gene panel; and (iii) classification of gene variants following ACMG guidelines. Paediatric patients were defined as ≤16 years of age. The primary endpoint was ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). A total of 500 BrS patients were included, with 63 paediatric patients and 437 adult patients. Among children with BrS, 29 patients (46%) had a P/LP variant (P+) in SCN5A and no variants were found in 34 (54%) patients (P−). After a mean follow-up of 125.9 months, 8 children (12.7%) experienced a VA, treated with implanted cardioverter defibrillator shock. At survival analysis, P− paediatric patients had higher VA-free survival during the follow-up, compared with P+ paediatric patients. P+ status was an independent predictor of VA. There was no difference in VA-free survival between paediatric and adult BrS patients for both P− and P+.

Conclusion
In a large BrS cohort, the diagnostic yield for P/LP variants in the paediatric population is 46%. P+ children with BrS have a worse arrhythmic prognosis.
Incorporation, fate, and turnover of free fatty acids in cyanobacteria
Authors: Kahn Amaranta , Oliveira Paulo , Cuau Marine , Leão Pedro N 
Published: April 2023

AbstractFatty acids are important molecules in bioenergetics and also in industry. The phylum cyanobacteria consists of a group of prokaryotes that typically carry out oxygenic photosynthesis with water as an electron donor and use carbon dioxide as a carbon source to generate a range of biomolecules, including fatty acids. They are also able to import exogenous free fatty acids and direct them to biosynthetic pathways. Here, we review current knowledge on mechanisms and regulation of free fatty acid transport into cyanobacterial cells, their subsequent activation and use in the synthesis of fatty acid-containing biomolecules such as glycolipids and alka(e)nes, as well as recycling of free fatty acids derived from such molecules. This review also covers efforts in the engineering of such cyanobacterial fatty acid-associated pathways en route to optimized biofuel production.
Allometric Models and Biomass Conversion and Expansion Factors to Predict Total Tree-level Aboveground Biomass for Three Conifers Species in Iran
Authors: Ali Hassan , Mohammadi Jahangir , Shataee Jouibary Shaban 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAccurate estimation of total aboveground biomass (TAGB) is an important challenge in evaluating and monitoring tree biomass. Thus, developing species-specific allometric models is essential. This study aimed to predict tree-level TAGB for Pinus brutia, Pinus pinea, Cupressus sempervirens, and the species-independent case using the most accurate allometric models, biomass conversion and expansion factor (BCEF), and mixed effect models in Golestan Province, Iran. The mean BCEFs for three species were 0.46, 0.47, and 0.86, respectively, and there was no significant difference (p&gt;0.05) between TAGB predictions based on BCEF estimates for this study and observations of TAGB. The results revealed that compared with relative root mean square error (RMSE%) for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report–based BCEFs, the RMSE% for BCEFs estimated for this study were reduced by 46.91%. The results showed that a diameter at breast height (DBH), height (H), and wood density (ρ)-based model were the most accurate predictors for P. brutia (R2=0.98, RMSE%=14.11), whereas the DBH-based model and the DBH and H-based model were most accurate for P. pinea (R2=0.99, RMSE%=9.04) and C. sempervirens (R2=0.96, RMSE%=17.77), respectively. Compared to the allometric models, mixed-effect models using DBH, H, and ρ improved TAGB prediction for the species-independent case (3% increase in R2 and 6.81% decrease in RMSE%), but not for models for P. brutia, P. pinea, and C. sempervirens.Study Implications: Accurate prediction of total tree-level aboveground biomass (TAGB) requires the most accurate allometric models plus accurate biomass conversion and expansion factors (BCEFs). The relevance of this study is that few allometric models have been developed to predict tree-level TAGB for Pinus brutia, Pinus pinea, and Cupressus sempervirens. We developed allometric models and estimated BCEFs for predicting TAGB for P. brutia, P. pinea, and C. sempervirens in Golestan Province, Iran. We provide accurate allometric models and BCEFs based on available field data. Also, we provide tools to help forest managers predict TAGB.
Predicting Impacts of Climate Change on Teak and Sal Forests in Central India Using Maximum Entropy Modeling: an Approach for Future Conservation and Silvicultural Strategies
Authors: Patasaraiya Maneesh Kumar , Devi Rinku Moni , Sinha Bhaskar , Bisaria Jigyasa 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Climate change impacts on tropical forests and tree species have been documented as changes in distribution, growing period, phenology, habitat, productivity, species composition, and migration. This study attempts to assess the current and future habitat suitability distribution of two dominant species of Central India, teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) and sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to predict species occurrences by finding the distribution that has the most spread. The future suitable habitat ranges of the species were modeled for two time periods (2050 and 2070) and two representative concentration pathways (RCP 2.6 and 8.5). Representative concentration pathways are scenarios that describe alternative trajectories for carbon dioxide emissions and the resulting atmospheric concentration from 2000 to 2100. We collected and modeled the spatially well-dispersed species occurrence points of teak and sal. The results suggested an increase in suitable habitat range for teak and a decrease for sal for both time periods and RCPs. Furthermore, the jackknife analysis identified temperature and precipitation seasonality as the major variables that influence the distribution of teak. In the case of sal, minimum temperature makes the maximum contribution to distribution changes. The suitable silvicultural strategies for forest management are proposed based on the future distribution of species in relation to the climate variables responsible for the change in their distribution range. These findings and strategies will help forest departments build future management plans for teak and sal forest with a focus on minimizing the impact of climate change.
Study Implications: Our study used maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling to understand the impact of changing climate on the distribution of teak and sal forests of central India and to propose future silvicultural strategies. The study used MaxEnt model for two time periods and two climate change scenarios at highest resolution. An increase in future suitable habitat for teak and a decrease for sal is predicted by the model. Temperature for teak and precipitation for sal were identified as the major influencing climatic variables. We recommend forest and other related government departments to commission focused research to understand the changing patterns of species with climate change and design appropriate silviculture strategies for effective management.
Spatially Explicit Assessment of the USDA Forest Service as a Representative Bureaucracy
Authors: Locke Dexter H , Sachdeva Sonya S , Westphal Lynne M , Kenefic Laura S , Dockry Michael J , Fisher Cherie LeBlanc 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Diverse workforce representation helps organizations achieve their goals and is important for government agencies that seek to gain public trust. Prior research has examined patterns of representation in the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) and found an overall lack of representation despite advances at leadership levels. Federal agencies are required to report total workforce demographics; however, representation relative to local communities is rarely known. Using data from the US Census Bureau, we examined demographic profiles of populations within a 1-hour drive time around Forest Service workplaces relative to workforce demographics at each workplace. The Forest Service had a greater proportion of white employees than the US population as a whole, and racial/ethnicity diversity was lower than surrounding communities at 99.7% of Forest Service workplaces. Region-level summaries reinforce this pattern, suggesting the Forest Service is not a representative bureaucracy in any region or at any geographic scale. Given the Forest Service’s size, role in natural resources management, and geographic distribution of its workforce, disparities between demographic composition of the agency’s workforce and surrounding communities are striking. These results set a standard for spatially explicit assessments of workforce diversity as it relates to representative bureaucracy in geographically dispersed organizations like the Forest Service.
Study Implications: Prior research showed that the USDA Forest Service had proportionally fewer Black/African American (~3 times fewer) and Asian (~2 times fewer) employees than the US civilian labor force as a whole. However, aggregate agency-level statistics and national comparisons may conceal local and regional level variation. To understand how the racial and ethnic diversity at each workplace compared with its surrounding geographic area’s local population, 690 workplaces were examined. Results were consistent across multiple drive times and levels of aggregation; the Forest Service’s workforce is less diverse than surrounding communities, which may potentially affect its ability to serve its many stakeholders.
Determinants of Softwood Lumber Prices in the US Northwest
Authors: Reimer Jeffrey J , Annan Kenneth 
Published: April 2023

