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Background: Regulatory aspects of transfusion medicine add complexity in blinded transfusion trials when considering various electronic record keeping software and blood administration processes. The aim of this study is to explore strategies when blinding transfusion components and products in paper and electronic medical records. Methods: Surveys were collected and interviews were conducted for 18 sites across various jurisdictions in North America to determine solutions applied in previous transfusion randomized control trials. Results: Sixteen responses were collected of which 11 had previously participated in a transfusion randomized control trial. Various solutions were reported which were specific to the laboratory information system (LIS) and electronic medical record (EMR) combinations although solutions could be grouped into four categories which included the creation of a study product code in the LIS, preventing the transmission of data from the LIS to the EMR, utilizing specialized stickers and labels to conceal product containers and documents in the paper records, and modified bedside procedures and documentation. Discussion: LIS and EMR combinations varied across sites, so it was not possible to determine combination‐specific solutions. The study was able to highlight solutions that may be emphasized in future iterations of LIS and EMR software as well as procedural changes that may minimize the risk of unblinding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biliary atresia, a fibro-obliterative disease of the newborn, is usually initially treated by Kasai portoenterostomy, although there are many variations in technique and different options for post-operative adjuvant medical therapy. A questionnaire on such topics (e.g., open vs. laparoscopic; the need for liver mobilisation; use of post-operative steroids; use of post-operative anti-viral therapy, etc.) was circulated to delegates (n = 43) of an international webinar (Biliary Atresia and Related Diseases—BARD) held in June 2021. Respondents were mostly European, but included some from North America, and represented 18 different countries overall. The results of this survey are presented here, together with a commentary and review from an expert panel convened for the meeting on current trends in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the fast spread of Covid-19 across Europe and North America in March 2020, many people started stockpiling commodities like toilet paper. Despite the high relevance for public authorities to adequately address stockpiling behavior, empirical studies on the psychological underpinnings of toilet paper stockpiling are still scarce. In this study, we investigated the relation between personality traits, perceived threat of Covid-19, and stockpiling of toilet paper in an online survey (N = 996) across 22 countries. Results suggest that people who felt more threatened by Covid-19 stockpiled more toilet paper. Further, a predisposition towards Emotionality predicted the perceived threat of Covid-19 and affected stockpiling behavior indirectly. Finally, Conscientiousness was related to toilet paper stockpiling, such that individuals higher in Conscientiousness tended to stockpile more toilet paper. These results emphasize the importance of clear communication by public authorities acknowledging anxiety and, at the same time, transmitting a sense of control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper conservators today face a growing preservation mandate that demands a comprehensive education. These remarks refer to the education of North American paper conservators. The path required to attain the necessary knowledge and skills to preserve works on paper has changed drastically over the past two generations starting with the establishment of graduate degree-granting programs and their dynamic and responsive curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper conservators today face a growing preservation mandate that demands a comprehensive education. These remarks refer to the education of North American paper conservators. The path required to attain the necessary knowledge and skills to preserve works on paper has changed drastically over the past two generations starting with the establishment of graduate degree-granting programs and their dynamic and responsive curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submissions fell back slightly in 2023 to 474 manuscripts but remain above pre‐Covid levels. Despite the high number of submissions, there has been little change in the number of papers accepted for publication, with the acceptance rate in 2023 standing at 8%. The acceptance rate is considerably higher for papers originating from Europe and North America. Accepted papers are now routinely made available online as 'Early View'. The Journal's Impact Factor fell back slightly for 2022, but still compares favourably with other journals in the field of agricultural economics. Operational changes include revisions to the journal's webpage and authors' guidelines and a newly configured editorial team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effect of the Russian–Ukrainian conflict on the firms operating in the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries, focusing on how different sectors of the economy have responded. The empirical methodology utilizes firm‐level data from MENA countries, employing fixed effect and instrumental variable estimations to control for the potential endogeneity of casualties in the war and firm dynamics. The results of this study reveal that (1) an increase of 1% in the hostility of the Russian–Ukrainian war corresponds to a 0.13% decrease in the market cap of MENA firms. (2) This effect is more pronounced among highly indebted firms, conducting business solely within the domestic market, and operating on a small scale. (3) The monetary policy is vital in mitigating the effect of the conflict on firms. This study has two main contributions. First, it empirically assesses how firms operating in the MENA region respond to geopolitical events, highlighting differences in responses between firms and sectors. Second, this paper serves as guidelines for governments to face the challenges raised by wars. In particular, the paper shows the relevance of sector‐specific policy responses based on the extent to which each sector is affected by geopolitical events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the technical and psychological accuracy of the polygraph has been contested almost since the device's inception, it continues to enjoy substantial popularity within law enforcement and federal agencies throughout North America. This paper excavates the sexual politics of the polygraph focused on two key arenas where the polygraph has been a popular and powerful tool: identifying LGBTQ applicants and employees within federal agencies and determining parole for convicted sex offenders. Key questions guiding this analysis include the following: What are the relationships between the polygraph and disciplining sexual deviance? How does the polygraph fit within a larger history of surveilling and controlling sexual alterity? Drawing on theories of affect and spectacle, the paper unravels the polygraph's role as an accomplice to state-sanctioned projects of heteronormativity. Through analysis of training materials, practitioner memoirs, and policy guidelines, the polygraph is situated as an early precursor to surveillance infrastructure that attempts to identify, manage, and predict deviant sexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Alarmingly low pulp prices in early 2009 left pulp and paper mills across North America desperate for any way to improve thin profit margins. One solution that continues to gain popularity among the industry is improved energy management systems for cogeneration systems, which use steam for two purposes – to provide heat for the pulping process and to generate electricity for sale to regional providers. This paper presents an energy optimization algorithm for use in a pulp and paper mill cogeneration system. The algorithm is applicable to a number of popular mill configurations, power sale contracts, and fuel purchasing scenarios. The method is also extended to address weather-dependent cooling limitations encountered by a mill cogeneration facility, in which case an iterative solution is proposed in order to maintain convexity of the optimization problem. Results are presented in the form of three case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing appropriate signal timing strategies is a primary concern in traffic signal control; however, professionals are constrained by predefined controller options. Existing signal controllers in North America adhere to National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standards with ring-barrier control (RBC) design. Due to unique traffic conditions and objectives for each traffic mode, conflicts arise, making it challenging to devise suitable traffic control strategies within current controllers. The limitations include inflexibility in defining pretimed signal diagrams, modifying them, and defining algorithms for modification. This paper introduces the event-based controller (EBC) framework, implemented in DUMKA_E software, capable of replicating NEMA-based RBC functionalities while providing additional flexibility beyond conventional RBC controllers. The EBC eliminates the asymmetry of flexibilities in existing traffic controller frameworks, addressing the challenges mentioned. Overcoming critical limitations of RBC, such as barrier constraints and restricted functionalities to built-in algorithms, the EBC empowers professionals to craft custom traffic signal control strategies. Unlike approaches enhancing RBC with complex computation, the EBC offers flexible