bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
From Dilmun to Wādī al‐Fāw: A forgotten desert corridor, c. 2000 BC
Authors: Laursen Steffen Terp , al‐Otaibi Faleh 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThere is a lacuna of knowledge on the inland trade routes across Bronze Age central Arabia, which this article seeks to fill based on new evidence from Wādī al‐Fāw, Saudi Arabia. Contrary to a common belief that interior Southeast Arabia after the Holocene Humid Phase and until the domestication of the dromedary had turned desolate Badlands, this study offers documentation that during the early Bronze Age, a commercial corridor connected the Kingdom of Dilmun on the Arabian Gulf coast with the southern parts of Saudi Arabia, probably Yemen. Seals of Dilmun Type, Dilmun pottery and related burial praxis make up the gist of the evidence from Wādī al‐Fāw. A dry mummification mound burial custom is possibly identified at al‐Fāw and probably Taymāʾ, which contrasts the classic Dilmun mound burial custom. An attempt is made to reconstruct the most likely route that connected Dilmun and Wādī al‐Fāw. The emergence around 2000 BC of this trade network, likely based on donkey trains, closely coincides with the rise of the Kingdom of Dilmun, but surprisingly also with a time when Arabia witnessed unusually arid conditions. Identification of this unexpected ancient corridor should profoundly affect how upcoming models consider linguistic, ideological, genetic, cultural and technological transmission across Bronze Age Arabia.
APOE ɛ4 allele and TOMM40‐APOC1 variants jointly contribute to survival to older ages
Authors: Kulminski Alexander M. , Jain‐Washburn Ethan , Philipp Ian , He Liang , Loika Yury , Loiko Elena , Bagley Olivia , Ukraintseva Svetlana , Yashin Anatoliy , Arbeev Konstantin , Stallard Eric , Feitosa Mary F. , Schupf Nicole , Christensen Kaare , Culminskaya Irina 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAge‐related diseases characteristic of post‐reproductive life, aging, and life span are the examples of polygenic non‐Mendelian traits with intricate genetic architectures. Polygenicity of these traits implies that multiple variants can impact their risks independently or jointly as combinations of specific variants. Here, we examined chances to live to older ages, 85 years and older, for carriers of compound genotypes comprised of combinations of genotypes of rs429358 (APOE ɛ4 encoding polymorphism), rs2075650 (TOMM40), and rs12721046 (APOC1) polymorphisms using data from four human studies. The choice of these polymorphisms was motivated by our prior results showing that the ɛ4 carriers having minor alleles of the other two polymorphisms were at exceptionally high risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), compared with non‐carriers of the minor alleles. Consistent with our prior findings for AD, we show here that the adverse effect of the ɛ4 allele on survival to older ages is significantly higher in carriers of minor alleles of rs2075650 and/or rs12721046 polymorphisms compared with their non‐carriers. The exclusion of AD cases made this effect stronger. Our results provide compelling evidence that AD does not mediate the associations of the same compound genotypes with chances to survive until older ages, indicating the existence of genetically heterogeneous mechanisms. The survival chances can be mainly associated with lipid‐ and immunity‐related mechanisms, whereas the AD risk, can be driven by the AD‐biomarker‐related mechanism, among others. Targeting heterogeneous polygenic profiles of individuals at high risks of complex traits is promising for the translation of genetic discoveries to health care.
