bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A canal, urban sprawl and wetland loss: The case of Kozhikode, India, from colonialism to climate change era
Authors: Bhagyanathan Anjana , Dhayanithy Deepak 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWetlands have historically been considered hindrances to development, with ‘reclamation’ considered the appropriate management practice. This is no different in India, where most cities are built on wetlands. This study examines the case of fast urbanising Kozhikode City on the south‐west coast of India by overlaying political and developmental interventions of the city with its ecological realities. While pre‐colonial settlements in the region were predominantly along the coast leaving the marshy inland areas, the need for resource mobilisation by colonial forces led to the development of Conolly Canal through the wetlands. The spoil bank of the canal spawned the development of roads cutting across the wetlands, a process continuing to this day, with consequent ribbon development. Wetland loss due to reduction in depth, core area loss, fragmentation and salinity intrusion have gone hand in hand with the city's rapid urbanisation. While the looming threat of climate change is forcing Kozhikode's planners to revive the canal, wetlands that sustain the canal (and the city) are buried too far beneath the piecemeal undertakings that have shaped the city. This paper reconstructs the environmental history of the city, the canal and the wetlands from the establishment of the city to the present, spanning a period of 500 years. Determinants of urban growth including canal construction, transport network development in line with the spoil banks and rapid urbanisation processes are chronicled to understand the interconnectedness between ecology, urban sprawl and the rationality of disaster preparedness. In this context, the future development proposals for the region are examined especially with the wetlands as the backdrop. We employ mixed methodologies to track this history including satellite imagery, geographic information systems (GIS), archives and interviews with senior citizens. This framework can be applied to other cities to understand the metabolic relationship of urban growth with ecology and its changing history.
Pest suppression by bats and management strategies to favour it: a global review
Authors: Tuneu‐Corral Carme , Puig‐Montserrat Xavier , Riba‐Bertolín Daniel , Russo Danilo , Rebelo Hugo , Cabeza Mar , López‐Baucells Adrià 
Published: May 2023

ABSTRACTFighting insect pests is a major challenge for agriculture worldwide, and biological control and integrated pest management constitute well‐recognised, cost‐effective ways to prevent and overcome this problem. Bats are important arthropod predators globally and, in recent decades, an increasing number of studies have focused on the role of bats as natural enemies of agricultural pests. This review assesses the state of knowledge of the ecosystem services provided by bats as pest consumers at a global level and provides recommendations that may favour the efficiency of pest predation by bats. Through a systematic review, we assess evidence for predation, the top‐down effect of bats on crops and the economic value of ecosystem services these mammals provide, describing the different methodological approaches used in a total of 66 reviewed articles and 18 agroecosystem types. We also provide a list of detailed conservation measures and management recommendations found in the scientific literature that may favour the delivery of this important ecosystem service, including actions aimed at restoring bat populations in agroecosystems. The most frequent recommendations include increasing habitat heterogeneity, providing additional roosts, and implementing laws to protect bats and reduce agrochemical use. However, very little evidence is available on the direct consequences of these practices on bat insectivory in farmland. Additionally, through a second in‐depth systematic review of scientific articles focused on bat diet and, as part of the ongoing European Cost Action project CA18107, we provide a complete list of 2308 documented interactions between bat species and their respective insect pest prey. These pertain to 81 bat species belonging to 36 different genera preying upon 760 insect pests from 14 orders in agroecosystems and other habitats such as forest or urban areas. The data set is publicly available and updatable.