functionalities without sacrificing simplicity. The study shows that the EBC's fundamental concepts are no more intricate than RBC's, positioning the EBC as a potential traffic controller framework. The paper establishes the EBC's capability to reproduce RBC controllers' core logic, showcasing advanced abilities for more efficient control logic than RBC. The EBC's functionalities enable context-sensitive traffic signal control strategies, catering to special conditions like multi-modal activities and diverse priority requests, highlighting its full potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University scientific research ability is an important indicator to express the strength of universities. In this paper, the evaluation of university scientific research ability is investigated based on the output of sci-tech papers. Four university alliances from North America, UK, Australia, and China, are selected as the case study of the university scientific research evaluation. Data coming from Thomson Reuters InCites are collected to support the evaluation. The work has contributed new framework to the issue of university scientific research ability evaluation. At first, we have established a hierarchical structure to show the factors that impact the evaluation of university scientific research ability. Then, a new MCDM method called D-AHP model is used to implement the evaluation and ranking of different university alliances, in which a data-driven approach is proposed to automatically generate the D numbers preference relations. Next, a sensitivity analysis has been given to show the impact of weights of factors and sub-factors on the evaluation result. At last, the results obtained by using different methods are compared and discussed to verify the effectiveness and reasonability of this study, and some suggestions are given to promote China’s scientific research ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical demands of daily life in developed countries have decreased remarkably during the last two centuries. General leisure time has increased and the age at retirement has decreased. General health has improved and life expectancy has increased. Most people can expect to live 20-30 years after retirement. By 2050, one in four people in Europe and North America will be aged 65 or over. Furthermore, women live longer than men. Generally, the physical demands on older women will be low. Thus, their physical fitness will decline, which in turn will affect a variety of organ systems and functions, and so impact on mental health, quality of life and independent living. This opinion paper explores exercise strategies for healthy ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WPA position statement is a clear challenge for psychiatrists to recognize how religion/spirituality (R/S) is relevant to their work. North American psychiatry has shown progress related to each principle articulated in the statement, especially in the areas of research and scholarship. However, most advances are yet to be widely implemented or coordinated, so that the statement offers valuable encouragement and direction in moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many ecosystems have been dramatically affected by non-native species, but not all such species have strong deleterious effects. American shad, Alosa sapidissima, a fish species native to the Atlantic coast of North America, was transplanted to the Pacific coast in the late nineteenth century and quickly colonized many US rivers. Their increased abundance in the Columbia River coincided with declines in native anadromous Pacific salmon and trout, and adult American shad now greatly outnumber returning salmonids. This paper reviews evidence for possible ecological interactions between salmon and American shad across their life histories and habitats. Despite the great abundance of American shad and their apparent overlap in use of Columbia River mainstem habitats, harmful effects on salmon are neither clear from empirical studies nor from ecological principles. Rather, the life histories and habitat use patterns tend to separate spawning adult salmon and their offspring from American shad in space and time. Currently available evidence indicates that this separation results in weak, neutral, uncertain, or offsetting effects on salmon (i.e., a mix of positive and negative interactions). Given the limited research on shad in Pacific ecosystems, several lines of investigation are warranted to advance understanding of their ecology and scope for interactions with native fishes and to support a clearer scientific basis for management decisions regarding American shad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the response of ionosphere to strong geomagnetic storms at different latitudes, this paper focuses on the response characteristics of global ionospheric ROTI at different latitudes during the September 2017 strong geomagnetic storms based on global ROTI maps and GPS dual-frequency observation data, and explores the PPP accuracy of GPS stations at each latitude during two different types of strong geomagnetic storms. The results show that (i) the daily mean ROTI values during the September 2017 strong geomagnetic storms show a spatial distribution of higher in the global region in the high-latitude region of North America, the northern European region and the whole Antarctic region, and lower in other regions. (ii) The highest ROTI time mean value in the high-latitude belt, with a peak value of 0.30 TECU/min, exceeds twice the peak value of the global time mean value; within the mid-latitude belt, the ROTI time mean value in the northern hemisphere is larger, with values exceeding three times those of the Southern Hemisphere. (iii) During the strong geomagnetic storm in September 2017, the PPP results of high-latitude GPS stations were affected to a greater extent, and the mean value of positioning error in the vertical direction exceeded 2.0 m. (iv) During the strong geomagnetic storm in November 2021, the changing trend of the mean value of PPP positioning error at different latitudes was consistent with that of 2017, but the mean value of positioning error and RMS at high latitudes in 2021 was higher than those in 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbiota restoration therapy has become a standard treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). In this article, we review the studies supporting the licensure of two live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) designed to prevent rCDI and to provide clinicians with a perspective on their differences. PubMed was reviewed on 1 October 2023, for all papers published concerning the current Food and Drug Administration allowance of the use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and the studies that led to the licensure of RBX2660 (REBYOTA™), generic name, fecal microbiota, live-jslm, and SER-109 (VOWST™), generic name, fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk. OpenBiome continues to produce fecal products for patients with rCDI at their treatment sites, and the American Gastroenterology Association has a National Registry focused on long-term safety of administering fecal microbiota products. The science behind the licensing of fecal microbiota, live-jslm, a consortium of fecal anaerobes found in stool augmented with strains of Bacteroidetes and fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk, a mixture of 50 species of purified Firmicutes spores is reviewed. Both products appear to be safe in clinical trials and effective in reducing rCDI episodes by mechanisms established for FMT, including normalization of α- and β-diversity of the microbiome and by increasing fecal secondary bile acids. The different makeup of the two LBPs suggests that rCDI responds to a variety of engrafting microbiota which explains why nearly all donors in FMT of rCDI are generally effective. Fecal microbiota, live-jslm has also been shown to successfully treat rCDI in elderly patients with advanced comorbidities. With the licensure of two novel LBPs, we are entering a new phase of microbiota replacement therapy. Having standardized manufacturing and proper monitoring of products, harnessing the microbiome to control and prevent disease has a new beginning. Plain language summary: Licensure of two new live biotherapeutic products to treat recurrent C difficile infection is changing the landscape for treatment of this common and often serious infection Microbiota replacement therapy is the most effective way to prevent multiple recurrences of C difficile infection. The article discusses where fecal microbiota transplantation is available in North America. The major focus is on two recently licensed live biotherapeutic products, RBX2660 (REBYOTA), generic name fecal microbiota, live-jslm and SER-109 (VOWST), generic fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk, manufactured under standardized methods which should be safer and more standardized in response. The article compares the new LBPs for safety, effectiveness, cost to help clinicians make decisions. The licensure and availability of two safe and effective standardized and regulated biotherapies, fecal microbiota, live-jslm and fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk, for preventing rCDI is a critical advance in medical management. Both treatments were shown to cure rCDI, to normalize the microbiome of the treated patients by reducing proportions of proinflammatory Enterobacteriaceae and increasing the α- and β-diversity of the microbiome, and to convert primary bile acids to C. difficile -inhibiting secondary bile acids in fecal samples. Both products included follow-up studies show durable cure without important short-term adverse events. The two recently licensed LBP differ in a number of ways. Fecal microbiota, live-jslm is a broad consortium of microbiota