Habitat associations of dryland avian communities during an extended dry period
Authors: Gorta Simon B. Z. , Callaghan Corey T. , Pedler Reece D. , Read John L. , West Rebecca S. , Kingsford Richard T. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThe influence of resource availability on ecosystem function varies spatially and temporally, among and within ecosystems. Dramatic shifts in moisture‐driven resources can drive bottom‐up effects on animal behaviours and distributions. Further, complexity arises when landscapes are influenced by large mammalian grazers and predator‐induced trophic cascades, such as those mediated by the dingo (Canis familiaris (Dingo)) in the eastern arid Strzelecki Desert in Australia. During the driest two‐year period on record for this region, we investigated the persistence of avian communities associated with structurally distinct dunes and swale habitats, and across two different land management regimes (pastoral land with livestock and dingoes, and Sturt National Park managed for conservation without these animals). We grouped all birds into dietary functional groups to infer patterns of habitat use associated with available resources. We also compared incidental observations of the ‘winter’ bird community in part of the study region between the extended dry period of 2018/2019 and wet period of 2020/2021. Despite habitat partitioning, the avian community did not differ between land management regimes except in species richness during the dry period, likely driven by the low numbers of birds present during the surveys. Incidental observations indicated that insectivorous and omnivorous species dominated the bird community in the dry period, with granivorous species forming a greater proportion of the bird community during wet times. Birds with completely or partially insectivorous diets dominated avian species composition on surveys in the dry period, but there were distinct structural vegetation associations among functional groups, indicating that heterogeneity in vegetation structure was likely important for the conservation of refuges, which enable the persistence of avifauna during extended dry periods. Distinct habitat type, structure and available resources shaped avian communities in this landscape, during the extremely resource‐limited extended dry period, with implications for conservation and management, particularly given the increasing drying effects of climate change.
Telephone cognitive screening with older Aboriginal Australians: A preliminary study
Authors: Veinovic Madeleine , Hill Thi Yen , Lavrencic Louise , Broe Gerald A. , Delbaere Kim , Donovan Terrence , Draper Brian , Lasschuit Danielle , Mann Rebecca , Sullivan Kylie , Timbery Alison , Radford Kylie 
Published: November 2022

AbstractObjectivesCognitive screening via telehealth is increasingly employed, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Telephone adaptations of existing cognitive screening tests must be validated across diverse populations. The present study sought to evaluate an existing 26‐point telephone adaptation of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (tMMSE) in a sample of older Aboriginal Australians. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate a telephone adaptation of the urban version of the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment short‐form (tKICA screen).MethodsA sub‐sample (n = 20) of participants (aged 55–69 years; 11 women) who had completed an in‐person cognitive assessment (MMSE and KICA screen) within the past 6 months as part of the Koori Growing Old Well Study completed telephone‐based cognitive testing without an assistant.ResultsThere was moderate correlation and reasonable agreement between MMSE versions (rs = 0.33; p = 0.2), although the limits of agreement were unacceptably wide (−4.1 and 4.8 points difference). Poorer performance was seen on the tMMSE for Season (p = 0.02) and Phrase (p = 0.02) items, and better performance for three‐word Recall (p = 0.03). KICA‐screen versions were poorly correlated (rs = 0.20; p = 0.4) with telephone scoring a mean of 2.17 points below the face‐to‐face score, greater bias observed at the lower end of the performance and worse scores for Season (p = 0.02) and Recall (p = 0.001) items. Age and education were not associated with telephone screening performance. Hearing impairment was associated with poorer performance on the tKICA screen (p = 0.04) but not the tMMSE (p = 0.6).ConclusionsResults indicate that telephone administration of the MMSE and/or KICA screen is not equivalent to in‐person testing for older Aboriginal people, and further revision and evaluation are required.