Host specificity and association of Cerambycidae with the physical characteristics of the wood of trees in a tropical dry forest
Authors: Vargas‐Cardoso Orthon Ricardo , Corona‐López Angélica María , Flores‐Palacios Alejandro , Flores‐Franco Gabriel , Figueroa‐Brito Rodolfo , Sosa‐Armenta Jessica Maria , Toledo‐Hernández Víctor Hugo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractFew studies test the host specificity of tropical dry forest cerambycids, in this study, we examined the host preferences of the cerambycids of a tropical dry forest in central Mexico and the association of cerambycid richness and abundance with the physical characteristics of the wood of their host plants. Branch segments of 81 species of woody plants were cut and left exposed to allow cerambycids oviposition, and the branches were collected and placed in emergence chambers. We measured the density, decomposition rate, and volume of wood for each branch segment. Fifty‐seven species of cerambycids emerged. We categorized the cerambycids by the degree of host specificity: 23% were generalists, 14% were specialists, and for 63% of the data were insufficient to determine specificity. For the first time we report, for the tropical dry forest, preference patterns between Cerambycidae (subfamilies and species) and their host plants (families and species). Physical characteristics of wood, such as density and decomposition rate, were strongly related to the presence of cerambycids. Cerambycidae in this forest use wood resources that decompose at an intermediate rate and are relatively soft. The cerambycids were most often generalists, and specific cerambycid/tree species associations were rare, but close commensal relationships were found at the level of subfamilies and plant families. Cerambycid richness and abundance depend on the type of host, medium decomposed woods, and the great abundance of each individual host in the area.
Hatching plasticity in a Southeast Asian tree frog mitigates submergence‐induced mortality
Authors: Poo Sinlan , Candia Ana Karen , Cohen Kristina L. , Erickson Francesca T. , Mason Sara A. , Nissen Bradley D. , McNear Adair F. , Reinig Jonathon J. , Sherrock Joseph S. , Aguiluz Ashley R. , Jacques Letitia L. , Jenkins Hanna E. R. , Devan‐Song Anne 
Published: May 2023

AbstractEnvironmentally cued hatching has been well‐documented in amphibians in response to a wide range of abiotic and biotic factors. The hatching of terrestrial amphibian eggs in response to flooding may be basal within the group, but amphibian lineages in tropical Asia and sub‐Saharan Africa have not received as much attention as their Neotropical counterparts. We investigated submergence‐induced hatching inFeihyla hansenae, a Rhacophorid tree frog with terrestrial eggs. We quantified natural rates of clutch submergence at our study site in Thailand. Using submergence experiments, we found that embryos are capable of hatching early to escape flooding, and that failure to hatch results in mortality. Among the embryos that were able to hatch early, only the earliest, youngest hatchlings experienced a trade‐off in body size that persisted for 6 days, while later, older hatchlings were not significantly smaller than spontaneous hatchlings under control conditions. By incorporating our natural and experimental data into Monte Carlo methods to simulate and compare survival probabilities with and without hatching plasticity, we found an overall 3.1% increase in submergence survival due to hatching plasticity. Our findings support the idea that flooding‐induced hatching is widespread across amphibians with terrestrial eggs and highlight the importance of researching understudied tropical regions. As climate change is projected to affect rainfall patterns, the ability of embryos to escape abiotic egg‐stage threats may be an indicator of species' ability to flexibly navigate a changing environment.
Octapeptide repeat alteration mutations of the prion protein gene in clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Nan Haitian , Liu Li , Chen Zhongyun , Chu Min , Li Jieying , Jing Donglai , Wang Yihao , Wu Liyong 
Published: May 2023

AbstractStudies focusing on octapeptide repeat alteration mutations in PRNP in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) cohorts have been rare. We aim to screen sporadic AD and FTD patients with unknown etiology for the octapeptide repeat insertions and deletions in PRNP. Two hundred and six individuals were screened for alterations to the repeat region in the PRNP gene, including 146 sporadic AD and 60 sporadic FTD patients. Our study showed a 1.5% (3/206) occurrence of the octapeptide repeat alteration mutations in PRNP in a Chinese cohort of sporadic dementia. One late‐onset FTD patient and one early‐onset AD patient each had a two‐octapeptide repeat deletion in PRNP, while one early‐onset AD patient had a five‐octapeptide repeat insertion mutation. PRNP octapeptide repeat alteration mutations are present in sporadic AD and FTD patients. The genetic investigation for PRNP octapeptide repeat alteration mutations in sporadic dementia patients should be carried out in future clinical studies.