expected in a healthy donor fecal samples, including all the major phyla including Firmicutes. It is augmented with strains of Bacteroidetes, while fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk is ethanol washed spores exclusively within the phylum of Firmicutes. The fact that both products are effective in preventing rCDI support the idea that bacterial restoration in rCDI can be achieved by transplantation of a variety of different microbiota. This is seen in FMT for rCDI where it is generally accepted that all healthy adults are suitable donors and large number of donors can be included unscreened for microbiome diversity in a stool bank such as OpenBiome. When treating conditions other than CDI, the specific makeup of an LBP may need to be adjusted. One way around the unique microbiome requirements of non-CDI illnesses with dysbiosis is to administer FMT product derived from multiple donors. Evidence developed and presented here indicate that the two new LBPs are effective in treating rCDI, although head-to-head comparisons have not been carried out. fecal microbiota, live-jslm is a more traditional microbiome restoration product employing a full range of microbiota. fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk is novel in design and is based on the selection of Firmicutes spores with a narrower range of bioactivity. The future of microbiota-therapy has gotten brighter with the licensure of fecal microbiota, live-jslm and fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional approach to formulating building codes often is slow and labor-intensive, and may struggle to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology and domain findings. Overcoming such challenges necessitates a methodology that streamlines the modernization of codal provisions. This paper proposes a machine learning (ML) approach to append a variety of codal provisions, including those of empirical, statistical, and theoretical natures. In this approach, a codal provision (i.e., equation) is analyzed to trace its properties (e.g., engineering intuition and causal logic). Then a ML model is tailored to preserve the same properties and satisfy a collection of similarity and performance measures until declared equivalent to the provision at hand. The resulting ML model harnesses the predictive capabilities of ML while arriving at predictions similar to the codal provision used to train the ML model, and hence it becomes possible to use in lieu of the codal expression. This approach was examined successfully for seven structural engineering phenomena contained within various building codes, including those in North America and Australia. The findings suggest that the proposed approach could lay the groundwork for implementing ML in the development of future building codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The primary aim was to evaluate apathy assessment measures in relation to cognitive impairment among Hispanic/Latin Americans. Methods: A systematic review on the relationship between apathy and cognitive impairment among Hispanic/Latin Americans across normal aging and neurocognitive disorders was conducted according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and using APA PsycInfo, Embase, and PubMed databases. Inclusion criteria required (1) a sample of English or Spanish-speaking adults ages 18 years and older, (2) with measures of apathy, (3) assessment of cognitive functioning or diagnosis of neurocognitive disorder, (4) with at least 18.5% Hispanic/Latin American represented in the sample. Results: Only 14 papers met criteria to be included in this review. Of the 12 cross-sectional studies, 9 demonstrated significant associations between increased apathy and cognitive impairment, 1 demonstrated a descriptive difference between apathy and cognitive status (ie, no hypothesis test conducted), while 2 demonstrated null effects. These cross-sectional studies consisted of community and clinic samples of participants across North and South America. Two longitudinal studies conducted in North America demonstrated non-significant associations of apathy with cognitive status. Conclusions: The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) apathy subscales were the most used measures for apathy in this review (85.7% of included studies). However, validity evidence from a review of apathy measures has warranted caution against the use of the NPI outside the context of screening for apathy. This potential measurement bias with Hispanic/Latin Americans apathy research limits conclusions drawn from the present review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wolf (Canis lupus) is arguably the most successful species at recolonizing its now human‐dominated former ranges in Europe and North America. Over the centuries while the wolf was absent, humans have transformed ecosystems to a large extent. In this paper, we highlight key aspects of these human‐modified ecosystems that include changes to (meso)carnivore communities, wolves themselves (genetics, behaviour), woody plant communities and the playing field for predator–prey interactions (landscape structure).We argue that the recognition of the novelty of human‐modified ecosystems logically leads to novel pathways of how wolves can influence ecosystem functioning. Thus far, the ecological impacts of wolves in human‐dominated systems have largely been predicted based on the documented effects they have on prey species or lower trophic levels in well‐preserved systems with low human impact. However, wolves in human‐modified ecosystems will engage in an array of novel interactions and potential novel trophic cascades that do not occur in more natural ecosystems with lower human impact.This should encourage us to re‐assess the questions we ask about wolf impacts in novel systems. A promising direction for future studies is exploring what novel interactions establish and under what conditions wolves can exert their ecosystem impacts (context dependence) in the human‐modified ecosystems wolves are recolonizing.Policy implications. Understanding these novel interactions and the context dependence of ecosystem impacts could guide us to act to improve conditions to enable wolves to exert their ecosystem impacts again. These novel interactions may be the true ecological and societal value of having wolves returning to human‐modified landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asexuality studies are an emerging field in North America and Europe which lack large-scale, qualitative studies. Much existing research focuses on defining and categorizing asexuality, with researchers calling for more focus on the romantic and sexual relationships of asexual people. Drawing from an online survey with 349 participants, this paper describes the perceptions and experiences that asexual people have with dating and relationships. Participants answered 16 open-ended and 9 close-ended questions. After rounds of coding, three themes were selected for examination. These were dating, romantic and/or sexual relationships, and platonic relationships. These results showcase the challenges asexuals face with dating while also demonstrating how asexual people actively dismantle understandings of romantic, sexual, and platonic relationships through their own experiences and perspectives. Overall, this study provides greater legitimacy to the fluidity of asexuality and asexual relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interstitial space at the intersection of race and disability is primed for a decolonial analysis. By examining the colonial history of Indigenous people and Black chattel slaves in North America, this paper will show how the contemporary definitions of race and disability are inherited social constructs created for the colonizer's utility to control the bodies and minds of those occupying and working the land the colonizer seeks to control for the private accumulation of imperial wealth. I will give examples of how socio‐cultural institutions like the church have inherited the logic of colonialism, creating ideologies of domination that must be challenged by a robust decolonial theology. Racism and ableism are the direct end product of a colonial view of the world that sees land and people as exploitable and expendable. A theology of liberation must grapple with the demands of decolonization to produce a just and equitable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationships between the circulation regimes of the 500-hPa height (z500) and 250-hPa zonal winds (u250) in the Pacific–North America region during boreal winter, and the 45-day Northern Hemisphere oscillation in z500. The regimes were calculated using a k-means clustering applied to the leading 12 principal components of the combined z500–u250 anomaly fields. We divided the oscillation into eight arbitrary phases. The oscillation phase z500 composite maps are spatially well correlated with regime z500 composites: phases 1–2 are best correlated with the Arctic Low, phases 3–5 are best correlated with the Pacific Trough, phase 6 is best correlated with the Arctic High, and phases 7–8 are best correlated with the Alaskan Ridge. We found that these correlations are generally consistent with the regimes that tend to occur during the individual oscillation phases: the Arctic Low occurs above significance in phases 1–2, the Pacific Trough occurs above significance in phase 3, and Alaskan Ridge occurs above significance in phases 7–8. Therefore, the oscillation has a preferred order with respect to the regimes. The regime transitions indicate a pattern that moves through the Pacific Wavetrain, a regime that appears for k = 5 as a mean state. Transitions out of this regime into different regimes are preferred in different phases of the oscillation. These results imply a possible enhancement to regime prediction using the low-frequency oscillations