Do proton pump inhibitors increase the risk of dementia? A systematic review, meta‐analysis and bias analysis
Authors: Ahn Nayeon , Nolde Michael , Krause Evamaria , Güntner Florian , Günter Alexander , Tauscher Martin , Gerlach Roman , Meisinger Christa , Linseisen Jakob , Baumeister Sebastian‐Edgar , Rückert‐Eheberg Ina‐Maria 
Published: November 2022

AimPrevious studies on the association between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) intake and the increased risk of dementia has shown discrepancies in their conclusions. We aimed to provide updated evidence based on extensive bias assessments and quantitative sensitivity analyses.MethodsWe searched the databases PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CENTRAL and clinicaltrials.gov for prospective studies that examined an association between PPI use and dementia, up to February 2022. Each study was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tools for non‐randomized studies of interventions (ROBINS‐I) or randomized trials (RoB2). Pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% prediction intervals were computed using random‐effects models. Sensitivity analyses were adjusted for small‐study bias.ResultsWe included nine observational studies with 204 108 dementia cases in the primary analysis on the association between PPI use vs. non‐use and dementia, and the RR was 1.16 (95% CI = 1.00; 1.35). After adjusting for small‐study bias by Copas selection model and Rücker's shrinkage procedure, the RR was 1.16 (1.02; 1.32) and 1.15 (1.13; 1.17), respectively. A subgroup analysis of PPI use vs. non‐use regarding Alzheimer's disease risk yielded an RR of 1.15 (0.89; 1.50). The secondary analysis on the risk of dementia by use of PPI vs. histamine‐2 receptor antagonist showed an RR of 1.03 (0.66; 1.62).ConclusionThis meta‐analysis provided no clear evidence for an association between PPI intake and the risk of dementia. Due to discrepancies in sensitivity analyses, however, some risk of dementia by PPI use cannot be ruled out. Since an unequivocal conclusion is still pending, further research is warranted.
Being good to look good: Self‐reported moral character predicts moral double standards among reputation‐seeking individuals
Authors: Dong Mengchen , Kupfer Tom R. , Yuan Shuai , van Prooijen Jan‐Willem 
Published: November 2022

AbstractMoral character is widely expected to lead to moral judgements and practices. However, such expectations are often breached, especially when moral character is measured by self‐report. We propose that because self‐reported moral character partly reflects a desire to appear good, people who self‐report a strong moral character will show moral harshness towards others and downplay their own transgressions—that is, they will show greater moral hypocrisy. This self‐other discrepancy in moral judgements should be pronounced among individuals who are particularly motivated by reputation. Employing diverse methods including large‐scale multination panel data (N = 34,323), and vignette and behavioural experiments (N = 700), four studies supported our proposition, showing that various indicators of moral character (Benevolence and Universalism values, justice sensitivity, and moral identity) predicted harsher judgements of others' more than own transgressions. Moreover, these double standards emerged particularly among individuals possessing strong reputation management motives. The findings highlight how reputational concerns moderate the link between moral character and moral judgement.
Do we fail to exert self‐control because we lack resources or motivation? Competing theories to explain a debated phenomenon
Authors: Troll Eve Sarah , Friese Malte , Loschelder David D. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractExerting effort in a first task can impair self‐control performance in a subsequent task. Hundreds of studies have examined this ego depletion effect, but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. By contrasting the two most prominent models, the strength model and the process model, the following question takes centre stage: Do participants fail to exert self‐control because they run short of an unspecified resource or because they lack the motivation to engage in the subsequent task? We contrasted competing predictions (N = 560) from these two models by manipulating monetary incentives to be donated to charity in the first of two tasks. We found evidence of the standard ego depletion effect—self‐control performance was impaired after a high‐ versus a low‐demand task in the no‐incentive conditions. Incentives had an unexpected effect: Whereas participants in the incentive conditions showed higher intrinsic, autonomous motivation, they did not exert greater effort. This unexpected finding limited the applicability of our registered predictions; thus, we opted to test updated predictions. We discuss the theoretical implications of our understanding of the processes underlying ego depletion effects and their meaning for the ongoing debate about replicability and robustness.