Redefining rights‐based conservation through philanthropy: The Ford Foundation in Mesoamerica
Authors: Sauls Laura Aileen , López Illescas Victor 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe role of the philanthropic sector in climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation is gaining renewed attention as new pledges to dramatically increase funding for nature‐based climate solutions mount. Despite their significant role in the conservation space, philanthropies are relatively understudied as donors; in particular, the lack of accountability and transparency in philanthropy have made them a “black box”, including in conservation‐related efforts. Based on extensive document and database review alongside interviews with philanthropic grant‐makers and recipients, this article seeks to analyze the conservation‐related efforts of the Ford Foundation—a long‐standing philanthropic actor in international sustainable development. Specifically, we examine how Ford Foundation practices in Mexico and Central America have shifted since 2000 to center Indigenous Peoples and local communities, both in terms of thematic focus and strategic approach. In explaining how Ford Foundation grant‐makers themselves understand the process of change, and their lessons from this process, this article highlights the ongoing challenges to and possible methods for centering inclusive, territorial approaches to produce more effective, lasting conservation outcomes.
A single ascending dose study of single‐stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotide RO7062931 in Chinese healthy volunteers
Authors: Cheung Tsang Tommy , Luk Andrea On Yan , Zhang Yuchen , Pavlovic Vedran , Wat Cynthia , Das Sudip , Surujbally Bernadette , Triyatni Miriam , Grippo Joseph F. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractRO7062931 is an N‐acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)‐conjugated single‐stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotide complementary to hepatitis B virus RNA. GalNAc conjugation targets the liver through the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). This phase I single ascending dose (SAD) study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of RO7062931 in Chinese healthy volunteers. There were four SAD cohorts (0.3, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/kg), in each of which healthy volunteers were randomized to a single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of RO7062931 or matching placebo in a 4:1 ratio. Placebo recipients were pooled as one treatment group for safety assessments. A total of 41 healthy Chinese men received one dose of RO7062931 (n = 33) or placebo (n = 8) and completed the study (85‐day follow‐up). Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 22 of 33 (66.6%) RO7062931 recipients (n = 80 treatment‐related) and seven of eight (87.5%) placebo recipients (n = 1 treatment‐related). Apart from two moderate‐intensity AEs, all AEs were mild. The most frequently reported AEs were influenza, injection‐related reactions, and headache. Dose‐proportional increases in plasma RO7062931 exposure were observed between the 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg doses, whereas a supra‐dose‐proportional increase occurred at doses greater than or equal to 2.0 mg/kg, along with a marked increase in urinary excretion. Single s.c. dose of RO7062931 up to 4.0 mg/kg were safe and well‐tolerated in healthy Chinese volunteers. Pharmacokinetic data suggested that ASGPR saturation had commenced between doses of 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg. Results were broadly consistent with observations in primarily White subjects in the global first‐in‐human study of RO7062931.
“Cruel optimism” in the universities: A discursive‐deconstructive reading of promising promotional projects of gender equality
Authors: Meade Rosie R. , Kiely Elizabeth , O’Donovan Órla 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe article illuminates how gender inequality in Ireland's higher education sector continues to be constituted at policy and at local institutional levels as a problem that requires ‘fixing the women”. It analyses two gender equality projects' discursive materials targeting female academics in Irish universities, showing that while these projects embrace elements of feminist praxis and critique, they ultimately propagate “cruel optimism”. They do this by exhorting women academics' subjectification to burdensome practices of strategizing, self‐auditing and self‐promotion, lured by the promise of awards that only a few will attain. Presented are two cases of what we call “promising promotional projects” that we have encountered in our work in our university. We use the term “projects” to refer to time‐limited, bounded interventions that respond to “gender equality” as a field of government, where problems have been diagnosed and where practicable and pragmatic solutions are seen to be required. Our discursive‐deconstructive reading of these projects' discursive materials highlights how gender equality projects target women for “promotion” through mobilizing gendered technologies of the self.
