bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Random forest modelling of multi‐scale, multi‐species habitat associations within KAZA transfrontier conservation area using spoor data
Authors: Searle Charlotte E. , Kaszta Żaneta , Bauer Dominik T. , Kesch Kristina , Hunt Jane E. , Mandisodza‐Chikerema Roseline , Flyman Michael V. , Macdonald David W. , Dickman Amy J. , Loveridge Andrew J. , Cushman Samuel A. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract

As landscape‐scale conservation models grow in prominence, assessments of how wildlife utilise multiple‐use landscapes are required to inform effective conservation and management planning. Such efforts should incorporate multi‐species perspectives to maximise value for conservation, and should account for scale to accurately capture species‐environment relationships.

We show that the random forest machine learning algorithm can be used to model large‐scale sign‐based data in a multi‐scale framework. We used this method to investigate scale‐dependent habitat associations for 16 mammal species of high conservation importance across the southern Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Our findings revealed substantial variation in factors shaping habitat use across species, and illustrate that different species often have divergent responses to the same environmental and anthropogenic factors, and differ in the scales at which they respond to them. For all variables across all species, scale optimisation most often selected our largest scale.

Precipitation, soil nutrients, and vegetation appeared to be the most important factors determining mammal distributions, likely through their associations with food resources for herbivores and, in turn, prey availability for carnivores.

Anthropogenic pressures also had an important influence, with many species selecting against areas with high cattle density. The variety of relationships with human density indicated that species vary in their tolerance of humans. We found a consistent positive relationship with areas under high protection, and negative relationship with unprotected and less‐strictly protected areas.

Policy implications. Through a novel application of random forest modelling to spoor data from 16 mammal species, this study highlights the importance of adopting a multi‐scale, multi‐species approach for decision‐making processes that depend on understanding wildlife distributions and habitat associations, such as protected area and corridor prioritisation. The findings identify changing rainfall patterns and increasing livestock numbers as emerging trends that may impact wildlife distributions, both within sub‐Saharan Africa and on a global scale. Wildlife management authorities should use modelling exercises and adaptive management to ensure that protected area networks remain fit for purpose under anticipated changes in rainfall under climate change, and explore initiatives that promote coexistence of wildlife and livestock.
Improving or declining: What are the consequences for changes in local crime?*
Authors: Hipp John R. , Luo Xiaoshuang Iris 
Published: June 2022