in combination with regimes. Significance Statement: Subseasonal prediction, weather forecasting in the 2–4-week range, is important for many parts of society, e.g., water managers, emergency response units, and farmers. However, current prediction skill in this time range is low. This paper performs an initial analysis of a possible method to increase weather statistic prediction skill beyond 10 days in the winter for the Pacific–North America region. This is done by combining two ways of looking at large, long-lasting patterns of pressure systems in the atmosphere, which are associated with various weather statistics like precipitation extremes and storminess. The results indicate this method holds potential skill for enhancing subseasonal prediction. Further investigation might yield forecasting improvements in this important time range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global biodiversity crisis and constantly growing human impact on the natural environment call for more evidence where conservation actions are the most urgent. As the agricultural lands are under increased pressure of growing human food needs here the literature survey on farmland bird conservation (FBC) was conducted to reveal geographical distribution in research intensity, the topics addressed and to identify potential drivers for the worldwide scientific effort. The Scopus database search has revealed 2290 papers dedicated to FBC from the period 1990-2020. The distribution was spatially uneven with most papers published in Western Europe and North America. Scientific collaboration was also spatially biased in favor of countries located close to each other and having high scientific capacity. The analysis also revealed 139 terms representing main topics raised in FBC research. The number of FBC papers per country was positively correlated with Gross Domestic Production (GDP), the total number of scientific papers, and number of threatened species, and negatively with the GDP from agricultural production, whereas it was not related to area of agricultural lands or bird species richness. Spatial and thematic biases in studies of farmland birds may have important consequences since uneven scientific evidence constrains development of proper conservation solutions and limits their implementation. We conclude that research on FBC should be globally coordinated and flexible enough to undertake burning conservation problems adjusted to regional differences in agriculture, socio-economy, and bird diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Psychological and social status, and environmental context, may mediate the likelihood of experiencing overdose subsequent to illicit drug use. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesise psychosocial factors associated with overdose among people who use drugs. Methods: This review was registered on Prospero (CRD42021242495). Systematic record searches were undertaken in databases of peer-reviewed literature (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cinahl) and grey literature sources (Google Scholar) for work published up to and including 14 February 2023. Reference lists of selected full-text papers were searched for additional records. Studies were eligible if they included people who use drugs with a focus on relationships between psychosocial factors and overdose subsequent to illicit drug use. Results were tabulated and narratively synthesised. Results: Twenty-six studies were included in the review, with 150,625 participants: of those 3,383–4072 (3%) experienced overdose. Twenty-one (81%) studies were conducted in North America and 23 (89%) reported polydrug use. Psychosocial factors associated with risk of overdose (n = 103) were identified and thematically organised into ten groups. These were: income; housing instability; incarceration; traumatic experiences; overdose risk perception and past experience; healthcare experiences; perception of own drug use and injecting skills; injecting setting; conditions with physical environment; and social network traits. Conclusions: Global rates of overdose continue to increase, and many guidelines recommend psychosocial interventions for dependent drug use. The factors identified here provide useful targets for practitioners to focus on at the individual level, but many identified will require wider policy changes to affect positive change. Future research should seek to develop and trial interventions targeting factors identified, whilst advocacy for key policy reforms to reduce harm must continue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide among American Muslims is understudied, despite recent research highlighting increased suicide attempts among this population. While suicide is forbidden in Islam, formal guidelines for addressing and responding to suicide within Muslim communities did not exist until recently. The Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab has responded to a number of suicides in Muslim communities across North America and implemented an original model for suicide response and community healing. This approach incorporates Islamic principles and values to create a culturally and religiously congruent response to suicide that can support loss survivors and steer impacted communities toward healing. The Muslim Postvention Community Healing session described in this paper aims to provide a safe space for individuals impacted by suicide to come together and process their emotions, while also using Islamic teachings to guide the healing process. This unique model has the potential to serve as a valuable resource for Muslim communities across North America, and beyond, in addressing and responding to suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current student development theories are mostly grounded in the experiences of domestic students in North America. The increasing portion of the international students in the post-secondary student population has created a glaring gap for a unique theory of international student development. A unique theory for international student development, with a focus on their intercultural learning experiences, will serve as a necessary theoretical foundation for international student programmes and services that are offered in most hosting universities of international students as an overlay on top of general student services. Through a critical review of existing literature, this paper endeavours to develop a coherent theory of international student development that endorses a critical and post-structural approach to the key issues of intercultural identity, intercultural competence and intercultural adaptation for international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geostationary satellites have the capability to offer AOD products with a higher frequency of observation within a given period, thus improving the geographical coverage of averaged AOD products compared to polar satellites. Moreover, the averaged AOD of geostationary satellites is more reflective of the average aerosol load as compared to AOD products derived from polar orbit satellites. Despite this, there is still an absence of comprehensive research on the comparative representativeness of AOD mean products from geostationary and polar orbit satellites, and most current research only focuses on retrieval accuracy. This paper compares the geographical coverage of averaged AOD products released by the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) sensor on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) (09:00 UTC-23:00 UTC) with AOD products released by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (16:00 UTC and 19:00 UTC) on hourly, daily, semi-monthly and monthly scales. Moreover, the Aerosol Robotic Network datasets were used to evaluate the accuracy of ABI AOD and to propose usage suggestions. In terms of daily AOD products, the AOD daily mean generated by the geostationary satellite GOES-R/ABI consistently outperforms the AOD daily mean generated by MODIS AOD in terms of spatial coverage. However, on monthly scales, the difference is no longer significant. With regard to accuracy, it is proved that when the time scale of averaging is gradually expanded, root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) gradually decrease. On the season scale, ABI AOD exhibits the highest level of accuracy during the autumn season (September, October, November); on the spatial scale, ABI AOD exhibits the best accuracy in North America. Therefore, if the daily, semi-monthly or monthly averaged ABI AOD datasets are used, the recommended time is autumn, and the study area is North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although literature on energy cooperation highlights that cooperation is more successful at the regional level, it largely fails to understand and conceptualize energy cooperation as part of the wider phenomenon of regionalism. Energy cooperation tends to be analyzed through prisms of security and geopolitics, thus, downplaying other important regional integration processes. The present paper addresses this lacuna, defining energy regionalism and conceptualizing its various dimensions, logics, motivations, and interests. We apply a comparative perspective, examining two regions which exhibit extensive energy cooperation yet differ in several ways: North America and the European Energy Community. Our findings suggest various trajectories and models, and indicate that formal institutionalization is neither a necessary condition for nor a guarantee of strong energy regionalism. We discern that regional anchor is key in North American and European energy regionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a review to summarize the settings, configurations, and capture data for an array of fisheries gear types used to capture invasive bigheaded carps (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) in