A multidimensional free market and income inequality in developing Asia: How does the quality of governance matter?
Authors: Huynh Cong Minh , Le Quoc Nha , Huynh Gia Linh 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis paper empirically examines how a free market, a governance quality (GQ) and their interaction simultaneously affect income inequality in 23 Asian developing countries over the period 2000–2019. Especially, different dimensions of a free market proxied by various components of economic freedom (EF) are analysed. Results show that the overall EF and three of its components, including labour freedom, trade freedom and investment freedom, reduce income inequality; but other components, including business freedom (BF), monetary freedom (MF) and financial freedom (FF), widen income inequality. Meanwhile, the GQ not only decreases income inequality but also intensifies the beneficial impacts of the overall EF and those respective components of EF on income equality. Notably, at certain thresholds of GQ, the detrimental impacts of BF, MF and FF on income equality turn into the advantageous ones. The findings consolidate the appropriate combination of free market with specific dimensions and the GQ in boosting the equality of income distribution in Asian developing countries.
Screening of barley germplasm for drought tolerance based on root architecture, agronomic traits and identification of novel allelic variants ofHVA1
Authors: Manju  , Yadav Shashank Kumar , Wankhede Dhammaprakash Pandhari , Saroha Ankit , Jacob Sherry Rachel , Pandey Rakesh , Sharma Axma Dutt , Sheela  , Kumar Manoj , Kaur Vikender 
Published: May 2023

AbstractDrought is a major constraint for barley production as it is normally cultivated in rainfed and marginal areas lacking optimum productivity. The domestication bottleneck and further selection pressure have resulted in reduced genetic diversity in barley. Genebank germplasm holds a huge potential for identifying new alleles for stress tolerance. In the present study, a diverse set of 214 accessions from Indian National Genebank were screened for drought tolerance in hydroponics and field conditions. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of drought on root architecture, relative water content, membrane stability index, chlorophyll content, plant height, and yield attributes. Cumulative stress response in terms of better root phenotype, physiological and agronomic traits showed accessions IC113045, EC578521, IC582699, EC492318, EC578711, EC667420, IC393980 and IC594943 as most promising donors for breeding programmes in drought‐prone areas. Further allelic variation of candidate gene,Hordeum vulgare aleurone 1(HVA1), and its promoter sequence was studied in a subset of drought‐tolerant and ‐susceptible accessions. TheHVA1gene showed six SNPs and one indel in the genic regions whereas three SNPs and one indel in promoter. Two alleles ofHVA1gene, one in exotic and other in indigenous accession, were found to be associated with drought tolerance. These results were confirmed by qRT‐PCR analysis exhibiting significant increase in transcript abundance ofHVA1in drought‐tolerant accessions in comparison with susceptible accessions, thereby highlighting its possible role in imparting drought tolerance. The study helped identify genetic resources for drought tolerance in barley and unravelled new alleles ofHVA1.
Structure–function relationship during the early and long‐term hydration of one‐part alkali‐activated slag
Authors: Liberto Teresa , Dalconi Maria Chiara , Dal Sasso Gregorio , Bellotto Maurizio , Robisson Agathe 
Published: May 2023

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms controlling the early (fresh) and long‐term (hardened) hydration of one‐part alkali‐activated slags (AAS) is key to extend their use as low CO2substitutes for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Their “just add water” use makes them easier and less hazardous to manipulate than the more studied two‐part ones. This is due to the absence of liquid alkaline activators, which are environmentally and energy demanding. In this work, numerous experimental techniques have been linked to obtain a comprehensive physico‐chemical characterization of a one‐part AAS activated with Na2CO3and Ca(OH)2powders at several water to solid ratios (w/s). Calorimetry and pH/conductivity measurements describe the functioning of the activators immediately after contact with water. Early reactivity is characterized through in situ X‐ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheology, which reveal a rapid precipitation of nanometric hydration products (nano‐C‐A‐S‐H), which results in a continuous increase in the paste cohesivity until setting. Moreover, SAOS shows that rejuvenating the paste by means of shearing (performed externally to the rheometer in this study) is enough to restore the initial cohesion (i.e., workability) for long time spans until setting occurs. The long‐term hydration is characterized by ex situ XRPD on aged AAS pastes, in parallel with mechanical testing on AAS mortar. A correlation can be observed between the amount of nano‐C‐A‐S‐H and the increase in compressive strength. Overall, this formulation shows satisfactory fresh and solid properties, demonstrating suitability for low‐ and normal‐strength applications.