AbstractWhereas existing ecology of crime research frequently uses a cross‐sectional design, an open question is whether theories underlying such studies will operate similarly in longitudinal research. Using latent trajectory models and longitudinal data in half‐mile egohoods from the Southern California region over a 10‐year period (2000–2010), we explore this question and assess whether the changes in key measures of social disorganization theory are related to changes in violent or property crime through three possible relationships: 1) a monotonic relationship, 2) an asymmetric relationship, and 3) a perturbation relationship in which any change increases crime. We find evidence that measures can exhibit any of these three possible relationships, highlighting the importance of not assuming monotonic relationships. Most frequently observed are asymmetric relationships, which we posit are simultaneously capturing more than one theoretical process of neighborhoods and crime. Specific findings include asymmetric relationships between change in concentrated disadvantage, racial/ethnic minority composition, or population and violent crime, as well as relationships between change in Asian composition or population and property crime. We consider how this strategy opens a needed area of future research assessing how measures for other theories operate as environments change.
Clearing crimes in the aftermath of police lethal violence
Authors: Roberts Aki , Roberts John M. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractResearch summaryPolice use of violence may threaten police agencies’ effectiveness by reinforcing residents’ legal cynicism and disengagement from police. We examined police lethal violence against Black people and its relationship with clearance by arrest in a sample of Black victims’ crime incidents in over 350 jurisdictions in 2015, via Mapping Police Violence and the National Incident‐Based Reporting System (NIBRS). We calculated each crime incident's unique time‐varying exposure to police lethal violence, with an accompanying agency‐level measure that averaged this incident‐level measure. Under our original measures, multilevel survival analysis showed a statistically significant association with clearance for the agency‐level average exposure measure, but not for the time‐varying incident‐level exposure measure. Subsequent exploratory analyses suggested a possibly shorter‐lived relationship with incident‐level police lethal violence exposure, which should be investigated in future research.Policy implicationsAgency‐level findings encourage the adoption of reforms in policing practices and organizational characteristics that could enhance police legitimacy and citizen cooperation and promote perceptions of procedural justice in the Black community. Exploratory indications of a shorter‐lived relationship between police lethal violence and clearance will, if supported in further research, call for agencies to think carefully about adjusting detective work and resource allocations during the critical period following a police lethal violence event. A negative relationship between clearance rates and police lethal violence suggests a mutual interest of police agencies and activists in the reduction of police lethal violence.
Illinois State Water Survey Bulletin 75: New Precipitation Frequency Study for Illinois
Authors: Markus Momcilo , Angel James , Woolford Kurt , Wang Kexuan , Singh Shailendra , Kerschner Brian 
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACTStorm frequency estimates and their temporal distributions are important in determining estimates of runoff or peak flow rates in many engineering and hydrological problems. Illinois State Water Survey Bulletin 70 has been serving as the design rainfall standard in Illinois since its publication in 1989. Although Bulletin 70 represented the best available data at the time of its publication, the standards needed to be reevaluated and updated after more than three decades and with the growing evidence of the nonstationary nature of heavy precipitation. The trends in heavy precipitation in Illinois prompted the creation of a new frequency study named Bulletin 75, providing precipitation frequencies for event durations ranging from 5 min to 10 days and for recurrence intervals ranging from 2 months to 500 years. The results are presented for the same 10 geographic sections in Illinois as in Bulletin 70 to maintain the continuity of hydrologic studies and compatibility with regulations. The primary goal of this paper is to outline some of the key methodological issues and challenges, to compare the results with the previous sources, and to highlight the effects of the changing precipitation standards on the development of amendments to existing ordinances. Lake County in Illinois, as one of the most affected urban areas with the highest change in heavy precipitation, was selected to illustrate issues related to the application of modified precipitation standards.
Survival benefits from afatinib compared with gefitinib and erlotinib among patients with common EGFR mutation in first‐line setting
Authors: Kwok Wang Chun , Ho James Chung Man , Tam Terence Chi Chun , Ip Mary Sau Man , Lam David Chi Leung 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundEpidermal growth factor receptor‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR‐TKIs) are recommended as first‐line treatment in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with sensitizing EGFR mutations. The sequential use of different EGFR‐TKIs has been reported to demonstrate improvement in overall survival of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations. There are limited reports on comparisons between regimens with first‐line use of afatinib, gefitinib or erlotinib, followed by osimertinib upon disease progression with acquired T790M mutation.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of Chinese patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations who received first‐line gefitinib, erlotinib or afatinib treatment, followed by osimertinib upon disease progression with acquired T790M mutation, was conducted. The differences in overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) with first‐line EGFR‐TKI (PFS1) and time to second objective disease progression (PFS2) were compared among patients on different first‐line EGFR‐TKIs.ResultsAmong 155 patients, 101 (65.2%), 38 (24.5%) and 16 (10.3%) patients were on first‐line gefitinib, erlotinib or afatinib, respectively. Patients treated with afatinib in the first‐line setting had significantly longer OS compared with those on gefitinib or erlotinib, while the PFS1 and PFS2 were longer for patients on afatinib but did not reach statistical significance.ConclusionsFirst‐line afatinib, followed by osimertinib upon disease progression with T790M mutation, demonstrated significantly longer OS compared to that using other EGFR‐TKI in the first‐line setting.
Meaning or presence? Ways of knowing of the Sámi yoik
Authors: Aubinet Stéphane 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis article approaches an Indigenous singing tradition, the yoik, practiced by the Sámi people in the north of Europe, as a way of knowing the environment through presence rather than meaning. The yoik consists of short unaccompanied melodies, often without lyrics, sung in everyday life, associated with a specific being (typically a person, an animal, or a place), and intended to make that being present. By exploring this capacity to invoke and intensify the environment's presence, this article seeks to take the yoik seriously and thereby offer a counternarrative to both semiotic and logocentric understandings of knowledge and human/nonhuman relationships. [knowledge, singing, semiotics, nonhuman, Sámi]
Worldwide ophthalmological research production 2000–2020, with special focus on the Nordic contribution
Authors: Bro Tomas 
Published: June 2022