North America. The goal of this paper was to synthesize patterns of bigheaded carp catch data across various gear types and capture methods. Data consisted of bigheaded carps captured among a variety of riverine habitats where their populations are well-established (e.g., lower pools of the Illinois River), as well as near the leading edge of their invasion front (e.g., Upper Mississippi, Upper Illinois, Upper Missouri, Red River). Our synthesis provides a summary of (1) capture gears and their settings/configurations, (2) catches (fish size, number captured, precision of estimates), and (3) assessment of gears that were robust (i.e., high precision, low cost, high catch, sample many habitat types) in riverine environments and impoundments. Across the 26 gear types used to target bigheaded carps, catch rates of silver carp were consistently higher than bighead carp, which may result from a combination of sampling inefficiencies, sampling biases, and spatial dynamics of their invasions. Gear performance matrices combining catch rate, precision, and labor cost indicated that DC electrofishing and herding fish into gill nets and/or trammel nets were the top-ranked capture methods. This review provides guidance for the development of detection, monitoring, and control programs that target bigheaded carp species, as well as identifies future research to fill critical data gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the test-negative design (TND) was extensively used in many countries to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE). Typically, the TND involves the recruitment of care-seeking individuals who meet a common clinical case definition. All participants are then tested for an infection of interest. To review and describe the variation in TND methodology, and disclosure of potential biases, as applied to the evaluation of COVID-19 VE during the early vaccination phase of the pandemic. We conducted a systematic review by searching four biomedical databases using defined keywords to identify peer-reviewed articles published between January 1, 2020, and January 25, 2022. We included only original articles that employed a TND to estimate VE of COVID-19 vaccines in which cases and controls were evaluated based on SARS-CoV-2 laboratory test results. We identified 96 studies, 35 of which met the defined criteria. Most studies were from North America (16 studies) and targeted the general population (28 studies). Outcome case definitions were based primarily on COVID-19-like symptoms; however, several papers did not consider or specify symptoms. Cases and controls had the same inclusion criteria in only half of the studies. Most studies relied upon administrative or hospital databases assembled for a different (non-evaluation) clinical purpose. Potential unmeasured confounding (20 studies), misclassification of current SARS-CoV-2 infection (16 studies) and selection bias (10 studies) were disclosed as limitations by some studies. We observed potentially meaningful deviations from the validated design in the application of the TND during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats frequently inhabit caves and other subterranean habitats and play a critical role in subterranean food webs. With escalating threats to subterranean ecosystems, identifying the most effective measures to protect subterranean‐roosting bats is critical. We conducted a meta‐analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management interventions for subterranean‐roosting bats. We used network analyses to determine to what extent interventions for bats overlap those used for other subterranean taxa. We conducted our analyses with data extracted from 345 papers recommending a total of 910 conservation interventions. Gating of roost entrances was applied to preserve bat populations in 21 studies, but its effectiveness was unclear. Habitat restoration and disturbance reduction positively affected bat populations and bat behavior, respectively, in ≤4 studies. Decontamination was assessed in 2 studies and positively affected bat populations, particularly in studies focused on reducing fungal spores associated with white‐nose syndrome in North America. Monitoring of bat populations as an effective conservation strategy was unclear and infrequently tested. Only 4% of bat studies simultaneously considered other subterranean organisms. However, effective interventions for bat conservation had similarities with all other organisms. If other subterranean organisms are considered when applying interventions to conserve bats, they might also benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overdose deaths in North America have soared, primarily because of the spread of illegally manufactured fentanyl. This paper uses detailed qualitative and transaction-level data to analyse an early and prominent dark web fentanyl-selling operation. The data record the date, drug, quantity, and selling price for 5,589 transactions comprising 872,659 items sold for a little over $2.8 million through AlphaBay. Findings include that the organisation sustained an impressive sales growth rate of approximately 15% per week, compounded. Increasing order sizes by a factor of ten reduced the price per pill by approximately 25% for Oxycodone and 50% for Xanax. Those steep quantity discounts imply large price markups when selling further down the distribution chain. Such high growth rates and price markups suggest that it might be difficult to constrain supply by shutting down individual organisations, since any remaining organisations may be able to quickly grow to fill unmet demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Green's function approach is well‐established and widely used for modeling the surface mass loading displacements. Global mean Green's functions (MGFs) are commonly applied without considering local variations of the crustal structure. Derived from the modified layered Earth structure, the local Green's functions (LGFs) are theoretically beneficial to generate more accurate deformation, since they consider interior information of the local crust. This paper analyzed the differences among MGFs from Gutenberg–Bullen A model and two sets of LGFs derived from modified PREM Earth models consolidating with two crust models TEA12 and CRUST1.0, hereafter called PREMTEA and PREMCRU, respectively. Utilizing MGFs and two sets of LGFs, we modeled the corresponding 3D atmospheric loading displacements for 984 ITRF2014 stations and compared them with the ITRF2014 residuals. The results show that LGFs from PREMTEA and PREMCRU perform well in further promoting scatter reduction for ∼72%, ∼56%, and ∼85% of stations for the Up, East and North components, respectively. The improvements for the North components are significant (up to 3.6%). In particular, stations in the east coastal areas of North America and the west edge of Greenland exhibit further promoting scatter reduction for the East components (up to ∼2.5%), while those located in west coastline of North America show better performance for the North components. Nevertheless, there are significant anomalies in northern Europe for PREMCRU, the mutation margin of which should be carefully considered when using a resolution higher than 1°. In the area around station MORP (358.31°W, 55.21°N, sited at coastline of Britain), we suggest using PREMTEA model. Plain Language Summary: In any location worldwide, we employ a consistent set of numbers, known as load Green's functions that characterize the elastic properties of the Earth, to model the deformation caused by mass transfer on Earth's surface, which is referred to as surface mass loading effects. Most research and data products adopt same set of global mean Green's functions for any location on Earth, which neglects the differences in elastic properties of various regions of the Earth, leading to modeling errors to some extent. This study aims to optimize the modeling using local load Green's functions, with the objective of obtaining results that are more theoretically valuable. "Local" means that the Green's functions for each site are derived from an Earth model that takes into account the local crustal structure. The modeled atmospheric loading displacements exhibit enhanced alignment with GNSS position time series. This, in turn, further elucidates that deformations can be more attributed to atmospheric loading. Moreover, the model shows improved performance in the horizontal components when compared to the vertical components. Key Points: Local load Green's Functions enable a more precise modeling of loading displacements than global mean Green's FunctionsThe modeled atmospheric loading displacements based on Local Green's Functions can improve scatter reduction of GNSS position time seriesTwo sets of local load Green's Functions, based on CRUST1.0 model and TEA12 model, are compared. We recommend TEA12 for European region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), a symbol of western North America, experienced diverging population trajectories since the mid‐twentieth century, with northern populations showing signs of recovery while those in the arid Southwest have struggled to persist. We conducted a systematic literature review of papers published through August 2023 to understand 3 questions. What are the habitat conditions needed for pronghorn to persist? What management actions can be taken to foster higher quality habitat? Do these actions differ for populations in the arid Southwest compared to their northern counterparts? Although the fundamental habitat requirements for pronghorn persistence have remained constant since the early 2000s, it has become clear that precipitation is a key factor influencing pronghorn populations in the arid Southwest. The precise mechanisms by which precipitation influences pronghorn population dynamics are not yet clear, whether through