Common carotid segmentation in 18F‐sodium fluoride PET/CT scans: Head‐to‐head comparison of artificial intelligence‐based and manual method
Authors: Piri Reza , Hamakan Yaran , Vang Ask , Edenbrandt Lars , Larsson Måns , Enqvist Olof , Gerke Oke , Høilund‐Carlsen Poul Flemming 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundCarotid atherosclerosis is a major cause of stroke, traditionally diagnosed late. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F‐sodium fluoride (NaF) detects arterial wall micro‐calcification long before macro‐calcification becomes detectable by ultrasound, CT or magnetic resonance imaging. However, manual PET/CT processing is time‐consuming and requires experience. We compared a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach with manual segmentation of the common carotids.MethodsSegmentation in NaF‐PET/CT scans of 29 healthy volunteers and 20 angina pectoris patients were compared for segmented volume (Vol) and mean, maximal, and total standardized uptake values (SUVmean, SUVmax, and SUVtotal). SUVmean was the average of SUVmeans within the VOI, SUVmax the highest SUV in all voxels in the VOI, and SUVtotal the SUVmean multiplied by the Vol of the VOI. Intra and Interobserver variability with manual segmentation was examined in 25 randomly selected scans.ResultsBias for Vol, SUVmean, SUVmax, and SUVtotal were 1.33 ± 2.06, −0.01 ± 0.05, 0.09 ± 0.48, and 1.18 ± 1.99 in the left and 1.89 ± 1.5, −0.07 ± 0.12, 0.05 ± 0.47, and 1.61 ± 1.47, respectively, in the right common carotid artery. Manual segmentation lasted typically 20 min versus 1 min with the CNN‐based approach. Mean Vol deviation at repeat manual segmentation was 14% and 27% in left and right common carotids.ConclusionsCNN‐based segmentation was much faster and provided SUVmean values virtually identical to manually obtained ones, suggesting CNN‐based analysis as a promising substitute of slow and cumbersome manual processing.
Plant community trajectories following livestock exclusion for conservation vary and hinge on initial invasion and soil‐biocrust conditions in shrub steppe
Authors: Germino Matthew J. , Kluender Chad R. , Anthony Christopher R. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAdjustments or complete withdrawal of livestock grazing are among the most common conservation actions in semiarid uplands, but outcomes can vary considerably with ecological context. Invasion by exotic annual grasses and the excessive wildfire they promote are increasing threats to semiarid shrub‐steppe, and plant‐community response to livestock exclusion in these areas may be complicated by the rapid colonization ability of invaders. We evaluated vegetation‐community changes over 14‐year interval (2007–2021) in a shrub‐steppe landscape where a >100‐year history of livestock grazing had been terminated in 1996. Field surveys revealed that bare‐soil exposure decreased >20% over the 14 years owing to biomass accumulation, but this was primarily due to large increases in exotic annual “cheatgrass” (Bromus tectorum, +1.8‐fold) and the litter it produces (+1.5‐fold). Soil biocrusts increased 11.9% and perennial bunchgrasses increased 3% over the 14 years. These community changes varied at the patch scale and entailed inverse relationships of (1) both cheatgrass and biocrusts to plant‐community basal cover, (2) cheatgrass to both biocrusts and perennial grasses, and (3) biocrusts to cheatgrass and litter. The spatiotemporal variability in vegetation constituted changes in plant‐community states, according to cluster analysis. The modeled probability of a community transitioning to a cheatgrass state was (1) strongly and positively related to the initial (2007) cover of cheatgrass in hotspots where initial cheatgrass cover was >20%, and (2) negatively related to biocrust cover where initial biocrust cover was >4% of ground area. The decision space for this landscape can be framed as a shifting from acceptance towards resisting further degradation by removing livestock and their trampling of soil surfaces and utilization of perennial herbs. However, cheatgrass appears to be the most impactful agent of change and continued invasion appears imminent. Active restoration may help resist further degradation and direct change towards tolerable conditions.
Gains from globalization and economic nationalism: AMLO versus NAFTA in the 2006 Mexican elections
Authors: Bustos Sebastián , Morales‐Arilla Jose 
Published: November 2022

AbstractDo gains from globalization erode support for economic nationalism? We study how North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)‐enhanced local access to US markets affected Mexican demands for protectionist platforms. The left—led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO)—underperformed in cities benefiting from export‐access gains during the 2006 presidential elections. This effect is observed strictly in 2006—the only post‐NAFTA election in which debates over trade integration played a salient role. Our findings are robust to controls for import‐competing pressures from NAFTA and the China shock. AMLO's 2006 protectionist platform likely cost him that year's election, and campaign media strategies in 2012 map to this earlier backlash.