The identification of exceptional skills in school‐age autistic children: Prevalence, misconceptions and the alignment of informant perspectives
Authors: Clark Trevor , Jung Jae Yup , Roberts Jacqueline , Robinson Ainslie , Howlin Patricia 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBackgroundAlthough autism is commonly described in terms of deficits, many autistic individuals have been found to demonstrate exceptional skills. The shift to a strengths‐based approach in the field of autism necessitates increased understanding of these skills.AimsThis study examined (1) rates of exceptional skills in autistic school‐age children as reported by parents and teachers, (2) associations between exceptional skills, autism severity and intellectual disability and (3) correlations between parent and teacher reports of exceptional skills.MethodParents and teachers of 76 children attending autism‐specific schools in Australia completed online questionnaires. Thereafter, 35 parents and teachers who identified their child as having one or more exceptional skills were interviewed by a clinical psychologist.ResultsForty parents (53%) and 16 (21%) teachers reported that their child had at least one exceptional skill (agreement between the parent and teacher reports was low; κ = .03, p = .74). In comparison, clinical psychologist assessments identified 22 children (29%) as having at least one such skill. No statistically significant relationships were identified between exceptional skills, autism severity and intellectual disability.ConclusionWhile different exceptional skills were identified, regardless of children's intellectual functioning or autism severity, parents and teachers varied substantially in their evaluations of these skills. Furthermore, the identified prevalence rates of exceptional skills did not always align with the rates identified in previous studies. The study findings highlight the need for definitional consensus on different types of exceptional skills, and the importance of multiple criteria/multi‐instrument approaches in the identification of exceptional skills in autistic children.
Hidradenitis suppurativa and social disadvantage: A nationwide administrative data study of the French hospitalized population
Authors: Bulsei Julie , Fontas Eric , Passeron Thierry 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBackgroundA lower socioeconomical status (SES) has been reported in patients suffering from hidradenitis suppurative (HS). However, limitations in the available studies prevent drawing definitive conclusions.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to assess the SES of HS patients using a specific SES indicator, the French DEPrivation index (FDep), specifically designed and validated for the French population.MethodsThis cross‐sectional cohort study compared the HS hospitalized population with the general hospitalized population without HS. Data were extracted from the French national hospital discharge database, an exhaustive database on all reimbursed hospital stay in the country with a rolling 10‐year history (2012–2021). We included all patients aged 7–75 years with at least one stay in a French hospital. A 1:40 propensity score matching, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status and obesity, was performed to create 2 groups of comparable patients. Subgroup analysis was done in the minor (7–17 years) and major (25–75 years) populations independently.ResultsIn the overall population, we identified 33,880 patients with HS and 24,445,337 patients without HS. After propensity score matching, logistic regression showed a significant association between HS and social disadvantage. There is a 22.5% increased risk of developing HS for individuals being in quintile 5 (the most disadvantaged quintile) versus quintile 1 (the least disadvantaged quintile) (p < 0.0001). After propensity score matching, the logistic regression showed no association between HS and social disadvantage in the 7–17 subgroup. In this minor population, an association between HS and social disadvantage was observed when propensity score matching was performed on age and sex only.ConclusionsWe demonstrate a significant association between HS and low SES in the adult population. In children between 7 and 17, low SES was associated with obesity and tobacco consumption, but not with HS when the populations were matched on these confounding factors.