the availability of free water, by affecting forage quality, or indirectly via predator‐prey dynamics. Although range‐wide forage enhancement may be impractical, providing additional free water sources could facilitate greater movement, enabling pronghorn to access more and higher quality forage and areas with lower predation risk. To clarify how pronghorn persisted for thousands of years in this harsh environment, we must gain a better understanding of their historical metapopulation and migratory behaviors in the arid Southwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most widespread and economically important conifer species in the world. Applications like genomic selection and association studies, which could help accelerate breeding cycles, are challenging in Scots pine because of its large and repetitive genome. For this reason, genotyping tools for conifer species, and in particular for Scots pine, are commonly based on transcribed regions of the genome. In this article, we present the Axiom Psyl50K array, the first single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array for Scots pine based on whole‐genome resequencing, that represents both genic and intergenic regions. This array was designed following a two‐step procedure: first, 192 trees were sequenced, and a 430K SNP screening array was constructed. Then, 480 samples, including haploid megagametophytes, full‐sib family trios, breeding population, and range‐wide individuals from across Eurasia were genotyped with the screening array. The best 50K SNPs were selected based on quality, replicability, distribution across the draft genome assembly, balance between genic and intergenic regions, and genotype–environment and genotype–phenotype associations. Of the final 49 877 probes tiled in the array, 20 372 (40.84%) occur inside gene models, while the rest lie in intergenic regions. We also show that the Psyl50K array can yield enough high‐confidence SNPs for genetic studies in pine species from North America and Eurasia. This new genotyping tool will be a valuable resource for high‐throughput fundamental and applied research of Scots pine and other pine species. Significance Statement: In this paper, we present the first high‐throughput single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping array for a pine species developed from whole‐genome resequencing, and thus spanning genic as well as intergenic regions. This array was developed for Scots pine and successfully tested in six other pine species from North America and Eurasia, being useful for fundamental and applied studies in the fields of population genetics, evolution, genomic selection, and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera caerulea is a honeysuckle plant with a long development history. It is defined as a "homology of medicine and food" fruit because it is rich in bioactive substances. By-products (such as pomace, leaves, stems, and flowers), which also have beneficial values, will be produced during processing. Nevertheless, the reuse of derivatives and the further development of new products of Lonicera caerulea are still a challenge. Firstly, this paper traced the development history of Lonicera caerulea and summarized its primary nutrients and bioactive substances, subsequently discussed the research progress and underlying molecular mechanisms of its functional properties, and introduced the application and potential of Lonicera caerulea in the fields of food, health products, cosmetics, medicine, and materials. Finally, this paper put forward the future research direction to promote the development of the Lonicera caerulea industry. To sum up, Lonicera caerulea, as a potential raw material, can be used to produce more functional products. Besides, more in-depth clinical trials are needed to clarify the specific molecular mechanism of the practical components of Lonicera caerulea and improve the rate of development and utilization. The original species of Lonicera caerulea subgroup had appeared on the earth as early as the end of the third century. Lonicera caerulea has been introduced into North America since the 18th century, but the introduction process has not ended until now. Lonicera caerulea widely exists in Eurasia and North America and it has excellent cold tolerance, early maturity and ornamental. The fruits, stems, leaves and flowers of Lonicera caerulea all have bioactive value, but the specific molecular mechanism and utilization need to be improved. Lonicera caerulea has been widely used in food, medicine, health products, cosmetics and materials, but there are still great challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International student mobility, taking place within the framework of globalisation, internationalisation and transnationalism, has attained much attention. This paper adopts the Intellectual Migration framework to further our understanding of mobility regarding international higher education. It simultaneously studies China-born students in both China and North America to empirically examine the propensity for student mobility across national borders and the determining factors behind the realisation of such mobility under the same set of geopolitical and international circumstances. The analysis is based on a set of cross-sectional surveys conducted in the 2017–2019 period that yields over 1600 data points. We compare the 'who', 'why' and 'where' aspects of migration between domestic students in China and Chinese international students in North America to delineate the factors underlying international student mobility. By highlighting aspirations and capabilities on mobility outcomes, this paper contributes to differentiating mobility between undergraduate and graduate students and the implications for social inequality. Our analysis also reveals the unequal spatial distributions of educational resources between intellectual gateways and peripheries, and by extension between the Global North and the Global South. The findings of this paper have policy implications on improving the quality, accessibility, and equity of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper advances the conceptualisation and application of intellectual capital, a key concept in the intellectual migration framework, to understand international student mobility. The intellectual migration framework contends that higher-education and highly-skilled migrants acquire, upgrade and utilise intellectual capital for upward career and social mobility. This paper argues that intellectual capital is not the sum of different forms of capitals, but a complete package with human, cultural and social capitals working in synergy through the agency of migrants. Focusing on higher-education students at the beginning of the intellectual migration continuum, it analyzes how intellectual capital is differentially accumulated at various stages of the educational process. Drawing on 51 semi-structured interviews with Chinese international students in North America, we learn that pre-migration intellectual capital, due largely to parents and family, reflects social inequality in contemporary societies whereas that obtained while studying abroad reveals more on individual agency. As such, intellectual capital accumulation abroad serves as a mediating process, especially for those with less privileged backgrounds. Supportive international higher education sectors in both sending and receiving countries can also assist students in their intellectual capital cultivation process and contribute to alleviating educational inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this systematic review is to determine the extent and quality of evidence for use of different types of locking fluids to prevent central venous access device complications in adult critical care patients. Specifically, rates of catheter-related bloodstream infection, colonization, and occlusion were considered. All types of devices were included in the review: central venous catheters, peripherally- inserted central catheters and hemodialysis catheters. Methods: Eligibility criteria. Papers had to include adult (>18 years old) critical care patients, be experimental trials, conducted in North America and Europe, and published in peer-reviewed journals from 2010 onwards. Information sources. A search of Medline and EMBASE databases was performed. The search is current as of November 28th, 2022. Risk of bias. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and the Risk of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies of Intervention tools were used to assess the risk of bias in included studies. Results: Included studies. A total of 240 paper titles and abstracts underwent review, of these seven studies met the final criteria for quality appraisal. A total of three studies earned a low risk of bias quality appraisal. Discussion: Limitations of evidence. Due to heterogeneity of types of locking fluids investigated and small number of studies identified, meta-analysis of results was not possible. Interpretation. Out of all fluids investigated, only citrate 46.7% was found to statistically reduce central venous access device complication rates. This systematic review has also identified a gap in the literature regarding studies of locking fluids that are adequately powered in this patient population. Future directions: Future research should include investigations and use of novel locking fluids with more effective properties against complications. It is imperative that future studies are adequately powered, randomized controlled trials in this patient population to facilitate optimal evidence-based care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computer‐based scaffolding has been intensively used to facilitate students' self‐regulated learning (SRL). However, most previous studies investigated how computer‐based scaffoldings affected the cognitive aspect of SRL, such as knowledge gains and understanding levels. In contrast, more evidence is needed to examine the effects of scaffolding on the metacognitive dimension and efficiency outcome of SRL. Objectives: This study aims to examine the role of computer‐based scaffolding in students' metacognitive monitoring and problem‐solving efficiency. Methods: Seventy‐two medical students completed two clinical reasoning tasks in BioWorld, an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) designed for promoting medical students' diagnostic expertise. During solving the tasks, students were asked to report their confidence judgements about proposed diagnoses. Computer trace data were used to identify task completion time (CT) and students' use of three scaffolding types, that is, conceptual, strategic, and metacognitive. Then we calculated students' metacognitive monitoring accuracy (i.e., calibration) and problem‐solving efficiency. Results and Conclusions: One‐sample t‐test demonstrated that students inaccurately monitored their learning processes and were overconfident in both tasks. Linear mixed‐effects models (LMMs) indicated that the intensive use of metacognitive scaffolding positively predicted students' metacognitive monitoring accuracy. Moreover, strategic scaffolding was negatively related to problem‐solving efficiency, whereas metacognitive scaffolding positively influenced problem‐solving efficiency. Takeaways: This study shows the importance of metacognitive scaffolding in improving the accuracy of metacognitive monitoring and problem‐solving efficiency. Findings from this study provide new insights for instructors and ITS developers to optimise the design of scaffoldings. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Computer‐based scaffolding can facilitate students' knowledge gains and academic performance during self‐regulated learning (SRL).The effects of computer‐based scaffolding on the metacognitive dimension and efficiency outcome of SRL are still in a nascent phase. What this paper adds?: This paper explores how different types of computer‐based scaffolding affect students' metacognitive monitoring and problem‐solving efficiency.Metacognitive scaffolding improved the accuracy of medical students' confidence judgements.Metacognitive scaffolding promoted medical students' diagnostic problem‐solving efficiency.Strategic scaffolding had a negative effect on problem‐solving efficiency. Implications for practice: Instructors could provide more metacognitive scaffoldings to facilitate students' metacognitive monitoring accuracy.The designers of intelligent tutoring systems and instructors should consider the costs associated with using scaffoldings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating CO2 emissions from long-haul commercial trucking is a major challenge that must be addressed to achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. Extensive recent research and development programs have shown how significant near-term reductions in GHGs from commercial vehicles can be achieved by combining technological advances. This paper reviews progress in technology for engine efficiency improvements, vehicle resistance and drag reductions, and the introduction of hybrid electric powertrains in long-haul trucks. The results of vehicle demonstration projects by major vehicle manufacturers have shown peak brake thermal efficiency of 55% in heavy-duty diesel engines and have demonstrated freight efficiency improvements of 150% relative to a 2009 baseline in North America. These improvements have been achieved by combining multiple incremental improvements in both engine and vehicle technologies. Powertrain electrification through hybridization has been shown to offer some potential reductions in fuel consumption. These potential benefits depend on the vehicle use, the details of the powertrain design, and the duty cycle. To date, most papers have focused on standard drive cycles, leaving a research gap in how hybrid electric powertrains would be designed to minimize fuel consumption over real-world drive cycles, which are essential for a reliable powertrain design. The results of this paper suggest that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to reduce the GHGs in long-haul trucking, and a combination of technologies is required to provide an optimum solution for each application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of airborne methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) concentrations in workplaces across North America and Europe. A total of 7649 samples were collected between 1998 and 2020 by producers of MDI during product stewardship activities at customer sites, primarily using validated OSHA or ISO sampling and analysis techniques. As would be expected from the low vapor pressure of MDI, 80% of the concentrations were less than 0.01 mg/m3 (1 ppb) and 93% were less than 0.05 mg/m3 (5 ppb). Respiratory protection is an integral part of Industrial Hygiene practices; therefore, its use was studied and summarized. While covering a variety of MDI applications, a large number of samples was obtained from composite wood manufacturing facilities, offering specific insight into potential exposures associated with different process sections and job types in this industry sector. Given the potential presence in industrial processes of MDI-containing dust or aerosols, future work should place increased emphasis on also investigating dermal exposure. The data reported in this paper provide valuable information for product stewardship and industrial hygiene purposes throughout the MDI-processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting which non-native species will negatively impact biodiversity is a longstanding research priority. The Functional Response (FR; resource use in relation to availability) is a classical ecological concept that has been increasingly applied to quantify, assess and compare ecological impacts of non-native species. Despite this recent growth, an overview of applications and knowledge gaps across relevant contexts is currently lacking. We conducted a systematic review using a combination of terms regarding FR and invasion science to synthesise scientific studies that apply the FR approach in the field and to suggest new areas where it could have valuable applications. Trends of publications using FR in invasion science and publications about FR in general were compared through the Activity Index. Data were extracted from papers to reveal temporal, bibliographic, and geographic trends, patterns in study attributes such as type of interaction and habitat investigated, taxonomic groups used, and context-dependencies assessed. In total, 120 papers were included in the review. We identified substantial unevenness in the reporting of FRs in invasion science, despite a rapidly growing number of studies. To date, research has been geographically skewed towards North America and Europe, as well as towards predator-prey interactions in freshwater habitats. Most studies have focused on a few species of invertebrates and fishes. Species origin, life stage, environmental temperature and habitat complexity were the most frequently considered context-dependencies. We conclude that while the FR approach has thus far been narrowly applied, it has broad potential application in invasion science and can be used to test major hypotheses in this research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of careful harmonic analysis and high-resolution numerical modelling of tides in altimeter data from TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-2 satellites allows detailed calculation of seasonal and interannual variability of sea level in coastal areas of the north-east Pacific Ocean. These calculations show large changes in sea level in marginal seas during the 1997-8 El Niño and La Niña events, as well as providing information on the origin and life cycle of large anticyclonic eddies, observed to be generated off the west coast of Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local-regional (LR) species diversity plots were conceived to assess the contribution of regional and local processes in shaping the patterns of biological diversity, but have been used also to explore the scaling of diversity in terms of its alpha, beta, and gamma components. Here we explore the idea that patterns in the geographical ranges of species over a continent can determine the shape of small region to large region (SRLR) plots, which are equivalent to LR plots when comparing the diversity of sites at two regional scales. To test that idea, we analysed the diversity patterns at two regional scales for the mammals of North America, defined as the mainland from Alaska and Canada to Panama. We developed a theoretical model relating average range size of species over a large-scale region with its average regional point species diversity (RPD). Then, we generated a null model of expected SRLR plots based on theoretical predictions. Species diversities at two scales were modelled using linear and saturation functions for Type I and Type II SRLR relationships, respectively. We applied the models to the case of North American mammals by examining the regional diversity and the RPD for 21 large-scale quadrats (with area equal to 160,000 km2), arranged along a latitudinal gradient. Our model showed that continental and large-scale regional patterns of distribution of species can generate both types of SRLR relationship, and that these patterns can be reflected in LR plots without invoking any kind of local processes. We found that North American nonvolant mammals follow a Type I SRLR relationship, whereas bats follow a Type II pattern. This difference was linked to patterns in which species of the two mammalian groups distribute in geographical space. Traditional LR plots and the new SRLR plots are useful tools in exploring