AbstractLumber prices can be volatile and hard to predict from month to month yet are important for many sectors of the economy, ranging from forestry and construction. An economic model of lumber prices was developed and applied to data representing multiple supply and demand determinants of lumber. Using a suite of econometric models, monthly lumber prices were related back to variables including construction permits, US reserve bank credit, tariffs with Canada, exchange rates with Canada, and variables representing shocks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Preferred models use relatively small amounts of publicly available information, making them more accessible to industry participants who want to make their own price predictions. Such information can help guide decisions about whether to expand or scale back an operation in preparation for likely future price movements.
Comparative analysis of fruit firmness and genes associated with cell wall metabolisms in three cultivated strawberries during ripening and postharvest
Authors: Ren Yibo , Li Baijun , Jia Haoran , Yang Xiaofang , Sun Yunfan , Shou Jiahan , Jiang Guihua , Shi Yanna , Chen Kunsong 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), a world-famous fruit, is subjected to rapid softening during ripening, resulting in a shorter shelf life and severe economic losses during storage and transportation. However, there is limited understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying differences in fruit firmness during ripening and postharvest among cultivated strawberries. Here, we explored this molecular mechanism by comparing three cultivated strawberries via firmness measurement, transcriptome analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and correlation analysis, and revealed FaEXP7, FaPG2, FaPLA, and Faβ-Gal4 as potential softening activators expressed before harvest to determine fruit with more softened texture and shorter shelf life, and that extremely high expression levels of FaCEL1-1 and FaCEL1-3 during ripening might be accelerators to intensify this situation. Additionally, both the enzyme activities of FaCEL and the expression pattern of FaCEL1-3 showed a significantly negative correlation with fruit firmness after harvest, suggesting that FaCEL1-3 might play a key role in promoting strawberry fruit softening not only during ripening but also postharvest. These results showed that the difference in fruit firmness and shelf life among cultivated strawberries was controlled by the temporal expression pattern of a legion of cell wall-associated genes during ripening and postharvest.