AbstractPurposeTo explore the trends in worldwide ophthalmic research production over a 21‐year period in relation to journals, contributing countries and dominating topics with special focus on the Nordic region.MethodsArticles published between 2000 and 2020 in 20 top‐ranked ophthalmology journals were included. Number of articles and impact points were measured per country for each year. The most frequently occurring keywords were calculated worldwide and for the top five contributing countries and the Nordic countries. Trends were explored using linear regression.ResultsThe analysis included 65 220 articles. Linear regression showed an increase with 56 articles per year (β = 56.3, R2 = 0.72, p‐value < 0.01). The United States published the most articles, comprising 35% of the worldwide total, followed by the United Kingdom (9%) and Japan (7%). Population‐adjusted productivity revealed that Iceland was the most prolific country with 10 articles per million inhabitants/year. Singapore was second and Denmark third with corresponding numbers of nine and seven. Analysing regional trends, Asia had the largest increase in yearly number of articles (β = 29.1, R2 = 0.89, p‐value < 0.01). The strongest positive trend was observed in China (β = 15.7, R2 = 0.94, p‐value < 0.01). The Nordic countries contributed with 3.6% of worldwide ophthalmological papers. Among these, Denmark was the only country with a significant positive trend in impact points per million inhabitants per year (β = 0.6, R2 = 0.54, p‐value < 0.01). The most frequently occurring eye disease within the whole time frame was myopia (5.8%) followed by macular degeneration (5.4%) and glaucoma (5.3%). Linear regression showed a significant increase in the proportion of articles about diabetic retinopathy (β = 0.2%, R2 = 0.88, p‐value < 0.01) a significant decrease in the proportion in articles about cataract (β = −0.1%, R2 = 0.70, p‐value < 0.01) and myopia (β = −0.1%, R2 = 0.67, p‐value < 0.01).ConclusionsThe worldwide ophthalmic research productivity has maintained a growing trend from 2000 to 2020. While North America and Europe are the major contributors, the scientific activity in Asia and especially China is growing impressively. With the current progress, Asia is forecast to outweigh Europe in 2025 and North America in 2033. Diabetic retinopathy was the most common eye disease in ophthalmologic papers in 2020, and also the topic with the strongest positive trend during 2000–2020.
Volumetric microsampling for simultaneous remote immunosuppressant and kidney function monitoring in outpatient kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Zwart Tom C. , Metscher Erik , van der Boog Paul J. M. , Swen Jesse J. , de Fijter Johan W. , Guchelaar Henk‐Jan , de Vries Aiko P. J. , Moes Dirk Jan A. R. 
Published: June 2022