the scaling of species diversity and in showing the relationship between distribution and diversity. Their usefulness in comparing the relative role of local and regional processes is, however, very limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine if non-native plant species are homogenizing species composition among widely dispersed plant communities. Twenty localities in North America. Species lists among localities were compared to measure the influence of non-native species richness at each locality on the Jaccard Index (JI) of similarity between localities. After removing the effects of distance, because shared native species decreased with distance, three (nonexclusive) lines of evidence indicate that non-native species promote homogenization. First, pairs of sites with a high combined total of non-native species tend to have higher similarity than those with a low total of non-natives. Second, for a given distance, more non-native than native species tended to be shared among localities. Third, whereas most of the site comparisons with high total non-native richness have a non-native/native JI ratio greater than 1 (often much greater), only half of the comparisons with low total non-native richness have a ratio greater than one. These findings provide quantitative support for the widely held, but rarely tested, notion that non-native species tend to homogenize biological communities because they are more commonly shared among communities. Such testing is important as non-native species could theoretically have no impact or even reduce homogenization among communities, if non-native colonizers consist of different species pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify the latitudinal gradient in species richness in the New World Triatominae and to explore the species-energy and area hypotheses as possible causes. The gradient was studied for North and South America, between 43° N and 32° S. A database was constructed containing the geographical distribution of the 118 New World Triatominae species based on data extracted from several published sources. Species richness was recorded as the number of species present within 5° latitudinal bands. We used univariate and multivariate models to analyse the relationship between area within each latitudinal belt, land surface temperature, and potential evapotranspiration as explanatory variables, and species richness. All variables were georeferenced and data were extracted using a GIS. Species richness of Triatominae increases significantly from the poles towards the Equator, peaking over the 5°−10 ° S latitudinal band. It increases according to a linear model, both north and south of the Equator, although a quadratic model fits better to southern hemisphere data. Richness correlates with habitable geographical area, when it is analysed through a nonlinear multiple regression factoring out latitude, only in the southern hemisphere. Regarding the species-energy hypothesis, a multiple regression analysis controlling the effect of latitude shows a significant relationship between temperature and species richness. This effect is more pronounced in the southern hemisphere. Species richness shows a strong longitudinal trend south of the Equator (increasing to the east), but not north of the Equator. This differential pattern is reflected in significant interactions between longitude and both latitude and temperature in models of the species richness of the New World Triatominae. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a latitudinal gradient in species richness has been shown and analysed for obligate haematophagous organisms, and it shows that the species–energy hypothesis can account for this phenomenon. This relationship is stronger in the southern hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the relative contributions of current vs. historical factors in explaining broad-scale diversity gradients using a combination of contemporary factors and a quantitative estimate of the temporal accessibility of areas for recolonization created by glacial retreat following the most recent Ice Age. The part of the Nearctic region of North America that was covered by ice sheets during the glacial maximum 20 000 BP. We used range maps to estimate the species richness of mammals and terrestrial birds in 48 400 km2 cells. Current conditions in each cell were quantified using seven climatic and topographical variables. Historical conditions were estimated using the number of years before present when an area became exposed as the ice sheets retreated during the post-Pleistocene climate warming. We attempted to tease apart contemporary and historical effects using multiple regression, partial regression and spatial autocorrelation analysis. A measure of current energy inputs, potential evapotranspiration, explained 76–82% of the variance in species richness, but time since deglaciation explained an additional 8–13% of the variance, primarily due to effects operating at large spatial scales. Because of spatial covariation between the historical climates influencing the melting of the ice sheet and current climates, it was not possible to partition their effects fully, but of the independent effects that could be identified, current climate explained two to seven times more variance in richness patterns than age. Factors acting in the present appear to have the strongest influence on the diversity gradient, but an historical signal persisting at least 13 000 years is still detectable. This has implications for modelling changes in diversity patterns in response to future global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving inclusion and equity in international business (IB) education remains a challenge, given the rising costs of college tuition and the increasingly diverse and non-traditional student population. These changes may reduce the feasibility and relevancy of activities, such as study abroad programs, and an MNE-centric IB curriculum for a significant number of college students today. To overcome these challenges, in this paper, we share our findings from a case study on a virtual service-learning project that fostered cross-border interactions between undergraduate students in North America and small business owners in Central America. Over the course of one semester, students worked to draw connections between their unique individual backgrounds and skill sets, connect IB and global strategy concepts to small business operations, and deepen their understanding of sustainable development. Our findings demonstrate that this practice can enhance student enjoyment, academic learning, professional growth, and civic learning. Overall, virtual service-learning can be effective as an alternative teaching and learning approach to address the significant challenges in IB education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ticks are responsible for transmitting several disease-causing agents to humans and animals, including those causing Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Human protection from tick bites relies on personal protection tactics for preventing or minimizing tick feeding. One common method is the use of chemicals for repelling or killing ticks. This study sought to assess the repellent capability of the tick-killing compound, nootkatone, which is found in natural sources like grapefruit oil, against adult ticks in a laboratory setting. Nootkatone can be found in two main structural arrangements in nature, resulting in the ability to distinguish between a (+) isomer and a (−) isomer. The (+) isomer has a lower odor threshold (and is therefore more potent in its fragrance) and was chosen for use in this study. Adult females of three tick species, the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), and the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), were repelled by nootkatone at different concentrations. Blacklegged ticks were most susceptible to this compound, not only being repelled at very low nootkatone concentrations, but also experiencing significant mortality when checked 24 h after exposure. American dog ticks and lone star ticks required much higher concentrations to repel and were not killed by the brief exposures. These experimental results indicate that nootkatone may be used in a dual action killing/repelling role against adult ticks, with particularly strong effects against blacklegged ticks. Ticks are vectors of many human and animal zoonotic disease-causing agents causing significant global health and economic strain. Repellents and acaricides are integral to the human capacity for personal protection from tick bites. Nootkatone, a naturally occurring sesquiterpene found in the Alaskan cedar tree, grapefruit, and other sources, has been documented to be a potent acaricide. Research has also noted repellent effects against some tick species. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effect of synthetic, high-purity (+)-nootkatone on adult Ixodes scapularis, Dermacentor variabilis, and Amblyomma americanum ticks in an in vitro, vertical filter paper bioassay. (+)-nootkatone showed compelling tick repellency, but median effective concentrations (EC50) significantly differed among species. Ixodes scapularis were repelled at very low concentrations (EC50 = 0.87 ± 0.05 µg/cm2). Higher concentrations were required to repel D. variabilis (EC50 = 252 ± 12 µg/cm2) and A. americanum (EC50 = 2313 ± 179 µg/cm2). Significant post-exposure mortality, assessed 24 h after repellency trials, was also observed in I. scapularis but was absent entirely in D. variabilis and A. americanum. These tests demonstrate that nootkatone has a promising dual-action personal protection capacity against adult I. scapularis ticks, warranting further investigation in more natural environments and in the presence of host cues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]