A size‐constrained feeding‐niche model distinguishes predation patterns between aquatic and terrestrial food webs
Authors: Li Jingyi , Luo Mingyu , Wang Shaopeng , Gauzens Benoit , Hirt Myriam R. , Rosenbaum Benjamin , Brose Ulrich 
Published: November 2022

AbstractUnderstanding the formation of feeding links provides insights into processes underlying food webs. Generally, predators feed on prey within a certain body‐size range, but a systematic quantification of such feeding niches is lacking. We developed a size‐constrained feeding‐niche (SCFN) model and parameterized it with information on both realized and non‐realized feeding links in 72 aquatic and 65 terrestrial food webs. Our analyses revealed profound differences in feeding niches between aquatic and terrestrial predators and variation along a temperature gradient. Specifically, the predator–prey body‐size ratio and the range in prey sizes increase with the size of aquatic predators, whereas they are nearly constant across gradients in terrestrial predator size. Overall, our SCFN model well reproduces the feeding relationships and predation architecture across 137 natural food webs (including 3878 species and 136,839 realized links). Our results illuminate the organisation of natural food webs and enables novel trait‐based and environment‐explicit modelling approaches.
Lead independent director and earnings management
Authors: Hsu Yuan‐Teng , Lee Cheng‐Few , Lin Chih‐Yung , Tang Ning 
Published: November 2022

AbstractIn this study, we examine the effects of lead independent directors (LIDs) on firms' earnings management. On the basis of US firms from 2000 to 2018, those with LIDs managed earnings less, as reflected by the absolute value of discretionary accruals. Specifically, we find the effect is likely to be more prominent among firms with less disclosure transparency, weaker corporate governance and higher risk. In addition, we find that firms with LIDs tend to increase R&D and capital expenditures, reduce leverages and enhance firm values. Overall, the findings indicate the monitoring of LIDs can effectively reduce firms' earnings management and enhance firm values.
How consistent is the advice from stock assessments? Empirical estimates of inter‐assessment bias and uncertainty for marine fish and invertebrate stocks
Authors: Bi Rujia , Collier Chip , Mann Roger , Mills Katherine E. , Saba Vincent , Wiedenmann John , Jensen Olaf P. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractFishery management frequently involves precautionary buffering for scientific uncertainty. For example, a precautionary buffer that scales with scientific uncertainty is used to calculate the acceptable biological catch downward from the overfishing limit in the US federal fishery management system. However, there is little empirical guidance to suggest how large buffers for scientific uncertainty should be. One important component of uncertainty is variation among different assessments of the same stock in estimates of management‐relevant quantities. We analysed commercially exploited marine fish and invertebrate stocks around the world and developed Bayesian hierarchical models to quantify inter‐assessment variation in terminal year biomass and fishing mortality estimates, reference points, relative biomass and fishing mortality estimates, and overfishing limits. There was little evidence of inter‐assessment bias; stock assessment estimates in the terminal year of the assessment were not consistently higher or lower than estimates of the same quantities in future years. However, there was a tendency for extreme values from the terminal year to be pulled closer to the mean in future years. Inter‐assessment variation in all estimates differed across regions, and a longer inter‐assessment interval generally resulted in greater variation. Inter‐assessment uncertainty was greatest for estimates of the overfishing limit, with coefficients of variation ranging from 17% in Europe (non‐EU) to 107% for Pacific Ocean pelagic stocks. Because inter‐assessment variation is only one component of scientific uncertainty, we suggest that these uncertainty estimates may provide a basis for determining the minimum size of precautionary buffers.