AimsImmunosuppressant and kidney function monitoring are crucial for kidney transplant recipient follow‐up. Microsamples enable remote sampling and minimise patient burden as compared to conventional venous sampling at the clinic. We developed a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay to quantify tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid (MPA), creatinine and iohexol in dried blood spot (DBS), and volumetric absorptive microsample (VAMS) samples.MethodsThe assay was successfully validated analytically for all analytes. Clinical validation was conducted by direct comparison of paired DBS, VAMS and venous reference samples from 25 kidney transplant recipients. Patients received iohexol 5–15 minutes before immunosuppressant intake and were sampled 0, 1, 2 and 3 hours thereafter, enabling tacrolimus and MPA area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) and creatinine‐based and iohexol‐based glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation. Method agreement was evaluated using Passing–Bablok regression, Bland–Altman analysis and the percentages of values within 15–30% of the reference (P15–P30) with a P20acceptance threshold of 80%.ResultsFor DBS samples, method agreement was excellent for tacrolimus trough concentrations (n = 25, P15 = 92.0%) and AUCs (n = 25; P20 = 95.8%) and adequate for creatinine‐based GFR trend monitoring (n = 25; P20 = 80%). DBS‐based MPA AUC assessment showed suboptimal agreement (n = 16; P20 = 68.8%), but was considered acceptable given its P30of 100%. The assay performed inadequately for DBS‐based iohexol GFR determination (n = 24; P20 = 75%). The VAMS technique generally showed inferior performance, but can be considered for certain situations.ConclusionThe assay was successfully validated for tacrolimus, MPA and creatinine quantification in DBS samples, enabling simultaneous remote kidney function trend monitoring and immunosuppressant therapeutic drug monitoring in kidney transplant recipients.
Parental mediation in the age of mobile technology
Authors: Nagy Beáta , Kutrovátz Kitti , Király Gábor , Rakovics Márton 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis paper explores the impacts of adolescents' screen time, learning outcomes and parental performance in relation to different mediation strategies. These issues are addressed through the analysis of a representative survey carried out with 1000 families in Hungary in 2017. Within this research, 12–16‐year‐old teenagers and their parents were asked about their experiences and perceptions of mediation. Four main parental strategies can be identified: balancing mediation, restriction, permission and ad hoc mediation. The significance of parental performance in the analyses indicates that parental mediation forms part of the contemporary parenting skillset and correlates with perceptions of children's screen time and subjective quality of parenting.
Interannual variation in climate contributes to contingency in post‐fire restoration outcomes in seeded sagebrush steppe
Authors: Simler‐Williamson Allison B. , Applestein Cara , Germino Matthew J. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractInterannual variation, especially weather, is an often‐cited reason for restoration “failures”; yet its importance is difficult to experimentally isolate across broad spatiotemporal extents, due to correlations between weather and site characteristics. We examined post‐fire treatments within sagebrush‐steppe ecosystems to ask: (1) Is weather following seeding efforts a primary reason why restoration outcomes depart from predictions? and (2) Does the management‐relevance of weather differ across space and with time since treatment? Our analysis quantified range‐wide patterns of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) recovery, by integrating long‐term records of restoration and annual vegetation cover estimates from satellite imagery following thousands of post‐fire seeding treatments from 1984 to 2005. Across the Great Basin, sagebrush growth increased in wetter, cooler springs; however, the importance of spring weather varied with sites' long‐term climates, suggesting differing ecophysiological limitations across sagebrush's range. Incorporation of spring weather, including from the “planting year,” improved predictions of sagebrush recovery, but these advances were small compared to contributions of time‐invariant site characteristics. Given extreme weather conditions threatening this ecosystem, explicit consideration of weather could improve the allocation of management resources, such as by identifying areas requiring repeated treatments; but improved forecasts of shifting mean conditions with climate change may more significantly aid the prediction of sagebrush recovery.
Human impacts on mammals in and around a protected area before, during, and after COVID‐19 lockdowns
Authors: Procko Michael , Naidoo Robin , LeMay Valerie , Burton A. Cole 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe dual mandate for many protected areas (PAs) to simultaneously promote recreation and conserve biodiversity may be hampered by negative effects of recreation on wildlife. However, reports of these effects are not consistent, presenting a knowledge gap that hinders evidence‐based decision‐making. We used camera traps to monitor human activity and terrestrial mammals in Golden Ears Provincial Park and the adjacent University of British Columbia Malcolm Knapp Research Forest near Vancouver, Canada, with the objective of discerning relative effects of various forms of recreation on cougars (Puma concolor), black bears (Ursus americanus), black‐tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and bobcats (Lynx rufus). Additionally, public closures of the study area associated with the COVD‐19 pandemic offered an unprecedented period of human‐exclusion through which to explore these effects. Using Bayesian generalized mixed‐effects models, we detected negative effects of hikers (mean posterior estimate = −0.58, 95% credible interval [CI] −1.09 to −0.12) on weekly bobcat habitat use and negative effects of motorized vehicles (estimate = −0.28, 95% CI −0.61 to −0.05) on weekly black bear habitat use. We also found increased cougar detection rates in the PA during the COVID‐19 closure (estimate = 0.007, 95% CI 0.005 to 0.009), but decreased cougar detection rates (estimate = −0.006, 95% CI −0.009 to −0.003) and increased black‐tailed deer detection rates (estimate = 0.014, 95% CI 0.002 to 0.026) upon reopening of the PA. Our results emphasize that effects of human activity on wildlife habitat use and movement may be species‐ and/or activity‐dependent, and that camera traps can be an invaluable tool for monitoring both wildlife and human activity, collecting data even when public access is barred. Further, we encourage PA managers seeking to promote both biodiversity conservation and recreation to explicitly assess trade‐offs between these two goals in their PAs.
Diagnosis of left anterior descending branch‐right ventricular fistula with giant coronary artery aneurysm by contrast echocardiography: A case report
Authors: Li Wei , Liu Xian‐du , Liu Yan‐qiu , Zhuang Xiao‐dong , Wu Zhong‐kai , Yao Feng‐juan 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundCoronary fistulae are communications between a coronary artery and a heart chamber or vessel. The final diagnosis is usually made by coronary angiography or computed tomographic (CT) angiography. Here we report a case by employing contrast echocardiography in diagnosis of a giant coronary aneurysm with right ventricle (RV) fistula.Case presentationThe patient, a 29‐year‐old woman, referred to our institution with a complaint of palpitation occasionally. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a spherical, echogenic structure in the apex of RV. Proximal to the aneurysm, the left anterior descending branch (LAD) remained enlarged (8–9 mm) and showed a fistulous communication with the echogenic structure. A contrast echocardiography was performed, and 4–5 cardiac cycle after the left ventricle was enhanced, the echogenic structure started to become more prominent and several fistulae were seen between RV and the echogenic structure. Computed tomography (CT) angiography and coronary angiography confirmed the dilation (9 mm in diameter) of the LAD with an aneurysm at the distal segment of the LAD, with a small amount of iodinated contrast agent flowing into the subsequent region of the RV, thereby characterizing a LAD‐to‐RV fistula.ConclusionThe final diagnosis of fistula is usually made by coronary angiography or CT angiography. However, contrast echocardiography is also a well‐established method for the demonstration of intracardiac shunting. In this case, the contrast echocardiography clearly revealed one of the fistulae between the aneurysm and RV.